by Lucian Bane
“And the third day…” She swiped angrily at her face, loathing that her body dared to act human. “The third day they tied him to a table, and Master poured acid all over his body, burned his beautiful skin all off,” She scratched quickly at her arms. “Master is blind, he’s blind, Solomon’s flesh is good.” She nodded and hurried when that hell inside her tickled in her stomach, stirring. It wanted to come out and devour her. She wanted it to, but Solomon would be very sad if that happened and she couldn’t hurt him ever again.
She straightened her spine, forcing herself to do it. “After he burned him, they beat him, they tied him to a-a-a thing, a board like this,” she angled her arm to show. “And they beat him and beat him with a flogger made of real leather. It-it took the skin off of him over and over until he wanted to die.”
The uncle stood and paced before her like he was confused.
“I know he wanted to die. I saw it in his eyes when he looked at me. He looked at me,” she said, her voice becoming deep in an effort to not break. “He looked right into my eyes while they beat him until he was unconscious, and then…” she gasped a bunch of times, forcing the hell back down. “They dragged him back to his cell, and I had to tend to his wounds so he could heal for the next treatment, the next desecration.” She watched his uncle pacing, her mouth had turned into a faucet that she couldn’t turn off and the filthy confession gushed out to condemn her. “I tended his wounds,” she continued, her voice growling with the hell rising higher in her. “I did my best, I comforted him like he deserved.”
The uncle mumbled things she didn’t understand while the story raced out of her at a sick, eager pace.
“The fourth day…” She stood, heaving for more air as her muscles and blood filled with the evil. “The fourth day they electrocuted him until he vomited, urinated and defecated everywhere!” Her voice matched the cruelty of what they did. “Master wanted a thorough cleansing,” she said, holding her arms and pressing her nails deep into the skin as she dodged left and right so the demons couldn’t grab hold of her. She had to get it out, this was her just punishment, but the hell was getting stronger inside her, like the words called it up, stirred it to a furious boil.
“Then they took him away from me,” she yelled over the growling sounds in her head. “And they didn’t let me go to him. They took me and had their way with me, they tore my body over and over down there, down there,” she pointed a shaking finger where they did it. “They tore it and made it bleed. They made it bleed and that was very good, it was very good, I wished they’d never stopped!” She jerked to a sudden halt and nodded, needing him to know just how true that was. Her muscles twitched from the devil’s ants stinging her everywhere. She walked a wide path around the room so she could go faster than them.
“Stop.”
But Chaos couldn’t even if she wanted to, she didn’t know how. She stared at him in the center of the room as she went along that circuit on the floor, making sure not to veer off now. She’d created a wall that they couldn’t cross as long as she kept moving and talking and punishing. “And that night, that night they sewed my eyelids open, so that I had to watch. I had been bad and closed my eyes and they were right to do that, they were so right. I should have watched, I should have watched,” she said yelling louder when the growling increased around her.
She could only stare at his uncle as she raced around the room. The look of horror on his face, she understood that look and it was a good look. He was understanding, he was getting it, and she nodded at him, nodded that it was good he understood down to the ugliest detail.
“And then they tied me to the chair, and they tied him to the chair across from me.” She reached out in front of her, the way she’d wanted to that day, reached out to plead with Solomon to forgive her. “I had to watch. I had to watch while they took his blood from his body, purged his blood with a… a tool. I don’t know the name of it but it had sharp metal teeth.” She could see the object in her mind and held it in her hand, pointing to the teeth on it as she raced faster. “He clicked it like this at the top, and the teeth would jab into his skin,” she gasped. “And then he’d pull on the back of it to remove the bad blood from his body, only it wasn’t bad! It wasn’t bad!” she roared. “Master was wrong, the queen, she-she lied to him, deceived him!”
Her sheet had fallen off and she ran, she ran like a dirty whore. She saw the uncle’s intent to try and stop her, catch her. She shook her head hard, growling, warding him away with her hand. “I have to tell you! I have to tell you!”
“Stop!” he begged.
