The Coiled Mask: Night Two

Author's Note: Thanks to CarrotsGoMeow for editing and proofreading suggestions.

In the depths of sleep I found myself lying on the white beach as the black tide roared, staring up at the empty sky. The one eyed Arab came to stand over me, that evil grin somehow even wider upon his vile face.

"Your first venture was a success beyond my wildest dreams," the Arab said. "You have brought me a true beauty, many thanks my friend."

I was too weak to curse the fiend for having stolen my will and turned me into a monster. I vaguely remembered that I had to do this 3 more times. My soul despaired but I was powerless as the Arab gave me my next instructions.

"I require a woman of breeding and lineage," the Arab said. "My masters enjoy taming women of power and privilege, especially the women of this arrogant country. I had hoped to claim a female of your line for this. But all fate has left the Inkwells with is a wretch like you. Find me a suitable beauty to pair with the exotic wonder you have just brought me."

"It will be done," I said. I could no longer separate my own will from that of whatever entity had invaded me.

The Arab nodded and the beach slowly faded away as I was sent back to the waking nightmare that was my life.

I awoke at dusk the next day, feeling a thousand years old. I staggered from my bed and made my way to the west wing, hoping that this was all a nightmare, or at the very least that I still had a chance to rescue the woman I had so cruelly taken.

But my hopes were dashed on both accounts. Great Aunt Agatha's room was as clean and fresh as it had been the night before, and now empty. I could still faintly smell the fragrance of Merilyn's hair in the room.

I wanted to wail, to scream at the universe for having trapped me in such a cruel reality. But the walk to the west wing had taken all the strength I had. I collapsed on the bed and passed out, wondering what new terrors I would visit upon Waitwich that night.

I was outside again, waiting for the carriage to carry me to my fell task. I loved the feel of the sharp autumn wind as power coursed through me. The carriage pulled up and waited for me to board. It looked more like the shadow of a carriage than the actual thing. The driver was a shape in the vague form of a man. Even the horses resembled smoke more than flesh, with wild red eyes that regarded me with unnatural intelligence. The most bizarre thing about it was that the whole thing was as quiet as a whisper, in direct conflict with the unholy din it raised the night before.

I climbed in, finding the medical bag waiting for me once again. Once I was inside the carriage tore off, producing the same infernal cacophony it had the night before. The only difference was this time I enjoyed it.

We made our way through Waitwich to a different part of town. We moved among the mansions and stately homes of the great and the good in the northern section of Waitwich. I grew worried as we hurtled through the neighborhoods of the wealthy, but as before, no one saw us and no one came out.

We came to rest at the gates of a great red mansion. The locals called it The Big Red House and its occupants were the family that had overtaken mine as the most prominent family of Waitwich. Without the entity even telling me, I knew where we were. This was the Dunsmore estate, home to the lovely and high spirited Gretchen Dunsmore.

Images of Gretchen flashed through my mind. I saw a tall, pale beauty with curly red hair and cool blue eyes. She was in a club of some sort casually smoking while a group of young men strove to impress her. I saw her wandering the streets of cities all over the world, from New York to Hong Kong.

My father once hoped to have her marry me, but her own father put a stop to that. The man always indulged his daughter and now she was a wilful and unmarried woman of 27. I would enjoy giving her the discipline and control she so desperately needed.

I exited the carriage with my medical bag in hand. I darted quickly to the walls of the estate and vaulted over them with ease. I felt more powerful than I had the night before, more in control. I crossed the grounds of the estate in moments and stole into the house when the front door magically opened for me. It was like the physical world was an extension of my mind and all things were possible. I was thrilled and terrified by this prospect.

I looked around the mansion, seeing art and artifacts from all over the world. I smiled behind the mask, savoring the fact that soon Gretchen would be like these possessions, merely a symbol of another's wealth and power. I stole up the staircase to the second floor, where I slipped through a pair of double doors at the center of the hall and found myself in Gretchen's room.

Unlike Merilyn's room, Gretchen's was filled with the hallmarks of decadent wealth. I enjoyed the smell of expensive perfume and flowers as I perused Gretchen's collection of goods from all over the world. A cigarette case from Egypt, a vanity mirror from Paris, and in her desk a silver plated revolver from Berlin. I smiled at the gun, enjoying the fact that the fine weapon would do her no good this night. I wasn't even sure I could be hurt by mortal weapons, but I was in no hurry to find out. I placed the gun back in the drawer and set about my deviant task.

