SSV: The Raven- Part 2

Chapter 7

Pam hit the ground with a thud atop Aurora. She opened her eyes in time to be flung across the room and land on the cold stone floor. She skidded across the dusty floor and grimaced as her bare skin rubbed across the grit. “You stupid fucking cunt!” Aurora growled, “What is wrong with you?!”

Pam leered up at Aurora and rose to her feet, “Me?” she asked, pressing a hand to her chest, “You blindly follow the orders of a mad woman who claims to be a Goddess! I will see you dead before I let you touch a hair on my pet’s head or Jake’s for that matter!”

She prepared to summon her strength and fight the blonde amazon. She suddenly found her arms restrained by an unseen force. She fought against the invisible restraints and as she managed to work one arm down it was flung behind her back. The sensation was painful and reminded her of an armbinder that she had used on Beth weeks ago. “Tut tut, Pamela,” a familiar and cold voice called out of the shadows, “Such blasphemous words in such a hostile tone, where has my disciple gone and who is this rabid girl that has taken her place?”

Goth stepped out into the torchlight and while her tone held a hint of mockery to it, her face was serious and bordering on downcast. Pam noted that her makeup was heavier than it had been in the past and she looked slightly disheveled in comparison to her usual self. She leered at the would-be Goddess as she approached, “Your disciple died the moment you decided to humiliate my pet with your feet in front of your court.”

“Last thing she screamed before sending us here was that she loved that little bitch,” Aurora said as she walked over and took a fistful of Pam’s hair, “Weak and pathetic, both of them. Stupid cunt actually managed to catch me off guard after we caught them fucking.”

“Fuck you!” Pam yelled at Aurora as she tried to break free of her grip. She yelped in pain upon realizing that she was thoroughly trapped.

“Love for such a lowly and pathetic slave,” Goth said while she began circling the two of them. She motioned for Aurora to release Pam, “You sacrificed yourself and cost me my chance to have my Raven where he belongs for that whore. You have truly lost all sense of purpose and reason, Pamela.”

“Do not call her that,” Pam said with a menacing tone, “Do what you want with me, but I will not have you or any of your underlings speak about her in such disgraceful ways.”

Goth scowled at her before it faded into a sadistic grin. She slowly approached her and took her face in her hand, “What are you going to do about it, Pamela?” she asked and when she didn’t receive a response she continued, “That is exactly what I thought. I should be angry with you, Pamela, but in truth I think this is quite fortuitous.”

“Do you want me to see if I can head back out and round the others up, my Black Matron?” Aurora asked.

“That won’t be necessary,” Goth replied, “I have an even more brilliant idea. Pamela here is going to help us achieve our goals. Fetch my sister, we have much to discuss.”

“As you wish, my Goddess,” Aurora said while she exited the room.

“What are you planning?” Pam asked through gritted teeth.”

“You’ll find out soon enough, Pamela,” Goth replied, “You are going to play an integral part of our grand little scheme with that bleeding little heart of yours.”

The bikes came to a halt deep in the woods. The screams that had echoed behind the roar were now long gone and replaced with only a pathetic whimper. Beth removed herself from the bike and approached the tagalong they had. The remnants of Nastia writhed in the chains that bound her. Her face was mangled and her body was in worse shape as she stared up at Beth. Without a word, Beth lifted her boot and brought it down onto Nastia’s face to shatter her skull.

She pulled her boot away and looked up to her aunt who had a look of both approval and concern on her face, “Feel any better?” she asked.

Beth glared over at her, “Fuck off.”

“Beth, I’m sorry about your girlfriend,” Sally said, “I know we ain’t been close in a long time, but for what it’s worth I liked her. She made you happy and got you to loosen up a little bit. Much as I know this is gonna piss you off, we can’t do anything until we help Jake.”

Beth’s knuckles went white as she clenched her fists. The woman she loved was gone and she was left in the company of her friend and their estranged family. She growled at Salley as she stalked forward, “You think I don’t know that?! God damnit, you have no idea what I am going through!”

“You loved her, didn’t you?” Salley said while standing her ground.

Beth was taken aback for a moment before her cheeks went red, “I-what?”

