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Stranded Ch. 07

"May I get myself more coffee?" Arioch holds his cup out to me and nods. I grab the mug and shuffle my way into the kitchen. I can feel his eyes on me, watching my every move, his body tense, ready to bolt after me if I tried to run again.

"Once you're pregnant though, no more caffeine. Not good for the baby." There won't be a baby. I made us both another cup and just as I turned to walk back into the dining room he stood and made his way to me instead.
"I have some work to do in the garage and you have a house to start cleaning. I would like you to start with the laundry and dishes." A laugh bursts free and I quickly cover my mouth. He only chuckles and wraps a chain he pulled out from one of the cupboards around my ankle. A giant pile of metal links falls out, and he locks the other side to the loop closest to the back door, pulling each lock a few times to make sure they were secure.

"Aren't you worried I'll escape or find a weapon?" I ask sarcastically

"Nope! Eliza and I 'wife-proofed' the place. I'd start upstairs and work my way down if I were you, you'll find most things are sorta picked up, organized anyways, the washer and dryer are in the basement. I understand that you are going to have the urge to search every inch within your grasp, but I assure you, it will only be a waste of time. We thought of everything. However, I expect a decent amount of progress before I return." Then he left, the screen door slamming shut behind him and I stood in there in silence. I slowly began opening the drawers. He was right, the urge to look was too strong, but all I found in them was plastic, even plastic spatulas and wooden mixing spoons. I could try and use a mixing spoon, but something told me it would only be turned back on me. I noticed a few of the drawers had locks on them, so I noted it and kept moving. I wasn't sure how to pick locks, but it wouldn't hurt to try when I had the extra time, if I could find something to pick it with anyways. The chain was loud and snagged occasionally on things as I made my way up the stairs. My first stop was the guest bedroom and I stood in the doorway. It looked exactly as it had when I first walked into his house, back when I thought he was just a good guy helping a stranger.

My belongings were ashes now, well most of them. I knew my journal was in one of the locked drawers' downstairs and it was going straight into the fireplace the second I got my hands on it again. I pulled myself away, closing the door and moving onto his room. It was still a mess, but at least it was more separated. They had stacked most of the dirty dishes and the clothes were all in a one pile. But the beer bottles were gone, the bat that I had used to smash Judas with was nowhere to be found. Where had he taken it all? Hidden out in his garage? What would he do if I simply refused to clean? Just the thought of it made me shiver, he would do whatever he wanted, that's what he'd do. I wrapped my arms tightly around myself as I crouched in the middle of his room. I knew it wasn't the time to break down, he said he expected progress and running myself in circles wasn't going to help me. After a few deep calming breaths, I stood and began shoving the laundry into his wicker hamper. I hated that I had to walk down two flights of stairs but after a few trips I had a decent pile and a load already started in the washer. I tossed the galaxy dress in with the first load, I was sure he wouldn't mind. If I was going to be forced to wear the stupid things, I at least wanted to wear one of the prettier ones. I could see now why Sam was always doing something that didn't quite fit into the expectations of his family.

The dishes came next and I was surprised to find that besides some gross stale ketchup and hard congealed syrup, they weren't all that dirty, at least nothing that was moldy or rotten. As the sink filled with soapy water, I double checked that Sam was still outside, far away before I dared to reopen the coffee tin. I carefully tilted it to the side and dug two of my fingers towards the bottom, sweeping through the grounds, searching for the plastic baggie Emily had given me. I was finally alone, and I didn't want to waste time looking for a teaspoon; so, I took a pinch of what I thought a teaspoon would be instead and quickly tossed it into my mouth. It had a spicy carroty taste, but I quickly ate it, the texture is what bothered me the most. I folded all the air out, sealing it and tucked it back into the bottom of the coffee container, wiping away all traces I had ever been digging in it.

