Cult

19: Collar Ω

I'm confused, tired, and slightly bitter. Slowly, I walk down the hall. I wrap my arms around myself. I know I don't mean anything to Harry; I'm just his little submissive-in-training. But in a few weeks, I'll be the dominant.

Will I even be here for a few weeks? I need to escape as soon as possible. But how? My eyes scan the room. These contacts really are working wonders. Sure, it's a bit scary to touch my eye in order to put the contacts in, but my vision is so much clearer compared to when I used glasses. I still love my glasses, though. They're in the room I woke up in. If only I could find my way around this place...

I see a figure approach me slowly from the dark hallway. Everything in this house is so damned dark, as if the lack of light would mask the dirty, sinful acts taking place. 

I press my hand to the tight collar Harry gave me. I want to rip it off, but the chain is too strong for my hands. I know I signed that contract. I know I agreed to this because I really had no other choice. But this collar is ridiculous. I'm not literally Harry's little pet— definitely not outside the walls of his chamber.

The figure in the distance walks slowly, her hands clasped coolly and calmly in front of her as her feet take gentle, steady steps. Her grey eyes meet mine and she smiles.

"How was training?" she asks. I look down immediately, awkwardly toying with the collar Harry gave me.

"It was --um  good," I reply, unsure what to say. Did she expect me to give her a full rundown of what Harry did. V watches my face carefully and I remember that to her and everyone else in this house, sexual acts are just for pleasure. There's nothing romantic or beautiful about them so there's no shame or pride in what you do and with who. In a twisted way, it makes things easier; people just do sexual acts without fearing if they are having sex too early in their relationship, or whether the other person loves them, or if they're cheating or anything else that often arises in relationships.

"You're still innocent, aren't you?" V asks and there's a tone of annoyance in her calm voice. I look down at my hands.

"Yes, I guess so," I admit. Harry didn't take my virginity, but he did do other things, so I'm not so sure I'm still 'innocent.'

"What is he waiting for?" V mutters to herself as though trying to solve a tricky math equation. She presses her forefinger to her chin and along the nape of her neck, rubbing her skin slowly. I look down.

V notices the collar on my neck and I suck in a breath, embarrassed to be branded with Harry's name.

"He gave that to you?" she asks, but she already knows the answer.

"Um yeah...I'm going to take it off but—" V cuts me off. She steps closer to me and shakes her head. 

"Harry has never given a girl a...gift," she smiles and I can hear her holding back some laughter. I cross my legs and adjust my cloak over my shoulders. 

"Am I supposed to be flattered?" I murmur. 

V's smile disappears and she focuses her bleak eyes on mine. 

"Harry must be very taken with you, Kitty," she tells me and I'm not sure how to feel. Harry has a very twisted way of relating to people and has absolutely no shame in sharing his sexual desires.

"Harry is more tempermental compared to the other boys...he has a strange way of showing his emotions. You'll have to learn to deal with it," she advises me. I shake my head.

"Deal with it? I'm not married to the guy. I don't have to 'deal with him'," I huff. V's eyes glint at the word 'marriage' as though she hasn't heard it in a decade.