20: Bitter Torments

Lt. 'Darts' Devi paused outside the door that his wingleader had exited some while ago to 'interrogate' his prize prisoner, gnawing on his lower lip. The Viral stared at the exit for a moment in indecision.

Belial hated to be interrupted when he was enjoying himself and the information the Lieutenant had might be construed as being merely personal in nature as it dealt with a blood relation. On the other hand, it could be important and Bloody Nightmare would be livid if something came of it and he wasn't told in advance. So it was reasonable--if still possibly suicidal---that Belial should be told the news by his second. What if he didn't tell him directly, though?

The problem was that with Mera---no, the deleted one, Devi quickly corrected himself---back in custody, Captain Myotis Belial had his preferred toy once more. That left a certain elder rookie viral in a less favorable position then before as he was again just Belial's partner in the air.

Making up his mind, Lt. Devi discarded the idea of seeking out his leader for a face-to-face as it would be prudent to keep some distance between them if he guessed wrong and he wanted to live another day. He quickly hit the signal button on the two-way radio. The wait was short before his leader's irritation made itself known.

"Lieutenant, did I not specifically tell you I was not to be disturbed for any reason other than a full-scale attack?"

Lt. Devi unconsciously stiffened his back. "Yes, sir."

"Then there is no problem with either your memory or your hearing. You have exactly five seconds to tell me why I shouldn't gut you at the next convenient opportunity."

"Sir, Lt. Demi Devi is missing in action." There was a pause from the other end during which time Lt. Dart Devi sweated bullets.

Back in the guest suite, Myotis glanced at the injured Datan lying helpless before him.

"Your brother ?"

"Yes sir."

Belial frowned, mulling over whether this was significant or not. Although Lt. 'Darts' Devi was a competent Viral for an older rookie and decent as a bed partner, his younger brother the spy, 'Demi' Devi could be as irresponsible as he was malicious. Not that Belial minded maliciousness when directed to anyone other than he. It was not the insignificant Viral that was important so much as the circumstance of his missing.

"Dead or captured?"

"Unknown. He did not report in after meeting with the deleted one."

"Likely the rat is dead drunk somewhere, but keep me informed in case we need to shut his mouth permantly. Belial out."

"Will do, sir," Lt. Devi agreed and signed off. If his younger brother smirched the family's reputation, Darts would wring his neck personally.

"Trouble in hades, Myotis?"

Belial gripped his captive's damaged leg. "It's not polite to listen in on a superior's conversation." He squeezed the sprained joint before letting go quickly, not wanting the Datan to go unconscious.

Wizard gasped at the pain, but couldn't resist wheezing, "Next time I'll ask to be excused then." Belial smirked down at him, laying a teasing hand on the other's inner thigh and letting his fingers casually trail upwards, pausing only to fondle wherever their owner wished.

"It was nothing particularly private, my pet," Belial assured his prisoner. "Nor so important as to delay our time together more than it already has. Now then, just lie there for me. I want to feast on your exquisite emotions."

Wizard fought down any more outward reactions until they came to rest on his ears. As usual the purrs were forced out of him followed by the rush of blood to his face that colored everwhere but the scars. Part of the Datan marveled that no matter how many indignities he was put through, being manipulated into purring always made him blush. He hated it if for no other reason that his enemies took such delight in his distress at being unable to control these two physical reactions.

Pale blue fingers were now entwined in the damp blonde hair; some still massaging the ears while others tugged with increasing pressure on the silken strands until tears of pain slowly leaked down. Their descent was stopped by thumbs massaging them back into the darker skin. After a few minutes, the hands stilled, Belial appreciating the last bit of aural eroticism as it fell silent before speaking again.

