Paid In Full --Haru | loneiysong--

Victor Mancini, known as simply Vic to his friends and by 'The Wolf' to his enemies, controlled the entirety of the five burroughs of NYC. Oh, he didn't do it all on his lonesome, as he had his men to help control it all. The year is 1888 and strange news comes from across the ocean of a man dubbed "Jack the Ripper". Fearing a copycat killer, Vic tightens his grip on the city, calling in all debts. Preparing.

The White family was problematic. Powerful in their own right, Vic didn't want any conflict and so had went to talk to the patriarch to see if some deal could be struck. James White, man of the house and with growing influence of his own in his circle of business, saloons and gambling, wasn't pleased with the vist from The Wolf. He really had little choice though, and a deal was struck. The ultimate businessman, putting his ivestments even above family, James White bargained the one thing he had in this world that should have been most precious to him.

His daughter.

Elena White was brokered away like any other piece of property, and today was the day that Vic came to collect. The carriage pulled up outside the White residence and Vic, along with his right hand man, Marko, were soon knocking on the door.

Elena White was a beautiful girl. But her father was in debt. A great deal of debt. She tried very hard to keep him out, but he had an addiction. Elena tried piece meal work and that had almost pulled them out before her father had received the money and went and gambled it away. She knew of the deal that was struck and knew her father would only get himself once again into debt, only this time getting out would be a lot more trickier.

Her father had found a trunk of her mothers old clothes and told her to dress in her mothers own wedding dress. Her stomach bottomed out. He was actually going to throw her to the wolf. Rumors about the wolf circulated the city. Tumors said he feasted on the blood of his wives and tore them savagely apart. Tumors also said that he was the real Jack the Ripper dropping the corpses of his wives over in England.

By the time the sound of the door was heard, she had finished bathing and dressing in the beautiful lace and floor length gown. The shirt of the dress covered her arms and moved up to her neck. It was extremely old fashioned. Pulling her hair up, she pinned it in place and pulled on her thick heavy jacket to keep her warm as she walked down the stairs keeping her gaze down. Elena had a beautifully curved body and stood 5'6. Her soft green eyes were always tender and compassionate.

Marko stood closse by and Vic waited patiently as James ordered his daughter to be brought forth. Vic smelled her, heard her, long before he ever saw her. The soap she used, lavender, tickled his nose, and he felt his heart speed up. Then, there she was. A very fetching young woman, curved in all the right places and her gaze cast downward as her light chocolate brown hair bounced with each step. Nostrils flared, catching the scent of the girl under the dress, and a soft sound emanated deep from within Vic's chest. She was ripe to be plucked and he had to wonder if her father knew this.

Taking off his hat he bowed as she approached. "Elena White, it is my deep pleasure. My name is Victor, and this is my associate, Marko. I am sure that you father has explained his arrangement to you, and I want to assure you that I do not wish for you to view this as some sort of indentured servitude. You will be safe and well taken care of."

He stood tall as he spoke, his six-foot-five inch frame dwarfing her much smaller one, as well as outweighing her by a good hundred pounds. His dark hair was neat and tidy, his stubble giving him a rugged countenance, though his eyes were what were most striking. A strange color, a goldish color, they were intense and filled with a worldly intelligence.

With a flourish he said, "I will have your things sent for upon the morrow. You will have plenty of room." he informed her and he motioned to the large carriage down at the base of the walk. "I have a carriage, or we can walk if you prefer."

During this time he'd ignored her father. He had no time for witless fools who bandied about their blood like coin. he had little doubt that Elena would find living with him far more satisfying.

Walking forward, she did a curtsy as he bowed. She listened to him and smiled. She was being cordial. It was her nature. She was kind and good natured, but very wiley. She looked up into his eyes shyly very careful not to insult him. She nodded. "Whatever best suits your needs, sir." She said softly. With a smile, she looked down the stairs of the open doorway and then looked up at him and cleared her throat.

"I would like to walk with you and learn a bit more about you if that is quite alright." She said gently. Maybe if she won the favor of her suitor then he wouldn't be so quick to disband her. She offered her hand. She had carefully manicured her fingers and had rubbed lotion into them to make sure they were soft even though the needle work of the piece meal had amde her fingers a bit calloused. She walked with him and smiled.

Elena spoke well and deferred to him while still giving her own opinion. That was good, since he had little use for some simpering female that bent like a reed in the tide. He liked that she spoke her mind. So, pointedly ignoring her father, who had less balls than his daughter, Vic offered her his arm and walked with her down the walk to the street, letting Marko take care of any loose ends.

