08

I'm so sorry, guys, I uploaded this like a week ago and it kept getting rejected because of stupid formatting reasons so if this gets rejected a fourth time for the same damn reason, I'm going off the bloody wall. (mini rant, ignore me)

Hello, you wonderful people. So thanks to my editor, this chapter came out sooner than I intended. Edited by the lovely AdrianaBelen, btw.

To new readers, read the previous installments. Also, I'm trying to get the edited versions of ch.1-6 to replace the ones already posted without deleting any of the lovely and helpful comments. As always comment and rate, I eat them up like strawberries.

By Night, My Love Ch. 3 will be posted after I post up the mm pirate story. Its turning out a bit long at 10,000 plus words so I was wondering if you guys want me to just upload the whole thing or upload it in two installments. Let me know via comments 

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Ch. 7

"What's the Maze Meet?"

Cass and Mina looked at each other uncomfortably, passing a silent message to each other.

Tibby frowned at them. "Oh, c'mon. It's not like I'm going to sneak out and go to the thing anyway." Well, maybe not. Actually...definitely. She'd been cooped in her room the whole day. Ezekiel had come but Daniel had accompanied him as well. He had pretended to tinker with her walls, at least she thought so. Everything had been so technical and professional, his hand not even brushing her skin even once. It was almost as if last night hadn't happened. She'd tried to talk to him but he ignored her silent pleas.

"Actually, that's exactly what we think. And this is not an event for a sweet girl like you," Cass warned.

"Would you prefer I ask one of the guests what the event is all about? Maybe my friend Lucien Wolf? After all, he did offer to escort me around the place." Tibby hadn't told them that Daniel forbade her anyway.

"You play dirty. Please stay away from Lucien." Mina, ever the worrier, said.

"Yes, yes, every man I meet is bad for me, stay away from all of them. I know, I know. Now can I please know what the event is? I'm dying of curiosity here," Tibby pleaded.

"It's...well, it's sort of like a chase through the maze," Cass hedged, but she was clearly leaving something out. Tibby rolled her hand in a motion for her to continue.

With a resigned sigh, Mina explained. "Everyone is blindfolded. The players send out hints about themselves. Since you have a MentalMap, you'll be able to receive these messages but as a human you won't be able to send one back. Which means you can't say no if you want to refuse a man's-"

"Or woman's," Cass added, and Mina glared at her. "What?" Cass looked offended, throwing her arms up. "That's I how met my girlfriend."

"You met her at a Maze Meet? But I thought only the guests were allowed to participate." Tibby interjected.

Cass snorted. "Where do you think they got the idea of a debauched game like this? We simple people have an annual event like this but nothing on the scale as the Midnight Gardens."

"And this game is a bit different. You don't exactly say no once you do get caught," Mina continued.

"And what exactly, hypothetically, can't I say no to?" Now that she knew what it was, she had no intention of going but that didn't mean she couldn't tease Mina a bit.

"Tibby!" Mina gasped. "You said you wouldn't you go!"

Cass chuckled. "Pfft, you really think she is going to be staying in here when lover boy Ezekiel is going to be attending?"

Tibby perked up at that bit of information. He hadn't told her he'd be going. Maybe she needed to rethink not going.

"Oh, god Cass, I can see the wheels turning in Tibby's head. Tibby, I expressly forbid you from going."

That made Tibby smile, reminding her so much of her mother. "At the risk of sounding like a hormonal teen...You're not the boss of me, you can't tell me what to do."

Unwillingly, Mina laughed. "Yes, but Daniel is, and imagine how many guards he'll put on you if I even hint at what you're thinking."

"Now who's playing dirty?" Tibby pouted.

A beep sounded and Cass looked down at her PACT, frowning as she read the message.

"Mina, we have to get going. Boss is calling. And Tibby, for the first time in my life, I'm going to back up Mina here and tell you to glue your ass to that seat for tonight. There will be other fun nights before this thing is over."

The thought of the event coming to an end reminded Tibby that soon, she would be going back to her gilded cage above her brother's lucrative brothel. Her face fell. She made friends here; not only that, she met a man that she was just getting to know, a man who kissed her like she was the only woman on Earth. She didn't want this event to end, but for her friends, she put on a smile and saw them out.

