Destined to Dominate

by Red Phoenix

  Baron, Marquis, Anderson, and Boa shake hands with those of us who are going. It is a solemn moment because we understand that one or more of us might not make it back.

  I clasp Baron’s shoulder as I shake his hand. Leaning in, I whisper, “She’ll need you by her side in the weeks ahead.”

  He looks me in the eye. “She and I will concentrate our energy on our mutual project while we wait for your return.”

  There are no other words left to say but “Thank you, Baron.”

  My beautiful girl keeps up a brave face as we wait to board the plane for Russia. There are no tears when I bend down to kiss her goodbye.

  “I know you are the man to lead this mission and bring Rytsar back home,” she states confidently. “I love you, Captain.”

  I nod, grateful she understands. “I will not rest until I return to you.”

  “I’m counting on that.”

  “It is difficult to leave your side,” I tell her, caressing her cheek.

  She looks up at me with those doe-like eyes. “Don’t worry about me. I’ll be waiting with bells on when you come home.”

  I smile, imagining her in nothing but her belled collar. She has no idea what her support means to me at this moment. I will not let her down.

  Giving Candy one more kiss, I savor the softness of her lips before we part. God knows I don’t want to leave her.

  I turn and start walking toward the plane, not allowing myself to look back when I hear her say, “God speed, Captain.”

  With Davis’s help, we have negotiated a ransom, but he warns us that the Koslov brothers do not seem happy about the arrangement. I accelerate our plans for extraction, not wanting the brothers to change their minds.

  When we reach their isolated compound in Siberia, the three of us are accosted and beaten, leaving me to wonder if we’re already too late.

  Knowing the unstable nature of the two brothers, I’ve instructed my team that we are not to fight back. Instead, the plan is to let Clark take the lead. As a female, the two brothers will assume authority over her and think less of Wallace and me for letting her lord over us. It allows us to hide behind a position of perceived weakness as we scope out the environment.

  All three of us, bloodied by the “welcome party” before, are dragged in front of the two brothers and thrown to the floor. One look at Durov, who is tied to a chair beside the two men, and I know time has run out. He has been starved and beaten to the point that he is hardly recognizable or coherent.

  I glance at Clark, who, to her credit, keeps a stoic face as she stares hard at Durov—the man she has risked everything for.

  Gavriil, the oldest of the brothers, asks Durov tauntingly, “Do they seem familiar to you, worm?”

  Durov grunts angrily in answer, turning his head from us. Even in his compromised condition, he still reasons out what is happening and responds accordingly.

  Although the tension in the room is high, I hold out hope that my plan will work.

  “American fools,” Gavriil states. He places his boot on Clark’s back and leans down, resting the barrel of his gun against her temple. “What would you do, worm, if I shot her right now?”

  Stas stares intently at her and suddenly clears his throat to get Gavriil’s attention.

  Something passes between them, because Gavriil slowly removes his foot and smiles down at Clark. “Wait…is this the infamous Mistress Clark? The woman who humiliated Durov in every way a man can be? Stas is quite the admirer of yours.” He chuckles as he holds out his hand to her. “My sincerest apologies, Mistress.”

  The three of us are stunned by the sudden change in Gavriil’s tone—Clark most of all. She takes his hand and stands up slowly with an air of pride about her. “I am one and the same,” she answers, her voice cold with disdain.

  Gavriil turns to Rytsar in amusement. “These heathens aren’t here for your rescue, after all…”

  The older brother is entertained by the thought that Clark has come to exact her own revenge on Durov. It gives us leverage we’re not expecting, and she plays upon it brilliantly. “My colleagues and I are here on behalf of Vlad Durov. The man you made the offer to,” she says. “But he will be extremely unhappy when he finds out the manner in which I, his representative, have been treated.”

  Gavriil scoffs. “Vlad would never align himself with a woman.”

  All the men in the room chuckle.

