Nightmare at Club X

Chapter 4

     Dominique looked at the clock on her desk. It was 1:30 am. She had passed out for at least two hours. Her head really hurt. Going in to the bathroom connected to her office, she looked in the mirror. When she pulled her hair back, she saw a bump on her head. The visions or whatever they were had become more than just a nuisance. What would happen if she was driving and one hit? This couldn’t go on. She had to find a way to stop this. 

     She opened the office door just as Melissa was getting ready to knock on it. Melissa had a concerned look on her face. Dominique felt her face go blank as she tried to hide that something was wrong. 

     “Are you ok? You’ve been gone for a while. And you just took off while we were talking!” Melissa shouted at her.

     “I’m fine, Melissa. Just haven’t been sleeping well. Guess it’s been messing with me more than I thought,” Dominique replied. 

     “Have things gotten worse since you know who came around?”

     “Some. Guess it set me back a little to figure out I haven’t truly forgiven him and moved on. Maybe I should go back to therapy.”

     “Or maybe you should go find that hot guy and get under him,” Melissa joked.

     Dominique frowned as she said, “f*****g someone is not going to help me move on. I need to put some work in to this and get over it.”

     “I didn’t say it would heal your wounds but maybe it would help you move on with your life. Just go dance with the man. He’s been playing pool with people for the past hour but he keeps looking around.”

     Dominique sighed and agreed to go find him. With only thirty minutes left before last call, what could it hurt? She didn’t plan on going home with the man. It was just a dance. When she saw him, he was taking his turn at the pool table. A blond haired woman was playing against him. He suddenly turned towards the direction she was coming from and it looked like he was scanning the crowd. He immediately handed the pool stick to someone else and began walking in to the crowd.

     He was heading right for her. Dominique was reminded of a predator stalking their prey. He couldn’t have seen her. She was standing behind a guy that towered over her. But he was still heading her way, almost like he sensed her more than saw her. She stepped out from behind the man and Nathaniel smiled. Even his smile was predatory. Dominique shivered. The thoughts running through her head surprised her. Her bodies reaction to him really took her off guard. 

     Nathaniel grabbed her around the waist and pulled her against him. “Are you ready to dance now, Dominique?” he said in to her ear.

     Damn, his voice was sexy. He had a slight accent she couldn’t place. And the way he grabbed her was almost possessive. He must be used to getting what he wanted. She just nodded her head unable to say no. Something about him drew her to him. Normally she would have been put off by a man acting like he was. She wrapped her arms around his neck as they danced. The way he ground his body in to hers had her so turned on. His hands were moving over her body as they danced.

     Dominique had never danced with a man like that, not even her ex-fiancée. She didn’t even notice the song had changed a couple of times until last call was heard. Breathless, she managed to step back from him. The look on his face made that shiver of desire run through her again. She’d felt his reaction to her. And he wasn’t exactly hiding it. 

     “Thank you for the dance. I have to go now and close down the bar,” Dominique said, loud enough for him to hear over the music. 

     Nathaniel grabbed her hand and kissed it as he said, “The pleasure was all mine, Dominique. Hopefully, we can dance together again sometime.”

     Dominique smiled and said maybe. Then she walked to the bar and got Shane to fix her a drink. She needed it. No, what she needed was a cold shower. Melissa walked up to the bar. She smiled and Dominique just shook her head at her.

     “Don’t even try it. We WILL be talking later.” With that, Melissa walked off with the last drink she would serve tonight. 

     Dominique downed her drink and got up to help see people out. Don was good at his job, but she always tried to make sure everyone left safely. She didn’t want people to get injured at her place of business. Once everyone was out, they began the cleanup process. Once everything was cleaned, she went to her office with Melissa right behind her.

     “You really aren’t going to let this go, are you?” Dominique asked as she sat down opposite Melissa.

     “Nope. Now spill. Was Mr. Sexy talkative? Did he try to get you to go home with him? Did you like dancing with him? Is he coming back?”

     Dominique laughed. “No, he was not talkative. So, he didn’t try to get me to go home with him. The dancing was amazing. I’ve never danced like that with a man before. You know I don’t let people touch me like that, that I don’t know. There was something about him. The way he looked at me was......intense to say the least. He is coming back Tuesday. I told you he was going to audition for the band.”

     “You know I was asking if he was coming back for you, not the band.”

     Coming back for her. Why did that send a little thrill through her? Why did a complete stranger have that effect on her? She shook her head, trying to get rid of the image of Nathaniel’s face as he stared into her eyes the whole time they were dancing. His eyes were so dark brown they were almost black. There was no mistaking the color when you were that close. He had placed his forehead against hers and they just stared at each other. 

