Page 53 of Song of Tenebrae

“I can see how well this is going to go,” Torrent huffs and I turn to narrow my eyes on him. He backs off with an eye roll and I turn back to Tempest.

“Go pick what you need off the wall,” I jut my chin to the whips and knives as I pull my shirt off over my head.

“What?” she coughs and wipes her mouth on the back of her hand.

“The wall, Demon,” I snarl as I hold my fists out to Torrent, “get your weapon of choice from the fucking wall.”

Torrent starts tying the rough rope around my wrists and Tempest stands there transfixed, “you want me to…” she looks at the whips and back to me, “I can’t do that.”

“You don’t have a fucking choice,” I walk to the closest hook, the same one she swung from not too long ago and lock my tied fists into it, “get this done so we can move on. Seven hits, stabs, whips, whatever you want, Demon.”

“Stabs?” She exclaims, “you would die!”

“Not if I show you where to stab him,” Torrent chimes in.

Hail with Tiny and Sky come into the room, and the girls both gasp, but it’s Sky that looks to the hook she once hung from. Maybe Hail will give her her retribution too one day.

“You wanted to kill me a few days ago, now you can’t even attempt to hurt me?” I chuckle sarcastically, “is that how well my dick worked you over?”

Her eyes flash with anger and I finally get a glimpse of the woman I love. I want to bring her out permanently because I need a strong woman to stand by my side forever and I know she’s it.

“I want to use the same thing you used on me.” She looks at Torrent and I can just imagine the hatred shining from her face.

His eyes search her face for a few seconds before he bares his teeth and growls at her, laughing when she startles. I leave it be, she’ll have to get used to him and his antics if we are to become family. Torrent strides by, tossing me a sadistic wink, and stops at the wall. I watch him over my shoulder as he strokes his hand along the different instruments, an admiring look on his face. This is his element.

“Come on, stripper.” He taunts Tempest and it’s my turn to growl at him, “this is the one.”

He pulls the seven thonged whip off the wall and flicks its leather plated tips against the cement floor. Tempest stares at it wide eyed but still her feet take her to it, as if in a trance.

“She shouldn’t do this,” Sky begs Hail, “please don’t let her do this, it won’t make her better.”

“What do you know?” I ask Sky and her head turns to me, “honestly, do you not want some sort of pay back? Maybe to see him,” I jut my chin to Hail, “hanging from a hook and at your mercy?” I give her a slow grin, “he let you hang here and get punished as well.”

“Shut up, Raiden.” My demon yells and I hear the crack seconds before pain sets fire to my back.

Tempest

“One.” I breathe, watching his back turn blood red. The welts are already forming and his blood is trying to break through his skin’s surface.

“Nice force.” Torrent whistles as he saunters forward and presses a finger to Raiden’s back. Raiden hisses in pain and tries to twist away from Torrent. “Six more.”

“Oh my god, Temp.” Sky wails, her eyes wide and her hands covering her mouth. “Why did you sink to their level?”

“God isn’t here,” Hail taunts her, “he’s never been here for us. No use in trying to conjure him now.”

“The second you ended up in our presence, he forsook you, leaving you to endure us all on your own.” Torrent says reverently, his hands in prayer form under his chin.

“Demon, get them done.” Raiden growls.

I flick my wrist holding the whip and I can’t believe how much damage this can cause. The pain it inflicts and the blood lust I feel gathering inside of me. I lift my arm and the thongs scrape along the cement, causing Raiden to tense up in preparation. At least he has some warning, I know I didn’t. With that thought comes a flash of red-hot rage and I slash those thongs across his back forcefully.

“Shit,” he hisses and I feel pride that I’ve brought that much out of him. One of the welts overlaps and blood begins to trickle down his back.

“Two.” I say with more conviction than the last.

The way I feel now is a complete one-eighty to how I was feeling when I walked in. Even though I can still smell the dried blood - my dried blood - on the floor, it’s different now because I want to mix his with it. This time it’s me running my fingers along his back and he grunts through the touch.

“I can see why you wanted to be inside of me so badly,” I whisper and he moans, “seeing someone in pain and at your mercy really amps up the arousal.”

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