Act IV: Dark Hunter, Dark Prey

Act IV: Dark Hunter, Dark Prey
By: P. Christopher



Rain choked clouds crowded out the moon and stars, pouring their burden down upon the Angel perched atop Castle SuffeRing's tallest spire. Cold rain drenched her, soaking through her white, gold brocaded garments, not that she felt it. Turning her face into the rain, it seemed that the sky wept with her, its tears mingling with hers, which seemed to fall ceaselessly from her eyes.
Didn't anyone realize she was gone? Wasn't anyone looking for her? Wouldn't someone please come and take her home?
There was a tug on her thoughts, a persistent voice in the back of her mind. She had been ignoring it for about an hour, but her master would be kept waiting no longer. With a sigh, she stood, shook the rain from her wings, then faded from sight, There was a scent on the air similar to Tena's, but not. It was probably nothing, but then why was dread beginning to cast a shadow over her heart?
#
Club SuffeRing was Lord Suffer's solo venture.
"How utterly original," Tena had remarked, earning herself a night in a cage in the process.
As they pulled up in the company limousine it was clear that the party had started without them. A mass of reporters huddled around the entrance interviewing the people who waited in a line around the corner for a chance to get inside. When the car came to a stop the reporters pressed in hungry for a good shot or an exclusive sound bite.
"Ready to meet the press, darling?" asked Shadow with a fanged grin.
"I'd rather not," said Suffer.
"Think of it as free advertising, master," said Jane.
Lord Suffer turned to her and for a horrified moment, Jane thought she was about to be hit for speaking without permission. Instead, he said, "Pup."
Jane blinked. "Excuse me, master?"
"Pup," he repeated. "From now on you will be known as Pup."
Blushing, Jane bowed her head, "Yes, master, if it pleases you."
"Woof woof!" K'ozz barked then broke into laughter. His laughter earned him a stern look from both girls and a sharp cuff to the back of his head that bent him in half; Shadow was not amused.
"If you wish to bark like a dog, boy, then you can wear the leash tonight," she said.
"But, mistress-" he pleaded.
"And crawl on all fours. Anything else to say?"
K'ozz was silent.
"Good boy."
Shadow was the first out of the car followed by K'ozz at the end of his leash. Suffer was next followed by his slaves. Immediately they were assaulted by a barrage of questions from the horde of reporters gathered in front of the club. There were questions about the rumor he had enslaved an Angel, rumors connecting him to this starlet or that supermodel. Suffer passed through without comment.
When he had disappeared into the club, the reporters turned their attention to Shadow.
"Lady Shadow, how do you feel about your progeny's solo venture? Does this mean that he is leaving Terradyne?" asked one.
Shadow felt compelled to answer. "I wish Lord Suffer all the success in the world, of course. And if he feels the need to leave the nest, he will do so with all my support, but it would certainly be news to me."
There were more questions, but she was gone.
Rayven was last inside. She had caught that scent again and could not escape a growing sense of foreboding.
#
Club SuffeRing was built around a large, circular dance floor. Adorning the walls were enclaves accented with shackles and assorted instruments of discomfort. To the right was the bar with its lighted surface. Behind it several collared bartenders were busy serving guests.
Lord Suffer was greeted with a round of applause. When it died down he addressed the packed house and said, "Welcome to my home away from home. Thank you for coming to celebrate with me." Plucking a glass of blood from a passing waitress' tray, he raised it and said, "To the night!"
This earned him a roar of approval and another round of applause, then the music started and his guests went back to their dancing and conversation.
As they cut their way through the mass of scantily clad bodies, both human and immortal, an Asian woman materialized from the crowd. Long strands of ebony hair spilled down over her black latex dress. Her feet were shod in matching knee high boots whose stiletto heels added an inch to her height. At either arm were her blood slaves, one male and one female. She smiled and Suffer nodded to her.
"Violently, always a pleasure," he said speaking in Chinese, kissing the gloved hand she offered. "I'm pleased that you were able to come all the way from England to our little celebration."
"Wouldn't miss it for the world, Suffer," she replied in the same Mandarin. She smiled at Shadow and said in English, "Greetings, Shadow, you are looking deadly as ever."
