The Training of Toby (Masters of the Mansion Book 2) (17 page)

Agent Turner

Agent Turner and Rene sat at his office desk going over the guest list that Master William e-mailed to them.

He listened as his partner spoke, trying very hard not to become agitated by her negative attitude.

“This guy could have signed in under any name.”

“Not on The Mansion’s open night; everyone has to provide ID.” He turned his body and eyed her intently before he made his next statement. “Why are you always so negative?”

“I’m not
always
so negative. I do, however, think like a criminal. Serial killers are usually highly intelligent.”

He interrupted her, inserting a profiling fact, “organized serial killers are highly intelligent; disorganized ones aren’t.”

“This guy is organized. He has a purpose.”

“And what would that be, Rene?”

“He’s going to make the community pay. He feels slighted and he’s going to make them suffer for it.”

“Well, not that I’m sticking up for him, but the BDSM community can be cliquish.”

“They have to be.”

“That’s not true, Rene. It’s hard enough on someone who is kinky. They are rejected by society, looked at as if they have mental problems, and some are even cast out by their families. They come into the community and feel like they have finally found a haven, only to be cast aside if they don’t fit into a certain mold. I can easily see why someone would get pissed and take it too far.”

“That’s the answer! We’ll lead him to believe that he’s being accepted. If we can catch him with Jute, we have him on a kidnapping charge.”

“I want him for the murders. These families deserve closure. We need more evidence, proof of him killing those victims.”

“What we need right now, David, is proof of life.”

“Agent Turner at work, Rene, and yes, you’re right. Let’s handle this like a kidnapping for right now.”

The ringing of the telephone interrupted their conversation.

“Hello, Agent Turner speaking.”

“Put your partner on the phone.”

“May I ask who’s calling?” Agent Turner feigned ignorance, suspecting it was the killer.

“You know who the fuck it is. Now put her on the phone and quit stalling for time or I start torturing this guy I have strapped down.”

Agent Turner turned towards his partner and handed her the phone, “It’s for you…”

Master William

Master William felt his heart clench as he and Mistress Diamond sat in his office and listened to Toby.

“Is this my fault? Is this guy killing because of me?”

“The agents seem to think this is someone with a vendetta against the Masters of The Mansion. You just happened to get caught in the crossfire. I hate that for you, Toby, but it’s going to work to your benefit. You have two people who care about you very deeply and will do anything to protect you.”

“Two?”

“I might be a sadist, Toby, but that doesn’t mean I’m incapable of loving someone.”

“You love me?”

“No, I love her.” He nodded in Diamond’s direction, “and she loves you. That means I’ll do whatever it takes to keep you safe because it makes her happy. I care about you and we’re bonded, but I love her.”

“I just want to feel safe for once in my life.”

Once again, Master William could feel the pull on his heartstrings. He never would have thought that he could be attached to another sub. He had spent his years
playing
but being very clear with the subs he interacted with that it was just that, nothing more than play. Now, he was faced with an emotion he had never dealt with in the past—the need to protect. He knew, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that he would do anything to protect his slave’s pet. No longer was it only because of his love for her. Now, it was because the boy needed him. It felt good to be needed, to protect, and it damn sure felt good to be responsible for a piece of his slave’s heart that she treasured. The part she reserved for Toby now belonged to him.

He wasn’t a man given to fear and he, in no way, was going to allow the killer to make him feel threatened. The only thing he feared was losing Diamond and that was never going to happen. He had already proven to her, and everyone else in the community, that he would stop at nothing to keep his beloved slave. Now, after bonding with Toby, he felt even more confident that he had nothing to fear.

He watched Toby jump when the phone rang and it confirmed what he already knew; the boy needed protection.

“Master William,” he answered.

“Well, well, well, what do you know? I’ve reached la crème de la crème in the hierarchy, the unattainable to us mere mortals at The Mansion.”

Master William immediately reached over to push a button so the call would be recorded. The Mansion had an extensive security system that monitored everything from the phone lines, to the many rooms within its walls. There were cameras placed strategically throughout the premises. Nothing went unnoticed on the property. Though the original reasoning had been to circumvent potential legal issues, he found the surveillance to be quite helpful in watching over the trainees as well.

“You have me at a disadvantage. You know me but I don’t know you.”

“How ‘bout this. How about you fucking call me Master? Because now I’m the one in control!”

Master William could feel the anger in him rising. This psycho held his friend, Jute, and was now making demands.

His mind immediately began to analyze the situation. First and foremost, he needed to regain control. His college degrees in psychiatry and psychology would come in handy while dealing with this man.

“I think you’re angry with the Masters of The Mansion. Why don’t you let Jute go and you and I can meet somewhere and talk?”

“Oh, I’m still not good enough to come to The Mansion?”

“Are you a member?”

“I wasn’t good enough for you fucking uptight Masters. You pushed my application to the side like I was a nobody. You’ll listen now though, won’t you? Now that I have one of your precious ropers, you want to talk.”

“Let him go and we’ll take another look at your application. I’m sure we can come to some kind of mutual understanding, some sort of agreement perhaps.”

Master William held the phone away from his ear as the killer began screaming.

“You’re not in control, motherfucker!”

“Okay, okay, you’re in control. What do you want me to do?”

“I want a fucking million dollars or I start cutting off body parts and mailing them to you. Oh, and while you’re at it, I want Toby as well.”

The Killer

Why hadn’t he thought of it before now? This was a way to get everything he wanted. He could have Toby’s innocence and the money they needed to go away and start their new life together.

Toby was still innocent enough to train for
blood play
. The killer didn’t need to kill to reach an orgasm. Being in control and having a slave trained to his liking would be enough to sate him.

He was glad he had decided to keep the man he was holding captive alive; his life was finally turning around.

“Looks like you are going to be my ticket to a new beginning. I’ll have my own slave and a cool million dollars.” He leaned down and hissed in the man’s terrified face, “and you get to live.”

“Please… don’t hurt me.”

“I won’t if your little friends at The Mansion do as I have instructed them. If they don’t, I’ll start cutting. I’m sure after they receive a finger or toe, they’ll begin to see things my way. Hmm, or maybe I should start with your cock.”

The killer watched as the man started sobbing and he felt an odd sense of pleasure at the discovery that he was finally in control of the Masters at The Mansion. He had them right where he wanted and, ironically enough, it wasn’t by their balls, but by their egos. If there was one thing he knew to be a fact, it was that the Masters and Doms at The Mansion had huge egos and he now controlled them like puppets on a string. If nothing else, wielding that kind of power over them was one hell of confidence booster.