Out of the Ashes (Trust Book 2)

by A M Raulerson

  This was hard on all of us. As Doms we fix things. We take care of subs, and now there was nothing we could really do. It was frustrating as hell.

  I wanted the whole Circle stopped. I wanted every sub rescued and every Dom incarcerated. I was practically growling with frustration, but at least there was a plan. Shaky as it was, we were going with it. Hearing the door to Mason’s room open, we all turned. The look on both Bets’ and Alexi’s faces said it all.

  “He’ll make it. He’s stronger than he thinks. He’s so traumatized right now that he couldn’t tell us much. He does remember more than one club and two particular Doms that stand out. A ‘twink guy’ and a ultra Dom female. I think he’ll remember more as time goes on, but for right now he just needs to feel safe. We told him he’s surrounded by both police and a Dom and sub couple. He isn’t ready to really talk much yet, but he’s trying.” Alexi was tired. The devastation Mason was feeling was sitting heavy on his mind. He needed to sleep and be comforted. Slipping my arm around his shoulders, I pulled him close for a minute.

  “He’s sleeping now though, Aaron. He’s exhausted and I don’t know how he’ll react to you when he wakes up. Doms scare him.”

  Bets looked at Leo, who flinched a little. Mason would have a long recovery, but Aaron had a way with scared and traumatized subs. It was like magic sometimes. He could build trust quickly just by being himself. Once Mason was ready, Aaron would help him, I had no doubt. But right now I needed to get Alexi home.

  “Well, we need to get home. We have a big day tomorrow and I’m not exactly sure how this will all work. I’m just playing it by ear.” It was something I definitely worried about. I didn’t know how else to combat this situation. I had to go with the flow and pray that Andrew would show his true colors tomorrow.

  Nodding at the others, I pulled Alexi towards the door. We were both tired. It had been a long, trying day. As we walked out of the hospital, Alexi was pressed so hard against my side I could feel him trembling. I was worried with all the emotions he’d gone through. Our heart to heart, the confrontation with Chase and now Mason’s obvious trauma. He was holding it together, but not very well.

  I opened the car door and sat him down. Crouching just inside the door and running my hand over his cheek, I felt the tear slip from his eye.

  “Oh, Bebe`, this is so hard on you. I wish I could fix this. I will fix this, but you have to know I’m here for you Bebe`. I’m right here.”

  Pulling him into my arms I felt him let go. The silent tears falling. His body trembling with the effort to remain quiet. All I could do was hold him. It was a frustrating thing not to be able to take this pain from him. Just holding him, running my hands over his back and murmuring in his ear seemed to help.

  As he calmed I pulled away to look in his eyes. They were dark with remembered pain.

  “I just don’t know how to help Mason. I see the devastation in his eyes and it hurts. He was in so much pain. Not just physical pain, either. You didn’t see him. He’ll carry the scars for the rest of his life. He’ll never be the same. I want to fix it, but I can’t.”

  “Bebe`. You will help him. You’re strong and you came out of your adversity so much stronger. You’ll be there for him like your friend was for you. You now have a special link with Mason. Shared pain can bring people together and your strength will help him to recover.”

  Looking me in the eye, I saw Alexi pull himself together. It was almost a physical act as much as an emotional one. Sitting back in his seat he sighed and closed his eyes.

  “Thank you, Patron.” His whispered words meant so much to me. He trusted me and was comforted by my words. I couldn’t ask for anything more. Reaching across him I buckled his seatbelt, chuckling softly at the look of contentment on his face. He needed me now and I was going to do everything in my power to comfort him.

  Climbing into the car and driving home, I watched Alexi out of the corner of my eye. I saw the moment he fell asleep. Tuckered out by the multitude of emotional highs and lows from today. My Boy needed sleep and I needed to hold my Boy. When I pulled into the drive Alexi startled awake.