"And you are looking down right delicious," said Shadow, running her tongue over blood red lips.
Violently smiled at Rayven. "And you, girl? Keeping Suffer in line?"
"Well, ma'am, everyday is a struggle as you know, but I am pleased with master's progress," she said, eyes shining.
Violently chuckled. "And this must be the birthnight present I have heard so much about," she said indicating Pup.
"The very same," said Suffer. "This is Pup."
Pup curtseyed in her red plaid skirt. "An honor to meet you, Lady Violently."
Returning to Chinese Suffer addressed the girl at Violently's right arm. "Hello, Kityn. How are you this evening?"
"Very well, Lord Suffer. It is kind of you to ask," she said, replying in Chinese. "Happy birthnight."
To the boy on Violently's left arm he said, "And you, Mikey? Staying out of trouble, I trust."
"Always, sir," he said. "Happy birthnight."
"Well, Suffer, I must take my leave for now; I am going to put my pets through their paces on the dance floor."
"Of course," he said. “Be well.”
"That sounds like a capital idea," said Shadow. "Come, K'ozz." She tugged on the boy's leash and together they dissolved into the crowd on the dance floor.
#
Lotus approached the table with a struggling slave in tow, tugging at the end of her leash.
“Do something with this,” said Lotus in complete exasperation. “She was one of your selections after all.”
The Vampire Lord looked at the slave who still had a fist around the leash. Her head was bowed and long, ebony tresses obscured half her face.
“What seems to be the problem, Lotus?” inquired Lady Suffer.
“The girl is impossible! She’s been rented out maybe three or four times and every time the customer ends up demanding his money back. They say she doesn’t listen to them. Hell, she barely listens to me!”
Lord Suffer cupped the slave’s chin and her lips parted in a dark and wicked smile.
“I knew a woman once, long ago,” said Suffer, resting his eyes on the slave. “She loved horses. The repoir she had with those animals was like magic.
“She was visiting a riding club one day when she noticed a horse moping about a paddock all by himself. When she inquired about it, the club owners explained that the animal was unridable. The club’s best horseman had tried unsuccessfully to tame the horse.”
Suffer’s hand drifted up the slave’s chin, tucked the curtain of hair behind her ear, revealing porcelain flesh and almond shaped eyes.
Continuing, Lord Suffer said, “Intrigued, the woman went out to the paddock to see for herself. A few hours later she was riding the horse no one else could ride.”
The Vampire traced the line of her collar to where the leash was clipped to the D-ring. “Naturally everyone else was struck with awe and not a little bit of envy. Here she was astride the horse that had foiled the attempts of so many, and she was making it look easy. And, indeed, for her it was. What shocked them the most was that she did it all without even touching the reins.”
As he spoke, Suffer unclipped the girl’s leash.
Lotus expected the girl to bolt, yet the slave didn’t move an inch.
Meanwhile, Suffer had fallen silent, his eyes glazed over in thought. All business, Lotus had precious little time to decipher parables.
“So what does that have to do with her?” she asked, drawing him back to the conversation.
“Noir? Noir won’t simply lay down for just anyone. Like the horse, she will only submit in the face of true power.” Then to the slave, “Isn’t that right, girl?”
“Yes, master,” Noir replied, looking up at him. Cutting her eyes to the Angel, she said, “Hello, Tena. How long has it been?”
“Not nearly long enough,” Tena growled. “Noir? Is that what they are calling you now? How fitting; master must have chosen it for you.”
“Now I remember. The last time I saw you was when Ariel…”
Noir slowly drew her index finger across her throat, opening a thin laceration with her nail. Popping the bloody digit in her mouth, she suckled it with full lips.
Enraged, Tena sprang to her feet, halo blazing, wings snapping out to their full span.
“Allow me to teach this slave some manners for you, Lotus ma’am!” Tena snarled, a glowing orb appearing in the palm of her right hand. All at once her mind was seized in the grip of her master’s will, and she found herself unable to move or speak.
To Noir he commanded, “Kneel.”
