by Nancy Glynn
“Whatever you wish...Jack, Damien, Beast. You see, my mother was a jackal so I prefer Jack,” he smirked.
“Okay, Beast it is,” she smirked back.
“Oh, but I do love your humor, Daisy. Perhaps our son will have his mother’s humor as well? He’ll also be a handsome devil,” he chortled.
She closed her eyes to dismiss him.
“Very well, I’ll leave you alone. Don’t be frightened by the scurrying sounds on the floor. They’re only rats. Hopefully they don’t crawl up on the bed while you’re sleeping.”
She remained silent, not giving him the satisfaction. Inside she was retching.
With the sound of wings flapping and feeling the wind hit her face, he was gone.
Opening her eyes, she heaved a sigh of relief. She scanned the floor for anything moving. When she turned her head, red gems fell out of her hair to the floor. A gift from her meadow girls. A red rose also lay at her feet. She smiled.
The thought of going to Black Twenty-One brought her joy. She would see Christian. If Jack was telling the truth, she would have him forever. Even if she had to give birth to his demon son, she would do it. He already won by making her immortal. What did it matter anymore?
God still lived in her.
Hot semen oozed down her leg onto the mattress. She turned her head to the left and vomited. Dry heaves choked her body until she expelled all gastric contents, whatever was left in there.
***
When Daisy opened her eyes, she glanced down and saw she had fresh, pink, silk pants pajamas on. Someone had changed her in her sleep. The vomit was gone, the smell of fresh linen hitting her. Probably one of his maids, perhaps Elizabeth again?
She still remained tied to the bed, her arms aching to relax.
“Lord, give me the strength to get through this,” she prayed. “Guide me in every step. Don’t let him win,” she whispered.
An apparition appeared almost in a fog. She felt the bed sag under their weight but couldn’t make out a face. “Daisy, can you hear me?”
“Who’s there?”
The face came in sharper...green eyes, red hair. “Mom?”
“It’s me, darling. I can’t stay long because he’ll find me. I just want you to know how proud I am of you. You’re stronger than I ever was, and with your father’s gifts, you can do amazing things,” she whispered loud enough for her to understand her.
“I feel so alone. I have these gifts I have no idea how to use,” she cried. “I know some things, but I’m sure there’s so much more.”
“Go inside and you will find all you’re looking for. If you concentrate hard enough, you can free your hands without him knowing. You can do lots of things. He’s still afraid of you. He knows no matter what he does, he can’t steal that light in you. He can only control externals. I’m glad you found that special place to hide when he’s violating you. I used to do that, too,” Rose admitted.
“He also...with you?”
“Yes. Especially after I would return from church. He’d find his way in my room at night when your father, Richard, was slaving away at work in his dear office. I told Mark, and he instructed me to go to this place where it was safe. Deep down, your soul already knew about it, being Mark’s daughter, and brought you there,” she smiled, picking up the red rose and smelling it, and putting it to Daisy’s nose to share the beauty.
Daisy inhaled the smell. “I have so many questions to ask you,” she said.
“I need to go, he’s coming. Remember, be brave until the end, my sweet girl,” she said, slipping away.
“The end? What’s the end?”
But she was gone.
Jack sauntered through the door archway, smiling that smile with his insatiable appetite. “Like the pajamas?” he asked.
She stared silently for a moment to show she was in charge before giving him his answer. “Yes, they’re lovely. Thank you,” she said tersely.
“You’re welcome, my beautiful Daisy. You can have a different color every night of silk or satin, if you wish. But for now, they’ll need to come off. I want to ravish you again,” his voice husky. “This time, you’ll be more compliant,” he instructed.
“How don’t I get pregnant?” she asked.
“I say when I want that to happen. Besides, you’re not ovulating right now. Your body is syncing with my needs, so you’ll ovulate when the time’s right. Are you anxious to become with child?” he asked, cocking his brow.