“They shoved him in a coffin with holes all over it! They strapped him in and put it in the water and his breath came out, all his breath, until he had no more air, no more air!” she screamed, the terror real again as she ran from the uncle who chased her. “They drowned him,” she roared with wild eyes. “They drowned him in a cooofffffiiiiin!”
The dark man appeared out of nowhere and grabbed her, grabbed her up tight in his big arms but Chaos never stopped screaming. She couldn’t stop, she wasn’t finished! “They brought him back!” she shrieked. “They brought him back from the dead. They brought him back, they shoved a hose in his ass and forced it. They forced and forced the breath of Heeeeellll into hiiiiiiim!”
Her scream tore her throat but she never stopped, she screamed on and on just like the agony inside her. Those strong arms held her tight, kept her down while the hell ravaged her insides. She fought for air and when she got it, she screamed some more, more, more.
Solomon screamed from the room, he screamed, his voice reaching through hers, lacing with hers. “Chaaaaaaaaaaaaaaooooos!” that’s what he screamed! That’s what he screamed in despair and terror! And the power, so much power shattered the abyss around her, forced it back down into the dirty cracks, like they’d forced him into that coffin! Forced him and stole his breath, that’s how he saved her! He saved her with that same breath, that same— beautiful—breath!
Chapter Nine
Reality flashed in and out of Solomon’s vision. It reminded him of when he’d fall asleep in the backseat of Uncle Joe’s Chevy as a kid. The dark world outside would only show itself in the intermittent street lights whenever he’d open his eyes. Only now, he was getting intermittent flashes of faces, voices, smells. His uncle… Chaos. Even the black man. And just like when he was young, he watched from sleepy eyes, waking to drink or relieve his bladder somehow.
The routine happened over and over, like a rerun of events, always ending with sleep and a cocoon of warmth. He didn’t fight it. Didn’t want to. He just watched the scenes through heavy lids, closing them at will then opening them. Closing them. Opening them. Not aware that with every blink, days passed rather than minutes.
And then that day or night came when he opened his eyes to utter darkness. Panic slammed him and he bolted up, gasping for air. The darkness turned to water and flooded his lungs and the covers gripped his legs like straps.
“Shh-shh Solomon!”
He jerked to the sound of Chaos’s voice and the feel of her warm body next to his. He grabbed hold of her and wrapped his arms and legs around her body.
“I got you,” she soothed, running her firm hand up and down his back, hip, and legs over and over. Then she hummed his favorite song and put him back in that safe, warm place. That healing sleep.
But waking to darkness happened again. And again. And again. Even though it wasn’t dark when he’d wake, it was pitch black in his mind, suffocating him and filling his lungs just like the water had. Then came Chaos’s voice, her warmth and humming. And then finally the sleep. The healing sleep. It was like his mind had incurable hiccups. But he could feel himself getting stronger even though he wasn’t ready to move. He wanted to stay in the warmth. Just a little longer.
Solomon woke one night to real darkness. No matter how much he blinked it wouldn’t go away. “Light,” he rasped. “Where’s the fucking light!”
The echo of matches rattled and soon a ye
llow glow lit the darkness, bringing a gasp of relief. “Don’t put it out, please.”
“I’m sorry,” Chaos’s whisper shook. “They said we needed to conserve and you were sleeping so deeply, I waited till you were sleeping really good—”
At hearing her on the verge of tears he jerked to her. “Hey,” he whispered, reaching to take the lantern and putting it next to him. Turning back, he pulled her in his arms. “I’m sorry. You didn’t do anything wrong.” At the press of her cheek on his lips, he kissed the skin then moved to her temple, tightening his embrace. She whimpered and cuddled closer and he realized she was scared.
“I got you,” he whispered, pulling her down onto the mattress to hold her close. He vaguely wondered how long he’d not done that. How long had she gone without him holding her like this? Had he held her? He remembered her days of warmth and singing. Her smell and softness, her endless caress. She’d kept him safe, protected him. It all made his body hurt to love her. “How’s my beautiful girl?”
She buried her face in his neck and gripped him in a tight hug then choked on a sob.
