From rats on up to riches, fifteen minutes you can fly

Nick shielded his eyes from the sudden burst of sunlight that hit him in the face. It was bright on the beach, but he didn’t expect to suddenly be standing right in the path of the sun’s rays. Once his eyes adjusted to the light, he took a look at his surroundings.

Then he did a double-take, because this was absolutely not where he expected to be.

He stood on a street of pearly cobblestones and pink coral, gazing up at a massive iron gate. Far, far beyond that gate loomed a massive structure that calling a “house” would simply be insulting. “Palace” would be a more apt term, or maybe “mansion”. “Estate” perhaps. But whatever it was, it stood all but alone on a high hill, surrounded by a wide expanse of trimmed grass. Squinting, Nick could see large gardens flanking the robust structure, but at this distance it was hard to judge the size of anything.

“Where the fuck am I?” He muttered under his breath. Having grown up with a stepmother who was of minor English nobility, he was used to a certain level of imperious displays of wealth. He had only been to her family’s estate once, and it was such a culture shock that he’d never felt comfortable about the prospect of returning there.

But Amelia’s peerage couldn’t compare to what he saw now. It felt like he was standing on the set of one of those famous British television shows about rich noble families with more money than god dealing with problems that the rest of the world wouldn’t even consider problems.

Something in his gut told him that his instincts weren’t that far off.

Before Nick could fully process where he was and what he was doing, the gate rumbled open. A long limousine rolled down the wide road ahead of him, twisting and turning down the hill like a boxy snake before finally pulling to a stop right in front of the entrance. The windows were tinted a dark color so he couldn’t see the driver; his only interaction was a door opening, beckoning him to come in.

That’s right… I was brought here by Dakota, I remember now! Nick recalled the host explaining the four new women who were added to his harem. He would be spending the day with each of them, getting to know them on a date that was specifically crafted by them. And a display like this would be completely out of the question for his stepmother, so that must mean…

It’s that woman, Vivian, he realized as he entered the limousine and sat down. The divider was tinted as well, so he still couldn’t make out who was driving him. As the car started up and began climbing the hill towards the mansion, he could only squirm restlessly in his seat as he wondered what this woman would be like. She seemed rather chill in his brief interaction with her on the beach, but someone who would make such a pompous display of their wealth and status like this, well…

He couldn’t be sure what today would have in store for him.

---

It felt like the trip up to the main house had taken an hour. Obviously that was a grotesque exaggeration, but it certainly emphasized the feeling of overwhelming scale. Nick stepped out of the limousine and looked up at the massive townhouse, and shrank away slightly.

It was truly an astounding sight, and the imposing structure, practically blotting out the sun, stood as a stern reminder of the difference in status between Nick and the woman he was supposed to court and bring into his harem. A woman that his stepmother had described as pompous and arrogant with a disdain for authority and refusal to listen to anyone or anything.

Essentially, she was Gina with a trust fund, with a little bit of Dani and Rose thrown in for good measure.

Not a great sign.

He sighed and stepped forward, looking back to see that the limousine and its mysterious driver were gone. That was a bit of a surprise. Normally, the rich liked to show off their fabulous wealth. He expected to be greeted at the door by a wall of servants. But the courtyard was empty. It sent a shiver down his spine; he felt like he was completely alone. Any human contact would be welcome at this point. In fact, wasn’t that the whole reason he was here? To meet this woman, Vivian, and spend time with her? What was she doing, making him jump through hoops like this?

Sighing, he walked up to the massive entryway. The mansion entrance was a large set of twin doors carved of an elegantly-polished wood that Nick suspected was probably worth more than his entire house. They sure seemed to be bigger than his entire house, anyway. He could probably fit a train through the entrance of this place, and still have plenty of room to spare.

He took the heavy golden knocker and brought it down hard, sending an echo through the courtyard.

“Greetings.” The door opened, and Nick was greeted by a person who was certainly not Vivian. It took him a second, but he realized that the person standing at the door, wearing a finely-pressed suit and white gloves with a stern look on their face and sharp silvery-white hair wasn’t a man, but a woman. She certainly looked the part of a strict British butler, and held an air of quiet dignity about her that made Nick wonder just how old she was, and how long she’d been working for Vivian. Assuming, of course, that she was a real person, and not just something the heiress had dreamed up for their little date together.

Nick realized he was staring, and quickly introduced himself. “Hi, uh, my name is Nick Reynolds, and I, uh…” What did he even say? The woman was staring patiently at him, waiting for him to finish his sentence, but he wasn’t exactly sure what he even had to finish.

