Sunshine moaned as she started to regain consciousness. Her entire body ached from head to toe and she could feel deep cuts that sliced through skin and muscle. Tugging on a small bit of Essence, she activated a charm to speed up her healing without even thinking about it. The memories from the thief, though invoked through drugs, brought clarity to the use of her magic. She could feel the energy warming her body, heating her from the inside as the tiny scratches and cuts started to heal.
Sweat dripped from her brow and plunged down her neck. She opened her mouth around the rope gag and gasped for breath. Then, with all the effort she could muster, she worked at opening one eye.
Light flooded through her cracked eyelid and she gave a whimper that hung in the air for a moment. A blurry figure turned to look at her as it slowly came into focus as a male guard with the Tammis symbol on his chest. The dark brown and yellow looked painful as her eyes focused on it. Then, he turned around to face outside of some tent.
“She’s awake.”
A simple acknowledgment. The guard next to him turned to look at her, his bushy beard moving for a moment, then he shrugged.
“Yep.”
Sunshine rolled her eyes and wiggled in her bounds. She could feel rope tying her wrists together, tight against the small of her back and thrusting her breasts forward. Her knees ached and she shifted her position to sit on the ground and lean her bound legs to the side. It hurt, but not as much as her prior position.
Letting out another soft whimper, she lifted her head and set it against some barrel. Her eyes scanned around her room, taking in the sights of a storage tent and the two guards watching her. They ignored her so she just found a comfortable position and let herself doze, feeling her wounds healing with supernatural speed.
Hours passed before she felt a tension in the room. Cracking open one eye, she watched as the guard’s checked their uniform and stood up in alert position. A shadow stood in front of the tent, then yanked it open. It was a woman with bright red hair and red jade. Sunshine realized it was Ember of the Passionate Flames from Dake’s description, but she felt a pang of jealousy at the statuesque woman who stood in the entrance of the tent. The look of anger and curiosity was plan on the woman’s face. Sunshine’s eyes traced along the scar of the woman, following it and wondering who inflicted her with such an injury.
Sunshine felt a prickle of fear rising up and struggled into a sitting position. Ember slammed her spear into the ground and it slid in nearly a foot before she released it. The spear stood up straight, glinting in the sunlight. Brushing her hair back, the militant woman entered the room without even giving the guards a second look. Striding forward, she squatted down in front of Sunshine.
“I’m told you are the companion of the beastman.”
A statement, not a question. Sunshine pushed herself back, her eyes looking around the room. The dragon-blooded cleared her throat.
“I have little patience for pleasure slaves. Are you willing to speak or should I just let you be delivered to Rattin Grath?”
Sunshine’s blood ran cold at the name of the scavenger lord. A muted whimper escaped her lips as she pushed against the ground, trying to pull back. Ember leaned forward until their faces were almost touching.
“Yes, I know who he is and who you are. It appears that my advisor, Thomas, is greatly interested in handing you over to him. I suspect more than interested, which bothers me almost as much as knowing you travel with beastmen. Hearing that, are you willing to listen now?”
Fighting back the fear, Sunshine nodded. Ember looked her over, then reached up to remove her gag.
One of the guards behind her spoke up.
“Um, madam?”
Her fingertips caressing Sunshine’s check, Ember looked over her shoulder and growled a question.
“Yes?”
“We have orders not to let her speak.”
“By who’s authority?”
“Scion of the White Mountain.”
“Is he here?”
The guard gulped, “No, madam.”
“Then, I’m in charge. I am the commander of the Second Dragon and I am perfectly willing to make that point with the Scion when I meet him. I have questions and the Anathema will give them to me.”
“I-”
“I’m in charge,” repeated Ember of the Passionate Flame.
“Yes, madam.”
Ember’s eyes burned like her namesake as she turned back to Sunshine. Her fingertips stroked along the chin, then she worked the gag open.
“Scion is very fond of gags, you might notice. No doubt for silence but rumors have it that his wife is a screamer.”
Sunshine frowned, not understanding. Ember removed the last of the rope gag and pulled it from her lips and let it fall to her chest.
“Now, I was asking questions. What is your name? Do you still use Hania?”
