SSV: The Raven- Part 2

Chapter 3

Pamela was the first one awake this morning. Her sleep had been restless despite the closeness of her pet in her arms. She had been unable to shut her brain off long enough to get a decent amount of sleep; each time she tried she was presented with another horrific possibility of what might be in store for Beth. Her unease and unrest was growing at a rapid rate, and all she could concentrate on was trying to protect her pet. She hated not knowing what was to come, she was a high ranking member of Goth’s court and deserved to know what plans Goth had for her pet! She felt insulted after the evening's conversation and events; who was she to question her handling of Beth? She pushed her anger aside as she felt Beth begin to stir in her arms.

She watched as Beth slowly opened her eyes and smiled up at her. That smile normally brightened her mornings, but this morning that smile did little to ease her mind. She forced herself to smile back down as Beth greeted her, “Morning mistress, permission to speak freely?”

Pamela hated to deny her pet her request, but she couldn’t bring herself to allow it this morning, “Permission denied, Kitten.”

Beth’s face fell slightly at her denial and it broke Pamela’s heart to see her so crestfallen. She could feel her pet’s disappointment at the denial, but she needed to try to keep her in line today. The fear of the unknown was grating on her nerves and she wanted to have her pet as prepared as possible for whatever was going to happen. “Yes mistress, did you sleep okay?”

“Don’t trouble yourself with how I slept, Kitten,” Pam said trying to evade the question before continuing in a softer tone, “I’m more worried about how you slept. You had a rough day yesterday, how are you feeling?”

Beth perked up a bit as Pam showed her usual concern for her. She had been a little worried that she had done something wrong that would haunt her throughout the day, but hearing her mistress show her softer side for her put her a bit more at ease. “I slept fine, mistress, no nightmares or anything to report. Can I ask a question?”

“I believe you just did,” Pam said as she began to untangle herself from her lover, “I suppose another won’t hurt. Speak, Kitten.”


“Are...are you upset with me?” she asked timidly as she sat herself up and stretched and looked away afraid of the answer.

Pamela stood up and walked over to her pet and placed her hands on her shoulders, “Not at all, Kitten,” she said as she brought her forehead to rest against hers, “All you did was defend your friend. You may have spoken far out of turn, but I know how much you struggle with your temper. I...I want you to try to remain composed today, no matter what happens, can you do that for me?”

Beth was a little confused by the last question her mistress asked, but she nodded and said, “Yes mistress, anything for you.”

Pam smiled and kissed her pet briefly before pulling away, “There’s my good girl, now get dressed you are to attend the morning meeting with the court with me.”

Beth blinked in confusion and asked, “Am I in trouble?”

Pam sighed and went to get her clothes together as she replied, “I...don’t know, Kitten, but whatever happens just know that I will be here for you. Try to keep your composure and please, do not do anything rash. Whatever is asked of you, you do it. Am I clear?”

Beth was beginning to feel more and more anxious as she listened to Pam. What was going on and what was going to happen to her? She didn’t like not knowing and she felt a sense of dread begin to creep up in the pit of her stomach, “Yes mistress, crystal clear,” she said as she got herself up and began getting dressed.

Jake had been up several hours at this point. Goth had returned from her meeting with Aurora and Pam in a fouler mood than when she had left. She had promptly forced him up and out of bed to have him help her gather materials and arrangements for their ‘wedding’. He wasn’t enjoying himself and so far he had been prodded, mocked, chastised, belittled, and snapped at more times then he could count. He was really starting to regret not paying attention to Goth yesterday morning. Currently, he was tucked under her arm as he was forced to listen to Goth berate Aurora and Bitchbreaker over the carpet that he was to walk on, “This is completely wrong! I said lavender, this is a royal purple and where are the inlays that I requested?! So help me, if one of you doesn’t fix this I will burn that shop to the ground and chain you both to the rubble while I sacrifice you!”

At least she wasn’t yelling at him this time. It was rare to see Goth snap at her court members, let alone her own family. He hadn’t pictured his girlfriend being a bridezilla, but if he was being honest it wasn’t completely surprising given everything he knew about her. “I will take care of it, Goddess,” Aurora said as she hauled the carpet up and dashed out of the room.

He felt a little envious of Aurora for having an opportunity to get away and more so when Goth turned to address him, “Jake, go and retrieve my robe. I need to make sure that it fits properly.”

Well shit, this was another thing he hadn’t heard her talk about yesterday. He felt her release him and he went off to try to find the right one before offering, “At once, my Goddess.”

He walked into the back of the large hall and hoped that there would be only a single robe in Goth’s size. His hopes were quickly dashed away when his eyes fell upon a rack of extravagant robes. He cursed his luck as he approached the rack and tried to pick out the right one. There were so many! Purple ones, red ones, ones with gold or silver inlays, white ones, black ones, and each with varying shades and designs on them. He knew that if he took too long that he would suffer the consequences, so he said a quick prayer and reached out to take one off the rack. He landed on one of the purple ones with silvery designs along the sleeves and back, and with more apprehension than he would have liked to have had he headed back to his soon to be wife. He walked slowly back to his Goddess and as soon as he was in arm’s reach he received a powerful slap to the side of his face that knocked him to the ground. He grunted as he hit the floor and looked up to the angry face of his Goddess, “What is this?!” she demanded, “Do you ever listen to a word that I say?! I specifically told you all the details yesterday, but you were too preoccupied to pay me any mind! I have half a mind to-”

“Forgive me, Goddess,” Aurora called out and Jake had never been so happy to see the sadistic amazon, “I am only doing as you requested, you asked me to remind you of our meeting this morning.”

Goth turned to look at her friend before huffing and saying, “Very well, maybe this will lift my spirits since all of your incompetence is putting me in a foul mood!”

Jake was a little curious as to what she meant, but if it meant he would get a break for a bit he welcomed it. The morning meetings were typically dull and seldom did Goth pay much mind if there wasn’t something dire happening. He pushed himself up and walked himself over to his Goddess to hand her his leash. She gave a firmer tug than she usually did and he felt himself get jerked downward and forward as she walked. He wasn’t looking forward to this ritual, but at this point just getting it over with seemed like a better idea than dealing with this nonsense.

Pam had taken a firm hold of Beth’s leash as they walked down the hall to the throne room. Beth felt terrified as she followed behind her mistress in a tense silence. They hadn’t spoken much since they woke up and while Beth wasn’t an empath like Pam she could tell that she was worried about something. They stopped outside of the large doors that led to the hall and Pam pulled her close one final time, “Whatever happens in here, please, keep yourself in check and composed. Promise me, Kitten.”