Finally, he blushed, and averted his eyes from her sharp gaze.

“I-I’m here to see Vivian?” He tried. “I think she’s… probably expecting me. Maybe?”

After what felt like an excruciatingly-long pause but was really just a few seconds, the woman nodded crisply. She held her hand over her heart and bowed slightly. “Yes. Miss Carrington is expecting you. Come this way.”

With that, she straightened up, and turned sharply on her heel, leading Nick deeper into the mansion without a word. Nick followed warily after her, admiring the architecture and the décor of the fancy building. It made the opulence of the Master’s Suite look quaint by comparison, and tacky as well. This was what REAL wealth and taste was about, not just decorating things in solid gold. Crystal chandeliers, fancy plush furniture, elegant vases and sculptures, and works of art that should hang in a museum to decorate the walls, everywhere Nick looked he saw more money than he’d ever have in his life.

“So, um… what should I call you?” He asked, catching up to the butler.

“My name is Octavia,” she replied without looking back. “You may address me as such. Or by whatever other name that pleases you.”

Her voice carried respect for him, but nothing further. She was cold in a polite yet firm way that Nick had come to associate with people like his stepmother. She reminded him a lot of Amelia, in fact, but he certainly wasn’t about to tell her that.

“So… have you worked for Vivian… Miss Carrington… long?”

“I have been in service to the Carrington Family for fifteen years at this point,” she stated. “Master Carrington sponsored my education from a young age, so that I could better serve his family and his daughter. I have known Miss Carrington since she was a young lady. But it isn’t my place to say anything further. Now, come this way, Miss Carrington is waiting upstairs in the drawing room, and we mustn’t keep her waiting. If you take a look down this hallway, you’ll see…”

While Octavia continued to describe the house in detail, Nick passed by a wall that was nearly all window from floor to ceiling. Wide doors formed crystal-clear glass facing out to a white patio deck overlooking the estate. It captured Nick’s attention completely. The well-trimmed hedges and coiffed trees leading out to the sprawling hills, the still pond that reflected the sky like a perfect mirror, the knotted bedsheet dangling down from the second story…

…

Huh?

Nick blinked and rubbed his eyes, not sure if he was seeing clearly. It was hard to make out, through the sparkling gleam of the stained glass, distorting it like a shower. But even with the distortion, that was definitely a bedsheet, tied up like a rope and dangling down to the alabaster stone patio deck. It was shaking in the slight breeze. Then, a pair of brown leather riding boots appeared, followed swiftly by a pair of tight chinos that clung to a slender set of legs. Then he saw the rest of her. The brunette heiress shimmied down the rope, reaching about halfway before letting go and landing silently on the deck. She tilted up her chin and pulled down her scarf to flash him a smile, her sunglasses sitting on her head. He could just barely make out her face through the glass.

Then she hopped to her feet and dashed down the patio, her scarf fluttering in the breeze behind her.

It took Nick a second to process, but before he knew what he was doing, he had thrown open the glass door and was chasing after her, leaving Octavia in the hallway behind him.

What the heck?! What’s going on here? By the time he got out onto the patio, Vivian was already halfway down the hill. She turned and looked back at him, just close enough where he could barely make out a jaunty grin on her face. She flung out her hand in a lazy wave, turned, and kept running down the hill, blatantly goading him to follow her.

Well… she certainly was keeping him guessing, he could say that much.

Nick chased after her, but the heiress was clearly in much better shape. He could have sworn she even slowed down at times to let him catch up to her, but he never quite managed it. She always stood right on the edge of his vision, prodding him along, like a bizarre game of tag played across her family’s sprawling estate.

Finally, she stopped in front of a large wooden stablehouse. She turned back to him and touched her fingers to her head in a salute, before slipping inside.

“Great… just what I needed…” Nick panted as he stumbled over to the stables, more than a little winded. “Another sporty girl.”

He really should see Dani about helping him get in better shape. The fact that a woman like her could outrun him just felt embarrassing.

As he stepped inside, he expected to be hit in the face with the scent of hay and horse crap. But no, the inside of the stable smelled like a fresh spring day. Apparently, if you were rich enough, you could even buy out the natural scent of animals.

“So, there you are! Took you long enough!” Nick turned to see Vivian holding a brush in her hand, rubbing it down the side of a sturdy brown horse. Her glasses were gone and she looked at him with a smirk on her face. “Just love a good chase.”

She wasn’t even winded. Nick turned red in embarrassment.

“Oh, come now, don’t look like that. It was fun. What, did you think I just sat at home counting my money or something?” She laughed. “Anyway, you’re my so-called master, eh? Amy’s son?”

