A Twisted Anthology: A Twisted Design Book

The Torturer and the Assassin Part 2

I returned to the dungeon after I got up, trained for a while, and ate my breakfast. My wolf was excited. This was the first time he took an interest in someone else.

For the last few years in the collective, females had thrown themselves at me. I was considered the strongest and most deadly in the collective. They craved the power.

Indulging with them had never led to anything more. I’d had offers for mates, but turned them down. I was more focused on my work than on a relationship.

A smile spread across my face as I opened the bottom door to the dungeon and saw Mr. Scarlet listening to headphones as he ground something up at his work table. This wasn’t really the place to be unaware of your surroundings. He bobbed his head and swayed his hips to the music.

‘Get close to him.’ My wolf whispered in my head.

I crossed the room and got as near as I could without touching him. I could smell the sweat he was working up as he danced. A growl rumbled in my chest.

Mr. Scarlet froze and slowly turned, looking up at me. His expression went from shocked to angry to indignant. I raised my eyebrows at him as he pulled off the headphones.

“You could have just tapped my shoulder instead of growling at me.” He said with an annoyed tone.

“I didn’t mean to. Wolf is acting strange.” I told him.

“Wolf? Your wolf’s name is Wolf?” Scarlet scoffed.

“I was born and raised feral. My name was wolf. His name was wolf. It was Kingston that gave me the name Silas Greene. My wolf refused a new name. That’s not important.” I explained.

“I’ve never met a feral werewolf before.”

“You have now. What are you making?” I asked.

“Oh, umm, it’s a numbing potion.” He said.

“Numbing? Why?”

“Because people are funny when they can’t feel their lungs filling with air. The little things that you don’t realize you feel are terrifying once you can’t feel them anymore.” Scarlet chuckled as he turned back to his table.

I moved in closer, until I was only a few inches from his back and craned my neck over his shoulder so I could watch. When he realized where I was, he swallowed hard and started shaking a little. It made sense that most people were frightened when I got close. I had a threatening aura.

“Breathe slowly. There’s nothing to be afraid of. I’m not here to harm you. I’m here to learn from you and become your colleague.” I told him gently.

He took a few slow, deep, breaths and nodded. He smelled like a mix of so many plants. Almost like he had rolled around in a meadow before coming in to work.

‘Sniff him more.’ Wolf said.

As a feral, I tended to listen to my wolf side more than my human side. If he wanted me to sniff Scarlet more, I would. I had to trust that my wolf knew what he was doing.

Leaning in, I sniffed his hair, behind his ear, and down his neck to his shoulder. I liked the scent. Wolf liked it more. He’d never acted like this before.

‘Lick him.’ Wolf demanded.

I licked from the base of his neck to his jawline. The salt of his sweat, the fragrant flower dust on his skin, and the texture of his neck sent a yearning through me. A desire unlike any other. I wanted to lick him again.

Gently, I sniffed at the back of his neck and nipped it softly before licking over it. Scarlet shuddered. I had almost grasped the feeling that was eluding me. It was so close. I didn’t know what it was and I wanted to understand it.

“What are you doing?” Scarlet asked in a quivering voice.

“My wolf wants to know you more. He wants me to sniff and lick you. Don’t worry. I won’t hurt you. This is just how feral wolves are sometimes.” I assured him.

“You bit me.” He murmured.

“I was feeling a little playful. I won’t do it again.” I told him.

“You… you can. I’m not used to other wolves feeling playful with me.” Scarlet admitted.

“Tomorrow morning, I want you to get up early and train with me. I’ll help you be stronger. If we’re going to be friends, we have to bond. You train me. I train you.” I whispered into his ear, making him shiver.

“Okay. I’ll do my best. Everyone gave up on me when I was a pup because of how sickly I was. No one even bothered when I got older.” He said.

“You’re my responsibility now. I’ll have your back the rest of the time. Until I know you’re strong enough to fight on your own. Now, teach me your ways, torturer.” I said as I licked the outer edge of his ear.

He whimpered a little and that made Wolf more excited than any hunt we’d ever been on. I had to admit, it was a beautiful sound. Over the next few hours, I made sure we could hear it a few more times. Even nibbling his ear from time to time.

I spent the day standing inches away from Mr. Scarlet as he worked and taught me everything. He seemed to get used to me occasionally sniffing or licking him, but he never got used to me licking his ear.

When the day was over and it was time to leave, I had a hard time getting Wolf to want to leave Scarlet. I offered to walk with him over to his house. I did it under the guise of wanting to know where to pick him up in the morning.

He didn’t live far from me. I liked that. I wanted him nearby. With luck, that meant that Wolf was accepting him as our friend. Wolf liked to keep his social circle small.

I walked home and made myself some dinner. The whole time, I worked on remembering the instructions for the spell Mr. Scarlet was going to have me make tomorrow. He showed me five times and said I should be able to memorize it like he did and create it from that memory.

After cleaning up and taking a shower, I went to bed and laid there staring at the darkened ceiling. Whatever that feeling was when I was with Scarlet hadn’t revealed itself. I needed to keep pressing until I knew what it was.

With an antsy feeling eating at me, I put on some dark clothes and headed out to wander the streets of the collective. I would do this when my wolf got like this. I had been ready to give up being wild, but Wolf hadn’t been ready.