This only served to heighten Beth’s nerves as she looked into the concerned eyes of her mistress. Something was wrong, but it didn’t look like Pam knew what it was anymore than she did. She trusted Pam more than anyone in the castle, and she believed that if she had any idea as to what was going to happen that she would have told her. She straightened herself up and nodded before saying, “I-I promise you, mistress, I won’t fail you again.”

There were no more words exchanged between the two as Pamela pushed the doors open. They entered to see all eyes turned to face them. Goth sat on her throne with one hand resting on her chin while she waited with a wicked grin that put Pamela further on edge. She gave a tug on Beth’s leash as she led her further into the hall, but it seemed that no matter how far they walked everyone was solely focused on them. They took their place at the base of the stairs leading to Goth and waited as the room was addressed, “Good morning everyone and thank you for joining me. Some of you may have heard about yesterday’s incident, and after giving it a bit of thought I have decided to take it upon myself to handle it. Elizabeth, step forward.”

Beth looked back to Pam who looked to be as surprised as she was at being summoned. She watched her leash fall from her mistress’ hand as she slowly approached Goth. She was nervous and wasn’t sure what was going to happen. Was she going to be collared again? Was Goth going to kill her? Was she going to take her from Pam? These questions and more swirled about her head as she came to stand and kneel before Goth. Her voice was shaky as she spoke, “I-I apologize for m-my actions yesterday, Goddess, I w-was out of line. F-forgive me for my failures and for disrupting your time.”

Pamela watched with a growing sense of dread as Goth’s grin grew wider and more wicked before she spoke, “Failure is something that comes natural to you, Elizabeth, it is nothing new and I fear that you have forgotten your place. If you truly want my forgiveness, then you will have to earn it like everybody else.”

Pamela narrowed her eyes as her Goddess spoke. What was she playing at? She didn’t like the sound of things already, and the feelings of terror that were rolling off of her pet only served to put her more on edge. She was at least glad that Beth was managing to maintain herself as best she could even as she continued to speak, “I-I will do whatever it takes, Goddess, please tell me what you would like for me to do.”

“Such an eager and willing little slave we are, hmm?” Goth chided, “Where was this attitude yesterday when you were so brazenly threatening my friend? If you want my forgiveness, then why don’t you start by cleaning my boots with that defiant little tongue of yours.”

Pamela’s eyes went wide at Goth’s statement. She wouldn’t dare, would she? She knew the answer before she finished the thought, Goth didn’t care about Beth and from the looks of things she didn’t care about their agreement. Her eyes met Beth’s as she looked back to her in fear, but she was cut off by the voice of Bitchbreaker calling out to her, “What are you waiting for, you little bitch? You said you wanted to earn your forgiveness, so get to work!”

Pamela felt her eye twitch at hearing her pet referred to as a bitch, but she gave a reluctant nod to Beth to indicate that she had her consent. It was the hardest lie she had ever told in her life, but it was nothing compared to having to watch Beth slowly and reluctantly bend down to start cleaning Goth’s boots. She should have tried to break the empathic link that she held with her pet, but she couldn’t bring herself to do it as she watched her work her tongue along those vile boots. The disgust that radiated off of her was only outweighed by the fear and humiliation that was growing within her. She wanted to stop this, to grab her and take her away, but she knew that this was something that had to happen. It was the will of the Goddess, right?

Beth was in a new kind of hell. She had gotten used to worshipping Pam’s feet, but that was Pam who was both her mistress and girlfriend. Now she was being forced to clean the boots of the woman who had broken her friend, murdered another friend, and forced a collar on her. She could feel the eyes of the rest of the court on her as she tried to close her eyes and pretend that she was with Pam. A growing bit of laughter in the room from the onlookers prevented her from being able to do that, though, and with more than a bit of disgust and shame she pulled herself back as Goth presented the soles of her boots to her. Outside of the sheer stench of mold and rot that clung to her feet, the amount of grime and debris that littered the soles made her want to retch. She was just glad that this horrible experience was nearing its end, and as she stuck out her tongue she tried to take herself to her safe space with her mistress. The first contact had her recoiling almost instantly in disgust and the jeers that followed sank her heart and hopes.

“Come on, you little bitch, you’re just getting started! Get those boots cleaned so you can get on to the good stuff!” Aurora called out between cackles.

“You’re pretty good at that, maybe I should go next!” Nastia jeered as she tried to compose herself.

“The little cunt seems like she’s right at home!” Bitchbreaker mocked.

Pam was beginning to feel her blood boil as she listened to the members of the court taunt her pet. She wanted to snap or at least speak up and tell them to shut it, but again she knew that she couldn’t risk causing further harm to Beth. How dare they call her such things or make such accusations? That was her girlfriend, damnit! Wait, surely she meant pet or property, right?

Beth felt tears welling up in her eyes as she finished cleaning the soles of Goth’s boots. The mockery and the awful feelings and tastes were beginning to get to her. She wanted so badly to just go back to being by Pam’s side and to hide behind her. Part of her felt weak and pathetic for thinking it, but the larger part of her brain didn’t care about that. She was safe beside Pam and the sooner she could get away from all of this, the better. After a final lick Goth set her boot down and gave her the next instruction, “Now remove my boot and open wide,” Beth looked up at her with pleading eyes that were answered with an evil smile. She turned to look back at her mistress for some kind of encouragement, but that was quickly cut off by Goth, “Eyes up here, Elizabeth, focus on the task at hand. It’s no wonder you are such a worthless little slave.”

Beth couldn’t stop the tremor that shot through her nor could she prevent her lip from quivering as she turned her eyes back to Goth. Was this all that she was? Was this all that she was good for? She swallowed as she began removing Goth’s boot and exposing the smell of decay that was being held within the leather object. Her stomach turned from the smell and her heart sank further as she looked at the massive appendage before her. She didn’t want to do this, but she had promised Pam that she would keep herself composed. She closed her eyes and lifted Goth’s mighty foot towards her mouth; she stuck out her tongue and ran it across the top before working her way down to the sole. The taste was worse than the smell; it was like a thousand years of mold and cheese had sat in heat and now assaulted her taste buds. She couldn’t stop the tears that began to fall from her eyes and drop along Goth’s foot.

“Whoo, look at her go!” Nastia cheered

“She looks like she’s enjoying this, I bet she’s loving every second of this!” Aurora jeered.

