by Amy Cross
"I..." I stare at her as she puts her mask back in place. I always thought there was something a little strange about Alice, and that it was a weird coincidence that I bumped into her twice in such seemingly random ways. Still, it never occurred to me that she was somehow mixed up in all of this.
"Lady Red sometimes likes to meddle," Mark says, sounding as if he's a little annoyed at the situation. "She sticks her nose into places where, strictly speaking, it's not supposed to go".
"I can't help it if I'm curious," she replies. "Besides, you told me so much about dear Elly, I felt I just had to see what the fuss was about".
"You talked to her about me?" I ask, turning to Mark.
"There was a brief discussion," he replies.
"Only good things!" Alice says, laughing as she takes a drink from one of the waiters. "I must say, he seemed quite smitten with you. In the circumstances, you can hardly blame me for wanting to see you for myself". She glances down at the rest of my body. "You're a very pretty young woman, Elly. If you have a strong mind, things might be looking up. Mr. White has also told me great things about you".
I take a deep breath, feeling as if some kind of net is closing around me. Mark, Alice and Mr. White seem to be inextricably linked, and I feel as if I'm completely out of my depth.
"Come," Alice says suddenly, stepping forward and taking my hand. "Mark and I have something to show you. Let's get away from the crowd and retire to a private room. As I understand things, you've performed rather well in the game so far, Elly. It's time to see if you can pass the next test. If you're as good as Mark suggests, I think we might very well be on the verge of a rather historic moment".
I want to ask what's happening, but Alice leads me across the room, with Mark walking next to me. Glancing back, I find that Mr. White, wearing a mask, has joined us, and I look ahead to see that we're approaching a small door at the far end of the room. As we pause for Alice to open the lock, I can't help thinking that maybe I'm allowing Mark to lead me into something questionable. My heart is pounding in my chest as Alice opens the door and I step through into the next room.
Three
1896
"This is Clarice," Lady Red says, as the four of us stand alone in a small, quiet room. "Clarice, as you have already experienced to some extent, is a very willing and pliable young lady. She has already managed to seduce you once this evening, Mr. Pope, and I have no doubt she could do so again with great ease".
I turn to look at Clarice. Still wearing her mask, she giggles a little.
"Clarice is twenty-four years old," Lady Red continues. "She is the daughter of a merchant in the north of the city. In other words, she comes from lowly stock. Had she not enjoyed the great fortune of running into myself and Mr. White, she would undoubtedly have endured a harsh and difficult life, tempered only by the knowledge that it would be over fairly quickly. However, Clarice was pulled into the game by Mr. D'Oyly, who believed she showed signs of promise".
"Where is Mr. D'Oyly?" Clarice asks, looking over at the others. "Is he coming soon?"
"No," Lady Red replies. "Mr. D'Oyly will not be joining us. Clarice has passed the first stage of the game. This, in itself, is very unusual, and it means she is ready to be put to the next level of the test".
Again, Clarice giggles.
"Look at her," Lady Red says to me as she walks over to the young lady. "You might think she's scared, but she's nothing of the sort". Without warning, Lady Red reaches down and slips a finger into Clarice's vagina; moments later, she removes the finger and holds it up for me to see. "She's wet," she says proudly. "She's ready for you again. As you've already experienced, she is ripe and firm and tight, so I'm quite sure you'll have no problem enjoying the moment. The aim of this session is quite simple, Mr. Pope. Clarice is to be pushed past her point of comfort. If all goes well, she will move on to the next stage". She indicates a door over on the far side of the room. "Through there, she will become fully immersed in the game".
Clarice giggles yet again.
"Is she of sound mind?" I ask, somewhat disturbed by her demeanor.
"Of course I bloody well am!" Clarice replies, before turning to Lady Red. "You never told me he was a wimp".
"He's merely concerned for your well-being," Lady Red replies. "Mr. Pope is a man of principles and morals, or at least this is what he believes. However, with your help, we are going to demonstrate that he can be broken down and turned into one of us with consummate ease".