The slave did not move save to narrow her eyes in defiance. Lord Suffer looked pleased.
“At this point,” he explained, “most people would either give up or begin screaming and yelling in a futile attempt to gain submission. But submission is not something to be begged for, rather it is something that must be taken sometimes forcibly so.”
The Vampire seized Noir’s hand, twisted it around in a swift, fluid motion, locking out both the wrist and the elbow of her left arm. Rising to his feet, Suffer demonstrated how the slightest pressure on the locked joints forced the disobedient slave to double over with a grunt. As he forced her to her knees, Noir’s free hand slapped at her trapped appendage trying to stem the tide of pain shooting through her shoulder.
“It doesn’t take much to get to this point. Just some knowledge of human anatomy and the will to use it. But this is where most will stop. If I settle for this, then this is what it will take to get her to kneel every time. No. In order to achieve Noir’s submission, you have to demonstrate that you are willing to go the extra mile.”
There was a flash of fangs, a sudden gasp from Noir as she realized too late what was coming then the sickening snap of shattered bone as Suffer slammed his free palm against Noir’s elbow.
For the few who could hear it above the music’s din, Noir’s scream was little more than an annoyance. Screams were as common the SuffeRing as music and liquor. Still held in Suffer’s grip, the slave’s arm was now bent in a ninety degree angle that would have been impossible a moment ago. He dropped the arm, and it fell like a limp noodle, tearing another agonized cry from Noir’s throat. She cradled her shattered arm, hugging it against her bosom like an infant.
“I trust the next time I command you to kneel,” said Suffer regaining his seat, “that you will pay more heed, Noir. The next time I won’t be as gentle.”
Noir nodded mutely, her face invisible behind the veil of her hair.
“Good. And you will obey Lotus as you would obey me or the consequences will be worse than even you could imagine.”
Again the girl nodded, rocking back and forth on her knees.
Suffer turned to Lotus and said, “I don’t think you will be having anymore trouble out of her. But let it be known that anyone who chooses to rent Noir does so at their own risk.”
Lotus smirked. A fat lot of good that was. Noir would be out of commission for months with that broken arm, which meant that she would be a girl short.
“Come on,” she said to Noir. “Let’s get you downstairs to your bunk then I will call a doctor to come and set that for you.”
Rising to her full height, Noir took a breath, shook her hair out of her face, and recovered a modicum of dignity. As Noir followed after Lotus, Rayven could recognize the defiance returning in each step. Before she disappeared around a corner, Noir looked over a shoulder, locking eyes with the Vampire Lord.
Rayven knew burning hatred when she saw it.
Out of the corner of her eye, Rayven noted a satisfied smile had crept across Tena’s face. What was the connection there?
“Forgive me for saying so, master,” said Tena, “but what on earth were you thinking enslaving Noir much less exposing her to unsuspecting people. For goodness sake, master, she’s a…a…”
“A what?” Pup wanted to know.
And so did Rayven. What made Noir so special?
“A Demon,” Lord Suffer replied matter-of-factly as if it were obvious.
Of course, thought Rayven, a Demon. And why should that surprise her? After all, she’d been living with an Angel for almost a year now.
“How ever did you happen to enslave a Demon, master?” Pup asked.
“She made a bad deal,” he replied.
Hardly a thorough explanation, but his slaves knew that if no elaboration was offered, it was pointless to ask.
Rayven nudged Tena with an elbow and said, “So, if I’m so bad, what does that make Noir?”
Tena shot her sister a withering look and replied, “You are bad; Noir is evil. There is a difference.”
#
It wasn't long before Suffer grew bored with his surroundings. After saying goodbye to Lady Shadow and Lady Violently, he departed.
The moment he stepped out of the club, he was instantly mauled by the herd of reporters waiting outside. The doormen held them off as Suffer lead his slaves to the waiting limousine.
As Jane stepped into the back, she was shoved forward roughly as her master fell against her, spilling something on her face.
Confusion dissolved into horror as she recognized the shaft of a silver arrow protruding from the Vampire's chest. Her master grunted as a second one appeared.
Then the limousine exploded.
#
"Oh my God!" Tena exclaimed.