The young woman tried to remain silent, but something about Ember prompted her to speak, to open her mouth and answer with honesty.
“B-Brilliant Sunshine of the Golden Harvest.”
“A pretty name,” said the dragon-blooded, but there wasn’t affection in her eyes. Instead, she looked piercingly at the solar.
“And your friend, the beastman? Who is he?”
“Dake?”
“Yes, Cleaver of Two Worlds. Where is he from? Where did he learn to fight like that? Is he with you?”
Sunshine wanted to stay silent, but something in the woman’s eyes eased the words from her throat.
“Yes, h-he’s with me.”
“Why?”
“He saved me the people who killed D… a friend.”
“Rattin’s men?”
“I-I think so.”
“What is he doing here?”
“He’s lost,” whimpered Sunshine, “and he wants to go home.”
“I see. What are his plans?”
“He was helping me. To find out who I am. W-We were going to make a map.”
“A map? Of what?”
Sunshine sighed softly, “My memories.”
“Anything else?”
The solar shook her head, “He never spoke of anything else. Just helping me and returning to his home.”
“Any words of an army? More beastmen like him?”
“No.”
She felt very tired speaking and the tears threatened to come. Ember’s words had a strange sound to them, one that encouraged her to speak the truth even to a woman declared her enemy. In a small part of her heart, she could only hope that the fire-haired woman would give her hope. She clutched herself best she could in her binds. Ember watched for a moment and there was a minute relaxing in the hard eyes.
“What are you?”
Sunshine opened her mouth, then felt the tears in her eyes.
“I’m not evil.”
Ember chuckled, “One would disagree with that. According to Thomas, you are a terrible beast that should be bound at all moments, least you charm my wits from me.”
The warrior reached up to rub a thumb against Sunshine’s forehead. The bound woman flinched away but Ember just pulled back her hand casually.
“But, you don’t seem like the anathema of tales. No,” her eyes focused almost through Sunshine, “you seem more like a frightened girl with no clue what is going on.”
Sunshine sobbed and gave a little nod. Ember sighed and drew her hand back.
“I remember that myself. I was imprisoned when I exalted. They threw me in a cistern because they didn’t know what to do with me. Instead, they blamed a beastman raid on me since I burned a third of the village that night. I spent three days in that hole before one of Enduring Strength’s men found me.”
Ember’s lips curled back at the memory. Sunshine stammered softly, pleading with her eyes.
“I-I’m not evil.”
The dragon-blooded pursed her lips.
“We’ll see about that.”
Sunshine watched as she stood up straighter and turned to the guards.
“You two. I know your orders and I’m changing them. Thomas is not enter this tent for any reason. Make sure she had food and water, but gag her if she makes too much noise.”
Sunshine could only stared in shock and confusion. Ember looked over her shoulder at her.
“Don’t think of me as compassionate, Golden Harvest, because I’m not. But, I’m inclined to reward you with comforts for answering my questions than to throw you in a dark pit. Just remember that when you are tempted to eat the hearts of the people feeding you. One wrong step, and you’ll feel my lance piercing your heart before your pretty little face lights up with that demonic brand.”
Sunshine shivered at the hardness of her words and scrunched up against the wall. Ember nodded in approval, then spun on her boots to leave the tent. The solar watched as she snatched up her spear and the flaps of the tent fluttered back into place. She bit back a sob as she stared at the shadows of the woman.
Ember started to walk away, then stopped. Another shadow appeared, of a man.
“Thomas,” came the curt greeting.
“My lady, Ember of the Passionate Flames. I’m just here to inspect the beast to ensure she is properly bound.”
Thomas spoke with a soft, unassuming voice and Sunshine shivered at the threat of his words. Rattin still haunted her dreams and she felt a terrible wound in her heart for Deelia. A tear rolled down her cheek as she watched the shadows.
Ember shook her head as she stepped toward him. The spear drew a line between the two speakers on the fabric of the tent.
“No.”
“No?” came the amused response.
“Rumors have it you are bringing Rattin Garth’s men here directly.”
“It is the will of the Blessed Isle.”
“I’m having trouble believing that.”
