Suzie and the Monsters (26 page)

She thinks hard about this for a couple of minutes, then says, ‘Okay. Yes, Mistress Suzie.’ It doesn’t come naturally to her.

‘And I am Mistress Cleo,’ interrupts Cleo, reaching around Jenny from behind to squeeze her tender breasts. Jenny looks at me through the pain of this mishandling, waiting for me support Cleo’s demand, but I don’t react, and eventually she realises that it would be absurd to deny Cleo while accepting me. ‘Yes, Mistress Cleo,’ she whispers.

Cleo is delighted, a child with a new toy. She can’t see the anger burning in Jenny’s eyes. ‘Patience, Cleo,’ I say. ‘Jenny, we’re not going to meet very often. Maybe only once a month. But I do want to know what you are doing, what you are learning. I want you to start a blog, anonymous if you like, so that I can read about your adventures, and your fantasies.’

‘Okay,’ she says. I wait until she adds, ‘Yes, Mistress Suzie.’ It’s more relaxed this time.

I smile at her. ‘If you like, when you’re addressing me directly, you can call me Goddess instead.’

‘Yes, Goddess,’ she says, but can’t help laughing.

‘And that will be your task for the next few weeks. To learn everything you can about the goddesses Lilith and Kali.’

‘Yes, Mistress Suzie,’ she says, surprised and intrigued.

I kneel in front of her, lift her dress and spread her legs and the curls between. ‘I want you to get a piercing here,’ I tell her, and run my tongue along the left lip of her inner labia, and tug it gently with my lips. ‘Make sure you keep it clean until the piercing is fully healed.’

‘Yes, Mistress Suzie,’ she whispers, blushing suddenly. She’s getting very good at saying that.

I stand up and kiss her briefly, letting her taste herself on my lips. ‘Thank you, Jenny. I know you don’t love me. I’m not looking for love from you. But I do have a lot of respect for you, and I hope you will find happiness through serving me.’

‘Thank you, Goddess,’ she says quietly, no laughter this time.

I phone Andy, Jamie’s brother. ‘My friend Jenny needs a lift home,’ I tell him, not bothering with a greeting. ‘Maybe you can take her for a drink and a meal on the way home, although I should warn you the girl has quite an appetite.’

‘Where are you?’ he asks. I give him the address and directions. ‘Okay. Twenty minutes, -ish.’

‘Phone when you’re outside,’ I say, and end the call.

Jenny looks suddenly nervous and upset. ‘What are your orders, Mistress Suzie?’

‘Regarding Andy? None. What I want from you I’ll take. What you choose to give other people is entirely up to you. Andy’s been my friend for a long time. You can ask him to take you straight home, if that’s really what you want, or you could spend some time with him tonight and find out exactly why I love him so much. The choice, as I said, is yours.’

‘Okay,’ she says, relieved. ‘Thank you, Mistress Suzie.’

‘You’re welcome. Now, close your eyes for a moment.’ When she does, I put my lips to her ear and whisper, ‘Aberystwyth,’ which puts her back into a hypnotic trance, and I spend a few minutes reinforcing the suggestions I made last night, before waking her with a kiss. ‘Ready to go?’

She nods.

‘Good. Let’s go downstairs.’ We leave Cleo behind, absorbed in some TV programme that’s just started, Silent Witness, I think.

Fifteen minutes later I’m back. Cleo is glowering at the TV like a sulking teenager. I ignore her and make myself comfortable on the bed next to her, relaxing into The Historian, Elizabeth Kostova’s literary quest for the dragon. ‘I just don’t know why you’re being so nice to her,’ Cleo mutters.

‘I’m not.’

‘Then what’s with the talk of love and respect and goddesses? Why don’t we just drink her blood and throw her body in the river?’

‘Does your mother know you’re this bloodthirsty?’

Cleo sniggers.

I continue, ‘Your brother and his girlfriend, Jenny’s friend Lisa, watched us leave with Jenny last night. If she disappeared and turned up dead, do you think the police would be anywhere near as nice to us as they have been this past week?’

‘No. But that still doesn’t explain why you were being so nice to her.’

‘I wasn’t. You know, Jenny’s a lot more devious than you think. A lot more dangerous, too.’

Cleo laughs. ‘She’s a blonde and a slut.’

‘Let me give you some advice, Cleo. If anyone ever comes looking for you, either kill them or court them. Do not underestimate how much trouble they can cause.’

‘Okay, but really, how much trouble could Jenny cause?’

