Into That Darkness Peering

[On Aftercare Regimens:

She always brushes my mane.

I've never had anypony else even bother to try.

Is that why I love her?

-Scarlet]

A reply: “Cruelty, even in play, is difficult. My nature rebels against it. Some ponies may live for the harshest moments of the variety of activites in which we are often engaged, but it is the moments afterwards that I have always sought after. It is the shattered walls and the solemn pageantry in the afterglow that compels me through the strangeness of intimacy.” Underneath it, a doodle of a batpony carrying a brush in her smiling mouth.

A night of sleep had done them both well, but it didn’t stop Perique from fussing over Scarlet.

For her part, Scarlet simply sat still and waited. Some ponies might mind, but there was something about being looked out for and cared after that made her feel small and a bit warm right in her chest.

She squirmed happily on the stool in front of the mirror as Perique brushed out her hair.

“How are your legs?” Perique asked softly. “Flanks?”

“Hm. They’re fine,” Scarlet said and smiled up at her. With a tsk, Perique lowed her head back to look at the mirror.

“No moving, little one. And… if you say so. I’m glad. You remember what we discussed?”

Scarlet thought, and flushed a little. She tried to hide her face, which was a bit difficult with the mirror betraying her. “I do.”

Scarlet leaned in and nibbled on her ear. “Good girl. Now to show you what I picked out for you. Ready?”

Scarlet’s ears perked and she nodded fervently. And when she saw it? It was a miracle she wasn’t a puddle on the floor after.

Scarlet tried to keep her breathing steady, but it was difficult. She tried to fall into her role, but that too was difficult.

They’d talked about this. They’d talked an awful lot about it, envisioning what it might be like, but no amount of mental rehearsal prepared one for the reality. Playing was one thing. Being witnessed was one thing. This? This was… this would be something different.

Perique--the Lady--led her lazily on a leash. She was taking her time, wasn’t she?

“I can hear your beating heart, you know,” said the Lady, and Scarlet gasped. “Yes, even now. I can hear the poor thing beating double time. I wonder why. Fear? Anticipation?” She hummed and tugged on the leash a bit. “Perhaps a bit of both. Embarrassment? I would think not. Do you like what I selected?”

Scarlet nodded. “Yes, mistress.”

And she did like it. No, more than that, she loved it. Her Lady had picked out a white dress with a lace collar that fit her perfectly. It was simple, but in a graceful way… and there was something nice about Perique having to help her button it properly in the back, at the neck, that just made her shiver.

“Good. Of course, if you didn’t like it, you’d still be wearing it.” Perique tugged the leash again. “I happen to like it, and that is enough for me, pet.”

Perique herself had chosen a red dress that had a cut along the flank so that her cutie mark was just visible at times as she walked. She’d seen that cutie mark many times before, but somehow being allowed only a glimpse made it new and twice as eye-drawing. Her jewelry was stunning, and it was hard for her not to slip out of character just to wonder where it had all come from.

When they arrived at the banquet hall, Scarlet’s heart leapt into her throat. This was it.

She almost didn’t see the Lady until she was tilting her head up to meet eyes. What beautiful eyes, red and endless. She felt rooted to the floor. She simply had to look.

“These are my instructions, slave. Listen well, for you walk into a den of wolves. Nod if you are not in a stupor from my gaze.” Scarlet nodded, and she continued. “Good. I will put you under my compulsion, but my yoke shall be light. You will do only what you wish. If somepony asks to play with you, you may play as your heart desires. If any of my guests asks to feed, you shall let them. If they have not asked, you shall tell them that you belong to me. You will reply only with ‘yes,’ ‘no,’ and the agreed upon signs.”

Scarlet kept nodding. “Yes,” she breathed softly.

The Lady cuffed her cheek, but with a smirk. “Good girl.”

And then she opened the doors.

Seated on opulent chairs around a low, wide table were a number of ponies. Each and everyone of them was dressed as her Lady was, in fineries far beyond what a lowly slave such as herself could hope for, and each had eyes of darkest red that bored into her.

She froze on the spot. It was one thing to be looked at, be noticed. It was another entirely to be noticed by an entire room of vampires.

They looked… imposing. Celestia, was that one licking his lips? Wait, that was…

Her Lady was right beside her, speaking in her ear. “Hop to it, pet.”