"Sounds good to me," Clarice says, staring at me. "I like a man who knows what he wants".
"Mr. Pope has a great interest in the female body," Lady Red continues, "but he has tended to keep this interest tucked away. He tells himself that he is a good man. He hides behind a veneer of ordered behavior. He might live a rough life among the low-lives of the street, but he constantly reminds himself that, at heart, he is a good man".
"You know me so well," I reply, smiling beneath the mask.
"In many ways," Lady Red replies, stepping toward me, "you are the most perfect Mr. Blue who could ever exist. You have all these passions deep down in your heart, but you have struggled for so long to keep them hidden. Trust me, though; I know you better than you know yourself. Everything has been arranged for your benefit. Everything has been designed in order to lead you here, and now the moment has arrived". She pauses, before turning to Clarice. "My dear, you are free to choose. Would you rather take Mr. Pope as your lover for this test, or Mr. White?"
Clarice turns to look at Mr. White, before looking back at me. "I'm not sure..." she says.
"Choose quickly," Lady Red says, "or I'll choose for you".
"Mr. White," Clarice says suddenly. "I mean, I've already been with Mr. Pope, so I figure I might as well try something new".
"You don't have to do this," I say to Clarice, starting to worry for her safety. After all, I've seen what Mr. White can do to people.
"I want to," she replies.
"Let them get on with it," Lady Red says, stepping back as Mr. White walks toward Clarice. Although he's an older man, in his fifties, Mr. White has a fairly decent body, and his thick, bulging penis is already erect. As he starts to kiss Clarice's shoulders, Lady Red moves over to stand next to me. "Mr. D'Oyly's sudden demise has necessitated some changes to the game," she whispers to me. "I would not normally have given Clarice the option of taking Mr. White for her next lover, but the role of Mr. Blue is officially unfilled, at least for now".
"It will remain so for some time to come," I reply as I watch Mr. White's old hands fondling Clarice's twenty-four-year-old body, squeezing her breasts together and slipping between her legs.
"Don't you find the act of love-making to be quite beautiful?" Lady Red asks. "It's so rare that one gets to step back and really admire the mechanics of the whole thing". She pauses for a moment. "Clarice!" she calls out. "Remember that you can tell him to stop at any moment. This is entirely consensual. By doing so, of course, you will forfeit the game, but the choice is yours".
"I'm good," she says, almost squeaking with pleasure as Mr. White pulls her down onto the floor.
"How can you watch this?" I ask.
"With great ease," Lady Red replies. "Look at the way their hands run along one another's bodies. Is there not some true tenderness on display here?"
I watch as Clarice opens her legs and Mr. White begins to pleasure her orally. Arching her back, Clarice strokes her breasts as she closes her eyes and opens her mouth, letting out a gasp.
"He is something of a master," Lady Red says. "That man's tongue can bring a woman to orgasm in seconds".
Gasping again, Clarice writhes on the floor, her body tensing as she puts her hands down on the back of Mr. White's head and presses him harder against her crotch. It's clear that she's experiencing pure, genuine pleasure, and moments later she cries out as he brings her to orgasm.
"I prefer the ones who scream," Lady Red says.
"My God," Clarice says, out of breath, "that was amazing". Reachi
ng up, she removes her mask.
"Put that back on!" Lady Red shouts.
"Sorry!" Clarice says, replacing the mask.
"You don't like to see the faces?" I ask.
Lady Red doesn't answer; instead, she stares straight ahead as Mr. White turns Clarice until she's on her knees. He reaches over to a nearby table and takes a small bottle, before pouring the contents onto his penis and carefully oiling himself up. Once he's ready, he takes hold of Clarice's hips and begins to enter her.
"No-one's ever put it in there before," she says, laughing.
"I must say," I whisper to Lady Red, "I'm finding this whole thing to be rather tame so far. I've seen much worse things happen to young women in the back rooms of the King's Arms".
