Primal Nature

by Monique Singleton

  Ten minutes later they were in the familiar car headed back to the small town. Neither spoke. Tonal stared out of the window. She had expected Ortiz to get violent, but not so soon. It took all her restraint not to kill him, no matter what the consequences. There had been no way that she could have escaped from the restraints, killed both men and not make a sound. So this time she just had to bear the abuse.

  Dulce was still in shock. Seeing her friend strung up and helpless, or at the least pretending to be, was so alien to her that the truth of the danger they were in finally sank in. On one level she had seen the mission as a kind of adventure. Yes, they had a job to do, but she had not expected the price to be so high. She shivered at the thought of what was yet to come. Her own safety, her own sanity, was not so evident and secure anymore. She had seen how the mercenaries and especially Croc looked at her, but had dismissed the acute danger, sure in her conviction that Tonal would not let that happen. That Ortiz would stop the threat to please his new love. What had happened last night shattered her security, shattered her conviction. Everything was possible now.

  Once back at the hotel, they packed in silence and continued their travel to the secure compound where they knew they were relatively safe. It was swept for bugs on a daily basis, and within reason they were safe. They could not talk as freely as in the Partisan’s compound, but free enough that Dulce could finally voice her feelings.

  ‘Are you all right?’ she inquired softly. Tonal had not said a word more than absolutely necessary the whole trip. Sitting in the reclining chair with a stiff drink in her hand she answered.

  ‘No, I don’t think so, but I’ll heal.’ She lifted her head to look at Dulce and saw the worry and compassion in her friends face and also the insecurity. She shrugged her shoulders, regained her composure—for Dulce’s sake—and answered. ‘I don’t know, maybe the drugs, or the booze. He went over the edge sooner than I had anticipated. Caught me by surprise.’ She refrained from mentioning Croc and what she believed happened in the early hours of the morning.

  They had to continue. There was no turning back now. So, she picked herself up and got down to business. Things would get a lot worse before they got better, that she knew for certain.

  ‘Ok’ she leaned over the table, shuffling through the maps and floor plans of Ortiz’s fortress. When she found the floor plan she was looking for she queried Dulce. ‘What did you find out?’

  Reassured by the way Tonal took control again, Dulce told her about the rooms she had visited and the servants she had spoken with. There was a general feeling of dread amongst the people who worked in the villa. Frankly they were scared to death of both Ortiz and the mercenaries. The lions were their least worry. At least they had predictable behaviour.

  CHAPTER SIXTY-FOUR

  It was too much.

  I couldn’t stand the feelings and emotions that were bombarding me.

  I felt so utterly soiled, humiliated.

  I wanted to kill Ortiz, in an exceptionally painful and—for me—satisfying way.

  In his absence I wanted to kill someone else.

  Anyone would do. I was so out of it. Trying desperately to keep control of my mind. I felt reason and sanity slip away, a red haze sliding over my eyes and thoughts.

  My dreams were violent. The sheets shredded every morning, witnesses to my troubled nightmares.

  It was easy to play my role. I shouted and ranted at everyone, including Dulce. I was frightening her. She knew what had happened with Ortiz and correctly linked it to my obnoxious behaviour. But she didn’t know about Croc, had no idea about the memories that had resurfaced from the lab. She had no idea of the extent of my anger.

  ‘Tonal’ her voice was soft, careful. ‘Are you alright?’ I had just thrown a tantrum and broken all the glassware and crockery at the dining table. The cook and maid had fled the room trembling and crying. One of the guards stuck his head around the door to see what was happening, he was rewarded with the empty bottle of wine that I threw at him, barely missing him full face. Slamming the door, he retreated behind its relative safety.

  Clenching my fists, I tried to lower the level of tension, look through the red at Dulce. She kept her distance, her attention on my hands. I followed her gaze and saw that my hands were bleeding, the claws had pierced the skin. With sheer will power I forced my hands open, forced the claws to recede. The bleeding stopped instantly, the wounds closing. I must have looked frightening.

