Part 1

She sees the look in her Master's eyes. The force, the sheer brilliance in His eyes alone, tells her. GO HOME.

While she doesn't exactly know what she did to incur His wrath, she does what she is told. His little toy rises up, off her rug-burned, pain racked knees. She dares to look deep in His eyes, and instantly sees that He is not pleased. Not happy with her. She stands all the way up, and lowers her eyes instantly. He doesn't speak directly to her, but she hears His deep voice booming through her ears, entering into her very soul.

"She knew the rules. She agreed. She's wearing My mark. Proudly at that! But does she honor Me? Does she abide by My rule? Lawrence, you saw it with your own eyes!"

Lawrence, stands eye level with Stephen, his silver eyes clouding over with slight annoyance.

"Maybe if you trained her better, she wouldn't have talked to the waitress herself."

With that comment in Sophia's ears, she shamefully walked out of the heavy oak doors.

Sophia stands outside, trying to keep her tears under control. Her vision blurred, she barely has time to recognize the cab idling at the curb. A voice breaks the silence.

"Are you Sophia?"

At the mention of her name, Sophia raises her head with tears in her eyes, and mutters so quietly

"Yes"

the driver looks at her with complete indifference. He does not care to know why she is crying. He does not notice her tore up knees. Or her shameful demeanor.

"Get into the car, Sophia. I have been told to bring you to your house. I have been left with explicit directions to give to you."

Sophia takes the envelope out of the drivers hand. Her hands are trembling at what is awaiting her at her house.

Sophia reaches her house, and feels somewhat better. She still doesn't know what she did wrong, but at this point, Sophia doesn't care anymore.

She walks into her living room, flipping the light switch, looking around her own safe haven. Her eyes are drawn to the half consumed glass of Merlot, sitting on the cherry table. Her eyes widen at the thought of the punishment that she has coming for THAT infraction. And as thoughts are want to go, she then remembers that she upset Stephen a mere forty minutes ago.

Sophia finds herself pacing back and forth over her well worn carpets, muttering to herself when a sudden loud banging noise brought her back to her senses.

Sophia turns quickly around, and in her clumsiness, knocks over an antique vase, which was resting on the mantle. Which so happened to belong to Stephen. Without her also knowing that it contained Stephen's dead grandmothers ashes. She trampled the remains in an effort to regain her composure.

Stephen's six foot two frame fills her doorway. His eyes were flashing in brilliant, cold, glacial blue hues. His breathing was slow, measured, quiet. Sophia knew that she had violated His few, but all encompassing rules. Just by looking at Him her knees shook, her eyes dropped instantly to the floor, and she found her voice quiet, and clearly muttering an incoherent stream of apologies.

Stephen hears her, but does not understand the babbling that is emanating from her. He throws His jacket down, without sparing her a second glance, he strides into the kitchen.