“Chloe?”

Candace.

It had to be Candace.

“Are you in there?”

I knelt there, still frozen in place, one hand pressed against the door. My crying eyes slowly opened, following the sound of her words. Just when I thought all hope was lost, I heard her.

My ears weren’t deceiving me. That was her voice. It could only be Candace.

“Come on. Knock once if you’re in there.”

Following her lead, my free fingers quickly furled into a fist, ready to pound against the door for her attention.

Nothing.

“Please?”

And then nothing happened.

My body screamed at me to give in, to beat my fists against the door until they bruised like they had once upon a time, but I just couldn’t. My brain, my head, my thoughts- they wouldn’t let me.

“Okay.” I heard her say, my heart screaming to hear words my brain wasn’t ready to receive. “I don’t know if you’re in there, but if you are I just wanted to make sure you’re safe.”

I could feel her place her hand against mine.

“You are safe, aren’t you?”

No. No I wasn’t. Of course I wasn’t safe, and it was all her fault. Not my fault. Her fault.

Nothing. I said nothing. Not because I couldn’t, but because I had nothing more to say to her. Everything I thought I had to give I gave to her and then some.

As far as Candace St. Clair was concerned, Chloe was no different than Sophia Cavalier, dead. Even if she knew I wasn’t. We could feel each other through the door, our hands pressed together one last time.

But there was always going to be something to keep us from truly holding each other.

“I know you’ve given up hope.”

Nothing. Nothing was going to bring us back together.

“But please.”

And no amount of please was going to change that.

No matter how hard she tried.

“Fine. Be that way.” I heard her clear her throat, irritated beyond her own recognition, just a touch of nerve fading away. “You are a slave and I am a free woman. I don’t need your input. I’ll do what I want.”

But then she said that. I could feel the weight of her smug little lips smiling at me from the other side of the door, which made me want to kiss, punch, and bite them in equal measure.

“And if that happens to include you, you’ll just have to accept that.”

Leave it to Candace to put me in such excited agony at a moment like this. An indestructible, opaque, nearly soundproof steel barrier stood between us- and she was challenging me?

“Please don’t give up. Not like this. If you won’t fight her, at least fight me.”

My best and worst fears came true in that moment.

“I know you’re in there, Chloe. Don’t let her be the one who finally defeats Sophia Cavalier. You deserve better than that.”

Candace St. Clair was challenging me, and I couldn’t help but accept that challenge.

Nothing. I gave her nothing. I bit my lip and I said nothing.

If I was going to win, I was going to win on my own.

As if I was going to give her the satisfaction of hearing my voice at a time like this. She couldn’t even hold onto half of a necklace for a single weekend, how did she expect to hold onto me when I needed her most. She couldn’t do this on her own. We both knew that she was useless without me.

I stood up for her against her own sister when she couldn’t. I told her everything that her family wouldn’t, even though I knew it was going to cost my life. She can’t blame me for that. She has no right to think that I don’t care about her. She can’t call me a bad slave any longer.

I remembered everything she said to me. Candace wasn’t here to win me back. She wasn’t here to save me. I wouldn’t let her. I did my best. I was going to save her, not the other way around.

Her words ignited a fire within me, reviving a will to live. If she wanted me to fight, I would fight, but I wasn’t going to give her the satisfaction of being the one to save me. I wasn’t going to lose.

Life was a game, and I was here to win it.

“Right. Well, even if you aren’t in there, and I’m just talking to an empty cell. I have something for you. And before you’re gone I need you to know that you heard it. So if you’re not there, I’m just going to pretend. You didn’t get to hear me sing out there after all.”

Crickets.

“I can’t do this if you’re not in there, Chloe. I just want to sing for you, that’s all. Hell, if you don’t want to hear it, just say so. All I want is to know you’re okay.”

Desperately, I clasped my palms over my mouth, keeping hostage my own breath to make sure I couldn’t make a peep. The one thing I wished for the most right now wasn’t a song, it was to feel her touch one last time, just a little pinch to let me know that everything was okay. But things were far from okay, and this aching pain in my heart was here to remind me of that. She couldn’t know I was here. I couldn’t allow Candace to sing to me, because once I let myself hear her song, I was sure I would never be able to let go of it.

And Claudia needed to make sure my will to live was all but broken.

“I know right?” She tried to backpedal, but it was already too late. She’d given me her heart to hold and I wasn’t about to give it back. “What a loser.”

I didn’t want her to leave that room with a broken heart, but there was nothing I could do. I struggled not to giggle along with her, but I couldn’t let this feeling go.

“That Candace Saint Clair girl. Always a loser.” I could hear her crying between her words, and only then did I realize that I was crying too. “Please say something. I just need to know that you’re alive.”

She begged one last time, but I couldn’t bring myself to say a thing. My body shook as I soundlessly cried, the bell that I always kept clipped to my collar ringing ever so faintly into my pointed ears.

“I love you, Chloe.” Her words meant everything to me. “Please don’t let me be the one to defeat you. If not for me, then for her, let Chloe be the one who finally defeats Sophia Cavalier.”

A silent song accompanied by the sound of her footsteps leaving me behind in the dust was what I needed to make sure I could escape not just Claudia, but her little sister as well.

I waited for the click of the door closing behind her before I dared to move, desperate to keep even the slightest sound of a small bell from tipping her ear to my presence. It was better if she didn’t know I was listening.

At least that took care of her for now. The next step was actually getting myself out of here.

No problem . I gently pulled down my shirt, reaching between my breasts and retrieving the single key I’d received from Lilian before dinner. Let’s just hope this works.

It slid into the slot which controlled the dumbwaiter without a hitch, and sure enough, the elevator clicked on as it turned.

Wait just a bit longer, Saint Clair. I’ll show you what I’m made of. I don’t need your help getting out of here.

There was a big stupid grin on my face as the gate slid open, allowing me inside. With the press of a button it slid closed again, slowly bringing me upstairs as I returned the key safely to my bosom.

No. Too easy.

I sighed, knowing I needed to hide it a little bit better if I really didn’t want it to be confiscated, and what better place that safely tucked between my legs.

There. As long as I don’t have sex, I should be fine.

This would be easier said than done, however.

✶ ✦ ✧ ✦ ✧ ✦ ✧ ✦ ✧ ✦ ✧ ✦ ✧ ✶ ✧ ✦ ✧ ✦ ✧ ✦ ✧ ✦ ✧ ✦ ✧ ✦ ✶

“Chloe.”

Per the hostess’ orders, no one could know where I was, especially her ragtag team of uninvited guests. Nobody had seen me since just before dinner, but those who had seen me knew I had to be somewhere.

Everyone knew it. There was no way I had just disappeared, but Claudia was intent on making sure it seemed that way.

“Chloe is dead. Candace has the tape to prove it.” Claudia asserted as she sat down at her usual spot. “If that’s why you two are here, you can take it and leave. Please.”

Her father, on the other hand, was not so quick to take her up on that offer.

“Hold on, sweetheart.” He smiled, still holding his ex-wife by the wrist. “Don’t be so quick to try and send your own dad away. I’m not here to cause trouble, that’s a business hours thing. We’re not here for business.”

“Tell that to them.” Claudia snapped as she pointed across the table, watching her little sister head to the dancefloor, following Leah outside. “Why did they bring you?”

“They didn’t bring me. I brought myself.” Cardinal answered innocently. “We’re here for separate reasons, we simply carpooled.”

“As if.” She crossed her arms. “There’s something else to it.”

“If you wanted to know why your sister came, you should have asked her yourself.”

“She would never give me a straightforward answer, but I don’t need to ask. I know why she’s here.”

“Do you now?” Her father frowned. “She told you about last night?”

“Last night? Candace hasn’t spoken to me since last week? What happened last night?”

“I’ve been informed that as she was leaving the convention center after hosting that championship she used to compete in, your little sister was robbed at gunpoint. She wasn’t shot, despite being alone, but the punk did make off with her mother’s cross.”

“Mom’s cross?” She hissed. “That was like one of ten things you allowed her to own.”

“And it’s been taken. I would like to see to it that Candace’s cross makes it back into her hands.”

“Is that why you’re here?”

“No. That’s why Candace is here, and my consigliere to be is here to bust kneecaps as usual. One last debt collecting job and she can take her dead husband’s spot. I’m here to wish your mother a happy birthday. Aria’s retrieving her gift as we speak.”

She squinted, keeping her eyes on her little sister and fingers curled around her own cane. What Leah did was her own business, but not Candace. She couldn’t be allowed anywhere near what was important.

So it’s a game she wants. Claudia thought, dance shoes tapping on the floor. I know what you’re up to, little angel.

“For some reason or another I don’t think that’s why she’s here, however. She came for Chloe, and she has Chloe. That tape is what’s left of her. If she wants to have Chloe back, she’s welcome to keep that piece of her forever.”

Claudia licked her lips excitedly. I’ll keep the rest for myself.

One look in her wife’s eyes told Josephine that she was up to no good, but the lady of the house wasn’t currently in a position to do anything about that.

“There’s one other thing that I really wanted to discuss with you, Sir.” She broke the silence.

Cardinal smiled agreeably. “Proceed?”

“You and Claudia had discussed plans for her to put her sister back in line for you, and as far as I understand, you have been pleased with the results. I’m glad we could help get your youngest daughter to start listening to you again.”

“But of course. Family issues require family solutions. If it weren’t for my power and protection, Candace might very well have been shot dead, she knows that. Doing as I say and being under my protection is the only thing keeping you girls safe, I don’t think she’ll soon forget that.”

“Again. You’re welcome for that, Sir. But I’m not so happy with the results.”

“Speak, dear girl. What’s troubling you about it?”

“Well, seeing as how Candace is responsible for putting this collar on my wife’s neck, I thought you could take responsibility for that. If not help me remove the collar, which Claudia has been insistent that we don’t destroy in the process, I request that you part with the controller.”

Josephine’s villainous father-in-law got a hearty chuckle out of that. “If you’re scared that I’ve given it to her sister to use as leverage against you, worry not. It’s here at the table right now.”

“That’s surely a relief, but that still doesn't quite solve the issue.”

“I have a solution for that.” He assured her, making sure his own daughter was listening intently. “I’ll part with the controller tonight.”

Claudia practically jumped at him. “When?”

“Soon.” He grinned maniacally. “But it’s going to be a surprise.”

A man of this caliber wasn’t one that can be taken at face value. But still, not even the woman who was once married to him could gauge why he was doing what he was doing. “What are you up to, Cardinal?”

“Like I said-” He responded, grinning to himself as he watched his only granddaughter approach the table. “It’s a surprise.”

“Grampop?” An exceedingly worn out Lilian mumbled as she floundered towards her grandfather to be picked up.

“Hey munchkin.” Cardinal smiled as he lifted her into his lap, giving her a kiss on the forehead. “How’s my little sunshine?”

She rubbed her eyes, latching onto him. “Sleepy.”

“She’s missed you, dad.” Claudia frowned, making sure to watch them both closely. “She hasn’t liked going to church without you.”

“Every Sunday she still asks if you’re going to be there, Sir.” Lilian’s diligent nanny added. “It’s been a hassle getting her ready to go knowing you’re not.”

“I’m sure she wouldn’t have so much trouble if my daughter started letting you take her instead.” He smiled, ruffling the girl’s hair. “Isn’t that right, you’d like it if your nanny went to church too, right?”

“Uh-huh.” Lilian giggled excitedly, looking at Zenna with pleading eyes. “You’re gonna?”

“Oh. I don’t know. I’ve never been popular in church circles.” She smiled awkwardly. “Plus, you know?”

“I do. But if they know what’s good for them, that shouldn’t be a problem anymore, I’ll make sure of it.” He winked. “You’re going to be a mom yourself soon, you might want to start taking both of your girls yourself. If not for you, then just to make things easier.”

“Actually, yeah. You’re right. I think I would like to try that.” Zenna gave Claudia the pretty kitty eyes. “If my master will let me?”

Josie giggled first. “If she won’t, I will.”

“I guess that settles that then. We’ll have to get you some new clothes.” Claudia crossed her arms. “But for now, Lilian should be in bed.”

“I tried taking her upstairs, but her door is locked.” The nanny frowned. “She can’t remember where she put the key.”

“The key?” Claudia raised an eyebrow. “How did she lose the key?”

“I’m not sure, Ma’am. But could I use yours to take her to bed?”

Claudia squinted, not liking where this was going in the slightest. “Right. My cane.”

She rose from her seat, eyes still on the prize as she unsheathed her cane from itself. There were all sorts of little gadgets in this thing, most importantly the key to her own house. It clicked back into place with a snap, swishing through the air as she held it towards her slave.

“Take it and then go check our bedroom.” Claudia hissed, trying to be covert. “I have a feeling the key might be somewhere around there.”

Claudia swallowed nervously, eyeing those red eyes in Zenna’s hand to make sure she wasn’t in any immediate danger. She could never be sure whether she was safe, but now wasn’t the time for any suspicious moves.

“Yes, Ma’am.” Zenna bowed, carefully acquiring the cane. “Alright, Lilian. Ready for bed?”

“Nuh-uh.” The girl shook her head, pouting at her mothers. “No snake.”

“It’s okay, sweetie.” The shy lioness tried to assure her charge. “You’re not prey, you’re a predator. The snake can’t hurt you.”

“Go on, little one.” Cardinal smiled at Lilian, reluctantly returning her to Zenna. “Your mean old mommy hasn’t been hurting you, has she?”

Like stone, Claudia froze as the eyes turned on her, and she made contact with each of them one by one. But she wasn’t stone, and that fleshy heart was hurt to be looked at like that. Nothing Claudia could say right now could convince anyone that she was a decent mother, but she really had never hurt her daughter like her own father had hurt her.

“Ummm.” Lilian blushed, averting her eyes without knowing it. “Only a little bit.”

She swallowed her emotions whole, trying not to tear up as she was put on the spot like that. Even without laying a hand on Lilian, she’d still managed to hurt the poor girl.

“Don’t worry, sweetie.” Cardinal smiled, pointing towards Claudia. “As long as she’s got that on, you’re safe. She can’t hurt you.”

The little girl smiled, quickly forgetting her fear in favor of relieved excitement. “Yeah. That’s what nanny taught me.”

“Goodnight, Lilian.” Claudia forced through her lips. “We’ll see you in the morning.”

Lilian yawned, waving goodbye. “Nighty night, mama.”

Zenna departed with their daughter, taking Lilian upstairs to bed, and the moment she was gone Claudia was hissing at her father. How dare he do something like that in front of Claudia’s family? How dare he humiliate her like that to her daughter’s face? She would never live that down.

Rather than standing up and confronting him however, Claudia sat, elbows slamming onto the tabletop as she buried her face in her hands. Sobs left her lungs, barely even resembling sounds as she drowned them out, determined not to be heard.