On the television a female reporter was talking about some sort of attack. The holovision was showing live coverage of the incident. One moment Lord Suffer was standing in front of the limousine as Pup stepped in. The next second he was thrown back against the car as a silver arrow slammed into his back. As he staggered to his feet he was hit by another one. Now Pup was pulling him back into the car; there was a thunderous explosion before the camera blanked out.
But Tena saw none of this. She was already gone.
#
Tena reappeared that same moment across town in a flash of Heavenly brilliance blinding all the cameras and all present, including any would-be assassins.
A hand gripped her shoulder.
"We need to get him away from here!" Shadow demanded above the din of the screaming crowd.
Tena looked at the fiery remains of what used to be the limousine's engine. "Not in this!"
"Help me," shrieked Pup, "he's dying!"
"Get him back inside," commanded Shadow. "There is an office in the back; I’ll call Eve."
It wasn't until later that she noticed Rayven's absence.
#
The wolf was out for blood. She had gone directly to the roof, but the assailant had already fled.
But he had left a scent. The same scent from the castle.
Stalking the back alley maze, she hunted her prey, piercing the darkness with her supernatural eyesight; her ears perked listening for the slightest sound.
There was something familiar about the scent, but she couldn't place it. With every step it grew stronger; she was closing in, yet her quarry eluded her until…
Rounding a corner, just ahead. A dead man.
Her target had just made a fatal error; the alley was a dead end.
Shifting to human form, Rayven turned the corner ready for battle. She was immediately seized around the throat by an incredibly powerful hand and slammed against the side of the building. Choking as she dangled a foot off the pavement, Rayven beheld the assassin for the first time. His hair was silver and his eyes were like two suns blazing in their sockets while all around his head a halo shone brightly.
#
Enthralled to the throbbing techno beat, the revelers inside the club were oblivious to the commotion on the street. Refusing further assistance, Suffer staggered through the club toward the back where Shadow's slave had the car idling. With every painstaking step, the Vampire Lord trailed a streak of crimson in his wake.
"We can’t wait for Eve to get here, Lady Shadow," said Tena matter-of-factly. "Not with those arrows in him."
"We'll do it here then," Shadow said. "There is a couch in the office."
#
The Angel held the tip of a silver arrow to her breast directly over her heart, slowly rolling it in his fingers as he spoke. "So eager to join your master in Hell, little whore? I'll happily oblige you."
Already the razor sharp arrowhead had drilled a neat hole through her shirt and her breast burned where the silver pierced her flesh; a crimson stain was rapidly spreading across her blouse. "Eager to kill my first Angel," she hissed.
#
Taking his hand in hers, Shadow held her progeny's gaze, his pain evident to her alone, feeding her hatred. "This is going to hurt," she said. "A lot."
Lord Suffer clenched his teeth and said, "Just do it."
Shadow took a deep breath, grasped the silver shaft…
And screamed.
Snatching her hand back, Shadow held it by the wrist; a thin wisp of smoke rose from her charred palm. She ripped his shirt open and saw that the flesh around the arrows was slowly smoldering. Her fury piqued, Lady Shadow spun on the Angel, eyes glowing blood red. "That," she spat, pointing at Suffer's wounds, "is Angelcraft!"
Horrified at the revelation and its implications and cowed by Lady Shadow's growing rage, Tena backed away.
"What have you done, Angel slut? Are you complicit in this?"
"I had nothing to do with this, Lady!" said Tena. "I swear it!"
Shadow was forced to concede the truth; Angels are incapable of deception. And this one wasn't hers to kill.
"I'll remove the arrows," Pup offered.
"You can't," Tena explained. "They're made of silver. They'd burn you far worse than they burned Lady Shadow. I must remove them."
"Don't touch him, either of you," Shadow snarled. "I will do this."
Clenching her teeth, Shadow gripped the first arrow just above the head. The pain was acute and immediate, but she ignored it, yanking the arrow straight through Suffer's body.
Pup cringed as her master howled his pain, clawing the leather sofa.
"One more, my darling," said Shadow reassuringly. "Just one more." Then, wrapping her burnt hand around the Angel forged silver, she jerked it clean through.
