I didn't feel like going to another party, but I certainly didn't feel like spending the evening alone. Unfortunately, with Quatre in the hospital and Heero spending much of the day with him, my options were limited. Knowing this, long after Heero was gone I dragged myself out of bed that second day to dress and head to the party.

I was early to the party, which wasn't entirely unexpected, but I was surprised to find that Nanashi was not waiting for me. Upon asking where he was, I was told by another slave that he was bathing, and that he would come to me as soon as he was finished.

"Here to pick up your slave already?" the Duke asked with a smile. "Aren't we a little anxious?"

"Bored is more like it," I responded lightly, "and ready to take my new acquisition home so that we may become... better acquainted."

"But you will stay for the party, won't you?"

"I certainly wouldn't want to insult your hospitality, but you mustn't blame me if I duck out a little early."

"Excellent. I'm sure you'll enjoy the cuisine. One of my slaves is in charge of all the cooking. Of course, all the slaves can cook, including yours and- ... Oh! I almost forgot. I meant to give this to you," he said, handing me a small remote with a large red dial in the middle. I stared at it for a moment, unsure of what to do, as the Duke continued. "Nanashi will show you what to do with that," the Duke said as a slave wrapped in bright red ribbon and nothing else came up beside him. I put the remote in my pocket as his attention was diverted, resolved to ask Nanashi about it later. "Ah! Have you seen my newest pet? I get one every three months or so. Actually, Nanashi was my last pet, but he didn't work out as I had hoped. Perhaps you will have better luck. Well, anyway, this is Ribbon," the Duke said, taking the red-haired boy by the hand. I looked closer at the slight boy and made a shocking realization.

The ribbon, which I had previously thought wrapped around the boy, wrapped through him!

The ribbon began with his arms, stabbing through the soft flesh under his arms, then through the flesh covering his ribs, then back to his arms, so that he could only lift his arms to a certain height and lifting them caused the illusion of wings. From there, it descended in a spiral pattern around and through his stomach until it met his groin. Once there, the ribbon laced itself across his thighs and through the soft flesh on top and underneath his penis. Below that it merely laced back and forth to nearly the slave's ankles, restricting his movement and forcing him to take tiny steps. At his back, the ribbon was laced like a corset over the boy's spine until it tied in a neat bow at the bottom. It was a grotesque picture.

"I must admit," the Duke continued, "that Ribbon has much exceeded my expectations. A marvelous piece of work, much better than Nanashi. Ah, speaking of which, good luck with him," the Duke said, then moved away as Nanashi moved toward me. Like most slaves, Nanashi knelt in submission at my feet in greeting. I stifled the urge to roll my eyes and motioned for him to get up.

Nanashi looked tired and more worn than he had been when I last left. His face was pale and pasty. Upon closer inspection I noticed make-up partially hiding bags under his eyes. He looked ill, almost faint.

"Are you alright?" I asked before I could think of my words.

"I'm fine," Nanashi responded, never meeting my eyes, "Merely tired."

"Ah," I said, not truly understand what could have made him so tired but knowing that it must have been the Duke, "We will leave early, then, as soon as dinner is over. Until then, come sit with me in the library."

"You are too kind, master," Nanashi replied. Though his voice was only vaguely grateful his face told me what I needed to know as I saw the lines of relief standing out on his brow. My new slave had been through a hard night and deserved some rest. With that in mind, I led the way to the library, which had been so peaceful the night before.

Unfortunately, we were not the first there this night. Instead, the library had been converted into an arena for this night's entertainment, with all the furniture having been pushed to the walls, leaving the center open. A long-haired slave was tied and gagged in the middle of the library's large rug while a group of three lecherous masters watched with glee and impatience.

The creature, who was gagged but not blindfolded, had the most stunning purple eyes, which turned to me the instant I entered the room with a beseeching and only partially aware look. He was not crying, but his eyes were wet with unshed tears. His hands were tied in front of him, making him look as though he were begging.

One of the men came from the corner of the room to the boy and knelt behind him. Immediately, the tears were singed away by a fire that came from deep within the boy. He kicked with his legs, lashing out at the man behind him, catching him feebly in the shoulder and knocking him backwards. It only served to enrage the bigger, brutish master, who now grabbed the boy's head and slammed it into the floor.

"Damn brat!" the man yelled, a hand going to his belt as he held the boy down by his hair. "I'll teach you manners, sewer scum!" he yelled, pulling the belt from his trousers and holding it above his head like a weapon. It gleamed in the candle light, catching the boy's eyes, which were suddenly filled with terror.

There was nothing I could do to stop myself. If it hadn't been for Quatre's experience, perhaps I could have allowed it, but even that is not for certain. Perhaps, because I still had a soul, I could never truly be a master. I was fine with that knowledge, as long as no one else was privy to the secret.

Whatever the cause, I darted in and grabbed the man's hand before he could bring the belt down on the naked slave's back. The man looked at me, startled, as I glared down at him, unrelenting.

"What's the meaning of this?" he asked, beginning to get self-righteously angry.

"There's no need to beat him so, sir. I assure you, he can do very little damage, as small and thin as he is. I'm sure the bindings, also, would not aide him."

"Don't underestimate the bitch," he said with a sneer. "That one's been through battles with slaves bigger 'en me and came out on top."

"There's still no reason to be cruel. If you were a bit more patient, perhaps he'd behave better. Besides, there's no use in seriously damaging a slave."

"Especially a slave that is not yours," the Duke's voice chimed in behind me. "I assure you, Master Caldwell, that if I had been forced to pay full price for the Shinigami because you had damaged him there would have been a bounty of the same price on your head."

"I wasn't..." he protested, but the Duke cut him off.

"Save it. I saw the whole thing. Now go get drunk and beat your own slaves or I'll be forced to throw you out."

The man left with a huff, jerking away from my hold before storming out. I looked down at the shaking boy before me. If this was really the Shinigami, I was far from impressed.