“You know what?” Claudia choked back her tears, pushing her chair in as she walked away. “Fine. Enjoy the party.”

Her hand slipped away before Josie could hold it, leaving the other woman sitting there in shattered awe as Claudia walked away from it all. A rare feeling of anger overtook the redhead for just a moment, she couldn’t let whatever that was slide in her own home.

“Even divorced the two of you have got to be the worst parents I have ever seen in my entire life.” She was positively appalled by the lack of support they showed for their own daughter. “I know you two have your favorites, but do you know how hard it is to convince Claudia that her family loves her when you two always do your damned best to show her otherwise?”

Cardinal rolled his eyes. “She’s alright, Jacquel. Calm down.”

“No. She’s not alright. She hasn’t been alright and I’m the only one trying to pick up the pieces here.”

“Now now, Josie dear.” Lilith mumbled through aching lungs. “We love you for always being there for her, and that’s what matters.”

Furious, Josephine pounded the table with her hand. “If you don’t shut the fuck up and fix this, I am not afraid to kick you out of your own party and ban you from ever stepping foot into my home again. If you’re not going to be here to support Claudia, I won’t allow you to be here for Lilian.”

Lilith hacked up a bloody wad into her handkerchief, growling under her breath. “It’s only because I love Lilian that I can’t support her mother. Claudia can’t be my daughter if she’s going to be putting my granddaughter in harm’s way.”

“She’s not the one being a danger to Lilian, she’s the one trying her best to keep our daughter safe.” She snarled with tears in her eyes. “For years now Claudia has had to fight off urges to hurt her own daughter because of what the two of you did to her.”

“I did nothing to her-”

“You ridiculed her for loving who she loved and you made a point of burning her inside and out just to hurt her. Maybe I wouldn’t be here if she’d married Zenna, but if you had let her be who she is, the two of them might have been happy that way. And you-”

Cardinal smirked. “Here we go.”

“You left your own daughter crippled for thirty years, and somehow that’s not even the worst of it.” Josephine held her anger at bay just to keep her from physically attacking the pair. “Sometimes she’ll wake up in the middle of the night begging me to take her cane away from her, because she’s desperately trying to fight off the urge to molest her own daughter and she needs me to take away the key to her chastity belt, which she wears to try and stop herself.”

The fiery redhead stood up from the table and furiously straightened out her gown, blowing hair from her face as she slammed her chair back under the table. She didn’t usually get this angry, but tonight it was all coming to a head.

“For half a decade now I’ve sat back and done what I could knowing that the only reason your daughter married me was because she couldn’t trust herself with our accidental daughter and needed me to help do it with her. I stuck by and played housewife. I went behind her back and let the one woman she was scared of join our family for the sake of protecting our daughter from her. I even let her kill our slaves when it was necessary to keep her safe. But I will not sit back and let you abuse her like this. If you two are so insistent on making her feel like a monster, I’ll let her show you what kind of monster she can be.”

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My cheeks turned a bright horrendous shade of pink as I stepped out of the dumbwaiter and back into the master bedroom, stunned to be seeing what was going on.

“I’m sorry.” I mumbled instinctively. “Is this a bad time, or?”

“Oh my god…”

“Chloe???”

Darcey and Autumn scrambled to cover themselves up the moment they saw me, ashamed to be caught fucking in their Mistress’ bed.

“What the fuck, dude…”

“Couldn’t you knock???”

I could not believe my eyes. “What are you guys doing?”

“What does it look like???”

“We’re having sex…”

“I can see that, but why?” I replied in accusation. “And in the master bedroom no less?”

“We got sick of getting groped by strangers downstairs!!!”

“And someone left the door unlocked…”

“Whoops.” I giggled under my breath, rolling my eyes. “My bad.”

“Yeah, well… so was the guest room. One of the guests must have noticed there was an open room, so he dragged us up here for a quick gangbang…” Autumn said, sighing under her breath. “We couldn’t exactly say no…”

“Oh.” That quickly killed the mood. “I’m sorry. Did you tell anyone?”

“We don’t want to ruin the night!!!” Darcey couldn’t help but shout, curling up into a ball on the bed next to her companion. “Master and Mistress want tonight to be perfect. We can’t ruin this for them just because we fucked up.”

“You were raped, Darcey.” I scoffed, quickly making my way to her side to try and comfort her. “That’s not your fault.”

“We can’t be raped, Chloe…” Autumn shuddered, keeping her distance as usual. “We’re not people, we’re objects, we don’t have consent to give. You can’t rape a sex toy…”

“Besides-” Darcey cut in, still curled up under the covers. “We’re used to being raped.”

“What do you mean you’re used to being raped?”

“You’re not the only slave here, Chloe…” Autumn mumbled passively. “We’re here against our will too…”

“We’ve just adapted to it.” Darcey nodded, her voice a lot less enthusiastic than normal. “Miss Josie had our tubes tied so that she wouldn’t have to worry about another baby.”

“Wait. You mean you’ve actually been spayed. You can’t get pregnant?”

“Nope.” Autumn shook her head. “But Zenna can…”

“That’s because Zenna’s the special one.” Darcey whined. “She gets to go around announcing her pregnancy to the rest of the family, while we have to zip our lips and let ourselves be molested by strange men just to keep the party rolling!!!”

“It’s not fair…” Autumn mumbled again, a lot less passively this time. “We’ve both been here longer than her too…”

“Zenna just walked up and gave herself willingly, and that makes her special. Meanwhile, we were forced into a life we didn’t ask for, and now we have to play second fiddle to her as she has a baby with our mistress.” Darcey added. “She doesn’t even belong to Josie!!!”

“But that doesn’t matter to them…” Autumn practically growled. “We’re just not baby making material, apparently…”

“So excuse us if we take a moment to ourselves!!!” Darcey finally snapped, enraged to her core. “I don’t even care that I’m a slave. I’m just sick of being put aside by my own owner in favor of some hot new piece of ass she can shove her fucking dick in!!!”

“We’re here too… and we would sure love the chance to have kids of our own as well…”

“But no!!! She went and knocked up that pedophilic piece of shit instead!!!”

Uncharacteristically angry, Darcey sprung to her feet and stormed her way to her owner’s vanity. Then, in a fit of rage, the disillusioned slave heaved the mirror from its place and threw it overhead onto the floor in front of her. The glass shattered into a thousand pieces in an instant, and with it went a lot of the frustration she’d kept pent up for the last several years.

From her spot in bed on the other hand, Autumn simply began to bawl. Overwhelmed by her girlfriend’s anger and my own vain attempts to calm them down, Autumn’s own pent up fear and sadness came screaming out of her like a tidal wave. Tears soaked the master’s pillowcase as her slave held it to her face, practically screaming, and that wasn’t even the worst of it.

“You take that back.” The door clicked as it slowly swung open, making way for a violent Zenna on the other side, offended by what had been said about her. “I am not a pedophile.”

I could have sworn that the handle broke on impact as it slammed shut. The sound reverberated not just through the room but the whole floor, louder than a lion’s roar. Zenna was just as happy as her fellow slaves, myself included, and I could see in her eyes that she was pointing that blame straight at me.

“Look at what you’ve done.” Her foot slammed against the floor below, forcefully enough to thud through even the carpet absorbing the blow. “Everything was fine until you started trying to turn us against our owners.”

“Everything was not fine, Zenna.” My shouting skidded through grinding teeth, fueled by anger and despair. “Were you listening to a single thing they said?”

“I almost got taken away from my daughter because of you!” She pointed to me in accusation, and I could see suddenly she had Claudia’s cane in her grubby little paws. “You’re not even a part of this family!”

“Neither are we, apparently.” The pillow pried itself from Autumn’s face as she pulled it away, eyes now free of tears. “It’s just you, Master, Mistress, and your kids. Soon enough we’ll be at the plantation too…”

“Nobody’s going to send you to the fucking plantation, Autumn. Pull yourself together.” Zenna’s snarls were filled with desperation. She clung to the cane like her master used to. “But I had better not hear Darcey call me a pedophile ever again.”

“Or what, you’ll electrocute me with Claudia’s cane?! Don’t pretend like you wouldn’t shove your tongue up Lilian’s ass if Claudia told you to!!!”

“I would never! That’s my daughter you’re talking about!”

“As if that means anything to Claudia… We’re not blind. We see how the both of you look at her…”

“That’s just not true! I’m just following orders like the two of you!”

“WILL EVERYONE JUST SHUT UP?!”

Screaming at the top of my lungs did wonders for grabbing their attention, and once I had it I refused to let it go.

“Stop yelling. This isn’t how you guys are. You love each other. I’ve seen the three of you together, and it’s amazing. Is this really something you guys are going to tear your relationship apart over?!”

Darcey, Autumn, and Zenna all backed down. The master bedroom quickly went quiet as the four of us sat there exchanging nervous glares, trying our best to put away our emotions and talk.

“I’m sorry, you guys.” Zenna said as she folded to the ground, sitting criss cross in front of the door, cane clutched to her ample chest. “I just got so excited about having a baby that I didn’t think about how it was going to affect you.”

“It’s not just the baby.” Autumn mumbled after her, nervous about finally getting these things off of her chest. “Since you got here, you’ve always been the favorite. Darcey and I have never even gotten the chance to be close with Lilian. Yeah, we’re younger than you, but not by a lot. We want to have Josie’s kids too.”

“We don’t even need to have her kids to be happy, we just want her attention.” Darcey slumped into the seat of the vanity, now sans one reflective surface. “The only attention we’ve ever gotten from Claudia is her scolding us to be better slaves. We’re trying to be better slaves. It’s not our fault that she’s scared of us. We haven’t done anything to her.”

“Speak for yourself. I’ve purposefully been pushing things too far. I keep egging her on, and look at what that’s done to me. I wouldn’t have even gotten that collar around her neck if I hadn’t snuck into her office and watched those tapes she keeps locked away.” Full of guilt, I sighed. “If anything, I deserve to go to the plantation for what I’ve done.”

“Don’t you think most of that is her fault, though?” The blonde scarecrow girl quickly added, not afraid to say what was on her mind. “I mean she’s always ignored the two of us, but she’s treated you like shit since you’ve gotten here. Like when she admitted to using her just to make Josie jealous. As if we were ever something that threatened to take Josie away from her.”

“It wasn’t that Claudia didn’t get Josie’s attention because she was busy with us, it was because she was being an ass who never treated her with the respect she deserved.” The once emotionless tin woman huffed, practically seething now. “We were always just there to help make Josie feel better about herself, because Claudia made her feel worthless, and we wanted her to know how special she was to us.”

“It doesn’t help that Josie paid just about as little attention to Lilian as Claudia did, either.” The lioness had to admit, she was a fair bit upset about that after all. “I’ve done my best to try and take care of Lilian on my own, because to be honest, neither of them are very good parents. But the worst part is that she needs more than just more attention, she needs help. Lilian, like Claudia and Josie, desperately needs to see a doctor. But no matter how hard I try, I can’t get them to take her to one.”

“Girls.” I couldn’t believe that I was about to ask them this, but I had no other choice. “Will you start a revolt with me?”

The motley crew stared at me in stunned silence, watching as I stood between the three of them, treating it like I was asking these girls to marry me. That’s how important this was.

“I think we can get through to them if we just worked together, the four of us. Surely between you three and whatever I am to them, Claudia and Josie care enough for us as a whole to want to listen to our demands if that’s what it took to keep us. If after the party it was just us and them, we have the numbers. Lilian is just a child, and Josephine’s a weaker target than any of us on our own. Claudia doesn’t trust herself with the controllers to our collars, and she’s scared of us enough as it is, we could all escape if we wanted to.”

Zenna’s gaze lowered to the floor in front of her, overtaken with a guilty silence. Darcey and Autumn meanwhile found themselves exchanging gazes from across the room, they both had something to say about that.

“But we don’t want to escape, Chloe.”

“Yeah, only you want to escape.”

“And that’s the point.” I turned to them and smiled, hoping and begging that they would help me. “The point is that you can escape if you want to. Hopefully they’ll realize that and do everything in their power to try and keep you, and if they don’t then they’re just not worth staying for. I won’t lie to you. Yes, I want to escape. But you girls deserve better than what you’re getting. You know that. I know that. They know that. So what do you say, will you help me start a revolt or not?”

“Your heart is there, Chloe.” Zenna mumbled from behind me, and I spun to face her down. “But that’s not enough to lead a successful revolt. You can’t just go in there and hope for the best. You need a plan.”

“I have a plan.” I blushed, just a little bit proud of myself. “I’ve been working on it all night.”

“Oh yeah?” The lion’s paws tightened around the cane. “And what’s your plan?”

Deep breaths, Chloe. Deep breaths.

“I’m going to drop the chandelier on them.”

“What???” Darcey’s heart nearly ripped straight out of her stitched together chest. “You’re insane???”

“You didn’t say you wanted to kill them…” Autumn curled up just a little, ready to sob into the pillow all over again. “I don’t want Master and Mistress to get hurt…”

“They won’t get hurt, I promise.” I looked the two of them in the eyes and did my best to reassure them. “Because you two are going to be down there to help save them.”

I pointed a finger at Darcey. “One of you will get Claudia.”

And one at Autumn. “One of you will get Josie.”

Zenna, of course, was the skeptical one here. “And what, pray tell, does that accomplish?”

“Once the two of you dive in to help save them from a falling chandelier, they’ll realize how much you mean to them, and hopefully they’ll reward you for that. I’ll be the one climbing the rope to drop the lights to the ground. I learned how to do it when I was with Candace, I’ve worked with these things before. I can drop it to the ground and still leave myself a cable to slide back down, I just need something strong to hit it with.”

All three of my fellow slaves froze to think it over, but before long I had my answer.

“Well I kind of already smashed Josie’s favorite mirror.” Darcey giggled. “So I guess I’m in?”

“I think I’m okay with this.” Autumn followed quickly after, her robotic face blushing. “But only because Darcey wants to.”

The smile on my face could only be described as the happiest one of my entire life. “Zenna?”

“Solid plan.” Even she had to admit. “But where do I come in?”

“That’s simple. I don’t need a thing from you.” I pointed straight towards the serpent in her clutch. “Just that cane.”

“That’s it?” She almost seemed offended to have such a small part in my little scheme. “You don’t need me?”

“Darcey’s smart. Autumn’s got heart. But you-” I stuttered nervously, not wanting to offend her. “We never got off to a great start.”

“You think I’m a coward.” She said, holding her hands in her lap. “You don’t think I have what it takes to revolt against my owners.”

“You can’t really blame me, Zenna.” I frowned, extending one hand towards her. “But there’s still time to prove me wrong.”