She found the words that would please him. She nodded vigorously. “Oh, yes. That’ll be wonderful. I can’t wait for our life together...Jack,” she swallowed bile back down as she spit the words out.
Her words did indeed please him. His sex took on a life of its own, as he mounted her once again.
***
This time, blood trickled down her leg along with his semen. She could see it stain the sheets. He promised to have them changed tonight, along with fresh pajamas after asking her what color she would like.
It felt raw and bruised, evidence of his overexcitement. The whole bed had moved with his pounding against her flesh, stone crumbling down the walls like an earthquake.
She had forced herself to seem just as excited, moaning in her body as her soul skipped through the meadows, waiting for it to end.
Only a body, only a body. It wasn’t who she was. Easily detachable. Only flesh.
“Hello, m’lady. Let’s get you out of that mess, shall we?" Elizabeth returned with a warm smile. She untied the straps and helped her with ease, noting Daisy was weak and sore. “There’s a restroom down the ways if you can walk,” she said, handing her blue pajamas this time.
“Thank you, Elizabeth. You’re always so kind to me. I’ll manage." She hobbled down to the bathroom and closed the door.
She screamed at her reflection. Scratches and bite marks covered her neck, breasts, arms, and belly. “Oh, my God,” she said, shaking.
Closing her eyes, she repeated in her mind. “I am healed, I am healed, I am healed." She ran her hands over her skin, feeling the marks disappear one by one. Even the vaginal wounds healed.
She opened her eyes and they were gone. “It’s all an illusion, just a body. This is not who I am,” she stated to the mirror. A deep knowing arose, data coming forth.
A smug smile curved her lips as she threw on the satin nightwear.
***
Steak and potatoes awaited her on a blue tray lined in Irish lace, as well as peach cobbler in a bowl. Yellow roses mixed with daisies in a Waterford crystal vase adorned a nightstand next to her bed.
She slid in and pulled the tray to be level over her lap and dug in. Hunger consumed her and she ate everything placed before her. So what if he was wooing her. She decided to allow the rest of her stay here be as pleasant as possible, as impossible as that seemed.
Maybe he would let her hands be free for the duration. Maybe she would beat him at his own game. Just maybe.
As usual, he made his way to her at midnight, his favorite time. “You look even more beautiful than the last time I saw you, Daisy. Enjoy your meal?" He sat on the bed.
“I did. And also thank you for the flowers. They’re gorgeous,” she returned his smile.
“Almost as gorgeous as you are. I see you cleaned up nicely." He cast his eyes to her smooth skin.
She gave a subtle nod.
“When I think of what our child will be able to accomplish with your gifts and me as his father, it brings me immense gratification. It makes me desire you even more than I’ve ever desired any woman,” he said in that husky voice. His eyes turned yellow, his pupils enlarging.
“Yes, my love. Come to me,” she said, pushing Daisy way down to a place she couldn’t see or feel.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Christian ran down the stairs to the banging on the front door after he buzzed him through the gate. “Eric, what the hell?”
“He has her, Chris. Jack has Daisy,” he panted, bent over to catch his breath. He stepped inside and closed the door.
&
nbsp; “What’re you talking about?”
Eric told him everything up to when he had lost her in the forest. “When this storm came through, I couldn’t see anything. I clung to a tree until it ended. I heard her call out to me but couldn’t find her,” he said, running his hand through his hair.
“Wait, you brought her back here?” Christian narrowed his eyes and felt heat singe his skin.
“She wanted to help Bessie find Leon. I’m not sure if she did or not, but I do know she was gone when the winds calmed down. I want to die. I really messed up this time and now he has her, doing God knows what to her,” he sank his face in his hands and sobbed, his chest heaving to his pain.
Christian wanted to scream at Eric, but knew it was useless. He was already torturing himself over this. Pain heavily inflicted the man’s eyes. He patted his back instead. “We’ll find her. I know you would never want this. Calm down and let’s think this through.”
William walked out of his office with concern in his eyes. “What’s wrong, son?”