It was nearly two days after the first time, or was it three? Either way it was lot longer than what Emily had first recommended to me. She had said no longer than 12 hours and I knew at least the last time was within that time range. Well, it was worth trying, anything was worth trying. Just hearing him mention pregnancy, terrified me; I did not want to be responsible for bringing a life into my situation let alone into the world. How would I escape with a baby? What if they took it away from me the way they had taken Sam from Skye? My heart would never be able to bear it. And if it was a girl? Would he marry her off to one of his cousins? Or worse, fuck her along with the rest of his family? I leaned my head against the counter, arms stretched before me, the water still running, and I closed my eyes as I try to calm the racing thoughts. Inhale. Exhale. Take it one day at time. I just couldn't think about those things. After a few more deep breaths and I returned to washing the dishes; it didn't take long to learn where everything went. I simply opened every drawer and cupboard in the kitchen, searching them while I was at it. When I put the last dish away, I trudged back upstairs, pausing at the top as my eyes slid over to Eliza's door. I couldn't tell just by looking at it if it was still locked and I debated if it was worth trying. My hand began to shake as I slid across the floor and gripped the door handle. Slowly I turn the crystal knob and when I hear the mechanical click, I realize the door popped open. It was unlocked.

Now the real dilemma was, did I dare walk in? Arioch had said that they'd wife proofed the house, and the room was part of the house.
"Go on." I yelped, nearly jumping out of my skin and I felt my heart drop. How did he always manage to sneak up so quietly?

"I-I uh...I thought maybe there would be laundry...now that the secret is out that she's not actually dead..."

"I said go ahead. We're married now darlin, I got nothing to hide from you anymore." We stood there for several minutes before he walked ahead of me, shoving the door open wide and allowing me to stare inside. The bedding was wadded up in a ball, the closet wide open, utterly empty and the blinds were drawn so that sunlight poured into the room, particles of dust dancing in its bright beam.

"C'mon now." I took a few steps forward but remained close to the door.

"We are going to make this the nursery, I measured the difference and this door is closer for nighttime feedings. When he gets older, we'll turn the guest room into his room and hopefully by then we should already have number 2 or he'll at least be on the way." I felt a wave of nausea wash over me, he was already talking about a second one and we hadn't even had the first. He spoke with pure confidence, as if his words were fact; like he already peeked into the future and knew this to be true. In that moment I understood why Emily had been so serious when she told me to hide the seeds. I refused to imagine just how angry he'd be if he were to find out. Maybe I should have moved them somewhere else, but there was nowhere that I wasn't sure he wouldn't search. I had time to find a place, if I moved them before the coffee got too low.

"I figured we'd clear all this out, paint the walls, set up new furniture and before you ask, Eliza already knows what we are doing, it was her idea actually." And that's when I notice it, in the corner of the ceiling there's a small camera, or what I am pretty sure is a camera. It's a tiny little dome, the plastic dark and reflective. I squint a little and take a step forward, frowning. Arioch follows my gaze and holds up his hand before I can even ask him the next question.

"I am not going to lie to you, but you are not going to like the answer if you ask me," he warned.

"If I don't know, it will eat away at me." He sighed as if he had already concluded that.
"It was Eliza's idea and we needed the money..." I felt dizzy and I groaned as I shook my head and took a step back. I needed some distance between us. Just how many more Skellington's were in this man's closet? What disgusting secret was I going to find out next?
"Oh god, what did you do?" He was the one having trouble meeting my gaze now, was it possible even Arioch had standards? Lines he did not want to cross?

"She was over 18, I made damn sure of that at least," he mumbled.

"So, you made a video...and what? Sold it online?"

"There's a few niche markets for incest porn. We made enough to survive and build that cabin back there, plus a nice comfortable nest egg in case the conclave ever pulls that crap on us again. Which considering what our future holds, it may come in handy." What our future holds?

"What do you mean?"

"Sammy was right about one thing, Dale is going to find out, eventually. Or he's going to at least suspect it enough that he'll call the conclave in. We'll have a small trial and while they decide our fate, they may not allow me to work on any of the family's cars. They did it when Eliza killed Megan, that way they could decide the consequences while still protecting the family."

"But you're their only mechanic."

"True, back then they still had Uncle Hank. Now, I'm not so sure they can afford it. Nest egg is there regardless, and if we don't need it, we'll buy something nice for the nursery. Besides, with that installed we can see the babies no matter where on the property we are." He was a lot more familiar with electronics then he led me to believe, perhaps even better than me.

"There weren't any internet signals when I checked on my laptop, how did you manage that?"