She looked at my palm and raised her hand, reaching out towards me for a moment before-

“No.” She exhaled, retracting her hand before it could reach me. “I’m sorry. But I can’t help.”

“Zenna, please.” I pleaded with her. “This isn’t going to work unless all four of us are on board, I’m begging you.”

“I have too much to lose, Chloe.” She kept the cane firmly in her grasp as she rose to her feet. “I already have one daughter that I need to think of, I don’t want to get my unborn child taken away from me.”

“I’m sorry for calling you a pedophile, Zenna.” I heard Darcey plea from beside me. “I didn’t mean it, I love you.”

“We both love you.” Autumn amended, trying to back us both up. “We just want to be treated like you are is all.”

Zenna paused, looking to both of them one at a time before sighing. “Thank you, but no. I’m sorry.”

“Then the plan is dead in the water.” I slammed to my knees in defeat, hanging my head in sorrow. “I’m never getting out of here.”

The cowardly lion just shook her head at me. “Is that really all you care about?”

“She’s going to the plantation if she doesn’t escape, Zenna.” Autumn crossed her arms. “Show a little compassion.”

“There’s still hope. There has to be.” Darcey remained optimistic. “Give me a while, I’m sure I can come up with a new plan.”

“No. No more plans.” Zenna put her foot down, refusing it outright. “I’m going down there and telling our masters about this. Hopefully they’ll give us a light punishment if we confess to conspiring against them.”

With a twirl of her tail, she spun around in place and stormed out the door, the cane still in hand. If she got to Claudia’s side and even so much as told her I wasn’t in the cell, my last chance at escaping was ruined.

Maybe this is for the best. I sighed to myself, too nervous to follow after her. This was it then. There would be no escaping for me. I don’t want to keep running forever.

The Sophia Cavalier in me had already made up her mind, if there was no way out of here, there was no way forward. Which meant there was only one option.

No. I shouted at myself within my own aching brain. I can’t give up now.

After a moment of shaking myself free of demons, I got on up and I chased after her. But as I reached Zenna’s side, I found myself being dragged to the floor in her arms, interrupted by the sounds of gunshots from outside of the mansion.

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“Claudia honey.” Josie grabbed her wife by the wrist and shook her to get the woman’s attention. “Don’t walk away from me.”

“Don’t talk to me like you’re in charge. You’re not.” Claudia hissed back. “I am.”

“Maybe we need to talk about that.” She huffed, grabbing her other wrist and pulling her away from her office and towards the center of the sitting room. “Your father said he was going to part with the controller tonight, we should think about what happens when he gives it to us.”

“You can’t possibly believe him when he says that, Josie.” She shook her head. “He’s not going to give it to you, and he’s not going to give it to me either.”

“You don’t know that.”

“You don’t know otherwise.”

“Claudia.” Josie pleaded with tears in her eyes. “I’ll admit it. Your parents are the worst, and I’m sorry. But if they aren’t going to give us the controller, we have to destroy that collar.”

“We can’t.” Claudia refused. “It was my mother’s.”

“I know it was, but maybe it’s time that we let your mother move on.”

She could feel goosebumps from beneath her collar. “What are you talking about?”

“The two of them have no power over you. They just use Candace’s mother against you because she has power over you.” Josie squeezed Claudia’s hands. “They both use the tape to keep you in line, and your father uses that collar for extra measure. Without those they have nothing over you.”

“And you’re suggesting that I destroy them both? Not just the collar, but the tape as well?”

“For as long as someone we can’t trust is in control of that collar, we can’t risk it. If one of us gets our hands on the remote, though, maybe not.” Josephine swallowed nervously. “But the tape needs to go.”

“I can’t.” Claudia protested, her entire body trembling. “It’s all that’s left of her.”

“No. I don’t think it is. I was standing on the other side of that curtain when you were with your sister, I heard what she was saying, and she’s right. It’s not really her, it’s just a way to protect yourself from her.”

The redheaded rich girl led her bride through the curtain and back into the ballroom, stepping past other guests on the way to the floor. It was time for them to finally have their first dance.

“If I had known what you were hiding from me, I would have said something sooner. But I don’t blame you for keeping it a secret. I just want you to know that I don’t blame you for something you accidentally did twelve years ago. I’d say I forgive you, but I was never upset in the first place.”

“I’m so scared of letting it happen again.” Claudia admitted. “That first night we had Candace over, I took her to the bath because I’d missed her so much and I couldn’t control my urges.”

“And I’m sorry I wasn’t there to keep the key to your belt away from you that night. But I got it on you as soon as I could, right?”

“It wasn’t just that, though. When the tape was still missing, I couldn’t fight the urge to replicate it with my sister. I wanted to be sure I could do it all over again without killing her this time, and I almost couldn’t even do that.”

The two of them began to dance together, their voices drowned out by the sounds of the band, keeping them from hearing anything but each other and the music.

“Before I got the tape back, I felt this sense of relief. It was like nobody around me could find out about what I’d done, and I was safe. At the same time, though, I knew that my secret was in the hands of someone I couldn’t trust, and that terrified me. But the worst part was knowing that the last connection I have to her was missing, and that nobody could ever find out what happened to her because I was never going to be strong enough to admit to it.”

“And then as soon as your sister was in the picture again, you got the tape back?”

“Like clockwork.” Angry tears bit the corners of her eyes. “The moment he knew I was planning on getting back in contact with Candace, my father was suddenly on high alert for something I’d been begging him to retrieve for years. And just as quickly, my mother gave it back up. It was almost like they wanted that control over me again. They both wanted nothing more than to tempt me away from fixing things with my little sister.”

“Love.” Josie nuzzled noses with her towering wife. “Please destroy the tape.”

“You know I can’t do that.”

“But it’s the only way to fix things with your sister.”

“They don’t want me to fix things with my sister. They want to push me out of power.”

“Then don’t let them.” She begged. “Or even better, just forget it all. Get rid of the tape and you won’t have to worry about them anymore.”

“I’m Cardinal Russo’s daughter. If I don’t have his power, I don’t have anything.”

“That’s not true.” Claudia’s wife smiled at her. “You’ll always have me.”

“Josiepie.”

“Claudibear.”

The pair of wives stared longingly into each other’s eyes for a moment before accepting the other’s lips, making out in the center of their own ballroom. It was a passionate embrace that even their parents couldn’t help but respect if they could see it, and they were definitely there to see it, dancing alongside them both.

Their precious moment together was cut short however, as that same pair of gunshots rocked the whole house, shocking and surprising everyone who was there to hear it. And Claudia was the first to put a stop to their dance.

“What was that?”

“Does it matter?” Josie pulled her back in, almost aggravated by the interruption. “Can’t we keep dancing?”

“Two gunshots just went off outside of our house, Josie.”

“It’s just Leah.” Lilith would have loved to hear her say that, and she did. “And I don’t mean to sound selfish or anything, but I really would like to have this with you, Claudia.”

“Josie-”

“Will you please just dance with me?” She begged. “Please?”

Claudia froze, her lips pressed against Josie’s once again in a desperate plea to get her to stay, and it worked. “Yes. A million times, yes.”

People followed their lead, ignoring the sounds of danger and continuing to dance along with the hosts. But even amongst the chaos, there was one person who couldn’t help but be scared by the sound of gunshots.

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“Stay down.” Zenna sprung to her feet after a moment of making sure we were secure, finding her way to the front facing window to investigate. Fleet of foot instincts kicked in and she was gone like that.

“Were those gunshots?” I’d always been afraid of guns, admittedly. Growing up an orphan in urban city life didn’t bode well for me as a kid, and I’d been nearly shot more times than I would have liked. I actually felt guilty knowing that the only reason my lifestyle hadn’t already gotten me shot was because I was white, because now that I was an adult I recognized that was why I had felt invincible doing it; And that made me feel yucky inside.

“What happened…” Darcey and Autumn chased after us, quick to make sure that everything was fine. Everything was not fine. “…Is something going on?”

“Someone’s been shot.” She could see it through the window, two people laying on the ground with blood coming from the chest. “I can’t tell who the boy is, but I think that’s-” She gasped, hands clasped over her mouth as she stepped away from the window, instantly struck with a cruel feeling of fear anew. “Leah…”

“Leah?!” I was next to her within seconds, staring in awe at the bloody scene, which was admittedly something straight out of the kind of film I often took cruel satisfaction in watching. She was right. It was Leah, and Candace was right next to her. That bitch .

I’d spent hours worrying about whether that monster of a man had killed her, and as soon as I felt safe knowing that she hadn’t she very nearly got herself shot anyways. Candace loved to milk all of my feelings out of me, getting me concerned about her safety every waking moment of the day. I was supposed to be the one in danger right now, not her.

Leah’s life hadn’t occurred to me for a second. I’d never thought she was in danger until just now, watching her bleed into the grass, and that horrified me. How many of the people that work for this family are victims like me, just trying to survive?

The answer. Probably most of them, right? It’s not like people choose to turn to a life of crime if they don’t have to. These rich monsters knew they could get away with whatever they wanted to, and they preyed on the less fortunate to help them do so. People like Leah. People like Aria. People like me.

They can’t get away with this. I can’t just let this go on.

Easing my way away from the door was harder than I would have liked, but it was better not to watch any longer than I needed to. I already got the picture.

“Girls?” I turned to the twin slaves as Zenna continued to peer through the looking glass. “Is that the guy that hurt you?”

Darcey and Autumn stared into each other’s eyes for half a minute before the former had the confidence to pry herself away to go look, and the latter had the courage to let her.

“Yeah, that’s him.” Darcey forced through her breath as she looked at him, not at all happy to see even a guy like him struggling to live. “That’s the guy who raped us.”

Zenna’s eyes flashed with a sudden hatred, finally seeing the final red flag. “You were raped?”

“If you’d been there for us you would have known.” The blonde responded with a gag. “While you were downstairs celebrating with family, Autumn and I were letting ourselves be used like sex toys for the guests.”

“And you didn’t say anything?” Zenna practically scolded her. “Why didn’t you say no?”

“We can’t say no, Zenna. Claudia beat that out of us.” Autumn mumbled from behind the other girl, once again taking Darcey’s arm and tugging her to safety. “Didn’t she beat that out of you?”

“What, no?” Their fellow slave just stood there in disgust. “Claudia’s never been that way with me. She never let me have sex with Josie for fear of getting pregnant.”

“That’s because you’re special. We got our tubes tied before they brought us home for the facility. They wanted to make sure we were both ready to be raped without fear of getting pregnant.” She mumbled, her eyes going glossy. “We didn’t say anything because we didn’t want to ruin your night tonight. We would never try to take that away from you. It’s not like speaking up would do any good anyways. Letting ourselves be raped by guests were Claudia’s orders for us. We had no choice.”

Her little lion heart must have grown three sizes that day, because Zenna didn’t just grow sad, she grew pissed. “No. That’s it. No more being a nice kitten. Not if this is the way things are going to be.”

And just like that, the dream was alive. “You mean you’ll help?”

Her eyes locked with mine as she tried to find her answer, but before she could say another word we all heard another gunshot go off. The three of us without police training flinched and curled up in fear, hoping for our lives that we weren’t the ones being fired at. But not her.

Next thing I knew Zenna was dashing across the entire top floor of the building, dashing towards Lilian’s room in an utter panic. There wasn’t any time to stand there and wait though, if Claudia saw me with her daughter again I wasn’t sure what would happen, assuming my master had the courage to do anything about it. Which I sincerely hoped she wouldn’t.

Lilian wasn’t in there.

Another glance confirmed that it was finally the time. As people crowded in front of the house, I needed to move soon if I wanted this to work. Everyone who was anyone was outside. If there was ever a time to make my last escape attempt, it was now.

I couldn’t wait any longer. It had to be now.

“I love all three of you, but I have to do this with or without you guys. I’m sorry.”

Deep breath in. Deep breath out. One last smile was the only thing I could give my two companions.

“Thank you for everything you’ve done for me.”

I took a running leap of faith, the bridge of my foot landing on the rail meant to keep kids like me from falling to my death, and then I jumped. It was always going to be a miracle if the chandelier even managed to support my weight, and I was ready to take that chance. If I split myself open through the glass and fell to my death, that was just the way it went, but thankfully I never had to land on the chandelier at all.

Like a lunatic, I caught the cable in my hands, grabbing onto it like a rope. Legs twisted and arms wrapped around it, I began my final climb. The only way forward was up.

All of a sudden the race was on. Darcey and Autumn were off down the stairs at the first sign of trouble. I had hope, but without another word, I couldn’t be sure that I could count on them.

Alright Chloe. Here goes nothing.

Weird things happen to you when you’re high on adrenaline. You notice things you never could, and you fail to see things you’d never miss. Time moves weirdly quickly and weirdly slowly all in the same instant, and within a breath you’re exactly where you want to be before you ever have a chance to think about it, and not once does a second thought ever occur to you.

Not until you’re already to the top.

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“Mistress…”

“Mistress!!!”

Darcey and Autumn clung to Josie’s arms the moment they saw her, quickly putting an end to her nervous pacing back and forth across the ballroom as she waited for her wife to return from the emergency outside.

“There you two are.” Josephine grabbed them and held them both close once she could, slowly beginning to calm down. “Please tell me you guys are okay.”

“We’re okay, Ma’am.” Autumn smiled happily, nuzzling into her mistress’ chest in an accidental effort to hog the woman to herself. “We’re just glad that monster got shot.”

“Monster?” Josie frowned. “Leah?”

“Not her, Mistress.” Darcey corrected. “I think his name was Xander.”

“Xander?” She spat his name out like it was poison on her tongue. “You mean Bella’s asshole of an ex-owner?”

“Him, Ma’am. Yes.” Darcey shuddered, feeling violated from head to toe. “I can’t believe she was ever in love with a guy like that.”

“He didn’t even want her.” Autumn pulled away, now curling into Darcey for comfort. “We’re not even Bella and he still wanted to fuck us.”

Josephine felt a red flag go off in her brain. “Wait, Xander wanted to have sex with you?”

“He did have sex with us, Ma’am.” Darcey held her partners tight. “We tried to tell you earlier.”

The redheaded hostess did distinctly remember that, and it gave her a pit in her stomach just thinking about it. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t realize-”

“We don’t like this, Mistress.” The brunette interrupted her. “Zenna gets to dance with you and have kids, while we have to let strangers abuse us because we’ve been spayed. It’s not fair.”

“Yeah.” The blonde slave blushed. “We want to dance too.”

Josephine looked towards her scarecrow, then towards her robot, and then frowned. Even she knew she had messed this one up.

“We’ll make it up to you. As soon as Claudia comes back, we’ll dance. Okay?”

Darcey and Autumn both bowed their heads and smiled, responding in unison. “Yes, Mistress.”

