SSV: The Raven- Part 2

Chapter 1

Darkness surrounded the docks on the easter side of Citiville. One of the warehouses that had once belonged to Goth had been overrun by a gang of local thugs who now patrolled the area both outside and in. The men on the outside were armed with assault rifles and kevlar vests in case any of the Goddess’ assailants decided to pay them a visit. Several men wandered the perimeter seemingly aimless as the night went on. There hadn’t been any sightings or rumors that they were in any danger, but even those who were growing tired didn’t dare to let their guards down. It was a known fact amongst the underworld that no one fucked with the Goddess and got away with it.

One of the men had been feeling slightly on edge since the night began. Thomas Maroni, a younger thug who had entered into the gang as a way of standing against the tyranny of the Goth Goddess. He had taken to smoking lately as a way of coping with the various thoughts of death and dismemberment that lurked in the back of his mind, and he had decided to take a moment to strike up a square just outside of the perimeter. The dull orange glow of his cigarette and the thick cloud of smoke that he exhaled sent waves of both calm and anxiety through him; the nicotine had its usual calming effect, but even though the light was dull he was worried it might give his position away. He tried to keep his guard up as he leaned against the wall with his rifle resting against his leg.

Jake had been charged with leading a sweep of the outside of the building and dealing with any armed men. He clung to the shadows of a nearby rooftop and moved quickly and silently towards his first target. He estimated about seven armed men outside and one of them had made the mistake of breaking formation to indulge in a simple vice. He would soon come to regret his decision. Jake perched himself on ledge just above the smoker he was about to subdue. He tied the end of his grabbling cable around a piece of raised up concrete and took hold of it as he prepared to drop down on the man. He let himself fall forward with one hand on the retract button and the other taking a firm hold of the man’s shoulder and hauling him upward. The man cried out as he was hoisted into the air unexpectedly, and when he saw the red eyes of Jake’s Raven mask he screamed before he was released and sent hurtling back to the ground. He stopped short as the cord had been tied around his ankle and snapped taunt at the last moment, but his screams of terror before he fell into unconsciousness drew the attention of his fellow criminals.

Jake was on the move before they could get close to his position. He had become rather experienced at evading while engaging over the last month, and he knew that while their guards would be up they would be more on edge and easier to pick off. Jake moved to one of the nearby street lamps that dotted the area and had been shut off before his arrival to perch atop one of them. His suit and years of practice allowed him to remain undetected and watch as the group of men swarmed their fallen friend. He couldn’t hear them, but he had the idea of what they were saying as they began pairing up and wandering about searching for him. He watched as the groups began to split up in different directions.

He noticed one of the pairs approaching an alleyway, and he withdrew a birdarang from his belt before flicking his wrist to send it flying to a nearby dumpster. He was on the move before it hit its target and he passed over their heads in time to hear them react, “What the hell was that?” one of them asked.

He didn’t hear the end of the conversation, but as he predicted the two men were moving to investigate the noise. As the two neared the back of the alleyway, Jake sprung into action. Before the first man knew what was going on he found his head slammed into the brick opposite the dumpster, and the second man turned to see the source of the noise he came face to face with Jake’s fist. He fell backwards with the impact, but Jake caught his body and set his unconscious form to the side. He grabbed the guns and disarmed them before moving on to the remaining men. He fired his grappling gun to regain his vantage point and resume his hunt.

Beth was standing atop the roof of the warehouse waiting for Jake to finish up. This was how things usually went on these missions, but knowing that didn’t do anything to quell the boredom that it brought. She was glad to be able to leave the castle on these little assignments, but she had some pent up aggression to dish out that was making her trigger finger itchy. She gave a sigh of contempt as she found a spot to sit and wait for Jake’s signal to act, and she began to offhandedly toy with the small stone that dangled from her collar. It was something she often did whenever she was stuck waiting or biting her tongue around Goth. She wondered what Pam was up to and if she had decided to tail her or not. She figured since she had some time to kill she could see if her mistress was tailing her or not.

