The Demon's Choice 01: Emma's Tale

The heavy, leather bound book lay open on the table. It had a smell of age and old parchment about it, but rather that it being written in Latin or some other, darker language, as you might expect, the entries were written in clear, concise English. The open page read:

Emma Jane Clarke. 37 years. 5'9" tall. Dark Blonde hair. Unmarried – no partner. Workaholic.

Accusation – Waster of opportunity. Remedy – Live.

He looked up from the book, pushed back the chair, and slipped his hand into the glove.

***

The clock on the desk read 7:28pm. Emma had said that she'd stay until 7:30, but two minutes wouldn't make a difference, and she was the only one there anyway. Again. It seemed that she was the last to leave far too often these days, but things that need finishing always wound up heading her way, probably because they knew she'd sort them out. Oh well. Emma logged out, switched off the monitor, and rolled her shoulders to try and ease out some of the tension. Right, enough for today. She picked up her coat and bag, headed for the elevator, and pressed the button. Seconds later the doors opened and she was greeted by her tired looking reflection in the mirrored back wall. As she stepped inside, she couldn't help thinking that there must be more to life than this. Like maybe getting stuck in here with that cute guy from the office on the next floor. Except that he'd long since gone home. Never mind. She pushed the ground floor button.

The elevator whirred its way down to the ground floor and Emma prepared to step out when it stopped, the same as every night. But tonight, it didn't slow, it sailed past 'G', and stopped with the 'B' light lit. She must have hit the basement button by mistake. Too tired she thought. No problem, just hit 'G' and go back up. As she reached for the button, the lift shuddered slightly, and then started to go down again. What? The 'B' light flickered erratically as the elevator descended, seeming to gain speed as it went. Her initial stab of fear was replaced by puzzlement, as she realised that she'd gone down another four floors at least, maybe more. Then the elevator slowed and stopped. And all the lights went out.

There was a moments silence, and then the doors slid back to reveal a totally impossible scene. There was a room in front of her, about 12 feet square, that appeared to have been cut out of solid rock. The room was lit by a myriad of candles placed in alcoves cut into the walls, giving a pleasant light and warming the air with their heat. Directly opposite her on the far wall was a simple, plain, office door, with a lever type handle. To her left stood a small table with three delicately carved wooden boxes on top, a tall candle burning behind each box. To her right stood a creature in a full length hooded robe, absently staring at the table. It appeared to be human in shape, but no features were visible from the depths of the robe. A chill ran down her spine as the hood turned towards her. It raised its hand and beckoned her in. As it did so, the sleeve of the robe fell back, revealing a heavily tattooed forearm. She couldn't make out any details of the tattoos, but something in her subconscious told her that she really didn't want to either. However, the thing that drew her attention was the hand itself, or rather what it was wearing. It seemed to be a type of glove, the back being made up of fine metal links, fastened at the wrist, and joining onto silver filigree fingers, with articulated joints. The fingers ended in solid silver fingertips, with nails that tapered into lethally sharp points.

"Ah, so you've finally arrived, do come in," came a voice like warm velvet from the unseen form within the hood. "You've no idea how long it's taken to actually get you down here. So many conditions that have to align perfectly. Well, you're here now. I presume you have questions?"

Emma was startled for a moment at the unreality of it all. "Yes, I do," she replied, stepping forward into the room, and not quite believing how controlled she was managing to be. "One, where am I? Two, who or what are you? And three, what the hell is going on here?"

"The first is a little difficult to explain. You are currently in my waiting room, or one of them at any rate. Is this place real? Yes, but perhaps not in the way you understand. Let's just say it exists and you are here, as am I," replied the creature. "The second is easier, since who and what can be combined in this instance. I will not give you my name, as it may allow you some power over me, and I can't have that. You may call me 'Demon', which I think will be adequate for now. The third is actually very straightforward. It has been brought to my attention that you've been working too hard for too long hours, not making the most of your personal curiosity, and generally neglecting your duty to experience every pleasure you possibly can. Now I am aware that you do relax quite often, but it simply isn't good enough. There are things you've often wondered about but never dared try, sensations you've never dreamed about, things to be done just for the pure pleasure of experiencing them! You could be such a naughty girl if you really tried. There is a saying where I come from that life is wasted on the living, and it is my self-appointed task to do something about that. Don't worry, I'm not going to kill you, quite the opposite, in fact. Tonight you're going to do some living. "

"Or I could just turn around and leave," she replied, indignantly.