  “Just a little while longer, Boy. Then you can sleep. Are you hungry or would you rather just go to bed?”

  “I’m tired, Patron. I just need sleep.”

  I helped him into the house, walked him to our room and gently removed his clothes. Lifting up the sheets, I helped him settle down and watched as he quickly fell asleep.

  Sitting on the bed beside him, I pushed his bangs away from his eyes. I wondered just how much seeing Mason would affect him. Would it bring up too many memories of what he’d been through? I needed Alexi, but if this would be too much for him, I would stop him. It's important for me to have a sub, but his well being was more important than this op. I knew what he would say if I tried to keep him out of this. For better or worse, he was involved. I just had to be careful with him, if that was even possible in this situation. Alexi was strong, though. I just had to have faith in him.

  Standing up, I removed my own clothes. Sliding into bed behind him I pulled him close. I would protect him. I just needed to remember he was stronger than he looked.

  CHAPTER 7

  Alexi

  “You don’t seem to understand Alexi! You make me do this. All I want is for you to obey me. I saw the way you looked at that man! Why do you make me do this?” Mark said, seething.

  This wasn’t the worst nightmare, but it wasn’t a good dream, that’s for sure. I realized I was dreaming, but I couldn’t make it stop. Couldn’t wake myself up to stop it. Knowing it was a dream didn’t make it any less painful.

  Mark was still relatively sane or at least acting semi sane. The drugs or whatever hadn’t completely fried his brain yet. He’d tied my hands behind my back and thrown me face down on the bed. Now that I wasn’t living it, wasn’t oblivious to his sanity slipping, I could see it. See the strange, faint glimmer in his eyes.

  “You embarrassed me by flirting with that man and you did it on purpose.”

  I had no idea what man he was even talking about. The only guys I vaguely remembered were the waiter from the restaurant and a bartender from the club. Neither had been more than a blip on my radar, but apparently Mark had seen something that he didn’t like. I could sense the small whispers of fear in my mind at the time. I was just starting to see the problems arising from our relationship.

  Thwack!

  Oh my God. I didn’t see what he hit me with but my entire right side burned! My thigh, ass cheek and lower back throbbed. Looking over my shoulder, I saw he had a scary looking metal chain flogger. It was big and heavy looking. I knew just from the one hit that this wasn’t going to be fun. He was pissed and he would take it out on me.

  Thwack!

  “Ah! Please. Mark, that hurts! Please, you have to stop! Please!” I was begging him. My left side was now burning and throbbing as well. He didn’t seem to hear me. Or maybe he didn’t care. These were the scary moments with Mark. We had some wonderful times where he was loving and sweet. I didn’t want to break up with him, but moments like this scared the shit out of me, and they were becoming more frequent.

  Thwack!

  Thwack!

  Thwack!

  I was screaming now. He had to have drawn blood. I could feel tiny trails running across my quickly bruising body. Crying and begging didn’t seem to even faze him. I knew what was coming. He would get in that last lick, the one that hurt the most and left me pissing blood for two weeks.

  “No Bebe`! It’s just a dream. Come back to me Bebe`. I could hear Lucas trying to wake me, but the terror I felt when this had really happened trapped me in the moment and wouldn’t let me go. It wouldn’t let me go until this was finished. It never would.

  Thwack!

  Feeling the pain and remembering the relief I felt when I passed out finally allowed me to wake up. Crying out, I grabbed Lucas. Shivering and crying as I tried to shake off the dream and the remembered pain. The soft shushing noises and firm a
rms around me slowly helped me to calm down.

  “I knew this would happen. This is too much for you. All of it. Trying to break up this circle is bad enough, but with us trying to start a relationship and hearing what happened to Mason; I was afraid this would happen. It’s too much for you Bebe`. I won’t let you hurt yourself like this. We will find some other way.”

  “No. No, I promise I’m okay, Patron. It wasn’t that bad, really. I knew talking to Mason would trigger something. I’m okay though, Patron. I promise. I’m alright.”

