Chapter 1
"I want her back in rubber!" Elise said firmly.
The dim hum of Abyss's deep bass reverberated through the private lounge where Elise and Alexandru reclined. Their hands entwined loosely, their glasses of dark red wine and water untouched as they leaned closer to Evelyn, who perched on the edge of a sleek velvet armchair. Evelyn’s sharp eyes flitted between them, her lips curved in an intrigued smile. The weight of their conversation was heavy, yet there was a simmering anticipation beneath it.
"So," Evelyn said, breaking the silence. "You wish to repeat her… predicament?" Her tone was smooth, dripping with amusement, though her gaze was calculating. "I must admit, she has shown remarkable resilience thus far. What you’re asking, however, would require… precision."
Elise leaned forward, her expression alight with a mix of mischief and determination. "It’s not just about the chastity, though that’s part of it. We’ve discovered something," she paused, glancing at Alexandru, who nodded, his gaze lingering thoughtfully on Evelyn.
"Nadia’s suffering," Elise continued, "has brought us closer together. It’s as though her denial fuels our passion, her rubberized confinement a constant reminder of what we have and what she lacks." Elise’s voice dropped, her words laced with a possessive satisfaction. "Her six weeks in rubber went by so quickly. We want to ensure it continues once more, but with a twist - something more… immersive. And lasting."
Evelyn tilted her head, intrigued. "Immersive, and … lasting," she repeated. "I see. And you believe she deserves this? That she languishes in latex?"
Evelyn was delighted. The request could not have come at a better time. Every night, she attempted her luck at beating the Seventh Circle of Hell while dancing in her own pair of the Stilettos of the Languished Arches. Still without success. Every failed attempt drained her power, and she was aging again. The Count was languishing her. She needed to drain someone else to sustain her own energy levels. It would need to be heavy, long-term, a single night of pain would not suffice. It must be exhausting. Draining. Nadia. Nadia would sustain her.
Alexandru finally spoke, his voice low and smooth. "We want her to break, but Nadia is stronger than we imagined. She’s learning to cope with her chastity, even finding ways to distract herself from it. That, to me, suggests she’s capable of enduring more. We want her back to the edge of sanity." He paused, his brow furrowing slightly. "But we don’t want her to become… complacent. We need to push her boundaries again, to remind her of her place in this dynamic."
Evelyn chuckled softly. "You two truly are a fascinating couple. So, what exactly do you have in mind?"
Elise’s eyes gleamed. "We were thinking of something rubber-focused, of course, what I like to call enforcing my Rubberization Rules. The Rubber Suit of Resolve was… effective, but temporary. She endured those six weeks, but only just. It brought her close to her breaking point. I want her beyond that point this time. What if her next experience is designed to… linger? Something that doesn’t let her forget the constraints we’ve placed on her. Something that binds
her even more tightly in submission to us. We want to consider her rubberization, and we think something more long term. I remember you were open to discuss staking months in a second iteration."
Evelyn leaned back, tapping a perfectly manicured nail against her glass. „Months, yes. I have a few ideas," she said slowly. "But let me propose a challenge for her. Something that will test her current limits and provide us insight into how far she can truly be pushed in her desperation. If she succeeds, we’ll offer her reprieve from her orgasmic denial, for a limited time. If she fails, well… she’ll need to learn that failure has its rubbery consequences."
Elise’s smile widened into an unconcealed grimace of glee and hate. "Now we are talking."
Meanwhile, Nadia was seated on her couch, her legs tucked beneath her as she flipped through a book she’d been reading. The apartment was quiet, save for the faint ticking of the clock on the wall. She’d grown accustomed to the solitude of her evenings, finding solace in routine and small rituals. Yet, no matter how much she tried to distract herself, the ever-present reminders of her chastity lingered.
The belt had become a part of her, its constant presence inescapable. At first, it had been unbearable, every sensation amplified, every restriction maddening. But over the months, she’d learned to cope. She’d been back to Abyss every week for maintenance and hygiene, however, there was rarely anything to clean up. It was as if the belt had some strange life of its own, somehow taking care of her. Of course there was the needle pad inside, just hovering over her clitoris. She’d need to carefully avoid putting any pressure on the front plate; or god forbid, become aroused, her clit swelling out from under its hood and into the waiting needles. She’d thrown herself into work, taken up meditation, even joined another yoga class to channel her sexual frustration into something productive. And when the nights grew long and quiet, she’d write in her journal, pouring out her thoughts in an attempt to make sense of the emotions swirling within her.
