Carpe Diem (Sumettikul's Universe Two)

{13} No!

"Alone. All alone," He murmurs. I find this comforting. Maybe Jeff isn't here. The relief is empowering.

"Are you sure you don't want tea or coffee?"

"Not thirsty," He answers softly, and he takes a cautious step toward me. My feeling of empowerment evaporates. Fuck! I start panting with fear again, feeling it surge thick and rough through my veins. In spite of this and feeling beyond brave, I turn and fetch a couple of cups from the cupboard.

"What do you have that I don't?" He asks, his voice assuming the singsong intonation of a child.

"What do you mean, Alex?" I ask as gently as I can.

"Master-Mr. Sumettikul-he lets you call him by his given name."

"I'm not his submissive, Alex. Err...Master understands that I am unable, inadequate to fulfil that role."

He tilts his head to the other side. It's wholly unnerving and unnatural as a gesture.

"In-ad-e-quate." He tests the word, sounding it out, seeing how it feels on his tongue. "But Master is happy. I have seen him. He laughs and smiles. These reactions are rare...very rare for him."

Oh.

"You look like me." Alex changes tack, surprising me, his eyes seeming to focus on me properly for the first time. "Master likes obedient ones who look like you and me. The others, all the same...all the same...and yet you sleep in his bed. I saw you."

Shit! He was in the room. I didn't imagine it.

"You saw me in his bed?" I whisper.

"I never slept in Master's bed," He murmurs. He's like a fallen ethereal wraith. Half a person. He looks so slight, and in spite of the fact that he's holding a gun, I suddenly feel overwhelmed with sympathy for him.

His hands flex around the weapon, and my eyes widen, threatening to pop from my head.

"Why does Master like us like this? It makes me think something...something... Master is dark...Master is a dark man, but I love him."

No, no, he's not. I bristle internally. He's not dark. He's a good man, and he's not in the dark. He's joined me in the light. And now he's here, trying to drag him back with some warped idea that he loves him.

"Alex, do you want to give me the gun?" I ask softly. His hand grips it tightly, and he hugs it to his chest.

"This is mine. It's all I have left." He gently caresses the gun. "So he can join his love."

Holy shit!

Which love-Bible? It's like he's punched me in the stomach. I know he will be here momentarily to find out what's keeping me. Does he mean to shoot him? The thought is so horrific, I feel my throat swell and ache as a huge knot forms there, almost choking me, matching the fear that's balled tightly in my stomach.

Right on cue the door bursts open, and Bible is standing in the doorway, Chen behind him.

Glancing at me briefly, Bible's eyes sweep over me from head to toe, and I notice the small spark of relief in his look. But his relief is fleeting as his gaze darts to Alex and stills, focusing on him, not wavering in the slightest. He glares at him with an intensity I have not seen before, his eyes wild, wide, angry, and scared.

Oh no...oh no.

Alex's eyes widen, and for a moment, it seems his reason returns. He blinks rapidly while his hand tightens once more around the gun.