WHITE OUT (24690)

by Dark,A. A.

  “As you wish, Main Mistress.”

  “Bitch!” I jerked against the grip of the guards, but they only tightened as they cuffed me and pushed me toward the door. “You fucked up, baby. This time you’ve gone too far. Do you really think they can hold me there? Do you really think they’re going to even get as far as sentencing me? You just wait. I’m going to slit your fucking throat this time.”

  “Wait!”

  Everleigh had them pausing at the entrance of my office. She rushed up, cupping my cheeks and pressing her lips into mine, tenderly. For the smallest moment, she gazed into my eyes. The anger faded and all I could see was the good side of us. I held to those weeks more than I did anything. It had been the only time I’d ever been truly happy.

  “My husband is going to get awfully lonely within all those white walls. Be sure to leave Bram’s book in there with him. I’m sure he’ll take comfort in our old Master’s words.”

  “I don’t want that fucking book. Don’t do this,” I said, trying to pull them with me so I could get closer to her. “All I ever wanted was you. Even now, I did what I had to to get you back. You love me. I know you do.”

  “Yes … I do in some weird, fucked-up way. But what is love compared to revenge? What are kisses worth when they’re erased by rape and abuse?” She leaned in, nuzzling her face into mine while she whispered against my cheek. “Payback tastes a lot sweeter than your tongue. Than your cum. I’ll take the coldness of a blade before I let you brand yourself completely onto my heart. You had no right to begin with. It was never yours.”

  My teeth clenched and I yelled as the guards pulled me back. “Fine! Call them off and I’ll give you your fucking divorce. You can have your own apartment. You can have this goddamn wing if you want. Just end this charade and let me leave.”

  Her lids narrowed and moments drew out before she gave a slow shake. “No. You’re going to give it to me regardless. And you’ve yet to pay for your crimes. We’ll be coming to hear your side soon. In the meantime … try your hardest to move fast. Speed will be key for what you’re up against.”

  A third guard approached, pushing his palm into the middle of my back, urging me on. This wasn’t happening. Everleigh, my fucking wife, did not just take my role as Main Master. I twisted against the guards, cursing at the way she always managed to spin things in her favor.

  She was good. Too good. But she wasn’t me. Once Master Kunken knew what was happening, he’d have them set me free. And then they’d all pay. City Center would be soaked in blood by the time I finished.

  “Unhand me,” I growled. “Do you know what you’re doing? Who you’re arresting? I’m your Main Master!”

  The front door was opened and regardless of the pain, I fought them all the way to the White Room. They didn’t give me the luxury of processing like they did with my wife. No, the moment we arrived, I was taken straight to the arched barred barrier that separated me from the cells. Clicking ticked and when the door swung open, yelling from within the confined rooms began.

  “Kneel! Kneel!”

  A face nearly pressed against the small glass window and although the man was older, I knew who I was looking at. The Master had lost his mind less than a decade ago. He’d gone on a murdering spree of other Masters, leaving a trail of knees all the way back to his apartment. With the amount of men he’d killed, he’d only kept that one body part. And there was so many, he’d dropped a few, trying to get them back to his place. Bram’s father had the bat-shit crazy bastard locked away despite the fact that he should have killed him.

  I rolled my eyes at the deep growling that came next. I glanced over to the other side of the hall. I wasn’t afraid to be here. In truth, I had enough rage to see this as a much needed stress-relieving vacation. After all, this was what my wildest dreams were made of. I could be the worst monster I was capable of being during the red lights and no one was going to judge me or think any different. There were no repercussions for my actions. I could paint the walls red with the blood of a baby and no one was going to give two-shits.

  “Red light! Red light!”

  A dark skinned woman was peeking over the glass. Fear was widening her eyes, but it was for the guards. I didn’t like that. She should fear me. They should all be worried about me.

  “Not yet, bitch. But I’ll see you soon. Hey, are you boys coming to see me during recess?” My door swung open and the guards immediately pushed me in. “I asked a question. Which of you do I get to kill first? You know it’s coming for what you’ve done. You’ve turned your back on your Main Master. Big mistake. If you were smart, you’d all let me walk out of here right now.”

