City of Morals: Chapter 5 - An Unpleasant Surprise
#5 of City of Morals
Greetings! It's unexpected of me but I quickly finished the next chapter. I've been quite productive and inspired this week so I just had to take advantage of that!
Like always, please rate, fave, comment or criticize--It's what keeps me going and it's kind of a rating scale to tell me if I'm doing good or bad, and I'd REALLY appreciate it if you guys do! Thank you.
Disclaimer's Note: This story contains themes that revolve around males taking part in sexual acts with other males, as well as cursing and violence. If these types of content offends you in any way, then I recommend that you turn back now and not read, otherwise, enjoy!
Cedrick's gone.
He couldn't wrap his mind around it. Like the thought was as liquid as it was impossible to grasp. It seemed intangible, downright impossible. No matter how much he tried, he just couldn't believe it. Cedrick's dead.
"Eat your food"
Ryleigh snapped from his daze, his attention went back to his food. At his front sat Alexander who had sported a grim expression ever since he caught Ryleigh watching the news clip from the TV. He remembered the rhino snatching the remote from his paw and forcibly turning the TV off. He could've complained, but he was too much in shock to react at that time. Even now he was. He tried to hide it to wave off the undoubted uneasiness from the rhino. He was upset, it was all too obvious. His mind kept wandering that he forgot he was hungry in the first place.
"Sorry" he said, keeping his head down and forking on an elongated, red and meaty food that Alex called a hotdog. He sliced a portion of it and brought it to his mouth and started munching on it slowly. He raised his head up to take the glass into his paws and caught the rhino staring at him.
"What is it?" Ryleigh asked.
"Nothing" Alex shrugged. He went back to eating his food and Ryleigh did as well, although he could still feel the rhino staring at him. It discomforted the cat that Alexander was beaming daggers at him. He didn't know what he did wrong. The rhino's wordlessness did nothing to alleviate that fact. It became unbearable when all he heard were the tinging sound of metal against plate and nothing else and he knew he really had to say something.
"Alex. What's wrong?" he finally said.
"I'm just worried about you," he said, taking a swig from his glass.
"Worried? About what?"
"The news"
"What about the news?"
Alex dropped his utensils on the plate with a bang, "Don't act like you don't know what I'm talking about. It bothered you and you know it. You could barely move when you saw that clip, even staring at your food for minutes before I said anything."
"Well what do you want me to do? Cedrick died!" Ryleigh said, gripping tightly at his shorts.
"I don't know," Alex said, raising his shoulders a bit, "I expected you to celebrate"
Ryleigh's brows furrowed, "Celebrate? Do you think me sick?"
"Ryleigh," Alex said, rubbing the area in between his eyes, "You know what I'm saying. Those two did something bad to you. I expected that you'd hate them."
"I do but..." he breathed and drank the remaining water from his glass "It's wrong. Punishment is enough. But dying?"
"He had it coming, he's a drug lord if you didn't know. God knows you're not the first one he treated like a...like a guinea pig."
Ryleigh flinched. Alex was right. How many people had to go through the horrors of the confusion over their own emotions while their bodies were used and exploited? Ryleigh shivered. He could've been their hundredth victim!
"But still..."
"He deserved it" Alex said, he was emotionless.
"What about Robbie? Did you see him cry?"
"I don't see why you're so concerned with the people who raped you"
It was that word again.
The rhino's words stir the bitterness in him. "I-I...guess you're right. But who could've done it?"
"He has many enemies, could've been anyone" Alex said, his expression was cool, and he took another bite from his food before speaking again, "Just last week, a warehouse by the docks got burned down to the ground. From what I gather, it's possible that he's involved. Many people probably died. Police says otherwise."
"Police," Ryleigh snickered, "They turn a blind eye for money."
