Notes to reader:
I went with BDSM, but please note there is also a fantasy element. If Vampires turn you off, look away now!
Tess-O'Meter -- Amber.
-X
Ana Bryant-Jones hummed to herself, more for comfort than anything else, as she negotiated the twisting mountain road. Dark as pitch, she was at least three hours drive from the nearest small town in these conditions, and had to keep her lights on dip as the heavy snow just reflected the main beam back at her.
'But you know, if would be pretty,' she thought to herself. If only she could see past the swirling, dizzying flakes. 'And, if maybe it was spring!'
Staying in second gear she babied the car around another bend. She should have stayed at the project another night. After three years, one more night wouldn't have mattered. But once she felt the pull in her gut to move on, move on she did.
And the dreams.
Pain and sex. Wrapped up in two mystery bodies who pleasured her and more. A strange weakness and breathless laughing. Every night she woke, aching, used, and feeling bruised, but no bruises. Just a strange tenderness that faded as she drifted back to sleep.
An orphan, since the age of eight, she had aged out of the system in Vancouver and immediately moved to France for university. Then more study in Berlin, then travel and work in South East Asia, the next two years as a femdom mistress in Amsterdam, before the last three years studying and helping to protect wolves.
It had been fascinating, and she would miss her boyfriend, Luca, but he had known every time he begged her for use and pain, that it was a temporary arrangement.
The car slipped a little on the treacherous surface and Ana cursed at her lack of attention. This was no place to have an accident.
Even as the thought came, she gasped and slammed on her brakes. Immediately losing traction, the back end whipping to the left.
The car stopped quickly in the deep snow, as she hadn't been traveling fast, but still she took three deep breaths before she dared to open her eyes. It was a dream, it must be a dream.
It was a nightmare.
Ana sobbed out a breath as she stumbled from the car and moved cautiously towards the hanging man.
Some sort of gibbet was set up on this barren highway. The skeletal trees coated in snow, swaying in the wind and the rough wooden frame where the man swung just a couple of feet above the snow.
His wrists and feet were hog-tied behind him with heavy, rusty, metal cuffs, and the damage was clear. A rope dangled attaching the cuffs to the gibbet.
He was face down, his head hanging, dark, snow covered hair framed a frozen agonized expression. He was naked, several inches of snow covering his back and legs, as his head and torso almost swept the ground.
Even as she fell to her knees, sobbing out a plea, she was sure he must be dead.
His face was beautiful, carved with sharp cheekbones, lush lips, and long, snow encrusted lashes. His body was also beautiful, or would be, if it wasn't for the injuries. Every part of him was bruised, burnt, cut, or bleeding. Whip marks, cane marks, fist marks. The body was broken and limp, blood dripping a haphazard pattern on the snow as he swayed in the wind.
Ana had the flashed remembrance of a conversation with Luca. She had jested that her next job would be a torturer or maybe she missed her calling as a serial killer.
Luca, splayed on his tummy on the bed, his buttocks red and bruised, his back glowing from the flogging and his ass still quivering from use, all as a result of their farewell play, had chastised her. "You only enjoy it if your sub enjoys it," he had pointed out. "I'll miss you, Ana."
Ana shook her head in denial as she reached out shaking fingers to gently press to the throttled neck. No, she could never do such as this. This was true evil. The tears burnt her cheeks, but were already cold as they dripped from her chin. She couldn't find a pulse, but she also couldn't leave him like this and she was miles from help.
Her hand falling helplessly her lap she tried to swallow back the tears, before taking a deep breath. No one else was here, only she was. And she would not leave him.
Her gaze fell on the random blood splatter and she glanced around nervously, squinting into the dark trees.
It may attract an insomniac bear, or possibly wolves. Uncommon, but not unheard in these mountains. Even the project's pack had roamed within 50 miles of here at times of hunger. And they were clever. They would scavenge near humans if hungry enough.
Then Ana's heart suddenly raced as the realisation hit her.
He was still bleeding.
He could be alive.
"Shit!" Ana scrambled to her knees, trying and failing again to find a pulse. But she thought his lips moved, ever so slightly as she touched his face. "Okay, I'm going to help you, Hold on," she said clearly. Then realized she had spoken English and repeated it in Romanian.
She stood and looked around. His low level would help. Rushing to the still running car (she had left the door open), she jumped in and cursed until the tyres caught and drove slowly towards him. Allowing the car to gently brush his body.
When he was level with the back wheel, she jumped out and opened the back door. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I can't carry you far." She moved the car back again, until the open door touched him.
"I'll have to swing you in," she shouted at the inert figure as she grabbed a small saw from the emergency kit.
Gritting her teeth, Ana hauled the body backwards and then shoved him towards the car. The man's head, shoulders and brutalized torso swung into the back seat, but his legs started to pull him back out. Hating herself, Ana shoved a boot into his stomach and pinned him, as she reached up to saw through the rope.
When it unexpectedly snapped, he would have slipped onto the ground if not for her boot. The rope ran free from the cuffs and his legs flopped down.
"No, nope," Ana grunted and bent his legs into the car, forcing the door closed before slipping and sliding around to the other door. His ankles and wrists were still bound, but there was nothing she could do about that.
Ana heaved until he was across the seat and quickly bundled dry blankets around the still, ice cold body.
Jogging back around she dove into the driver's seat and thankfully slammed her door. The hot air was blasting, it would soon warm up.
Twisting in the seat she pulled off her coat and added another layer. Brushing the snow gently from the dark hair. "We're about three hours from the town. Or maybe we'll pass a house. You just have to hold on." Was it her imagination or did his lashes flicker slightly?