She had quite a melodic voice, and spoke with the same posh accent he’d gotten used to from his stepmother. Only hers seemed more crass somehow; the same fancy tone and dignified words, and yet the way she carried herself made all the difference, almost like-

Wait, did she just say “Amy”?

“A-Amy?” Nick stammered out.

“Yup. Amy. Amelia, right? Just ‘Teach’ to her face, of course.”

Nick just shook his head slowly. “Uh… I’m pretty sure she wouldn’t appreciate you calling her that.”

Vivian rolled her eyes and scoffed. “Yeah, no kidding. You’re such a square, Nicky.”

Nick’s eye twitched. “Uh… please don’t call me that,” he requested.

“Okay, okay, no ‘Nick’names,” she promised him with a sly smile. Nick just stared at her.

“…Sorry if I got your ‘Nick’ers in a twist-”

“Yeah, I get it,” he cut her off as she laughed at her jokes, which were clearly hilarious.

“Sorry, I can’t help it, when I see somebody that makes me want to tease ‘em, well… I want to tease ‘em,” she said with a shrug. “Besides, this is my dream, right? You wouldn’t blame a girl for having a bit of fun.”

“I guess not,” Nick said. “And a big part of this IS about getting to know you, after all. I guess getting to know how much you like teasing people is a part of that.”

She took her sunglasses out of her coat pocket and slid them on, then pulled them down slightly and winked. “Now you’re getting it.”

Nick laughed in exasperation and rolled his eyes. In spite of her attitude, he was actually enjoying her light, easy way of talking. He certainly hadn’t been expecting her to be a stuffy noble given their initial introduction, but she was definitely a lot more casual than he’d given her credit for.

“So what did you want to do?” He asked, not sure how to move this “date” of theirs forward. “I mean, this is your estate, right? I assume you brought me here for a reason.”

She smiled and nodded. “Got in one,” she confirmed. “I was thinking a nice, easy day, just lounging around the place.”

When you owned more acreage than some states in the US, that was quite a line to say.

“Tell me something, Nick, have you ever ridden a horse before?”

Nick opened his mouth to reply, and then remembered Gina’s party the other night, and Dani’s transformation.

“Not… exactly,” Nick said, glancing away.

Vivian slid her sunglasses down her nose and raised her eyebrow. “Huh? Whaddya mean by that one?”

Nick shook his head. She’d get used to the transformations sooner or later. “Just… be prepared for anything,” he warned her.

“…Right. Okay, well… I love riding. I’ve been doing it ever since I was a little girl. It’s one of the best parts about the estate, we’ve got all sorts of riding trails. Wanna take one out?”

Nick looked at the large horse. Its body came up to his chest. It turned to him and snorted a neigh, blowing hot air into his face.

“Err… that’s a little…” The last time Nick had done something in the ballpark of riding horseback, he’d gotten thrown into Rose.

That wasn’t an experience he was looking forward to replicating any time soon, even if he was dealing with an actual horse this time.

“Not scared, are you?” Vivian pressed. “Mr. ‘Not Exactly’?”

Nick blushed. “It’s not about being scared, I just-”

“You’re cautious, right?” She was already nodding her head. “Yeah, don’t worry. I get it. Better safe than sorry, right? Fastidious ol’ Amy definitely rubbed off on you, that’s for sure.”

She elbowed him in the side. “‘Course, now that’s gonna be your responsibility, if you catch my drift!” She laughed.

Nick winced. “Please, just… just don’t. I don’t really want to be thinking that way about my stepmother, for obvious reasons.”

Vivian shrugged. “Sure, fair enough,” she admitted. “But hey, it’s cool if you don’t want to ride. I get it. Not trying to tease you or anything, I was just asking. Although… even if you’re not up for riding one by yourself… that doesn’t mean we can’t go together, right?”

Nick blinked. “…Together?”

She gave him a sly smile and whipped off her scarf, draping it around his neck.

“Let’s ride,” she coaxed him.

---

“Now this is more like it!” Vivian rode her horse at a gallop. “Hold on tight, Nick! Don’t want to fall off!”

Nick’s face was red. He was already holding on as tight as he could around Vivian’s waist. It wasn’t like he was some blushing virgin who never held a woman before; that was certainly not the case. But he barely knew this woman! And yet, she was totally fine with him getting onto the back of her horse and holding onto her tight, while she guided the stallion like a pro.

Her waist is so narrow, and she’s so soft… even her hair smells nice! Nick had been with a lot of women, but there was something about Vivian that stuck out to him. Maybe it was the celebrity about her; she was very wealthy, far more than even his own mother. And from what Dakota had told him, about her side interests, she had a lot more going for her than just money.

