Ebon, Chapter Four
#4 of Ebon
After our meal I bid farewell to the two equines, and headed out of the restaurant. I walked through one of the larger apartment complexes in Davison, passing along the forest that bordered it until I came to a small path that wound through the trees. It lead to a bank of Black Creek, one of my favorite relaxation spots. Unfastening the collar from my neck I pitched back to chuck it as far along the creek as I could, but slowly I lowered my arm.
He is your master, why would you do this? A voice in my mind asked, my own voice. He spent his money on it, a gift to his most beloved pet. You would betray him like this?
He is not my master, I thought_, I won't wear his collar_.
Besides, said a second voice. At this point, I was a bit worried for my sanity. Not wearing it at the dinner will probably have bad results. We should wear it at least until we can tell him to fuck off.
I lowered my arm, frowning. I stuffed the damn thing into my ever-present messenger bag, wandering back up the path. But as I set foot into the parking lot of the apartment complex, the cellphone in my pocket buzzed. I took it out, checking the caller ID on the screen. It told me nothing aside from <Private Caller>, so I accepted the call.
"Hello, pet." Said a smooth, quietly confident voice on the other end. "You'll be happy to know I'm here early. I've moved our dinner reservations to tonight."
"Oh, okay." I said, frowning. "Master, I couldn't find the book."
"What do you mean, you couldn't find the book?" His voice took on an icy edge that I definitely did not like the sound of. "I told you it was in the library."
"It wasn't. Someone checked it out before I got there." A door shut in the background of the call.
"I see. I do suppose it was beyond your means to track it down." His frown was almost audible. "No matter. Your address is...?"
Against my better judgment, I told him.
"I'll be there to pick you up at eight o'clock." He hung up suddenly, and I was left looking at the phone. No, I couldn't go through with this. When he showed up I'd tell him there was no goddamn way I was going to go to dinner with him, and that I was no longer his pet. From what Craig and Flintock said, if I kept on being with him I could be...well, not well off. As I walked I slipped Flintock's card from my wallet, dialing the number on it. It rang only once before sending me to his voicemail. I left a message, then hung up.
I returned to my house, flopping down on my couch and staring at the blank television. My thoughts returned to his voice, how cold and emotionless it sounded. No, there was absolutely no way I was going to go through with this. I took the remote control up, flicking on the television as I stood, pacing about the room.
"...In other news, the villain known only as 'Cruor' has apparently struck again last night, according to Chicago police detectives." Said the handsome human news reporter on the screen, paging through papers before him.
"Cruor..." I said, narrowing my eyes at the screen. A weathered-looking police officer was shown in a video interview, standing in front of an old two-story house.
"Yeah, we found a mark this Cruor guy has a habit of leaving." He said. "Apparently the SJI are getting involved with him. I really don't envy him if they're on the case."
I frowned deeper. Perhaps the similarity...no. There was no way that the sameness between the two could be the same. I stiffened instinctively; I was in a lot more shit than I thought I was. I called Flintock again, and got voicemail again.
"Alright, Ken, you just need to calm down." I said, to nobody in particular. "Call him later, they're probably doing something with the house anyway." I nodded, heading upstairs and settling in front of my computer, wasting time with video games.
Hours later, my alarm clock buzzed angrily. I stood and switched it off, taking my cellphone off the nightstand. Another call, another redirect to voicemail. I felt fear rising again, but I shook my head stubbornly.
"Now, if he's really some villain, dumping him on the front porch of a house in a little suburb isn't the best idea." I said, again to nobody. "Doing it in public would be the best idea." I nodded, assured of this. I crossed the hallway into the bathroom, undressing and turning on the shower. 'But if he really is Cruor,' I thought as I washed, 'I'm pretty much screwed even if I'm in public.'
After I showered I headed back into my room, dressing in the best-looking clothes I had. I never liked male formal clothing, and thus dressed in a black dress I had found in a secondhand clothing store. Over my horns went simple silver rings, between them stretching a fine chain of the same material. All the while I was dressing I could not shake the feeling of dressing for my own funeral, but still I continued. As I fastened the hateful collar around my throat the doorbell rang. I slowly descended the stairs to the door, shoving fear away into the back of my mind.
As I opened the door, a regal looking panther stood on the porch, wearing a dark suit and a neutral expression. Flanking him stood two tigers, both heavily muscled but wearing dark suits as well. The moment I set eyes on the group the fear I had shoved away sprang back into my mind, more intense than before.
"Ah. Quick to answer, I see." Said Akiet, looking me over with a slight smile. "Yes, as attractive as you were in the pictures."
"Who are...they?" I asked, gesturing to indicate the tigers.