Being Kingston’s assassin helped. I was able to come and go as I pleased and all I had to do was occasionally kill someone. It gave Wolf the freedom he craved, for the most part.

I found myself in front of Mr. Scarlet’s house. Someone was walking around in there with the lights out. Wolf didn’t like it. Neither did I.

We searched around the perimeter and found one of the windows open. Collectives were usually pretty safe, but feral wolves didn’t trust easily. Scarlet would have to learn that.

It took little effort to climb through the window. Sounds of a struggle came from down the hall. I moved quickly and quietly until I reached a bedroom door.

Looking in, I saw a man standing over Scarlet’s prone form as he lay in his bed. The man had his hands around Scarlet’s neck. Most of the struggle was dying down as he’d become too weak to fight off his attacker.

I burst in and grabbed the man, throwing him across the room as Mr. Scarlet gasped for air. I followed, jumping onto the man and slamming his head into the ground until he stopped moving. I searched him and found some silver cuffs, which I used to bind him before I went to check on Mr. Scarlet.

“Are you alright?” I asked, checking him over.

“Wh-what are you doing here?” He gasped.

“I saw someone sneaking around your house while I was on a walk and came in to take care of the situation. Attacking someone like you when you’re sleeping is cowardly. I’m glad you didn’t die.” I told him.

He stared into my eyes as my fingertips trailed over the bruises on his neck. Wolf wanted to kill the man who’d hurt him. I wanted to flay him alive for this.

“Do you heal like a normal wolf?” I asked.

“No. I’ll have these bruises for at least twenty-four hours. I thought this place would be different.” Scarlet sighed.

“What do you mean? Someone did this to you before?”

“After I got back and started looking for a collective to join, I would be in the trial period and someone would attack me. Most kings saw me as a liability, since I couldn’t protect myself. A collective isn’t like a pack. The weak die. If not, we become a drain on resources. Someone would try to kill me, and, I would survive because I carried some spell or potion on me. Then, I’d be asked to leave.” He explained nervously.

Something in what he said was a lie. I wasn’t going to call him on it. I’d get it out of him eventually.

“You couldn’t use a spell or potion because you were sleeping. You believed you would be safe in your house.” I said, shaking my head.

“We aren’t animals! I should be allowed to feel safe in my own home.” Scarlet demanded.

I stood and grabbed the man, hauling him out the front door. I stripped him and used my claws to shred every inch of skin I saw. He woke up and screamed a few times, but would pass out from the pain. I hooked the cuffs around a post in the fence and went back into the house.

Inside, I closed and locked the window I came in and checked all the others before returning to Mr. Scarlet’s room. He was dressed and standing by the window, looking out at the man I’d left as a message to anyone else who wanted to attack. I got close to him, like I did in the dungeon and snuffed his hair.

“You still want to try and be my friend?” He scoffed.

“Wolf likes you.” I replied and licked his neck.

My wolf took over, he grabbed Scarlet’s shoulders and turned him to face us. I licked every inch of his bruised neck while pressing Scarlet against the window. He struggled for a little while, then gave in to me.

Soon, the licks turned into nibbles and kisses. I held his body close to mine. That feeling was back, but I was beginning to realize what it was. Desire, romantic desire. I’d never felt it like this before.

Even though he was weak, he exuded such strength of character and will. I wanted to make him stronger, less vulnerable. I wanted to have his back and keep him safe. Wolf didn’t just like him, Wolf had fallen in love with him. We’d never been in love before.

“Tim.” I breathed as I kissed his neck and ground myself into him.

“Silas. Don’t stop.” He moaned.

I could feel him growing firm against me. I gripped his butt and started nibbling his ear. I’d never been with a man before, but I was more than willing to learn.

Carefully, I moved one of my hands to his front and gripped him through the pants he was wearing. He groaned and tipped his head back. I worked on keeping the pace with my hand as I kissed and nibbled his neck. The sounds he was making caused my heart to soar.

Pulling away, I looked into his dark blue eyes and down to his lips. The bottom was fuller than the top, giving him an almost permanent pout. I pressed my lips to his, nibbling at them until they opened and I invaded his mouth with my tongue.

He pushed me away and gasped for air. I licked my lips, tasting the flavor of his mouth on mine. I wanted more. I wanted to taste all of him.

“You need to leave, Mr. Greene.” He said sternly.

I was confused. Everything about his body was telling me that he wanted me to stay. Why was he sending me away?

“Why are you calling me ‘Mr. Greene’? You just called me Silas.” I asked.

“Because we are colleagues, Mr. Greene. This… this never happened. We’ll chalk it up to violence induced excitement. You weren’t in your right mind. Please leave.” Tim said.

That resolve was back in his eyes and he was pushing at my hands, trying to get them off him. I tilted my head to the side. Was he in denial about liking men, maybe? Or, did he just not like me?

I stepped away from him. He crossed his arms and looked away. I didn’t know what to say to change his mind. He was totally closed off from listening to me.

“I’ll see you in the morning for training, then? You need to be able to fight people off without your potions and stuff.” I replied.

Tim remained silent and just nodded. I left through the front door and dealt a little more damage to the man who’d tried to hurt Tim. I looked up and saw Tim watching me through the window for a few moments. He closed the blinds and I gave the man a final punch before heading back home.

I knew now that I loved Tim. That my wolf loved Tim. I would have him for my mate. I just needed to make him love me too.