Low and behold, the plan was working.

“What’s going on here?” Claudia questioned as she returned. “What are you three up to?”

“I promised Darcey and Autumn we’d dance with them when they got back, they’ve had a rough night.” Josie held both of the slaves close. “Where’s your sister?”

“Outside with dad.” Claudia held her mother’s hand in hers, accepting a smile from Lilith’s lips. “What happened with these two?”

“Found out where our trigger happy guest has been all night.” Josephine frowned, gesturing towards Claudia and her mother. “What happened with you two?”

“Apparently someone talked some sense into my mom.” She blushed, glancing towards her wife with knowing eyes. “Thank you.”

“I would do anything for you, Claudia.” Josie blushed just as bright. “Would you do anything for me?”

“Of course I would.”

“Did you think about what I asked you earlier?”

“Of course I did.”

“And?”

Claudia paused for a moment, releasing her mother’s arm and sighing. “We’ll see.”

All of a sudden their voices felt louder, as the band went quiet. And it was left up to Lilith to break the silence.

“Claudia.” She reached out again. “Your father gave me a gift today, and-”

“Hush.” Her daughter quickly silenced her, nodding towards the stage. “She’s back.”

Claudia wasn’t sure why her sister was even still here after all of that, but she didn’t like it.

“Before I’m finished for the night.” Candace spoke to an otherwise silent room. “I would like to encore with a song that hopefully you haven’t heard just yet.”

“And what are you planning on doing, sweetie?” Lilith, more than anyone else, was annoyed by this. “Sing things better?”

“If I have to. Yes.”

Candace had one thing on her mind, eyes locked onto her sister’s as Darcey took Claudia by the arm. This was it, their final confrontation. It all came to a close, right here, right now.

“Let her sing.” Claudia said with a grin, ready for one last fight. “I want to hear it.”

With the host’s permission, the music started again, setting the stage at long last.

“I wrote this song myself. And I would like to dedicate it to someone very special to me.”

But neither of them could have possibly known how it was all going to end.

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“Chloe?!” Even without a little girl in her arms, Zenna was too shocked not to call my name. “What are you doing?!”

There she stood, a long way down, Lilian in one arm and the cane in another. Her cooperation would have been nice, but I never needed her help. I could do this with my fist if I had to, even if it broke me, and I had to.

“I’m getting out of here, Zenna.” I called back to her from the sky above. “Get on board or get lost.”

“I can’t do this, Chloe. I’m sorry. I have to make sure Lilian is safe.”

“Then get out of my way.”

My furious fists pounded against the mechanism keeping the chandelier in place, thudding loudly against the metal exterior. Break it. All I had to do in order to drop the chandelier was break it.

“You have got to be kidding me.” Sooner than I would have liked, more voices crowded the balcony below. I was certain I’d be butting heads with someone, but I never imagined it would be him. “Are you fucking serious?!”

Cyrus Griffin had his wife by the hip as the two of them looked up at me in awe, and moments later I could see each and every one of his lackeys flooding out of the conservatory behind him. His wife, for her part, was absolutely loving this.

“Hey, Chloe!” Liz waved at me with a bumbling chestload of enthusiasm, unable to fight off that great big shit eating grin of hers. “I always knew you were stupid, but I never thought you were this stupid!”

“Oh fuck off.” I shouted back, rolling my eyes. I did not need to be accosted by insults at a time like this. “Are you two here to help, or what?”

“Help?!” Cyrus screamed with outright rage. “I ought to kill you where you hang!!”

Within moments of his cue, Cyrus’ entourage had me surrounded on all sides. They looked just about as furious as him, and just as excited as his wife.

“Boys.” Cyrus sneered, pulling a gun from his suit. “Get her down from there.”

A lost track of the number of faces after the first view. Cyrus wasn’t going to shoot me, but that wasn’t going to stop his henchman from doing all sorts of terrible things to me instead.

Rebecca had a knife. Phil had a stun gun. Jane had a syringe. Naomi had a rope. And Anthony had his phone. At least Malcolm’s fiance was generous enough not to try and attack me, but he was going to film this.

“You’re so dead.” Anthony shook his head at me as he began recording. “She is so dead.”

Malcolm himself on the other hand had a bit more faith in me than his boyfriend, watching me with his fingers crossed. “I believe in you, Chloe.”

Cyrus was terrifying, but his muscles were a group of certified killing machines. Within the immediate family and their entourage, they were the most dangerous bunch I’d encountered thus far. But they weren’t alone.

I locked eyes with Nell just in time to see them pop their knuckles. They didn’t have a weapon, but that wasn’t about to stop them. They were going to tear me from that skylight if it was the last thing they did.

“You little bitch.” They spat, climbing on top of the railing and snarling at me from below. “Be ready to catch me if I fall.”

Nell tied the skirt of their dress behind them and got ready to lunge, prompting a round of cackles from the rest of the riff raff. For a moment Nell’s brother tried to lower his phone, but as soon as Anthony tried, Malcolm was there to playfully point it back up towards the action- upskirt shot or not.

Claudia’s enforcer lunged towards the chandelier and began to climb. I could still do this, I just needed a little more time. But when my eyes darted towards the window, there was no one there. She and her wife were right below me.

Uh oh.

Nell was pissed, and there was no doubt in my mind that they were willing to grab me by the ankle and drop me to my death in a moment. There was no time to beat my fists against the anchor, I needed to break this thing now.

“Zenna.” Holding the cable with one hand, I extended the other towards her in desperation. “Please?”

For a moment I was sure cowardice was going to win out with her, as I felt a hand curl around my ankle and begin dragging me down the rope. But as my thighs pinched together and burned against the cable, I saw that fire in her eyes again.

“Police academy don’t fail me now.” Zenna smirked, taking a deep breath before reeling back, finally hurling the cane to me like a spear.

It fell into my hand, and I twirled around like a stripper to catch it. I wasn’t wearing panties, unfortunately, so it quickly made my labia sore. But it was worth it.

“Alright, that’s it.” Cyrus snarled from below. “I’m shooting her.”

“No, wait.” His wife urged him, giggling through an evil grin. “Grab her by the pussy.”

My eyes went wide as I heard that, and before I could move a muscle I felt a hand at my cunt. I wasn't Nell's type, but even they had to admit that sticking their fingers in my vagina to stop me was a good idea.

“Clever girl.” They held the key up for me to see as they slipped it out of its hiding place between my labia. “What were you going to do, clench the whole time?”

Growls escaped my lips as I swung the cane at their head. “Give that back!!”

“Sure thing.” They muttered before grabbing the head of the cane in their spare hand. “Whoops.”

Like butter, the key slipped from their fingers and fell to the chandelier below, leaving me helpless but to watch it get caught dangling above the ballroom.

They snarled, overpowering me with a single swipe of the cane, ripping it from my hands with ease. Jaws clamped shut around the head of my cane, biting down and holding me within their grasp.

“You lose, slave. Surrender now and I’ll take you straight to the plantation without letting your owner beat you first.” They smirked, holding their finger on the shock trigger. “Or you can pass out and fall, your choice.”

Tears escaped my eyes as soon as I felt my collar caught on the cane. My mind raced a mile a minute, but there was absolutely nothing I could do to get out of this. For a moment it seemed like I had actually lost- and then I heard that wonderful voice again.

I felt a nervous but excited heartbeat. Usually I wouldn’t get so eager for something like this, but Candace was going to sing just for me.

As I hung there afraid for my life, I was finally able to hear Candace’s song. My breath slowed, my heart stopped, my eyes closed, and just for a moment that song of hers was all that existed. This time it wasn’t just her though, this time there was a band. It was still a sad siren’s call, but it was more than a cry for help, it was a call to action.

I stopped having gears in my head as I listened. She sang, and I ceased to be a machine. I could read the gears in my mind and understand what I was thinking. But love did things to me that I didn’t understand.

My brain was like my heart. Soft, pink, vulnerable, confusing.

And just a little bit in love.

No fucking way was I about to lose here, not after I came all this way. My hands slipped away from the rope, and I spun backwards, falling straight down. Nell’s arm twisted as I tumbled, letting go of the cane long before I had the chance to hang.

An artist, I flipped, clutching the cable with one hand and the now loose cane with the other. The jaws tore free from my collar as my hips swung into the cable, legs twisting around it to keep me from sliding even further.

I climbed the rope like an animal, lunging towards Nell with the cane in hand. Their will bent before mine, letting me climb over them without question. The cane slammed into the anchor with a loud metal thunk, and moments later the chandelier was tumbling to the floor.

Nell fell safely to the floor, leaving me to hang alone as the safety net unwound, letting the cable fall to the ground below.

The entire mansion was erupting with the sound of glass shattering around me, and all I needed was to see the faces of my enemies to know that I’d won.

Beneath me I could see the scene unfolding, and the moment it was safe to do so I slid down the cable, tossing the cane back into Zenna’s hands on the way. I winked, she smiled, and as the music below reached its conclusion I landed on my feet in the wreckage below.

I flipped the key like a coin as I plucked it from the floor, catching it in my hand just in time to see her staring me in the eyes.

“Chloe.” Candace smiled, her cheeks flushed pink. God she was so cute like that, I could feel myself grinning. I missed that dumb face of hers so much I wanted to punch it.

But she should know by now that we were on different teams. I needed out of here and fast, and that meant running away from her as fast as I could. I put one finger to my lips and winked, gently begging her to keep quiet.

As I’d hoped, Darcey and Autumn helped along their part of the plan, but we’d all done our parts a bit too well. There was one thing I hadn’t anticipated when I decided to collapse the blinding lights of the chandelier onto the unexpecting guests far below, and now it was coming to bite me in the ass.

The ballroom was now on fire.

A criminal giant like Lilith would never settle for less than the most grandiose of birthday decorations. It was just too bad that all of the effort was now going to waste. The party was over.

Guests were fleeing like rats by the time they smelled burning wood. The great big curtains that hung around the ballroom were caught in the electrical fire, set ablaze by loose wiring swinging to and fro. Even if someone managed to collect the broken connections and contain the spreading wildfire, the entire mansion was filling with smoke. Worst of all, shattered glass already littered the floor, making any attempt to try and save the scene a total loss.

Long before it got to the point of no return, most if not all of the guests were gone from the house. The most important people were gone first, and with them went their slaves. The band, impressively, made it further than most; but once the subject of the party was gone from the home, hacking and wheezing, they were gone too.

Darcey and Autumn had made sure that no one got hurt when I dropped the chandelier, and I was grateful for that. I suddenly found myself looking up to them, knowing I had a chance to escape thanks to their help.

Then I felt a cruel hand clasp around my throat, snapping me right back to the bitter reality that I lived in.

“I just knew something like this was going to happen, didn’t I?” Claudia openly mocked, and when she didn’t get an answer, repeated herself. “Didn’t I?!”

“Claudia stop!!” I heard Candace’s voice calling out to her sister from up on stage, but it was already too late.

“I’ll sooner snap her neck than let her get away with this!!” Claudia hissed loudly, petrifying Candace on stage with her gaze like she was a medusa. “Make one wrong move and I’ll crush her throat.”

A murderous rage had overtaken her, and I knew this time she was too far gone to be bluffing. Her grasp tightened around my neck, choking all of the air out of my lungs and leaving me unable to cough.

Cyrus and his lackeys were beginning to flood down the stairs one at a time as the smoke around us all rose upwards through the balcony to the top floor. But even their presence didn’t seem to excite Claudia.

“Everyone who doesn’t live in this house, get out and go home.” She snarled, dropping me to my knees before her. “The party is over.”

Before I could so much as gasp for breath, her foot was on the back of my head, slamming my face to the floor. From down here I couldn’t make much eye contact with anyone.

“Well?!” Cyrus shouted to his entourage, repeating Claudia’s orders. With his word and example, that was enough to get them to leave. “You heard the woman, get out!!”

Claudia spat one last instruction to her little brother as he left. “Find mother and get her home safely, I can handle this.”

He scoffed back at her. “What are you going to do about the fire?”

“I said I’ll handle this.” She snapped. “Now go.”

Everyone who wasn’t a member of Claudia’s household quickly made their way out, except for one. And I was all the more grateful for that.

“Not you.” She hissed at her sister up on stage. “Not that you were going to leave anyways.”

“I wasn’t.” Candace said with a calm voice. “I don’t take orders from you.”

“Then just maybe you’ll take orders from her.” Claudia sneered, curling her fingers into my hair and yanking me back up to my knees. “Go on, Chloe. Tell Candace to stay. Beg her to come rescue you.”

“No!!” I screamed, tears already flooding down my cheeks by the time I saw the look on Candace’s face. “I don’t need your help!! I don’t want your help!! And I don’t want you!! Leave me alone!!”

My voice suddenly echoed aloud in the still quiet room, but even my furious emotion wasn’t enough to get Candace to back down.

“No.”

And I couldn’t be happier about that.

Claudia forced me onto all fours on the ground beside her, making sure not to give up an inch of space at all costs. She was taking care of this once and for all, and nothing was going to stop her. No one could stop her now.

“This wouldn’t have happened if I had just gotten my way.” She was giggling, laughing at her living hell. “We all could have been happy if everyone had just listened.”

None of Claudia’s slaves had the heart to say anything, not that any of them could. Darcey and Autumn weren’t exactly in any shape to talk. Josie, meanwhile, was too scared to even move.

I was sure for the billionth time that I was probably about to die, but after a moment I felt Claudia let go of me entirely. She took a few steps away from me, turning towards the crying blonde behind her.

“Darcey?”

The raggedy doll of a woman was collapsed against the wall, unable to even look up at her owner when she was called. That poor slave wasn’t just too busy choking on smoke, she couldn’t breathe. From within all of the toxic fumes around her, Claudia quickly came to a grim realization, Darcey was having an asthma attack.

“Autumn?”

Claudia spun around to see the other girl, who her wife was trying to help to her feet. Autumn looked better for wear than her sister slave did, but not by much, especially when her leg twisted and she collapsed back to the floor. In trying to keep Josephine safe, the tin woman had gotten hit. Autumn couldn’t even stand.

“They need out of the fire.” Josephine forced a smile onto her face, letting Autumn lean against her for support. Darcey promptly found her way into Josie’s chest, who was quick to try and rush them to safety. “I’m getting the both of them out of here.”

“Good idea.” Claudia swallowed nervously, pained to see the shape they were in. “If the sprinklers don’t kick on soon, there’s a switch in the foyer. Get them out of here.”

I sat up to look at the scene, horrified that my plan had backfired so badly. Even without taking the fire into account, this was awful. How could I have been so stupid as to think this was going to work?

“Do you see what you’ve done?” Claudia snarled at me, her eyes filled with furious tears. “Do the both of you see what you’ve done?”

