The Coiled Mask: Night Three

Author's Note: Thanks to CarrotsGomeow once again for editing and proofreading help.

Slowly I became aware of my surroundings; once again, I found myself in the eerie dream world. This time I was not on the white beach, but instead in the ruins of what was once a great temple. At first glance one might mistake the crumbling structure as a place of worship for one of the many gods that humans commonly believed in, but I knew just after spending a few moments within that it was devoted to something far more alien and sinister.

The one eyed Arab stood at the pulpit, gazing down at me, his wicked leer and mad solitary eye serving to remind me of the nightmare I was trapped in. He offered me mocking applause as I stood before him, waiting for my new orders.

"You have done so well," the Arab laughed. "The two beauties you have provided me are worth a king's ransom, but forgive me for demanding more. Before I give your soul over to Great Shibaroth, you will acquire two more beauties."

"Shibaroth?" I asked, barely having the wherewithal to utter the words, so resigned to my fate as I was.

"The Elder Being of Insatiable Hunger," the Arab said. "The mask is her gospel, your lust her feast. She will feed on you for a thousand aeons."

This disturbing revelation terrified me. I wished for escape with increasing fervor, but knew there was none available to me. It was with an ever-growing sense of despair that I awaited the Arab's next orders.

"The 3rd woman I require must be a woman of prowess. Hazhad will look upon me favorably if I give him a strong woman who can bear him warrior sons."

I nodded. "It will be done."

The Arab's sneering grin stayed with me as my perception of the dreamscape faded. Soon I would return to the waking world to continue my reign of terror.

In my next moment of awareness I found myself standing outside the Manor, waiting for the carriage. I wondered if I would ever again wake of my own free will or move about the world without the cursed mask upon my face. I had no answer as the silent carriage pulled up and I climbed in.

Along with the large medical bag waiting for me, a large brown suitcase was sitting across from me. I was intrigued by the suitcase as the shadow horses thundered down the streets of Waitwich, hell itself in the thunder of their hooves.

The police were out in force now, my taking of Gretchen having aroused them in a way that the taking of a thousand Merilyns never could. Not that it mattered; I was a servant of Shibaroth's mask and was beyond the reach of mortal law.

The carriage made its way into the bustling heart of Waitwich, towards an apartment building that catered to people of means who moved about the world a great deal. As the carriage came to a stop outside the bustling building, A name came to mind: Vesper Dare.

Vesper was an adventuress, an independent woman who scorned polite society and was always seeking out the untamed corners of the world. Long black hair framed her face - set with dark green eyes - and continued down her back, outlining her athletic frame. Even at 25 years of age, her competitiveness was legendary.

In my mind's eye I saw her at various sporting events, wearing a look of savage glee on her face as she tore into her opponents with everything she had.

Fencing, racing, sailing, playing cricket and even attempting to give American football a chance; she lived for the challenge. An image of her in an alley in Calcutta flared into my mind, clothes ripped, with a revolver in her hand holding off a gang of thuggees.

Even as I climbed out of the carriage, I thought to myself she would be perfect. Carrying my medical bag and suitcase, I walked up to the front door. The doorman let me in with a smile and a tip of his hat. I was so far beyond the weak minds of humans that I no longer needed to hide. I could take what I wanted when I wanted it. And tonight I wanted Vesper Dare.

I strolled through the lobby and took the elevator to the 3rd floor, where Vesper kept her room. Once in front of her door, room 304, I knocked.

"Who is it?" came a sultry female voice from the other side.

Instead of answering, I reached out telepathically and compelled her to let me in. Within seconds she opened the door, her dark green eyes unfocused and confused. I stepped into her room and she closed the door behind me.

She stood at rigid attention, her brow furrowed as she tried to regain control of her faculties. I was impressed that she could resist me at all. I was barely human by this point, the mask on my face felt as hot as a furnace and it throbbed as I stood there, dominating this strong willed woman with my mind.

I studied her. She was dressed in a black silk nightgown with matching pajamas underneath, her dark hair unbound and tumbling down her right shoulder. She smelled of jasmine and leather. She was beyond exquisite.

I looked around her room, taking in her possessions. The place was a chaotic mess, with maps and various traveling gear spread all over the place. I instantly knew her fear was of getting stuck in one place, being tied down by society's expectations. She felt that if she kept moving she would stay one step ahead of her family and everyone who wanted her to be a good little girl and do what she was told.

I noticed a rapier in the umbrella stand behind the door. Vesper had been eyeing it and attempting to will her body to move. Smiling, I released my hold on her. It would give me great pleasure to show this headstrong woman what true strength was.

