Free Nawashi by Gray Miller Page B

his thigh. “Elyse and
I tried to be vanilla, what, dear, four separate times during our
relationship? We would throw away the shackles, rip up—oh, on one
occasion, we actually burned them—all our copies of Skin Two and
the Beauty books. We’d decide that this time we would meditate, do
yoga, try scrapbooking, anything to keep our filthy minds from
going back to that degrading nasty habit… ”
    Elyse laughed and tousled her
husband’s hair, dyed a bright blue and contrasting with her
brilliant gold and purple locks. “Well, you did, dear, you were always the
stronger one. Me, I had a stash, always. And so,” she turned back
to Brian, “the pain of being in full lotus began to feel sweet, the
yoga began to be nude and pushing past the point of comfort, the
scrapbooks started becoming lined with black leather with little
chains bounding each of the pictures… and then one night it would
all come to a head, and he’d be happily spanking my ass while I
screamed and loved every minute of it. For some,” she looked at Ada
on the floor, who nodded, “it’s just a spice, an occasional foray
into their darker side. But for some of us, the darker side is not
a side that we can ever get away from, it is too much a part of us.
It is just the way our motherboards are wired.”
Ada nodded. “I don’t share that path with you—my
path has more peaceful means to power—but I understand and even on
occasion enjoy—“ her eyes flashed for a moment to Sullivan, who
grinned ferally back at her, “—playing with those who do follow it.
And as my calling is that of a healer, I have some understanding of
it.”
“The Mark that Vashte has put on you, combined with
your natural affinity with the ropes, has put you in the delicate
situation of being too powerful for your own good. As you’ve felt,
the power tends to run wild; as such, you become both a beacon for
those who would like to either utilize or destroy it.”
Brian frowned. “It’s really that cut and dried?
Couldn’t I reason with them somehow, or find a way to play that
would keep the power from growing within me, or something?” He
paused, trying to control the quaver in his voice. “Is my life
going to always be like this?”
Sullivan gave his shoulder another squeeze, and
Brian looked up at him, and was surprised at the serious expression
there. “Aye, Bucko, likelihood is it will be. What’s worse is that
it’s not like we’re organized or able to offer you any kind of
security. Sure, we’ve managed to save your bacon here, but for the
most part? It is just a ragtag group of people who happen to share
both a dislike for the system and the ability to manipulate power
of one sort or another. That’s all.”
“But… you all seemed so capable of taking care of
what went wrong today. You found healers,” he gave a squeeze to
Elyse’s hand on his thigh, “and Ada, you found me in the, the…
torture tower?”
    Ada sighed. “Brian… no, I didn’t
find you. You led us to you. You and that rope. It was like a
beacon, and I only noticed it because… well, because some forces I
work with would not let me ignore it. And Elyse and Alan are
wonderful, yes… but I didn’t call them with my mind.” Sullivan
looked up suddenly with a grinning muttered“ I knew it!” which she ignored. “They
were called last week to come over for tea with me this afternoon.
It just so happened that they were to arrive right after you showed
up on my rug… so I simply let things take their course.” She looked
a little embarrassed. “Normally I eschew such theatrics, but
Sullivan, the Rascal, tends to bring it out in people.”
“So no, there really isn’t any support system.
We’re just a bunch of different people who sometimes help each
other, sometimes do stupid things like what Vashte did to you, and
sometimes just get lucky. I’m sorry, Brian, but that’s the lot
you’ve thrown in with.”
Brian looked at her for a moment, and said, very
quietly, “What