Chapter Two - Enter the Countess

“C-Countess!” The big man stammered, glancing down awkwardly at his exposed member. “W-What are you doing here?”

“Did you forget my instructions?” The woman finally swept into my field of view and, if I weren’t in the end process of dying, she would have been totally my type. She was tall, lean, and imposing with perfect dark brown hair and mysterious silver eyes that seemed to bore through everything they touched upon. Her breasts weren’t particularly large, but they were perfection. At least they looked that way through the elegant deep red dress she wore.

“Th-this was a special request from Lord Dowey, my lady,” the man named Drudge looked extremely nervous.

“The half elf is dying, my lady,” one of the two women who flanked the countess pointed out, gesturing to me as I hung limply.

“Drop the creature and pull up your pants, Drudge,” The countess did not look pleased though her voice was even, flat, and emotionless which combined to make her even more intimidating. Drudge eyed me nervously for a long moment, hesitating. That hesitation cost him as a flash of brilliant green light engulfed the Countess’ gloved hand. I dropped from Drudge’s nerveless fingers as he was flung backward where he crumpled like paper against a stone pillar a good five meters away. Rupert and Grint backed away nervously. “You’ve been a useful beast thus far, Drudge, but this incident is beginning to make me question your ability to follow simple instructions.” She strode forward, her skirt billowing behind her, glimmering in the firelight.

“I’m so-sorry,” Drudge gasped as he writhed on the ground, his body engulfed in green fire that licked like snakes along his exposed skin.

“That ignorant little prick Dowey got his favorite fucktoy castrated and you decide it’s ok to ignore my instructions?” The countess bent over the thrashing form of Drudge as he began to scream in pain, her voice monotone. “Did you believe it was acceptable to think with your dick since Dowey’s toy no longer could?” Drudge couldn’t respond as his skin began to blacken and char beneath the onslaught of green fire and his throat tightened with agony. The countess closed her fist, and the big man’s writhing intensified to the point it looked like he was going into convulsions.

“The half elf needs help, my lady,” one of the girls leaning over me warned the countess. “The wound is quite egregious.”

“Tch,” the Countess straightened and, with a wave of her hand the green fire flickered and died. “Take it to my lab and call a healer.” She turned back to Drudge sobbing on the ground and shook her head. “That is your only warning. Betray me again and you won’t live to regret it.” One of the countess’ robed assistants lifted me easily in her arms, eliciting a moan of pain from me. It felt like I was burning and freezing simultaneously as a strange numbness spread outward from the wound in the center of my chest. Having never died before that I was aware of, I couldn’t be certain, but I surmised this was the first step toward the last stop in life.

“You’re gonna wish you’d stayed,” Grint mumbled under his breath as I was carried out of the room.

“You can have Rupert’s ass instead,” I gasped, coughing blood. Yes, I was dying but if I were going to go, I’d be as petty as possible. Maybe the coma will be over when I die, I thought as the darkness swallowed me.

I woke up to something wet on my nipple. I moaned slightly as my body reacted. There was a giggle in the darkness and with a groan my eyes fluttered open. The walls and ceiling were stark white and light burst through the open window, carrying with it the scent of flowers. I knew I was in the hospital! Thank god that dream ended. I looked down and the smile froze on my face. A blonde girl of indeterminate age was bent over the bed, licking my nipple and regarding me with big blue eyes.

“Wha-?” I mumbled, trying to push myself upright. My arms seemed to work but were strapped to the table I was laying on. I could feel nothing below my chest, though.

“Your highness, could you please not do these things to my test subjects,” an oddly familiar monotone voice said from somewhere in the room.

“You’re so mean to me, countess,” the girl puffed out her cheeks and pouted. “I saved her life; I should at least be able to play with her.”

“You’re aware she’s paralyzed from the chest down, right?” The countess appeared beside me and stared at me like I was a bug under a slide.

“They say I could make a dead girl cum,” the woman giggled. I stared as she ran her finger over my thigh and between my legs. It was, frankly, terrifying. I could see her caress my skin but not feel it. I tried to move my legs, but they didn’t respond. “I’m sure I can make a paralyzed girl do the same.”

“Your highness, I have no doubts regarding your erotic skills and, normally, I’d be happy to give you time to enjoy yourself as you see fit, but I have a lot of work to do and not much time with which to do it,” the countess looked annoyed for a brief moment before her neutral expression snapped back into place.

“I could have fixed that pesky paralysis, you know,” the princess gestured with the hand not between my legs.

“Indeed, you are the most skilled healer in the land princess, but her legs aren’t necessary for my purposes,” the countess was looking down at an ornate book held in her hands. I’d seen that look before since I’d used it myself on my students. It was the look which said, “I am so incredibly busy reading this book I simply do not have time to continue this conversation.”