"Perhaps you're right," she replies. "Perhaps we're just a group of very timid people who are easily shocked". She pauses for a moment. "Or perhaps you're wrong, and this is only the beginning".
"Slower," Clarice gasps as Mr. White begins to thrust into her anus. "I'm not used to it".
"The first signs," Lady Red says under her breath.
"The first signs of what?" I ask.
"She's not going to be the one," she replies, turning to me. "She seemed so promising, but I fear she is going to back out when things become too extreme".
"And then what happens?" I ask.
"It's sad," she says, "but we'll have to go looking for another girl. For that, we shall need another Mr. Blue".
"Look elsewhere," I say. "Once this little show is over, I have no further interest".
"Is that so?"
I take a deep breath. The truth is, I'm not sure whether I have any option other than to play along, at least for now. I'm quite certain that if I try to leave, Lady Red will have me killed straight away. On the other hand, if I play along, I might at least be able to find some other way out, and I could even try to obtain evidence that I could use to bring this whole game crashing down. Not only would I save my own skin, but I might even be able to turn a tidy profit; after all, Elizabeth Cavendish's father has offered a reward of many thousands of pounds to anyone who can bring his daughter's killers to justice, in which case I would be able to retire and spend the rest of my life in luxury.
"If I were to reconsider," I say after a moment, "what would be the next step?"
"I would tell you more about the game," she says, "I would -" She pauses as Clarice lets out a loud cry. "Is everything okay over there?" Lady Red calls out.
Clarice grunts as Mr. White continues to thrust into her.
"If you want to stop," Lady Red says, "you have only to say so".
"No," Clarice gasps. "Don't stop!"
"Come with me," Lady Red says, taking my arm and leading me over to a nearby door. "I have no particular need to watch their entire encounter. I'm sure Mr. White is more than capable of determining the success, or otherwise, of Clarice's performance. I feel my time might be better spent showing you some of the secrets of the game".
"I would be honored," I reply.
"But you must understand one thing," she says, pausing as we reach the door. "Once we go past this point, there can be no turning back. If you follow me into the next room, you are accepting my offer. You are agreeing to become the next Mr. Blue".
"Lead the way," I say.
She pushes the door open. "Welcome, Mr. Blue. Allow me to answer all your questions".
Four
Today
"I don't know how much Mark has told you about the game," Alice says, locking the door behind us, "but there are certain rules that have to be observed. Fortunately, those rules change over time, adapting to the social and sexual mores of the age". She turns to me and finally removes her mask, which somehow makes it seem even stranger than we're completely naked. Stepping toward me, she reaches out and slips my own mask away. "Relax, Elly. You're among friends".
I turn to look at Mark and see that both he and Mr. White have also removed their masks. I'm a little shocked to see a hint of sadness in Mark's eyes, as if he's not entirely comfortable with the situation.
"I want you to remember," Alice continues, "that you're free to leave us at any time. This is entirely consensual, and you can just say the word and it'll all be over. If you don't understand this point, the rest of the test is completely pointless, because everything is based on the assumption that you're choosing to push through your own emotional barriers".
"I understand," I say, glancing over at Mark.
"You seem very smart," Alice says. "I could tell that about you from the very first moment we met. I can't help feeling that Mark has done a very good job in bringing you here tonight".
"Let's hope so," Mr. White says quietly.
"You've already been through a lot tonight, Elly," Alice continues. "From what Mr. White has told me, I gather certain aspects of the experience have come as quite a shock. You're not the first girl to get to this point in the game, but only one has ever got further. Of course, the game has changed a great deal over the years, so the challenge you're about to face is not quite the same as the challenge faced by previous generations. Nevertheless, the rewards and risks are more or less the same, and you'd do well to recognize that there are certain dangers involved. Every decision you make carries consequences".
I look over at Mark, and see to my surprise that he's looking down at the ground. It's as if he doesn't like what's happening. A feel a chill run through my body as I realize I might be in more trouble than I'd realized.