She lunged for the rapier and seized it, throwing off her robe and assuming an attack position. She attempted to speak but no noise came out. I wanted to have my fun with her, not the whole building. I threw my arms open, begging her to attack me. She lunged with deadly skill and accuracy. Had I been the man I was before the mask, I would have died; with the mask I was so much more than simply a man.

I easily dodged to the side, reaching out and ripping off her pajama top and the bra beneath it. Her breasts were firm and perky, the nipples hard. Tanlines could be seen from her many days spent on the various beaches of the world.

To her credit she shrugged off the disrobing and my unnatural speed and went on the attack again. I danced away, just out of her reach. After a couple minutes of this, with Vesper breathing hard and sweating, I decided to truly showcase my dominance.

She attacked high, and I waited until the last second to dip low, grab the waist of her pyjama bottoms and ripped them off, along with her panties, leaving her completely nude. With an animalistic fury she launched a flurry of lunges and thrusts, all of which I lazily swatted away with my bare hand.

Finally I made an end of it, sweeping her legs from her as she attempted to compose herself for another attack. I kicked the sword away and stood over her, as she lay on the ground panting noiselessly. Once I saw the defeat in her eyes, I extended my will and sent her to sleep.

Satisfied, I prepared my latest conquest for travel. The contents of my medical bag were different tonight. There was no rope, only leather, and strange contraptions I almost instantly knew to be single sleeves. I worked one single sleeve up Vesper's arms, looping leather straps over both shoulders before reconnecting them to the single sleeve. I then laced up the sleeve as tightly as possible, crushing Vesper's elbows together. Next I anchored the single sleeve to her body with a strap across her well defined abdomen. Following that I took out another leather strap and attached it to the one across her abdomen and ran it between her legs, before pulling it up tightly to connect to the same strap at her lower back.

For her legs I used another sleeve from the bag. It went up to her upper thighs and was so tight I could see the definition of her leg muscles once I finished lacing her into it.

I retrieved and balled up some scarves, which I stuffed into her mouth. The makeshift gag was secured with a black leather muzzle that cupped Vesper's chin. From the muzzle, straps went over the bridge of her nose and along her jawline before fastening in the back. I completed her bondage with a thick, leather blindfold.

With her secured,I finally turned to the suitcase. I opened it up, and found to my delight ample space for my captive, along with thick straps to secure her. I lifted her up and placed her inside, folding her so that her chin rested on her knees. I buckled straps at her ankles, knees, and across her body to make sure that she kept her chin pressed to her knees.

Satisfied that she was secure, I summoned her back to the waking world. She began struggling, which amounted to little more than outraged grunting and barely perceptible flexing of muscle. Smiling behind the infernal mask, I closed the suitcase, collected my bag and left the room.

I journeyed back to my carriage unmolested. My powers were able to block the perception of the muffled sounds and slight movements of the contents of the suitcase.

In the carriage my mind wandered. I did not have Vesper to look at so I became lost in my thoughts. Soon this nightmare would be over, and some foul horror would come for my very soul. I wanted to rail against this fate, but I no longer had the strength. I could barely remember my own name.

In seemingly no time at all we were back at Inkwell Manor. Upon exiting the carriage, I did take my captive into the house, instead making my way down the long and winding path to the sea. I had not been down there for many years, but even in the dark I knew the way.

I found myself once again on a beach, this time an earthly beach and one familiar to me. Waiting for me was the one eyed Arab and a group of men, all from different parts of the world, all scum of the worst kind. And with them were the two unfortunate women I had kidnapped before. Both women stood splendidly nude, men behind them holding long forked poles they were bound to. Their hands were tied together palm to palm and bound to the crude poles, leaving their arms almost perpendicular to their bodies. The fork of the pole held their necks tightly and forced their heads up, and their mouths were gagged with thick, foul rags.

I sat the suitcase on the sand and stood there silently. The Arab nodded and two of his men collected the suitcase and hurried off into the shadows.

"Soon we will be done," the Arab said. "Soon I can leave this wretched land and go to live like a king, as is my birthright."

I said nothing, silently wishing my hatred was enough to break the unholy power that held me.

"Go rest, for tomorrow is the end of our most fruitful relationship. I shall go to inspect the gift you have brought me, though I have no doubt that you have once again brought me a great treasure."

He turned and motioned for his men to follow him. They did, marching Merilyn and Gretchen towards the cave at the bottom of the cliff just below my ancestral home. Skilled smugglers had used it in the days before my family arrived,no doubt this was where their ship was hidden.

Maybe one of those smuggler bastards was why this foul creature had come here seeking vengeance on my family. I had a feeling I would never know the answer.

I turned and retraced my steps back up to Inkwell Manor. I blacked out long before I reached the house.