"Look at me, pet." Wet emeralds gazed back up, their depths holding a cauldron of hurt and hate. "Beautiful," Belial murmured, revelling in the sight. "My gorgeous, delicious, irresistable, William. Kissed with eternal youth, yet temper distilled by the very fires of the phoenix. Do you know, I've always believed that you were purposely crafted especially for me as a a lowly Datan rather than as a Virus by the God of War so that I could possess you utterly." Belial smiled at Mera's raised eyebrow. "Oh yes, where else could such a heady package of contradictory ferociousness and vulnerablility come from but from a god who knows my desires? And every exquisite morsel of you is mine." One hand gripped Wizard's jaw while the other slipped behind his head to hold it immobile. "It was so very naughty of you to run away and deprive me of such pleasure. The agony placed on you today is but a mirror of what you visited upon me. How I've ached to plunder your depths as before."

That was all the warning Wizard got before his mouth was invaded by a demanding tongue. He fought to breathe around the alternating flicking and lathing of of the alien mass, sure that if Belial started on his ears again he'd asphixiate. Yes, and wouldn't that be a blessing? After all, this was only Belial's idea of an appetizer before the main meal. His old patron was nothing if not creative in his sadistic hedonism.

Respite came in the normally unwanted voice.

"Myotis?"

With a roar, Belial straightened up, his right hand descending on the intercom as if planning to pulverize it down to it's basic molecules. How dare it interrupt him a second time?

"WHAT THE BLOODY FREM IS IT NOW?!"

Dae's voice chuckled back at him. "Dear me, Myotis, you really should not strain your voice like that. What if you came down with laryngitis?"

"Dae..." Myotis sucked in a breath through clenched teeth. "Practice medical advice on someone else. I'm somewhat busy."

"Yes," the doctor's voice drawled, so I've been seeing. May I remind you that my patient is not yet up to a full dose of your idea of playtime?"

Belial switched his stance so he could look at the survelliance camera on the wall. "He seems to be doing fine so far," he snorted, "and you know I'm hardly embarrassed by your voyeurism, Dae." The pilot licked his lips, subtley juting out his pelvis to display just how much someone's watching did not disturb his libido. Not so subtle was blatantly cupping a hand over Wizard's genitals. "And I remind you that though you have temporary access to everything else, these--"

"Yes, yes, the sexual bitch--bits are all yours. While I'm sure the vid would sell excellently on the bestiality market, criticing your performance or that of your 'Gift from the Gods' is not why I called."

Myotis gave a wolfish grin, having caught both Demon's verbal error and slightly huskier tone. Deny it all you want, Dae, he thought. Watching us turned you on. Too, bad for you. I'm not sharing.

"Slip of the tongue, Dae? As long as you don't slip it in somwhere that it doesn't belong..."

"General Pied desires your presence. Apparently, something has happened of a delicate nature not meant for other ears."

Disappointed that Dae was not willing to verbally spar, Belial merely grunted, "I'll take it on my private channel then." Meaning his plane. Dae got to listen in on enough 'private' conversations as it was.

"Of course," Dae's voice concurred. "Since you will be absent for some time, I trust you won't mind if I begin another session." The intercom clicked off.

Back in his lab, Dae pondered for a moment before opening the locker holding the scarf. It was really too soon for another session yet. However, the doctor found the idea of visiting Mera now a bit too tantalizing to resist. He removed the weaving and headed for the Captain's suite. On his way there, he noticed some clearance low-level virals in waste-disposal suits with cleaning equipment disinfecting the floor and walls. Some of their tools were propped up against the wall, waiting to be used. Mind intent on what lay within the room, Deamon did not pay them much mind. Being a stickler for sanitation, the building was often swept for contaminates on his orders. It wouldn't do for some odd sickness to befall his 'patients' and delay his work. His fingers quickly pushed the relevant buttons on the keypad that allowed him entry into every room in the facility.

Upon opening the door, Dae saw only Mera strapped to the table. Myotis had already left; but not, however, before securely doing up the captive's covering. Myotis really could be quite childish at times with his teasing then denying.

"There you are, D-0266-M. I trust you are feeling well enough to feel uncomfortable?"

The door click shut.

--------o-------------

Out in the corridor, the disquised Dragon had seen the approaching viral coming towards them with a handwoven purple scarf in one hand and sporting a face as black as night. He immediately turned so that no one could see him grab his 'fellow maintenance worker' by the arm. Not a moment too soon, too. Teiru tried to yank her arm out of Flahm's grip its unyielding presence being the only thing that kept her from charging forward to kill the enemy. Grimly, Flahm held her back until the door closed.