“Ah ha!” The princess crowed in triumph, raising the hand she’d been using between my thighs. “I may not have made a paralyzed girl cum, but I made her wet!” She brought her index finger and thumb together before spreading them apart once more, a line of sticky wetness connected them briefly. My face reddened in embarrassment.

“How delightful, your highness, your skills are quite impressive,” the countess intoned, meaning not a single word of what she’s just said. “I really do hate to cut this short, but I have a lot of work to do, your highness.”

“Fine, fine,” the princess huffed, licking her finger daintily. How typical, I just got fingered by a princess and didn’t even get to enjoy it, I thought miserably. “Mmm, half elves taste delicious. Want a taste, countess?”

“I’ll take a raincheck, your highness,” the countess’ eyebrow twitched with annoyance, but her face remained calm.

“Should I have the guards come for the body?” The princess straightened her magnificent silvery dress, preparing to leave.

“I’ll have Sayuri take care of it as usual, your highness, but thank you,” the countess flicked a smile on and off at the princess. Wait. Body? Whose body? My body? I tried to speak but my voice refused to work, leaving me groaning and mumbling incoherently.

“Maybe this subject will be more promising, countess. I hope so, for all of our sake” the princess said, a hint of malice seeping into her teasing tone. She turned to me and licked her fingers again pointedly with a wink. “Not to mention I’d like to take up where I left off. Farewell for now, sweetness.”

“Sayuri!” The countess snapped, throwing her book down after the princess had left the room. A moment later a girl appeared beside her, her eyes were large with one a bright blue while the other was a forest green. Atop her head, over her long white hair, sat a pair of furry white cat ears. It was a catgirl! A real live catgirl! This coma was all over the damn place. I desperately wanted to reach out and touch the soft-looking, furry ears.

“Yes, sir, your royal highness, sir!” The girl saluted awkwardly.

“I am not a sir,” the countess sighed in exasperation. “It’s been years why can’t you get that simple thing right?”

“Because I’m a simple-minded creature who lives only to frustrate, sir?” The girl looked proud of herself and the countess sighed again.

“You’re not wrong,” the countess looked like she desperately wanted to hit someone. “Prepare my tools and find out how the princess came to know about this one.”

“Roger, roger!” Sayuri saluted awkwardly again. She turned to go but stopped short and looked around before turning back sheepishly. “Um…which should I do first?”

“Gods damn it,” the countess snapped. “First bring me my tools and then find out how the princess knew.”

“Okie! Roger, roger!” Sayuri saluted again before vanishing from my view. The countess shook her head and sat down beside me. A moment later Sayuri reappeared carrying an over-sized bag and put it down at the countess’ feet before vanishing once more.

The countess reached forward and snapped a collar attached to the table around my neck, humming to herself as she did. What the hell was this? I struggled as well as I was able but with my legs useless and my arms and neck strapped to the table there was little I could manage. Why wasn’t this goddamn dream ending? I am flat-out going to sue this hospital into oblivion over this, I raged in my head.

“I don’t need the princess invading my personal business like that,” the countess mumbled to herself, scowling. She rummaged through her bag before finally bringing out a long, vicious looking curved blade no wider than a scalpel. “Sayuri! Bring me the crystal!”

“But I’m finding out how the princess found out!” Sayuri’s disembodied voice called back.

“Bring me the fucking stone!” The countess raged, her calm façade cracking. The countess quickly regained her composure and pinched the bridge of her nose irritably.

“Should have put that in the queue of things I needed to do, then,” my keen hearing heard Sayuri muttering under her breath. “Here you go!” Sayuri appeared, holding a crystal about the size of one of those easily peeled mandarins they had at the supermarket. “Need anything else, sir?”

“I told – no. No, I don’t, you’re excused,” the countess’ eye twitched noticeably.

“Aye aye, captain, sir!” Sayuri saluted awkwardly once more and wandered off. “Now what was I doing?” I heard her mumble to herself quietly as she walked away.

“And now we’re in the navy,” the countess muttered and shook her head before turning back to me. “I just want to let you know your sacrifice will not be in vain. Hopefully.” Sacrifice? What sacrifice? My sacrifice? What the hell? Why does everyone in this dream want to kill me? Was my subconscious trying to tell me something?

“You don’t have to do this!” I would have said if my mouth could have made any sounds other than guttural grunts. The countess fixed me with her steely eyes and scowled.

“I have no idea what you’re saying,” she shook her head. “This would probably pinch if you could feel anything below your rib cage. Since you can’t, though, just take my word for it. On the plus side, I should be done in no time, and hopefully you’ll be perfectly fine.” I was more than ready for this nightmare to be over, but her use of the word ‘hopefully’ was monstrously ominous.