“It wasn’t just us.” I insisted, my eyes just as wet with tears as hers. “It was you.”

“You think I wanted to set fire to my own home?!”

Claudia practically screamed at me as she kicked me in the chest, slamming me onto my back amongst the rubble. Candace remained frozen in place, unable to do a thing. At this point, we both knew Claudia could have me dead before she could get to me.

“I gave you so many chances, Chloe. But look at this. Look at what you-” Claudia’s eyes drifted upwards towards the stairwell, following the sounds of footsteps down. “No.”

Tears escaped her eyes at that point, scanning the horizon for something important. There was Nell, still chasing me, and there was Zenna. But there was no one else. And like a light, as soon as Claudia realized what was happening, she was off.

“Lilian…”

“I’m sorry, Mistress.” Zenna coughed, barely able to move without the enforcer’s help. “I can’t find her.”

My murderous master looked down at me one last time with desperate emotion in her eyes, lifting her foot from my chest and letting me up. She knew what was important to her, and it wasn’t me.

“You’re pregnant. Get out of the smoke.” Claudia turned her back on the both of us and ran to them instead, snatching her cane from her slave’s grasp. “Get Zenna outside as soon as you can, make sure everyone is safe. But don’t let those two leave if you can help it.”

She knew her odds of keeping us here weren’t very high the moment she stepped away, but there was one thing she couldn’t afford to lose, and it wasn’t me. It was her daughter.

After all of this, I still had a chance of getting out of here.

“Wait-” I heard Candace call to me as I sprung to my feet and ran, but it was too late. I was getting out of here while I could, and I didn’t care who followed me.

Not a cheetah but a gazelle, I sprinted towards Claudia’s office, key in hand. My heart ached knowing that it was Lilian who gave me this key, but I couldn’t stand around and wait to make sure she was okay. I just had to pray her mother found her. At long last, I swung open the door to Claudia’s office, and I slammed it shut behind me.

“Son of a bitch.” Candace cursed under her breath as she found the courage to move, feeling the house’s sprinklers finally kick on to put out the flames. “You little cunt.”

The door to her sister’s office locked automatically, and she had no way inside. In desperation she tried slamming herself against the door, bruising her own shoulder to no avail.

“God damnit.” She pounded her fist against the door. “Open this door right now, Chloe.”

I could hear her trying to knock the barrier down from the other side, but I had no time to waste on her. I was in here for one reason and one reason only, to find the controller to my own collar. Once I had that, I could finally escape.

“Sophia Madeline Cavalier, I swear to God.” Candace was practically screaming at me by now. “Please open the door.”

“Why, so that you can come and drag me away?!” I snapped back, scurrying my way to Claudia’s desk in order to further my desperate search. “No fucking way?!”

“I just want to talk to you, Chloe.” Her voice cracked. “I want to help you.”

“No you don’t.” I refused to believe her. “You only care about yourself.”

Her voice faded to the background as I made my way to Claudia’s seat, drowned out by the sound of my own desperate heartbeat. My arm swiped the desk clean, knocking things every which way before I opened the drawer, reaching inside to retrieve the bracelet. This was it, I was finally going to get out of this hellhole.

But as always, it was too good to be true.

“No.” Confused, I pulled out one- two- three controllers. Darcey. Autumn. Zenna. But…

“…No.” Tears streamed from my eyes as I emptied one drawer, and then another, and then another. All full of nothing but sweet insignificance. There was no sign of my controller.

It had to be here. It just had to be. Claudia hadn’t been wearing it last I checked. She could never have been. The rest of them were here, why wasn’t mine?

“No…”

In bitter agony I collapsed to my knees, biting down on my tongue as I began to sob. If I didn’t have that controller, I couldn’t leave. But I looked, and I looked, and I looked, and it just wasn’t here.

I broke. Completely and finally, I broke. After all that I’d done, it ended here, curled up into a husk of my former self on the floor of Claudia’s office, bawling like a helpless child. It wasn’t fair. I’d done everything I could. I played the game and I won, and this was the reward I got. It just wasn’t fair.

Everything was falling apart around me, it had been for a while, but up until now I thought I could survive it. But I couldn’t. I was sure Candace could hear me crying from the other side of the door, but I couldn’t care less. I didn’t need her help. I didn’t need her approval.

“I wrote that song just for you, you know.” After a few minutes I heard her voice again. “Did you like it?”

From a sobbing puddle of despair, I forced myself upright to answer her question. I couldn’t lie to her. “I loved it.”

“Then you know what I’m going to say when you try to escape.” She scolded, her voice raised to reach me. “No.”

“But why not?” I forced tears out of my eyes so that I could speak to her. “Why won’t you just let me go?”

“Because I can’t, Chloe.” Her voice had its own desperation to it. “A year ago now I felt your lips against mine for the first time, and I’ve been in love with you ever since.”

“Then why couldn’t you act like it?” I sniffled, barely managing to keep myself together. “You tormented me for so long. Don’t tell me that was in the name of love?”

“It wasn’t.” Candace confessed, desperate to get through to me. “I admit it. When I took you as my own, I did it to hurt you. But I did love you, even if there was a part of me that wouldn’t accept it. I hurt you because I didn’t know what else to do. I’m sorry.”

My aching body slumped into the door, forced to sit here and listen to her umpteenth apology. “Sorry doesn’t cut it Candace.”

“I know it doesn’t. That’s why I’m here to act. Open the door and I’ll save you from her, I promise.”

“And then what?” I choked. “What happens when Claudia’s out of the way?”

“I want to take you home and try to make things right.” She said, begging. “Please believe me. I want to do things better this time. I’m ready to be better for you.”

“You should have been better from the start.”

“I was scared. I’ve been in love like this before, Chloe. It’s never lasted like this has lasted. I was sure if I kept denying myself it was going to fade away, but it never did. You’re special, Chloe. You’re the one.”

“You promised you weren’t going to come save me from this.” I pounded my fist against the door, feeling her back off just slightly. “Why did you come back?”

“That was back when I thought I knew you were safe. But you’re not safe with her anymore.”

“I’m as safe with her as I was with you. Your sister doesn’t want to save me, she wants to punish me like you want to punish me.”

“You’ve been through enough punishment already. We both have. Let me save you from that.”

“I don’t need your help, Candace. What don’t you understand about that?” My breath drew quick, angry. “Right now the only one standing between me and getting out of here is you.”

Candace’s voice remained painfully calm. “Even if you leave this place, you can never escape.”

“I’ve come this far. I can’t give up now. I promised myself that I would escape today or die trying. If you want to help, leave. Go away and let me out of here while Claudia is distracted. I can fade away amongst the guests and run.”

“No you can’t. After you attacked me with a knife, I had no choice but to put more protections on you. When you were put under for your surgery, they implanted a tracking chip inside of you, remember?” Candace reminded me. “I told you about it the very next day. As long as you have that, you can be tracked using your controller.”

A lump in my throat caught my words as I fumbled to find them. It was already too late to get ahold of my controller, but it wasn’t too late to get a headstart as long as I left quickly. I just needed a plan to get past Candace.

“I have my controller.” I lied, hoping desperately that she would fall for it. “I can escape.”

Candace struggled to respond to that. “The controller isn’t the only device that can track you. As long as someone has the ID to your chip, they can find another device to use.”

“Do all slaves have tracking chips inside of them?” I followed up, pushing the lie even further. “Or just the special ones?”

She growled. “Not all slaves have tracking chips inside of them, no. Just the ones whose owners can afford them.”

“Then the facility probably doesn’t keep track of the ID numbers. After all you wouldn’t want just some goon at the facility to locate a client’s home by tracking their slave.” I clawed through her like an animal, saying what I needed to say to trick her into letting me go. “Who all knows the ID to my tracking chip?”

“Nobody.” She finally admitted, sighing under her breath. “Not even I know. If I had, I would have used it to find you.”

“Exactly.” I thumped the door with my fist again, about ready to tear through her with my bare hands. “I have the controller. They can’t find me. Let me go.”

Bitter desperation rang through her voice like it did mine, leaving Candace no choice but to play my game. Unfortunately for me, the only way for her to win the game was to do like her father does, and call my bluff.

“Prove it.” She sneered confidently from the other side. “Open the door and show me the controller, then I’ll let you go.”

“You’re trying to trick me.” I backpedalled. “If I open the door, you’ll try to take it from me.”

“Then destroy it.” The door thumped back, and with it, my heart. “Break the controller and show me the remains, then I’ll let you go.”

“Fine.” I snarled, stomping my way to the desk and retrieving one of the three other bracelets from Claudia’s drawer. “If it’ll make you leave, I’ll do it.”

Zenna’s controller now sat in my palm, reflecting my face back at me. If I could break it, I could trick her into thinking I’d destroyed my own controller. I was ready. I could do this. But I was nervous.

“No. That’s too easy. Knowing you people, there’s probably a defense against that.” There was no way this was going to work out the way I hoped. “How do I know that destroying this won’t kill me?”

“If it did, would it really matter? I thought the plan was to escape or die trying?”

“That is the plan!!”

“Then do it.” She doubled down. “If you’re so convinced you can get out of here. Destroy the controller and see what happens.”

“You know what’s going to happen. Just tell me.”

“There’s no point in telling you if you don’t trust me.” Candace pleaded. “I want to help you, Chloe. If you’re scared of dying then open the door and show me the controller. Then I’ll let you leave.”

“I’m not afraid of dying.”

“But you are afraid of killing.”

My stomach churned as I set the controller back down on top of the desk. “You know me too well.”

“I don’t know whose controller you have, but put it down before you hurt her and come talk to me. We can do this together, I promise.”

My body slumped backwards against the door in defeat. “How did you know I was bluffing?”

“I didn’t.” She confessed. “I was bluffing too. I don’t care if you have the controller or not, I already told you where I stand. No matter what, I’m not letting you go.”

“I can’t accept your help, Candace.” I forced through pained lungs. “I’m sorry.”

“Why not?” She whimpered. “Why can’t I help you?”

“Because if I can’t do this on my own, I lose.” I finally admitted. “You’re my rival. I’m only still here to fight because you’re here to challenge me. I can’t let you have the cruel satisfaction of being the one to save me, because if you do it means I’m nothing but a helpless trophy that can’t save myself. Dying along the way is one thing, but living knowing that I could never win is something that I can’t imagine. If I can’t save myself, I’m not someone who’s worthy of being saved. I’m a loser.”

“Winning and losing doesn’t define your worth, Chloe. How you play the game defines your worth, and that worth determines whether you’re a winner or a loser. Losing doesn’t make you a loser, losing and never playing again does. Winning doesn’t make you a winner, doing what it takes to go from a loss to a win, that’s what makes you a winner.” Candace mused poetically to me, gently leaning against the door. “You’ll always be a winner in my eyes.”

I leaned against the door as well, crossing my arms in defeat. “I really hope you’re not just saying this because you want to defeat me.”

“I don’t see how you losing makes me a winner, especially if it meant losing you. If letting you die is what it takes for me to win, I’d rather lose.”

Hearing her say that made me smile. “That Candace Saint Clair girl. Always a loser.”

“You were listening.”

“You could hear the bell, couldn’t you?”

“Loud and clear. That’s why I gave it to you.”

“Thank you.” I sniffled nervously. “But I still can’t come with you.”

“Yes you can. All you need is to give me one more chance.”

“One more chance at what, Candace?”

I could hear the eagerness in her voice. “To win.”

My heart ached. “I thought you said you’d rather lose.”

“I want to play a different game. One where winning doesn’t mean losing you forever.”

“Oh yeah?” A small chuckle left my lips. “What does winning mean for you?”

“Winning to me means taking you home with me and finally letting myself fall in love with you. Making good on my promise to make you a part of my family. Eventually we would be married, you would be mine for better or for worse, I would make you my home. And one day when I return to that home from work, the most powerful woman in the world, I would look back and smile knowing I made the right decision letting you convince me not to destroy you. I’ll be happy when I see those two or three- maybe even four little ones running around after a wonderful day with mom. I’d look and you’d look at me, tired from taking care of my home, and we would know we made the right choice. That’s what winning is. Winning means you and me.”

“Candace, I-” My voice squeaked, heart beating out of my chest.

Blushing, my hands curled around the door handle, desperate to hold it shut and never let her in. But just as soon, I found myself swinging the door open and falling into her arms. I let my body fall into her grasp, staring off into nothingness as I closed my eyes.

“There there.” She hummed as she held me close, still crouching there on the other side of the doorway. “I’ve got you.”

“No you don’t.” Click . “I’ve got you.”

I slipped the gun out of her purse and pointed it at her head, watching her slowly back away from me, staring down the barrel of it.

Smirking, my hands steadied. “Figured Daddy would give you a gun.”

“How did you know-”

“I didn’t.” Her voice quickly cut off as I pressed it further into her forehead. “But I hoped.”

“Chloe.” She shook her head. “You’ve never fired a gun before.”

“Neither have you.” I snorted condescendingly. “But I’m sure it’s just like pointing and clicking.”

“You don’t know what you’re doing.”

“I know exactly what I’m doing.”

Her eyes went red with anger there as I disrespected her, desperate to get that gun out of my hands. “You couldn’t kill me back then. What makes you think you can kill me now?”

“Nothing. I can’t kill you. No matter how hard I try, I can’t kill you.” I confessed in return. Feeling the gun turn from her head and onto mine, ready to fire. “But I can kill myself.”

Candace stared at my finger on the trigger and went dead with horror. More than ever before, I watched her eyes well up with tears, quickly streaming down her cheeks.

“Please Chloe. Please don’t do this.”

“And why not?” I asked, screaming out for help from the inside. “Is it not better to pull the trigger and get it over with than to live in fear of someone else doing the same at every waking moment, knowing that with the press of one button, my life could be over at any moment?”

“I don’t know.” She extended an open hand. “But I swear that when you’re with me, you won’t have to live in fear of that button anymore. If it’s the only thing I can do better, I can promise you that.”

My eyes gently laid upon her palm. “You promise?”

“I promise.” Candace smiled, trying to choke back tears. “Now give me the gun and let me end this for you.”

Instinctively, the gun pulled itself away from my head, disarmed, and then set itself in her hand. Just as quickly, it was gone, put away from safe keeping. And I was once again, finally, in Candace’s arms.

“Please.” She begged as she held me. “Let’s go home.”

But as much as I wanted to take her up on that, I knew it wasn’t possible. “I can’t. I don’t have the controller.”

“I don’t care.” She shook her head, holding me at arm’s reach. “I may not know where the controller is, but I can get it back.”

My nervous little lips couldn’t help but smile at that. “How?”

“My way.” She smiled, finally letting go of me. “You’ve done enough. You’ve gotten this far, now let me help you. Leave it up to me, and I can take care of the rest from here.”

