Chapter 15: Pacing

Perl's POV

The mansion was quiet again, but that didn't mean anything around here. Quiet just meant someone was plotting, scheming, or crying in a corner they thought no one would find. And me? Well, I wasn't crying. Not now, not ever.

I stood outside Jessica's door, my hand hovering over the handle like an idiot who couldn't decide whether to knock or run. What was I even doing here? Asking HER for help felt wrong on so many levels. But desperate times call for desperate measures, right? Besides, if anyone knew how to handle Kraner—the slippery bastard—it'd be her. She'd been tangled up with him long enough to know his weak spots. Or at least, that's what I told myself as I pushed the door open without knocking.

What I saw stopped me cold.

Jessica sat cross-legged on the floor, surrounded by… toys. Vibrators, dildos, some weird contraptions I didn't even have names for—all scattered around her like she'd set up shop in her own personal pleasure den. Her blonde hair was a mess, sticking to her sweaty forehead, and her cheeks were flushed red. She moaned softly, her eyes half-closed, completely oblivious to the fact that I was standing there watching her unravel piece by piece.

For a second, I almost turned around and walked out. This wasn't the Jessica I knew—the sharp-tongued head maid who ruled the servants with an iron fist and carried herself like she owned the damn place. No, this was something else entirely. A shadow of her former self, drowning in lust and shame while clutching onto whatever scraps of control she could fake with those ridiculous toys.

"Jesus Christ," I muttered under my breath, shaking my head. "You've really lost it, haven't you?"

She froze mid-stroke, her blue eyes snapping wide open. For a split second, she looked like a deer caught in headlights. Then embarrassment flooded her face, turning her cheeks an even darker shade of crimson. She scrambled to cover herself, grabbing a blanket off the bed and wrapping it around her shoulders like it could somehow erase what I'd just seen.

"What the hell are you doing here?" she snapped, her voice cracking halfway through. It was supposed to sound commanding, but instead, it came out raw and broken. Like everything else about her these days.

I leaned against the doorframe, crossing my arms over my chest. "Nice to see you too, Jess. Real classy setup you've got going on."

Her jaw tightened, and for a moment, I thought she might actually throw something at me. Instead, she glared daggers, her pride clinging on by a thread. "Get out," she growled, though there wasn't much bite behind it. "This isn't any of your business."

"Oh, come on." I smirked, stepping inside and closing the door behind me. "If I left every time I saw something that wasn't my business, I'd never get anything done around here."

She flinched at that, probably because she knew it was true. Everyone had their secrets in this house, and most of them weren't pretty. Hell, mine weren't exactly squeaky clean either. But right now, I needed answers more than I needed to play nice.

I crouched down beside her, ignoring the way she tensed up when I got too close. "Look, I didn't come here to judge you," I said, keeping my tone light despite the storm brewing inside me. "I came because I need information. About Kraner."

At the mention of his name, her whole body stiffened. Her hands clenched the edges of the blanket tighter, knuckles going white. "Why should I tell you anything?" she spat, her voice trembling. "So you can use him against me too? So you can finish what he started?"

"Whoa, slow down." I held up my hands in mock surrender, leaning back slightly to give her space. "Nobody's finishing anything. I just want to understand the guy. He's… complicated, to say the least."

Complicated was putting it lightly. The man was a walking enigma wrapped in layers of manipulation and charm. One minute, he was laughing at your expense; the next, he was staring at you like he could see straight through your soul. And now, thanks to our little handshake deal last night, I was stuck working with him. Which meant I needed to figure out exactly how dangerous he really was before he decided to turn the tables on me.

Jessica snorted, rolling her eyes. "Complicated doesn't even begin to cover it. That bastard's a monster."

"A monster who's managed to wrap half the household around his finger," I pointed out, raising an eyebrow. "Including Lady Tanya. How'd he do it? What makes him tick?"

She hesitated, chewing on her bottom lip like she was debating whether to answer. Finally, she sighed, running a shaky hand through her disheveled hair. "It's not just one thing," she admitted reluctantly. "He's smart, yeah, but it's more than that. He knows people. Like, really knows them. Their fears, their weaknesses… he finds them, exploits them, and then…" She trailed off, shuddering visibly.