What kind of girl liked horseback riding? Not any that he knew! Vivian was in a class of her own, even if she acted more down-to-earth than the average member of British nobility.

“Tighter,” she said, turning back to look at him. Her hair tickled his nose, almost making him sneeze. “Come on, imagine we’re spooning, eh?”

Nick nearly fell off the horse in shock at how blunt she’d just said that.

“Wh-what?! I-I don’t-”

“I’m joking! Come on, lighten up!” She chortled, shaking her head. “Now, want to see me make Hazelnut do a jump?”

“NO!”

“Ah. How boring. Nah, just teasing, totally get it. It’s fine, we’re almost there! Whoa! Whoa!”

Before Nick could even know what was going on, the horse had come to a soft trot, and then stopped, as if nothing had happened. He had been expecting to get flung off again, even though he was riding on a saddle; to come to a safe stop made the flip-flops in his stomach nearly turn into actual nausea.

“Ah, nothing like a good spring,” Vivian said, slipping from his limp grasp and dismounting her horse like a pro. Nick was stunned at the grace with which she carried herself; not a hair on her head looked out of place, even after the speeds they’d been riding at!

“What do you think?” Vivian looked up at Nick on the horse, still too stunned to move. “Did you enjoy yourself a bit, eh? First time? I know it’s just a dream, but hey, back on earth, we can get some real horses! I’ll have taught you by then, eh?”

“I… I…” In Nick’s mind, Hazelnut was still in a full sprint. It was only when he felt Vivian’s hands on his, helping him off, that he was able to focus his thoughts, and it was only when he had both feet firmly on solid ground that he was able to express them.

“I-I didn’t know horseback riding was so much FUN!” He gasped out. Sure, it had been absolutely terrifying. One of the scariest experiences of his life that didn’t involve Harem Hotel or flowing water.

But it had been such an exhilarating rush.

“Neeeeeiiigh!” The horse winneyed in delight. Vivian laughed and patted his haunch.

“Hazelnut says he likes you,” she informed Nick.

“Really, you speak horse?”

“No, but folks love telling me I’m a horse’s arse, and that’s close enough, wouldn’t you agree?”

Nick nearly fell over hearing her say “arse” in a posh accent.

“Oh come on, if that’s enough to slant you, there’s no way you’ll be able to tolerate me when the real colourful language comes out, innit?” She chortled. “That’s colourful with a ‘u’ just to be clear. The right proper way.”

She cycled through like three or four different accents that Nick vaguely recognized from his father’s old British movies, but he didn’t know how to respond. He just sighed and rubbed his forehead. “You know, I expected you to be a little more…”

“Hmm?” Vivian tilted down her sunglasses and gave him a sly smile. “Say your next words carefully,” she warned him playfully.

Nick wisely considered that.

“…Unreachable,” he carefully stated. “You seem so…”

“Reachable?” She sniggered. “Oh, you were reaching alright. Cop yourself a feel on those bumps, did you?”

“What?!” Nick turned red. “No! I would never!”

“Never? Wow, with lines like that I’m shocked you need a woman-abducting show on the telly in order to get laid.”

“That… that’s not what I meant,” Nick stammered, turning red. “You’re incorrigible!”

“Ooh, and you want to try to ‘corridge’ me?” She goaded him with a grin. “I don’t know, maybe you’re telling the truth, but I’m pretty sure I felt something…”

Nick knew she was playing with him. And while he enjoyed it, he really needed to put his best foot forward here and try to maintain at least some semblance of dignity, or else she’d just walk all over him. “If I’d touched your breasts, then you would have gotten some Victory Points from it,” he pointed out. “That sounds like pretty conclusive evidence to me.”

Master Touched Her Boobs! +2 VP

Nick’s jaw dropped. “What!? No! I didn’t!”

Vivian beamed from ear to ear.

Just Kidding! -2 VP

“Dakota…” Nick groused in frustration as Vivian forwent all appearances of class and civility, holding her stomach with a big belly laugh.

“Oh, that’s just perfect,” she said, wiping the tears from her eyes. “But no, I’m just messing with ya. It’s how I show you I’m fond.”

She elbowed him in the side. “I like having a fella I can mess around with, you know? …In the platonic sense, I mean.” She wiggled her eyebrows. “The other kind of messing, well… I’m not some chav.”

“Yeah, I’ll keep that in mind,” Nick said hotly, not knowing what a “chav” was and not sure he wanted to know.

