Master A-0002

R estraining the crow in the small cell we had in our bedroom was easy enough. Where I expected him to fight, he hadn't. He wanted to, but he knew better. His time of rebellion would come, I had no doubt about that, but he was smart enough to know he'd be dead if he tried.

Maybe there was an edge to my normally calm self. I was good at projecting whatever I wanted, but I couldn't after Shane's phone call. Something wasn't right. It didn't take a genius to see through Shane's cryptic proposal to my wife. Georgie didn't work security for the Gardens. That he needed her to go with him to check after our Main Master spoke volumes. It wasn't about relation; it was about protection which made me question what the hell I missed. I didn't like this. I knew my wife was a killer, but having her face some sort of threat without me knowing what it was didn't sit well. It made me pissed and on edge, and that was not good for anyone who decided to get in my way.

" Come on ."

The words came out more of a growl as I hung up the phone. I'd already checked the auction floor. They weren't at the bar. They weren't partying it up with the others. Shane wasn't answering my call. Elec wasn't answering which was even worse. Georgie didn't have the Garden's phone, I did, and her personal cell wouldn't work down here.

Again, I dialed, riding the elevator up to the twentieth floor. To Elec's floor. I would check his club, Dark God Status , and if he wasn't there, I'd have to argue my way right to his front door. Not that I expected to make it far. Without his permission, it would be impossible.

"Where the hell are they?"

The door opened and I came face to face with two guards.

"May we help you, Master?"

"I'm headed to Dark God Status to look for the Main Master. Is he there?"

The guards' eyes never left me as I stepped through the doors to stand between them.

"Number?"

"Couple Two."

He put my information in the tablet he held, looking between me and the picture that was so clearly displayed. I shifted in aggravation.

"Welcome Master. You're allowed admittance."

"Is the Main Master inside the club?"

Both kept silent. I knew it was protocol for them to keep their mouths shut about Elec's location, but some guards were kind enough to answer. Or maybe they were just stupid. Regardless, I found myself growing more impatient as I went through the following checkpoints. The scan was quick and silent as I was urged on. By the time I made it to the door of the club, I was stiff and ready to snap. Four Masters and a Couple were in line in front of me. They were laughing, and two Masters were extremely drunk.

"Beautiful, I tell you. I thought no one could beat my last slave, but if you saw her. God, if you fucked her. "

"Are you offering?"

Billowing laughter followed, merging in with the hypnotic tune that poured from inside. "Are you paying?"

"Maybe if she's that good."

The line moved up as I pushed away the conversations around me. Trying to catch a glimpse of anything through the main door was pointless. I'd been here enough to know how protected this place was for privacy. Even the guards outside wouldn't be able to glimpse a view of what went on after the main door. That was both good and bad. It wasn't helping me out. I was wasting time if they weren't here, and I needed to find my wife.

"Finally."

The two Masters ahead of me held out their arms. The last one grunted as the guard took his turn sticking him with the tip of the blade. When the guard sanitized it and came to me, I didn't even look down. I held out my arm, taking the pain and surging ahead as the blood streamed down to my wrist.

The large doors were open ahead to red lights, and I swept through, getting swallowed in the darkness. The walls and floor were a special black, giving the illusion of falling. There appeared no depth. No space. Yet…endless amounts as you took in the large area. Three glass rooms housed butchers, sawing and grinding the body parts on stainless steel counters while what remained of the dead slaves swung from hooks not feet away. The club was more packed than usual. In truth, Elec rarely allowed many up here, but tonight almost every other table was full.

"Drink?"

I glanced at the slave behind the bar, shaking my head as I came to stare at the elevated booth in the far back. It was halfway up the wall, fitted for the God who was clearly sitting there with Shane and my wife.

My strides were filled with concern and determination as I ate up the distance. At my fast movement, my wife missed nothing. Georgie's face turned to me, and she glanced to the men, saying something before seeming to argue with our Main Master. It didn't take me long to get to the steps that led to Elec's private balcony. By the time I reached the top, Georgie was standing.

"The crow?"

"In his room. What the hell is going on?"

