Shackles

|x|x|

Milek stared down at the girl before him, stroking his chin thoughtfully. She had to be desperate to look for help from him. He had to credit her bravery though...not to mention her body. He smirked from the thoughts running through his demented mind before he crouched down in front of her sitting form. He studied her appearance further, while running his hands up and down her bare thighs. This woman certainly was drop dead gorgeous, that much Milek knew just by looking at her. Her deep, erubescent eyes and that silvery-grey skin...Remarkable! Perfect for the tavern! Not to mention that silken hair of hers; metallic silver fringes and ends in the back, and the rest black, shiny as ebony silk. She only needed to lose the haunted look in her eyes and get a change in wardrobe.

After a long moment of running his hands across her thighs and hips, while staring up into her crimson gaze, Milek noticed that she was growing tense; he smiled. "What is your name?"

The woman had been silent so far, though rather uncomfortable with the way Milek was touching and scrutinizing her. She'd been told, however, that this was a common procedure, and if she protested, she would lose this chance. She had been through far too much to give up now. She would get this man's help, no matter what the cost. She had to get rid of Malise, who, even then, tried to tempt her to do unspeakable things. It reminded her of lives lost and the blood that stained her hands, no matter how she cleaned them. She may even lose her mind if she hadn't already. She would not risk that, ignoring the demoness' bickering as much as she could.

Finally, a half whisper was uttered through the woman's parted, scarlet lips. "Kira."

Milek brushed the metallic fringe from Kira's face, smiling warmly, while the girl tried not to flinch. If she could've read his thoughts, she would've known not to trust his smile to be sincere. "Kira..." he said in a soft voice. "Such a lovely name; very catchy."

He stood up, circling around the chair in which Kira sat, while stroking his chin in thought. "Tell me, Kira...What reason could there be for a woman such as yourself to seek me out?"

Kira stared up into Milek's emerald gaze for a long moment, noticing his sandy blonde tendrils fall into his face. His flesh was tanned and he wore a silken, silver-white suit. She was left staring at him dumbly, wondering how she could possibly begin to tell him of the horrors she has endured. It was almost as if she was struck dumb by a mere look.

Milek grinned, half tempted to take the girl as his own, but thought better of it. If dealt with the right way, she could prove to be valuable. In fact, he may even be able to make a fortune off of her services. To speed up the process, he took one of her hands. When it came to dealing with women like her, compassion was the way to winning them over. "Don't be afraid, darling. You've come here for help, that much I know. Tell me everything you need to and I will do my best to aid you."

The woman's eyes sparked with hope as she heard his words, wondering if this man was different from the others that only wanted her body. He was the only hope she had left for any solace and she would take the chance. "There's a demon residing in my mind," she explained. "She's made me do horrible things..."

Milek tilted his head, holding back the smug grin the light in her eyes gave him as he listened to her words with increasing interest. "A demon? What has she made you do?"

The woman paused, guilt clouding her eyes with such power Milek had scarcely seen. "She forced me to kill people," she whispered, struggling with the last few words. "...And my family." Her eyes started to sting and she closed them tightly, clenching her free hand into a fist. She fought to keep her tears back, only to be pulled into Milek's arms to let her cry. She was grateful, but also spiteful; she hated to cry.

Milek smiled deviously as he held the girl, stroking her hair as a father or lover would. "There, there, darling. Everything will be alright...as soon as we extract the demon's spirit from your mind."

Kira pulled back upon hearing Milek's words, her heart leaping as she stared at him with wide, hopeful eyes. "Extract? You can really...do that?" she whispered hesitantly, as if hardly daring to believe it.

Milek's smile widened as he nodded. "Of course, darling, but such tasks require...payment."

Her heart sank back down, the lustre in her eyes fading. "I have nothing to pay you with," she said softly, as if she had just been heartbroken.

Milek couldn't help the chuckle that spilled from his full lips. It was unbelievable that the girl was still so naive. "Oh, but of course you do, Kira, my dear..."

The grin that tugged at Milek's lips made his intentions all too clear, and Kira's heart dropped like a stone, unable to believe that she found herself nodding her consent. Would it really be worth it? It had to be...It just had to.

|x|x|

Kira woke with a start at dawn before realizing that she had been dreaming yet again with a weary sigh. She fell back against her bed before glancing toward her latest 'customer'. That drew out a heavier sigh from her before she rolled over, her back facing the man that laid beside her, naked as she was. She didn't feel like getting out of bed, though she didn't like the thought of staying in bed with a stranger either. She also felt the need to bathe. Milek had each of the harlots in his tavern bathe after every session, keeping them fresh and desirable. It only made Kira feel just a little cleaner, though five years of harlotry was rather hard to wash off.

Vaguely, she wondered how much gold he would take from her this day. He always took more than he needed, leaving her with almost nothing to live on. Of course, food was supplied for her most days and she had her own room in the tavern. It wasn't a terrible life, but neither did Kira enjoy sleeping with strangers. However, it was necessary to keep Malise from her mind. That alone had once been enough to keep her living this life. Before Milek had given her freedom from the demoness, she couldn't remember the last time it had been so peaceful. The years of her new life, though, had also been lonely and painful, but surely not as painful as the years with Malise...or were they?

Memories of her harsh training came back; the beatings were nearly unbearable and any time she didn't succeed, she'd be beaten. There were scars on her back to prove that, but none of the men she bedded paid any mind. There were times where she was Milek's personal toy; where she'd be hung naked by chains for however long he wished and tortured when he desired to hear her screams. There were also some painful sessions with the men paying for her services. She considered it rape, but, since they paid, nothing was done. She could remember the times she'd been violated so brutally that she could not even move. Those times were her worst, causing the scarring under her long-sleeved shirts.

Kira's eyes stung and her vision blurred after the horrible things started coming back to her. She shook her head, finally pulling herself out of bed. She suddenly felt rather filthy and when such feelings came, she had to shower immediately. Truth be told, she loved not having Malise around, but she hated harlotry just as much as the demoness. The only difference was that she was no longer forced to kill people. That alone kept her in harlotry, instead of giving up.

Milek had made it clear that if she protested, he would free Malise and torture her worse than what the demoness could ever do. There was no escape anyway, because, even if she did leave, there were shackles of enchanted tattoos adorning her wrists in golden ink; a sign of her harlotry. Her shackles to this place; a constant reminder that there was no escape without suffering. When she had first been hesitant in her harlotry, the tattoos burned and started to glow as a warning. If she left the tavern, they'd burn ceaselessly until she returned for her punishment.

She shut her eyes tightly, activating the shower head above before getting in and curling up into a ball, burying her face into her knees, and sobbing silently. Her fate was damned, no matter how she looked at it, or what she thought of doing. It was either fucking a million men throughout her lifetime, or a life spent killing people. There was no way out!

Vaguely, Kira heard the man in her bed stirring, so she sent out a mental message as a warning. 'Leave your payment on the bed. If you don't, Milek will be angry, and everyone here knows where that will lead.' It was almost as if she was mechanical. Most times, she really did feel like she was Milek's machine. His toy that he would pass around until she became obsolete. She hated her life the way it was, and hated Milek for taking advantage of her desperation. Of course, that was what people like him did; use people until they were useless.

Eventually, the woman managed to pull herself together, and got out of the shower with a shaky sigh. She took a towel to dry herself off and turned off the water, then set about going about her day in the usual fashion of a harlot, setting about getting dressed.