"I would be willing to tell you whatever you wish to know. You are mine now, and belong to me. However, seeing as your very blood has thrown you to the wolves, no pun intended, I think you will find me a better man than your father. Your future is very bright Elena and you will come to see that. Now, what is it about me that you wish to know?" he asked, keeping his strides small so that her shorter steps could keep up.

She looped her arm into his and began to walk with him as was custom. She listened to him and raised an eyebrow. "How many wives do you have." Elena swallowed and looked at Victor. "And if you give me nothing else, all I ask for is the truth." She said as they walked and looked up at him.

Elena had to admit this man was very handsome, but a part of her was extremely afraid of him. She looked around and bit her lip as she heard their lonely foot steps on the sidewalk.

Victor smiled at the beauty on his arm and for the moment he laughed, a deep rumbling sound that showed his amusement. "Dear Elena, I have no reason to lie to you. I've nothing to hide, nor feelings to spare. Wives? Oh, that amuses me. I do not take wives. Now, if you ask me how many lovers I have had that is a different story. I have had ten. Starting when I was a young lad of only sixteen years."

His boots echoed loudly on the cobbled street and he could hear her heartrate increase, smell the nervousness. "You have nothing to fear from me, Elena." he said. "I value all my interests very highly."

Marko walked behind them several paces and soon they turned a corner and found themselves amidst a decent number of people. It was a theater close by that was drawing them and Victor looked to her with a smile. "Do you like going to the shows?" he asked.

"Have you ever killed any of them?" She asked quietly. She looked up into his face. When they rounded the corner, she smiled at the people bustling for the theater. Looking at him she smiled and nodded.

"I do...well, I did until there was no free money." She smiled and continued to look at the theater. She could hear the almost muted sounds of Mario walking behind then, but she didn't care. "I also enjoy reading and studying." Not being able to afford going to school and being a woman, she took it upon herself to study and learn in her free time.

Victor looked at her for a moment and then a smile quirked the corners of his mouth. "Is that what they're saying about me now? That I kill my lovers?" The question was rhetorical and he gave her little time to answer. "I have killed one of them. The rest, as far as I know, are living out their lives with the men they moved on with. The one whom I killed... she laid with another. In our bed no less." he informed her.

"Then we shall go to the show my dear." he said, happy to make her happy should that be what she'd like to do. "My home has an extensive library, and a well appointed music room as well, should you desire to learn to play." Victor could already tell that she would like it at his home.

Unless she objected he would angle them toward the theater, Marko trailing behind, and it showed that there was a stage production of Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream".

"Have you ever seen it? Or read it?" Victor asked her, wondering if she was familiar with the source material.

"Yes I have read several of Shakespeare's works. And they are fine." She smiled and blushed as he was going to guide her to the theater. She bit her lip and continued to move with him still digesting what he had told her about his lover.

"I am sorry for her infedelity." She whispered sincerely to him. She held his arm and continued to walk feeling a little silly being so overdressed , but walked with him.

"Do you watch many shows?" She smiled and watched him.

"I only ask for one thing from my people. Loyalty. That in itself comes with a lot of responsibility, but I do not ask for much. In exchange they have my own, as do you." Victor explained and he noticed her blush. "What is it that bother you, Lady White? Shall we return to the theater on another night? Is this not a good time for you?"

The question seemed genuine and there was even a hint of concern in his voice as he asked, her well-being seemingly paramount to him.

"I do not get out to the theater as much as I might like. I prefer to read, much like yourself." he told her, though he had paused in his walk to observe her openly and see if she wanted to continue to the show.

"Yes, I'm I am wearing my mothers old wedding dress. I am not properly dressed for theater." She smiled and looked at him. She walked with him. "Maybe another night?" She walked with him and Elena held his arm and looked ahead and then to Marlo and bit her lip and looked up at him.

"What is your favorite book?" She continued to walk with him. She knew he would understand why she didn't want to be in theater when he saw her dress. Her father made her wear it. She smiled and looked at him.

Victor seemed to take anther look at the gown she wore and a soft hum sounded from him. "Hrm. So it would seem. Your father seemed to be quite taken with this arrangement then. I never have asked you how you feel about all this, being pawned off to settle his debt. Which is quite considerable I must say. However, we both know that the man has a problem, and within the year, or less, he'll owe someone else. Not me, but someone else."

Victor watched and listened to her carefully, wondering her reaction at all of this. She seemed to be taking it all in stride, but of course it had to hurt. They'd never even met before this day, and they seemed to get along well enough. Victor licked his lips, the smell of her tantalizing his nostrils as they walked along, bypassing the theater.

"Favorite book? That's like asking a mother if she has a favorite child, or a baker his favorite cake." Victor said, chuckling softly. He seemed to do that more around her - smile and make merry. Was it Elena? or this odd feeling she gave him? Thinking for a moment he finally answered, "I quite fancy Moby-Dick by Herman Melville. Have you read it?" he asked.