     “He’s coming back to audition and that’s all.”

     “Is that the only reason you want him to come back?”

     “I don’t know if I want him to come back at all. He’s.....intense. I can’t think of a better way to describe him.”

     Dominique wondered if she should tell Melissa about the dreams and how they were invading her everyday life now. Wouldn’t it be better to tell her best friend so at least someone knew and could check on her? Would Melissa think she had finally went crazy? Had she finally went crazy?

     “Damn, girl, you are deep in thought. Either this guy really got under your skin or you’ve zoned out again. Which you have been doing a lot of lately.”

     Dominique looked at her and asked, “What do you mean?”

     “There have been times that you will be talking and then just stop. And it’s like you’re on another planet. One time it took me an hour to get you to snap out of it.”

     “It’s the dreams. They have taken over. They are happening when I’m awake now. I didn’t want you to worry or think I was crazy.”

     “Oh, Dom. You should have told me. Of course, I’m going to worry about you. You’re my best friend. But I would never think you’re crazy. I don’t know what’s going on with you but I’m always willing to listen. Maybe it would help.”

     “I really don’t know what to say. The dreams, visions, whatever they are now, are coming all the time now. I feel dizzy and they hit. I see them in my sleep. I don’t feel rested at all anymore. And the guy I’m dreaming about is named Nathaniel. And tonight, this guy named Nathaniel walks in to my bar and makes me feel like I never have before. It was almost like we’ve known each other for a long time. All this sounds crazy, even to me.”

     “Wow. Well, you know my mom had dreams and if she didn’t do certain things, they would happen. Maybe you are having the same thing happen?”

     “I don’t remember your mom ever having anything like this happen. And I definitely don’t remember her getting hurt by it,” Dominique replied as she showed Melissa the bump on her head.

     “Ouch. How did that happen?”

     “l passed out earlier when that vision hit. I woke up on the floor. And every time I see the images, I come out of it feeling the exact same thing Rose did. It’s really starting to freak me out.”

     “Okay. I think I should drive you home tonight. I’ll pick you up tomorrow night. Or better yet, you can stay home and try to rest.”

     “You know I’m here every night. You never know when something may happen.”

     “You have more than one car. If something happens, I’ll call you. I promise. It’s Saturday. Take the night off and do something at home to relax you.”

     Dominique sighed and finally agreed. Melissa took her home and she sat out on the porch for a little while before she went to bed. It was peaceful out. The stars were bright in the sky. The wind was blowing just enough to make it a cool breeze. She loved her place. It was so secluded. She kept feeling like someone was watching her though. No one was and she knew it. They would have had to get close to her house as the woods weren’t that close. But she supposed it was possible.

     “It’s possible you are going crazy, girlie,” she giggled to herself. 

     Someone was watching her though. He had followed her from the club. His vision was perfect and he could see details from far away. He’d watched as Melissa had dropped her off and left. Dominique had went in the house and then come back out and sat on her porch. It was screened in but the top part wasn’t a normal roof. She could see out of it. He watched her as she looked up at the stars. After a time, he saw her start to slump in her chair. 

     He walked up to the porch and slowly opened the door. He picked her up in his arms and took her inside. He walked around the house, checking out her place, until he found the bedroom. There he laid her on the bed and laid down beside her. His desire for her was strong, but he would fight it for now. He had to make her see him first. Once she finally realized they had a connection, then he would make his move. He laid with her and stroked her face as she dreamed. This one wasn’t bad judging by the way her body reacted to it and the noises she made. It made his desire to have her that much harder to deal with but he continued to lay with her until it was almost sunrise. 

     Rose was never the same after the first night Nathaniel had taken her. Her will to be defiant was gone. She lost interest in everything. She barely ate or drank. Instead she went about her daily chores and dreaded the nights. She no longer had her own room. Instead, Nathaniel had her belongings moved to his room. Rose bathed Nathaniel every night and then they laid together in the bed. She waited for him to take her again but he didn’t. 

     Instead, he talked to her about his day and tried to get her to talk to him. She talked a little when he asked her something directly. Her mind kept going back to the night he had taken her innocence from her. She had always thought it would be something magical. That she would marry for love and her husband would lovingly caress her and they would pleasure each other. Nathaniel did not even want to marry her or love her. 

     Why did he want her in his room if he did not want to continue to punish her and use her for his pleasure? Her mind went back to the morning after he had destroyed her world. 

     “Calm down, Rose. I have no intention of hurting you.”

     “You already did, M’Lord. Why bother to state you have no intention of hurting me? I will never forget your awful touch. I would rather die than stay here any longer. Please, release me back to my father.”