  ‘I need to leave.’ I managed to say. ‘I need to change.’ Not having to add the “or else.” It was obvious. I would snap.

  ‘I’ll say that you’re sick. That you don’t want to leave your room.’ She took control, I was so grateful I could have kissed her. But the abject fear in her eyes stopped me from moving any closer.

  It was necessary. I would leave tonight. Go into the jungle and relieve all the anger that was threatening to overwhelm me.

  I had to get myself back on track.

  Three hours later, in the early hours of the night, I changed and left the villa’s grounds. The guards were focused on not letting anyone in—no one saw me leave.

  The villa was in the countryside and I was under the cover of the jungle within minutes. The sounds and smells soothed me instantly. I ran and ran, feeling the soft undergrowth under the pads of my paws. The full moon shone on my fur, making me feel part of the night. I roared, scaring anything and anyone within a ten-mile radius.

  This was the release that I thought I’d craved. Still the red haze persisted, I needed to kill something. Feast on the forest as I had done so many times before. I stopped my head-on crashing through the jungle and switched to stealth mode. I padded through the trees, looking for the scent or tell-tale signs of prey, something that was big enough to satisfy my hunger, and if possible strong enough to offer a challenge.

  In the undergrowth I found the scent of small mammals, peccaries and small deer. I was looking for something else.

  The sand around a pool of water gave me what I wanted. This was the territory of a large caiman. A formidable adversary, but one without a hope in hell today.

  I padded down to the water and waited. My presence would already have been noticed and the animal would be torn between hunting urges and uncertainty because of my unusual scent. Brashly entering the water, I decided to bring the fight to him. Sure enough, the gauntlet was picked up and a big black caiman glided through the water towards me. He understood that this was a territory thing and attacked.

  The fight was short and sweet.

  He didn’t stand a chance. Barely grazing me with his teeth, he never managed to get a hold. My teeth tore into his body as I manoeuvred myself up over his back. Growling I closed my jaws around the top of his head, my immense canines crashed through his skull and killed him instantly as they entered his small brain.

  I dragged the caiman to the shore.

  He was big; at least four metres from head to the tip of his tail. I flipped him over and started feasting on the soft underbelly. The internal organs like the liver were my first treat, and I finished with the massive muscles of the tail. My hunger was sated.

  But still something was missing.

  I cleaned myself in the pool. I tried to wash off the dirty feeling I had carried with me since my last visit to Ortiz. It wasn’t enough. I would need to find another way of exorcising the images and the feelings of disgust.

  Moving out of the water I walked back into the jungle, leaving the carcass for the scavengers. I travelled all-night and part of the morning. Without a conscious decision about the direction, I just kept going. I rested most of the afternoon and continued in the dusk and darkness. At just over midnight I reached where I had been unconsciously heading—the Partisans compound.

  Softly circumventing the guards, I padded over to Alex’s quarters. This was my destination.

  I had to see him. Feel him near, feel his love, let him cleanse me.

  Pushing the downstairs window further open with my snout I softly j
umped the short hurdle and landed in his bedroom. Only now hoping that he was alone. Otherwise it would get embarrassing.

  He had heard the thud of my paws on the floor and sat up in bed, groping for his gun on the side table.

  I changed.

  ‘It’s me.’ I said in the husky voice that was always the result of the change.

  ‘Tonal?’ he put down the gun, making sure the safety was back on.

  ‘Yes.’ I stayed where I was, just inside the window. Not knowing what to do. He got up and moved to me, his arms outstretched.

  ‘Are you all right?’ he asked worried. ‘Dulce?’

  ‘Dulce is ok, nothing’s wrong.’ I answered his unspoken fear.

  He hugged me close. Sensing my struggle. His arms felt good and slowly I thawed. My hands came up and I hugged him back. I felt the warm skin of his naked back. Let my hands slip lower to his buttocks. So, he slept in the nude, I thought, how convenient. Raising my head, I sought his mouth, kissing him fiercely. He responded. No questions asked. Gave me what I wanted.

  Alex picked me up and carried me to the bed where he lay me down on the clean sheets. I wouldn’t let him go and he tumbled down on top of me. Kissing me as he fell.

