To Command and Collar (Masters of the Shadowlands, #6)(16)

Gabi broke in. “Don’t you even start thinking like—”

“It might not be a good idea to stay here,” Vance interrupted.

If she ran, where would she hide? The Overseer claimed they had people in every state. She had no money. Her arms wrapped around her legs. The tide was coming in, and it was black.

“Kimberly,” a low, resonant voice said. “Kimberly.” Master R’s voice.

She shuddered and looked at him.

His eyes held hers. “Better. You will listen to everything before you panic. You have options, chiquita.” His intent gaze stayed on her as he prompted, “Buchanan, go on.”

“We are trying to accomplish two things,” Vance said. “To keep you safe and to continue with the operation of shutting down the slavers in the Southeast quadrant. You have a couple of choices.” He waited for her nod. “We can put you into a witness-protection program. Sandoval will report you died—we can’t risk saying you escaped, in case they go after your family—and he’ll ask to buy another slave. The downside is your death would have to be public enough they’d know it was true. Your family would… It might be difficult for them.”

Kim stared. Have Mom think I’m dead? Is he insane? “What’s the other plan?” It must be better.

“We give up on having Sandoval attend the auction. Instead he’d refer someone else.”

“That sounds good,” Gabi said.

“It would be except for the Association’s fu—damned precautions. The only way to talk to the Overseer is at the follow-up visit.” Vance frowned at Kim. “The visit where he finds out if the customer is satisfied. Where he’ll expect to see you, Buchanan’s slave. A good slave, since otherwise you get returned.”

Kim felt the ground drop away. Be a slave. Meet the Overseer again?

“God, no.” Gabi scowled. “She can’t handle that.”

All the feeling had receded from Kim’s fingers. How white they’d gotten. Did she have any blood left inside her? “How long is the visit? How long would I have to pretend?” She’d have to see the Overseer. Deep inside her body, her bones shook like a Halloween skeleton in a cold wind.

“I’m not sure. Probably a couple of hours at least, maybe an evening.” Vance shook his head. “But, Kim, the problem is this: the Overseer doesn’t make contact for a few weeks. At that point, he’d expect to see a fairly well-trained slave. One who knows Sandoval—his habits, his protocols.”

“She could fake it.”

Vance snorted. “Don’t play stupid, Gabi. This isn’t something a slave picks up in an hour. When Marcus nods at the floor, does he mean strip and prostrate yourself, suck his cock, or present yourself doggy-style, or maybe kneel with your hands on your thighs? Or does he prefer your hands behind your head?”

With a sinking feeling, Kim saw Gabi’s understanding nod.

“But maybe she could be…well, kept in a separate room. Like Raoul only uses her for sex or something?” Gabi asked.

Master R shook his head. “During my interview with the Overseer, he asked what functions my slave would perform. I said I wanted service as well as sex. I never imagined being caught in this kind of situation.”

“Who could?” Vance asked. “So Kim would be expected to serve and be present in the room. Having her cringe if her master’s displeased wouldn’t be unusual, but cringing whenever he touches her—or even looks at her? No. Not knowing what to do when he motions for something?” Vance’s gaze turned to Kim, pity softening his blue eyes. “You can’t fake this kind of slavery, sweetie. You’d have to live with Sandoval starting now and actually be his slave, in order to act like one in front of someone as experienced as the Overseer.”

“I already told you no. I won’t have anything to do with this,” Master R said in a hard voice. “She can’t do it.”

The tiny amount of pride left in Kim flickered at how easily he’d dismissed her. She could do whatever she put her mind to. But the rest of her agreed. Go back to being a slave? No way.

But to have them tell her mother she was dead? Would Mom survive such a devastating blow? No.

“I don’t see any other choice,” Vance said. “Not if—”

“I bought her to free her, not to torment her further.” Master R interrupted. “She has enough nightmares without me adding to them. What if she panics when he’s there?”

“Not a deal-breaker,” Vance said. At the deadly look Master R gave him, he shrugged. “To still be struggling with her problems would be normal enough. So would jumpiness. But she can’t fake training she never gets. Most masters do some instruction, even for a sex slave. The kicker is that you not only asked for a service slave, you’re also known in the lifestyle as being an excellent teacher. I’m sorry, Raoul. You’ll have to train her—and you’ll have to touch her as well.”

“Maybe I could go and be there with her? It would be easier with…company or something,” Gabi offered.

Kim looked up. Maybe that—

Vance shook his head. “They do an extensive background on the buyers, so they know Sandoval lives alone. They might do some monitoring after the sale. For him to bring in another woman right after he buys a slave would be downright unlikely and would probably send up a warning flag.” He scowled. “They’re paranoid bastards.”