Chapter Text
The air had been thicker than usual as I’d slept. Breath stoic, shifting dreamlessly in the ocean of bed sheets, as if searching for something familiar. The back of my hands subconsciously swimming along the coolness of the cotton, when I could almost swear that I felt warm skin touching mine. It’s not until the bed shifts slightly that my eyes burst open in a fluttering of eyelashes and my mind slams me awake. Sitting straight up, hands gripping the fabric of the blanket on either side of my thighs.
As though panicked by some nightmare that wasn’t there a moment ago, I remember.
I have to find Lee.
Swinging my right leg over the bedside, my bare foot touches the freezing marble floor before I too, momentarily freeze, remembering exactly whose bed I’m trying to get out of. With wide eyes, thinking, I’ve made too much noise, too many movements and totally fucked myself over, I note the tiny shiver that travels down my spine . As if holding my breath would keep a hibernating bear asleep, I don’t dare exhale when I turn my head slowly to scan the still figure on the left side of the bed. Though it’s not quite a bear, he might as well have been with his giant form rising and falling with each breath.
I watch him carefully, lifting my left leg to join my other foot on the ground. Attempting to stand up as silently as one could, the mattress squeaks under the re-distribution of my weight. “ SHIT….” I whisper to myself. I stare at him asleep, praying internally that I can at least make it out this damned bed chamber. As I scurry bare foot to the double doors, I smile to myself when I find one of the door handles unlocks under the weight of my hands and swings open. Shutting the heavy door behind me, I start to walk. Maybe if I hadn’t been so focused on locating Lee, then perhaps I’d have taken the second to wonder, if Stryker Tenebris had even been asleep.
I walked fast, as though I had somewhere to be by a certain time, as if I had been here 100 times before and knew where to go. Looking around for anyone else, I took my first right towards a narrow hallway. The walls adorned with gold leaf frames around beautiful works of art. Coming to a stand still, it was then that I realized how stupid I had been. Why had it taken me this long to realize there weren’t any guards about?
With sudden suspicion, I take a 360 degree sweep of my surroundings. Nope, no Nebulaeus pretending to be a wall . Although I do appreciate when he’s around sometimes, just in case… I shake my own head to myself and continue down the same corridor I started on, when I hear voices. Several of them. Getting closer. Internal panic sets in as I leap towards a door I hadn’t noticed before.
Twisting the knob and slipping inside the room, hoping I’ve made it out of sight in time or else I’m totally screw- “Oh! Doll , you’re here earlier than expected.” I spin around, forearms behind me, as though I’ve been caught stealing. The person in front of me hesitates with an open mouth “Oh. Hello! Your grace! I- I was just changing into something more appropriate. I didn’t realize-“ He stops mid sentence, eyeing up and down my form, clearly noticing my evening wear. “Grace? Who is grace?” I question, suddenly confused and squinting.
A smile brews into one corner of his lip, almost laughing he says “Please excuse me, my Queen. It’s a term of endearment. It’s how we in the kingdom address you formerly. You may call me Luminar, it is so wonderful to finally meet our new Queen. ” His eyes never leave mine, two fireflies playing tag. “Please” he gestures with an open palm “make yourself comfortable, whilst you are already here I wish simply to ask questions of mere importance.” Looking around the smaller room, there isn’t anywhere to sit aside from the bed. Not wanting to rudely seat myself where someone lies their head at night, I stay standing.
When Luminar reaches into his closet and changes into a clean shirt before me, I can’t help but notice the tattoos that cover his entire cervical region … are adorable little dolphins. “Are you sure you wouldn’t like to sit?” His eyes soften. “I assure you, I am no predator like the sharks you have been … housed with … as humans are not in my chain of prey.” He pauses to look at the floor, then back up at me, blinking twice before he asks “ Are sharks as bloodthirsty and ravenous as the old stories would say?” Ask I proceed to shake my head for no, he interrupts me before I can verbally confirm or deny.