Kira pulled out the clothes that Milek had supplied her with from her dresser. She had no money to buy her own and the man had a very large collection. Today, she pulled on a see-through, black half top that only covered her arms and breasts with long, flowing sleeves. Over that, she wore a red corset that tied up with black lace in the front. It was snug against her figure, but she never liked how revealing or tight it was. Milek expected his harlots' clothing to be tight enough to show off every curve. After taking about ten minutes to lace up her corset, she pulled on a short black skirt that barely went down to her mid thigh. It was a loose skirt to better let men feel her up for a price. After that, she pulled on her black lace-up boots that reached up to her knees. One thing she hated about the rules for clothing was that Milek didn't allow harlots to wear under clothing. Kira was always paranoid of being taken advantage because of it.

When she was ready, she hurriedly grabbed the pouch of gold off of her bed and then made her way out the door, shutting it behind her, though having to leave it unlocked because of the rules. When she wasn't having sex or doing sexual acts, she was a waitress in the tavern and if she didn't get there on time, she would be punished.

x|x

Milek slapped Kira after he had finished counting the gold pieces in the pouch she had given him, the pressure causing her face to turn the other way. Slowly, she allowed one hand to touch her burning cheek, tears stinging her eyes from the pain. "I'm sorry," she whispered. He hit her again, and she did not respond this time.

"I didn't give you permission to speak, darling. 'Sorry' isn't good enough anyway. Why didn't you give this one any attention this morning, hm? You could've earned fifty more pieces for a mere sucking!" Milek scolded Kira harshly, slamming her back into the wall of his quarters roughly, causing the girl to fall to the floor in a heap. "Get out of my sight and attend to your duties, slut," he spat at her. "You won't be keeping any this time, and you'll make this up to me somehow."

Kira left the room without a word, going out into the bar to clean tables. However, she didn't fail to notice three men staring at her with sadistic grins, her heart starting to pound wildly. She'd had a great deal many looks like that, but the other harlots told her to merely ignore it. Most men wouldn't act out their thoughts, and more often than not, would only stare until they grew bored. Kira did just that, asking Cassandra, another harlot, to keep an eye on them to tell her if they left or anything.

x|x

Sharazon sat lazily in the bar, a couple of the tavern's harlots by his side as he drank his meade. He didn't come here very often, and, quite honestly, rather disliked the tavern. However, he had had little choice in the situation he'd gotten in earlier, and at least the company wasn't bad. After all, the ladies in this joint were well trained and knew exactly how to give him what he wanted. Of course, there was the problem with how much it cost; he hated dealing with Milek with a passion. He didn't know much about the man and never would care to. He had to admit though, that the man was good at finding girls.

This day, one girl in particular caught his eye as she cleaned the tables; a real beauty with long ebony and metallic hair, not to mention a lovely figure. He could tell just by the color of her flesh that she was part drow. From the burning in his neck, he guessed that she was draconic as well. He grinned for a moment, never before captivated by any harlot in such a way. There was something about that girl...and he would find out what it was, even if it meant dealing with that blockhead of a tavern owner.

Slowly, the drow excused himself and began to walk out of the tavern, using his usual route to get to Milek's quarters. He'd always liked using the back door.

x|x

An hour or so later of watching the men stare at the dragoness, Cassandra walked up to Kira with a concerned face. She bent down to clean the table as Kira took the plates, making it seem less suspicious, as she whispered, "They haven't stopped staring, honey. That isn't good. You should go into the back and wait it out."

Cassandra had been there a long time and Kira knew that her advice was probably the best action she could take, but the dragoness didn't get the chance. As she walked to the kitchen, the three surrounded her. She stared at their demented smirks, trying to hold down the panic that welled up inside of her. "Can I help you, gentlemen?" Her voice was a little too shaky for her liking.

None of the men bothered with words before the one facing her slammed her into a wall, causing her to drop the dishes onto the floor. He brushed away the silver fringe from Kira's face before grinning widely. "I'm sure you can help us all quite nicely," he hissed, his hand making its way down her body and up her skirt slowly.

Cassandra only backed away, giving a look of pity to the unfortunate girl as she went on with her duties. Any harlot butting into anyone else's business was sorely punished.

Kira's alarm grew tenfold when the man's intent became clear. This, though, was not a session, and she doubted that she would get paid, so she began to struggle, only to get slapped in the face a third time that day. When she looked up again, she saw Milek smirking in amusement. Her heart plummeted and dread crept into every inch of her body.

"Do you plan to purchase my harlot's services, gentlemen? A good wench always comes with a price and she's a pricey one. You'll have to replace the broken plates as well," Milek said in a smooth voice. He wasn't worried. Anyone who stepped in his tavern knew who he was and the power he possessed. Few would dare go against his will.

The man holding Kira sneered and pulled his pouch of gold from his belt, tossing it at Milek, who surveyed it before nodding in satisfaction then looked toward the other two, who also gave him all they had. If they had not, they would have paid rather dearly for their attempt at trying to use one of his harlots for free.

Kira squeezed her eyes shut for however long she remained there, continuously slammed against the wall of the tavern as each man took his turn. All the while, she knew that this was how she was paying Milek for not doing better the night before. She could feel each man's flesh ripping through her body with each turn, and the unbearable burning sensation that sent her into a delirious state of mind. She could hear them laughing as Milek's smile burned into her violated body. It was in those moments that she truly felt shackled; her wrists held to the walls in case she tried to struggle. It was truly that moment when she realized how trapped she was. She was so lost within herself that she barely noticed the wet trails washing over her face, unable to feel her wrists burning, as if over an open fire.

x|x

Milek hummed to himself as he shut the door to his quarters behind him, turning around only to face a half drow he loathed more than anyone else. He covered his scowl with an irate smile. "Sharazon...Back so soon? Couldn't get enough of the ladies?"

Sharazon smirked, brushing the loose tendrils of his metallic, waist-length hair out of his line of vision. "Your ladies are certainly something, Mil," he said, unable to hold back his grin as the man scowled at him. He loved to piss him off, and since Milek counted on the drow for large bonuses of gold, due to his rather wild libido, the man did nothing to Sharazon. "But enough of the chit-chat," the drow said flatly. "I noticed that you have a new one here."

Milek's frown turned into a sly smirk as he began to circle Sharazon, arms crossed. "Kira, eh? You like her? She's the best in this tavern, and one of the youngest too. Only been here about five years. How much are you willing to pay to have her? She's my most prized harlot, you know...and to taint her is a rather pricey."

The drow leaned against the nearest wall, slanting his hips and crossing one foot over the other. Five years? The girl must've been pretty good for only five years. "How much?"

Milek grinned widely as he walked over to a far wall, pulling a lever that opened a passage that led to Kira's room. "Five hundred and not one gold piece less for the likes of you."

x|x

When they were finished, Kira felt herself collapse to the floor with a set decision worked in her head. To escape the shackles that bound her to harlotry, she would have to die. If being free from Malise meant a life of sexual slavery or worse, her life certainly hadn't improved, and was better off dead if this was the way she'd continue living. She felt as if she could just curl up and die then anyway, so why not? Why not just end it now?

Slowly, the dragoness managed to stand, starting for her room to end her life. She could barely move in those moments with her lower regions sending her shoots of burning pain with every step. It was taking all of her willpower not to break down in the middle of the tavern. Somehow though, she managed to make it to her room door, leaning heavily on it first before opening it. When she came face to face with yet another man who wanted to bed her, her heart dropped the farthest it could have gone by then.

Kira forced a smile, though her eyes had darkened with tears she had cried and had yet to let fall. She just hoped the man wouldn't notice, take what he wanted, and then leave so she could end her miserable existence. "You must have purchased my services from the Master himself, correct?" She continued into the room, shutting the door behind her as she went, trying her best not to limp as she walked toward her box of 'toys'. "Is there any particular sort of sex you like? Gentle, rough, BDSM, roleplaying, Master/Pet, or do you just like using toys?"