  There wasn’t so much as a pause as a shorter guard headed over, removing the handcuffs. He didn’t meet my gaze or even show me attention while he headed to the door and pushed it shut. The clicking that followed had me yelling out.

  “You can’t stop a bullet, motherfucker! I’m going to hit fast and deadly. Don’t blink. I’ll be coming! I hope I see you all when these red lights start. You have no idea the different ways I’m going kill you. Fuck! Everleigh, you bitch!”

  Laughter had me pausing to look at the wall. Recognition immediately dawned and it took everything I had not to attack the fucking cement dividing me and Eleven.

  “What the fuck are you laughing at, slave?”

  “Master Harper? Is that you?”

  The amusement in his tone was like the scissor being back in my ass—unwanted and humiliating.

  “What the fuck do you think?”

  “I’ll be damned. Did Master Whitlock pop up alive after all? Is that why you’re here?”

  “Fool,” I snapped. “The last place Bram would put me is in the White Room. I’m here because I married a conniving cunt.”

  Silence played out between us for so long that I began to pace.

  “So she’s free, then? I mean, as a Mistress?”

  “She’s not just a Mistress, you idiot. Everleigh is way smarter than that. She’s now our Main Mistress. As in, ruler of fucking Whitlock. Damn, bitch. I’m going to kill her this time. I swear to all that’s holy, I’m going to place her body in City Center and watch the maggots eat her away while she wades around in a bucket of her piss and shit. I want her skin to soften so much from the waste that the muscle begins to fall off and infest with puss and disease.”

  Another small laugh. “Main Mistress once told me you have a thing for dead bodies. Will you fuck her in that condition?”

  My eyes shot over to the wall and all I saw was red. “I’ll fuck you, pretty boy. I’ll tear your ass apart. I bet you’d like that, wouldn’t you?”

  “Not my thing, really. I do the fucking. Seems like more of your thing after the whole scissor incident. Tell me, did you enjoy the thrusting at all? Maybe just a little? I’m assuming, and I could be wrong, but I’m going to go out on a limb and guess you didn’t like the initial breach. The first time can hurt, so I don’t blame you. But the thrusting. That’s what I want to know. How did it feel?”

  “I’ll show you,” I said, clenching my fists. “I’m sure there’s plenty of blades for me to choose from. I think you’re going to love it.”

  Creaking sounded and I didn’t turn my eyes from the wall as I glared in Eleven’s direction.

  “As appealing as it sounds, I’m afraid I won’t be here long enough to find out. The Main Mistress has already sent for me. I’ll be leaving here, shortly. If I’m lucky, maybe even sleeping in your spot come nightfall. Tell me, was it the left side … or the right?”

  I collided with the wall so hard, even the pop in my shoulder didn’t deter me from trying to get to him.

  “You put one finger on my wife, I’ll rip your insides out through your throat. Do you hear me! If you touch her, I’ll kill you!”

  Still, I rammed into the wall. His snide remarks did nothing to fuel or lighten the fury cloaking me. I was consumed by the need to make this slave suffer. If he only meant to rattle me with his threats, he’d more than succeed
ed. In doing so, he’d also condemned himself. If Eleven wasn’t gone by the first red light, he wasn’t going to make it to another. He wasn’t going to make it back to Everleigh at all.

  Chapter 16

  Bram

  “Did you really think you’d manage to find and kill me? Surely you’re not that stupid?”

  Whimpering grew into muffled screams as I brought the scalpel around, just below the bend of Master Kunken’s elbow. Blood seeped from the incision and Derek was waiting at my side for the next order.

  In a slow, straight incision, I worked my way down to his wrist. The man’s large body tried to thrash against the restraints holding him down, but he couldn’t break from the restraints that secured him to the table.

  “Alvin. Beautiful child. It’s a shame what you’ve done. His parents will never be the same. You know that, right? They didn’t have to go through this, yet your greed made sure they’d experience one of the worst things a parent could go through. Their toddler son … gone forever. Do you suspect they’re overly distraught? Have they called you, begging for any assistance you can provide, Senator?”