Silence ensued, only the clinks of the spoons and forks filled their ears. Outside, the blaring noise of an emergency vehicle was loud enough to be heard up to the room--ambulance or police, Ryleigh wasn't sure but he was thankful that it was there. Otherwise there was nothing else to mask the awkward silence. In a few minutes Ryleigh finished his food while Alex filled his glass with water. The cat gave him a nod of gratitude and drank from it.
"You're a good guy, Ryleigh"
Ryleigh gave him a puzzled look, "Huh?"
"What I'm saying is if I was in your situation, I would've gone mad already. Start killing everyone if I ever got the chance. But here you are, worrying about the very people who used you."
Ryleigh scratched his neck, abashed, "Thanks...I guess."
Alex seemed to feel the cat's discomfort and reached across the table and gave him a pat on the shoulder, "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have brought it up."
"It's okay." he lied. They both stayed silent again for a while, although this time, it was pure silence. No food or water to gulp down to mask the lump in his throat, neither were there clinks of the silverware to hide the tension underneath the cat's face.
"Hey." the rhino spoke up.
Ryleigh swallowed the unmistakable lump on his throat and looked up at the rhino, uneasy, "Yeah?"
"You're safe here."
"I know." he said, his voice cracking. Ryleigh himself didn't believe his own words.
Alex sighed and stood up from his seat. He started picking the plates one-by-one while Ryleigh watched. Ryleigh gave a sigh of relief as well, thankful that the rhino didn't press for any more conversation; Thankful that the rhino was sensitive enough to feel that their conversation stirred unpleasant emotions from him.
"You can watch TV if you want," The rhino said and smiled at Ryleigh as he picked his glass and placed it above the stacked plates, "Just stay away from the news."
Ryleigh beamed, "Thanks"
Ryleigh strode off in front of the TV and turned it on. He looked over by the kitchen and saw the rhino glance at him by the partition before going back to whatever job he was doing. Ryleigh dismissed it and went back to the TV. He didn't mind Alexander's eyes watching him. His gaze didn't make him feel naked nor did he make him feel like cowering under his bed. It was unlike how those other guys watched him. The rhino's eyes had a cautious manner in them, like he's guarding every step of the cat to prevent him from hurting himself. Ryleigh felt spoiled. He didn't mind.
"Romance? I never would've guessed"
Ryleigh flinched at the sudden intrusion. He was so engrossed at the cheesy film he was watching that he completely forgot about Alex, he didn't even hear him approach. The rhino leaned and crossed his chest over the couch atop Ryleigh.
"Shit!" Ryleigh cursed and turned the TV off with a quick flick of a button. He eyed the rhino behind him and caught Alexander grinning at him
"Hey! Why'd you turn it off! I loved that movie!" he said and chuckled again.
Ryleigh felt his cheeks go hot, his ears folding back on his skull, "Shut up. Go away"
"If you say so. But you're gonna have to turn that thing on or you'll miss the best part" Alex said and leaned down on Ryleigh's ears, "She's gonna die."
Ryleigh gasped, took the remote and pressed the power button. He kneeled down to the floor and crawled forward, his face only a few inches from the TV. The movie was at it's peak, the screen showed a grim scene in a hospital-like setting. A pale woman in a bed was hyperventilating, her watermelon-sized tummy seemed to be bursting like a monster was clawing it's way out. The scene was in complete chaos. There were screaming and blood everywhere. But just like that, the woman, died.
Ryleigh clawed at the carpets and he gritted his teeth against each other as he stood glued at the scene. Suddenly the story's hero stabbed the woman's chest with what looked like an injection and Ryleigh himself winced in pain as a similar memory flashed in his head.
"No...Bella" he murmured and he crawled back onto the couch. He sat on it and stared blank at the TV as the credits rolled by. Ryleigh saw the rhino's figure at his periphery then couch bent and whistled in complain as it adjusted to it's new heavy occupant.
"I didn't know that somebody could be so affected by a cheesy movie like that"
"You don't know how it feels like," Ryleigh sniveled, "How could they kill the girl? Whoever made that movie should die!"