But tonight, something felt different. There was a gnawing unease she couldn’t shake, a sense that the stability she’d worked so hard to build was fragile, ready to shatter at any moment. She closed her book and stared out the window, the city lights flickering like distant stars. Her thoughts drifted to Elise and Alexandru, their smug faces flashing in her mind. She hated how they’d taken control of her life, how they’d turned her into a pawn in their twisted game. And yet, a small part of her wondered if she’d ever truly escape their grasp.
Back at Abyss, Evelyn outlined her plan to Elise and Alexandru. "We’ll start with something simple but effective," she said. "A second iteration of a Rubber Suit. This one will be lighter, thinner, so it can be worn beneath her clothes at all times. No hood, no gloves, no socks. It can be hidden and be present in her daily life even more. Its design will ensure that she never forgets its presence, but it won’t hinder her life to the same extent as before."
"And the catch?" Elise asked, her curiosity piqued.
Evelyn’s smile turned sly. "You will need to be ready to offer her a break from her chastity as a prize. You need to present her with something she desires. If she loses, well, the rubber suit has a certain life force of its own, so it can be worn very long term, without ripping or deteriorating, basically every day, even over extended periods of time."
Alexandru’s eyes lit up with interest. "That’s… brilliant. But how do we introduce it to her? I doubt she’d risk that for a single orgasm."
"Leave that to me," Evelyn said, her tone dripping with confidence. "Nadia may be resilient, but she’s far from unbreakable. A woman of her libido can always be lured into a challenge when she is living in absolute chastity. We can offer regular orgasms, like once every month for a year. That offer shall be irresistible. When the time comes, she’ll wear the suit. And she’ll thank us for the opportunity."
Evelyn nodded slowly. She had felt the drop in ambient energy herself. That persistent churn of denial and frustration was fading. Ana was free of her chastity commitment, Alina was still going strong. But that was not enough. The energy draw from Mina and Lena, she felt, had grown weaker as well. She needed more. Nadia had been a fine source of slow burning tension. Long-term denial fed Abyss better than any brief painful forfeit.
"Very well," Evelyn said. "If you want her back in latex, we can offer a challenge. Something clean. A simple bargain."
She crossed to the bar and poured herself a measure of cognac before continuing. "Twelve releases. One per month. If she wins, her belt will open twelve times over a year."
Alexandru smiled faintly. "That's generous."
Evelyn shrugged. "It’s bait. And if she loses, a new suit. To be worn beneath her clothing. Sixteen hours per day. For twelve months as well. One month for each orgasm she could earn in her challenge. One year."
Elise raised her glass in bright approval. A full year. This was much more than she had hoped for. „Perfect. I want a spicy forfeit for her! She’ll crack before spring."
Evelyn turned her gaze to her. "Of course, for it to be a proper challenge, the opponent must offer something as well." Elise blinked, confused. "Opponent? Evelyn, I’m not dueling her. I am not even involved."
"You’re the one calling for her punishment. You’re actively pushing for this game. That makes you a player, my dear," Evelyn said, voice syrupy but firm. "And in Abyss, players have skin in the game."
Elise frowned. "I’m not the one being tested. Why should I wager anything at all?"
"Because you want it," Evelyn replied smoothly. "You want her suffering. You want her locked, denied, sweating under rubber. You don’t get that satisfaction for free. I told you last time, when she danced for weeks as forfeit, and you pushed for months, you will have to put something on the line yourself if you want to have her dance against months. Do you remember?"
She thought back to that old discussion, and Elise narrowed her eyes. "I do remember. What kind of consequences are we talking about?"
Evelyn allowed a pause, then said with an almost playful tone, "If you lose, Elise, you will attend your next twelve visits to Abyss in a sheath dress of restrictive latex, also spread out over twelve months. A hood after midnight, people will see it’s you, and after midnight you will be enclosed fully, in a material you don’t like, with long gloves, latex stockings."
She leaned in slightly, voice quiet but cutting. "And because it will be a real challenge. Real consequences. For both of you."
Elise stared, aghast. "You want me to wear that? Like some... a fetish latex doll?"
"For your next twelve visits," Evelyn replied with a smile that was both warm and wicked. "A ceremonial price, but just a little more than symbolic. People will see, it’s you. You’ll lose respect and status when you are seen in rubber, especially when hooded and in full body coverage. If Nadia is to be enclosed in rubber, your own wager must reflect the dignity of the contest."
