500 Miles Hellfire 2
By Princess Alexandria
The car was dirty. Raven looked at it again and sighed, even in the dark she could tell. She should probably take care of that soon. Her eyes trailed over the building, remembering seeing a neighbor washing a car a few weeks ago, and she found the hose. In the morning she'd take care of it.
She was just assuming she'd be driving for the date. Raven smiled just a little as she started up the stairs. It was almost two in the morning and her first solo stint as the floor maid hadn't resulted in the back of her head exploding from the stress. Some of it might have to do with the way Lois had waited until Drahke was away to let her do an entire night. Raven doubted that anyone missed how Lois only let her play floor maid when Drahke wasn't part of the line up for the past week during training, and her final solo run came after Drahke went off shift. Raven didn't bother to ask if other floor maids were trained quite so long, because she was positive she was getting special treatment.
She couldn't say she minded. She probably had more to overcome than other floor maids, but the prostitutes didn't know that and Raven had gotten a few looks lately that weren't too friendly from the few that were most likely wondering why she needed the coddling. It actually reminded her of the Xmen at times. New Xmen sometimes used to look at her like she was getting away with something when she didn't have to go on missions, wasn't dragged out of bed for them. The thing was they didn't realize that Raven had wanted to go, to be one of the team, but was never fully allowed. Okay, so maybe it did bother her a bit that there was always a double standard for her, but in this case she appreciated what she was getting. She really couldn't have done the job without a lot of time to get used to it.
She walked towards her door while enjoying the cooler night air, until her ears caught a new sound. Raven slowed and moved to the railing to look down at the apartment complexes small central garden to see someone sitting on the bench. He didn't seem to notice her as he stared at the ground, his young thin shoulders hunched over. It was that boy. What was he doing up this late, Raven thought to herself as she glanced toward the boy's apartment, where she did see a light in one of the rooms. She stared for a little while and didn't see him move very much.
With a sigh Raven turned to unlock her door and with a final glance at him she stepped inside, feeling a bit more troubled than she had been. She tossed her purse on the couch and moved to the fridge for a wine cooler, taking a deep drink of the cool liquid as she moved to the stereo for some soft music as was her nightly ritual. It took a bit of work to wind down enough to sleep. She listened to the soft sounds of Melissa Etheridge, the few CD's she invested in, as she leaned back on the couch and slowly worked on her drink. While she didn't like to buy things she'd have to either leave behind or fit into the three bags of belongings she allowed herself, perhaps crowding out other belongings, she'd decided a little music was worth it.
When she tipped the bottle enough to take in the last of the contents she glanced at her living room window again. The shades were closed, but they faced the central garden. Raven got up and glanced out the window, shoving the shades to the side, but she couldn't see the bench from there. She bounced the bottle against her thigh as she stood there, staring at the bushes she could see. She should just see, maybe he just needed a little air. That excuse sounded weak as she thought it, no one went out after air at two in the morning. She glanced at the clock, make that two thirty.
The door opened and Raven glanced at the other windows of the small apartment complex. Aside from hers there was only one other light and that was the boy's. Raven stepped forward and glanced over the edge of the railing to see the boy was still there, but he was wrapping his arms around his legs as he sat. Were those pajama bottoms? Raven stared as she considered that. It might be the desert but that didn't mean the nights were warm as well. This was too long to sit outside in pajamas.
She moved back toward her apartment and closed the door. She just felt like this was wrong. With a sigh she reached in for her second wine cooler and paused. Her shoulders tightened and she grabbed two bottled waters instead. She opened her purse and pulled her keys out, shoving them into her pocket, before moving to the door with the two bottles in one hand.
The soft crunch of the rocks made the boy look up. It was pajama bottoms he was wearing and a guarded expression as she stepped closer. "Hey." She smiled and glanced up at the sky for a moment, but there was nothing really interesting to see there. The city was too close and only a few stars were visible. "Water?" She held out one bottle as she stepped up to the bench. "Seat taken?"
"No." He hesitantly took the bottle she offered as she sat down, giving the sky another glance. She really didn't know what to say so she took the cap off her own bottle.
"I work pretty funky hours." She barely glanced at him, but could see he was shifting to sit more properly. "Surprised to see anyone awake around here when I get home."
"Yeah, I see you sometimes." He looked at her. "You're new."
"Just staying for the summer." Raven glanced down to see his bare feet, and up to see his black hair looked a bit slept in. This boy looked like he'd been kicked out of bed. "I'm Raven by the way." She barely paused as she glanced toward her apartment. "I'm staying in 2C." He just nodded and Raven noticed a slight shiver as he pulled his legs up again. If she were a stranger to him she'd offer to let him in to her apartment, but she doubted he'd accept right now.
"Why do you always get home so late?" He asked, and Raven noticed a hint of real curiosity in the question. It wasn't just the teenager trying to be polite. She didn't really want to ruin the moment by telling him she was a Madam in training, so she thought for a moment.
"Work at a bar." That was uninteresting enough to warrant no further questions. "What about you?"
"Huh?" He seemed to get a little more rigid. She'd touched a nerve and she could tell, so she redirected the question so he didn't pull away. She almost felt like she was trying to coax a wild animal to trust her.
"You work?" Yet another sensitive topic, but he seemed to relax a bit.
"Nope," He sighed. "I've applied all over and no one calls. My dad…" His words trailed off and if Raven hadn't been looking for it she might have missed the bit of shame in his eyes.
"How old are you anyway?" She stared at him, guessing fourteen. He quickly confirmed it. No one hired fourteen year olds. She didn't point that out, because she was sure that was something he was well aware of.
He finally opened the bottle of water she'd handed him, and took a drink. Raven smiled into her own bottle when he did that, knowing that she'd passed a test. He deemed her trustworthy.
There was a loud noise in the nearby apartment, one that Raven heard often enough to recognize. This boy's father was having sex, loud sex. She glanced at the boy and took in the embarrassed avoiding of her eyes.