Their walk was carrying them away from the theater and Victor hoped that she was fine with the journey. His estate was not too terribly far, but New York was a large city and he thought to offer a ride. "Are you sure you do not require a carriage?" he asked, concerned.

"Yes I do know this." Her gaze shifted downwards. She knew that he had a problem when she would have starved if she want resourceful. His addiction had brought her to the lowest point that she would have never thought imagines le. She continued to walk with him and chuckled softly.

"Yes, I have. But maybe sometime you can retread it to me." She continued to walk with him. Fearing he himself might be getting tired, she nodded and looked at him. "Yes a ride does sound nice, to be honest my feet are starting to hurt." She smiled and watched him.

Victor could almost feel Elena's disappointment in her father roll off of her in waves, but it was no longer his concern. He'd washed his hands of the man, and though Elena herself would be allowed to visit her kin, Victor was no monster in that regard, Victor's dealings with James were finished.

"You like being read to?" he asked with some surprise and as she asked for a carriage he looked back to Marko and snapped his fingers. The carriage that had brought him to her home had evidently been following at some distance, as per Victor's decree, and it soon came into view, a wonderfully gilded conveyance pulled by a team of two dappled mares.

Victor helped her into the plush interior and would sit across from her, silently observing for a moment. "So tell me true, dear Elena, what you think of this arrangement, and of me." he prompted, curious.

"Yes, I don't fet to be read to at all." She smiled and then got into the carriage and sat down with a sigh and winced as her feet were sore. She looked at him and smiled gently.

"Honestly, sir, I am upset that my father could sell me away so willingly, as if I mean nothing to him." She took in a deep breath and then looked at him and smiled and chuckled. "And you are nothing like I expected. I heard you were a tyrant and a thug." She blushed being honest with him. She sat with her hands in her lap and continued to watch him.

Victor was not shy as he looked her over. She was quite the fetching and alluring young woman. Her honesty was refreshing though and he saw how she watched him. The pain in her feet was noted by the sigh of relief and also the gentle wince she gave. Victor knelt on the carriage floor between them and bent, taking off her shoe. His hands worked over her tired foot, thumbs massaging the tops of her feet as fingers gently kneaded the arches beneath.

"Not all you have heard are lies. I can be a tyrant and I can be a thug. I think just about any man has those qualities withi him. I am a businessman, and with that comes many responsibilities. I have many people in my employ, some more important and more indispensable than others." He paused and removed her other shoe and began to massage that foot, then continued.

"As you know, men do strange things. I believe your father made a grave mistake in using you to settle his debt. However, the deed is done and I plan to give you a better life than you could have ever had with your own family. That will be your best revenge. As to myself, I am a simple man. You cross me and you get hurt, the severity of which is proportional to the harm that has been done to me. You bump, I shove; you shove, I break; you break, I kill. It's as simple as that."

His large strong hands gently replaced her shoes back onto her feet and he retook his seat. Soon they were pulling up outside of his home. The place was not as large as one might expect, but even now it was easy to see the people about the place; various servants or guests, or even business associates.

Marko, who had been riding with the driver, hopped down as they came to a stop and got the door, helping Elena out. Victor followed and took her arm again. "Let me show you to your room." he said, and pointed to a window on the second floor. "That one will be yours." he said, the windows to the room furthest to the right in the front of the house.

She nodded and listened to him as tehy rode. When he grabbed her foot and worked away at the delicate little buttons of her boot, she canted her head. But then he began to message her foot. She felt something deep within her core tighten. Biting her lip she groaned and leaned her head back and sighed. Shutting her eyes she groaned and he went to her other foot. He could see they were various degrees of blisters on her feet by always running around for her father and trying to get him out of debt.

Getting out, she thanked Marko. She looked up and then to him and smiled. She nodded gently and continued to walk with him. The house was very beautiful. She bit her lip and thought about what he had said in the carriage.

Victor was well aware of her reactions as he massaged her feet. He was not a "foot man", but the human body was beautiful and so long as they were clean he did not mind servicing Elena in such a way. Most men might look down upon such a thing, but Victor wanted to show her that he meant her no harm. Quite the opposite in fact. Victor wanted her to feel at home and actually safe. He could see the remnants of the blisters on her feet and as he walked with her toward the house there was no mistaking some of the jealous looks that a few of the females of the home shot Elena's way. A mere look from Marko or Victor himself sent them scurrying away though. The bottom bitches knew their place and that Elena was not to be touched.