Elise hesitated. She hated rubber on herself. Wearing latex was for the rubberized masses, the submissive underclass. Her clothing was velvet, silk, tailored suedes. Rubber was a tool. A trap. On rare occasions she allowed Alexandru to see her in it. She had no desire to experience it as enforced wardrobe.
"If you truly want to break her," Evelyn continued, "show her you're willing to risk something, too. And if she loses, she’ll know her suffering was authored by someone who wasn’t afraid to put her pride on the line."
Alexandru chuckled. "It’s poetic. One of you will wear rubber. Elise, darling, you can defeat her."
Elise shot him a look, but the seed had already been planted. The idea of Nadia walking free again - perhaps smug - was intolerable. And the chance to strike first, to frame the new ordeal, was too tempting. Evelyn on the other hand only smiled a mysterious smile. Nadia would not accept a year in latex if Elise would only wear a rubber dress occasionally. But if Nadia was to be tempted to up the ante herself, she could be maneuvered into a trap.
And perhaps, more deeply than she would ever admit aloud, Elise feared letting the feud fade. Nadia’s very existence was a challenge she hadn't yet solved, an audacity from the duel over him, long ago, that still rankled her ego. This game was control. Her ego never could let go; and she needed to be in control, always. A chance to reassert the hierarchy, to remind Abyss - and herself - who held power.
"If you insist, okay," she said at last. "Twelve visits. In rubber. If I lose."
Evelyn raised her glass. "Agreed. I’ll draft the challenge and letter. We shall present it to Nadia soon."
Elise and Alexandru exchanged a glance, their expressions a mix of excitement and satisfaction. They trusted Evelyn’s expertise, knowing she had a knack for crafting challenges that were as creative as they were cruel.
Ana sat alone in the lounge of Abyss, sunk deep into a low-backed chair of smooth black leather that glimmered faintly under the lounge's ambient lighting. The atmosphere around her was hushed, reverent almost, with a low thrum of conversation and soft footsteps echoing from deeper within the club. Somewhere behind the velvet walls, someone moaned - low, strained, and muffled. The sound barely touched her. She cradled a glass of red wine, more decoration than drink. Her lips had only brushed it. Her tongue had barely tasted it.
Across the room, one of the masked attendants passed without pause, gliding silently toward some task or someone else more deserving. They didn’t even glance in her direction.
It shouldn’t have mattered. She was out. Two full years locked in stainless steel discipline, every challenge met, every punishment endured, every hour served. She had done what the lucky ones did - left Abyss clean. No remaining debt. No lingering mark of ownership. No more denial. No feuds. She had walked free with nothing owed but time.
Her finances were sound, promising beyond her wildest dreams from where she started. Her side income, once made within these walls, had been replaced with stability in the outside world. Her career had hardened, grown sharp, focused. She had accomplished what she told herself she came here to do.
And yet.
Her orgasms were... fine. When they happened. She could come whenever she wanted now. There were no locks, no timers, no needles, no permissions to beg for. But there was no weight to it. No gravity. The edge was dull, the finish too quick, too pale. Even when she edged herself - slow, deliberate, calculated - it felt clinical. Almost sterile. It was like trying to recreate a symphony with only one broken instrument.
She remembered. She couldn't not remember. What it had felt like to be edged not for minutes, but for hours. Held at the peak by those nameless attendants whose mouths were built for worship and cruelty. The Inner Sanctum, where pleasure was honed into pain, where surrender was mandatory and holy. Edges far better than her self-induced orgasms. That night. That single, annihilating night when she'd been allowed in. Her latex suit hot on her offered up body, her cries silenced by the taste of paradise.
Only once.
And perhaps that was all it ever took. Like a mortal brushing too close to the divine - or the demonic - and never walking away whole again. It had touched her. Marked her. Changed her in ways she hadn’t even understood until the silence of freedom settled in. That night wasn’t just a moment - it was an eclipse of the soul. A descent into something mythic, ecstatic, and ruinous. Like a butterfly’s wing grazed by human fingers, she had lost the ability to fly, no matter how far she wandered from those glass walls.
Only once. And it was enough to make the rest of her life feel like an echo.
After that, Evelyn had shifted the game. Had revealed the layers Ana hadn’t understood. Her next challenges were ever for the pleasure she was hooked on. She had tried. Oh, how she had tried. Competitive, driven, begging beneath the
surface. But every prize was twisted, and finally, lost. Denied. Instead of tongues and teasing, they gave her the needle frame - an exquisite sculpture of pain, every angle designed to hold and, never pierce, but break. Not break the skin, but break the psyche. Not a single edge again inside those Sanctum’s walls since then. Only denial. Only pain.
