SEVENTY-TWO
Mouthpiece
“Once a woman is owned, and ownership does include love, then . . . ” The woman with whom Vivian was speaking with before she rushed towards Catherine in the tunnel now says, as she turns the corner and finally joins in the conversation.
“Love? Tristan loves only himself,” Catherine interrupts, somewhat harshly, resenting the intrusion.
“A submissive is polite with everyone,” the other submissive reprimands her. “And once she is trained . . .”
“Trained!” Catherine interrupts once again, the idea, as always, laughable to her.
“And the use of the first name of your master may be . . . ”
“I’m certain that you’ve been listening, and so, you know that I want to please Tristan so I can survive. That’s it. I don’t obsess about pleasing him with fluffy pink clouds in mind, like I know that some of you do. I don’t hold the desire in my heart,” Catherine adds, dryly, having instantly decided that she does not like the woman who just inserted herself into the conversation.
No wonder Vivian raised her voice a few times. Bitch.
“I think that you’re happy, when you please Tristan,” the other true submissive counters.
“Because it makes me happy not to die.”
“I think that a part of you likes his praise.”
“Because it means that he’s not thinking about killing me. The problem is that, even if he’s not been thinking it this weekend, I’ve thought about it myself.”
“About killing yourself?”
“What? I need my master’s permission for that too?” Catherine snaps back. “Vivian, ownership is what makes a woman end up like you, here and now. And a collar makes a woman a pet, and pets are put down. And hearing any man call a woman ‘my pet’ makes me want to kick him in the balls. And the thought of a man, just popping out of nowhere, to collar me, like a dogcatcher getting hold of a stray, is just . . . ” She then finds herself adding, before censoring herself.
Why am I attacking this poor woman? The one who stands to the side, however . . . I wonder if there was a lock on Vivian’s collar, so she could never take it off. I wonder when she wore it. Everywhere? Just at home? The pet at home, with the master. Waiting for the master’s return. My God.
Silence.
“Tristan just promoted me, and your master just took your title away, just like that,” Catherine reminds Vivian, when nothing happens, when the continuing stillness annoys her.
YOU ARE READING
When Demons Are Redeemed: The Dominant's Muse
RomanceWhen Tristan and Catherine meet, he immediately possesses her body, soon wants her mind, but has no interest in her heart. Nor his. While he happily feeds a darkness within him, she nervously runs from a past that predates her birth. Love, nice and...