Salley grinned at her niece’s reaction, “You ain’t foolin’ me, kiddo,” she said, “I saw the way you two looked at each other and I called it before she ever said a word. I know feelings when I see ‘em, I wasn’t always the hateful bitch you see me as. Look, Pam gave herself up so that you could get Jake here and help him. I know it’s a shit situation, but you owe it to her to grant her this last request. That little accessory around your neck means you follow her orders, right?”

Beth’s blush deepened when Salley pointed out her collar. Her relationship and the dynamic between her and Pam wasn’t exactly a well kept secret, but she still found it embarrassing to discuss out loud. Loathe though she may have been to admit it, Salley had a good point. Two to be specific. It was her duty as Pam’s sub to carry out her last request and going back for her would be throwing her act of selflessness right back in her face. She couldn’t, wouldn’t do that to her.

She sighed in defeat and quietly said, “I never got the chance to tell her that I love her.”

Salley’s confident grin fell at her niece’s words and it was replaced by an almost empathetic look. It was odd to see it on the face of someone that was once an enemy, but then again prior to her defeat she had been working with Footgirl. She remained still as Salley approached her and placed a gentle hand on her shoulder, “I’m sorry, kiddo, I know this shit is hard, but we can’t give up and go back now. We gotta keep going if we’re gonna make it out of this alive. For what it’s worth, I’m here for ya if ya need me.”

Beth shrugged the hand off and went to catch up with Sam and Jake, “I’ll keep that in mind.”

Jake had tuned out the screams that came from Nastia while he rode with his sister. He had guided her to the location that Pam had managed to imprint in his mind before she sacrificed herself. He was still in disbelief over what had happened. He knew that Pam and Beth were close, but he would have never in a million years have thought that the woman would have ever given herself up for either of them. Her parting words echoed in his mind and he was sure that they were replaying in Beth’s.

He tried to push the thoughts and the sound of Nastia’s skull getting crushed out of his mind and focus on the task at hand. They had come to a cave of sorts that rested only a few miles from their old hideout. It looked average enough from the outside. That was probably the point, though, a place that no one would think to check. He motioned for Sam to follow him since Beth was already moving up with Salley in tow.

Sam looked a little wary, “You sure this is the place?” she asked.

“Positive,” he replied with a tone of voice that neither he nor anyone else had heard in some time, “Pam made sure that I would know where we were supposed to go. Dilatrix is in there somewhere, let’s go.”

“What the fuck kind of a name is that?” Sam asked as she followed her brother into the darkness, “And who the hell decides to live in a cave?!”

Jake chuckled at Sam’s questions, “She’s...different than most people. Honestly, Goth and Pam are pretty average by comparison if you get down to it.”

“You’re joking?” Sam asked and received a head shake from her brother, “Great...that’s something to look forward to I guess. Do you...do you think Beth’s alright?”

Jake sighed at Sam’s question. It wasn’t out of annoyance or anything of the like, but more because he had been trying not to think about it. “No,” he finally said as they walked still out of earshot of his friend, “Her and Pam...they were more than just a domme and sub type deal. From the way Beth handled Nastia, I can say for certain that was the first time either of them had mentioned love. I know it’s eating at her and I know her well enough to know that her standing idly by isn’t going to sit well with her.”

“I wish there was something we could do for her,” Sam said.

“Save your pity for someone who wants it,” Beth said as she marched forward, “Unless you can bring her back to me, there’s nothing you can do for me.”

“I didn’t mean…” Sam started but gave up as the young woman moved ahead.

“Don’t take it personal,” Salley said, “Girl’s going through a lot right now. She ain’t mad at you or any of us, well...no more than usual considering we did try to enslave her and your brother more than once.”

“Yeah, probably best to keep that in the past,” Jake said with a warning tone, “Been there, done that and I’m not keen on revisiting that topic anytime soon.”

“Didn’t you give yourself to Goth?” Sam asked.

“Yeah,” Jake admitted, “She is-was someone special to me. I won’t let myself be at the mercy of someone like that ever again. If you’re smart, you’ll keep the past in the past and any ideas you might have in your head.”

“Relax, Birdboy, we ain’t gonna try anything,” Salley said in an earnest tone, “Beth is just looking for an excuse to shoot someone right now and I ain’t lookin’ to get on her bad side anytime soon.”

