The Rabbit Hole Ch. 15

Chapter 15: Taking

By Trixie Adara

Edited By ALewdEditor

Penny

"Tell me a story," whispered Penny.

She could hear Nadia smile as she stroked her hair. "A true one or one made up?"

"What's the difference?"

Nadia shrugged. "One from my life?"

"Sure," said Penny. "Tell me about little Nadia."

Nadia laughed. "I'm not sure I want to think about little Nadia."

"Please?" asked Penny. "For me?"

"Fine," sighed Nadia. She got more comfortable curled next to Penny and took a deep breath. "Well, once upon a time, there was a little girl named Nadia." Penny closed her eyes, letting her bedroom disappear as she sank into Nadia's words. She hadn't been sleeping at all lately, no matter how much Nadia talked to her or cuddled with her. She had gone to the doctor for something to force her to sleep, but they gave her short naps at best. She was tired all the time and, if she couldn't sleep, at least she could find rest in distraction.

"Little Nadia had her head in the clouds. She always thought that one day she would be a princess, that some prince charming would come and rescue her. She wasn't sure what she needed rescuing from, now that I think about it. Maybe it was boredom."

"Anxiety?" suggested Penny.

"Nah. I wasn't anxious till later. Little Nadia was more ADHD. She was neurotic, all over the place and then suddenly staring out windows for long periods of time. The only thing that could hold her attention was a story. She could dive into books for hours or days, only coming up for breath when she was hungry. Or if it wasn't a book, it was some story locked in her head. Sometimes she was the hero, but most of the time she was the princess. Too many movies, I guess. She wanted to be a princess more than anything."

"Who doesn't?"

"Well, little Nadia didn't in a way. She hated most stories about princesses. She always thought the most interesting part was after the prince found the princess, when the dragon was dead or the tower was conquered. She wanted to know what happened next. In her head, she never imagined the prince and princess having kids and getting jobs and doing the boring business of 'happily ever after.' You see, she had some leeway. The stories said they were happy, but never said what made them happy."

"What did Little Nadia think made them happy?"

"Adventure," said Nadia with a sigh. "It had to be adventure. What else? The prince was an adventurer, and he finds a new companion, a princess, great. Now what do they do? They don't suddenly become homebodies. They would go find other dragons to slay. Maybe they would rescue more princesses. That's right. They'd create a whole posse of badass adventuring princesses to go out into the world and be awesome."

Penny laughed. "Sounds marvelous."

"I know, right?"

"But what about Little Nadia?"

"What about her?"

"You were telling me that she wanted a prince, but I assume something happened while waiting?"

"Oh! Yes, yes yes yesyesyes. She was waiting. Most of her best waiting happened in math class. She would look up from a paper full of formulae and daydream about adventure and princes. Unfortunately, for our heroine, she quickly came to believe that adventure required a prince, which was never true. That meant that all her beautiful ideas about adventures were put on hold while she focused all her energy on finding a prince. This is our tragedy."

"She never found her prince?"

"Oh, she did. She found several princes. For a few years there, she found a prince every couple of months. And the worst was that all of them looked like princes on the outside, but they were nothing like that on the inside. Case and point, you've met Joe."

"He turned out to be an amazing princess," said Penny.

"Well, first he had to meet a powerful wizard to help him out." Nadia bent down and kissed Penny's forehead. They both smiled. "But this isn't about Joe, unfortunately. This is about Brad. Which, honestly, should have been the red flag. What kind of name is Brad? A douchebag name. There are no good Brads in the world."

"Brad Pitt?"

"There is one good Brad in the world," said Nadia quickly.

They both laughed.

"But most Brads are trash, and this Brad was no exception."

Nadia went on to tell the story of Brad's courtship. He bought her flowers. He got her chocolate. He wrote her notes that she described as "painfully and delightfully cliche." They went on two dates, both pizza and a movie, and at the end of the first date he drove her around town before dropping her off. He stopped in an abandoned parking lot, and she had her first kiss.

"He took that from me," she said. "And then he took more. The end." Penny sat up and turned around. Nadia was smiling. "I meant for it to be a happier story," she said. "Let's just skip a few chapters to the end when the princess meets another princess, and she finds out that princesses are so much better than princes and," Nadia held up her hand, showing off her engagement ring, "she gets her happily ever after."

Penny hesitated. It felt wrong to let the moment pass easily.

"Are you alright?" asked Penny.

"Never happier," beamed Nadia.