  “Rest assured, I am here on Vlad’s behalf and have proof.” She nods toward the door. “Except one of your men stole the timepiece I was instructed to give you.”

  Gavriil sends Stas to get the timepiece, and while he waits, he flirts with the Mistress. “You’re quite a looker. While I’m no bitch like Durov, I wouldn’t mind showing you a taste of Russian hospitality.” He moves in close and growls lustfully. “Let me show you what a real man does with American pussy.”

  Clark looks at him with contempt. “I would break every bone in your body if you dared to try.” She glances down at Wallace and me with a superior look. “Just ask my men.”

  “Ah…” Gavriil laughs at us. “So these are your men, not the other way around.”

  “Of course not. I bow to no man.”

  He takes that as a sexual challenge and moves closer, stating with a seductive undertone, “I bet I could make you bow.”

  Stas returns with the item. But, for some odd reason, Gavriil ignores him. I sense there is a rift between the two and trust we can use it to our advantage.

  Strolling over to Rytsar, Gavriil laughs as he points to Clark. “Tell me, worm. How does it feel to have your balls crushed in her hands?” His laughter fills the room.

  Clark has taken the older brothers’ defenses down with her banter and practically has him eating out of her hand.

  “Let’s finish this up, shall we?” she replies in a bored voice. Looking at the two of us, Clark commands us to stand up.

  I slowly get to my feet, still wary of the two men.

  Gavriil tells Stas, “Check the account to verify the transfer has been made by Vlad.”

  Stas dutifully leaves the room again. I’ve noticed he has remained silent this entire time and does not seem to be mesmerized by Clark the way Gavriil is. No, his attention has remained focused solely on Durov. Something about that does not sit right…

  “The deal is done, then,” Gavriil announces when Stas returns nodding his head, indicating the money has been transferred.

  Clark orders us to untie Durov and adds as an afterthought, “No need to be gentle with the merchandise.”

  I quickly begin untying Rytsar’s bonds, but Stas waves Gavriil over and whispers in his ear.

  I get a sinking feeling in my gut. Something bad is about to go down.

  “Wait,” Gavriil orders. “Stas has brought up an excellent point. It is not right that Durov leave here without a sacrifice. He killed a member of our family. There must be restitution.”

  “Isn’t that what the ransom is for?” Clark insists.

  “No, an attack on the Koslovs as grievous as this requires a physical restitution be made. Something we can give to the family.”

  “Meaning?” she asks, her voice cold as ice.

  “An eye for an eye.”

  My stomach twists in a knot.

  “He will not leave until we have a sacrifice, and we will not accept it from the worm himself.” Gavriil smiles at Wallace and me. “Which means it must come from one of you.”

  Durov growls, struggling violently in his bonds, but they completely ignore him as Stas produces a large knife and moves toward us. I purposely shift my feet to garner the man’s attention. I need to be the one, not Wallace—he’s still a boy.

  I am the leader of this mission and I will make the sacrifice willingly.

  Stas wears a crazy, closed-mouth grin as he taps the knife against the leather patch covering my eye. I don’t move a muscle as he slowly repositions the blade, setting the tip against the edge of my right eye.

  I gaze straight into Sta
s’s eyes, unafraid, but one thought runs through my head.

  I will never see Candy’s face again…

  I refuse to flinch as he begins pressing the knife into the soft tissue of my eye. Giving up my sight to ensure the entire party gets out alive is worth this price.

  “I’ll do it,” I hear Wallace say beside me.

  I groan when Stas moves away and walks over to Wallace, a crazy laugh escaping his lips as he does so.

  Staring deep into those blue eyes, he looks from one to the other, as if trying to decide which one to take. Clark steps between them and warns him, “No one hurts my men.”

  But Stas is legitimately insane, and turns the blade on her.

  Gavriil growls, “Do not touch her.”

  The tension rises to dangerous levels as the two brothers face off—one with a gun, the other with a blade—while their henchmen circle around them nervously.

  Fuck!