  We explored each other’s bodies hungrily. Not staying long on any specific limb, too anxious and impatient to do anything else. He entered me and once again I felt the instant release.

  This was how it should be, not the debasing act that Ortiz defiled me with, but the love that Alex had. The all-consuming fire that raged from him, that sought to please me and make me whole.

  It worked.

  We climaxed together and fell back spent.

  It had been rougher than the last time. But full of fire and passion. Full of emotion.

  We lay in silence. He held me in his arms and softly kissed the top of my head. ‘Are you alright?’ he asked finally.

  ‘I am now.’

  ‘I’m glad to have you here. Tonal, but what happened?’ I sighed. Had I thought that I would be able to avoid explaining my sudden appearance—my strange manner? I gave him the censored version. It was enough. I could feel him tense as I circumvented the details. He was filling them in himself.

  ‘My poor love.’ He whispered. Feeling my hurt. Mirroring my anger at the bastard. I could feel tears welling at the side of my eyes. Crying was something I had not done in decades. Now it felt as a release. Lying in Alex’s arms I let myself go. Softly sobbing away, not only what had happened with Ortiz, but everything that I had bottled up all those years. He joined me in the cleansing. I could feel the depth of his emotion, of his love for me. It felt warm, comforting.

  We stayed this way all night. As close as humanly possible. At one moment we slowly and softly made love again. The action natural and without active thought. It just felt good.

  I knew that I would be sorry later, but I just let myself ride the moment. Let myself enjoy the feeling of belonging.

  ‘I have to leave.’ I said as the first hesitant rays of the rising sun heralded the nearing dawn. He nodded but didn’t release me from his arms. I was hesitant too, it was too comfortable. But I needed to go before the compound woke up and I was discovered.

  I also needed to get back to the villa. What if Ortiz tried to contact me? How would Dulce be able to handle that without making him suspicious? Reluctantly I disentangled myself from his arms and left the bed. Good thing I didn’t have to dress, I was in a hurry. Dawn came quickly so close to the equator and I needed to get back into the jungle.

  He sat and watched me change.

  ‘I love you.’ He said as a parting gift.

  I couldn’t answer him in this form, maybe that was one of the reasons that I had change so quickly. Coward that I am.

  He smiled anyway. I turned and leapt out of the window. Softly landing on the dry sand outside. Hoping no one would notice the paw prints that went in and out of Alex’s bedroom. Oh well, that was his problem now. Knowing Alex, he would probably enjoy that.

  I loped back through the jungle and reached the villa in the deep of the next night. The caiman had been enough to sustain me until I returned back to human form in my room. Dulce was lying on the sofa next to the bed, softly snoring. She had waited for me to return. I felt terrible putting her through the anxiety of whether I would return and in what state.

  I picked her up, laid her on the bed and pulled the covers over her.

  What I needed now was a shower. Closing the door to the bathroom behind me I stepped into the cubicle and stood under the rain shower for more than ten minutes, alternating between hot and cold water. It invigorated me.

  The water and Alex had expelled my dark mood, my blood-lust. The caiman and the jungle had also helped. Once again, I was focused. The only nagging thought that I had once again played with Alex’s feelings. That I had been so ultimately selfish, was once again leading him on. But that was something I would deal with after the mission. After all he hadn’t needed much convincing. That brought a smile to my lips.

  ‘Tonal, is that you?’ the water had woken Dulce.

  ‘Yes, it’s me.’

  ‘You ok?’

  ‘Yeah, everything is back to normal.’

  CHAPTER SIXTY-FIVE

  They had relative peace for almost two more weeks. Then the dreaded summons came; Ortiz wanted her to come. So, she complied.

  He was happy to see her, even gave her flowers and a pretty little kitten. That was new.

  The evening was pleasant and friendly, but late at night the real Ortiz surfaced again. He had a new toy that completely incapacitated her over a barrel like contraption. She was fastened to it and had to stay in one position for the whole night, her muscles screaming out for relief. This time he didn’t visibly hurt or damage her. ‘I need you without blemish tomorrow’ was his only explanation.

