by Dark,A. A.
Bram’s eyebrows drew in and it was seconds before he nodded. He looked as though he wanted to say something, but he didn’t. He turned, looking at the computer before he headed and opened the door.
“You’re upset. You’ve been through a lot the last few days. I think you should stay. You’re not well.”
My soft laugh was automatic. He wanted me to stay, but he already had the door ajar. That wasn’t the Bram I knew. My Bram wouldn’t have given me a choice. And maybe that was for the best. Especially after what Eleven had told me. “I haven’t been well since the night you got attacked. Take care and good luck, Master Whitlock.”
Bram’s head titled and his face drew in. I couldn’t read him or stomach to see more. Not with how red-hot the disloyalty burned inside of me. I was on the verge of breaking into some emotional meltdown. I could feel how unstable I was. He didn’t need to see that. At least not firsthand.
“Where will you go?”
I shrugged, pretending I didn’t know. “A walk. Back to my room. Wherever my feet carry me.”
I gave him one last look and pushed through the door, stopping at the entrance of the hall. I glancing from left to right, but I saw nothing. Had this just happened? Nothing was making sense.
The hurry wasn’t there anymore as I stood like a statue. There was no need to run or hide. There was nowhere for me to go without being caught. I didn’t have a secret room like Bram did. The guards would eventually find me. For that, I was certain. So what did I have left to lose?
Nothing.
Pushing the realities away, I turned to the right. I kept my ears open, trying to listen to every sound that might be off in the distance. The hall dipped down and I headed around the curve letting it take me deeper into Whitlock. When I got to the large room, I took a left instead of going straight. I had no idea where it was going to take me, but I had an idea. Minutes went by and sure enough, I was right. The large grass field of City Center appeared and where I expected adrenaline to kick in, it didn’t. I stayed in the hall, passing Masters’ doors. I didn’t care whether or not they spotted me. I should have been afraid that one would reach out of their door and grab me, but I wasn’t. I almost wished they would. The need to kill had never been stronger. I could feel my new self twist and warp into a person I should have feared. Where I should have tried to get control of her, I didn’t.
Self-destruction blossomed and I thought more on the person I used to love. Sure, I understood Bram’s need to save Whitlock from West’s rule. It didn’t mean I forgave him for discarding me. And he had, whether he or anyone else wanted to see it. If I’d learned one thing in this game, it was that I had value. One, I was about to finally put to use. They may have had their own battle to fight, but thanks to Jarrett, I had plans of my own. I’d rise, or I’d force someone’s hand. Either way, I’d come out on top. I’d survive this.
Chapter 14
Bram
I felt sick. Nauseous, as I replayed mine and Everleigh’s conversation over in my head. What the fuck had I been thinking letting her leave? What was wrong with me? My slave was barely in one piece. Her eyes still had broken blood vessels from Master Norris’s attack and her bandaged hand was almost always being held at her chest. I’d seen the way she had winced in pain, repeatedly. Had she even been aware how angry it made me?
Back and forth, I paced, watching the camera to where she walked. I took in her expression, the way she carried herself. God, she was gone. So fucking mentally battered that she didn’t even look like the same Everleigh I knew. Of course, I probably looked completely different, too. West had done a number on both of us. So why didn’t I put a stop to the torture he continued to put us through? I could have by keeping her. I should have.
“Fuck!”
I slammed the side of my fist against the wall. My plan of action was just as fucked as I was if I did anything to screw this up. Everleigh was meant to stay as far away from me as possible. That had been my initial thoughts. But she was right. I would have let her rot in the White Room so not to sentence her to certain death if West found me first. He was going to try to kill me. Given the condition I was in, he may very well succeed this time. But, my slave. She wasn’t behind bars now. He’d find her and he’d hurt her. Again. That new beating or rape would be on me. I had to put a stop to this. I had to at least try.
