Page 55 of Hupotasso
And I know there’s no point going to him for help.
40
I scowl at Viper across the table when I catch his eye.
When he said guests I never in my wildest imagination thought one of them would be the woman sitting opposite him. But she’s been here two weeks now, as has the rest of his party, and none of them show signs of moving on.
Despite the strangeness of the situation he seems very happy with the arrangement, as does Angie, which surprises me no end. But then, why should I be surprised at anything she does? She’s shown herself to be so duplicitous I can’t trust a word out of her mouth.
Flicking my eyes to the end of the table I see mother’s lips tighten into a firm line, and Jag studying my wife over his glass.
Wolf’s out tonight, and the table is woefully dull without him, as Viper’s guests regale each other with stories of excess and largess and hold the vacuous conversations that only the lesser sons and daughters of minor nobles might.
But there’s one guest in particular who doesn’t participate in these conversations.
When I’d first seen her arrive I’d pulled Viper aside and asked what game he was playing.
“We formed an interest in one another during the family visits on The Games,” he’d shrugged. “Tatyana and I kept in contact. We both thought you’d choose Giselle, and we’d all be one big happy family. She reached out after her sister’s unfortunate demise and we agreed that after the dust had settled we’d catch up. When Angie had completed her tour Tatyana and I decided it would be OK to spend some time together. I thought it would liven things up and make for an interesting mix to invite some of my other friends along too. I did ask you, Brother.”
“Yes, but you deliberately neglected to say who this particular guest was. This is uncomfortable.”
“For you? Or your wife?” he’d smirked. “I understand Tatyana looks very much like her dearly departed sister — the genes are strong in that family. But never fear, Angie is perfectly happy with the company, even if you’re still second-guessing your choice.”
I’d left the conversation there, sorely tempted to smack him in the mouth, but knowing this was not the way with Viper. I don’t want to encourage his attachment, so the best thing is to ignore it and let it fizzle out. They all do, usually within a matter of weeks. Although if he thinks it annoys me he’ll keep her longer.
“What are your plans for next week?” I ask now, hoping he says he and his friends will be leaving for a long trip back to the Russian’s homeland, and perhaps an extended stay.
“My plans,” Viper shrugs, “are fluid. Tatyana is enjoying exploring the castle and getting to know the family, and everyone else is having a jolly old time. So we’ll stay put a while longer.”
He flicks a quick look at Angie, and she pales.
I raise a quizzical eyebrow at her, but she avoids my gaze. Apart from each evening at the table we spend no time at all together now.I haven’t visited her bed since the night Sophie gave birth to Spider’s son. Not since the night I’d told Angie I loathed her.
The night she’d replied that she hated me.
There’s been something in her eyes ever since. Something deep, something I can’t quite fathom, and it’s dampened my ardour and caused me more than a few sleepless days.
I’ve never forced a woman, never had to, and I don’t intend to start now. I know I need to have sex with her to get her pregnant, but right now I tell myself I have too much on my mind, too many responsibilities and plans. I’m juggling too many balls in the air to take the time to putmyballs to use.
Deep down, I know I’m lying to myself.
I just can’t face those eyes.
41
I sob as I kneel before Tatyana.
The torture she and Viper have put me through these past weeks is aimed at psychologically breaking me. I know that because they’re careful to never leave any marks on my body.
Viper’s control of my mind meant that sometimes I couldn’t tell truth from lies, fact from fiction, until I’d slept on it and my brain had somehow figured things out in my sleep. Sometimes he’d tell me things so shocking, so disgusting, that I could barely speak. The next day I’d wake up and know it had all been bullshit. But then, that night, he’d tell me something new. I was obviously not the first to fall under the power of his bite, and he’d had centuries to practice his control. From telling me all the vile things they’d done to my family, to convincing me thatFalcon only ate children and planned to eat our baby, they’d obviously enjoyed tormenting me from every angle.
Not content with reducing me to a quivering, sobbing mess, their mind games are always accompanied by physical degradation. I’ve had to perform all manner of disgusting tasks for and on Tatyana, from catching her shit in my hands like a human toilet to brushing her teeth with my fingers. But licking her feet and sucking her toes every night while she tells me stories about Giselle and why I was such an unworthy rival, not fit to drink her late sister’s piss, is her favourite.
It’s the degradation and self-loathing that she wants, and I’ve come to realise it makes her hot. But although she writhes and comes as I suck, she never has sex with Viper, and he never has sex with her, or me — or bites me. Fellatio, or head fucking as he calls it, yes, but never sex and never sucking my blood. Asumpta was right; he has ‘sick desires’ and animals are his penchant. Miniature ponies and goats, dogs, geese, you name it, he fucks it to death. As for his diet, schoolgirls, young teens aged thirteen to sixteen, always in uniform, are his favourite. But from what I gather they’re procured and delivered elsewhere. Falcon’s rule about no children holds firm, and Viper must dine away from the castle each week.
I’m glad for small mercies.
Even without having to see him kill children, I couldn’t have imagined such debauchery if I’d tried. I know they enjoy my shock, pain, and terror from all they expose me to, and that they expect I’ll break. But I’m stronger than they realise, stronger than even I realised.
