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| Part 6 - Violence Darkness. Somewhere deep down in the earth. Torches gleaming. Cries of panic and fear. Someone desperately calling out: "Please do not kill them! Please! They're innocent!" Hooded figures dancing ecstatically around a huge bonfire. The dull sound of kettledrums. Bodies twisting frantically, deliriously giving themselves over to the pounding rhythm of a horrible danse macabre. Out of the fire rises the ageless face of man with cobalt-blue eyes, blonde almost white hair flowing down his shoulders, whispering: "Amadeo, my beloved ...". And then again the fire, devouring the man's face, and the terrible cries again... I woke up with a start. This dream had seemed so real ... when I looked at fireside I could still see those ghoulish fiends dancing in a wild frenzy before the flames, like demons straight out of hell they had looked. Suddenly, all that had happened that evening came back to me. What a nightmare! I had felt safe and completely at ease in this very room, enjoying Armand's and Tyler's company. How could things have gone so terribly wrong! I shuddered when I recalled Armand's violence, the cruelty in his voice. What a pleasure it had been for him to have me at his mercy! And what about the one I believed to love me? Don't speak to me any more of love after you treated me like this! You were only too eager to comply with Armand's cruel directive. Ah, admit it -- you enjoyed taking me against my will! Now, how will I ever be ever be able to trust you again?' I felt miserable and desperate as never before in my life. Utterly humiliated. But still ... I ran my thumb over my lips. It seemed a taste of that divine elixir was still lingering there. Never in my life I had savoured something like this. A powerful magic potion. Perhaps a new synthetic drug? What could it have been? Somewhere deep down inside me thoughts even more terrible were stirring: that my longing to taste "that" again would never ever stop. And I began to fear that -- no matter what perversions Armand might have envisaged for me or for both of us -- I would be prepared to endure all of them just that he let me taste that delicious substance again. "Better not dwell on it!" I tried to instruct myself. "Forget what has happened! Forget!" I looked up to the portrait of an ancient Venetian nobleman in a voluptuous golden frame that was hanging above the fireside. With cold knowing eyes the man seemed to smile down on me as if he was about to say: "Before now I have observed scenes more horrifying than that ... You've got what you believed you wanted - so stop whining!" I winced and turned my head. There had been a cry. "Armand! Tyler!" The thoughts were racing in my head. "Where had they gone? Oh no, what was happening now?" I got up and hurried out of the parlour to the entrance hall which was dimly illuminated by only a few chandeliers. Eerie the stillness in this house. Suddenly, a large hall clock chimed the hour of four. But then the house was silent again and I was wondering where to go. Instinctively, I made for the first floor and found myself in a smaller hallway . All doors were closed, all but one. Light was shining through a tiny crack. I hardly dared to approach the door, but then I heard a sound like the cracking of a whip followed by another cry, a hoarse stifled cry. I closed my eyes. "What fools we had been to have come here at all!" I thought. "And now we'll have to pay for that mistake!" With trembling hands I touched the wooden door to peer inside. This room, too, was only lightened by the flames blazing in the fireside and a few candles. But still I could recognize a large bed in the centre of the room and -- my heart stood still -- there was Armand. His silk shirt was opened wide exposing one of his slender pallid shoulders. He had straddled Tyler who was lying under him with his face buried in the blankets. On Tyler's bare back red traces showed giving testimony of what must have happened before. Tyler shivered. There where tears in his eyes when Armand bent over him and started kissing the wounds. An expression of sublime rapture appeared on the boy's face and he was moaning softly when he licked and sucked the bloody welts. I was absolutely horrified to watch this, but it seemed heaven for Tyler. He was no longer tense with pain and fear, instead, he slowly began to writhe under Armand' slender body, groaning with pleasure, his hands clutching at the sheets, as if this was more than he could bear. It appeared strange that Armand could have so easily overwhelmed Tyler, a tall athletic man whose sinewy body seemed so much stronger than Armand's lean boyish form. But he dominated him effortlessly, whereas Tyler apparently had given up all resistance. Having fully surrendered to Armand's demanding touches he did not even try to defend himself when Armand started to undress him completely. But no sooner that Tyler's trousers had been removed when the switch came down on his naked buttocks making him quiver with pain again. "Ah, what a feast you are," Armand muttered before he started to kiss the blood away once more. Tyler arched his back when Armand's delicate fingers began to caress his most delicate parts working him with such skill that he gasped: "You're killing me!" "Oh no, you will only suffer the "little death", my friend," Armand whispered in his ear while intensifying his ministrations. Just when Tyler was only seconds away from his climax, Armand rolled him on his back and kissed him on the mouth roughly. But what was this? A small trace of blood was running down the side of Tyler's face, to which, of course, he paid no attention. While deepening the kiss Armand continued his caresses so that Tyler was thrashing his body in ecstasy until he came with a final scream. Armand turned his head in my direction, his eyes were misted, but there was this malicious smile again "Now we are even, my lady", he remarked. "Did you like what you saw?" "What did you do to him?" I exclaimed." You beat him 'till he was bleeding!" "Ah, I would have expected that you'd appreciate some sort of punishment after what he had done to you," he replied provokingly. "But he only did what you told him to. We're only toys for you, helpless idiots you love to manipulate as you please. It's you who should be punished!" With one hand he threw the switch in my direction. "If you're in the mood to thrash me, come on! Do it!" he smirked and his