Jake had just finished taking out the last pair and was tying them up to move inside. He took a deep breath as he tied the last knot; he would send for some thralls to bring these men back to the castle once the job was finished. He prepared to enter into the old warehouse through one of the old and broken windows on the side, and as he took aim with his grappling gun he tried to clear his mind. These outings were something he both enjoyed and dreaded these days; he always had the feeling of being watched or stalked while out. Not for the first time, he wondered if Aurora was nearby and waiting to pounce if he hesitated. This thought propelled him into action as he fired his grappling gun and soared into the warehouse.

Inside, there were several men and women gathered around a makeshift table engaged in conversation. He debated on whether or not to simply engage or take a more subtle approach. There were probably about fourteen thugs in the room, but before he could decide he heard a loud voice in his ear, “Fucking hell, Jake, are we doing this or not?!”

He rolled his eyes at his friend’s question. She had gotten to be more impatient in her time at the castle and that made assignments more tedious. Since she had picked up those damned guns she had adopted a shoot first attitude as opposed to his stealth tactics. Their styles may have differed, but in truth it made them a more efficient team. Anytime Jake found himself in trouble Beth would swoop in and divert attention and devastate the enemy, and conversely anytime she found herself outgunned he would manage to get the drop on the enemy. Tonight, however, was a night she needed to have some patience and restraint; he was sure Pamela had stressed that to her, but he wouldn’t have been surprised if Beth disregarded that. Then again, she was oddly compliant when it came to the blonde so maybe that was unlikely. “Give me a minute here and wait for my signal,” he whispered into his com.

He heard her groan and he grinned as he could almost see her exasperated face, “Ugh fine, but make it quick. I’m getting restless up here and it’s fucking cold.”

“You’re wearing a heavy coat, how are you cold?” he asked.

“Just hurry the fuck up!” she yelled into his ear, “Don’t worry about what I’m wearing just get started so I can get to work.”

He rolled his eyes before he looked for a good spot to begin. He found a dark spot between a few crates that were stacked up that would be perfect for getting the attention of the group. He crouched low and readied his grappling gun. He aimed at the feet of one of the men and fired; the cord wrapped around his ankles and Jake retracted it to pull him flying back. The man released a panicked yell as he was yanked from a standing position and drug back into the crates. The rest of the group grabbed some spare handguns and watched as their comrade was pulled into the darkness and knocked over the crates. Jake stomped on the man’s head to knock him out and flung a couple of birdarangs from the shadows to disarm a couple of the thugs before tossing a smoke pellet into the group. He flew into action and proceeded to knock out a few of the thugs before the smoke cleared.

He produced his staff as the cloud began to dissipate and he leapt into the air as the end of it crackled with electricity. Gunshots rang out as he went into a dive roll and swept the legs out from one of the thugs, a woman who hit the ground hard before feeling the sting of the electrified end of his staff. Her body convulsed as the charge ran through her and she continued to twitch as Jake continued his offense. One of the men swung at him as he approached, but he easily dodged it before locking his arm in a painful hold with his staff and snapping it. He cried out in pain and was quickly silenced as his jaw was struck by the blunt end of Jake’s staff. He darted about the room while the men and women tried their hardest to get a beat on him, but the task was nearly impossible as he was able to predict their movements. He dove behind a stack of crates for cover as one of the men cried out, “Come on out, Raven, you’re outnumbered and we know you aren’t a killer.”

Jake smirked as he called back, “Maybe I’m not, but she is.”

Beth grinned as she heard her cue and smashed the skylight that adorned the top of the warehouse before dropping into the fray. The group of thugs turned to her just in time for her to fire a few shots and end their lives. “Shit! It’s The Feral!” one of them cried out as they began to scatter about the room.