And Tena stood in awe of it. Never had she imagined that Vampires, particularly the Angel's Bane, were capable of such compassion. Then she was struck by another thought. The attacker was an Angel…
And Rayven was hunting him.
"Rayven," she gasped before vanishing in a strobe of white light.
#
Tears streaked down the Werewolf's cheek, the pain building to an excruciating crescendo as the Angel slowly drilled the arrow into her breast. But the slave's blood burned with a fierce hatred, which exacerbated her natural defiance. "Coward," she spat. "Lacking the courage for open confrontation, you hide in the shadows like a coiled serpent!"
The Angel twisted the arrow sharply, tearing an agonized scream from Rayven's throat.
"Michael! Put her down!" Tena demanded.
Still holding the slave by the neck, Michael faced Tena. "And what does this piece of trash mean to you?"
"She is my sister and the property of my master."
"Your master is dead; you're free now."
"You're wrong; my master lives and will soon be hunting you."
Michael shook his head. "Your light has diminished, Tena; his bite has corrupted you. When I heard what he did to you, I begged God to let me rescue you. When He refused I came anyway. I disobeyed Heaven's decree for you, Tena, and this is the thanks I get? It's these monsters! You've been polluted by their foul influence! Once they're gone you will come to your senses."
"Without Heaven's authority, her death will be murder; you will fall into darkness."
"Then may God forgive me." Snarling, Michael swung around, driving the silver arrow through the brick wall.
But he was alone there in the dark alley.
Tossing his head back, he screamed to the Heavens. "Tena!"
#
In a burst of light Tena reappeared in Suffer's office. Disoriented by the sudden shift in location and weak from pain, Rayven hung limply from Tena's arms.
Lady Violently was present as were her two slaves and Shadow's slave, K'ozz. Together with Pup, the three slaves were sitting together on the floor, pale, motionless.
"What happened to her?" Shadow demanded.
"She caught up with the would-be assassin and he used one of his arrows to dig a hole in her chest," Tena replied.
"Master?" Rayven asked, her voice barely a whisper.
"I'm here, perrita," said Suffer.
"How is he doing?" asked Tena.
"Not well," said Pup weakly.
"Yes," said Violently, "he's already drank the blood of four slaves, yet his condition remains unchanged." She looked over at Kityn, who was leaning against Mikey, and stroked her hair. "I'm afraid my poor dears will be off their feet for some time."
"As will K'ozz," said Shadow. "Looks like his sister, Eve, will be taking over his duties for a while."
Ever the mischievous imp, K'ozz managed a sly grin and a soft chuckle at his sister's expense.
Shadow heard him and added, "To include sexual service."
K'ozz groaned.
"Allow me," said Tena helping Rayven to the floor as slaves were not permitted on the furniture.
"I will not allow you to infect him with any more of your golden poison," snarled Shadow.
"The alternative is to watch him die," Tena replied evenly.
Shadow looked from the Angel to her progeny, back to the Angel.
"He doesn't have time for us to argue about this," said the Angel.
"Tena…" moaned Suffer. "Come. Now."
It was settled; Shadow moved aside so that the Angel could pass. Kneeling beside her Lord, Tena offered her wrist. "I am here as you commanded, mas-"
The rest of the word came out as a strangled squeak as Lord Suffer grabbed her by the wrist, dragged her onto the sofa, and savagely buried his fangs deep into her jugular.
Sucking in ragged breaths, the Angel whimpered as the Vampire audibly gulped down her fiery essence.
Every drop seared his throat, his veins and arteries, yet he could feel his wounds healing, his strength returning until he was dizzy with power. Cast aside like an empty soda can, Tena fell to her hands and knees.
Suffer rose to his feet with a growl. "Where is this Angel who hunts me?" he demanded.
"Gone, master," said Tena, collecting herself. "But if I know Michael, he will make another attempt."
#
With Suffer back on his feet, Shadow called her slave, Eve, and instructed her to bring another car with all due haste.
"I had best be getting my pets back to the hotel," said Violently tugging on her blood slaves' leashes. Her lips curling over sharp fangs, she added, "Life is certainly never dull in your company, Suffer." Lacking the strength to walk, her slaves crawled after her.
