Shadows from the House of Scent Ch. 03

Shadows from the House of Scent Ch3

Juliet's Tattoo, the Pink PussyCat, and living vicariously.

Something happens. It forms into a mould. It becomes palpable. Real. Throbbing. You think you can reach out to hold it. But then -- in that nameless hour -- it is gone.

ONE: AMBER UNDERCOVER

Amber read Lizzy's script until late that night. At one point, she fell asleep. The script was still in one hand while her other was between her legs; a finger engulfed in her soft moist lips. Her long skinny fingers had been moving in and out of her entrance. The way she likes it. Feeling it enter fast. The sound of her wetness. Then, she would pull it out slowly, applying all her pressure so that her clit would pinch against her pelvis bone. Unconsciously, she always bit her lower lip when she did this, savouring the pain mixed with pleasure.

Images of Lizzy's script filled her mind. She pinched her nipples so hard as she imagined that she was Juliet -- the girl in Lizzy's script. She was handled roughly by Guy. She imagined Kath watching both of them. Her hands and legs were cuffed, as Guy pinched her nipples, while his large cock entered her. Her eyes were blindfolded.

A soft small orgasm rolled over her. After the orgasmic spasms and release of her sexual tension, her body felt drained of energy. It was the kind of orgasm you get when you are still half sleeping.

She closed her eyes and slowly fell asleep.

--

Her slumber was punctuated by the erotic scenes with Kath. The characters of the story interchanged with the people in her life. Kath was Lizzy. Guy was Dean. Or was it Uncle Dean that was Guy? It was so confusing.

An idea began to form. She knew that she was the girl, Juliet. As if presaged. A keen clairvoyance that seemed certain. She was the girl with the tattoo -- a Chinese symbol vaguely representing "Scent House" or "the House of Scent".

She was Juliet. Juliet, naked.

Naked to all. Her small skinny body on stage. Splayed out. Her arms and legs cuffed, stretched out. Open. Her sex raw. In the spotlight of the dark nightclub.

Juliet. The sexy dancer. The young submissive slave. Yet, she still retained the look of innocence.

The girl that would enter Guy and Kath's. She, who would become their sexual toy and play the key role in their love test.

~~~

Time had passed. She woke up slightly from her dream.

She moved her head back and forth. "No, no,.... please," she pleaded in her sleep.

Her brow furrowed and her head moved violently from side to side.

She was Juliet. Her mind was filled with a collection of images. Then she saw Lizzy. She saw her uncle Dean against Lizzy's slim naked body. She was in bed with them. He was Guy and Lizzy was Kath. Then after he had fucked Kath, he was on top of her.

"Juliet, open your legs," he said.

She didn't want him too, but she really did. She tried to resist, but she also didn't want to. Kath moved close to her and she felt her caress her face and then run gently down to her nipples, circling each one.

Amber tried to move her arms to push away, but her arms were spread out, her wrists cuffed and bound to the sides of the bed. She felt a collar around her neck, so tight it choked her slightly.

"It is ok, my darling," she said. "My sweetest love. He will not hurt you."

She looked up into Guy as he positioned himself on top of her, her legs opening. Kath continued to caress her as his naked body was just above hers. She looked down between their bodies. His hard straight cock disappeared between her legs and she could feel him rubbing it between her lips.

She heard Kath whisper into her ear.

"We love you, Juliet. Give yourself to him."

She looked up again at Guy's face. But it wasn't Guy. Now it was Dean. Just then, she felt his cock enter her completely. He started pounding his cock deep into her. She tilted her head to Kath. But it wasn't Kath. It was Lizzy.

Guy pulled out of her and rolled over on to her back. Kath undid her hand cuffs. Amber knew instinctively what she must do. She leaned up and took Guy's cock in her hand. She looked into Kath's eyes and down at Guy's cock. She brought it to her mouth and ran her tongue over the moist head. She pumped it with her hand and then took it into her mouth. It was so large for her mouth, but in her dream she could take all of it down her throat. He grabbed her head and pushed until her lips were around the base of his cock.

He began to groan. She wanted to taste him as he shot his cum into her mouth. She wanted to be his submissive pet.

He was so close. She anticipated it at any moment.

Then. She woke up.

~~

Lying in her bed, she looked up at the ceiling. It was the middle of the night. The script lay open across her bare tummy. She was disoriented and in a semi-dreamlike state. It was all so confusing, but so erotic. Like this, her reality was blurred with her dream and Lizzy's script.

"The House of Scent," she whispered. Her eyes were open but not seeing.

"What did it all mean?"

The words ringed in her ears.

"Scent. Does it mean what the word says? Is it literal?"

"Does it really mean.....?"

She thought about her symbol branded into her so many years ago. The same branding that was painted into the others like her. She didn't finish the thought.

Juliet. The tattoo. She pushed it out of her mind.

The images played out in her mind from the scenes of the script. Lizzy -- no, it was Kath -- both hanging from their wrists, naked. Uncle Dean was there. Why would he do this to Kath? -- no, to Lizzy.

It was as if she was overcome with even more confusion.

They were only thoughts in the middle of the night. Taken to the extreme.

Lizzy was writing the scenes of her own life. It was no longer Guy and Kath. It was Lizzy and Dean.

"Yes," she whispered as if to convince herself. "It is just about them. It is about Aunty Lizzy and Uncle Dean. Nothing more. It doesn't mean anything else. I won't think of anything else. "

She looked towards the window. Night lights flickered from the swinging trees of the storm outside, forming shadows that danced on the walls of her room.

"It cast such long shadows."

She listened to the sound of the rain on the window. "Patterns. Is there information in the rain?", she whispered.

A tear fell from her eyes.

"Something happens. It forms into a mould,.... It becomes palpable. Real. Throbbing. You think you can reach out to hold it. It is the hour before, but yearning. It is the nameless hour.

Amber reached out. Her hands are stretching. She can just barely see it.

Just then, it slipped away from her.

She checked the time, it was around 3:30 in the morning. She closed her eyes. She wanted to return to her dream -- there, in the House of Scent -- in the vivid imagination from Lizzy's script. She wanted to be there in the nightclub with Kath as she sang "Sway with Me".

She wanted to be on stage with her as her dress fell to the floor and the large cock emerged between her bald pussy lips. In her dream, she was Juliete. She was the girl that put her tongue on Kath's pussy, and then the large cock emerged and entered into her mouth; each time pumping deeper into her.

Amber's clit was hard again. She rubbed it very slowly, moving in slow circles. What if she could insert her clit between Lizzy's pussy? Feel it rub on her mouth? She gasped with the thought. It made her more aroused.

She brought her fingers to her mouth, imagining that her liquid was from Lizzy. How much yearning could she tolerate? It was so intense, she could die.

~~~~~

From her bed, she looked out the window, through the beaded raindrops.

She wondered if the world contained hidden messages. The rain, with its rhythmic, persistent presence, so too does information.

Was it all fate? Had some force brought her here at this very moment to make a difference in the lives of Dean and Lizzy? If she was meant to become part of Guy and Kath's story.

"Has every drop of rain, every gust of wind, every ray of sunshine, and every wave that laps the shore, been programmed to occur? Carefully choreographed so she could be there at that moment?"

It occurred to her that the rain, falling in the dark night, was like the unspoken truths in the lives of Lizzy, Dean, and Amber (and Guy and Kath of Lizzy's story) -- it fell softly but persistently, touching everything yet rarely acknowledged. Just as the rain subtly altered the world outside, leaving its mark on the dark, quiet streets, the undercurrents of their lives, too, were silently reshaping their relationships, invisible but ever-present.

~~~~

The sound of the rain made her want to pee. Gently, she pushed back the covers and slid out of bed. Opening her door silently, tiptoed towards the bathroom, careful not to make any noise that might wake Lizzy and Dean. Not turning the light on, she noticed that their bedroom door down the end of the hallway was slightly open as she passed into the bathroom.

Amber stopped at the entrance to the bathroom, however.

They were making love.

"Gosh," she gasped.

She realized that her outburst of surprise may have been too loud.

She remained silent, just at the entrance of the bathroom, listening to the steady rhythm of their lovemaking. The rocking back and forth like the tides of the ocean. She forgot about having to pee.

She wanted to watch.

