Author's Note:

This story is a collaboration between me and a friend who also frequents as jade20101980, who has been blocked on the story since approximately 1996 or so. We began working together on it a little over a year ago, and it started becoming what it clearly wanted to be, a companion to what I call the Multiverse series, some of which is already posted elsewhere on as Beyond The Tower and Ghost Dog.

The characters of Mark and Alison, met in the Multiverse series, appear here as well, but they are younger, haven't yet experience much in the way of supernatural events, but are still not your normal, run of the mill couple.

The first-person narration is a new style for me, and is a bit more difficult than third-person, but as you, dear reader, will see, it fits this story, and is giving me an opportunity to branch out in writing style, if not necessarily material of choice.

The chapters here are a bit shorter than I'm used to writing or posting, but the speed with which this story is gathering momentum, if I waited until the usual chapter length was reached, God knows what all will have taken place.

Well, enough of the notes. On to the story.

End of Author's Note.

I ran into the house as quickly as I could, wanting to get my chores and homework done before Robert returned from wherever he had ventured, so I could bail. I mused; the taskmaster was off buying beer or some other form of hard liquor, or maybe even some of the occasional drugs he used, like, for example, his favored pain killers.

I'd just finished my chores and was in the process of starting my homework when I heard the front door slam. I heard Robert stumbling around in the hallway below. I hoped he was too drunk to think of me, but on this dark, savage night, the fates had other plans, and he called up the stairs.

"Jade, honey, are you home?"

I didn't know what to do or what to say, if anything. The thought of not answering him briefly crossed my mind, but I knew that wouldn't work because he could see my car in the driveway, so I called back.

"Yes, Robert, I'm here," all the while trying to keep my voice from trembling.

"Good, baby, why don't you come down here and play with me for a while," he taunted.

"I can't tonight, Robert. Homework's calling and I do have a softball game to play," I responded.

"Oh, come on, baby, take a break from all that work and come down and play with me for a while," he said, trying to sound seductive, but it came out sounding lude and disgusting.

"I really don't have time for all this shit tonight," I said more forcefully.

"Don't you swear at me, young lady!" Robert bellowed as he started up the stairs.

I didn't answer him. What was there to say anyway? And besides, I was trying to figure out how to get away from Robert as he topped the stairs. Unfortunately, there was no place to go. The fire escape was at the other end of the hall, and I couldn't lock my door because the bastard had a key. I just stood there frozen and stunned as Robert walked into my room, wearing nothing but a robe. I briefly hoped he hadn't traumatized the neighbors by wearing it wherever he'd gone. If he had, the whole neighborhood would probably be talking about it soon.

Instinctively, I started backing away but didn't get very far. He reached out and grabbed me as though he weren't drunk at all. He was completely steady on his feet, even though it smelled like he'd been living in a brewery for the last year or so. I was picked up effortlessly, as though I weighed nothing at all. He threw me onto the bed, stripping my clothes off in a frenzy, acting as if he hadn't gotten any in years, which he probably hadn't, or at least in several months, because Tara would only put out when he could get her drunk enough to do so!

I lay there quietly waiting for the right time to make my move. Robert stripped his robe off and started to climb on top of me. Once he was fully exposed, I smashed my knee into his balls as hard as I could.

Suddenly, I was free. Robert fell off the bed, striking his head on the corner of my nightstand and knocking himself out. Even as he was falling, however, he was wheezing and grabbing his balls in pain. Not wasting any time, I jumped up, grabbing my books and clothes and started out of the room.

As I stepped over him, Robert who was semi-conscious now, feebly tried to grab my ankle. I stomped down hard on his hand and bolted out of the room, slamming the bedroom door behind me. Once I was downstairs, I dropped my books just long enough to get dressed. I grabbed everything I'd need and sprinted towards the car.

Throwing my things into the back seat, I quickly pulled out of the driveway, and only then did I glance back. Robert was standing in the frame of his and Tara's bedroom window. And even from my vantage point, he looked bent. I made an inner-executive decision, opting to come home late that night. That's a decision I'll always regret, because maybe, just maybe, something could've been done to stop up-coming events, if I'd simply gone home when I should have.

