by Claire Marta
When it stretches into minutes, I raise my head. “What...what happened to Enrico?”
Golden eyes survey my face, lines of stress fanning out from the corners. “Mistress Mystic is dealing with him. The authorities have been brought in. He’ll be charged with the use of illegal drugs, assault, and attempted rape.”
The knowledge does little to reassure me. I feel violated. Can still feel his touch, the taste of him in my mouth. Bile burns in my throat. Throwing the covers off my body I run for the bathroom, palm pressed to my mouth.
I barely make it to my knees beside the toilet before I start retching. My stomach protests as it spills its contents violently into the bottom of the porcelain basin.
A hand brushes over my forehead, sweeping my hair clear and holding it at the nape of my neck. Thomas is patient and caring. Murmuring to me soothingly, he pats my shoulder. When my vomiting subsides, he hands me a cup.
“Rinse your mouth out.” He commands.
Obeying I gargle with water before spitting it out and flushing the toilet. “Thanks.”
“Feeling better?” Taking the empty glass and discarding it in the sink, he takes my elbow guiding me up onto my feet.
“A little.” I reply tiredly.
“The drugs need a few more hours to work out of your system.”
Together we move back into the bedroom. Legs weak, I sink down onto the edge mattress.
Thomas stands back, observing me, his expression unreadable. “You’ll cancel your classes today and work. Adam will understand if you don’t go in tonight. I suggest you try to sleep a little longer. It will help.”
“Alright.” I have no fight in me to argue. Grabbing one of the pillows, I drag it into my lap and hug it to my chest protectively.
I hate Enrico.
I’ve never hated anyone so much in my life. Anger builds. What will the authorities do with him? He’s rich. A well known businessman. Put him in a cage? It won’t be forever.
I want him to pay for what he did to me. Feel vulnerable and helpless. Be at someone else's mercy.
We can.
An insidious little voice whispers deep in my head.
We can make him wish he’d never touched us. Bring him to his knees. Bring them all to they’re knees and worship us.
“You’ll remain here.” Thoman continues. “Rest. I’ll speak to my housekeeper and have her bring you some food. When you need a bath for your tail you know where everything is.”
Raising dulled eyes to his I nod, ignoring the coaxing voice.
Thomas hesitates for a moment. “We’ll talk more later.”
I sense somehow that’s not what he was going to say.
Crawling back beneath the covers, I watch as he moves across the room the door, closing it quietly as he leaves.
Thomas
I leave Carol with instructions take care of the dildo still in the sink before the girl sees it, and to bring her food in bed if she wakes.
Striding across the yard I shift. I barely give myself time to get acquainted with my other form before taking to the sky. I know I need to be there for Layla. Not only as her Dom, but as someone she’s coming to trust. A friend.
But the fire inside is still too close to the surface. I need to tramp down the urge to kill before I tell Layla what happened last night.
I don’t know who was in charge of bringing the supernatural community out of hiding years ago, but I’m thankful for them right now. Before the coming out, a giant dragon flying in the skies would have been shot down at best and would have burned down a city at worst.
Spending most of my life in the remote mountains of my home, I would have been driven mad at having to hide in the city.
I don’t know how long I fly for, but the sun is high in the sky by the time I touch down in my backyard and shift back.
Layla is sitting on the patio. Legs on the seat of the chair, arms wrapped around her knees. Her green hair is loose and fluttering around her due to the gentle wind.
Clouded blue eyes meet mine as I cross the yard.
“How are you doing?” I ask.
She shrugs, “I don’t know. I feel everything and nothing all at once.” Her voice is just a whisper and my heart goes out to her.
I’ve seen too many victims over my long life. It never gets easier. But seeing this innocent nymph hurting is all most too much.
I am not the best person to deal with something like this, but I’m all she has. Unfortunately for her.
“We need to talk about last night.”
“What’s there to talk about? Enrico violated me, you saved me.”
Taking a seat next to her I turn the needed words over and over in my head. While I prefer to be blunt and avoid the bullshit, this is a delicate situation and I am not so heartless as to ignore that.
“Do you know what stimulants are used for?”
“Date rape.” She spits.
This is going to go wonderfully. “Essentially. There are different types, taken liberally like you’re supposed to, they make sex great. That’s not what happened last night.”
She flinches. I want to reach out for her, but I don’t know how I’ll be received. “Adam’s assistant is the one who found you. He’s a witch. He was able to hold Enrico back and call for Adam.
“By the time they alerted me, you were in Adam’s office with him and another witch, Samuel.
“Samuel tried to help you magically, but there isn’t anything you can do against a stimulant. They’re not like human drugs. Made by magic and a concoction of God only knows what, they’re made to resist a supernatural’s healing abilities for a handful of hours. Who knows how many Enrico pumped into you. The best Samuel was able to do was dull their effectiveness a bit.” I pause and take in a much needed breath.
Layla doesn’t react to my words, but I can hear her heart speed up just a bit. I can smell her fear.
“I brought you here and my two options were let you ride it out, or help you.”
“What?” She snaps her head towards me. “What do you mean by that?”
“I wasn’t about to let you suffer.”
