One Shade of Black

DEDICATION

To you, whoever you are, wherever you are.

1 BLACK............................................1

11 CLOSING IN.......................................73

15 EPILOGUE.......................................114

2 The BATH..........................................8

6 LITTLE VIXEN.......................................31

7 THE HELP.........................................40

BREAKTHROUGH......................................26

BURN.............................................15

DAUGHTERS.........................................50

DISTRACTION........................................20

FALLEN............................................84

GOONS............................................67

HURT.............................................59

LOSING...........................................101

MARE.............................................95

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I wish to acknowledge the tremendous positive contribution AI technology has made to our daily lives. It is truly remarkable how much easier it is to proof-read and self-edit a work of fiction such as this.

1 BLACK

The men called me John but to the lesser folks, the women and the poor, I was mostly known as Mr.Black.

I grew up in an orphanage called Twilight Garden, located near a city called Cycross that was built on top of Maryland. I took the name Shawl first, then changed my name in my teens when I started working with the local Maryan traffickers.

To earn their trust, I chose the name from an ancient romantic comedy movie and called myself Black. I presented a persona of subservience, pretending to be a meek yellow crank who knew the country. I made myself indispensable to their operation and made my first million Cryno at 20.

How I did it was worthy of a tale on its own, but needless to say, a lot of blood flowed and none of it was mine. Those Maryan traffickers were long gone now. My friend Cain Yogi had taken over their trade. The name I chose for myself has stuck with me.

Now at 27, I was one of the richest men in Cryna and already semi-retired. Money pretty much made itself from all kinds of investments in business and real estate and I had so much time I dedicated to the pursuit of the one interest I had: women. Young impressionable women, mature lonely women, all kinds of women as long as they got a decent pair of tits and a tight enough hole between their legs.

In a different universe, this confession might be enough ground for incarceration. In a different universe, there would be protests outside of my house and scandal after scandal in the news. The lawsuits would've made me the poorest man on the planet.

I thanked my lucky star every day that this world of mine had not been built by people with any compassion. It was a world built by ghouls on the suffering of womenfolks.

After the Rassenkrieg, a great war that started two centuries ago and only officially ended in recent years, the Racial Echelon was going through great changes in what we now call a "Super Reset".

The world's greatest superpower, the Marinov Empire, went into decline. No, not a decline. A nosedive. How did it begin?

During the twenty-first century, the Maryan people fell for a psych-op called the Hidden Culling.

They believed the other races were secretly plotting to breed them out of existence, to create a world hostile for the pale-skinned, god-chosen people of the world. They banded together and waged war against humanity.

Was the Hidden Culling true?

It sounded like a load of bulls, but now, they had made their worst fear into reality.

Decades of prolonged warfare between the Maryan of Marinov, Crynese of Cryna, the Maoli of North Isle, and Sikis of Silksands quite literally transformed the landscape of the planet into a harsh, unforgiving wasteland. It was only thanks to the advancement in terraform technology, humanity finally began to rebuild the destroyed world, but not in a way that was beneficial to all.

During the war, Maryan and Crynese hated the ebony-skinned, pleasure-loving Maoli above all else. They believed they were lazy hell-spawns sent by a tiny minority of hook-nosed shape-shifters called the Jars to destroy their respective culture.

I thought it had to be a psych-op too, having met quite a few Maoli people in my life, but who knew what my ancestors were thinking? Everyone from back then sounded like a bunch of morons, if you asked me.

The Maryan and Crynese allied and nearly wiped Maoli from existence until the Silkis intervened, thinking that their brown skin meant that they would be next.

The Maryan-Crynese alliance then fought the Silkis for a time, and it was going well for the alliance. The Crynese enjoyed an elevated status in the Maryan colonies. They called us the Model Degenerates. Many of our womenfolks flocked to Maryan cities and married Maryan to get ahead...

Until we betrayed the alliance and stabbed them in the back.

Best decision ever, in my humble opinion.

Imperial Emperor Moxiao Zen may be a traitor to many, but he will always be a hero of mine.

From there on, it was the Maryan versus the world.