I made it to softball that night, but didn't play very well. My coach could tell something was wrong, but he knew that trying to help would get him nowhere. long ago, I made it clear to those around me that any help offered, or any encouragement given, would only cause trouble. As the years passed by, Roberts burning anger would be heaped on Leea, with the verbal abuse first, and finally, physical salvoes would be unleashed.

In many cases, most people tried to show sympathy, like a glass of water after a game, or candy, or other small things that could be easily hidden, but no more than that. As stated earlier, I think most knew better.

I left the softball field and drove to a small coffee shop, which I often frequented. I was guided to a far corner table. Once there, coffee was provided, but the women who did this spoke not a word, and I was ignored so-as to finish my homework until the joint closed.

As it turned out, I didn't spend the entire evening alone at my table. Nearly a half hour after I'd first arrived, a man and woman I'd met a relatively short time ago approached and called to me.

"Hey, Jade, mind if we join you?"

"I guess not, Mark," I answered, and he and his girlfriend Alison seated themselves opposite me. Mark was a tall, dark haired man with blue eyes, the physical opposite of Alison, who stood no more than four feet, six inches tall. As they seated themselves, I noticed Mark waiting till Alison had situated herself before sitting down, after which, he took her hand.

"What are you doing here so late?" Alison asked.

"And what the hell's wrong?" Mark contributed, "you look like this is one crappy night."

"it's Robert," I answered, not knowing why I trusted them so much, but needing to tell someone.

"What did the great lord Asshole do this time?" Mark asked.

"He just made it plane that he wanted something a stepfather should never want from his daughter," I answered.

"What the fuck?" Mark began, but stopped himself.

"What kind of fucking sicko...?" Alison inquired.

"He's just Robert," I answered, "he was always a dick."

"Yeah, but this Jerry Springer bullshit?" Mark burst out, "I thought that shit only happened in armpit Mississippi."

"Where the hell?" Alison asked.

"Never mind," Mark answered, "but seriously, Jade, you'd better watch yourself, I mean physically watch yourself. Furthermore, I'd check your car as soon as possible for anything that could be a listening device."

"You think...?" I began.

"I don't think anything, but I wouldn't put it past someone like him to have you bugged," Mark replied, "as a matter of fact, I'll be over as soon as possible to give your car a once-over. You said you were having problems with it anyway."

"But listening devices?" I asked again, "Robert with access to that kind of technology?"

"They're not that hard to come by," Mark said, "you could get something that would do the job at Radio Shack for fifteen bucks."

"And he probably did," contributed Alison.

"Why would he put listening devices in my car?" I asked.

"Who knows?" Mark said, asking a question and making a statement at the same time, "Who says he needs a reason? But I can come up with a few possibles. For instance, if he pulls something on you and you try to tell someone about it, maybe?"

"That's assuming he gives her enough time to even try telling anyone," Alison said.

Thinking back, it's little wonder that I let the time get away from me. Mark and Alison were easy to talk to, and they seemed to understand what I was going through. I'd only find out later that they not only understood, but had gone through similar things themselves. Mark had had a Mother who would, if she had lived, eventually have finished up either in prison or in an institution, while Alison's' Father was a regular shitbag. Mark bore a scar on his forehead, just above the right eyebrow, given him by his Mother, wielding a piece of broken bottle glass, whilst Alison's face was unmarked, but her emotional scars ran deep.

They had come to the place I called home whilst on the run from not only Alison's Father, but her x boyfriend as well.

Running had been Mark's idea. if it had just been him at risk, he probably would have stood and fought, but he'd had Alison's safety to think about and didn't want to see her burned alive by either man, so they had left Boston and had made a few stops before first meeting me in this very coffee shop nearly two months ago.

I'd discovered very quickly that mark had a knack for fixing cars, even, in some cases, ones that had been pronounced totaled. I'd first made this discovery when I'd had a minor problem with my car and Mark had repaired it at no charge.

