The door flew from the hinges, shouts could be heard from beyond the ruined portal, and as one entity, the group inside stood and backed up until we formed a human shield around Devon. It may not have been a cult, but we had our recognized leaders. I noticed Hades, Kali, and a few others were being quietly shifted through the ranks until they too stood beside Devon, and behind us. The figure that strode through the ruined portal was the same one who had taken Dream from me. She was buxom, with her hair died an impossible shade of red, and at the moment that red matched her complexion which was flushed with rage. I felt Rose cringe and try to hide behind me. I reached out a hand and found hers. While the woman stood in the splinters and settling dust, I turned to Rose, it was impetuous I knew, but I felt, at the same time, that it was right; "Rose, be my slave, for the next year, pledge yourself to me." I reached across her and nudged Hades so we would have a witness. He turned and while I watched Rose's expression go from fear to joy, I repeated my request. "Pledge yourself to me, for a year."

"Oh yes Master! Yes!" She glanced back at Hades. "I pledge to be your slave for the span of a year, to start immediately." Hades checked his watch and from nowhere he pulled a notepad and pen that he held poised as he looked at me.

"I accept your service and your love Rose. For the period of a year, I will be your master." Hades nodded, scribbled something in his notebook and snapped it shut. I looked up behind him and saw Kali nodding to herself. There was a satisfied smile on her face. Then the intruder began to speak and we turned back to face her.

"You make me sick, all your talk of equality and fair play and here you are, sequestered away calmly deciding who to keep and who to throw away as it suits you." Her face had gone from solid red to mottled gray. She was so far from beauty that she almost came out the other end, almost but not quite.

Devon spoke from the back of the room, he spread his arms and a clear path opened between him and the woman. "You have it all wrong Ariana. The decision was made long ago, not by a secret cabal, as you seem to expect, but by yourselves. We speak of equality and you treat your slaves like chattel, we speak of fair play and you and you kind have conspired to control a free exchange of information and friendship. I know you will probably bring up tolerance next, you and your kind have shown no tolerance for the slightest infraction of a slave, nor have you shown patience for the beliefs that brought this club into existence. You have never shown respect to any single person, including your own self-righteous self. This intrusion on a private lunch between my friends and myself is intolerable, now get out. Get out of my club, get out of my house, get out and do not come back." His delivery was a calm as the eye of a storm.

Ariana swayed for a moment and I thought she was going to burst something, instead she turned once, then turned back. Spittle and froth sprayed from her lips when she shouted, "This is not over! You are all going to regret this!" And with that she swept out of the room; well tried to anyway. She ruined her exit by tripping first over the fallen door, and then over the two burly men who must have been the ones to actually break down the door. She screamed in incoherent rage and then was gone.

Two people I didn't know stood and went to the doorway. One of them grabbed the door and dragged it out of the portal. The other pressed a hidden switch and a metal door slid out of the wall, firmly closing off the ruined hole. They returned to the table. Devon motioned everyone back to their seats and this time he too sat. He took another sip from his water glass and collected his thoughts. "I stand corrected." He said finally. His voice was tinged with sadness. "In the past, these little house cleanings have been a little frantic, but this is the first time we have had to deal with people in person. I had not thought they would go to such great lengths." He paused and lit a cigarette. He stared at the burning tip quietly before he continued.

"OK folks, apparently we are at war. Let me say this, if this escalates to actual fighting; we will pack everything and everyone and live in tents until the castle is done. We will send people back for the stragglers, but we will not resort to violence ourselves. As much as I would like to turn a few of those twits into punching bags, there are too many of them. And, if Ariana is any indication, they are not rational. I have a feeling it may escalate to bloodshed if we join them on their battlefield." He looked about to continue when there came a pounding at the metal door.

Hades got up and went to the door where he opened a panel beside it and looked at something. "Ah, Francis, of course." I realized I hadn't even seen Francis leave in all the excitement. Hades opened the door, let Francis in, and resealed it behind him. "What's going on out there Francis?"

Francis hunched one shoulder and spoke in a grinding nasally tone. "The peasants master, the peasants are at the gates!"

"Francis we don't have time for this right now, tell me in plain English what is going on out there." Hades turned as Devon admonished Francis. Francis on the other hand spun a full circle, removed his floppy white tri-corn cap, and bowed.