And now? Now she was free. Entirely. She could sleep where she wanted, eat what she liked, fuck when and who she pleased. There was no one watching. No one controlling. And yet it all felt faint. Like tasting color through glass.
She wondered what an actual orgasm under the attendant’s tongues would be like. It must be from out of this world.
A masked attendant passed her again. They didn’t stop. Didn’t even register her. Not a nod. Not a flicker. Not even the smallest suggestion that she had once been with them inside these walls. They meant something to her, she meant nothing to them. Ana didn’t move. Didn’t speak. She knew her place now. A guest. Not a target. Not an offering. Not even a former toy worth remembering.
She sipped her drink, but the flavor was gone. It tasted grey, just like her orgasms.
The silence around her pressed in, familiar in a way that made her chest ache. She had her life back. She had her orgasms back. Her freedom. Her schedule. Her control.
And still - still - something inside her whispered that she had left the most important part of herself behind, sealed behind black glass and latex and breathless longing. A part of her that had only come alive when it was denied everything. Ana closed her eyes. And for a fleeting moment, she imagined the heat of a tongue not her own, the scent of latex and sweat, the sensation of her thighs trembling and held open as she hovered just - barely - on the brink.
The drink, untouched, sat on the bar beside her, forgotten like everything else.
Evelyn remained trapped in her own cycle of paranoia, spending the occasional free evening in her private chamber, relentlessly practicing in the Stilettos of the Languished Arches. The cursed song of the Seventh Circle of Hell echoed through the dimly lit room as she danced through the searing pain, desperate to make it to the end. Every failed attempt tightened the grip of fear around her throat - if she couldn’t endure the three-hour ordeal, then she risked being at the mercy of the owners, her fate bound to whatever stakes they deemed fit. And if Lena ever returned, if she dared to challenge her, Evelyn had to be ready. She had to win. Nadia would need to be drained for her to have enough energy.
For Nadia, the weeks had blended into months without returning to Abyss, her routine both her anchor and her torment. She’d grown adept at hiding her struggles, putting on a brave face at work and maintaining an air of normalcy. But beneath the surface, the weight of her continuous chastity gnawed at her, a constant reminder of her submission.
When the letter arrived - sealed in Abyss’s signature black envelope - her hands trembled as she opened it. The words inside were simple but carried an undeniable weight:
"Nadia,
your unabated desire has been noted. Join us at Abyss this Friday to discuss the next phase of your journey which may offer a reprise from your chastity or lead you deeper into submission. Be punctual.
- Pain Mistress Evelyn"
Her heart sank as she read the words, a mix of dread and anticipation coursing through her veins. She knew she had no choice but to comply. Abyss had a way of pulling her back, no matter how much she wanted to escape its grasp. But the smallest hope of getting out of the cursed belt, she needed to investigate.
As Friday approached, Nadia found herself staring at her reflection, her fingers brushing the edges of the belt she’d come to both loathe and accept. She couldn’t shake the feeling that whatever awaited her at Abyss would change everything once again. And this time, she wasn’t sure if she’d survive it.
Nadia stared at the black envelope in her hands, her breath shallow. The weight of Abyss’s summons clung to her like the belt she’d borne for what felt like an eternity. She wanted to rip the letter apart, throw it into the trash, and pretend it didn’t exist, but Abyss had a way of pulling her in - just as it always did. The promise of a challenge made her chest tighten with equal parts fear and anticipation.
When Friday arrived, she found herself standing outside Abyss once again, the deep bass of the club’s music vibrating through her chest as she pushed the door open. The usual blend of crimson lighting and velvet-draped walls greeted
her, as did Evelyn, who was waiting in the main lounge. The sharp-eyed hostess’s smile widened when she saw Nadia, a predatory gleam in her expression.
"Punctual, as instructed," Evelyn purred, gesturing for Nadia to follow her. "Elise and Alexandru are already waiting. We have much to discuss."
Nadia’s stomach churned as she followed Evelyn to a private room. Elise and Alexandru were seated on a plush couch, their expressions as composed as ever. Elise’s gaze was almost playful, while Alexandru’s eyes betrayed a flicker of curiosity. Whatever they had planned, Nadia knew she had to tread carefully.
