She woke up suddenly.

She stared dizzily, blinking at her surroundings. The clock on the wall said almost twelve, but she couldn’t think if that was noon or midnight right off. For some reason, she felt secure where she was—there was no need to startle or jump at her awakening. It had to be near midnight, she finally discovered. No sun.

A gentle hand reached up, brushing away one of her loose wisps of dark brown hair from her cheek. It continued to stroke and caress her lovingly, whispering in her ear as she purred under the touch. "My beloved Kitti-chan," a soft voice whispered, using the term of endearment it had coined just for her. She loved that voice.

She smiled quietly, her semi almond shaped caramel brown eyes fluttering shut. The wasn’t a thing to fear or worry about now. No one would touch her while he was with her. The Violent One would not swing at her, his cold fist connecting with her high cheekbones and leave a nasty fist shaped bruise she would have to blame on something at her job. The Magician could not cast a spell of deception, presenting her with faux diamonds that were really nothing more than polished salt and glue. The Deceptor could not muddle her mind, hiding the others he had enslaved and eyeing her to add to his list.

None of them could get her now.

She was safely in the arms of her Opty-chan.