This was a mistake.
They were the only words that passed through Jeanne's head as she took in the sights and sounds of the party. Exposed flesh and wandering hands in every direction. They had entered a den of sin, and each second they spent here threatened to drag them down into an abyss of decadent decay.
The tug on her collar drew a gasp from her lips, demanding her attention. Mr. Araragi was speaking to her, so softly she wasn't sure it she heard him right, "Last chance to back out..."
"I..." She started, not quite finding the words. Get out, her mind begged of her, get out now! But that would be cowardice, and how could she be a coward now, before Mr. Araragi? How could she be a coward while so many victims cried out for justice? With a deep breath, Jeanne steeled her spine. "I am okay, Mist-Master!" The last word stumbled out, as she nearly forgot her place and role before him. He looked her over, leaving her unsure if he was appraising her mental state or her body. With a nod that did not settle the matter, he led her into the main room of the manor.
"We should split up," Mr. Araragi noted, glancing around, "We will cover more ground this way. Many men here might try to approach you, and engage in lewd acts with you. You just need to tell them your master would not approve."
"Right," Jeanne agreed, glancing around and trying to decide where to begin her investigation. It was difficult to focus as the sounds and scents of sex wafted through the air. Debauchery distracted her, until another pretty girl walked up with a glass of colorful liquid on a serving plate.
"Master bought this for you. He thinks you are too tense," she informed Jeanne, offering the drink.
"Master did?" she repeated, feeling suddenly nervous and embarrassed. What if she wasn't able to find their target because she wasn't fitting in? She really didn't want to mess up like this, so she accepted the drink and took a swallow. It was sweet. Fruity, with a hint of alcohol. Much to her surprise, Jeanne found she liked it, taking a drink, and then another, craving it more each time until the glass was empty.
"Enjoyed that, didn't you?" the voice came from behind her. Gruff and unfamiliar, it was not her master's voice. She turned to see the speaker, a tall, muscular man with short blond hair. Not like her master.
"I..I did," she admitted, sheepish, feeling her skin grow hot and red. He stepped even closer now, close enough to reach her leash.
"Are you all alone, little slave?" The words were menacing, sending a shiver down her spine and coiling in her stomach.
"No, my master is close by," she assured the man, trying to back up some. One step back, and another, she bumped into another firm body. Another man who was not her master.