"You can buy anything online these days, they call it a jammer, interferes with the signals, call transmissions and I even got one for the Wi-Fi. Turned them on before you even walked in the front door." Is that why he had rushed inside so quickly?

"What does your family think about your use of technology?"

"Most of them are a bit more outdated than the others, but I have learned to adapt and soon enough, they will too." A devilish smile lit up his face as he looked up into the corner and back down at me.

"It's still hooked up to a recorder you know...we could make our own dirty movie, it is technically still our honeymoon after all." I was grateful to have the canopy banister to lean on, keeping me on my feet. I felt lightheaded, heart beating wildly in my chest. I was still formulating how to respond when there was a loud pounding at the front door, it rattled the locks and I felt a real wave of terror wash over me. Arioch's smile disappeared, and I knew whoever it was, it wasn't a good sign they were over.

"Well, that was a little sooner than I anticipated, but I think we're ready for this. Remember, you will speak when spoken to, you will not make eye contact and let me handle the rest." As he spoke, he was untucking his T-shirt and already messing up his hair. He looked more like Sam now.

"I'm not a good liar..." I warned.

"I would have never guessed. Just follow my instructions and you will be fine. Keep calm and breathe." He grabbed my wrist, pulling me down stairs. I clasped my hands in front of me when he opened the door. Dale burst into the house without waiting for invitation. He pushed his way past Arioch/Sam and I instantly notice several things; he had big dark rings around his eyes like he hadn't slept since the wedding; and maybe he hadn't. His face was unshaven revealing most of his scruff was salt and peppered, his eyes were bloodshot, and his clothes were wrinkled and dirty.

"Where are they?! I know they're here somewhere! Boys!" He shouted, his eyes searched the kitchen before he stalked his way into the living room then glanced at the staircase.

"Where is who exactly, Uncle Dale?"

"You know damn well who I am referring to. Ezekiel saw them heading this direction the night of your wedding." He paused and glanced at me, I could feel his gaze piercing into me, but I kept my eyes focused low.

"What happened to her?" Dale waved his hand in my direction.

"Tried to deny me on our wedding night." Arioch/Sam replied calmly.

"And the noose marks?? Were my boys here, Sammy?" he demanded, taking a threatening step forward. If the noose marks made him think of his boys, then I probably wasn't the first they'd done it to.

"Against the conclave's decision? Do you think Marcus would be that foolish?" Arioch even managed to sound like Sam, his voice held more inflection, more feeling then Arioch's.

"We both know he can be a dumbass when he's been drinking. Were they here or not?" His voice cracked a little and I realized that he was authentically worried. Beneath all that anger was real concern for his boy's wellbeing. I dug my nails into the skin above my elbow, my arms crossed across my chest to prevent the tears from falling. This man was not going to get my sympathy, and neither were his nasty boys. Empathy could be a real bitch sometimes.

"No, Uncle Dale, they were not. Just me and the wife." I could feel his gaze sweep back to me, but I kept my gaze on his shoes as I'd been instructed to. It eased the anxiety but only by a small fraction. Dale took a few steps closer until he was almost face to face with Arioch/Sam.

"If I find out that you, or that twisted fucking psychopath living inside of you, hurt my boys, I will make you beg me for death. And I will only grant it after I've made you watch me skin your family alive first, the conclave be damned. I'll steal myself another bride, one who's a mechanic, I'm told those exist." He couldn't help but look a little amused at the idea of it, even in the middle of all his worry. What I wanted to know is how they managed to merge with the real world enough to survive and still be so outdated. Was it by choice?

"If you're that worried about them, we can take the hounds searching. But keep in mind Uncle, this isn't the first time they've disappeared. What was it they said...they were sowing their wild oats?" Dale looked skeptical; he wanted to believe Arioch/Sam, because all he saw was Sam's concerned honest face, but his gut was warning him against it. Could he sense Arioch? His presence always seemed to make the hair on the back of my neck stand up, as if warning me evil was afoot.