"Ah, Nadia," Elise greeted her, her voice dripping with faux warmth. "We’ve been looking forward to this. Please, sit."
Nadia sat on the chair opposite them, her back stiff. "What is this about?" she asked, her tone sharper than she intended.
Evelyn spoke first, her words precise. "You’ve proven your resilience, Nadia. But Elise and Alexandru believe it’s time to test your resolve further and to offer you temporary relief from chastity. A challenge, if you will. One that will grant you sexual satisfaction or enhance your current… arrangement..."
"… back into rubber," finished Elise with a wolfish grin.
Nadia’s jaw tightened. "Rubber?" Her voice quivered over that word. "No! Never! Just no! Not rubber, never again. No way, that’s just another cruelty, you mean."
Elise’s wolffish smile didn’t waver. "Not at all. Think of it as an opportunity. You’ll have the chance to prove yourself once again and perhaps gain something valuable in the process."
Nadia’s brow furrowed. "What could I possibly gain from this? Why these games?"
Neither Evelyn nor Elise immediately answered. Nadia’s eyes darted, uncertain. She sensed that Elise was trying to trap her. Her body language betrayed restraint - arms folded across her stomach, shoulders slightly hunched, as though bracing herself for a blow that hadn’t yet come. Elise, by contrast, sat poised and composed, one heeled foot slightly in front of the other, her head tilted with a smirk playing at the corner of her lips. The silk of her blouse caught the low light like a predator’s pelt.
"Why are you doing this?" Nadia finally asked, her voice quiet but raw, a tremor threading her words. "Why are you still after me?"
Elise stepped forward slightly, savoring the moment like a sommelier savoring scent. "We’re not even yet," she said calmly, too calmly. Her tone was sweetened venom. "You had the audacity to challenge me over Alexandru."
Nadia’s throat tightened. She tried to stand straighter. "Let it go. I’m still in chastity for that. Isn’t that enough?"
Elise’s laugh was soft and cruel. "Oh, but it was never just about the belt. You made it about us. You made yourself an opponent. And now you’re finally learning how your choices can have lasting repercussions."
"You and Alex are engaged. You won. I get it. My belt stays sealed. My orgasms gone, controlled by you. You have me destroyed. Why is that still not enough for you?" Nadia’s voice broke slightly, the emotional undercurrent peeking through her self-control.
Elise moved closer, her heels clicking like punctuation marks. "Destroyed? Far from it. I want you deeper! Also, our sex is better with you denied. You make it better. Knowing you are frustrated and chaste, but knowing you were wrapped in that suit every day, sweating in denial while I ride the man you lost to orgasm… that was even sweeter than just your denial."
Nadia turned away slightly, as if the hurtful words had cut skin. "I don’t deserve this," she murmured, her voice thick. "That rubber suit was awful. I wore it for weeks. I went through all of that for just a chance at a single orgasm. And I lost."
"Ohh, poor kitten," Elise said mockingly, facing her again directly, "But now, I want you rubberized again. But I’m not without mercy." Her smirk returned. "You could get more orgasms. Or at least an attempt at them."
Nadia’s eyes welled with a hint of tears and with frustrated disbelief. "Please, don’t be so mean. I’m not interested in Alex anymore, and neither is he in me. Just allow me some relief. It’s been three years. I’m not even asking anymore for my belt off."
Elise leaned in, her voice a purr. "You know it won’t come off, that’s why you don’t ask. But I don’t just want your denial. I want your obedience. Your rubberization. Your surrender."
Nadia flinched. "Not for weeks again…"
Elise tilted her head back and laughed. It wasn’t loud, but it was deliberate. "No, not for weeks." There was a long pause. Elise’s eyes locked onto Nadia’s with glittering satisfaction.
"For months."
Nadia went pale. Her voice, when it came, was barely a whisper. "I won’t. Months? Why would I risk anything like that? That’s insane?"
Elise’s tone softened, but her grin remained. "Orgasms. Not one. Many. Twelve, over a year. A ritual of release. You would finally be able to still your unraveling."
Nadia’s eyes widened as she gasped. A chance to experience relief not once, but regularly? She immediately felt a gush of wetness. A needle greeted her clitoris as it enlarged hungrily at the very thought. She couldn’t avoid a gasp escaping her mouth, all eyes now fixed on her. Her hands involuntarily shielded her crotch, as if this could increase the small gap
between the needle pad and her clitoris. All eyes followed her hands to her crotch; everybody knew about the needle pad, into which her clitoris would swell, if it ever got aroused too much.
