The Fox, Red

008 - A Taste of Power and Love

It is going to be a four-hour ride back to Madam Odette's. Once Mary's mansion is out of sight Madam Odette lets out a deep breath relaxing her body. "Red, I don't even know where to start with you." I had a feeling that I was going to be in some type of trouble after tonight. I decided to take the initiative by grabbing a bundle of $5,000 from my bag and extending it to her. "Then allow me to start. Here is what you lent me to play Madam Odette. It was fun and I thank you."

"No, I know you intentionally lost that last hand. I saw your cards while they were cleaning up. What I don't get is the rest of the game. You can't lie, I've seen you try, but the entire time I couldn't tell what you were doing until the split moment before you made your decision. What was it that you were doing?"

"I don't think I understand entirely but I was thinking."

"Thinking..."

"Yes. I was doing math. Looking at the odds, the chance, the cards, risk evaluation, and money management. Then slowly building the winnings at a pace that would get the most money to the pot without scaring others off the hand. It was all numbers."

"Red." She leaned towards me in her seat, "I expect great things from you after what I saw you do tonight." Her paw pushed the money back to me, "All of that is yours, you worked hard for it. I have to give you credit. You made more tonight than what I make in a week."

I smile to take the compliment when I feel her warm breath on my ear, "I like it a lot."

I jerk my head to look at Madam Odette. She has that seductive smile on her face that I've seen a few times. It's weirdly intoxicating but never seems to end well for me. She slowly slinks her way over to me climbing onto my lap and straddling my hips. She begins rubbing the suit vest with her paws before she puts her face close to mine. I can smell her perfume mixing with the alcohol on her breath. It hit me right there, she's drunk. She doesn't know what she's doing. "M-Madam Odette!"

"Mm, call me Odette for now."

"Madam Odette, you mm!"

Before I can finish my sentence she forces her lips onto mine. With some fighting, she forces her tongue into my mouth. I try to fight back but the feeling is numbing my body's ability. I start to close my eyes to let this happen. Something sharp inside me snaps me back. I push slightly knocking Madam Odette off enough to where she starts to fall. She grabs me to hold on and I instinctively reach to catch her, falling to the floor with her.

I go to move but my knee is trapped. Madam Odette is holding onto it with the inside of her thighs. I end up falling forward only inches from her face. She closes her eyes and slowly lifts her face closer to mine. I close my eyes, take a deep breath, and with a small grunt throw myself to my right slamming my head against the inside of the vehicle.

I wake up laying under the overhang of the tool shed. The sun is beaming in my face. It appears to have been up for a while now. I lean my head back only to jerk forward in pain. There's a very large sore spot. I roll my head to the other side to avoid it. Thinking back, last night slowly comes to me. The game, the money, and the ride home with Madam Odette. I realize that I am leaning on the bag that carried my winnings. It strikes me that what happened was not a dream.

This revelation rushes me to a solid awake state for just a moment before my body begins to feel as though I didn't sleep at all. I try to muscle my legs to move. I quickly conclude that standing is not an option at this time. Forced to stay put I listen to the sounds around me. I hear people working. I hear the sounds from the nearby forest. All of this is serene until I hear my name, "Red!" It's an unusually deep voice to hear. Opening my eyes there's a very large, very angry-looking honey badger standing in front of me. "Madam Odette is requesting your presence."