The Silver Cage

by Mathilde Madden

  Leon moved his mouth. He licked Iris’s cheek and then bit her chin. It shattered the fantasy. Iris was suddenly aware of what this was. Who it was. ‘Alfie fucked you?’ she gasped, still bleary, confused by it.

  ‘Yeah. At first we were locked up with him for days, with nothing much else to do. How do you think we spent the time?’

  ‘I thought he was thralled to the Divine?’

  ‘Yeah, well, she liked that at first. Let him. Then it changed. Now she has him in these spelled irons. He can’t touch himself. She comes in and touches him, but doesn’t let him come. She wants to build up his jizz for something. I don’t know . . .’ Leon was breathing heavily as he spoke, clearly turned on by the memories. Memories of seeing Alfie turned on, close to orgasm. Iris knew how hot that was. His big body arching, going taut, his nipples hard, his mouth open. ‘Just before I escaped. That was the last time he fucked me. God, he’s a vicious fuck. Hard, isn’t he? Nasty with it.’

  Leon found Iris’s cunt through her trousers and stroked the seam of fabric that covered the seam of her.

  Iris pressed herself into his touch, thinking of Alfie. The way Alfie liked to fuck. Hard. Animal. Wolf inside. She was sure he would have been even rougher with Leon.

  She thought of their two snarling mouths. Alfie. Leon. Savage. Kissing for dominance. She was bucking in Leon’s hands now. ‘What did he do?’ she whispered.

  ‘He fucked me. Then he took my cock down his throat. God, he’s so good. He’s defined by sex. After him, what is there? What can there ever be?’

  Iris moaned. ‘He fucks so hard. Like he can’t help but fuck hard. He’s just so big. Big. Bad. Wolf. Each of his fingers inside me feels like an entire cock. I like his hands in me. In my cunt. In my mouth.’

  Leon rolled off Iris and she moved on top of him, kissing his chest. Leon was moaning. ‘When he pushed up into me . . . God. He was like a lost part of me. I wanted him so much. For so long. I waited . . .’

  Iris was on the brink of tears. She licked at one of Leon’s nipples. ‘He came inside you?’ she asked.

  Leon met her eyes, his own gold-tinged ones glittering a kind of understanding. ‘You want to see if you can still taste him?’

  Iris nodded. Leon rolled over.

  She took his jeans and underwear down, battling against them, clumsy with lust. Eager, frantic, she ran her tongue over the curve and the line of Leon’s arse. Moving along, and down, and dipping inside. She twisted her tongue against the tight little ring of his anus. He moaned with pleasure and her mind was full of Alfie fucking him. She forced her tongue inside.

  He tasted like darkness and moss. Iris’s torch had gone out now. But the sky outside was navy blue not black. Dawn was coming. She didn’t know if she imagined it or not, but suddenly, in that magical space, not night, not day, she felt him. Alfie. The scent of him all over her as she pushed her tongue into Leon.

  But he wasn’t here. Iris was crying. It was too much. Everything was splintering, falling apart. Alfie had told her once that after she had rejected him he had tried to fuck her out of his system. Now she felt like she was doing the same. Except – just as Alfie claimed had happened with him – every fuck just reminded her how much she missed him. After a few moments she moved off Leon and got on to her knees, supporting herself on the side of the bed. ‘Fuck me now, Alfie,’ she whispered.

  Leon climbed up and moved over her, covering her back with his body. He was fucking her before she even thought it. Not Alfie. Leon. And then he was at her ear. Nasty. ‘You’re never going to see him again, though, bitch,’ he snarled.

  ‘Tell me where he is, Leon,’ Iris sobbed, her voice muffling as she buried her head down in the bedclothes.

  ‘You’re never going to see him again. He’s my sire. You’re nothing. Nothing. He never loved you like he loved me. Wolves are for wolves. Everyone knows that. You were there when the Beast got him. If you were even worthy, he’d have taken you then. If the Beast had bitten you that night, think how different it would have all been. The two of you could have headed up a pack. But you weren’t bitten. You’re not a wolf. Not worthy.’ Leon grunted, thrust hard and came.

  Iris didn’t know where she was for a second. Then there was Leon. She could feel him now. His body over her, smaller, tighter than Alfie’s. How could she have ever fooled herself?

  He was still panting.

  Almost everything Iris knew about fighting was about finding the gaps. The perfect space to attack. The off-guard moment.