"Don't say that. Part 2's coming soon, and..." he leaned and whispered like he did earlier, "It's got a happy ending"
Ryleigh's eyes went wide, "I have to watch it!"
Alex shook his head, "No. It's not until a few days before premiere."
"Then we watch?"
"No."
"What? Why?"
"Because it's dangerous, Ryleigh" Alex said and Ryleigh felt his excitement deflate like a balloon. The rhino noticed and spoke, "I'm really sorry Ryleigh, but people are on the lookout for you."
Ryleigh whimpered, "Godric?"
"Not just him. Everyone. Each and every one of your clients. Words been sent out that you escaped."
"B-but, that means that..." He's still not free. Ryleigh glowered and sunk deeper into the couch like being submerged in water. He knows it's only been a day since he got out of that hellish place, and the rhino's nice enough to make him feel at home. A day. It's only been a day and yet he's already itching to go out, and yet he wasn't allowed to do that. Knowing Godric, he'd have had his men post flyers all over the city, giving anything in return to get Ryleigh back--a bounty. Ryleigh snarled. That greedy bastard!
The rhino sat closer to Ryleigh and rubbed the cat's leg to reassure him, "If there was some way to do it, I will but you might just get caught and get locked again. You don't want that do you?"
"This place is no different," he grumbled, "I'm tired of this! Being locked up with no place to go. If I could choose then I would've chosen to live in the streets like before, at least I was free. But now...that bastard Godric...gah! There's probably flyers with my face all around the city by now." Ryleigh mused, but he didn't expect the rhino to say anything over his rant. When he glanced over the rhino, he saw the guy to be deep in thought. Then his eyes widened and both his eyebrows raised then spoke, "There might be a chance that we could go!"
The cat's ears perked up, and his body jumped up from his glum position, "How?"
Alexander looked at him thoughtfully, "We're gonna have to dress you up"
Ryleigh murred and spoke in excitement, "Dress up? Clothes?"
"Mmhmm," he rumbled, and stood up from the couch, observing and sizing Ryleigh carefully, "Something more. A disguise."
"Like in those detective movies?"
Alex nodded, "Yes, like in the detective movies--Could you stand up for a sec?"
Ryleigh did and he twirled around, knowing that Alex was studying him up and down. For a second, he blushed and felt his anxiety build up in his chest. He couldn't help but reminisce that the way Alex made him move around reminded him of the ravenous looks his previous clients gave him. He felt invisible spider-like hands crawl up to his skin.
"A-are you done?"
"Oh! Yes, and sorry. Did I make you uncomfortable?"
"Y-yes!" he muttered and collapsed on the couch.
Alexander muttered something to himself then sat again. He faced the cat and called for his attention,
"Ryleigh. How are you up for dying your fur black?"
Siegfried Whitman walked along the floors of the Playground, the place's signature scent hitting his nose hard. A lone light flickered at the bar and he settled in one of the stools there and placed his hands on the surface.
Godric went MIA after they 'visited' Cedrick on the warehouse. He wished he could've stayed so at least he could've picked the Rottweiler up and drive him off to his home. But he couldn't. There was something horrible that was happening in that warehouse. And Godric was the whole of it. He was that reason that he left.
He couldn't stomach the sight of the flames swallowing Cedric whole, nor the sound of his muffled screams as he was burned alive. Siegfried ran away from it all, but he was too slow. The odor of burnt flesh already permeated through his nose and told him that he was part of it. Part of someone's death.
He drove away that night to run from it all, and today he regretted his actions. He couldn't call the rottweiler nor have his men see him. He couldn't have been killed. Godric was stronger than that, though he grows weaker by the second. The disappearance of his favorite slave had smashed his hearts to pieces, and Siegfried knew. Godric loved Ryleigh.
Now, he's brought himself here to finish his other duties. Maybe he just wanted to forget about Godric. For now.
