Burn

She parted the curtains, shivering in her nakedness. Wind still tore through the trees, whipping through the tall grass. She searched for the sun, the grey light hinting its presence but the storm still smothering it in the sky.

The plug moved within her as she shifted, coaxing the demon. Even the residual discomfort from her lapse couldn't stop the monster within. It was growing stronger, fueled by the castle walls, flooding her veins.

"Good morning," Adam's voice drifted towards her from the doorway. "Did you sleep well?"

She turned to face him, nodding. "Yes, Sir."

"Abel called. Several times."

Her eyes moved to where her purse rested on the dresser, her phone buried somewhere inside it. She had watched it light up several times in the darkness, each sending a chill through her body.

"I told him you were with me."

"Thank you, Sir."

His hand ran over his face, a movement which made him look far too much like his brother. "I heard about what you did last night."

She clenched down on the plug, the shame searing through her. "I'm sorr—"

"What you did was stupid and dangerous." He moved towards the bed, sitting down on the edge. "You should've been punished, not rewarded."

She wrapped her arms around herself, surprised at the darkness in his voice.

"Come here."

The words pulled her to him, regardless of what lay waiting. She deserved to be punished. She had known it would come the minute she lowered herself onto the bed post.

He pulled her over his lap, his hand caressing her bare skin before grasping the base of the plug. "I want to make it clear this punishment has nothing to do with the route you chose to penetrate."

She squirmed when he pulled the plug from her body, the emptiness consuming. "Yes, Sir." Her toes pressed into the floor, her heart never more aware of his authority than when his hand slammed down on her skin. She bit into her lip, shocked at the sting.

His hand came down harder, igniting her nerves. "I won't allow you to hurt yourself."

She sucked air into her lungs, trying to force words from her mouth as his hand assaulted her once again. The pain splintered through her, taunting the demon. "Yes, Sir."

"What you did was dangerous, and it won't be tolerated." His hand smacked down, remaining pressed into her flesh before flying back and slamming down once again.

"Yes, Sir." She closed her eyes, focusing on the sting every time his hand landed. It rippled through her, bringing a soft moan from her lips.

"God damn it, Leah." His hand slid between her legs, wiping the moisture from between her folds.

God had already damned her. Enslaved her with the needs he had etched into her soul. "I'm sorry, Sir."

His hand came down again, the lingering heat fueling the ache within her. He sighed, his fingers shoving into her, curling inside her. "Alright, you win again."

He pulled her into his arms before throwing her on the bed. She bounced on the mattress, rolling onto her back in time to see him shove his pants to the floor. Then his weight was on top of her, pushing her legs over her head. She tensed, her body folding in half beneath his.

He thrust into her, into the part her husband had always claimed. She cried out, clawing at his skin as her legs kicked over his shoulders. Her nails tore into his back, her body desperate to keep his inside it. Her sore flesh bounced against his thighs, the heat searing down her legs. She shivered beneath the warmth of his skin, her need surging as he ravaged her.

She reached down, her fingers grasping his hips, pulling them forward each time he pulled back. The heat was beginning to rise, his body forcing it from her as it penetrated through her. Her eyes squeezed shut, awaiting the oncoming explosion.

She whimpered when it hit, clinging to his body, terrified of the moment he would leave her empty again. She wanted to be filled. She needed to be completed. To be whole. To be safe. But the feel of him pulsing deep within her cut into her heart, her hands refusing to let go as his body slowed.

He pulled away, his face taut as he began pulling on his pants. "You're too good at topping me from the bottom."

She pulled the covers over herself, frozen without the heat of his body. "I don't underst—"

"Master Thomas, the head trainer, will begin working with you—"

"You're not going to train me?"

He turned away, shutting the door behind him.

**************

The sound of his hand slapping against her skin haunted her mind. Her heart was still lost in the hallways of the castle as her body dragged towards the glass door of reality. She wondered if the massive grey walls would still be there when she returned. Maybe they would disappear as quickly as they had appeared, another mirage created by the devil to test her strength.

"Good morning!" Clara's smile and light eyes followed her as she made her way to her desk.