Everleigh strolled by her old apartment she’d had with Master Vicolette and I leaned more toward the screen, confused on where she was going. It didn’t take me long to figure it out. When she stopped at Master Yahn’s door, I was clutching the back of the chair so hard my fingertips went numb. I quickly reached out, putting it to full screen and increasing the volume.
“Mistress?” Master Yahn’s head peeked out and he quickly waved her inside. His confusion was evident as he led her into the living room. “My God, look at you. I saw you at the execution, but I was so far back, I didn’t realize how bad off you were. I’ve heard rumors of your time in the White Room, but nothing to this magnitude. Talk to me. What’s happened?”
“Oh, Master Yahn. It’s been horrible. I didn’t know who else I could trust.” Everleigh broke into tears, burying her face in her hands. His comfort to her was immediate. It poked at the deadness in me, bringing something to life as I watched the man’s arm wrap around her shoulders and pull her close.
“Shh. It’s okay. Talk to me. Tell me everything.”
Sobs shook her shoulders and she lifted her head. The eyes I took in weren’t right. Everleigh wasn’t the same and it scared me how much I didn’t know this woman.
“I’ve escaped my quarters inside our Main Master’s wing. He had me locked up there. I’m his wife and a Mistress and he treats me as though I’m a prisoner. This isn’t right. My attack on his person was justified within our laws. He’s raped me, beat me, had others attack me and rape me. This is not how Whitlock is meant to be led. West Harper is out of control. He is not Main Master material and needs to be replaced.”
“So that’s what he was referring to when he said he had demons. It sounded like a confession and I wondered as much at the execution.”
“Yes. The day I stabbed him and cut into his face, it started out as self-defense. He was raping me when I turned the tables. I know I got a bit out of hand, but I wasn’t in my right mind. It wasn’t the first time he did this. I know I have no weight with the board, but you do. You have to know that West is not the answer to Whitlock. If he’s capable of doing this to me, what of you? What of the other Masters?”
His head shook and I sat down, putting the laptop in my lap as I watched.
“I tried to tell them. I’m the best man for the job. I could make Whitlock better than it has ever been.”
“I believe you would try,” Everleigh said in a soft voice. “I think you would make a fair and fine Main Master, but I’m not sure that is your path. You are aware that there may be competition?”
“What do you mean?”
“I overheard Master Kunken and my husband talking while I escaped. You have a meeting tomorrow night. Is that right?”
His head cocked to the side, as did mine.
“That’s right.”
“I know what it entails. I know more than they’re going to tell all of you, that’s for sure.”
Master Yahn eased them to the sofa. He sat perched at the end, engrossed in Everleigh’s words.
“What is it you know?”
“A lot. But before I tell you, I need your help. I need you to fulfill Master Kunken’s promise. He gave me a slave and an apartment. Yet, he tricked me and put me back under West’s roof. We both know that’s not how it should be. I need away from my husband. I want a divorce.”
The greed the Master held shone through on his face, increasing my heart rate and burning my chest. Yes, there I was. At least a small part of me. How had this not been here before I physically saw Everleigh? I’d been slightly concerned as I watched over her. Enraged at what I witnessed on the videos. But now, seeing this stranger�
�this woman my mind told me I loved—manipulate this Master sent me into retaliation mode. I didn’t like this version of my slave. And it was all because of West. He’d destroyed her innocence. The purity she used to hold was gone and had I a heart that could feel, it would have been grieving for both of us.
“If Master Kunken and Master Harper have an inside deal concerning you, you can guarantee I will squash it first thing in the meeting. Every Master there will know the truth. Let them try to explain. Let them try to hide you away, then. It will be impossible when you’re there to defend yourself. And we’ll make sure of that. I’ll bring the others together. We’ll fight for you.”
“Not just for me, but for yourselves. They think you’re all fools. They hide a secret so big, they wouldn’t even be telling you if not for the fact that it may be true.”
“You’re killing me. What secret is this?”