“But, it is. I have paperwork to prove-”
“It doesn’t matter, Thomas,” growled Ember, “until we return to the Tammis, you and your men are not to enter the tent. And if I see Rattin’s men in my camp, I will personally throw you and him out of it.”
Thomas said nothing for a moment, then he spoke in a hard voice.
“What authority?”
“Enduring Strength’s.”
“You don’t speak for him.”
Ember cocked her head, “Then I guess we’ll have him speak it for himself. I expect to see you, Rattin, and that girl delivered to him by the time I reach Tammis.”
For a moment, Sunshine could feel the tension in the air between the two. Then, Thomas bowed his head.
“As you wish, my lady.”
They both parted ways and Sunshine let out a tiny gasp of relief. She stared at the shadows against the tent for a long time, unsure of what to do besides wait.
Night came slowly for the young solar, but before she knew it, it was dark and the sounds of crickets filled the air. Sunshine shivered and her stomach rumbled with hunger. She licked her lips and twisted in her bounds. The two different guards stood outside of the tent, waiting for the end of their shift. She saw their shadows flickering on the fabric from a bonfire some distance away.
She looked down her body to where the two ragged rents revealed flawless skin underneath. If it wasn’t for the blood-stained opening, she would have never known she was pierced by spears. A shiver of fear ran down her spine.
Then, the crunch of boots broke her fugue. Looking up, she saw a figure standing next to the guards. Her stomach rumbled in anticipation, the promised food and water from hours ago.
But, it wasn’t food that passed into the hands of the guards. She could hear the clink of coins, then a whispered conversations. Two more shadows showed up and more coins were passed around. Sunshine whimpered softly as the middle man nodded twice, then walked away. The two guards relieved their position to the other two shadows, but instead of walking away, they unsealed the tent and entered.
At the sight of their grins, Sunshine felt very afraid. One of them rubbed his crotch as the other pocketed coins in his pocket.
“Looks like that advisor just paid for your dinner, girl.”
She whimpered.
The second one chuckled, “Don’t worry, we’re going to fill your stomach up real good.”
Sunshine let out a scream and they were on her. She struggled violently, trying to escape them as she felt hands pressing the rope back into her mouth. Clamping her mouth, she tried to keep it out, but they pried open her mouth and gagged her painfully. Her feet kicked out into one of them, but she didn’t have the power to put anything behind it. He just grunted and grabbed it, mauling her leg as he stared at her.
“Now, now, don’t you want something to drink?”
The first guard ran a hand on his bald head, “I’m not going to put anything in her mouth, she’ll bite it off.”
The second one chuckled. “Well, then, we’ll just have to fill her up the other way.”
Sunshine screamed out again, muffled by the rope and tried to yank her feet out. They held her tightly and shoved her feet up against a barrel marked nails. The manacles of iron thudded against the wood, but they made no attempts to break her free. As the first guard held her tightly, the second grabbed some rope and tied one leg to it.
As the cold fear of rape filled her, she watched as they used a short rod of metal to snap the chain between her leg cuffs and yanked them apart. She screamed, screamed louder than she every thought possible, but it only came out as a muffled whine. Her body jerked violently as they slammed her other leg against a crate of sword and bound it tightly, exposing her thighs to their hard looks.
Terror burning inside her, she tried to wrench herself free, but her helpless position only magnified the realization about to befall her. She begged with her eyes and throat as one of the guards stripped off his pants and knelt between her legs. His cock, average size and rock-hard, bobbed as he jammed his fingers up into crotch. She shuddered in revulsion, then despair as he used the rents from her wounds to tear the clothes away from her.
A rough finger plunged up between her legs, worming its way around her panties to find her slit.
“Ug, dry as a bone.”
The other guard looked around, then grabbed a bottle of oil.
“Here, you’d think the anathema would have been all sluts. Better hurry up, I want my chance.”
Sunshine sobbed as she tried to escape. She couldn’t tear her eyes away as the guard oiled up his shaft and then scooted into position. She felt her heart pounding hard against her chest, painful and desperate. At the feeling of him pulling her clothes away, exposing her to his cock, she let out a terrible sob.
Then, he thrust forward.
She screamed into her gag.