I stood beside her bed and studied her. She slept on sheets of golden satin, the covers tossed wildly about her. Her red hair formed a fiery halo around her delicate, pale features. Her silk nightgown was thin and sheer, allowing me to see her hard pink nipples and her dark red pubic hair.

I sat my bag down and opened it, taking out a bundle of red rope. I had no need for the clear bottle any more, I could now extend my will and use it to quell Gretchen's with ease. I lay the red rope on the bed and as I had with Merilyn, I tore her nightgown off her, revealing her nude, alabaster form.

I favored a box tie this time, using the red rope to tightly bind Gretchen's wrists to the opposite elbow. I then anchored her bound arms to her body by running rope from her crossed forearms over her shoulders and between her breasts before going back around to her forearms just below her breasts.

I then ran another rope from between her breasts to between her legs, before pulling it tightly between the lips of her sex and the crack of her pert bottom to be secured to her bound arms.

I then crossed her ankles and bound them, followed by gathering up her red hair and binding it to her ankles as tightly as I could, once again putting my prize in a tight bow.

Lastly I dug deep in my bag and produced a number of scarves. I wadded them all up and stuffed them deep in Gretchen's red lipped mouth, one after another. When it seemed like she could take no more, I stuffed one more in before sealing her lips with two more scarves tied over her mouth, the top one fittingly being bright red.

Satisfied with my work, I reached out with my mind and touched Gretchen's bringing her back into the real world. At first she was confused, but then she realized she was nude and bound and she began struggling vigorously.

As with Merilyn, all her struggles did nothing but provide a show for me. I wanted this more than anything, I loved the idea of Gretchen being in the very seat of her wealth and power and being completely at my mercy.

Pretty soon she tired, her sweat soaking her expensive sheets. She breathed heavily as she stared at me with angry eyes. Whenever I moved, the anger was replaced by fear as she never took her eyes off my masked visage. I climbed on the bed with her, prompting a renewed vigor in her fruitless struggles. Despite my power over her at that moment, I did nothing but run my gloved hands along her warm skin, enjoying the feel of muscle as she struggled against her bondage.

I wanted to stay that way forever, but I knew it was time for me to head back to Inkwell Manor to turn over my latest prize. I once again reached into her mind and put her to sleep. While there I was delighted to learn that the crotch rope had aroused her terribly and she had been on the brink of an unwanted orgasm. Her responsiveness to bondage would be a boon for her new life.

I closed my bag and scooped up my prize. I felt a new power within me, and without knowing what was happening, I became a shadow. Darkness enveloped me and I was carried at an unnatural speed to my carriage. One second I was in Gretchen Dunsmore's bedroom, the next I was in the back of the carriage, with my bag at my feet and Gretchen laying in the seat across from me.

The carriage was moving at its customary breakneck pace when I awoke Gretchen from her enforced slumber. She struggled a little but mostly lay still. I smiled behind the mask, knowing it was because the crotch rope did its work too well. So she tried not to move, her soft moans and muffled gasps music to my ears.

Once back at Inkwell Manor I took her to the basement. I knew that was where she was meant to go. Unlike Great Aunt Agatha's room, the basement was just as dusty and dirty as ever. A space had been cleared, and a metal pole had been driven into the concrete floor. Attached to the pole was a series of shackles.

With my bare hands I snapped the ropes binding Gretchen as if they were made of wet paper. All save the crotch rope, which I tied tightly around her waist, driving it even deeper inside of her if that was possible. She tried to struggle once free, but all I had to do was reach inside her mind and paralyze her. Her eyes widened in surprise and fear as her limbs refused to obey her orders. The massive gag stayed in her mouth as I secured old rusty shackles to her ankles and wrists.

Once she was chained, I allowed her use of her limbs. She tugged tentatively at the shackles but the repeated demonstrations of my power had quelled her fighting spirit. Satisfied, I went upstairs to make sure the door was open and then went to bed.

Once in my bedroom I felt a weariness that was beyond description. I did not know the last time I had eaten but I knew that I could not keep down food were I to try. I fell into bed, both dreading and anticipating my next night's adventure, the only sustenance I seemed to need.