“Bram Whitlock.”
Master Yahn’s head reared back and he shook it more confused than when he’d seen Everleigh at his door. And me, my heart was running a marathon.
“M-Master Whitlock? I don’t understand. What does he have to do with anything? Have they learned something on him? Or … discovered something?”
Everleigh paused, suspiciously narrowing her gaze as she watched his expression—guilt, fear. Even I saw it.
“There’s word he may be alive. Here, even as you and I speak, he could be watching us. The evidence began when I discovered a poem in Bram’s book. You see, Lyle, the old High Leader, told me when I was alone, I needed to read it. There was a message on a marked page and I was told to hold to hope. Well, after weeks of West hiding it, I finally managed to get my hands on the book. It was the day my husband attacked me. I took that rape so I could discover the truth of our Main Master. In that poem, Bram admitted he was alive. Whether it is true, I do not know. But others say they’ve seen him in the halls. The buzz is getting so big that they have no choice but to tell you.”
A quick shake was thrown at Everleigh and Master Yahn stood, running his fingers through his short, balding hair. “I can’t believe it. He faked his own death?”
“No, not precisely.” she rushed out. “Not like you think. He was attacked, but he was stabbed because my husband wanted him dead so he could take over Whitlock. My husband tried to have him murdered.”
Master Yahn spun around so fast, I almost couldn’t believe he could move at such speed.
“Attempted murder? Are you positive of this? Master Harper told you that?”
“Yes. And Master Kunken knows the truth, too. They plan to kill Bram for good if they can find him first. They even mentioned having everyone who followed Bram killed as well. They were referring to all of you on the board.”
Everleigh’s lips parted and she gasped. Her hand shot to her mouth and she looked up, scanning the top of the room in a panic. I knew she was looking for the cameras. She was looking for me.
“Oh, God. I forgot. Master Kunken. He’s done something so horrible that if our real Main Master is indeed alive, he … God, I don’t even know how to say it.”
“What? What is it?”
“Master Kunken. He’s had Bram’s cousin taken. That’s all I heard, but if this is true, our Master will not be happy. It’s a little boy. I don’t his name.”
I heard no more. I heard nothing but the crashing of blood against my eardrums. Rage associated with physical pain cramped in my chest and I closed my eyes, trying to breathe through the sharp electric-style twinges. It was too much on top of what happen to Everleigh. I had to calm. I had to block away the emotions and the way they affected me. I wasn’t ready for my heart to give out again. I had too much to lose. I’d come too far to die now. And I could if I didn’t take it easy. I shouldn’t have even been alive, more or less going through all of this.
“They’ve gone too far. They have to be removed from authority as soon as possible. I need to speak with Master Kain. He and I will take care of it. We’ve had our disagreements, but in truth, we’re very close.”
“The more support we have, the better. But I have to be honest with you.” I glanced back at the screen, trying to decide if I could listen to anymore. My mind said I shouldn’t, but for the life of me, I couldn’t turn away. “Whitlock has always been about blood. And not just about what is spilled within these walls. Blood has held this place together through leadership. The Whitlock’s are the foundation. Bram is meant to rule, and he will again if he’s alive. But with my husband’s betrayal, there’s only one positive I see coming out of it. Me. Through law, Whitlock’s rule is always taken through relation. Help me denounce my husband’s rule and let me lead Whitlock until Bram returns. If, he returns. There’s still no evidence he’s alive, but in my opinion, I think he may be. I can do this until he’s ready. And I can do it with you at my side, leading the board.
Master Yahn stopped pacing, staring over at Everleigh with his fist at his mouth. Calculation. I could see it sparkling in his eyes. “A woman has never led. We haven’t even had a female Mistress in … years. Men might not be willing to follow you.”