“She had better, she isn’t even worthy to look at my sister’s feet and now she’s getting to clean them with her vile tongue,” Bitchbreaker said.

Pam clenched her fists to the point where her knuckles began to crack. This was too much for her, and it was certainly too much for Beth. That was her girlfriend that Goth was objectifying! Every fiber of her being screamed at her to do something, but the thought of Beth enduring worse kept her from acting. The feelings rolling off of her only made things harder to deal with. Humiliation, shame, disgust, terror, and a sense of panic were at the forefront of Beth’s mind as she ran her tongue along Goth’s foot. She was hers and no one else’s, no one should be allowed to do this to her, not even Goth. When she saw Beth retch as her tongue slid between Goth’s toes she stepped forward, but the eyes of Jake caught her own and held her in place. She wasn’t afraid of him, but his eyes were begging her to keep still to keep Beth safe. Her breathing was becoming labored and the more she watched and heard the more she wanted to silence everyone in the room. She wouldn’t let them get away with this, she shouldn’t have put Beth through this. She deserved better than this, she had done everything that was asked of her despite her feelings towards Goth, and yet she was being demeaned on a level that even the brainless thralls didn’t have to endure.

Beth had stopped trying to hold back the tears as she finished cleaning Goth’s foot. She couldn’t bring herself to look up at her as Goth spoke, “Now, tell us all what you are, Elizabeth, and tell us where you belong.”

Beth sniffled as she closed her eyes and forced herself to speak, “I-I...I am a lowly slave…”

“What was that? Speak up, Elizabeth, if I can barely hear you then I know that the others are having trouble. Come on now, I know you’re pathetic, but surely you’re not that incompetent,” Goth taunted.

Beth prepared herself to speak up. She hated herself for doing this, she hated the fact that this was what she was, but most of all she hated that Goth was right. “I am a lowly slave and I belong at the feet of everyone in the castle!” she called out and began to sob.

The court roared with laughter while Pam glared at the entirety of them. She wouldn’t stand for this, she would find a way to save Beth as soon as this was done. “Goddamn right that’s what you are, you little bitch!” Aurora hollered.

“I think she wants to worship mine next!” Nastia teased.

Bitchbreaker looked to Pam as she said, “That is how you handle a slave, you’d do well to remember this.”

Pamela wasn’t sure who she wanted to kill more right now, Bitchbreaker or Goth. How dare she try to lecture on how to handle Beth?! Her angry thoughts were severed as she heard Beth ask, “D-did I-I d-do g-g-good, Goddess?”

Pamela felt her heart break in two at the mere sound of her voice. The strong and confident woman that she had come to know and care for was gone, and in her place was a sniveling little worm who believed the words of the court. Her temper flared as she watched Goth’s next move. Goth looked at her foot before delivering a swift kick to Beth’s jaw that knocked her down the stairs in a tumbling mess, “No, but I shouldn’t have expected anything from someone so pathetically well versed in failure,” she said with a roaring laugh that was echoed by nearly everyone else in attendance, “Remember your place, Elizabeth, you are nothing more than a slave, and a bad one at that. I have only allowed you to live because your mistress seems to think that you have some value, but I am beginning to doubt even that. Continue to act out and to fail, like you are so good at, and you shall each suffer. Now, I have a wedding to plan and the sight of you has disgusted me enough for the day. Pamela, take your little bitch back to your quarters and wait there until I have need of you.”

Pam ground her teeth together and forced herself to walk forward to retrieve Beth. She gave Goth a nod as she gently took hold of Beth’s leash and pulled her to her feet. The two walked out of the hall with the sounds of mockery and laughter still ringing in both of their ears. Pam was livid as they walked, but she kept her composure outside of her walking at a much more brisk pace. The sounds of Beth sniffling and choking back sobs only fueled her anger as they neared their room. She threw the door open and slammed it shut as soon as Beth entered behind her. As soon as the door was shut behind her, Beth fell to her knees and let out the breakdown she had been holding back whilst in the hall, “I-I’m nothing but a joke, the laughing stock of this place. Everyone’s right about me, I am just a worthless slave. The Goddess-”

Pam spun on her heels and leveled a glare at her pet that caused her to visibly jump. She wouldn’t hear Beth utter that name, not now nor ever again, “Do. Not. Call. Her. That. Never again, she is no God she is nothing but a tyrant,” she said as she began pacing and ranting, “How dare she go against her word?! To not only insinuate that I cannot control my pet, and girlfriend, but to take it upon herself to publicly humiliate you! Black hells, I will not stand for this! I’m getting you out of here.”

Beth sniffled as she listened and all she could think was that she had done something else wrong. She fought through a sob as she asked, “Y-you don’t want me anymore?”

Hearing Beth speak in such a downtrodden and hurt manner caused her anger to ebb a bit. She turned to look down at the broken girl that she dated, and she realized that in her own outrage she hadn’t even bothered to check on her. She kicked herself mentally as she knelt down next to her and tried to comfort her. She wrapped her in a tight embrace and ran a hand through her hair before kissing her forehead, “Of course I still want you, Kitten,” she said trying to regain her composure, “I’m not letting you stay here any longer, but you’re not getting away from me that easily. I’m coming with you. I won’t let anyone in this hellhole continue to treat you like this. Now, give me a smile.”

Beth felt a little better hearing Pam speak, and she gave a small smile in response to her words. Pam wasn’t casting her out or abandoning her, she was going to come with her and stay with her. She felt relieved for a moment until she thought of her friend. She couldn’t leave him and she had to try to get him out as well, “What about Jake? I’m not leaving without him,” she said.

Of course, she should have figured that Beth wouldn’t leave without her friend. She couldn’t take him, though, the risk was too great with his runes. She wasn’t looking forward to telling Beth this, “Kitten...we can’t take Jake with us.”

“Why not?” Beth asked, regaining some of her usual fire.

“Kitten, Jake is bound to Goth even before the ritual tomorrow night,” she tried to explain, “If we take him with us, then Goth will know exactly where we are and we will be hunted for certain. On top of that, if we take him and she does manage to get ahold of us then what you went through today will seem like a mercy.”

“How is she going to know where we are if we take Jake?” Beth asked, not following what Pam was trying to say.

“His tattoos, Kitten, they’re more than just idle symbols,” Pam explained, “They are ancient symbols called Watcher’s Runes and they allow Goth to see where he is, what he is doing, and what he is saying at all times. We cannot take him.”