"I'll bring something with their scents on it in the morning, I'll bring some of the boys too, Adam turned 18 today. Besides, I want to question your mother, see if they paid her a visit." Arioch's face darkened, revealing more of the real him and before he could respond, Dale turned and marched back to his minivan. Nothing quite takes the oomph out of a man like a minivan. With the size of his brood, I was surprised he wasn't driving a small bus. Arioch/Sam and I stood in the doorway, watching Dale speed out.

"Why did you offer your dogs? They'll follow their scents and lead him straight back to it." And by it, I meant his cousin's homemade grave. I couldn't think of the bodies buried within it.

"That's just it, they're hunting dogs, not cadaver dogs. Dale is a fucking idiot. They'll follow the scent trails but they're not trained to seek out corpses, it's not an innate skill." I turned red with embarrassment, I hated it when he spoke down to me as though I was an utter moron

"As long as you keep your trap shut, we'll be fine. The boys have disappeared often enough it buys us a little time; they sure do cause a lot of mischief." he said that last part with a wistful sigh. It felt delusional to pretend they were alive when I could still picture their blue tinged faces anytime, I closed my eyes.

I could still hear the ringing of the gunshot, the sight of John's head exploding like he'd swallowed an M80. In my nightmares, his tongue usually turned into a giant pink snake and consumed me or tried to strike me. Sometimes, it simply continued to swell until it slowly suffocated me. I heard a snap that brought my attention back to Arioch.

"What's got you so distracted lately?" Was it possible he was that oblivious?

"What has me distracted?! I see it every time I close my eyes, it happened yesterday for God's sake. I can't be like you and pretend it never happened with the flip of a switch. I can't stop thinking about it, I even dream about it!"

"Well you don't have much of a choice KitKat; if they discover the truth...well, there are worse fates than death and no matter how infuriating I find you, it would be upsetting to watch you be tortured by anyone other than me." And I thought my family was dysfunctional,

"The key to be convincing is to use a little bit of the truth. When asked if you know where they are, you can say no because technically speaking, you don't know where they are, do you?"

"I know they are buried out there," I replied, pointing towards his back yard and out into the forest.

"Do you know where, though? Could you find it on your own?" I grimaced, maybe?

"Probably not," I confessed.

"Then you don't know where they are, and your words will ring true."

"So, if reality doesn't fit, rewrite it?"

"More like looking at it from a different perspective."

"Sounds like a lie." He chuckled in amusement.

"You do not get to lecture me on lying, my silver-tongued hellion, and do not think I have forgotten about our earlier conversation before we were rudely interrupted."

"What about it?" He had only stated his desire, he had not asked me anything or instructed me to do anything.

"Do you want to?" he asked, sheepishly and I had to remind myself I was speaking to Arioch, not Sam. The emotions were all an act, his way of trying to manipulate me into letting my guard down.

"When has what I wanted ever mattered?" He looked up, the sheepish look gone and nodded.

"You are quite right, it doesn't." He grabbed my wrist and started pulling me back up the stairs. My first reaction was to resist, to rip my arm from his grasp and keep a healthy distance between us. His grip tightened when I hesitated, and he shot me a warning glance, making it clear he could care less if I wanted to, it was going to happen either way. Poisonous butterflies fluttered around in my stomach and I fell silent as we ascended to the second floor. Eliza's door was still open, and I felt sick all over again. Had this been the bed it happened in? He pointed to the window, indicating where he expected me to stand before disappearing down the hall. My eyes were drawn to the camera, would a little red light turn on when it started to record? Where was it recording from? Or was it digital? What was he going to do with it afterwards? When he returned, he stood in the doorway staring at me with lustful eyes but whatever he saw reflected in my face made him hesitate. I watched him, arms wrapped tightly around myself as I waited for the inevitable.

"On second thought, Dale wasted a little more daylight than I anticipated," he announced. Changing his mind? It wasn't because I was crying, tears never got me anywhere with Arioch. I let out a breath I hadn't known I had been holding.

"Don't think you're off the hook, I'm merely postponing it for the moment."