"He…" the boy hesitated, but Raven continued to look at him gently. "He has a prostitute…" The young black man couldn't look at her. "I didn't want to…"
Raven studied his embarrassed blush and the picture in her mind wasn't kind. She'd seen proud daddy's at the brothel bringing in just barely legal age boys to visit their first prostitute, like it was a rite of passage. It seemed barbaric and disgusting to get so involved in a kids sexual development, and really, the first time should mean more than that. Raven did notice that all the prostitutes took that responsibility, the taking of a boy's virginity, very seriously. They tried to make it special, but after the fact they all expressed disgust that the father wouldn't just let the boy find someone in his own time; that a brothel wasn't the place to lose that virginity.
Some, like Ebony took it as a challenge to teach the young men how they really should treat a woman, before the young men became jaded and set in their ways, but the majority thought it wasn't a good idea.
"Was she for you?" Raven asked as casually as she could. If that man brought a prostitute, a street walker at that, to this boy it was to humiliate him or try and fix his homosexuality. It was abuse. The way the boy looked at his feet was the answer. Her voice softened. "What's your name?"
"Terrance." His voice sounded rather young, like it was just starting to change, far too young for sex.
"Terrance," She smiled at him. "I was about to make a late dinner. Want to join me?" He looked like he wasn't sure, so she added a little more forcefully. "It's too cold out here, you aren't dressed for it."
"I don't want to bother…"
"I need to eat anyhow." Actually she'd eaten at the Brothel, but he was cold and she needed an excuse to get him inside and away from the sounds of sex. That father probably left the bedroom window opened on purpose to torment the boy. "I was debating between hamburger patties and tater tots or spaghetti. What do you think?" It took a while to convince him it wasn't a bother, but Raven walked up the stairs to her second floor apartment with Terrance behind her five minutes later.
Melissa Etheridge was singing on the stereo when they came inside. Raven noticed him looking around curiously and she let him as she moved to the kitchen. Her hand moved toward the wine cooler she wanted, but she grabbed the Gatorade instead, and poured two glasses. She really needed to be able to pay attention right now. She let the silence have free reign as she pulled out a pan and started on the meat patties.
He finally moved to lean over the kitchen island and looked at her. Raven watched him from the corner of her eye and watched with a bit of a heavy heart how he seemed to be looking for the catch in her kind move. Some angle she must have, something she must want. This boy clearly didn't have kindness in his life. "You have a boyfriend?" He asked while glancing around, looking for evidence of this mythical man.
Raven smiled a little at the familiar question that normally irritated the hell out of her, knowing he was just fishing and didn't know better. She wondered if what his father screamed was true and the boy was gay. If he was, she was about to throw him a bone. "Nope, but I have a date with a woman I like tomorrow." His eyes widened a little. Raven turned to pull the bag of tater tots out of the freezer. "So I'm hopeful, and a bit nervous. I haven't really dated in a long time." Not dated anyone she wanted more than a night or two of distraction from anyway.
"A woman?" She finally turned to look at him and his eyes seemed happier. He was family. "Where are you taking her?" Raven wasn't sure it was her imagination that he sounded a bit excited and sounded a little more feminine, like he'd been acting before. Raven outlined her plans for the date while cooking, making it sound as normal as possible so he would see it could be. That to be gay didn't mean they only got back alley meetings, that real relationships were possible. She doubted he'd hear that at home.
As they ate he seemed more like a teenager. He talked more animatedly about movies and TV shows, and he hinted that he found a few actors sexy, but he probably thought he was being subtle and testing her out. Raven wondered if she'd ever been like this as she watched him bloom in front of her eyes. It made her feel a little proud of herself to see her willingness to share had apparently touched him.
He started to wilt after dinner. "I probably should get back. He might be… done." And he'd be upset if his boy wasn't waiting, Raven filled in the gaps.
"It was nice to have company." Raven stood up and took the plates to the sink. "Maybe we could do this again sometime?" She could see him debating about it, but she knew he wanted to. "No plans, just if you ever have time. I also eat lunch, but never breakfast." She smiled at him, trying to break the tense mood. Daddy would clearly not approve.
"Maybe." He moved to the door. Raven would have offered a blanket, but it would be evidence that Terrance hadn't sat through his entire punishment. Raven didn't make him have to turn her down.
When he left she waited a few minutes then opened her living room window. She could hear the soft breeze and the odd car driving past. Raven pulled out her second wine cooler and started to drink, but she left the radio on softly and kicked her shoes off while she waited. The sound of voices came about twenty minutes later, a bit of angry mumbling she couldn't hear the details of. Raven moved to carefully pull her blinds apart enough to look out. She could see the light of an open door, and Terrance going inside. She also saw the prostitute in question leaving, looking very much like a street walker. Raven took a deep drink of her bottle, which was still half full as she watched that door close with the men inside. The bastard didn't even offer to drive the lady back to her corner. She'd probably lose a bit of her profit getting a cab.
It was a stupid idea, and it wasn't any of her business, but Raven set her bottle down and opened the door. Perhaps if she hadn't already gotten started on her nightly self medication this wouldn't have seemed like a good idea, but she walked down to the stairs, the cool concrete rough on her bare feet. She could see the woman in the parking lot smoking so Raven started to walk faster. Drahke would laugh at her if she saw this.
"Twenty bucks if you just come to my room and have a drink with me." She startled the woman, who was probably at the end of her shift. It was pushing four after all, and Raven was tired.
"Just a drink?" Raven was getting closer to the woman and noticed the smirk. Woman was being a little generous; she looked like a young person that had to grow up way too fast. In the streetlight Raven thought maybe the prostitute was nineteen, but she wouldn't be surprised if she was younger.
"I want to talk." Raven's voice was a little deeper and more commanding.
"About how I'm a sinner and you can save my soul? Or perhaps you want to know how to get in the business?" The woman was defensive and a bit hostile. "Pretty, you could probably get a decent price."
Raven's eyes hardened. "I know exactly how much I could get. I work at a brothel." She left it open, letting the girl think she was a fellow working girl and watched the tension and suspicion melt. "The boy is a friend of mine."