~~~~~~

So, she left the bathroom and walked down the hall to the outside of their bedroom. Through their open door, she could see them in the moonlight. She listened to Lizzy panting, as Dean pumped his cock into her.

Amber was already aroused. Combined with the thrill of being a voyeur and with the possibility of getting caught, the moistness between her legs, combined with her desire to pee was too much. She began to rub her finger back and forth between her wispy pubic hair and along the lips of her cunt.

"Dean, not now," Lizzy whispers.

Amber can just make out some of the words as she whispers in the rhythmic lovemaking of the couple.

"I just want to make love.... not make parts of the film," Lizzy continues between her gasps as Dean pushes his cock into her.

Dean said something that she couldn't hear.

Then she heard her name.

"It's the only time we can film with Amber here," she thought she heard him say.

He had stopped briefly and they lay like that for a few moments. Amber imagined that his cock was still in Lizzy. His cock was still buried deep into Lizzy. Pulsating. She could see that Lizzy moved still, imagining that she wanted him to continue and not stop.

Amber pushed her finger into her entrance. She so much wanted to see Dean's cock entering Lizzy's pussy.

"Just this once," she heard Dean say.

"Dean, not now," Lizzy whispered. "It was so nice the way you were holding me. Don't ruin it."

"It is not ruining it, Liz. It's the last scene of 'Cuffed, Dead'," he whispered. "It will just be a moment."

Lizzy said something that Amber couldn't make out.

"It's so we can get it over with quickly," he said. "Besides, you're already on the bed," he paused. "Like this, cuffed and with cum on you."

Amber could hear them whispering more, but their words were indistinct. Lizzy didn't seem happy, however.

Then she caught Lizzy's voice, a tone of mild exasperation mixed with acquiescence.

"Okay, okay," Lizzy said, seemingly conceding yet willing to appease, perhaps realizing that it would be futile.

Amber notices Dean pulling out from her. He kneels up and begins to get out of the bed.

Realizing the risk of being caught, Amber turned and ran tip-toed down the hall. She heard Dean's footsteps approaching, so she quickly slipped into the bathroom, since it was closest.

Her bedroom was further down the hallway and she knew she wouldn't make it there in time without being seen. She quietly stepped into the darkened bathroom, closing the door but leaving it slightly ajar. While standing motionless in the shadows, Dean would not notice her as he walked passed. Moreover, she hoped that he wouldn't enter the bathroom. Suddenly, she heard his footsteps as he continued down the hallway, going towards the living room.

Amber stayed hidden, listening intently. After a moment, she heard Dean's footsteps approaching once again, but then walking past the bathroom to their bedroom. Then, she heard their bedroom door close softly and his footsteps in the hallway once again.

She remained still.

After several minutes, she cautiously emerged from the bathroom. There was a dim light emanating from the living room that was bathed in a dim light. She could just make out Dean with his back to her as he sat at the computer where he was engrossed in his work.

She could just walk to her room and not be detected. Instead, a thought came to her. No, a deep desire overtook her.

"What are you thinking?" she said to herself. "This is crazy."

She disregarded the rational choice to return to her room. Instead, Amber felt a force drawing her towards Lizzy and Dean's bedroom. She knew it was not only risky, but stupid -- if Dean were to come back, she would be caught. It would be so awkward. How could she explain it?

Yet, she was driven by an inexplicable urge. So, she stepped out into the hallway and tiptoed towards their bedroom, hugging the wall in order to blend into the shadows.

Looking into the room from the doorway, she saw Lizzy asleep on the bed. Lizzy was in a deep sleep with soft rhythmic breathing. She was completely unaware of Amber's presence at the entrance to the bedroom. Encouraged, Amber entered the room quietly, like a ghost. She stood close to the bed and watched Lizzy with rays of light that entered through the window, casting a beam on Lizzy's body. Her mind was filled with desire and emotions. She was overwhelmed with the desire to touch Lizzy's naked body. She wanted to lie next to her and kiss her nipples.

Amber removed her nighty and let it drop to the floor. She was naked. Lost in her fantasy, she started to masturbate looking at Lizzy. A light beam from the window illuminated Lizzy's pussy. Amber slipped her wet fingers into her mouth. But, she remained in the shadows, in case Lizzy should awaken.

Lizzy moved in her sleep suddenly. She opened her legs. Her pubic hair was matted, soaked with the fluid from their lovemaking. Amber crouches down on the floor so that she is close to the bed and less than a meter from Lizzy's open legs. It is the first time she has seen Lizzy naked in person. Her pussy lips are thick and swollen from sex with Dean and her entrance is still extended.

Amber's arousal had blurred her reason. She pinches her nipples as she stares at Lizzy's body. Watching her smooth belly undulate with her deep breaths of slumber. With her other hand, she rubs her finger very slowly with her own lubricated pussy.

She wanted to be naked. She pulled off her t-shirt and threw it on the floor beside her.

"This is crazy," she thinks. She is intoxicated by the thrill. It makes her unable to move. "If Dean comes back!" she thinks.

Lizzy changes her position. She rolls over, so that she is on her side, and her beautiful ass is facing Amber. The view offers Amber a view of her pussy from behind. She wishes she could move in and lick it.

~~~~~~

Just as Amber's desire was overcoming her, she heard the sound of Dean's footsteps down the hall, sending her into a panic. To avoid being caught, she was filled with a heightened sense of urgency to flee from the bedroom. She looked around the room, and seeing the slightly open closet door, she made a quick decision and quickly ducked inside. Once inside, she crawled into the far corner beneath the hanging clothes. In her haste, she had forgotten her nighty that she had discarded on the floor. Shrouded in complete darkness, she held her breath, praying she wouldn't be discovered.

From her hiding spot, Amber could hear Dean pause and enter the bathroom, deliberately leaving the door ajar to avoid making any noise. Realizing that crossing back to the bathroom would risk being seen, she decided her safest option was to stay put.

She looked at her nightie sprawled out on the floor only a few meters away. She had to retrieve it. He would see it and know that it was hers. She was just about to crawl out when she heard Dean heading back. Resigned, she retreated inside. Curling up into a ball, she nestled into the shadows of the closet, hoping fervently that Dean wouldn't notice her presence. The tension in the air was palpable as she waited in silence, every sense heightened and alert.

Dean entered the bedroom and approached the bed where Lizzy was sleeping.

"Lizzy, wake up," he said, gently nudging her. Lizzy stirred slightly and rolled over. "Come on, honey, I'm going to turn on the light. Okay?"

Dean went to the dresser opposite the bed and switched on the lamp. From her hiding spot in the closet, Amber was less concealed by shadows than before. The light from the room left her more exposed. She feared being discovered and tried to curl up into the corner of the closet.

Dean then began setting up some photography equipment, including lights, large umbrellas, and a tripod. He walked around the bed, coming within a meter of the closet where Amber was hidden, and reached for something on the nightstand. Amber's shirt lay on the floor nearby, but Dean seemed oblivious to it.

Once he finished the preparations for the filming session, Dean headed into the bathroom and closed the door behind him, leaving the bedroom. Lizzy moved lazily on the bed, but with her eyes closed, languidly awaiting for Dean to return.

Seizing the moment, Amber swiftly crawled out of the closet, and had enough time to nudge her nighty under the dresser, to conceal it from view. As she returned back into the closet, the bathroom door opened and Dean emerged. He was now naked. It was a narrow escape, and she nearly got caught in her brazen act.

Once again, Amber sat motionless in the corner of the closet. Her anxiety mounted as Dean began walking toward the closet and close to her hiding spot in the corner under the hanging clothes. Her heart pounded furiously. She was certain that she would be discovered at any moment. Instinctively, she pushed herself further into the corner, as if by doing this she could blend into the wall behind her.

Just as her fear reached its peak, Dean stopped only inches away from her. He seemed to be looking for something on the shelf above the clothing. He seemed interested in something above the clothing. She looked up and saw he reached for some photography equipment. He grabbed some camera lenses and a photography bag. However, as he reached up on his tip-toes, his body arched further into the closet, his cock only a couple of inches from Amber's mouth. She held her breath, frozen in place until he finally turned and walked away to the other side of the room, leaving her undetected but still reeling from the close encounter.