The world slowed down as he drove forward. The glistening tip of his manhood left a blur in her teary vision and she tried to steel herself to the feeling of being violated.
It never came.
Shuddering, Sunshine’s eyes snapped open. Looking down, she saw him in mid-thrust, his cock a hair’s breadth from her pussy. She gasped as she focused on the droplets of oil hanging in mid-air, dripping off his shaft but unmoving.
“Terror really lasts forever, doesn’t it?”
She jerked violently as she heard a sultry voice of a woman speaking. Her eyes widened with surprise and fear as she looked around, then she caught a shadow against the tent. The flames beyond her were still, half way between a flicker of yellow and red. The shadow stepped forward, growing darker against the fabric, then the material seemed to peel back in strips as the speaker walked through the sides.
It was a woman, with flawless alabaster skin and a voice of pure honey. But, it was the belts that bound her that stole Sunshine’s breath away. Hundreds of them, wrapped around in a manner that could only be seen as blatantly sexual: the bulging breasts, the leather that splayed open the woman’s sex, and even the one silencing her. Sunshine couldn’t see the eyes through the straps that bound the woman, but there was no question that she was seen by the creature.
The Director spoke in her purr, “That moment right as you are first raped. Truly and helplessly taken. Not like the mock struggles of a pleasure slave. Nothing like it, is there?”
Her bare feet, strapped in black and brown leather stepped over the legs of the guard about to penetrate Sunshine. The Director’s gaze took in the room.
“And it is, in that moment, where the prayers of the desperate come to me as the sweetest ambrosia.”
Sunshine felt herself growing hot as she looked up at the goddess. Her words held all the promise of pleasure, of an orgasm just inches away. Strange desired burned inside her, more lustful that she could imagine and she felt shame at it. The lips of the goddess stretched into a smile around the belt, then she stepped back over.
“You can speak, child. I can only hear the voice of those bound.”
Sunshine tried to speak, and to her surprise, her words came out as if she wore no gag.
“Who are you?”
“I am the Director. The Director of the Bound Collar.”
The unknown name ignited a fire in Sunshine’s groin, a deep powerful feeling that left her breathless. The solar’s eyes glanced down at the cock about to penetrate her sex. Her lips were dry just moments ago, but now it was glisten with the first stirrings of pleasure, but not of the man about to violate her. She blushed, unable to tear the sound of the sultry voice from her head.
The director chuckled, “The real question is, Hania, is why am I here?”
Sunshine whimpered again, looking up into the blinded goddess’ face.
“I-I don’t understand.”
The Director turned around twice, then straddled over the man poised between the solar’s legs. Casually, she sat on his head, the curve of his pate sliding right into the niche of her sex. Sunshine shivered as she imagined herself in the same position. She could smell the Director’s juices, sweet and alluring as her voice.
“Why we are here. Why you are there and I am here. And why this man,” a gesture down, “is about to enter you against your will.”
“W-Why?”
Another smile.
“You called me, solar, and I want to hear it again.”
Sunshine shook her head in confusion.
“I don’t understand.”
The Director leaned forward, her large breasts dangling in front of Sunshine’s head but the woman could only look up into the blinded face.
“I hear every woman bound in rope. I hear every man who begs for forgiveness. I can feel the prisoner in chains and the wife bound in nothing but guilt. I can feel their passion, desperation, and desires like fingers against my spine. When the Exalted cry out for me, it is like they are lapping at me. Working their way around my own bindings. But, when you call I can feel it deep inside. Beyond the belts, beyond the leather.”
She gestured between her legs, then drew her finger along the sides of the belt that parted her pussy. Sunshine’s eyes widened as the Director held up two dripping fingers.
With a smile, she reached over and held her fingers over Sunshine. Then, with a sensual movement, she traced the invisible outline of Sunshine’s symbol, the full sun on her brow. The girl let out a whimper and felt heat boiling between her legs. Involuntary, she looked down to catch droplets forming on her labia. Just as helplessly, she looked up at the Director.
“I offer you a trade, solar.”
“Why?”