"What brothel?" She was still a little suspicious. Raven wondered what the street walker went through to make her that way.
"Kitten Ranch."
"I'll take your twenty." The girl's blonde hair was a bit messy, like he'd not even let her use the bathroom to straighten up. "Lead the way."
As a former bartender, Raven bet when she finally got the woman in the apartment that this one was underage, but she pulled the wine cooler out for her anyhow. The girl was a prostitute, Raven wasn't about to be concerned about underage drinking. "Name's Cherry." The girl sat down heavily on the couch and took a deep drink of the bottle.
"I'm Raven." Raven sat on the love seat so she could see the woman as they talked, and so it was clear she wasn't trying to get too close.
"Man, thanks for the drink. Been a long day." Cherry sighed and seemed to relax, while kicking her own shoes off.
After some quiet decompressing time Cherry started to talk. "That dad is a real piece of work. When he picked me up he was talking about making his boy a man. I was like, sure, I can do that. I thought the boy would be at least sixteen ya know, but he's just a kid." Cherry took another deep drink. "Anyway we get home and he goes into the boy's bedroom and starts yelling at him. Lemme tell you, I started to wonder if this was worth the money then you know." Cherry looked at her like Raven could commiserate. "Some clients are just better to pass up. He started calling the boy a faggot when the boy said he didn't want to, and I was like… well, if he doesn't want me maybe you and I could do a little business. I just wanted him to stop yelling, and really I wasn't into kids. You ever do virgin popping? I hate it."
Raven sighed, trying to keep her own inexperience in this a secret. "So Terrance said he didn't want to and he got left outside while you two did business."
"Yeah, but what really was fucked up was that the dad insisted on having a conversation with me about how to get in the business and how much a fudgepacker might make a night if they turned tricks. Pointed to his god damned kid and asked what a fair price would be for him. I was disgusted."
Raven's fists clenched around her bottle and her lips thinned. That bastard.
"I tried to tell him the boy was too young, even though I started around that age and there are some perverted men out there that like little boys, but he said that he knew boys could get a good price and if his boy refused to get a fucking job he could get a 'fucking job'."
"Oh god." Raven groaned.
"He laughed, really amused himself with that one." Cherry looked just as disgusted as Raven. "And the boy looked at me like he wanted to disappear, and he was so sorry I had to see all of this. He was sorry for me. Good kid." Cherry shook her head and took another deep drink.
"Can you do me a favor?" Raven felt a little ill. "You see the boy on the streets you call me? I'll pay if…"
"No, you don't have to pay." Cherry tilted her bottle, taking in the last of the drink. She'd finished it rather fast. "But if you're working…"
"I hope to never hear from you actually." Raven spoke wearily. "But if he's out there I want to know. If his bastard of a dad actually puts him out there, that's no way to lose your virginity." Her mind flashed on Tessa for a moment and her eyes watered. She wrote her number down on a piece of paper and handed it over with the twenty she owed. "Thank you."
"Yeah." Cherry set the bottle down, looking very world weary. "Brothel work as good as I hear?"
"Yeah, much better than the streets." Raven just repeated what she'd heard. "Safer, you got backup and you're inside and warm while they come to you."
"Maybe when I turn twenty one I'll work with ya." Cherry smiled, but it was sad. "Age limit right?"
"Yeah." Raven sighed heavily. "Tell Lois I sent you when you get there."
"It'll be a while." Cherry gripped her purse, confirming Raven's feeling that Cherry really was young. "I better get going or my pimp will wonder… ya know."
"Yeah." Raven held the door opened and let the girl leave. She'd offer to drive, but she was feeling ill and a bit drunk. Not a good combo. When she closed the door she leaned against it. "Fuck." She muttered.
…………
"Thank you for coming so late." Lady Heather spoke while nodding briefly to one of her employees that had stepped into the room. Raven carefully worked on the shading of Lady Heather's cleavage, trying to get the shadows right on her canvas.
The sounds of occasional screams were distracting at first but she found herself able to block most of it out if she just really concentrated on her work. A particularly loud snap of the whip caused her hand to shake and Raven muttered quiet swears as she worked to repair the damage the jerking of her hand caused.
"Can we take a break?" Lady Heather spoke carefully and Raven looked up from her canvas to see the woman watching her rather carefully. "You need it don't you?" The Mistress spoke more gently as her employee left the room.
Raven let out a deep breath and gave Lady Heather a weak smile. "Yeah, I do."
"I have been impressed with your willingness to be here." Lady Heather stood up regally, even though she should be a little sore from posing for a little too long. "But I think you need to see something more." Lady Heather moved toward the door and her voice held a command. "Follow me."
Raven took a hesitant step out of the office after Lady Heather. This was the first time she'd been here while it was opened. Raven fell behind a few more steps as Lady Heather approached another Mistress and asked a soft question. "Heather?" Raven felt a wave of apprehension as she waited to be dragged in another direction. The Mistress talking with Lady Heather gave Raven a scolding look, but Heather moved an arm to stop that without even commenting about it.
"Raven I'm asking you to trust me." Lady Heather turned to stare into her eyes and Raven fought the urge to stare down at her knees, fought the urge to submit and the fear that not submitting would result in pain. It earned her a small smile and nod, a subtle indication that Lady Heather knew Raven had fought her fears. "Come, I want to show you what it is supposed to be like." This time Lady Heather took her hand and gently caressed it, her voice became soothing. "You'll always jump if you don't understand. It isn't like what you know, this isn't torture you are hearing." She sounded like she really wanted Raven to agree.
It wasn't three minutes later that Raven followed Lady Heather into the room that had the whipping sounds coming from it. A man was tied to a post and a woman was whipping him slowly, lazily. Not the quick punishing pace Raven had endured. Lady Heather moved toward the Mistress while Raven stepped back to stand along the wall near the door. She heard the whisper. "Push him too far."
The brunette nodded and pulled her hand back for a more serious lash. It hit him and after a scream Raven heard him call out, "Rabbit, Rabbit" The whip fell to the redhead's side and she stepped forward.