“What did you do to me?” She tries to stay strong but her voice wavers.
“I got you off with one of my toys.”
“Y-you...you used me? You took advantage?”
“Of course not,” I huff. “I wasn’t about to let you suffer for hours on end thanks to the damn drugs. It would have been a long night for the both of us until they left your system. I just sped the process up.”
Layla jumps up and faces me. “You had no right to do that. That...that was mine! M-my flower...my-”
I cut her off, “it was a fucking dildo, Layla. You can’t lose your virginity to a dildo. I helped you rush through the side effects of the drugs. I’m sorry. I didn’t do it for my own personal enjoyment. I’m not a fucking rapist like that bastard. But I did tell you I would take care of you for as long as you’re under my care and I did.”
“You took something precious from me!” She wails.
It takes all my control not to roll my eyes. “Don’t be such a drama queen. I did you a favor.”
“I want to go home.” She says, voice weak and full of pain.
“Fine. I’ll have Carol drive you.” Standing up I take a few steps forward and stare down at her. “Look at me,” when she does I see tears glistening in her eyes. “I had no choice, Layla.” I say again. “I’m sorry you feel like something was taken away from you, but sometimes shit like that happens. Life isn’t full of fucking unicorns and rainbows.”
“Is that supposed to make me feel better?”
“No. It’s just a fact. Go home, take a few days off, Adam will understand. Take some time to heal. I’ll be here if you need me. But, you’re on recess for now. There’s too much between us for us to get anywhere without a long talk, and neither one of us is up for that right now.”
Reaching out, I grab one of her hands in mine. So small and delicate, with the right pressure, I can cru
sh it easily. I give her hand a gentle squeeze before letting it go. “Take as long as you need. Call me if you need anything. Day or night.”
I step back and lead the way into the house.
I don’t know what to do now.
I don’t want to lose her as a submissive. She has the potential to be great, but I don’t know if she’ll ever trust me or the club again.
As much as I couldn’t stand her when we first met, she’s grown on me a bit. I just want her to be okay, and if that means watching her walk away after this scare, then that’s what I’ll do.
Layla
The sound of knocking stirs me from my spot curled up on the sofa. Rising listlessly, I trail across the room to answer it, not really wanting to talk to anyone at all. Dressed in sweatpants and an oversized sweater, I’d don’t care about my appearance. I haven’t left my apartment in two days. My appetite has been nonexistent. It’s just been me, my fish and my tortured thoughts.
Opening the door, I’m met by two pairs of worried eyes. What may be my only friend and Adam’s submissive are standing side by side, holding three large plastic shopping bags. Both men are dressed in jeans and T-shirts, looking very different from what I’m used to seeing at Carnal Pleasures.
“Hey, Layla.” Eli greets softly with a half-hearted smile. “No one’s heard from you in two days and we’re getting worried.”
“What’s he doing here?” I question sharply, my attention bouncing to the other man. “Did Adam send you? Worried I might sue the club or something?”
Bane winces at my unfriendly tone. “No. He doesn’t know I’m here. Like Eli, I wanted to check up on you after I heard what happened.”
Eli shifts restlessly on the spot. “Can we come in? We got you sushi.”
My stomach revolts at the thought of food, but I don’t like being rude. They’ve had the decency to come and see me. My first contact with anyone since the day Thomas’s housekeeper drove me home. It had been conducted in strained silence on my part.
“Sure.” Wrapping my arms around my waist, I step aside letting them through into my little apartment. It feels even smaller with both of them in the space. Showing them into the living room, they discard their bags on the table and take a seat on the sofa. Settling on the recliner opposite, I lace my fingers in my lap.
Bane’s gaze wanders around the room with avid interest. Eli’s blue-eyed stare never wavers from my pale face.
“Thomas has been very tight lipped about what happened after he took you from the club...” Eli begins.
“He fucked me with a dildo while I was drugged up to my eyeballs. I don’t remember him taking my flower with a sex toy.” I mutter in reply.“Apparently it was for my own good. To get me over the effects of the stimulants. Oh, and apparently I can’t lose my virginity from that. According to him, he did me a favor. Had no choice in the matter.”
Bane growls low in his throat at my words. “Arrogant fucking prick.”
“He doesn’t seem to want to consider my opinions or beliefs.” I continue, anger searing through my veins. “I thought as my Dom he was supposed to respect that. Protect me. Guide me. Why should I trust him if he can’t even do that?”
Eli’s brows dip in a frown. “Layla, what Thomas told you was true. Even if your hymen was broken you're still a virgin until you have sex. Look it up on the internet if you don’t believe me. He was helping you over the effects of the stimulants. You’d have been in pain for hours if he hadn’t given you what was needed.”
Unable to sit still, I leap up off my seat, voice rising to a shout. “Thomas doesn't ask what I want! He just does what he thinks I want and tells me it's best for me. He's a walking douche-canoe! You’re all douchebags. Every single man in existence.”
“I know you’ve been through a lot and you’re upset, but this doesn't sound like the sweet young mermaid I know.” My dark-haired friend murmurs, one hand out in a gesture of soothing trying to calm me.