The drow smirked slightly as he watched the woman enter the room, finding himself captivated by just how blunt she was. He supposed most harlots were, and probably not taken the time to notice. He gave a sigh, leaning back into the bed heavily, supporting his weight with both arms. "I think I payed that poor fool enough to have the liberty to enjoy all the things you mentioned." He chuckled, blowing a few loose tresses out of his face, before allowing his eyes to fix upon Kira's form silently.

He couldn't help but wonder how old she was, seeing as how Milek had said she was the youngest, and almost always had a constant flow of harlots join his harem. He did, however, notice that the girl was struggling to walk, which caused him to arch his right brow curiously. "That is.. if you think you're up for such challenges."

The dragoness glanced back at the dark-skinned man, taking in his appearance properly and noticing that he had suspicions. She admired his full mane of silver hair, knowing instantly that he was part drow. He seemed to like leather and bondage as well, taking note of the bondage collar around his neck and his leather clad form. She saw a lone wedding ring on one of the loops of the collar as well, peering at it curiously before his comment came back to her.

Kira gave a half-hearted smile at his comment about Milek, though she dreaded his next words, shrugging nonchalantly. "Harlots have to be ready for anything." She found it strange that he'd be concerned about whether she was up to it or not, feeling the urge to say that she hardly was. "Why should you be worried about my well being, hm? You're only here for the pleasure, aren't you? That's what I do. I happen to be one of the most expensive harlots in this place. I guess you didn't know that."

She then noticed his piercing icy gaze, almost entranced as she asked, "Anything in particular you'd like to start off with?"

Sharazon kept his brow arched as the young woman spoke, nearly laughing out loud at her comment about being one of the most expensive. He wanted to make some bold boast about how he had sought her out in particular for that very reason, but something about her posture and mannerisms advised him against it. His full lips curled into a playful smirk, eyelids fluttering shut over his jewel-like cerulean eyes as he spoke. "Just come sit by me, Poppet.. We'll see what happens from there."

His eyelids fluttered open, patting a small area on the bed beside him with another smug grin. If Milek was correct about Kira, then things would progress heavenly. However, if the drow had been cheated with the false promise of untold euphoria.. he'd make sure the generous host was made well aware. Pushing these thoughts away, Sharazon watched as she came closer, though a bit slower than a normal pace for some reason. His brows furrowed together in worry, wondering if the woman had been injured in some freak-harloting accident. He chuckled mentally, pushing such thoughts away. He'd be gentle at first, nonetheless.

Kira sat down on the bed slowly, trying not to show that she was in an extreme amount of pain, though finding it strange to be addressed by a pet name. The only pet name she'd ever earned was 'Slut'. She kind of liked how he called her 'Poppet'. She didn't know why, but he seemed different from all the others. He seemed to care about how she felt. Of course, if she told him that she was in no condition to please him, Milek would only beat her, and that was something she couldn't handle.

The dragoness looked up into the drow's eyes cautiously, nearly lost in them again as he smiled down at her, wondering if she was fooling herself in thinking that she could hide it all from him only moments after the deed had been done. If she was lucky, perhaps he wouldn't care, but she had a feeling it wouldn't work that way.

Slowly, the drow brushed away the woman's dual coloured tresses so he could better see her face, smiling innocently as he did so. She was a beautiful girl, but he could tell from her weary eyes that she had seen, experienced, and perhaps regretted far more than she should have. He tucked the loose tresses behind her left ear, leaning in to place a delicate kiss upon her right cheek, while his free hand rested upon her hip lightly, stroking the flesh through the fabric.

"You don't have to be so stiff, Poppet.. I'm sure you're tired of this life by now.. but just fake a smile here and there, hm?" He chuckled softly against the flesh of her ear, nibbling upon it playfully.

Kira nearly pulled away to haul off and slap him, but she stilled herself. "I apologise for not keeping the smile up a little longer, but you are correct when you say that I am tired of this life. I'm tired of always putting on fake smiles for men who couldn't care less about how the women they fuck feel about it. So, excuse me, if I'm just a little sour. You'll still get what you want, though. It's not like I have a choice." She could feel the tattooed shackles about her wrists burn dangerously, but she didn't care. She just hoped the drow wouldn't notice the golden glow.

"You have all the choice in this, Poppet," Sharazon replied in a low whisper, pulling away from the woman slowly in the process. He glanced back up at her with his arctic optics, before sighing faintly. "I will not force you to do anything. I'm not like the others you may have been forced to bed. I would enjoy nothing better than to be able to bed you.. but I will not force it."

He paused briefly, running the back of his hand across her right cheek, while taking in the full view of her body once more, trying to figure out why she'd be so sour, unless she'd been recently forced. He sighed, shaking his metallic tresses out of his line of sight. "Is that it, then? You've just come from another, and they were too rough?" He gave a sad, apologetic smile, before pulling away fully from the girl. "Please don't take this the wrong way, but if you are hurt...I'd like to see it. Sometimes such wounds won't heal properly, and they cause.. complications. And, if I know Milek, he'll beat any harlot who has such complications..."

Kira stared at him with wet eyes, astonished and afraid at the same time by this man's sincerity. She cast her gaze down to the floor, smiling bitterly, followed by another careless shrug. "He beats us whenever we do anything wrong; when we don't satisfy customers, not earning enough gold. That is why I have no choice in the matter. If I displease you, I'll only be beaten, and I don't favor being beaten after being gang raped."

The dragoness squeezed her eyes shut tight, knowing it was stupid of her to ramble about it, and yet she couldn't seem to help it. The man had asked to see the wounds! Surely he was different from the rest. She glanced at him again before laying back onto the bed, parting her legs slowly to let him see what had been done to her.

A low, disapproving sigh passed from the drow's parted lips, closing his eyes after seeing the damage. It was unimaginable to him that someone would be capable of doing such things, but he knew it happened on a regular basis. It pained him more than normal, however, to see such a beautiful spirit shackled in such a way to this life. He pushed it aside for the time being. He WAS a paying customer, after all.

Slowly, Sharazon angled his body closer to Kira's, his right palm traveling down the length of her body slowly, before resting it upon her mound as tenderly as possible. He allowed his pained eyes to glance up at her, offering her another sad smile. "Do not mistake what I'm doing as some twisted sex game. I'm not like them."

He trailed off, closing his pale optics slowly, allowing his palm to rest fully upon the burning flesh, a deep, ebony aura radiating across his entire hand. He kept the pulsating aura there for a moment, healing the most serious damage first, before moving on to the simple cuts and scratches with a weary sigh. It was pathetic that some men found it necessary to force themselves upon the girls.

Kira opened her eyes for a moment, biting down on her lower lip roughly as he touched her before she heard his words. Somehow, they were comforting, and she was able to relax against his hand, though nearly lurched forward when she felt a warm, pulsating feeling taking the pain away. She closed her eyes slowly, willing herself not to arch her back. She wasn't sure why his healing aura gave her such pleasure, but she supposed it was better than the pain. "Some men relish in a girl's pain, I guess..." she whispered. "If that's what they want, then that's what they get...whether they harm us or not. The gold is all that matters. I've always been bitter toward this life though...but it's my payment to Milek for what he did for me."

"No favor is worth this kind of life, if you don't enjoy it," Sharazon whispered bitterly, feeling a new wave of hatred for Milek well up within him. It was one thing to hire new girls who were willing to endure such a life, but to take in girls off the street after doing them a favor? Nothing was worth a lifetime of this business; even Sharazon knew that. He suddenly felt horrid for even paying for the woman's services, but quickly pushed that away. If he turned her away, then she would be beaten, and perhaps be thrown to more sex-crazed rapists. The moral standings on the situation were enough to drive him mad.