"As you wish Lord Devon. I present my report for your perusal. There are a large number of people in the halls wandering around. They look lost and a little confused, but mostly they look very worried about the smoke coming from the dance floor." The uproar was instantaneous. Hades rushed back to the table and together he and Kali headed for a panel in the wall beside the door through which Devon had entered. Kali pressed a few buttons and then stepped back to give Hades access while she spoke.

"He's right Devon, the monitors are showing fire on the dance floor, mostly concentrated at the north bar, but it looks as though it's also spreading to the floor above."

Hades spoke haltingly from the panel. "It looks like, uh, yeah, it looks like everyone has left the floor, but, hmm," He paused and Kali made impatient gestures with her hands. "OK, got it. It looks like just about everyone is out. There are a few people still inside, but they are nearly right in front of the doors. They are probably standing there making sure no one gets left behind. The fire is making it hard to see if absolutely everyone has left the dance floor, but I think..." He trailed off again and Kali took over for him.

"He's directing the automated fire system to flood the area Devon. Sorry about the floor, but the fire should be out pretty quickly. I suggest we send a few people down now with extinguishers and flashlights to double check since the smoke and steam will be pretty nasty and could suffocate anyone who might still be down there."

"Oh, no worries about the lights, I've brought on the cleaning lights and-oh damn. Forget I said that." Hades went back to typing madly on the keyboard. He was swearing at it under his breath now, and some of it drifted over the stunned silence. "...all right bitch, we'll see who is boss here...Well, what if I. Oops..." And then Devon took control of the room.

RG, you, Bettie and Raven grab flashlights, breathers and fire extinguishers and go check it out. If anyone tries to stop you, beat them senseless with the fire extinguishers, but don't leave them where they could be cut off by the fire." He assigned a few people I hadn't met to be a second team and then directed everyone else out the back door. I unclipped the leash from Rose's collar in case people panicked, reassured her that it was just until we got where we were going, and took her hand. We filed out of the room in the most orderly retreat I had ever seen and soon Rose and I were among the mass of people moving through yet another tunnel behind the walls of the club. Just before we left I saw Kali take Hades' arm and lead him, still muttering, away from the control panel.

The tunnel we left through was different from those I'd seen before. Where those had been dimly lit hallways with paneling and finished floor and an overall feel of still being part of the house, this one went from a similar form to an actual stonework tunnel very quickly. I could smell the damp, and our footsteps echoed off the walls making conversation difficult. At one point Rose tugged on my sleeve and I leaned to her to hear what she was saying. When I still couldn't hear, I picked her up and held her to me while I followed along.

"These tunnels are from the civil war Master." She leaned her head against my chest and spoke. "They were originally used to shuttle slaves out as part of the underground railroad." I was fascinated and said as much, she continued. "I'm not sure where this one lets out, but I do know there are a number of these and they all lead to secluded places far from the house. The newer tunnels are all Devon's doing, mostly he just built new doors to allow people to get around the old halls he walled off and built secret rooms in the walls themselves. Pretty cool hunh?"

I agreed and tried to keep my eyes on the dimly lit path ahead of me. I thought I could see a glimmer of sunlight off in the distance, but for the moment widely spaced lights in the ceiling lighted the tunnel. I glanced up and saw the wires had not even been concealed here. Wide strips of duct tape and large blobs of glue held them to the ceiling. I wondered if this tunnel had ever been used during Devon's time here, or if it was something he had added lights to and then forgotten about. I remembered his entry through the same door, but I had seen a few turnings in the tunnel that led to well-lit, wood paneled halls before we reached this older passage. I realized I had been lost in thought when someone bumped into me from behind and Rose whispered in my ear. "Master?"

I started and hurried to catch up. Rose spoke again. "Master? Did you mean what you said in the war room?"

"Yes Rose, I did. I still don't know how good a master I will be, but I intend to be yours. And, if we can rescue her from that psycho, Dream's as well."