She waited for fifteen minutes before she went about her plan. She hadn't intended on staying in her room in the first place. Since Daniel would be far away, and most of the guests would be at the Maze Meet, she'd thought to take advantage of the temporary lull in activity and explore around the Palace.

Taking out the preassembled outfit of comfy black pants and a shirt, she hesitated before pushing that aside for a dress. After all, she reasoned, if anyone found her wandering around they would just assume that she was lost or a hiding player from the Maze Meet. Not that she had any intention of being found out. Mina had sounded adamant that the players were serious in their game, and that "no" was not an answer, everything was part of the game. She had to admit she was more than curious to see the intricacies in the event. She'd seen a small balcony that overlooked the gardens were the large, life size maze was. All she had to do was find that balcony and then she'd get to appease her curiosity.

She quickly took out a black dress, simple but elegant in design. The event was to start in an hour, so she made herself a relaxing bath, soaking in the soothing bubbles. She tried not to think what would happen if she did see Ezekiel. Though the water was warm, she felt herself shivering as she thought about Ezekiel's parting promise - no threat. Was she ready for that?

Shifting through the bubbles, making nonsensical patterns she decided it really didn't matter. She'd never see him after this and it was her one chance at rebellion. So yes, yes she was ready. Feeling her skin begin to prune, she got up and wrapped herself in a towel.

Noticing the time, she hurried into her dress. She used one of the one of personal beauty tools to dry and straighten her hair in less than five minutes before putting on the cursory lipstick swipe and sneaked out of her room.

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"I told you she'd fall for the bait. I guess her momma never told her curiosity killed the cat."

Xerxes looked at the dual image of Tibby sneaking out of her room and Cass's smug face.

"Good work. Keep an eye on her and make sure she doesn't step a foot into the maze. She's a foolish girl, but she doesn't deserve the animals at the maze descending on her."

"And where will you be in the meantime?"

"In the wolf's den," he replied enigmatically.

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Daniel had called a meeting with all the brothel house heads, with Lucien overseeing it. The only reason Xerxes had been allowed in the meeting was because he had promised quite a few of the heads Neutral Visas. He sent a questioning glance at Lucien, who just shrugged. Taking a seat beside the man, he signaled for one of the servers to serve him a drink, noticing Lucien was already nursing a half empty glass already making his way to another.

"Where's Cross?" he asked Lucien when he looked around and saw only Daniel was missing from this tableau.

"Damn if I know. I've been waiting for ten minutes. I've got a golden haired vixen pegged to wear my blindfold before the night is out," Lucien sneered.

"Tibby won't be at the maze," Xerxes lied.

Lucien smirked. "I wasn't talking about our little Tibby, but now that I know she will be there I guess I'll have to adjust my plans." At Xerxes glower, Lucien laughed. "That distinctive defensive tone was a bit too adamant. Better work on your skills, Ezekiel."

"Thanks. After all, I don't have the years of skill at lying like you do," Xerxes smiled coolly.

Lucien raised his drink and nodded. "Touché."

The door opened to the conference room and Daniel walked in with one of his prostitutes in tow. His men closed the door behind him and he took his place at the head of the table.

"Gentlemen, gentlewoman," Daniel acknowledged the lone female brothel owner in the room with a charming smile and nod. "I'm glad you all could make it tonight. Let us move past the pleasantries and get down to business, shall we?"

With approving murmurs from the crowd, Daniel continued. "Please, welcome Nicole." The woman beside him looked blankly out at the crowd. She wore a skintight dress molded onto every dip and curve of her body, almost sheer in cover.

"She's a fairly new acquisition." Daniel brought his hand up and caressed her face as he spoke. "So beautiful, so fragile," he murmured as his hands slid around her throat and slowly began to squeeze. Nicole remained stoic as ever. "And you would think she'd be untouchable as a Skylander."

Xerxes swung his gaze from the girl to Daniel. So Gianna wasn't the only girl Cross had taken from the Sky Lands. He already knew how Daniel had enslaved Gianna. She'd told him that she'd been hooked on a new drug called Consume when she'd been out partying at the clubs. Her addiction had led her to her downfall. When Daniel had hooked his claws into her, she'd been too far gone to even think about what she was doing and her walls had been easily broken into. The contract she was in with Daniel was illegal but there wasn't exactly a police force in the Red Lands.