Beth loved the feeling she got when her prey tried to run; she had begun to accept the side of her that enjoyed the carnage a while ago. She wasn’t sure if it was something within her or if it was because of Pam's encouragement, but whatever the reason she got a rush each time she worked. She holstered one of her pistols and withdrew her grappling gun to pull one of the thugs back to her. The cable wrapped around a man and pulled him back to her with a scream, and she brought the butt of her gun down on the side of his head. She flipped off of the makeshift table to avoid a few bullets and fired a few of her own in response. These men and women were experienced killers, but she had the advantage of years of evasive and marital training that they would never have. Her bullets found their way into the heads of a few thugs and their bodies crashed to the floor in a bloody mess. She was about to continue the slaughter when she remembered the words of her mistress stressing restraint, so with a frown she holstered her gun and prepared for hand to hand combat.

Jake watched as his friend reluctantly holstered her firearm and dropped to a crouch. He was glad she was willing to use nonlethal force for a change, and he made eye contact with her and exchanged a silent plan of attack. He bolted out of his hiding spot and jumped into the air as he approached one of the men focused on Beth. He pressed his palm to the back of his head and as he descended, brought his face into the wooden floorboards. Beth was in motion shortly after and as she passed him she pulled him to his feet to prepare for the next move. The two stood back to back as they regarded the remaining four men. He moved forward to attack one of them, and as he approached he ducked under a swing before Beth raced up and off of his back. He watched as she extended her legs in a wide drop kick that knocked a few teeth loose from the men. She landed and turned back to him before she rushed to attack the other two. She sidestepped one of the men and blocked the punch that the other man threw. She kept them busy while Jake moved from behind them and took them out with a single painful arcing swing from his staff.

The room fell silent aside from the two of them and Jake began searching for the container he was supposed to retrieve. He heard Beth breathe a sigh of relief as she removed her hood and said, “Took you long enough to get started.”

He continued to look as he replied, “Some of us prefer subtly to noise, Beth.”

She put her hands on her hips, “More like some of us prefer to bore their friends to death.”

He found a box containing some odd vials and glowing stones that he didn’t recognize. This had to be the one and he grabbed it as he said, “Not my fault you’re impatient. Maybe if you could work without those damn guns you wouldn’t have to wait. You used to know how to use subtlety to your advantage.”

She saw he had found their targeted container and walked over to him, “I still do, but someone has to be here for when you fuck up.”

He rolled his eyes and placed a hand on her shoulder as he prepared to press the recall button, “Yeah, yeah just shut up and come on. We have what we came for and Goth has her warehouse back. Not a bad job if you ask me.”

“Something tells me that no one is going to ask either of us or care for that matter,” Beth said with a frown.

Jake looked over to her as she finished speaking. He didn’t agree with her status as a slave and he knew it bothered her, but he also knew that Goth would never rescind it. He tried to cheer her up before they left, “Pam cares and she knows how hard you’re working. At least you’ve got someone like her around.”

Beth gave a ghost of a smile as Jake mentioned her mistress, “That’s true and she might actually ask, assuming she wasn’t stalking us again.”

“You hoping she’s out watching?” he asked.

Beth shrugged and said, “Maybe, so what if I am?”

Jake grinned and teased, “You hoping that you’ll get laid?”

“Oh my God shut up,” she said as she punched him in the arm, “At least my mistress actually has sex with me.”

Jake frowned as the cold metal around his crotch came back to mind, “Don’t be a dick,” he said, “You realize you just referred to Pam as your mistress and openly admitted that you’re basically a lesbian, right?”

Beth blushed and her eyes went wide as she yelled, “Shut up!”

Jake laughed as he hit the recall button and the two of them were transported back to the castle. He grinned at his friend as she pulled away and crossed her arms with a huff. It was still fun to rile her up and it was one of the things that both he and Pam could agree on. He was glad that Beth had ended up with the magistrate in the end; he had been surprised when he had first learned of it, but he had been even more surprised to see his friend almost happy. It made all the suffering he had endured at the hands of his girlfriend almost worth it. His grin fell and he separated himself from her by a good few feet as they prepared to enter into the throne room. Goth had made it a strict rule that if they weren’t on assignment they were to be supervised when together to prevent any kind of rebellious ideas between them. He took a deep breath as they approached the double doors and pushed them open.

