A Dark Gift
Not all gifts are wrapped.
Skin puckered slightly at the edges, still red and angry. Such a tiny thing, the weight it lifted, massive. The relief short lived. Grief and self-loathing filled the hole it left. The wound was deep. The hospital had bought her story…but he wouldn’t. Her heart beat wildly in her chest. Fear chased pain in circles in her head. Tension began to ratchet tighter in her chest, making breathing difficult.
She could hear his shoes on her concrete floor. He was approaching slowly, his steps spoke of anger, carefully controlled anger. His silhouette draped around her, pitch black, only his eyes and face visible within the shadow. A warm tingle followed the path of his fingertips as they traced their way from her shoulders to her wrists. She opened her mouth to speak. “Not a word.” The soft command tickled against her neck. Goosebumps raised the hairs on her arms at his cool confidence.
Long, tapered fingers wrapped tight, holding with bruising strength. Tension built, and nausea clawed for purchase, bright burning pain, as her stomach churned. Warmth pressed against her back, both calming and terrifying. The sensations at war within her, she fought the urge to struggle as the warmth of his breath caressed her ear. “I thought we had an agreement about this.” That voice…his voice made chills run down her spine.
He pressed his lips to each individual stitch. Each suture received the same treatment. “Did it help?” In silence she shook her head, tears rolling down her cheeks. “Do you remember what we agreed happens now?” A trembling breath provided her answer and he carefully pulled her hair back.
Lengths of leather circled her wrists, carefully placed above the cut on her skin. It was warm and comforting, embracing her. Her self-loathing faded into the background a different kind of tension rising. Those same long tapered fingers pulled her head back, resting it against his shoulder. “I told you, that if you needed me…I’d be there.” His hand pressed tighter against her jaw, “Why didn’t you trust me?”
He let go and pulled away, his fingers trailing lines against her skin as he made his way around her body. He grabbed her wrists and snapped a short length of chain between them. Brilliant silver glinted in the harsh overhead light. Slowly the silver sliver rose over her head. The hook pulled her to her toes the stretch in her body warmed the muscles.
He traced the taut muscles, he pressed his lips against her forehead. “You need to remember my dear one. I love you. I always will love you.” Her last sight before the soft black blindfold stole her vision was his sparkling gray eyes and the darkness that began to descend. Her stomach climbed into her throat and a nervous sweat began to dampen her skin, leaving a light sheen.
Pain lit up her nerve endings, white hot, brilliant. As the pain faded to a low hum it drew the anxiety with it. Again, and again the pain was drawn from her, taking with it the anxiety. Pain and anxiety took with them weakness drawing it out slowly. Leather brushed against the ground and tension filled her with anticipation.
One. Two. Three minutes passed in silence and emptiness. A whisper met her ears as the leather rushed through the air. She barely had a chance to realize what was next before the leather bit into her skin. The scream that fled from her surprised lips took with it weeks of barely suppressed pain. “You know how to stop this.” As his voice faded in the air the leather bit into her skin again, a parallel, just beneath the first. “Again.” Her head dropped, and she took a deep cleansing breath. He struck, and her tears came hot on the heels of her pain. “Again.” Each time she begged he struck. Finally, she whispered. “Please.” The leather strap hit the floor before the word had completely left her lips.
She was left empty, freed, hollow. Fingertips traced over her flushed skin burning a beautiful image into her brain. “If you need pain to be free.” He pulled her head back and softly kissed her temple. “You are to come to me.” He pulled her back against him and traced the small runes carved into her chest. He pulled the blindfold from her eyes and pointed towards the large mirror.
She was stretched taut, her wrists chained together above her head, secured to deep black beams that spiraled away into the nothing. Her pale skin seemed to glow in the single harsh light. His arms wrapped around her, protective, possessive, fierce. His gray eyes glinted in the light, in the mirror they were locked on hers. She watched his hand as it traced down her body, from her jaw to her collar bone, and then up around her neck. He squeezed, locking his thumb and forefinger under jaw. “You cut, and you do damage.” He nibbled the outer edge of her ear, slowly down towards her earlobe. He took her earlobe between his teeth and bit. Hard.
She gasped and whimpered at the pain. “Never again.” He unhooked her from the beams and cradled her in his free arm. He lifted her carefully and carried her to a large canopy bed. Carefully he laid her down and covered her with a big soft blanket. As the adrenaline wore off tears began to fall in earnest. Carefully he ran his fingers threw her hair. “I will always protect you sana, even from yourself.”
Sana, a holophrase meaning; dearest, beloved, pet…I love you forever, I will consume you…You will consume me, we are bound…we will set the skies on fire. The definitions were many. It was one of the first Svel words she’d learned… His words brought more tears to her eyes. He held her close as tears gave way to deep, wrenching sobs. The pain burned in her chest as she cried, her pain, her grief faded. When she had cried out all her tears he rose. Soft, gentle pressure against her forehead. He stroked her hair out of face.
“We have an eclipse to watch beloved.” He pushed the curtains out of the way. He watched as the brilliant light of the moon hit her. His heart jumped into his throat and he held back the tears that threatened. He must have stood there smiling at her for too long because she leaned up, wincing as she did. Her fingers brushed lightly against the fresh runes he’d carved into her chest, the pain reminded her of him. “What do they mean?” It took a moment for her words to reach him. “It marks you as mine.” He turned his wrist over and rolled up his sleeve. “And me as yours.” She brushed against the wounds cut into his own flesh. “You did this for me?” He took a seat next to her and smiled as he wrapped around him. “I need you. I would do anything for you.” He leaned down and kissed her lips.
“Thank you.” She breathed against his lips. “For everything. For my freedom. For loving me...despite my demons.”
“Come closer dear one...your demons may live with me.” He kissed her forehead softly.