  *************

  Lucas

  I knew Alexi wasn’t going to change his mind. And I knew he would hate to be kept out after everything he’d heard. There was no way I could do that to him, make him turn his back on a way to help. He would hate me for it.

  Alexi may have been a sparkly little twink, but don’t mess with one of his friends. He wouldn’t hesitate to come after someone who’d hurt a stranger even. Mason now had a very strong man wanting to champion for him and the other kidnapped subs. Alexi didn’t have to know them, he would just fight against whatever forces were hurting them.

  “Do you want to talk about your dream, Bebe`? I won’t tell you to, but it might help if you do. That creaking box is filled with those memories, and they’re going to try and get out now. But you have to remember I’m here for you.”

  Alexi turned in my arms, looked into my eyes and smiled. I ran my hand over his cheek, just happy he was here in front of me.

  “Yes, Patron. I know you are, it’s just that the dream isn’t all that bad. It’s nothing really.”

  “Stop. Don’t put yourself down like that. Don’t belittle the experiences you’ve been through. Bebe`, you cried out in pain and I couldn’t wake you. You were stuck in a dream that still haunts you. The fact that it still has the power to scare you that badly, Bebe`, that shows it’s not nothing. I won’t order you to tell me, but I think it might help.”

  “It’s not that I don’t want to tell you, Patron. I’ve had this one many times. When I’m stressed I sometimes have nightmares. This one just isn’t that bad really. It was Mark. I’m sure you realize that. He was on another of his rants. He thought I was looking at some man. I have no idea what he was talking about, I don’t think it even really mattered. I knew I hadn’t done anything. By then I was starting to realize I needed to get out. After this happened is when I decided I had to break it off with Mark. He pulled out this studded chain flogger. It was as scary as it sounds, Patron.”

  Watching a shudder run over his body, I pulled Alexi closer, pushing his face into my chest hoping to comfort him.

  “I was scared out of my mind, but I still didn’t think he would really hurt me. I was wrong. He hit me as hard as he could Patron. I could feel it while I was dreaming. All of it. I knew it was a dream and I wanted to wake up, but I couldn’t.

  “The fear was bad, Patron. When it was actually happening I had no idea what was coming. After the first strike all I could do was scream for him to stop, but he wouldn’t. The second strike took the breath right out of me and I couldn’t say anything else. The fear, pain, and not knowing when it would stop was killing me. I felt it all again, all of it. It felt so real, Patron. I hated it. I pissed blood for two weeks because he hit both sides of my lower back with that thing.”

  A slow shudder went through Alexi’s tight body, but taking a deep breath he continued.

  “Patron, I’ve become used to the nightmares. I know that sounds bad, but they don’t come as often as they used to. I’ve come to terms with what happened to me. I know I’ll never be completely over it. It helps though, to know you care, Patron.”

  “Of course I care, Bebe`. I want to know everything about you. Good and bad, it doesn’t matter. You’re special and now that you are my Boy I will take care of you. I may be overbearing sometimes, push you, but I do it because I care about you Bebe`. You only need to tell me if I push too far. I won’t ever hurt you like that. That’s a promise from your Patron, Boy. I keep my promises.”

  “Thank you, Patron. I’m not afraid of you.”

  Hearing that sent a wave of pride and love running through me. My Boy believing in me meant a great deal, but the strength he was showing made me proud of him. He didn’t know it but he was digging himself a place in my heart. I didn’t know if I would ever be able to love after losing Jamie. But Alexi seemed to be stirring those feelings again. It was too soon to tell him that of course, but I wouldn’t wait forever. For now I could show him instead.

  Pushing Alexi to his back, his hands above his head I told him to stay. His eyes were huge with excitement. Kissing down his cheek to his ear, I played for a bit, licking and nibbling as he shuddered. The hitch in his breath every time I bit down sent a thrill straight to my cock. This might be for him, but that didn’t mean I wasn’t going to enjoy it too.