  Croc didn’t try anything this time, she was not blindfolded or gagged, so the risk was much too great. Once again Dulce was summoned to free and help her mistress after Ortiz and his lackey left the room. Barking orders at the handmaiden, Tonal was fully into her role.

  She spent the day relaxing at the side of the pool, playing with the kitten and occasionally taking a dive into the cool water. Dulce remained at her beck and call, as was expected.

  Around four in the afternoon she was joined by Ortiz, his soft hand-kiss in contrast to his administrations of the past night. He was obviously pleased at how she looked in the miniscule bikini.

  ‘Very beautiful and effective, my dear’ he indicated the minute pieces of material.

  ‘Thank you, I bought it especially for you’ she cooed. He expected her to enjoy everything that he did to her, maybe not at that moment, but definitely in retrospect. So, she played along.

  ‘This evening we have important guests, my dear.’ He sat in the deck chair next to her, accepting the offered cocktail from the white dressed servant. ‘People who can be beneficial to me and my cause.’ He didn’t elaborate, and she knew better than to ask. He made small talk, queried her about her business, how she had spent the days they had been apart. He even seemed interested. Responding to his friendly banter she spun the yarn that she and Dulce cultivated so carefully. Her business was doing well, she had been shopping, her answers were enthusiastic, and he responded as any other boyfriend would.

  Around them, servants bustled hanging up garlands of fresh flowers, cleaning every possible surface, setting tables and stocking bars. A platform had been raised near the wall that separated the lions from the villa. Here music instruments were placed and tested. Whatever it was that was planned, it was big. Security was even tougher than normal. Croc was engaged in heated discussions with the many mercenaries that dotted the compound. There were more than usual. They had even had a makeover and looked somewhat close to respectable—for a mercenary that is.

  A stern looking man arrived with a contingent of muscle dressed in black. He summoned Croc to his side and proceeded to check the already high level of security. This was the vanguard for
the VIP that would be there this evening. It had to be someone very high up on the ladder to get everyone so riled up. Ortiz on the other hand was relaxed, at least on the outside.

  ‘When does the party start?’ Tonal enquired. ‘I want to look my best for you, so I will need time.’

  ‘You are so beautiful that I cannot imagine that you would need more than five minutes’ he answered. ‘We start at seven, dinner is at nine. I have a present for you, something I know you will like.’ Standing up he took her hand and steered her in the direction of the villa. Holding his hand over her eyes for drama, they walked into the bedroom. On a dressmaker’s dummy she saw the most stunning dress she had ever seen. It was full length, with splits high up on one side and all the way up to the shoulder on the other, a golden chain strategically holding the sides together. Soft cream with lace and shimmer, it was beautiful. Her intake of breath, and the sheer pleasure that she managed to produce in her eyes was what Ortiz had wanted.

  ‘It is beautiful, I have never seen anything like it’ she exclaimed, reaching to touch the soft material. ‘It’s made of air, so soft, so light.’ Turning around she jumped into his arms. ‘Thank you, my love, it is so special’ she cried.

  His eyes sparkled ‘How special?’ he asked. Understanding what he implied, she slowly sank down to the ground and opened his pants, freeing his cock. Taking it in her mouth she gave him the best blowjob he had ever had, completely living up to his expectations. After he climaxed all over her hair and face, Ortiz thanked her—another first—and left her to bath and make herself beautiful. He had indicated that he would send for her, so that she could make a grand entrance.

  Dulce appeared and helped her get ready for the party. Tonal wanted to quiz her whether she’d heard who the mystery guest was but didn’t dare ask outright. Her friend had tried to find out, but none of the servants were aware of who it was. They would just have to wait. Tonal was mulling over who it would be. It had to be someone very important, not only to Ortiz. The amount of security that had flooded the compound indicated that the mystery guest was at the least very rich. That much muscle costs a fortune. The most compelling reason that indicated the importance was how Croc was acting. He deferred to the chief security officer of the visitor without a flinch. Totally out of character.