Jake tried to relax. He felt a reassuring hand on his shoulder and looked over to see Sam giving him a worried look, “I’m not gonna try anything like that, I promise,” she said, “You’ve been through enough without us adding to it.”

Jake nodded his appreciation of her kind words. He’d heard her lie several times in their past dealings, but there something in the tone of her voice that made him feel like she was telling the truth. There was something in her eyes that screamed sincerity that he had never seen before. It felt nice knowing that for once he had some form of a family outside of his friends.

The rest of the walk was a silent one. It wasn’t the tension that kept the group quiet, however, it was the environment around them that held their tongues. The darkness of the cave only went on for a short while before the walls became lined with strange stones that seemed to carry a natural glow. Brilliant purples and vibrant green ones gave the walk an almost celestial appearance. Eventually, a strange fog began to rise from the ground and it rose to their knees. Though nothing was said, the collective felt as though they were walking through the night sky. There was something that was equal parts breathtaking and unnerving about the walk.

“What kind of cave is this?” Sam asked.

Jake smirked and glanced over his shoulder before replying, “Dilatrix has a bit of a flare for the dramatic and this seems right up her alley. I’m honestly not sure if we are still in the forest or not.”

“You are correct, Jake,” the familiar voice of Dilatrix seemed to reverberate off the walls from nowhere, “This is my domain and a crossroads between realities and realms that litter this universe. Come forward, not much farther now.”

“Okay that’s fucking creepy,” Sam said as she drew closer to her brother, “How is she doing that?”

“Dilatrix has a power that rivals that of Goth and is unlike anything that I’ve ever seen,” he replied, “She can be a little intimidating, but you don’t have anything to be afraid of. Not unless you try to pick a fight with her, which I don’t recommend.”

A large opening began to come into view as the group continued onward. Beth, who had been in front, had slowed her pace shortly after the fog and the stones began to rise and glow. It seemed that even the merciless one of the group was awestruck by their surroundings. Jake worried for his friend and wondered if she was amazed or if this somehow made her miss Pam more. I quickened his pace to catch up and Sally and Sam weren’t far behind him. Neither of the latter two wanted to be left alone and unprotected in such an unknown environment.

The group crossed the threshold that was a massive stone arch that emitted an eerie violet glow. One by one they passed through a gateway that seemed to have a strange rippling effect as each of their bodies passed through. It was as if time itself bent and warped around them and Jake swore he could hear a loud ringing in his ears for the briefest of seconds. The chamber was surprisingly massive and was adorned with a myriad of objects ranging from daggers and staves to cauldrons and ornate vases. The fog that they had trekked through appeared to be bubbling up from several of the vases that rested on shelves.

Shimmers of gold and silver could be seen as light from copious amounts of torches reflected off of pieces of jewelry and unique looking bobbles that rested around the room. In the distance a large vanity sat with a strange and massive mirror that had many odd symbols etched along the outskirts of the glass. Sets of chains and other odds and ends that both Jake and Beth were familiar with rested on a table off in the distance. It seemed that Goth wasn’t the only one who was a fan of the BDSM scene.

Beth looked over to a large glass case that held a number of different swords from different times, some of which she had never seen before. She was too preoccupied with studying the weaponry to notice Dilatrix approaching until she spoke, “I see you have finally arrived. You are late, even for one such as me. Where is Pamela?”

The mention of her lover brought Beth out of her thoughts and her face fell slack. She looked away from the chronomancer and closed her eyes. She couldn’t bring herself to respond beyond a simple shake of her head. Dilatrix nodded in understanding, “I see,” she said as she seemed to glide across the room to approach Jake and the rest of their party, “It is one of those timelines. The boy has returned to me and I am curious to know what lies in your heart and on your mind, Jake.”