  She rolled around underneath him and punched him hard in the face. He went back and hit his head on the floor.

  And then he didn’t move.

  33

  BLAKE WAS STANDING over Vikram, his sword point jabbing at Vikram’s throat. ‘Dawn’s coming, vampire. Or shall I just take your head off? Save you from a burning?’

  Vikram sighed. ‘Oh, God, OK. Damn, is there anyone who can’t figure out I’m a vamp from one look at me? I thought I passed quite well. I haven’t fooled anyone.’

  ‘Try Alfie Friday, when you find him. He can often be fooled over what day of the week it is.’

  ‘Huh.’ Vikram gave a sly, shaky grin. ‘Friday, huh? Iris is your ex and she’s Friday’s woman. I’m not surprised you don’t like him much.’

  ‘I like him fine. Me and him, we’re best pals. We get together for a beer some nights and talk about how best to make Iris scream for her mama. Just saying he’s kind of meaty all over.’ Blake shrugged and watched the point of his sword jolt against Vikram’s skin.

  ‘Iris is a bit of a hoodlum, isn’t she? You like strong women, do you?’

  ‘Well . . . Like with like, you know. I like women who can match me. I screwed a witch once,’ Blake said, ‘tied her down to her bed and stuck my dick in her mouth then fucked her hard and made her tell me how much she loved it.’

  Vikram snort-laughed. ‘Yeah? You expect me to believe that with you standing there with all your limbs and your head on the right way round. You do something like that to a witch – you don’t walk away. Not recognisably human.’

  Blake sniffed. ‘Yeah, well, this is a rather unusual witch. Anyway, I’ve got some good news for you, vamp. I’ve decided not to kill you. I’ll let you live, even give you enough time to get back to your big car before the sun comes up. But I do have some conditions.’

  ‘Anything.’

  ‘One.’ Blake jabbed the point of the sword into Vikram’s crotch. ‘That filthy dick of yours – or any part of your cadaverous body – never touches my wife again. She doesn’t need another dirty paranormal lover boy.’

  ‘I never had sexual intercourse with –’

  ‘Shut up now.’ Blake lifted the sword and slashed it diagonally across Vikram’s face. The razor-sharp blade split the skin, just missing his right eye and left corner of his mouth. ‘Duelling scar. Nice.’

  Vikram whimpered, terrified. He didn’t even move his hand up to his face.

  ‘And don’t think I can’t feel your vile psyche powers in my brain right now, because I can. And I’m not telling you a damn thing. You might be a vamp, but right now you work for me, unless you want me to cut this off. What’d happen if I did, vampire, if I chopped your dead cock off? Would it grow back?’

  ‘I really don’t know,’ Vikram said, his voice sounding twisted.

  ‘I should check that out.’

  Vikram went pale.

  ‘Oh, I don’t mean on you, dead-boy. I just meant I ought to know that. I should look it up. There must have been experiments. But, anyway, the other thing. You need to give Iris these.’

  Blake pulled a sheaf of papers from his pack and dropped them on to Vikram’s stomach.

  Vikram oofed as they landed and Blake dropped on to his knees next to him. ‘Hang on a minute,’ he muttered, pushing his crumpled brown overcoat out of the way and whisking a scrappy pen from the top pocket of his white coat. He scrawled something on one of the pages. Vikram brought his hand up to his face and poked at the slash Blake had made acros
s it.

  ‘Great,’ said Blake, as he straightened up and turned. ‘So give them to Iris, OK. See you then, Vik.’

  Blake started to walk away, listening to the sounds of Vikram sitting up, clutching at the papers as they slid down his chest into his lap, before scrambling to his feet.

  ‘What are all these?’ Vikram called after Blake.

  Blake didn’t look back. ‘Divorce papers.’

  ‘What? Do you want me to say anything?’

  ‘Tell her I’m sorry. The whole thing was a mistake. I should never have got in her way. She has a destiny, you know. And, for all the prophecies that are written about her, not one of them includes me.’

  34

  IRIS LOOKED AROUND as the cabin door burst open. Vikram stood there, his face bleeding.

  ‘Are you OK? Your face . . .?’ she said. ‘Is Blake with you?’

  ‘Blake’s gone. There was a bit of a scuffle. He gave me this. He got away.’

  Iris felt her shoulders drop. ‘Did you hurt him?’