For every ten battles they fought, they ended up losing nine.

Their cities were sacked and their women were attacked.

At first, they remain steadfast in their unity.

Then the women, who did not participate in much of the fighting, started flocking to more peaceful parts of the world and lived among the enemies. This infuriated the Maryan leaders.

At the end of the Rassenkreig, the capitol of Marinov, Maryland, disappeared from the map, and the sacred lands of the Maryan people, lands they had amassed throughout a millennium, were all stripped away from them. In their utter despair, their leaders turned to the only thing that could alleviate the shame of defeat and the destruction of their Empire.

Propaganda.

The Maryan men denounced their one God and created a new deity called the Lady of Pain. They blamed their loss on their liberal-leaning traitors and, above all, they blamed the Maryan women for refusing to breed and do their part to save their Empire.

They created the Blind Church, poured all their resource into carrying out psych-ops against their womenfolk, and slaughtered the brave ones who dared to stand up against the bloodthirsty men.

Little by little, they managed to convince half of their population that women were sinful creatures born to suffer while men had existed to discipline them through torture and violence.

Sons were taken to be raised by the Church. Daughters became tools for the father, for barter and personal use.

And a virus called Omoro-B was invented in secret to keep the female sex in abundance, but physically unable to stand up to even the weakest men. And the new Marinov Empire was born anew, becoming a small, isolated nation on the edge of Cryna with the most well-oiled propaganda machine in the history of mankind.

It was so powerful that other nations of the world, large and small, began to adopt some of its ideologies and removed protection for women, subjected them to similar psych-ops, making them believe that their purpose was to serve.

Half the population of Marinov became the entire population of the world. Even the new generation of women believed that they must suffer in order to show their love and respect for men, and that love can only be shown through enduring pain.

The women suffered and passed their suffering onto their daughters in a never-ending cycle of gender oppression.

On the surface, the world was a world of constant racist propaganda where everyone belittled and hated each other.

In reality, it was a world where all races had united under the banner of absolute patriarchy. And it was a peaceful world built by bitter men, sustained by the sufferings of women.

I was fortunate enough to be born a man of this world, and not whatever parallel world where women were worshiped or at least considered men's equal.

Growing up in an orphanage did little to change my view that women were nothing but livestock to be traded and disciplined.

I especially like the ones from Maryland Countryside. So gullible, so stupid. Yet so loyal and docile and above all, hopelessly brainwashed and romantic.

They'd do anything for love and ask nothing in return.

For years, I have broken countless hearts and left behind hundreds of broken women from all backgrounds. Some were foolish enough to think they could change me, the hopeless ones thought they were going to be my first wife. Most of them, however, knew I had many women and still chose to be with me. Every man in our world had a harem of three or four wives. I did not. Wives meant upkeep and I hated wasting money.

One morning my old friend Cain called me out of the blue and told me he had found an amazing country woman for my house cleaning vacancy.

"Her name is Miri. She's married and just turned 34 and she can do all kinds of chores and do them well."

34 and married? I would have hung up on the guy if I didn't trust his taste so much. Cain knew not to fuck with me and would never set me up with anyone unless she was good.

34 was not only too old but even without marriage, chastity at that age was virtually impossible. If a woman hadn't been attacked at 34, either by their father or by someone else, they must have some horrible deformity.

Since Cain had taken care of me, I agreed to see her.

When she walked into my home office with Cain, my jaws dropped. I thought I was staring at an angel.

The woman had flowing silver hair that fell down her back. Her skin was paler than Maryan moon and her blowjob lips were as pink as berries.

Above all, she had a pair of enormous plump breasts that jiggled as she walked.

Although She had them bound tightly to prevent them from wobbling, they were still spilling out of the very modest dress she wore. Her peach-shaped ass too was barely contained by the thick fabric. She didn't want to come across as available and get attacked and bring shame to her eternal man, so she tried to hide her assets. I looked over to Cain and gave him the thumbs up.

"This is my friend Mr.Black, owner of Cryoblanc. Have you heard of Cryoblanc?"

