Chapter 10

The door opened…
And this time, 27 was already in position.

Kneeling. Back straight. Hands resting neatly on her thighs. Eyes lowered. She didn’t move. She waited.

Viv stepped in first.

She paused just inside the doorway, heels quiet against the floor, gaze sweeping over 27 slowly taking in every detail.

The posture. The stillness. The restraint. The obedience, exactly what she wanted.

Elara followed behind her. Beautiful and Flawless as always.

She noticed immediately.

“Well,” Elara murmured softly, “look at you.”

27 didn’t react. Didn’t look up. Viv stepped closer.

“Eyes,” she said.

27 lifted her gaze instantly. Held it. Viv watched her for a moment. Then lowered her hand.

27 dropped her gaze again.

Perfect.

A beat of silence passed. “Good Girl,” Viv said. The word landed differently this time.

Heavier.

27 felt it.

Something in her chest tightened. Not from fear. From something worse. From acceptance.

Viv circled her slowly. “You’re learning structure,” she said. “Faster than most.”

A pause.

“Do you know why that matters?” Viv lifted her hand.

Permission.

27 swallowed. “…because you want control.” Her voice sounded small and weak.

Viv lowered her hand. “No,” she said.

“Because it gives you purpose.”

Silence.

Viv stepped in front of her again. “Right now, your thoughts are scattered,” she continued. “Survival. Resistance. Questions.” Her gaze sharpened. “That’s inefficient.”

Elara leaned casually against the wall, watching with quiet interest. Viv crouched slightly, bringing herself closer to 27’s level. “That changes now,” she said.

A pause.

“Your thoughts should be simple.”

Viv lifted her hand.

Permission.

27 hesitated, Then spoke. “…what kind of thoughts?”

Viv lowered her hand.

“The right ones,” she said. “Us.” Viv’s gaze held hers. “What we need,” she continued. “What we expect. How to respond.”

Her voice softened slightly, not gentle, but controlled. “You don’t need anything else.” The words settled in slowly.

Elara shifted slightly, watching 27’s expression carefully. Staying silent the whole time.

27’s fingers twitched against her thighs.

Viv noticed.

“Repeat it,” she said.

A pause. “My thoughts—” Viv lifted her hand. Permission. “…my thoughts should only be about you,” 27 said.

Viv lowered her hand. “And?” she prompted. Permission again. “…what you need.”

“And?”

A smaller pause this time.

“…how to respond.”

Viv studied her for a long moment.

Then, she stood. “Good Girl,” she said. The words hit deeper this time.

And 27 felt it again, That tightening in her chest. That quiet, dangerous pull.

Viv turned slightly toward Elara.

“She earns something,” she said.

Elara’s brows lifted. “Oh?” she said, pushing off the wall.

Viv looked back at 27. “Stand.” 27 obeyed immediately.

The chain shifted softly as she rose, body still slightly unsteady but faster now. More controlled. Viv moved toward the door on the opposite side of the room.

“Come,” she said.

27 hesitated, just for a second.

Viv didn’t turn around. But her voice sharpened.
“Now.” 27 followed.

The chain allowed just enough. The door opened. And for the first time, 27 saw something different. Something new

A bathroom. Clean. Bright. Too clean. This wasn’t the broom closet that she used the bathroom in.  Has this always been there? It’s hard to see in pitch black.

The contrast made her pause. “Inside,” Viv said. 27 stepped in slowly.

The air felt warmer here. Softer. Elara entered behind her, closing the door.

Viv moved past them both, turning on the water with precise movements.

The sound filled the room. 27 stood still. Uncertain. Watching.

“Tonight,” Viv said, adjusting the temperature, “you’re being taken care of.” The words felt strange.

27 frowned slightly. “Why?” she asked. Viv didn’t answer immediately.

Instead, Viv tested the water. Adjusted it again. “Because you followed structure,” she said. “And I reward that.”

Elara stepped closer. “Don’t look so confused,” she murmured. Her voice was softer now. Closer.

27 felt it before she fully processed it, The brush of fingers along her arm. Light. Electrifying.  She stiffened.

Elara noticed. A small smile. “Still jumpy,” she said.

Viv turned the water off. “Get in.”

27 hesitated again. Then obeyed. She hadn’t had any clothes since she’d been taking anyways.

The warmth hit her skin instantly. She inhaled sharply. It had been too long. Too cold. She sank slowly into the water, tension in her body resisting at first then loosening despite herself.

Viv watched carefully. “Relax,” she said. It wasn’t a suggestion. 27 tried.

Her shoulders dropped slightly. Her breathing slowed. Elara crouched beside the tub.

Closer now. Too close.

“You clean up well,” she murmured.

Her fingers traced lightly along 27’s shoulder, down her back. Curious, 27 tensed again.

Viv’s voice cut in immediately. “Don’t react to her,” she said. A pause. “Focus.”

27 swallowed. Forced herself to still. Elara’s hand drifted lower, and lower and in between her thighs. 27 felt her thumb craze against her core,  Then back up again.

Testing. Viv watched both of them. “Your thoughts,” she reminded. 27 closed her eyes briefly.

“On you,” she murmured. Viv nodded once.

Better.

Time passed slowly. Too slowly. The water cooled slightly. Viv finally stepped forward again.

“That’s enough.” 27 stood carefully. Water dripping from her skin. Vulnerable, exposed, But something had shifted.

Viv handed her a towel. “Dry off.”

27 obeyed. Movements slower now. More aware.

When she finished, Viv placed something on the bed behind her. A thick blanket. A pillow.

27 stared at them. It felt like a gift from the gods. The thin blanket and lack of a pillow, and the fact that the room felt like 60 degrees every night. Was hell. But this..this was what she needed.

“Tonight,” Viv said, “you sleep properly.” A pause. “You earned that.”

Elara leaned back slightly, watching her reaction. 27 hesitated,  Then moved toward the mattress. Sat. Touched the blanket. Soft. Too soft.

She wrapped it around herself slowly. Her body sank into it without permission. Relief hit her. Sharp. Immediate. She hated it.

Viv saw everything. Of course she did. “That feeling,” Viv said quietly, “comes from us.” A pause. “Remember that.” Silence.

27 tightened the blanket around herself. Her thoughts,  They weren’t scattered anymore. They weren’t loud. They weren’t fighting. They were quieter. Simpler. About them.

And that..

That scared her more than anything else. Because for the first time, When she closed her eyes, She wasn’t thinking about escape. She was thinking about them.

About her Mistresses…