Out of the Ashes (Trust Book 2)

by A M Raulerson

  “What else could you possibly have that I don’t?”

  Apparently, this was his baby and he didn’t like the thought that I had something he didn’t.

  “I might consider showing you. I would need to… borrow another sub for that, though. What I have in mind takes a bit of training. It isn’t simply a… clamp or blade,” I sneered, trying to egg on his emotions. Wanting him to demand to see what I could possibly do that he couldn’t.

  “My Boy knows his place, knows my demands. To really exhibit this technique, I would need another sub.”

  “How long are you actually talking about? How long do you need to... train?” Rogue asked, leaning towards us.

  I had watched him listening to our conversation. He seemed interested and seemed to be thinking that this might be some kind of coup to get one over on the other Doms.

  “I have two subs of my own. I might be persuaded to part with one for a short amount of time, if you make it worth my while.”

  “Worth your while? Who do you think you are? You do not tell me how to do anything, you control nothing of mine. And you control nothing I do.” I stood up and got right in his face, close enough that he could feel the angry words against his cheek.

  “All I… All I meant was that I would be willing to… let you choose one of my subs. That’s all I meant.”

  I could see the fear in his eyes. It was one of his biggest flaws, and part of the reason he would never be a true Dom. He was practically stuttering over his words, backing down from his presumed place of power. The fear and anger he felt was still apparent in his eyes. He didn’t like backing down from me, but I was an unknown. He wasn’t certain exactly what I was capable of.

  Sneering at him, I looked back at Andrew. The amusement on his face telling me he loved watching me put Rogue in his place. Walking back to the couch I sat down, seeming to mull over the options in my head.

  “I’d have to see these subs, choose for myself who I might use. Go get them.” Snapping at Rogue, not even bothering to make eye contact.

  From the corner of my eye I watched the hate and anger flow across his face as he walked towards one of the doors. He knew exactly who was stronger and he hated it, but he’d already shown his colors by backing down.

  He came back shoving the first sub at my feet. I tried to control the anger at the shape this small man was in. The poor thing was bruised from head to toe, with whip marks covering his body. I wanted to take him immediately, but I knew he was in no shape for what I was thinking. We would rescue him as soon as we possibly could. I would forever be haunted by the fact that I knew he would be abused every day until we busted this group up.

  “No. He’s too damaged for what I want. You don’t take very good care of your subs. No finesse.” I said shaking my head at Rogue and watching as he retrieved his second sub. Forcing his second sub to his knees in front of me/

  I casually looked the big man over, considering, and trying to control the many emotions I was feeling. I couldn’t believe what I was actually seeing. This man’s picture had been splashed all over the news. Octavius LeBraun was a missing semi pro football player, recently suspended due to a positive drug test. He’d up and disappeared five months ago, and the speculation was he’d run to hide his drug abuse from the paparazzi. A little too late, but it wasn’t too surprising.

  What I wasn’t expecting was to see a wraith of the man he’d been before. Still tall and stacked, he was a linebacker after all, but there was nothing inside. No spark of life in his eyes, as if he just wasn’t in there anymore. There was no telling what this man had been through, but the vacant stare and glassy sunken eyes wasn’t just from physical abuse. The man had to have been constantly drugged, otherwise there was no way that little shit, Rogue, could have controlled him.

  That little bastard was on a major power trip. It was funny to watch him prance around trying to be big and bad. He had to have known what a laughing stock he was though. Eye rolling and snickering followed him throughout the bar. I suppose he thought by controlling such a big man it made him look stronger. The obvious drug haze in this subs eyes showed that the thing controlling him was the drugs, not Rogue.

  Standing, I circled the kneeling man, running my hand over his naked shoulder, watching as goose bumps covered his body with a shiver. Lifting his chin, I looked into those vacant eyes again. He would physically be perfect for my plan, but I needed to know exactly what he was on. I wondered, when I stopped the drug, how he would react?

  “You have to drug him? There is no fight, no resistance left in him. He’s so high he doesn’t know he’s in this world, much less what’s happening in this room. What in the world do you have him on, how much?” I questioned, disgust evident in my voice.

  “I’ll take this one, but I will not have to drug him to control him. The other one is useless to me.” Turning to Andrew, I seemed to consider my plan.

  “He will have to sober up. The training shouldn’t take too long for someone strong enough. Depending on what he’s on, how about a show in a few days? Enough time to sober him up, convince him who the boss in this situation really is, and train him. I think I can manage that.”

  The obvious curiosity on Andrew’s face showed his answer before he opened his mouth.

  “Anything special we should set up? We have a stage if you really want to make it a show. An exhibition of this supposed technique.”

  He was trying to make it sound like he was letting me have my way. Like he didn’t really believe I could show him something different.

  “The stage will work if that’s what you want. I’ll need to come in with the subs to set up the rigging and other things I’ll need.” Nodding, I looked back at the sub kneeling in front of me.

