Stolen Flame

by D W Marshall

  This is my last show of weakness. When I get out of this tub, I must embody the survivor I know that I am. I have to be strong. More importantly, I have to learn to separate my mind from my body and become Flame when I’m traveling through the halls of this horrid place. I can only be Vivian when it’s safe for me. I believe I might be able to be Vivian around Tyson, and possibly the other women. I’ll have to determine what other scenarios are safe for me to be me. I have to survive this year, and I can only hope and pray that Liam still wants me when I find my way back to him.

  Chapter Seven

  Well Groomed

  Zion wakes me from my bath and helps dry me off. I slip on another silky red robe. This one falls to the floor dramatically and flows behind me in a train when I walk.

  We are on the move, and I follow close behind her. This place is a maze of tunnels, dimly lit halls, and an untold amount of levels. I keep waiting for Lancelot or Lady someone or other to grace my presence. They shouldn’t worry much about our escape in here, because I don’t think we could even find our way out.

  Zion interrupts my thoughts. “While you were busy being deflowered, the other girls got the grand tour. This is level two. This level houses the Beautification Chamber. Also, the spa, indoor pool, exercise room, jacuzzi, and steam and dry sauna.”

  I nod and gaze around at the lavish appointments that I would imagine only finding on Rodeo Drive or in some upscale spa back home in Vegas. High ceilings meet tall windowless stone and brick walls. Ornate chandeliers bathe our path in sparkling lights. Majestic carpets dot the floors in pops of royal purples, silver and grays.

  “You and the rest of The Chambermaids are allowed complete access to this floor. Mason wants you at your best physically at all times. That’s why you’ll have a trainer to ensure you’re exercising properly. Of course, I’ll make sure that you are always flawless in the looks department.” She smiles at me as if she’s proud of her talents. “You’ll have daily visits with me to make sure that every pore and hair are operating to perfection. I’ll also offer you salves and creams to help ease your sexual discomfort.”

  I don’t respond. What the fuck am I supposed to say? Instead I keep in step with her. There’s no need for words. It’s not like I have a choice.

  We step into an elevator. Inside, the opulence continues. The elevator has gold on the walls, ceiling, and floor. A beautiful jeweled chandelier hangs from the ceiling and adds brilliance that bounces off the walls.

  “We are heading to level five, the Sleeping Chambers. As the name implies, this is where you’ll sleep,” she informs me. “You’ll be two or three to a room. There’s a conversation lounge and media room on this level. There is also a jacuzzi and smaller lap pool.”

  We exit the elevator on the fifth floor. I wonder to myself what secrets lie on the third and fourth levels, but I’m quickly distracted. We step out onto the Sleeping Chamber foyer. It’s breathtaking and fit for a princess. Directly in front of us is a spacious living room, with a massive fireplace and high-backed sofa. The glass ceiling is open to the sky above and the clouds that float across are astonishing.

  I follow Zion across the living room, stepping on what has to be a Persian rug. She takes me to my bedroom and I can identify my space right away by the crimson bedding. I’m clued in to my roommates as well—the light blue bedding belongs to Sky, and the deep blue bedding could only belong to Sapphire. The room is gorgeous. The walls are painted a soft beige. Each bed is king-sized, with a table on one side and bookshelf on the other. What immediately catches my eye are the three staircases opposite each bed. Our Chambers?

  “Looks like you’re in a triple. Right this way.”

  I follow Zion up the center staircase. It’s an iron structure that winds up at least two or three floors. There are small windows that offer light on the way up. I also notice the sconces that must be the night’s light source. When we reach the top of the staircase, we come to a heavy, deep cherry curtain—no door. Zion gestures for me to walk through the opening.

  I hesitate and take a couple of deep breaths before I pull the heavy drapery aside and cross the threshold. I have no words. I have to make myself breathe, because my air is caught behind a huge lump blocking my throat. What I see first is the huge canopy bed, draped in the softest silk, satin, and velvet. Of course, all shades of scarlet. The Chamber is round, like the room I started in. The four bedposts are thick and heavy, in a raven black that compliments the red. The floor isn’t stone like the rest of this palace. It’s covered in pillowy red plush carpet that you could sleep on. My stomach twists and rolls.