“Daisy’s gone, Dad." He repeated Eric’s story to him as his father listened intently.
“So you think Jack is behind this?”
“He has to be,” Christian said.
Eric patted his pockets, looking for something. “I found this in the leaves,” he said, pulling out her cross.
William turned away from the offensive sparkle.
“So he has complete power over her now,” Christian said in a resigned voice.
Eric nodded, placing it back in his pocket. “Do you think he would bring her back to his house? Would he be that obvious?”
William spoke up. “I know Jack still plans on having Daisy at Black Twenty-One. What he plans to do with her I’m not quite sure, so if he does have her, she’ll be there with him on his arm for the whole town to see.”
“So, you’re saying to sit it out until September Fifth?” Christian asked, astonished.
“You have no choice, son. Have faith in her. I wish I would have in my Lana.”
“Chris, it’s only a week. If I know Daisy, she’s handling Jack just fine. Her love for you is stronger than anything he can do to her, believe me,” Eric said, wiping his glasses and putting them back on.
“Fine. But if anything happens to her, I’ll never forgive myself,” Christian said.
Charlotte strolled in from the kitchen and walked to Christian, tugging her arm through his. “What’s all this talk? Please don’t tell me it’s about Daisy. I’m sick of hearing about her, Christian,” she pouted.
“I’ll see you later, Chris. Take care, Mr. Stone,” Eric said, glancing at Charlotte and shaking his head in disgust.
“Okay. Later, Eric,” Christian responded. He closed the door behind Eric and turned to Charlotte. “You don’t get to tell me whom I can talk about, understand?”
William chuckled, walking back to his office.
“Well, I’m the one you’re marrying so you better get over her or I’ll–”
“You’ll what? Cast another spell on her? Draw more messages on her mirror? That’s right, she told me all about it. Go to your room, Charlotte. I’m done here,” he dismissed her.
She spun around and stomped up the stairs to her room.
***
Daisy lay in the dark, trying not to remember their last session. She almost felt like two people.
It was as if he were trying to see how far he could go with her body, how far the damage he could do to her that she couldn’t heal.
But she always did. There was nothing he could do to change the depth of her soul.
She washed up and changed, again, and lay back down. He seemed to forget about her wrists being tied up, so she never had to try to sneak out. She seemed to have gained his trust by playing his game.
Her eyes adjusted to the darkness, but she knew there were sconces on the wall that held torches. Concentrating as hard as she could, she inhaled air into her lungs and then exhaled, lighting the torches for her to see.
The whole room was ablaze in firelight, casting shadows on the brick walls. She loved doing little things like that, always had fun when she was a teenager. She never understood why or how back then, but she did now.
Someone clapped slowly at first and then faster.
“Who’s there?” she asked.
“My, my, my but you are the gifted one, aren’t you?" Charlotte’s dark eyes glowed through the shadows. She stepped closer and her face contorted into some monstrous creature. “I really abhor you, Daisy Lock,” her demonic voice dripped in pure hatred.
Daisy took a deep breath and calmed herself, steadying her heartbeat, showing no fear. “I was never really that fond of you, either, Charlotte.”
Charlotte hissed. “How’d you like fucking Jack? Isn’t he glorious? And that tongue of his! He used to love to fuck me until you came back into his life. His dream girl,” she cackled. “He taught me everything I know. The pleasure I give to Christian is indescribable, as he puts it. You’d never measure up, sweet little Daisy.”
“Charlotte...go to hell,” she smirked.
She lunged at Daisy, but Daisy sat up and raised her hand in a choke-like clutch, raising it up to the ceiling without ever touching Charlotte.
The force of her strength lifted Charlotte off the ground and held her in mid-air, her black eyes bulging, clawing at her neck to breathe. Her feet dangled and kicked until Daisy decided to loosen her invisible grip to allow air back in her lungs, and slowly place her back down, but Charlotte fought so much that she fell to the ground in a heap.
