Free Reads!! Wednesday Briefs – Innocence & Carnality Part 45

Just a reminder: Part One of Innocence & Carnality will  be coming to a close soon, and later pulled from the blog for future publication purposes. Part Two will be part of the finished novel. I will keep you up to date. Promise.

There will be future stories with the Wednesday Briefers and some version of I&C will still be found on Gay Authors.org along with most of my written work. Be sure to check it out.

Now… onto the next installment.

More truths come out in the dungeon.

Click here to start from the beginning

Part 45

“Get off him,” Blythe growled, ushering Samantha aside. Holding my shoulders, he helped me stand and looked me over. “Are you all right?”

Rother stepped between us, forcing Blythe to back up. “Gather up Arthur Valencus and take him back to his hotel. Discreetly. His business here is done.”

Blythe appeared surprised at the sight of my bloodied father. “Fucking hell, what happened to him?”

“He and Nathan had a disagreement.”

Blythe’s head titled in curiosity. “How would he even know his father was here?”

“Get him out of here already. Arthur won’t be visiting us again.”

Blythe followed orders, if somewhat reluctantly. I stood shivering, muted out of shock, as Samantha helped my bodyguard remove my father using the secreted entrance. He still breathed and groaned as they unfastened and lifted him from the floor. After the scandalous display I’d witnessed and how I’d reacted to him, I knew it would be the last time I would see any of my family. My father would make sure of it.

I wanted this night to end. Rother appeared to have other ideas. With an arm around my shoulders, he led me deeper into the room rather than find the exit. More sinister furniture passed as we neared the lit fireplace. Next to it, a formidable frame mounted to the wall made of iron and wood girders shaped in an X sported a series of leather straps and buckles. Rother urged me closer to it with every step.

“What are you doing?” I asked.

“Do you have any idea how humiliating it was when you left? I had to endure the staff’s gossiping. Questions and whispers of how I couldn’t keep my husband came at me all night. I’m unaccustomed to answering to my employees.”

The grip on my shoulders intensified as I tried to dig in my heels and refuse to move forward.

“Rother, stop! Let me go!”

I thrashed and pulled only to learn how much stronger Rother was than I. He pushed me against the cross and held each arm in turn and fastened it tight. Once finished, I could barely put space between my chest and the framework.

“You hurt me, Nathan. You hurt me on purpose.”

“It wasn’t like that. Untie me this instant.”

I tried to sound confident, but I heard my father’s voice in my head. He’d commanded me to do the same mere minutes ago and how successful was he? The knowledge quickened my breathing. Each futile effort to pull free only dug the straps further into my wrists. Any other time, I’d think this situation would leave me furious, but my anger bled into something far less useful: fear.

Since I could turn my head, I followed Rother’s steps to the fireplace. From his inner breast pocket he produced an item no longer than his hand with a sleek wood handle and a flattened brass end with a carved surface. It wasn’t sporting a blade, but the fact did nothing to settle me.

“What is that?”

“It’s my personal stamp. You probably haven’t seen it often. It lives in my safe since it’s so important. It’s required as a signature for all legal documents, especially to legitimize my property rights.” Rother stooped at the fireplace and laid the stamp down inside the hearth so the brass end sat in the flames.

“What are you doing?”

“It’s exquisitely made. Hand carved and unique. They have to be for such a purpose.”

“Then why are you putting it in the fire?” I wasn’t sure why I asked. The answer wasn’t likely to curb the unease slicing into my spine.

“I want you to understand something. I own the secrets of many powerful men. Men like the Head Constable and the Chief Magistrate. Secrets so damning they would do anything to keep them from coming public knowledge without question. Such as collecting my wayward husband if he decided to ever run off again.”

“I wouldn’t do that again. I swear.”

“You certainly can’t go home. There’s no place in Victoria for you anymore. Not with what you’ve witnessed, and done to your father. Which I must say surprised me a great deal. The last man from Victoria I knew that had an inkling of your father’s tastes disappeared some time ago. You may not be safe to go back. There’s no choice but to stay with me, because there’s nowhere else you can go.”

“But you knew he’d be here.”

“Of course. Some bridges need extra kerosene to burn them down.”

My heartbeat taunted me with its erratic drumming. Rother was up to something and it made me continue to test my shackles despite knowing it was useless. He watched the stamp in the dancing flames with a wild fascination bordering on obsession.

“You’re mine, Nathan, and you always will be. You need to be made to understand this.”

“I do.” Rother’s tone was so even and unnatural, I would have agreed to anything.

He sighed and shook his head. “Ah, but you can’t be completely trusted. Even with the help I have to insure it.” Rother picked up the stamp, regarding the heated end as he stood upright.

My throat seized, barely allowing the strength of a whisper. “What are you doing?”

“We need something to make sure everyone else understands as much as you do.”

Panic seized me. While he brandishing the stamp, Rother wrapped his arm around my head, holding it firm. “No, Rother! Please!” I could feel the radiating heat closing in against the side of my neck.

Rother’s words ghosted against my temple. “You’re my greatest prize, Nathan.”

I came unhinged, tugging and jerking against my bonds, knowing full well I had nowhere to go. The urge to flee overwhelmed me.

“No, Rother! Don’t do this!”

“Shh… this will only take a moment.”

All at once came the white hot agony, the smoke, the sizzle and scent of burning meat, and an unfamiliar, inhuman scream that shredded my throat raw.

Check back next Wednesday for the next installation… Be sure to take a read at the other briefers free reads this week here: Wednesday Briefs