Mass Effect - True Blue Ch. 02

Mass Effect is owned by EA and BioWare.

All characters are 18+.

- - -

2.1

The next several days following the ordeal with Montes would prove to be uneventful. And those days were all the worse for it. Benezia would wake up, get dressed, go to work, and go about her usual day, forced to pretend that her life hadn't been irreversibly changed. That she hadn't been made into a human brute's sexual plaything.

Benezia dreaded to even think about it, but the truth of her situation hung over her head like a dark cloud. She belonged to Montes now, body and soul. And after that damned human had forced her to speak the blessed Osa'Omasi oath, it would forever stay that way.

And so Matriarch Benezia sat alone in her office, her chair turned away from her desk so that she may look out over the Presidium. The clear lake, the exotic trees, even the spanning holo-screen of a vibrant blue sky, they were all meant to evoke feelings of nature, of freedom.

But it was all a lie, a pretty falsehood. The clouds in the holo-sky drifted above, but there was no wind to push them. The trees and the bushes were carefully tended. The lake was always monitored. It was all controlled.

Controlled, Benezia thought as she slowly rose from her seat. Like me.

The centuries-old CEO strode forward towards her office balcony, gripping the railing as she peered down at the people below. They weren't quite as numerous and bustling as the crowds in the wards, but they were busy all the same.

Benezia's eyes fell upon a random asari walking down below. From her spot on the balcony, Benezia wasn't close enough to make out any distinct facial features or paint markings. The matriarch chose to assume the asari was younger than her. A matron perhaps.

The matron wore a lovely gown of white with soft green accents upon the shoulders and sleeves. Stylish it was, but still coming across as official. Maybe she was a diplomat or a businesswoman, Benezia assumed.

The matriarch found herself envying the nameless woman. Watching the matron walking the footpaths that lined the Presidium lake, Benezia was reminded of her own life centuries ago, navigating the fast-paced and cutthroat world of Citadel corporate politics.

Was the matron going to a meeting? Was she going to a business lunch? Off to discuss a deal with a potential client? Perhaps she was returning from one instead, heading back to the office to a heroine's welcome. Or maybe the asari was already successful enough that she could afford to stroll through the Presidium without a care or an eye for time.

Yes, Benezia yearned to be in that asari's place, to live that life instead of the cursed one she was now stuck with. Benezia wanted a life where she only had to worry about meetings, memos, and falling stock values. A life where she didn't have to worry about being subjected to such sick, lewd things from the barbaric mind of some human man.

Benezia envied that matron in the white and green dress... Right up until she watched that same asari walk right into the warm embrace of a human. A male human. One that was tall, broad-shouldered, and had short, dark hair - much like the man that Benezia did her best to not think about. The human below wore a blue uniform from what Benezia could see, possibly C-SEC or Alliance military. A martial type of man, Benezia noted bitterly.

The hugging pair soon pulled apart. The asari headed off with her human, hooking her arm around his as they departed to whatever destination awaited them. Lady Benezia watched them go with a frown. She turned away from the balcony then, suddenly sick of observing the denizens of the Presidium.

"Utter nonsense..." The matriarch spat, roughly plopping herself back into her chair. Deep down, however, Benezia knew that she shouldn't have been surprised. Though the man had been taunting her at the time, Montes' words held some measure of truth. Ever since humanity's first contact with the Citadel, asari and humans commonly joined in romantic relationships together.

So many of those damned humans putting their filthy, grubby hands on her fellow asari... And so many of those same asari were just letting it happen, jumping into bed with those low-minded barbarians with smiles on their faces. Even her own beloved daughter, Liara, had taken a human lover. Some Alliance soldier she met while out on a prothean dig.

They were poor, deluded fools, the whole bloody lot of them. Yes, even Benezia's own daughter, as much as it pained the matriarch to admit it. That was the ignorance of youth, to be wowed and impressed by the new, exciting thing. The humans may have had the rest of her people fooled, but Benezia knew the truth. She had seen the true face of mankind when Gabriel Montes walked through her door and blackmailed her into giving him dominion over her body.

Those lustful beasts want to turn every asari in the galaxy into a pretty, obedient sex pet. The bastards will make us all slaves to their lusts, their desires... And we're just allowing them to do it! It's madness!