“What about a doxie, heard of that one?” She eyed him with amusement.

Nick was pretty sure whatever he said would be used against him, so he made the wise decision to play the useful idiot.

“…Ah, well. Can’t get ‘em all, eh old sport?” She laughed, tapping him on the cheek with her palm. Nick just rolled his eyes.

“So this is your dream?” He asked in exasperation. “Just messing with me all day?”

“Well, not ‘just’ all day. I was thinking maybe we could break for lunch.”

“Hilarious. Vivian, the point of this is getting to know one another,” Nick said. “Isn’t there anything you want to ask me? Stuff about hobbies and the like?”

Vivian tilted her head to the side curiously. “I mean, I get where you’re going with this and all, but really? It’s fine. I’m not all into that sort of thing. I prefer taking things easy, you know? This doesn’t have to be a serious thing.”

“Doesn’t have to be a-?!” Nick looked around the clearing they were standing in. It overlooked the wide lake on the grounds of Carrington Manor. The scenery was picturesque, and it was a testament to just what they were dealing with. “Do you know what kind of show you’re on? Take a look at this place! Dakota recreated your entire estate with her magic, and you’re just, what, cool with it?”

Vivian shrugged. “I’m not one for sweating the small stuff.”

She never dropped that infuriating, goading grin, which made Nick have a realization.

When he did, he thought he was going to have an aneurysm.

“…You’re really bothered by it, aren’t you? You’re freaking out right now, aren’t you?” He guessed, pacing back and forth. “But you’re pretending that it’s not a big deal because you know it’s bothering me, huh?”

“Well, well, well, you really are Amy’s kid, eh?” Vivian chortled. “You’re a smart one!”

Yup. He figured. “Vivian, if you’re worried about what’s going to happen, I can tell you at least that I don’t plan on-”

Vivian held up her hand. “I’ll stop you right there, sport. See, you’re right, when that Dakota lady came to me and told me what was going to happen, yeah, I freaked out. Like, major wtf vibes, you know? But then I thought about it some more, and I thought… well, hey, isn’t this rather perfect?”

Nick frowned. “Perfect? Perfect how?”

“My trust fund.”

He stared at her. “…Huh?”

“My old man’s will. I’m on a stipend from my trust fund. But I won’t have full access to the family fortune until I get married. That’s the way things are done when you’re a Carrington.”

“Oh…” Nick’s face fell. “I’m sorry, I didn’t know. My dad died too, I…”

“Hmm? Ah, nah, he’s fine. That guy’s got a good twenty, thirty years in him at least,” Vivian assured him with a pat on the shoulder. “But there’s nothing wrong with being proactive, right?”

Damn it. She’d gotten him again.

“Come on, Nick, it’s like this. My folks want me to get married. Continue the family lineage and all that. But frankly? The guys they set me up with, they’re all so… boring. I mean, look at me. You think I’ll settle for just anyone?”

She stepped into a ray of sunlight and cradled her hand behind her head, bearing her exquisite neck and closing her eyes as she thrust out her chest in a model pose.

Nick was enough of a gentleman to stop looking after a few seconds.

“…And if my looks weren’t enough, I’ve got more money at my disposal than most people can even imagine, and an estate that measures its acreage in the thousands. Believe me, Nick, I’m not starved for male company if I desired.”

She shrugged. “But again. Who would give me something exciting? Instead of fancy parties and other snooty rich folk?” She rolled her eyes. “My parents shoved me into a finishing school in the hopes it would curb my… ahem. ‘Behaviors’. Yeah, right? I know, that was my reaction,” she said, pointing at the expression of doubt on Nick’s face.

“I don’t really see anybody curbing your anything,” he honestly informed her.

“That’s how you know you’re getting to know me,” Vivian beamed. “But anyway. Like I said, they keep me on a short leash with my allowance. I only get, like, three or four trips to Aspen a month! And if you’ve ever seen those slopes you’d know, that’s not nearly enough. Since I wasn’t getting enough of his money to have my fun, I figured I might as well spend that money on my own interests, and, well… somehow or another, my styles went viral.”

She gave him another pose, this one resting her hand on her hip while she leaned against an invisible wall.

“So, what, I’m just some excuse or something like that?” Nick didn’t understand why she would have agreed to this. Or, well, since she didn’t actually have any choice in the matter, why she wasn’t bothered by that fact.

“I guess the right term would be… I want you for a kept man,” Vivian explained. “Does that work? You know what that is? No… oh! What’s the term? Right! Trophy husband, I’d like you to be my trophy husband.”