"That was the Demon!" she hissed at him. "He's with Wizard!"

"Yeah, I kinda figured it was him," Flahm nodded. "Let's not blow our cover just yet though." Teiru took a calming breath and nodded; he let go of her arm.

"Sorry, Dragon," Teiru apologized. "It's just the thought of that creep being alone with Wizard for even a second..." She sighed. "Tenny?" Tenny walked over to the mop they'd left propped by the door to the suite.

"I got it," he smirked, removing a miniature camera from the mop head. The press of a couple of switches showed it had worked perfectly, giving him a side-ways view of Dae's fingers moving over the keypad. It took the techie only a few minutes to review and decipher which key was being struck and in what sequence. To guess wrong was to risk setting off an alarm. Now all they needed was for one of them to get in there.

--------------o---------------

"There you are, D-0266-M. I trust you are feeling well enough to feel uncomfortable?"

Wizard groaned inwardly. Nightmare had just left and not quarter had gone by but Demon was back again. Was he to be allowed no rest?

"Always so solicitous of my welfare..." Wizard began, but stopped when Dae held up the armashink so he could see it. He warily eyed the other. "Something tells me you didn't bring that because you thought I might catch a chill."

"How very witty," Dae smiled. He walked close enough to lay a hand on Mera's chin. "You possess an intelligent mind for a mere Datan. Indeed, I must admit that I am beginning to see just what Myotis finds so appealing about you."

"Oh joy. Just what I wanted, another groupie," Wizard deadpanned. Inside, he was shaking. This was not a good development. Doctor Dae was extraordinarly twisted when it came to torture, but sexual abuse he had always considered beneath him. When had the Demon decided to culture a libido?

"Not quite...as I said before, you will never be the center of my universe." Dark fingers fiddled with a strand of the blonde hair. "However, I would not be adverse to having you as a golden satellite circling around in some off-side corner."

"Sounds positively boring. That settles it...I'm getting an appointment with my hair stylist to die my hair black..or...br..." the words trailed off into a growling purr of pleasure that made his whole torso veberate. Something was giving the most positively exquisite scratchy feeling to the base of an ear. His whole world narrowed down to that one point of contact. Then it was gone. Snapping back into awareness, Wizard glared at his adversary, breathing hard. "This is getting old."

"On the contrary, I find it quite amusing," chuckled, Dae who took a moment to unwrap a corner of the armashink from his fingers while indicating where Wizard's hospital gown had grown a noticeable tent and wet spot. The doctor did not see the need to mention that the top of his trousers looked much the same. "The original terms are to undo this scarf and with it what you were---and I will remove you from my care. I am now offering a second choice: keep your armashink and your equally moth-eaten identity, but wilingly submit to my authority. Here you will never see Belial again and I can guarantee you that would appeal to Major Pied--who has never liked your influence over dear Myotis. On the other hand, Pied could care less what I do in private. You would be free of both of them."

"And my submitting to you would entail?" Wizard asked with a tired sigh. It had been meant to be a rheutorical question. Deep down, though, he flinched to realize that part of him was seriously considering the offer. By now Captain Flahm should have seen that the situation was hopeless for a rescue and gotten Teiru back safely to Serval. He was alone and at the mercy of the Viral society facing intense brainwashing that would eventually be successful. Any chance at suicide would be rigorously denied. This could be his only opportunity to at least remember who he had been.

"Just what it says. If I want you to get on all fours, bark like a dog and beg for my touch you will do so without hesitation. Or I might decide I want you to use every means at your disposal to seduce me like the well-trained slut of Belial's you are. I admit my forays into the world of sexual appetites have been few and long ago, so I can't say with any certainty as yet what exactly I'll have you do to stimulate the admittedly stunted erotic center of my brain."

No better than with Belial, then. No worse either. Wizard closed his eyes and resigned himself to the inevitable. "I..."

The door chime sounded.