"Morning." The heat from her punishment permeated through her when she sat. She pulled off her coat then turned on the computer, waiting for the screen to load so she could review the appointments for the day.

"We missed you yesterday."

The residual burn taunted her need, bringing her arousal soaking into her slacks. "I'm sorry. I wasn't feeling well."

"I'm glad to see you're feeling better." Clara's hand wrapped around the ringing phone, pulling it to her ear. "Dr. Randall's Office, how can I help you?"

Confusion consumed her. Confusion at her body's response to each wrongful stimulus. Confusion at why a man she thought could be her savior had teased her demon, led it to believe it could finally inhale then punished it for rising to the surface for air.

The door swung open, a cold breeze lifting the edges of the papers in front of her. She looked up, the burn ripping through her chest when he stepped inside. She tried to inhale but her body refused, the air too thick to easily flow into her lungs.

He strolled towards the desk, smiling as he laid a bouquet of white roses in front of her. "For my beautiful wife."

Her eyes moved from the white petals to the de-thorned stems. The heat from her punishment disappeared, her blood turning to ice beneath his stare.

"I wish my husband was so thoughtful," Clara said, eyeing the roses. "I can't remember the last time he bought me flowers."

He flashed a false smile, the one she always saw play over his face when they weren't alone. "Clara, do you mind if I steal my wife away for a few minutes?"

Clara shook her head then winked. "Not at all."

Her chest tightened as she stood. She followed him out the front door, the wind tearing at her hair as the rain began to fall. She huddled close to the building as they walked around the side, wrapping her arms around herself as she shivered.

He turned towards her, closing the space between them. "I'm willing to overlook your failures as a wife and woman of God."

She took a step back as he leaned towards her, pressing herself into the side of the building, wishing she could crumble into it.

"And I'll continue to be a good husband in my attempts to keep you on the path to God."

She had strayed too far this time, unlike the others. She shook her head, her body trembling. "I'm not coming home," she whispered, unsure if she had truly spoken.

"Yes, you are." His mouth twisted, stealing the beauty from his face. "Adam won't keep you forever, and you'll never survive on your own. You're too naive, too helpless and too sick."

She wiped the tears before they fell from her eyes. He was right. Always right. Adam had made it clear he couldn't handle her sickness, and she was going to be given to another man who would attempt to conquer her demon. No matter where she ran, she always ended up in the same place. It was time to give up. To give in. To get her belongings from the castle, leave the community to those who could honor it.

"I'll see you at 5:30."

********

She stared up at the high towers, watching the lightning ignite the sky. The rain crashed into her skin, mixing with the tears as they fell from her face. Maybe the angels were weeping for her, or helping to wash away her sins.

The door to the right opened, Master Damien's blue eyes searching for hers through the storm. "Are you okay?"

She shook her head as she tried to wipe the rain and tears from her face.

"Are you lost?"

Yes. More so than she had ever been.

His face hardened as his shoulders squared. "Come inside out of the rain."

Thunder roared through the air, the wind chilling her soul. She walked towards the man she barely knew, wondering how long it would be before he proved he was like all the rest.

"Come." His voice beckoned her to follow, down the long hallway towards the room she had been given. "Take off those wet clothes and get in the shower before you make yourself sick."

She shivered as she peeled the shirt from her skin, far too aware of his eyes on her body.

He turned on the hot water, holding his hand beneath the stream as it warmed. "Why were you standing in the rain?"

Because for a brief moment her heart had refused to carry her any farther. "I didn't know where to go."

"Why are you so afraid?"

She stepped beneath the burning torrent, goosebumps covering her flesh as she trembled. "Because I have no idea what's right and what's wrong." She sank to her knees, shivering as the water scorched into her spine.

"How is it that you're terrified of what will happen to your soul once you're dead but you do nothing to take care of it while you're alive?"

She shook her head, dropping her hands to her lap, no longer interrupting the tears as they dripped down her face.

****************

"Adam?" She called his name into the flames, watching them dance as they surrounded her.

A hand reached through the fire, grabbing hers and pulling her towards it. She pulled back, terrified the inferno would ignite her skin, but the hand held firm. It dragged her forward, through the flames and into his arms.