The Director smiled, “Because these guys work for a man. That man is going to die soon; Fate has seen it but the bumbling Sidereals cannot see who or what kills him. They fumble with their Tapestry and pattern spiders and none of them will witness this. The killer is something outside of Fate, something that cannot be manipulated by the gods with mere astrology or favors. And I want to find this creature. I want to find a weapon I can use and trust.”
The Directory rocked her hips on the rapist’s head for a moment, then spoke again.
“A hidden tool is a very powerful weapon in Yu-Shan, Sunshine, and you can give me what I need.”
“H-How can I help?”
“You can be my eyes and ears. By your very presence, you’ll give me the senses I need. I want to see this death and I want to see the harbringer of the future.”
Sunshine felt an icy tone under the goddess’ seductive voice. She wanted to say no, but like speaking with Ember before, there was something that made her want to help, to be helpful. The Director watched her as she struggled with her thoughts, then smiled.
“Yes.”
Sunshine jumped, “What?”
“Yes, you are already in my charms. It would take just a moment to reach over and command you, but I prefer…” the goddess ran a finger along Sunshine’s breast, “consent.”
The solar shivered at the purred word, then looked away.
“You said you had something for me. Can you stop this man?”
“No.”
Sunshine’s shoulders slumped. The Director spoke softly.
“But, I can make time skip over him. If you simply say yes, then you will wake when it ends, no pain or memory of what is about to happen. There will be no child and there will be no agony. That much I can offer you and I can give it whenever you ask, whenever you are bound in rope or chain.”
Sunshine whimpered as she looked down at the poised shaft and her swollen lips reaching out for it like a kiss. The sexual undertones of the Director’s voice continued to worm their way deep into her lusts. Sunshine realized how little control she had over her body, even in this moment between screams. The fading terror of rape conflicted with the growing fear of this goddess. The Director leaned forward until Sunshine could see nothing but her.
“I can also grant you freedom from the dragon-blooded’s charms. As long as you are bound, I’ll grant you freedom from all things that cloud your mind.”
Sunshine looked up, inches away from the Director’s face. The sultry voice echoed in her head and she let out a soft whimper of sudden hunger. Her body felt hot so close to the Director and she felt her thighs tightening with anticipation.
“Y-Yes.”
The Director leaned forward and Sunshine’s lips caressed the belt gagging the goddess. Her own rope gag pressed against the leather and she opened her mouth as far as she could to accept the kiss.
Something hot splattered against her face. Sunshine let out a scream as something heavy hit her naked chest. She blinked, the light too bright as flames licked at her skin. She inhaled to scream, then felt something wet and hot rolling down her body to land between her bound legs. Blinking, her eyes came into sharp focus of a glowing tip of a red jade spear. Blood dripped from the edges, protecting her as it spurted from the ragged decapitation of the man on the ground. His cock dripped white and she could see it trailing to her pussy, but then, the blade snapped around. With wide eyes, she watched as the top of the tent sheared off and Ember slammed it hard into the chest of the other naked rapist, piercing him and the barrel behind him. He let out a strangled scream, but Ember’s body burst into flames which coursed down the spear and crashed into him. The man’s scream turned shrill as he began to cook from the inside.
With a sickening crunch, she twisted the spear in his chest and tore out his heart and throat before bringing the spear in a high arc above their heads. It came down at Sunshine and she screamed, terrified beyond comprehension.
The slammed into the ground right between her legs and blood soaked the solar. Sunshine felt an incredible release of terror and the building orgasm of the Director’s words, in that moment of her death. She spasmed, her back arching, then she slumped forward to see the tip of the deadly weapon almost touching her gasping pussy. The sharp point buried in the dirt and instead of her body.
She was alive, but her rapist had been cut cleanly in half.
Ember growled, her body wreathed in flames.
“Find Thomas and arrest him. Bind him in iron and gag him with chains.”
The burning eyes focused on Sunshine. She felt terribly exposed in the remains of the tent, then the flames flickered out and for a moment, she saw compassion in the dragon-blooded eyes. Ember panted for a moment, then brought her spear up into attention.
“Bring her to my tent.”
“My lady?”
“Thomas has proven that there is only one safe place in this camp, and that is by my side. The anathema will remain there, where I can protect the rest of you from dying on my spear like these four.”