Kenneth had over slept. Typical. He rolled over to find the room completely dark and the bed empty. This didn’t surprise him at all; Natalia often woke before he did and left unceremoniously. He knew that she would be hard at work digging up references to the vampire and wolves’ ancestors, and being diligent about not letting anyone know what it was she was really researching. If Alessandro knew that she was digging up their past he would want to know why, and he didn’t want anyone to know what was going on, at least not until he knew what was going on. The whole thing might lead to a dead end and then he would have to start over, from nothing. And nothing often had a way of turning into more nothing.
He got up and went to his closet. He grabbed a decent set of clothes for his meeting with Alessandro tonight. He never questioned his return to Alessandro’s tower tonight. One way to end up dead was not to do what Alessandro specifically told you to do. If one were ever thwarted trying to fulfill a master’s direction, those occasions were usually met with prudence and evenhandedness. Disobedience, however, was always met with death and it usually wasn’t quick.
He made a hasty call to Michael and waited. He did not indulge in wine this evening. He came down the stairs and found his scrawny student, Jessica waiting for him. He lifted his eyes heavenward and heaved a sigh. What does this girl want and why right now?
She was kneeling in the respectful position that he had taught her. That stance was one that he admired, but it was a rare thing. He preferred his students to be somewhat informal with him, made excusing the behavior of complete devotion to him easier to anyone else who may be present and prevent uncomfortable questions. She obviously had something worth saying.
“Speak,” he said flatly.
The girl maintained her gaze at the floor and answered demurely, “Instructor, I want to thank you for teaching me and sending me to my teacher to learn.”
This was unexpected and frivolous. What was the girl thinking? “Thank you, Jessica. Now, get up,” he replied more impatiently than he wanted to sound. He had to be careful around her now. With no sense of self opinion, she could take anything he did or said literally and set herself back months.
“Jessica,” he said in a much gentler tone, “Stand up, please.”
The girl raised herself from the floor with a grace that she had never shown before. He paused to admire her; where her movements should have been ungainly or awkward, she was now the opposite. Maybe she had needed a good kick in her ego to finally be molded to his wishes.
He took her hand, led her over to the couch and let her sit down. She maintained the picture of perfect regality. The way she moved, the way she held her eyes in rapt admiration, maybe he should be more forceful with all his students at first. He couldn’t keep a satisfied smile from creeping across his face. If she kept up this kind of progress, she might be ready for the next level.
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He sat down facing her in the opposite chair. The girl was wearing a tight blue glittery skirt. Her stomach was bare, showing her pale skin. He could make out a slight outline of muscle there but that was mainly because of the girl’s thinness. She wore a form fitting halter top that faded from blue to pink. It looked like it could be taken off easily. Her shoes were tinted blue platforms with six inch heels. She was working tonight.
“Jessica, I’m pleased with the progress you’ve made.” Except for your complete inability to gain any kind of muscle. He smiled at her, “You attitude is much improved since last night. Did something happen?”
Jessica’s face split into a huge smile and if he didn’t know any better, he would have said that she glowed. “Instructor! Thank you so much!” The girl brimmed with excitement. “You don’t know what that means to me! I don’t know what to say.”
Kenneth smiled at her warmly, “Say nothing, except that you are happy with me and you wouldn’t want to change your new life in any way.”
Jessica nodded, “I am happy Instructor. I don’t want to change my new life in any way. I didn’t know how happy I could be until you found me.” Tears started welling in her eyes, “Thank You, Instructor.”
Kenneth nodded to the girl. “Yes, yes, of course Jessica, my very special and wonderful student.” He pointedly glanced at the clock on the wall opposite him. “Now shouldn’t you be getting off to work?”
The girl spun around in her seat, looking at the clock. “Oh yes!” She said as she stood up wiping at her tears. She stood up and Kenneth followed suit. For a moment it looked as if she was actually going to touch him, instead she lowered her eyes to floor. “Thank you, Instructor.” She said as she turned around and hurried out the door.
Kenneth watched the stripper leave. She had attained a grace that he would have thought beyond her. What he had done to her was necessary and she was much more obedient and pleasing to him. He might try to up her training regimen. She seemed to be blinded to everything except her devotion to him. Maybe he would try dropping some hints about her physique. Maybe her inability to gain any muscle mass or tone had been a mental block that she had somehow managed to keep in place even over his influence. Now with a stronger hold over her, she might actually start to improve that bean pole she called a body.
There was a solid knock at the door. Michael stood outside respectfully waiting. Kenneth shook his head. He was impatient to get this meeting with Alessandro over with, now that it was upon him, he felt like he would rather put it off for a few more hours.
Of course, that wouldn’t do and so Kenneth grabbed his “official” ledger from the drawer of his desk and departed.
The drive back to his master’s officer building was uneventful, but troubling. Had this duplicate ledger been made carefully enough? Had he admitted to enough of his funds and growth to placate his master’s suspicions? He started to doubt that he would make it out of this building alive if he ever went in. And then after a few impossibly short minutes, Michael pulled his Jaguar into the stupidly clean underground parking lot. He had been committed to this long before now. Michael opened the door, and steadying himself, he smoothly exited the car and got into the elevator.
He knew this meeting was just as precarious as last night. Still, he felt a bit of optimism as the elevator raised him to the executive floor. Alessandro had forgiven him once and given him a chance to “come clean” as the saying went, this meant that he still had some weight and pull and with his master.
The elevator doors silently opened onto the glass and metal expanse of Alessandro’s office. His master was sitting serenely behind his massive desk with the glass top, his hands folded gently in front of himself.