"Oh that would be cool Master! You are so much nicer than Ariana, and Dream and I have been friends since she joined." I stumbled a bit in surprise. I had obviously had a few things backward in my mind. First off I had worried that Rose would be upset about my wanting to have Dream at the same time, but as it turned out I had forgotten that this group was not bound by the same warped misconceptions of monogamy or jealousy. I had also thought that Rose was newer to the club. Her quiet demeanor and occasional mood swings had led me to believe she was both younger and new to the club than Dream.

"How long have you been a part of the club Rose?" I had to ask. Now I was curious.

"Since just after I got my Master's degree Master." She giggled at the play on words and snuggled into me. "That would make it four years now." She sighed happily and kissed my shoulder. The sadness that had haunted her from the beginning was gone. I hoped for good. I was startled by the fact that she had a Master's degree. I had not made it very far in the college world myself, mostly a few classes at the junior college and joking stab at choosing a major.   And here in my arms I held a woman who had achieved a degree that took at least five years and an amazing amount of dedicated study to achieve. And she had pledged herself to serve me for the span of the next year. Wow.

"Umm." I pulled out that word again, it was an old friend and in times of confusion, it worked well. "What was your major?" I finished lamely.

"Hmm? Oh I had a double major in Psychology and Sociology. I wanted to understand people you know? I ended up getting the invite here from my human sexuality teacher after she read my thesis paper." Rose kissed my cheek and lay her head back down on my shoulder. Her voice drifted into my ear as she went on in a dreamy voice. "She was a great lover. She'd been a member of the club from way back before there was a club. She ended up leaving when she married and decided she needed a monogamous relationship. Her husband was here too. Oh but don't get the wrong idea, you would not believe how many members we have that are married. That was a big part of my thesis paper actually, I discussed a multicultural view of marriage as a non-monogamous relationship versus the protestant view of marriage as a two person no entry no exit relationship. It went over poorly with the more religious faculty, but everyone else loved it."

I was amazed and told her so. I had defended her honor and the honor of all slaves when I'd stood up to Reginald during breakfast, but I had had no idea how little I really understood. I had held a view of Rose and other slaves as existing in a vacuum, waiting for a master to appear and then having no life or interests but those of their master. It was freeing to realize that I wouldn't have to suddenly come up with every minute of Rose's life when we were no longer running. I must have been thinking out loud because Rose giggled in my ear and responded to my thoughts.

"No Master, you don't have to control my life to quite that extent. I need to be owned and controlled yes, but I'm not an empty bottle that you have to fill every minute of the day. Of course I do need more maintenance than your average girlfriend, but if you can convince Dream to join us, you can always order us to keep each other amused when you need time to yourself." She laughed this time, a deep thrilling laugh that set my nerves on fire and made me suddenly very aware of the way she was rhythmically pressing herself to my pelvis. I brushed her hair out of the way with my lips and kissed her behind the ear. My arms were starting to tire, but I was loath to set her down while we were both so obviously sharing the close contact.

A few steps and a few kisses later, I was forced to set her down as we reached a flight of steps leading upward. The path had become broader, though no less dank, and in carrying Rose I had slowed and been passed by nearly everyone. When we reached a point on the stair that I found to be no different than any other I heard Hades behind me ask if there was anyone behind them. Kali answered in the negative and I turned to see what had caused the questioning. Rose wrapped her hand in mine and waited patiently while we watched Hades pull a stone from the wall and press a hidden button. I gaped as the stones of the floor rose into the air and created a dead end behind us. Kali looked up and grinned. "I love that thing. The tunnel continues on underneath the stairs and doubles back to another entrance in the Mansion. That way no one can find our little exit. Now you two get a move on or you'll be late for your ride." I had no idea what she was talking about, but I turned and Rose and I hurried up the stair.

We exited the tunnel and entered an airy light-filled room, for a moment Rose and I stood blinking and letting our eyes adjust to the sudden change in light. When my eyes no longer stung, I looked around. We were standing in a huge garage. Everyone was milling around, half of the crowd looked familiar with the place and they were gravitating to preferred rides, the other half were wandering from vehicle to vehicle exclaiming and touching. Hades and Kali came up behind us and made a beeline for an old bone white Mercedes. The thing looked older than I, and I took Roses hand and went looking for Bettie or Devon to find out what our next move would be. I found both of them leaning on Limousine with smoked windows and an amazing purple paint job. The doors were closed, but I could tell from the rocking that at least a few people were already inside.  Devon was talking quietly with Bettie and RG. Apparently they had made their way through the Mansion and made their way here by some alternate route.