  Across from the bed is a tall, inky black cabinet with brass handles. I cross into the room and open the cabinet doors. I should have left better enough alone. The cabinet contains all varieties of dildos, feathers, handcuffs, belts, gags, and an assortment of other items that I have never seen before. Scary. I swiftly close the doors. This is real, live sick shit.

  “What’s the horse for?” I ask, pointing to a pony in the corner of the room, attached to a pole that resembles one you might find on a carousel. My eyes follow the pole up to the ceiling. I hadn’t even glanced up since I walked into the red Chamber. This ceiling is glass and the sky is visible. If this wasn’t so sick and scary, it would be romantic.

  “Sometimes the men enjoy watching you pleasure yourself,” she says in answer to my question.

  “On a horse?” How am I going to get through this? I’m barely not a virgin anymore and now I’m supposed to parade around here doing things I have never done with strange men? What would my family want me to do? Certainly they would all risk their lives for me. If I cooperate, does that mean I’m sacrificing myself for them? No answers come.

  “Here, let me show you.” Zion walks over to the cabinet of horror and pulls out a dildo. She walks over to the horse and screws the dildo into the center of the saddle. “Do you get it now?”

  My eyebrows shoot to the sky and my face warms with embarrassment. “Yep,” I say. “I hope I never have to use that horse.”

  There’s a large fireplace against the wall, and what sex Chamber would be complete without a powder room? I don’t walk inside. I don’t even care. The horse, the bed, the cabinet of horror, my own private staircase leading to my sex Chamber, the whole idea that I can’t go home—it’s all hitting me right now. “Can we leave now?” I ask Zion. “I’m exhausted.”

  “Sure.”

  We head down the winding staircase toward my room. All I want to do is sleep. When we enter my room, Sky is sitting on her bed. She looks beautiful and sad in a long, flowing sky blue robe, like my red one. We exchange brittle smiles in greeting.

  “I will leave you now, Flame,” Zion says. “Rest up, because you’ll be summoned in a few hours for round two in the Deflowering Chamber.”

  “Okay,” I say, sighing. As much as I know my body isn’t ready for another evening with Tyson, I secretly hope that I’ll be spending the night with him. Before I can utter another word, Zion’s gone. I trudge over to my bed and sit on the edge facing Sky.

  “Hi. I’m Vivian. Vivian Travis. Flame is not who I really am.” I offer her my hand. She takes it immediately.

  “Nice to meet you, Vivian Travis,” she says in a strong accent. “I’m Romy Janssen. I guess I’ll be Sky here.”

  “Where are you from, Romy?” I ask.

  “Holland.”

  “They took you all the way from the Netherlands?”

  “No, I was in America. I was working as a model in New York. That’s where they grabbed me. What about you? Where are you from?”

  “Las Vegas,” I reply.

  “What happened to you last night? Did they hurt you?” she asks.

  How do I answer a question like that, when given our current situation, every moment is hurtful? “No. I wasn’t harmed,” I reply. “They took me and Violet into a special room and they took our virginity. From what my groomer just said, they aren’t finished.”

  I move over toward her bed. “D
o you mind if I sit?” I ask her before I actually just plop down on her bed. We don’t have many choices here, so I don’t want to rob her of making one.

  “Go for it.” She pats the space next to me and I sit down.

  We enjoy the quiet for a long time. There is not much to chitchat about, given all of our recent revelations.

  “I’m terrified,” she finally says.

  “Me, too.”

  She glances over at me. “You don’t seemed scared at all.”

  “Oh, but I am. I don’t know how to explain it. When they first brought me here, I wanted them to kill me, because I would rather die, than…than this.” I raise my hand up, gesturing to our surroundings. “It was the pictures of my family that clinched it for me. I have to be brave and have faith that he’ll release us in a year.” I take her hand into mine. “I’m trying not to dwell on everything that is happening every moment. Otherwise I would go crazy. Maybe if I can take it as it comes, then I can break the horror down into survivable chunks. I don’t know if that will work, but believe me when I say I’m just as terrified as you are,” I admit to her.