Weeks, it has been since the dragon last visited this horrid place. His last memories were of bright seductive lights, drunken men puking their terrible retches out, and men of all ages--From teenagers to old age interlocked with each others' tongues, paws on rumps while others grasp at their crotches, without care if anyone was watching. Such memories sickened Siegfried.
It was lust. In its rawest and most primal level. They were beasts--animals in a sinful ritual of exploiting each other's bodies for each of their own selfish needs. Like they were all born not of human mind but of the same consciousness that only knows of food, pain and sex. The dragon grasped at an empty glass. He needed a drink right now.
However, there was no bartender attending the spot nor was there anyone in sight. He breathed a sigh of relief and felt his muscles relax, thankful that nobody but himself and a few others were in this sinful place. At least he could rest a little bit. The days haven't been kind. But this day, he expected it to be the worst. His silver eyes moved towards a dark opening in a corner, the sight of it making him cringe with pure loathe.
"Sieg?"
He felt a hand on his shoulders but he didn't bother to even look at the guy. He kept his gaze plastered on the dark opening, as if his loathsome gaze could make it disappear. The hand's pressure lift from his shoulder and he saw a figure at the side of his vision move around the bar and in front of him.
This time he removed his stare at the corner and turned to look at the person. It was a horse, whose dark brown eyes stared down at him emphatically before he turned and seemed to scramble around the bar in search around the drawers and cabinets for something. Siegfried's eyes watched as the horse's polo shirt hugged taut on his firm pectorals while the clothing creased as his muscular brown arms stretched and flexed as he moved around the bar. The guy's light brown silky tail swished like a lasso over his jeans as he checked around more of the compartments.
Siegfried felt his mood lighten as he watched the horse's tail move so animatedly, it almost looked like a rope that he could pull. Although he's sure that the horse would mind that, a lot. In a few seconds of watching, the horse came up with a juice box and set it down on the surface. He took a towel from behind him and cleaned the glass on Siegfried's hands then poured down it's contents into the glass.
"Orange?" Siegfried said to the horse, "You know I hate orange Dalton"
"It's all I could find. Last night's break came from the bar" Dalton said.
Siegfried raised a brow, "I watched Godric. Those bottles were empty. Where did the alcohol go?"
The horse's black-edged muzzle grinned, "How many of your servants were drunk last night?"
Both of Siegfried's brows furrowed this time, "You shouldn't have! What if some of them walked in while Godric's there?"
"Then it's their drunk asses' fault"
Siegfried chortled and Dalton joined him, then brought the orange juice on his muzzle, drinking it. He set it down, his jolliness still obvious from his face, "Thanks Dalton, you always know how to cheer me up."
"Always there for you buddy" the horse told him and patted Siegfried's back. Dalton pulled a chair from inside the bar and sat himself in front of the dragon. Siegfried finished the juice and set the glass down.
"Thanks for the--" He tried to say but he became fully aware that the horse was giving him a serious look, his gaze focused straight on Siegfried's own.
"Why are you here?" Dalton asked.
The dragon shrugged and rearranged himself on the seat. He did his best to look as relaxed as possible. He knew where this was going, "I own half of this place" he said, his tone blank.
"You hate this place."
"I'm just on a visit. Just to check it out"
"You're a bad liar Whitman. You'd do anything to avoid this place. That's the whole reason you placed me here for months right?"
Siegfried quivered at Dalton's words, "Why are you putting me on the spot?" he yelled
The horse seemed unfazed by the dragon. He tilted his head towards the stairway to the basement and said, "You were staring at the Dungeon. It's him, isn't it? You came because you were worried about that bastard."
Bastard.
A white hand suddenly flew towards the horse's cheek and the latter wasn't fast enough to avoid it. It connected with a splat and Dalton rubbed his face. When he recovered, his face took a chilly appearance towards Siegfried.