RG was talking with some animation. "It looks like the fire was completely accidental Devon. The bar itself is toast, but not a whole lot else. It looks like there is some superficial damage to the ceiling above, and there are a few places in the floor that will need to be shored up and repaired, but most of the damage is from the water. It looks like the fire was started by a cigarette, a spilled glass of bourbon, and time. The cigarette burned down, fell over into the booze and whoosh. Although it's a beautiful way to make a real arson look like a mistake, I think the ones we suspect would be more the firebomb type. The only broken glass was from bottles that exploded in the bar, and I couldn't find any sign of a second fire being started anywhere. I'm guessing it was one of her henchmen, but I think it was an honest mistake on their part. The worst we could nail them with there would be criminal stupidity."

"It's just as well RG, we don't want to drag this through the courts. Did anyone see any signs of officials? Police or fire people, anything like that?"

Bettie and RG both shook their heads and then the other group that had been sent out to check showed up. They were bruised and one had a limp, but they were all smiling and gesturing. Devon repeated his question and they answered in the negative. Devon breathed a sigh of relief and turned to the room.

"OK everyone, it looks like the fire was an honest mistake. We've got it stopped and very little damage has been done. I think, in the light of Ariana's most overt actions this morning it would be safer by far to relocate anyway. This particular fire was an accident, but I don't know if the next one will be. Let's get to the cars and get out of here. We are going to the lake house, everyone make sure someone in each car knows where that is. We don't want to make this a caravan and make it any easier for the twits to follow us." And with that he leaned down and opened the back door of the Limo. The woman I had seen earlier with Devon poked her head out with a slightly pouty expression on her face; the pout was beautifully offset by a perfect lipstick mark surrounding her left nipple. A second, tousled blond head poked out next to hers and asked if they were ready to go yet. Devon nodded and gestured Rose, myself and the searcher with a black eye into the Limo. Bettie blew me a kiss and then she and the others headed off to other cars.

As soon as we were settled Rose snuggled herself down and began to nuzzle my lap. In the light of the fact that the two blondes were barely half dressed and already back at each other's nipples, I gave her free reign while I tried to listen to the conversation Devon was having with the bruised man who had joined us.

"We ran into the two thugs that kicked open our door this morning, Ariana must have left them to find their own way out when the fire alarm started going. They wanted to start something, but while I was busy beating them senseless with my eye, the others whacked the thugs with fire extinguishers. We checked them for pulses and dragged them to the entrance. I think they were honestly the only two left in the house." He poked ruefully at his black eye and reached across the blondes for ice from the bar. When he was happy with his dripping napkin ice pack, he shifted to a leather-covered seat that ran the length of the Limo and lay down to relax.

I looked around the interior while we maneuvered out of the garage and saw that the entire interior of the vehicle had been redone in black leather and silver highlights. The leather still bore that new car smell and the only scents combating it was that of the combined arousal coming off Devon's blondes and Rose. I reached down and stroked Rose's back as she nuzzled into my stomach and seemed content to just lay still against me. I shifted my gaze to the two writhing bodies on the seat next to Devon; the blond I had seen with him in the war room has shifted so she had her head in his lap. She was currently arching her back and gasping as the other blond buried her face between the first blonde's thighs. They were wearing matching white miniskirts that, at the moment, were doubling as belts, and nothing else.

Devon smiled and looked up at me. "Xeno, let me introduce Missy Dark, call her MD" He gestured at the blond in his lap who moaned in response. "And Krista." The second blond lifted a glistening face from between MD's thighs and showed me her brilliant green eyes.

"Hey, isn't anyone going to join us?" She asked. And then she bent to her task. MD, who had relaxed against Devon's thigh for a moment arched her back again and came, suddenly and loudly. She reached down with both hands and pulled Krista to her while she rode the girl's face. Devon smiled and ran a hand over MD's bare breasts, which elicited further gasps and shudders. Either the noise or my growing arousal must have woken Rose from her catnap, because she purred into my thigh and began kissing her way across the leather.