There was a high-pitched chime then, sudden and surprising enough to have the asari matriarch jumping slightly in her seat. Benezia composed herself an instant later. She recognized the electronic tune as a ringtone. Her ringtone.

She was receiving a call, she realized. But it wasn't a business call. No, those were supposed to go through her receptionist. This call was being sent to her personal omni-tool. Only a handful of people knew her direct contact information... And the most recent recipient had ravaged her body just last week.

Benezia felt her heart begin to pound within her chest. A chill crawled down her back. She desperately hoped that it wasn't him, hoped that she wouldn't have to hear his deep, rumbling voice again. She hoped beyond hope that she wouldn't be reminded of that night in his apartment.

Reminded of the way his large hands pawed roughly at her naked body, of the way his hard, muscled mass loomed over her. Reminded of the way she squealed and shrieked as his big, fat cock split her cunt apart...

Benezia shook her head violently, banishing those awful thoughts from her mind. The asari made a noise of disgust then. At herself. At him.

Frowning, she brought her arm up to inspect her ringing omni-tool. The device blinked to life, the holo-structure enveloping her wrist and forearm. There in the center of the holo-screen, two words stared back at her, taunting her.

Unknown caller.

It was him. It couldn't possibly be anyone else, Benezia knew. The matriarch felt dread even more potent than before, anxiety slithering its way into her belly, coiling in the pit of her stomach. She had been waiting for this day, waiting for when Montes would demand of her body again. Thoughts of what the man would do to her crept into her mind then, dark clouds of unspeakable visions. Benezia took a deep breath and answered the call.

"Hello?" She said, her voice oddly calm and serene.

"I hope I'm not interrupting anything important." A familiar, reviled voice answered back. Next she heard him chuckling, the sound sending her heart hammering. Benezia's other hand made a fist on her lap. Montes spoke again. "It's been a few days, Nezzie. I figured I'd check in, give you a call."

Nezzie. The pet name almost sent Benezia reeling. You don't get to call me that, bastard!

The matriarch bit her tongue, keeping that harsh thought to herself. The Osa'Omasi oath may have guaranteed her daughter's safety, but she knew better than to antagonize the man who quite literally held her life in his hands. By the Goddess, he would probably enjoy it if she spat venom at him, if the way he responded to it on their first night together was any indication.

"Your concern is..." Benezia paused. Appreciated? Welcome? She pressed her lips into a thin line. "Unexpected."

It was meant to be a subtle insult, a mark against the man's non-existent honor. But she heard him chuckling on the other end of the line. Maddening laughter that had Benezia silently fuming.

"Well, I gotta keep an eye on what's mine, don't I?" He shot back. Benezia couldn't see him but she just knew that the man was wearing an insufferably smug grin. "But enough small talk. I think I've been pretty generous giving you such a long break. It's time we meet again, Benezia. I'm interested in seeing just how binding that Osa'Omasi oath is."

Benezia felt her belly do a flip. She wanted to scream, to unleash all of her pent-up fury in one piercing cry. To destroy all of the enemies that stood before her like the banshees of old. Instead, she swallowed her rage and Montes' indignities. The matriarch took a deep breath and forced herself to be calm.

"When would such a meeting take place?" Benezia asked, aghast at herself for playing along with Montes' game. But there was nothing else she could do. She had spoken the sacred words of the oath. She was honor-bound as a daughter of Thessia to follow it, lest she be damned. She was trapped, enslaved to the will of Gabriel Montes.

"Tomorrow evening. My place. Wear something pretty. I'll try not to ruin your outfit this time." Montes spoke simply but at the same time commanding. His voice was cool, confident, like that of a man who always got his way.

It made Benezia angry.

"No." She told him, her voice flat.

"No?" He sounded more amused than outraged. And that made Benezia angrier. How dare her moment of defiance only amuse him!

"We're not going to meet at your apartment." Benezia told him firmly, exhaling through her nose. "You are going to come to my estate. And you are going to make yourself presentable."

There was a moment of silence. Benezia feared the worst. But then Montes responded.

"Is that right?" He again sounded amused. "Any particular reason for these sudden demands?"

I want you to feel how it's like for a change.