Once the pulsating aura had ceased, the drow slowly pulled his palm away from her womanhood, offering her yet another apologetic smile. "I'm torn.. on whether or not to continue with our arrangement. I doubt you'd have any desire to perform.. and I have no desire to turn you away to a master who would only beat you if he found out I did not bed you..." He paused, shaking his head with a heavy sigh. "It is up to you, Poppet.. Either way, I'll understand your choice." The drow thought that maybe he was being too compassionate.. She was a harlot, after all. It wasn't like they were actual lovers, though it certainly did feel that way, strangely enough.

"It wasn't just any favor," Kira whispered in reply, wondering if what she was doing was truly wise. "I chose this because I thought it would be better than unwillingly killing innocent people. I was forced to kill my family, and after that, I decided to seek Milek out. I thought being a harlot would be worth the freedom, but I realized that I'm just as shackled in this life as I was before, if not more so. There's no way out of it now though; I'm trapped. I don't want to kill people again, so in order to keep that from happening, I have to be every man's personal sex toy."

She shrugged nonchalantly as she sat up and smiled at the drow; a genuine smile. "You're the only person who has showed me real compassion in all the time I've been here, and I feel inclined to return the favor of your generosity. I really mean that; it's not just to get out of a beating. You won't be taking me against my will. Your compassion is a gift to me, and if you're willing to pay the outrageous price, I certainly wouldn't mind seeing you again."

The drow smiled in return, running his hand across the soft, ashen flesh of her right cheek gingerly. He then tucked the loose tendrils of her hair behind her ears, chuckling softly. "The price is a bit high, but not as outrageous as you may think. From what yourself, and Milek have told me, you are one of the best." He flashed another affectionate smile at the woman, before placing a lingering kiss upon her scarlet lips, cupping her face with a content sigh.

As he pulled away, he allowed himself to glance up into her erubescent optics adoringly. "If you're sure you'll be alright with our union... then so be it. I'll be gentle, I promise. I don't know how well I healed you, after all.."

Kira accepted the kiss without any resistance, smiling as she heard his words once he pulled back. "Well, let's see, shall we?" She took his hand in her own, and, taking two of his fingers, closed the rest down into his palm. She led his fingers inside of her, closing her eyes for a moment, biting down on her lower lip. A moment later, she started to move his hand before opening her eyes, smiling all the while. "It doesn't hurt anymore."

Sharazon allowed a faint moan to escape his lips, surprised at how open Kira was with everything. He loved that most of all, he supposed. He allowed his eyes to remain upon her own for a brief moment, grinning slightly before nodding in return. "I'm glad to have helped, then..." He shifted his weight upon the bed, leaning Kira down into the soft fabric below with another stifled moan, allowing his fingers to slide against her folds slowly, the muscles taking hold of his fingers as he worked them within her deeply.

He glanced up to admire her euphoric face, trailing kisses upward from her navel to her neck, all through the fabric of her clothes, before nibbling upon her shoulder gingerly. He then slipped a third finger into her delicate folds slowly to add to her pleasure. Even though she was the harlot, Sharazon felt as if he should be the one to please her. He smirked a bit when he thought that perhaps they would tire one another out, since they were supposedly matched in skill.

The dragoness arched her back, surprised from his constant caress, shocked once more at this man's behaviour. No man she had ever bedded did anything to please her before. She looked up into his lazuline gaze with more gratitude than anything else. She was so touched that he would do all of this for her when he was the one that was supposed to be getting served. A moan escaped her scarlet lips before she tried to speak, looking up at Sharazon with a great amount of respect. "You don't need to please me...I'm the harlot in this room."

Sharazon smirked at Kira's comment, dragging the tips of his fingers across her inner folds slowly, applying just enough pressure to get such silly notions out of her head. "Have you ever heard of an all male brothel?" He smirked a bit wider, placing a series of teasing kisses across her neck and shoulders as he spoke, nibbling occasionally. "As soon as you do, I can promise you that I'll be one of the first harlots there." He gave her earlobe a playful tug, keeping his fingers moving steadily within her all the while.

Kira bit down on her lower lip as she arched her back once more before she smirked herself. "But I didn't pay for your services, now did I? You've no reason to please me..." She closed her eyes, her lips parting as another cry escaped her. "Though I don't believe I've ever had a positive sexual experience before..."

Sharazon smirked once more, allowing the palm of his hand to tenderly cup her glittering treasure, stroking the delicate flesh tenderly every so often, slowing the pace of his fingers to a more compassionate rhythm. "And that's why I pay those outrageous prices... to show you.. beautiful women that you can be pleased just as well as us men while performing your services..." His lips curled into a teasing smirk, allowing his thumb to rub against the nub of her womanhood slowly, leaning in close to her frail body to whisper into her ear heatedly. "Unless... you don't want me to show you those pleasures..." He quickly allowed his fingers to delve back into her folds, eyes shut tightly in bliss from her cries of pleasure.

The dragoness let out another cry before she had the chance to answer. She looked at him with a sense of awe stirring in her heart. "I have no qualms with...that at all. Show me what you will...because this might just be...the highlight of all the years I've spent...in this tavern. I don't usually...care to remember most men that...pay for my services, but I'll...certainly remember you..."

The drow smiled widely, finding himself captivated by the way Kira paused in her sentences when she felt a moan bubble within her, only to let one escape nonetheless. He let out a content sigh, taking in the scent of her flesh as he continued to stroke her lower regions tenderly, giving a nod that was more to himself than anything else. "Very well, Poppet... We'll start your education tonight, then.."

With that said, Sharazon removed his hand slowly, allowing his fingers to trail across her thighs and legs, before creeping forward and upon her. He aided Kira out of her clothing, tossing each piece to the floor beside the bed, before slipping out of his own leather garments. He gave a lustful smile down at her delicate form, before lowering himself down upon her, showering her flesh with delicate nips and kisses, before fully showing her the extent of his desires.

|x|x|

Kira cringed, eyes shut tightly as she beared the bite of the tiny needle tearing delicately across her frail wrists. She still felt as if it was a dream; that she'd wake up eventually. However, the peace and stillness within her mind told her otherwise. Malise had been extracted from her mind, and was now contained somewhere else, which proved that this was real; she was really becoming a harlot. The tattoos being etched into her skin as a sign of her shackles to this new life reflected that.

The tattoos were of pure, enchanted golden ink. The edges were straight lines across the dragoness' wrists, and intricate designs of chains criss-crossing all about were inside those lines. They were finely done; Milek was proud of how well they came out. Especially since he never had to restrain the girl at all; she kept perfectly still, even though her expressions clearly revealed the amount of pain she'd felt.

Milek smirked smugly once finished, stroking Kira's face in an almost affectionate manner, grinning as he noticed her fight a cringe. "Welcome home, darling. Your training begins immediately."

|x|x|

Kira started awake, sitting up straight in her bed from yet another nightmare. She sighed heavily, before she noticed that she had unintentionally stirred Sharazon awake as well. She bit down upon her lip as the golden tattoos burned against her ashen flesh.

The drow rolled over, mumbling to himself, before reaching out to pull Kira into his arms, only to realize that she was sitting up. A heavy sigh tumbled from Sharazon's full lips as he scrubbed at his eyes childishly, sitting up a moment later to nibble upon her shoulder. 'Something wrong, Poppet?' He didn't know whether she was telepathic or not, but she WAS part drow, so perhaps she was.

The dragoness relaxed as the drow's arms embraced her frail form, tilting her head out of his way. 'A bad dream,' she mentally replied, before he pulled her back to kiss her.

Once they parted, Kira smiled. "Was I worth the price?"

Sharazon smirked, before kissing her once more, getting into position to take her again. He held her arms above her head playfully within a single palm, his other slowly tracing along the outline of her body, biting his lower lip as he did so. "I'd like to think so; well worth the price. So much, in fact..." He leaned in close, still holding her arms loosely, before whispering into her ear. "I may have to stop by more often."