  “You’re strong, Flame. I wish I was.”

  “Look at it this way. There are seven of us. We have each other to lean on. We’re not going through this alone.” I wrap her into a hug. She cries softly on my shoulder. “I’m here anytime you need to talk. Okay?” I feel her nod into my shoulder.

  She thinks I’m strong? I don’t. I’m every bit as petrified as she is, but I can’t wear that on my sleeve every second that I am in this place. I can’t dwell on all of the details of my circumstances. I have to compartmentalize. Right now, I’m just sitting with Sky, comforting her. This isn’t very scary. Last night started out scary, but then Tyson changed that. I imagine in here I will have moments of calm, followed by moments of fear and anger, and moments of release, and perhaps all at the same time. Unless I’m able to take the events as they come, I won’t make it.

  “Thanks. I do feel a lot better,” she tells me.

  “Me, too,” I say and tell her to keep her head up.

  I stand and head to the kitchen. It’s crazy to me how my stomach is grumbling at a time like this. My biology doesn’t care that I’m kidnapped and locked away in a fucking tower.

  It’s amazing how different each one of is. Six beautiful girls—seven with me. I wouldn’t call myself beautiful. Cute is a more accurate assessment. All of us have different strengths and weaknesses. Mason is quite the collector.

  Chapter Eight

  Coming Out

  Tonight is the night. We are all terrified. I think back to the conversation I had with Sky about how I’m strong and brave. This is one of those moments on the emotional roller coaster that is The Chamber. Fear is the only emotion I have—terror of the unknown. One of the biggest sources of my fear is that I assumed that Tyson being assigned as my personal guard meant that he would be with me all the time. I quickly learned that is not the case. I haven’t seen him since my second night here. The strange thing is, I miss him, and I don’t even know him. Stockholm much? Maybe it’s not him, but his ability to make this place disappear if only for a moment.

  They call this a “coming out party.” I have been at The Chamber for a week now. My family and friends have to be beside themselves with panic and fear of the unknown. Do they think I’m dead? I’ve learned this week that Sunshine is from Barbados. Sky, from Holland, and Ivy is from Ireland. Raven, Sapphire, Violet and I are from the United States. Raven is from Hawaii, and Violet is from Los Angeles. Mason has amassed quite a variety of women.

  Tonight we will be paraded around to the richest and wealthiest sickos in the world. All prepared to spend a year feasting upon us. Reality has officially set in. Zion and Sky’s and Sapphire’s groomers showed up to get us from our room. We were then bathed and dolled up. My hair resembles something from the Victorian era, with the ringlets to boot. I have a lavish, blood-red long gown with a plunging neckline and a bodice so snug I can barely breathe. Sky’s baby blue dress is equally impressive, as is Sapphire’s jewel-toned blue gown. We do look like princesses, if only in this moment. All we are missing is our royal court.

  “I am so nervous,” Sky says in a low voice. “I don’t think I can do this.”

  I have no words of wisdom for her this time. I’m barely holding it together myself. “I’m right here with you, Sky.” I walk over and squeeze her hand.

  “You two are being ridiculous!” Sapphire exclaims. “It’s just sex, that’s all! Mindless fucking. Me, I love sex.” I’m reminded of our first night in The Chamber, the circular room, and how eager she was to suck Mason’s cock. She’s apparently more experienced than I thought.

  “I wish I could say that, but seeing how I had never had sex before coming here, I don’t have the same feelings about it that you do,” I remind her.

  “Listen, when we walk out these doors, think of a character to be,” she says. “Remove you from your mind. It helps.” She smiles at us both, almost in a motherly way, even though she can’t be any older than us.