"If I'm going to get fucked then it's going to be in my own damned bed." Benezia bit back. "You want to meet again? Fine. But that's how it's going to be. Do you understand?"

There was another pregnant pause. The silence nearly drove Benezia mad. Montes' voice shockingly came as a relief to the matriarch.

"Alright. We'll play it your way." He conceded, to Benezia's astonishment. But from the tone in his voice, the matriarch knew better than to celebrate. "I'll meet you at your place. Hell, I'll even wear a nice suit for you. And when I fuck you ass over tits, I'm going to do it so hard and so loud that everybody in your mansion is going to hear it. I'll be seeing you soon, Nezzie."

Before she could respond, Montes ended the call. Silence reigned in the T'Soni office as the centuries-old matriarch realized then that the man had once again turned the tables on her. Her attempt at a power play had just blown up in her face.

Damn him! Damn him to the deepest hell!

Benezia's anger was potent but fleeting. Dread soon settled in once more as realization fell over her mind.

In only a day's time, Gabriel Montes would be at her front door. And in front of Samara and all of her personal staff, he would once again bend her body to his will, his desires...

By the Goddess... Why did I invite him to my home?

- - -

2.2

As a council Spectre, Montes had seen and done it all. But even with years of clandestine operations under his belt, the T'Soni estate still came as a surprise. A pleasant surprise, to be exact. Lady Benezia's home was pretty damn big.

Even with her wealth and status as a CEO, the matriarch didn't live on the Presidium. That level of prestige was only afforded to diplomats and dignitaries. So a couple centuries ago, Benezia commissioned the construction of her current estate. A three-story mansion built with classic Thessian architecture, possessing all the comforts and amenities an asari noble could hope for. If what Montes had read about the place was true, the T'Soni estate even had a fully functioning hot spring bathhouse that ran on its own water system, independent from the Citadel's.

As Montes made his final approach in his Lantius skycar, he could see that the external structure of the mansion wasn't even made from the same metallic material as the rest of the station. Benezia apparently had real marble slabs shipped in from her homeworld and hired skilled asari masons to dress and shape the exterior of her home. It looked almost like a temple, with smooth steps and grand pillars lining the outer walls. Hell, Montes could even spot a real, working fountain.

Montes had never been the type to "ooh" or "ah" over that kind of decadence, but even he had to admire Lady Benezia's conviction in the blatant expression of her own elite status. Through the skycar's window, Montes could see a small group of asari awaiting him in the estate's wide open courtyard. A greeting party, just for him.

She really pulled out all the stops, didn't she?

Montes felt a grin tugging at his lips. He punched in the directions for a smooth, automatic landing and sat back in his seat. As his skycar floated down into the T'Soni courtyard, the man took one last moment to check himself in the vehicle's holo-mirror. Montes had to look presentable. He was a government agent, after all.

Hundreds of creds spent on a new haircut. Thousands spent on his - admittedly very nice - new suit. The preparations for tonight's little date had put a decent dent in his wallet. But Montes cared little. The opportunity to enjoy a woman like Benezia again was priceless.

The skycar touched down gently. As the drive core powered down, Montes saw three asari approach his vehicle. He recognized the tallest as Benezia's chief bodyguard, the huntress Samara. The other two looked younger, probably maidens employed as T'Soni's house staff.

There was a hiss as the skycar opened up, the sloped windshield rising away from the cabin. Montes gave his greeting party a small wave and put on his best charming smile.

"Spectre Montes." Samara greeted him, though not particularly warmly. The matron huntress gave him a quick once-over, her beautifully striking face remaining still as stone. Only the woman's bright, blue eyes afforded any emotion. Montes could tell that Samara hadn't expected to see him again. The huntress gestured towards one of the maidens, a short young woman who wore a red vest. "Kalise will park your vehicle."

Montes nodded, stepping out of the skycar. He turned to take a look at his ride. A Lantius Model X300. Not exactly a luxury sports car. The Spectre might have felt the small sting of embarrassment had he not known that a very well-endowed matriarch awaited him inside that mansion.

"If I'd known that Benezia was going to roll out the red carpet, I'd have brought a nicer car." Montes joked to the three asari. They said nothing in turn.