"You will make love to Mr. White," Alice says suddenly.
"What?"
"The fact that you're shocked by the suggestions is, in itself, proof that it's the correct challenge. I can assure you that he will not hurt you, nor will he do anything you don't like. You can tell him to stop at any moment, and he will step back".
I turn to Mark. "This wasn't part of the deal," I say. He continues to look down at the ground, as if he can't bring himself to look me in the eye. "Mark, you didn't say I have to..." I turn to look at Mr. White. Although he's an older man, in his fifties at least, he looks to be in good shape; still, there's something about his expression that makes me worried about him, and I'd rather not have his hands all over my body.
"Explain things to her, Mr. Blue," Lady Red says. "Tell her how the game works". She and Mr. White turn and walk to the other side of the room, leaving me alone with Mark.
"Well?" I ask, almost shaking with anger. I thought Mark and I had something important, something valuable, and yet now it seems he wants to just hand me over to some other guy.
"It's how the game works," Mark says, finally looking at me. "I warned you. I said there'd be things that would challenge you". He pauses for a moment. "I promise you, after tonight, you'll be back with me. You'll come back to my home, and we'll work on things together. You just have to show Lady Red that you're willing to do things that represent some kind of affront to your sensibilities. She needs to see with her own eyes that you're willing to push yourself".
"And what happens if I do it?" I ask. "What's the point?"
"You get to progress within the game," he says. "And you get to come home with me tonight".
I take a deep breath; maybe I'm being an idiot, but the thought of going back to Mark's penthouse suite and actually spending time with him... I want that. I know it's dumb, but I really want to get to know him better. I feel there's some kind of connection between us, and I want to explore those feelings and find out if there's anything deeper. Perhaps I'm just an impressionable, romantic idiot, but right now I feel compelled to do anything necessary in order to earn this chance.
"Please, Elly," he says, keeping his voice down so that the others can't hear us. "I know you can do this".
I stare at him for a moment. "Kiss me".
"Kiss you?"
"Kiss me like you mean it," I insist. "Kiss me like you actually care, and then I'll do whatever you want".
He pauses. "I'll kiss you after it's over".
"Now," I say.
H
e sighs, before leaning in and pressing his lips against mine. It's a brief, tender moment, barely even a kiss at all; nevertheless, it feels like some kind of connection, and it might just be enough.
"Why am I doing this?" I whisper eventually. "I'm not a slut. I'm not an idiot, so why am I doing this for you?"
"I don't know," he replies. "Any other girl would have run away by now, and she'd have been right".
"Maybe I'm crazy," I say. "Maybe there's something deeply fucking wrong with me".
"Maybe".
I take a deep breath. "I don't know if I want to be this kind of person," I say quietly. "I want to be the kind of person who recoils from something as strange as all of this".
"But you're not," he says.
I shake my head. "I wish I was normal. I thought I wanted to be different, but now I just want to be normal".
"But you're not," he says again, and this time he reaches down and presses a finger delicately against the lips of my vagina. "You're wet," he continues. "Like it or not, this situation is turning you on. You can fight it all you want, but the part of you that hates this is just the surface of your personality. Deep down, you want this more than anything, otherwise you'd have left by now".
"I know," I say, taking a deep breath in order to ensure that I don't start crying. "Before I do this, though, there's something I want to tell you". I pause, wondering whether I can say the words. "Mark, I think I -"
"Are you ready?" Alice calls out, having come back over to join us.
"I think so," Mark replies, turning to her. "We've talked about the game, and Elly seems to fully understand the purpose of everything we're doing".
"I'm glad," Alice says, smiling. "I remember the other girl who passed this stage of the test, Elly. She was so sure of herself, but later she admitted that she'd been scared. She was brave, though, and she pushed ahead and eventually she made it. That was a day that has gone down in the history books of the game".
"What happened to her?" I ask.
"She failed at the next hurdle," she replies.