Whispered Promises
Seeing him triggered memories of his abuse when she was younger, and she suddenly found herself struggling to breathe.
“Ah, yes,” Holloway said, obviously pleased by her reaction. “Darius wouldn’t be where he is today if it weren’t for me.”
“Friends!” Holloway shouted gleefully beside her, “The time has come.”
Holloway led Brie down the hall to a large room lined with chairs. She bit her lip to hold back her scream when she saw Mary, dressed in the same garment, bound face-first to a St Andrew’s cross in the center of the room.
People flooded in, chatting excitedly as they took their seats.
Holloway leaned over to Brie and whispered, “The time has come for your education, songbird.”
Dread washed over Brie as she watched Venom stand beside the cross and take off his shirt. She stared at the large tattoo of the cobra that coiled around his body. It looked to Brie as if the cobra was about to strike her dead.
It was grotesquely fascinating because it was a perfect match to the menacing aura he gave off.
Brie whimpered when Venom picked up a studded whip and approached Mary. He ripped at the thin material of Mary’s garment to expose her back.
Venom then lightly grazed his hand over her pristine skin and turned to Brie, stating in an authoritative tone, “Every action has an equal and opposite reaction.”
She watched in horror as he took his stance behind Mary and raised the evil-looking whip.
“Stop!” Brie cried when he raised the whip to strike. “I’m the one who should be punished.”
Mary jerked in her chains when she heard Brie’s voice.
Venom turned his head, saying with a cruel smile. “So, you want to add one more?”
Brie covered her mouth with both her hands, realizing her outburst had just cost Mary another lash.
Holloway left Brie’s side and slowly walked around the cross as he told her, “I know how you tick, songbird. You’ve spent your whole life making connections with people, attempting to build a ‘family’ of sorts.” He reached out and stroked Mary’s blonde hair. “You even managed to win over my most prized possession.”
He looked back at Brie. “Of course, I could have Venom punish you for everything you’ve done, but…” Holloway’s gaze bore into her when he added, “I know you.”
Glancing at Mary again, he smiled. “You will feel every lash she takes as if it were cutting your own skin. But it will hurt even more because she will be taking the punishment meant for you.”
Tears ran down Brie’s face, helpless to stop what was about to happen.
Venom resumed his position behind Mary and pulled back his arm. “The first one is for speaking without permission.” Brie watched in horror as the tails whipped through the air. The sickening sound of the metal studs making contact with Mary’s skin filled the air. Somehow, Mary held back her screams and didn’t make a sound.
“The second is refusing a command.”
She silently cried out as Mary took another powerful lash that made the chains rattle. Sinking to the floor, Brie sobbed as she watched the welts swell on Mary’s back as blood slowly trickled down.
Holloway held up his hand to stop Venom, and asked Brie, “What would you do to spare her?”
She immediately rushed to Holloway and bowed low at his feet, crushing her forehead against the floor. “Let me take my punishment. I beg you to spare Mary.”
He chuckled angrily. “I thought you said you would never beg to ‘the likes of me’.”
Brie choked back her tears. “I was wrong.”
“You were wrong about so many things, songbird.” Holloway waved his hand in the air dismissively and said to Venom, “Continue.”
A few seconds later, Brie heard Venom call out, “This is for not obeying fast enough to a command.”
Holloway pulled Brie to her feet and forced her to watch as Mary received the next lash. She knew that particular lash was for her hesitation when Venom had ordered her out of the cage.
I’m so sorry, Mary…