Although I asked her the question, my gaze went to the Main Master. He wasn't happy. If anything, he was pissed.

"Jack, let's sit."

"I said I'm fine," Elec snapped.

"You're clearly not," Georgie's mouth twisted. "Elec, you have to tell me how long this has been going on."

"I did tell you. I don't…know. I mean, I—" He stopped, squeezing his eyes shut for the briefest moment. "I have it under control."

"You know what is at stake. Don't be stupid, Cousin." She leaned more towards his direction as he rested his arms out over the back cushions of the circular booth. He appeared to relax, but I could see the mix of rage and uncertainty in his eyes. The Main Master was like a cornered animal, and I feared how close he was to exploding with fury. "Elec." She paused. "One time is too many. Multiple times is not a coincidence. Do you think it's her?"

"Who else could it be?"

His fist came down with such force on the table that the drinks shuttered and clinked, spilling liquor over the surface. Had we been sitting at any other table, the wood would have crumbled and broken under the force.

"I never fucking liked her. I told you from the beginning how I felt about Melissa. She's a liar. She's manipulative as fuck, and because she can't win me over, I can see her true colors."

"You see what she wants you to. I'm not accusing anyone. I'm… I'm fucking trying to make sense of some shit. Besides, our feelings mean nothing. The result is all that ever mattered. I'm the Main Master. She made that happen."

"Listen to you, making excuses." She shook her head. "It's worse than you're letting on. She's gone too far."

"I'm not talking about this."

"Elec, I can take care of this for you. Let me just… Cousin ."

"Stop."

"You stop. You're the Main Master. You're smarter than this. Don't play stupid."

"Don't presume I am."

Georgie shifted in her anger. "Let me."

"You speak of treason."

" She commits it ," Georgie hissed. "Fuck age, name, and status. You are above her. This isn't the first time she's overstepped her bounds. Our safety, our very livelihood at the Gardens is dependent on you. If you can't even remember what the fuck is going on?—"

Elec's hand shot up.

"Not another fucking word."

" Hey ." My voice was deep, and he didn't miss my threat as I leaned in closer to my wife. Elec closed his eyes, taking a deep breath before looking back at us.

"I said I have this under control. You and Melissa have bad blood, Georgie. You can thank your mother for that. Anything you do will be your downfall. You're to stay out of this. Shane shouldn't have even brought you here."

The Master kept quiet as he glanced at me. Shane was more troubled than he was saying.

"How long?" At Georgie's question the Main Master shifted in his seat. "Elec?"

"I don't know. I've been somewhat close to her since I was in college. She taught me everything I know."

"Cousin…how long?"

He let out a deep breath. "Weeks. Years?"

" Years ?"

"It's hard to fucking say. For all I know, we're overreacting. Maybe I'm just losing my damn mind with everything that's going on. It's nothing . It's a few missed calls here. It's a missing email I can't remember hitting delete on. I have an appointment in a few hours. Maybe I'm just—" He laced his fingers through each other. "I could very well be overthinking this. I have zero proof that something is happening. It could be nothing."

" It could be anything ."

Silence.

We all stared at each other, not saying what we feared. It truly could be the worst of the worst. If Melissa, the real Mistress Two, was influencing the Main Master with her brain bending and persuasion, she could be making him do anything.

"Go home. All of you. We shouldn't be talking about this. I said I have this under control. If she's messing with my head, she'll pay for it. I'm not worried. The first step to an enemy's downfall is awareness. We're aware. All of us. She'll cut off her own head if there's truth to my suspicions. In the meantime, we wait."

"Wait?" Georgie's head shook. "What if she hurts you? What if she makes you do something that causes you to lose your position as Main Master? That bitch?—"

"Georgie, go home."

But my wife didn't move. Georgetta shifted, pausing as she took in a deep breath.

"Actually, now that I'm here, I need to talk to you."

"About?"

"Gilbert Marks."

Elec's back lifted from the booth, and he sat straighter.

"What about him?"