Elise smiled a knowing smile. "Hah, your pussy already says yes."
Nadia blushed a deep shade of red. But to have some semblance of control restored to her life? One evening of deep satisfaction each month? The offer was almost too good to believe. A spark of excitement flickered within her, despite her hesitation. Nadia turned slowly, her gaze rising to meet Evelyn’s. Her lips trembled, but no words came. The club’s mistress raised a perfectly sculpted brow and answered the question before it could be voiced.
"Elise would also stake a rubber forfeit," Evelyn said smoothly, her voice carrying through the heavy air like silk sliding off a blade. "Both parties give. Both risk. That is the rule."
Nadia closed her eyes. Her chest rose and fell in slow, deliberate breaths. Elise was still smiling when she opened them again.
Evelyn’s smile grew sharper. "Should you win, I will grant you something you’ve longed for - freedom from your belt, for one evening each month, for an entire year. A single reprieve to remind you of the balance between discipline and reward."
"And if I fail, back into the rubber suit?" she asked cautiously.
Evelyn leaned forward. "If you fail, Elise and Alexandru want something spicy, as they said. They are very interested in bringing you back under, what Elise calls, strict rubberization rules. As forfeit, you will wear the Rubber Suit of Permeance for one year. It’s a lighter design than the Suit of Resolve, having no hoods, nor gloves and socks, allowing you to wear it under your clothes and continue your daily life as usual. Only inside Abyss, you will be hooded, fully rubberized with gloves and socks. However, you will be expected to wear it for sixteen hours a day. It will be a test of discipline, ensuring you never forget the commitment you’ve made to your endurance."
Nadia’s heart sank at the thought. She endured six weeks in the Suit of Resolve and it was a harrowing experience. While this new suit may be lighter, the idea of being encased in rubber again every day for a year felt daunting. The suit would be a constant reminder of her place, her failure, her enduring struggle.
"Our sex was so intense when you were in your Latex Suit of Resolve, and we want you back in rubber. Honestly, we want nothing less than a full year in latex for you. But we offer something that you need so badly, so you might want to consider it carefully. You can win orgasms for a full year, finally, after all your endurance in chastity. Of course we would prefer if you lose, so that we shall continue once again with your rubberization." Elise beamed.
"No. Just forget about it. And Elise?" Nadia asked, shocked at Elise openly sexualizing her suffering, narrowing her eyes at the poised woman sitting across from her. She didn’t like that her situation helped Elise to get off. "What does she stand to lose?"
Evelyn’s expression turned coy as she glanced at Elise. "I’ve already discussed stakes for Elise. Elise is not a big fan of rubber for herself, so I considered her aversion in her stakes. If you win, Nadia, Elise will spend her weekends at Abyss
in a very restrictive latex sheath dress, complete with spike heels, a hood, gloves and stockings. She will be fully rubberized in Abyss. It will be public, with her reputation tainted, and it will serve as a reminder that even she is not beyond accountability."
Nadia’s expression hardened, a pang of anger overcoming her. "A fucking dress?" she repeated, incredulity dripping from her tone. Her voice rose, her frustration breaking through. "That’s hardly a fair stake. Elise gets to parade around in a designer latex outfit, masked, while I risk being locked in rubber for a year? No! Never! If I’m putting so much on the line, then she should too."
Elise's eyes narrowed, her jaw tightening.
"What are you suggesting?" Evelyn asked cautiously. Would she fall into her trap?
Nadia met Elise's gaze, her voice sharp with determination. She was angry, and it showed. Her words came slowly, deliberately. "The Rubber Coffin."
The room froze.
Elise's expression didn’t crack at first, but the heat beneath her skin rose visibly. Her nostrils flared slightly. Her shoulders stiffened. She laughed, but there was no humor in it. "Excuse me?"
Elise's voice was dangerously calm. "You are entirely out of your depth."
Nadia’s eyes narrowed, her voice sharp with determination. "The Rubber Coffin. If I win, Elise will go in the Rubber Coffin. Rubber aversion? She preaches rubberization rules with that smug detachment. Then she’ll know what it feels like to endure latex enclosure, to truly be rubberized. And perhaps she’ll think twice before flaunting her so-called stakes next time."
