Enthralled: Book 2: Picking Up the Pieces

by Prax Venter

  “Thank you. I look forward to emotions. I hear they're... amazing.”

  She said this while he felt the glee and excitement pulse out from her. As he watched her chrome plated body turn and walk out the door, he knew she was his ticket out of there. He just needed to figure out how to manipulate her into switching sides.

  Kune shook her head. “Every day is her last day. Not sure how he does it, but he resets that part of her memory. It's a waste talking to her. Believe me.”

  Mark sat on his cot and looked down on the mush. Before he tackled that, he poured all the water down his parched throat. Potential hope drove away the rising panic he was feeling. His girls just had to be okay. There was no other option.

  As he used his fingers to spoon the salty pile of unidentified 'human sustenance' into his mouth, he suddenly realized Zot hadn't brought Kune anything to eat.

  “Why didn't she bring you anything?”

  The blue woman with the glowing nipples was lying on her cot, her four arms behind her head. She raised herself up a little and looked over at him.

  “I feast on acts of revenge every hundred years or so.”

  - 19 -

  After Zot had left them alone, Mark spent the rest of the day trying to think of ways to convince her to switch sides. He had no idea how often he was going to be fed, but he wanted to have something in place before she came back.

  He pulled Roo's iron heart out from his pocket and turned it over in his hand while he considered his options. He looked down at its smooth surface and wondered what his girls were doing right now. Then it hit him.

  He sat bolt upright, “What's the date tomorrow?”

  “I have no idea, why?” Kune said.

  “Fuck- No wait... this still might work. I think I have a plan.”

  He spent the next hour or so carefully scratching the words, “Love Mark,” near the bottom of the iron lump of metal. He used a slightly rough corner on his bunk to gouge out every line. He was pretty happy with his work by the time the light started to fade from the window above his head.

  Shortly after that, the door to the high-security area on The Dirty Whore opened, and the metallic woman known as Zot walked down the stairs with another tray.

  “Hello, Zot,” Mark said, walking over to his cell door.

  “Good to see you, Mark. I have more sustenance for you.”

  “This should be the last time I see you, correct?” He asked, an eyebrow raised.

  She placed the edge food tray in the slot and looked into his eyes again.

  “That is correct.”

  Mark placed Roo's iron heart down on the tray and slid it through the bars. She looked down, and he felt her interest soar.

  “What is this object?” She looked back up at him.

  “This is a gift, for you. But it's not done yet. I want to thank you for being nice to me and bringing me food and water. I won't be needing it anymore. I can't help it. I have emotions, and they make me do funny things.”

  “This is for me?” He could feel her mind reeling from the prospect of getting a gift, just for her.

  “Yes. What's tomorrow's date? The date you are going to get emotions of your own?”

  “Tomorrow is the Seventh of Fogmire, year 923.”

  “Great, can you scratch that onto the top for me?”

  She tilted her head and then pointed a finger at the heart. A small laser struck the iron, and she quickly burned tomorrow's date on its polished surface.

  “Good work. This makes me happy. Call me sentimental, but I thought after you get your emotions, you could look at this metal heart and feel some sense of joy. Why don't you put it where your heart should go? You know- keep it safe until tomorrow?”

  The chrome-woman reached her hand between her small, metal breasts and opened the panel on her chest. She picked up the heart from the tray and placed it inside her body. Mark sincerely hoped that whoever reset her memories didn't root around in there.

  He took the food and watched the chrome-woman distractedly turn and walk away, her hand resting on her chest.

  After she was gone, Kune spoke up. “Smart. But what if they move her date back too?”

  “That's true, but its existence will still bring up questions. It'd be more work to have everything and everyone else on the wrong date, especially if Angor runs this place like a business.”

  The spirit of vengeance turned her glowing eyes towards Mark with renewed interest.

  “You said you had a full party, Lover?”

