The Succling and Her Dues

Chapter One: Act 2 (Part 1)

[Victorian District, 2013]

Racing past garbage cans—and rotten slush people called food—Trenton tripped over a homeless man.

Fuck! He stumbled into sewage water and wiped his hands on the dirty man, disregarding the blatant disgust of the tired bum. There was a ceremony Trenton needed to attend at Civilian Hall, and a scuffle with the man was beneath him.

See, it was the district’s annual birthday celebration—the revered Nuplei Gala—in honor of the governor, Dion Nulpei. Everyone who attended this extravaganza paraded about in gaudy fashions with Venetian masks. Even fireworks were customary, alongside endless dancing and heavy drinking among the wealthiest of the upper class and decorated members of parliament. Unfortunately, the poor souls of the middle and lower classes were forced to pay higher taxes to accommodate such an occasion.

As Trenton bolted up the stretch of red-carpeted steps, he glanced behind at an enclosed golden carriage pulled by mechanical horses. Unlike the various transports, where silver and platinum carriages and matching horses were common, the mechanical beasts were whimsical and unworldly.

The horses were ordained with diamond bridals, onyx gems for eyes, golden hooves, and painite—rare gems strung in their synthetic manes. Notably, their skeletal frame struck Trenton as odd, as no other mechanical horse replicated the appearance of death. And if that were something, their frames were completely covered in blue diamonds.

“f**k me,” he muttered to himself, still in awe.

Within the confines of the carriage, Anara sat next to an elderly gentleman, Phillip Manlen, and across from two ethereal-like women: a cocoa vision of exotic beauty, Cauva Estrich, and a mysteriously pale blonde, Aquarius Lynch. Each of the women wore decorative gowns and had their hair styled in Victorian curls with feather appliques.

Anara found it silly to think a mere person would call them siblings. However, they played their parts well, fooling everyone into believing it was true. They looked nothing alike, and the man beside her resembled much of her deceased lover. She often imagined him looking like Phillip. Her only child.

Anara exited the carriage first, her eyes sparkling at the trims and designs of the century-old building. And yet, the maintained building looked as if it were erected yesterday. Two towering turquoise—emerald-infused—pillars guarded the revolving door, with large golden leaves hovering over the door like a mystical awning. Noticing the lingering pair of ocean blue eyes on her, Anara pulled out an ostrich feather fan and covered her face as she spun around to the others exiting the carriage.

Trenton stole several more glances, soaking in every inch of her body and the dress she wore. Baby’s breath, murex shells, and feathers eclipsed her shoulder-length chocolate waves. The obsidian pearl earrings, dangling close to the curve of her neck, almost matched the colorful dots of the murexes’ spines. Her gown—off-shoulder, sultry, and as sheer as the sea breaching the shores—was an ocean blue with a train that stretched the length of the staircase. It, indeed, must have been troublesome to fit much of the flowing fabric within the confines of a medium-sized carriage. Especially when Cauva and Aquarius fashioned themselves in equally erotic gowns.

And when the pale woman twirled Anara around, Trenton’s smitten gaze took in the ancient look of powdered gold and dark blue paste that formed into clouds beyond the tip of Anara’s soft-angled eyebrows. Finally, unlike her peach-colored complexion, her lips were filled and tainted in nightshade.

The way she smiled at the elderly gentleman beside her… He felt quite jealous of the man. Not that he had seen her before, but he felt that he had imagined her in dreams.

Perhaps even a past life.

Passing Trenton, Anara hiked the skirts of her dress, revealing her cream thigh-highs and golden garter clips.

If not for the haughty gaze of the two women beside her, Trenton would have been standing in a pool of saliva.

With Trenton distracted, a suited man in a bowler hat and whimsical ‘stache crept behind with a broad grin. He stopped behind Trenton, leaned over his shoulder, and uttered in the most feminine voice he could conjure, “What a lovely ass!”

Trenton jolted and spun around, his eyes wide and his hand gripped to his chest. “Jesus f*****g Christ, Chad! Are you trying to kill me?”

Chad chortled, “Do you honestly think that low of me? I’m hurt. Imagine if you did keel over. Who would willingly stick around through all my fuckery?”

“I don’t think you’d like my answer much,” Trenton chimed in, groaning as Chad slapped his shoulder blade.

“Come now, Mr. Kiss-Ass,” Chad continued. “It’s been a minute. Haven’t seen you in some time. Just entertain me, this once!”

He was indeed right. The last encounter Trenton had with him had been over a year. It was Chad’s divorce party that ended on a sour note—Chad’s ex crashed the party, ransacked his safe, took millions in assets, and then set his notorious “Red Room” ablaze. Trenton helped pay his dear friend’s court expenses but hadn’t seen a dime in return since the judge threw out the case.

As much as Trenton cared for Chad, he saw the s*x-crazed bastard as more of a liability that he couldn’t afford to help a second time. With a hearty chuckle, Trenton reciprocated the back slap and said, “Sure thing! When pigs fly, and you stop running a w***e shop.”

Chad shoved Trenton to the side, maniacally laughing, “Whatever, asshat. Maybe if you’d take my suggestion for once and settled down, you wouldn’t be so prudish in public.”

