Dark Swan

by Yumoyori Wilson

  I lay down on my bed and stared up at the ceiling. I didn’t necessarily want to put myself in a vulnerably relaxed position, but my back ached and my mind was tired. My head throbbed, and I just wanted to wallow in self-pity for a few seconds.

  My eyes were closed, but I saw a brightness suddenly come into view behind my lids. I sat up straight, eyes open, paralyzed in fear. The glowing light from the hallway revealed the stalking shadow of a male figure. I swallowed hard. The silhouette of Thom became larger as his shoes made an ominous pounding on the concrete floor.

  As he walked past, the other prisoners in their row of cells lining the tunnel began hollering with excitement and banging on the bars of their doors. A few of them whistled with anticipation.

  “Are you going to kill her once and for all tonight?” one male slave asked sharply.

  I was appalled. Thom stopped in his tracks and glared at the slave. Then he raised his hand and swung it down as he backhanded the slave for speaking out of turn.

  “Mind your own fucking business, you shit stain,” Thom hissed.

  I jumped off my bed and cowered in a corner.

  “No, no, no.” I shook my head and prayed that he wasn’t heading straight for me, even though I already knew there was a slim to none chance of that happening.

  Thom hadn’t confirmed nor denied whether he was going to kill me, and the suspense hung in the air like stale cigar smoke.

  It was a morbid situation all around, and sometimes I couldn’t believe that this was actually my life. I wished I had been born at another time, on a different part of the planet — or a different planet altogether.

  If Thom fucked me right here in this prison cell, the other prisoners would enjoy it. They practically got off on seeing me go through pain. I crouched down on the ground and instinctively curled my legs up to my chest. I didn’t know what else to do. I was simply buying time before all hell broke loose in the wrath and fury of Thom’s deranged mind.

  “There you are, you defiant bitch.” Thom’s voice was a growl as he approached the door of my cell.

  I heard the sound of the key rattling in the lock, then it clanked open with a sinister whine. I held my breath. My wings spanned open, a defensive reaction that I wasn’t expecting as I attempted in vain to shield myself.

  Thom let out a bitter laugh that made the blood in my veins run cold. “Oh, no,” he said. “Not today, bitch. I am not going to put up with your shit another single second.”

  What did that mean? Was he going to get rid of me once and for all?

  Then I felt searing pain in my head as Thom lifted me up by my hair. My scalp was on fire. I screamed, but I didn’t recognize the sound of my own cries for help. It didn’t matter.

  No one was coming to save me anyway.

  My eyes fluttered closed and a vivid memory flashed through my mind of when Thom had picked me up by my hair and dragged me from under the refuge of my parents’ kitchen table all those years ago.

  I had only been a child back then, but even now as an adult I felt powerless to stop the frenzy of abuse swirling around me. Just as I had done as a child, I scraped my nails across the concrete floor and kicked at Thom as he huffed and attempted to drag me from my cell. Nothing had changed, and at this point I wasn’t sure if it ever would. One thing was certain.

  I didn’t want to die at the hands of this monster.

  11

  Sophia

  Thom was raging mad. Furiously, dangerously, life-threatening and mind-blowing angry.

  I clutched his hands and raked my nails across his skin in an attempt to get him to loosen his grip on my hair, but it was no use. Thom was in his element and he was practically breathing fire. He wasn’t going to let go of me, no matter what.

  I knew I was inflicting pain on him too. He swatted at my hand with his free one. “Stop it, you bitch.”

  “Please,” I begged. “You are hurting me.”

  He tugged harder. I gave him fuel. I should have known better, but I was in a frenzy of panic. I heard the laughter and chortles of the other slaves as he dragged me out of my cell and down the hallway.

  “I will do anything,” I pleaded as tears rolled down my cheeks and the occasional sob choked out of me. “Just don’t kill me.”

  Thom glanced over his shoulders and gave me a withering look. His eyes were blazing with a combination of wrath and mocking.