The sight as they entered the throne room was a shock to them both. The room was filled with the members of the court and slaves alike; many of the slaves and thralls were on leashes held by members of the castle of higher status. Jake and Beth looked around as they walked down the red carpet that led to their Goddess. Something felt odd outside of just the large gathering in the hall, there was an air about each and every one of them that was almost...light in a strange contrast to the darkness that usually enveloped the castle. They tried their best to push the feelings of unease and dread that threatened to well up within them aside as they approached Goth and knelt before her. Jake raised the small box above his head without looking up and Beth kept her eyes to the floor until she was directed otherwise. Jake heard Goth rise from her throne and felt her remove the box that was in his hands, “Stand before us, my loyal enforcers,” she said as she turned to open the box. A smile spread across her face as she held it high above her head in a manner of triumph, “You have both done extremely well, and you have each earned the pride of your Goddess. Elizabeth, you may take your place with your mistress and know that you have played a part in something wonderful!”

Beth gave a nod and prepared to move back to stand beside Pamela, “Thank you, my Goddess,” she silently walked over to her mistress who was standing a few feet from the base of the stairs and whispered to her, “What is going on?”

Pamela gave a shrug as her thoughts rang out in Beth’s head, “I am unsure, to be honest, but whatever it is it is something big. Remain silent and I am sure we will find out soon enough.”

Beth nodded in understanding and did as she was told. Her eyes fell to Jake who looked to be equally confused as he took his place beside Goth’s throne. She watched him carefully even as Goth began to speak, “Over the last few weeks, my Raven and our Feral have been collecting several seemingly strange ingredients and items for me. I am sure that the two of you have been at least somewhat curious as to what these items are for, well the time has come for me to tell you all. You may have noticed we have several guests and those that are normally barred from attendance, this is because I have an exciting announcement to share with you all!” she paused to turn to Jake and gestured for him to kneel. He looked around for a moment, but he quickly took his place on bended knee as she continued, “Jake, my Raven and my beloved, you have filled my days with happiness even in your shortcomings and I feel it is time we take the next logical step in our relationship. Jake Blackridge, you and I are going to join our souls together for all of eternity! You’ve been gathering the components for a special binding ritual that will unite us once and for all until the end of time, doesn’t that sound wonderful?”

Jake felt a bit of color drain from his face as his heart slammed into his stomach. He was thankful for still wearing his mask as it obscured his face’s lack of color. The room was dead silent as if they were waiting to hear his reaction to the news, and he could feel the eyes of the court and its guests boring into his soul. He needed to say something, anything before someone started to think he was rejecting Goth, “I-that sounds incredible!” he said mustering as much of a genuine smile as he could, “I can’t think of a better way to spend eternity!”

The hall broke out in cheers of excitement and those that didn’t outright cheer voiced their praise and approval, “He’s such a lucky little bitch to be able to serve you for all eternity, sister,” Bitchbreaker said with genuine enthusiasm.

“It’s about time you two made things official,” Aurora said with a wicked grin on her face.

“As sad as I am that I won’t be able to have a turn with him, I think this is great and I’m happy for both of you,” Nastia admitted in honesty.

The congratulations and praise continued for some time, but it might as well have been distant and muffled noise to Beth. From the second Goth had finished speaking, she had been struck with feelings of disbelief and dread. She felt no shortage of anger as she realized that she had played a hand in setting up such a joyous occasion, and not for the first time since coming to call this place home her trigger finger began to itch. She felt the hand of her mistress take hold of her own and looked up to see a stern yet concerned look on her face, “Breathe, Kitten, do not do anything rash that either of us will regret,” she whispered amongst the boisterous hall.

“That didn’t sound like much of a proposal to me,” Beth said with a frown, “It sounded more like some sort of bullshit proclamation.”