"No good I'm afraid, the elevator only goes down, and it's long gone now. Have you any idea what it takes to bring an elevator through 200ft of solid rock? The only exit is in front of you."

A quick glance behind revealed no elevator doors, just a wall of rock. "Ok, what are you going to do to me?" Emma asked, beginning to get a little nervous.

"Me? Oh, I'm not going to do anything to you. Look, this is how it works. You take a key from one of those boxes, unlock the door, and leave. You experience the reality behind it, and then you go home. It's as simple as that."

"What's behind the door?"

"That's up to you. Each box has a name, and contains two keys. The box named 'Submission' has a red key called 'Mistress', and a blue key called 'Slave'. The box named 'Sensual' has a green key called 'Tame', and a yellow key called 'Wild'. The box named 'Adventure' has a white key called 'Games', and a black key called 'Bizarre'. Each key unlocks a different experience, and I don't get to know what each of them will give you. Choose carefully, as you will always get what you ask for, but it may not be what you expect. Should you come here again, you may choose a different key or the same one as this time, but the same key may not give the same experience next time. Now we have met, we have a connection; whenever you wish to return, you need only call me to mind, and I will bring you back. It is time to choose," the Demon explained.

"And if I refuse?"

The Demon sighed. "Then a choice would still have been made. In that instance, I get to unlock the door with my own key, which would take you into a reality from within my head. Before you do that, you must understand that I am, in fact, completely insane. Few have tried it, and even fewer have survived. The human body just isn't built to take that sort of punishment. No, you must choose. Enjoy the experience for its own sake, and don't worry about the morality of any of it. You will find your own inhibitions much diminished beyond the door; you can behave however you like, do whatever you wish, act out of character, you will feel none the worse for it. Choose now."

She walked to the table and looked down at the boxes. They were quite beautiful, named as he'd described, and if he were to be believed, contained such possibilities.

But which key should she choose?

"Oh, and by the way," added the Demon, "you might want to hurry things up a bit. I wouldn't normally have given it any thought since I'm immortal, but you, unfortunately, are not. And this is a sealed chamber; the candles are burning all the oxygen out of the air as we speak..."

Oh crap. Which one?

Ok, decided Emma. She opened the 'Sensual' box and took out the yellow 'Wild' key. It felt slightly warm to the touch, and a strange tingle ran up her arm, making the hairs on her neck stand on end. There was a second or two of dizziness before things settled down again.

"Ah, perhaps I should have mentioned that," he said, and you could almost imagine his grin. "They do say that you get used to it. Take the key, unlock the door, open it, and walk through. That's all there is to it."

"Yes, perhaps you should have mentioned it. So, after I've gone through, how do I get back?" she asked.

"When you're done, you'll be brought back, have no fears on that. As I said before, I have no idea what's going to happen in there, or how it'll end, but you'll be fine. Trust me."

It seemed that the time for choice was over. She walked to the door, put the key in the lock, and turned it. There was a faint click. The handle felt cold as she depressed it, and the door opened smoothly to reveal what could only be described as shimmering blackness. There was a pang of fear and a moment of total disorientation as she stepped forward into the doorway...

... And out of a limousine. The door closed behind her and the long, black, car drove away, leaving her standing in a damp alley. To her right and left, she could see city lights crossing the ends of the alley, but around her was nothing but gloom and neglect. The place looked like the set of a low budget TV crime series; it did not scream sensual. In fact the only light she could see was coming from an industrial bulkhead light mounted over a shabby doorway just to the right of her, so she supposed she'd better take a look. It was a tired door in a tired frame, and its only feature was a nondescript sign above it that read 'Sanctuary'. From what she wondered? Then a crack of light appeared as the door opened, and revealed a smartly dressed young man smiling back at her.