Kira bit down on her lower lip, trying to push down her elation, smiling brilliantly all the while, before closing her eyes. "I think I'd enjoy more of your...lessons, to say the least." Perhaps then, life wouldn't be such a hell. "How often do you plan on coming by, hm?" she whispered as he rained kisses across her chest. She didn't think she'd ever get used to getting so much attention, but it made her feel wonderful.

"How often do you want me?" The drow asked slyly, dragging his tongue across her ashen flesh, starting at her navel, and ending at her left earlobe. He shifted his weight between her legs, allowing his free hand to trail across her left side, grasping her hip as he spoke. "I'll come as often as you want me to...Just say the word, and I'll be here..."

He smirked, giving her earlobe a playful tug before releasing her arms, his fingertips dancing across her flesh, as she settled back into the bed. Deep down, Sharazon knew he'd hold true to his word. After all, he'd been looking for a place to settle down, and this seemed to be the perfect place, all things considered. He continued to kiss Kira's chest, wrapping his arms around her lower back protectively as he did.

The dragoness bit down on her lower lip again, utterly shocked by his words, barely daring to believe them, but she found that she did. Before she could answer though, Sharazon let himself delve inside of her, causing her to arch her back and moan. "I couldn't...ask you to do that...for me, you know..." she breathed, "That would be...awfully expensive."

"But well worth it," Sharazon whispered in return, again nibbling at her earlobe as he moved within her slowly, running his palms across her exposed flesh. He then held both of her arms above her head again with a strange smile tugging at his ashen features. "Gold is no concern to me..." He ran his free hand across her jawline tenderly, trailing his delicate fingertips across her neck, shoulders, chest, and stomach soon after, allowing Kira to enjoy him in his entirety. He glanced up into her euphoric face, smiling once more. "What do you want? That's what it comes down to."

"Mmm..." was what came from Kira's parted lips as she started to move against Sharazon in return, staring up into his lazuline eyes and seeing the sort of sincerity there that she'd only dreamed of. She found herself blushing just thinking of...having him come to her like this any time she wished. It was like they were lovers...except that he'd have to pay to see her. She bit down on her lower lip for a moment, thinking of how to word her thoughts. "Well...I...I would see you anytime...truthfully. If I had it my way...you'd be the only one I ever saw."

Sharazon began to kiss the woman's neck sensually, taking small parts of the flesh between his lips so he could nibble upon it, releasing it a moment later with a stifled moan. "I could make it happen," he whispered heatedly against her flesh, pressing his hips into her own, leaving them there longer this time, before continuing with his deep pace.

He nipped at her shoulder as he moved, releasing her wrists, and clasping one of her hands tightly in his own. He knew that what he was saying must have sounded crazy, but the drow couldn't help it. In the short time they had spent together, he'd actually come to adore her, even develop a protective attitude toward her. If he could have had it his way, he would have gladly taken Kira from such a miserable existence in order to start anew. The very thoughts were maddening, but he did his best to push them away.

"I don't mind paying. I'd pay twice a night if it meant being able to see you at dusk and dawn," he continued in a broken whisper, clasping her hand a bit tighter as he moved, holding her right hip lightly within his left palm. "I'd do anything to know no one would hurt you again, Poppet..." He closed his eyes, knowing that his ramblings were becoming deranged, and self-pitied. He sighed inwardly, pushing the stray remnants of those thoughts from his mind.

Kira arched into Sharazon's body, letting out another cry of ecstasy, though she was rather shocked at his words. She looked into his eyes in pure astonishment, cupping his face and kissing him tenderly. 'Sharazon...that...' Her thoughts broke off and her eyes stung, but she didn't push the tears back this time. She was too touched to be able to do so. 'You could never accomplish that, could you? Milek would never want to see me happy...I wouldn't mind if you kept a watch over me...so that I wasn't raped again, but...' She closed her eyes and squeezed his hand in gratitude. 'Your words have touched me deeply though. Thank you.'

The drow smiled somewhat painfully upon seeing Kira cry, keeping his eyes locked with her own, before leaning in to kiss away her salty tears. He sighed softly as he did so, unsure how of to continue, still moving within her at a slow pace. 'I'll do what I can... we'll both just have to see how much of my promise I can keep, hm?' He smiled once more, pulling away from her cheeks to kiss her lips delicately.

The dragoness smiled slightly, closing her eyes before letting out another soft cry of pleasure as she arched her hips into his. "Come to me...whenever you wish to...and I'll gladly accept you with opened arms...In all truth...I'd be dead...by now...if you hadn't been in my room last night...I'm serious about that. But now...if I can look forward to seeing you...I might be able to bear this...just a little longer..." she said in a hushed whisper, staring into his arctic gaze with sincerity in her own.

The drow smiled back warmly, the same sincere gleam in his eyes. He brushed a hand across her cheeks lovingly, still fighting with himself about the whole ordeal. He was sure he loved her in moments like these. There was no reason for such a beautiful woman to suffer so much.. least of all by Milek's hands. He nodded in reply, leaning in and parting her lips delicately with his tongue, starting another dance of desire.

x|x

"What?" Milek demanded, turning swiftly to face Kira. She'd come to give him the gold Sharazon was paying for her services for the last week, then dared to ask such a question?

Kira paled slightly, regretting her action, repeating her question. "Can a harlot have a...constant lover? Like...someone who comes to see them...but also pays to do so? Could they be together, if they paid for it?"

Milek scowled, wondering if she was starting to fancy the drow who had so graciously paid him two thousand gold to keep Kira pretty much to himself for the past week. "Of course not," he said flatly. "That would get in the way of other services. Harlots do their jobs for gold, not for love. Get such fantasies out of your otherwise empty head."

The dragoness' heart sank as he slapped her, before sending her on her way. She heaved a heavy sigh as she left Milek's quarters. It was pointless to tell Sharazon how she felt about him. If Milek ever discovered it, he would surely stop the drow's visits. She didn't ever want that to happen. She was sure she would die if it ever did. She smiled slightly though, wondering if Sharazon would make an...oath with her. She'd ask him when they met later that night. Maybe it would make her feel just a little better.

x|x

A series of giggling could be heard throughout the night, along with other noises that could be expected from a harlot's room at such times. They did not cease until early hours, when Kira laid atop Sharazon, nuzzling his chest affectionately. Their nights together meant so much to her, and she never wanted it to end. She closed her eyes, thinking upon it before saying anything as he stroked her back.

"Sharazon..." she whispered after so long.

"Hm?" came the drow's reply, his chest rising and falling slowly as he laid there, eyes closed in contentment. He opened his icy eyes soon after to look at Kira as she spoke, smiling lovingly.

"I don't think I could ever continue this life without you now..." she continued. "You've made everything so wonderful for me. I can actually smile and mean it. I can go about my duties without a care...I don't even mind pleasuring others so much, all because of you." Kira opened her eyes and shuffled closer to his face, cupping it in her hands and stroking the baby smooth flesh tenderly, before kissing him. 'I don't want to lose that...I don't want to lose you; ever.' She pulled back with silver glistening in the corners of her erubescent eyes. "I don't want to be alone again..." she whispered. "Not even in death."

Sharazon's expression softened as the dragoness continued. "If you ever died, Sharazon, I would follow you the moment I knew..." She offered him a sad smile. "Would you follow me? So that we could have this forever?"

The question caught the drow slightly off guard, but offered an adoring smile, nonetheless. He shifted under the woman, easing back her dual coloured tresses tenderly, while keeping his eyes upon her own for as long as he could, blinking whenever the dryness became unbearable. "You should know the answer to that already, Poppet," he replied in a hushed whisper, brushing away the silver tears that threatened to spill with a content sigh.

