"Oh, come on, Sheila, we were only messing with them."
"And you're well aware this kind of messing with people with cream masks and visitor status is strictly against the rules." The woman shook her head and put fingers under both of their chins. "Some people insist on the bratty antics. You haven't been in the Dragon's dungeon for way too long."
I never thought someone could reduce those plucky, arrogant women to pale, nervous messes in just a few words.
The blonde fluttered her eyelashes and asked in a sweet voice, "Please, Sheila, don't be mean. We weren't so bad. We wouldn't do anything with them but they were so tempting..."
"I don't want to hear more excuses." The lady narrowed her cat-like eyes into threatening slits and uttered in a low voice that made my skin tingle, "I'll have you monitored for the rest of the evening. Be gone and be on your best behavior or I can't promise there won't be any corrective training in your future. Clear?"
That was when I noticed that our unexpected savior wasn't alone. How could I have missed the intense look in his eyes, enhanced by the black mask? I blinked to make sure I wasn't hallucinating. He stood next to the woman, silent and staring straight at me. Even under the dim club lighting, I could see his intense gaze. Then he looked down to my waist and noticed Nate's arm around it.
His fists clenched and his jaw strained.
I'd never have recognized him in the crowd if he hadn't been standing so close to me. If someone had told me I'd see Thomas wear a suit and tie, I'd probably have laughed at them. His outfit made him even more attractive and mature looking. His hair was longer, almost at shoulder length, and changed his appearance, and he had started growing a beard.
The moment our eyes locked together, I forgot I was here with my new boyfriend. My body ached for his touch. All I wanted was to abandon my concerns, kneel at his feet and beg him to stop torturing me.
Seeing him was too much to handle so I lowered my gaze before passion consumed me. His scent was in the air, so distinctive even among the fragrances of sex and sin. I longed for its mark on my skin.
The redhead gave both Nate and me a cute smile.
"We're sorry but you two are too yummy for your own good."
The blonde nodded enthusiastically but the woman she had called Sheila cleared her throat and glared at her so she added quickly, "You sure are and I can tell you're both natural."
Nate shivered next to me but didn't say a word. The blonde continued with fear in her voice. "Yeah, sorry about that, really. If you ever change your mind and you want to play, we're here every Friday. Just ask about Shock&Fear. Oh, and enjoy the show. Ballet of Wax And Fire are out of this world." She threw us an air kiss before both she and the redhead disappeared into the crowd.
I looked back at Thomas who was still staring at me with fire in his eyes. I had to say something but what?
Finally, he broke the silence. The sound of his voice shocked me. Gone was his previous vivaciousness with a hint of mischief, the calm he exuded. This was a low, deep voice, filled with bitterness, almost a growl.
"Lina..." Thomas paused and his eyes shifted to Nate. "I didn't expect to see you here of all places. With a companion."
"I... I could say the same thing about you." I tried to sound confident but my voice trembled a little.
"Why wouldn't I be at my best friend's birthday party?" Thomas said, and I could tell he wanted to sound restrained but failed miserably. It was difficult to miss the angry notes raging under the fake calm. "Sheila took great care to... orchestrate everything."
"Um, Lina," Nate called out hesitantly. "Won't you introduce me to your friends?"
"But of course, where are my manners?" Sheila walked to us. If the unspoken tension was getting to her, it didn't show in her mysterious smile. When she extended her glove-clad hand, it struck me her eyes were too bright to be a natural color.
Sheila grasped my hand and gave it a hearty shake. A strangely familiar electricity went through me. She turned to Nate and took her sweet time looking him up and down like a feral cat about to devour its prey. I was supposed to feel jealous but all I sensed was growing anxiety.
This bitch is about to pounce on my man. Why am I not more disturbed?
She shook his hand longer than propriety allowed and didn't bother to hide her shameless ogling. Nate's cheeks were burning with embarrassment, yet he was still looking at Sheila. Was it my imagination or was there a spark of desire in his confused eyes?
"I'm Mistress Sheila. Thank you for coming to my little celebration."
