Chapter Twenty Four
Master William
Master William sat at his desk, twirling one of the cufflinks his slave had purchased for him between two fingers as he let his mind wander. Though he had chosen to take on the responsibility of Toby’s ownership, he hadn’t expected the boy to respond so favorably. The way Toby had looked into his eyes, while Diamond sucked his cock, clearly revealed the boy’s intrigue with the new dynamic.
This could actually work out quite well because even though Toby didn’t have bisexual tendencies, he did have the need for an older, stronger, male figure in his life. Master William presumed there were probably daddy issues in his past. Mistress Diamond had filled him in that he never had a true family, only foster care. She’d revealed that even though the last family had seemed stable, they’d proved their lack of loyalty as soon as they saw the websites Toby was visiting. Most vanillas freaked out when they saw a woman being bound and fucked or a boy kneeling at a Mistress’ feet, licking her boots. At worst, they considered the guilty party to have mental problems. At best, they saw the lifestyle as nothing more than depraved porn.
The agents told him that when they dropped Toby off at The Mansion, they felt like the boy was so confused about his sexuality and his desires that he was a danger to himself. In his lifetime, Master William had seen too many instances in which subs were so riddled with guilt and shame over their perceived sexual deviance that they had to be brought back from the brink of a breakdown. Toby was safest here not just for his physical wellbeing, but for his mental and emotional health as well. Here, he would learn that he was born kinky. It was just how he was wired and there was no reason for him to feel ashamed. If people had a problem with kink, it was their problem, not the kinkster’s problem. The Mansion was supposed to be a haven of sorts, and Master William had already set his mind on providing that haven for Toby. He would let his slave keep the boy as her pet. For him, it always boiled down to Mistress Diamond and her needs. If she cared about the boy, then he did too.
The ringing of the phone pulled him from his thoughts.
“Master William speaking.”
“Master William, Jute is missing.”
“Perhaps he’s out running errands or something, Hempster,” he replied, recognizing the man’s voice despite the panicked tone.
“No, I know my partner and he always answers my calls.”
“When did you last talk to him?”
“It was last night. I called to make sure he got home okay. He was upset when he left The Mansion because someone picked up his bag. I told him it was probably just a mistake but now that he’s missing, it has me wondering. What if something terrible has happened? Last night was open night and anyone could have been there. You know what kind of people the lifestyle can draw.”
Master William noticed the more Hempster talked, the more upset he became. No good would come from sharing the agents’ news he received last night about a serial killer being on the loose. Right now, the best thing he could do is the very thing he did best. He needed to take control of the situation and get the man on the other end of the line to calm down.
“I’m sure he is fine. Keep trying to call him and I’ll see what I can do on this end. I have a couple of friends on the force. I’ll talk to them and see if I can pull some strings there. Hempster…” he took a moment to allow what he had said up to this point sink in before he continued, “…the most important thing is for you to keep your head about you. You need to be strong for your Dom. Jute wouldn’t want you so stressed. No matter what’s going on with him, he would hate to know how much you’re freaking out right now.”
“You’re right. I know you’re right. I’ll call you back when I hear something.”
“Okay, and like I said, I’ll make some calls on this end. We’re going to find him.”
Master William hung up the phone feeling much less confident about Jute’s safety than he led Hempster to believe. If the man wasn’t truly missing, there was still the issue of someone picking up his gear. In his world, that was un-fucking-acceptable. It had better be just an innocent mishap. Hopefully, someone just mistakenly picked up the wrong bag and would soon right the wrong or, God help him, heads were going to roll.
Agent Turner
Agent Turner answered Master William’s call as he eyed his partner from his office chair. The news wasn’t good. He listened as the Master explained that Jute had gone missing and how his sub, Hempster, was pretty much on the verge of a panic attack.
“I’m going to be honest with you; this doesn’t look good. Those two are never separated. I’m shocked they aren’t living together by now with as much as they have going on with each other. You said someone stole his gear bag last night?” he questioned.
“I’d really like to believe that someone picked it up by mistake, but with it being open night, I’m more inclined to believe it was stolen. I hate these fucking open nights and I really don’t see any need to have them. When Master Richard and I first thought of them, it was to make The Mansion more accessible to newbies interested in learning. With the massive influx of wannabes, I’m disposed to rethink that notion. Stealing is unacceptable.”
“If this is our serial killer you’re dealing with, there is going to be a hell of a lot more going on that you won’t find acceptable.”
“I don’t even want to think about a member of The Mansion being hurt, much less killed. Do you know what kind of taint this will put on the community? My first concern is that of the man’s safety but I’m not even going to try and act like there won’t be damage control issues if the serial killer has him. If he does, he was inside The Mansion last night. The public already has terrible misconceptions about the community. Something like this would make it look like we house serial killers and mentally unstable people. This is a shit storm.”
“I’m going to need the guest list. Let’s just keep this under wraps and go from there.”
“Please call me as soon as you find out anything. I’m e-mailing the guest list now.”