Everleigh pushed to her feet and I knew power when I saw it. Who was this woman? This fighter … this killer. “They will follow because I will leave them no choice. Look at me. Do I look like a woman who can’t push when it comes to shove? They will accept my place as Main Mistress or me and the guards will force them to their knees and make them. I am no slave like they think and soon enough they’re going to find that out. Now, are you with me? Will you stand as the new board leader and help me?”
A good minute went by before Master Yahn nodded. “I’ll make the call to the other Masters. I do believe it’s time for a change.”
Chapter 15
West
“What do you mean, you can’t find her? Look harder!”
I was already at my computer, typing in the time we’d arrived home from the execution. My eyes were burning from lack of sleep and I felt groggy from the medication. It was damn near three in the morning. I’d been awoken when the guard at my door didn’t check in. When they told me he was dead, I became soaked in a cold sweat. I flew from the bed, racing to Everleigh’s room, only to find it empty with the shower still running. How had she escaped without me knowing? The bigger question was, why didn’t she kill me when she had the chance? She could have and I would have been oblivious to her attack. Yet, here I was, alive.
The footage of Jarrett carrying her upstairs popped up and I fast-forwarded the recording of her room, stopping when I saw her open her door. My stomach flipped as I watched her sneak downstairs. It clenched even tighter as she slipped into the room she’d attacked me in.
I’d fucking walked right past her and never knew it. She could have tried to kill me, then, if she would have had a weapon. Sickness rolled through from fear but faded as the truth became more and more clear.
Colors blurred and she slipped out and headed down the hall. When she got halfway down the long passage it ended with her walking into the darkness. We didn’t have cameras that far into Whitlock. It had been unused for decades.
“Come on, come on.”
I zoomed out, bringing up multiple screens while I pushed even more into the events of the night. It wasn’t until almost an hour later that she appeared walking on one of the main halls on the first floor. She was eerily closed off. Her face was emotionless while she headed along the grass of City Center like a zombie. When she turned and stopped, a growl tore from my throat.
Master Yahn opened at her knock and I hit buttons, bringing his living room in to fill the screen. Sound broke through and uneasiness once again returned. Their conversation … it had me pushing from the desk. My eyes lifted and I stiffened at the multiple faces that stared at me.
“Under law one-twenty-two, I am here to place you under arrest for conspiracy to commit murder, where you’ll face the board on the date they deem ready. Your leadership is hence revoked, as is your title and belongings.”
Jarrett’s voice h
ad me shaking my head, but the guards were already coming forward. My finger pointed at Everleigh, Master Yahn, and Master Kain, but my threats wouldn’t leave me at the shock of what was happening.
“Wife, what have you done?”
“Only what is best for Whitlock … husband. As the new Main Mistress, I have a responsibility to make sure this fortress lives up to the purpose it serves. I’m afraid your rule and your vows for our marriage have fallen short of what is lawfully binding. Therefore, I’m going to have to have you removed and sent to the White Room to await your sentencing. While you’re there, I should warn you that I’ll be sending over the divorce papers. In your best interest, I would have to urge you to sign them. Don’t look at what it says. Don’t bother to read the specifics. Just sign. I’m afraid if you don’t, you won’t like the consequences that follow.”
“You can’t do this.”
“I believe I already have.”
My head shook. “Everleigh. Stop this, now. Make them leave and we’ll discuss this.”
“I don’t believe I will. You’ll pay for your crimes and give me a divorce while you do.”
“I’m not signing shit! You’re my wife. That’s forever.”
“Forever is only until death. In this day and age, it comes more often than you’d believe. Sign the papers, West. If you do, maybe I’ll have them go easy on you when it comes time for your red lights.”
“You think I can’t take care of myself? Fuck those red lights. You’re not going to get away with this. No one will follow you as Main Mistress.”
Everleigh smiled and stepped forward, just as the guards grabbed onto my biceps.
“It looks like the only people who count already do. Give him my old room,” she said, turning to Jarrett. “I’m sure he’ll find it sufficient enough.”