“Well, I can add to my Chadwick-Just-Did-Actual-s**t list, if that’ll get you six inches off my back—”

Bells chimed from the tower across the street, signifying the start of the extravaganza.

Straightening his coat, Chad gestured for Trenton to enter the establishment. Reluctant, Trenton slipped his hands in his pockets and strode through the revolving door.

Sweat and luxury cologne wafted in the entrance hall, with couples scattered about swapping saliva and f*****g each other senselessly. Groaning, Trenton shoved his way past them until he reached the ballroom.

Memories of marriage simmered in the back of Trenton’s mind. He promised himself to reject the idea after seeing Chad—and the years Chad built—with a woman who eventually left him drunk and broken-hearted. What’s worse, Trenton fell in love with a Periochían during his private travels to a neighboring district…

He bumped into her at a local bakery. Her arms were full of delectable pastries, cannolis, and crème cakes.

Teniera, her name was. She had hazel green eyes, olive skin, a pointed nose, and wavy curls that stretched toward her hips. She was an ethereal beauty graced by heavenly angels.

He assisted her to a local Catholic church and gave away the sweets to children and the elderly.

His time visiting Periochí Thanátou stretched from one month to two years and, during that time, he came to love Teniera, her culture, and the church. Deciding she was the one, he purchased a pearl ring. He planned to surprise her at the church since she dedicated much of her time there—only to discover her being f****d animalistically from behind by a freckly-thin deacon in one of the confessionals—

“Trent!” Chad waved to him at a door leading to a private bar across the sea of groaning deviants.

Not wanting to sulk in his intruding thoughts, Trenton stormed through the crowd while glancing about, hoping the mysterious woman from outside would come into view.

No luck, though. Instead, three cake-faced women, fashioned in gaudy neon short-cut sequin dresses, strutted toward Chad and cornered him by the bar entrance.

“Didn’t I tell you girls I’d spot the tiger from the lot?” Trenton overheard the blonde in blue ask the other two.

The young brunette in yellow to her right, chewing gum, chimed in, “I heard his snake strikes a couple of cats a day—”

“Huh?” Chad gulped. “Is that what you heard?”

“Are you prowling the room for another enthraller for your private show?” the one in yellow continued. “I’ve got something for your constrictor to stretch into…” She winked while blowing a bubble, then giggled when it popped.

“Good god,” Trenton muttered as he trudged toward them. “Ladies, he’s—”

The last woman in the group—a thick, raven-haired woman with her gut bulging from her neon pink dress—shoved the woman in yellow out of the way. “Oh please, Mr. Dunbern! I know a thing or two more than these tarts!” she exclaimed, grabbing Chad by his collar. “You won’t have another like me. I’ll even keep your private palace menagerie entertained.”

All three pinned him against the open door, surrounding him and pressing their breasts against his chest.

“Girls. Girls!” he tittered, sweating. “I am extremely flattered. Tell you what, I’ll think about it.”

The woman in yellow rubbed his groin with her hand, satisfied with his growing erection. Chad swallowed as she whispered, “I hope you do more than think about it.” She bit his earlobe, then remarked, “I want you to imagine what your hung c**k feels like in my tight cunt. Maybe I should visit tonight. Make sure you remember what I’m made of.”

Chad cleared his throat. With a tight-lipped smile, he stuttered, “Tonight’s not a good—”

She planted a sultry kiss on his lips, injecting her tongue into his mouth.

“Oh, god,” he continued, trying to speak between tongued kisses. “I’ll get… get back… to you…” Chad’s shoulders relaxed as the other girls began rubbing the outline of his c**k.

Trenton rolled his eyes and approached them. “Ladies, he and I have much to discuss. Please, he will get in touch with you later.”

The women, though having tried to coax him into public fornication, sneered at Trenton before cowering away from Chad, who panted heavily.

Licking her lips, the yellow woman's eyes lustfully undressed him. “Hmm. I look forward to your call then, Mr. Dunbern.”

The other two harmoniously squealed, “You won’t regret it!” They giggled and fled into the crowd.

The woman in yellow whipped her hair to the side, eyed Chad up and down one last time while biting her lip, and then clicked away in her platform heels.

“Do you allow women to suck your face off and fondle you in public?” Trenton asked.

“Normally, we have mutual consent,” Chad responded, clenching his chest. “It’s always been a fantasy of mine, though. To have women force themselves onto me like I’m an irresistible s*x machine!”

“Jesus!” Trenton helped Chad to the nearest stool at the bar. “How do you know her… or any of them? Been f*****g around with them or something?”

“I am ashamed to admit it, but yes. I’ve messed around with the walking highlighter from time to time. I don’t even know her name—well, none of their names—Hey, Bartender!” He flagged down a bearded gentleman in a slim button-up with matching slacks and suspenders. “Get me two shots of vodka and a bottle of Merlot. Thanks!”

“Hold the alcohol, Bartender. We need to eat first,” Trenton interjected.

The bartender nodded and pointed to an empty table.

Both Trenton and Chad moseyed over and sat down, glancing around the cramped bar area. Chad twiddled his thumbs and mumbled obscenities over Trenton canceling the drinks.