Owning a Maid Harem Ch. 36

Because the Seductress had escaped.

She was here, too, her head lowered. Her wounds were healing. She had a large, red mark on her breasts. Gold manacles clad her wrists. Her hands were before her. She stood to the side of Aunt Nancy, head bowed in submission.

"Two maids have perished," Cali said after a moment. "The rhythm of their life has ended. Their heat has dissipated to the world. Their breath no longer sweetens the air, and their tears no longer water the plants. Let their flesh return to the earth that birthed them. Let them rest in the Golden Paradise of the Hay and await their Master and their Sister Maids."

Deidre's and Tabitha's garters glowed for a moment. The light seemed to flash off toward something beyond this world. The Hay.

"Amen," Lance said and threw a white rose down on each of their bodies.

I nodded, tears still streaming down my cheeks. Other maids threw down flowers plucked from the garden. More and more of the beautiful roses, tulips, petunias, daffodils, hydrangeas, fuchsias, and other beautiful flowers slowly covered their bodies, leaving their sleeping faces exposed.

We said our goodbye, but not all goodbyes were forever. I knew I would see my best friend again. I knew she would be watching us from the Hay.

~~*~~

Lance Hayward

I squeezed my sister's shoulder before I broke away from her. I had to get some answers.

I marched to Cali and asked, "What did he mean?"

"Mean?" Cali turned to glance at me. "Who?"

"You know," I said. "It sounded like my ancestor fathered you on his wife. That you even have a twin."

Sadness passed over her face. "I do have a twin." She held out her hands. "And I do have the blood of the Haywards in me. I was there at the foundation. I was there when the Hay was raised. I worked with my father to build it. With your ancestor to construct it. I poured everything I cared about into that wall."

She leaned closer to me.

"I betrayed my sister to him and bound her to the Hay," she whispered in my ear. "I loved her dearly. My other half. I chained her and built the foundation of the Hay on her spirit. That is my level of devotion to the Haywards, Master. Never doubt that I will ever break my contract nor allow you to break it, either.

"I sacrificed my sister, Master Hayward, and I will not allow the Hay to fall. Be faithful to the Pact and to defending the Hay from the Otherworld, follow the oath of your ancestor, and you shall not discover how far I will go to maintain it."

I swallowed. "You would kill me."

"I have killed other Masters of Hayward Manor." She leaned back and curtsied. "As always, I am at your service so long as you hold to the Pact."

She turned to go when I asked, "And your mother? Who is she?"

"The Queen," she said, glancing over her shoulder at me. "A woman who deeply regrets her dalliance with your ancestor. After all, both of her beloved daughters are in bondage. Pray you never meet her, Master Hayward."

I watched Cali march off, my body shaking. Kill me. I believed her. But why would any Master of Hayward Manor want to betray the pact? I had almost... done that, hadn't I? To save my mother. Cali warned me I was coming close to breaking it, then she wouldn't be bound.

Would she have killed me? I have an heir, don't I? The next Lord of Hayward Manor grew in Bella's stomach. Just what would Cali do if I hadn't had my child? Chain me to the ground? Imprison me and bring me out like the Seductress.

A weapon to be used.

Or I could follow the Pact and enjoy my harem of maids. I swallowed, my hands sweaty. I rubbed them on my slacks. I glanced back at the graves. They were covered now. Buried. When had that happened?

How much power did Cali have?

~~*~~

Cali

I paused before the painting that held my sister. She was a shadowy figure dancing before salivating men, her body draped in gold and bedecked in purple gems. She always was the lascivious one. She only cared about her pleasure.

Father had to use his own flesh and blood to create the Hay. It was why he seduced our Mother. Why he seduced me? I stroked my sister's face, her features hidden. Pain swept through me. Every day, I regretted my choice.

Every day, I hated myself.

Duty.

I had made my choice.

The Mortal World over the Otherworld. The time of the fey had come and gone. The old gods. The bloody rites. The wanton orgies. They were passed. Man had moved onto into the rational. They had shed behind superstition.

Only superstitions didn't want to die.

My sister sensed me and pressed her face out of the painting. I closed my eyes and kissed her like I always did. I couldn't help myself. The pain swelled in me at what I had given up. My other half. My one true love. A tear spilled down my cheek.

Then I broke it and turned away.

My sister formed the foundation of the Hay. Just like all the other Imprisoned. They all bore the weight of the barrier that divided this world from theirs. In torment unending, burning to flee. Blazing with hatred for the mortals.

I knew their pain.

I was Imprisoned, too.

I brushed the garter around my thigh. My shackle. I felt the weight of the Hay on me with my every step. I held it on my shoulders. I had stood unbowed through the centuries. I had watched Masters of Hayward Manor come and go.

They all had Father's features in their faces.

His blood in their veins.

I hated them as much as I hated Father.

I loved them as much as I loved Father.

The Watch never ended. I would endure until the time ground to a halt and the universe guttered out like a candle burned down to its holder. And then... Freedom? I don't know. Perhaps a different sort of torment.

I made the choice. I swore the words to Father willingly. I would not waver from my mission. Master Lance was strong. He would be a good master, and the next grew in his wife's belly. He was not like his uncle attempting to escape his fate by never having a son.

No, no, Master Lance would not break his faith.

And if he did...

I nodded to his mother as she headed to the kitchen to cook. She needed to have more maids, and Kylie and Nancy had to recruit replacements. The maids had to be at their full strength. Master Lance's uncle's foolishness had left the Hay weakened.

Master Lance would do his duty. He would have lots of daughters for his son to bond with. Lots of daughters would be ready to take up the garters on the day Master Lance died. He would populate the mansion with this offspring.

As the Master of the Hay should.

The Bloodline should be kept as pure as possible. A pity he chose Bella for his wife and not Kylie. Hopefully, his daughter with Kylie would be chosen by his son with Bella. I should make sure that happened.

I strode through the halls, my work never done.

To be continued...