The Dom

Chapter One-3

I found a street sign that indicated the park was near. Without any other destination I stumbled in that direction, still trying to keep what was left of my dress together, my back and ass exposed, the red hot pain now a soft glow that kept me warm against the deepening night. I turned a corner and there was the park. Empty now, the fountain turned off, deserted except for one lone figure that stood at the entrance.

Lorenz beckoned me while a sleek, black limousine glided up to him. He stepped into the street, opened the door and I shuffled to him. He helped me into the back, gently shoved me over to make room for himself too, and the car smoothly accelerated. I slumped over, my head in his lap. His legs seemed to tense, but then his soft hand smoothed my hair and his voice, in a beguiling monotone, told me to relax, let go all the tension of any pent up emotions until I was a limp rag.

I must have slept because suddenly I noticed the limo felt different. Gone was the subtle sense of movement, the quiet rumble of the engine. I found myself already sitting up, hands still clutched to the front of the tattered dress.

‘As instructed I have delivered you to this address,’ Lorenz said. ‘Get out, and may I never see you again, you bitch.’

Lorenz reached past me and swung the door open. I just stared out to the sidewalk then up to a pair of baroque wrought iron hand rails on either side of red steps that led up to a solid wooden door. A gentle push from Lorenz and I slid out, shivering in the night air. He followed, but only to the edge of the curb. He pressed in my hand what appeared to be an electronic security card. Accepting it I let go of the dress and one of my breasts lay exposed but, with red welts on my bare ass and now goose bumps from the midnight chill, it made little difference. With an exasperated sigh Lorenz escorted me up the steps. As I just stood there uncomprehending what to do with the key card he temporarily took it back and passed it over a small box. The door jarred open. He handed the card back. ‘Go to the third floor,’ he said in that peculiar monotone.

He waited for a response. At least I guess so, but I didn’t say anything, didn’t even blink. After a moment he guided me by the arm inside.

A narrow set of stairs greeted us inside the tiny, marbled vestibule. A partially opened door on the right showed a breakfast nook area. A small table with a delicately carved crystal vase was set off to the left and bestowed a vague sense of luxury about the place. On the stairs thick carpet padded our feet all the way up, past the open second floor, to the third floor where a single door, set back from the top of the stairs with a another key card swipe box, waited. With each step climbed I felt lighter, as if a great weight carried for a long time had finally fallen away. The welts, the bruises warmed my skin and, halfway up the last flight, I felt that I could float the rest of the way. All the while Lorenz kept physical contact with me, as if I just might do that. The monotone of his voice was reduced to barely a whisper, telling me to go easy, don’t rush, and that he was right there by my side. Another quick swipe of the card and we were inside.

Lorenz stripped me. Not a hard thing to do as the dress practically fell off, a shapeless black mass at my feet. My eyes already half-closed, Lorenz lay me down in a sturdy, four poster canopied bed. My wounded back pressed against a firm, yet welcoming mattress and a cool sheet floated down, contoured around my breasts and between my sore legs, a healing shroud. Then the lights went out and darkness took me, but not sleep and forgetfulness.

Forget? I had already done that. Too much. I still didn’t know my name, where I came from or what I had done to wind up like this - bruised, battered, but not broken. No. If anything, as sleep finally took me and I dreamt of dark rooms, tight ropes, mouth filling gags and multi-bladed whips, I knew I had never felt better than at any time in my former, mysterious life.