The dragon stood erect over his stool, his shoulders squared while his chest heaved up and down. His pointed ears burned with heat while the pupils of his eyes changed from silver to black, and there was a snarl on his muzzle. Then, as if realizing what had just happened, his snarl disappeared and his black eyes turned silver again. He held his hand with his other as if it ached and whimpered, "I-I'm sorry Dalton! It's--"
"I'm sorry... Master" the horse said, his tongue speaking in a venomous tone as he said 'Master' and a chill coursed across Siegfried's body as he felt Dalton's defiance under the word.
Siegfried felt himself cower under his own servant's stare and he felt himself melt like ice. He did something wrong and there was no denying it. He hit him! He hit his servant who only meant to help bring some sense out of him. A reality that he refused to accept. Siegfried was wrong.
He felt the tears coming once again to his eyes, but he turned back quick and cupped his muzzle to stifle his cries. His knees bolted and he felt his feet scrambling as he propelled himself towards the exit of the playground. The sudden current made him close his eyes and he felt the adrenaline run through his veins and made him blindly claw at his front, trying to find the door as he ran.
He heard something thump solidly at what sounded like a wood then the tiles, followed by the walloping sound of shoes and before he knew it, Siegfried was pulled back by his shoulders and felt himself rooted to the ground with strong arms.
"Godric..." the dragon whispered.
"I'm sorry Sieg," It wasn't Godric, "I really am sorry."
Siegfried didn't move, he just kept silent while the horse held him still. He felt the horse's heat radiate from his strong chest and into Siegfried's back, the coldness he felt from the horse gone like it was never there.
Yet, Siegfried preferred the horse's icy glares than his comforting warmth. He refused to acknowledge the fact that Dalton was holding him protectively like he knew that the dragon would do something rash that would hurt himself. He was more than a personal guard than or a mere servant. There was a deeper meaning in Dalton's actions but he refused to open his eyes to him.
"Dalton. Please."
He felt the horse's chest inflate on his back and heard him sigh, the horse's warm air tickling his neck, though he showed no reaction. The horse shifted behind him and his arms unstrapped themselves from Siegfried's shoulders.
Siegfried stretched his arms calming his muscles from their previous discomfort, and also distracting himself from the horse behind him. Siegfried didn't face him, he didn't have the courage to. All he could do was whisper, "I can never return your feelings"
The Playground stayed silent, the only sounds that were heard were the sound of their breaths. The place was empty, but yet the atmosphere choked Siegfried like it was filled rather than uninhabited. For once, he wished it was filled with people and the music booming. At least his ragged breaths wouldn't show, or maybe he could mesh in through the bodies of the people and lose the horse in the crowd. But that was all just a wish.
"Neither will he," Dalton said in a low tone, "But I'll be here. Until the time that you realize you're wrong." The horse tried holding Siegfried's hands over his own, but the dragon pushed it away before he could.
He broke their contact without word and walked past the horse, onto the dark corner of the Playground. He grasped carefully at the railings by the narrow walls and started down the flight of stairs. He couldn't see anything and for a time, he almost felt like going back and retreating to the only source of light.
He heard another set of footsteps behind him and he knew that he couldn't do that anymore, lest he'd have another uncomfortable encounter with the stubborn horse. It was reassuring though. That he wasn't alone as he descended into the only other place he despised more than the Playground. The Dungeon itself.
For a time, the darkness hugged around his vision, and he felt himself tremble. For all he knew, there could've been hidden assassins in the dark, hired by his political enemies to get rid of him once and for all. But he dismissed them as irrational thoughts fueled by fear. Irrational it was, but the fear never left him and the descent towards the basement became utterly painful for his restless lungs. After a few stretched seconds of descending, he finally came upon the end. He felt for the knob with his paws and found it, twisting it and entering while he left the door open behind him.
As soon as he entered, he felt his legs weaken and almost fell down due to the sheer intensity of the scent, but a hand caught him by his back and supported him.
Siegfried didn't take long before he pulled himself back up and stood on his own two legs. He felt the presence behind him move and saw a hand holding out something for him.