A stroke of lightning went up her spine and Scarlet stepped over the threshold.

She was led to the table and and her leash was unclipped. The Lady spoke to the others, but Scarlet didn’t catch much of what she was saying. Her eyes split their time between the table and the floor. She could feel their hungry eyes on her.

“Who’s this?” asked a voice.

She flinched and looked up and took a shallow breath. One of the vampires was smiling at her, a stallion with long flowing hair and a piebald coat. The threat of fangs in his smile made her shiver, and she swore she could feel where her Lady had bit her the night before. He leaned in, and a medallion worn around his neck slid forward.

The Lady clicked her tongue. “A new slave, a toy I picked up after landing. Would you like a closer look, Flame?”

“Certainly, my lady.”

Scarlet looked to her Lady, who only smirked at her. “Go to him,” she said, and Scarlet found herself moving before she even knew what was happening. It was a short walk around to the other side of the long table, but it felt like forever.

He met her eyes. She knew him. Fleeting Flame. She’d… she took a deep breath, and fell back into the role. That was the nice thing about a role: you didn’t have to overthink it.

“What may I do for you, sir?” she asked.

He raised an eyebrow and smirked, but when he held a hoof up, she saw a question in her eyes. She quickly mouthed the word “yes” as inconspicuous as she could, and then his hoof was lifting her chin. He hummed appreciatively, and had her do a little turn. Scarlet couldn’t help but whine a bit, which only made the assembled blood drinkers laugh.

“I might have to find one of my own,” Flame said lightly. “I’ve heard that some of our first servants are here. Perhaps I shall find myself a lovely batmare.”

The Lady chortled. “If you can catch one, aye.”

Whether she would have said anything else, Scarlet did not discover, for there was a third pony who interrupted. “Don’t keep her all to yourselves! She’s adorable, I simply must see her up close!”

Scarlet squirmed, and her eyes flickered over Flame’s shoulders to a pegasus mare with a broad fanged grin. Her wings fluttered at her sides to match the excitement in her eyes. “She’s so precious! Look at her.”

“Indeed I am,” Flame said and removed his hoof. “Can you hear her heartbeat? The poor thing.”

“She telegraphs her every thought,” the Lady said, and then laughed. Scarlet tried to somehow make herself even smaller.

The little red pegasus gestured commandingly, and so Scarlet moved on to the next. This mare was far less reserved than Flame had been, going so far as to tug her in closer and nuzzling her cheek, even adding a creeping lick starting at the mare’s jawline and trailing upward just below Scarlet’s ear.

“You are going to be absolutely delicious,” she purred, the heat of her breath causing Scarlet’s ear to flick. Then she turns to the Lady. “Please tell me I can have a bite! Just a little nibble? I could chew on that ear for an hour… maybe two.” She winks at Scarlet, her wing now joining in the inspection as she brushes it across the little treat’s side.

“Why do you think I brought her along?” the Lady said lightly. “But not yet, Penne. Do be a good girl and let the others have a turn.”

She went to each of them, but not before the mare named Penne snuck in a nibble on her ear with a giggle. Each spoke about her as an object to be admired, a plaything they would enjoy, a meal. Each called her small, or frail, or lifted her chin or asked her embarrassing questions. One, a gray mare with a purple mane, cheekily asked if she’d been fed from before, and Scarlet’s sputtering response drew a general laughter.

The purple haired mare only smiled and patted her cheek. “There, there, Misty knows you’re a shy little thing. That only means I won’t have to be as gentle, really. Which is just as well, as I have been looking forward to the chance to not be gentle.”

Scarlet gasped, and then by chance met her mistress’ eyes.

Perique’s sharp gaze was hard to escape, once met. Was this her imagination, or some hidden effect of the transformative draughts she’d had? Scarlet couldn’t devote much energy to figuring it out, because the gaze wiped out thought after a while.

“Return to me, pet.”

She obeyed, moving like one in a dream, and sat obediently on her haunches beside her mistress, looking up still. The Lady stroked her cheek and she almost purred in contentment.

“I believe it’s time,” said the Lady.

The Lady’s magic tugged at her collar, and now Scarlet saw that what she had thought was a table was actually a sort of runway with a step up. She was led up by the arane pull and then found herself twisted around to face her mistress.