Master Damien's fingers trailed down her cheek, reflections from the flames flickering over his skin. "Are you lost?"

She shook her head. For the first time, she knew where she needed to go. "Please, come with me, Sir." She took his hand, begging him to follow her back to the darkness. She wanted to take him with her, show him the demon hidden within her.

"Don't worry, Leah," he soothed as he smiled, raising her hand and pressing his lips to her palm, "I already know the way."

She jumped when the flames hit her flesh, but they didn't burn. The heat filled her lungs, melting the ice that had settled there long ago.

Her eyes flew open, the sound of the door creaking jolting her from the dream. She squeezed them shut, desperate to run back. But Master Damien had already disappeared along with the warmth he had brought her, leaving her shivering beneath the covers. When she opened her eyes again, Adam was staring back at her.

"It's time to wake up, Leah." He walked towards the bed, his eyes as dark as his brother's often were. "Don't get dressed."

She crawled from the bed, avoiding the familiar stare.

"Master Thomas is waiting for you."

Her fingers combed through her hair as they weaved through the hallways, the tension in his body sealing her lips. He turned into the room she had been brought to when she first arrived, pointing at the floor in the center. The wood was hard and cold as her knees pressed into it, sending a chill through her body.

Her eyes nervously turned towards him, searching for an answer she knew she would never be granted. Maybe he was tired of her demon tempting his own. His hands ran over his face, his gaze refusing to meet hers.

Footsteps approached behind her before a stack of papers was dropped to the floor in front of her. "Don't leave anything blank."

She looked up at the unfamiliar face with greying hair and youthful skin. "Yes, Sir."

He dropped a pen onto the stack. "If there are things you're not sure of yet, like what some of your hard limits may be, check what you know then check 'Others to be determined.'"

She looked down at the packet, scanning over the massive checklist. "Yes, Sir."

"There's also another matter we need to discuss."

She looked up, tensing as he flipped through another stack of papers.

"If you wish to be in the community, you can't be married to someone outside of the community." His face was taut as he spoke, his eyes glancing towards Adam. "While others may be okay with bending the rules, I won't touch you until both stacks are completed."

She took the packet from his hand, already aware what it contained.

"All you have to do is sign. We'll take care of the rest. The community will provide everything you need until the assets are settled."

She bit into her lip, her hands shaking as she read the first page.

Adam shifted in his chair, the movement cutting into her thoughts. "All communication and negotiations can be done through your lawyer." He leaned towards her as he spoke, his hands twisting in his lap. "You won't ever have to see him again, unless you choose to."

***

She sucked in the air then let it out slowly. The more she concentrated on each breath the harder they became. The less satisfying they became. Rain pounded against the window, the wind howling outside the bedroom walls. She ran her thumb up the stack of papers in front of her, watching as the pages fell back into place.

She climbed off the bed, remaining as naked as the other girls in the castle as she made her way to the door. Her fingertips ran down the hallway walls as she wandered, the texture rough beneath her fingers. Her final escape was only a signature away, but she didn't know if it was God or the devil who would be guiding her hand.

She rounded a corner, surprised when she saw Master Damien. She held her breath, staring into his back as he moved farther away. His shoes tapped lightly against the stone floor, the sound echoing through the desolate space. Her heart pounded when he paused. He stood for a moment, his body as still as her breath, then glanced back over his shoulder.

"No work today?"

Her eyes moved to the floor, his gaze unnerving her. "My soul didn't feel like going, Sir."

"What does your soul feel like doing instead?"

Nothing. Everything. "I don't know, Sir."

His footsteps moved closer, the sound throbbing through her until they paused in front of her. His finger pressed against the bottom of her chin, forcing her eyes to meet his. "Would your soul like to get dressed and spend the day with me?"

His presence pulled at her need, refusing to allow the word "red" from her lips.

"Go get dressed. I'll meet you in your room shortly."

She turned away, her heart pounding in rhythm with her steps. She wondered why the darkness seemed to surround him. It swirled through her as she inhaled it, dulling her reasoning. Logic wanted her to stay away, but the pulse in her veins brought her to her bedroom to do as his words had bade her.