“Could it be possible that it’s a repressed instinct?” He thinks out-loud with a hand under his chin. “A likely outcome being that they’re humanoid shark deities. But what about the smell of your blood ?” Still facing him, it wasn’t until here and now that I realize while I’d snuck away trying to find Lee, somehow instead I’d ended up here. Almost shaking my head again at his question but finally digging up a few words.
“No. Not bloodthirsty . Not the council. They- They treat me- treated me very well. They used to..” I stumble over my words a few times. Luminar doesn’t clock it quite yet and if he does he does a good job of pretending to ignore it. “ Oh? This is news to me. I shall update my internal bias and correct myself moving forwards .” His demeanour shifts completely, his eyes transfixed on my mouth.
“ Dolphins on the other hand- “ His eyes begin to bounce between my own before he continues. “Dolphins and humans have always had an …. Interesting history. Wouldn’t you say?” Frowning at the change in his tone, I reply “Uh… I suppose so.” My words coming out more so, a question and less like a statement. He leans in intently “ Do you know anything about dolphins? I’m eager to hear what rumours surround my kind , how they are depicted in the human world.”
I feel my palms start to sweat but snap myself out of it. Instead, I start spouting nonsense. “Dolphins are… fun, playful, social creatures. They live in peaceful communities amongst each other. Very communicative. Friendly.” He smiles sweetly at my ramblings. Using this break in the conversation to attempt my leave, I say at him rather than to him. “Well, that was a lovely… chat… I am however, in a rush , so I should be going.”
Before I can even turn for the door knob, he peers at me from over his shoulder. “OK, tell you what, Doll face. Lace my corset for me and we’ll call it even .” He clears his throat and corrects himself quickly. “ If you wouldn’t mind of course, Your Grace .” He turns his back to me revealing a ribbon in dire need of a bow. “ Asking favours from the Queen isn’t something I usually do. ” He says, again peering over his shoulder. Ugh. How can I say no when he looks at me like that?
Lacing the ribbon into the hooks of the ancient looking attire, I tie the ribbon into a small, pretty, taut bow at the bottom. “There! Perfect.” I take this moment to try to leave again, I’ve been here far too long. “Sorry again to bother you!” As I wave my hand and turn to leave, he grabs my wrist, turning me back to face him. “ Forgive me, your grace. But it seems you had more to say on the rumours of my kind.- I’d love to hear more from you .” The way he speaking to me is so charming, but the way he looks at me… is not . “ Only if it pleases, Your Grace. Of course, I only wish to be sure all of them are true .” He grabs my hand and places a gentle but firm peck on the front of my knuckles.
When I speak, it’s much quieter than I anticipate. “Well I do know that a group of Dolphins is called a Pod, and the pod protects eachother.” His eyes light up. “Correct, Your Grace! My pod and I are close, very protective of one another.” I feel his rough thumbs dance slowly over the hills and valleys of my knuckles as he lowers my hand. “Dolphins are quite popular for their appearance as well.” I say this with a giggle, his eyes shoot to my own as he catches on immediately. “ Happy to hear that. Do you agree? Even in this humanoid form? ” He winks and I stutter. “… I do…”
Grabbing a strand of my hair, Luminar pushes it behind my ear and whispers “ Excellent .” His voice returns to normal when he exclaims “I’m happy to hear this, my Queen. So it is ,that our legend remains. ” He reaches up to me with his hand. This time, his pupils change shape when he takes hold of my hair. Slowly squeezing, hair tangling and tightening in his grip. Just as I’m about to pull back and yelp, he smiles, leans in with hot breath in my face “ Just as intended .”
In one fluid motion, he has me on the floor, my hands and knees scratching the solid wood in an attempt keep myself up. His hand wrapped in my hair, as if now, I’m the ribbon. Pulling me up by the fistful to meet his eye level pulls a pathetic whimper from me and he scowls in response. “ Sharks are the problem. Dolphins and Orcas? It’s always safe to swim about when we’re around. Let History repeat itself. Trust us. We won’t hurt you.” His laugh turns maniacal before he pauses in between the first four words.