"You know briefly of my past.. How I lost the one I thought was my soulmate.." He paused, wondering how far he should go, before pushing such fears aside. "I see now, that she could never compare to you.. And I'm not trying to make this sound like a competition, or anything.. it's just..." He gave an uneasy chuckle, shaking his metallic tresses out of his face slightly. "I love you, Kira; more than I ever loved Helen. I couldn't bear the pain of losing someone else I cared for, as deeply as I care for you..."

He reached out, grasping one of her hands gingerly, giving it a reassuring squeeze. "I'd do anything to protect you, Kira.. If you fell to shadow before me, then yes.. I would follow you, to see you in the afterlife."

The dragoness' heart must have leaped a mile upon hearing Sharazon's words, since newfound tears found their way down her cheeks as she hugged him tightly. 'I can't tell him...' she thought to herself. 'Milek will know and he'll take him way from me...' She smiled despite her thoughts and nodded, touched beyond belief by his words.

She knew of his other lover; who had been tainted, and died from a disease in her mind, then brought back. They'd been happy for several years, saving up all the gold they were able to obtain, which was quite the hefty load. Of course, tragedy struck, and the woman had been murdered, which was why he kept a wedding band attached to his collar. After he had suffered his loss, he had gone to the male brothel he'd mentioned, saving even more money from that. After a few years, he started to wander about before finding her. To be thought of as so precious was truly an honor to Kira.

"You're the most wonderful man I have ever met, Sharazon," she whispered after a long moment. "It would truly be a blessing to be with you in life and in death."

x|x

A few more weeks passed the tavern; nights of screams and joy that Kira had come quite accustomed to by that time. Sharazon and herself had started sharing many things with one another by then. Things they would have never thought of sharing with anyone. Kira told Sharazon about Malise, therefore revealing fully the reason why she had become a harlot. Sharazon, in turn, told Kira of his past and what he had once been. The two grew closer with each night they spent together, and the notion of children had soon been brought up. The drow explained that he was unable to father a child because it had never happened before. However, the dragoness wished to test this theory.

Kira had gone into Milek's quarters with all the other harlots. They were given a tonic each week to keep them from getting pregnant. However, the dragoness wouldn't take it this week. The moment Milek turned his back, she dropped the vile in her corset, between her breasts, where it couldn't be seen. He'd think she took it, and she'd dispose of it later.

Meanwhile, Milek had been watching Kira and Sharazon closely, and didn't like what he'd seen. The dragoness seemed happier since Sharazon's crazed purchasing of her services. Less men ravaged her in the tavern because Sharazon always kept them at bay, depriving him of gold. He knew for a fact that his prized harlot had fallen for the halfbreed. He also knew that Sharazon felt the same way, and, as wonderful as the gold was, he was in danger of losing Kira. Eventually, Sharazon would find a way to escape with her. He'd rather be rid of Sharazon, than to lose the haul Kira got altogether. So, he decided that, when Sharazon next came to purchase Kira's company, he would not allow it.

x|x

That night, Kira hummed dreamily as she tidied up. She'd chosen elegant wear for that night, even though it'd soon be on the floor. She was so elated though, that she didn't care. What she wore was a velvet, ebony dress. The top was a corset and the bottom belled out about her knees. She wore black fishnets and velvet shoes as well, which were also black. She didn't pay attention to her scars anymore, because Sharazon made her feel so good about herself, they didn't bother her.

When the door opened, she walked toward the drow immediately, pouncing on him, and wrapping her legs tightly about his waist. Her erubescent gaze sparkled with excitement as she welcomed him with a kiss, nipping his lower lip affectionately. "I have...something to tell you..." she said, smiling dreamily as she rained nips all across Sharazon's shoulders.

The drow chuckled at Kira's antics, but had come to expect as much from her. Every time he came to see her, she got overly excited. It was really quite adorable. He eased the door shut with his foot, grasping Kira's form tightly against his own as he walked into the room, tilting his head back every so often from her show of affection. "And what is that, hm? You've discovered a new game?"

The dragoness giggled giddily, shaking her head. "No...but, you know...when you said you thought you were...broken?" She giggled again; it still sounded so funny to her.

Sharazon arched a single brow and smirked slightly. "Yes...Why does that have you so excited?"

Kira bit down on her lower lip to suppress her grin. "I don't believe that, so I want to test it. I didn't take my tonic today."

Sharazon again arched a brow curiously, craning his neck to the right as he kept steady eye contact with Kira. "Are you sure that's a wise idea, Poppet?" He bit down on his own lower lip for a moment, sitting down upon the bed, and pulling her into him by her hips. "I mean, I'd be elated to prove, or disprove my 'broken-ness'.. but, I don't know if it's the right time. What would Milek think, hm?"

The dragoness' excitement faltered as she thought about that, burying her face into Sharazon's shoulder and closing her eyes. She hadn't thought of it earlier. She'd only wanted to prove to him that he could have children...and she wanted to be the one to carry his child. She looked up into Sharazon's arctic eyes soon after and smiled hopefully. "You'd protect us. We could find a way to remove these tattoos...and then we could escape from here to have our family! It'll take months for it to be noticeable, won't it? You could purchase me more often, so no one else could have me...and it'll be alright."

"It won't be that easy," Sharazon replied, allowing his palms to run across her legs soothingly. He smiled warmly, chuckling once more. "I wouldn't let anything happen to you, nor our child.. but I can't promise it will work out that way. Milek is already giving me hell for seeing you as much as I am. He can't do anything about it, since I pay.. but, he is wary."

The drow sighed softly, kissing the dragoness longingly a moment later. His eyelids fluttered shut over his icy optics, resting his brow against her own as he pulled away. "It is your choice, however. I would love to be a father.. especially if that child was ours."

Kira's heart sank, and she wondered how much longer their plan could last. Perhaps Sharazon was right. Having a child now wasn't very wise. Perhaps her expectations were far too high. "...I still have the tonic," she whispered sadly. "I'll take it if you want me to."

Sharazon shook his head slightly, giving the dragoness a pained smile. He cupped her chin delicately, making eye contact with her once again. "It's not that I don't want to, Poppet.. Trust me, I do, and I'm honored that you've given me the chance to father your child..." He kissed her lips delicately, leaving his brow against hers. "Don't take the tonic.. We'll figure something out. This means too much to me to let Milek destroy it.."

The dragoness blinked away the tears that had been surfacing, her heart leaping in her chest before throwing her arms around his neck, knocking him back on the bed. "I want to have your child...more than anything else, Sharazon." She was absolutely elated, trying not to squeal and bounce about childishly. "I'd have no other man father my child."

Chuckling softly, the drow wrapped his arms around Kira's waist loosely. He smiled, easing back her dual coloured tresses slowly, tucking the loose tendrils behind her ears. "And I'd rather no one else mother my child, Kira.. You don't know what this means to me." He leaned up to kiss her lips, his fingertips roaming across her back lightly.

x|x

"She's busy with another customer," Milek said, smirking smugly. "You'll have to come back another time."

Sharazon stood there blankly, unable to react for a moment, before clenching one of his hands into a fist. "What? You KNOW I always come here at this time! My gold not good enough for you anymore, Mil?" He smirked, trying his best to play it off as if he was pissed about being cheated. He was really just concerned for Kira. After all, she could've been with child by then. Now, Milek was telling him she was with another man!

Milek grinned widely, chuckling. "Five weeks straight, Sharazon, you've had that girl. I'm surprised you're not sick of her yet. You don't usually stay with one harlot for any length of time. Is she really THAT good?"

A low rumble sounded within the drow's chest. He did his best to regain his composure, however, before speaking once more. "What if she is, hm? Isn't my gold good enough for someone like you; with his head stuck so far up his ass?" He gave a mischievous grin. "Guess not, hm?" he blew Milek a kiss, winking playfully. "Later, darling." With that said, he stormed out, trying to figure out what he should do now.

x|x

Half dried trails shined upon Kira's ashen face in the pale light of Milek's dungeon, where she hung nude, a foot from the floor by her wrists, in chains. He'd found out about her love for Sharazon, and his lover for her. He'd realized it a while ago, he'd told her, before he went up to deal with another customer. She didn't know what Milek had planned, but she feared the worst. She didn't care what he did to her though, as long as he didn't harm Sharazon. Even if she never saw him again, she didn't care.