"Too hard or is it your restraints?" Raven stared as he was let loose. She watched him kneel before Rachel and Raven's jaw was closed with a snap as she glanced up and saw Lady Heather staring at her.
"Greg," Lady Heather moved toward him radiating control and power. "Why did Lady Rachel stop?" It almost sounded like a stern teacher asking a question.
"I called out my safe word," He stared down at the ground, "Mistress."
"You had yelled out stop and no earlier, why did she not stop at that time?"
"They were not my safe word Mistress."
"Very good." Lady Heather stared at Raven a moment before turning to Rachel. "Carry on."
Raven was very quiet as she followed Lady Heather back out of the room as she thought about how it just stopped. "Rabbit?" She spoke quietly.
"The submissive holds a great deal of control. A submissive lets their Master or Mistress know what they can tolerate and how much. What their needs and fantasies are dictate a great deal of what we do here. The game ends as soon as the submissive wants it to end, but because many people like the fantasy of protesting calling out No or Stop wouldn't work, so a word that would never appear in the course of a session is chosen and if that word is called out the submissive takes back enough control to say whether it is too hard or too much, or if they just want to stop completely." Raven walked along side Heather, the halls were wide enough, but she found her eyes traveling to other closed doors, wondering what might be happening there. Lady Heather's voice softened a little. "These people pay good money for us to treat them like this. They need the outlet submission gives them and we supply it. This is about their needs and wants."
A door opened and another man, a thin blonde man, followed behind another Mistress obediently, his skin reddish. Lady Heather got a brief look of surprise from the other Mistress as she motioned for them to go first down the hall.
"That is a very reddened bottom." Lady Heather's comment drew Raven's eyes to the man's exposed backside. He wore an outfit that barely covered the necessities and it was clear he had been spanked well.
"That you Mistress." He spoke softly and then Lady Heather turned down a different hall with Raven.
"Some people enjoy being spanked much more now than when they were children." Lady Heather spoke softly and Raven felt her blush redden her face as she remembered Tessa's touch and how good it had been. Her mind started to replay that encounter when she found herself bumping into Lady Heather.
"I'm sorry." Raven looked up to see Lady Heather smiling just a little too knowingly at her.
"You were distracted. Anything you want to share?" Lady Heather's smile grew as Raven's blush intensified.
"No." Raven glanced at the kitchen in front of them.
"Okay, let's grab a little snack. My blood sugar is feeling a little low." Lady Heather reached into a cupboard to grab some crackers. Instead of just eating out of the box she laid them out on a plate before turning to pull a few items out of the refrigerator. "I am sorry if I seem a little rude, but I shouldn't have missed dinner. Would you like cheese and crackers or would you like something else?"
"I ate before coming over." Raven leaned against the counter and waited for Lady Heather to eat enough. The woman was diabetic and Raven more than sympathized with her needing the break now. When they started working again Raven found her hand didn't shake nearly as badly.
………
"Well Stanley," Raven smiled just a little as she motioned toward the line up of prostitutes. "What you do now is pick one and go to her room to talk about what you'd like." He was a little shy, almost looking afraid and full of nervous energy. Raven just waited patiently and didn't look at the women herself, afraid she'd influence him with the way her eyes followed Drahke in that outfit. It was, as always, more than the others wore, but it looked very good on her.
Her attention was dragged quickly back to her job as Stanley moved a little closer to her and whispered. "How do I pick?" He sounded a little stressed. Raven took a breath and looked up at him, feeling a little compassion actually, which was new. Normally she didn't think too much of the men that came here.
"You just pick one that you think you might like."
"But I don't know them, how do I know?" And there was the question. The one Raven couldn't answer but had thought about a lot. How could men just point and go to a room with a woman, how could they just look at the woman and decide by looks alone.
Raven's voice got softer. "This isn't a date Stanley. You aren't looking for a soul mate here. This is sex honey, who do you want to have sex with?" His eyes were wide and looked at her a little too long, but it was hard to feel threatened by a skinny and nervous guy like him. She smiled just a little. "I'm not on the menu, take a look at the other ladies."
"Who should I…"
"I'm not allowed to make suggestions." She spoke calmly and noticed how her voice had gotten a little deeper as she went for soothing and in control. Finally he made a decision, he picked Ebony and after he left Drahke moved toward her with a little bit of a smile on her lips.
"Ten bucks says he's after a Mistress," Drahke's smile grew a little wicked, "and he was thinking you'd have been perfect for the job. You're so gentle and forceful at once. The poor boy spent more time watching you than us."
"Thank god Raven's not interested in our job." Jewel came up and teased. "That's the third one today." Raven blushed. She'd dressed up a little for Drahke today, since it was Drahke's last day of her shift and Raven was driving her home. She thought maybe they could grab a late dinner.
"At least some men like women in clothes. I was starting to think…" Raven muttered and then shut herself up.
"That all they though about was sex?" Jewel laughed. "Well this is the place for that." Drahke gently caressed Raven's back out of sight of the room, helping her with the tension, but it wasn't as bad as it used to be. They talked a little about the day while watching a few of the others start a poker game.
"My shift is just about over. I'm going to go change and meet you at the office." Drahke spoke quietly. Raven looked at the clock and was a little surprised that her own shift had ended five minutes ago.
As Raven drove past the gate and pulled onto the road she was running dinner ideas through her head.
"You're doing a lot better." Drahke spoke softly and Raven glanced down when she felt a gentle caress on her arm, before looking over at Drahke. "You didn't flinch when I touched you." Drahke continued her caress and Raven moved her arm off the wheel to lay it closer to the touch. "You are doing better."
"I still have nightmares." Raven sighed. "I might always have them."
"But you didn't flinch when the customers looked at you today." Drahke's voice grew a little deeper, "And I can't really blame anyone for looking. You look so commanding and sexy in that suit." Raven grinned a little shyly and moved her fingers over the jean covered leg under her hand, petting Drahke. "Is it new?"