  “I believe so,” he said, using two fingers to eat his gruel. He started to dwell on what his girls were doing and thinking, at that moment. He had to wait through another whole night before his plan with Zot could come to fruition. He swallowed back tears while he swallowed down his slop.

  Sleep deprivation eventually caught up with him, and Mark fell asleep just before sunrise. He startled awake when the door opened, and Zot walked in.

  He quickly became clear-headed as adrenaline coursed through his veins. The sooner he got out of this cell and back to his girls, the better.

  “Good morning, Zot,” Mark said, walking to the door of his anti-magic prison.

  “I offer greetings to you, Mark. How are you today?”

  “You know, I was wondering what date it was. There is no clock in here.”

  The chrome woman placed the tray in the slot and cocked her head to one side.

  “The current date is the Seventh of Fogmire, year 923.”

  “Mmm, and you think you are going to be released tomorrow, the eighth?”

  He felt her joy soar. “You remembered! Yes, tomorrow is finally the day.”

  “Before I take this food. I want you to open your chest cavity and look at the heart I gave you yesterday.”

  She tilted her heard again. “I know not of what you speak.”

  He backed away from the tray. “I'm not eating until you check.”

  Zot paused, considering what she should do. Kune was being thankfully silent while the chrome-woman processed her previous directions. Apparently not finding any issues with playing along, she pulled open her chest panel, and Mark held his breath, hoping that his gift was still there.

  Zot reached in a metal hand and pulled out the iron heart.

  “How-”

  “Read what it says.”

  She looked up at him, her metallic eyes focusing on his as she tried to resolve the existence of this strange object.

  “Read it,” he repeated, quietly.

  “Seventh of Fogmire, year 923- Love Mark.”

  She looked back up into his eyes.

  “I gave this to you yesterday. You burned in that perfect date in with your own finger. Yesterday, you thought you were going to be released today. Today, you think it will be tomorrow. You are being lied to, Zot.”

  The chrome-woman stepped back from his cell door, and the food tray slipped onto the floor, spilling water and gruel everywhere.

  “This cannot be,” she said. Mark could feel her mind spiraling out of control. Confusion, denial, hatred, sadness all were spilling out of her.

  “Zot, listen to me.” Mark rushed to the bars of his cage. “I can sense your emotions. You've always had them. You are angry right now. You are confused and sad. I am a Lover, and I know what I'm talking about. Look within yourself.

  Kune rushed to her cell door and grabbed the bars with all four of her blue fists. Her glowing eyes seemed to be a few shades brighter.

  “Give in to your rage.” Kune began. “Do not let anyone control you. Not Angor, not Mark, and not me. This is about you. What do you feel, right now?”

  The chrome girl looked down at the metal heart, turning it over in her hands. She traced the perfectly engraved date with her fingers.

  “I feel... furious.” Her robotic voice lowered a few octaves as she spoke.

  Suddenly, a red light on the side of her head began to flash.

  “I remember!” She screamed, holding her chrome hand to her head. “He's coming
!”

  “Hurry,” Mark yelled. “Switch the levers!”

  Zot stumbled backward a few steps, wrapped her metal fingers around the shaft of the lever, and shoved it upwards. Just as Mark's anti-magic gem dimmed, Angor appeared in the room and instantly grabbed Zot by the throat.

  “What are you doing?” the Zookeeper growled. He touched his cane to her head and electricity arced into her body, causing her to convulse.

  Mark considered taking the time to Recall his girls, but he dismissed that quickly. There was a good chance Angor would just flip the lever again, and then he would have some or all of his Enthralled trapped with him. He thought about putting a shield around Zot, but that probably wouldn't be very helpful in the long run either. All of this raced through Mark's brain in a fraction of a second, and acting almost purely on instinct, he locked the sights of his crossbow onto the gem in front of Kune's cell and squeezed the trigger.

  The ball of energy slammed into the wall, and the explosion reduced the gem to dust. Angor was close enough to be thrown forward and onto the floor while Zot fell limply away from him.

