Someone was watching him, he knew it. Normally he would have been flattered, after all who wouldn’t be? However, over the last few weeks it had been happening more often, so much so it was annoying. There were also the messages on his answering machines at his apartment and shop. Several calls, no message, no hanging up. It was as if they were waiting for something, for him to answer or what, he didn’t know. Changing his home number wasn’t a problem; the business number however, was another story.   Besides that was giving in and letting them win, right? Like that would happen anytime soon. He hadn’t got to where he was in life letting someone else dictate what he was going to do. Pausing in thought, he laughed and mentally corrected himself, barring the recent change in his sexuality, he hadn’t let anyone else dictate the conditions of his life.   He looked up as the bell on the front door signaled a customer. “Mouto’s a bigger fool than I first thought if he allows you out in public.” Gansley.   “Hello. Is there anything I can help you with?” He wanted to help the man out and get him the hell out of his business as quickly as possible. No need to be rude though, if the man wanted to spend his money here, who was he to argue? Swallowing the bile that threaten to choke him, he plastered a smile upon his face, one designed to look just friendly enough to make a sale yet icy enough to discourage any conversation beyond business.   Looking over the boy with a ravenous gleam in his eyes, Gansley walked around the room circling him as if stalking prey. “I’m looking for a game. Something new, fresh, a challenge for someone of my talents.” The man moved closer to the green-eyed boy as he spoke, force him to step backward as he maneuvered him into a position against the wall. Dangerously close enough to feel the man’s breath upon his face. It surprised him when Gansley’s hand came up to play with the die dangling from his ear, such a gentle gesture.   Otogi didn’t need a Ph D to know what the man meant. “Sorry, this game is available in one player only, and the table’s full.” There was only a single person he submitted to freely, and even if he were available, he sure as hell didn’t see himself willing with this one. In addition, there was the fact he felt there was something wrong with someone who would approach another who was in a relationship. “I’m afraid there’s nothing here to suit your tastes.”   There was a sharp pain at his ear and he let out a loud hiss as he brought a hand up. Somehow, Gansley had managed to jerk his earring breaking the skin enough to bleed but leaving it still intact. Eyes bore deeply into his, “We’ll see about that Kitten, we’ll see.”   “I’ve been nice until now, but you’ve pushed me too far. Get the fuck out.” This kitten had claws and wasn’t afraid of using them.   Until that moment Gansley’s stance had been the only thing forcing him to stand against the wall, now he found himself pinned by the other’s arms, effectively trapped. “Now why would I do that? I’ve found a game I like, do you really think you could make me leave?”   Otogi simply smiled at him, “Yes,” before bringing his knee up quickly into the man’s crotch, hard. That did the trick as Gansley nearly fell to the floor from the unexpected attack from one who was supposed to be submissive and weak. Moving out of the man’s vision, he reached over the counter placing his hand on a small button just to the side of the register.   “Leave now, before I get the police here.” Seeing a look of anger and doubt upon the man’s face he realized how funny it was. People always seemed to underestimate him, even those who knew him well. “It will only take them five minutes to get here after I press this button. Try me.” No one ever said he suffered from stupidity; the alarm system was the first thing he installed in the building.   Gansley crawled over to the counter, needing assistance to pull himself off the floor. Glaring at the emerald eyed teen as he slowly made his way toward the door, he made one last statement before exiting. “This isn’t over yet, bitch.”   Smirking at the door as it swung shut Otogi threw back at the retreating form, “Yes it is. Have a nice day.”   *****   The rest of the day came and went without incident. Tired and worn out, all he wanted to do was go home, shower and spend the night in the arms of his love. Unfortunately, he wouldn’t be able to as the man was currently out of town at a convention, and wouldn’t be back for another few days. Sometimes life just sucked that way.   Sometimes it just plain sucked, like now. Home alone wasn’t any fun, so he had been staying at his old apartment visiting once again with friends after the day was over. Too close to the shop for driving, he had taken to walking back and forth each day, but tonight someone seemed to have it in for him, for as soon as he stepped out of the door it started raining. Sighing, he wondered how quickly he could get the day over with, starting anew tomorrow. He half-contemplated returning until the downpour stopped or at least slowed. Finally deciding it wasn’t worth the trouble, he continued his walk moving to dodge the puddles that stood in his way.   Arriving at the apartment, he opened the door then entered, shutting it again behind him. Flipping a light switch proved futile, the rooms remained darkened. The power had always been iffy during the best of times; inclement weather was a complete annoyance. So much for warming up through a shower, he thought in irritation. Recalling his last time soaked from a storm helped little, reminding him once again he was to spend the night alone. Walking cautiously through the apartment, he made his way into the bedroom. Finding a towel, he started to undress stripping off the wet clothing.   It was hard to ignore the odd feeling in his gut, the feeling of being watched he had fought for weeks. Even as dark as the room was, he looked, around wishing he could see clearly the shadows that crawled along the walls. Brushing it off as just part of a childish imagined fear, he finished drying, and then crawled into bed.   It took him a while to settle, still missing the feel of another in the bed and letting his mind drift over the return of the other, which wouldn’t happen soon enough for him. Shifting around under the sheets into a more comfortable position, he imagined the feel of the other’s arms around him, sending him off to sleep.   ***** Always a heavy sleeper, a freight train could have run through the room and not disturbed him; however, the loss of blood flow into his arms would and did. An attempt to move his arms didn’t help the situation, but it did wake him up instantaneously. He pulled again trying to move his arms, succeeding at making the bonds only tighter.   