RAVI'S POV

    I sat up slowly, looking down at my blood slicked hands and swallowing against the uncomfortable press of metal. Waves of pain still flowed from my neck, barbs in the side and back of the collar shredding my skin every time I moved. Youngjae looked down at me concernedly, Youngmin still bent over Leo next to me. 
    'So nice to be inside your head again, Ravi.' I stiffened, heading the eerie echo of Mistress' voice through my head. Leo had bolted up at the same time, and I knew he could hear her too. 
    'What are you doing? Get out of my head!' I mentally exclaimed. 
    'I never really left.' she giggled softly, my head turning again on its own to look at Youngmin. 
    'My, she's pretty. But didn't I tell you love got in the way of things?' Mistress whispered softly. I could picture her in my head, drawing her tongue across her lips the way she did when she knew something I didn't, and I shook my head violently. 
    'I don't need your advice!' I snarled, relaxing in relief when she sighed and swirled away. I could still feel her hovering in a dark corner of my mind, but for now, she was silent.  
    "Are you two alright?" Youngmin asked softly, looking at me with large eyes. I nodded and Leo did the same, pushing himself to his feet. 
    "Let's get these off." Youngjae said, reaching out to hook his fingers under Leo's collar. Youngjae strained, yanking at the band and jerking back when Leo yelped high in his throat. Blood started to trickle from under the collar again and Youngmin stepped in between her brother and Leo. 
    "We're not trying that again." Youngmin said firmly, looking over at me. I nodded softly, using paper towels to sop up the blood covering Leo and I. 
    'My my, she's a smart little thing.' Mistress hissed, tilting my head towards Youngmin again. I jerked my head back, fighting against the urge to walk towards Youngmin. 
    "Are you in any pain right now?" Youngmin asked, looking between Leo and I. We both shook our heads and Youngmin nodded, beckoning for us to sit down at the table. 
    "Let's just try to get through dinner. I'll drop Hongbin off at Daehyun's place for the night and we'll try to figure out how to get rid of these collars." Youngmin said. 
    "Okay." Leo said softly, sitting down and pulling my chair out for me. I sat down quietly, feeling the black cloud in my mind flash with amusement. 
    'It won't be as easy to get rid of me as she thinks.' Mistress warned, disappearing just as quickly as she came. 
    We ate dinner in silence, trying to focus and failing. Dozens of thoughts flitted through my head, some put there by Mistress to confuse me and others simply products of my inability to form a coherent thought. 
    Youngmin stood afterwards, going to grab the backpack of Hongbin's stuff she had packed for him earlier. I stood as well, Leo and I making our way to the kitchen to do the dishes. 
    'So obedient.' Mistress remarked. I ignored her, cleaning off the silverware and beginning to put it in the dishwasher. 
    'Never ignore me!' Mistress boomed suddenly, her voice knifing through my head and making me cry out. I clapped my hands over my ears, bent double over the fallen silverware. 
    "Ravi?" Youngmin said, appearing in front of me and pulling my hands from my ears. She smiled at me gently, leaning forward to hug me. 
    My limbs moved on their own, encasing her in an immovable grip and holding her tightly to me. My left arm raised up and I peered over Youngmin's shoulder, gasping when I saw the knife in my hand. It was poised over Youngmin's shoulder blade, about to stab into her back. 
    'Stop!' I screamed silently, my mouth glued shut. I fought against Mistress' hold, watching the knife descend swiftly towards Youngmin. I closed my eyes at the last second, horror rising in me, and felt the knife go flying from my grip. 
    Leo stood behind Youngmin, frozen after sending the knife skittering across the tile. The hold on me vanished and I leapt away from Youngmin in relief, seeing Leo drop down on his knees. His back was arched in agony, every muscle tense and shaking as Mistress punished him for interfering.      
    "Are you okay?" Youngmin said, still looking at me. I nodded shakily, Leo straightening up seconds before Youngmin turned to go. 
    "I'll be back in a few minutes." Youngmin smiled, kissing my cheek and grabbing her keys. 
    "Come on, Binnie!" Youngmin called. They both walked out the front door and I sagged back against the countertop in relief. 
    "What the hell was that?!" Leo hissed, striding forward to fist his hand in my shirt. I opened and closed my mouth, struggling to come up with up with the right words. 
    "Hyung..." I finally mumbled, tears flickering in my eyes. Leo's eyes softened and he pulled me forward in a hug, making me relax into him. 
    "It was her, wasn't it?" Leo asked, rubbing my back softly. I nodded and Leo pulled back, looking me in the eyes. 
    "Go up to bed and get some sleep. I don't want you around Youngmin tonight." Leo said. I nodded, turning and trudging up the stairs. 
    I got ready for bed, snuggling down in the sheets and closing my eyes. A shimmering voice cut through my thoughts, Mistress reappearing. 
    'You really like that girl, huh?' Mistress said softly. Her voice was gentler than before, soft with child-like curiosity.  
    'If you touch her, I will kill you.' I said, my voice deadly serious. Mistress swirled around in my mind, an understanding emotion filtering from her to me. 
    'What's it like?' Mistress asked. 'To know they love you back?' 
    'It's...beautiful.' I answered slowly. Mistress hummed softly inside my head, going silent for a few minutes. I closed my eyes, ready to sleep, and opened them again when I felt a ghostly hand brush my bangs back out of my face. 
    'Sleep well, little Ravi.' Mistress murmured. She hummed softly, carrying me away on the gentle swells of her voice. 

    My eyes shot open in the middle of the night and I sat up, moving limply like a puppet on strings. 
    'What are you doing?' I asked, searching for Mistress. Her presence filled my mind again, black and heavy. 
    'I've been doing some thinking. This love of yours has made you weak. It's time to get rid of it.' Mistress said. 
    'What?!' I said. Mistress didn't answer, swinging my legs forward one after the other. I was forced through the hallway, straining against every movement. 
    I reached out and caught the wall in a burst of freedom, clinging onto the wall and pulling myself backwards. My chest and shoulders flared with pain as my muscles popped, striving to keep me in place. Mistress laughed softly, twisting my wrist until it almost broke, making me let go and fall. 
    She forced me back to my feet, and led me to Youngmin's room. I opened the door quietly, approaching her beside with a sinking feeling in my chest. I tried to cry out, but my mouth was sealed shut. Mistress had blocked my link with Leo, and I fought against her hold with all I had. 
    'Go ahead, wrap you hands around her pretty little neck. I'll teach you how dangerous it is to love someone. Someone always gets destroyed.' Mistress said. 
    I watched in agony as my hands reached out, fingers wrapping around Youngmin's neck. Her face was relaxed and even more beautiful in sleep, but her eyes opened in terror when my fingers tightened. I in a sobbing breath as she tried to scream but couldn't because of my hold on . 
    'I'm so so sorry!' I screamed mentally, begging with Mistress to let me release her. Youngmin struggled against me, dragging her nails down my wrists in a frantic attempt to make me let go.     
    Youngmin's lips started to turn blue and her eyes flickered closed. She was dying, and I