“Tr-trophy husband?!” Nick stammered in disbelief. “Why!? I mean, I’m sure you could get a MUCH better guy than me! More handsome, at least!”

“Who cares about looks?” Vivian shrugged. “…Well, me, I guess. My own looks, anyway. But no, for me, a trophy husband, that’s more… a guy who I can play with. Have fun with, you know? It’s like… how I enjoy riding Hazelnut. Or my friend Annabel, she had this absolutely adorable little Pomeranian. Something like that!”

Nick took a second to process what she was describing.

“…A pet,” he realized. “You want me to be a pet!?”

“No, no, not a pet pet. Just, like, something cute I can cuddle with when I’ve had a long day’s work! A fella of my own, who’s got just the right amount of dorky and endearing charm that I can viciously mess with to work out my stress! You know?”

She sidled over to him and pinched him on the cheek. “You’ve got the most adorable little expressions when you’re frustrated, did you know that? Just like your stepmother that way.”

Nick was more than a little frustrated, that was for sure. He let out a long sigh. “So you just want to play around with me, is that it?”

“That, and putting the moves on you is really gonna drive Amy up the wall,” Vivian added. “But hey, I mean, it’s not like you love me either, right? Think of this as a business relationship!”

Nick raised his eyebrow. “A business relationship?”

“Yup, exactly!” Vivian nodded enthusiastically. “I make ‘em all the time. You serve my needs as a husband, you know, filling out the paperwork for the commonwealth and all that, coming to family functions, and in exchange, well… you get all this.”

She waved her hand out over the lake, and the mansion beyond it

Nick’s jaw dropped. “You… you would just give me this?”

“What? No, don’t be ridiculous. But hey, a husband and wife live together, right?” She looped her arm through his and sidled up to him, practically standing cheek to cheek. With her boots, she was as tall as he was. “You’ve got a lot of women in your life, Nick. And this show, well… I can see how it would be a great fantasy in a lot of ways… but the fantasy has to end someday, right? …Well, not if you take me into your harem, that is. Having money like my family has it, and you can live your fantasy every day! We’ve got dozens and dozens of rooms for you and your girls. Money to fund whatever you like. You can just continue living as you have been, and all it’s going to take is the name ‘Carrington’.”

“So what, you want to be my sugar mommy or something?” Nick could definitely envision that. Vivian made quite a compelling argument. Still, he pulled away from her.

“Something like that,” the heiress beamed, her sunglasses reflecting the light. “Don’t you think it’d be a real blast? Who knows, maybe if you’re a good little boy, I might even let you try to ‘corridge’ me a little, if you catch my meaning…”

The sensual notes in her melodic voice didn’t go unnoticed by Nick. But he wasn’t as gullible as she clearly thought he was.

“…Oh, but, uh… let’s not call it a ‘sugar mommy’ alright?” Vivian shivered a little in revulsion, losing her smile for the first time. “I mean, you’re older than me, after all. That would just be weird. Plus, with Amy… nah, no thanks. So, what do you think Nick? I’d say it’s pretty worth it.”

It did sound worth it. And there wasn’t a reason Nick could think of to say no.

But… something didn’t sit right with him. He looked carefully at Vivian, whose smile was unreadable. And with her sunglasses covering her face, it was impossible for him to get a good look at her eyes.

She was beautiful, gorgeous even, and the way she carried herself was like nothing he’d ever seen before. She had Carly’s free spirit and love of teasing, but Dawn’s measured, rational thinking. Gina’s recklessness was tempered by Kim’s caution and awareness. And Rose’s sensual affect blended nicely with Dani’s straightforward temperament.

It was easy to see why Dakota thought he’d be attracted to her, because- frankly, he was.

With that being said…

“…I’m already married,” Nick pointed out. “To a woman I love. I know it’s not exactly legally binding, but… I don’t think this little scheme of yours to get your hands on your trust fund is going to work, sorry.”

What was he doing? Was he seriously turning this down? He couldn’t believe himself. But he couldn’t stop thinking about Mary, and the beautiful smile she wore when they were married. Or the way Rose looked in the Notre Dame Cathedral, clad in a wedding dress with love in her eyes.

The women who wanted to marry him, they did it out of love. Vivian was proposing, but for money. And while what she offered was tempting- and, if he was being honest, more than a little necessary- he didn’t want to betray the genuine feelings of the girls who loved him with some fraudulent marriage to pull a fast one on the British commonwealth.

So yeah, he was saying no. And he couldn’t believe it.

Vivian looked like she couldn’t believe it, either. Her mouth fell open and she leaned forward, peering over the top of her sunglasses with wide eyes. They had a spark in them, like she was looking at him in a brand new light.