The dragoness suddenly felt a sudden burning sensation come across her bare back, and she cried out, squeezing her eyes shut tight. That had always been Milek's greeting when he returned to the dungeon.

"Hello, darling. How are you holding up?" Milek said softly as he recoiled his whip, revelling in Kira's shivering form.

Kira remained silent. Speaking would do nothing but bring her another beating.

Milek smirked wickedly as he made his way behind the dragoness, grabbing her mound and pulling her tightly against his body. "Your drow came to purchase you again tonight, Precious...but I've decided to keep you all to myself. Do you know what else I decided to do?"

The dragoness fought off trying to pull away, squeezing her eyelids even tighter against her crimson optics. She felt him let go of her lower regions and step away, but she didn't dare relax. Sure enough, another lash came down against her back. She lurched forward, crying out in agony. "NO!" she screamed in reply, new wet trails adorning her cheeks. She could feel the lifeblood bubbling to the surface of her flesh and shivered, letting out a half silent sob.

Milek chuckled silently, grinning wickedly as he watched her, his pants rising in a tell tale sign of arousal. He walked back to her, his lips coming in close to Kira's ear, humid breath lapping against her flesh in heavy pants. He grinned again when she trembled in disgust. "I decided that this little romance of yours was sickening. Do you know what I did to stop it?"

Again, her silence was the answer presented, so he turned her sharply, causing her long tresses to circle about her frail form elegantly. He grabbed them shortly after, jerking her head back. "Answer me, darling," he whispered lowly.

Kira whimpered as her cheeks continued to flood with her own tears. She'd lost her voice, and didn't care to answer him anyway. She didn't want to know what he had done, and yet she had to. Not only because he would tell her regardless, but because she loved Sharazon. She needed to know what had happened to him. She wouldn't have been so helpless if she still had Malise, since the five years of torture without Malise had weakened her. Perhaps she'd been better off with the demoness, but it was far too late for that now.

Milek growled irritably before he backed away and kicked her squarely in the stomach.

The dragoness merely cried out again, biting her lip hard enough to make it bleed. She grew panicked when the pain in her abdomen did not fade, but sent shocks through her lower regions. Her mind whirled around the pain, trying to figure out why it was so unbearable. She started to feel disoriented before a realization suddenly hit her once Milek frowned and forced his hand between her thighs. When he pulled out his hand, it was covered in blood. The flood that washed down her face fell as a torrential storm. She'd been pregnant, and that bastard had caused her to miscarriage.

Milek's lips twitched to smirk in amusement as he watched the realization light up Kira's eyes. "You didn't take the tonic," he remarked. "Well, I suppose now, you've lost both the wretched child you and the halfbreed had created, PLUS the halfbreed!"

Kira's attention snapped from her child's murder when she heard Milek's words. She tasted blood from her lip before shutting her eyes once more, clenching her hands over the chains until her knuckles turned white. She said nothing; she couldn't have, even if she had wanted to.

Milek chuckled again as he watched her. "He was such a pain, that one. Wonderfully large pocket when it came to gold, but too troublesome. So..." he dropped his pants, slamming Kira into a wall. He rubbed himself against her roughly as he leaned in close to her ear, slamming into her bleeding entrance mercilessly as he whispered, "I killed him."

Kira's next scream didn't come from her violation. Something had broken inside; not just her heart, but her soul. Sharazon was gone. He would never come to her room again, never smile at her, never take her in ways that made her scream out in utter ecstasy. All that was left for her was the endless pounding that she had grown accustomed to before the drow had ever graced her life. The one man who had shown her what life could be had been ripped away from her by the one man that caused her suffering.

In the time that Sharazon had blessed her with his presence, she had felt utter joy. He'd shown her love, passion, and euphoria. He'd shown her that life wasn't all pain. He'd shown her how to live, and how to smile for real. He'd given her so much of herself, and even a precious life; a child. However, all in one moment, everything had been torn away from her. Everything she had ever dreamed had been scorched to ashes. Her heart had turned to dust, and her soul, once again, rotted away. Nothing in the world could have given her more pain, than the loss of such precious lives.

Sharazon had saved her life in many more ways than just one. He had given her everything she'd always longed for, even freedom; the freedom to choose. He'd given her the privilege of choice, something she'd lost long ago. Now? Everything was gone. Her precious babe brutally murdered...along with his or her father. With every thrust Milek slammed into her fragile flesh, she felt a part of herself fall away. Eventually, her eyes dried up and there were no more tears for her to cry. She hung there limply as she was driven back into the brick wall. And still, she could not feel it. Her grief had struck her numb. She felt lifeless.

Time seemed meaningless in those moments. The dragoness was unaware of when Milek had grown bored with raping her. She only heard him say, "Let this be a lesson, Precious, that no matter what you do, or how you or anyone else feels...you are shackled. You are mine, and you cannot escape." The words stung only slightly. It didn't matter anymore.

She didn't know how long it'd been before he'd dropped her in a heap on her bedroom floor, nor how long she laid there, motionless. She couldn't have known how long it was that her memories of Sharazon in that room haunted her. She didn't notice the flood of tears wetting her dried cheeks, or how long they lasted. She wasn't even aware of her screams, or how badly her claws tore into her arms. All she was aware of, was one sentence ringing in her mind; something she had said to Sharazon four weeks before.

"If you ever died, Sharazon, I would follow you the moment I knew..."

With that one sentence repeating in Kira's mind, the dragoness forced herself to her feet. She felt the pain in her body, but she didn't care. None of it mattered. She was dead, and cold inside. Worst of all, she was alone. She would never open her eyes to see the face of the man she loved again. There was nothing left for her there.

So, with her eyes wide open and completely sane in making her decision, she opened up her box of toys, pulling out a silken rope made for bondage. She tied it to a metal bar upon the ceiling, used for exercising. Then, she took a stool from her closet, used to reach the top shelves. She stood upon it, looking out blankly in front of her as she tied the rope around her neck before stepping off.

x|x

Sharazon had decided to wait for a few hours before seeing Kira. He figured that he should wait until he was sure whatever man she was with was asleep, before going in. He didn't care about Milek anymore. He planned to take Kira and leave, no matter what the cost. They'd find some way to be rid of the tattoos upon her wrists in their travels, and then they could finally be happy. They could finally have what they'd always wanted, and perhaps even raise a family.

The drow didn't bother trying to sneak in. He opened the bedroom door, stepping inside without a moment's hesitation. It was dark, but he could see fairly well. However, what he saw was something that made him want to believe he was wrong; that his eyes were playing tricks, or that he couldn't make out anything. That Kira was safely tucked away in her bed with another man, and not hanging nude from the ceiling with a rope tied tightly around her neck.

Sharazon practically flew over to the woman, cutting her down with the sword belted to his hip that had long been out of use, and falling to the floor with her held tightly in his arms. She was stone cold and pallid. Her arms and back were torn up gruesomely, and lifeblood stained her inner thighs. The drow could hardly contain his grief as bitter tears washed over his dark features.

"Why did you do it, Kira? What made you do it!?" he asked in a hushed whisper, rocking her gently with his body as he continued to cry. "What the FUCK made you DO it!?" he screamed.

He gingerly let his hands run down her frail form, parting her legs to see the damage. She'd been raped again...Was that why? No, it couldn't have been. It couldn't have been the reason when she knew he could fix it, unless... A vicious growl erupted from the drow's throat as he thought of Milek. He'd told her something to make her do this. He'd done something to her to make her believe she'd never see him again. That had to be it! What else could it have been?