  “You didn’t tell me what he’s on. I need to know whether to look out for detoxing. I wouldn’t want him to die before I can play with him.”

  The glee I forced into my voice was bitter in my mouth, but they would expect some outward sign of my desire. Looking him up and down one last time I turned back to Rogue, snapping my fingers at him.

  “Go get him ready to leave, but no more drugs. I want him to know who I am, to see what a real Dom looks like. That I’m the one in control, but I won’t be needing drugs to do that.”

  Turning my back to Rogue I knew I was pushing it. I wanted him to become furious, he was more likely to make a mistake then. He was definitely the weak link in this bunch. As I felt him turn and storm away with the sub in tow, I heard Andrew snickering.

  “That little shit doesn’t like you now. Be careful, and watch your back. He won’t retaliate to your face, but he will get even. He’s an evil, sneaky little fucker.”

  Chuckling, and shaking his head, Andrew led me back over to the bar. Sitting to wait for Rogue, he offered me a drink, but I declined.

  “I’d like to keep a level head for this. There may be a bit of a fight left in him when the drugs wear off, at least I hope so anyways. How can Rogue even think of calling himself a Dom when he can’t control his sub without drugs? That isn’t real control, but that big man will learn who has the control before the day is out.”

  Leaving the smile on my lips I looked over as the drugged out giant, properly clothed now, shuffled towards me. Nodding to Andrew, I snapped my fingers and walked towards the front of the bar where I’d left Alexi. He was standing just inside the door, still in first position eyes down. He looked as if he’d followed my order, but I stopped in front of him and sighed loud enough for the others to hear.

  “Boy! What did I tell you to do?” I barked cruelly, not looking at him as I demanded his immediate response.

  “That I stay here, Patron. That I stay where I am and not move.” Alexi knew his part in this. He’d been scoping the place out while I distracted the others, but if I’d caught him, others may have seen him too

  “Did you do as your Patron ordered?” Turning toward him and taking a step into his personal space, I felt as well as heard his gasp. His eyes, darting up to mi
ne, glistened with fear.

  “Eyes Down! You will learn, Boy. You will learn right now not to disobey me again.”

  The hard slap against his flank had him jerking but he kept position and his eyes went straight to his toes. I decided to add just a little more to this punishment. A little bit of fun for him. I reached into my pocket and took out the trigger for the plug and eggs in his ass. I turned briefly toward Andrew, flashing him a wicked look as I showed him what was in my hand. Looking back at Alexi, I made sure he couldn’t see what I had. He may have forgotten about this little surprise. It had been a while since I used it on him. It had been funny watching him jump as he sat at the computer today. Now I could spice this up just a little more. He may not have been able to forget the plug in his ass, but this would remind him of what it could do.

  “You did not listen to your Patron! I do not allow disobedience! You know what I want!”

  Knowing what to expect Alexi unbuttoned his pants, allowing them to hit the ground. Putting his hands behind his head and flexing his hips slightly forward he dropped his eyes to the ground again. Stepping back enough to get a good amount of force, I swung my right hand down, slapping the inside of my Boy’s right thigh. His loud gasp made me chuckle darkly as I pressed the button to make the eggs in his ass go crazy. The look of shock on his face was perfect.

  “You know better than that. We start over then, and this time you will count out loud!”

  Slapping forward quickly with my left hand, I struck the inside of his left thigh, pressing the button again. I barely saw the flinch before he shouted.

  “One, Patron.”

  SLAP! Right hand to right thigh, press.

  “Two, Patron.”

  SLAP! Left hand to left thigh, press.

  “Three, Patron.”

  SLAP! Right hand to right thigh, press.

  “Four, Patron.”

  The tears flowing down his face would have been beautiful if I wasn’t doing this here, but it was a necessary evil. Thank God he was able to feel pleasure in it or this would tear us both apart.

  SLAP! Left hand to left thigh, press.

  “Five, Patron.”

  “What do you have to say, Boy?”

  “I’m sorry, Patron. Thank you, Patron.”

  Barely controlled shuddering ran over my Boy. That had been a painful demonstration for the others, but necessary for both Alexi and the so called Doms behind me. He was hard though, so it hadn’t been too much of a hardship. Alexi was always in for exhibitionism. This might just be a little fun as well as work.

  “It’s too bad you must cover that beautiful blush, but we must go.”

  Nodding my head for Alexi to pick up his pants, I snapped my fingers at LeBraun .

  “I’ll call you tomorrow to discuss further arrangements for our exhibition. Once I’ve sobered him up a bit to make sure we’ll be going forward.”

  “LSD. He’s been doping him up with that, but it was his drug of choice anyway. I’m sure you realize who that is?” Nodding my agreement at Andrew, I waited for him to continue.