eyes were sparkling viciously. "Beat me, whip me so hard 'till my blood flows. Maybe it's just what you're secretly craving for!" I swallowed hard. There was no way to shake his disdainful arrogance, his superior self-complacency. I glanced at him furiously: "No, I would never do that!" With quick moves he got up from the bed and stood before me. "Oh Linn, "you" are such a liar," he said teasingly. "You will do "everything" just to taste ...this again." I felt his tongue part my lips and at the same time - regardless if I wanted it or not - I became enflamed again. But the kiss was only short. He withdrew quickly. "Maybe you have not yet realised this, my lovely lady. There is a very thin line between pleasure and pain, which, I'm sure, you'll learn quickly". He took my hand and led me up to the bed. "Besides, look at your lover! Where are the bloody weals on his back? Can you tell me?" He threw back the blanket under which Tyler by now was sleeping, apparently totally exhausted. My eyes widened in astonishment: his skin was soft and smooth as before. "I must be loosing my mind ...," I murmured to myself. "But I saw ..." Again Armand's attitude changed from one second to the next. Suddenly, he was all kindness and concern again. "You're getting tired, I suppose. Maybe this night held too many revelations in store for you". He gently stroke my hair. "It's too late to get you back to Venice. You should rest now. Stay here in this house. I won't trouble you any further." "Oh yes, I know what to think of your promises," I replied bitterly. "You" are a liar as well." "Yes, I am afraid that's true - in a way. But you'll put up with it. You'll have to." He took my face in his hands and his dark unfathomable gaze frightened me. "As from now on you're mine." Once more I felt the anger rising in me, superseding all my fears and desires. "Who do you think you are?" I snorted contemptuously. "Yes, exactly. Come to think of it who do you think I am? "he grinned as if this would terribly amuse him. "You 're .... Ah, forget about it! It's useless talking to you any longer. Just listen. I will wake up Tyler now and we'll both walk out of this door ... no matter how late it is and how we get back. We'll leave Venice tomorrow morning and then we will never ever see you again!" "Do you think it will be that easy? Cara mia, what a reasonable and modern child of this 20st century you are, admirable! So far you have not even realized who or what I am! But maybe you'd like me to show you ... " "No more games for tonight, " I cut him short. "We ..." He grasped my arm furiously and pulled me tight to him. "Linn, it's enough now!" he hissed angrily. "I am the one to tell you when we're done with these games. And when you've really understood what it's all about, you will pray that I will not loose interest in you or your lover!" With every word he became more and more incensed, his beautiful face was distorted, his wild eyes sparkling, gleaming with fury. "Or should I kill you right now?" he demanded and in a menacing grimace he exposed his sharp fang teeth. I froze. It seemed time stood still. There was only him and me. And then it was as if falling, falling down into an vast immeasurable abyss where eternal darkness would engulf me. Descending into the nine circles of hell ... And slowly but gradually it began to dawn on me. Finally, I understood. At last, I recognized that he was no man, no human being at all. Had I been blind? Why hadn't I seen all this before? I looked at him and before my eyes he became the perfect impersonation of a beautiful youth again, the faultless image of splendour, kindness and understanding and that terrified me even more. Now, I really comprehended what he was and that the sublime face of a seraph was a mask only under which a demon with the most vicious heart and a soul full of darkness was lurking. "Yes, that's what I am, "he whispered in my ear and I could feel his cold breath on my neck. "You've learned quickly. But there is more to be taught..." "Armand, please! Please, let us go!" I implored desperately. "I'm so sorry for what I said. Please, simply let us go!" "How often do I have to repeat that it's not as easy as that! But I won't hold your harsh words against you. I have a penchant for people with the courage to defy me. However, there is another lesson for you to learn". "What lesson?" I whispered barely audible not daring to look at him. I held my breath, terror rising in me, almost strangling me. "A lesson on my true nature. You certainly noticed that I gave you something, something most precious that drove you wild with desire ..." I looked up in horror. "That, that was - your blood?" I stammered aghast. "So very true, my dear." He stepped behind me and took me by the shoulders: "And now I want something in return from you!" I wanted to break away, but again I had to experience that even trying to revolt against his firm grip was absolutely redundant. I felt his tongue move along the side of my neck, gently, taking it slowly, appreciating the soft pliant skin there... I couldn't think coherently any longer, panic had gripped me, making be shudder and tremble, a single tear ran down my cheek: "I don't want to die!" "Ah Linn, don't be so melodramatic!" he remarked coldly and gripped me fiercely. When I felt that piercing sting again I was only too aware what he was doing. That he was drinking from me! How I wished I was somewhere else, in a place where I was safe and out of harm's way. With a blue sky above me and warm winds caressing my skin. Nothing to worry. Nothing to fear. Only listen to the sound of the waves gently rolling in from the sea. My fingers running through the warm sand, painting circles on the beach like a child. High above me sea gulls are crying. Nothing but peace ... But suddenly the light starts to fade, the sky is clouding. With dread I notice that one of the seagulls shoots down from the sky directly heading for me. I try to run away, but I can't move my feet. I cannot escape. And suddenly the seagull transforms itself into a large terrifying bird creature whose black wings seem to cast an enormous shadow over me. It comes closer and closer and finally I feel its beak biting me - such a terrible pain! - starting to tear my heart out of my body piece by piece and there is blood everywhere and I scream and scream ... "I don't want to die!" But there is no one to answer my cries. |
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