‘She could tell the police I raped her.’

‘I thought you paid her with your shoes.’

‘It’s still unwanted attention, and people have long memories. As long as she’s obsessed with me, she will continue to be a problem. By seducing her the way I did, taking her by force, getting her to sell herself, I have stolen away her belief in her own superiority.’ Cleo snorts derisively. I add, ‘It was her arrogance as much as her thighs that attracted me to her in the first place. As for Jenny being a slut... did you notice that she didn’t once ask for anything from us?’

‘She didn’t complain,’ Cleo says.

‘No, but that’s not the same thing. I’m not saying she didn’t enjoy it. Of course she did. But it’s not what she needs. It certainly isn’t what she wants. Not from us, anyway. She fears us. She hates you. And yet she wants to be me. To have power over others the way I have power over her.’

‘She hates me?’

‘With a passion. She has given us her body to play with, and all you have given her is pain. The sexually submissive side of her may enjoy that, but Jenny’s real hunger is not for orgasms. She’s still playing the whore, but with her body she’s buying not shoes but rather the secret of divinity.’

‘And you’re going to give it to her?’

‘I firmly believe that all women should seek divinity, and as a disciple of the Dark Goddess I intend to help her, but I also intend to punish her for her deceit and her willingness to sell herself.’

‘Punish her how?’

‘You wait and see. We’re going to have a lot of fun with Jenny.’

Back To Work (Monday)

I’m amazed at Cleo’s ability to sleep now that she doesn’t really need to. I love the impact it has on my own ability to sleep. Normally I’m wide awake after two, maybe three hours of sleep, often awakened by nightmares of being hunted, of being tortured, but with Cleo I feel warm, secure, and even if I don’t necessarily sleep I can drift along happily at the edge of consciousness, my only awareness of time the breathing of the beautiful, deadly creature that stirs unwoken by my teasing, caressing fingers. Sometimes I imagine her wreathed in flame, breathing blue orgasmic fire, although that’s one fantasy I pray never comes true.

At six o’clock I slip out of bed and quietly dress in black Nike. I’m wondering whether to leave a note, when it occurs to me that not only are we, against all expectations, not fleeing the country, but also that today is Monday. ‘Wake up,’ I tell Cleo, shaking her a little.

‘Let me sleep,’ she mumbles, so I pull the sheets back and smack her bottom. ‘Hey!’ she shouts, jumping out of bed and massaging the stinging flesh. ‘What was that for?’ she demands, glaring at me.

‘It’s Monday morning, time for school.’

‘Are you serious?’

‘Absolutely. Just because you’re eighteen and you’ve left home doesn’t mean you can spend the rest of your life in a hotel room.’

‘Why not? You’ve got plenty of money.’

‘I’ve got about sixteen grand in cash which won’t last us till summer. Everything else is tied up in long term investments and property. At least one of us needs to get a job, so unless you plan to spend the rest of eternity stacking shelves at Tesco I suggest you go back to school and do those exams you said weren’t a problem.’

‘God. You sound like my mum.’

I smile at that, wondering what Cleo’s mum would think if she were watching us. ‘I wouldn’t mind going back to uni myself, and I’d much rather do it with you.’

‘I suppose that would be fun,’ she says, and makes her way to the bathroom. ‘All my stuff’s at home, though.’

‘So? Take a taxi. Have a cup of tea with your mum. I’m sure she’ll be relieved to see you.’

‘I guess.’ There’s a notable lack of enthusiasm.

‘Anyway, you need to start learning how to behave around humans now that you’re no longer one of them, and school is the perfect place for that.’

*

I take the Tube to Wood Green and set off on a ten kilometre run, across the park to the railway line, along and back, then through the woods to Dan and DeCarlo. It’s been over a week since my last run, and my muscles are killing me. I know they will heal and adapt quickly, but it still takes determination to push through the pain and maintain the pace. I reward myself by staying in the café for a few minutes, supplementing my undrunk espresso with a glass of water.

There’s a text from Andy: ‘Thanks, Mistress Suzie! Best fscking night of my life!’

I phone him back. ‘Be gentle with her, okay?’

‘Me be gentle? She’s a fucking animal in bed. She’s only just untied me. Kept me awake all night with tales of Mistress Suzie.’

‘I seem to remember you keeping me awake all night a few times.’

He laughs. ‘I’m certainly not complaining. Can I keep her, please, Mistress Suzie?’

‘That’s entirely up to her, but she’d be a fool not to come back for seconds.’