  “Do you really think that I am going to kill you, dumb bitch? No. That would be too easy. If you don’t feel the pain, then you won’t know the consequences and you’ll never learn your lesson.”

  He grunted as he continued to pull me along.

  “I’ll walk with you if you just let go of my hair,” I suggested as a compromise. “I won’t run away.” My wings had gone away again. My mental state was too weakened to defend myself properly at the moment.

  Thom roared with laughter. “You won’t run away? You mean exactly what you did back at my fellow Master’s castle?” He glared at me. “You have no idea how much you embarrassed me, you filthy little cunt.”

  I managed to suppress another sob and it came out as a whimper instead.

  I cringed at the words he used to describe me, but then I set my jaw and determined that I had to persevere, no matter what torture awaited me.

  “I will not be made a fool of, you stupid girl,” he spat. “You are going to pay for your sins. You will be severely punished.”

  His voice was like a slithering snake ready to pounce on its victim from an attack stance in the grass. I was struggling to breathe now through the panic and anxiety wreaking havoc on my mind.

  “I’m sorry,” I whispered. “I didn’t mean to...its just—”

  I was getting ready to tell him about how the food was hitting me from all angles as people tossed it at me when Thom brazenly interrupted me.

  “Oh, save it for someone who cares, you fucking idiot,” he hissed.

  I clamped my mouth shut and didn’t say another word. It was time for me to put up the protective barriers in my mind and shield myself with emotional walls to get through the next bit.

  I was Thom’s victim, his prized prey. He was the hunter and I was the hunted, an animal in the middle of the field who was his main target.

  I didn’t stand a chance. I might as well suck it up and endure it.

  At least there was a light at the end of the tunnel, no matter how dim it was. Thom would eventually get tired and pass out. He was human, after all. He couldn’t go all night. I knew that my punishment would have an end, I just didn’t know when it was yet.

  “Get up the stairs, bitch,” Thom fired at me as he tossed me in front of him. He kicked me in the back as I stumbled up the stairs one at a time. “Move!” he yelled. If he’d had a whip to crack on my back, I was certain that he would have.

  At least he had let go of my hair, but my scalp still burned in the aftermath of his tight grip.

  “How dare you run away from me when I didn’t give you permission to leave the dance floor,” Thom growled and gave me a menacing look as he pushed me into his master bedroom and slammed the door shut behind us.

  “I’m…sorry,” I attempted again, but Thom’s fury was wild in his eyes.

  There was no turning back now. Even though he had proclaimed that he wasn’t going to kill me, I was having doubts about that promise now.

  There was madness in his features that I had never seen before and it terrified me. My bones were practically shaking. I wished I could summon up my wings again, but I knew that my mental block would prevent it. I didn’t have the courage at the moment.

  Thom was the type of Master who had to dominate anyone who made him feel like he was a subordinate or threatened his power, even if it was only in his mind.

  “Get on your knees,” he growled.

  I fell to my knees, collapsing in a heap as I lay there, vulnerable and exposed to his torture. Thom had a grizzly look in his eye as he raised his hand and smacked it against my cheek.

  “You are a
naughty bitch and I am going to fuck you until you can’t breathe.”

  I already couldn’t breathe, but I didn’t say that. I just sat there on my knees and waited for the next batch of berating to begin. Thom unlatched his belt. He gave me a wicked smile as he loomed over me.

  I watched in horror as he un-looped his belt from his pants. He extended it. “This is Mr. Sorry. Do you know what he does?”

  “No,” I said meekly and shook my head. Tears were still rolling down my face as if it were a race, the edge of my chin the finish line.

  “Mr. Sorry is going to beat you until you really are sorry.” Thom sneered.

  “I am sorry,” I said and began to pant violently. “I don’t need your belt to tell you that.”

  “Yeah, well,” Thom grumbled and raised the belt like a whip. “I need the proof.”

  He slapped the belt across my bottom. I wailed as searing pain surged through my body as if I had just been struck by lightning. I shouted out instinctively and arched my back.