"Are you dressed?"

She jumped at the sound of his voice behind her, her hands shaking as she zipped her pants. "Yes, Sir."

"You're missing something."

"I am?" She looked down at herself, running her hands over her blouse, searching for missed buttons.

"Pull down your pants and bend over the bed, Leah."

His words rippled through her as she looked up, noticing the butt plug he was spinning between his hands. The jeweled base glittered under the dull light, awakening the need that always brought her to her knees. Her hands moved to the button of her slacks, undoing it as she made her way to the edge of the bed. She shoved them to the floor, pressing her stomach into the mattress.

His fingers were slick but his touch was rough as he shoved them inside her. She pressed up on her toes as he probed her, her legs trembling by the time the tip of the plug slipped inside her. His movement slowed, ensuring she felt every centimeter as it was pushed into place.

"That's better," he said, giving the base a final twist before heading towards the door.

She pulled up her pants, trying to button them with shaking hands. The plug demanded her attention with every step, its presence a sweet torment. It shifted as he led her down the stairs, the movement slowing her until she reached the bottom.

He pulled open the front door, holding it as he beckoned her forward. She glanced towards the sky as she followed him to the limousine. The grey clouds looked as though they could shatter at any moment, the small drops they could no longer contain landing on her cheeks.

He held open the door for her, smiling as she stepped inside. "Cross your legs, ass on the floor."

She tried to ignore the plug as it pushed deeper inside her. The vibrations rocked through her as the limo rolled over the gravel driveway. She clasped her hands together in her lap, squirming involuntarily each time they hit a bump.

"Are you enjoying yourself down there?"

Her cheeks burned hot at his question. "Yes, Sir."

"Come here."

She rose to her knees, moving closer to where he sat.

"Let me see how much you're enjoying yourself."

She froze when his hand slipped beneath her waistband, jerking when his fingers slid between her folds.

"Hold still."

She sucked in a breath when his fingers pushed inside her. The air shot out of her lungs when he curled them forward. Her body jerked back, unsure how to handle the sensation.

"Hold still." His hand followed her involuntary movements, his fingers continuing their torture.

She moaned and gasped, trying to maintain control as the tingle tore through her body. "I'm sorry," she mumbled, the sound drowned out by the echo of her wet desperation.

"I think you and I are going to enjoy each others company very much." His fingers disappeared from her body, leaving her empty and wanting. He raised them to her face, her neglected arousal glistening on his skin. "Floor."

***

The chair was unforgiving when she sat down at the table. She glanced around the restaurant, wondering if anyone noticed the flush of her cheeks. She thought the plug would be calming, a way to pacify the demon, but it was a false hope. Her need surged worse than ever before, her body in constant awareness of what she had always tried to suppress.

Her hands grasped the menu, her knuckles white as she tried to focus. Master Damien's eyes remained on her, a slight curve to his lips as his hand ran through the stubble on his cheek. The shadow over his skin was darker than the first time she had seen him. She wanted to reach forward and touch it, unfamiliar with the feel. Her husband's skin had always been shaven smooth, his eyes sideways glancing at any man who wasn't.

His gaze moved away, greeting the waitress as she approached their table. "Ice water for both of us, please."

"Yes, Sir," the woman nodded, twirling her silver chain necklace in her hand as her eyes avoided his.

"I don't like there to be any alcohol induced grey areas of consent," he said as the waitress scurried away.

"Yes, Sir." The heat rose to her face as she realized what she had said. She looked around the restaurant, praying no raised eyebrows would be staring her way.

"Don't worry, Leah," he started, following her gaze. "Even if they heard you, to most of them it wouldn't matter."

"They're all masters and slaves?"

"All of the employees are, many of the patrons are. I avoid vanilla run establishments."

She scanned the room again, noticing each waitress wore the same thin silver chain with a small ring in the center. "Is only doing business with other members of the community a rule?"

"No, it isn't a rule, but it's a preference of most." He lowered his voice as he leaned towards her. "I prefer to keep my money out of the hands of the vanilla."