An animal in bed, dominant and victorious. I wonder if this is the real Jenny, or whether she’s acting for my benefit. I would love to have seen both their faces the first time Jenny called me Mistress Suzie.

I change the subject. ‘How’s it going with Nina?’

‘We had a long discussion last week. I told her I wanted her to be my girlfriend — yes, I know, I know — and she said that since I obviously couldn’t separate sex and romance in my head that we should cut out the sex as well and just be friends.’

‘Oh,’ I say, disappointed. ‘So how’s that working out?’

‘It was fine — for about five minutes of awkward politeness, and then we practically tore each other’s clothing off.’

‘God I love you two. What next?’

‘We had another long discussion, and agreed eventually that for one twenty-four hour period in each week she will be my exclusive girlfriend and try her best to put up with my “romantic clinginess”, as she puts it, including one proper kiss.’

‘Wow, that’s a big step for her.’

‘I know. We tried it this weekend, went on a date on Saturday night. She was so nervous I felt like I was being horrible to her, but when I suggested abandoning the experiment, because that’s what it was really, she said, “Don’t you dare!” Weirdest night of my life, but the sex was amazing and we even cuddled up afterwards. She was tense and irritable all yesterday, though.’

‘What does Nina get in return for this emotional sacrifice?’

‘I’m not allowed to be romantic or possessive for the rest of the week, and she’ll kick me in the balls if I try to kiss her.’

I laugh. ‘Can you live with that?’

‘I dare say there’ll be more negotiations, but maybe. I’ll let you know...’

A few minutes later, there’s a text from Cleo: ‘Easter holidays. No school.’

I phone her. ‘Hi, honey. Where are you?’

‘Having a cuppa with mum.’

‘How is she?’

‘She’s right here. Do you want to say hello?’ She bursts into laughter before I can answer. ‘Where are you?’ she asks.

‘I’m going to be training for a while. Do you want to join me?’

‘I suppose.’ Once again there’s little enthusiasm in her tone.

‘Well, it’s up to you, and there’s no hurry. Bring tracksuit and trainers if you’re coming. Alexandra Park.’

‘Okay. See you there, maybe.’

Cleo. I adore the girl, gorgeously sexy and psychopathic. I just wish she’d get over the whole bored teenager thing. Forever’s a long time to sit around wondering what to do.

My coffee cold, I head out and pick a new route, circling round through the streets and eventually back to Alexandra Park, keeping an eye out for houses or flats for let.

*

It’s after ten by the time Cleo catches up with me. I’m hands down on the grass, doing yoga inversions, shifting slowly between peacocks, crows, hummingbirds and scorpions, gradually forcing the lingering stiffness from my muscles. I love the feeling of strength and freedom this exercise gives me. In balancing and controlling my body I am also balancing my mind, half my awareness seated within, communing with my goddesses. On some level I am also aware of Cleo’s arrival, of her watching me cycle between positions, but it’s not until she crashes to the ground suddenly that I waken to her presence.

‘What on earth, Cleo?’ I laugh, returning my feet to the ground, and leaning over to help her to hers.

‘I thought maybe being a vampire now meant I could do handstands,’ she says, embarrassed.

‘Being a vampire means you don’t have to worry about breaking your spine, but it doesn’t guarantee that you won’t. Break your spine, that is. In the same way, you can still catch diseases and parasites. You’ll suffer for a few hours, and then you’ll be fine again, except a little hungrier than you were. Which is why I recommend you insist on a condom during intercourse. Unfortunately, nothing can protect you from all the infections and toxins you can get from drinking blood.’

‘Yuck,’ she says, then laughs. ‘Nothing that tastes that good can be good for you.’

‘You seem okay with drinking human blood. How do you like being a vampire?’

‘It’s fun. I feel special. A little disappointed that it’s not more, I don’t know, supernatural. You know, ghosts, werewolves, vampire clans. Instead there’s just you and me, and worrying about the police. I’m not complaining, though. I love being with you, Suzie. You’re amazing, and it’s not because you’re a vampire. It’s because you’re not. Well, you are, obviously, but you are first and foremost a woman in charge of your own destiny.’

‘Crikey,’ I say. I can feel myself blushing. Cleo leans in to kiss me, and I lose myself in that tenderness for a while.

‘Tell me more,’ she says afterwards. ‘I’m assuming I don’t need to worry about getting pregnant.’

‘No.’ I take her arm, and we walk in the direction of the lake. ‘And no hassle with menstruation and PMS either. Did you want to have children?’