“No, no, no, none of that,” he hurried softly. The agony to comfort her brought sudden pain to every part of his body. “None of that. What are you wearing, anyway? Did you sew this yourself? Is this your wedding pajamas?” he teased. She seemed to have made pants and a crude top out of a sheet. His body suddenly wanted it off of her so he could see her naked body again.
A short laugh burst out and he took hold of her face for a soft kiss. She gave a tiny whimper and her lips trembled under his, stabbing him with more hunger. Then came the other stabbing pain. “Oh God,” he whispered. “I need the bathroom.”
She hopped up and hurried to the corner of the room then returned with an empty mason jar. His cock jerked with so many needs in that second, and before he could wonder how to do that with her there, she knelt and lowered the front of the blue hospital looking pants. At seeing the burn scabs all over his body, panic threatened to take him. And then she took hold of his cock and everything fell away as she placed it in the jar. His body released without an ounce of persuasion while his mind lingered on that brief feel of her fingers on him.
His gaze dropped to her chest, aching to see her breasts again. The memory of how they felt on his tongue made his cock jerk. He raised his eyes to her face and their gazes locked for several seconds. A hot current passed between them, and she let out a light gasp just as she turned her attention to the jar. She removed his cock from it, her touch more gentle than he wanted it to be.
He watched her walk back to where she’d gotten the jar and return with a bottle of water and a piece of what looked like cut up t-shirt. Again, she knelt next to him and opened the bottle of water to wet the cloth.
Desire made his body heave as she approached his cock with the cloth and carefully cleansed him. How many times had she done this?
She put the cloth down and got another and wet it. She moved next to his shoulder and his eyes fixed on the glowing skin of her chest, at the V-neck of her top. God, he needed to taste her again.
She touched the right side of his head and panic locked onto his body with flashes of horror.
“Shhhh, shhh,” she whispered.
In that second, the soft soothe in her tone made him want her worse than ever. He swallowed, focusing on bringing his body away from that cliff of horror, which now mixed with desire.
His gaze strayed back to looking at her chest, fighting to see anything under the thin white material. He realized she was removing a bandage on his head and remembered his scalp had been shaved. “I must be a sight with this botched haircut.”
“I finished the job properly,” she whispered. “Got it even as I could anyway.” He closed his eyes as she stroked his head, her touch silky, like her words. “This is nearly all healed.” She took hold of the hem of his top and lifted. Solomon raised his arms, letting her remove it. “Lie down for me.”
The soft request came with a gentle push on his shoulders and Solomon obeyed. He watched her face as she glided the cool cloth along his neck and shoulders. “You seem to have a lot of practice. With me,” he added, seeing a fear come into her gaze.
“Every other day I try to clean you.”
“How long has it been? Have I been out of it, I mean?”
“Ten days.”
His surprise turned into desire when she slid the cloth over his chest, seeming to take her time over his nipples. He was back to watching her face and wondered what was in her mind while she did that. Did she want him as badly as he wanted her? Did she miss that with him? Had the horror she’d been through stolen it?
“Feels good,” Solomon croaked, getting more desperate for her.
Her eyes darted to his, and his cock hardened at the heat in her gaze. He was sure she had no idea how clearly it shone, but seeing it there gave him so much joy. She appeared unsure how to respond and returned to doing what felt so good to him. His heart hammered in his chest as her cloth ventured lower to his sides then abs.
He fought not to make the wrong sounds, worried she’d misinterpret it as pain but… God it did hurt. It hurt to have her touch him like a nurse and not… like his wife. He closed his eyes in hopes of allowing her the freedom to do more without his stare on her. She navigated his body, careful to avoid the burns and even those itched for her touch.
He opened his eyes for a peek and found her at his hips. He couldn’t stop his gasp when she worked his pants down and all the way off. But still, her movements were that of a caregiver more than a lover.
She took hold of his length and slid the washcloth along it. Desire made him dizzy and hot. He wanted her touch all over. He slowly opened his legs more, giving her full access while praying she took it. His heart hammered in his chest when her eyes flitted up, stopping at his chest then returning back to what she was doing. Being a very good and sweet, tormenting nurse.