Jake watched the woman approach and come to stand in front of him. Her black dress and the large feathered cuff around her neckline seemed identical to the last time that he had seen her. He thought hard as to how to answer her and searched himself to find the truth. After a moment he began to speak slowly, “I...my heart hurts and my mind...my mind is plagued with terrors that I don’t understand and that seemed enough to shake Pam before she...before she…”

He couldn’t bring himself to say it out loud. It may have been an attempt to spare Beth from having to hear it or could have been that he was still in disbelief. Whatever the reason, Dilatrix seemed to understand his meaning for the most part. She began to speak in that familiar and mysterious tone that both he and Beth were all too familiar with, “The sacrifice of one who sought to serve a false God in the name of love. Noble in its own right and devastating for those left in the wake of their actions. Tell me more about these terrors, Jake.”

“We came here to get these damned tattoos removed,” Jake said, “We don’t have time to go into detail about my nightmares.”

“Time is something I have an abundance of,” she replied, “Or have you forgotten my abilities? If you wish to have the curse of your beloved removed then I must first know what you have seen.”

“Just fucking tell her, Jake!” Beth exclaimed as she grew impatient, “We both know that time doesn’t matter here, not when she’s right in front of you. You got any whiskey?”

Dilatrix waved her hand and a small bottle appeared in Beth’s hand, “A small token of my sincerest condolences, Elizabeth,” she said.

Beth didn’t reply outside of opening the bottle and turning it up. She walked over to Sally and demanded, “I know you’ve got a fucking cigarette on you, give me one.”

Sally didn’t bother trying to object and simply handed her an old pack she had in her coat. Beth accepted it and the light that was offered before taking a long drag and sitting down on the floor with her head in her hands. Jake watched his friend and decided that she was right. He sighed as he searched for the best way to describe what he had been seeing, “It started after we left. We had only just made it out of the city when I started hearing Goth’s voice in my head. She was urging me to come back and promising to let Beth and Pam live if I did. After I told Pam she made it clear that this was little more than a bluff and that it would do little to save either of their skins.”

“Then...after Sam and Sally showed up I tried to get some sleep. My dreams...my nightmares took me to an old motel room where Goth was waiting for me. Her whole demeanor and body changed pretty quickly and she took on the shape of something out of a horror movie. Black mist rolled off of her body and her skin melted away until she was left looking like some kind of terrifying skeletal monster. Her eyes sank in and took on this disturbing red glow and...and then I was bound before her.”

“Nothing new there, I know, but this was different. The chains slackened and she started to pull me into her. That mist and those hands were as cold as the grave and all I could do was scream and beg for mercy. She wasn’t having any of it and I was left helpless before her. When I finally came around there was this black sludge or some shit that was stuck in me. I coughed it up and I couldn’t shake the feeling that what happened was more than just some dream. Scared the shit out of Pam too.”

Dilatrix took in his explanation with a blank expression that betrayed little to no emotion. When he finished she closed her eyes and nodded, “I see, so it is that timeline,” she said as she turned to head to her vanity, “Tell me, what do you two intend to do once I remove the tattoos?”

Jake wasn’t sure what the proper response was, but Beth was on her feet and speaking for all of them, “We’re going to get her back.”

“Are you so certain that it is a we and not a you?” Dilatrix asked, “What of you, Jake? Are you still willing to stand and fight or has Goth broken you completely?”

Jake looked down and chewed on his bottom lip, “I-I don’t know,” he finally admitted, “What am I supposed to do? What chance do we have against her?”

“You are but a shadow of your past selves,” Dilatrix said.

“What is that supposed to mean?” he asked, “What do you expect?! You saw first hand what she did to me!”

“There is always a boy, always a Goddess, and always a struggle,” she began and motioned for everyone to gather around her.

The group was reluctant at first, but they quickly rose to their feet and came to stand around the large mirror. They watched as the symbols began to glow and turn as the reflection began to distort and reveal two familiar faces. Jake, in some strange clothing, and Goth looking just as she had the last time they had seen her. Dilatrix began speaking once again, “Your souls are intertwined on level unlike that of any other. Since her ascension to power she has coveted you in many lifetimes. Time and again she has sought you out and tried to make you her own, but time and again she has been refused or denied by your former self. Rejection and denial is something that dear Rebecca has never taken well and each time you have paid the highest price.”

“You’re telling me that she’s killed me in every one of my past lives?!” Jake exclaimed as his fear began to not only resurface but rise to new heights, “What the hell am I supposed to do against that?!”