"I understand." I replied delicately. I was grateful nonetheless and I resisted the sudden urge to hug him. His reason didn't matter, only that I wasn't going to have to do it. He crossed the room and I remained still as he wrapped his arms around me, holding me for what felt like forever until I started to reluctantly relax against him.
"Now, let's get back to work." He gave my butt-cheek a swift slap before turning around and disappearing, leaving me in a confused daze. Focus. I waited until I heard the screen door slam shut and grabbed the bundled-up bedding, taking it to the basement to wash. I pulled out Sam's clean bedding from the dryer, switched the wet clothes then loaded the washer again. Chores were not something new to me, I kept my side of the dorm room tidy, did my own laundry and even did some around the house whenever I visited home. I just didn't like to do them, but more than that, I resented being forced to clean up after a grown man who was equally capable of cleaning up after himself. The only reason he was making me do it was because I was a woman and his 'wife'; so, it irked me on two levels.

Skye had been right, keeping my hands busy and mind occupied helped time fly by fast. I had just finished folding another load of laundry when Arioch returned. I didn't need to look at him to know which one was in control, he was still dressed like Sam, but there was more hardness in Arioch's stare that I had yet to find in Sam's. Despite insisting they were the same person, I had clearly already separated them in my mind. Arioch seemed to be the dominant personality, but maybe that was only because I kept resisting. If I stopped fighting, would he fade away and cease to exist? I felt as though I barely knew Sam.

"Anything you'd like for dinner tonight?" he asked as he made his way to the fridge and began rummaging around.
"I haven't given it much thought." I admitted. My nerves were too frazzled to think about eating, I just wanted to survive long enough to get home, to see my father before he died.

"You're drifting off a lot today, still thinking about death?"

"I was thinking about my father," I replied, a little truth was all I needed. He had given me a rather useful tool and he smirked as if he seemed to realize it too. But the smirk disappeared almost immediately.

"Sounds like a waste of time; I already told you, that life is behind you. This is the only family you have." He announced sharply, pulling out a casserole dish that looked like homemade lasagna and preheated the oven.

"When that beeps, toss it in for 27 minutes, I'm gonna hop in the shower and wash up really quick."

I hardly moved as I listened for the running water. That meant his clothes would be on the floor which meant his keys would be as well. Excitement ran through me and it took all my self-control not to run up the stairs. I took long and slow strides, pulling some of the chain into my arms. I moved as quietly as anyone dragging a metal chain can, and I froze when I finally made it to his bedroom door. I could still hear running water and him humming a tune I didn't recognize. I opened the door slowly, tip toeing. I moved closer towards his bathroom, the door slightly ajar, as if beckoning me. I got down to all fours as I peeked in, steam having already fogged over the mirror. His jeans sat piled right by the door and I hesitated. How long had he been in there already? 5? 10 minutes maybe? How much longer before he was done? He didn't take long showers, especially if I wasn't in there too. Just do it already, do you really want to stick around here any longer than you have to? I slid my hand through the small gap in the doorway, confident I would be caught at any moment but not being able to stop myself either. As long as the water kept running, I pushed myself to keep going. If I had the keys, I could get the dirt bike, I could stop him from releasing his dogs because I would take the keys with me, I could give myself an actual chance.

In hindsight, it was arrogant of me to think such a hastily thrown together plan could work, that he wouldn't be vigilant of the one thing that could set me free. That is, if had gotten my hands on it first. My fingertips had just reached the coveralls when his hand enclosed my wrist and I was pulled into the bathroom, my head slamming against the cupboard beneath his sink. He rolled me onto my stomach and twisted my arm behind my back as his wet foot held my head to the floor. He was shaking his head and laughing in disbelief. Like he couldn't believe I was trying to escape.

"You just couldn't help yourself, could you?! You must think I'm some amateur. News flash, you're not my first wife darlin; I have done this before!" When I didn't respond he pressed down harder, smashing the right side of my face against the plush red carpet; at least it didn't smell like pee.

"Don't you get it by now!?" he yelled through clenched teeth, twisting my arm hard enough to make me scream, vision filled with white lightning as I listened to myself beg him to let go.

"My family has been doing this for generations." He screamed the last word in emphasis. "Did you honestly believe you could try something that no other wife hasn't already tried? My keys aren't even in there, you dumb bitch; they're around my neck. So, you did all of this, for nothing." It was pointless to fight in my position, any movement sent sharp pain radiating from my shoulder all the way down to my toes.

"Please, please, I'm sorry! I came to fetch your clothes for the wash."