“ It’s. Just. All. Too. Easy .”
“ I even taught your little octopus friend everything I know and it worked, didn’t it ?” In a shit attempt to appear unfazed, I lift my chin enough to make eye contact. “What is it that you want?” I squeak. He sighs like I’ve officially bored him. “Im glad you’ve fled directly into my hands, as I have been meaning for us to discuss a few things.”
He lets go of my hair when he says this, giving me this fake sense of relief. “Only this time around, our King seems quite adamant in keeping you glued to his side. He has gone mad and convinced himself you are a reincarnation of his late lover. Clearly, you are not them .” His eyes have grown so dark, I begin to wonder how he can even
“Nothing to say, false Queen?” He suddenly re-establishes a grip in my hair as he begins to haul me out of the room and into the corridor. “Now, allow me to escort you back to the bird cage in which you’ve so foolishly flown out of.” He almost seems proud of himself when he says under his breath, “ I can’t wait to see the Kings reaction. ” Clawing at his wrists does little to soften the grip as he yanks me along, my knees burn as they skid against the floor.
When Luminar reaches the double doors, he uses one hand as a means of knocking. The other, has yet to let go of me. “My king! I believe I’ve found something that belongs to you !” Luminar almost fucking sings the last part… I hear approaching steps behind the door when it’s suddenly tugged open with the force of 12 men. Stryker looks at Luminar, then back at me, then again at Luminar. He’s absolutely fucking pissed.
Luminar clears his throat before speaking. “ You are angry at their fleeing, I see .” I wanted to smack the stupid look off of his face but before I can even finish that thought, Stryker’s voice fills the entire room. The chandelier on the ceiling literally shakes. “ You will find that my rage is more directed at your handling of MY Queen !”
Oh the sweet, sweet relief when Luminar lets go, with no care that it sends me straight to my hands and knees. Stryker doesn’t even cast me a glance, which shouldn’t shock me but does anyways. He had been so kind to me earlier. Was this all a facade? Stryker doesn’t say a word as he bee-lines his way towards Luminar, who backs up two steps for every one Stryker takes.
The punch to his face causes Luminar to recoil into the doorway's frame, holding onto his face. Stryker shakes his hand, the leftover blood on his fist spattering at his feet. Luminar uses his forearm to wipe the blood from underneath his nose. Testing with his fore finger to see if his bottom lip is also bleeding, his eyes lock onto mine. He grins, knowing something I don’t. Knowing that I’m next.
Standing up and physically dusting himself off, he pays a nod to Stryker and with that, takes his leave. The moment the heavy doors clang shut is the same moment Strykers full attention turns back to me. “ Now for you .” His growl reverberates through the floor and I feel it in the tips of my toes. He circles me like prey.
“… What about me?” I whisper almost to myself. He bends down, giant hands slide to brace his knees as he leans over me. From my view on the floor, he’s an absolute tower. A faint smirk pushes at the edges of his lips, “ Your punishment , of course .”
Cold thumbs land either side of my collarbone. His black fingers clutch into the sides of my shoulders. Surely this would bruise later if not bleed now. His hands so massive, they almost take up the entirety of my chest.
Then, he begins to squeeze . Increasing pressure the higher he rolls his hands up the walls of my neck. Curling his sharp fingernails under my ears, it seems he’s settled for my jaw. So far this hadn’t been painful. Until the sinking feeling that, he just hadn’t gotten there yet .
When I literally swallow my pride, he takes notice and grins ear to ear. Seriously? How the fuck is he so handsome? His eyes were the kind of blue I only saw in stormy weather. A dark night at sea. Lightening strikes that glittered behind hidden traces of thunder. His breath smells sweet .
“I promise I wasn’t trying to escape.” I plea to him with my eyes more than my words. “ I’m sorry.” The way the apology falls from my lips is pathetic . Though he commends me when he says. “Your expressions of regret can be acknowledged at another time, my love.”