Several things happened at once. She felt her dress riding up, and when she swished her tail instinctively she found it held fast. The Lady looked to one of her companions. “I hope you remembered to bring what I gave you.”

“Of course!” said Penne brightly, the mare drifting into a mocking little curtsy before she scurried off.

“Please, do come up and help my pet look her best. Slave, you will not move. Do you understand? Speak.”

“Yes, mistress,” Scarlet said softly and nodded.

She heard creeping hoofsteps behind her, and then somepony touched her flanks… and that was when she realized that they could all see her. She rubbed her hindlegs together, but stopped when the Lady shot her a withering glare. No moving. No… no hiding. She couldn’t hide even the slightest hint of her growing anxious arousal from a whole room of…

The lady took a step onto the platform and cupped her chin before closing the gap and nipping her ear. “Eyes on me,” she said gently. “Eyes right here. Do you know what she’s going to do?”

“N-no…”

Perique looked past her for a moment and nodded, and then focused back on Scarlet. “Do you remember those lovely bits I had you wear before? I thought to myself the other day… Wouldn’t it be fun if my friends here got to see that as well? I’m dying to show them and you off. So, in a moment--”

She felt a hoof touch her slit, lightly brushing it, and she couldn’t help but gasp. The mare named Penne giggled. “Mm… I do love it when they squirm, Lilith! Like juicy little worms on a hook… though I like prefer the shape of our treat to that of a common worm.”

“Aye. Don’t feel too rushed. Let everyone enjoy the show,” purred the Lady. “Though the poor thing might want a bit of, ah… help before you slide those in.”

Another giggle, and then another set of steps.

“Now pet,” said the Lady softly in her ear. “We’re going to play with you for sometime. You may whine, or call out, any noise you like. But if you move from this spot, then you will be punished. If you try to hide yourself, you will be punished.” She punctuated that with a sharp bite on Scarlet’s ear that drew out a needy whimper. “Do try to keep your legs from failing you, you silly girl.”

The reason for that last command became readily apparent as she felt warm breath on her nethers, followed by more light touches that turned firmer and more purposeful as two mares giggled to each other.

“Such a pretty little thing!” said one, and the other answered by nipping her flank.

“Look at her squirm! But she’s being good, isn’t she?”

Scarlet was panting, but only just. Her face felt like it was on fire, and soon so did the rest of her. One of the mares leaned in and licked her slit, her tongue parting the lips and Scarlet managed not grind back against her mouth by force of will alone. But she wanted to. She wanted to so badly.

They were both at it then, licking and nipping and kissing, one of them giving the sweet little nib at the bottom of her sex the slightest kiss here and there between digging tiny fangs into her legs. All the while, her Lady praised her, telling her how good she was for staying still, how obedient she was being, and biting her ear whenever Scarlet couldn’t help but whimper.

At last, one of the mares slipped the toy into her opening and Scarlet’s legs almost gave out. She needed it to move, to slide in and out. She wanted it so badly. But the mares left it there and giggled.

The buttons on her dress started to come loose one by one, and in a moment she was free of it. She didn’t see where it went, and in the moment she didn’t care. All she cared about was the slick, cold feeling as one of her tormentors applied a bit of lube for the plug which bore her Lady’s cutie mark.

“Penne, since you’ve been so helpful, would you like the honor of the first bite?”

“I would be honored!” singsonged the little pegasus and she nosed her away long Scarlet’s side until she nuzzling against her neck. “Don’t move a muscle, little morsel.” she said.

Scarlet felt her fangs sink in and cried out. Her Lady fortified her legs with magic so she no longer had even the option of sinking to the ground. Her vision swam, but it was so brief. The other, the purple haired mare, was next, and she nuzzled in on the other side and latched on to Scarlet’s shoulder.

Perique caught Scarlet’s head between her hooves and kissed her fiercely, biting her lip and stealing away all the gasps and whimpers. Scarlet leaned into the kiss, gave herself to it.

But it was over so soon, and Perique was trailing kisses and nibbles down her cheek and to her neck. She paused, and then chuckled as she moved on. Scarlet whined. She wanted her Lady to bite her as she had before… she wanted to fall into her forelegs again and feel so warm…

The purple haired mare was kissing the little wound she had made. “So cute! And you’re being so good!” She kissed her cheek and then kept nuzzling softly.

