Chapter One
*Note: This is part of a series. Read "Inferi" first, then this story :o
"Harder!"
An order. That's what that was. It wasn't a desperate plea or sweet begging. It was a harsh, demanding order that I dare not for a second ignore.
It didn't matter that I wasn't fond of this process. It didn't matter what I thought at all, actually. All that mattered was that the person below me was pleased to the deepest core of his dark, shriveled soul. He wasn't going to stand for disobedience, especially not when it came to the most important part of his day.
It wasn't one of the three meals that he ate alone in his quarters or when he sat on his throne and condemned people for merely being unamusing.
"I said harder, damn it!"
His voice was cold and angry. I obeyed without a word, clasping his hips in my hands and ramming myself further into his hot depths, listening to him moan. It wasn't that he ignored the bloody claw marks on his back or the fact that his muscles had torn or that the puncture wounds in his neck could be near fatal to a mortal. No, in fact... While others would be sobbing or wailing in agony, the immortal being before me never made such a sound, despite his savage wounds.
No, he moaned. He relished in it. He writhed in pleasure from the pain he was ordering me to give him. He savored every moment my claws tore through his tender flesh, splitting his porcelain skin and laying it open to deep red blood that oozed out onto the pearly white sheets; sheets that were purposely white just so he could see his blood on them. He delighted in the pain, basked in it.
The first time I had been ordered to do this, I had been hesitant. I soon learned that being hesitant in this duty was not an option. While the being below me allowed himself to be beaten and torn by me, and me alone oddly enough, he was not someone to fool around with. I was beaten for my insolence and returned to my duty.
My job, as I had originally thought, was to be a bodyguard, to be the first in command when it came to the army that protected the famed River Styx, named after the great Titaness that all oaths should be sworn upon her and her river. I was to be the righthand of my lord, to do as he ordered and nothing less.
I'm not sure if I would have declined, knowing that this would be one of my duties.
But, I suppose, pleasing my master was one of my duties, and no matter the outrageous request, I was to do it.
"Yesss," He purred, arching his back, letting blood bubble past the fresh gashes on his back, his red hair tossed over his shoulder as he closed his equally red eyes in bliss, "Ungh, yes! Rip me apart!" I wasn't allowed to stare at his face too long, so I switched my gaze to his thick red hair. It fell just above his shoulders in loose, silky waves and the color was as dark as the blood that gushed from his wounds and down his inner thighs. His eyes were no different, save for the occasional glow of anger and hatred.
He suited his realm far too well.
As a Son of Hades, the Warden of the River Styx, Theo was the most obscene masochist I had ever known in my entire lifetime, which, suffice it to say, is a very, very long time.
Theo had ordered this of me the moment I had come into his service. He hadn't come off as the masochistic type at first, but rather the sadistic type. That changed the moment he ordered me to his chambers and stripped in front of me, then ordered me to abuse him. I hadn't understood and refused, resulting in my severe punishment.
Now, I knew better.
When Theo ordered you to do something, you dare not refuse should you be stripped of dignity and power. And while that had already been done to me before, I wasn't going to have this repeated time and time again, so I fell into this painful schedule.
I had grown used to his moans and sighs. To the sight of his bright red blood flowing across his beautifully smooth skin, soaking his white sheets. To the sound of skin slapping against skin.
And yet, over time, I found a strange tugging sensation in my chest. Was it because what I was doing was wrong? But then, how could someone such as myself ever feel guilty for such an act? I had done plenty over the years that I should be guilty for, but I don't regret a single action, not even the one that betrayed my pantheon and resulted in my banishment.
Perhaps it was a momentary weakness brought on after having lost my god powers.
I gritted my teeth at the thought, narrowing my eyes and digging my nails sharply into Theo's hips, making him shiver and moan, his toes curling. He didn't care that I was making myself angry, so long as I pleased him and that was the easiest way of going about this, angering myself to the point of no regret.
All I had to do was think about that one moment. I could have chosen to lie and keep my godhood, keep my place amongst my brothers, sisters, cousins. Instead, I had told those bastards the truth and I was rewarded with banishment.
"Yes!" Theo barked, snapping me out of my haze of anger to see him shudder heavily in release, moaning aloud and tilting his head back, lips parting to reveal blood dripping from his fangs. He'd probably bitten his tongue again. I was forced to continue pounding into him until he was milked of every last drop, my body on the verge of release. When I felt like I couldn't take it any longer, I pulled away and finished the job with my hand in the other direction.
