Cthulhurotica

Madison Woods DADDY’S GIRL

Whack!

A quick look confirmed what I already knew. Dammit. Angry welts on the back of my thigh reddened while I watched.

“I told you not to do that again! Don’t you remember?” Of course Theo wouldn’t remember. He never remembered. And neither did I. If I had, I would have known better than to stand within slapping distance of his cage.

A cold tentacle reached out tentatively, touched my inner ankle. Finding no reprisal it climbed a little higher, skittering to the back of my knee and slowly inched upward to thigh height. He paused.

“I know what you’re doing. It won’t work, so stop it,” I told him. Reaching down, I lifted the tip of it off my leg and fingered the raised welts from his initial greeting. Saucers underneath his fleshy arm flexed, sought purchase but failed as I stepped backwards and slipped from his grasp.

A wail ruptured from the cave and he pulled his arm back into the shadows.

“I know. Give me a little time and I’ll find someone. Maybe by this afternoon, okay?” He wouldn’t remain manageable much longer if I didn’t allow him a little release soon. Again his tentacle reached out and snaked around my ankle. Tenderly. No grabbing. No slapping. No welts.

My resolve weakened.

“Do you think you can take it easy?” I asked. Compliant rumbles reached my ear. He’d been able to maintain control before, and the results were pleasing for both of us. But that was a long time ago, before his long captivity. Being caged for the last eight months had done something to him, made him unpredictable. He didn’t even have fully formed saucers when we found him. I didn’t know if I could trust him now. Even as the tip of his tentacle crept higher, inching around and up my thigh, closer toward the sensitive flower he sought, his saucers grew more rigid and his grip tighter.

He couldn’t do it.

This time, prying him off was not so easy. He resisted and I had to use both hands.

“Get. Off!”

I twisted, but he’d grown stronger since the last time I’d allowed this much advance. His saucers dug into my leg and it hurt. “Damn you, I said… Let… go!”

Instinct was to keep prying and stay focused on that aspect. Logic insisted I turn the opposite direction of the winding, but it was hard to remember that when I saw the blood seeping from under his saucers. Especially hard to think he purposely dug even deeper as I sought freedom from his grasp.

During my schooling, the instructor made me repeat the releasing exercises until they were ingrained to memory. I’d hated the boredom of it. Well, the effort finally paid off, and I turned automatically in the correct direction. Sucking in a sharp breath as the pain intensified momentarily, I was finally free and able to back up to a safe distance.

Blood streamed from the saucer-cuts and pooled beneath my left foot. I shook with anger and fear at how close I’d let him get. Never again. It was time to seek new prey for Theo to work out his needs on. I’d take my pleasure from the ones who’d already learned to wield their power.

Surveying the damage while I fumed, I contemplated my next move. It’d be gratifying to kill the ungrateful beast now, but if I did that, there’d be a penalty to pay. Daddy’s anger would likely lead to a more severe punishment than the injuries I’d just received.

Footfalls crunched gravel on the path. Who would that be at this hour? A glance revealed Asynn, Daddy’s newest page and pet, slowing down in her approach as she noticed my stance and the blood.

“Mistress Milleu, you’re wanted in your father’s den.” She looked closer at my leg and looked back at me with a smirk. “You’ll probably want to hurry. I’ll tell him you’re coming.”

Smart ass.

I didn’t say that. But she’d know I’d not directly disobey a summons from Daddy. No one in their right mind would, and being his only daughter didn’t grant me any immunity. It was the beast’s blood that ran with his, although his human ancestry was just as cruel. Chthonic monsters and greed-driven slave traders. Not much compassion in the genes either way, I guessed.

By the time I reached the dark cavern at the water’s edge where he spent most of his time, Daddy was fairly mad. The ground beneath me vibrated to the rhythm of his growls. It didn’t matter that I was his kindred; he expected prompt responses to his orders. Always.

The door was open a crack, probably left that way when Asynn went through because she thought I’d be close on her heels. I never knew my mother, but I suspect I’d inherited some of her defiance. Maybe he’d tell me what he wanted without my having to go all the way inside. His den suited him, but it made me nervous. The gray stone walls sweated, leaving salt trails behind as one seep dried and another began somewhere else. Damp and cool, it smelled of rotten ship hulls and moldering seaweed.