"Sorry!? You weren't trying to wash my clothes, you nasty little liar! You tried to leave me again, I'm afraid sorry just isn't good enough this time. You're lucky your throat is bruised because I would be choking the shit out of you right now if I could." To emphasize his anger, he gave my arm another wrench, my vision went dark as more water rained down, soaking my dress.

I was an utter fool, I had panicked. I thought if I didn't seize the opportunity, that would be it. I was never going to get another one; now I knew the opportunity had never been there to begin with. He threw my wrist down to the floor and removed his foot, but I didn't dare move. He wrapped a towel around his waist, my vision swimming as I sat up. He pulled me to my feet and shoved me down the hallway and both flights of stairs, chain rattling behind me. The dim basement light flickered on and I gripped the rail tightly as I descended; walking into the center of the room, Arioch behind me. Not only was I a moron, I was possibly the stupidest person in the entire world. Of course the keys weren't going to be in his pocket. I had let the excitement of the idea take control and stopped using my head. After everything I had been through, the thought of going home had been overwhelming.

"I am always five steps ahead of you, darlin. Now sit down and give me your ankles." He pointed to the cot, the same one I had slept on while I was sick. What was he going to do to me? Would he use his belt or the cane? If he hadn't killed me yet, that was a good sign, right!? The bedding at least looked clean and I did as I was told. He pulled the dangling keys from around his neck and switched chains, locking the new one around my left ankle; the other side of the chain locked to a hoop planted into the cement itself. Generations, he had said, just how many generations? How many wives had been chained to this loop? I was pretty sure I didn't want the answer. I could feel myself shaking as I waited for the unavoidable punishment, it was coming any minute now.

But he simply grabbed the longer chain and after sending a dark ominous look my way, he made his way up the stairs.

"If you know what's good for you, you won't make a single sound for the rest of the night. You will not like it if I have to come back down here." He slammed the door behind him and I cringed as I listened to several different locks click into place. I brought my knees to my chest as I held my bunched-up dress against my mouth, letting the sobs break free. What have I done?

As night rolled in, the basement grew colder and I found myself grateful for the long dress. I pulled the blanket and pillow down from the cot, making a small bed beneath it. I wasn't brave enough to try and climb on it, although I knew it would be more comfortable and warmer. The springs creaked too loudly, and I was heeding his last words to me. I was still alive, and I took that as a good sign. I could hear his boot steps above and my mind ran in circles with endless ways in which he would punish me. I had spent so much time afraid lately that now all I felt was numb. My constant conflicting emotions were like a crazy roller coaster and I wanted off the ride. My eyelids started to droop when I heard the first deadbolt slide open. I crawled further under the cot and pressed my back against the cold cement wall. The time had finally come, this was it. I pushed the fresh tears back, determined not to let a single drop fall. I wasn't going to give him the satisfaction! I knew the cot wasn't going to protect me, but I remained huddled beneath it anyways. He walked straight towards me in silence and the closer he got the faster my heart seemed to beat.

Had I made too much noise? I had been so careful to muffle my cries and to slide the chain so that it didn't clink too much. He stood in front of it, his feet facing me, and I watched him reach down, grip the frame of the bed and lift.

"Get up," he commanded, and I was too afraid to disobey. I climbed to my feet, keeping a few feet between us, hugging myself tightly as my eyes frantically searched the room for weapons all the while knowing there were none. When he had said he 'wife proofed' the house I had thought it a poor attempt at a joke, but it was clear they had done a sweep through the entire house. He dropped the metal frame against the floor and he knelt to unchain my ankle. I wanted to ask him what he planned to do with me, but I was too reluctant to discover the answer. He let it fall to the floor before heading back upstairs, with me silently in tow.

When we reached the living room I froze at the sight before me. The coffee table had been moved closer to the fireplace, a small pile of rope beside it and a half empty of Jack beside that. But what disturbed me the most was the giant tarp beneath it. My stomach dropped. This was it, he was finally going to kill me. He pushed me forward, but I collapsed to my knees, the room began swimming and a cold sweat trickled down my face as I shook in terror. I turned to Arioch, his eyes like two long dark tunnels. The longer I stared into them, the further into the abyss I felt myself falling. There was nothing in those eyes besides the reflection of the fire. He pulled me to my feet and dragged me over to fireplace, the plastic crinkling beneath us.