  Trailing my tongue and teeth down over his collarbone, biting sharply to cause another gasp, my Boy didn’t disappoint. Gasping and moaning softly as I dragged my teeth across his chest to his nipple. Circling and rubbing the tip of my tongue up and over the tightening nub, I bit suddenly. Just enough to cause a bite of pain making his hips thrust up, unconsciously.

  Slapping his thigh to get his attention, I growled low in my throat.

  “Do not move Boy. You will stay still, no matter what. Do I need to bind you to make you listen? Or can you do as I say? If you move without permission again you will not like the consequences. So you may decide now. I don’t mind binding you if you can’t stay still. It’s up to you, Boy.”

  I watched as the thoughts ran across his face. Not knowing which he would choose, I decided to torture him a little. Sitting up, rubbing my cock against his, I decided I’d make the decision a little harder. I chuckled darkly when I saw him stop himself from thrusting up against me. Grinding down with my hips I twisted his nipples sharply reveling in the gasps and moans.

  “So tell me, Boy. What do you think? Can you hold still or do you need me to make sure you can’t move?”

  My Boy’s breath was blasting in and out of his chest as fast as it could. His lungs practically tripping over themselves to keep up with the oxygen his body needed. The wrinkle on his brows as he tried to decide was adorable. Leaning down I kissed his forehead, not really wanting to torture him, just play a little.

  “It’s okay, Boy. I’ll make this easier on you, Bebe`. Stay right here. Do not move or I won’t be nice. I won’t tolerate misbehaving. I’ll be right back.”

  He nodded almost frantically. He may not have known what I was going to do, but not having to make that decision made him feel immensely relieved. I watched as he settled down. I crawled off the bed when he finally released a huge sigh.

  I wasn’t exactly sure how I wanted to restrain my Boy. Now that I was up and could look at the toys I kept, I got a little more excited. I had to grab my cock and pump a few times, squeezing firmly to calm myself. Hearing my Boy’s quick inhale made me smile.

  Opening the walk in closet, I went to a large armoire and pulled out the bottom drawer. I had wrist and ankle restraints attached to the bed, but I was thinking a little further outside that box. My Boy would see just how far I could make him fly, I promised myself. Grabbing a set of leather leg shackles and a spreader bar, I decided I would show him how to stay still. Chuckling darkly again, I returned to the bed.

  “Good boy. I’m very proud of you. On your knees Boy. Hands behind your back. Now.”

  Alexi jumped at the tone of my voice as it went quickly from praise to demand. Quickly following my orders, I watched as the flush ran up his chest and neck, all the way to his cheeks. His skin was pale enough that I could watch the flush creep across his skin. I knew his skin showed marks beautifully and couldn’t wait to put my hand to his ass. But right now, I was intent on other things.

  Walking to the head of the bed, I pulled the cuffs attached to posts above it. Pulling them forward, I had to have my Boy scuttle back a little. I wanted his hands pulled tightly forward and
up. I didn’t want to put too much pressure on his shoulders, yet. When I had him fully restrained I would remove the slack. I attached the cuffs, making sure they were snug but not too tight. I slapped my hand to his thigh, both for the pleasure of seeing the mark and to remind him to listen.

  “Legs apart boy, up on your knees.”

  I attached the cuffs to my Boy’s legs and then to the spreader bar. I wouldn’t stretch that too far, this was only to restrain him. Later I would push him, but for now I wanted him to focus on me and the pleasure I gave him. Slapping his ass and chuckling at his swiftly drawn breath, I told him to sit back on his heels. Going back to the headboard, I tightened the rope attached to the cuffs on my Boys wrists. I tightened until his chest rose up and forward, arms pulled high over his as he sat on his heels.

  “Now, my Boy, you can’t move. You look beautiful. Look at how well you’re doing.”