  My eyes went down to meet Master Kunken’s and his head thrashed back and forth.

  “Is that a no? No, they haven’t contacted you? Well, I’m surprised, although I’m sure they have the best fucking people on it! You greedy fuck! You just had to have something you weren’t supposed to. I bet the temptation was killing you. I bet the moment I was stabbed, the order slipped right off your tongue. It’s okay, though. Your scout will be dead by morning if he’s not already.” My head shook. “You never learn. Whitlock, first. Whitlock, first. We’ve gone over this before. Were you thinking about our safety when you had my cousin taken from his bed? No. That is why you die. The torture leading up to it is for who you chose. You involve my blood, you get to deal with me. A Whitlock never backs down and they never forget. You know this!”

  Loud sobs muffled through the gag as I began to dislocate the skin from his muscle. When I started peeling it back his breathing turned into heavy, deep inhales. And his volume … it only rose.

  “So you know what you face in your last days, I’ll tell you my plans. I’m going to take one section of your body at a time. Today, it’s a forearm, tomorrow it will be the other. I’m going to do what you enjoy. I’m going to skin it. Once I’m done, I’m going to chop it off. Derek, my High Leader, will be ready to cauterize the wound. Then, when you get hungry, you’re going to eat it. We’ll do one section of your body at a time. Eventually, you’re going to eat yourself to death. We’ll see how far we get before you die.”

  “Mmm-mmm. Mmmm!”

  I ignored what I knew were pleas. I took my time, focusing on what almost came natural. My father had once made me spend an entire summer with Master Kunken. I lived with him; I ate with him. He even took me out of Whitlock and we went hunting on an extended trip that lasted a few weeks. It was my first time to do anything like that and I’d surprised everyone by the ease I’d taken to the lifestyle. Being the predator came natural. Hiding was my skill. Killing was my thrill. I’d been afraid of who I was at the time, but I didn’t back down until the summer ended. And I wouldn’t have to anymore if this continued. With the block on my emotions, there was no problem denying the beast when he came. Even the concern over how that would affect me or Whitlock wasn’t there. The only one I could feel myself changing for was Everleigh. But how much, was beyond me. I wasn’t even sure it was a good change.

  “There,” I breathed out. “I have to admit, you taught me well. Derek?”

  I put down the scalpel, reaching to take the saw from my High Leader. Master Kunken’s head went back to shaking and I stepped to the side, looking at the length of his arm that was stretched across the empty space below. His wrist was secured by an extending portion of the table which allowed me to work how I needed. It was the same for the leg area. It was odd how these things worked out. A Master dying—tortured by his own methods and equipment. Persecution was never so sweet.

  “This may hurt a bit. I’ll try to be easy and take my time.”

  “Mmm! Mmm! Mmmmmm!”

  His big belly jiggled while he sobbed and screamed. I cocked my head, watching and letting him grasp the events. I wanted more of his fear, when in truth, I couldn’t have gotten any more. I could smell the piss that was draining over the sides of the table. It had me studying every expression he made as redness increased in his cheeks from the guttural sounds that left him.

  “Deep breath … or not.”

  I leaned forward, thrusting the blade down over the muscle. I couldn’t help basking in the way his volume deepened and broke repeatedly. It combined with the magnificent drip, drip, drip of the blood that was splattering on the floor at my feet. The jagged blades tore down and through the bone below his elbow and both noises orchestrated a melody so gruesomely beautiful that I stopped to smile at him. Was I not just a composer of words? I now invented music, too?

  Crunch, crack. Crunch, crack.

  I pushed down harder, testing the way the tones changed with my force. Warmth coated my hands as blood squirted up over where I pressed my palm against Master Kunken’s hand for leverage. His fingers were twitching, going crazy under mine.

  “You’re looking a bit pale. I don’t believe you have much longer before you pass out. Do you need to catch your breath?” I laughed at his eyes rolling and it came out nothing like the cheerful, jovial pitch I’d faked throughout my life. It was raucous, loud, and bordering on an emotional state I couldn’t even grasp. It had been too long since I got to do something I enjoyed. And I was thriving in this. My heart raced lovingly—thump, thump—thump, thump.