  The spirit of vengeance let out a primal roar as she slammed against the bars, all four of her fists glowing a bright red. The cell door couldn't hold up to the assault and was quickly bent down to the floor.

  Angor had time to turn on his back and bring up his cane to defend against the enraged blue woman. She clasped two of her hands onto his magic device and tried to reach her other two hands for his throat. Lighting crackled around them, and she gritted her teeth in a perverted smile as she pressed her weight down on him, ignoring the bolts of energy as they charred her flesh.

  Just as she snapped the cane in half, Angor pulled a pouch from his belt and tossed it in her face. Kune reared back slapping the dust out of her eyes while the lizard-man rolled away from her and scurried up the stairs. He pulled open the door and ran out of the room.

  Shaking her head, the blue spirit of vengeance stood and stumbled after him.

  “Even blinded, I will rain vengeance down on you Zookeeper!”

  And then Mark was alone, and the red anti-magic gem was still turned off. He took a deep breath before closing his eyes.

  He instantly felt his bond with his girls and almost lost the ability to stand as he was hit with a wave of relief. All three of them were still alive.

  Mark locked his mind on to them and pulled his girls towards him as he had never pulled before. It was easy after so much time away from them. His need for their presence was so great, he yanked all three of them into the cell with him in a matter of seconds.

  “Mark!” Ahnix yelled, and threw her strong arms around him, nuzzling her furry face against his neck and cheek. She was quickly followed by Vale and Roo joining in.

  “We were so worried!” Roo yelled.

  “Where have you been?” Vale demanded.

  “Stop!” Mark had to force himself from just giving in and rolling around on the floor with his precious Enthralled.

  “We're still in danger,” he said, pushing Ahnix off of him. “We're locked in a jail cell that can nullify magic on a fucking airship. Ahnix, please cut through the bars if you can.”

  The cat-girl quickly disengaged herself from him, and with a few swipes of her vibrant, blue claws she was able to remove a large section of the bars.

  He got a good look at his Egyptian Queen while she worked and noticed a long, bandaged wound running the length of one of her furry legs. Rage filled him, and he kicked off a self-enhanced heal on everyone on the room, including the chrome-woman on the floor.

  His Enthralled moaned with pleasure as a healing wave emanated from him. When the effect was over, they all climbed out of the cell.

  Between the motionless robot, the spilled food, the char marks from the battle between Angor and Kune, his broken magic cane- the place was a mess.

  “What happened to you?” Ahnix asked, surveying the damage.

  “I'll tell you, but I need to check her,” Mark said, crouching down by the chrome-woman. Her metal eyes were open and lifeless. His heal was on cooldown, but the sense Mark was getting was that Zot was beyond saving. The part that animated her had been burnt out entirely.

  He saw that Roo's heart was still in her chrome hand and returned it to the hole in her chest. He closed the compartment and stood up.

  “She was the one responsible for freeing me. Come on, Angor the Zookeeper might still be aboard somewhere. We need to end him and get off this ship.”

  Vale nodded. “I'll take point. Have you been outside of your cell?”

  “No.”

  “Okay, Let's find and finish this Zookeeper.” The giant naga pulled her shield off her back. There was a broadsword on her left hip that he had never seen before, but he didn't think now as the time to chat about new equipment.

  They followed her up the stairs and out the door. Mark looked around a massive chamber. The airship had to be huge if this room was inside it. The first thing he noticed was the dead guard by the door. He looked like a burly beaver with a broken neck. Along the walls of the hold were cages mostly containing various beast-creatures, all pressing up against the bars, yelling to let them out.

  He considered just going after Angor and coming back later but reversed his decision when he flashed back to the unicorn-woman piercing the chest of her captor. All of these people would love the chance to get revenge on the Zookeeper.

  “Okay, here is the plan. We're going to open all these cells first.”

  He turned to his black-and-gold cat-girl. “Ahnix, start slicing open the doors while the rest of us look for a quicker, more practical way to open them.