  It seems we’re going to have to take them all down or be caught in the crossfire.

  Wallace states loudly, “The offer has been made and I stand behind it.”

  Gavriil turns to him with a look of relief. “You will act as the worm’s payment, da?”

  “Yes,” Wallace answers firmly.

  As he sits down, the reality of what is about to happen settles over the group. Both Clark and I attempt to stop him, but several henchmen subdue us, forcing us to watch as Stas digs out Wallace’s eye and holds it up for everyone to see.

  The silence in the room afterward is chilling; the only sound is Wallace’s labored breathing.

  My admiration for Wallace knows no bounds, and I will forever be in his debt for the sacrifice he has made for the team. However, I now have a second mission before I leave Russia—Stas and Gavriil must die.

  I make quick work of Durov’s bindings and walk Wallace out myself, pressing my shirt against his eye socket.

  I cannot believe we leave the compound unharassed. I don’t trust it, and keep watch, expecting an ambush at any second as we head toward the helicopter waiting for us.

  There is an unexpected delay when Durov insists on waiting for a stray dog he has named Glupyy or “Foolish”. He refuses to leave without the animal. Although it is an unwanted risk, I understand the connection between a man and his dog. Thankfully, for all of us, the mutt makes a beeline for the Russian and our entire party gets onto the copter without incident.

  It isn’t until we are out of range and headed to Moscow that I finally let my guard down. Both Durov and Wallace need immediate medical attention, but we have accomplished our objective. Rytsar Durov has been liberated and every member of the team is still alive.

  I came into this mission thinking I would be the one to save them, but Wallace has proven himself a true soldier. I will send him home to recover in the States while the three of us—Clark, Rytsar and myself—stay behind to neutralize the threat.

  The Koslov brothers have proven themselves far too unstable and dangerous to ignore.

  My return to Candy must be postponed for a little while longer.

  Understanding

  Candy

  As I watch Captain get on the plane, I know I have a choice to make. I can give in to my fear and the pain his leaving is causing, or I can move forward each day we are separated with the expectation of success.

  He will be successful in his mission.

  Rytsar will come home—they all will—and Captain will finally know peace.

  That is my vision and the hope I hold onto.

  While I wait, I finish the last of my college courses for the semester, wanting to end with grades that will reflect my level of commitment and make Captain proud. Afterward, I will concentrate my energies into this project that he, Baron, and I believe in so deeply. It’s one thing to rescue someone from an unhealthy dynamic, but an abused submissive needs extra care and guidance. Not only to gain back her or his ability to trust again, but to also regain the joy that she or he once had as a submissive.

  The fact that Baron and Captain not only care about these hurting submissives, but want to be actively involved in helping in their recovery, makes me so damn proud. I hope that, one day, Brie and Sir Davis will be able to join in our vision.

  How amazing would that be?

  Baron and I have been visiting local clubs to let the managers know about our program, so they can alert us if they come across subs in need. It feels good to be involved in something that will have a profound impact on lives now and in the future.

  As I wait for Captain’s return, I find myself drawn to visiting the Davises. After a long Saturday cleaning the last of the equipment in Baron’s basement to ready it for our first official session, I make a special trip to visit Sir Davis and Brie at the hospital.

  As soon as I walk into the room, an unexpected feeling of excitement surrounds me.

  “Oh, Candy! We’ve just received the best news!” Brie cries as soon as she sees me.

  I grab her hands and squeeze them tight. “Tell me! Tell me!”

  “They’ve rescued Rytsar and everyone is accounted for, including dear Captain.”

  I throw my arms around her, crying, “Oh, thank God. That is the best news ever!”

  “Not everyone came out unscathed, however,” Sir Davis warns me. “Mr. Wallace is headed home to receive much-needed medical attention.”

  “What happened to him?” I ask Brie.

  She is unable to speak as tears fall down her cheeks.

  “He was tortured and lost an eye,” Sir Davis answers for her.