The way he speaks evokes the image in my head of a principal chastising a wayward student. “For now, I’d like for you to get up and kneel at the foot of the bed.” Stryker doesn’t break eyes as he motions with a single digit. All I can focus on are the veins bulging underneath the skin of his forearm. Having not yet moved, he takes this as a sign of disobedience.
In an unsettling display, he pulls me up by the collar of my shirt. Marching me to the edge of the bed. “Next time, do as instructed the first time I ask.” He nods toward the ground.
My knees sting, immediately reminding me of my earlier encounter. “You think I will allow you to leave me after I have finally brought you back? I would sooner chain you to my very being, before ever letting you go.” His eyes flicker for a second before coming back to me. “There is no leaving me. Not now, not ever.”
“In fact, my love…” Stryker doesn’t finish his sentence. Instead producing what seems to be a dog collar from under the bed. Hearing a distinct cling reveals that it is indeed, fastened to a chain. I can’t look away and my bones begin to shake. He’s taking this personally now.
“Allow me, to teach you some manners.” His voice far too soft for the situation. His hands far too tender for what he’s about to do with them. O’ing the collar over my head like jewelry, he moves locks of hair out from under the band. Synching it rattles the chain its attached to. The chain Im attached to.
With a not so gentle tug, he’s pulled me forward onto my hands. I gasp at the suddenness and look up to see Stryker wrapping the end of the chain around his wrist. “Since it seems you have difficulty following instructions, perhaps I should offer to train you myself .” My next breath comes out shaky.
“Sit.” He says.
Eager not to be yanked around again, I sit back against my feet and fold my hands in my lap. He raises a scarred brow.
“Lovely. Now come to me.” He beckons. I subconsciously try to stand up when he shoots me a glare. “Not like that , my love.”
Oh… I feel my entire face turn into a cherry when I realize what exactly he’s asking of me. Trying not to let the embarrassment get the better of me, I start making my way to him on all fours. He savours every movement I make and when I reach his feet, I hear him inhale. He bends down and uses his mid finger to slide strands of hair away from my face. “Would you appreciate being paraded throughout Luxmare like this ?”
My body won’t let me do anything other than blink in response. No … he can’t just— wait— hold on. Did he just say … parade me around? Out there? I’m physically shaking now, and if he notices it at all, he makes no mention of it.
He lets the chain loose from his hand to the floor and stands. Turning on his heel, he looks over his shoulder with a smirk as he reaches for the fucking door handle. He cracks the bedroom door just enough to stick the tip of his boot through. Slivers of light flood in and I can hear people walking around outside. My chest feels as though it’s about to cave in on itself and I wonder how long my bottom lips been trembling for.
“Stryker … please, no . Please don’t make me do that .” To my relief, he shuts the door. Acknowledging that I have,indeed, taken his threat seriously. He returns to his original position with me and starts stroking my hair. “Then I would advise you do not make the same mistake again , my dear.”
He holds me by the edge of the chin and he just stares at me, like I’m something precious . But it’s the simple click from the collars clip that sends me flooding back to where I am. Somewhere between holding my face and now, he’s single handedly undone the clasp. He almost looks proud when he disconnects the chain but leaves the collar on. I give him a quizzical look as he puts it away.
Not wanting to speak without being spoken to and ruining my chances here, I pinch the collar between my nails. Pulling it up and forward, as if to say, see? Forgetting something? He snickers slightly then cocks his head to the side. Ugh, he’s perfect from every angle, too.
“Your consequences have only just begun, my love.” This time he smiles with his teeth. “ Look at me .” I gulp and start to cautiously walk my eyes up his body. Knowing full well by this point that his plan is to use my own power against me. I finally meet cobalt eyes and it feels like an electric shock. I can’t help but feel everything he’s feeling in this moment.
“It would seem those notes on you, are quite accurate.” Heat fills my upper cheeks. It doesn’t take me more than a second to clue in on what he’s referring to. Stryker pulls the small navy blue hand journal from his back pocket and holds it close enough for me to grab. I don’t. I just stare at the cover of Rhin’s notebook, my mouth agape.
“Where did you get this?” I hiss at him.