Beggar

Chapter 26: "You're a slave."

It had been two days, and my back still felt like it was bleeding. Or, maybe, I was just very cold. But it was so easy to be dramatic when your life was going to hell I hadn't really cared if it was bleeding or if my wounds were freezing over.

Angmar's screams were hysterical, that much I don't regret. I only wish my memory would soften what he did to me after. I had been surprised when Sayter spanked me for the first time, had even orgasmed like a teenage girl, but being whipped I can definitely say I do not enjoy. I didn't get a erotic sensation— worse, I had to apologize for the skin that ripped off his feet or their wouldn't be anything left on my back to crack off from the whip.

The broiling water seared the bronze on his shoes, skin stuck to the metal and stayed, as if the hot water wasn't water at all but a thick glue waxing flesh from skin.

Angmars screams sounded like the spinning crank on a cotton gin. E's rolling up his throat as he stomped the ground of the searing water.
Someone hadn't let Angmar in the room today after he whipped me, I hadn't seen anyone but Angmar. Only he had the nerve to bring me food and water and, well, handle the unsanitary waste.

The door opened, but it wasn't Angmar bringing me food or to snare and threaten me,

"I can stick a whore with your same face in this cage and nobody will know the difference. Nobody will find your body when I beat it till it's just blood and pour it into the Elk River."

"Find another whore with the devils blood running through her or it's not a match. You may of been with the Crime Lord longer than I have but he has taught you nothing."

"I'll take the beating then, it will change nothing, we'll have both your heads on sticks at the end of this. You're only alive because Merek hasn't decided what body part of yours to cut off and send to him yet."

"Do the legs, he'll get the joke."

It was the last I heard from him, but that wasn't the same voice that talked to me now.
"I'm glad your wounds have healed over, Victoria. I didn't permit Angmar to whip you, so you know, but I can't punish him for it."

I didn't turn to Merek, just picked at the skin on my nail. There was hardly any white on them left, I'd been left to peeling it off with my teeth, what with nothing else to do.
"Have you not seen my back, you ass?"

"Have you seen his feet?" Merek huffed, but chuckled. As if he too in a way heard Angmar's unattractive screams.

"The rest of him isn't too fair either,"

But Merek did not chuckle this time, instead he circled the cage, and took a seat. What in the devil was he doing?

And at that very moment, the devil seemed to answer, "I used to respect you, Victoria. I still do, in a way. Still, you've proven to be disappointing. The Crime Lord kidnaped you, made you his bitch— and you accept it? The carnage of the continent turned on her knees? I used to fear you myself before you were found out. Nobody knew who killed all those men, the detectives couldn't get on it, even with all the evidence you left behind, even getting cocky you never slipped up. In the end, when you're left exposed, every man you seem to come across lends you in a cage,"

"I'm too fatal to let out, and you know it. You know, and when I do get out, I'll have you all skinned."

"The Crime Lord—"

"I'll have you all skinned, and it'll be by my own blade."
Merek— flushed, irate but faintly amused— shook his head. His ears were red, his chin speckled in tiny black hairs. He would grow it out, a small alter to his appearance to change any description Sayter had to go off of him by. But if he were to look, he would be too late. I would strip them of their skin and boil the bones, and would stay down here for as long as it would take to break down the remains to ash.

Merek said, "We have a guard. You've met her, her name is Thea Esreve. The Crime Lord has taken her into his... custody. We have a spy, says she's been sealed off into the basement."

"That's where he—"

"I know damn well what the Crime Lord does in his basement. One of two things, and with you gone I don't doubt it's both."

The basement, where you're either fucked, or skinned. Now my head angled, just a bit. Bastard, complete manipulative bastard.
"Sayter loves me. The Crime Lord loves me, I have him by a leash for me."

"That's just that, Victoria. Everything of him, down to his title, you can't expect a man like that to stay faithful to his word to you. Especially with you gone and what-not."

"You know nothing of him, pig."

"Haven't I, Victoria?" Merek leaned back into the chain to stretch. It was getting far too easy to set me off, but this man talked almost personally. Maybe it was. "I've been working with him years longer than you have."

I scoffed, and the movement sent a chill down my bare back, "You talk as if we are equals. I don't work for that man. Men like that, like him, fall like dominos— they have no control over me."

"That's where you're wrong, Victoria. We're all slaves to him, the whole damn continent is a slave to him. It's been three days and we've seen no attempts at him coming to find you. You're replacable, Victoria, and when you're under his control, so is your family, and your body."

"I don't fuck what I cant kill, Merek. That's the difference between us, you and I. You've learned to fear your own work, I learned to dominate it. That is why I'm here, isn't it? Too scared to work as a slave to him, too easy to accept a job to take his head. But you cant, not as easily as I can. You hate me for it, and that's why I'm here." I was picking at my nails again now, relaxing my bare back against the cold bars. Like ice, soothing the wounds in a way. Merek, now, perched on the chain as if he were a bird. Seeming so wrong that he could stay down, his face so bizarre even with my eyes on my nails. "Three days, you said? And what have you done in that time, Merek? You're not waiting on him, darling, you're scared of him. You're as much a slave to him as you are to yourself."

For a while there was nothing, not a grunt from the man hefty and tall outside the cage.
Finally, Merek stood from the chair, and left. I waited a while, then a bit longer. Satisfied I was alone, I fell onto my side, and wept.

Authors Note:

February 12th
(Reminder I'm doing dates to know when I should update next instead of keeping a calendar bc im lazy, not bc I use this as like an entry)

i have fucking pink eye, and that's not even the best part. I gave it to my asian friend, and like he can't open his eye.

I'm sorry Anthony.

I've never had pink eye before but I can tell you, it's bad but not as bad as when someone walks in on you while you're masterbating. It's just kind of a minor inconvenience.  Anyway so I'm trying for shorter chapters because I'm officially stressed as far as all overwhelming fuck goes, plus I'm trying to write for other stories and it's not fucking working out.

Also, you all love to comment gifs on certain quotes, and it's really fucking funny but really confusing when you see something comment a link

I'm just so happy I finished this shit because I am so sick and tired (literally)

Goodnight yall