"And then what?" I pressed, leaning closer. My heart was pounding now, adrenaline coursing through my veins. If I could crack this puzzle—if I could figure out how to play Kraner better than he played everyone else—I might actually stand a chance of getting what I wanted.

"He breaks them," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "Not physically, not always. Sometimes it's worse. He gets inside your head, twists things until you don't even recognize yourself anymore. Until all you can think about is him."

Her words hit me like a punch to the gut. I'd suspected as much, but hearing it confirmed sent a chill racing down my spine. Was that what happened to Jessica? Had Kraner stripped away everything she once was until all that was left was this hollow shell of a woman jerking off in the middle of the afternoon?

"Fuck," I muttered, rubbing my temples. "That's… intense."

"You think?" she shot back bitterly, her lips curling into a humorless smile. "Welcome to my world."

We sat there in silence for a while, the weight of her confession hanging heavy between us. Outside, the wind rustled through the trees, casting shadows across the room that danced like ghosts. I stared at the floor, trying to process everything she'd said. Kraner wasn't just dangerous—he was a predator. And I'd willingly walked into his web.

"So," I said finally, breaking the silence. "Any advice? Anything I should watch out for?"

Jessica laughed—a harsh, bitter sound that made my skin crawl. "Advice? From me? You're screwed, Perl. Honestly. If you're planning on going toe-to-toe with him, you're already dead. He'll eat you alive."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence," I muttered dryly, standing up and brushing imaginary dust off my skirt. "Real helpful."

"I'm serious," she insisted, her voice rising slightly. "Don't trust him. Don't let him get close to you. Whatever you do, don't—"

She cut herself off abruptly, her gaze dropping to the floor. For a moment, I thought she might cry. But then she took a deep breath, steadying herself, and met my eyes with a look that was equal parts anger and resignation.

"Just… be careful," she finished quietly. "He's not human, Perl. Not really."

I nodded slowly, letting her words sink in. Maybe she was right. Maybe I was walking straight into a trap I couldn't escape from. But backing down wasn't an option—not if I wanted to climb higher, reach further. The council wouldn't wait forever, and neither would Lady Tanya. If I wanted their blessing, I needed to move fast. And if that meant using Kraner as a double-edged sword, so be it.

As I turned to leave, I glanced back at Jessica one last time. She was sitting there amidst the wreckage of her life, staring blankly at the wall like she'd forgotten I was even there. Part of me wanted to say something—to offer some kind of comfort or reassurance—but what could I possibly say? We were both drowning in our own ways, just trying to keep our heads above water.

"Good luck, Jess," I murmured softly before slipping out the door.

And as I walked away, I couldn't shake the feeling that I'd just glimpsed my own future if I wasn't careful.

Alright, let's dive into this. I'm gonna try to spill it out messy and real, like you said—no holding back. Here goes nothing.

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The nursery was quiet, save for the soft cooing of the twins as they played with their toys. Well, "played" might be stretching it—they were mostly just chewing on them like teething puppies. But hey, progress is progress, right?

He leaned back in the rocking chair, watching them with a smirk tugging at the corner of my lips. The boy's burn wound had healed up nicely, thanks to my blood. Not that anyone else knew about that little detail. To them, he'd just gotten better overnight—a miracle, maybe even divine intervention. Let them think what they want. All that mattered was the results: two happy, healthy babies who were thriving under my care. My EXPERIMENTS.

Every day, he fed them a little more of my blood, letting the Ember seep into their tiny veins. It wasn't much—just enough to nudge things along—but already, he could see changes. Subtle ones, sure, but there if you knew where to look. Their eyes sparkled brighter when they laughed, their movements sharper, more deliberate. They weren't ordinary kids anymore—not entirely human, not yet something else. And honestly? That thrilled him.

"Bone appetite," Kraner murmured softly, brushing a strand of hair off the boy's forehead. He gurgled happily in response, reaching up to grab my finger with his chubby little hand. His grip was surprisingly strong for someone so small. Like he knew exactly who Kraner was. What he was doing to him.

