Nineteen

Chapter 1

The drive to the institute was long. What made it longer was the overbearing noise of soft sobs coming from his right. Number 18 was not very happy that she was being replaced.

Tch! And whose fault was that?

Each time Levi went to Shitty Glasses Hanji, she would hook him up with a different kind of stupid slave. Even after being bitten so many times, he had no other choice but to return to the hellhole that was Pins&Pleasure. Bringing them home was hassle enough, but returning them without getting his money's worth was frustrating as hell. Even though he had more than enough funds to finance his peculiar tastes, Levi wasn't one who'd throw money at worthless things.

Starting tomorrow, I am going to look for another institute. Enough is enough.

There it is, hiding in plain sight: a costume shop masking the true fabric of Seattle's top 1% — rich Doms and their vices. Number 18 followed Levi through dressing room 4's trap door and they entered a club-like arena that was shouting neon pink almost everywhere it could. The floor was black and reflective; on the left a stark brown mahogany desk read 'Reception'. On the right were several doorways that could only be accessed with the help of the Reiner, the receptionist/bouncer. He approached Levi and confirmed the special password. Not anyone who entered through that door was allowed to venture around.

One thing Levi liked about Pins&Pleasure was the fact that they maintained hygiene of the slaves and the premises. However loud and gaudy the interiors, there wasn't a speck of dust on the floor. The air was clean and not Strip-club like and for that he was grateful. He simply hated strip-clubs. He confirmed Levi's identity and asked him to join Hanji in the 'display room'. Reiner took charge of his still sobbing slave, and Levi was free to find Shitty Glasses and rough her up. His 'bored' look was his constant feature and could intimidate the mightiest mountains. Somehow the effect of his terror on Hanji was like water over a duck's back. What a pain!

He passed by the spotless glass door that read Hanji Zoe. Seriously, these premises would be mistaken for a corporate office if it weren't for those garish pink neon lights. Levi reached the end of the hallway and saw the brunette talking to one of her slaves. He was gearing up for the standard, excited ear-to-ear smile she always had when she saw him. To her, Levi was the goose that laid golden eggs.

Though today, something was off. Today, she didn't look like she was about to fleece him. She was wearing a frown and when she watched Levi approach her, her frown deepened. She asked the slave to excuse them.

"Ah, Mr. Ackerman. I see you have turned up to return another slave. Well then," she gestured him to join her in her office, "you could not have chosen a better time." Levi entered her office and she started rummaging through her desk drawers.

Something was off. The 'display room' was a huge hall that housed made-up cages. On any other day, the said room would have dozens of slaves hanging by the bars waiting for someone to take them home. Today however, the cages had no slaves in them for display. The entire hall was bare.

"What's this about, Shitty Glasses? I am here to tell you—"

"I am terminating our contract."

Hey, that's my line!

"Well I—"

"Mr. Ackerman, to the world of Doms, I am just a supplier of pleasure. In spite of the terms mentioned in the membership contract, I have seen my employees get marked and brutally battered up. I have never hesitated to step up and protect them from those who posed a threat to them. But today I have witnessed something so barbaric that I can no longer continue on. I have no wish to aid the pleasure of disgusting beasts that such Doms are. I am selling this place and I am returning the deposit of good members such as you who have treated my employees like humans. All 18 of your slaves asked me to heavily compensate you. I am sorry to lose you as a client." She sighed and got up with a bunch of papers.

Since these slaves belonged to the institute, ironically, the member Doms had to follow some rules. The members could spend time with their slaves at the institute or borrow them for a stipulated amount of time. They could exercise any amount of pain their slaves could take but they were not, under any circumstance, allowed to leave permanent marks, indefinitely paralyse (or kill), physically or mentally push them beyond their limits and/or share the slave with anyone else who was not a member. Levi had only heard of one such Dom who had brutally raped a poor soul with the help of his friends. When Hanji had found out, she drove the bastard to the streets and milked him off every penny he owned. She footed the slave's entire hospital bill for two years as she recovered from the trauma. Hanji did not lie when she said she protected her babies.

"If you could just sign here, Mr. Ackerman and accept this as a goodbye." She handed him a heavy envelope.

"Hold on, what are you talking about? What is this all of a sudden?"

"You are free to leave, Mr. Ackerman. The club shuts down day after." She sighed again and exited the office without so much as a word.

Oh he was mad. So so so so SOOOO MAD!

Sure he came here to threaten her but,

He followed her out but it was as though she disappeared into thin air. Suddenly, Levi found himself walking back toward the display room. There, he saw one of his former slaves. She wore an expression similar to that of Hanji.

Now Levi was a sharp man, so he knew how he had to play this one. He had to know what was going on.

Number 12, what was her name? She looked up and seemed to recognise him. Levi knew this because her eyes lit up. He gave her his signature smirk and jutted his chin out in an upward nod. Duly acknowledging the 'come here' command, she walked up to him with a blush painting her features.

Yeah that ain't happening again, loud moaner!

"Good evening, Master."

Cheap shot!

"Good evening, how are you holding up?"

She looked confused.

"Shitty Gla—Hanji told me everything about the club. It must be rough."

Come on, bitch. Take the bait.

Suddenly her eyes lit up with fire. She was . . . angry?

"Yes Master, it was. We could not even lay eyes upon him. Our poor Angel."

He?

"Hanji said so. How is he holding up?" Levi asked in the same disinterested monotone voice that accompanied his 'bored af' face not letting too much on.

She looked at him, still confused, but carried on eventually.

"Angel did not make it and Emerald is not so good either, Master," fucken stop calling me that, I ain't taking you back, "we just got him back from the hospital. It's not safe for him yet, but Reiner assures that he won't let any harm come to Emerald."

Angel? Emerald?

"I see. Take me to him."

~End of Chapter 1~