"Maddie…"

It was a deep purr of a word, thick as molasses dripping off thorns. It was rich and overdone, like the gilded mahogany chairs and the feast-burdened table, like the ornate stone fireplace that haloed Vlad in carmine light.

"I'm so delighted you and Danny could come to stay… forever." Vlad continues, punctuating the drawl with a flash of his brilliantly white teeth. "Now, did you enjoy your day in the mansion? I'm sure you find it to be a much better accommodation than that ugly jigsaw of Jack's…"

Maddie sat at Vlad's direct right, face half shadowed by the flames. Robotically, she replied, "The mansion is lovely, dear. I just adore the view of the outdoors through the windows." Every word is insincerely selected for Vlad's enjoyment, much like the pink blouse she wore in favor of her jumpsuit.

"How sweet of you to say, darling," Vlad murmured, lapping up her act like honey.

Danny gagged.

"Well, Daniel, did you have some remark for me?"

"No."

"Do you find the love between your mother and I – dare I say - repulsive?"

"Of course not," Danny retorted, "you're a great couple. I wouldn't want anyone else for my mom."

With the grace of a python, Vlad set down his sterling silver. "Son, pass me the bread, won't you?" His sickly sweet tone invited rebellion, and Danny couldn't stop himself –

"The last thing I want to do is give anything to a lonely, single, desperate –"

"Danny!" Maddie snapped.

Danny's eyes glowed a furious green, but he held his tongue.

"I would keep that anger of yours under control, Daniel. You don't want another shock now, do you?"

If I could just transform, I could kick his self-righteous butt across the room, and save my mom. Except it wasn't an option. Vlad had made sure of that.

"Well, Daniel? The bread?"

"Danny," Maddie hissed through her teeth.

"Sure… whatever you want," Danny bit out. "But I'm gonna need a little bit more leeway here." He held up his wrists meaningfully. Heavy manacles and chains snared them - the same chains were wrapped around his chest, across his calves, and around his ankles.

"Where are your manners? Ask nicely, Daniel."

Danny ground his teeth together. "Please, Vlad?"

The chains glowed green, and lengthened – Danny shot a frantic look towards his mom, but she had noticed nothing, the chains being hidden beneath the table.

Be more careful about using your powers, fruit loop. Danny grabbed the bread basket and shoved it towards Vlad. The billionaire didn't take it.

"Now, now, it's so formal of you to call me by my name. I think you should call me… father."

Something snapped, and before he knew it, the words burst from his mouth, "Jack Fenton is my father, not some crazy obsessive guy like you!"

Silence.

Maddie froze in her seat, and Vlad went deadly still. "Oh, my son… Here I thought we could have some respect in this family. Couldn't you be at least a little grateful that I, in all my wealth and kindness, took you and your mother in?"

"You didn't 'take us in:' you kidnapped us! You're crazier than I thought if you believe we want to be here."

"Danny, you heard him; do as he says." Maddie cut in sharply. She was trying so so hard to play the part of a stern, reprimanding mother. But Danny could see the stricken lines on her face. "Do as he says," she pleaded.

But Vlad's eyes had darkened to red, and Danny wasn't sure that 'not getting hurt' was an option anymore.

"Those chains may have been designed to keep your insubordinate self in place, but I don't see why we can't use them for punishment as well."

Punishment.

Danny and his mother had only been here two days, but already Danny knew well what means Vlad employed for punishment. He slicked his back against the chair, knuckles white from gripping the arm rests.

Vlad wouldn't blatantly use his power in front of Maddie, would he?

"It's an electric chair, see," Vlad lied, winking at Danny as if they were children keeping some light-hearted secret. "Let's see, how many shocks do you think it will take? Or should I increase the duration? Sometimes it isn't the quantity, but the quality, you know…"

Danny began to shake against his will, panic setting in. His mind raged against his mutinous fear, but his body remembered the past torture far too well. Already his wrists bore aggressive discolored marks from Vlad's punishments, and his skin nervously jumped in anticipation of the shocking.

"Vlad, dear," Maddie broke in frantically, "this may be unnecessary – if you just gave him time -?"

Vlad cast a glance at Maddie that was at once affectionate and irrevocably evil. "Maybe you're right. How about it, Daniel? Do you think you can say that one word – father? Maybe then we could avoid this whole unpleasant affair."

Just one word. For this evil, sadistic monster who had his mom trapped in his mansion. Just one word. One word. He could do this.

"No?" Vlad drawled. "Well, that's too bad."

Electric current raked across his chest, from wrist to wrist, and Danny's spine arched off the chair, muscles violently contracting. It was over sooner than he expected, and he collapsed to the chair, panting.

Okay. That was… bad, but not terrible. Danny blinked, confused. Last time, it had been excruciatingly painful, as if Vlad had somehow used his powers to electrocute every cell in Danny's body at once.

Mystified, he glanced to Vlad, who arced his brow.

"Perhaps that was too lenient?"

"I think that's enough," Maddie's voice broke raggedly, like an unclean snap of wood that left jagged frail edges.

"On the contrary, I don't think dear Daniel has had enough."

"I'm sorry – father." Danny rushed to say. He couldn't let Vlad hurt him for real. Not while Maddie was around. He couldn't do that to his mom.

Vlad visibly wavered – should he accept the submission, or continue the torture he so clearly wanted to inflict?

But slowly he reclined against his throne-like chair. "How good to see that you're, shall I say, invested in this family."

Danny shuddered. He really hated the cadence of Vlad's voice.

Vlad plucked up a roll from the basket. "So, darling Maddie, would you like a bite?"

Maddie was grey as stone. "I've lost my appetite," she whispered. Danny hastily shifted his bruised wrists out of sight, and Maddie averted her eyes.

"I insist," Vlad slid closer, a smarmy grin on his face, and offered a morsel between his fingertips.

Stiffly, Maddie reached for the bread but –

"Ah-ah. At this point in our relationship, surely we're past that?"

Maddie lowered her hand to her lap. "Yes… dear." She leaned in. Vlad's fingers tenderly brushed her lips as she accepted the offering.

"Perfect," Vlad sighed, eyes half-lidded. "Just perfect."

Danny closed his eyes. What had they gotten themselves into?