Beth stood up and spoke with a bit of outrage, “Why the hell am I just now finding this out?!”

Pam rolled her eyes and shrugged as she tried to reign her pet in, “It never came up, you never asked. I never thought that it would be relevant.”

“Never relevant?!” Beth repeated, “The fuck it isn’t! All those times I was out on assignment and that...that bitch could hear everything I said to him?! Ugh, I’m not leaving without him. I’ll stay here and endure whatever sick punishments Goth might have, but if I leave then she will kill him and you know I’m right.”

Pam groaned before releasing a shaky sigh as she tried to remain calm, “I’m going to overlook the fact that you are speaking with such disrespect and letting your temper flare, despite having just been punished for that, because you have been through a lot today. What do you want me to do, Kitten?”

“I don’t know, can’t you like...do some magic stuff to stop her from seeing?” Beth asked.

“Magic. Stuff,” Pam repeated with a roll of her eyes, “Your articulation knows no bounds, Kitten. There is a ritual that could possibly block the runes, but such a spell doesn’t have a guarantee. Kitten, please reconsider this. Taking him will put you in more danger.”

“Mistress, Pam, please I almost got him killed twice now and I can’t just leave him here,” Beth pleaded and gave her the biggest pout that she could muster.

Pam closed her eyes and tried to ignore the look that Beth was giving her. She hated how easy it was for her pet to get her way sometimes, but even if she ignored the pout she knew that Beth wouldn’t relent on the matter until she agreed, “Fine, but if anything happens because of him I will kill him myself.”

There was a knock at the door that startled both of them. Pam motioned for Beth to sit on the bed and wait as she went to open the door. Aurora stood before her with a confident smirk on her face, and Pam exited the room and closed the door behind her. “Goth says she needs to see you and your little bitch,” Aurora said.

“What, pray tell, does she need from us?” Pam asked as her temper began to rise once again.

“I don’t know,” Aurora admitted, “She’s been in such a mood that I didn’t ask. How’s your little bitch doing? It was about time that someone put her in her place, the little cunt had too much of an attitude if you ask me.”

Pam leveled a glare at Aurora that caused the tall woman to take a step back. Her anger flared to life as she began approaching Aurora, “Call her a bitch or a cunt one more time, and I swear on all the nine circles of hell that what she did to you will look like a mercy. Her place is by my side and as far away from disgusting women like you as possible, and if I catch you even so much as stealing a glance at her then I will pluck your eyes from your sockets and feed them to you. I will not tolerate any further mistreatment or disrespect to my pet and girlfriend, but if you think I am bluffing then please feel free to test me. Now, if you have any sense in that repulsively thick skull of yours I would suggest you get the fuck away from our room; go ahead and run to you Goddess to tell her that you couldn’t handle a simple dispute, but I think we both know you are too afraid to do something like that. Run and tell or just run, but get the fuck away from our room. Now!”

By the time Pam had finished her speech, Aurora was against the wall with a look of terror on her face. Pam savored it and the feelings that were rolling off of her, and she all but delighted in seeing the sadistic amazon begin to inch herself away from her. Her eyes never left her as she cleared the end of the hall and took off running. Pam took a deep breath before she went back inside to inform her pet of their summoning. As soon as the door was shut, she was basically tackled against the thick wood by Beth who assaulted her with a passionate kiss. She eagerly kissed back and after a moment they broke apart and Beth smiled up at her, “That was so awesome of you!”

Pam chuckled as she planted another kiss on Beth’s lips before asking, “I’m guessing you heard that?”

Beth nodded and smiled up at her, “I did and thank you.”

“Eavesdropping is rather unbecoming, Kitten, you know this don’t you?” Pam asked while wrapping her girlfriend in a tight hug.

“Yeah, but if you ask anybody around here I’m pretty unbecoming,” Beth replied with a slight pout.

“You’re perfect to me,” Pam said, “A little rough around the edges and your tongue could use a bit more practice at times, but you’re too adorable for me to complain.”

“Hey, I had never been with a woman until you!” Beth defended before blushing and adding, “Thank you, mistress, I...I don’t deserve you.”

Pam regarded her with a curious look for a moment. There was something else that her pet had wanted to say, but she didn’t have time to try to pry it out of her. She didn’t want to risk her getting into any more trouble and enduring any further torment that Goth may wish to inflict. She placed her hands on her shoulders and stared deep into her eyes as she spoke, “Nothing could be further from the truth, Kitten, you deserve better than what I have given you. I will be sure to find a way to get us out of here, but for now we have been summoned back to the main hall.”

Beth froze and her body tensed at her mistress’ words. She had been hoping to spend the rest of the day in their room. She wanted to crawl under the covers of her shared bed and try to forget everything that had happened to her today, but it seemed that it simply wasn’t in the cards for her. She cursed herself for the fear that was running through her from the mere thought of returning to that dreaded place.

She couldn’t stop the quiver in her voice as she asked, “W-why have w-we been c-called back?”

Pam could feel her pet’s spike in fear and anxiety and she pulled her close to rub her back before she answered. It was a simple act that she had used since their first night together whenever Beth was getting too riled up or feeling afraid. The effect still worked even now as she felt her terror take a small dip. “Relax, Kitten, if I had to guess I would be because we are to play some part in this ritual,” Pam said trying to ease Beth’s worries, “It shouldn’t be anything major outside of going over our places and roles that we are to play. We simply play along for the time being and when the time is right we make our move to escape. It may give us a chance to speak with Jake on the matter, assuming we can get him away from Goth for a moment. I promise you, I won’t let anyone lay a hand on you. I should have done something or spoken up in the hall earlier.”

Beth looked up at her mistress with sad eyes. She believed her when she said that she would keep her safe, but she hated the look of disappointment on her face. She didn’t want her to blame herself for what had happened, it wasn’t because of her that she had gone through that it had been Beth’s own actions that landed her in the mess. “Please don’t think like that,” Beth said, “I appreciate what you mean, I really do, but if you had done anything then we both would have suffered. I did that to myself and the G-Goth had been waiting for a chance to humiliate me. I’m just glad that I’m still with you and that you care enough to try and get me out of here. It’s also super cool that you were willing to tell Aurora off for calling me a bitch.”

Pam smiled and kissed Beth’s forehead while running her thumb along her cheek, “Nobody is to call you that except me, and even then you know I think more of you than just that. Come, let’s get this over with so that we can begin planning.”

