“Untie me, this minute, Crispin!” she shouted, suddenly moreangry than afraid.
“Why would I do that?” he asked, testing out the ties, slidinga finger between her ankle and the tether. “We’re only gettingstarted.” Having sufficiently secured her in place, he then hoppedoff the bed. “Now then, how’s that?”
“Crispin, this isn’t fair!” Using all her strength, she foughtwith her unyielding restraints.
“Fair?” he repeated, watching her fruitless efforts. She was afighter, that was for sure, not a submissive bone in her body.“Fairness doesn’t even come into play here.” He leaned over andrighted her dishevelled nightie, down around her thighs, tucking itsecurely underneath her hips. “Now, quit your squirming, andeverything will be just fine.”
“Crispin, please, I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to go through yourthings,” she said, suddenly shaky and unsure, so much so that herbottom lip started to tremble.
Sitting downbeside her on the bed, he cocked his head to the side and studiedhis curious little dormouse. This was suddenly a very serioussituation, he realized. The last thing he would ever want was toinvolve Becky in any part of this side of his life. She didn’t needto know any of it. He was perfectly content to keep this part ofhimself private.
Yet, here shewas. The nosy little imp had rummaged through his room and foundhis box of toys. She didn’t understand any of it, and how couldshe? Sometimes he didn’t even understand it himself, not enough toverbalize it.
He would justsimply have to show her. It was the only option.
“What have I told you about that miserable quivery lip thing ofyours?” He leaned in over her.
“W-what lip thing?” she asked, staring wide-eyed into hisstormy expression.
Putting hismiddle and index finger together, mimicking a pair of scissors, heplayfully snipped them across her bottom lip. “Cut it out, or Iwill cut it off.”
“Crispin, please untie me. I won’t say anything about the box,”she pleaded, looking sideways over the edge of the bed.
“It’s too late now.” He sighed, gazing from her to the contentsof the box. “We can’t simply pretend. You’ve seen it. If I let yougo, you’ll never truly understand.”
“I don’t want to understand!”
“Yes, you do. You’re obviously curious by nature. If I don’tshow you, you’ll only look it up on the internet. That, my dearlittle dormouse would be a terrible way to introduce yourself towhat you’ve discovered here today. You would most certainly hateme, simply because you don’t understand me.”
“I’ve seen enough already! I don’t understand, and I don’t wantto! All I do know is that you’re not who I thought youwere!”
“See, it’s happening already,” he said with a troubled frown,picking up the brochure she’d been looking at. While it was reallyonly an instruction manual at worst, he could understand why thelittle illustrations might have her so freaked out.
“Release me!” she demanded.
“Dormouse, your incessant whining is growing weary.” He placedhis hand over her mouth. “You know, I could gag you…”
“Nooo!” she cried, instantly tearing up at histhreat.
“Hey…” He leaned over her and gazed into her very frightenedeyes. “I would never do that, though.”
“Please, Crispin,” she gasped, suddenly terrified.
“I want you to listen to me, okay?” He very patiently waiteduntil she nodded.
“Do you trust me?”
“I don’t know anymore,” she answered truthfully.
“Becky, you know me.” He gazed into her eyes. “You know I’dnever harm you.”
She noddedapprehensively. “You’re my sweet prickly Goth,” she said with atremulous pout. “I thought we were friends.”
He couldn’thold back the smile that formed on his lips. “Friends… I like that.I like that a lot.”
“Then why are you doing this?” she asked as he placed his handover her mouth once again if only to hide that pathetic tremor onher bottom lip. The very sight of it did terrible things to hisinsides.
“I’ve already explained the whys,” he said with a heavy sigh.“I simply need you to trust me. Can you do that for me,dormouse?”
“Do what?” she asked warily.
“Trust me?”
“I… um, I think so.”
“Do you promise to trust me? That means no crying.”
“Okay, I promise I’ll try,” she said, biting her bottomlip.
“Right then, here we go.” He reached into his night table andpulled out a very elegant sleeping mask.
“What’s that for?”
“Trust me…” he whispered, gently securing over hereyes.
“Crispin, I don’t like this.”
“Why not? Don’t you trust me?”
“I do, I just… it’s…”
“Dark? Scary?”
“Yes!”
“I’m right here. I won’t let anything happen toyou.”
“Um… okay…”
“Okay.” He stood up and walked to his desk and satdown.
“Crispin?”
“I’m right here.”
“Okay…”
He stood upagain, walked towards the box and crouched down by its side,studying its contents. Glancing over at Becky, he then ran hishands over a few things, the little whip caught his eye. Perhaps afew sharp lashes might teach her a thing or two about snooping.Then he thought better of it and decided on the feather.
“Crispin?”
“Still here.”
“Okay…”
Trying veryhard not freak out, Becky concentrated on the facts. Crispin washer friend. They’d come a long way from when they’d first met. Heno longer glared at her or despised her presence. In fact, he hadbecome quite dear to her and she to him. At least, she hoped.They’d even cuddled on the couch, watching movies. Never once hadhe given her reason to worry about his intentions.
But this wasjust so unusual. The whole thing was weird beyond belief. Who wasCrispin, really? And could she honestly trust him? Worse yet, whatof those things in that awful black box? Would he use them on her?She tensed, hearing his calculated approach. She was torn betweenrelief and apprehension.
Crispin circledaround to the foot of the bed. He waited, watching her. She wasshaking. Poor little thing, it almost broke his heart. It was neverhis intention to subject her to anything like this. But the damagewas done. This was his only way of salvaging theirrelationship.
“Crispin?”
“Right here…”
“Okay…”
He very lightlyran the raven feather from her toes over the top of her foot and upher inner leg. He tried very hard not to smile. This was veryserious business.
“What is that?” she sputtered, unable to stop