With that, Agent Turner hung up with only one purpose in mind. He needed to catch this serial killer before he killed again.
Chapter Twenty Five
The Killer
The killer sat in a chair and eyed the victim as his eyes fluttered open. This was the first time he could ever remember having the thought cross his mind that it might be to his advantage to keep a victim alive.
Quite possibly, this was the best way to send a message to those pompous asses at The Mansion. If he killed Jute, it would be over. Yes, they would talk about him in hushed, fear-filled whispers, but he didn’t just want that; he wanted them to listen. He’d always wanted to be noticed but what he really wanted was to be heard. Talking about him was one thing, but listening to him gave him the power he deserved and had never been able to attain. Yes, keeping him alive would serve a dual purpose.
“Where am I? Who are you?” Jute spoke in a drugged slur.
The killer watched as his victim thrashed around as much as his restraints would allow. He resisted the urge to answer, knowing his silence would instill more fear.
“What do you want? Why am I here?”
The killer rose and stood over Jute. He looked down on him and studied him as a predator does his prey. “Are you and Hempster lovers?”
“We’re partners.”
The smack came with lightning speed and connected with the bound man’s face. He smiled when a lone tear trickled down Jute’s smooth cheek. “When I ask you a question, I expect an honest answer. “Are. The. Two. Of. You. Lovers?”
“Yes,” he replied. The killer watched as Jute sighed as if resigning himself to the fact.
“It’s nothing to be ashamed of. Are you just now coming to grips with your feelings?”
“My parents won’t even speak to me, yet my sister can do no wrong. I’ve won awards, been featured in popular magazines, and have even done mainstream TV interviews but my own family won’t acknowledge me. They keep telling me that
if I leave the lifestyle, they’ll treat me like family, but if I don’t, we’ll remain estranged. I expected my dad to understand. I mean, hell, he’s a fucking Dom too but he told me that I was supposed to keep it quiet. The minute my roping skills gained notoriety, he freaked out about how it would affect his political image. I thought he’d be proud. I’m a famous Dom, a renowned roper, but he’s ashamed of me. And now… I’ve finally found Hempster, a sub that makes me happy and is willing to share his life with me. How am I supposed to deny who I am?”
Finally, the killer felt important. Finally, he felt as if someone in the community was seeing him as if he was a part of the brotherhood. Maybe this was the answer. Even though it was a forced meeting of the minds, they were still bonding. Here was a man looking to him for advice, for help with his family problems. He was actually talking to him like he was looking to him for counsel in his time of need. The killer knew how it felt to be rejected, outcast, or even loathed at times.
He began to speak as if his prisoner wasn’t even in the room, more of a reflection of sorts.
“You know they rejected me—the community. What are you supposed to do when it’s not only your family that rejects you, but the community you turn to for refuge as well? You, at least, have the people at The Mansion. I have had no one, until now… Now, I have you.”
Chapter Twenty Six
Agent Turner
Agent Turner and Rene sat at his office desk going over the guest list that Master William e-mailed to them.
He listened as his partner spoke, trying very hard not to become agitated by her negative attitude.
“This guy could have signed in under any name.”
“Not on The Mansion’s open night; everyone has to provide ID.” He turned his body and eyed her intently before he made his next statement. “Why are you always so negative?”
“I’m not always so negative. I do, however, think like a criminal. Serial killers are usually highly intelligent.”
He interrupted her, inserting a profiling fact, “organized serial killers are highly intelligent; disorganized ones aren’t.”
“This guy is organized. He has a purpose.”
“And what would that be, Rene?”
“He’s going to make the community pay. He feels slighted and he’s going to make them suffer for it.”
“Well, not that I’m sticking up for him, but the BDSM community can be cliquish.”
“They have to be.”
“That’s not true, Rene. It’s hard enough on someone who is kinky. They are rejected by society, looked at as if they have mental problems, and some are even cast out by their families. They come into the community and feel like they have finally found a haven, only to be cast aside if they don’t fit into a certain mold. I can easily see why someone would get pissed and take it too far.”
“That’s the answer! We’ll lead him to believe that he’s being accepted. If we can catch him with Jute, we have him on a kidnapping charge.”
“I want him for the murders. These families deserve closure. We need more evidence, proof of him killing those victims.”
“What we need right now, David, is proof of life.”
“Agent Turner at work, Rene, and yes, you’re right. Let’s handle this like a kidnapping for right now.”
The ringing of the telephone interrupted their conversation.
“Hello, Agent Turner speaking.”
“Put your partner on the phone.”
“May I ask who’s calling?” Agent Turner feigned ignorance, suspecting it was the killer.
“You know who the fuck it is. Now put her on the phone and quit stalling for time or I start torturing this guy I have strapped down.”
Agent Turner turned towards his partner and handed her the phone, “It’s for you…”
Master William
Master William felt his heart clench as he and Mistress Diamond sat in his office and listened to Toby.
“Is this my fault? Is this guy killing because of me?”