A shocked silence filled the room. Elise’s face paled, her composure cracking. Alexandru’s lips twitched into an amused smile that he quickly masked, while Evelyn’s expression lit up with open delight. Nadia had stepped into the trap without even realizing it. While she would enjoy to wipe the smug smile off Elise’s face, the long-term draining for Nadia would be preferable to a one month high energy spike from Elise when she panics in the latex enclosure box that was the rubber coffin. But both women’s sacrifices would be fine for her - she would win, regardless of who would lose tonight.
"Nadia, that’s quite bold. And fitting, don’t you think, Elise?" Evelyn said, her voice brimming with approval. "So, you indeed do agree to dance again, under the right forfeits. Thank you for consenting to the forfeit."
Nadia flinched. Consented? She wanted to test Elise’s reaction, not agree to a duel. "I didn’t agree yet."
"But yes, you did, by suggesting the stakes yourself under which you will accept the challenge. That is what counts here. Thank you for accepting the challenge from your side! How delightful! Now it depends if Elise is also willing to go through with these stakes. A rubber forfeit on both sides! The rubber coffin, not for a year of course, but a month in complete sensory deprivation and constant latex bondage shall be adequate to counterbalance a year in a suit, right?"
Elise’s gaze darted to Alexandru, silently pleading for support, but he remained impassive. "You’re not seriously considering this," she hissed at him.
"I think," Alexandru said slowly, his tone measured, "that you’ve always prided yourself on your endurance and strength, Elise. Surely a month is fair compared to Nadia’s year of stakes."
Her stomach twisted at the betrayal. She knew this was his way of not choosing sides - his cowardice masquerading as diplomacy. Still, her pride wouldn’t let her withdraw. She would control the game.
Evelyn laughed, clapping her hands. "Well said, Alexandru. Elise, I must admit, the Rubber Coffin is an intriguing counterbalance. It will remind you of the very foundations Abyss is built on - discipline and resilience. You wanted spicy stakes. I think this is spicy enough for you, isn’t it?"
Elise’s hands clenched into fists, staring daggers at Alexandru for supporting this forfeit, her usual poise dissolving under the weight of their stares. Finally, she exhaled sharply, her lips pressing into a thin white line.
"She gets her deal," she bit out. "But only because I know she won’t win."
Nadia’s heart raced, a heady mix of fear and exhilaration coursing through her. She’d pushed Elise into a corner, and now the stakes were set. Now she could not back out herself, as her very spontaneously chosen stakes were accepted. No turning back allowed under her membership contract now. It was no longer just about endurance - it was about proving who could outlast the other in a duel of wills, or a duel of soles.
Evelyn gestured to the attendants, who stepped forward with a polished box. Inside were two pairs of the infamous Heels of Infernal Spires, their transparent design revealing the cruel permanently fixed spikes on their insoles.
Elise’s and Nadia’s eyes went wide, looking at the Infernal Spires. There would be no way to avoid pain; this was about endurance, not about skill and matching rhythms. Evelyn smirked. She knew exactly that Elise, running on disdain and hate, would endure the highly uncomfortable heels with a constant but bearable pain, and would be handling these heels better than Nadia. While she would prefer to see Elise humbled in rubber bondage, the wise choice would be to enjoy Nadia’s slow languishing over the next year to establish a stable and long feast of energy for her and Abyss.
"You and Elise will dance together to a selected piece," Evelyn explained. "Ten minutes of unrelenting rhythm in the Infernal Spires. If either of you falters, hesitates, or falls, it will be noted. The winner will be the one who endures with grace and resilience and earns the audience’s applause. The loser will be experiencing her individualized and exquisitely dramatic rubber penalty. A spicy rubber forfeit indeed. Prepare yourselves, ladies. The stage will be ready at midnight."
Nadia’s chest tightened as she stared at the heels, the Infernal Spires. Memories of her seeing a past patron dance in them in a high stakes duel against Evelyn herself flashed before her the performance in them came rushing back - the searing pain they showed, the struggle to stay upright, the humiliation of failure. She remembered her, she was the talk
of Abyss for months, having challenged Evelyn to defend her girlfriend. Caps of Despair and the needle frames, how could anyone forget that. She wondered where those women were today. She glanced at Elise, who wore a veneer of confidence that barely masked her unease.
"I’ll see you on the stage," Elise said, her voice steady despite the storm raging within her.
Evelyn clapped her hands once. "Wonderful. Then let us prepare. Remember, the stakes tonight will shape your futures. May the best dancer prevail."
Towards Elise she added, "Elise, should you lose, absence arrangements with your workplace will be taken care of by Abyss. So you can focus solely on the dance."
