Czar Gregovivk

I watch the door to my office slowly open, and calm footsteps sound in the room. I shift my gaze from the computer screen and look over the device to see Adrien staring at me.

"I figured I'd find you here," says the Black man in a navy-blue suit, speaking calmly as he walks with a feline grace through my office, pretending to be interested in some nonsense on the shelf.

"I thought you'd already be on the plane, heading back to France by now, Adrien." I relax my body in the chair and stretch my legs under the desk.

"You know how women are, they love shopping, and I didn’t want to upset them!" He shifts his gaze from the shelf and turns back to me, stopping in front of my desk, placing his hands in his pants pockets, and taking a deep breath. "I promised them we'd spend the night here in Moscow, and tomorrow they can go shopping. What wouldn’t I do for my companions?!"

He smiles and gives me a wink. I smile and shake my head, agreeing with him. Everyone knows Adrien’s adoration for Selena and Walkiria. He practically worships the ground his wives walk on. But from the look in his eyes, I know it's not just a simple farewell or a trivial chat between old friends that brought him here.

"Get straight to the point, Adrien," I say seriously, keeping my eyes locked on his.

I see him move his left hand behind his back, and when it returns, I recognize the object in his fingers, which he slowly places on my desk.

"Only one counselor was wearing this mask tonight," Adrien says, quickly dropping his friendly demeanor and confronting me with a cold, piercing gaze. "Do I need to pass this on to the other counselors, Czar?"

"I didn’t hurt her," I hiss, irritated, between my teeth, staring at the bronze mask.

"That’s not what her frightened eyes told me." Adrien remains neutral, watching me more intently. "The girl ran off, completely terrified. You know the rules, and you know very well why I’m here!"

"Are you here as my longtime friend or as the judge?"

"I’m here as a man who saw the terrified eyes of a wounded woman fleeing from Sodoma." His voice deepens as he pulls his hands from his pockets, taking the mask in his hands. "And I really want to believe you weren’t the cause of that look, but if you were... You know very well I won’t be lenient, as it’s my duty to deal with those who break the rules. If a council meeting is called..."

Adrien gives me his most furious look, the one he always reserves for members who break Sodoma’s rules. The perfect and impartial judge, who holds a particular disdain for anyone who harms a woman in any way. I’ve seen him in action, reducing dominators to nothing with just the mention of mistreating their submissives. Sodoma is clear and strict with its discipline. We are libertines, not animals. Nothing happens without the consent of both parties in the relationship, regardless of its nature. A judge is not a counselor, not a practitioner of Sodoma; he is the tiebreaker. Unyielding and incorruptible, he sentences without remorse anyone who dares to break the rules.

"I’ve already told you, and I’ll repeat it just one more time!" I stand up, forcefully pushing the chair back. "I didn’t hurt her!"

I turn angrily and face the window, watching the large hall below being arranged by some employees. I may be many things in this miserable life, carrying immense sins on my shoulders, but I would never hurt a woman. I cursed every second that passed since the last few hours after the little bird flew away. The security team was incompetent, letting her leave the building before I had the chance to reach her. When I alerted Acvo, the head of security at the meat locker, she had already passed him five minutes earlier, disappearing into the streets of Moscow.

"She was a guest, not a novice or a submissive without a master," Adrien says behind me, dropping the mask on the desk. "It was foolish, Gregovivk, to go after a guest when you could have chosen any other member of the house. The girl..."

"You think I didn’t know what she was the second I saw her, the moment she walked into my house?!" I turn, confronting him. "I’m aware of everyone who enters here, Adrien, and I knew exactly what she was when I chose her!"

"And you still chose her?" He looks at me intently, puffing out his chest and putting his hand back in his pocket.

"Yes. Is that what you wanted to hear?!" I grab the damn mask in my fingers and stare at it, clenching my jaw. "I chose a damn visitor to receive the privileges."

"Why?" Adrien’s voice softens as he steps closer, looking at me with curiosity. "What made you choose her, Czar?"

"Counselor Czar, almost everything is ready." I hear Sieta’s voice as she enters my office while I watch the crowded hall through the enchanted mirror that gives me a full view of all the participants in Sodoma.

I take a slow sip of my drink and nod in confirmation without turning to her, keeping my eyes on the dance floor.

"Sir, have you already decided who your chosen one will be?" The petite woman approaches me and stops at my side.

"Do I really have to choose? Can’t you ask one of the other counselors to do it?" I say with annoyance, lowering the glass from my lips and turning my face toward her.

Sieta turns her face and looks back, scanning the room to make sure we’re alone, then faces me again, laughing.

"No, I can’t." A playful smile spreads across her lips. "I won’t let you off the hook this time, Greg," she says, laughing, shaking her head, and raising her finger to point at the enchanted mirror. "Pick a girl or boy, maybe you’ll even enjoy it!" Sieta says, laughing, and shrugs. "Maybe one of them can even cure that boredom of yours."

"I’m not bored, I just don’t see the need to participate in this." I divert my eyes from her face and look at the people on the other side, oblivious to our presence, as we observe everyone from behind the large painting.

"It’s your house, Greg. It’s your duty to choose, you can’t keep postponing participating in the parties. It’s been a while since you last took part in the profane privileges."

"I didn’t know you enjoyed counting every pussy my cock fucks," I say, laughing at her, drinking my vodka. "Is this some new fetish?"

"No, on the contrary. If it were, I’d die of boredom, considering I’ve been getting more pussy than you, cousin." She bumps her shoulder against mine, teasing me and laughing. "Come on, it won’t be that bad. If you take too long to choose, I’ll pick for you, and I swear I’ll choose the worst one I can find!"

"You’re a vicious witch, Sieta," I mutter, scanning the women, but none of them catch my attention.

"I may be, but think of me as a vicious witch who cares about you." I feel something hit my chest as she extends her arm. "I hope you like it; I designed it myself. I had it made especially for you."

I hold the bronze goat mask in my fingers and look at it carefully.

"Pan?!" I raise my eyes to her, and she’s smiling from ear to ear.

"That’s right, little satyr. Now focus on finding your flute, because there are only fifteen minutes left before the profane privileges begin."