Page 116 of The Phantom's Vice

“What kind of oxymoronic nonsense is that?” Venom cries. “My gods. This is what society has come to. Animals mating for no purpose and to no end.Dogstalking down tocats.I can't believe my grand-cat was right…”

“One can have grand-ancestors?” Rupert whines, forgetting the earlier conversation as his tail flails behind him. “I have never met one of mine.”

“That is because your kind is… weaker…” Venom explains. “More… dumb. The gods do not smile kindly on you.”

“Oh…” Rupert looks off to the side, his tail drooping sadly. “I see.”

“N-not that your kind doesn’t have enough to offer,” Venom continues, a pang of guilt ringing in his chest at the canine's melancholy expression. “It is said that you have large hearts—that you hold so much love in your body, it wears on your very bones. You can only be in this world for so long; otherwise, it will overflow with goodwill and happiness.”

“Oh!” Rupert exclaims, his tail taking off again. “That makes sense. In that case… I shall be the most loyal, loving companion there ever was! I shall kiss mymasters every day and show them how good I am! Even if they are defective!”

The cat tuts, shaking his head in amusement. “Silly canine. Do you not realize all that extra effort will shorten your life?”

“But, of course,” the dog answers, his tail flapping happily against the ground. “And I will gladly shorten my years. For what is the point of life, but to love? Especially when I have so much to give.”

And as the cat gazed upon the canine—at its pure, simple innocence—he finally understood.

EPILOGUE

BRETT

1 year later…

I take in a deep breath—or,at least I try to, but something is wedged between my teeth, pushing my tongue back and partially cutting off my airway. Alarm bells ring in the recesses of my mind, though the sound is muted as if buried under ten tons of dirt.

Foggy. My whole mind is foggy. I struggle to open my eyes and find them partially crusted from sleep. When I do manage to open them, I’m staring up at a ceiling I don’t recognize—though, that could be because my sight is so blurry. I try to raise a hand to rub my eyes, and that’s when I realize I’m bound to a long, metal table.

Panic grips my chest, heating my skin despite the coolness of the table I’m pressed against. I thrash against the restraints holding my ankles spread, desperately trying to remember something—anything—that will explain the situation I’m in.

Tears leak out of the corner of my eyes as fear takes hold, twirling its icy fingers into my drug-addled mind and forcing out any speck of composure I was holding on to. A garbled scream works its way through my gag as a glass bottle appears in my line of sight, held tightly by a gloved hand.

The lip of the bottle is positioned at the corner of my eye, and it takes me a few moments to realize what’s happening.He’s collecting my tears.

A few minutes later the bottle is pulled away, only to be replaced with his gloved thumb as he gathers the remnant of the liquid on my cheeks. There’s a small sucking sound, followed by a deep groan of pleasure.

“You taste divine,” he whispers, placing that gloved hand on my inner thigh. He trails his fingers along my skin slowly, agonizingly, drawing heat to my skin wherever he touches. My terror is quickly replaced with desire as my mind warms to the familiar touch. A touch I crave. Need.

A breathy moan slips past the gag as his fingers dip insideme, swirling teasingly against my walls before pulling out. His hands continue their exploration, trailing up my abdomen and sliding his hands under to cup my breasts. He skims over the gentle swell of my cleavage, then back down the contours of my torso, brushing his fingertips along my hips before digging his fingers in.

“Thisbody,” Ghost groans, his voice hitching as he slides his hands under, cupping my ass roughly. “This fuckingpussy.” He steps flush against me, his bare cock twitching toward my entrance. “Always ready for me. Always crying to be taken. Used. Violated.” Ghost dips low, his lips brushing the shell of my ear. “You like this, don’t you? Waking up, bound and helpless. Not knowing exactlywhoput you here or if you’re safe.”

I shake my head weakly, eliciting a dark chuckle from Ghost. “Liar.”

A gentle hum fills the air as electricity prickles my skin. I look down to see a long black rod in Ghost’s palm, the neon glow from the tip casting eerie shadows along the planes of his face. With a malicious smirk, Ghost touches the cattle prod to my hip.

I choke on my own scream as lightingfills my veins, causing my muscles to spasm as the electricity runs its course. When he pulls away, I suck in a heaving breath through the gag, a fresh wave of tears building in the corners of my eyes.

“That’s a good girl,” he breathes, stepping out from between my thighs and moving toward my head, where he pulls out the bottle again. “Seeing you cry makes me so fucking hard.”

When he’s satisfied, he retakes his position between my legs, violet eyes bright with hunger. He brushes his thumb over my clit, sending a fresh wave of electricity coursing through me. My eyes find his face, my desire cresting at the effervescent expression on his face.

“Do you want my cock inside you, Brett?”

I nod feverishly, bucking my hips toward him in an attempt to take him faster. Ghost chuckles low, his pupils blown as he watches me debase myself for him. “Finally, a truth.”

My body sighs as Ghost thrusts inside me, filling me past the point of comfort. Instead of crying out, I push into the feeling, my body convulsing as raw pleasure shocks my system. He moves slowly at first, savoring the way my pussy grips his cock. Unable to hold back, Ghost lets out a growl as he slams intome viciously, causing the table to screech against the floor as it rocks back and forth.

He presses his hips flush against mine, his eyes rolling to the back of my head as he presses against my cervix. Pain floods my veins, but it only makes me crave more. Deeper. Harder.

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