  “I don’t know if you know anything about the effects, but he should come out of this fugue in a few hours, give or take when he last took a hit. There aren’t any physical reactions to detoxing from LSD. He’ll have some horrendous flashbacks though.”

  Andrew’s evil chuckle made my skin crawl, but I raised one side of my mouth as I looked at what was left of this man. Physically this wouldn’t be hard, but the effects of LSD varied with each addict. Mental effects could be long lasting. Flashbacks and panic attacks were common and something I would have to watch out for considering how long he’d been using. This sub was now in my care too, and while my main concern was Alexi, I would be taking care of this sub too. I would just have to make sure he understood I was in charge, even if I wasn’t like the other Doms.

  We couldn’t risk him talking about us though. He would have to be kept separate except when training. Good thing I had extra rooms and could fashion a lock for the outside of the door.

  “Boy, watch him!”

  Snapping my fingers again, I walked out of the room, knowing they would both follow. Now that I had this new sub I’d have to be more careful. Alexi hadn’t known about this, shoot neither had I. I was just winging it. But now that I’d gone with it, I’d have to make it work.

  As we walked back through the bar to leave, I had to wonder what these people thought was going on in the back rooms. They had to see all these people going in and out, but no one said anything. Not one looked up, or even seemed to be watching them.

  *************

  Alexi

  As we walked into the house, I was still wondering what the hell Lucas was thinking. This could turn out to be a really, really bad idea. It’s not like we could tell this guy what was going on and trust him to help us. There was no telling where this man’s head was going to be when he sobered up. And this dude was big! I wasn’t worried about Lucas, or even him hurting me. Lucas wouldn’t allow it, that I knew, but we had no information on this guy. He was an unknown and could really fuck us up. I had to trust that Lucas knew what he was doing, even if I couldn’t figure out where he was going with this. The guy looked really familiar and I’d heard what Andrew said. Lucas knew who the man was apparently.

  “You will take him to the guest room next to the playroom. Lock him in, and make sure he knows to take a shower and to try and sleep if he can. We have to give him some time to sober up, and then we’ll feel him out.”

  Lucas’s low growl in my ear was only loud enough for me to hear, but the hard slap against my ass made both me and this new sub jump.

  “You are to go with him. Do what he says, but you’re not to lay a finger on my property. He is mine, and I will not allow anyone but me to touch him. Do you understand me?” Lucas was in the new subs personal space. He was firm, but not aggressive. I saw a shudder run through the sub and wondered just how much was from the drugs and how much was from the tone of Lucas’s voice. I knew the feelings that coursed through me when he growled.

  Lucas would do a lot to keep our cover, but if the man wasn’t gay he wouldn’t be going in that direction. He would be a firm Dom, but he wouldn’t do anything to further traumatize the man if he could help it. I just didn’t get where he expected this to go.

  “Follow me.”

  As I walked up the stairs, I tried to figure out how to talk to this guy. I couldn’t blow our cover, but we needed certain info. As I walked into the guest room, I figured I’d just ask what I wanted to know. The guy was still pretty high, maybe he wouldn’t remember much of our conversation.

  “How long have you been with your Master?”

  The blank look he gave me didn’t give me any hope of actually getting any info from him.

  “I don’t know.” His voice was soft, gravelly with disuse. He probably hadn’t been allowed to talk much.

  Realizing I really wasn’t going to get anything from this stoned giant, I ushered him into the guest room. Pointed out the attached bathroom, told him to take a shower and get some sleep if he could. As I turned to leave he stopped me with a strange confused squeak. Turning back, I waited for him to speak.

  “Where is my cage? I am to always sleep in my cage. Master said.”

  He started to look like he was going to panic, something else for us to worry about. I really couldn’t figure out how Lucas thought throwing this guy into the middle of an already tenuous undercover assignment was a good idea. I planned to ask him as soon as I got the chance. Respectfully, of course.

  “We don’t have a cage for you. My Patron wants you to sleep in the bed. So, it’s best if you listen to what he tells you to do. Take your shower, get some sleep.”

  Walking back down the stairs I heard Lucas on the phone as I walked into the kitchen.

  *************

  Lucas

  “Sam, I know it’s a big risk. Yes, it could blow up in our faces, but what’s done is done. We just have to work it out .”
<
br />   Rolling my eyes and my shoulders, I tried not to snap at Sam. He wasn’t saying anything I hadn’t already said to myself. But I’d already started down this road so I would just have to keep going. I was just as stressed out as he was. This case was going to be the death of me. Not only was I worried about Alexi, but I had to think about the possibility of another boy getting killed. I’d just set myself up for one more worry with this new sub.

  I felt Alexi lean against my back, offering comfort. He had to hear the stress and frustration in my voice. I wasn’t absolutely sure I’d made the right decision, either. But right, wrong, or whatever I’d made it. Now we had to work with it and try to have a plan in place if the worst should happen. Saying goodbye, I hung up the phone.