“That’s because it wasn’t a proposal, but just as you said: a proclamation,” Pamela said as she turned back to her Goddess.

Beth felt her give her hand a gentle squeeze and she released a breath she hadn’t realized she had been holding. She looked to her friend and for a brief moment caught his gaze; they exchanged looks of shared panic and dread at the news of what was to come. Beth found herself squeezing Pam’s hand back as she felt the familiar feelings of failure well up within her at the sight of Jake; it was something she struggled with quite a bit since coming into Pam’s possession, and seeing her friend like this now brought the feelings back to the surface. The voice of Goth addressing her caught her attention, “Tell me, Elizabeth, how do you feel knowing that you have been instrumental in orchestrating this glorious event?”

All Beth could think was how much of a bitch Goth was for even asking such a question. She knew she wasn’t stupid and just like Pam she was an empath, so it was a safe bet that she already knew how she felt about the situation. Still, she felt all eyes turn to her in expectation and the room fell silent almost as if this was planned. She forced herself to smile and searched for the right words to say; the feeling of Pam’s hand in hers was all that kept her from exploding on the spot. Instead, she spoke through gritted teeth and tried her hardest to lie, “I-I am so overjoyed at being able to have a hand in this that I am speechless.”

She knew it was a bullshit lie and that it was unlikely that anyone would believe it, but it was all she could come up with. It seemed sufficient, though, as the hall resumed its loud celebration and Goth gave her a knowing grin, “I am glad to hear that you are happy after all, if it weren’t for you handing these things over to me then I wouldn’t be able to go through with this ritual. Let us celebrate this news! I have had a small feast prepared and I insist that you all join us!”

Beth looked to Pam with pleading eyes as she tried to communicate her need to leave. It seemed to work as she watched her speak, “Forgive me, my Black Matron, but my pet hasn’t been sleeping well as of late and I feel it best that we retire for the evening. You and Jake have my most sincere apologies and congratulations for this joyous news. I do hope that you won’t take offense to our absence at the festivities.”

“Not at all, my dearest disciple,” Goth said with a smile, “Please take some food with you and Elizabeth, do try to get some rest as you’ve earned it.”

Pamela nodded and as she was instructed, she began assembling a couple of plates for her and Beth. Beth walked beside her in silence as she held the plates for her mistress. They were done in a matter of minutes and they were on their way back to their room. Beth maintained an air of silent rage as she walked behind Pamela, but the feelings coming off of her were too strong to ignore and hit her like a mack truck. They came to their door and the pair quickly entered the sanctity of the room. Beth calmly set the plates down before she began pacing about while Pam took a seat in a wingback chair and began examining her plate, “Kitten, do try to calm down a bit,” she said as she selected a roasted chicken breast to begin with.

“Calm down?!” Beth yelled back before closing her eyes and lowering her voice, “Sorry, mistress, but how am I supposed to calm down when my best friend is about to get married to...to that!”

Pamela began cutting into her chicken as she spoke, “You may speak freely and informally for the time, Kitten, and technically it is more of a ritual than a marriage. There is little you can do to prevent it, it is the will of the Goddess. You would do well to remember what happened the last time you decided to challenge her will.”

Beth glared at her for a moment before her face fell as her words sunk in. As much as she hated to admit it, she had a point. She sat down on their bed and hung her head as she said, “Pam, I can’t just...I mean how can I just sit here and do nothing? This is all because of me, you heard her.”

Pamela gave her a sympathetic look and set her utinzels down to go sit beside her. She sat down on the bed and wrapped an arm around her, “Kitten, this would have happened with or without you. You need to stop blaming yourself for everything that has happened to Jake; Goth was merely trying to get a rise out of you with her statement. As for how you can sit here, you can and will because I will tell you to, but you most certainly won’t do nothing. I am sure I can think of a few things to occupy that pretty little head of yours, but for now why don’t we eat and try to relax? You did well tonight, both in the field and in the main hall and I am proud of you.”