  She nodded but paused to put one of her hands on his shoulder. The look in her half-lidded eyes told him she didn't really want to leave his side so soon, but that she understood there was work to be done. Then she was off.

  Mark raised his voice so everyone could hear them. “We are here to rescue you. Remain calm, and don't you dare hurt one of my girls. Anyone know how to open all the doors?”

  Ahnix had already freed one of the prisoners, a male that looked to be made of rock. He came running up to Mark, then moved right past him to kneel down and rummage through the pockets of the dead guard. After him came a woman that was clearly a succubus.

  The succubus just stood there staring at Mark with hunger in her blood-red eyes. She had black hair and white skin until black fur took over on her thighs down to her black hooves.

  Before he could say anything, Vale's beautiful, round rump slid in front of him.

  “He's not on the menu,” the giant naga said, sternly.

  The rock-man came up with a key and grunted at Mark before running to the opposite side from where Ahnix was currently slashing open doors.

  Some of the freed captives bolted up the stairs at the far end of the hold, but before long Mark was joined by scores of creatures.

  His eyes lingered on what he could only guess was a jellyfish woman, floating serenely a few feet above the ground like she was underwater.

  Ahnix and the rock-man came back with the last of the prisoners, and the group now totaled about two-dozen, all looking to Mark for direction.

  He cast his gaze over the assembled creatures and spoke,“I have no idea what is in store for us up those stairs, but the goal is to kill Angor and get out of here alive. If you're not up for any of that, you're free to go your own way.”

  Everyone looked around at each other; some with hope, some with dread, but no one left.

  “Okay,” Vale said. “Listen up. I'll lead the charge. Stay together, and we'll make it out of here alive.” She slithered a few feet ahead of the crowd and turned around. She caught Mark's eye and nodded. He returned the nod.

  “Follow me!” she yelled and moved forward.

  Mark and Roo took flanking positions, ready to blast anyone with ranged attacks while Ahnix remained tucked behind Vale. Everyone else moved in a loose clump behind them as they all climbed up the stairs to the main deck.
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  Mark saw Kune's motionless body at the top of the stairs along with a few of the escaped prisoners and felt certain they were walking into a trap. Angor, however, didn't know about his collection of badass Enthralled. He targeted Vale with his shield but didn't kick it off, just in case.

  He was glad he did. As soon as the giant naga slid into the open air of the main deck, Mark heard someone yell, “Fire!” and a forest of glowing arrows shot towards her. Mark, being ready for this exact scenario, enveloped Vale in a protective shield.

  Before Mark's bubble could pop under the onslaught of magic projectiles, Roo stepped forward and yelled, “Metal Rain!” and three-foot sewing needles began to shimmer into existence over the cluster of attackers on the right side of the deck. Needles zipped down into the men, and the impossibly sharp shafts of metal impaled most of them.

  While this was happening, Ahnix teleported into the center of the men on the left side and activated her Assault Rush, relieving five of the men of their throats in quick succession before Retracting back to behind Vale.

  Mark's bubble fizzled out under the onslaught of arrows, but Vale was able to block the few remaining attacks with her shield. One of the glowing projectiles hit her in the side, and she winced, but her legendary armor saved her from taking a serious wound.

  Mark caught a glimpse of the lizard-man named Angor, slipping behind one of the propellers pointing upward on the deck. He quickly fired his crossbow from the hip, not taking time to aim and missed his target, hitting the base of the propeller instead.

  The ten or so of the guards that were left rushed Vale, their swords drawn. She called out a haunting melody, pointing at one of the attackers on her right, and before he reached her, a pink halo appeared over his head. The man snarled and brought his sword down on his comrade's back.

  A few of the closer ones stopped to deal with the charmed threat, reducing the group to seven.

  Vale hefted her shield and zipped forward, leaving a stream of afterimages as she slammed into the leader, a huge, red demon with thick, black horns. The sturdy creature was only momentarily stunned, and Vale slashed at his hide with her new sword.