"It might be." Raven had to take her hand back to make a turn. It was new. One of very few things she actually bought with her money, other than art supplies, food, and gas. She gave Drahke her hand back after the turn and squeezed the hand that found its way into her own. "Are you hungry or do you need to go crash?" Raven finally asked. Many of the prostitutes talked about how they slept for a day or two after getting off shift just to recover.
"I could use a bite." Drahke's wandering fingers relaxed into just holding Raven's hand. That's what Raven really liked about Drahke, the woman touched a lot but never pushed. Raven was a little surprised by the fact that she had to remind herself that Drahke had just gotten off work, because she wanted more touching, but she'd promised herself to never push for anything the first three days off shift. Raven was very good at listening and understanding to what the prostitutes talked about and the need for a break from some types of intimacy made a lot of sense.
But she'd still not had any seriously intimate moments with anyone since… it… happened. Just Christy, but with Christy being inside of her and Raven being able to read her mind, it wasn't the same sort of surrender. Raven knew, absolutely knew, that Christy loved her and wouldn't do anything to hurt her in a way only a telepath could normally know. Christy was safe.
Drahke was caring, smart, strong, so many good things. Raven wanted to say she was safe too, but if she really believed that why did she always panic when they made out? Why was Raven always pulling away if she knew Drahke was safe?
"What are you thinking?" Drahke had to ask. No woman should be allowed to ask that, Raven thought with a heavy sigh, but a year of answering Tessa when those words came out had her trained.
"You," Raven paused, "sex."
The hand in hers pulled away a bit and Raven turned to glance at Drahke, surprised at the woman pulling away. "You wouldn't be the first lover I've had that had a problem with it." Drahke sounded a little irritated.
"How did they get over it?" Raven hadn't heard about this.
"They didn't, why else do you think I was single when you asked me out?" Drahke sighed heavily and turned away from her for a moment. "Easy to say you don't mind, but you do have a front row seat to it all."
"What?" Raven was confused. "I just… I want to be able…" Her words trailed off for a moment until they were a whisper. "I want, but I keep getting…"
"Oh baby." Drahke's voice was soft again and her hand moved to caress her arm. "You will be able to, when you're ready you will."
"What were you talking about?" Raven knew they had to have been talking about different things.
Drahke squeezed her hand. "I'm sorry. Lace was talking about yet another boyfriend that claimed to be okay with her job and then dumped her because of it. It didn't help that he assumed a prostitute would have an amazing sex drive, but after working ten days she wasn't in the mood most of the time. It brought back a few bad memories. I thought maybe you were having second thoughts."
Raven blushed as she stopped at the stop light. "I heard that most of the women didn't have sex much outside of work." She spoke quietly. "I don't expect…"
"And maybe you like that?" Drahke's touch became soothing as she caressed the back of Raven's hand. "less threatening that way?" Raven stared down at the steering wheel. "I knew. It's fine, I understand. You need cuddling and I happen to like that. I've never had such a cuddly lover."
"Do you ever want sex?" Raven felt a little nervous with how serious and intimate this discussion was getting while she was driving. It felt like something that should be done in a living room.
"Sometimes," Drahke's thumb ran gently over Raven's knuckles, "not so soon after getting off work at the Brothel, but sometimes. I'm willing to wait."
Raven blinked as she started through the intersection. She'd almost believed that Drahke wasn't really interested in sex, the other women weren't. She'd thought perhaps Drahke was kissing her so passionately because it would be expected. Raven didn't often feel very sexy anymore. "You want me?"
"I don't tend to kiss people I don't want. My job may be to do other things, but kissing is special and I never kiss any of them." Drahke picked up Raven's hand and kissed the back of it. Mistresses don't use their mouths, Emma's voice echoed in Raven's head. It was true there too. Kissing was how you knew it meant something. Tessa had kissed her. Raven pushed thoughts of Tessa out of her head. She had a girlfriend in the car she needed to talk to, one that was with her and not two thousand miles away.
"Drahke," Raven spoke after a moment. "Do you want to stay over Tuesday?"
"Raven"
"I want to. I just," Raven felt frustrated with her inability to talk. Finally it was Christy that gave her the words or the inspiration for the words, even though the woman wasn't with her anymore, "I don't want to live in fear, to have fear keep me from something as beautiful as being with you. It won't be easy for me, but I want to do more than cuddle with you. Maybe not everything, maybe not yet, but more." She sighed, "And if I can't, at least I have someone to hold me that night."
"Sounds like a lovely evening." Drahke finally spoke. "I look forward to it, but don't push yourself too hard. I won't push you."
…………….
"I'm never coming home." Tessa's words replayed in her mind as Raven stood at the side of the bed waiting for Drahke to come out of the bathroom. Raven forced herself to see Tessa saying it again, replayed it, to try and stop the guilt she felt. She'd promised herself she'd wait for Tessa years ago, and she'd been faithful for so long, but Tessa was never coming home and Drahke was so kind and gentle with her.
The bathroom door opened and Raven turned to see Drahke's pose and the soft silky robe. It look ten times sexier than Drahke's Brothel work clothes. Raven had to admit her Mistress outfit was sexier than those clothes as well. "You look beautiful." Raven felt a wave of shyness.
"So do you." Drahke moved to the bed and seemed to settle down easily, more used to this awkwardness than Raven. "How about we just cuddle for a while?" Raven let out a relieved breath when Drahke suggested it. She wasn't quite ready yet.
…………….
Raven woke up more gently than she normally did, without the desperate gasp as she fled from a nightmare. It took her a moment to wake up enough to recognize the rhythmic caress to her hair and the warm softness under her cheek that expanded and contracted and had a soft heartbeat. Once she did Raven smiled a little and wrapped her arm around Drahke's waist a little tighter.
"Good Morning." Drahke's voice was soft and as gentle as her caress.
"I'm sorry we didn't…" Raven sighed as she pulled away from the warmth of Drahke's body. Drahke was a bit warmer than normal, maybe it was her mutation. Raven looked into Drahke's eyes and noticed the slight smile.
