Page 41 of Mistress Mayhem

“Will you tell us what the plan is now?” I ask gently.

Sage turns her attention to me, staring at me as if she’s waiting for something, but what it is, I have no idea. Finally, she sighs and fills us in.

And damn, does she have a plan. She’s so fucking bloodthirsty that my cock is hard again. But as much as I’d love to fuck her here and now, there’s something else more pressing that she needs to deal with. But later? I will absolutely be fucking her.

Chapter Twenty

Sage

IknowFox,Cooper,and Austin are worried about me, but I’m trying really hard to not think about it. I’m trying really hard to not think about anything except what’s about to happen.

Adrenaline rushes through me, allowing me to move past my pain. I also took some pain meds—the good kind. After all, what’s the point in having someone who creates drugs if they can’t also make us pain relief? Thank goodness for Remi. Her pain meds will fix all my aches and pains within the hour but won’t give me the high that some of the drugs doctors push will.

While I really need my ribs to stop aching for what’s coming next, I don’t need to lose control of myself by taking something that will addle my mind.

Each of the rooms that house Lawrence, Howard, William, and Cary has a second door they won’t have noticed, as there aren’t any handles, and they blend in with the walls. The only way they can be opened is by the app on my phone, and with just a click of a button, they will open and allow the four men to enter the maze I spent the last few months having built.

I pull up the app that will not only allow me to release them into the maze but that will allow me to speak over the intercoms in the room. Oh, and allow me to see the videos of them as well, but I prefer to watch that on the television in my office, so I flick it on and find the app on there as well.

The videos of the four rooms flash up on the screen, showing William and Lawrence beating their hands against the door as they scream. Howard is leaning back against the wall, already seeming defeated. Which is certainly not what I want. No, I want them to think that they can be free—that there’s a way for them to escape this and me. There’s not, but I won’t be letting them know that. All four of them will die at my hand within the next hour or two, and then I can go enjoy the rest of my party with the guys.

Cary is just starting to wake, so I decide to give him a wake-up call. A siren blares into all four rooms, and Cary jumps to his feet, panting as he looks for the danger.

“Hello, assholes. As you can see, you’re all trapped. Yes, that’s right. For those of you that don’t know, I’ve gathered Cary Van Buren, Howard Fenwick, Lawrence DuPont, and William Kensington—you know, your business partners in your illegal activities?” I watch as William and Lawrence wince at my words while Cary stares up at the camera and Howard just sits there.

“Cary was smart enough to figure out what was going on and who I am. My name is Sage Davenport, but that’s not the name I was born with. I was once a sixteen-year-old girl who loved her life. My name then was Avery Wellington.” I see the realization flash across the men’s faces and smile. “Oh, good. You do recognize my name. Good. I escaped from the four of you ten years ago with my best friend, Charlotte Dupree, in tow. Only, she didn’t make it, and I couldn’t move on with my life. All I could think about was avenging her death and making the four of you pay.

“So tonight? Yeah, it’s been ten years in the making, but unlike the four of you, I can be honorable. In just a few minutes, a door will open and release you into a maze. At the end of the maze is a single exit. If you make it through that door, then I’ll release you. But during that time, I’ll be hunting all four of you, and if I find you? Then you’ll die at my hand.” I laugh at the disbelief on their faces. “Avery and Sage aren’t the only names I’ve gone by. There’s another one you might know—Mistress Mayhem.”

And finally, understanding dawns on them. They might not be afraid of Sage or Avery, but Mistress Mayhem? They fear her, and for good reason.

“Do you have any questions before I release you into the maze?”

Lawrence looks around the room, and I assume he’s looking for the camera because as soon as his eyes land on it, he moves closer. “And what if we refuse to play your stupid games?”

“I know you can’t hear one another, so I’ll pass along Lawrence’s question. He wants to know what happens if you refuse to play my game. The answer is simple. If you don’t play, then you die. I’ll come into your room and you’ll either head for the maze or die by my hand. There isn’t a way out of this game for any of you. You made your beds, and now you must sleep in them.”

Cary stares up at the camera before he shakes his head. “You’re not Mistress Mayhem. You’re too weak to be her.”

I laugh again. These men are idiots. They have no self-preservation. I’ve just told them I’m going to hunt them down and kill them, and they have the audacity to question me?

“Cary has decided that he doesn’t believe I’m Mistress Mayhem, and that’s your right, Cary. We all know you like to stick to your opinions, as they seem to be the only ones you care about, but I can guarantee you I am Mistress Mayhem. After all, how could I be sure I was ready to kill the four of you if I didn’t practice? I like to be prepared. I always have. It’s why I did so well in school. But doubt me all you want because before this is over, there won’t be any more doubts in your mind.”

“Angel of death? I mean, Mistress Mayhem?”

I turn my attention to the camera in Howard’s room. “Yes, Howard?”

“I think I’m ready to die. I won’t run from you. I will allow you your vengeance.”

I scoff. “And what if I want you to run?”

“Do you want me to?”

“Yes, Howard, I want you to run. I want you to have a chance to escape. You’re the only one of the four who has shown any kind of remorse.” Not that it’ll save him. It’s clear he’s still involved in illegal activities, and that’s reason enough for him to die. But maybe with just a bit of hope, he’ll snap out of it. “Don’t you think that means you should have a chance? If you make it out, then you can turn your life around. Isn’t that what you want?”

He thinks about it for a moment before he nods. “Yes, Mistress. I would like that chance very much.”

“Then I’d get ready to run.” I press the button to open the doors, laughing as all four men dart into the maze. “Run, little rabbits, run.”

---