"Your nose is too sensitive. Cover up" Dalton said
Siegfried took the handkerchief and covered his snout, giving the horse a nod of gratitude although forced. He felt the horse's hand reattach themselves on the dragon's back and Siegfried tensed at the contact. The dragon strode off into the halls and Dalton followed close behind him.
"Dalt..." Siegfried said, removing the handkerchief a few milliseconds just enough for him to speak,"I'm a terrible master. Why do you still serve me?"
"You're not," Dalton replied, "Have you asked Cynthia the same question before?"
"...No"
"We have the same reasons for serving you Sieg. You're a great master. You pulled us out of our misery and gave us our lives back. We chose to serve you. We love you" Dalton said and paused before speaking again. The horse's words made the dragon's heart crumble to dust. It was a double-edged sword both of which sawed at him.
He muttered a reply, "Thanks..." and it was all he said before they walked along the hall again. He kept his gaze on the ground; His eye's supposed silver pupils replaced by black ones. It was all he could do to keep himself from seeing how Dalton would look at him. Angry. Worried. Full of love. No, he couldn't bring himself to face him.
Affection. He needed it severely. Ached for it. Dying, because the man he loved didn't love him back. The horse's advances only reminded him of how empty and lonely he was. He knew he was vulnerable right now, and it took all of his will to keep himself from succumbing to the horse's advances. He quavered, but he kept himself impassive, brave. Fake.
One thing. There was only one thing that he needed to do before he could go back to the recesses of his home: Pick up the last slave left in the Dungeon and he'll be on his way. For a second, he felt himself waver and he lost grip of his handkerchief while the stunning scents assaulted him. He felt the horse hold his back again but Siegfried steeled himself and stood erect. He brought the handkerchief up on his snout and walked, ignoring whatever comments Dalton would give him. It was minutes before they arrived, but it felt like hours. For a second, Siegfried felt himself grow old, weary and tired. But he forced himself to stand tall, take the remaining slave and get him home. With a deep breath, he grabbed the knob, turned it and entered..
Only to find Godric fucking a white cat.
"Oh Ryleigh! Fuck!"
Siegfried stood paralyzed at the door, his hand shooting and clawing tight at his muzzle. Godric was at the bed burying his dick repeatedly at 'Ryleigh' feverishly. The male cat under him moaned in both pain and pleasure as the larger fur abused his tailhole. Their musk intertwined and covered the atmosphere in a sexual haze. Both of them were so engorged in their lustmaking that they failed to realize that somebody's already at the door, watching them with frenzied eyes.
The dragon couldn't tell whether he should be hurt, worried or angry. He was all of them. His eyes glistened like crystals. He tried to hold his tears back, but they betrayed him and flowed down his face and his hands covered his face in shame. He wouldn't want Godric to see him with such hurt on his eyes.
They were mere friends, but Siegfried couldn't help but be jealous of the faux cat underneath him. Sure it was pure lust with no love, but...still...
Siegfried's willing to give all of that to Godric.
"Who's my bitch?!" Godric screamed.
The fake Ryleigh underneath moaned and spoke with a lecherous voice, "You are...my love!"
As the submissive cat spoke, Godric's thrusts grew longer and more erratic. Siegfried could see Godric's arms encase the small cat's chest, pulling him closer into Godric's pectorals. Godric muttered a number of curses as the dragon just watched his huge pink cock pull out and disappear again into the cat's anal ring.
"FUCK ME GODRIC!"
Siegfried couldn't take it anymore. Godric wanted Ryleigh. Not Siegfried. Godric's explicit fantasy with the slave was all the answer he needed. A sudden force rushed through his muscles and his hands slammed the door. He pulled the horse with him and the latter muttered a few ragged words but Siegfried ignored him. The dragon moved a few rooms forward, opened a random door and pushed the horse in. Dalton tried to cry a few loud and desperate words to him but he quickly silenced him.
And Pulled him into a vicious kiss.