"Hm? Ah. Friends of mine, they'll be dining with us. This is Bertrand," He indicated the left, "and this is Jean. Have no worries, they are merely friends."
"Ah, yes, master." I bowed slightly. He gestured for me to follow and I did, shutting the door behind me and locking it with a key I slipped into a pocket in the dress. They led me to a surprisingly luxurious car, with Jean at the wheel.
"It's wonderful to finally see you, my pet." Said Akiet, from his seat next to me in the rear. "I admit, I had lower expectations from you. You have excelled in all of them.
"Th-Thank you, master." The word tasted like bile as I spoke it, but I had to keep it up until I was safe.
"Ah, so shy. Such an endearing trait." He glanced out the window as he spoke. "I do look forward to taking your virginity. You have no offense to that, I would assume." Hell fucking yes, I did.
"No, master, I do not." I lied. My head was afire with fear and disgust, swiftly and ruthlessly suppressing any shades of the 'mind control' Craig had mentioned. David's was on the other side of town from my house, on the road that led to the high school. Jean effortlessly parked the large vehicle, and we climbed out.
David's interior was dimmed, as is fashionable with fine dining restaurants. Apparently they didn't want you to see the steak you were paying fifty dollars for. We were led to a booth in the back of the restaurant by a mustachioed server, and our orders were placed. Surprisingly, Akiet placed my order for me, even referring to me as 'pet'. This stoked my anger, but I swallowed it down. As the server walked away, I spoke up.
"Master?" I said, quietly.
"Yes, pet?" He answered, not looking at me.
"I don't want to be your pet anymore. In fact, I really don't. After thinking and speaking with some people, I've decided that it would be best if I leave." I winced, expecting him to do something rash. However, he merely looked at me with a soft smile.
"As you desire." He said. "I never once said you must stay with me." As he spoke, however, I felt a deep undercurrent of darkness flow through me, chilling my flesh and making me unconsciously shiver. I nodded, though, and forced a smile.
"It is not like it should interrupt our dinner," Said Jean, his French accent thick. "In fact, I would be most pleased to know who you are, Monsieur Brightstar." The other Frenchman nodded in agreement.
"Ah. I'm actually in high school. I kind of plan to go into electronics if I can manage it."
"I'm sure it won't be too hard, with your intelligence." Added Akiet, smiling. Soon after our food arrived, and we spoke only of minor things.
The group drove me home, parking in the driveway and leading me to the door.
"Ah, Monsieur? Would you mind if I used your telephone? I did not bring my cellular with me." Asked Bertrand, sounding apologetic. I nodded and opened the door for him. Akiet touched my bare arm, to get my attention.
"Could I have a word with you, in private?" He asked. My worry must have been apparent. "No worries, I mean no harm. I just want to go over releasing you."
"Alright." We headed upstairs, into the relative privacy of the hall. But before I even turned around, a strong arm shoved me into the wall, holding me there.
"You fucking whore," hissed Akiet, his mouth right next to my ear, "You spoke with that Flintock fool, didn't you?" I could only gasp in response. "You're lucky I didn't slit your throat and dump you out of the car on the way back." He called over his shoulder for what I only now realized were his hired muscle. As they hurried up the stairs he produced a short length of rope from a pocket in his jacket, expertly tying my hands behind my back and shoving me into my bedroom. I landed in an ungraceful heap, glaring at him with as much hate as I could muster.
"You bastard, you fucking planned this the entire damn time, didn't you?" I growled, uselessly trying to worm out of the binds. "Since I said I didn't wanna be your slave anymore?"
"I always get what I want, child." He said, grinning maliciously. His thugs shut and locked my door, standing in front of it. Terror kicked in as Akiet approached, easily shedding his clothes and picking me up bodily. Tossing me down onto my bed he extended the claws on his left hand, shredding my dress and tossing it aside. His member slowly unsheathed, and ignoring my cries of terror he forced my legs open. The pain was unbearable as he forced himself inside, brutally stripping me of my virginity. I screamed, as loud as I could, but one of the hired thugs stepped forward and clamped a strong hand around my mouth. They each took their turns after Akiet himself was done, and by the second I couldn't feel much of anything. Tears welled up and I did nothing to stop them, sobbing as each of them had their way. Eventually they decided they were through, leaving me a mess of blood, sweat, tears and their fluids. Akiet dropped something on the floor of my room, but I couldn't see what it was.
I lost track of time as I laid there, but eventually I watched the sun come up through my window. As it did my cellphone rang, from the nightstand next to my bed. Wincing as pain lashed through me I rolled, taking the phone up with my bound hands and flipping it open, pressing the speakerphone button.
"Hey, I just got your message," Came Flintock's voice, laden with sleepyness. "Sorry about that, you said something about him showing up early?"
I described what happened.
Soon there were police.