Miri shook her head and lowered her head shyly. "I'm sorry. I'm very ignorant," She said softly, her voice sounded light and almost magnetic. I might have paid to hear her scream.

"It is very nice to meet you, Mr Black."

"It can't be helped. You're a Maryan woman. Cryoblanc is a Crynese company," I told her kindly and she smiled at me, looking relieved. "Your husband okay with you working for a Crynese?"

Many Maryan families hated Crynese for betraying the alliance and bringing an end to the Marinov Empire.

Miri nodded and replied: "My husband is...in the hospital at the moment. I'm working to pay for his medical bill. He is not conscious... but I-I think he'll be fine with it."

I nodded, knowing perfectly well that he would most definitely not be fine with it, but, if there was one thing I care less than the feeling of a woman, it was the feeling of a Maryan man. "And the job is okay with you?"

"I'm not doing this for me, I'm doing this for my husband. I'm okay with anything," She said as she bit her lower lip, a habit that would stay with her for years to come. She knew what her words implied. If I wanted to pin her to the wall right now, she would have no choice but to spread her legs. Where would be the fun in that? I let Cain explain a bit more about the job and made a few jokes to help put her at ease.

Once she relaxed, I got her to cook a few dishes using the leftover ingredients I had in the fridge.

As she slaved in the kitchen I turned to Cain.

"Where on earth did you find this gem? "

"You know that village on the border where the old Maryan capital used to be before you guys leveled the entire place?"

Cain lit a cigar for me. He was a Maryan man who grew up in Cryna and smuggled Maryan weapons to Cryna during the later stages of the war. A race traitor, so to speak. He has the Maryan appetite for violence but sophisticated like a modern Crynese.

"This one's from there," Cain said. "They're pretty isolated and the men are a bunch of torchie with poorly run farms."

The word torchie describes a Maryan man with a torture dungeon in their home reserved for their women.

Most men abused women to a degree, beating them, slapping them. Assault and battery was pretty much a daily occurrence, but torchie was a patriarchal extremist. I'd consider myself a torchie if torture dungeons weren't so expensive and I had enough patience to enjoy plugging needles into nipples.

No one would call me a torchie even if I do have a dungeon. I was Crynese, and our men didn't have a bunch of labels stuck to them for anything they did. We owned the modern world.

"Her husband was the mayor's son," Cain went on.

"She was scouted by a local magazine at 14, then he used his daddy's connection to claim her for himself. Squirted out 2 girls later and that's when her life got fucked up. Her husband's father died and his business failed shortly after. Then he got put into a hospital by a Crynese loan shark from Baba Yaga."

What did the husband do for his business?"

"Export and import," Cain winked.

If he was in import and export then my company Cryoblanc must have been the reason why he went out of business.

"And the loan shark. Isn't Baba Yaga one of yours?" I asked.

Cain gave me a smug grin. "He needed money and you never asked who I loan your investment to," he said.

"That's how I found her. She came begging on her knees for her husband's life. Told my men she'd work her fingers to the bones to pay them back. I asked them to bring her to see me, introduced myself as a finance manager, and mentioned your name. "

"I'm surprised that you didn't want her for yourself," I said.

"I don't like Maryans. I'm allergic to white skin." He said. I'd almost forgotten how much Cain hated people from his own race. "Word of warning though, she's a gener so she ages slower but dies young. Don't get too attached. You'll have 12 years out of her top."

"Don't worry. I never get attached."

"Good," Cain said as he pulled out a cigar for himself.

When Miri returned to the office with her dishes, we complimented her cooking and signed the contract there. She will come to my penthouse one day a week to clean.

She will be paid 80 Cryos per day, double what she'd get at a cleaning service. She was so grateful she was fumbling her words of gratitude. She was especially taken in by the final clause:

No sexual service is required unless verbal or physical consent has been established.

"T-thank you so much, Mr.Black... I-I won't let you down..." She knelt on the floor and pressed her head on the marble.

I nodded and handed her the keys and told her to come in on Saturday. She left the office smiling, unaware of what terrible fate awaited her in my house, and her ruination would be slow and steady and as certain as taxes.