“Daddy, you called?”

The walls rattled when he yelled, turning my name into a threat. “Milleu! Now!” Of course.

Just peeking through the cracked opening wasn’t going to be close enough for him. I swallowed my distaste, slipped in and closed the door behind me. With as humble a demeanor as I could muster, I approached. He growled again and the desk he sat behind danced, spilling papers that Asynn frantically gathered while avoiding becoming a casualty to the flaying tentacles. The girl gave me a stern look as she got the rest of the papers and backed to the far side of the room.

Sniveling idiot. She’d be bait soon and didn’t even know it, ego too inflated to question the process.

“Yes Father, you called?” It wouldn’t do any good to attempt bravado. Using the more formal paternal title would stroke his tentacled ego. I knew his ways and open defiance was a straight ride to the pens, daughter or no. I scratched the back of my neck and waited. He’d want to think I was nervous, afraid even. Avoiding eye contact was the best course of action when he looked for a fight.

Daddy motioned impatiently to Asynn for the stack of papers. He grabbed the top one off the stack and shoved the rest back to her.

“This chthonic you’ve been working with, Theo. Is he ready yet to be traded?”

Answer too quickly and he’d think I lied. Take too long and he’d think it took me too long to think of a lie. I took a deep breath and fingered the uppermost welt on the back of my thigh.

“No father, he’s recently become irritable. I think it’s time—”

“Then make him ready. You’ve got one month. The Lady Bertain would like him to entertain her guests at her next Solstice party. She wants them to leave pleasured, not butchered, and she’s paid a hefty sum to see to it they do. Now leave,” he rumbled with slightly less decibels than when I’d entered. A good sign. It didn’t matter what I’d answered, he already had his response prepared. And I had my work cut out for me.

Before we could begin, though, I needed an assistant. It wouldn’t do any good at all to get myself injured in this training process.

“Father, one favor before I go, please…”

He looked at me and I glanced toward Asynn.

“May I have your page for my assistant?”

To see the color drain from her face was worth the risk I had taken. It was priceless. Even if he didn’t consent, the effect of my request on her was all I’d hoped it would be.

“She’s of age,” I ventured, enjoying her discomfort far more than I’d anticipated.

He rumbled, a low growl that indicated that he was ruminating the idea, probably considering his investment versus the possible gain the deal could bring. I smiled so that she could see, but quickly restored a solemn face for dear Daddy.

Asynn stood stock-still. Her skin had gone so white I wondered if she might fall to the floor at his feet any second to beg for mercy. If she made such a weak move, she would prove to be more stupid than I’d thought.

“Her loss is acceptable to me, on the condition that you return her to my service if she’s able. I’d prefer not to have to train another, but for a month I can get by without her,” he agreed.

“Come Asynn,” I said gently as I gestured toward the open the door. Still in shock, she placed the last stack of papers on the corner of his desk and walked with me toward the stairs.

“We’ll get started right away,” I told her. “There’s not a lot of time, and you’ve got a lot to learn.”

As soon as we reached the enclosure, Theo snaked out a tentacle in greeting, rumbling with excitement. He smelled her fear. His enthusiasm wasn’t a good thing, but Asynn didn’t know that.

“First thing,” I reached down and picked up his tentacle, resisted letting him pull me closer and showed it to Asynn.

“See these?” I pointed to the saucer-shaped suction cups. She nodded, still white but at least attentive. Still, she didn’t seem to want to engage.

“Here,” I took her hand and made her touch them. “If you’re not careful, you’re going to look like you’ve been shredded through a grater. There’s a way to do this. Watch.”

Wide-eyed she watched as I took the tip of his tentacle and sucked it gently. Instantly Theo relaxed and quit trying to pull me toward his pen. The sounds rumbling from inside were decidedly different now, and less threatening. Indeed, he was pleased.

“You try it now,” I passed it to her. She swayed and I thought she might really pass out. My robust laughter snapped her out of it and her eyes flashed.

I realized at that moment she wasn’t so different from the beasts.

They were all trainable.

“I can’t”, she said.

I resisted the urge to snap at her. The willful ones needed a gentle touch.

“The first time, you’ll watch me,” I told her. “The next time, we’ll do it together.”