THE UNMAIDEN

TWO

A horn blaring behind me shook me from my trance. I floored the car initially, then backed off of it. It wasn’t the car’s fault. My hands were shaking, in anger or shock, I couldn’t tell. I peered out into the darkness around me. There weren’t many street lamps, so I think I was getting close to the Industrial Park.

I pulled into a small, unlit parking lot, knowing I shouldn’t be on the road in my current condition. I picked my phone back up and went through the text messages. She was hellbent on destroying my marriage, but the joke was on her. It was already dead.

I heard he finally told you about us tonight.

Did you like the video I sent you?

I just thought you should know what we’ve been up to for a while now.

The next messages were pictures of them in various activities and moments of intimacy. One last picture of her posing in sexy lingerie, and Patrick behind her, taking his pants off.

Guess where he is right now???

I threw my phone into the floorboard of the passenger seat, got out, and slammed the door. I gripped my long, dark hair, wanting to pull it out and scream my frustration. I am so f*****g stupid! I kicked a tire, then stalked off in frustration.

There was no running away from the events of the night.

But I could drink them away, and if I was lucky, f**k my way through them. I wasn’t the devoted wife anymore.

As I walked, I pulled my jacket around me tighter and kept my eyes open. The city was much like any other typical city. Paved streets, businesses, and homeless people. But forty years ago, it had looked a lot different. The whole world did.

Nobody knows the truth of what happened. None of the governments took claim for it, but in truth, it probably had to do with that Hadron Collider in Switzerland. But something happened, whether it was a convergence in the cosmos or a rift opened up into another dimension, but something woke them.

By them, I mean the Dragons. The legendary great beasts of folklore and myth. No scientific evidence had proven their existence before, so the majority of the world went about their lives, dismissing them as fantasy, and everybody got a pretty rude awakening.

All of the different species came out. Some known, a few unknown. Allegedly, there were always dragons living among humans, it was just the Great Dragons that had been, I don’t know, banished? Put to sleep? Whatever it was, when they arose, their lesser kin rose as well.

A few countries tried to go to war against them, or subjugate and enslave them. It didn’t end well with them, and those were now countries completely controlled by them. Luckily, our government didn’t fight them and instantly moved to make them allies. I don’t know the politics about any of it; that’s my brother’s job. I just know the basics to keep me out of trouble.

Or so I thought.

I continued to walk towards the warm glow of lights. I probably shouldn’t have parked so far away in such a suspect area, but I wasn’t exactly thinking clearly, and I ran away from my phone as thoroughly as I ran away from the contents in it.

As I walked, the air felt warmer and thicker, allowing me to ease up on the tight hold of my coat. Open businesses were now coming into view, but I wasn’t in the mood for what would have been a usual haunt in the past. The last thing I needed was for a crowd or a bartender, or any of my old friends to recognize me after all these years.

Like a fool, almost every picture I put up on social media showed the two of us, happy, smiling. In love. I wasn’t ready to deal with the awkwardness. I could see it now.

Five shots in.

“Where’s Patrick tonight?”

“Oh, you know, busy being balls deep in his girlfriend’s vagina.”

Fuck. Shoot me now.

I needed a place I could disappear, be anonymous. No music, no dancing, no games, just… a few drinks. Despite my earlier bravado about drinking and mindless s*x, I was still numb, adrift, and I didn’t want to deal with the drunken chatter or predatory gazes.

If anything, I wanted to be free, uninhibited, and play the predator tonight. The endless void inside begged to be filled.

As I rounded a corner, a flicker of red against a black background caught my eye. Down a short side street, bathed in shadow, was a neon sign. It depicted a stylized fox, its tail animated in a mesmerizing loop, glowing segments chasing each other from left to right, then all flashing on in unison before repeating the sequence. It was hypnotic, drawing me in, promising of danger like the damned video in my car.

Recalling the video made my p***y clench. Not because of what I saw turned me on, but the thought of raw carnal satisfaction, to be wanted like that again. And I’m not going to lie. The hate and jealousy in me added fuel to that toxic flood, spurring my desire for something, anything I could control and use.

Beneath the neon fox, in an elegant, flowing script, were the words The Crimson Kitsune. The name tugged at something familiar, something I’d heard before, in hushed whispers and tittering giggles. If the rumors were to be believed, it was a den of debauchery and discretion. No one I knew would be there. It sounded perfect.

I picked up my pace as the wind blew in, carrying fatter drops of rain in it. As I got closer, I felt a hum in the air; a tangible echo to the nervous anticipation flowing within me. It tasted of magic and desire, and something darker, the empty space of my heart craved.

A flicker of hesitation surfaced. Am I really doing this? Am I throwing away over a decade of devotion? A little demon stirred within me, telling me it meant nothing to him, he’d already thrown it away.

A tear tried to form. That loyalty had meant something to me. I could feel the grief threatening. Not at losing Patrick, he wasn’t worth the tears, but the loss of the woman I cultivated so carefully to be.

I fought the silent battle as my steps brought me closer to the door, caution and anxiety replacing my temperamental wants and needs. The building was painted black, and a low red light illuminated the top of the door. The effect seemed to shroud the building in secrecy; the only tell-tale sign of life was the fox on the wall.

With my heart beating erratically, I took a deep breath. Now or never, Mellie, I breathed. I could feel the little demon inside egging me on, and I paused at the inscription I could barely make out above the door.

Bring me your wretched masses, yearning to be free. Those who are meant to be here will always find a way.

The first part felt like a spin-off of the poem from the Statue of Liberty. The second part sounded like the promise of a refuge for the broken.

Fuck love.

I’m forty-two now. And I am too f*****g old to be starting over because my husband wants to stick his d**k in everything that moves. Two can play that game.