"Good Evening, I see that you've found us ok, please come in. No problems with the limousine I trust? Good. Welcome to Sanctuary." He stood aside to let her enter.

The room inside was far from what she'd expected. It appeared to be some sort of wide entrance lobby which extended off to her right, with brushed stainless steel walls and ceiling, plush carpeting, and soft diffused lighting. In front of her was a chrome desk with a built in monitor, a white chair behind it, and a row of six widely spaced sliding doors along the back wall. There were two black camera pods built into the ceiling. The place had the feeling of some sort of a top end clinic.

"So, what happens now?" she asked, nervously.

"Ok, my name is John, and I'm here to take you through our induction and tell you how things work," he explained. "Your membership has been cleared, obviously, as you are now on the system. You are assured of complete anonymity because only your picture appears on the system, and no other details. Security is controlled by state of the art facial recognition software, and if you're not on the system, you won't even get through the door. And trust me, if you're not on the system, you'll need an anti-tank rocket to get through that door." He indicated the one behind her. "Once you're inside, the system logs that you're here, and allows you access to any of the entry rooms on the back wall there. Green lights are free, red lights are occupied. Press the button and the door will open, walk inside, and the door will close and lock behind you. In a few moments, a box will extend from the side wall, containing your mask. All masks are unique in colour and pattern, and are specifically fitted to their owner. Please wear it at all times while you're inside. Next, you need to undress, and then put your clothing and any personal effects into the box. No electronic devices are permitted beyond the inner door. The box will retract and store your things securely within the building until you're ready to leave. On the floor near the far door, you'll see two wide spaced footprints on the floor. Put a foot on each one, it isn't much of a stretch, and hold your arms out at 45° to your sides. It'll take the system a few seconds to complete its process, then when you're ready, just step up to the far door, push the button, and it'll open to let you through. After that, the place is yours to enjoy. There is a bar on the back wall with seating and tables in front, and all food and drinks are, of course, free. There are also private booths to the right of the bar, and appropriately equipped rooms to the left. When you wish to leave, come back to the doors on this side, push the button, and reverse the procedure. If the door back into the lobby here doesn't open immediately, it'll be because there's someone else out here. The system doesn't allow you to meet face to face without a mask on, so give it few moments for them to leave and then it'll let you out."

"That sounds pretty simple," Emma replied.

"It is; very simple. Any of the staff inside are always ready to help, and they're easily identified since they all wear the same distinctive black and white checked masks, so if you need anything, just ask. Now you've made your first visit, you won't normally find anyone in here the lobby, as the system will pick you up outside and let you in automatically when you walk up, so we probably won't meet again. However, if you do want me for anything, call on any of the intercom panels dotted around the place, and I'll come in and find you. Any questions?"

"I don't think so."

"Good, then I'll leave you to enjoy your visit." And with that, he smiled and pointed her in the direction of the doors.

Emma walked over to the nearest door, which was showing a small green light, and pushed the button. The door slid quietly aside, and with a little trepidation, she went inside. There was a distinct click as the door locked behind her. The room was a medium sized rectangular steel box with another camera pod in the ceiling, which made a brief whirring noise as it recognised her. What on earth was this place, she wondered, a medical facility perhaps? But why the security? A high class spa maybe? That could be it. It hadn't seemed like a good idea to ask; it seemed like she was supposed to already know.

A large box extended from the wall on her left, and she checked it out. It contained a Venetian mask with a pattern of yellow and purple intertwining swirls on it, and no visible means of attachment. She picked it up to find it was very light and delicate, and when she tried it on her face, it fitted perfectly and seemed to stay firmly in place of its own accord. It hardly felt like she was wearing it. As she removed her clothes and placed them neatly into the box, it crossed her mind who might be watching from the camera, but she didn't seem to have much choice right now. Besides, it was probably only somebody from the spa, if it was anybody at all, and they'd be seeing her in a few moments anyway. She moved towards the far door, put her feet in the footprints on the floor, and raised her arms as John had instructed. There was click as two small panels opened in each wall and a small robotic arm extended from each, giving her a sudden feeling of apprehension. They paused for a second, then sprayed her entire body from the neck down, with a clear, slightly sweet smelling fluid, before retracting back into the walls, leaving her utterly puzzled. She ran a finger down her arm, and found it was slippery, like baby oil, but it didn't wipe off or rub in. It felt really good though, and she walked to the door thinking this might end up being fun after all. Oh well, a few deep breaths to calm her nerves, then she pushed the button and the door slid back.