~~~~~~

Dean walked to the bedroom door and closed it. Amber now knew that she could not escape. He whispered to Lizzy, telling her to wake up.

Now, with the bedroom door closed, he switched on all the lights, and also switched on the photography lights. The bedroom was transformed into a photography studio. He then began to take pictures and film Lizzy, as she lay on the bed.

"Come'on Lizzy, wake up," he whispered. "Open your legs."

Lazily she obeyed, knowing that it was futile to argue at this point.

"That's it. You'r so hot," he repeated, coaxing her and getting her to react while he filmed. "Now rub your fingers on your pussy."

Lizzy knew it was best to go along and help him in his creative process. From her concealed spot in the closet, Amber watched them silently, witnessing the scene unfold before her in utter amazement.

Amber's fear of being caught turned into an intoxicating desire to be on the bed naked with Lizzy and to take part in the scene.

~~~~~~

After what seemed like hours, Amber, still curled up in the closet, eventually was so exhausted that she fell asleep. She was jolted awake by the sound of Dean's alarm clock ringing. At first, she was disoriented and had forgotten where she was. However, she suddenly became aware of her precarious situation. Adrenaline rushed through her body and she felt a fear of being discovered.

She heard Dean getting out of bed. As if she could disappear and be unnoticed, Amber curled into a ball again. She feared that at any moment, she could be discovered. It would be so embarrassing. She closed her eyes awaiting the inevitable.

However, to her relief, she heard Uncle Dean leave the bedroom. He had left the bedroom slightly ajar, and some light from the hallway entered the darkened room. She peaked out from where she was sitting and despite the bedroom still being dark, she could make out the figure of Lizzy was still in bed with her back to her.

She stayed still listening for Dean's return. WIth the door slightly ajar, she decided it was her chance to escape and return to her room. She started moving to get out of the closet, however, just as she was about to seize the opportunity, she heard Dean in the hallway. She froze in her tracks and held her breath. He walked into the room and into the bathroom.

When he closed the door to the bathroom, it was her moment to escape. She quickly crawled out into the dark room, and quickly made her way naked to the bedroom door. Just as she was leaving, she heard Dean emerging from the bathroom.

She ran down the hall, her small breasts bouncing as she ran. Once in her room, she sighed in relief. Her ordeal was over and she had avoided getting caught.

Then she remembered her nighty. It was on the floor of Dean and Lizzy's bedroom.

~~~~~~ : ~~~~~~

TWO: GUY AND KATH

The scene opens with Guy sitting on a park bench in Central park. It is morning. He is reading a newspaper. He is waiting for her. Kath is late for the appointment.

He lifts his gaze many times.

Finally, Kath arrives and sits down. She is dressed elegantly, black dress with a tight checkered pattern; it is a fitted bodice and a flared skirt. She wears a black French style hat with a veil, covering part of her face.

Nonetheless, she looks very tired.

"Rough night, Kath?" Guy asked.

"Yeah. Something like that."

"You didn't seem to mind all those hands on your body and that cock between your legs."

A flashback scene shows Kath on stage naked in the spotlight, the rest is dark. Many women are touching her naked body. A very long erect cock emerges from between Kath's legs and rubs along her bare pussy lips. After pumping back and forth, the man's cock enters her from behind. He wraps his large hand around her throat and begins to pump hard and fast into her. She is like a pet and he is fucking her roughly. She closes her eyes.

The next scene returns to Guy and Kath sitting in the park.

She tries to ignore the comment. She looks down at her handbag. She pulls out a note.

"In fact, you seemed to enjoy it. Getting back to your old tricks?" Guy says, cruelly.

"What are you sore about? You got me into all of this," Kath responded, annoyed but also hurt.

"That's right. I forced you? You forced yourself."

She looks down.

"Skip it kid. Did you get any names?"

"Yeah. I wrote down the names of some of the people, as you told me."

She hands him the notecard.

"I met Mason. He has a mole on his face."

"Will you see him again?" he asked.

"Yeah. I think so. He invited me to a party on Friday night."

"You work fast," he says, crossing his arms and lifting his chin and looking ahead.

She turns her gaze to him and sneers at him. Not letting him get the upper hand, her expression lightens.

"Yeah. Once a tramp always a tramp. Right?"

"Alright. Alright. If you want to be like that. Just let's get the job done. OK?"

She looks down at her handbag, and nods.

"Anything I should be looking for?" she asks, softly -- now defeated.

"Yes. This Juliet girl. I have a feeling she knows more than she is leading on. Stay close to her. Also, try to get Mason to talk."

Kath nods and then stands up. She hesitates, as if she is giving him an opportunity to act.

"Alright. I'll be seeing you, Guy."

Guy watches her get up. He remains stoic.

"And be careful."

Kath nods.

"Bye."

Kath gains her composure and forces a smile. She turns and walks away. Guy reads her list of possible suspicious people she met at the nightclub the previous night.

~~~~~~ : ~~~~~~

THREE: LIZZY'S SCRIPT

That morning, Amber joined Lizzy for breakfast, her mind still lingering on the script she had read the night before. She was slightly worried because she wasn't sure if Lizzy actually knew she had spent the entire night in her closet.

"Good morning," Lizzy said.

"Hi," smiling, sleepily.

"Sleep well?"

"Yeah."

Amber thought about the previous night. If Lizzy only knew.

Lizzy got up and prepared some juice for Amber. She came and sat down.

"You still look sleepy."

"Just a little. I was up reading your script."

"Oh. What did you think?"

"It is really incredible."

Lizzy was pleased.

"Why haven't you tried to convince Uncle Dean to use this?"

"He dismissed it, saying Kurst would never write like that. He was kind about it and said my writing was meant for a different audience. He implied that Kurst's work was on another level."

"I think your writing is amazing and much better than Kurst's books. Why didn't you ever try to convince Uncle Dean to create your own story together?"

Lizzy sighed, and giggled, "Haha, you still don't know your Uncle enough! He always said my ideas were silly. He believes Kurst's fame means no one would be interested in our work. I guess it made me lose confidence in my own writing."

~~~~~~

"Lizzy,.... hmm," she paused, not sure how to say this.

"What?"

"Well, My idea from yesterday. You know.... I really think you could write the script for Kurst."

Lizzy laughed. "You were serious? I don't know if there is much of a chance of that!"

"I was serious. I really think you could."

"How?"

"Well, Uncle Dean already said that Kurst published the first scene, and then nothing else. Maybe he is not happy with what he has. Maybe he has writer's block or something."

Lizzy looked at her. She realized that Amber was serious, if not completely naive.

"You could send him your script as a way of continuing his story. I am sure he would like what you wrote."

"Amber, even if what you say could be true, he must have hundreds of fan fiction authors sending him scripts every day. Why would he look at mine?"

"Because yours is the best," Amber said.

Lizzy smiled and put her hand on Amber's.

"You are so sweet."

"If you want, I will send it to him."

"I don't know," Lizzy said with self-doubt. "And what will you say to convince him?"

"I will worry about that."

"You have nothing to lose," Amber said. "Besides, if you are the one that is writing the script you will have control. You said to yourself that you want to gain back control."

Lizzy was starting to come around to the idea.

"So it will be you that writes your own life. Through your story. Maybe you can put Juliet more in the lives of Guy and Kath. Maybe she would live with Kath or with both of them like I am living here."

Lizzy understood the parallels that Amber wanted. The lines were already blurred between Guy and Kath and her relationship with Dean.

Amber added. "Don't you remember what your fortune cookie said? 'In life's story, your hand holds the pen'. Juliet would be there just like I am here."

Adding more scenes with Juliet would make that even more like their own lives. She found herself nodding in agreement.

"OK. I'll fix the script today and add a new scene. I'll do it today and send it to you later."