Neither of them had taken to either my Mother or Robert. in fact, they had hated them both on sight. When I asked them why during one of our conversations, Mark had merely shrugged and said, "I don't know. Something's off with both of them."

Our conversation turned to other matters, and before I knew it, it was nearly 10:30.

"Oh, shit!" I exclaimed, "I need to get home!"

"If it weren't for the fact that your sister's there," Alison said, "I'd just run if I were you."

"I can't," I answered, "I can't just leave."

"Maybe you should just take her and go," Mark said, "one of these days, that asshole's going to do something more than just try to rape you. Maybe he'll kill someone."

"What?" I asked.

"I mean he's got a temper on him," Mark responded, "I've seen it in his eyes. He only hasn't killed someone yet because the situation hasn't presented itself yet."

"I can't take Leea anyway, as much as I want to," I said, "she's Robert's child."

"So?" Mark asked, "better that than ..."

"They could nail her for kidnapping," Alison said, "unfortunately; the legal system is against her."

"And what will the legal system do when he kills someone?" Mark asked, "still allow him to raise Leea?"

"I certainly hope not," Alison said, "but the system isn't all it's cracked up to be."

"I'd really watch myself if I were you, regardless of whose child Leea is," Mark said as I got up from the table, "mark my words, someone's going to die before all's said and done."

Little did I know that Mark's words would come true all too soon.

When I pulled into the driveway, everything was pitch black. Figuring Robert had passed out drunk, and Leea would be asleep, I slipped quietly into the house, intending to creep upstairs without using lights, as I'd done so often before. But, as I soon realized, the events of that night would alter events forever, and the good fortune that had been my saving angel till then would vanish, and so to would my innocence.

I'd barely crossed half of the foyer when the lights came on, blinding me. Robert stood smugly, not to mention completely sober, in the doorway of the living room.

"I knew you'd come home eventually," Robert sneered at me.

I didn't answer. I just turned around to leave again. Robert waited until I started to turn the door knob before he spoke.

"I wouldn't go out there if I were you," he said.

"Why the hell not?" I demanded.

"Because I have some people out there who'll bring you right back in here," he said, after which, he turned and gestured to a point behind him.

"I have friends in here too."

I watched in complete shock and horror as 3 very large men came out of the living room. They quickly took up positions all around me, so the only way I could go was up the stairs. None of these men were

Under 6 foot 4 inches tall and each weighed well over 220 pounds.

"Go upstairs and strip right now!" Robert commanded. "Don't even try to fight me on this, because if you do, one of my friends will escort you up there, remove your clothes for you, and I won't be the only one to have that sweet pussy tonight."

I lowered my head in submission and defeat, so Robert couldn't see my face. He smiled sweetly at me, that same smug look still on his face. He then turned and started back into the living room.

I waited until Robert's back was fully turned before I made my move. I lunged at the man on my right who seemed to be the weakest of the 3 in an effort to get away. He seemed to be expecting this, however, because he swept me up as if I were a sack of potatoes.

"That wasn't a very smart move, Jade," Robert said, looking at me disapprovingly with ice now in his eyes. "Now we'll have to do this my way."

"Your orders sir?" the man holding me asked.

"Take her upstairs, Eddie, and strip her and tie her to the bed with the other one." Robert told him, his eyes moving lasciviously over my body. "Then you come right back down here, I don't want anyone touching her until we can all be there, and if you're not back in 10 minutes, I'll send someone up after you.

"Yes sir," Eddie said, after which, he directed his attention to me, "don't try struggling with me, it'll only make your situation worse.

Eddie was quick and efficient. He stripped me and got me tied down, and although he wasn't very gentle with the ropes, he was done in a matter of minutes. He stopped and looked at me and Leea, who I now realized was tied down beside me, although they'd left her dressed. After a few minutes, he hurried out the door and turned the lights off, leaving us alone in the dark.

"Jade, is that you?" Leea asked fearfully.