"It's okay." Drahke looked like she wanted to say more, but she just leaned forward and kissed Raven. "I had a lovely evening. Sex might have ruined the cuddling."
"I feel like I'm neglecting you." Raven felt a wave of worry that she wasn't doing what she was supposed to and that it might bother Drahke. "I can…" Raven's eyes fell to Drahke's naked and beautiful body, taking in the exposed and pert breasts. She could serve.
"No." Drahke's voice was firm. "I have enough meaningless sex, I won't take it from you." She didn't sound too happy, Raven looked back up into staring eyes. "I can wait until you want it and I don't ever want to suspect you've been with me before you do want it."
"Yes Mis…" Raven cut her words off and looked away, disgusted at her slip and her shoulders slumped. Drahke tried to touch her cheek and Raven flinched away.
"Don't." Drahke touched her cheek. "Don't punish yourself for that. Mistress, you almost called me Mistress and you know what? I don't care, I am one. Not with you, but I am one." Raven took a shuddering breath and closed her eyes. "Do you need me to be a Mistress?" Drahke asked so softly and Raven felt a tear trail down her cheek in response. "Your Mistress?"
Tessa's face came to her mind and Raven shook her head no. God she felt so lost. Tessa wasn't her anything anymore. "Yes." Her voice croaked out. "No, I don't know."
"It's okay." Drahke spoke softly while pulling Raven closer. "You take all the time you need. If you need that I'll be that and if you don't, I won't. You just tell me when you're ready." It was so incredibly kind, so giving. Raven started to shake as tears started to fall. Drahke just held her and gently rocked her as Raven cried.
"I just want it to be over." Raven muttered as she held Drahke tightly. "I just want it to be over." No more nightmares, no more fear. She just wanted to live a normal life.
"It will be," Drahke kissed her forehead. "You just need to give yourself enough time to heal. This was too soon and I knew it. It's okay baby. It's okay."
Raven felt embarrassed when she finally stopped crying. She also felt safe in Drahke's arms and she didn't want to move and risk the woman letting go of her. They laid like that for a while, until Raven's own muscles couldn't take the position much longer and she had to sit back up. The look she gave Drahke was so raw and grateful.
Raven made breakfast for the first time in months and sat down across from Drahke, who was dressed in her robe again. "What if I…" Raven sighed, "What if I don't," Raven grimaced, "if I can't," Her hand moved in a circle in the air as she struggled with what to say, sex? Make love? "before I have to leave?"
"Then you'll be the first lover I never made love to since I was about fourteen." Drahke touched her hand. "And that would still be okay."
"Okay." Raven repeated it softly. "Okay." She repeated her response. It was okay if she didn't heal fast enough.
…………..
"Your pretty girlfriend move in with you?" Terrance's voice interrupted her reading and Raven looked up from her book. "That's the third time I've noticed a woman leave your apartment when I didn't see her get there." He grinned at her.
"She's just staying over more often." Raven didn't admit that it was still just cuddling between them when the boy gave her a congratulatory look. Drahke had taken to staying over every other night.
Raven glanced toward his apartment, where the door was still opened.
"Dad is at work." Terrance muttered, a little more deflated as he moved to sit beside her on the grass. "How did your parents take you being gay?" He asked softly. Raven wished she had a good answer for him. She was kicked out more because she was a mutant, but no one had been thrilled about her being a lesbian either.
"Sometimes," Raven paused and took a deep breath, "Sometimes you have to make your own family because the one you were born into just doesn't fit anymore." Tessa had been hers, so had the other Xmen, and she'd been forced to leave them and try and make her own family yet again. That response got silence for a while.
"So, what's your girlfriend's name?"
"Drahke." Raven answered while watching his slight grin with a bit of apprehension. He reminded her of Bobby a little bit.
"Becky?"
"Drahke."
"Trekkie?"
"Smart ass." Raven smiled at him and shook her head. She started to stand up and stretch. "Wanna go to a movie?"
"Wouldn't you rather go with Trekkie?" He smiled big.
"She's busy." Drahke had errands to run and then she had to work, but Raven had the day off. "So?"
He looked a bit embarrassed, "I don't really have any money." She didn't think he did.
"I asked you out." She spoke more softly. "I knew I'd pay."
"Ah, okay." He glanced back at his apartment, "but I have to be home by six."
"No problem." Raven pulled out her apartment keys. "Meet me in twenty minutes at my apartment and we'll go. I need to change first." He was most likely sneaking out against his dad's orders, but she couldn't bring herself to care what that bastard of a father wanted.
They were in luck. It must have been the first day that Men in Black didn't have a line up all the way into the parking lot. She bought the tickets and found herself looking around a bit. The last time she'd gone to the movies with someone it was Ororo, well and Christy.
Both of them were grinning big when the movie ended. Raven's experience with fighting was limited, but she doubted any of the others had been such smart asses while faced with something like that giant bug. The music playing outside of the theater grabbed her attention. "Men in black…" She started to sing along while grinning at Terrance, she wiggled her fingers when they got to the line about no fingerprints, but then she noticed Terrance was looking at her a little strangely, not like she'd lost her mind, but like he was seeing something incredibly strange he just couldn't understand. She didn't think she was playing too much, but she stopped.
"Have time for a late lunch?" It might be early dinner to most people, but she was still on night owl hours.
"Ah," He stammered, "I should just get home." Raven looked at him in concern. He looked a little pale.
"Okay." She smiled gently. "I had fun, maybe we can do this again?"
"That would be good." He gave her a weak smile and didn't volunteer what was wrong. She didn't push, but she did look around at the other people to see if any of them had caused this. She didn't see anyone looking their way.
…………..
"This sucks." Raven complained quietly as Drahke brushed her hair in the bathroom.
"This is just the way it is. You knew that when you asked me out." Drahke sighed. "If it means anything to you, I don't like it either."
"I just like sleeping with you." Raven sat down heavily on the bed. "I sleep better when you're here."
