Chapter 163:

I cleaned up Melony quickly and fed her, but I wasn't about to let her free after reaching stage two. She needed not only punishment but the fact it took her that long to break meant that she might not have broken and was trying to send me the wrong way. Torture evidence wasn't good evidence. People tend to hate their tortures and want to put them in bad situations as revenge. It was something that must be defended against at all times.

I remembered listening to an FBI agent in my mob boss days talking about how bad tortured information was in general. Many people broke and gave good information when they thought they would get more out of it than staying loyal to their own side. It was a fascinating interview that I watched, and I remembered the sweeping changes to the policies I had made in my organization afterward. It was astonishing how many fewer rats we had when they believed they were better off in prison working for me than trying witness protection.

It was simple for them, and the fear that I would kill their families worked on all but the most sociopathic killers in the organization. Those I would have a hit put on them would have another branch of the organization where they never interacted so that no one would warn them. It made me almost untouchable until the politicians became stupid enough to think I was better off dead.

I smirked as I finished leaving Melony tied up on a table inside her cell. New vibrations around her pussy and deep inside her asshole to keep her company. She would be able to get sleep, but not much, as I left the vibrators with enough energy to give her an orgasm or two to wake her up during it. Still, the amount of sleep deprivation she felt would press on her mind if I discovered she was lying.

Melony gave a muffled cry as I walked out of the cell, leaving her with her thoughts of abandonment or if I genuinely believed her as I locked her into the room. I moved and locked everything up before I looked at the woman I purchased today. I looked in her cell and tossed her more food. "I will figure out what I want to do with you soon. Think while you are waiting about what you can be useful for and what skills you have learned in your life. It will dictate what the rest of your life will be." I told her, and I turned without caring what her reaction was.

I left the warehouse finally and activated every enchantment before looking around my warehouse. I found nothing, but that meant nothing. The best part about this warehouse was supposed to be that nobody knew about it, so security wasn't needed. I didn't have the human resources to waste on watching it, so the enchantments would have to do.

I moved out and headed in a roundabout fashion towards the Bloody Candies headquarters to visit Cassandra. She would need to be set upon the task of discovering certain things. I knew already that I wouldn't move forward with my plans, but instincts told me that leaving the city wouldn't be an easy endeavor. I wasn't a fugitive, but I felt something would happen if I tried to leave.

All this time, I didn't trust Sherryl, but either we were discovered, or she was a dumb fuck that tried to subjugate me. Something told me it was the second, but I honestly couldn't rule out the first thought. If it was another family that saw me and just wanted me, then I needed to leave the city regardless. Now I don't think it mattered. The plan was already super risky, and I wouldn't risk my life or my toy's lives on this matter. Now it was about leaving with my things.

Kara was interesting, and I decided I would take her out of the city if I could. Zee and the slaves I would leave would use the Marchioness as protection while I was gone as she took some profit and pleasure from me. I wasn't sure if she would stay that way for long, which meant I needed time for the Bloody Candies to grow.

I frowned and sighed as I moved around the corner, making another circle as I moved through the dark streets. It seemed that while I was thinking and dealing with Melony, It turned at least dark. One day to break her was pretty good timing, or I just overestimated her willpower. Either way, I had an answer I could believe, and I would have to act upon that.

All this time and wasted effort here in the Empire made my blood boil. Sherryl would be dead regardless. I would kill her before I left the Empire. I would try to take her captive if I could, and I would torture her for my own amusement. I would sell her to the Beast-kin if I could, but I couldn't leave traces of what I tried to do here in the Empire. Not to anybody, as my long-term plans would be hurt immensely if that happened.

I sighed as I reached my destination finally after looping and making sure no one followed me. On the way, I even stole someone else's cloak and disappeared before they could do anything about it. Now I wore it as I entered the hideout, making sure my face was covered. I entered the meeting room, and no one was inside.

It seemed Cassandra had standing orders for when someone did that with her gang members, and soon she entered. "What is happening?" She asked as she entered, "We are reaching our final prep stages, and I was preparing to move forward."

The dog woman looked annoyed for her benefit, although I knew that she would take whatever I said in stride. "We are abandoning the original plans," I told her seriously, and Cassandra stopped looking annoyed.

"What happened?" Cassandra asked, putting that fake-sounding worry in her voice.