  Zion adds a gorgeous ruby necklace to my ensemble. Sapphires adorn Sapphire’s neck, and the softest blue aquamarine hangs from Sky’s neck. We are quickly ushered into the living area. Each of us is as breathtaking as the next. Sunshine is in a beautiful, fitted sunburst-yellow gown with canary diamonds. Ivy is in an emerald-colored gown with matching jewels. Raven has a black gown and onyx jewels. Violet has an amethyst necklace and a gorgeous, floor-length lavender gown. We all look as though we are on our way to a royal ball and not the fate we are all facing. Silence befalls the room as we begin lining up.

  “We will be heading to the fourth floor ballroom,” one of the groomers announces. “You will be introduced one at a time. You will walk to the end of the stage and return. Do not look down. Heads up at all times.” He’s a good-looking guy in impeccable shape, but I’m thankful that my groomer is female. We all follow the trainers out into the foyer, and we stop when they stop.

  “There will be lottery winners on either side of the runway,” another groomer says. “Make sure you give your attention to both sides. This will please Mason.”

  We all nod in compliance, because we fear the repercussions of not pleasing Mason.

  The elevator door opens. The seven of us are ushered inside. Surprisingly, all seven of us in our large, colorful, bustling gowns, along with seven groomers, fit easily into the massive freight. Seven hearts hammer loudly and can be heard over the mechanism that allows us to move from floor to floor. Or perhaps the sound is coming just from my own.

  No escape.

  No turning back.

  The doors slide open, with an eerie whisking sound of hydraulics or some shift in the air. We step out into the foyer of a breathtaking ballroom. From my vantage, I can see five elegant archways. Elaborate chandeliers peek out beneath each curve’s opening. I’m unable to see the height of the ceiling from my current position. What I do see turns my stomach. Several tables surround a raised platform, and the tables are filled with men in suits. Strangers. The stamped concrete floors that I have grown accustomed to have been replaced by rich and elegant Macassar ebony wood flooring.

  Our groomers line us up in the order we were in when we first arrived. I’m dead last, but that doesn’t even comfort me at this moment. I could really use a paper bag to breathe in and out of before I collapse.

  “I can’t do this!” I announce to Zion who’s watching me intently. I wring my hands, then shake them repeatedly in panic, my stomach roils and is rocked with spasming pain. I pace out of line, I can’t escape into my mind, I am here and now. I shoot a glance at Sky. My expression says, I told you I wasn’t strong.

  “I’m not some piece of meat to be used by these guys. I’m not going in there,” I insist through shallow, panicked, quick breaths. I start backing up into the elevator.

  “I want you to stop for a minute and think of your family. Think of your friends,” Zion says, walking me to the side.

 
; I shake my head over and over. “My family wouldn’t want this for me. They would rather die than see me raped and used over and over,” I stare heatedly into her eyes. But would I want death for them? No.

  “You were chosen for this because you’re strong,” Zion says. “You can and will survive this. He only chooses strong women. You can do this.”

  Her pep talk is eerie and fucked up. I’m not jumping out of a plane or running an impossible marathon. I’m sick of everybody telling me how fucking strong I am. I am not strong, I am scared shitless. I want to go home! I want to cry and puke and pass out! That is not strong! What would my mom and dad want me to do?

  I’ve already suffered so much and lost everything. To not have them alive and well when I return home would be a worse fate than anything anyone can do to me in here. In here, I can separate myself from my body, like Sapphire said. I can do that. Well, I can try, but if my family died because of me, I would never be able to separate myself from that pain. Could he do that? Would he really hurt them?

  I steel myself, pull my shoulders back, force my head up high, and take my place back in line. My cheeks are moistened by my tears. Then a most surprising thing happens. Violet takes my hand and offers a tight squeeze. I squeeze hers in return. I glance down the line at the newly forming sisterhood. All of our hands are interlocked as if we’re silently affirming that none of us are in this alone.

  This is my only choice.

  With our new dose of bravery and sisterly support, we walk in a single file line toward the center arch. One girl is as lovely as the next. Any observer would easily mistake us for a group of debutantes or pageant queens, and not the terrified Chambermaids that we were.

  I startle when I see the staircase leading up to a stage or runway that appears to travel down the center of the ballroom, with tables on either side. Fuck.