The Unfleshed (Teaser, Published Work)

Chapter 3

Angus sat in the dark, dank cellar of his manor. He built this enclosed room when he'd traveled back from his tour through Rome and Paris. The month he spent in Rome was where he learned the most about Philosophy, Medicine, Religion and some of the more darker planes of gratification. The Romans were on a whole other level of sadistic pleasures, and Angus had been witness to a great many of them. One of the things he brought back with him from his journey was his smoking pipe and his fondness of the different medicinal herbs of which he smoked from it.

Mugwort was his favorite. Tonight as he sank into his customized Roman bath, Angus gazed at the murals on his walls depicting some of the acts he had been so lucky to be a part of. Facing him on the opposite wall was a woman bound by hands and ankles, adorned in glittering chains of gold. He'd crafted this image with tile, stone and paints. It turned out rather nice, he mused to himself. He remembered the girl, though not her name which of no consequence to him, due to her high endurance for pain.

Taking a deep pull from the pipe, the thick smoke coiled down into his lungs and his eyes closed. Angus was carried into a sedated, meditative state. His eyes grew heavy and he watched as the mosaic girl came to life and undulated under the knotted leather straps of a whip. The young man behind her barely even had hair on his chiseled body. His smooth bronzed skin was a work of art itself. Each lashing of the whip coaxed from the girl a mixture of a moan and a cry of pain.

Angus' head lolled to the side and the next scene sprung from the stone walls out at him. A man and woman entwined in a lover's embrace while the consorts let their hands roam freely, manipulating their audience into a rapturous wave of pleasure. Their moans echoed within Angus' mind and set his loins on fire. Sliding his left hand into the steaming water, he turned to the other wall. His favorite.

The woman was strapped to a table and surrounded by three men. Each of them stared down at her with lust-filled eyes. The man at the head of the table had a funnel shaped object of which he held steady within her mouth. Beside him the other man held the poor woman's head still. Water was poured into the funnel, giving the girl the sensation of drowning and while her body jerked and convulsed the two remaining men had their way with her.

The scene, in reality, were just images upon his stone walls which were made smooth by a learned technique of plastering. The illusion came to life through the smoke he inhaled right in front of his eyes as if he was back in time and surrounded by the orgy of delights. Though Angus touched and coaxed himself to rigid attention, he never finished the job. He took in a deep breath, stood out of the scalding water and stepped into the next sectioned-off part of the bath where the temperature of the water juxtaposed the first. His skin dimpled and rose in bumps in reaction to the new sensation. Taking in deep breaths, Angus descended the steps until his entire body was enveloped. His erection was effectively reduced to the flaccid member it once was.

With his hormones once more in control, he rose from the cold water and head into the main portion of the bath that welcomed him into their warm, soothing depths. Angus moved to the side where a glass of wine sat and turned with it in hand to face his mural again. He was saving himself for his "Prize" and upon closer inspection of the mural, one would see that the girl in each picture resembled Morrigan with astonishing likeness.

Angus took a deep sip of his drink and sank deeper into the water allowing it to cover his shoulders. The incense billowed and danced with the smoke of his pipe and formed a mist over the bath. This was his sanctuary. He could clear his thoughts and think here. He could reminisce about her here. Soon his other room would be complete, and one day Morrigan would enjoy it with him.

It was a slow process. Angus had a plan to build rapport with her father in order to gain permission to court the object of his desire. He had money, good standing and now just needed to solidify the trust between Paul and himself. He wanted there to be no hesitation when he asked for Morrigan's hand in marriage, and her father would gladly offer up his daughter which would finally make her his. His, forever.