Tempting Touch

Punishments

After leaving Jekyll's house, Lucy couldn't feel more alive; she was happier than ever.

Lucy smiled and daydreamed while staring at the white flower Jekyll gave her the night they met. No other gentleman would do this after seeing Spider slapping her face. Was Jekyll in love with her?

She put the flower away and started brushing her hair, sitting on her bed, sighing. Suddenly, she heard someone jump on her bed and turned around to see Hyde lying next to her. She must have been so distracted thinking of Jekyll, that didn't even notice him coming.
"I..." Lucy started but Hyde gently placed his finger on her mouth, ordering her to stay quiet. He turned her away, making her sit on the bed as he stood behind her. He careesed her arm and slipped the sleeves of her white nightgown off. Lucy found that very weird, since he always arrived at the Red Rat angry and in urgent need of satisfying his lust, being brutal and violent. But this time there was something different... He was being soft and gentle.

He grabbed her hair with his other hand and forced her to look at the mirror. She squealed and got frightened by his sudden agressive move, so she led his hand to her shoulder and looked into his eyes. No one spoke a word. He touched her collarbones and careesed them over and over again, making her melt inside. She placed her head on his neck in a loving gesture and then kissed his cheek. Hyde kissed her lips like a wild animal and whispered her name. This was all so confusing. It's like he was carrying another person inside him.

He licked her neck but stopped the action out of the blue and went to the other side of the bed, with his hands in front of his face, looking angry and extremely exhausted. Lucy stared at him curiously and decided to wait a little. She lightly touched Hyde's shoulder and he quickly slapped her hand out of his way and turned back to her. He touched her face and kissed her one more time. He bit her chin gently, and, out of nowhere, he pushed her so she could lie in the bed and started to choke her.
"I told you you were going to pay."

She gave him a confused glance as she tried to breathe. He held her tighter and tighter as she struggled to free herself.
"Why did you go visit Dr. Jekyll yesterday?"
Lucy widened her eyes at him with both shock and fright. She opened her mouth to speak but he covered it.
"You slut! You are mine. And mine alone!" He yelled and slapped her face, releasing her. He stood up and punched the mirror in a rage attack.
"What'd I ever do to you?" She yelled in tears.
Hyde turned around and grabbed her wrists.
"You betrayed me. You rejected me. You chose Jekyll instead of me!"
"How come a man like Dr. Jekyll would have liasons with someone like you?" She pronounced the last word with pure disgust.
He grinned and then tightened his grip, making her scream in pain.
"We are very close... He and I... We share everything." Hyde gripped her shoulders and bit her neck.
"Agh! Let me go!" She cried out and pushed him away. Lucy looked at her hands and wrists, which were covered in Hyde's blood after punching the mirror.
"You will regret this." He threatened her while walking to the door and slamming it, leaving her to cry in pain and loneliness again.

Lucy wiped her tears away. She hugged her knees and gazed at the window. She thought of Jekyll, of a fresh start. For once, she felt a little hope flaming inside her heart, thinking of the great possibility of escaping and having a new life. She shook her head and stood up, staring at the crushed, destroyed mirror. She went to the center of the establishment, asking Nellie for help with cleaning her room. Both went upstairs to Lucy's room.

As they got in, Nellie jumped a step back and frowned.
"What happened here? This place is full of blood! And the mirror... And your hands!"
"Hyde smashed the mirror... And... Almost broke my wrists." Lucy replied.
"Ah, Lucy... What do you owe this man?"
"My soul, I guess."
"Well, he's a madman, if you ask me."
They both giggled and cleaned the room. After they finished, Lucy lied in her bed. Nellie ran to where she was and hugged her.
"If you ever need me, I'm here."
"You can always count on me, Nellie." Lucy said with a warm smile.

The door flew open and Spider came in.
"What the hell is going on here? Nellie, Luce! On stage, right now!"
Lucy rolled her eyes and refused to get up, but Nellie obeyed and walked out of the room in a rush.
"Luce! Go now!"
"Give me a break."
Spider dragged her out of the bed and punched the left side of her face hard. She already had so many bruises; she was used to it.

"Go now!" He said, pushing her out of the room. "You better perform your number with excitement and perfection. You are not doing your job right! Do you want to end up in the streets?"
"I wish I was in the streets instead of bein' captured and brought to this horrible place!" Lucy glared at her boss and crossed her arms.
"No, Luce! That was your choice."
"I didn't know I would end up here! I was only 15!"
"And now you are 18! How does it feel? You want to be in the streets? Then I'll take you to the streets! You will not have a different job than this one if you want to survive. Selling your body like a whore, but this time even poorer and in misery!" He yelled and grabbed her wrist. Lucy looked at him with regret and teared up, knowing that his words were true.
"I'll take you out now!"
"No!" She cried, desperate. "Please, I'm sorry!"
"Shut up, whore! It's too late." He forced her out and took her downstairs.

Spider pushed her out of the brothel as she tripped and fell.
"If you dare to step here tonight, I'll kill you. And I mean it. Your deserve it! You'll be back tomorrow... And there'll be even a worse punishment waiting for you inside here!" He finally finished and went inside.
Lucy was left alone once more and cried of anger and sadness. She felt her head spinning, almost like she was about throw up. She was starving, on the brink of passing out.

"Lucy?" A male voice called softly.
Lucy turned around the instant she recognized it and tried to stand up, but soon fell to the ground again.
The man ran to her and hugged her.
"Derek?" Lucy whispered weakly, still being held by him.
"It will be alright. I'm here for you now."
"Where have you been all this time?"
"That doesn't matter right now. I'm back and I'll help you." He smiled.
Lucy smiled back and blinked a few times. "You'll keep me warm and protect me from everything, like you promised..." She kissed him with the last quantity of strength she had.

Then it was all black.