Not long after, Lotus appeared at the office door with a slave standing beside her. "If I'm not mistaken, this one bears your collar," said Lotus, speaking to Shadow.
"Indeed," Shadow replied, "Among other marks of my ownership."
Bowing her head, Eve said, "Greetings, mistress. Greetings, Lord Suffer. I saw what happened on the news and am glad to see you healthy."
"Where is the car, girl?" Shadow wanted to know.
"Parked around back as you commanded, mistress."
"Splendid. We will be taking Lord Suffer home first."
#
Arriving at Castle SuffeRing, Suffer was exiting the limousine when Shadow took his hand. "That Angel will not stop hunting you," she said.
"I understand," he replied.
"Perhaps I should stay the night."
"That's not necessary."
"Angels are not so easily slaughtered as Humans, you must tear out his eyes. Once the eyes are removed, the spirit will dissipate."
Stepping out of the car, his hand slid from hers. Then he turned and shut the door. "I will be fine," he reassured her.
As the car pulled away Tena said, "He's here."
"Good," said Suffer, baring his fangs.
#
Trailing blue flame, Suffer entered his home, his blood slaves following in his wake. While Rayven shifted to lupine form, Pup was yet unable to transform at will.
The lights were on and people were laughing on the holovision in the adjacent room. Once inside, Rayven quickly picked up the Angelic scent, following it from room to room. There was no trace of the intruder save for a sense that the air in the castle had somehow been disturbed, unsettled as though someone had passed through just ahead of them.
"He's gone," said Rayven, assuming Human form. Their search had led them through the entire castle bringing them back to the foyer.
"He's still here," insisted Tena.
"We've checked every room," said Rayven.
"He's still here," Tena repeated.
"Shut up!" Suffer commanded. His crimson eyes scanned his surroundings. Where had they not looked? A light breeze brushed his face causing him to look up.
Hovering against the vaulted ceiling the Angels looked like a mural come to life. Suffer counted four in all, four arrows flying toward him.
Pup screamed as Suffer dissolved into mist, the arrows passing harmlessly through him to imbed themselves in the stone floor.
Tena was too stunned for words. How could any of them hope to stand against four of Heaven's hosts? She was immobilized, torn between her loyalty for her brother Angels whom she had known since before Creation and loyalty for her master whom she hated. Closing her eyes, Tena vanished.
Ignoring the slaves, the Angels swooped down, loosing another volley as the Vampire coalesced into solid form. He snatched two of the arrows, knocking the others aside. Remarkably, the Angelic weapons were barely warm in the Vampire's hands, no doubt a side effect of his recent infusion of Angelic blood. Taking the captured arrows, Suffer drove them into the eyes of the nearest Angel. The Heavenly host screamed as light poured from his empty eye sockets. His body faded and was gone.
A second Angel drew his bow only to be set upon by Rayven in her wolf form. Snarling, she tore at his face with powerful claws. The Angel swatted her aside, sending her flying. Returning to Human form in mid air, Rayven slammed against a wall and fell into a crumpled heap on the floor. As she lost consciousness, her fist relaxed sending a golden eye rolling across the floor.
For a fatal moment, the Angel turned his attention from Suffer intent on crushing the wolf.
Emerging from a tongue of blue flame, Suffer stood between the Angel and his fallen blood slave. Before his enemy could react, the Vampire drove his middle two fingers through the Angel's remaining eye, twisted, and tore it out the side of his head. He died as his brother had in a pool of fading light. But when the light had subsided, a new threat came into view.
A third Angel stood in front of the door one hand cupped over Pup's mouth, the other holding a silver dagger to her throat. Pup's blue eyes were wide with terror.
Just then a fog poured in from under the door. Suffer watched as the mist coalesced into a distinctively female form. The Angel shrieked as Shadow tore his wings from his back in a spray of feathers and blood. Grasping his knife wielding hand, Shadow avoided touching the deadly weapon while driving it through the Angel's eyes leaving him to dissolve at her feet. Sobbing and terrified, Pup fell to her hands and knees.