I sat on the edge of the bed, breathing hard, but quietly as I glanced over my shoulder at Theo, who looked like a content cat as he curled against his bloodied sheets.
"Leave me." He ordered, though, his voice had gone from harsh and commanding to peaceful and calm. I nodded and rose to my feet, pulling my black leather pants on before jerking my buckled boots on. I draped my necklace with the ankh on it around my neck, pulling my hair back into a loose ponytail before I got up and went for the sleek black door that pulled open upon sensing my nearness.
I stepped out and for some reason, something possessed me to pause and turn around. My eyes locked on the sight of Theo sighing as if he could think of nothing better, rolling onto his back so that his freshly ripped open back would rub against the rough sheets. I grimaced and the door slid shut on me before I turned, pulling up short to see a petite female daemon named Rara standing there with fresh clean sheets. Her black hair was cut in a bob, her cat-like green eyes watching me closely and her milk chocolate skin heavily revealed in her skimpy leather pants that sank so low, it made me wonder if she and Cain shopped at the same place, matching her halter top that came short just above her pierced belly button.
"Lord Theo is not seeing anyone right now." I deadpanned. Rara raised a thin black brow at me before nodding her head, placing the linens beside the door before I started down the hallway. Much to my chagrin, Rara followed me, the sound of her spiked black heels clicking behind me and echoing enough to almost give me a headache.
While as a former god I retained some of my abilities, the ability to not get headaches apparently fled from me at this convenient hour.
"What are you doing?" I asked her in annoyance, not once looking back at her. Rara scoffed, her gold bangles jingling around her wrists.
"I have nothing else to do until Lord Theo is done basking in his agony." She responded snarkily, making me want to turn around a slap her. Was she insane? Very few people knew of Lord Theo's need to be beaten and ripped apart. Rara was one of those few select people. She had been the person before me who had done Theo's tormenting-- and from what I hear, she wasn't very good at her job.
While Rara preferred to be called a daemon, she wasn't really a daemon. She was a spirit that was worshipped by an African tribe deep in the jungles several centuries ago. She was worshipped as the spirit of black leopards and darkness.
"And nor do I." I answered sharply, hoping she'd catch onto my impatience with her. However, if there was one thing Rara wasn't known for, it was her ability to, as they say, take a hint.
"Oh good," She declared, coming up beside me to link her arm with mine, "We can do something together then, eh? How about we go fishing for spirits in the river? It'd be rather exciting to pull out someone like, say, Sir Francis Drake. Nay, Marie Antoinette."
"Correct me if I'm wrong, but Antoinette is in the Fields of Asphodel. You won't find her spirit lounging in a river."
"Ah, bully. Then what say you? Where should we run off to?"
"I don't know about you, but I have business to take care of."
"What? Did he not let you come?" Rara asked, completely unashamed. I felt heat ready to go to my cheeks, but I cleared my throat and forced it down as I glared at her pointedly.
"I had my fun. Now I have to work. In case you haven't realized, the Titans are trying to rebel and break free of Tartarus. I was there when the Titans existed and mind you I rather them not cause utter destruction." I explained as if I were talking to a child. It truly felt like that sometimes. Rara didn't seem fazed in the least by the news.
"How is that a bad thing for you? Should they escape, I assure you they'll destroy the entire Egyptian Pantheon, including your daddy--"
"I'm not going to risk the fate of the world because of personal issues."
"Yeah? That's rather noble of you, Sept. I'm impressed."
"You're buttering me up to drag me into town."
"And then there's that, of course, yes. Shall we? Come now, Lord Theo will be rolling around in his own blood for another couple hours. Let's go relax for a bit."
"I can't relax. Are you hard of hearing? The Titans--"
"Oh, Titans this, Titans that," Rara exclaimed, putting her hands on her hips, pouting up at me, "You have no concept of relaxation. Come! You've been up since the early hours doing all of Lord Theo's paperwork, beating, paperwork, more beating, and then more paperwork. Surely you can spare an hour of aimless wandering?" I grimaced at her, glancing back down the hallway toward Theo's room.
He would be angry if he came out and no one was doing what they were supposed to be doing. But then, he never gave me a job to do after spoiling him with pain. An hour away wouldn't be an hour missed... And I was in need of more charcoal.