Amber leaned in and kissed Lizzy on the cheek.

~~~~~~

Lizzy went into her bedroom and dressed for work. She thought about Amber's words, and felt a new confidence in her writing that she hadn't felt in a long time. She whispered the words of the script, "Shadows of the House of Scent" and began to go over the scenes in the script in her mind. It was obvious that Amber's words gave her a new sense of hope that her life could change; that her relationship with Dean could return to the way it was before, long ago.

She thought about Juliet and Amber. Her nipples became hard.

"Perhaps?" she whispered as she stood naked in her bedroom in front of the mirror, "Juliet will have to make love to Kath."

She knew what that would mean. Her hand slipped between her legs. She was already moist.

She knew that Amber would need to play the part of Juliet in Dean's recreation of Kurst' graphic novels.

"Yes. Juliet will make love to Kath."

She thought of kissing Amber. Naked. Together.

This would be a turning point - no longer would she be a mere bystander in her own life.

The moment was far more consequential than she or anyone else could ever imagine.

~~~~~~ : ~~~~~~

FOUR: KATH UNDERCOVER

This scene in the script opens showing Kath entering a mansion. A High-Class Party, typical of 1940s NYC. It is a luxurious house. This is a BDSM private party for wealthy patrons.

The camera shifts to the inside. It focuses on Kath, dressed in an elegant black dinner dress as she enters, and speaks to an older gentleman dressed in a tuxedo and attending the guests as they enter -- he is the maître d'.

"Follow me," the maître d' said.

She walks behind him. He walks efficiently and with conviction towards Mason. The camera follows them, then pans wide, showing the impressive interior of the mansion's main hall. It has sweeping marble stairways and columns and is decorated with classic statues. Crystal chandeliers hang from the high ceilings, and large artworks adorn the walls.

The party has many people. The women are dressed in flowing evening gowns; the men in classic black tuxedos, crisp white shirts, and elegant bow ties. Servants swerve in and about the guests, serving champagne and hors d'oeuvres.

All is not what it appears. There is a sense to the keen observer that beneath this lavish veneer are darker Machiavellian schemes.

The maitre'd turns to Kath.

"You shall wait here. I shall tell Sir Mason that you are here."

Kath nods. The camera pans around the large salon, from Kath's perspective. She looks around. Trying to remember faces.

There are at least 200 people. Most female guests are naked. All are beautiful and with exceptional bodies. Each wears neck collars. Some have chains attached. There are some that have wrist cuffs, binding their hands behind their backs.

~~~~~~

The camera stays focused on Kath.

A young naked woman approaches. She is a slave and wears a shiny metal chain tassel headpiece with a veil that covers her face, giving her a look of mystique and beauty. Kath does not recognize her at first.

The camera moves up her body slowly as she approaches, panning out to frame her naked body. She has skinny and athletic legs and small breasts. Her metal collar fits tight around her neck and the chain headpiece is attached to a metal ring in the front. Underneath the chain metal headpiece, her rich brown auburn hair is pulled back and worn in a ponytail. Through the metal tassels of the veil, her big blue-gray eyes are visible.

"Hello Kath."

"Juliet? Is that you?" Kath looked at her, surprised.

The camera focuses on the young woman. She smiles.

Yes, silly. You didn't recognize me?"

"You are so beautiful."

"Don't be ridiculous. I'm naked. You're the one that's beautiful. Gosh."

"Is he here?"

"Yes. He told me to come here and wait with you."

"Quite the event, isn't it?"

"Yeah, I guess! They like it like this -- fancy. It must be a way to disguise their perversions into something legitimate."

Kath wasn't entirely sure about the implications of this, but let it pass.

The camera pans out as the two continue a conversation.

The way she speaks intimates that she most certainly was an orphan. In another question, she mentioned Elm Street Junction, where the trollies cross, and the church bells. The only thing in that part of town is an orphanage.

As a waiter offers a tray of hors d'oeuvres, Juliet eagerly samples one.

"I love this black bean sauce!" Juliet said.

Kath raises an eyebrow.

"What black bean sauce?"

"This," she said, while eating one and holding another of the hors d'oeuvres. "Yeah! We had it a few times back when I was little in.... well,... in the orphanage. These were my favorite."

Juliet grabbed a few more from the tray.

Kath realizes Juliet is confusing caviar with black beans. She thought, "How could she ever have caviar at an orphanage? -- Curious."

Kath smiled and looked out at the other guests.

~~~~~~

Kath's eyes dart across the room. She suddenly spots the man with the mole on his cheek. The one that was at the Chinese restaurant. She tries not to let anyone on and casually turns to Juliet.

"Do you know that man over there?" Kath lifted her gaze in the direction, trying to be as discreet as possible.

Slowly, Juliet looked at the man. She tried to act, but her expressions betrayed her. It was overdone.

"No. I have never seen him." she said nervously, but obviously lying. "Do you know him?"

"No, but I have seen him before. Recently."

Just then, the music changes to a lively tune. Juliet's face lights up.

"What lovely music," Kath said to lighten the situation.

"Oh, I love this song! It's so much fun to dance to."

"You like dancing?"

Yes, I love it! I actually dance to this kind of music quite a bit. There's a band that plays something similar at... well, where I dance."

Kath catches the hint of hesitation in Juliet's voice, sensing yet another piece of the puzzle falling into place. Juliet held lots of secrets and Kath knew to tread slowly to pry information from her.

"Sounds like a lively place. Is it here in the city?"

Distracted by the music, Juliet nods. "Yeah, it's... it's a nice place. Different, but nice."

Kath notes Juliet's guarded response, mentally filing away this clue.

The casual conversation revealed far more than the girl had certainly intended. The mention of a band and a place where Juliet dances - these details could be significant. Kath knows that there is a band that plays at a strip club.

~~~~

Kath and Juliet are conversing when the man with the mole approaches. Juliet looks visibly uncomfortable. She looks away.

All of a sudden the man with the mole joins them.

"Oh Juliet. So good to see you," the man says, bending to kiss Juliet on the cheek.

He then puts his hand around her skinny waist, brings her close to him, and kisses her forcibly and arrogantly on the mouth -- as if she were an object. His hand moves down and he cups her bare ass, letting his fingers move between her crack to touch her pussy.

"Already wet, little one?"

Kath is surprised but tries not to show it.

"Oh, hi... um, this is Kath," Juliet says, embarrassed by what just happened -- even if she was supposed to be a slave.

She introduces Kath to the man. He turns to Kath, puffing up with self-importance.

"Pleasure to meet you, Kath. "

He takes her hand and then looks at her more closely.

"The pleasure is mine," Kath responds, with elegance.

He furrows his brow. "You look so familiar. Have we met before?"

"No. I haven't. But, you also look familiar," she smiles. "Perhaps at another function such as this one."

"Yes," he says incredulously and unconvinced, looking between Kath and Julient. "Perhaps at another function."

"Do you work at the bank?", she laughs lightheartedly to break his peering gaze. "Everyone here seems to work at the bank."

"No my dear," he smiles, going along with the pantomime. "I work in the government." Then with a hint of arrogance, he adds "The war department."

"I am impressed," she says feigning admiration.

Juliet looks on during the exchange.

At that moment, the two other men who seemed to be high-profile individuals come over and grab his attention. He breaks away for a moment.

"Ladies," the man declares, standing up straight as if to salute. "I will be right back. Don't move from here." He looks at Juliet and smiles, knowing that she is bound there by the chain.

Kath remained there with Juliet. For a moment, Juliet was uncomfortable and tried to brush over the fact that she lied. Kath didn't press.

"Did you see him before?" Juliet whispered.

Kath needed information, so she decided to pursue this. She wanted to see how Juliet responded. She would have to reveal more than she wanted.

"Yes. In a Chinese restaurant. I think it's called the Green Dragon."

Juliet's facial expression changed. It was as if the blood drained from her face. She tried to hide the fact that she felt slightly faint.

"Oh."

"Is everything alright? Do you know the restaurant?"

Juliet looks ill -- as if she had just realized something. She gives Kath a nervous smile and sips her champagne. She used all her effort to try and compose herself. Inside, she was a ball of nerves that was turning to rage. She tried to conceal the temple in her hands.

"Yes, I'm fine," she smiles nervously.

Their conversation continued, but Juliet was preoccupied with her thoughts.

"It looks like you have something on your mind."

Perhaps it was the wine, but Juliet let her defenses down. "Someday, I shall kill that man."

Kath looked at her. Juliet was no longer there. Her mind was elsewhere. She had a blank stare ahead, looking into the crowd where the man with the mole walked.

"In the most brutal manner possible."