A knock at the door interrupted my thoughts before he could spiral too deep into them. Speak of the devil—or rather, Lady Tanya herself. She swept into the room like a storm cloud wrapped in silk, her heels clicking sharply against the marble floor. Behind her trailed her usual entourage of maids and advisors, all clutching tablets or folders filled with whatever nonsense kept the household running. Business stuff. Numbers and schedules and contracts. None of which concerned me directly, but still…

"Well?" she demanded without preamble, her sharp gaze sweeping over the room like she expected chaos to erupt at any moment. Instead, she found her children sitting contentedly on the floor, giggling as they babbled nonsense to each other. Exactly how I'd planned it.

"They've been good today," he said smoothly, standing up to greet her. "No trouble at all."

Lady Tanya raised an eyebrow, clearly skeptical. "And their diet?"

"All according to your instructions," he replied, keeping my tone light, almost deferential. Truthfully, feeding them my blood probably wasn't part of her original plan, but hey, desperate times call for desperate measures. Besides, they seemed healthier than ever. Who was she to argue with success?

She studied me for a long moment, her expression unreadable. Then, finally, she nodded. "Good. Keep it up."

Before Kraner could respond, she turned her attention back to the twins, crouching down to scoop the girl into her arms. The boy immediately started fussing, jealous of the attention. Typical sibling rivalry, even at this age.

"You've done well," she admitted grudgingly, glancing at me over her shoulder. "Better than I expected, honestly."

Kraner bowed slightly, masking my amusement behind a mask of humility. "Thank you, my lady. I only wish to serve."

Her lips twitched, like she wanted to roll her eyes but couldn't quite bring herself to do it. Instead, she shifted the baby onto her hip and straightened up, her regal posture returning in full force.

"I trust you're settling in well?" she asked, her tone casual but probing.

"As best as can be expected," I replied carefully. "Though I must admit, today has been particularly pleasant. Is everything alright with you, my lady? You seem… lighter."

To his surprise, she actually smiled—a genuine one, not the forced kind she usually reserved for public appearances. "Yes, actually. Things are going better than they have in years. My husband…" She hesitated, then shook her head dismissively. "He's stopped drinking, at least for now. Says he's found some new purpose."

My stomach dropped. For half a second, he thought he might've misheard her. Or maybe she was joking. But no, her expression was completely serious. Deadly serious.

"He mentioned having a conversation with someone recently," she continued, her voice sharpening slightly. "Someone who helped him see things differently."

'Oh. Shit.'

Kraner swallowed hard, forcing himself to stay calm. "Is that so?" I managed, injecting a note of curiosity into my voice. "That's wonderful news, my lady. Truly."

"Yes," she agreed, narrowing her eyes at me. "Wonderful indeed. Though I must admit, I'm curious about this mysterious benefactor of his. Do you happen to know anything about it?"

For a split second, he considered lying. Denying everything outright. But something told me she wouldn't buy it—not completely, anyway. So instead, he opted for partial truth.

"I may have spoken with Lord Ruxnard briefly last week," he admitted, choosing my words carefully. "But only to offer my condolences regarding his struggles. If he took something positive from our discussion, then I'm glad for it."

Lady Tanya stared at me for a long moment, her piercing gaze boring into mine like she was trying to peel back the layers of my soul. Finally, she sighed and looked away, shaking her head.

"You're an odd one, Kraner," she muttered, almost to herself. "But effective, I'll give you that."

With that, she turned and headed for the door, her entourage trailing obediently behind her. Just as she reached the threshold, she paused and glanced back at me.

"Don't make me regret trusting you," she warned, her voice low and cold.

"I wouldn't dream of it," he assured her, bowing deeply once more.

As the door clicked shut behind her, Kraner let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. That had been… uncomfortably close. Too close.

But at least one thing was clear: whatever game he was playing, Lady Tanya was starting to notice. And if he wasn't careful..

'She might just decide to take a closer look at the pieces on the board….including me.

Hmmm…need to increase my pace. How the fuck, can I make this bitch mine....' he thought in a bit of rage.