"Undress."

"What do you plan to do?" I inquired softly. I knew running wasn't an option, he had already proven himself faster and stronger than me; and I was beginning to think possibly even smarter than me.

"I will not repeat myself." Poisonous butterflies fluttered around madly, and my fingers trembled as I reached down to pull off my dress. I kept my eyes closed as I stood naked before him; if I didn't watch, maybe it wouldn't hurt as bad. Maybe he'd make it quick; although the sight of rope did nothing to ease my worries. It became clear he didn't intend to answer my question and I wasn't about to ask twice.

"Kneel." When I didn't lower myself quick enough his hand clamped down on my shoulder and he forced me down hard enough, I winced, biting my lower lip to prevent from crying out. He pulled a chair over from the dining room table and sat down beside me. I faced the fireplace, the shadows of the fire dancing across my bare skin. Arioch sat to my right, the faint scent of whiskey tickling my nose.
"I have been wracking my mind for a proper punishment as I am not quite ready to give up just yet, I see great potential in you." I continued to watch the glowing embers, waiting for him to continue.

"I want to forgive you KitKat, but first, I need you to prove yourself worthy of forgiveness." My eyes flicked around, what exactly was I going to have to do to prove myself?

"What would you have me to do?" My stomach knotted, and I was certain I was going to vomit all over his tarp.

"For starters, you will start addressing me as husband. I think the more you say it, the quicker it will sink in." I frowned. I didn't want to call him husband, I didn't want to call him anything really, but I knew there was little choice; not if I wanted to survive. By acting so rash I'd effectively fulfilled my biggest fear, what if that had been my last chance? Could it even be considered an opportunity if it was rigged from the start? I might never get him to trust me again...well at least not Arioch. I believed I still stood a chance with Sam.

"Give me your wrists."

"Are you going to kill me?" I turned to look at him as he leaned forward in his chair, dark eyes glittering.

"If I was going to kill you, you would already be dead. I would prefer it if I never have to kill you, it would upset me more than you seem to think it would. Now, hand them over."" He was cold and calculated, how could I assume he felt anything? It would only be upsetting in the fact he'd have to start all over again, it had nothing to do with me as a person; I was just a vessel for his unborn children and a maid for his house. I turned so that I was facing him, holding my arms out in front of me. He reached down, picked up the rope and after securing them tightly together he pulled something from out of his back pocket.

It looked like a bit you would use for a horse only, it wasn't metal, it was thick rubber. He placed in between my teeth, securing the straps behind my head effectively gagging me.

"You're gonna be grateful for that in a few minutes." It stretched my mouth open and my jaw began to ache almost immediately. He pointed to the coffee table and instructed me to lay on my back, ass facing the fire. I was grateful for the warmth, but I was still a little too close for comfort. The coffee table was cold, even through the thin sheet he had spread across the surface. Once I was in place, he grabbed the rest of the rope and slowly began tying my ankles to the bottom of the table legs, spreading them open, leaving me vulnerable and exposed. The last section of rope was tied to the rope around my wrists, then stretched to be tied to the other end of the coffee table, stretching my arms above me. I was helpless to him now and he smiled deviously.

"I wanted a punishment that would teach you once and for all, exactly where you belong." He disappeared into the kitchen and when he returned, he was holding what looked like a fire poker, but instead of a sharp pointy end it was a fancy letter G with a few pieces of ivy surrounding it. It looked like a cattle brand and a sick feeling washed over me as I realized what my punishment was going to be.

"You don't have to do this, I'm not going to run anymore." But with the bit in my mouth all that came out was garbled words and drool.

"Don't bother, nothing you say or do is going to change my mind. If you fight me too much, I will brand your face." He pressed the old metal into my cheek as he stated the last part.

"Nearly every man in our family brands their wives. Every time you look at this mark you are going to remember that you belong to me." He placed the G into the fire and he sat down on the table above my head. I shook my head, trying to plead with my eyes but he only chuckled and smoothed a piece of hair from my face.