The two exited the room after Beth handed Pam her leash and let her lead her around. They walked through the halls and a few people shot them wary looks, but Pam was quick to dismiss and disarm them with glares. The very sight of her seemed to dare them to speak up or say something to either of them. Beth loved this side of her girlfriend and it was something she hadn’t seen before.

They rounded a corner and found themselves alone. Beth took the opportunity to step closer to Pam and rest her head on her shoulder while keeping in step. It earned a quizzical look from Pam, but she never voiced any objections. Beth was glad and all she had hoped to do was to convey some affection and how much the girl meant to her. She was sure that with her empathic abilities she already knew, but it never hurt to try to show it. She reluctantly pulled herself away as they neared the main hall.

Jake felt both odd and more than a little exposed. After the horrific display of dominance from Goth over Beth, he had been ordered to return to their chambers and strip. He had thought that Goth had wanted to get intimate, but he was very wrong. He stood in the main hall stark naked for everyone to see and trying to cover himself only to have his hands swatted away both Goth. His face burned with embarrassment as more people filed in and looked over his bare form. The one upside to all of this was that Goth had removed his chastity cage. It felt good to let his dick move freely for a change. It didn’t make up for the humiliation he felt as everyone eyed both him and his package, and his shame hit a new level when he watched Pam enter with Beth right behind her.

He hoped that his friend was alright. He had wanted to check on her as soon as they had been dismissed, but even if he hadn’t been ordered back to his chambers he wouldn’t have been allowed to. Goth had made it a point, since the night of his attempted escape, to keep him far away from Beth unless on a mission or training and even then it was usually supervised. He closed his eyes in an attempt to block out the onlookers and his friend, but he could still feel their eyes on him. He gave a sigh and resigned himself to his naked fate. He opened his eyes and waited for Goth to address everyone. He locked eyes with Beth for a moment and tried to convey his sincerest apologies for not being able to help her. She gave him a nod and a shy smile before tilting her head to Pam and moving to stand behind her. He wasn’t sure what had happened afterwards, but whatever it was Pam must have been able to console her. He was glad for that fact at least.

He turned his attention to Goth as she began to address the room, “I’m glad to see you all could join us. I know that this is short notice, but I want to go ahead and try to prepare everyone. I’ve decided that we are going to move the joining ritual up to tomorrow night. As such, I want to take a moment to go over everyone’s role in our little ceremony. Aurora and Bitchbreaker will be by my side as my maids of honor. Pamela, I want you and your slave to prepare my beloved for his event. I will go over the inscriptions that he will have to have painted on his body with you later tonight, and Elizabeth as she is already aware will be giving Jake away. Are there any objections or concerns?”

Pam ground her teeth at hearing Goth refer to Beth as a slave. She was her pet, not some lowly slave. She turned her head to her to make sure that she was alright. She was relieved to see that the comment hadn’t bothered her, but she did notice that her eyes were downcast. She could feel a latent bit of fear coming from her, and she reached out to take her hand to reassure her that she wasn’t alone. The small gesture seemed to help her fear, if only by a small margin. She couldn’t wait to get away from the woman that she had spent so long serving. It was funny, in a way, she had been so eager to learn and to thrive in the beginning, but now that she had Beth she was more ready to leave than anything else. She was willing to risk going back to poverty if it meant that she could be with her pet and keep her safe.

The room was silent and Goth took that as a good sign. She motioned for everyone to follow her and the group began walking through the halls. It wasn’t a far walk to the ritual room and before they knew it they were there. Another of the castle’s massive rooms with an ornate purple and gold carpet greeted everyone. The carpet led to an enormous stone slab with four chains and shackles attached to it. Surrounding the slab were several columns each with ancient runes carved into them. To those that were inclined to the mystic arts, the room was teeming with magical energies. Even to Jake and Beth, the room seemed to almost hum with some unseen energy. It was more daunting than breathtaking and almost foreboding in a way. The heroes looked down the aisle to the slab and each had their own reservations. Jake knew that going through with this meant that he would belong to Goth for all of time, while Beth couldn’t shake the feelings of failure that rang out in her mind at having to give her best friend away.

Goth went over the general placements and instructions for everyone. It was more or less a standard rehearsal like one would use for a wedding. The only difference, outside of it being for a ritual, was that it took longer than it should have. Beth was made to escort Jake down the aisle where he was helped onto the slab by both Aurora and Bitchbreaker who proceeded to shackle his wrists and ankles. Goth didn’t perform the rite, however, as she was too busy scolding the majority of the room. Beth apparently didn’t walk in time with Jake, Aurora and Bitchbreaker were too slow with the shackling process, and Jake was squirming too much for her liking. It was, perhaps, the first time that everyone in the room had been annoyed in some way or another at their Goddess.

To say that everyone was relieved when Goth unshackled Jake and called the rehearsal finished would have been an understatement. She allowed Jake to redress, which he was beyond grateful for, as she addressed everyone one final time, “I do hope that you all are able to perform better tomorrow. That was sad and pathetic in every way, but I suppose that it will have to do for now. I had expected better from at least one of you and had some festivities prepared in anticipation. While none of you deserve it, I suppose it may help to put you all in a better mood. With any luck, spending the rest of the evening enjoying yourselves will allow for you to perform better. With that said, follow me one final time so that we may eat, drink, and enjoy ourselves. I’d say that you’ve earned it, but I don’t wish to lie to any of you.”

There were mixed grumblings from the group as they walked down the hall behind their Goddess. Pam was actually looking forward to whatever Goth had pulled together. It would be nice to be able to spend some time with her pet and not have to worry about her for a change. She would stay by her side to ensure that she stayed in line and that no one would mess with her. Both she and Beth noticed that Aurora was keeping a wide berth from them as they walked. She gave her pet’s leash a tug to pull her close and take hold of her hand. She gave it a squeeze and flashed her a smile that was returned in earnest.

They came to yet another large room where several tables with various foods were set up and some of the castle’s slaves were acting as minstrels. There were bowls of various fruits, plates of meats and vegetables, bottles of wines ranging from white to red with glasses beside them, and a large fountain that pumped chocolate. Pam had never known Goth to do anything outside of excessive, but she didn’t mind it on nights like this. She pulled Beth into the room away from everyone before walking up and undoing her leash. She placed it in her sash and wrapped her arms around the smaller girl’s neck, “I think you deserve a bit of freedom tonight,” Pam said as she planted a kiss on her lips, “I still want you close to me, but I think we can forgo the leash for one night.”

Beth smiled up at her and spoke in a sincere and honest tone, “There’s no place I’d rather be.”