"Well, I'd offer to let you sleep in my room, but Lois would have a fit." Drahke turned and stepped into the room with a smile. "But if you don't mind the others teasing you, you could hire me for an hour during your lunch break." Raven grimaced as she imagined the teasing she'd get for that. The bets on what she'd ordered would be flying across the brothel in no time and a few of the ladies would start lining up for her if it were slow just as a joke. No, that would be an embarrassing mess. Even though Drahke was teasing Raven noticed her hold on the hair brush was a little tight.
"No, it's okay. I knew it would be like this, I'm just spoiled." Raven smiled gently and got up to hug Drahke, to reassure her it wasn't an insurmountable problem. "I'm sorry I'm complaining."
"It's okay. These long shut in hours bother me too, but that's just how it works."
"Yeah, well at least I get to see you." Raven stepped back. "You better finish getting ready."
Raven didn't work Drahke's first day back at the brothel and once the woman left she found she had little to do. After an hour and a half of nothing she got in her car and drove to Lady Heather's. She could at least work on the background of the painting if Lady Heather was too busy. It was the biggest painting she'd ever attempted and was not as close to done as she'd like. Raven wanted to finish it so that they'd get paid the rest of what Heather agreed to. Raven wanted to do something special for Drahke, she wasn't sure what, but she knew that money would help.
It was still early when she got there, a few hours before business picked up, but Raven noticed a few cars in the driveway. Her own car slowed as she thought perhaps she should have called, even though Heather said she could drop by anytime. Raven got out of her car slowly as she noticed another woman walking up the driveway to the door dressed in jeans and a button up shirt, but she swore it was one of the Mistresses.
"Um," Raven stammered as she moved to catch up with the woman. She was a little nervous and hated how she found her eyes not looking the woman in the face again, she fought that impulse and looked into curious eyes. "What's going on?"
"Your Lady Heather's little sub aren't you?" The woman asked her and Raven blinked in shock.
"I'm Raven and she's commissioned a painting from me." Raven kept her eyes on the woman when she said that a little forcefully. Did they all think she was Lady Heather's submissive?
"Oh." The woman seemed to rake her eyes over Raven's body. "I just saw you with her and Drahke and assumed. I apologize."
"It's okay." Raven waved it off more easily than she thought she would. Lady Heather would be a gentle Mistress. Raven had seen enough of her to be able to tell now. She didn't know what type of Mistress Drahke would be. Raven's girlfriend never acted like a Mistress around her. Raven shook that thought out of her head. "I was just stopping by to work on the painting, but if it'll be busy…"
"Oh, it's just a fashion show. One of the subs is into fashion design and he's showing us some of the work he has available." The woman smiled. "The latest in Leather and Domination wear."
"Rachel," Lady Heather's voice interrupted them and Raven turned to see Lady Heather looking a little surprised to see her for just a moment. "Raven, what a surprise."
"I didn't realize you had plans already." Raven glanced at the cars.
"Oh please come in." Lady Heather held the door opened. "Is there any reason for this visit?"
"I thought I'd work on the painting."
Lady Heather moved to close the door after Rachel walked past and then down the hall. "We're having a bit of a fashion show. Would you like to join us? It might be… arousing," Lady Heather smirked at her, "artistically speaking, it might inspire you. Women in leather after all." Her voice dropped. "If you see anything that you think Drahke should look at make a note of it. She hates missing these meetings." Raven blushed at the gentle teasing.
She was actually having a bit of fun as the three Mistresses that were roped into playing models showed off the clothes. There was laughing and joking from the Mistresses and they didn't seem nearly as intimidating when they weren't playing the role. The man showing the clothes and talking about them was just a little submissive seeming, not like she'd have expected from him either. He didn't seem weak or like he wanted punishment. She found herself watching him, noting the occasional blush or the way he'd look down when some of the women asked him a question. It was familiar behavior, she'd found herself doing those things.
"Mistress?" His voice startled her out of her unseeing staring to see him looking at her. "You have a question?"
"No." She answered, but she didn't add the smile she'd normally do when caught staring. He seemed to bow his head to her and it reminded her of Tessa when she submitted to Emma. He was well practiced in doing that. Raven noticed a slight movement out of the corner of her eye and saw Heather watching her. Raven bowed her own head and sat back a bit more against the couch she was leaning against as she sat on the floor. There wasn't enough seating for all the Mistresses and she'd found herself taking the floor without even thinking about it when she came in. It was surprising to her he'd call her a Mistress when she felt like her move to take the floor was a glowing sign that she wasn't.
Once the show was over, a few women left to get ready for work and a lot more of them left. Lady Heather stood with the man and waved Raven over to talk with them. "I'd like to order her some leather pants, low riding to show off her abs, which I hear are nice." Raven found herself the center of attention. "Maybe a leather halter."
"I don't want new clothes."
"Raven, you are always welcome here, but when we are open you have to admit your jeans stick out a little too much." Lady Heather started to look at some binder he had, most likely his inventory. "It ruins the atmosphere if not everyone fits the mold, and I'd never ask you to dress as a submissive, so I want to buy you a little leather." Lady Heather looked up. "It wouldn't hurt to see how the other half lives. You might find that inner Mistress I get glimpses of occasionally. I'm beginning to think you might be a switch, all it takes is a paintbrush in your hand and you command the room."
Raven wanted to protest, but it made a lot of sense. If she was the only one in regular clothes it might ruin the fantasy they were selling here. "I don't want to be," She struggled for the politest way to say it, "as undressed as the others." Lady Heather gave her a small smile and started to outline her idea. Raven tried to pay attention to her more than the man that was suddenly taking her measurements. She did flinch a little when he went to measure her bust size.
"I'd never let anything inappropriate happen in my club." Lady Heather spoke to her, before her voice hardened. "Move quickly and move on." She demanded of the man, who did just that. A leather halter with buckles, a duster for cold nights, and black leather pants were ordered. Lady Heather also ordered Raven a pair of boots with two inch thick heels.
"Mistress, I should have these in a few days. I have most of these in stock." The man addressed her and Raven just nodded, not willing to explain how she was going to be a sheep in wolves clothing.