"I may have something he wants. A crow. He was part of my human hunt. I found the guy hiding in a tree. From the moment he opened his mouth, there was no mistaking the thick accent. His name…" she laughed under her breath. "He's pretty much confirmed my suspicions. I want to make a trade with Gilbert Marks."

"You know how I feel about him. Gilbert Marks is dangerous."

"Too dangerous for you, Main Master?"

Elec threw her a look.

"You know better. What are you looking to get out of this trade?"

"Nothing worth worrying about. I just want some of his men to mess with someone. Just a little fun."

"Georgetta, your anger is getting the best of you again. We talked about this last auction. You have to let this go."

" Let it go? " Georgie exploded. " Never. We're talking about my life, Elec, and I never forget. That bitch fucked up. When I swept in and saved her, what did she do? Nothing. She disappeared and left me to the wolves. It was her mission! I should have been the hero not the villain. It wasn't my fault everything went to shit when I arrived. I didn't cause that. It was already in the process. I will never let it go."

Elec's face hardened. "I confirmed her story all those years ago. She didn't make it up. It checked out. I showed you. Elaine didn't disappear, she was taken for weeks. Tortured ?—"

"So was I when I fucked up! By them ."

"There's no evidence that hers was a punishment. Quite the contrary. They found her with the enemy. They rescued her. There's footage of that. You've seen it. The two of you moved past it."

"No we didn't. Not really. I took her explanation with grace but not forgiveness. What she did after her return was not good enough. What she said in front of the board was not what needed to be said. No recollection of me trying to save her? No fucking recollection? I didn't just take a bullet for her. I took the fall for her being taken. Me. The one trying to rescue her. It was just another shadow on the list of fuck ups tied to me." Georgie's head shook, and I grabbed her hand. "And now look at her. Fucking golden girl for the Jane's. For my mother. She's a team leader now. Looked up to. Worshipped by all our peers. Her job is a cake walk. They take it easy on her. They never did on me. Dammit, Elec. She could have done more. She could have done so much more to help me. I needed someone on my side. She was favored by everyone. She could have kept trying to help me," she repeated. "Elaine could have turned things around. That bitch did nothing but apologize for putting me in the position. That's the only reason she even breathes. I hate her for not doing more. I would have made sure everyone knew the truth. I would have supported her. Screamed the facts from the rooftops. She didn't do nearly enough. Mark my words, she may live, but her life will never be happy if I have my way. If I suffer, they all suffer."

"What would you have Gilbert do?"

The tension left Georgie's shoulders and she let out a breath at Elec's question.

"Nothing too bad. Have her followed. Screw with her focus. Rattle her a bit. The fun stuff."

"And if I agree, you'll let this go?"

Her voice once again turned hard. "I said I'd never do that."

"You're going to have to bend somewhere." Elec paused. "I'm thinking of letting her into the Gardens. She wants in."

" Here? She's a fucking spy for Bram. That traitor slave, Everleigh, is her best friend. You can't let her in."

"Everleigh has her own line in our world. She is no slave, no matter how much we like to think so."

"The Whitlocks are our enemy. That means Elaine is too. We can't allow any of them inside the Gardens."

Elec did smile then.

"Cousin, have I taught you nothing? Your mindset is like a moth and a flame. Keeping enemies away only brings them closer. Destroy their ability to destroy you, now that's where the magic lies. We all have our admission fee to this world. Elaine's will tie her to us forever. Love is blinding. It'll do that."

Georgie looked at me, only to turn her confusion on Elec.

"Love? What the hell are you talking about?"

There was a moment of hesitation before the Main Master leaned in, resting his forearms on the table.

"She's in love with my High Leader, Nineteen."

Georgie bit into her bottom lip as her stare held Elec's, but her words were a hard whisper.

"He was Bram's High Leader, too, if I'm not mistaken."

Elec's smile was dazzling.

" He was. His loyalty isn't there anymore. I've made sure of it. And no deal on Elaine, Georgie. Not yet. I want to think on this proposal. There's too much at stake to mess this up. Soon, Elaine may be part of our world too, and you know the rules on that. Once she's in, she'll never get out. Not alive. "