     Nathaniel’s face hardened. Rose felt herself shrink down in to the bed. He reached out to touch her and she turned her head. He pulled her up and against his body. She sat there not touching him. 

     “I had no intention of coming to you drunk last night. My intention was to make you mine. I will not take you home. You will be mine. Your place is here with me.”

     Rose began to cry. Nathaniel released her and left the room after putting on his breeches. Rose curled in to a ball on the bed and wept. Ten minutes later, she tensed as the door opened. Several maids came in with water and began to fill the bath. One of them came over to the bed and got her up. She took the night coat off and had Rose step in to the bath. She heard the maid cluck her tongue when she saw the bruises. Rose had never felt more exposed than in that moment. For them all to see and know what happened to her made her feel dirty. Eventually, the hot water and scents in it helped soothe her sore body. The maids left and Rose sat in the tub, feeling miserable.

     When she felt a mans hands on her shoulder, she tensed. She knew it was Nathaniel. He was gentle as he washed her body. He apologized whenever he touched a bruise. Why was he doing this to her? Why be so gentle now and apologize for every bruise he left? Why did he want her? She was not special. Her body did start to relax with the heat soaking in to her. Nathaniel’s gentle caresses at first bothered her but after some time they began to make her skin tingle. 

     When he was done bathing her, he asked her to move forward. He got in the bath with her. She tensed again but he merely held her. After some time, she requested to get out. He permitted it and she saw the scratches on his back. She gasped when she saw the dried blood and how deep they went. She had done that. She was no better than him if she was going to harm someone that way.

     She took the rag from him and washed his back as gently as she could. Once he got out of the bath, she rubbed salve on his wounds. He thanked her and kissed her lips. Rose was tense until he released her. He handed her one of her dresses to put on. Once dressed, he left the room.

     Rose was brought out of her remembrance when she felt Nathaniel’s hands on her. He had not touched her in two weeks accept to hold her at night. Her body tensed as she felt him crawl on to the bed behind her. He had already undone her nightgown in the back. He was pushing her on to her back as he slowly laid on top of her. She felt his naked body press against hers. She lay tense on the bed, waiting for him to hurt her again.

     “I will not hurt you, Rose. I promise you that you will feel nothing but pleasure.”

     Nathaniel kissed her but it was a gentle kiss. He explored her lips with his tongue and when she gasped from his hand cupping her breast, his tongue slipped inside her mouth. His hand was not rough on her breast but rather gently rubbing over her n****e. She began to move her lips under his, never having kissed a man before, she wasn’t sure if what she was doing was right. 

     Nathaniel broke the kiss and gently pulled the gown off her arms. His mouth found her breasts as he continued to move her gown down. He kissed down her stomach and then sat up as he took the gown off and threw it off the bed. He began running his hands over her body and although she was afraid, Rose could not help but respond. She looked down at his body and felt her face flush. 

     “Do you like what you see, Rose?”

     “Yes, M’Lord,” Rose whispered.

     “I want you to touch me as I touch you.”

     Rose was afraid and her hands were shaking as she reached out to touch Nathaniel. Her hands stroked his arms, his chest, and back. She felt his hand stroke in between her legs as his mouth again found her breasts. She felt him suck on her n****e and nip it with his teeth. This time it did not hurt but felt pleasurable. When his fingers pushed inside her, she expected the pain but it didn’t come. He was gentle until her body responded to him. 

     Rose felt that heaviness growing in her belly. She moaned when he removed his fingers. His mouth trailed fire down her body and she gasped as she felt his mouth in between her legs. Nathaniel licked her folds and his tongue went inside to that small nub he had rubbed with his thumb. That heaviness began to grow again. Rose felt her thighs squeezing Nathaniel’s head. Her hands clenched the sheets as she cried out from the pleasures intensity. 

     Nathaniel moved back up her body. She felt him press against her opening as he kissed her. She tasted herself on his lips. He nudged her as if he was asking permission. Rose felt her nails sinking in to his arms as the fear of him hurting her came crashing back down. Perhaps it was a good sign that he was not just taking her as he had last time.

     She slowly lifted her body up to meet him as her legs slid up to where her knees were pressed against his hips. She felt Nathaniel slide himself inside of her. It was so slow and not painful like she had thought it would be. It was more a feeling of being filled and stretched to your limits. He was so long and thick. He moved slowly in and out of her as he kissed down her neck.

     She felt her body react to him. She became wet in between her thighs, even wetter than before. His hips rolled as he started to move faster in and out of her. His hand moved up and down her thigh, slightly pulling it further up his body and opening her further up to him. She moaned as he did and she heard a growl against her throat as his response. 