“You fight, as you always have,” Dilatrix responded, “Your past selves may have met their end, but they were able to deny her each time. I fear that this time, she may have been pushed too far to simply take the rejection at face value and I am not sure that she will be willing to simply settle for your death and waiting for you to resurface.”

Jake was beginning to panic. The more Dilatrix talked the more he felt his anxiety levels rise. He was already wary of running from Goth, but Dilatrix was suggesting a full on battle with her! There was no way that he or Beth would be able to survive the fight, hell they barely survived their last one with her. He fought his growing need to hyperventilate and tried to regulate his breathing. Even in doing so, he could already feel the color slipping from his face.

He was about to speak up when Beth approached Dilatrix and asked, “What about Pam? Can we save her?”

Dilatrix turned to face her and a ghost of a smile graced her lips as she spoke, “Elizabeth, I am glad to see that you took my advice to heart. Your fate is intertwined with Jake’s just as Pamela’s has become. I cannot say for in doing so it would create a potential rift in this timeline. All you can do is try and ensure that you do not go alone.”

Beth looked away as her hardened features softened for just a second before returning to her steadfast demeanor. Her eyes held a glint of steel to them as she asked, “You have any weapons in this place that aren’t magic?”

Dilatrix gestured to a wall that began to distort before fading all together. A pathway was revealed to them, “If you are so intent on going after her, then you will find that down that hallway are the tools that you find familiar and comfortable with.”

That was all Beth needed to hear and without another word she stalked down the dirt path. Jake watched his friend and debated on asking Dilatrix more questions or following her. In the end, he decided to go after his friend. He couldn’t let her throw her life away. He trailed after her in hopes of finding a way to talk her out of this foolish endeavor. Salley and Sam were close behind him. He had to walk at a brisk pace to catch up to Beth who was nowhere to be seen. Torches lined the wall and cast a colorful glow as flames burned brightly and shifted shades. As nervous as he was, this place was truly something else and a sight to behold.

He found Beth at the end of the hallway in a small enclosure that housed a number of crates. She was currently rooting through different ones and retrieving various clips, guns, and blades before stashing them in her belt and coat. He slowly walked over to her and asked, “Beth, you aren’t really going after Pam are you?”

Beth didn’t turn around as she checked a clip and slapped it into her gun, “Yup.”

“What are you even going to do?” Jake asked.

Beth’s tone took on a dark tone and as she spoke he knew that she wasn’t exaggerating, “I’m going to burn that whole goddamn city to the ground! I’ll sift through the ashes if I have to just so I can find her.”

“Beth, that’s suicide!” he cried out trying to reason with her, “Pam made her choice and she did it to save both of us! If you go back-”

“I love her, Jake!” Beth whipped around and cried out before closing her eyes to fight back tears, “I love her and I never got to tell her that. I’m going after her and I am going to get her back. I am not going to abandon the one woman who has made sure that I survived this whole shit show that has been the last few months. Are you coming with me?”

Jake stared at her with conflict clear on his face. He knew what she wanted him to do, what he needed to do, but he couldn't bring himself to do it. Fear held a near paralytic grip on his psyche and locked his courage deep in the abyss that had become his life. He turned away, unable to meet her gaze, as he shamefully admitted, "Beth I...I can't."

Beth leered at him for a moment and asked, "Can't or won't?"

Jake felt the scrutiny that she was pouring onto him, but he couldn't muster the will to respond. She took his silence as the later and turned back around to continue assembling her arsenal, "Fine," she said as she pulled out a shotgun, "Looks like I'm going back to save two people then. The Jake I know wouldn't abandon people when they need help, especially his friends! If you're too scared to stand up to Goth then so be it, but I am not going to let her take the one good thing that has come out of all of this bullshit!"

Sam had been watching the exchange and feeling the tension mount in the room. Part of her wanted to be shocked at Jake's response, but she knew that this wasn't him, it was Goth and her damned hooks. It was noble and honorable for Beth to want to save Pam, but Jake was right. It was a suicide mission. She opened her mouth before her mind could catch up with it and asked, "This is all very touching and all, but how exactly are you going to get there?"