“Have you spoken to him since that night? Even considered he’ll be worried about you? How he’s feeling after what happened with Enrico at the club and only learning of it from Adam? Maybe you should meet outside of you're dynamic of Dom and submissive. Talk, just Thomas and Layla, away from the club and his house?”
A laugh bubbles up in my throat. “By young you mean naïve. Goddess, you all think I’m an idiot, don’t you?”
“I never said that.”
Power builds inside me. The fury borne from that night is an insidious whisper in my soul.
Hurt and outrage at what Thomas did and what he said to me.
Hatred for Enrico.
It’s as if the ocean itself rages within me. A storm. The screaming gale of the wind under dark turbulent skies.
Bane inhales sharply from his position on the sofa. “Why are her eyes glowing like that?”
Glancing across the room at my reflection on the wall mirror, I see the iridescent azure glow lighting my irises from within. My emotions swell like waves. The scent of briny air fills my lungs and I swear I can feel the spray of salty waves against my face. I’m wrath and tempest. A raw, wild squall ready to drown them all.
Eli pales, “Shit. Bane out now.”
The men scramble up and away from me as I stalk them.
“I’m not a toy to play with.” I hiss, baring my teeth.
“Of course you’re not.” Eli agrees, walking backwards toward the door, never taking his gaze off me. “Layla, you need to take a deep breath and listen to what I’m saying.”
Bane peers at me from over my friend’s shoulder. “Can you feel the static in the air? It’s like the beginning of a storm.”
“That’s magic and it’s ascending rapidly...Layla, please calm down. You're out of control.”
Reason and logic dim. Mouth opening in a scream, the ear piercing sound that leaves my throat shatters the mirror on the wall. Soaring in pitch, the glasses in the kitchen explode from the noise next.
Hands pressed flat against their ears, Eli and Bane retreat for the door in panic. The scream falters when I see the blood running from their noses.
I’m hurting them.
Causing them pain.
Goddess, what am I doing?
This isn’t me.
Lips trembling, the emotions inside me ebb, draining as quickly as they’d come. “I’m sorry...I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to do that.”
Wincing and pulling a face, Eli lowers his hands. “I think I might have gone Deaf.”
“I thought she was a mermaid not a fucking banshee.” Bane complains, smacking his left ear with the heel of his palm. “I hope to hell this ringing isn’t a permanent thing.”
“Are you okay?” I asked anxiously, guilt and concern rising.
They both nod bringing a small twinge of relief.
Taking in the destruction my voice has reaped, the shards of glass glitter like diamonds all over the floor. Attention reaching my tank I frantically rush to it. Running my touch over it I search for cracks. It's a comfort to find it undamaged. The thought of losing it has my stomach tightening in knots.
A large hand appears next to mine against the cool surface of the tank. “How long have you been able to do that?”
Avoiding Eli’s stare, I flex my fingers on the glass. “First time.”
“Layla, you need help. What I sensed...that’s some strong ass magic. Intense, raw, untamed. Something like that left undisciplined is...”
Dangerous.
He doesn’t say the word but it hangs unspoken between us and it terrifies me. I’m not sure I can control whatever this is emerging from inside me. First unintentionally enthralling people at work. Now this.
I don’t feel like I know who I am anymore.
What I am.
“I know you don’t like Thomas right now, but he’s old and experienced. Dragons have steel like control and it’s something he could teach you. Remember that’s the reason Adam kept throwing you two at each other in the first place.” Eli points out softly. “If I co
uld think of anyone else that would be suitable I would not suggest this.”
“You think I should give him another chance.” My tone is flat as I keep my focus on the fish swimming through the water on the other side of the barrier.
“That’s up to you.”
Releasing a sigh, I lower my head my forehead meeting the tank. Eli’s right. I need someone to show me how to control whatever it is I’m becoming. Out of all the Doms I know at the club, Thomas is the one capable of that. After what’s happened though can I dare to trust him? It was already on shaky ground to start with.
Thomas
It’s been two long days since Carol drove Layla home. Not a peep has come from her. If I don’t hear from her by tomorrow I’m going to have to reach out. I’m sure it won’t be well received, but the girl can’t even be bothered to send a text saying she’s okay.
I add that to her list of rules. Recess or not, there are basic, courteous things you do to make everyone else around you feel at ease.
Has the girl really been on her own so long she doesn’t even know social niceties?
It’s the end of the night and I’m grabbing my bag from the staff room so I can go home and drown in a bottle of whatever alcohol my sisters left on their last visit.
“I need to talk to you.”
Glancing over my shoulder, I find Eli striding into the room, magic emitting off him like static. His once dull aura shines bright with the magic he’s allowing to flow freely off him and I finally get a sense of what he is.
An elfkin from one of the high born families. Though he’s far away from the protection of his kind, that doesn’t diminish his strength. With just the trickle of magic he’s letting through I know I’m not dealing with just any elf.
“What has you so riled up your glamour is slipping?”
“Layla.” He says.
Because of course. That girl seems to cause trouble even when she’s not around.
“What about her?”
“I went to see her today. She’s...not doing well.”
“She hasn’t called, so she obviously doesn’t want or need my help.”