     “Don’t be afraid, Rose. Touch me. I won’t do anything to hurt you. I promise,” Nathaniel said, encouraging her to engage in the lovemaking. 

     Rose’s body responded to his voice even as her mind was screaming that he was lying to her. Her hands touched every part of him that she could. She pushed her hands in his hair as he kissed her. His hair was so soft. She felt him push himself in and pull out of her faster and faster. He looked at her and told her to open her eyes. She looked in to his eyes as her body soared to the sky with pleasure. 

     Her legs wrapped around him as she felt her body starting to clench tighter around him. He started talking to her, saying sweet nothings in her ear. Rose cried out as her stomach unclenched and she felt heat and fluid rush down to her womanhood. Nathaniel slammed his body in to hers over and over, losing  control of himself until he spilled himself inside of her. 

     Rose was not afraid as he took his lust out on her. He did not hurt her as his body pushed harder and faster in to her as he had the first time. It merely made the pleasure she had felt heighten. When Nathaniel laid on top of her and placed his head on her chest, she began stroking his head and moving her fingers through his hair. She was pleasantly surprised that she liked the feel of his heat on top of her, the weight of his body on hers. The feel of his skin against hers felt wonderful. His breath on her breasts caused a tingling sensation. This was what she had imagined it would be like with her husband. 

     Nathaniel rolled on to his side taking Rose with him. She started to put her leg in between his but stopped. Just because his lust was slated did not mean he wanted to hold her. Or have her touch him any further. She was being kept for his pleasure. His arms tightened around her so she was as close to him as she could be.

     “It’s alright, Rose. You don’t have to be afraid. Lay how you are comfortable.”

     Rose moved her leg in between his and put her arm over him. Her body was tense again. So many thoughts were going through her mind. Did she dare to ask them?

     “M’Lord, why are you keeping me here? I’m broken. My defiance is gone. You have succeeded in your quest but you break your promise to an old man by not returning me to my home.”

     Rose felt her body begin to shake as Nathaniel moved away from her. Would he beat her for speaking her thoughts? Would he become angry and take his anger out on her like he had the first time? She sat up and although she was afraid and her body betrayed her by shaking, she held her head high. Nathaniel looked at her and his lips twitched and he smiled.

     “You are not broken woman. Your strong will remains. You are afraid and your body shakes but you hold your head high. I thought I had lost you forever after my actions. I love your strong will and defiance. I will admit at first it was just a challenge to break you. After so many months, I came to care for you. You are mine.”

     Rose saw his eyes darken as he proclaimed her to be his. She belonged to him now. She would forever be his concubine. Her eyes filled with tears as she realized she would never have love in her life. He had said he cared for her but that was not love. She was being punished for her mothers sins.

     “Rose, do not cry. All will be well. You will be taken care of and protected. I will see to it.”

     “Will I be loved? Will I forever be your concubine as you are married off? Will I always compete for affection once you have a family of your own?”

     Nathaniel was taken aback. Claiming her for his own was not what she had wanted. Would she be loved? He had come to care for her. The compassion she showed to others, the way she defied him every chance she got, even taking his horse for secret rides, had made him want her more. He wanted to be around her constantly. Yes, he loved her. He did want a family. He wanted her to be his family and bear his heir. He had not given thought to being married off. His thoughts went to the old hag in her village. “Tell Rose not to fight her future.” She had said. His future was already written. 

     “Do not fight your future, Rose, or it will end badly. Your place is with me. I will love you and you will bear my heir. I will refuse an arranged marriage.”

     Rose felt that defiance fill her veins. Who was he to tell her not to fight? Instead, he threatened her if she fought. He stated he would love her, not that he did love her. He could not force himself to love her so why say that? She did not wish to bear his heir out of wedlock. The baby would forever be a bastard and treated like one for their lifetime. He could not refuse an arranged marriage and he knew it as well as she. She decided she had to leave this place. She had wanted to marry the great Sir Nathaniel when she was a mere child. Now, she longed for home and to be anywhere but here with him.

     Dominique awoke from the dream with her body feeling on fire from the s*x in the dream and angry from the last conversation Rose and Nathaniel had. She opened her eyes and felt confused. She was in her bed. How had she gotten there? The last thing she remembered was sitting on the porch. Had she fallen asleep outside? Had she slept walked to her room? She was so tired now a days. She probably had fallen asleep and woke up just long enough to go to bed. She was still dressed in her clothes from the night before. She slowly got out of bed feeling that old familiar ache in between her legs. Maybe she should take Melissa’s advice and get under someone. And a different Nathaniel came to mind.