“Such a good girl,” Pam said as she took her by the hand and led her to the table, “Let’s get something to eat and maybe have a drink, hmm?”

The girls were quick to get their plates and they each had a full glass of wine. Pam had chosen a red zinfandel and Beth, at Pam’s suggestion, had opted for a moscato. Beth was glad that she had someone who knew at least a little about wine; she tried a sip of Pam’s and grimaced at the heaviness of it. She would have preferred a whiskey over the wine, but she hadn’t drank anything since she came to stay here and was glad to have something to take the edge off. Their table was seated away from everyone else and they talked in hushed tones regarding their escape. Pam had the feeling of being watched and her suspicions were confirmed when she looked to see Bitchbreaker’s eyes boring into the back of Beth’s head. She rolled her eyes and decided that it would be best for them to move their talks to a more discreet place, relatively speaking, “Come, Kitten, I feel like dancing.”

She wasn’t prepared for Beth to suddenly explode in a ball of nerves. Her pet froze and stared at the table while her face turned a brilliant shade of red. “Uhm, can we not, mistress?”

She tilted her head and knelt down beside her, “No, we have unwanted attention and if I’m being honest, I want to see how graceful you are,” she replied.

Beth bit her lip and sheepishly said, “I-I can’t really dance, at least not to this music.”

The slow tune of a waltz was currently filling the air around them and Pam smiled at her pet, “It’s easy, Kitten, you just follow my lead like everything else. I’ve taught you more difficult things than a simple dance.”

She stood and offered her hand to her pet who slowly and reluctantly took it. She pulled her to her feet and whisked her off to the dancefloor. Beth stumbled when Pam suddenly stopped and wrapped her arm around her. She blushed as she felt Pam’s hand come to rest on her lower back and she raised the one she had locked with her own. Her blush deepened a bit when she felt her girlfriend’s hand move to her ass and give it a squeeze, “P-Pam!, I-I mean mistress!” Beth exclaimed which earned a laugh from her lover as she moved her hand back up.

“Relax, Kitten,” Pam said for what felt like the thousandth time, “I’m simply enjoying what’s mine and showing the rest of these hussies who you belong to. We may be preparing to leave, but they all will know whether we’re here or not that you are mine. Now, follow my lead and simply count the steps. One, two, three, four that’s all you have to do.”

Beth nodded in understanding and tried to do as she was told. She was clumsy at first, as she had been anytime Pam taught her something new, but she slowly began to catch on. Her main focus was trying not to step on her girlfriend’s feet. The gentle sway of the dance didn’t come easy to her and more than once she felt herself trip or stagger out of time. Pam was patient with her, however, and allowed her to stumble and recover without a word. It took a few tries, but eventually she found herself falling in time with her lover. The two began to move as one and it felt almost as intimate as their time in the bedroom. She felt Pam’s hand cup her ass once again and she shot her a look, “Why do you keep doing that?!” she asked.

“I know that face,” Pam said with a smirk as she suddenly twirled her before pulling her back close, “That’s the face you make when you are thinking dirty thoughts. I hadn’t expected this to arouse you so much, Kitten, I’ll have to keep that in mind.”

Beth flushed as she tried to explain, “I-it’s not that! I just...it feels kind of like when we fuck.”

Pam laughed, “Eloquent and elegant, that’s what I adore about you, Kitten. That precious vocabulary that you so often choose to ignore. Are you certain you want to take Jake with us?”

Beth glared at her for a moment before smiling and falling back into a graceful rhythm, “Ignoring that little insult, I have a good vocabulary. I just choose not to sound like a thesaurus for the record, yes I’m positive. We can’t leave him here, you know what Goth will do to him if we do.”

Pam rolled her eyes at her pet’s remark, “Whatever you say, Kitten, you do understand the risks involved in absconding with him, right? Nevermind that doing so will awaken an ire and fury in Goth like never before, she will be able to track our every move with relative ease."

Beth continued to dance with her partner and looked up with pleading eyes, "Please, Pam, I can't leave without him. I won't abandon him. Didn't you say there was a spell you could use to block his rune thingies?"

Pam gave a reluctant sigh before smiling at her pet, "Damn those puppy dog eyes of yours. There is a way for me to block the runes, but it takes time and it isn't a permanent fix. The spell will have to be recast every eight hours and it isn't a viable solution in the long term, so unless you have a better idea we can't rely on such a time constrained spell. Don't even try to suggest fighting Goth, she may not be a God but she is formidable. We're leaving to keep you safe not to get you killed."

Beth furrowed her brow as she thought about what to do. She wished there was a way for her to remove those stupid rune tattoos, but she couldn't go back in time. Her eyes lit up as it hit her, "Dilatrix!" she said louder than she meant to.

Pam raised an eyebrow at her pet's outburst, "She's all but vanished, Kitten, my magic isn't able to track her either. I could try a locator spell, but I would need something of hers or something that has her energy tied to it."

"Jake," Beth said, "Dilatrix worked her magics on him loads of times, remember? Every time Goth would beat him within an inch of his life she would bring him back! Wouldn't that leave some residue of some kind?"

Pam sighed as their dance finally came to an end and they began making their way back to their table, “It isn’t often that I dislike that you’re both pretty and smart, but this happens to be one of those rare occasions. Fine, we will use our time preparing him to try and convince him to come with us. The choice will be his and if he declines we leave him behind, is that fair?”

Beth was about to take a seat when she noticed that her lover had merely come to retrieve her glass of wine and finish it. She eyed her curiously but nodded her head, “Yeah, that’s fair enough. Thank you, mistress. Uhm, what are we doing?”

Pam shot her a coy grin as she produced her leash and clipped it back onto her collar. She gave it a firm tug and led her away from the room, “Think nothing of it, Kitten, and as for what we are doing...you’re body language and emotions lead me to believe that you’re in a mood. If we are to be on the run for however long we may be, then I want to, as you so eloquently put, ‘fuck’ one final time in our bed.”

Beth blushed and picked up her pace. She hadn’t thought about not having a bed anymore, and she certainly hadn’t meant to put off those vibes. She wasn’t going to complain or object if her mistress was feeling frisky. She felt that she could use the attention and distraction after the days events. She fell in step with Pam as they quickly made their way through the halls, “You’re such a perv,” she teased when they were alone.

“I am simply a woman with needs,” Pam replied as they neared their room, “I want you out of those clothes and on the bed as soon as the door is shut. Normally I wouldn’t ask, but considering everything you’ve been through I feel it only fair. Is my pet opposed to worshipping her mistress’ feet?”