Once again, I looked at her with crying eyes. “You promise?”

“I promise.” Candace had no doubt in her mind. All that I could do now was trust that when she held her hand out to me, it was safe for me to accept it. “A year ago, I refused to hold your hand. I’m not going to make that mistake ever again. Now take my hand and don’t let go until I let you.”

Her left hand lay open before me, asking for mine, and I gave it to her. I couldn’t do this without help. Pride be damned, I didn’t just need her, I wanted her. “Yes, Master.”

Candace held my hand tight, bringing it to her lips and planting a kiss on the back for luck. “Good girl.”

I squeezed hers in return. “I’m not going to say sorry for all of this.”

“I don’t expect you to.” Candace helped me to my feet, never once letting. “And I’m not going to punish you for it either.”

“Okay.” My eyes filled with tears anew. “Thank you so much.”

“Don’t thank me yet. We’re not out of this.” She snapped her fingers, holding out her other hand. “The key. Give it to me.”

“Yes, Ma’am.” I reached between my legs and retrieved it, placing it in her palm. “Here.”

Without hesitation, I watched Candace get to work. She unlocked and swung open the cupboard door, searching for something very specific amongst the VHS tapes. Like a sensible person, she started from the left, and found it immediately.

“Hold this for me.”

I took the tape from her hands and held it to my chest, nodding in acknowledgement. “Your mother’s?”

“It’s Claudia’s one weakness.” She said as she closed the cupboard again, slipping the key into her purse and extending her hand again. “Give.”

The tape quickly found its way to her palm without a thought from myself. “What now?”

“We can’t exactly use Claudia’s weakness against her if she’s not here.” Candace smirked, slipping the tape into her purse for safekeeping. “So for now, there’s a promise I need to fulfill.”

“Which is?” I whimpered.

She took my other hand and smiled, a distinct blush overtaking her cheeks. “Let’s go dance.”

And my heart had never fluttered so excitedly. “Yes, please.”

The ballroom felt strangely empty by the time we got back. Completely empty. The wildfire that had erupted amongst the shattered remains of the broken chandelier was all but ash now, the high tech sprinkler system finally having done it's one job to put the flames to rest.

“Other hand, here.” Candace smiled as she let my free palm to her shoulder, and laid hers on my hip. “Just like that.”

“Okay.” I swallowed nervously, trying and failing not to smile. “I think I can do this.”

“You gave up pretty quick back there.” Candace couldn’t help but note. “What’s up with that?”

“A long time ago, someone very dear to me taught me the importance of knowing when to forfeit.” My cheeks lit up pink, my eyes locking with hers. “I’ve never forgotten that lesson.”

“Chloe.” She gasped as we spun. “I’m ashamed of how I’ve treated you, back then and now. It wasn’t until you almost killed me that I really started to think about how much you mean to me. You’ve taught me that this relationship isn’t just about me, it’s about us. I just hope that you’re willing to give me another chance.”

“I’m giving you a dance, aren’t I?” My eyebrows raised sarcastically. “I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t been dreaming of this.”

“You and me both.” She swallowed a nervous lump in her throat. “I’ve missed you.”

“I’ve missed you too.” I blushed, pulling in close. “Thanks for not giving up on me.”

Our eyes locked, our feet stopped, and we froze in place. For a moment we just stood there, gazing uselessly into each other’s eyes, and just when both of us had the courage to go in for a kiss.

Thump.

Sudden death.

Claudia’s cane actually snapped in half this time, splitting and thudding in two at her feet as she slammed it against the floor. But then, a moment later, the sounds of small footsteps echoed about the mansion.

“Find your mother and bring her here.” Claudia gently and carefully set her daughter back down onto the ground, safe and sound, pointing towards the front door. “She’s outside. Go.”

Without a second thought, the five year old ran to the door and pushed her way outside, desperate to find the rest of her family. Even I had to admit that I was relieved to see her safe and sound, even if I had to use her to my advantage a few times along the way.

“I wish I could say it was a surprise to see you two back together.” Claudia promptly mocked us. “But it’s not.”

“Maybe there’s a reason for that.” Candace spoke first, giving her sister a smile and a bow. “I’m taking Chloe home with me.”

“Are you now?” She gave a heinously polite smile. “I don’t recall giving you custody of my property.”

“That’s because I’m stealing her.” Candace squeezed my hand. “She’s my property now.”

Claudia did her best to ignore that comment, but I could see the anger on her face, because she was aiming it straight at me. “I’m going to suppose that you were the one who stole the key to my daughter’s bedroom, and that’s how you escaped the cell to drop a chandelier on my party, yes?”

“Actually, she handed me the key.” I blushed, lowering my gaze to the floor. “But yes.”

“I should have seen that coming. The dumbwaiter seems obvious now in retrospect. But the chandelier was a nice touch, though.” Claudia rolled her eyes, tossing the splinters of her broken cane aside, and feeling much stronger for it. “Regardless. Chloe is mine. Give her to me.”

“No.” I answered for myself before Candace could. “I don’t belong to you, and I won’t stay with you any longer.”

“It’s nice to see you in fighting spirits again, Chloe. But that’s the wrong answer. Let’s try again.” Claudia licked her lips, glaring at me with those evil unblinking snake eyes of hers as she rolled up her sleeves, revealing a familiarly dangerous weapon strapped around her right wrist. “Give her to me.”

My whole body tensed up at the sight of it. Claudia had the controller to my collar strapped around her right wrist, the fingers of her dominant hand ready to press the button at any moment.

“Oh. Now she’s scared of me.” The vile woman smirked. “I control your fate, so answer me this, who owns you?”

Candace’s grip on my hand loosened just slightly. Nervously, I looked her in the eyes, and then back towards her sister, unsure of what to say. “You do.”

“Chloe.” Candace squeezed my hand until it hurt. “Don’t give into her. She can’t hurt you.”

“I can’t hurt you?” Claudia practically cackled, reminding us both of the trigger she held in her hand. “Really?”

“I’m sorry, Candace.” I stuttered, trying not to break into tears. “She has the controller.”

“That doesn’t mean she gets to control you.” Candace snarled. “You know she doesn’t have power over you, Chloe. If she did, you wouldn’t have done all of this.”

“I know.” My stomach churned, and just for a moment I turned my head to Candace and blushed. “But I don’t have any power over me either.”

“Empty the purse onto the floor. Now.” Claudia demanded. “I don’t care who does it. But I want it done.”

She tugged on my hand to make sure I stopped. She smirked, pulling a single thing from her purse and holding it up for me to take, slowly taking her purse off entirely and dropping it onto the floor at her feet.

“I’ll do you one better.” Candace said, before kicking her purse across the floor towards Claudia. “I don’t need any of that to best you. All I need is this.”

“And what is that?” Her sister growled, eyeing the parcel in my hand. “Chloe’s death tape?”

“Nope.” Candace licked her lips. “It’s my mother’s.”

Claudia froze, her whole body tensing at the sound of that. Wide eyes stared at the tape in disbelief, her heart clearly pounding behind her ribs. Hatred filled that heart. Pure and simple.

“Oh. Now she’s scared of me.” Candace smirked. “How the tables have turned.”

“You heinous little brat.” She spat, staring straight at me as Candace reclaimed the tape from me. “Why do you have that?”

“Because she’s my mother, isn’t she?” Candace responded, tucking the tape under her arm. “Or is she your mother too?”

“She is. Now give it back.” Claudia said, ready to electrocute me. “Or I’ll kill the girl.”

“Sounds like we ought to make a trade then. Give me the controller or I’ll destroy the tape.”

Candace’s sister did not like her threat one bit.

“So that’s your grand master plan to get me to give your slave back to you. You’re willing to destroy the only thing that’s left of your own mother for her? Do you realize how much she’s ruined our lives? Do you actually believe in finding a happy ever after with a woman like that?”

Hands at her sides now, Claudia slowly began pacing back and forth across the ballroom in front of us, doing little more than stall for time as she rambled on, winding the clock down further and further.

“That girl is a menace, Candace. There’s a reason she’s enemy number zero. She’s ruined your life just as badly as she’s ruined mine. She deserves to be punished for what she’s done to us, and it should be the two of us doing it together. It would be us versus her, just like she views it. Because take it from her, we’re the enemy. In her eyes, the two of us are the same.”

My breath quickened as I felt Candace’s grip loosen ever so slightly, knowing she was considering what her sister was saying, while I was left helpless but to listen. This was Candace’s fight now. Her decision to make.

“I don’t think she should be getting punished, Claudia. She’s violent at times and a bit out of control, sure. But she’s misunderstood more than anything. I just want to give her an environment where I can help her.”

“Oh, would you knock that off already? She doesn’t deserve help; she deserves to be trampled, and trampled she will be. Give her to me and put the tape back, we’ll take her to the plantation together. I’ll even let you come visit and torment her with me, we’ll be sisters again.”

Torn, Candace gritted her teeth as her sister kept going. I could see the temptation in her eyes and the sweat on her forehead.

“Better yet. Our father won’t be able to touch her anymore. She’ll be safe. Really truly safe. She doesn’t have to be mine, she can be ours. But only if you give up that foolish desire of making her your wife and start being a part of the family like she can never be. Please?” Claudia extended her hand towards her little sister. “What do you say, Candace, will you help me punish her for everything she’s done?”

From beside her I could only see that crimson iris of hers stare at the tape in her hands for a few moments before she could ever offer a true answer. Candace knew exactly what she wanted, and this wasn’t it.

“No.” Candace shook her head, holding the tape to her heart. “If you really wanted to be sisters you could have acknowledged that she was just as much your mother as she was mine. But instead you’ve treated me like I was lesser because I was hers.”

That opened hand curled into an angry fist. “Then I suppose we’re at a stalemate, and you think this silly little plan of yours could ever possibly succeed in getting me to give her back to you. But I’ll never let go of her.”

Candace held my hand tighter now. “Neither will I.”

The air between them was hot with rage, even now that the fire had subsided. And now that the house was clear, the girls who lived here were finally starting to make their way back into the ballroom, surrounding us on all sides.

“Fancy seeing you all here.” Candace mumbled, biting her lip.

“Silence.” Claudia snapped her fingers, glaring all but her own family as her mother approached. “What’s the status outside, and why are you still here?”

Lilith made sure to clear her throat first. “Your brother and the enforcer are outside making sure everything is fine. But I won’t leave until I’ve seen this through.”

“You’ve done enough.” She snarled, waving her mother aside. “Stay out of this.”

Her mother had a distinctly sad look on her face, seeing just how far her daughter had fallen. Lilith stood to the side alone, standing just beside the door to what used to be the bedroom I shared with the other slaves.

Behind me, Darcey could breathe and Autumn could walk again, the both of them clinging to one of Josie’s arms. It was nice to see that they’d at least gotten their mistress’ attention like they had wanted, but after the fiasco with the chandelier, I was worried that Candace and I were now being flanked by a pair of powerful foes.

Finally, to the other side stood the scaredy cat, desperately clutching the home’s only child in her arms. Lilian shouldn’t be here, it felt wrong that she was, but it didn’t seem like she wanted to leave anytime soon. Claudia’s daughter was watching this, a whole lot more intensely than she probably ought to have been, but keeping her happy was what was most important. And sometimes, it was the only thing that was important.

Claudia kicked the remnants of her poor cane. Preyboy lied split in two on the floor before her. She didn’t need the cane anymore, she was stronger now than she could ever be with it in hand. And thanks to me, she had the confidence necessary to wear a killer watch around one wrist without worrying about accidentally committing murder. Since I’d met her, Claudia had become a monster of my own creation.

“You think you’re proposing a fair trade, don’t you?” She scoffed. “Do you really think I won’t just tell father about you and your toy the moment I have the tape in hand?”

Candace hesitated for a moment, readying herself to react to movement from all around. “You were the one that faked her death. You’ll be getting in as much trouble as I will.”

“Please.” Claudia rolled her eyes. “There’s nothing Daddy can take from me that he hasn’t already. I have my wife. I have my girls. But without her, you have nothing.”

After a few more moments, Claudia stepped towards the purse Candace had kicked towards her, scooping it up off of the floor and slinging it over her shoulder. Contained inside wasn’t just a gun, but another cassette tape, this one faking my death for the audience’s viewing pleasure.

“You really should have just pointed the gun at me.” She said, examining the old black revolver. “But no, instead you decided to hedge your bets on that.”

“I don’t plan on shooting my own sister.” Candace said, knowing how much it was going to help her. “I love you too much to kill you.”

I could hear Claudia hiss, reluctantly stuffing the gun back in her fancy new purse without so much as pointing it at either of us. “Don’t you dare.”

Alecia’s tape was the only thing her eyes could focus on. The object of her greatest desire. The rage she felt seeing it in another’s hands was maddening to her, and I’d never thought she could fall any further.

“I loved her.” Claudia said, stomping her feet like a child. “And she loved me.”

“Mom loved a lot of people-”

“But she was there for me!!” Claudia screamed. “She might not have birthed me, but she was my mom first. Even after my real mother abandoned me, she was there for me. But then you came along, and suddenly you were the only thing she cared about, and I was alone.”

Angry eyes glared at her mother now, fingers twitching with contempt. It was a childish thing to say and she knew it, but it still needed to be said.

“So what if I had sex with mom? She asked. She offered. She knew I’d never had sex with a woman. She knew I wanted to have sex with her. She wanted to do something good for me. Can you really blame me for that?” Claudia threw her hands up, fingers rifling through her hair. “She was the only person who made me happy, and she made me feel nice inside. Can you really blame me for wanting to keep our last moments together alive? Can you really blame me for wanting to keep her?”

She was talking to everyone now. To all of the people here who questioned and doubted her, everyone who told her to get rid of the tape. They called it heinous, deplorable, disgusting- but to her it was nothing short of sacred.

“It was an accident. She was mine. I couldn’t give the controller back to dad, I just couldn’t. I thought I was better than him. I thought I could keep her safe from him like she kept me safe. She only stayed because of me. It was my fault that she was there at all. If it weren’t for me - you wouldn’t exist. Daddy couldn’t have fucked the nanny if there wasn’t a nanny. She was my nanny. She was mine.”

Claws dug into Candace’s purse, retrieving the tape faking my death and holding it up for all to see, desperate that it be seen and understood. And just to be sure I understood, those eyes finally locked onto mine.

“These could have been your last moments. But they weren’t, because I’m better now. Back then I thought I knew what was best, and I was wrong. All I wanted to do then was to keep her, and all I want to do now is to keep you.”

Fingers wrapped themselves around Candace’s anew. I had done enough, she was supposed to get me out of this. Anything I said now was just going to make things worse.