Abruptly, Sharazon stood up, picking the dragoness' body up in his arms and laying her gently down upon her bed. He'd made an oath with her a while back, and he would hold true to it, but there was something that needed to be done first. Milek had to pay.

x|x

Milek was just about ready to start training yet another girl he'd brought in when he heard the door to his quarters being kicked in. He arched an eyebrow as he turned to see the commotion, only to be slammed into the wall behind him before his mind could register much of anything. That was until he saw a pair of arctic eyes that flashed violet, and heard a low, dangerous growl. He was being held by the throat, and it was rather uncomfortable. "Sharazon," Milek said in a strained voice that would have sounded relaxed if the breath wasn't being squeezed out of him. "Any reason why you feel the need to threaten me?" He managed a cocky smirk.

Sharazon slammed Milek into the wall once more, his teeth gritted painfully as he seethed with anger. "She's DEAD!" he screamed. "And YOU'RE to blame!"

Milek's brows disappeared under his sandy hair. "I didn't kill her," he blurted out. He frowned, wondering how he could find such a woman again. He didn't like the fact that he'd lost his most prized harlot to death.

The drow squeezed Milek's throat harder. "What DID you do, hm? What did you do to her to make her do it?"

Milek closed his eyes calmly. "If...you...want me to...tell you...you need...to...let me...breathe..."

Sharazon loosened his hold slightly. "Tell me."

Milek smirked slightly, his eyes still closed. "I had her chained up in my basement when you came to purchase her services." He felt the grip tighten slightly, accompanied with another growl. "I told her I killed you." The grip tightened further; he stopped until it was loosened. "I knew how close you were with her. I couldn't allow it." He grinned slightly, opening his eyes to give Sharazon an amused sort of look. "I didn't know she was pregnant at the time."

As soon as those words spilled from Milek's lips, Sharazon saw red. No coherent thought ran through his mind. All he knew, was that this man had murdered his and Kira's child. That was all the drow needed to know. His free hand reached to plunge into Milek's gut to pull out everything from inside, but he never got that far.

Milek's grin widened, his emerald eyes glowing with an eerie light before a soft green light enveloped him. It filled the entire room, throwing Sharazon to the other side and right through the wooden wall. "Blind rage will get you nowhere, Sharazon," he whispered. "You underestimate me. All because of you, my prized harlot is dead. Getting rid of you will bring me great pleasure. A pathetic halfbreed could never match my power."

Sharazon's head reeled with a painful throb, but he did not fail to hear Milek's words. They angered him much further, but he managed to keep his head about him this time. He hated to be reminded that he was a halfbreed, but he would not let that blind his senses. Slowly, the drow pushed himself to his feet, drawing his sword, Meriki, once more. He would succeed in doing this, no matter what. Kira's death and suffering would be avenged, and the harlots Milek kept would be set free, if it was the last thing he did.

Milek was chuckling as he watched the drow stagger to his feet, heaving a dramatic sigh. "Couldn't just stay down, could you?"

Sharazon charged at him, letting out a sort of battle cry as he did so. However, his sword seemed to go right through the man, and he realized why a moment later when he was slammed into the floor from behind. He was up in another moment, however, and twisted, slashing Milek in the side before the man could pull another one of his tricks.

Milek let out a cry of both pain and rage, punching the drow square in the face, sending him into another wall.

Sharazon shook his head, groaning as he wobbled to his feet, regaining himself once more, only to be kicked in the chest, and knocked back into another wall.

Milek was grinning wickedly throughout all of this, walking up to Sharazon's fallen form slowly. "It's been fun, darling," he hissed to the drow in a mocking tone. "But I really must be finishing you off now. I have other business to attend to. Another girl must be trained to take Kira's place."

A bright, green orb formed in Milek's right hand, growing larger and brighter with every second. When it was as large as a fully grown pumpkin might be, he hurled it at the drow.

The drow might have been killed by that orb, but upon hearing Milek's words, lavender again flashed brightly within Sharazon's eyes. Another Kira? Another girl to grow bitter and hateful toward the world around her, all because of the life she was forced to lead? Another girl to be continuously mistreated? To be raped, hurt, violated, and tortured, just as the woman he had come to love so deeply had been? No; never again.

At the last second, Sharazon rose Meriki in front of him, deflecting the orb of green energy back at Milek. The man was obviously surprised, having no time to react before his own power ate away at his face, leaving a very gruesome burn. Sharazon wouldn't leave it there though. This man deserved much worse for what he put so many poor girls through. Slowly, the drow walked over to Milek, grabbing him by the throat once more.

Milek said nothing; only looked at the drow with utter fear in what remained of his face. The drow didn't care though. He wanted to maim Milek deeper than any blade could.

"I lost one woman I loved long ago, due to my own sadistic cravings. I broke her, and because of that, her frail body could no longer keep her alive. However...whatever Deities that watch over this world took pity upon us, and she was given back to me...only to be taken from me again."

Sharazon paused for a moment as a mist covered his eyes, his words taking over his own emotions as he continued in a broken voice. "Then, when it seemed as if I'd never find anyone else who could replace my anguish, I met another. A woman who had yet to become broken...until after meeting me. Perhaps that's my fate; to meet and break women, intentional or not. It doesn't really matter in the end, anyway.. After everything I put her through, after everything I wished to say, but never could.. one truth shall remain. I love Kira, and even though I may have momentarily broken her spirit, it was only in hopes that I would later be able to set her free...to free her of the shackles you forced her to wear and really show her what happiness truly was..."

He closed his eyes painfully, before tightening his hold upon Milek's throat, opening his eyes once more to glare at him, the violet flashing over lazuline once more. "And YOU took that away...from BOTH of us! No worries though....because, soon, you will never be able to hurt another woman like her again..."

With that said, he backed away from Milek before cutting his chest with Meriki, right down to his stomach. That done, Sharazon ripped out every organ Milek had, leaving the gore all over the floor. His rage was so great, he held no pity for such a despicable monster; a monster he had once been.

Meanwhile, all around the tavern, the harlots there felt a dull burn upon their wrists where their tattoos resided. Each looked down in concern, and each were shocked to see the enchanted shackles upon their lives disappear from their flesh. Milek was dead, and, therefore, so was his magic. They were free.

x|x

Sharazon sat down upon Kira's bed, running his hand over her frozen cheek lovingly, smiling down at her still form. He felt his eyes mist over as he looked upon her beautiful face. It pained him to know that she would never smile in this world again, but it hardly mattered now. Soon, he would join her. He just needed to have one last look at her before he did; one last look at his true lover. The woman who had mothered his child. She was the one that brought such joy in his heart, he could barely contain it at times. She was also the one who's smile could always lighten his mood. In the few weeks they'd had together in this realm, he had done anything he could to see her smile. A simple thing, really, but not anymore. She would never smile in this form again, but he knew that she would once they met in the afterlife. There, his family awaited him, and he would not keep them waiting much longer.

The drow drew Meriki from its hilt once more as he entwined his fingers into Kira's cold ones. He noticed, as well, that the tattoos that represented her shackles had disappeared. It brought a sad smile to his face. In life, she may had been shackled, but, in death, she was finally free. Perhaps, if he had tried killing Milek before, she could have had the life she dreamed of, but it hadn't worked out that way. Sharazon didn't care though. As long as he could be with her again, nothing else mattered. At least, either way, they could finally have the happiness they deserved.

Once steel met flesh that night for the final time, Sharazon did only one other thing. Upon his last, dying breath, he pulled Kira's body into his arms, her own arms securely tucked in between them both, as if she were just sleeping in his arms after a night of passion. The only tell tale sign that not all was as it seemed, was the blood that had been spilled over their bodies.