"I believe Sharryl has put a bounty to capture me as a Slave on my head." I told her, "I cannot completely confirm the information, but the fact that they knew that I would react if they used this name is more than enough for me. If it is fake information, I want it confirmed that it is fake, but that doesn't change the consequences. That woman is an idiot, and she probably let something leak. She doesn't know which gang I am affiliated with, but she probably knows one of the gangs is working for me or something of the sort." I told Cassandra. I waved my hand, "Sure, she probably doesn't know the extent but any extent is too much for my long-term plans. The risk has grown too great to continue the operation, and so plans must be changed."

Cassandra stood watching me for several moments as if she was processing the information. Her acting on emotional turbulence was one that I must say is her biggest personal talent. She looked like a deep thinker and emotionally charged about the current situation. I knew it was a lie, though, as she finally asked, "So what do you want to accomplish?"

"I want Kara," I said first, "I think she is interesting, and I promised her freedom. If she dies in the attempt to free her, then it happens. But I want to make an attempt at least. I want Sharryl captured but dead, if nothing else. She knows too much, and I will not let a liability that doesn't know how to keep their mouth shut alive. You will take members, and she will either die or end up in my hands. Now set up a meeting with the Necromancers guild. Tell them I will help them in what way I can with what they want to be doing by creating chaos among the Nobles if possible. Do not tell them that specifically; we can talk more in person with that as the general direction of the talks."

"That is a large change in direction, Mistress," Cassandra said skeptically.

"We will be using them to take things out of the city. I want a couple of things prepared in contingencies, like a boat out of the city. I want a land route and whatever other ways you can think of, Cassandra." I told her, and I watched her nod.

"Is there anything else?" Cassandra asked, and I nodded.

"Yes," I told her, "I am going to tell you something I planned on telling you later."

"What is it, Mistress," Cassandra said.

"Soon, you will be essentially free from me," I told her, watched her surprise, and scoffed. "Don't act surprised. I will not be near, and you have already been developing any loyalty toward you and Carl. Carl, the fighters, and everyone else are loyal to you. I am not an idiot; don't treat me as such. While you are at it, stop acting with me."

Cassandra didn't react and moved to sit down across the table. "You clearly have something to tell me to keep me in line. What is it?" Cassandra asked, her voice serious and curious.

"I plan to make an organization that spans the continent. From the Empire to the Theocracy in the north. The Demon lands and the Beast-kin nation. You will be my controller in the Empire. You will become a Virtual ruler of this entire nation although without the crown." I told her a little of my plans. "If you leave, I will find someone else to do it in the future. I have time, and I will only grow in strength."

Cassandra watched me, and I watched her in turn. This woman spoke only benefits and nothing else; even if I was going to use the slave collar to kill her, she wouldn't care too much. Silence reigned, and Cassandra nodded. "You have made a persuasive argument. It was one I wasn't expecting, and I am sure that there is even more to your plans. For now, I am your slave, and I know if you ordered it, I would be killed as long as you say something. I also know things from establishing everything here that you wouldn't be able to take over without further planning that would include me." Cassandra's smile was sharp as she finished those words, and I nodded.

"Absolutely correct," I told her honestly. "For the Empire, you are essential to the development. That is if I wanted to stay with the same organization and not restart from the beginning."

An understanding was developed, and we both nodded to each other, knowing the other's place at the table. We watched each other, and I stood, "Start making preparations. I want to talk to the Necromancers guild as soon as possible, and I will be here the day after tomorrow to learn the date. The sooner, the better, and I need preparations to leave soon." I told her, "Something tells me that if I try to leave normally, things will go bad fast."

Cassandra nodded, "I was just leaving for your place today in order to inform you that some gangs are moving around in the city. I am unsure of the reasons, but I believe that there will be another gang war coming soon. I plan on bunkering the Bloody Candies down and keeping to our territory. It seems that our side of the city isn't moving, but the major gangs in the other parts of the city are moving. Stranger still is that they have been moving outside of the city. Something I believe is going down, and the focus is outside the city. I am unsure what or why," Cassandra finished.

I frowned as this information told me little. It spoke well of my instincts, but I also didn't want to think the world was centered around me. If something were going on inside the city, the gangs would stay inside the city. That meant there must be something the gangs believe will happen and are fleeing it, or there is something valuable on the way in or out of the city.

I shrugged, knowing my thoughts weren't about to solve anything. "I will stick with my decisions. make sure that the way out by boat is hard as iron, and ensure that we have several extra boats ready." I told her.

"Yes, Mistress," Cassandra replied. "May I ask why the extra boats?"

"Necromancers guild might need an escape," I replied and stood. "I need to check other things."

With that, I left the hideout with my frown deeper than ever.

What the fuck was happening in this city?

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Merry Christmas, Enjoy!