Daisy cried out and jumped off the bed to see if she was still alive. She placed her finger to the carotid artery and didn’t feel a pulse. The lifeless body lay there at Daisy’s feet. She killed Charlotte. How was she going to live with that? In all her life she never imagined killing anyone.
A female voice vocalized in her head. “It was self-defense, darling. Forgive yourself.”
She wiped her tears away and felt Jack’s presence in the room with her.
Jack sighed. “You’ve killed poor Charlotte. I guess you did Christian a favor, but she was good in bed. I had taught her well. Guard!” he snapped his fingers and the same guard came and swooped her up over his shoulder.
She sniffled and narrowed her eyes. “Someone just died, and you talk about your carnal history with them?” her voice in hysterics.
“She’s not really dead, you see. Her soul is trapped in another part of my home. That’s where dirty souls like that go. I can hear her screaming now,” he said, cupping his ear. “It’s a lovely sound. The sound of horror and despair,” he grinned, proud of himself. “I’ll sleep well tonight listening to that.”
Daisy slid back into bed and pulled the blankets up, praying she didn’t hear her scream during the night. She caught that hunger in his eyes again. “Please, Jack. Can I just go to sleep? You don’t really want me to make love when I’m feeling like this, do you?” she pleaded.
He exhaled deeply. “Very well. I’ll let you rest. You will have to show me how you do that with your hand, though. That was brilliant,” he teased, clapping.
“You saw that?”
“Yes, and it was fascinating. You would think you were my daughter. You were truly in your element, Daisy. Until tomorrow, my love,” and he was gone.
***
Whenever Daisy closed her eyes, she saw Charlotte pacing in a small dark room with other dark shadows, pulling her hair out and mumbling incoherently.
Charlotte would turn to the ceiling and clasp her hands together as if in prayer. “Daisy, please help me! You put me here! I need to be free!”
In Daisy’s mind, she spoke to Charlotte. “You need to come clean. You need to love yourself enough to turn to the Light.”
“I can’t do that. I’m not sure I’ll be welcomed there,” she answered in a frightened voice.
“You’ll always be welcomed.”
She shook her dark head and continued to pace.
“Charlotte, it’s th
e only way. Otherwise, you’ll be held in his prison for eternity. When you’re brave enough, go to the Light,” Daisy ordered. She felt she owed her that much.
She also wondered how many others dwelled in that dark place. Didn’t Jack say that’s where the dirty souls go? Did he have a whole netherworld for them? Of course he did.
Daisy opened her eyes to release the image. Charlotte’s hell would not meld into her own. She needed to build strength for the ball.
After drifting off to sleep, she found herself as a young girl back in her bed, but with her adult mind. She sat up and looked around her old pink room. She could hear her father’s and Gloria’s strained voices in the other room. Looking down at her young body in her white nightgown, with her budding breasts, her eyes widened.
It was dark except for a night light on her wall near her canopied bed. Her purring cat, Lily, lay at her feet curled up in her usual ball. She missed her cat that had mysteriously disappeared a couple of years later.
Lying back down against her plush pillows, feeling her wet hair in a braid to the right side of her head, she stared at the ceiling. She remembered now she had just knelt at her bedside praying and then had slid back into bed. She was counting to some unknown number for some unknown reason...thirty-five, thirty-six, thirty-seven...all the way to fifty she got.
Slowly, very slowly, her blankets began to inch down her body, her heart beating harder, faster, squeezing her eyes shut before peeking. Her body trembled as the blankets got to her feet, pushing the cat off the bed. Lily growled, with her white hair standing on its ends, hissing at something Daisy’s little eyes couldn’t see.
“No,” she said in a small voice, shaking her head. “Go away,” she pleaded.
The somewhat ajar door closed quietly. Jack appeared, his crystal blue eyes shining in the darkened room. “I just want to lay with you, Daisy, like we always do." He climbed on top of her little body, pinning her to her bed. His hand gently covered her mouth to cover her scream, as his other one ran down her young body, breathing heavily.