“The agents seem to think this is someone with a vendetta against the Masters of The Mansion. You just happened to get caught in the crossfire. I hate that for you, Toby, but it’s going to work to your benefit. You have two people who care about you very deeply and will do anything to protect you.”
“Two?”
“I might be a sadist, Toby, but that doesn’t mean I’m incapable of loving someone.”
“You love me?”
“No, I love her.” He nodded in Diamond’s direction, “and she loves you. That means I’ll do whatever it takes to keep you safe because it makes her happy. I care about you and we’re bonded, but I love her.”
“I just want to feel safe for once in my life.”
Once again, Master William could feel the pull on his heartstrings. He never would have thought that he could be attached to another sub. He had spent his years playing but being very clear with the subs he interacted with that it was just that, nothing more than play. Now, he was faced with an emotion he had never dealt with in the past—the need to protect. He knew, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that he would do anything to protect his slave’s pet. No longer was it only because of his love for her. Now, it was because the boy needed him. It felt good to be needed, to protect, and it damn sure felt good to be responsible for a piece of his slave’s heart that she treasured. The part she reserved for Toby now belonged to him.
He wasn’t a man given to fear and he, in no way, was going to allow the killer to make him feel threatened. The only thing he feared was losing Diamond and that was never going to happen. He had already proven to her, and everyone else in the community, that he would stop at nothing to keep his beloved slave. Now, after bonding with Toby, he felt even more confident that he had nothing to fear.
He watched Toby jump when the phone rang and it confirmed what he already knew; the boy needed protection.
“Master William,” he answered.
“Well, well, well, what do you know? I’ve reached la crème de la crème in the hierarchy, the unattainable to us mere mortals at The Mansion.”
Master William immediately reached over to push a button so the call would be recorded. The Mansion had an extensive security system that monitored everything from the phone lines, to the many rooms within its walls. There were cameras placed strategically throughout the premises. Nothing went unnoticed on the property. Though the original reasoning had been to circumvent potential legal issues, he found the surveillance to be quite helpful in watching over the trainees as well.
“You have me at a disadvantage. You know me but I don’t know you.”
“How ‘bout this. How about you fucking call me Master? Because now I’m the one in control!”
Master William could feel the anger in him rising. This psycho held his friend, Jute, and was now making demands.
His mind immediately began to analyze the situation. First and foremost, he needed to regain control. His college degrees in psychiatry and psychology would come in handy while dealing with this man.
“I think you’re angry with the Masters of The Mansion. Why don’t you let Jute go and you and I can meet somewhere and talk?”
“Oh, I’m still not good enough to come to The Mansion?”
“Are you a member?”
“I wasn’t good enough for you fucking uptight Masters. You pushed my application to the side like I was a nobody. You’ll listen now though, won’t you? Now that I have one of your precious ropers, you want to talk.”
“Let him go and we’ll take another look at your application. I’m sure we can come to some kind of mutual understanding, some sort of agreement perhaps.”
Master William held the phone away from his ear as the killer began screaming.
“You’re not in control, motherfucker!”
“Okay, okay, you’re in control. What do you want me to do?”
“I want a fucking million dollars or I start cutting off body parts and mailing them to you. Oh, and while you’re
at it, I want Toby as well.”
Chapter Twenty Seven
The Killer
Why hadn’t he thought of it before now? This was a way to get everything he wanted. He could have Toby’s innocence and the money they needed to go away and start their new life together.
Toby was still innocent enough to train for blood play. The killer didn’t need to kill to reach an orgasm. Being in control and having a slave trained to his liking would be enough to sate him.
He was glad he had decided to keep the man he was holding captive alive; his life was finally turning around.
“Looks like you are going to be my ticket to a new beginning. I’ll have my own slave and a cool million dollars.” He leaned down and hissed in the man’s terrified face, “and you get to live.”
“Please… don’t hurt me.”
“I won’t if your little friends at The Mansion do as I have instructed them. If they don’t, I’ll start cutting. I’m sure after they receive a finger or toe, they’ll begin to see things my way. Hmm, or maybe I should start with your cock.”
The killer watched as the man started sobbing and he felt an odd sense of pleasure at the discovery that he was finally in control of the Masters at The Mansion. He had them right where he wanted and, ironically enough, it wasn’t by their balls, but by their egos. If there was one thing he knew to be a fact, it was that the Masters and Doms at The Mansion had huge egos and he now controlled them like puppets on a string. If nothing else, wielding that kind of power over them was one hell of confidence booster.
Chapter Twenty Eight
Agent Turner
Even though Agent Turner couldn’t see his expression while they spoke over the phone, he could tell by his intonation that Master William had reservations about the rescue mission the agents had planned for Jute.
“I want to use Toby as bait to catch this killer. I would never do something like this if I didn’t believe he would be one hundred percent safe. We’ll be monitoring his every move so Toby will not be in any danger. This guy has fixated on him and this is the only way we’re going to catch him with his guard down. I’m afraid if we don’t get this guy now, there will be more lives lost, possibly including Jute’s.”
The Training of Toby (Masters of the Mansion Book 2) Page 11