"Yes, it's me. Are you ok? I asked. "Have they hurt you in any way?"

"no, they just tied me up here after I finished my homework and wouldn't tell me why," she said. "they just kept telling me that I had to wait for you. What are they going to do to us?"

"I don't know, honey," I said, protecting her from the truth, and hoping I could find a way to keep them from touching her. Luckily or not for her, Robert had already fixed that, but I didn't know that as we lay there, frightened in the dark.

At the next moment, we heard several sets of foot steps on the stairs. We knew that Robert and his friends were coming. Leea cringed where she was tied beside me.

"It'll be ok," I whispered, trying to reassure her, wishing I could reach out to squeeze her hand, and praying that I was telling the truth.

Suddenly, we were blinded as Robert and his friends came into the room, turning the lights on full, including the ones in the closet and the attached bathroom. They took up positions all around the room, with Robert presiding at the foot of the bed, and the others guarding any possible escape routs.

"I hope you ladies are comfortable," Robert sneered at us.

"Fuck you, You fucking bastard! I spat through clenched teeth.

Robert stepped forward quickly, and as his hand came at my face, I had a momentary vision of an evil and dominant daemon (The Crimson King) hiding behind his eyes, but then the pain of his strike across my face broke through. I tasted blood in my mouth and felt it run down my cheek.

"I won't have that kind of language in front of Leea," Robert warned me.

"But you're planning on doing something even worse than swearing in front of her," I thought but couldn't say.

"Daddy, these ropes are hurting me," Leea piped up from where she lay beside me.

"I know, sweetie, but I need you to stay right here and watch what happens to bad girls," Robert told her, trying to sound soothing as he walked over to stroke her cheek.

"What did I do wrong?" Leea asked innocently as she subconsciously moved her face away from him.

"You didn't do anything, sweetie. Jade did, but I can't have you leaving and miss seeing what we have for your viewing pleasure," Robert told her, returning to the foot of the bed.

"What did she do, and why do I have to be tied down too?" Leea asked, starting to sob.

"She didn't listen to me earlier and that hurt me very badly," Robert told her, glaring at me as he spoke.

"But I always listen to you, and would never do anything to hurt you. Please, these ropes are really hurting me," Leea objected, unable to hold back her tears now.

"All right," Robert said, pointing to one of his men. "Tommy, take her and keep her with you, and make sure she watches everything that happens here tonight. Don't let her leave under any circumstances, and no one, and I mean no one, is to touch her no matter what! And the first one who tries will have both his hands cut off, followed by his dick and balls, and then be thrown in the river, with concrete blocks tied around his wrists and ankles, to bleed out or drown, which ever happens first "

Tommy didn't say a word. He just stepped forward and quickly untied Leea from the bed, refusing to look at me at all, pulling Leea away when she tried to reach out and put a comforting hand on my arm.

"you'll finally be mine, my little angel," Robert said as he stripped off his clothes.

Without saying anything further, he climbed on top of me. He forced his rock hard penis into my dry and virgin vagina. The pain was excruciating. When he finished a minute later, I felt his seamen and my own blood run out of me, forming a gigantic pool all around me.

""Any of you who wants her can have her, since she fought us," Robert said as he got up and redressed. "Just make sure no one, and I mean no one, touches the kid, but I want her to watch everything, so she doesn't make the same mistakes this little cunt did. If the little cunt fights, knock her out, and if the kid fights, tie her to the exercise bar over by the mirror, so she can't get away, and has to see it in the mirror, even if she won't look at it directly."

"Don't worry, she'll see, and you won't have any problems with the cunt after this," Eddie said as he began undoing his belt and unzipping his pants.

As I saw the size of his penis, my throat went dry, and I had to fight to keep from screaming because of the pain I knew it would cause. As it was, I cringed a little, causing the ropes to pull back a bit. Eddie's penis was much larger than Robert's, and I knew it'd hurt much more. In response to my perceived struggle, I was struck hard with something large and metallic over the head, causing memory to resend, till I blacked out cold and violated, never to see life the same way again.