"I've only done this once, but I do know what I am doing." I cursed him, but I only sounded like a babbling drunk with the bit in my mouth. The sound of the crackling fire only pumped more anxiety through my veins. I had gotten the occasional burn from cooking, but I had a feeling this was a million times worse. It took nearly ten minutes before the brand began to glow a bright red and when he stood and began to put on thick work gloves, I felt my lungs constrict. Every alarm in my head was going off at once, screaming at me to run, to get away, I started to pull on my restraints.

"You're going to need to calm down and hold still, KitKat." But that only seemed to send my thoughts spiraling further.

I continued to pull, thoughts consumed with the need to flee. He pressed a boot against my chest, holding the brand only inches away from my cheek, heat pouring off the hot metal.

"I will brand your face, now be a good girl and hold still. It would really suck if I had to do it twice." He moved the brand up and down the length of my body, anxiety rising with every pass. Before I had a moment to prepare myself, I felt searing pain emanating from my left thigh, rippling outwards, devouring all my senses. While it only touched me for a matter of seconds, the pain didn't subside with its removal. That was the problem with burns, the hot blazing pain seemed to pulse, fading as it rippled out only to start all over again and I knew nothing I did was going to make it stop. Tears cascaded down my face, and I coughed as I choked on thick saliva that gathered in my throat. I ground my teeth on the rubber bit as I tried to think through the torment being afflicted on me. He set the poker down beside the fireplace, peeling off the gloves as I stared at the ceiling through blurry eyes. He reached behind my head and unbuckled the gag. I pressed my lips tightly together to keep them from trembling, but it was of no use.

"This is where you belong, nothing you do is going to change that. Let this be the last reminder I have to give you."

Another trip to the kitchen and he returned with a small clear jar full of what looked like Vaseline. It smelled faintly of lavender and lemons. He kneeled between my legs and began to slather it over the burn. My chest heaved with sobs as he wrapped it with a bandage, his hands resting on my naked thighs. Arioch smiled, then plunged his fingers inside of me. I gasped, his digits cold in comparison to the ardent need between my legs.

"You continue to astonish me, dear wife. Tell me, were you this wet before or after I branded you?" he asked, his voice thick with arousal.

"Don't touch me!" I screamed, pulling at all my restraints at once; the wooden legs creaked from beneath the table. He slapped his hand over the bandage and it felt like I was being burned all over again. I gasped as I forced myself to stay conscious, but it was like swimming against the current, it wanted to pull me under. I was beginning to think I should let it.

"If you didn't fight me, I wouldn't have to be so violent. You could make this easier on yourself, if you would just start behaving like a good wife." He thrust his fingers in and out as he spoke, starting with a slow tempo as his other hand slid their way up to my breasts, he rolled a nipple between his fingertips, giving it a sharp tug sending a wave of pleasure through my body, intermingling with the pain. He reached down and released the ropes binding my ankles, then lifted my legs, my knees resting in the crook of his arm. His jeans were already open, his cock was free, and I watched as every single inch slid inside me, forcing my body to accommodate.

He bent my knees towards my face, stretching the burn, and my skin felt as though it would tear right open. Arioch paid no attention to that as he began fucking me into the table. He moved fast and hard, as if he was trying to fuck away his anger and I just happen to be the recipient.

"You do this to yourself," he growled, letting my branded leg fall to the floor as he bent the other one a little further, prying a whimper past my lips. I wanted to beg him to stop, to plead that it hurt too much. But this was my punishment after all, so the intention was for it to hurt. My face began to flush as my body started climbing higher and higher, seeking that final peak where I knew I'd find ecstasy. He leaned over, practically bending me in half as he grabbed my breasts, digging his fingers into them as he pulled me into his thrusts, his hips slammed into me with loud wet smacking sounds. I could feel myself getting closer, the pain began to fade ever so slightly. Moments later my body seized as an orgasm came crashing down. It was all too much, the searing pain, the intense euphoria; I screamed as it overwhelmed my brain and I had no other choice but to give in. I was trying to push the sensation away, I didn't want it; at least not from him. But my eyes rolled into the back of my head regardless, and he finally came, filling me with his warm seed. He stayed buried inside me as he stared down, my knee now resting on his shoulder.
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