"Are you here to hawk that new drug of yours? What's it called again?" Francesca, one of the owners asked. Xerxes could see the calculating gleam in her eye; she very well knew what the drug was.

One of the other men piped up "Consume, I think it's called. It's all the rage at the high end clubs."

"So it is." Daniel tried to sound modest, but anyone could hear the pride in his tone. "Consume is a very fun drug without all those nasty adverse side effects. Except of course, it does make a great deterrent on walls. That's why gentlemen and woman, I need your help distributing the drug into Sky Land and other territories of the like."

"You managed to get this one from the Sky Lands all by yourself. So why bring these people in when you'll have to share in the profits?" Xerxes cut in. While some parts of this plan made sense, in the end it would just create more competition for Daniel.

"One man can't make the world go around, Ezekiel."

"But I'm guessing the money you'll get selling your drugs will?" Xerxes asked disbelievingly. It just seemed too simple. Daniel wasn't smart enough to manufacture the kind of caliber that Consume was described to be. The profits of selling the drugs to his competitors couldn't measure up to the projected loss he'd have to take once the other brothels brought in their newer prostitutes.

"What can I say, I'm a greedy man."

Xerxes narrowed his eyes. "And where do I come into this this?"

Daniel clapped his hands and smiled. It was a bit offending, as if he was a small child and he'd finally stumbled onto an obvious answer. "Very good, I'm glad you asked that. As incentive for distributing my drugs, for a price of course, I'm willing to rent out a few Neutral Visas. I'm sure you can make temporary Visas as well as you can permanent Visas."

Xerxes forced a smile. His character would be foaming at the mouth for a contract like this and not many men in his client could afford this. But if Daniel had enough money for about a dozen Visas, even if they were temporary ones, then he was definitely doing this at a loss. But the other occupants in the room were blinded by their greed to question this generosity from Daniel.

"If we get caught, we'll be permanently imprisoned," Francesca, the lone voice of doubt reasoned. Some of the sail went out of the other exited men, who looked to Daniel for reassurance.

"Hence, the Visa. Just imagine what else you can do after getting the drugs there. It takes maybe an hour to deliver the drugs to a club of your choice. A Visa lasts you two, maybe three days. Now I'm not a very creative person, but I'm sure you intelligent men can think up some things you'd like to do within that generous time frame."

Daniel was playing these men like a pro, bombarding them with all the glittery remunerations first that went hand in hand with the risky dangers. Only the men were being placed into forgetting all about that. Even Francesca was hard pressed not to look excited by the idea.

They began to negotiate the price of the drug with Cross, but Xerxes tuned it out; preferring to gauge how Lucien took it.

"Oh, stop looking at me like that. I won't lower myself to buying drugs from Cross to trick gullible and weak Psychs into my clubs," Lucien sneered.

When he saw Xerxes' disbelieving look, his sneer slipped. "Well, to be completely honest, I'd be a fool not to sample Cross's product. At least I'll know what I'll be up against when it spreads."

"Selfless as ever," Xerxes said offhandedly, but Lucien took offense.

"I don't think I have to remind you just how selfless I'm being, keeping a certain lady locked in my bedchambers," Lucien gritted through clenched teeth.

Xerxes's PACT buzzed and he quickly glanced at it. He saw an image of Tibby getting dangerously close to the Maze. Without a word, he got up and left Lucien. The man was too desperate for his new innovation to go back on his word right now.

But before he could make his exit, Daniel caught up with him.

"Ezekiel," He beamed, clapping his shoulder like long lost comrades "I hope my surprise wasn't too shocking, but then the best things about surprises are," Daniel said with a sly smile.

"And you're just full of them aren't you?" Xerxes said with a saccharine smile. "I'm very glad for the contract. Thank you." It grated on his very soul to be saying that to Cross but sacrifices had to be made in the face of war.

"Good, good. We'll negotiate the price tomorrow. I bet you're anxious to join the Maze Meet?"

At that, Xerxes managed the first genuine grin of the night. "There's a surprise waiting for me there and I can't wait to unwrap her."

"Then go, go!" Daniel pushed him towards the door, positively jolly. He was probably still running on the high of his successful meeting. "That pussy won't stay empty if you don't stay here any longer."