"One hour," I told Rara firmly, glaring at her as she ignored it and pumped her fists in the air childishly, "Then we must return here without hesitation. Do you understand me?"
"Aye, aye, Cap'n!" Rara saluted me, then linked my arm rather roughly for a woman her size and we vanished from the sleek dark hallways of Theo's palace to the streets of Styx. Or rather, the town that ran along the river. It was like any port town with small boats. It had been created for Lord Charon as he always passed through after ferrying souls and he needed a place to rest.
The town was the nesting grounds for the strangest of creatures. Daemons of all origins, faes, imp collectors, bounty hunters, spirits. The list was endless. We'd even had a group of dragons pull in before, but they were a troublesome group that didn't stay long due to Theo's temper.
Styx was the melting pot of the Underworld. It was called a town, though, much closer to a small city with several bars, clubs, clothing and accessory shops. People from all over the world would visit Styx simply to experience the wide variety of culture without having to travel to so many places. The temperature was warm and humid, something I was used to. While there was no sun, there was really no need with the amount of neon lights that flashed in windows and vendor carts.
Rara and I appeared in front of a vendor, who was selling earrings made of obsidian and diamonds. I used my powers to give myself a sleeveless turtleneck. While I preferred to walk around without a shirt in the palace, in public was another matter as people often had questions about the tattoos of wings on my back.
"Yes," Rara oogled as a couple of male shapeshifters walked by, flaunting their bulging eight-packs and stylish dark hair, "We came at just the right time."
"I'm not interested in that." I told her instantly, starting to walk on without her to one of the shops to buy my charcoal, but Rara caught my arm and wheeled me back.
"Come now," Rara complained, "Surely you have some pent up sexual frustration in that relatively handsome body of yours, aye?" She ran her hands along the front of my shirt to feel my muscles. I gave her a deadpan stare.
"Relatively handsome?"
"It's a compliment."
"No, thank you."
"How rude," She protested, then paused to let her eyes follow a couple of male nymphs disappear into a bar, "What about one of those? They looked nice, eh? A bit too slender for my tastes, but you look like the type of man to enjoy a little hipbone." For some reason, Theo's hips flashed into my mind so clearly that I felt as if I could feel them in the palms of my hands again. His hipbones were smooth and soft, well-rounded. The kind of hips that made you want to grab them and not let go.
"Not sharp hipbones." I told Rara dully. She scrunched her nose up.
"Then what do you like?"
"Charcoal."
"You mean eyeliner."
"I prefer to call it charcoal."
"Why? Because eyeliner makes you feel like a woman? Hey, where are you going?!" Rara exclaimed in disbelief as I walked away from her in irritation. I walked right into the shop, pausing at the rich scent of make up around me. While one would expect women to frequent the store, I only spotted a couple of men browsing the ridiculously large nail art displays. I walked to where the charcoal sat.
I remembered walking the streets of streets of Egypt a time so long ago that it was amazing that I remembered it so clearly, but then, that was one of the things I was best at. I had stood at a vendor's table and he had sold charcoal in the form of pencils called "kohl", showing the customers how to apply it. Something about the charcoal gave the young vendor a very mysterious, dark appearance, purely exotic.
Ever since, I had made a ritual of applying it around my eyes. I also distinctly remembered my relative, Ma'at, informing me that it was beautiful. I wasn't quite sure if that was a compliment or not, but denying the goddess her comment would upset her, so I accepted it gracefully.
"Come on," Rara's voice broke through my memories, making me narrow my eyes at her as she came in through the glass door, making the bell above it ring obnoxiously, "One quick drink and off we go back to the palace."
"You're going to drug me." I told her flatly, turning away. In the mirror nearby, I saw Rara's eyes widen in surrpise before she smiled coyly, coming to stand beside me.
"I would never try and drug you. You're very nasty when you're angry."
"Exactly, so shove off, Rara."
"Have your parents taught you nothing of how to treat a woman?"
"My father was god of chaos and evil and my mother was the goddess of mourning. The only thing I know how to do with women is something I best not repeat in public." I answered dryly. Instead of being offended, Rara giggled and ran her finger down one of my arms.
"Oh, trust me, I have no problem with that. If it's a woman you want, let's get a woman."
"I don't want a woman. A woman is what got me in this damned realm in the first place."