“This tape should be all the proof he needs to see that I’m better now. If he would just watch it, he would know that I’ve changed. But no, he doesn’t care about watching my work, all he cares about is you. Because nothing I could ever do is enough to make me his princess again. Not now, not ever.”

The tape that bared my number clattered to the floor as she dropped it, unable to so much as hold the weight any longer. There it sat, motionless and unharmed, just begging to be stepped on. Much like myself.

“He never watched that one either.” She said, now pointing at the parcel in Candace’s paws. “He doesn’t care about how much I cried, or how hurt I was when it happened, all he cares to know is that I killed his wife. He doesn’t even know how it happened- how it really happened. He doesn’t even know why I pressed the button.”

“Why, Claudia?” Candace said with a shrill voice, just barely able to force her own voice through her lungs. “Why did you press the button?”

“Because she wanted to be his.” Claudia answered, ready to press the button to my controller as well. “So if you don’t want me to press the button, I would suggest that you give her back. Now.”

“I’ll give you the tape.” Candace repeated. “But only when I have that controller in my hand.”

“Oh for the love of God, you are so full of yourself.”

Candace’s sister began gesturing around the halls of her home. Towards her mother, her wife, her slaves, all people that were on her side- not ours.

“I have you surrounded. Even if I hand this controller over to you, the moment I have that tape in my hands, the girls are just going to tackle you to the ground and take it away from you. You’d be an idiot to think you’re going to be able to walk out of those doors together. Give me the tape and spare us both the trouble.”

My teeth dug into my bottom lip out of pure terror, looking to Candace for support. If I didn’t beg her to reconsider, Claudia was going to send both of us to her plantation, I just knew it. And yet for some reason, she still had that spark in her eyes.

“No amount of logic is going to convince me to give Chloe back to you.” Candace reaffirmed, smiling confidently. “Because this isn’t about the facts. This is about you.”

“Of course it’s about me.” She grinned, licking her lips. “And if I don’t get my way, neither of us do.”

“You’re wrong, Claudia.” Candace glared at her. “I’m not going to give you this tape, because as long as I’m still holding onto it, you have to listen to me.”

“No. No I don't.” Claudia snapped her fingers. “Girls. Take it from her.”

Quickly, she called Candace’s bluff, forgoing the trade entirely. She knew Candace couldn’t risk losing me, and as long as she had the upper hand, she was going to use it. Because she knew Candace wasn’t going to be the one to get me killed.

But this was where I came in.

“Hello?” Claudia huffed. “Did nobody hear me?”

“Girls?” Moments later, the only thing I could hear were the sounds of Claudia’s wife struggling behind me. “Girls, let me go.”

“I’m sorry, Mistress.” I heard Autumn mumble apologetically, forcibly holding her owner back. “We can’t do that.”

“We love you.” Darcey did much the same, and with their combined strength, Josephine couldn’t move. “But we’re not about to throw one of our sisters under the bus.”

“Not after Bella.” The two of them said in unison, looking up and smiling at me.

“Girls.” Even I was surprised to see that they still supported me. “Thank you.”

Claudia’s jaw dropped. Suddenly, she didn’t quite have the kind of power she was sure she had, and that scared her. Observant eyes like mine could see her fingers twitch, almost like she was grabbing for something, but there wasn’t much there that could help her.

“Please tell me this is a joke.” Her eyes drifted towards Zenna. “Please?”

“I’m sorry, Mistress.” Zenna only further secured her grip on the little girl in her arms, ready to protect her from anything. “But I’m with them this time.”

Cloudy blue eyes locked with her daughter’s, watching each and every move she made. Lilian was safe and sound in her mother’s arms, and she wasn’t going anywhere anytime soon.

“Why?” She practically begged. “Why would any of you side with her?”

“I gotta say, this is a surprise. But if it makes you feel any better-” Candace smirked, gesturing towards Josephine behind her. “She doesn’t.”

“What is wrong with you?” Josephine remained calm at all costs. “Girls. We are your owners, do as you’re told.”

“Or what, Mistress?” Zenna spoke up, saying what her fellow slaves didn’t have the strength to. “You’ll kill us like Bella?”

“We would never.” Josie turned her pleading eyes onto her wife. “Right?”

“Enough of this insolence. If this is the way things are going to be, someone is going to die.” Claudia snarled at them all. “And I don’t want it to be one of you.”

A previously slumped Lilith stood up straight, shocked to see what was going on. Something like this hadn’t happened to her in a long time.

“A slave revolt.” She said, amazed. “You started a slave revolt.”

“I didn’t do anything.” Candace assured her. “I have a feeling that this was all her.”

I blushed, pressing my shoulder to Candace’s upper arm. “Guilty as charged.”

“If you’re not going to help me, then stay out of my way. I don’t need any of you.” Claudia snapped at her slaves. “Zenna, take Lilian upstairs. I don’t want her to have to see this.”

“No.” The courageous little kitten refused outright. “If you’re going to do something, you’re going to have to do it in front of our daughter.”

It was then that Lilian began to fuss, gently trying to push herself out of her caregiver’s arms, but Zenna wasn’t about to let her go.

“How?” Claudia glared at me now. “How did you convince them to do this with you? What did you promise them? What trick did you use?”

“Nothing, Ma’am. They have their own demands to make.” I smiled, nodding at Zenna for her help. “I don’t have the power to command anyone. This was their own decision.”

“I don’t understand.” Claudia shook her head, more frightened now than ever. Not only was she surrounded, but both her wife and her daughter were firmly in the grasp of a group of women that stood against her. “I thought you loved us. After all this time I’m finally confident in knowing that, when did you stop?”

“We do love you, Master.” The cat woman said whilst trying to calm the increasingly furious little one. “But today taught us a few things, and from now on, we as slaves choose to stand together.” Zenna turned to me and winked. “All of us.”

Both fists curled in on themselves in rage as Candace turned to face her little sister. “So this was your plan all along?”

“I wish I could say yes, but.” Candace smiled at me. “I had a different plan.”

She took a deep breath and pushed herself forward, eager now knowing that the triplet of slaves were on our side.

“My plan was to talk my sister into realizing what kind of mistake she’s making.” Candace smiled warmly. “Family is family, Claudia. And Chloe is family too.”

“What then?” Claudia stammered nervously, her foot on top of my own snuff film. “You’re going to pull her away from the safety I went out of my way to make for her, just to put her back in harm’s way?”

“You know sis, for someone as cunning as you are, you’re not very bright. Chloe isn’t any safer with her than she is with me.” The two of us stepped towards Claudia, hand in hand. “Your plan isn’t going to work.”

“What?” Claudia seemed distraught at the mere idea. “What do you mean?”

“He knows, Claudia. He’s been listening.” Candace wished it wasn’t true. “He has ears everywhere.”

As the realization dawned on her, Claudia’s fingers curled around the head of her own collar, eyes going faint with shame and humiliation. “It can’t be.”

“This is a game to him, Claudia. He’s trying to turn the two of us against each other.”

“But.” Claudia swallowed nervously. “He wants her dead.”

“He doesn’t want her dead. It’s not about her. It’s about us.” Candace retorted, squeezing my hand. “He wants one of us to kill her.”

“Stay back.” Claudia stepped away as Candace approached. “Don’t come near me.”

“It’s okay, Claudia. It’s me. I’m here. I’m your little sister.” Candace was beginning to tear. “I love you.”

“No you don’t.” Her sister was beginning to tear up as well. “How could anyone ever love me after everything I’ve done?”

“I don’t know, sis.” Candace smiled, gesturing towards the rest of the room. “How about you ask them?”

“This isn’t fair.” She stammered. “You know this isn’t fair.”

“It doesn’t have to be like this anymore, Claudia. I didn’t come here that day because I wanted Chloe back, I came because I wanted my big sister back, and I still want that.”

Claudia almost couldn’t stand to hear what she was being told. “I’m actively trying to hurt the woman you love, and you still want to make up with me. How could you excuse that?”

“Face the truth, Claudia. If you wanted to hurt Chloe, you would have killed her already. But instead you saved her life. You don’t want to punish her. You care about her. You love her. You just don’t want to admit it to yourself.” Candace held my hand as tightly as she could. “I know because I made the same mistake.”

My heart began to flutter with hope, returning her touch as I squeezed back, looking up at her sister with the slightest smile on my lips. “Claudia?”

“Of course I love you, moron. I love all of you. Josie. Darcey. Autumn. Zenna. Mom. Candace Lilian.” That one was the hardest one for her to say. “And yes. You.”

I bit my lip in anger. “Why didn’t you just say so?”

“You know why.” She recoiled into herself. “Because you could never say it back.”

“You have all sorts of loving people in your life, Claudia.” Candace took the reins again. “And none of us are going to abandon you for everything you’ve done, because frankly, we’re all horrible monsters here.”

“You can say that again.” I mumbled under my breath. “Rapists and kidnappers.”

“Quiet.” Claudia snapped at me. “There’s a child here.”

“Not the time, Chloe.” Candace silenced me. “Right now, it’s time to make a decision. Give me the controller, Claudia.”

“Why?” She still refused. “Who are you to decide that she’s safer with you than she is with me?”

“Because I’m a fucking princess, God damn it.” The youngest daughter asserted, finally standing up for herself. “My mother wasn’t just father’s wife, she was his queen, and that makes me royalty just like you.”

“That doesn’t put you above me.” The snake hissed. “Just because you’re not a slave like your mother doesn’t mean you’re better than me.”

“That’s not what I’m trying to say, Claudia.” Candace smiled. “I’m saying that mom was royalty too, even if she was a slave. You’re the one with her collar around your neck. You’re the one who has always wanted to be like her. Not me, you. So do it. Be like her.”

Her eyes went wide with fear. “What do you mean, be like her?”

“I mean do as you’re told.” She gave her a knowing look. “Not what father says. Someone you trust.”

“Who can I even trust at this point? When everyone I thought loved me is so quick to turn?” Claudia avoided the gaze of her entire family, snarling angrily. “Even if I was a slave, who would even want me?”

From behind us there was more infuriated fussing. Josephine could hardly move a muscle thanks to the two grown women keeping her at bay. Lilith was going to be no help either. After this whole fiasco she was just lucky to still be standing.

“This is insanity.” Josie fumed. “Claudia please, get these girls off of me now.”

“Why not do that yourself, love?” Her wife glanced from side to side, knowing that she herself was also cornered. “If you were still wearing the controllers to their collars, this wouldn’t be happening.”

“We discussed this, Claudia.” The angry redhead snapped. “We don’t need them.”

“We don’t need them?! Look at who’s holding you down and tell me we don’t need them, Josephine?!”

“But she’s right, Ma’am.” The scarecrow girl mumbled, her breath still drawn short. “We don’t wish to hurt you, Mistress. We just wish to be treated with care and love like Zenna is. We’re not a danger to you.”

“We love you very much, Mistress.” The tin woman piled on. “We’re just doing what we think is right. Hopefully you’ll understand. We know we’ll be punished for this, but we’re confident you won’t put us down. Surely deep down you would never.”

“You don’t think I would? I’ve executed countless women who have disobeyed me. You think I’ve changed?”

“You’ve changed enough to walk on two feet again.” The lioness smiled at her owner, trying to cover her daughter’s ears. “Maybe it’s time for some more change, Master.”

“Will you all listen to yourselves?” It was as if they’d all gone insane. “This wouldn’t have happened if I’d gotten my way from the start. We’ve gotten by perfectly fine for five years, and then these two came along and had to ruin it.”

Her eyes were reticles, armed and ready. Even backed into a corner, Claudia was a fearsome and unpredictable opponent.

“Things haven’t been fine, Claudia.” Her wife rebutted her. “From the moment you’ve been in charge, we’ve both been miserable for nothing. Let me take the reins. Let me fix this.”

“I can’t, Josie. Not to you who was so ready to leave me behind and take everything I’ve ever worked for. I did all of this for you and you never once appreciated the blood, sweat, and tears that I sacrificed. You let me toil away for five plus years to create a life that I thought you wanted, and you didn’t say anything sooner. It wasn’t until I’d already hit rock bottom that you even considered taking charge. You couldn’t even pick up a riding crop until I had a collar around my neck.”

Her wife slowly shriveled back into place, losing much of her own fighting spirit as she was hissed at. But Claudia didn’t stop there, and her words fell hard upon each pair of pointed ears in the room.

“If it weren’t for you, it would be you, Lilian, and I. One of us should be the one holding our daughter, and yet you were so scared of me that you accepted the help of the one woman I hated the most. I could have just left her at that facility, you know. It might have turned out well in the end, but I couldn’t have known that at the time. Now look at us. It’s not just my slaves, or my daughter, but my own wife is scared of me too.” Claudia released a prolonged sigh. “When all I wanted was to be a good husband and father.”

She swiveled in place, turning her ire on her old and dying mother standing off to the side, an arbiter of her demise. Furious, she scolded further.

“And don’t think I’ve forgotten about you. If it hadn’t been for you, Chloe would still be at the plantation, safe and sound. I hope you’re satisfied now that the price of inviting her here was ruining your own final gathering. I love you, Mother. All I’ve ever wanted is for you to love me back, but you’re scared of me too. I’m sure you were afraid of what I might do to my little brother, but why weren’t you afraid for me?” She dropped her hands at her sides in defeat. “Why wasn’t I worth protecting?”

Finally, Claudia looked towards her own youth, safe within the arms of her protector. There to protect the girl from her and her alone, and that just didn’t seem fair to her. After all, she worked just as hard to protect Lilian from herself as Zenna did.

“You’re my greatest joy, sweetie. I’d do anything for you. I’m sorry that you have to hear me raise my voice. I’m sorry if I scare you. I don’t want you to grow up as fast as I did. I want you to feel safe.” The heartbroken mother pleaded. “I love you, Lilian.”

“I love you too, Mom.” Admittedly, the little one still didn’t have much comprehension of what was going on. But she knew enough, and that meant she was honest when she spoke. “I would want you.”

“What do you mean, sweetie?” Claudia twitched, her voice trembling nervously as she turned to her sister. “What is she talking about?”

“I don’t know. How about we let her decide?” Candace paused for a moment, before looking at the nanny instead. “What do you think?”

Taken aback, she froze, but it wasn’t long before the nanny realized what Candace meant. A pair of small footsteps finally echoed throughout the ballroom as Zenna set Lilian down, and within an instant the little one had a hand extended towards Claudia, desperate for her attention.

“Mommy.” The little girl sniffled, her head stuffed up with tears. “Please?”

Claudia stared at her daughter with tears in her eyes, barely able to move, let alone take the girl’s hand. “Lilian?”

“Please, Mommy?” She repeated herself, begging now. “Give.”