Beth couldn’t help the small smile that spread across her face as Pam finished speaking. She enjoyed making her mistress proud regardless of the situation, and as if on cue her stomach growled as the smell of the food finally registered. She looked up and moved for a quick kiss before pulling away and asking, “Were you watching me tonight?”

Pamela smiled as she rose and pulled her pet to her feet to lead her to the opposing chair to eat. “I wasn’t able to get out in person tonight, but I was able to see through your runestone and was impressed,” she resumed cutting her chicken before stopping to take a few bites.

Beth picked up her knife and fork to do the same, “I still don’t understand how this little rock lets you see me and talk in my head.”

Pamela rolled her eyes and corrected her, “How many times do I have to tell you, it is a runestone and I’ve placed several enchantments on it that allow me to see and communicate with you once I perform the proper incantation. Honestly, Kitten, I would have thought you would have retained at least some of the wisdom I have been trying to impart.”

Beth swallowed the mouthful of food she had before she spoke, “I have, do what you say when you say it without question and keep you happy. I’ve never understood magic and until I fought Goth and came here didn’t believe it to be anything more than a scam, but clearly I was wrong and it is very real.”

Pamela smiled as she finished her bite, “I suppose I can settle for you at least taking the knowledge of your role to heart, but would it kill you to at least try to understand a little magic?”

“It’s not like you understand my guns at all,” Beth pointed out as she dug back into her food.

“You use a unique forty-five calibur set of twin pistols that were handcrafted by a gunsmith in your family that is no longer residing in the realm of the living,” Pamela fired back as she began digging into her sides.

Beth stared at her for a moment before crossing her arms and looking away, “That’s not fair! You can read minds and stuff!” she protested.

“It’s called reading a book and listening when you speak,” Pamela said between bites, “I can forgive you for not retaining my magic lessons, but do not insinuate that I have to use my powers to gleam knowledge that you have freely shared.”

Beth blushed and felt a little guilty at Pam’s words, “Sorry, I just don’t get the whole magic thing and it doesn’t help that every time I try to learn anything about it you decide to jump my bones.”

Pamela gave her a smile and set her fork down, “I have a hard time resisting you when you’re trying to learn something new. You are cute enough as is despite having that tough exterior, but when you are concentrating you tend to stick your little tongue out and get this adorable look on your face.”

Beth’s blush intensified as she suddenly found her food captivating, “S-shut up, I do not do that,” she said as she took a bite of the potatoes on her plate.

She heard her mistress rise from her seat and felt her presence approach as her breath suddenly tickled her neck, “Are you calling me a liar?” she asked, “Informal or not, I will not have my integrity sullied by my own pet.”

Beth could feel herself becoming flustered both by Pam’s words and feeling her breath on her neck, “I-no I-I didn’t....I mean I…”

A sudden knock at the door caused Pamela to break her hold on her pet, and with no small amount of irritation she pulled herself away and towards the door. She spared a glance at Beth who looked to be both relieved and disappointed as she stepped away. She would have her fun in due time, but for now she needed to see who would dare to interrupt her. She crossed the room and opened the door as Beth resumed eating. She was surprised to see Goth standing in the doorway alone and sporting a wicked grin that gave even her a sense of dread, “Goddess, what brings you by our quarters?” she asked as she moved to let her in.

Beth froze at her mistress’s words. Why was Goth here? She swallowed her food and sat up straight in an attempt to appear respectful as the amazon entered the room, “I just thought I would stop by and make sure that the two of you were enjoying the food,” she said as her eyes landed on Beth, “I do hope you’re feeling well, Elizabeth, I would hate for you to fall ill before my big day.”

Beth kept her mouth shut tight and in an attempt to save face began grinding her teeth. She maintained eye contact with Goth as Pamela began speaking on her behalf, “She is feeling fine albeit a little tired, and she still finds herself anxious in the presence of the court. Her time with Aurora has left quite an imprint on her, but she has expressed how truly happy she is to have played such a key role in yours and Jake’s joining.”