~~~~~~

At one point in the night, all the guests seemed to disappear. Once the liquor flows and the hour becomes later there is a show. One of the slaves is brought to the stage. Her hands and legs are outstretched and tied so that she is completely spread.

A woman who is dressed comes on the stage with three other naked slaves. They say something that Kath doesn't understand, and one by one the three naked slaves begin to whip the tied woman until she is crisscrossed with red marks.

The couples watching begin to have an orgie.

There is a man next to Kath. He turned to her and without asking began to remove Kath's dress. Kath looks around and sees that she cannot refuse. She must blend in.

Kath is standing naked. And he begins to kiss her all over. She doesn't like him, but he is slobbering all over her.

Suddenly, she feels another man behind her. He puts his arms around her and he feels his large cock ride up her ass. Then she feels him insert it between her legs and make it rub between her pussy. It feels so good.

He then enters her. While he is fucking Kath the first man is still sucking on her tits. She rubs her fingers through his hair. The man that is fucking her stops, and another man comes up behind her. His cock is even larger. He forces her to bend over and he fucks her even harder.

~~~~~~

This goes on for what seems like hours. Kath lost count of how many men had fucked her. It was more than twenty, but could have been thirty.

At one point, two men that were taking turns fucking her were talking in front of her. One man is fucking her, while the other forces Kath's head down on his cock.

"This is one hot bitch," one man said who was pumping his cock in and out of Kath. "So skinny and athletic, and so tight. Goddamn, she is tight."

"This ain't nothing compared to the 'House of Scent'", the guy next to him said, who was fucking another woman.

"I've never been."

"You would love it. There is one on Saturday."

The first man started to spurt cum into Kath, while the other was in her mouth nearly simultaneously.

Kath tried to recall what the men looked like, but it was dark and they had been working her so much that it was almost impossible. After their orgasm, and they recovered for a moment, the two threw her there on the floor in search of their next conquest.

Kath was not lying on the floor for very long. Two other men came, picked her up, and started to fuck her before she had time to recover from the previous. However, it didn't matter, because she had heard some important information. She hoped that others would mention where this 'House of Scent' was.

Men continued to fuck her. There were even some older women who used her. At some point, her mind stopped thinking and feeling. It was as if she wasn't attached to that sexy naked body that was the object of so much abuse and debauchery.

Kath whispered to herself, "It didn't matter. I found out some important information about the House of Scent. Now, where is it?"

~~~~~~

After many hours, men stopped coming to her. She lay there on the floor. She looked around and men and women were spewed around the room, in the wake of the orgie.

Kath stood up. She would try to find her clothing. After searching for more than 15 or 20 minutes, she found her dress. It was torn, but she could wear it. She didn't find any other part of her clothing.

~~~~~~

As Kath is walking in a daze towards the main hall, she spots Juliet sitting alone in a corner, tears streaming down her face. Approaching quietly, Kath notices Juliet is in a corner naked and crying; her hands are cuffed, and she is beaten by six of the men. He was a friend of the man who was her Master for the evening. An aftermath of a game with the men at the party that had turned sour.

Kath sits down beside Juliet and gently wraps an arm around her, offering comfort. Juliet's hair shifts, revealing a tattoo high on her neck, just behind her ear. It's a series of Chinese symbols, 气味之家 (Qìwèi zhī jiā), meaning 'House of Scent,' hidden beneath her hair and ear.

Kath, recognizing the importance of the symbol, discreetly takes out her lipstick. With careful precision, she replicates the tattoo's symbol on the underside of her arm as a vital clue.

"Oh, my gosh. Juliet, don't worry, I'm going to find the keys to these cuffs," Kath whispered softly

Juliet looks up at Kath, her eyes filled with a mix of fear and gratitude.

"No," Juliet implored, through her pain. "Just go. It's important. You will only make it worse for me."

Kath pulls Juliet into a reassuring embrace, conveying a sense of solidarity. She also is more intent on uncovering deeper truths.

As Kath steps away, she is confused. What do the clues she's gathered mean? What do they have to do with the illicit perfume trade and the 'House of Scent.'?

~~~~~~ : ~~~~~~

FIVE: LIZZY AT WORK

After the conversation with Amber, she suddenly had the confidence to get back to her writing. Something that Amber had said made her realize that it wasn't because she was too busy with Dean's career, it was because she was afraid. She had become afraid of failure again. And so, she built up a defensive barrier.

Despite saying otherwise, she too had buried herself in the world of Guy and Kath, but she was in the story.

She didn't want to be in the story anymore. She wanted her own story.

She arrived later at the library on other days. She barely slept the previous night and she overslept slightly in the morning.

The library is housed in an old, historic building with a majestic stone facade and grand entrance. Inside, the main hall has high, vaulted ceilings that give it an old academic feeling of tradition.

The walls are lined with scholarly dark wood paneling. In the main hall area, tall polished wood bookcases are filled with an extensive collection of books. In the center are long solid oak tables where many students and scholars are studying or purveying the books they retrieved from the stacks.

As Lizzy enters. The library is quiet, with the soft murmur of students studying and the occasional sound of pages turning. The scent of old books and polished wood pervades the space, creating a sense of timelessness.

From all that has happened, Lizzy pays particular attention to all these details. It is like foreshadowing.

"Lizzy, the librarian,'" she repeats to herself, with a sense of resignation.

"Where was all the excitement? Life?"

She glanced up and examined the ornate, wrought-iron light fixtures hanging from the ceiling, casting a warm glow over the room. It was curious because she never really looked at them.

"My life will be spent here, tending books," she thought.

She observed the large, arched windows allowing natural light to filter in, highlighting the dust motes floating in the air.

"I will do it," she repeated to herself. "I will write the scenes of Kurst's book. I will write the scenes of my own life."

~~~~~~

Lizzy arrived at her office area. It is a small, cozy office space set within the library, partitioned for privacy but still open to the main area. She shares the office with three other women. As Lizzy enters, each looks up from their busy work and smiles to say good morning.

The office is furnished with sturdy, wooden desks, each cluttered with stacks of books, papers, and library paraphernalia. Lining the walls are vintage filing cabinets containing library records and historical documents.

When she settled in, she took her printed script from her bag and placed it on her desk. She covered it with other books, to keep it out of view of her workmates, while she attended to some minor requests.

There were the normal sundry issues.

Margaret asked, "Have we received the latest issue of 'The New Yorker' yet?"

"It should be in today's mail. I'll check and put it on your desk."

And then there was Eleanor from the Literature section. "Lizzy, Professor Smith requested additional reference materials for his literature seminar. He thought you might have some ideas."

"I'll gather some texts from the stacks. I believe we have just what he needs."

Her co-worker "Qiongyue" (everyone calls her Joanna) from Hong Kong asked her to catalog some new open-source journals.

~~~~~~

When she finished her daily chores, it was already mid-morning. Her co-workers were off doing work at different points in the library. She could now sit at her computer and work on her script. It had been a long time since she opened the document. She had it on a pen drive.

She went to the scene after scene. She went over the scenes that Amber discussed and included Juliet more in the lives of Guy and Kath. The more she wrote, the more she realized she was thinking about Amber.

The more she thought about Amber, the more that Kath and Juliet were intimately connected, erotically connected.

Lizzy was writing about her life. She was writing about how she wanted her life to change.

~~~~~~

It was exam period so most students were quietly studying at the large oak desks or within cubicles. The thing about her erotic writing is that it made her very aroused. Lizzy pushed her legs together, but she became wet.

The office was empty, except for Qiongyou. Her two other co-workers had already left early. Qiongyue continued working diligently at her desk, but she had her back to Lizzy in the far corner of the room. She had worked 3 hours uninterrupted.

Her panties were so wet that they would make a mess of her dress and they were uncomfortable. While sitting, she took them off.

Just as she bent down, to put the panties in her bag, Qiongyue stood in front of her desk.

"I'm sorry to bother you, Lizzy, but do you mind looking at this document for a moment? It is the plan for the catalog of the new journals again. So sorry."

"Oh, Uhm, sure," Lizzy said somewhat flustered, with her wet panties in her hand, and Qiongyue standing there with a document, "yes of course. one moment."

She dropped the panties on the floor and tried to adjust her gray librarian skirt. When she flipped through the papers that Qiongyue handed her, she realized that her fingers were glistening with moisture from her pussy that she had been rubbing. She hoped Qiongyou

didn't notice.