At first I thought it was too good to be true, but then it happened. It had to be some cruel joke, but no. After a few moments of baffled hesitancy, I watched Claudia slowly lower herself to one knee right before my eyes, crouching next to Lilian. She looked up at me from below, her sickly soft eyes fading desperately, and then she gave a nervous smile.

With minimal resistance, the controller to my collar slid from Claudia’s wrist, placed gently into Lilian’s hands by her mother. It wasn’t too good to be true. The girl may have only been five years old, but when she asked for it, her mother listened.

“There you go, sweetheart.” Claudia swallowed nervously, kneeling on both knees now. It was clear that her heart was filled with more than just anxiety seeing it in the girl’s little paws, but she tried to trust her anyway. “B-be careful with it, you don’t wanna shock someone on accident again.”

“I remember, Mommy.” Lilian smiled, having to hold it in both of her hands, thumb on the button. Still filled with little but childish innocence, she looked up at me, no longer so scared of her mother or I. “Aunt Candace taught me how after I tried to shock Aunt Chloe.”

In seeing my controller between her fingers, I realized that this was the final test. It wasn’t so long ago that she’d almost done exactly what her mother did out of fear, nearly killing her nanny by mistake.

If it had gone down that way it would have been my fault, but thankfully Candace had been there that day to stop it. Ridiculously good with children, Candace, she learned that from her mom.

She stumbled towards me, careful to avoid the broken glass, looking up when she got here. “Yours?”

Fleeting eyes had little time to look at Candace for approval, I quickly nodded my head in confirmation, holding my hand out towards her. Desperately, my fingers trembled, and Lilian held it out for me.

“Here.” She smiled, setting it down in my hand. But still, her grabby paws remained, almost expecting something in return. “Did I do good?”

I blushed, curling my fingers around the controller, holding it firmly to my chest. “Did you do good?”

“Helping.” She grinned proudly, bouncing up and down. “Did I help?”

“Yes.” I promptly muttered, barely able to believe what I was hearing. “You helped a lot. Thank you.”

“Can I have my key back now?” She held her hand out even higher, still bouncing. “I wanna go watch my movie.”

“Let me guess.” I giggled with her. “Wizard of Oz?”

Astonished, she nodded her head. “I’m Dorothy.”

“Yes you are.” Candace smiled, rolling her eyes. “Your key is in my purse, can you go get it for me?”

“Okay.” She twirled on one foot, about to run back to her mother before stopping, pointing at the tape in Candace’s hand. “Oops. Almost forgot.”

Lilian extended her hand towards the tape, and Aunt Candace was just about to give it to her when her sister interrupted. Before her daughter could even so much as lay a finger on it, Claudia protested, loudly.

“Don’t.” She snapped, reaching out from the floor across from us. “Don’t let that thing touch my little girl, please.”

“I’ve got it.” Footsteps from behind alerted us to Josie’s approach, but rather than trying to wrangle the controller from my hand, my doppelganger instead scooped the girl into her arms and held her. Then she peacefully held her hand out towards the tape. “I’ll take it. Keep the controller.”

Candace smiled, releasing the VHS into her in law’s palm, grinning victoriously. “Thank you.”

“Don’t thank me.” Josie responded, resecuring her grasp on Lilian. “Thank her.”

“And us.” I heard both Darcey and Autumn pout from behind. “We helped too.”

“Yes. Yes you did.” Josie applauded them, stepping towards Claudia, tape in hand. “What do you want me to do with this?”

“I don’t know.” Claudia held out her open hand. “What do you want me to do with it?”

Josie frowned nervously, watching Claudia take the other end of the film, both holding one half. “You know what I want, Claudia.”

“Then let’s do it.” She hissed back, refusing to look up. “Before I change my mind.”

Her wife paused. “You’re sure?”

“Yes, my love.” Claudia nodded her head, tightening her grip. “But I need your help.”

The last remnants of Candace’s mother erased themselves from the world. Claudia and Josephine both held on to the bitter end, as the tape snapped in half between their hands, finally destroyed. The pieces crumbled to the floor amongst the rest of the rubble, ready and waiting to be cleaned and disposed of- and just like that, it was all over.

“There.” Josephine wiped her hands clean of it. “Doesn’t that feel better?”

Claudia couldn’t help but smile slightly. “I think so.”

I could almost cry at that point. It seemed so surreal that even people like this had a weakness, and for the mafia, that weakness was family. The one thing that was important to them above all else was family.

“This isn’t over.” Claudia mumbled, grinding her knuckles into the ground as she hung her head. “We still need to talk about this.”

“What’s left to talk about?” Candace grinned, winking at me. “I’m pretty sure I just won.”

“If it will make my daughter happy, yes. You can have her back.” Blushing, Claudia shyly hissed. “But that doesn’t mean she’s safe. If father heard about my plan, what’s to say he hasn’t been listening this entire time?”

Candace’s eyes slowly lowered to the ground, nervously glancing towards her father’s ex-wife, as Lilith stepped forwards- hands crossed behind her back.

“Because he can’t.” Claudia’s mother smirked, coughing slightly. “He doesn’t have the controller anymore.”

After a moment or two Lilith produced a small black case and held it out so that we could see it, making sure we both had a chance to take it in.

“He brought a gift before he left. Let me show you.” She smiled, gently prying the case open for us to see what was inside, and we sure weren’t disappointed.

It was the controller to my mother’s collar. Which was now clasped around my sister’s neck.

“No.” Claudia clasped her hands over her mouth, struck with pure terror just seeing it. “He gave it to you.”

“Your father gave me this during the commotion.” She held it in her hands. “I’m sure you can probably tell why.”

“You mean you’ve had that the whole time?” Claudia was on the verge of tears. “And you’ve just been holding onto it?”

“What else was I supposed to do, use it on you?” Lilith tried to reassure her daughter. “I wouldn’t do that to you.”

Claudia simply stared at it, ruminating in the silence. “Even you, huh?”

“I’m not doing this for your sister.” Lilith glared into Candace’s eyes, sighing loudly. “I’m doing this for your own good. Your daughters, current and future, deserve a good role model. Someone they can feel safe around. So for that reason alone, you need to be stopped. Before you hurt yourself or someone you care about.”

“What are you going to do, Mom?” She was crying now. “Keep me?”

“Believe me, Claudia. I’m too old to be keeping much of anything for myself. Besides, it’s too late for me to make much out of you anyways, there’s someone else who needs this more.” Lilith smirked almost smugly as she stood at Josephine’s side. “Hold out your hand, sweetie.”

Josie stared at the controller, glancing down at her wife and then back up at her mother-in-law. After a brief moment, she extended her hand, before quickly getting it slapped away.

“Not you.” Lilith scolded her. “Lilian. Hold out your hand.”

“Me?” The girl bounced in Josie’s arms, holding her hand towards grandma. “Like this?”

“Just like that.” The old woman smiled, taking the girl’s hand and turning it over so that she could strap the controller around her wrist, making sure it was secure. “There. Perfect.”

“You’re giving my daughter the controller to my collar.” Claudia practically hissed at her, but remained steadfast and soft. “What makes you think I’m not going to take it from her?”

“Because you’ve learned, haven’t you?” Lilith smiled, slowly crouching next to Claudia. “If you need to trust someone to protect her from you, trust her. That way, hopefully she’ll never have a father like yours, because you won’t be able to touch her.”

“You’re a madwoman.” Claudia sighed, carefully rubbing her shoulder. “But okay.”

“Okay?” Josie practically flinched. “You’re okay with that?”

“I am.” Claudia made sure not to look up towards Candace or I. “Are you okay with that, Lilian?”

Claudia’s five year old daughter looked at her, smiling and nodding, before wrestling her way out of Josie’s arms to give Claudia a hug. “I’ll take good care of you like you taught me.”

“That’s my girl.” Claudia hugged back. “I love you, Lilian.”

“I love you, Mommy.” The girl giggled, climbing on top of Claudia’s back like she was a horse. “And I love grammom, too.”

Lilith gave her no more than an approving smile before stepping back, watching the little one clamor on top of her mother like she was taming a big dog, which she really wasn’t. Claudia, on the other hand, had little reason to fight back anymore.”

“If I’m really going to be a slave, I’ll need a number.” Claudia rolled her eyes, looking towards her sister. “Think mom’s is still available?”

“It’s all yours, Claudia. You deserve it.” Candace smirked, gently pulling on my hand. “And I think this one is all mine.”

“You deserve it.” Her sister sighed, relenting. “Now go home, please. I think my daughter and I have a movie to watch.”

I’d gotten lost in what I was seeing at some point, but the family banter continued on even as my mind pulled away, brought to attention by the voice of Candace next to me.

“You can let go of my hand now.” She smiled, holding my hand up. “If you want to, that is.”

“Not yet.” I shook my head. “Not until we’re outside.”

“Okay.” She smirked. “Just know, I’m going to need both hands to drive.”

“Don’t forget your purse.” Zenna teased, stepping towards us and handing it to her master’s sister. “Your keys are probably in there.”

“My keys are definitely in there.” Candace rolled her eyes, pulling out a single small silver key and handing it to Zenna. “As well as your daughter’s.”

“Thank you.” Zenna tucked the key away, before turning to me and squeezing me in a lion slash tiger slash bear hug. “I’m gonna miss you.”

“So are we!!!” Darcey squeaked, hugging me from behind. “Please come visit someday!!!”

“You have to now…” Autumn teased, holding me gently. “You owe us one…”

“No, she doesn’t.” Josie spun around and grabbed them both by their pointed ears. “All three of you are in a lot of trouble.”

I could see in her eyes that she was just playing with them now, as she looked at me and smiled, nodding her head in approval before shoving the girls away from me.

“Zenna can start by cleaning this whole mess up. She’s not going to be able to do much heavy lifting from here on out now that she’s pregnant. And as for you two. I think a good breeding session will be in order sometime down the line.” Josie winked, and the two of them hugged each other, before quickly being told off. “But for right now, get a move on, all of you. I want my ballroom to be clean of everything, including people.”

She clapped her hands and people started to move, the slaves dispersing first, as the women of the house stepped towards Candace and I.

“I didn’t want it to go this way, but I’d be the stupid one to try and push the issue any further.” Claudia’s face remained neutral, forcing smiles away from her own lips as she held Lilian in her arm’s now. “Thanks for everything you’ve done, good and bad. I hope to continue this conversation soon, but for now-” She gave us the slightest smile. “Have fun you two. I love you both.”

“For once, I think I’m going to take your advice.” Candace smiled, holding her hand out for Claudia to take. “Good game.”

Her sister took a fierce hold of her, shaking Candace’s hand and nodding. “Good game.”

Candace pulled away and smiled after a moment. “Goodbye, Claudia.”

“Goodbye, Candace.” She blushed, shaking her head ever so slightly as she held her hand out to shake again. “Goodbye, Chloe.”

“Shut up.” I snapped at her, grabbing her by the hand and pulling her in for a hug. “Goodbye, Claudia.”

She hesitated, but eventually gave me both a hug, and a kiss on the forehead. “Be safe.”

“I can try. But the only thing I can promise you is that I can’t make any promises.”

“I’m not talking to you.” She rolled her eyes, winking at her sister. “Be safe with her, she’s a handful.”

“I know she is.” Candace squeezed my palm. “But she’s my handful.”

Claudia walked us out without another word, helping us through the sitting room and waving goodbye with her daughter and wife before bidding us adieu, finally heading back inside to be with her family. We headed to the car, and I was almost shocked to see that it wasn’t just any car, it was mine.

“Oh, how I’ve missed you.” Finally, I let out a sigh of relief, tapping on the trunk. “You didn’t empty her, did you?”

“No.” Candace shook her head, opening the backseat for me. “But I did turn the safety locks on.”

I bit my lip and nodded, still holding onto her. “Can’t have me running away…”

“Chloe.” She stopped me, presenting her free hand to me. “You can’t keep that.”

Bitter, I held the controller up, my own finger on the trigger as I looked her in those beautiful mismatched eyes. “Lilian gave it to me.”

“And I’m telling you to give it to me.” She smiled, not taking no for an answer. “Now be a good girl and let go.”

Nervously, I released her hand, holding it to my chest for a moment and looking up at her. Right here and now was my last chance to run for it. I had the controller in my possession, and for the first time ever, no one was holding my hand. But deep down, I just couldn’t do it, no matter how terrified I was to give her that control again.

Candace graciously accepted the controller to my collar, blushing as I set it in her palm. “Yes, Master.”

“Good girl.” She gazed at her reflection in the pretty little bracelet, before turning to the image in my eyes. “You’re making the right choice, and I think that should be rewarded.”

Her hand overturned, dropping the bracelet onto the ground between us with a soft sound. Then, in the blink of an eye, Candace broke the controller to pieces beneath her feet.

She shot me a wink. “I told you it would be safe.”

I was speechless. No, more than that, I was bawling my eyes out. “Candace.”

“No woman of mine is going to live in fear of death at the press of a button.” She assured me, picking each and every piece of the controller up and sliding them into her purse. “I promised you that, and from now on, I plan on keeping every promise I make.”

Happy sobs escaped my lips as I held my hands to my crying mouth. “But what if I try to escape?”

“I’ll have no choice but to personally chase you down and drive you back.” She snapped her fingers, pointing for me to get in the car. “Once we’ve settled back in at home, we’ll rebuild.”

I sniffled. “Without the death button?”

“Without the death button.” She nodded. “I promise.”

My arms wrapped over her shoulders, and hers around my waist as she held me. Just for a moment, it felt nice to finally be with her again. She helped me into the car, and the two of us drove off together without a word.

It was a strangely quiet night from then on out, witnessing the silent sights of the night around us as we returned home. Or in my case, found my way back home.

No fighting. No fussing. Nothing.

I fell asleep on the drive back to Maison Saint Clair, only waking when she woke me, taking me back inside.

The door clicked closed behind us, and finally, we were home.

“This place is a mess.”

I couldn’t help but note how out of shape it had gotten since I’d been gone. It helped put into perspective how much Candace really needed me.

“I’m a mess.” She responded, smiling. Making sure the door to the guest bedroom was still locked away. “And before you ask, no. Not tonight.”

Briefly nodding my understanding to her, my eyes locked onto the locked handle. “When?”

“Tomorrow.” She winked, and for what I could tell, she meant it. “If you’re good that is.”

“I’ll do my best.” I blushed. “I’ll be good.”

“Good.” Candace smiled, stepping towards me. “Welcome home.”

It was surreal, but it really was nice to be back. “Thank you for having me.”

We stood there, locking gazes one last time before pressing lips together for a kiss.

And it was the nicest kiss I’d ever had.

“My family can’t hurt you anymore. I’m going to make sure of it. But for now.”

Candace held me by both hands, and we could both see ourselves blush in the other’s eyes.

“Somebody needs to clean all of this up.”