"Having a party without inviting me, darling?" asked Shadow?
"Never, Domina," he said.
"Suffer and the Angel's Bane. The Lord smiles upon me this night." It was Michael, forgotten in the midst of battle now hovered above them. His wings snapped open releasing a column of brilliant light. "Burn!"
But the beam never reached the Vampires, instead it broke around Tena who had appeared in its path. Thwarted by the very one he had come to liberate, Michael was enraged. "Tena! What have you done? Have you lost all sense?"
"I told you, Michael, I am my master's slave," said Tena. "And I will not allow you to harm him!"
Standing behind Tena, Suffer growled, "Come, Angel. Avenge your brethren, if you can."
Michael charged headlong at Suffer, who sidestepped at the last moment, wrapping his arm around the Angel's throat. Wrenching it back in the opposite direction, the Vampire snapped his attacker's neck. Holding him by the hair, Lord Suffer forced the Angel to his knees.
"Look at her," he whispered, pointing at Tena. "She's mine now and she will be mine forever." That said, he tore the Angel's eyes out while Tena looked on in horror.
The Angel's screams echoed in the halls of the SuffeRing long after his light had faded.
"At least they didn't leave a mess," said Rayven, pushing herself to her feet.
Satisfied that there was no further threat, Shadow said, "Now, I can be going. Happy birthnight, darling."
#
Before anyone slept, there was still a bit of unfinished business. Retiring to his bed chamber, Suffer ordered Pup ad Tena to follow; Rayven would have the first security watch that night.
First, he made the two of them remove his clothes, and then he ordered Tena to remove Jane's before commanding Jane to remove Tena's. The girl trembled as Tena stripped her, blushed bright red as the Angel slid her panties down over her hips. By the time it was Jane's turn to strip Tena, the Angel caught on to Suffer's plan. She stood rigid as Jane, quaking violently, fumbled her clothes off. Tena was willing to take the belt to get out of what was to come, but Lord Suffer was not allowing her free will, she could feel his will pressing hers aside.
Tena was instructed to lie on her back on the bed while Jane was on all fours above her. Looking up into Jane's crystal blue eyes, Tena saw terror there. Her mind went back to the night she was first taken, and suddenly she was no longer concerned about herself, she just wanted to comfort Jane in some way.
As Suffer climbed onto the bed, Jane looked at her with pleading eyes. Tena reached up and softly touched her palm to the girl's cheek, whispered, "It's going to be ok."
Suffer ran his hand down her spine, and Jane cringed; a salty tear dripped from her cheek, splashing on Tena's face. With one savage thrust, the Vampire Lord penetrated his new slave to the full length of his erection. As the girl opened her mouth to scream, Tena pulled her into a deep kiss, trapping the scream between the two of them. She gently stroked the girl's head as her slight body was jarred again and again by their master's powerful thrusts. First he took her sex then he took her ass. And when he had finished, Tena held the girl for a long time while she sobbed.
"Shhhh," said Tena. "It's over now. Everything is alright."
After Pup had cried herself to sleep in the Angel's arms, Tena quietly slipped away to seek solitude above the castle.
She crouched atop the SuffeRing's tallest spire looking out across the horizon. Soon it would be turning hues of red and gold as the sun broke on a new day. Her master appeared on the terrace below and beckoned her to join him. She touched down softly before him, her head bowed.
Lord Suffer considered his slave in silence a moment then said, "It seems that Heaven values my death over my redemption."
"Michael and the others were going against God's will. You will be happy to know that they are burning in Hell now."
He didn't comment, instead he said, "I will not try to pretend to know how tremendously difficult it was for you to choose sides tonight, but when push came to shove, you came out on your master's side. As a reward I will grant you one wish."
Tena sighed heavily then turned teary eyes to him. "Then I wish for you to take me away from me, to possess me wholly and use me as you please so that for one night I may forget who I am and be utterly lost in you. For one moment I want to be your willing, obedient slave…my master."
Nodding quietly, Suffer took the Angel by the wrist and led her back inside.
And, as night gave way to morning, Tena got her wish.


The End