All the while, Perique was moving to her flank, and bit again to bring out a sharp hiss of pain that blossomed into raw, burning lust. She was so, so close… Scarlet wanted her to farther along…

Fleeting had taken her place in front of Scarlet and smiled warmly. “I’ve always preferred to pay service for blood, but to have it so freely offered? How could I say no?”

He wasn’t like the others. His approach was closer to Perique’s slow and almost stalking gait. The role was suddenly far from her for a moment. Perique had borrowed a vampire’s form and nature, but here was the real thing. She felt very much like a trapped animal.

And she loved it, despite her very real fear.

Flame was nose to nose with her now. His voice was sweet and suddenly lower. “Different, isn’t it? Just a bit. You can feel I’m the real thing. Your lover is close, I’ll admit. But me?”

Scarlet’s breath caught in her thhroat. “Y-yessir.”

“I always ask permission,” he purred. He nuzzled past her cheek. She knew where he was headed. “Have I yours?”

She tried to speak, but the words just refused to come. Instead, she nodded.

He purred again, and then he embraced her and bit her neck and Scarlet moaned without thought. He was so cold, and she was suddenly warm. It was like she was melting against him, and the watching, chuckling ponies and even the ministrations of her mistress faded away. She was wrapt up in ecstasy.

But it was brief. With a contented sigh, Flame stepped back and Scarlet wilted slightly. Smiling, Flame gave her a brief peck. “Delicious,” he said, and laughed at her whine before being replaced by her Lady once more.

Around them, the vampiric party gathered and commented. As Perique kissed her and bit her lip and pushed against her, they cooed and said how small she was, how easy it was to bully her down.

The Lady pushed her head down. “Bow,” she growled, and Scarlet sprawled out in front of her with her head to the ground and her hindquarters high. Her sodden sex, her obvious arousal, the plug--she knew they could see.

She’d been so good. She’d done what her Lady wanted.

“Beg,” said Perique. “Beg to serve me before these gathered, slave. Beg your mistress to use you.”

Scarlet squirmed against the platform. The command sets her heart beating double time. “Please, mistress… please let this little toy m-make you happy. I want--I need to…” The toy in her snatch twisted and moved and she yipped. “C-Celestia! Please, mistress, please let this slave serve you!”

“Better,” purred the Lady. She stood with her legs apart. “Crawl, pet. Crawl and service me with your mouth, and then I will take my fill of you.”

Scarlet mewled and squirmed on her belly towards Perique. She slipped through her mistress’ front legs and nuzzled against her sheath.

“Penne? Do be a dear and help as we discussed.”

She heard voices above her. But Scarlet was focused completely on nuzzling Periques’ nethers. She loved the way her lover’s belly tensed as she kissed and licked before suckling at her growing shaft.

That was when the first smack of a crop hit her flank and she stopped serving only to squeak in shock. Penne and the grey mare giggled. Fleeting Flame said something, and she heard somepony kiss, but then she was drawn back into her task.

Scarlet scooted closer, high off of the intensity of her service, and now cradled her mistress’ cock in her hooves, rubbing her balls and kissing the tip. Perique’s legs trembled a bit, and she hummed happily. Do a thing enough, and you’ll know when you’re doing it right.

She took all of it in her mouth, groaning around it. The smell of her own arousal mixed with that slightly salty tang of pre and her senses swam. She ran her tongue along the length and drew out soft cries from above.

Perique’s legs were shaking as she continued, groaning at the way the toy shifted as she moved, spurred on by Perique’s moaning and the breathless gasps she recognized as the sound her lover made when someone bit hard into her shoulder or neck.

Perique wouldn’t last much more. Scarlet had done so well, and she knew it, and she wasn’t sure she could speak even if her mouth hadn’t been occupied. She redoubled her efforts, bobbing her head back and forth and bracing herself for what was about to happen.

Perique came, letting out a long groan as she thrust into Scarlet’s mouth erratically, unloading her seed in wave after wave. Scarlet held her mouth on the head, swallowing and serving until her lover was spent and slumped around her. She let the softening member out of her mouth as she found herself pushed over and cuddled intensely. Around them, other ponies continued playing, but Scarlet’s world for this moment was only two ponies and her own dazed happiness.

“You did so well,” Perique murmured, and kissed her without waiting for Scarlet to wipe her mouth clean. “So, so so good.”