  Yes. There was no mistaking who had been reborn when I died. I was my worst nightmare and I didn’t fear what that meant. Not in the moment.

  Crunch, crack. Crunch, crack.

  I angled the saw, pursing my lips, while I went back to slow thrusts.

  “I’m going to have such a mess to clean up, and not just here. So many Masters have died in the last few weeks. And the thing is, it’s far from over. What upsets me is that I’ll have to wait and time it out. So many mistakes: such bad leadership. Thank God for money and power, right?” I looked over and cursed.

  “Smelling salt.”

  “Yes, Main Master.”

  Derek handed it over and at the back and forth wave of my hand, Master Kunken’s eyes flew open.

  “There we go. Where were we? Oh yes. Brace yourself.” I paused. “And be sure to let my men know when you get hungry. They’ll prepare you a nice little gourmet dish.”

  I gritted my teeth, pushing down hard to sever the rest of his arm. Wheezy breaths came between muffled yells.

  Crunch. Crack. Snap!

  “Mmmm-mmm!”

  Crimson squirted over his body as I applied my weight to the saw and broke through the last of the skin. I tossed the severed forearm on the tray next to me. I dropped the saw as the screams went from high pitched to throaty. The smell of burning flesh perfumed the air and I grabbed a towel, wiping my hands as I walked over to my laptop. The sight was enough to trigger the harbored rage, again.

  Had I thought I’d planned things to best fit my interests? I was getting beat at my own game, left and right. What Everleigh had done should have been a relief, but it wasn’t. Her intentions may have appeared in the right place, but I wasn’t so sure.

  My gaze moved over to the next screen where West paced the length of his cell. Hate and something else battled. How did all of this fucking happen in just a few weeks? My brain couldn’t comprehend how everyone had changed so drastically. Then, to take their actions and events into account?

  The twist Everleigh threw into the mix was unfathomable to me. It completely ruined everything. My return wasn’t meant to go down this way. Now, I had to figure out how to salvage this. My revenge on West was meant to be done publicly, while he was still in charge. I had planned to expose and torture him right in front of every single Master at Whitlock.
I was going to set an example and make a lesson out of him. But without him in rule, it was meaningless. That dampened the gratification I was desperate to feel. That I needed to feel. And it was all her fault. Goddamn Everleigh. True, she was out of harm’s way for the most part, but she had no idea what she’d taken from me by taking my rightful place.

  “It’s done. Master?”

  Derek’s voice had me glancing over. My hand immediately lifted to give me more time. I knew he wanted instruction, but where the fuck did I begin? There was a positive to my slave’s rule. I could take my time to heal. I could straighten out some of this mess from behind the scenes. But what did that say about me as the Main Master? And could I trust her? No. Allowing her to stay in my position would show weakness more than it ever would have with West leading. I had the excuse to get better when my plans had been to overthrow him. Now I didn’t have a legit reason to stay in hiding with Everleigh running things. The Masters would see just how damaged and weak I was and that could pose more problems than I wanted to think about. And that was just the beginning. Every minute she led, she internally grew stronger. I didn’t know this new her. I couldn’t risk what she’d turn into.

  I bent down to my laptop, pulling up the Whitlock Wing. My father’s residence looked so different from how West and Everleigh had it set up. It looked like a rich main’s mansion, compared to the gothic paradise he’d once let surround him.

  Everleigh leaned against the kitchen counter, sipping something from a coffee mug. She was smiling, giving her attention to her High Leader and Master Yahn. Three more guards were standing around, laughing at something they were all talking about. The way they gazed at her adoringly, you’d think they saw salvation in her smile. And maybe they did. But it wasn’t real. This woman, the new Everleigh, was a woman on a mission. Revenge lurked in the darkest depths of her sparkling eyes. Her intentions were only as good as she wanted them to be. For everyone at Whitlock, that was a dangerous thing if she decided to make me her enemy. And what if she did? She didn’t mind turning her back on me tonight when I asked her to stay. She risked West’s wrath over my uninviting presence.