The valet that Samara called Kalise stepped forth and sat in the driver's seat. She punched in commands on the control bar and a moment later the skycar closed back up. There was the soft boom and hum of the drive core coming back online and soon enough the skycar was back in the air. Kalise flew off in the Lantius leaving Montes with Samara, the other asari, and an awkward silence.

The Spectre made another attempt to break the ice. He gestured towards the T'Soni mansion.

"Big place." He said.

"You should see the mansions that belong to the sitting members of the Council." Said the unnamed maiden, a comely young woman with dark blue skin and pale pink facial markings across her cheeks and brow. "The T'Soni estate is downright humble in comparison."

Samara gave the maiden a look that shut the poor girl right up. With a silent crane of her head, the chief of security sent the other asari retreating back into the house. Then she turned her eyes back on Montes.

"It's Samara, right?" Montes asked, making another attempt at smalltalk.

"Samara Costias." The chief of security formally introduced herself with a short bow of her head.

Montes grinned, offering his hand. The matron gave it an odd look but eventually took his hand with her own. Montes didn't give her a firm shake, though. Instead, he brought her hand to his lips and pressed a soft kiss to her knuckles. She withdrew her hand quickly and his grin turned into a wry smile.

"Samara Costias." He repeated, sounding her name out. He liked the way his lips felt when he said it. It was a regal, queenly name. Something was common among her people, Montes noted. "Sorry for not bothering to ask for your name the first time we met. I normally have better manners than that."

"You were... preoccupied." Samara reminded him, a subtle look of concern falling across her stunning face. But an instant later it was gone, replaced once more by her neutral, stony expression. "And I wasn't your guest, Spectre. Lady Benezia was."

Perhaps it was beneath him to get a sick kick out of Samara knowing exactly what he and her boss did together that other night. But it thrilled him all the same, knowing that this gorgeous woman sat in his living room and listened for hours while he fucked the brains out of the lady she was sworn to protect.

"Right. I suppose I'm the guest tonight, though. Tell me, Samara. How does your boss treat her guests?" Montes asked. He stepped past the huntress to take a closer look at the marble fountain. It was an opulent piece, with carved statues of nude asari posed to pour jugs of water upon each other. Montes took it as a good omen for his immediate future.

"If I know Lady Benezia, she'll be as warm and welcoming a host as you were, Spectre." The huntress answered from behind him, her tone cold and direct.

"Hmm." Montes turned back to face Samara, unable to keep the daring smile off of his face. The matron's face remained still as stone, but that was expected. "I guess this'll be an interesting night then, won't it?"

There was a moment of silence between them. Montes could have sworn he saw the corner of the huntress' lips curling upwards. But then she spoke in her cold, serene voice.

"If you would follow me, Spectre." She beckoned him, starting towards the mansion's marble steps. "Lady Benezia is waiting for you in the lounge."

Montes followed, his eyes glued firmly upon the woman's lovely behind, entranced by the wonderful way it swayed as she walked. Predictable? Sure. But he was only a man.

"She's got a lounge..." The Spectre muttered. "Of course she's got a lounge."

- - -

He was here.

Gabriel Montes has entered the sanctity of Benezia's own home. Now, Samara was bringing him to her. Benezia's own loyal guard leading that beast of a human to his prey. It was her own damn fault, the matriarch chided herself. She had demanded he meet her own her own turf, a stupid power play to make the man act on her terms rather than his own. But all she accomplished was inviting that brute through her front door.

Benezia felt a stirring inside her, a quivering deep in her belly. She too felt a shiver that danced across her skin. But rather than a chill, this shiver came warm, almost bubbling, as if steam was being blown over her body. The centuries old asari couldn't place it. Was it a sense of dread? Anxious fear of what Montes would do to her? Or was it a thrill? Was it some terrible, shameful excitement?

Perhaps Benezia was simply halfway drunk. The matriarch swirled the dark red liquid in her glass, watching it swish and slosh about. Thessian honeywine it was, from some village deep in the Kastani valley. It was an absurdly expensive bottle, supposedly pressed and fermented by lonely, tortured souls. Benezia doubted their torture was anywhere close to her own. She swirled the wide, round glass once more and took another sip. The sweetness hit her tongue and the aroma filled her nostrils.