Oh God! The depravity of this place must have gotten to my brain. How come I didn't recognize her?
"Allie?" I uttered in disbelief, earning myself a firm glare.
"Don't use my real name while we're in public, Lina. I'm Mistress Sheila to everyone here. My daytime persona is reserved only for friends."
"Of course, I..."
Thomas smiled lightly for the first time that evening and shook his head with amusement at my confusion. That simple gesture ripped through the veil of lust and dizziness.
I cleared my throat, held Nate's hand and said with an even, determined voice, "I'm sorry, Mistress Sheila. It makes sense. You shocked me. I didn't recognize you at all."
"That's kind of the point." She rolled her eyes and smirked. Thomas moved beside her and reached out to fix his tie. "It's also my superpower."
"I thought you weren't the spotlight kind of girl?" I relaxed a little more with each word and leaned against Nate, using him as a rock in the mess. He was silent and taking it all in. "I don't think you can blend into the background when you look like that. You're really beautiful."
"I wouldn't be able to do my job if I weren't a chameleon. Besides, every girl deserves to feel like a princess on her special day." Sheila/Allie cocked her head and looked at Nate. He trembled when her green gaze shot to him. "What's the deal with him? He doesn't have a name or you stripped him of his speaking privileges? Is he allowed to talk only to you?"
When Nate turned to her, there were many emotions battling in his eyes but anger wasn't one of them.
"I'm sorry, Ma'am. It's a pleasure to meet you. My name is Nate Vaughn. Thanks for having us."
Allie smirked at his stuttering and said in a sing-song voice, "Oh, don't be in such a hurry. I haven't had you yet. But the night is still young. I guess you don't know Thomas."
"I believe we have met," Thomas said with the same calm rage, and we all turned to him in surprise. Nate frowned and ran fingers through his hair.
"I don't think that..."
"We were never officially introduced. I didn't think I'd ever see you again but our Lina is full of surprises."
I shook my head in confusion. His eyes were moving from Nate to me, practically shooting me with a plaintiff glare.
"Thomas, what..."
"Club Fire, September 2015," he uttered with irritation and tilted his head. "I have a damned good memory"
"Really?" Allie stared at him and back at Nate. Her smile never lost its playfulness. "Curiouser and curiouser."
"How can you possibly remember that?" I frowned and crossed my arms. Nate tightened his grip on my waist. "You saw him for less than a minute."
"Ah, so you don't deny it." Thomas rubbed his chin and took a step closer. His scent filled my nostrils and weakened my resolve. I swallowed the lump in my throat. Would it be wrong if I touched him?
What the hell?
Thomas continued, and the rage kept bubbling in his voice under the layers of ice.
"You're right. I wouldn't pay him too much attention if I simply saw him in the club." He smiled coldly at Nate. "However, I'm pretty alert when I see some guy kissing the woman I'm in a relationship with."
I opened my mouth to argue that we weren't dating back then but that wouldn't make a difference. Nate finally came to his senses and turned to Thomas.
"So you're her former Dom," Nate said simply.
"You could say that. I don't completely agree with the 'former' bit." Th
omas had never sounded smugger than in that moment.
Asshole. What the fuck did he mean by that?
"Listen, Thomas, I have no idea what your relationship was like. I'm not familiar with that lifestyle..." Nate trembled when he uttered the last part. "But back then at Fire Club, I had no idea--"
Thomas cut him off with a dismissive wave.
"Man, I get it. If a woman like her came to me at a club and kissed me, I wouldn't fight back or bother to ask her if she was seeing anyone. What I don't get," he stared at me with narrowed eyes, "is how comes you're here and how long has this been going on?"
I gritted my teeth so I wouldn't scream. It took all my willpower not to claw at his eyes. How dare he?
It was time to get out of that hell of insanity and depravity before I succumbed to the dark passions raging inside me. The desire to kill Thomas and to fuck his brains out were fusing in a dangerous concoction. Lust and anger were clouding my judgment and I was slowly losing any resemblance of control.