A strained breath escaped him when she slowly circled the ridge of his cock with the cloth. “Can I see you?” he gasped finally, no longer caring about anything else.
She stared at him with an emotional storm all over her face. Relief, guilt, need, joy, hope. “If you… want?” she finally whispered.
If he wanted? “I want to,” he said, broken inside over her not knowing that. “More than I want to breathe.” Solomon’s eyes lowered to her hands, his heart back to hammering in his chest and cock as she slowly removed her top. She climbed between his legs but her movements were still… restrained. Scared. Unsure.
She picked up the cloth and Solomon stopped her with a hoarse beg. “Just your hands. Please.”
She bit her lower lip, and his gaze locked on her breasts. His chest heaved with the sudden rush of desire at seeing her nipples, hard and aching for him. Her hands were delicate as she handled him with such carefulness. Solomon opened his legs even wider, rolling his hips into her tormenting touch.
“Beautiful,” he whispered, begging with another thrust of his cock.
She gasped and her fingers slowly gripped tighter as she moved her hands up and down along him in a silky rhythm. The heat licked in his lower back and balls until his breaths turned ragged.
He finally let his groans come, pushing into her hold while watching her. The rapid rise and fall of her breasts gave him even more courage and agony. “Chaos,” he whispered through the hunger. “I want your beautiful mouth on me.”
At her gasped cry and immediate decent, he got on his elbows and watched. “Oh God, Beautiful,” he croaked as she pushed his legs open and grabbed hold of him with both hands. The tight latch made him thrust. “Fuck,” he said when she kissed along his length at a frenzied pace.
She angled her head to get at every inch of him, her fingers kneading the muscle of his inner thighs while her yes yes’s heated his cock to boiling. Her hands raked up his abs next, moving like she feared he’d disappear any second. He rode the all-consuming ecstasy that plowed through his body and mind, tearing apart nightmares and lighting up
every dark corner. Latching his fingers in her hair, he pushed himself deep into her mouth with a growl of hunger.
He let his head fall back only to pull it back up to watch the glorious torment she rained on the head of his cock with her tongue and lips. “Oh God, Oh fuck,” he grit, dropping his head back again. “So fucking hot.” He hissed and pumped faster, again having to watch as he now bucked his hips. “Oh Jesus,” he panted, through the haze. “Fucking suck me Beautiful, suck me, I’m coming for you, I’m coming for you.”
She whimpered and forced him deeper into her mouth, forced his cock to hit the back of her throat. It was so fucking good he couldn’t stop her, he couldn’t… “Fuck, oh God, don’t stop, take it, take it, take it!” he roared, holding her head still as he pressed deep. He felt her throat flexing and heard her swallow between her moans making him half fear she’d choke.
She stayed there after he was spent, licking and kissing softly along his balls with the most satisfied and sexy sounds. God, he was sure if she continued he’d be raging hard again. She finally crawled up his body while he was still half delirious, her lips devouring, but sweet as she went. She finally reached his mouth and he matched her every suck, lick and bite with his own. Solomon chased the swirl of her tongue with his, groaning with desire at tasting himself in her mouth.
He rolled a little, putting her on her back, keeping the kiss deep and devouring. “My turn, Beautiful,” he whispered. The second he said it, memories crashed in, making him still.
“Yes, please,” she sighed, squirming under him.
“I’m…. what about your…”
“It doesn’t hurt, I promise.”
He angled his head and kissed her soft lips, not believing her. “We should wait.”
“No!” she gasped, sounding frantic. “Please… don’t make me wait more, I would tell you if it hurt.”
She moved his hand to her breast and Solomon groaned as he squeezed the soft heaven, barely able to restrain his hunger. “Are you sure?” He slid his palm back and forth over her nipple, loving the feel of it, but especially loving the sound it drew from her. He devoured her mouth when she arched her body in ecstasy, those perfectly sweet lips parted. His lips. All his.