"Ah, so a man?"
"I don't want a man either."
"Why not?"
"I already have one man I have to please," I said through gritted teeth, "I do not need another one." Rara whistled at that, her eyes as big as saucers before she cocked her head to look away. A slow smile crept across her face before she peered up at me.
"Is it Lord Theo you desire then?" She asked. I dropped the glass jar of nail paint I had been holding, flinching as it shattered. Rara's eyes got even wider as I cursed. The salesman behind the counter came over, but I shoved money at him before he could make a fuss. He eyed Rara and I suspiciously before accepting it. I didn't even bother to buy my charcoal before I left, walking out the door with Rara at my heels.
"He looked angry. You shouldn't break other people's things, Sept."
"If we weren't standing in public right now, I would rip your innards out with my bare hands."
"Well then! With poetic imagery like that, you could write greeting cards, Septy!" Rara giggled. I glared at her, looking away just in time to feel a hot fissure shoot up my spine. I hissed past clenched teeth, grabbing the back of my head in pain. Rara jumped in concern.
"Sept--"
"I told you he would be angry," I seethed past clenched teeth, "If he beats me, you're the first one I'm coming after." Rara stared at me, wide-eyed before she vanished into thin air. I gritted my teeth against the searing hot pain in my back and teleported to Theo's chambers in a cloud of smoke that cleared instantly. Theo was sitting on the edge of his bloody bed, glaring at me through his damp red hair.
"You weren't in the palace when I called for you." He stated, his tone laced with warning, lifting a small figurine from beside him on the bed. The figurine was a statue of me, the gold eyes glowing, when I had been a deity with power in Egypt. However, Theo had turned it into a voodoo doll and whenever I was somewhere he couldn't get to, he would torment the doll until I came back. And judging from the way he was dragging his nail up and down the doll's back, he'd been scratching it.
"I apologize, my lord." I said stiffly and bowed low. Theo smirked at that, placing the doll on the bed, the eyes on the doll dimming, signalling that its use had been fulfilled. Theo beckoned with a crooked finger and I came over to him. He pointed to the floor, indicating that I get down on my knees. I obeyed, frowning as Theo folded one leg over the other, his foot in my face.
I had never been one for a foot fetish before, but having met Theo had changed a lot of things about me, so that even now when Theo stuck his foot in my face, I wanted to badly to push him down on the bed.
Is it Lord Theo you desire then?
Rara had been so spot on that she'd startled me. And yet, it was a disgusting thought, wasn't it? To be in love with not just your master, but your cruel, sadistic master?
No, masochistic.
Theo didn't get as much joy out of tormenting others as he did in tormenting himself. He loved to bleed, loved the agony and pain. It's what made him a damn near impossible opponent to attack. Hurting him only made him unbelievably horny.
"Lick my foot." Theo commanded, pushing his toes against my mouth. It was a command that made my cock ache, but I fought against the urge to touch myself. I had no choice, however, but to obey the command that my master had given me. I parted my lips, sticking my tongue out and brushing it against Theo's toe. He sighed, leaning back on his hands, tilting his head to watch me intently.
I kept my eyes locked with his, narrowed slightly to show him that this wasn't a punishment. He didn't seem to care. His smile gradually fell away as I weaved my tongue around his tongues, reaching up to hold his heel in my palm, cupping it as I sucked on his big toe. Theo gritted his teeth, his fangs bared before he tore his foot away from me before pushing me hard in the forehead so I had to move back.
"Tsk," He smirked again, "You're hard to disturb, Sept... That's why I like you." I said nothing, just remained kneeled on the floor as Theo got to his feet, walking in his nude glory to his closet that he threw open. He swung his hand out and a pair of leather pants unfolded from the shelf, landing in his palm. He pulled them on, buttoning them up before he snatched up a long black cloak with blood red inner lining. With his back to me, I could see his ravaged back.
It made me cringe.
It was as if some monstrous beast attacked him and left him for dead, and yet, he stood there, satisfied with all the agony that was tearing through him. He swung the cloak on and turned to me.
"Time to go, Sept. Meeting in Tartarus with the ingrates." He stated. I rose to my feet, holding my head up high as Theo approached me, taking my arm so that we vanished from his chambers to the hellish pit of Tartarus.
A place I would have ended up in if Theo hadn't of saved me.