"Mistress Sheila, thank you so much for your invitation." I bowed my head, as I wasn't sure of the proper etiquette in such a situation. "But it's awkward enough and I'd hate to ruin your birthday."
"Nonsense, Lina." Allie was still grinning like a Cheshire cat, and her green eyes sparkled with dark amusement. She was watching us as if she was the audience at a comedy of errors. "A little relationship drama can't affect me. If someone wants to make me feel awkward they have to try a lot harder than that. I insist that you stay unless you want to offend me."
"I'm not sure it would be appropriate," Nate said. "I'm open to explore Lina's lifestyle but I'm not sure--"
"Stay for the main stage act. It will start anytime soon." Allie's smile faded and the look in her eyes hardened. That was not a request. "Trust me, you don't want to miss it. After that you will come with me to the room I booked for tonight. If you still want to leave after that, I won't try to stop you."
The light in the club started fading away as if on cue until it was pitch black. The full darkness lasted less than a minute but it was long enough to make me freeze in horror. Nate hugged me closer and whispered in my ear that it would all be okay.
There was a gentle rustle of fabric and a thick stream of silver light brightened the main stage. The curtains had shifted and were already revealing a surreal landscape as if we were on the threshold of another dimension. The high platform, hidden out of sight by a thick, velvet curtain, transformed into a dark, sinister forest. The shaft of light grew wider, slowly illuminating more details of that strange world. The thick forest trees and the tall, moonlight colored flowers scattered among the grass were so realistic it was like we were under hypnosis. Such intricate images couldn't exist as stage props.
What was in my drink earlier?
I was sure that if someone lifted me from my spot and put me on the stage, my feet would sink into the soft soil. Leaves of grass would caress my skin, organic and tangible. Cold night air and wind would breeze past my body, soothe its heat and make it stronger.
So real... if real grass was black and flowers glowed in the dark. Stage magic was taking over my mind and anything was plausible.
The full moon hung above the treetops, ripe and pale. It cast its sinister beams onto the forest floor. Fireflies like golden dots of light flickered in the grass and all over the branches. The hot, stuffy air of the club no longer touched me. In my mind, I was up there in the dream forest.
A silky female voice called out and echoed through the large hall.
"Thank you for being here tonight. Now relax and enjoy Unraveling The Nymph."
The voice fused into a delicate melody. It was as soft as a whisper in the beginning then it slowly ascended and filled the space. It vaguely reminded me of Swan Lake but with a distinctive sound to it. It was dark and sensual, and pulled my mind into another space. A space I had lost hope of ever finding again. The world around me was falling apart as an illusion.
Three dancers appeared from the shadows between the dark tree trunks. Their nimble, graceful bodies in red, flowing dresses swam across the stage. They moved fluidly, danced in circles around one another and raised their slender wrists above their heads. The girls picked up their pace until all we could see on stage was the blurred movements of the living flames they represented.
They stopped dead in their tracks, wild and ravenous, with long hair cascading down their dresses. Their raw energy was palpable in the cold world of shadows and ice-colored flowers. The dancers stood in anticipation and their wicked laughter mixed with the music.
The melody slowed down when a new woman joined them. She was dancing on tiptoes from the distant end of the dark forest. She was every bit the classic ballerina with a white tutu and bodice that sparkled in the black night like scattered fireflies. The silver light slowly moved its focus onto the dancing woman who moved with precision and quiet confidence.
She was so focused on her performance she didn't realize how the red forest faeries surrounded her. One of the fiery shadows moved to her with a tango step and embraced her slender waist. I could swear I heard her soft moan in my head. The dark-haired woman moved her lips to the trembling dancer's neck and bit her. The other two crept behind the ballerina and ran their hands down her breasts.