She recovered from Nick’s unbelievable decision well before he did.

“…Okay then, wow. Didn’t see that one coming, I’ll admit.” Her smirk was quick to return and she straightened up, flicking her hair behind her ear. “Honestly? I think that’s the first time I’ve had a guy reject me. Probably because it’s the first time I propositioned one- usually, they’re the ones asking me, honestly.”

Nick shrugged. “Sorry to disappoint.”

Vivian shook her head. “Disappoint? Who said you disappointed me? You don’t think my father got to where he was in the hotel business by taking the first no as the final answer, did you? And remember, this was before he took my mom’s name and had access to the Carrington fortune. No, if that old shark taught me anything, it’s that when you want something, you negotiate until you’ve got it. And if you want it bad enough…”

She licked her lips and pushed her sunglasses up her nose. “…No price is too high.”

“Well, sorry,” Nick said firmly, shaking his head. “I will admit, your family fortune, and your estate, would be very helpful. But I’m the kind of idiot who values sincerity over money. …You can laugh at me now.”

“Laugh at you?” Vivian snorted and shook her head. “I’m right there with you, fella. Family money is such a drag, and this estate? Forget it. I’m the kind of gal who does what she wants. And right now, what I want to do…”

She lowered her shades again and pointedly swept her gaze up his body.

“…Well, I don’t really need to say, do I?”

Nope. Her suggestive innuendos spoke for themselves. Nick rolled just laughed in exasperation.

“Still, if I’m gonna be here, I’m gonna be playing for keeps,” Vivian promised. “So with that in mind…”

She walked over to her horse and unlatched the long bag hanging from his saddle, and drew out…

“H-holy shit!” Nick fell onto his ass, and scooted away, staring in shock at the heiress, who brandished a rifle. “Look, Vivian, let’s not get too hasty here!”

“What? Oh, this?” Vivian began to assemble the gun, locking and loading it. “Wait, do they not have the term ‘shotgun wedding’ in America? I thought that was one of yours… Well, this is a rifle, but-”

“VIVIAN!”

“Relax. Relax! I’m kidding!” Vivian cackled. “It’s for skeet shooting. Another one of my hobbies.”

She sauntered down the hill, towards what Nick now realized was a raised stand for holding a rifle and shooting clay pigeons. Vivian rested the rifle in the crook of her arm, and readjusted it, fixing the sight. “Pull!”

A clay disk flung itself through the air, summoned by the energy of Dream Alley.

“CRACK!”

A deafening gunshot echoed across the estate, scattering the swans in the lake. The disk was reduced to dust.

Vivian lowered her rifle and turned back to Nick with a smirk on her face. “That’s what we’re here for, right?” She reminded him. “Getting to know about each other and our interests?”

Nick swallowed his abject terror and nodded shakily, glad he hadn’t pissed his pants.

“I like her, don’t you?”

Nick nearly jumped out of his skin. The last thing he needed right now was Dakota popping up out of nowhere. But of course, that’s exactly what he got.

“A take-charge woman who knows what she wants, I can respect that,” Dakota said, tapping her chin. “If only she wasn’t so bourgeois.

“Hey, come on now,” Vivian said, sauntering up the hill, rifle slung over her shoulder. “I’m enjoying myself here. Nice to see you again, by the way. Welcome to the Carrington Estate… more or less.”

“How polite of you,” Dakota said, curtsying politely herself.

Smiles reflected back upon each other, but Nick didn’t sense much camaraderie in the air.

“…So what brings you here?” Vivian asked. “Come to bring an end to our fun?”

“Something like that,” Dakota said with a smirk. “But believe me, I’ve been enjoying it. Right now, though? I’m here to call an end to the date… and move on to the part that’s fun for me. The transformations.”

Nick tensed. “Transformations, huh? What’s gonna happen now? You’re not going to be dropping six transformations on her, are you?”

“Huh?” Vivian blinked behind her sunglasses.

Dakota laughed. “This version of you seems a little more perceptive, Nick.”

“Huh?” Now it was Nick’s turn to be surprised.

“Never you mind! You’re exactly right. Here’s how things are going to go. Because Mary had six transformations when she was eliminated, you, Vivian are going to be given six transformations yourself.”

“What?! Whoa, that’s… well, as long as they’re good ones, I guess. The audience is going to be voting on them, right?”

Dakota looked at her with an expression that seemed almost proud. “I can’t just give you the six transformations outright,” she clarified. “That would start getting cluttered. So what we’re going to do, is we’re going to give you three transformations! Three for this round, and three more, after the next challenge. That sounds fair, wouldn’t you agree?”