He just nodded and quickly exited the room, heading for the garden area with a single mindedness he couldn't afford right now. He pushed away all thoughts of Cross to focus on Tibby. But his dormant brother was having none of that.

~Xerxes, I don' like this. Cross is up to something and there was something off about that Nicole girl.~

~Eli, I'll be able to handle Cross after I finish with Tibby.~

He could almost feel his brother's abrupt rage at the mention of Tibby.

~That's another thing, I don't approve of what you want to do with Tibby. She's innocent.~

Xerxes snorted out loud. ~And since when have I ever needed your permission, Eli?~

~When you lost your sense of morality, hanging out with these degenerates has messed up your head, man.~

~You make a very convincing argument-~

He could almost feel Eli's annoyance as he interrupted him. ~Yeah, cut the bullshit sarcasm. But don't lower yourself to Cross's level.~

Getting tired of his brother's righteous drivel, Xerxes cut off his connection that allowed him to hear Eli. He was still in the background helping with his image projection but he would not be able to talk and act through Xerxes' body.

Why couldn't his brother understand that this had to be done? It wasn't unlike what Cross had done to their sister. Only, Tibby would have to merely spread her legs for one man while Gianna had been whored out to men that were normally beneath her.

Growling in frustration, he continued on his path in search of Tibby. It was always the same. He'd always been the one to dirty his hands for the advancement of the Novos name, and as always he was blamed and ostracized for those very actions. He'd practically had to buy his way back into his family after they'd thrown him out of the family house when they'd discovered that Red Land Psychs had a higher range than he.

Shaking those thoughts out of his head, he finally spotted Tibby from a frosted window. She stood perched on the very edge of the Maze, peering over the neatly trimmed hedge spying on the cavorting adults. He quickly found an entrance and tried to sneak up behind her as quietly as possible. He took out the blindfold he'd purposefully placed in his breast pocket for this very reason.

One minute she was peering over the hedge at the numerous men and women chasing each other, the next minute a flimsy cloth obscured her vision. Her terrified scream was muffled by his large hand, the fingers digging into her cheeks painfully. He banded an arm around her waist and swung her down, pressing her against the hedge as he caged in on her front.

"Why spy on the party when you can play?"

Tibby gasped and pushed against his chest. She quickly pulled off the blindfold, and then threw it at him. He caught the fluttering cloth and crumpled it in his fist.

"What did I tell you about giving me heart attacks? It's pounding out of my heart!"

He raised a brow. "Yeah? Let me feel," he teased.

Tibby laughingly slapped away his hand as it reach for her breast. "Oh no, you don't get to play doctor after you played kidnapper."

He nodded he her towards the shrieks and grunts coming just over the hedge. "Enjoying the view?"

Blushing a very becoming pink, visible even under the floating romantic lighting dispersed all around the Maze, she averted her gaze to her feet.

"I just exploring when I wandered into the gardens. I had no intention of joining in, that'd be crazy."

Xerxes tipped her face up by her chin. "Just because this game adds more spontaneity with having sex doesn't make it crazy, just stupid. There's a certain appeal to that, though, isn't there?"

Her large hazel eyes blinked up him. "What's appealing about being stupid?"

Xerxes shrugged. "It gives you a freedom that the right state of mind doesn't allow."

Tibby pushed away his hand, taking a few steps away from him. She glanced up from under her lashes at him coquettishly.

"Are you saying you want me to play this game? Do you want to chase me?"

He put on his most charming and, what he hoped was harmless, smile on his face, he stalked her. "I'd rather you chase me."

Taking her off guard with that comment, he lunged and caught her up in his arm. He cut her off mid squeak and kissed her. She quickly gave into his hot advances, pressing her body along his. Moving her hands into his hair, she raked her nails down his neck and across his shoulder. Xerxes felt an unwilling shiver crawl down his spine and an overwhelming need to capture those hands. He wanted to tie her hands with the blindfold, have her completely at his mercy underneath him. The need to just take consumed him. He wanted her absolutely helpless, to give him all control.

Tibby's hands traveled down his arms, taking a moment to squeeze his biceps. Her hands sneaked back to his, twining her fingers with his. It was almost as if she were bound like in his fantasies. In a sudden jerk, she snatched the blindfold away from his grasp and jumped out of the embrace. He fisted his hands to keep from seizing her back.