Beth’s face somehow turned an even deeper shade of red as she sputtered out a reply, “I-I am always up for that. Your feet are way prettier and nicer than Goth’s and...I like to make you happy.”

“Such a sweet girl,” Pam praised as they approached their door, “Flattery will get you everywhere with me, Kitten, now strip and await my return.”

The night flew by for both women as they explored each other's bodies. Beth had needed a bit of a break after everything and Pam had been happy to oblige. After a couple of hours of intimacy, the two women fell asleep in each other’s arms. The sound of gentle snoring and even breathing was the only sound that filled their room outside of the occasional draft that blew through. They had spent their final night together in the safety and comfort of their own bed. They knew that by tomorrow everything would change. Neither would admit it out loud, but both of them were scared of what was to come. Their only comfort came from knowing that one would be there to support the other until the end.

Jake had been woken up early. Goth all but tossed him out of the bed shortly after she rose from her slumber. He hadn’t been ready to wake up and he was less ready for the day’s events. This was it, the day of the ritual. There would be no turning back or finding a way out after tonight. He was, in every sense of the word, terrified for what was going to happen to him. He wondered how long Goth would keep him to herself. Aurora’s words from the other day were still fresh in his mind and some dark part of him believed them to hold some truth. He prayed that it was a lie and that he was just being paranoid, but he couldn’t shake the feelings of fear that lurked on the fringes of his mind.

It had been another day of Goth belittling everyone and pointing out what everyone was doing wrong. Jake had been too caught up in his own thoughts and feelings to pay her much mind. It was probably the only blessing that he had today. He continually found himself looking at the clocks in the rooms that he would pass through and wishing that time would just stop. His wishes weren’t enough to stop the ticking of the clock, and the later in the day it got the more his heart began to sink. The time to prepare had come upon him before he knew it and he was instructed to go wait in his room for Beth and Pam. He did as he was told and headed up stairs. He wasn’t sure what he was more upset about, the ritual or having to show off his damned chastity cage. If things were different, then he was sure that Beth would poke fun at him for it. It was amazing how much things had changed.

He had been sitting on the bed when the girls entered the room. He noticed that Beth had elected to wear her field uniform, an odd choice considering this was supposed to be a wedding. He heard the click of the door’s locking mechanism and stood to say, “Let's...just get this over with.”

“Keep your shirt on,” Pam said as she set the bag down, “No, literally, keep your shirt on. We need to speak with you on something important. Kitten, keep close by the door and let us know if anyone approaches. Jake would you kindly sit back down?”

Beth nodded and did as she was told. Jake watched her place her hand on her gun as she pressed an ear to the door, “What the hell is going on?” he asked.

Pam chewed on the inside of her lip as she tried to figure out the best way to go about this. Already she could feel his apprehension and nerves at what was happening. She couldn’t be certain, but she felt like he thought this may have been some kind of trap or test from Goth. She spared a glance at Beth before turning her sole focus back to Jake, “I am just going to come out and say this, we are leaving this godforsaken hellhole tonight and we think you should come with us. If you stay here and go through with this ritual, you’ll be bound to Goth for all of eternity. Even if by some miracle someone manages to kill her, your soul will still be bound to hers. Think about that, is that really what you want?”

Jake narrowed his eyes at Pam. This had to be some form of testing his loyalty. His mind flashed back to the dungeon and the horrible things that occurred down there. He shook his head, "Nice try, Pam, I'm not falling for another one of Goth's tricks or did Aurora put you up to this?"

Pam blinked at him before letting out an annoyed sigh, "Aurora-that miserable bitch hasn't spoken to me since the other night when she...nevermind that doesn't matter. This isn't a trick, Jake, neither Beth nor I want to see what terrible fate awaits you should you choose to stay. Do you really want to live out the rest of your days serving a woman who considers herself a God?"

Jake relented slightly and admitted, "Of course not! You think any of this is something that I want? I don't have a choice in the matter, though, and I'll be damned if I'm going back on Goth's shitlist because I fell for some lousy trap!"

Pam turned back to Beth, "I knew he wouldn't listen or believe me. Leave him, we can't stay here any longer, Kitten."

Beth gave the door a final once over before crossing the room to be close to her friend. She looked him in the eyes as she spoke, "Jake, please, I know you don't have a reason to trust me after last time, but Pam is right we have to get out of here. I don't want to leave you here for whatever awful things Goth is going to do to you. Please, this is your friend asking you to come with us. You know I would never go along with some plot to trick you, and I think you also know Pam wouldn't force that on me. She would have had me wait outside or keep my damn mouth shut, but instead I'm here and I'm begging you. Come with us."

Jake looked between his concerned friend and a slightly annoyed looking Pam. He was scared, that much was certain, but he knew that Beth wouldn't lie to him. This wasn't a trap or a trick, but could he really go along with it? Last time he had tried to escape, he had ended up in the dungeons while Beth had been collared. He looked down for a moment before looking back up to Beth, "Alright, I don't think it's a good idea, but I also don't have a lot of options right now. If I'm going with you, though, I'm taking my suit this time. I’m not running around the city half naked.”

Beth beamed at her friend, “You won’t regret this!” she exclaimed before turning back to look at Pam with a smug look on her face, “Told you he’d come.”

“Yes, yes you were right and I was wrong, is that what you want to hear,” Pam said with a roll of her eyes, but she smiled when she saw the triumphant look on her girlfriend’s face.

“Yes, I like to be right every once in a while, is that a crime?” Beth replied before turning back to Jake, “Alright, hurry up and get changed we need to go.”

Jake nodded before remembering his cage. He really didn’t want to leave with the damned thing on, but he was more than a little nervous about showing it to both Beth and Pam. “Alright, I’m going to show you guys something,” he said, “Don’t laugh and don’t say a fucking word, looking at you Beth. This is a little awkward, but-”

“Your chastity cage,” Pam interrupted as she marched forward, “I have a key, Jake, we were responsible for getting you prepared. Don’t look so mortified, I already told Beth about it and specifically instructed her not to laugh or make any jokes or she would be punished, you’re welcome. We may be leaving this place, but I am still her mistress, isn’t that right Kitten?”

Beth couldn’t stop the grin that was on her face, but it quickly fell away and she stood at attention upon being addressed, “Yes mam,” she said before turning to Jake who was now grinning, “Oh shut up.”