2 THE BATH

On Saturday morning, the doorbell rang. I opened the door and found Miri standing in the hall. Clearly the majestic penthouse was overwhelming to her poor Maryan country sensibilities.

"Come in," I said and motioned her to enter. She was wearing a very modest dress, once again designed to not show any skin or curves. However, it could not hide her hourglass figure and the enormous breast hidden beneath.

"Your house is beautiful," she said in awe as I showed her the high-tech indoor fountains, zen indoor garden, free-falling windows, infinity pools, and a large balcony overlooking the city.

I also have a collection of sculptures from the old Maryan Museum that she recognized and admired. "That's one of the 23 original Blind Church sculptures of our Lady of Pain!" she covered her mouth. "How fitting it is to find it on display in a nice big apartment like this."

"It's a little too big for one person to be honest."

Miri seemed surprised.

"You don't have anyone living here with you, Mr Black?"

"Just me. Why? You think it's lonely?"

She blushed. "I-I'm sorry, Mr.Black. I didn't mean to be rude. I thought someone like you would have many wives and children."

"Someone like me?" I smirked.

"You seem very successful," Miri lowered her head.

"Being rich is not enough to make people want to be around you. I have money but no family. I have had a few girlfriends from time to time, but never a wife. No kids, no family."

I feigned a sad expression.

The truth is being rich means I can get a wife and have tons of kids. If I wanted, I could buy a whole village of women and make them my wives.

"You're still young, Mr Black. There's still plenty of time."

I showed her the rest of the house and made a few jokes.

Before long, we were laughing like old friends. To her, I must have seemed like a breath of fresh air. A man who didn't slap her ass on their first meeting didn't cup of the feel of those massive tits upon leaving. I must have seemed like a true gentleman to her.

She had no idea of the sinister fate that awaited her.

***

Miri had been coming over to my house for a few weeks now. I learned a great deal more about her. Her two daughters were attending the local CUMS, which stands for College of Universal Maryan Spirits, an all-girl college founded by the Blind Church. I complimented her for her choice, but I was holding back laughter the whole time.

Going to a school run by the Blind Church will always ensure the women come out more stupid than when they entered She may as well home-school them and raise them to be sex slaves.

I wouldn't tell her that, of course.

After showing her my easygoing nature, the two of us soon became quite comfortable with each other, which was why, when I showed her a photo I found in a local magazine, she didn't think me creepy, only embarrassed. "Look at the picture I found..."I said, pointing at a young teen with silver hair and a pair of enormous tits.

"Isn't she cute?"

Miri gasped, clearly shocked.

"How did you find this?" She said, red from embarrassment.

"I'm so sorry Mr Black..."

"Why are you apologizing? You look great."

"It was a magazine article to attract tourists," she blushed. I started reading the text.

"An amazing silver-haired beauty with great tits to lose your cock inside...and a pair of blowjob lips to suck the soul out of you." I read out loud and saw her blush deepen.

"If you're a Maryan man and wish to lie on top of this soft slender body and thrust into her while staring into her innocent eyes, you need only visit our humble village. We have many more girls like her here in Crechen."

Miri was so embarrassed, I almost felt bad for her. Not really.

"Your husband must have had a lot of fun with you."

"W-We haven't been intimate much, not since I had Maya..." she said.

Then she realized how odd it was for her to be talking about this with a foreign man. "Goodness, what am I saying? Please don't tell my husband."

"Is he awake?"

Miri shook her head.

"Then there's no problem. Even if he wakes up, what happens between you and me stays between us. I'm a man of my word." I said.

It was a psychological trick to imply that no matter what happens, what I do, or what she does, her husband won't find out.

This will make her more likely to follow my lead.

Of course, this bimbo has no idea. She smiled and thought I was a good person. Little did she know I was about to destroy her life beyond repair.

***

Crush! One of the sculptures broke apart and fell to the ground.

"I-I'm so sorry. I'm so careless!" Miri was terrified.

She thought I was going to fire her and her whole body was trembling. She was cleaning the corridors and when she passed a funny-looking sculpture, the thing just fell apart and dropped to the ground.