As Nadia left the room, her mind raced. What just happened? Was it worth the risk, just to make Elise face the rubber coffin? That was stupid, why did she even suggest that. But now, the chance for freedom, the evenings of relief, the opportunity to see Elise humbled - it was all within her grasp. But the thought of failure, of enduring a year of relentless rubber confinement, loomed like a shadow over her resolve. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, steeling herself for the battle to come. Tonight, everything would change.
Elise sat beside Alexandru in the lounge, her posture impeccable, her features calm but unreadable. The ambient lighting traced soft shadows across her collarbone, his glass of wine untouched on the table between them. She turned to him slowly.
"You didn’t say much," she said, her tone even, conversational. "During the forfeit negotiations. And what you said, didn’t help."
Alexandru offered a shrug, noncommittal. "I assumed you'd negotiate it away if you wanted."
Elise’s smile was gracious, practiced. "Mmm. Of course. But there’s a difference between letting someone flail and handing them a rope. I thought perhaps you’d… offer a hand."
He raised an eyebrow. "You seemed in control. You always are."
She studied him for a moment. "Yes," she said. "I am. And it’s important to me to remain so." "You really risked the coffin. I’m amazed and shocked." He said.
"Not shocked enough to oppose the idea apparently. I risked it, yes. I said yes, so she couldn’t back out once she spoke the forfeit aloud. The stupid sales girl still doesn’t understand how escalating forfeit work. But I will control the risk. I won’t go into the coffin." She paused, a glimmer of fear visible through her facade, before her controlled persona was back. "A small chance you won’t see me for a month. And I might not be the same after that. That company girl, Emma, was only a shadow of herself after enduring it. This will not happen to me."
"I would be there for you after the month, should it happen. And I’d love even a shadow of you."
Her fingers traced the rim of her water glass, not commenting on his token of support. "Nadia’s gotten bolder. It's charming, in a peasant sort of way. She forgets her place."
"She does," Alexandru said quietly.
"If I let that go unanswered," Elise murmured, eyes on the swirling wine, "others might start to think they can get away with the same. Claudia had learned her lesson quickly. But other people forget just as fast."
She turned to him with a serene expression. "That would be unfortunate."
He met her gaze, uncertain whether to challenge it.
She smiled faintly. "But don’t worry, darling. I’ll handle it. As always."
And with that, she raised her glass - not to drink, but as a toast. To herself. To control. To the queen who would never yield to the likes of Nadia.
The bathroom’s dim light cast Elise’s reflection in cool porcelain tones, the gloss of her lipstick suddenly too sharp, her pupils slightly dilated. Finally alone, she braced her palms against the edge of the marble sink and stared into her own eyes with a storm behind them.
"The nerve of that girl," she hissed. "Retail girl trash."
She slammed a hand against the sink, an angry scream escaping her mouth. "Suggesting me for the Rubber Coffin? Me?! She’ll regret that. She thinks this is a game she can win? I’ll make sure she’s sealed tighter than she’s ever imagined. She wants to taste suffering? I’ll feed her every bitter bite."
Her voice dropped, curling with venom and resolve. "I will destroy her in that dance. Even in the Spires. I can take pain better than her. I will break her - and when she falls, Evelyn will see what real dominance looks like. Nadia will get more rubber than she can handle. She’ll drown in it. And next time someone thinks to challenge me, they’ll remember what happened to her."
She splashed cold water on her face, composing herself. From her purse she took two pills. Ibuprofen. The pain killer would be kicking in before the dance duel. Not entirely fair, but not against the written rules either.
In the bathroom mirror, Elise painted on perfection. A layer of foundation thick enough to bury ghosts. A precise line of lipstick. Her face wasn’t just her own anymore - it was a mask of control. Discipline. Even in silence, she rehearsed conversations with Nadia. Cutting lines. Rehearsed dominance. Elise didn’t know if she wanted Nadia punished or simply understood that Elise had once lost everything and refused to ever lose again. It wasn’t just pride. It was fear dressed as elegance.
Again, her face wet, paler than usual, she stared into the mirror. The rubber coffin must not happen. As before every appearance, before every show, Elise stared at her reflection in the sanctuary of the bathroom stall and whispered to herself: "Control is everything. Control is safety. Control is love." She said it like a prayer. Because without it, she feared she might unravel completely. And if Nadia ever knew that? That would be the worst loss of all. Worse than losing Alexandru. Worse than rubber. Not as bad as the fire. Because then the mask would fall - and Elise, at her core, had no idea who she would be without it.