“You know it’s weird that suddenly you’re a lesbian and into the whole BDSM thing, right?” he said as he unbuttoned his pants and dropped them before catching the key that Pam tossed to him, “Don’t get me wrong, I understand it and I think that you two are good for each other and all. It’s just funny considering how much shit you would have given me about something like this and now you’re literally collared and worshiping a woman. Weren’t you straight?”

Beth glared at him as she spoke, “First off, I only got into this whole thing because she conditioned me. Between the...well I’d rather not go into it, but the bottom line is she’s a phenomenal teacher and she’s been good to me. She’s taken care of me and I owe a lot to her outside of just my ability to walk and control myself. It doesn’t hurt that she’s gorgeous to boot and I honestly didn’t think I was gay, but then again I hadn’t considered it and I had never met a woman like her.”

“This is all very sweet and I appreciate everything you’re saying, Kitten, but we really need to go,” Pam said while she walked over and kissed Beth on the cheek, “You two can talk all you want once we are away from here and safe. Jake, there is one thing that we need to take care of before we leave. I’m going to assume that Goth never told you about the tattoos on your back and what they do, correct?”

Jake didn’t like the sound of this, “No?” he said with more of an upward inflection than he would have liked.

“I figured as much,” Pam said as she shooed Beth away and stepped behind Jake, “Some of them are there to inflict or increase pain and pleasure, but there are others that have a more...practical purpose. These that come across your shoulders are what’s known as Watcher’s Runes. They allow Goth to see you and hear you with ease whenever she desires; the longer we wait the more likely it is that she will check on you. We have a small window where I am sure she will be too preoccupied with her little ceremony to think to check on you. Hold still while I work.”

“She can fucking hear and see me?!” Jake asked, “Well that explains a whole lot...what are you-”

He was cut off as he felt Pam’s palms collide with his back before a strange feeling washed over him. The room took on a dull red glow from Pam’s hands. She began speaking in an ancient language that neither Jake nor Beth understood, but slowly the glow began to increase and fill the room before it dissipated just as quickly as it came. “There we go, that should do it,” she said, “Now if you would kindly get your cock out of that damn cage and cover it up we can move on and get the hell out of here.”

Jake did as he was told and wasn’t sure how he felt about what just happened or how blunt Pam was about his dick. He had unlocked the cage and was putting on his pants when he asked, “What was that you did? I know it was a spell, but did it remove the runes?”

“Honestly, do either of you pay the slightest bit of attention when any of us are casting?” Pam asked rhetorically and received blank stares in response, “No, your runes are tattooed on and my magic can’t undo them. What I did was a simple spell to block them. The effects are only temporary, however, and I will have to recast the spell every eight hours. Before you say anything stupid like ‘that seems impractical’ I am well aware and that is exactly why we are going to find Dilatrix. Her temporal magics can remove the runes from your back and allow you to finally be free of Goth. If you have anything else you wish to know you can ask while we escape.”

Jake had several questions both regarding his tattoos, magic, Dilatrix, and even some that involved both Pam and Beth but he kept his mouth shut. He finished dressing himself and tried to push down the nagging fear that threatened to overtake him. Going with Beth and Pam meant putting everyone in danger, especially with these stupid runes. He was worried about what might happen if Pam forgot to recast the spell, but he was all in now. He grabbed his staff and retracted it to put it in his belt. With a final nod, the trio began skulking through the castle and made their way out into the night.

Goth had been waiting for longer than she would have liked. She was growing more and more irritated by the second and everyone in the room was aware of it. She had sent Bitchbreaker to check on Pam and Jake to see just what was taking so long. She was about ready to snap when Bitchbreaker returned with an angry look on her face, “They’re gone,” she said.

“What do you mean they’re gone?” she asked.

“I hate to be the one to tell you this, sister, I really do, but it seems that the little slave, your disciple, and your betrothed have abandoned you,” she replied, “I will see to it personally that-”

She was cut off by Goth screaming and throwing her fist into the column she stood next to. The large marble structure shook from her rage induced strike. She wasn’t satisfied with the fact that it was still standing and she threw another volley of punches before unleashing a final shattering kick. The large pillar cracked before it shattered and sent large shards of marble flying through the air. One of the larger pieces embedded itself in the column adjacent to it which caused it to spit and fall. A domino effect was started and one by one the columns that once stood beautiful and proud came crashing down to the ground. The fury that coursed through her still wasn’t satisfied with the destruction she had wrought, “Who do they think they are?!” she bellowed as she began pulverizing the stone slab, “I am a Goddess among these pathetic excuses for mortals! I gave them everything, everything! Opened my home to that ungrateful little street urchin, gave her the pet that she wanted, permitted that little ingrate the chance to live and move of her own accord, I gave them both purpose and this is how they repay me?!”

The stone cracked and was being devastated by the strength and rage of its attacker. It was slowly being reduced to a powder as Goth continued her tirade, “They steal away my Raven! My Jake, and he went along with it! He followed them, the ungrateful little bastard! I opened my heart to him, I loved him! No!”

With a final scream and a furious stomp the stone slab was no more. When the dust settled all that was left was Goth standing in the rubble panting. She was regaining her composure when Nastia entered the room with a gift, “Congratulations to the happy coup-ugh!” she was cut off as she was lifted from the ground by an unseen force. She wheezed as she watched Goth’s outstretched hand begin to clench and she felt her windpipe constrict before she was suddenly released and fell on her ass, “Something I said?”

Aurora came and helped Nastia to her feet. She shook her head and motioned for her to remain silent while Goth spoke, “Put out a bounty for the three of them, alive. It seems my former student has decided to block my runes. I want them brought to me so that I can punish the lot of them properly,” she paused to examine the materials for her ritual and grinned wickedly, “Jake will be mine and will forever serve me in one way or another. I don’t care if they’re hurt upon capture, but if they’re dead I will burn this damn city and everyone in it to the ground. Set the reward for ten million and see what each of you can find. Do not disturb me unless you have news, otherwise I will seek you out myself if I have need of you.”

“Your will be done, Goddess,” the three women said in unison.

Her will would be done one way or another. She would see Beth and Pam punished and reduced to the pathetic messes that they were, and she would have her beloved Jake with her for eternity whether he wanted it or not. The idea that hit her was one that was both sinister and fitting for Jake. He was too apprehensive in his service to her in the past, but with this he would be hers and there would be nothing he could do to object. She stormed out of the room and headed back to her room with armfuls of the ingredients and began plotting.