~~~~~~

After she had helped Qiongyou, she retrieved her panties from the floor from under her feet. She continued to work on the script. She was finishing towards the end of the day. She had worked 5 hours uninterrupted; making minor changes and additions to the script. She had included scenes with Juliet and was satisfied. She made sure that all of the changes were coherent with the rest of the story. She also made changes to Kath; after all, she was writing her own life now.

This was now not about Guy and Kath alone. It was strange because she felt like she was living vicariously through them. Their lives (or hers) were a shadow; each was a reflection of the other. Lizzy was Kath, and Kath was LIzzy.

After reading over what she had written, she was amazed that it seemed to come out of her naturally. Amber was Juliet, and Juliet was Amber.

She opened the document again and made a few more changes to the document. She realized how Amber had already changed her life.

She wrote an email and then sent it to Amber.

~~~~~~ : ~~~~~~

SIX: THE PAST'S UNDERBELLY

The next scene of the script is at Guy's office. Kath enters.

She wears a hair clip in her short black hair. Her makeup is subtle but highlights her grey eyes. She wears a knee-length dress in navy blue with a subtle polka dot pattern that snuggly fits her slender frame. Over this, she wears a light beige coat that is open. She wears elegant navy blue high heels and sheer, gray stockings.

Even though she strides into the room with poise and confidence, after so many years of high pedigree, her face displays something different. Anxiety and fear. And a deep sense of confusion about where the case is going.

Guy is sitting behind his desk. Kath remains standing next to his desk.

"So what did you get?"

"Is that all you have to ask? Didn't you worry about me?"

Guy takes a drag from his cigarette, his brow furrows, and he looks up at her.

"Yeah. I was worried. But, we got a job to do. So knock it off and just lay it on me, Kid."

"Alright then.... "

Kath tells him all that she found. First at the government office, and then at the party. She hands and puts the brochure of the social office on Guy's table. He picks it up, looks at it, and then throws it back down, indifferently.

Kath is miffed that he doesn't feel any jealousy about the party. But, she still didn't tell him all the details.

Guy sits there. He lights another cigarette and offers her one. She refuses. He puts his feet up on his table.

"So that's it? You're not jealous?"

"Sit down, and stop getting so antsy."

Kath obeys. She sits straight in the chair. Not wanting to let more of her guard down and show how much she wants to simply fall into his arms.

"We gotta figure out where this party on Saturday is going to be. And this government guy. The guy with the mole. What does he have to do with all this?"

Just then, the phone rings. It is Chick Smart. He puts the speakerphone on so that Kath can listen in. He holds the phone.

"Chick. Yeah, it's me. Go ahead."

"Well, I'm just calling you to tell you to lay off the case.'

"What do you mean 'lay off the case?'"

"Look, Guy. Just do me a favor. The DA's office is all over me. Just drop it. OK? No questions. They say they got their own investigation. Something big. And we are going to screw it up."

"History is repeating itself. Tell me something else, Chick."

"I mean it, Guy. Listen to me this time. You're not going to be some hot-shot and then get burned."

"Yeah. don't worry about me. I'll be in touch. Bye."

After he hung up the phone, the camera contained both of them in the scene. Kath studies his expression. She knew him too well.

"You ain't going to stop investigating the case. Aren't you?" Kath asked concerned.

"That's right, Kid. You know that isn't possible."

"So what are you going to do?"

"Right now, you're going to show me a bit about what you did at the party."

Guy gets up and pulls down the blinds. He takes the handcuffs that are on his desk. He looks up at her.

"Stand up, Kid," Guy commanded.

Kath stood up, not knowing what to expect.

"Now, take your clothes off."

Guy takes out a cigarette and puts it into his mouth. As he lights it, Kath stands up. With some hesitation, she knows the routine. She begins to unbutton the buttons of her blouse. She pulls her shirt off, letting it drop on the chair, so that drapes over the arm rests. She reaches behind her back and unclasps her bra. With a slight hesitation, she lets it fall off, releasing her firm round breasts.

She looks into Guy's eyes. Their eyes speak.

He looks down to her skirt. She looks down, unclasps her skirt and lets it fall to the floor. Without looking up, quickly grasps the sides of her panties and pulls them down together with her silk stockings.

She stands naked looking at him. Waiting submissively. He is still dressed in his suit. He takes the last drag from his cigarette. He walks around his desk and stands close to her. He grabs her arms and pushes her towards him. He kisses her on the lips passionately. She melts into his arms.

~~~~~~ : ~~~~~~

SEVEN: KURST MEETS AMBER

That afternoon, Amber received a message from Lizzy with the revised screenplay. She sat at her computer, her heart racing as she composed a message to Kurst. She was acutely aware that a renowned author like him must receive countless messages from fans, so she decided to add something extra to catch his attention.

She stood in front of her camera and began to remove her clothes. They were photos of her full body, first fully dressed and taking a photo each time she removed a garment. When she was completely naked, she took a photo of both of her front and she turned around and took a photo from behind. She then sat on the floor, opened her legs, and began to take photos of her opening her pussy and touching her breasts.

Once she finished, she attached the images to the email. She hoped they would pique his interest and prompt a response. She reread her message several times.

~~~~~~

Dear Mr. Kurst,

I hope this letter finds you well. I am writing to you as an admirer of your graphic novels. I have read all of them.

I am enclosing some pictures of myself in the hope that you want to see more of me. If you are interested, we could meet online. If you agree, I will send you a video conference link.

Looking forward to the possibility of meeting and speaking with you.

Warm regards,

Amber L.

~~~~~~

With the email ready to go, Amber paused, her finger hovering over the 'send' button. Doubts and excitement swirled within her, her heart pounding in her chest. Finally, summoning her courage, she pressed 'send,' releasing her message into the digital ether.

The deed done, she leaned back, a mix of anticipation and nervousness taking hold as she awaited Kurst's reply.

She hoped that this first part of her plan would work.

~~~~~~

Kurst at his home:

As many other days recently, since the breakup with his girlfriend, Annie, Kurst had been sitting at his desk trying to finish writing the story for his latest graphic novel. The deadline with his publisher was rapidly approaching, however and he had produced next to nothing. Without the script, he would not be able to draw the images.

What nobody knew was Annie was the person that wrote the stories, while Kurst was the artist that produced the graphic art. Without her, in his hubris, he imagined that he could write the scripts himself. However, he quickly realized deep down that he had no talent in creating and writing stories. His talent was in bringing these characters to life in his drawings. However, he needed the story for his graphic novels to be compelling.

Kurst's life had taken an dramatically unexpected turn when Annie left him. Their breakup had coincided with the announcement of his new graphic novel series. His publisher had already given him advances and many publicity events had already taken place.

Nonetheless, after the first novel of the series, the release of the anticipated forthcoming books came to a sudden halt. There was wide speculation amongst fans, however nobody knew the true reason: that Annie, the unknown creative mind behind the success, had left him. It was her stories that produced the narratives that her fans so loved, together with Kursts art that brought the scenes to life. But both components were necessary. And, since Annie left him, a critical part was lost.

To distract himself from his chronic "writer's block", he often procrastinated, navigating the internet. He visited his favorite porn, to help him draw the sex poses that he was so known for.

Another pastime was to visit a fan blog about his novels. It had been created by a user named "Dean" who was also the most prolific writer of messages on the forums. As was typical, Kurst noticed another forum message from a user named Dean. The message was so misinformed, like many others from this "Dean" character, and Kurst had often been tempted to correct the misconceptions on the forum, but he knew that engaging directly would be professional folly.

While he was mulling over Dean's post, his email notification pinged. It was from someone called Amber. He would look at it later. Presumably yet other fans that he would have to respond.

Just the thought of having to respond to another fan filled with him lethargy. Restless, he decided to take a break. He got up and made himself a coffee, trying to shake off the feeling of being duped.

Returning to his desk with his coffee, he glanced at the screen again. He decided to read the fan mail and get it over with.

He opened the mail from this "Amber". He was immediately struck. The email had images of a young beautiful girl performing a striptease and finally completely naked with her legs open. He read the letter.

"I am enclosing some pictures of myself......"

"Christ," he whispered. He looked at the images again. "My God."

His cock became immediately hard. These were not taken off some porn site, these were from a fan. It blew his mind.

He reread the next line:

"..... in the hope that you want to see more of me."

And then the next:

".... If you are interested, we could meet online. If you agree, I will send you a video conference link."

He sat back in his chair blown away. He had forgotten all about his deadline and writer's block. At least for the moment. Kurst imagined that this was some scam, but just in case, he decided he would eventually write back.

Kurst closed the email and tried to forget about it for the moment. He got up again and went to his drawing desk. His thoughts however were on the images of this so-called "Amber", if that was even her real name.

He pushed this out of his mind. It was a scam. It was someone that wanted to put him in a compromising situation. He would wait. No. He wouldn't respond.

Regardless of whatever he did, he could only think of the email. He went back to the computer after some time and drafted a response:

~~~~

Dear Ms. Amber,

Thank you for your interest in my work. You are a very pretty young woman. I don't know if this is on the up and up, but I would be willing to meet with you in a videoconference as you suggest. Send me the link and I will connect.

Best,

Kurst.

~~~~

Amber Waiting at home:

Amber kept her computer open on the coffee table as she sat on the couch in the living room. She kept looking at the time.

Finally, after an hour from sending her daring email, Amber's inbox pinged with a new message -- a reply from Kurst.

Her heart leaped as she opened it. Even though Kurst seemed incredulous, almost doubting the authenticity of her email, suspecting it might be a scam, he told her to send a streaming link if she was serious.

Wasting no time, Amber responded within two minutes, providing the link. She took her laptop to her room and closed the door. She undressed and meticulously positioned her laptop to frame herself perfectly in the camera's view, with her legs open.

Opening the streaming link, she sat back and waited, her heart pounding with a mix of nervousness and anticipation. Even for her, this was uncharted territory.

"Come on," she whispered. "Connect."

She waited a few minutes. Still, the stream remained open, she only looked at her naked body in front of her. Since she had a desperate desire to capture Kurst's attention, moments seemed like years.

Amber waited anxiously in front of her laptop. Finally, the screen flickered, indicating Kurst had joined the video conference. However, his camera was off; his face remained unseen.

For his part, Kurst was greeted with the image of Amber completely naked and with her legs open. "If this was a scam", he thought, "it is one that I will enjoy very much."

"Hi Mr. Kurst," Amber said waving to the camera. She wished she could see his face. But it was unimportant.

"Well, this is certainly unexpected. Why did you contact me like this?" Kurst asked, clearly surprised.

His tone was one of intrigue mixed with curiosity.

Amber responded. "I'm a big fan of your work, Mr. Kurst. I've always admired your graphic novels. I... I thought maybe if I used my looks, it might be a way to get your attention."

There was a brief pause as Kurst processed her words.

"That's quite resourceful and intelligent of you. And imaginative," he added. "I must say, you've definitely caught my attention,"

Amber's cheeks flushed with a mix of relief and excitement at his response. She had taken a bold step, and it seemed to have paid off. At least at first.

Amber built up the courage.

"So, I also have a request," she said. "A friend of mine has written a script. I would like to send it to you. If you read it, we can connect again and I will do anything you wish."

Kurst smiled, even though she didn't notice that.

"I see," he said. "A tit for tat?"

"Uhmm, something like that," she responded meekly.

Kurst was experienced. He immediately realized that Amber was submissive.

"I'll tell you what," he said slowly. "First, you will masturbate for me. Then, if you do it well, you can send me the script. How does that sound?"

"But, I... "

He interrupted her. "Sir."

"Pardon me."

"You should call me Sir or Master."

Amber wasn't sure if this was going well, but she felt obliged.

"I just...," she corrected herself. "Sir, I just thought that if you read the script then..."

"I think you can begin to masturbate for me now. You are in the right position." He paused and continued. "I will help. First, pull your pretty public hair from your pussy lips so I can see them."

She obeyed. She pushed her pubic hair to the side so that her pussy lips were more visible.

"Very pretty," he said. "Now, masturbate for me."

"But...", Amber tried to protest.

"You will obey, or we can cut the call."

At first she hesitated. But, being commanded like this turned her on. Her body surprised her and she was already wet. She rubbed her finger between her slippery lips.

"Do you like being my submissive pet?"

"Yes."

"Yes Sir", he corrected her.

"Yes Sir. I like it."

Amber became lost in the moment. She could have forgotten that Kurst was watching her. She didn't have to think too much about the show she was putting on because her submissiveness had taken hold of her. Her finger rubbed her clit and she wanted to feel the warm surge of orgasm overcome her.

Suddenly, before she reached orgasm, she forced herself to stop. It would be now or perhaps she would lose some of the leverage she had over him.

She pulls her discarded shirt and covers her body.

"Sir, before I show orgasm for you, will you read the script if I send it? When you write back to me, we will connect again. It is only part of the script, but if you have read the entire part that I will send, I would be willing to meet you in person and masturbate for you. If you decide to use it, I would have sex with you and be your sexual pet for a while."

He pauses. Annoyed that the girl stopped, but obviously curious.

"Alright, my pet. I'll read the script. Send it to me now."

Amber is elated. "Thank you so much, Sir."

Amber then clicked the webcam streaming button and they disconnected. She had the email ready to send together with the attached file. She pushed send. Now, she would await his next message.

Since nobody was home, she got up and walked naked to the bathroom.

She would shave off all her pubic hair.

~~~~

As Kurst sat back from his computer, he was visibly blown away by the encounter. His cock was so hard that he wanted to masturbate right there. However, once he received it, he would read the script quickly and connect with the girl once again.

Just then, he received an email from Amber again. As promised, a pdf of the script was attached. He downloaded it.

~~~

He half-expected the script Amber mentioned to be typical fan fiction - perhaps dull and unoriginal. Yet, there was something about meeting Amber, even virtually, that had struck a chord with him.

He couldn't believe his luck. Kurst had been feeling a profound sense of loneliness since Annie left him weeks ago, and this unexpected interaction with Amber seemed like just what he needed. He was astounded by the lengths fans would go to get his attention, but somewhere within, he saw an opportunity to break from his solitude.

Convincing himself to go along with Amber's condition, Kurst thought about the script. Reading it was a small price to pay for the chance of another interaction with her. He planned to just skim through it, assuming it wouldn't take much of his time or effort.

With this thought, Kurst prepared himself to scan through the script, little expecting the impact it might have on him. First, he read Amber's email message that accompanied the script. It contained the same message that she told him in the video call, with her legs still open and her fingers inside her pussy. They were the terms of their future contact. Namely, when he finished reading the script excerpt, she would be back on the stream.

She also wrote that if he liked the script and promised to use it in his series, then they would meet in person and she would be his sexual pet for a while.

He read the last lines of her message and then looked at the picture she had also attached. It had been taken just after their video stream. Her pussy was wet.

"Thank you for taking the time," Amber wrote, her words exuding a combination of gratitude and charm.

Kurst, reflecting on their interaction and her message, couldn't help but be impressed. Amber was not just another pretty face; she was sweet, articulate, and had an engaging presence. The mix of her physical appeal and the intriguing challenge she posed with the script reading made the whole situation increasingly captivating for him.

She tells him that if he reads some, she will agree to meet with him and have sex with him.

~~~~~~~

Kurst:

Kurst settled into his chair, opening the script with a certain loathing. He anticipated typical fan fiction -- perhaps a banal, misguided attempt at emulating the dynamics of Guy and Kath from his series. He had received such suggestions many times before. As such, his expectations weren't high; fan fiction would never live up to Annie's development of the characters. But, he was horny and wanted to connect with Amber. He was even willing to say that he liked it just to have sex with her.