  “Oh, my God!” Although I’m not personal friends with the Dom, his blue eyes are legendary in the BDSM community. I can’t stand that something happened to him, but the first thought that crosses my mind is: Thank goodness Captain is there for him.

  “Was anyone else hurt?” I ask.

  “Rytsar is in serious condition,” Sir Davis informs me, his voice gruff with emotion. “Although Captain and Samantha were roughed up by their henchmen, they are both fine.”

  “When are they coming home?” I add hopefully, “Are they on their way now?”

  Sir Davis shakes his head, a grave expression on his face. “Only Mr. Wallace is returning home at this point. The other three are planning to stay and eliminate the threat the Koslovs pose.”

  I feel my heart drop. “Why risk their lives when everyone made it out safely?”

  Sir Davis looks at me with compassion. “I wish they were coming back now, as well, Miss Cox. However, the Koslovs are far more unstable than we thought. Captain and Rytsar agree they will continue to pose a threat to everyone who was involved in this rescue.”

  I look at Brie and whimper, “I’m not sure how much more of this I can take.”

  “I’m with you one hundred percent, Candy. I just want them to come home.”

  “They’ll return immediately, once they complete this final task,” Sir Davis assures me.

  I can’t lose Captain now…

  “Miss Cox.” Sir Davis motions me over to him.

  I approach him slowly, my heart racing. I still find the ex-headmaster of the Submissive Training Center daunting, and knowing he has been through hell and back since the plane crash makes me feel even more so.

  He holds out his hand to me, palm up on the bed. I tentatively place mine in his and instantly feel more at ease. When I lift my gaze and our eyes meet, I feel a profound connection to him and my fears begin to dissipate.

  “I had a chance to speak to Captain briefly. He is already formulating a stratagem and is confident in their success. When I insisted he come home, he told me he could not leave in good conscience having witnessed the cruelty these men are capable of.”

  I nod, knowing that Captain would need to act after witnessing Faelan’s torture. It’s his nature, the way he’s wired—and one of the reasons I love him.

  “Like you, each second they remain in Russia eats at me. However, after speaking with Captain, I am convinced it is necessary.” He leans forward to whisper in my e
ar. “He told me that you are what he fights for now.”

  My heart swells with pride, and it takes all my inner strength to hold back the tears. “I love that man.”

  “Your love is well placed.”

  When Sir Davis lets go of my hand, I feel fortified, as if he’s passed some of his strength onto me. “Thank you.”

  I turn to Brie and hug her again. “Captain will see to it they all come home.”

  “I’m glad we have each other while we wait,” Brie confesses.

  I look over at Sir Davis, taking a few moments before I speak, squeezing Brie’s hand for courage. “I didn’t want him to go, Sir Davis. But I knew he needed to for his own sake, as well as theirs.”

  “We’re all grateful for his leadership.”

  “As much as I want him home with me, I know he has to finish what he’s started there. No matter what happens, he’s where he needs to be.”

  “You have a very mature perspective.”

  I smile sadly. “I’ve found—for me, at least—maturity doesn’t come from age. It comes from grief. Once you accept it’s a part of everyday life, it has less power to hold you hostage with fear.”

  “That is true, Miss Cox.”

  “However, that doesn’t mean I’m not going to keep Captain all to myself when he gets back.”

  Sir Davis chuckles. “I’d say you’ve more than earned that time alone together.”

  I’ve been missing my parents and call them practically every day. I’ve told them Captain is away on an extended business trip, but they have no idea the danger he’s in. It makes our conversations light, which is what I need right now.

  “Would you consider coming to our house for the holidays?” my mother asks.

  Dad has informed me that Mom has had a few episodes recently, although they haven’t lasted more than a couple of days. Still, I’m concerned and ask, “Are you sure you’re up for the pressure, Mom?”

  “I’m actually thinking having you two here is exactly what I need,” she informs me.

  I smile to myself, knowing she must already have a list of Christmas projects lined up for Captain.