Blood Bath

"Now," he turned into a large room steaming with dense oiled spices, stepping down into boiling water She could feel the hot air licking her skin, making her wince as he set her into the water. Saltwater? She could feel it burning, forcing tears from her eyes. The room began to slowly lighten up from what was complete darkness. She could feel the hot water lapping at her sore muscles, rippling as he easied behind her. "Shall we clean you up, you look like you crawled out of some horror flick," he chuckled. He wrapped his legs around her, pressing a hot wet cloth over her face as he closed the gap between them.

He tied the hot cloth over her face. She would have pulled it down or even attempted to, but it was comforting to not have to look around the room somehow. The hot weight of the cloth soothed her slightly, even as he wrapped himself around her. He gathered her hands, guiding them into a shallow bowl of dried leaves, cupping it inside. They crackled as he pushed them under the water, turning them into a slimy sludge. Herbs?

"So," he said, his hot breath on her neck, "this will be your new home." She could feel him arching himself around her, slithering into the creases in her neck "I will take full and excellent care of you, but that includes discipline. This," he whispered, pecking at the metal exoskeleton, "will help not only with efficiency but time effectiveness as well on my behalf." He took a long draft of air in, suckling at her neck, down to her bloody back. "Being the sole heir, I simply don't have the time my family did." She remained perfectly still under his lapping breath, "but, I promise I shall do my very best." He grabbed the inside of her legs, pulling her up against his body, pulling her legs back further and further apart. She exhaled sharply. "But I can tell, you are such a good girl." The only distraction from the pain of it was the fact that she felt something long and hard under her, tucked precisely between her cheeks. It was only now that she realized the metal did not cover her lower extremities, merely the perimeters. "You are now my helpless pleasure."

She couldn't help but think this choice of words odd, almost ironic. Then again, it did seem to perfectly capture her current state. To him, she was easily and fully exposed. He could enter her at any time he chose, open the gates that withheld her chest. She was almost fully naked, only her essentials were covered, besides the long metallic seams that wrapped around her collar bone, splitting down her shoulders to her elbow as well as her back to the second set enclosing her but with the second pairing of seams on each side of her legs to her knees. She imagined they could lock in place, possibly even move her limbs by force. This in itself, was beyond terrifying.

He began to swipe a soft cloth over her skin in circular motions. This, at least, felt good, even with the salt that bit at the nettles. She tried to focus on that, the warmth. She soaked in the water, feeling, the spiced steamy air. He did seem the type for luxurious things, from what she saw in the hallway alone. He probably had similar things in the bathing room. She'd never seen a rich bathing room before. Gothic carvings, dark walls and furniture, lavender oil lamps in each corner to providing a dull, yet relaxing glow.

"What are you doing? Did I tell you to take that off?"

"I- um," she felt his hand cover her mouth. Not hard, just enough to silence her.

A hot sweat coated her skin. She could feel the metal getting hotter, pulsing heat on her skin. His legs lifted nimbly over hers, keeping the harsh steady pressure as he twisted her, pulling her down so she was nearly submerged. She quickly replaced the cloth. She could taste the salt that trickled into her mouth as she held her breath, dreading being pulled further under. The salted pins seemed to flare now, making her eyes sting as tears caught in the cloth, trapping the salt in her eyes, burning. The grip suddenly loosened, re-propping her up straight against him. "So well behaved," he whispered. "Good girl." He pulled her back to her original position before continuing to scrub. "The fold is meant to calm pets to behave, there is nothing more annoying to me than washing a fidgety pet."

Her head drooped. Pet. She was really a pet to him?

"Don't do that, here." He took off the cloth and tossed it next to a metal rack that held several more white cloths, replacing it with a freshly steamed cloth. "There, how is that WIllow?" She had to admit, it was nice to have the salt out of her eyes.

"My name isn't Willow you know," she said quietly.

"Isn't it?" She could just picture him grinning. It wasn't a terrible name. It may have even been a better name, even if it didn't sound like a real name. "You will call Master Donatore."

"Donatore?" She felt the word out, trying to remember her Spanish classes from high school, even if she knew it was Italian. Giver? He wanted her to call him her giver. She fought the urge to shiver.

"Yes." She heard the water swosh, felt his legs remove themselves from her and unwrap her eyes, removing her from the water and leading her to a toilet. "Go." She sat down stiffly but was unable to produce anything. She watched him nervously, noting the look of disproval. "You will not have another opportunity to go for several hours." She bit her lip, silently gazing back at the blood bath.