Beth had never been so thankful for her mistress as she was right now. She was amazed at how easily and believably she lied for her. She nodded at Goth who’s smile grew as she spoke again, “That is truly wondrous news, and it makes this next part all the more special. I have decided that Elizabeth is the closest thing that Jake has to family, that she should be the one to give him away at the ritual. I find it fitting that someone who fought so hard to keep us apart will be giving him to me for eternity, and what better way to commemorate your place amongst us wouldn’t you say Elizabeth?”

Beth felt a strong surge of rage at Goth’s words and she clamped her teeth down on her tongue as she nodded again. She tasted a bit of copper as blood began to pool in her mouth, “Can’t...wait for it,” she forced herself to say.

She could feel Pam’s eyes on her and even without empathic abilities she could feel the concern coming from her mistress. Her anger was amplified when Goth laughed, “I am too happy to hear that from you, Elizabeth, it is going to be such a memorable occasion and it is all because of you. I’ll leave you two to celebrate and enjoy your night together, farewell to you both.”

As Goth closed the door to their room Beth felt herself beginning to shake and stood to begin pacing. Pamela watched her pet with worry and felt more than a little angry with her Goddess; it was one thing to try to get a rise out of her in the hall, but this was too much even for her. She could see her about to lose her temper, so she quickly took her in an embrace to hold her still. She felt the girl’s anger and hurt roll off of her in waves as she held her in her arms, and it was all she could do to try and comfort her, “Kitten, Beth, breathe and stay calm,” she cautioned, “I know this is a lot to take in and it is unexpected to say the least, but we cannot go against her wishes.”

Beth swallowed the lump that had built in her throat and followed her mistress to the bed as they sat down. She leaned her head into the crook of Pam’s neck and spoke as calmly as she could, “I can’t give him away, not to her. I would rather die than give him over to her.”

“You can and you will,” Pamela said, “You have to, Kitten, I’m not going to risk losing you because of your pride.”

“It isn’t a matter of pride, Pam,” Beth said, “I have done enough for her by getting the stupid materials for this damned ritual, but that isn’t enough for her. She wants me to give him away as a final insult before she absorbs his soul or whatever.”

“Unites,” Pamela corrected, “I know why she is doing it, Kitten, and while I don’t agree with it there is nothing that we can do about it. I will be there with you every step of the way, I’ll speak with Goth on the matter to ensure that you aren’t going through this alone.”

Beth took a deep breath as she pulled herself from her mistress and rose. It wasn’t much, but it was something she could hold on to. The fact that Pam would be there with her made it at least a little more bearable, but there had to be something that she could do to get her friend out of this mess. She wasn’t sure what that something was and she knew she would need to get Pam on board if she was going to do anything, but she would have to figure it out in the morning. It was late and while she was still angry, she was also tired. She began to remove her clothes as she spoke, “That...would help a little bit. Thank you for this, for everything you’ve done for me.”

Pamela eyed her with a hungry look and began removing her own dress and boots, “Think nothing of it, Kitten, you have your role to play and I have mine. Now, why don’t we resume where we were before we were interrupted?”

Beth finished removing her clothes and grinned as she said, “I thought I was tired and needed to rest.”

Pamela grinned and took hold of her wrist to pull her back to the bed as she said, “You’ll rest better after I’m through with you. Be a good girl for me and do as I say.”

“Yes mistress,” Beth said as she took the unspoken cue to resume their formal speech.

She needed to figure out a way to get Jake out of this castle and away from Goth once and for all, but it was hard to think between the anger she felt and the growing lust at seeing Pam bare before her. She would give it some thought as she drifted off to sleep, and she was sure that this would be something that would remain on her mind. She let herself get swept away in the feelings of her mistress’ touch and the sound of her confident commands for the night, but while the feelings of anger were temporarily quelled the thoughts of escape were lurking on the fringes of her mind. She would find some way to save her friend and this time she wouldn’t fail him.