"I will have Marko show you to your room. You have a handmaiden, quaint as that sounds, and she will see to your baths and clothing. Your things should arrive later today." Victor told her. By now they'd reached the front door and a young lady met them there, bowing to Victor and Elena, much as one would have done for royalty of old.

"I will have you fetched for supper, but for now I do have some business to attend to." Victor said and turned to the young woman. "Make sure that Elena is bathed and that her feet are tended to. I want everything healed within the week. I want her flawless." Victor said, and then let Elena pull away from him as the handmaiden gestured toward the stairs. "I will see you soon my dear." he said.

Elena smiled and looked up. She held onto his arm.

A squeal came from the depths of the mansion. A beautiful thin White skin and blonde hair girl came out. She ran out and wrapped her arms around Marko and kissed him. Asha had been an endentured pleasure slave and had been inches away from death when Victor had found her. Sometimes she would serve as an assassin for Victor. She was outgoing and somewhat talkative but knew when to be silent. She kissed Marko and nuzzled him.

Asha then untangled herself and nodded to victor and winked to Mario and left leading Elena up to her room talking very animatedly about the house.

Marko made a noise low in his throat as his lover ran to him. Scooping Asha into his arms, Marko chuffed happily as they kissed and she nuzzled into his neck. Marko had been a labor slave and her a servant for the entertainment of men. Victor had rescued them both, and they had fallen in love almost immediately. They'd started a new life together and both owed Victor everything. They'd die for him if they had to.

Seeing the two lovers Victor just smiled and gave a nod to the handmaiden, signalling that she could take Elena upstairs. "Supper is at six. So only two hours hence. I'll see you then." Victor told them.


During those hours Elena's things arrived and she found that there were plenty of servants that wanted to help, wanted to get in her good graces and thus the good graces of Victor.

She giggled and nuzzled him back loving the noises he always made. She nodded kissing her lover once more and that was when she left.

The woman had Elena sit on the bed where she removed her shoes first and foremost to assess the damage. Putting the shoes into the far back of her closet so she would not want to wear them again and began to rub her feet with a lotion she swore could heal anything quickly. She then looked through the closet and got her a soft golden dress and helped her change.

Elena sat and looked through her things which were mostly diaries and books. The only thing she had kept was of little value monetary wise.

The handmaiden gave Elena a very soft pair of slippers and told her that if Victor would ask why she was wearing them it was so her feet could heal. She then got Elena out of the dress, and hung it carefully n the closet. "I will see if the Master will allow you a place in the library for your books. Or perhaps he'll allow you shelves in here." the girl said, quite amazed that all the books in the trunks belonged to Elena.

"Did you need a bath? or did you bathe before coming over?" the girl asked, not wishing to double her work, nor put Elena through that trouble unless necessary. She simply didn't see a point in bathing her again if she'd only done so a few hours ago. It wasn't like they had slogged through the slums to get home.

Settling on the golden colored dress, Elena was soon ready for dinner, and of course time had flown by. The handmaiden showed her to the dining hall, and had just gotten her setaed when Victor came in with several people; Marko of course, and Asha, as well as two other males and a female. All eyes were soon on Elena.

Victor came over to stand behind her, settling his hands on her shoulders to help her keep her calm. "Everyone, this is Elena. She is a guest in this house and to be left alone. She's under my protection. Elena, you've met Marko, and this is his woman, Asha. That is William and his brother James, as well as another associate of mine, Athena." One could tell that William and James were brothers. They had the same browline and hair color, generally the same build as well. Athena was imposing for a woman, and wore a suit like a man, her blonde hair pulled back into a thick braid. They all regarded Elena for a moment and then William approached with a smile and an outstretched hand. Then James did the same.

Athena followed last and bent, her nose close to Elena's neck, though a soft sound from Victor made her pull back. "Manners." he said softly, and Athena gave a terse smile. Once introductions were made the meal was served - a whole roasted boar. A small one, but still a lot of food for those present, complete with jacketed potatoes and greens, rye bread and a lovely red wine.

Elena smiled and shook her head. "No I bathed already." She said as she was helped into her own gown. She sighed loving the soft texture. She walked down with the handmaidens. When they came, she smiled and nodded her greetings.

When as a saw Athena bend close she bristled and growled. No one except victor scared asha. She made a point of sitting near Elena and glared at Athena. They were family, but all families have fights.

The meal was served, with one of the cooks cutting the pig and serving the vegetables. Those around the table ate healthily and William looked to Elena with a smile. "So how long will you be our guest?" he asked, eyes bright with curiosity.

Marko had taken a seat beside Asha and glanced at Victor, then at Athena. They all knew that Athena had been jockeying to be with Victor next and so they'd have to pay close attention to how the large blonde woman acted.