Soon, the three shadows fully closed the space around her, touching her sensitive body and coaxing moans of passion out of her. She kept trying to dance her way out of the circle. The more she struggled and arched her body, the closer the three spirits got. One pushed fingers into the girl's mouth while the other undid the tight bun of her hair. Waves of pale auburn curls spilled down her shoulders. The ballerina cried out, helpless, frightened and surrendered to the vicious, sensual attacks. Her agile figure slowly relaxed under their teasing hands and wicked touch.
I was watching her from down below and yet at that moment, I was her. I experienced every feather-like touch, every rough hair pull, all her fear and desire. The heat between my legs grew unbearable. I pressed my thighs together but never took my eyes off the nymph on the stage. The shadows were still playing with her breasts and flowing hair, and they made her lie back in their embrace.
The fiery women picked her up and carried her like a trophy. They were laughing at her futile attempts to release herself. Her trembling toes curled as if she was still on the ground, dancing. The ballerina's struggle and her sensual captivity entranced me so much I missed the entrance of the tall man in black.
The music died down to a soft murmur when he moved closer to the forest nymphs. He stepped forward with all the dignity of a king. The spacious hall echoed with the quiet yet haunting click-clack of his leather boots. He had hair as long as that of the ravenous women, dark as his clothes and the forest behind. It was tied and flowed down his back.
They were too far away so I couldn't make out the facial features of any of the actors. Still, his quiet strength and its intensity shook me to the core of my soul. He was silent and walked slowly as if he dominated time itself. The man owned the space around him and looked resilient enough to tame even the fire of those wild creatures.
The raven-haired women brought the ballerina before him and forced her down to her knees. When they let her go, they looked strangely humbled. Their eyes were cast down, a veil of hair covering their faces. The man in black waved his hand and the faeries dispersed. Their shadows got lost among the trees.
They had completely disheveled the young woman's auburn hair and pulled her bodice down. The tops of her perky breasts were exposed to his gaze as she knelt for the dark stranger. Once she looked up at him, her entire being exuded fear so tangible I could taste it and feel it spreading all over my own skin. The ballerina clasped her small hands before her chest in a silent plea but she didn't dare look away from her mysterious captor. He hadn't moved a muscle and simply hovered over her with the same stillness. His eyes were tangling invisible rope around the trembling bird.
I sank my teeth into my tongue to make sure I wasn't hallucinating. It wa
s difficult to separate myself from the action on the stage. My knees were the ones brushing against the forest floor while I waited for his command.
He reached out and moved a few tresses from the girl's face. His fingers lifted her chin and caressed her. That simple touch provoked another moan. The pleasure of his intimate caress made the scared girl tremble harder. His fingers on her sensitive, heated skin were too much to handle. I knew it because their intense chemistry was flowing inside me, sharp as a knife and delicate like the most tender kiss.
The man stroked her head in a slow, circular movement, soothing her. Out of the blue, he grabbed her by the loose tresses and yanked her hair back. Her cry of pleasure and pain echoed through The Fortress. He placed a finger to her lips and the scream died in the air. His hand kept up its slow, seductive dance down her chin and arched neck, drawing paths of ecstasy. She closed her eyes and parted her lips wider. The ballerina kept her head thrown back even when the man no longer held her.
Once his fingers got to her cleavage, he took a step back and extended a hand to her. She raised herself and gingerly took his fingers in hers. His arms enveloped her waist and he spun her so she pressed her arched back against his chest. The contrast of the girl's milky white body and ballet costume against his dark silhouette was beautiful, like the way she fit into his possessive embrace. The stranger raised her arms over her head and led her at a quick pace. He slowly ran his palms down her body, still clad in the bejeweled bodice, and stopped at her waist.
The ballerina gasped when he lifted her with ease. She curled her body and tossed the storm of auburn curls back while her dance partner swirled her in the air. I could swear she was smiling while he was raising her higher, light as a feather, a beautiful, ethereal bird.
So free.
Had I ever been so liberated myself?
Such freedom and surrender take trust... a lot of trust.
Tears burnt my eyes while I watched the beautiful nymph's dance in the lean, strong arms of the dark king of night. I was her and yet a million miles away from her state of mind.
Unorthodox Chemistry Page 12