  ‘God, no. I see you got the lyc.’

  ‘Oh,’ said Iris, ‘yeah.’

  Iris looked at Leon, who was lying on the bed, still unconscious. She’d managed to haul his jeans back on to his unmoving body – better not to have captured a naked werewolf, not with her growing reputation. He was still breathing, that was all she knew – can’t kill a werewolf that easily.

  Iris was holding her crossbow casually at her side. As Vikram approached the bed, she raised it to cover him.

  Vikram pulled a silver dagger from his belt and pressed the silver blade of it to Leon’s cheek.

  ‘Ah!’ Leon seemed to jolt right up into the air.

  Vikram sprang back. Iris repositioned the crossbow so the bolt was aimed right at Leon’s heart. All three of them were panting.

  ‘He won’t say,’ Iris said softly. ‘He says he’ll never tell us where Alfie is.’

  Vikram seemed to ignore her, not even looking round. ‘What are you doing here, werewolf?’

  Leon shrugged. ‘Alfie told me to get away. He knew you were trying to trace that chip in his arm. I ate it and ran away.’ He shrugged again.

  Iris felt sick. ‘Why?’ she said and her voice sounded strange, plaintive. ‘Why did Alfie do that?’

  ‘I was meant to get the chip as far away as I could. Out of the country even.’

  ‘But you didn’t. You came here. You wanted us to be able to follow you.’

  ‘He wanted me to find him,’ said Iris. ‘He wanted to kill me.’

  Leon was staring at Iris. He blinked. ‘Yeah, well, sorry about that. Seems I really don’t have the knack for killing werewolf hunters. Not like you do, Iris.’

  Iris felt herself bristle, but kept it together, feeling Vikram’s questioning eyes flick on to her for a second as he turned his head. ‘Just tell us where he is. We know it’s somewhere in London. Tell us.’

  ‘You’re never going to see him again, Iris,’ Leon said, manic with glee.

  Iris felt her bottom lip tremble slightly. Leon was her last hope. And Leon, she was so very certain, would rather be killed by her than let her be reunited with Alfie.

  ‘So you’d let him die?’ snapped Vikram. ‘You’d let your sire die, werewolf?’

  ‘Die? I’m not letting him die. The Divine will keep him as her consort. Don’t you know what he is? He’s ascended now. He’s not your cuddly boyfriend any more, bitch. He’s an Ancient Beast. The only one alive. Burning with power. And he’s close to the skin. You think she’d kill him? She’s taking him as consort for when she calls the wolves and they arise. He’s what she needs. And she’s what he needs.’ Leon narrowed his eyes at Iris. ‘They’re happy. And I’m a good cub. I’d do anything to keep my sire happy.’

  ‘No!’ Iris sprang across the room. She leapt on to the bed and straddled Leon. She pushed the bolt of the crossbow into his throat, and he screamed out as the silver touched him. ‘Tell me,’ she said, shaking. ‘Tell me where he is, motherfucker, or I will kill you right now.’

  ‘Iris.’ It was Vikram’s voice behind her.

  She felt his hand on her shoulder and turned. ‘Don’t try and fucking stop . . .’ Her voice trailed away. Vikram looked strange, scared. ‘Iris,’ he said again, his voice weaker, ‘the sun’s coming up.’

  Iris looked back down at Leon, still pinned under her thighs, looking confused. Boiling and bristling, she shoved her left hand into her pocket and pulled out a tranq dart. She shoved the point of it into Leon’s side without a thought and he slumped in seconds.

  She turned back to Vikram who was looking at her wildly. ‘This place isn’t light-proof enough,’ he garbled, fear on his face. ‘You’ve still got a few minutes. Ten, maybe, even, before I flame up. Get on the MCD to Cobalt and tell them to send a helicopter for you and Leon. There isn’t time to drive back. I’ll meet you back there.’

  ‘A helicopter? Fuck. They’d really send a helicopter?’

  ‘I think Erin Cobalt will decide this warrants it.’

  ‘OK,’ said Iris. ‘What about you? How are you going to . . .?’

  ‘I have ways to travel you wouldn’t understand.’

  ‘Vampires can teleport?’

  Vikram smiled. ‘Not exactly.’ And, without a pop or a fizz or anything at all, Vikram was gone, and in front of Iris was a small bat, hovering in the air precisely where Vikram’s face had been.