  “That wasn’t as fun as I thought it would be,” Thom said almost casually. “Take off your clothes. I want to smack your ass with the belt while you are naked.”

  I nodded and swallowed hard. I might as well do what he told me before I made it even worse for myself. I slowly peeled off my clothes, but I was only buying myself a few extra seconds.

  “Do it faster,” Thom demanded. “You are taking too long. I want to see you naked.”

  Thom had seen me naked a million times, but each time was as if he was looking at me in my exposed state for the first time.

  As soon as I was naked and stood in front of him, he groaned and his eyes rolled back in his head. He had a euphoric smile on his face.

  “That’s better,” he said in calmer tone than before.

  I allowed myself to slightly relax, but the effect didn’t last for long. That twisted look of sadism began to shadow and darken Thom’s face once again. He raised his belt high over his head.

  “Bend over,” he whispered, sweat gleaming on his forehead.

  “What?” I stuttered.

  “Bend over,” he stated again in an aggressive tone.

  I gulped and did as he said. I braced myself and bit my bottom lip until I tasted blood. Maybe the pain on my mouth would help counteract some of the pain that I was about to feel in my rear.

  Thom cracked the belt against my bare skin. I wailed in pain and fell over.

  Thom was there in an instant to pick me up. He dropped the belt and lifted, carrying me over to the bed.

  “See now?” He gently stroked my cheek as if he wanted to switch gears and comfort me. “That’s what happens when you are not a good girl.”

  “Okay.” I sniffed and wiped the tears from my cheeks.

  “Are you going to behave better from now on?” he asked, leaning in toward me.

  “Yes.” I nodded and hoped that I looked and sounded convincing to him.

  “Good.” He appeared to be satisfied with my answer, at least for now.

  “Now, let’s get started.” He clapped his hands together enthusiastically as if he was about to begin an inspiring project.

  I held my breath and waited, knowing there was more hell in store for me. Thom was like a light switch. He could flip on or off at the most mundane things. His demeanor fluctuated more than the weather in the spring.

  “Get on all fours,” he told me in a coaxing tone.

  I did as instructed, crawling atop the bed in the stance that he had requested.

  “Oh, fuck yeah,” Thom groaned with drippy, erotic satisfaction laced in his voice. “You look fucking good.”

  I didn’t say anything in response. I just stared straight ahead at the wall and focused on a fly that was buzzing around near the window as if it was trying to escape.

  I had never related to another single living thing more than I did to that fly in that very moment. We were both trying to survive at all costs while we searched for freedom that was right at the edge of our fingertips.

  Thom violently yanked on my hair. “Did you hear what I said to you, girl?” His breath was hot on my neck.

  “Yes,” I whispered, trying to keep myself composed, though I was as delicate as a glass vase that teetering on the edge of counter and ready to shatter.

  “I just gave you a fucking compliment. Praise me for it,” Thom barked.

  “Okay,” I said. “Thank you.”

  “Next time show some sincerity,” Thom said as if I had offended him.

  “I didn’t mean to insult you,” I quickly added, hoping that would earn me brownie points.

  Thom grunted and mumbled something inaudible under his breath. I saw him out of my peripheral vision. He was undressing.

  Now came the sex part. Thom never had protected sex with me, but he always blew his load of hot cum all over my face. It was degrading and vile, but he loved it and always laughed hysterically, making me lick it from my lips and cheeks before wiping the rest off with a towel. He was a creature of habit, and I had no reason to assume that tonight would be any different.

  Thom approached me from behind. I felt the tip of his giant cock as it throbbed against my ass cheeks. He mounted me and entered my pussy from behind. It wasn’t slick with desire, so the initial pain knocked the wind out of me.

  He grabbed my shoulders as he pushed himself inside of me, burrowing into my hole with a grunt.

  “Why aren’t you excited, you dumb bitch?” he asked, as if he were offended that I wasn’t turned on without any foreplay whatsoever.