"I'm sorry that happened to you."

"Me too," said Nadia, still smiling. "But it's over now, right?" Nadia bent forward and kissed Penny. She melted into her, the kiss becoming heavy and wet. "Happily ever after," whispered Nadia in Penny's ear.

Penny couldn't fight her smile.

"Now the adventure starts," said Penny. She reached behind her and grabbed the European travel books she bought as she started to plan the honeymoon.

"Too true," said Nadia. "Where will my princess take me?"

"Rome?" asked Penny, giving Nadia a quick kiss. "Paris?" Kiss. "Barcelona?" Kiss. "London?" Kiss. "Berlin?" Kiss. "Dublin?" Kiss.

"I am Scotch-Irish," whispered Nadia. Kiss. "But how about all of the above?" Kiss.

"We'll be travelling for months." Kiss.

"Oh no," pretended Penny. Kiss. "Whatever shall we do?" Kiss.

They both smiled as several small kisses became one long kiss. Finally, Nadia broke away, catching her breath.

"Aren't we supposed to be putting you to sleep?"

"I guess," said Penny with a playful smirk and shrug.

"But you're still awake," said Nadia, pouting.

"Unfortunately."

"You hungry?" asked Nadia. "Cause I'm hungry." Nadia unfolded her legs and rose from the bed. "Want anything?"

Penny laughed at Nadia's abrupt change of mood. "I'm fine," she said. "I'm just going to wash my face."

"Sounds good," said Nadia as she padded out of the bedroom.

Penny grabbed one the travel book and flipped through it as she went to the bathroom. There were stickers and notes throughout it, marking everything Penny wanted to see. She'd seen much of it before, but never quite like this. Never in love. Never with Nadia.

Penny washed her face quickly and then kept reading the book as she went to the bedroom window. It looked out over downtown, and most of the lights in the city were off. Normally, the city would be raging right now. Beale Street would be a parade of music and drunkenness. But even now, even at this late late hour, everyone was asleep.

"It's just me," whispered Penny. She rubbed her eyes. She needed to sleep. She knew that. It was more than the desire for rest; it was the need. Her powers came from her mind in some shape or form. Without her mind in peak condition, her powers could wane. She could make stupid mistakes, and hurt people. She could lose control or let something slip. Or worst of all, she could lose her powers entirely. She needed to take care of her instrument, but nothing was working.

"Harold?" called out Penny, but there was no answer. Of course not. Where was Harold now? Had he obeyed the command to leave and never return? Or perhaps Penny's power faded from him like it did with Nadia. Perhaps that day he felt Penny's presence leave his mind, and he decided to never return.

"You need something?" shouted back Nadia. She came into the bedroom with her headphones around her neck. The Rabbit Hole. She went there constantly now. Penny needed to cement her control over her. She couldn't let Nadia slip away so easily again. Whenever Penny slept, Nadia was in The Rabbit Hole. That was the only way to keep her.

Penny looked out over the city again. From the penthouse, it was hard to see the street below, but she leaned against the glass, looking for any signs of human life bustling below. She saw one man walking his dog along the cold street. How much did that man love his pet to walk it so late at night, so early in the morning?

Was that dog's love any less authentic than Nadia's? The question seemed silly at first, but Penny's sleep deprived brain entertained it. Penny's commands were like a leash, and she used that to control Nadia. When done to a person, it felt monstrous. When done to a pet, it was noble. Why?

Or perhaps a dog's love is as empty as Nadia's. Perhaps it's all hollow in the end. Each person is following some script. If it wasn't Penny's orders, would it be greeting cards, movies, or romance novels that tell us how to love and what love is? Is it any different with Penny just because it's more obvious and overt?

"Yes," whispered Penny. "It is different." Because a moron may never know that his wife is following a script. He may not know that she only loves him because she needs his acceptance or affirmation. She is enslaved to his attention, and he's oblivious. But Penny has to stare the cruel truth in the face. She has to live this life knowing that what she has comes by force, by taking. She has to take Nadia's love because Nadia won't give it, and worse than that, she has to live knowing that every word of affirmation from Nadia is a lie. A lie Penny asked for.

"Nadia?" she called. She needed something to distract her. That's what she needed. She needed her own trance, some way to turn off the everflowing awareness of disappointment, of emptiness that ruled her life.

"Dolly?" she asked, but nobody came. Nadia couldn't hear her, and if Nadia couldn't hear her, she wouldn't come. It was that simple.