"I heard that you've become more dominate at your other job." Lady Heather spoke to her once they were alone. "Drahke told me how some of the submissive men have been rather eager to please you. It's good to hear you're getting in touch with your power." When Heather talked about power Raven first thought about her mutation, but that wasn't the kind of power Heather always talked about. "Now did you need me to model?"
"If you're busy I could work on the background." Raven hadn't called first after all.
"Can I work in my office while you do that Lady Raven?" Lady Heather teasingly sounded like a submissive. It made Raven smile a little.
"Yes, you may." She spoke like it was an allowance she was giving.
Four days later Lady Heather called her to come and try on the clothes as soon as possible, and two days later Raven was able to go in. In spite of her misgivings, it looked good, not too wild. She'd probably get strange looks at the store if she went dressed like this, but she was very conservatively dressed compared to the others at the club. Her boots had something on the heel to make them click authoritatively as she walked, and the duster flapped a little if she was walking fast. Raven smiled at the reflection and noticed Heather watching her.
"That looks good. Commanding." Lady Heather walked around Raven slowly, studying her, and Raven froze, not moving at all while Lady Heather did that. "I could almost hire you, looking like that, but you still freeze like a submissive when I do this." Lady Heather stopped in front of her. "And it would look odd to have a Mistress walking around with a sketchpad all the time. You know where your power comes from now. Learn to apply it at other times."
"I thought I just needed to blend in?"
"I still want you to see your own power. You are getting there." Lady Heather tilted her head a little. "Imagine you're thinking of drawing everyone you see here. Look at the submissives like they are potential art. When you do that you have the right look." Was she supposed to play at actually being a Mistress here? That wasn't what she was being paid for, Raven thought with a bit of panic. "Just to maintain the illusion. We sell fantasy here, and I don't want anything to disrupt that. Just when you see a submissive in the halls, act the part. You don't need to talk to them or actually BE a Mistress."
"Okay." Raven nodded and practiced the look on Heather, who gave her an amused smile in return.
……………
The phone rang around two and Raven set her lunch down to answer it, expecting Heather or Drahke. "Hello Raven."
"Oh no." Raven's shoulder's slumped.
"Nice to hear from you too dear." Irene sounded a little put out.
"No it's not that." Raven felt a little bad about her immediate response. "I have to move don't I? Are they here?"
"I just called to tell you its time to put in your two week notice." Irene sounded sympathetic. "No one suspects you are in Vegas right now, and if you leave before they notice you may be able to visit once in a while."
"But if no one knows, why can't I just stay?" Tears of frustration filled her eyes. "I'm happy Irene. I'm happy here." Her voice cracked.
"I'm so sorry dearie." Irene spoke gently as tears trailed down Raven's cheeks. "But you'll need to move soon or you'll be discovered."
Raven just nodded, even though that wasn't a good phone response. She knew this day was coming. "Two weeks?"
"Yes, you'll need to be out of Vegas before September." Irene paused. "I left you as long as I could, I even had Mystique pose as you in a few cities to draw attention away from that part of the country."
"Thank you." Raven took a shuddering breath.
"Make love to your girlfriend." Irene told her quietly. "You'll regret it if you never do, and you are stronger than you think. She's sensitive enough to know what you need, and time isn't always on your side." Irene sounded upset.
"Are you okay?" Raven asked, concerned. There was silence on the other end for too long.
"You already heard it from Christy." Irene paused, seemingly to catch her own tears. "But I'm not well. I went to the doctor, hoping that perhaps this once my vision was wrong, but it wasn't. I'm dying dear. I knew it, but still, it's hard to hear."
"Oh Irene." Raven's tears started again.
"I can't tell Mystique. There is too much I need to take care of before I go and she'll want to make me take it easy."
"She loves you." Raven could remember a completely different Mystique crying about this woman's death, Christy's memory. "She wouldn't want you going through this alone."
"I know what I'm doing and if you see her I ask that you respect that." Raven wanted to argue, but she stopped herself.
"I can be there for you." She offered. "If you need someone to talk to or help."
"You are such a sweetie." Irene's voice cracked. "Just live your life to the fullest Raven. When it's all over it never feels like there was enough time." Raven didn't know what else to say and she felt horrible that she couldn't just have the magical words to make it all better. "I'll be mailing you a few things before you go." Irene's voice softened, "I'm glad you liked Vegas. I hoped you would. I just want what's best for you."
"Why?" She'd wondered that before.
"I may be blind, but I see a lot." Irene's chuckle sounded fake. "You are a wonderful girl. Someone I'd want as part of my family, and like you told that young boy, we have to make our own families. I also hope," Irene paused, "That if Mystique needs you that you'll be there for her. My death is going to hit her hard, and I don't see Rogue being there for her. There aren't a lot of people she might trust with her pain, but in at least one world a Mystique found your double trustworthy. I'll admit I'm hoping here she might see you that way as well, and if you two…" Irene paused. "I'm rambling. I'm sorry."
"It's okay." Raven told her gently.
"The future isn't written in stone, it has too many variations, but I want you to know I don't see any possibilities for you that I don't support." It sounded like something so very important, but Raven didn't understand and didn't think Irene would clarify.
"Okay." She'd remember. That was all Irene probably wanted from her.
"I'll arrange for you to be taken care of. I'll still arrange new identities for you, enough to keep you moving and free." Irene's voice was quieter. "I'm sorry that you'll be moving around for a while. You can't stop until you break out of your cocoon." Raven's eyebrows drew together at the wording of that. She thought she was starting to do that. She was more open to other people again. "And it may be painful, but transitions often are."
"What are you talking about?"
Irene let out a loud breath. "Too much. I'm sorry dear, I'm caught in a vision. I really should hang up and write it down."
"Okay."
"I love you child. Take care." Raven heard that as she was hanging up and she teared up again. Even if she wanted Irene to be a mother figure, the woman was dying. It was so sad that Raven could see herself giving Irene that role more easily than her own mother at this point.
Even though she'd hung up she spoke out loud. "I love you too." Irene's powers were strange. She might have heard that.