An Old Enemy

You watched Selena disappear down the hall a moment longer, her hips swaying with deliberate exaggeration. Her aura still pulsed with obedient heat. Need and satisfaction curled around her like a second skin. You didn’t need to turn to know Vivi was watching you. Her presence, once scattered and brittle, had started to coalesce—stabilized by the promise of station, safety, and the weight of your will.

You faced her, your expression softening just enough.

“She’ll handle your arrangements,” you said. “You’ll have a room on this floor. Close enough for when I need you. Elara’s already preparing a proper ritual space.”

Vivi gave a small nod.

“If you need anything, speak to me or one of my wives. Morgana or Lisbeth are your best options—they manage most of the household. Don’t trust anything Lexi says without verifying it; she lives to cause trouble. Cerena’s solid, if abrasive. Kiri’s competent, but… social skills are still a work in progress. And if Nyx tries to boss you around, don’t take it. She’s learning boundaries. Tell someone if she crosses a line.”

You leaned in, your voice lower.

“You work for me, but that doesn’t mean I plan to keep you in a cage. You’ll mostly be on retainer. If you have a vision, I require your insight... or something more, we’ll communicate.”

Vivi nodded again, more deliberately this time. Her hood had slipped back during the conversation, letting strands of pale blue hair cling to her cheeks. She looked calmer now, but you could feel the hum of tension beneath the surface—desire, anticipation, a quiet vulnerability she hadn’t yet learned to hide. It danced across your connection like static against skin.

“It’s strange,” she murmured. “Feeling... secure.”

You tilted your head.

“I’ve always had to scrape by,” she continued. “Even when people wanted my visions, it was the knowledge they wanted. Not me. I’d wake up in apartments I didn’t recognize, out of food, half-broke, wondering if I mattered at all.”

You said nothing, letting her fill the silence.

“But you see my worth.” Her gaze lifted to meet yours, softer now. “Owned. But not discarded.”

A small smile tugged at your lips. “You are owned,” you said, quiet but firm. “But I take care of what’s mine.”

Her breath caught, and through the bond you felt her heart skip—followed by something sharper. Not fear of you. Of someone else.

You leaned back slightly, resting one arm across the back of the couch. “The woman you saw earlier. Wreathed in gold. Fire behind her eyes.”

Vivi tensed, her attention sharpening.

“I’ve never met her in this life,” you said. “But the one before did. Her name is Mammon.”

Vivi said nothing, but her aura rippled, tightening like a string drawn taut.

“She’s a devil,” you continued. “The trueborn princess of Greed. Her skin glows like gold and molten bronze. Horns like gilded spiral relics. Eyes that shine like minted coin. She was close to the former Asmodeus. Very close.”

Vivi’s fingers twitched, curling into the hem of her sleeve.

“She hasn’t shown herself yet, but she’s building influence. Quietly. Patiently. She knows I’m here. And she’s stacking the board.”

Vivi’s voice was barely a whisper. “That was her. I saw her in that vision. Her aura didn’t just reach, it devoured. I felt like she could peel the soul out of my body with a glance.”

“She thinks she still owns me,” you said evenly. “She never understood the difference between obsession and love. She’s a person who covets and who refuses to be denied something she wants. To her, me refusing her was the same as someone stealing a prized possession. She covets me and…despises Morgana. She got it in her head that Morgana stole me from her.”

Vivi hesitated. “She’ll come for you.”

You nodded. “She will.”

There was a long pause. Then, softly: “Are you worried?”

You reached forward, brushing her jaw with your knuckles. Her skin flushed under your touch.

“Of course I am,” you said. “But have a little faith in your master.”

She shivered—visibly and through the bond, where her desire surged like a wave cresting against a dam. Carefully contained. For now.

You let your hand fall back to your side. “Be patient, Ms. Winters. I’ll call on you once you’ve settled in. Think you can hold out until then?”

Your voice was silk, teasing but edged with command. Her aura flared, and she nodded, lips slightly parted.

You leaned closer, dropping your tone to something conspiratorial. “One more thing. A command.”

Her breath hitched.

“From now on, whenever you hear me say your name... you’ll climax.” A smile curled at the corner of your mouth. “Think of it as conditioning. Something to help you remember who you belong to.”

Vivi’s eyes widened, a mix of alarm and thrill flashing across her face. Her knees briefly wobbled, and you felt the surge of heat pulse through her.

“Now go. Meet up with Selena and get started. You can move in tonight if you like—guest rooms are furnished. Talk to Lisbeth, the minotaur, for a key.”

You rose to your feet and turned to leave, then paused at the doorway. You didn’t look back.

“Oh,” you added, casually. “I forgot to say it before—welcome, Vivi.”

You felt her crest activate the instant you spoke her name. A sharp moan escaped her, and she nearly buckled where she stood, one hand grasping the edge of a nearby table for balance. You glanced over your shoulder with a mischievous grin before leaving her to recover.