Beth had just finished strapping an SMG to her hip when she spun around and stormed over to her. Sam took a step back in response; the girl was a lot scarier than the last time she had crossed paths with either of them. "Oh you're fucking taking me to that cunt!" Beth roared.

"What?!" Sam asked, "You can't be serious! In case you forgot, you two aren't the only ones on the run and if we get caught after helping you then we are fucked!"

"Oh so this is about self preservation?" Beth asked in a mocking tone before drawing her pistol and pushing the barrel to Sam's head, "Let me rephrase this then, you're going to take me or I will put a fucking bullet in that thick skull of yours!"

Sam backed up and tried to stammer out a response. She couldn't take her, she wouldn't abandon her brother. She was grateful when Sally pushed by her and spoke up, "Relax, Beth, I'll get you there. No need to waste ammo on us, you're gonna need all you can fuckin' get to deal with Goth and her cronies. You only need a ride there, let Sam sit her with chicken shit. Maybe she can get him to pull his head out of his ass."

Beth looked at her aunt and for the first time felt glad to have her around. Her eyes never softened nor did she smile, but she lowered the gun without a word and brushed past both Jake and Sam. Sally let her get a ways ahead before taking off after her. She shouldered Jake on the way out and leaned in to whisper, "Some hero you turned out to be, your best friend's gonna get herself killed because you won't help her. Pray she can at least see her girlfriend before Goth finishes her off."

Jake watched her walk off and felt a crippling guilt wash over him in conjunction to the anxiety he was already struggling with. Sally’s words had hurt more than Beth’s own jab. It was more than a little painful and he hated himself for his inability to act. He closed his eyes in an attempt to ward off the feelings that were welling up within him. He was close to breaking down when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He opened his eyes to see Sam offering a small smile, “C’mon let’s go back to that creepy witch lady. Can’t believe I am even saying this, but maybe she has something that can help.”

Pam grimaced as her mystic restraints tightened of their own accord. Goth had taken it upon herself to enchant some of her favored gear and force her into it. Her arm was bent in a painful manner and her legs were spread in a manner that was as uncomfortable as it was vulnerable. She bared her teeth in response to the pain. This was not a position she was accustomed to nor was it one that she enjoyed. In response to her expression, Aurora forced her head down. She looked up to glare at her only to be smacked across the face.

“That’s enough, Aurora,” Goth chided, “Save your strength for your guests. Are you two clear on your part to play in this?”

Aurora stepped back to stand alongside Bitchbreaker and nodded, “Yes, my Black Matron.”

“Are you certain that they’ll come for her?” Bitchbreaker asked.

“Elizabeth will and Jake will come to help his precious friend sooner or later,” Goth replied.

“You’re wrong,” Pam spat, “Neither of them are stupid enough to walk right into your trap!”

“That’s enough out of you!” Bitchbreaker said as she backhanded her, “You will show my sister the respect she is owed. If she says that they will come then they will come.”

Goth hoisted Pam up to stare into her eyes, “Love is a funny and fickle thing, Pamela, your little pet is going to come running to save her mistress because she is a fool. When she does, Aurora and my dear sister are going to break her for me. They won’t kill her, no, after all I am not a monster. I will let her see her beloved mistress one last time and then you can watch as I break that spirit of hers completely.”

“Once that is done, I will wipe that insolent and defiant little brain of hers once and for all. Then, since I am such a gracious Goddess, I will make her slit your throat once again. How kind of me to recreate your first date, wouldn’t you say?”

Pam stared into her eyes and tried to muster up a response. She was wrong, she had to be wrong. Deep down, however, she knew that she was telling the truth. She hoped that Beth wouldn’t be stupid enough to walk right into this, but she knew her pet well enough to know how stubborn she was. Surely she would save herself, though, right?

Seeing the look in Pam’s eyes caused Goth to erupt in a fit of sadistic laughter, “You really have fallen so far, Pamela,” she said before turning to the other two, “You two rally the welcoming party and sit back while you wait. Pamela and I are going to the motel to await Jake. Remember the plan, either bring them to me or tell them where to find me if you find yourself losing. Do not fail me and do not worry, I promise that if you fall you will be reborn and serve a higher purpose.”

Both women bowed before her and said in unison, “Your will be done, Goddess.”