Mentally moving over the rest of his body he checked the status of his captivity. Experimental tugs proved his arms were tied around what he could only assume was the headboard of his bed. His legs were pushed up, knees in air, and tied down at the ankles to the rails at the underside of the bed. He found it hard to breath also, as he’d always been more of a mouth breather, and it was currently gagged. This was definitely not good.   Even though the room was still dark, his eyes searched for the unknown. They were still here, obviously. Even over his own labored gasps of breath and pounding heartbeat that threatened to drown out all other sound, he could hear the slow and steady pace of another’s breathing. A change in the shadows caught his eye, movement as someone came closer to him. “Finally awake, Kitten? About time, and here I was afraid you were going to miss all the fun.”   Swearing at himself mentally, Otogi knew exactly who was responsible for his current state of being. There was no reason at all for him not to have called the police earlier in the day, except for sounding like a complete idiot. Now he felt like an even bigger one. He pulled again against the ties at his wrists, promptly stopping as they cut deeper into his skin.   “Stop struggling, for now at least. I can’t really enjoy it right now, such a waste of time. If you were only more agreeable we wouldn’t have to go through all of this now would we? But that won’t be as much fun.” Hands pulled his head up as something was fastened around his throat making his already difficult breathing even harder. Before dropping his head back down to the bed, the hands pulled at the gag freeing his mouth.   Gasping for air, he hissed out, “What the hell do you think you’re doing?”   “I would think that was apparent, even to you. I’m going to play a new game.” The man’s eyes seemed to glow in darkness, starring hard into his own.   “Yes, it’s called rape. If you think I’m going to just let you do this…touch me, and I swear when I get free I will kill you.”   “Interesting choice of words there, Kitten. First off, you don’t have a say in this. And ‘when you get free…’ leaves you with hope doesn’t it? See my pet isn’t nearly as expendable for these games as you are.”   Emerald eyes looked up in terror at the man above him. Even tied as he was, he struggled to get away from the man, afraid for the first time in his life that this would be the end. The man was insane. What kind of lunatic told someone of their plans like this? There was always a chance he could get away; he was at least sure as hell going to try.   “Are you a screamer Kitten? I bet you are, let’s listen.” Sharp nails dug into his chest clawing deep into the skin bringing forth blood and a loud cry from his lungs. “That’s a good start but I want to hear you scream. You will by the time this night is over.”   Surprise more than anything else had brought the cry. Now that he had an idea of the enemy’s tactics, he was determined to fight back, stubbornly refusing to lie there giving in. “Bastard. I don’t think so.”   “Smug little prick aren’t you? This is my game. I’ve been planning this for quite a while now, and you will play along.” The collar around his neck tightened more with a slight click, the sound louder than he would have thought, only adding to the terror he felt.   Shadows shifted as Gansley moved out of his sight, but the heightened awareness of his other senses picked up the sound of a zipper and movement of clothing. The definite shift on the bed as another body joined his caused him to pull once again on the ties holding him down, not caring if he had to break something to get free.   One hand closed tightly upon his neck, pressing firmly under his chin holding him still in his struggles, “Your fighting just makes this more interesting.” He could feel a finger trace lightly over his lips. Then the next time his finger touches my mouth should be really interesting, he thought.   Forgetting the hand still at his neck, he licked his lips inviting entrance and promptly bit the invading digit, stopping only when his ability to breath disappeared completely. The pain and tightness at his throat were tolerable; the burning in his lungs from lack of oxygen was not. It was the feeling you got as a kid after diving in a pool, swimming franticly to reach the surface and yet not sure you would before the need to inhale overwhelmed you. The only problem came from the fact that Otogi was not sure if the surface was ever reachable.   Panic rose within him, making it more difficult to convince himself he would be all right. It would have been so easy to fall, letting the waves of terror take him under but his body refused to give in, still fighting for a way free.   Suddenly the pressure lessened as the air forced out of his lungs. Free to breathe again, he found himself choking at every breath as the oxygen returned to his body. His head was foggy, momentarily lost from lack of air. The only sounds he could hear were his own gasping breaths, as he stared at his ceiling trying to recall what was happening to him.   It all came crashing back when he noticed the other on the bed. There was no warning other than a slight movement on the bed before he slammed his cock into the boy, ripping a scream out of the still sore lungs. Thrashing about as much as he could in the position he was in, he tried getting as far away from the man, refusing to cooperate by making it easier.   Gansley spoke, accentuating each word by another thrust into his body, “Damn you are a good little whore, making everything all nice and tight for me.”   He could feel the tears falling from his eyes from the anger and pain as he cried out with every assault. Gansley must have viewed the tears as a sign of extreme weakness for upon seeing them he laughed, “Take it like a man, Kitten. After all, every man wants to die during sex.”   It wasn’t supposed to be this way; if he was going to die shouldn’t he be with the one he loved? He screamed again as his body bore the assault from the other man. It only seemed to encourage him, as he laughed at the cries while increasing the force of his thrusts into the teen.   The man reached up grabbing the collar around the boy’s throat constricting his breathing further than he thought possible. Once again, his lungs screamed out against the lack of air. This time there was no way he could fight as he surrendered to the panic that crashed over him. His entire being hurt, balanced on a jagged edge between the pain he was suffering and the betrayal of his body.   There was a flood of warmth outside his body followed shortly by one within but he was too tired to think about it.  Too tired to fight it any longer, too tired to fight him any longer. As he surrendered to the darkness that surrounded him one thought crossed his mind, why…