  35

  THE DIVINE OPENED the door of the cage. She had Alfie’s food and the bowl she always used to wash him. As she bent and began, she said nothing about his crushed hand. But after she had washed his face she leant in and kissed him delicately.

  Alfie moaned. He wanted her so much. His desire was endless. She let him kiss her as he wished, deep and greedy, struggling against his chained wrist.

  The Divine curled her fist around his eager hard cock. He gasped, greedy at the touch.

  At first he thought it was her usual morning tease, but as he got close, she whispered, ‘It’s time to start gathering, cub.’

  Alfie tipped his head back and rolled it against the bars. She’d said this before, made him think she was going to let him come and then changed her mind. And, just before he reached the point of no return, her hand stilled on his cock.

  ‘Sab,’ she said coolly, ‘attach the device.’

  Alfie opened his eyes a crack. This was new.

  Sabrina was standing just outside Alfie’s cage. He was so entranced by the Divine he hadn’t noticed her. She held something Alfie hadn’t seen before – a tangle of plastic tubing.

  Sabrina rounded the cage and sauntered inside, before coming to a halt between Alfie’s bare spread legs.

  ‘Put it on him,’ said the Divine.

  ‘OK, OK, you’re not my alpha, Divinia,’ Sabrina muttered.

  The thing in Sabrina’s hand was something like a condom and a cock ring. The ring was hinged, which was lucky, Alfie was so hard she would never have got it on him otherwise. A little polythene pouch, bigger and looser than a condom, covered his entire cock.

  Behind Alfie, the Divine said, ‘Good. Now move back so I can finish him.’

  The Divine’s hand covered Alfie’s cock again, gripping him over the pouch. She hissed, ‘You’re my consort now, Alfred. You may call me Divinia.’

  Her hand stopped moving and Alfie rolled his head to the side to look at her through the bars. ‘Uh, Divinia,’ he gasped.

  ‘Do you want me to let you come now, Alfred?’

  Alfie was panting, tugging at the cuff behind his back. ‘Uh, uh-huh.’

  ‘Well, you can. You will, I promise. But I need something from you first.’

  Alfie panted. ‘Anything. Anything, just let me come. God, how long have I been locked up in here like this?’

  ‘First,’ said Divinia, ‘I want you to say you never loved her. Say that you never loved that human woman.’

  ‘Huh?’ Alfie was thralled tightly to Divinia, but, even so, even with that, even after he’d chained her up in t
he cavern and left her there, this was difficult. Because he knew, even as Divinia was his heart and his centre now, he had loved Iris, once upon a time. He’d be lying. He bucked in her fist and she loosened her grip a little, so he felt nothing.

  ‘Come on, Alfie, say it. Say it and I’ll finish you. You know it’s true, anyway. A beautiful strong wolf like you could never have truly loved a filthy human.’

  And, oh, that, that made so much sense. ‘Yes,’ he whispered. ‘I never loved her.’

  ‘Again,’ Divinia said, her hand feeling like home as it moved on his cock.

  ‘I never loved her,’ he roared, just as Divinia brought him to his screaming desperate peak and the wolf came rushing up to meet him in his orgasm, held back only by the powerful magic of the Silver Cage.

  By the time he was lucid, Divinia had removed the device that had collected his semen. She was turning to leave the cage. ‘See you in thirty minutes, Alfred.’

  ‘Thirty minutes?’

  Divinia smiled. ‘Oh yes, today we will see how my wolf can perform.’

  Iris felt like she might be about to go crazy. A bat? A helicopter? And now she and Vikram were sat on a fat red sofa in a narrow dark room.

  The sofa faced a dark window – a two-way mirror – and through it they could see Erin Cobalt and Leon in the interrogation room. Leon was sat bolt upright, naked, his wrists cuffed behind the chair back. Erin was perched on the small table in front of him, one leg up on his chair, the pointed toe of her shoe resting gently on his vulnerable crotch.

  Vikram leant over in the darkness. ‘This is the room they used to interrogate Darius Cole. The famous rogue vampire. You can still see the marks on the wall.’

  Iris looked where Vikram was pointing. Against one wall was the shape of a human figure, a shadow imprinted of a man standing with his arms raised, manacled above his head. The rusted manacles still hung there. The reason his figure was still visible was because all around him the paint and some of the stonework was corroded. As if he had been doused in some terrible chemical and the only bit of the wall that had been protected had been the part where he stood.