Mara the Wicked (A "Dead Seed" story)

Eight: The Tour

Mara's screams echoed throughout the mansion as the sliver of sunlight burned the left side of her arms, torso, and legs. Smoke rose from her flesh, the smell of her own skin burning invaded her nostrils. The pain seared throughout her body as she cried for mercy.

No one answered her. No one came to put an end to it. Fire and the heat of the sun, these were Mara's worst fears. She liked some pain, but not this kind.

She yanked on her chains, pulling at them, rolling from side to side, trying to get out of the tiny beam of light. Minutes felt like hours; hours felt like days. She was able to move her legs but couldn't escape the burn on her arms and torso.

Finally, mercy came as an overcast sky. Thunder rumbled, shaking the walls and rattling the windows. Lightning hit close, sending a brilliant flash of light through the crack in the curtain. Soon rain pounded on the window and Mara breathed deeply as if she were human again, thanking whatever god or devil that might be listening for stopping her torture.

The storm lasted all day. Rain fell from the sky in sheets. Mara closed her eyes and allowed her burned body to rest.

She awoke to something dripping into her mouth. Warm, sweet, and metallic. Blood. Mara opened her mouth wider, drinking the substance while still half asleep. Then she felt something running along her arm. It was soft and tickled her skin, trailing from her shoulder to her wrist, then to her abdomen, circling her belly button. And then ... oh. Mara moaned, her eyes still closed as the soft thing tickled her between the legs.

It stopped after a few seconds and Mara opened her eyes to see Aimeric standing over her. The room was dark except for the candles he had lit while she was sleeping.

"Your plan didn't work," Mara said boldly, looking out the window where the thunderstorm still raged.

Aimeric chuckled, running the feather along the burns on her left arm. "It appears it did. But if you feel it wasn't effective, I can leave you chained up in here until it is."

"No, please." Mara said, not wanting to experience another minute of the burning sun, no matter how small the stream of light.

"Ooh, I like it when you beg." Aimeric purred, crawling onto the bed on top of her. He kissed her, bitting her lower lip and then said, "Could it be I'm starting to break you?"

Release me and you'll find out, Mara thought, but didn't say anything. He was kissing her breast now, swirling his tongue around the nipple until it formed a hard peak, which he grazed with his teeth. She closed her eyes as he moved down, licking and kissing her abdomen. He raised her legs, placing her knees over his shoulders and buried his face against her, licking at her clit. He suckled and lapped at her, moving his tongue quickly as she wriggled with pleasure. The chains rattled above her head as she struggled beneath him. She wanted to grip his hair.

When she started to arch her back, Aimeric stopped and moved away from her, a wicked grin spreading across his beautifully monstrous face.

"No, no, my sweet. You're still being punished."

Mara glared at him, throbbing and aching. She had been on the verge of orgasm, that son of a bitch. Aimeric stood, the grin still in place. He ran the feather along her cheek. "I'll leave you to cool off. I must prepare a few things, then I'll return for you."

What did he mean by that? Mara wondered as she watched him leave the room.

She gazed up at the ceiling, wishing she could touch herself and finish the job. These damn chains.

Aimeric returned not long after the blood had worn off and she was no longer throbbing. He released the second set of chains, allowing her the freedom to move again. He didn't remove the magic-restraints, of course. Mara wondered if he would ever take them off so she could use her magic again. It's not like she was that powerful—she had never been. But she wouldn't let him know that.