Page 42 of Deadmen's Captive

"Easy," I murmured, laying her on the sprawling bed. She didn’t move, but her chest rose and fell with shallow breaths, the only sign she was still with me. I hovered over her, hands hesitant as I reached for her mask. I slid it away from her face, casting it on the bed, and looked down at the girl beneath it. Wide blue eyes looked up at me full of fear, and I could see the red tracks of tears on her cheeks.

“Paige?” I asked quietly.

She said nothing, just continued to stare at me with wide eyes like I was a wolf about to eat her or something. I sighed.

“I’ll run you a bath,'' I said. I walked into the bathroom and turned on the taps of the free standing claw footed bath that stood in the centre. The sound of filling water played a soothing rhythm as I poured fragrant oils into the rising warmth, watching the surface shimmer and dance with liquid golds and ambers. I took a moment to clean myself up, before heading back into the bedroom. Paige still lay there, staring blindly at the ceiling and I frowned.

"Paige," I murmured, my voice barely above the hum of running water. "Can you stand?"

She didn’t respond, so I moved back over to the bed. "Come on, let's get you cleaned up," I coaxed, slipping an arm beneath her shoulders, guiding her up to sit. She didn’t resist, letting me pull her to standing, though she wobbled a little on her feet. Sheer exhaustion, I told myself. And probably alcohol too. I took her hand and led her into the bathroom. She followed meekly, but just stood there watching me warily.

“Do you want me to leave you to get undressed?'' I asked. She didn’t answer, so I shook my head and sighed. “Ok, then.” I lifted her dress up over her head, revealing her whole body to me in all its golden glory. My cock started to wake up properly at the sight of her full breasts, tiny waist and luscious curved hips, but I figured she’d probably had enough for tonight. Especially as she was new to any of this.

I turned to check the tub. It was almost full, so I turned off the water and tested the temperature to make sure it was right. I held out my hand to her and she just looked at it, like it was some kind of snake.

“I’m not going to do anything,” I said gently. “I just want to make sure you get taken care of. This will help you feel better, I promise.”

Paige narrowed her eyes, but still didn’t say anything. She did however take my hand and let me help her into the bath. I kept hold as she sank down into the water, not wanting her to slip. She laid back, her head tilting back to rest against the edge of the tub, and winced as she closed her eyes, her lashes casting delicate shadows across her cheeks.

"Better?" I asked, searching her face for any sign of easing distress.

"Thank you," she whispered.

I reached for a soft sponge, moving it in gentle circles across her skin, watching as the lather shimmered with the oils' iridescence. She stiffened, and I sighed.

"Does that feel good?" I asked, seeking affirmation that I was doing this right, that I could be gentle, could be what she needed in this moment.

"Y-yes," she stammered, her eyes fluttering open to look at me, but I caught the tremble in her lips, the way her hands gripped the edges of the tub.

"Paige..." I started, but the words lodged in my throat when I saw it—a single tear tracing a path down her cheek. Then another, and another, until they were a silent cascade that made my chest ache at the sight. Don’t get me wrong, I’d dreamed of making this girl cry, of seeing those tears fall down her face as I fucked her mouth hard, but not like this. These tears hurt, and I didn’t want her to hurt this way.

“Paige? What’s wrong? Did it hurt too much? Why are you crying?” Confusion filled me. I didn’t think we’d been too rough, even I’d held back because of her innocence.

She looked up at me, blue eyes full of pain and fear looking up at me in confusion that mirrored my own.

"You're seriously asking me that?"

“Yes of course. You seem upset.”

"Is this..." She took a deep breath, struggling to regain some semblance of control. "Do you think what you did... What all of you did to me is acceptable?"

The question slammed into me like a physical blow, leaving me reeling. Acceptable? We had followed the script, played our parts in the ritual she'd agreed to. But her question, laced with accusation, made something cold slither down my spine.

I blinked. "Yes," I said. It wasn't supposed to be like this. She was supposed to be prepared, to want it as much as we did. She’d volunteered, for fuck’s sake.

She stared at me. “You’re a fucking monster,” she hissed. “All of you. Cold fucking psychos.”

"Monster?" My hands balled into fists, the knuckles whitening. "You don't even know what that word means. Paige, you knew exactly what you were signing up for. We’re pretty clear, we have to be, to protect us all and to protect the girls who volunteer.”

“Volunteer? You’d think I’d volunteer for that? For what happened back there?” She snapped at me, sitting up and glaring at me.

“No,” I slung back. “I think you’d sign a contract to be paid for services rendered.”

She jerked back like I’d hit her. “Do you think I’m some kind of whore?”

“No, that’s not what I…” I took a breath, trying to control my temper. "Paige..." I began again, trying to keep my voice even. "You knew what this was when you signed the contract."

"Contract?" Her voice trembled with a mix of fear and confusion. "What contract?"

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