OH. MY. GOD!!

It was a club. And it was packed. And she was stark naked. But then, so was everybody else. She was so shocked that she didn't even realise that she'd taken two steps forward and the door had closed behind her. She'd never seen so many naked people in one place before; there must have been 400 people out there. From where she was standing, it was two wide steps down onto the dance floor, which was heaving with naked bodies of every shape, size, colour and age, all glistening in the lights. The music was loud, but not deafening, and the party seemed to be in full swing. It took a moment before her mind caught up, and she started to assess the situation. When she thought about it, normally she'd probably be mortified to find herself exposed like this, but strangely she didn't; a little apprehensive perhaps, but not a trace of self-consciousness. Perhaps this was what the Demon meant about acting out of character. Freed of the constraints of normal life, she could feel her curiosity starting to wake, and a stirring of excitement to keep it company.

Emma felt that she could use a drink, but although she could see the bar on the far side, there didn't appear to be any way to it, apart from straight across the dance floor. Looking around, there was no easy way through either, but she couldn't help becoming fascinated by the occupants. Off to her right, two guys were showing each other some interest and were in very obvious state of arousal; just back from them was group of five women dancing like they were on an office night out; off to the left was an elderly couple entwined like they were the only people in the room; just in front of her, about three people in, was a pretty brunette with a blue and white striped mask, maybe late thirties, looking straight at her over the shoulders of the two men she was dancing with, and waving her arms like a maniac. Leaning over to them, she said something to the men, who nodded a few times, then she started to slip through the crowd, grinning like a thing possessed. She ran up the steps and threw her arms around Emma, giving her a huge, friendly hug. Startled, she automatically hugged her back without thinking. She couldn't believe how nice it felt, being hugged by a total stranger, completely naked, feeling the woman's skin against her own. She stepped back and smiled.

"Hi, welcome to Sanctuary! You're new aren't you?"

"Er, yes, I am" Emma managed to reply.

"Thought so, I know pretty much all the masks that come in here. Hey, I've had at least half of them!!" she laughed. "I love it here. Out there I live on my own, I work in a bank, and I'm as shy as a church mouse, but in here I can be who I always wished I could be. Oh, you're going to have so much fun!!" She was bobbing up and down on the balls of her feet and clapping her hands like a nine year old on Christmas morning, and Emma couldn't help finding her enthusiasm infectious. "Come on, time for a drink, then I'll show you around a bit."

She took Emma's hand and led her towards the dance floor. She felt a slight trepidation as she followed, but then the woman slipped into the swaying crowd, towing Emma in with her. It was a strange sensation, sliding through the press of bodies, being unable to avoid their contact. Everyone smiled in greeting as they moved through, some letting them pass as best they could, some turning to face them and playfully rubbing against them, others giving passing hugs and more than the occasional exploring hand. She didn't know if it was the atmosphere, the total lack of inhibition, or the unreality of it all, but she began to find it both erotic and highly arousing. It was a very liberating feeling. Even to the point of risking lightly brushing her hand across the occasional bottom. By the time she reached the other side, her smile was genuine.

"There, wasn't that good? And I saw that hand straying, you naughty girl," said the crazy woman, in mock chastisement. "Oh, nice boobs by the way. Hey, can you suck your own nipples? I don't have enough up top to reach them, look." Lifting one breast with her hand, she craned her neck to demonstrate the fact. She gave them a jiggle, then shrugged, "Oh well. Drinks time!" then headed for the bar. As Emma followed her through the seating area in front of the bar, she noticed the acoustics of the place made it much quieter over here. Her curiosity was getting the better of her now, and she couldn't help looking at those relaxing here, some just sitting and chatting, some indulging in more intimate pastimes, but nobody seemed to mind.