Thus, the prospect of another meeting with Amber was incentive enough to slog through the script no matter how bad it was. He rationalized that it was a small price to pay to be able to sink his cock into Amber's pussy. With a sip of his coffee, he prepared himself for the task ahead.

However, as Kurst began to read Lizzy's script, he found himself unexpectedly surprised. Page by page, his initial disregard and skepticism gave way to genuine intrigue. In many ways, it surpassed anything that Annie had written before. The nuances of the characters were captured, but they seemed to breathe a fresh life. After only ten pages in, he realized that the script was not just good -- it was exceptional.

The narrative wove the characters of Kath and Guy in a familiar style, yet the storyline was far more complex and engaging than anything Annie had crafted. The plot was intricate and mature, lacking the typical tropes that so often had begun to plague Annie's later stories. The script's layers and nuances held Kurst captivated. He became so excited being able to imagine the artwork that he would be able to create; scenes that would be more vivid and alive than in any of his previous graphic novels.

What he had initially dismissed as merely a pretext to be able to fuck Amber was rapidly revealing itself to be a potential game-changer for his graphic novel series. This realization hit him with the force of a revelation. With this story, he would be able to produce all the artwork and submit the final version for the deadline. Moreover, this script that Amber had sent him, had the power to elevate the graphic novel series to a higher level than it ever had been.

He read the excerpt of the script several times. He printed it out and even made many annotations. Before he realized it, an hour had passed since he had received it.

Just then, however, he began to have another worry. Maybe too much time had gone by. What if Amber wouldn't answer back to him again? What if she had become tired of waiting, and figured that he didn't have interest? What if this was just a whim of hers? The thought was unsettling. He felt an immediate urgency to connect with her again. This time, however, he felt at a slight disadvantage. Now it was him that wanted the help of Amber and not the other way around. However, he couldn't let her know that just yet.

He would need the complete script. And he would do anything to be able to know the author to get it and convince her to form a collaboration. As such, he wrote back to Amber.

~~~~~~~

Dear Ms Amber (my pretty submissive pet):

I have read the script excerpt that you sent me. I am intrigued. It is exceptionally good.

I would like to connect with you again. Will you keep your end of the bargain?

Sir Kurst.

He pressed the send button and awaited her response. All his hopes in many ways of getting out his present conundrum went with that simple email.

Kurst opened up the video conference link and waited for Amber to appear.

~~~~~~~

Amber:

Exactly one hour later, Amber received another message from Kurst. As she had agreed, she initiated the video call.

The image of Kurst suddenly appeared. He was sitting at his desk and seemed to be still engrossed in the script. He didn't seem to realize that Amber had just joined the video meeting again.

"Hi," Amber said with a hint of nervous excitement. "So, you read the script?"

"Hello my little pet," Kurst answered, unable to contain his genuine enthusiasm. "Yes, I did. And I have to say, it's incredible. Far beyond what I was expecting."

Amber's face lit up with pleasure and relief.

"Really?"

"Yeah, really."

"Do you want me to masturbate for you now?"

"That would be nice," he started, "But, I was thinking." He made a slow pause, choosing to control his true excitement. "I would much like to get together in person with you."

She didn't say anything. She was thinking of the options. She had promised she would do it, but now she was a bit scared. Now it was going to be not online but in person.

"As soon as possible," he interjected with her silence. "We could meet in a coffee shop. And talk. About the script."

"Oh," Amber said with some relief. "That sounds good."

An hour later, they had met uptown in a very nice cafe that Kurst had suggested. She took the subway.

EIGHT: TATTOO, MUSIC, & CAVIAR

The scene is back in Guy's office.

Kath is completely naked. He just orgasmed inside her. Her hands are still bound in the handcuffs behind her back. Guy pulls up his pants and then walks behind his desk and sits down.

She remains standing for a moment, but then sits down on the wooden chair in front of Guy's desk. Her pussy is covered in cum and some is beginning to leak out.

Guy pulls out a cigarette, lights it and inhales. He looks at her. She is still recuperating from her orgasm and her hair is disheveled. She seems accustomed to this game.

"So, what did you find out last night? Any lead on this 'House of Scent'?"

"Every time I mention that name, people react with fear or like they're in danger. But it's all leading to dead ends," she responds.

"Why the interest in the opium den then? It doesn't add up, especially with the orgies already going on there."

"You know, I hate that I have to do this. And you... you almost seem okay with it."

"I'm not okay with it, Kath," he says. "It's just... necessary for the case."

Kath nods.

"There was one strange thing, though. A girl at the den had a tattoo, a Chinese symbol for 'scent'. It's this," she says and shows him the symbol she drew on her arm.

"Yeah, alright. That might be something. Anything else?"

"This might sound silly, but she mentioned loving 'caviar' at the orphanage. I thought it was odd, maybe she confused it with something else."

Guy pauses, his expression turning contemplative.

"But caviar has a distinctive taste. It's not something you'd easily confuse."

"Exactly. It struck me as strange too."

Guy leans back in his chair, his gaze fixed on the symbol on Kath's arm. The pieces of the puzzle were slowly coming together, pointing to a connection between the perfume trade and something much darker. The mention of caviar, a luxury item, in an orphanage setting was indeed an intriguing anomaly. It seemed the House of Scent was more than just a name in the perfume trade; it could very well be a front for something far more sinister.

Kath, still standing in Guy's cluttered office, continues to unravel the details she gathered.

"She mentioned she liked to dance to a specific band's music. I don't know where she sees them, maybe just some restaurant she gets taken to..."

She trails off, her mind piecing together the fragments of conversation.

"There was something else. Mason, commented. Said she looked good and that it was nice to see her in clothes... I mean, elegant dress clothes. He corrected himself quickly."

Guy leans forward, his interest piqued by this seemingly trivial detail.

"That's odd," he agreed. "It's like he's used to seeing her in a different setting. Maybe less... clothed?"

Kath nods in agreement, her mind working through the implications.

"I need to meet this Juliet. She could be the key to connecting these dots."

"I don't know where she is, Guy. She ran off before I could ask more."

Guy stands up, his eyes fixed on the symbol drawn on Kath's arm. He's deep in thought, mulling over the clues.

"We need to find her, Kath. She's involved in this more than she realizes. And this Mason... he might be our link to the House of Scent and whatever is hiding behind it."

Kath nods, understanding the gravity of the situation. The seemingly disconnected pieces -- the opium den, the tattoo, the band, and Mason's comment -- were beginning to form a clearer picture. They just needed to find Juliet to put it all together.

~~~~

The next scene is later. It is back at Guy's office. They are piecing together the clues.

Guy stood by his desk, his mind racing as he went over the clues Kath had brought back. He paced the room, each step echoing his deepening thoughts.

"The tattoo... the dancing," Guy mused. "Which sounds like a strip joint... the caviar. And then there's the opium den meetings. Why would high-class gents like these meet there? It doesn't add up."

He stopped pacing, a realization dawning on him.

"And then there's this guy with the mole. He mentioned he'd be the boss of Welfare and Social Services once Walker steps down. Cliff Walker... now there's a name I haven't forgotten."

Kath watched him, seeing the gears turning in his head.

"Cliff Walker?" Kath asks. "Wasn't he the one you were investigating before... before everything went south for you?"

"Exactly. I got framed when I got too close to something dirty in his department. And now his name pops up again in this mess."

Guy paused, a look of frustration mixed with determination on his face.

"But none of this explains the perfume angle, or why these politicians are mixed up in an opium den orgy scene," he says. "And now there's this whole complex scheme with the Welfare and Social Services funds being diverted for a city building. It's like a sophisticated blackmail operation, tied to the incident that cost me my badge."

He leaned against his desk, his eyes narrowing.

"What's the connection? What does all this have to do with a perfume trade, an opium den, and a bunch of politicians?"

Kath could see the confusion and frustration in Guy's eyes. The case was a tangled web of deceit, corruption, and now, a personal vendetta for Guy. The pieces were there, but they didn't quite fit together.

Yet. The puzzle was complex, and the stakes were high, but both knew they had to unravel it, for justice and for Guy's redemption.

They were entering the labyrinth that was the House of Scent.

But they were still so deep in the Shadows.