  “I’m sorry,” I said but my voice sounded hollow and flat.

  “I’ll give you something to be sorry about,” Thom groaned as he began to pump more vigorously inside of me.

  His balls were slapping up against my swollen pussy lips. It was a painful experience, but at the same time, as much as I hated to admit it, there was some masked pleasure in there for me too.

  I mean, it was still sex after all, and naturally, sex had the element of pleasure linked to it no matter what was happening. There was a little bit of friction involved as Thom pushed himself inside of me.

  Even through the raw pain, at the angle, there was a tiny sliver of pleasure as he hit the right places inside of me. It wasn’t going to be enough to bring me to orgasm, but I tried to focus on that element so that I wouldn’t go crazy emotionally at how Thom was defiling me.

  Thom grabbed my hips with a death grip as he groaned and continued to thrust and pump a little too harshly. I clutched the sheets and balled them in my fists. During sex with Thom, I always tried to focus my energy elsewhere until the ordeal was over.

  “You are a dirty bitch,” Thom said. “I’m making sure you stay that way, you naughty slut.”

  I choked back another whimpering cry as I stared blankly at the wall, trying to find the fly again but I couldn’t see it anywhere. Suddenly, my eyes filled with tears.

  Where had the fly gone? I had to know what happened to it…

  Then in an instant, Thom jerked me to my feet and pinned me up against the wall. There was malice gleaming in his eyes. He opened his mouth and clenched his teeth into a grimace. His throbbing cock was pulsing up against my bare thigh. We were nose to nose, chest to chest.

  I stood there, suspended and unable to move as Thom continued to stare a hole right through my soul.

  He wrapped one arm around my neck and pressed. I gasped for air. My eyes widened, and I stared at him in horror. There was shame in his eyes, which confused me.

  He continued to hold pressure on my windpipe, as if he might strangle me right there, crushing my throat in his giant hand. I was at his mercy. I couldn’t breathe or speak.

  “You better show more emotion during sex from now on, woman,” he growled at me. “Do you know what I will do to you if you don’t?”

  I couldn’t shake my head or respond because he was choking me, but he answered for me. He laughed wickedly.

  “If you don’t give me a little something in return for all my sexua
l favors, I’m going to keep fucking you all night until you finally open up. You should count yourself lucky you get any at all.”

  He behaved as if he was doing me a favor. He slacked his grip on my throat. I gasped for air and instinctively pulled my hands up to my neck to protect myself.

  “What are you doing?” he asked as I tried to squirm away. He held me in place. We were both panting hard from the resistance.

  He wanted emotion, he was going to get it. I slapped at him and kicked him in the shin. He bit me in the shoulder and chuckled with passion.

  “Oh…” he trailed off mischievously. His shimmering eyes were glazed over with lust. “That’s what I’m talking about. Finally, some spark and spirit in you.”

  I wasn’t being vibrant on purpose, but I knew that unless I fed him some enthusiasm, the night would be long and full of horror for me.

  When I was with Thom, I needed to remind myself to play the part, and that acting to fulfill the role he wanted was what was going to keep me alive in the end.

  The role of a slave, trapped in a lifetime of torture.

  12

  Sophia

  I knew I was dreaming. I knew that it couldn’t be reality because I was filled with euphoria. I was back with my parents, in our cozy little house nestled in the heart of the village.

  My father had given me a jewelry box. I peered up at him with curiosity. His eyes gleamed with excitement and a smile curled at the edges of his lips.

  “It’s a jewelry box,” he whispered, “but it’s so much more inside.”

  I was sitting on my bed with my legs crossed and my hands folded in my lap. I gazed up at my father with fondness while he sat at the edge of my bed. I cocked my head to the side and gave him a look of wonderment. “So much more?”

  “Yes.” He nodded and opened the box as if he would burst with glee if he had to wait another single second.

  My heart pounded with intrigue as I waited patiently, yet expectantly, to see what would be revealed inside of the box.