Penny sighed and walked out of the bedroom. She went through the hallway and into the kitchen. Nadia was listening to The Rabbit Hole and watching something on the stove. It would have been risky for Nadia to cook in The Rabbit Hole, but this was a modified version. It reinforced programming but didn't induce trance. Nadia probably heard music as she cooked.

Penny snuck up behind her and lifted the headphones. "What are you making?"

"Good old mac and cheese," said Nadia. She turned around and kissed Penny.

"Enough for me?"

"Absolutely."

"I'd like to have Dolly make it," said Penny.

Nadia shivered. "Yes, ma'am," she whispered.

Penny smiled. "It's playtime, Dolly."

The smile immediately fled Nadia's face. There was no expression. No light in her eyes. No personality or glimmer of individuality. A sleeping person has more spark of humanity than Dolly did now. Dolly was wonderfully and absolutely blank. There were no thoughts. There were no preferences. There was barely any memory unless Penny gave it to her. She was a canvas, and Penny could create a masterpiece with her.

"Don't ruin the food," commanded Penny. "Keep cooking."

Dolly turned and continued to stir. Penny stepped back and hopped up on the counter behind the stove. She sat on the edge, her feet dangling, while Dolly cooked. Her motions weren't robotic. Each stir was smooth and natural as though Nadia was doing it. But there was no bop or sway to it. There was no humor or delight. It was a physical interaction: hand with spoon, spoon to pot, tense the wrist, lock the spoon, rotate the shoulder, lock the arm, rotate the spoon.

"Turn on some music," said Penny. "Something sexy to strip to."

Dolly stepped away from the stove, spoon still in hand, and went to the living room. Penny waited a few moments, and then a thudding bass filled the penthouse. Behind it was a haunting electronic melody, like a siren's song. Penny smiled as Dolly returned.

"Continue cooking," commanded Penny. "But dance for me while you do."

Dolly's hips swayed to the music while she stirred. Finally, she went and dumped the noodles into a strainer, did a twirl, dropped low, popped her ass as she rose again, and took the strained noodles back to the pot.

Penny delighted in Dolly's face as she danced. She didn't enjoy the music; she hadn't been commanded to. She did exactly as she was told without fail. She didn't take initiative or show preference. Like this she was perfect, absolutely perfect. Penny adored Nadia. She adored her personality and humor and wit, but she knew how much Nadia wanted and needed this. Nadia would beg her daily to spend time as Dolly, but lately Penny hadn't been in the mood. She'd been focused on the wedding and trying to get some sleep and the book and the movie deal and a thousand other things. She hadn't had time for Dolly.

"Strip while you cook," commanded Penny. Dolly was in the middle of adding milk and cheese to the hot noodles, but she immediately dipped low for Penny and shook her ass. Penny stifled a laugh. She never understood the appeal of strip clubs, but with Nadia, it was a power move. It was about making it more complicated than simply peeling off clothing.

Dolly peeled down her pants just a bit, revealing sheer blue chiffon underwear that hugged her ass and hips. She kept stirring and swaying her hips, dropping the spoon long enough to raise her top over her head and toss it to the side. Occasionally, she would lower her pants a bit more: halfway down her thighs, to her knees, and then to her ankles. Then, gracefully and seamlessly, she dipped, kicked off her pants, spread her legs wide, showed off her ass, and stood back up again, stirring the noodles and finishing their late-night snack.

"Serve the food," commanded Penny, "but keep dancing."

Dolly did as commanded. She grabbed two shallow bowls and portioned out servings for each of them while shaking her hips. Halfway through, she unhooked her bra but left it dangling over her shoulders. She turned around dramatically, taking one bowl in each hand, her bra loose around her breasts, and brought them to the counter. As she put the bowls down, she shrugged her shoulders, letting the bra fall off to the floor as she stepped backwards. She grabbed two forks and gracefully swayed towards Penny. Penny spread her legs, and Dolly came between them. She let her lips hover in front of Penny's, daring a kiss, but then she sank low. She kissed Penny's legs as she rose again, this time without panties on.

"Feed me," commanded Penny.

Dolly started to give Penny a forkful of hot and cheesy noodles, but the steam was coming off in waves. "Blow on it first," commanded Penny, and Nadia made pouty lips while she blew and swayed her hips back and forth. Finally satisfied, she offered the fork to Penny, and she took a bite.