“Wait, are you going to do with for all the girls?” Nick asked.

“Yes,” Dakota nodded, looking annoyed, as if she’d answered that question several times already. “For all the girls. And since I’m such a sweetheart, we’ll even avoid the ‘you expressing your desires’ part, since there’s no one here but us chickens! Now, let’s begin! Take a look at the first set of transformations! Remember, you’ll be getting three of them, one from each!”

She tapped her cane, and a screen appeared in front of them.

First Poll:

• Spoiled for Choice: What good is having money if you don’t use it? Each round, Vivian will receive a gift of 5000 BP and a list of positive transformations and boons she may purchase for her fellow contestants. This BP can only be spent on those purchases, and expires at the end of the round. Similarly, any boons and transformations purchased expire at the end of the round as well, unless Vivian or the chosen party chooses to spend an equivalent amount of their own BP to make them permanent. [NOTE: Vivian may spend her own BP on this list as well, in an emergency. But this will still not make the transformations permanent, the second payment is still required.] (Heiress)
• Lady in Waiting: It’s not easy to run a harem, especially not when someone is all on their own, in a hotel full of strangers. To help Vivian manage things, she’ll now get a familiar face to assist her. Her trusted butler Octavia will continue her service with Vivian on the island, and serve as her second-in-command. Any respect or authority the other members of the harem feel towards Vivian will be shared (in a lesser sense) with Octavia. [NOTE: Octavia is an independent agent. The master has no authority over her, and she is not obligated to follow his orders or serve him sexually.] (Harem Manager)
• Made to Order: Each round, Vivian will be able to put her skills at clothing design to good use and craft three different garments that each come with their own boon, chosen by her. She cannot wear these clothes herself, and must gift them to other members of the harem that she feels would look best in them, or best please the master with the boons. (Fashionista)

https://strawpoll.com/YVyPvVOm2gN

Second Poll:

• Stocks and Bondage: As an heiress, Vivian is used to people doing as she says because she has so much money. Moving forward, this will be reflected in how she treats the other women in the harem. She will feel a greater desire to dominate and tie up the contestants who have less BP than her, while regarding those with equal or greater amounts of BP as friendly rivals. (Heiress)
• Position of Respect: Vivian might be personable and approachable, but the fact remains she’s of higher standing than most other girls in Nick’s harem. This will be reflected by her rankings. If Vivian is in the top 3 in terms of position in the harem, the other women who rank lower than her will look up to her with admiration and respect, and be more likely to follow her instructions. (Harem Manager)
• New Style: Vivian is an excellent designer with an eye for all the chic styles. Each day, she can either copy someone else’s clothing transformation for herself, or temporarily negate someone else’s clothing transformation, allowing them to wear whatever outfit she picks out, instead. She may use both effects on the same person in the same round once each, but she may not use the same effect on the same person twice in one round. [NOTE: Both these effects last for 24 hours.] (Fashionista)

https://strawpoll.com/jVyG2p088Z7

Third Poll:

• Higher Breeding: In the world of the rich and powerful nobility, blue bloods like Vivian are obligated to continue the family lineage. In spite of her prior rebellious spirit, Vivian will feel a compelling urge to begin producing heirs for the Carrington line, and develop a breeding fetish. (Heiress)
• Primae Noctis: It’s important for the other women in Nick’s harem to treat Vivian with the proper respect and reverence. Once per round, if Vivian believes that another contestant is not showing her adequate respect as the presumed head of the harem, she has the right to put them in their place by taking their night with the master for herself. (Harem Manager)
• The Special Something: Vivian always dresses to impress, but now she’ll feel that even her most stylish outfits are missing a little something special. What could that be? Why, Nick’s semen, of course! Vivian will now feel that only thing that can take her clothes to the next level is a splattering of Nick’s seed all over them, and will want nothing more than for Nick to cum on her clothes so she can wear his seed with pride. (Fashionista)

https://strawpoll.com/wAg3QWlAly8

Vivian breathed a sigh of relief. “Well… some of those are pretty downright decent. In fact, they seem like outright advantages!” She noted.

Nick couldn’t disagree. This was probably the biggest suite of transformations that had purely positive effects. And not just in a sexual sense, either, but in a meta sense. Depending on what the audience gave her, Vivian could have been set up for a pretty good advantage going into the next round, in terms of actual gameplay.

“Still, though…” Even with her sunglasses on, Vivian’s wince was distinct.

“…A few of those give me pause,” she said, looking away from the screen.

Nick nodded. He could imagine which ones.