"Touch me while you feed me," said Penny breathlessly. "Everywhere."

Dolly obeyed. One hand fed Penny careful and measured bites, while the other trailed fingertips over Penny's thighs, her knees, her calf, her pussy. Dolly was delicate, making each touch an extension of the striptease. Everything was an extension of the striptease.

When Penny was done eating, she commanded Dolly to feed herself, and when she was done, to join Penny in the bedroom. Penny went ahead of her toy, peeling off her pajamas as she walked. She got into the bedroom and threw the comforter and pillows off the bed. She went into her closet and walked among the rows of toys she and Nadia had played with in the past few months. What did she want to do tonight? What did she want to feel?

Penny grabbed the leather straps and the crop.

She went to the bathroom and let down her hair from it's loose ponytail. She brushed it carefully, letting it cascade over her shoulders in little blonde ringlets. She reapplied bright red lipstick and decided that was it. Simple, but powerful. Nothing beyond that.

Dolly was waiting for her in the bedroom when she stepped out. The redhead was already on the bed, sitting quietly and carefully, completely empty without a new command to guide her.

"Lay back spread eagle," commanded Penny.

Dolly obeyed.

Penny circled the bed, strapping down Dolly's limbs at each corner. Dolly said nothing. She didn't protest or question. Her breathing didn't accelerate with anticipation or arousal. Penny ran a finger along Dolly's pussy. She was wet, she couldn't control all responses, but her body was doing it's best to act normal.

"Tell me you love me," commanded Penny.

"I love you, Penny," said Dolly. It was cold and lifeless.

"Talk like Nadia. Tell me you love me."

"I love you, Penny," said Dolly. There was a warmth and tenderness in her voice, but it was still off. Penny could tell when Nadia chose to do something versus when she was forced to follow a command. Everything was a command lately.

But beggars can't be choosers.

"Tell me you'll never leave me."

"I'll never leave you, Penny."

Penny felt the rage bubble up within her. It wasn't right. It wasn't enough. She took the crop in her hand and smacked it down against Dolly's thigh. It left a red welt, but Dolly didn't cry out in pain. There was a moment of held breath and clenched jaw, but Dolly always did what she was told.

"Again," commanded Penny.

"I'll never leave you, Penny."

Penny smacked the other thigh for good measure, leaving a thin red mark behind.

"Cry out, dammit." Penny smacked the thigh again, and this time Dolly cried out in pain. It wasn't right. It never sounded right.

"Tell me you'll always be with me," commanded Penny.

"I'll always be with you, Penny."

Penny smacked Dolly's abdomen. Dolly crunched, straining against the straps, and cried out again.

"Again."

"I'll always be with you, Penny."

Smack.

Penny crawled onto the bed, resting on her knees as she loomed over Dolly. "Say you're sorry."

"I'm sorry, Penny."

Penny smacked the flesh part of Dolly's upper arm. Dolly cried out and pulled on her straps, but she wouldn't escape, not without a command.

"Again."

"I'm sorry, Penny."

Smack.

"Again."

"I'm sorry, Penny."

Smack.

"Again."

"I'm sorry, Penny."

Smack.

Penny flung the crop across the room. She crawled over Dolly's body and put her hands around her toy's throat. She hesitated, not squeezing, astonished at herself as hot tears burned at the edge of her eyes.

"Why did you leave me?" asked Penny.

"To protect Joanna and Dr. Tuminaro."

"Don't you love me?"

"I love you, Penny."

"And you'll always love me?"

"I'll always love you, Penny," said Dolly in Nadia's voice. There was no heart in it, no truth.

"You'll never leave me?"

"I'll never leave you, Penny."

"Why don't I believe you?"

Dolly said nothing. She stared up at Penny, blank and empty. Her red hair crowned her head, but splayed like this, it was like fiery coronet. It was tragically misplaced on her blank face. Her eyes were dull and hollow despite their bright green color. There was no life in her. There was nothing in her.

That's what Penny was going to marry: oblivion.

"Fuck you," hissed Penny. The rage built in her. She looked at the face of Dolly and could see the faces at the restaurant. All of them mocking her in their obedience. All of them following like puppets, but ones that judged her, ones that loathed her. Dolly must hate Penny for what she did and does to her. That's why Penny didn't believe her. It was a lie. It was all a lie.

Penny crawled up Dolly's body, placing her legs on each side of Dolly's face. She lowered herself, queening her toy. "Eat me out," she commanded, "you cunt."