“Have work again today?” Will asked the next morning.
The snow leopard finished putting on his belt before answering. “Today I won’t be home until late. After my appointments today, I’m meeting with an old friend. Because of this, I’ll keep you chained in the living room. The chain will be long enough for you to reach the bathroom, but not long enough for the tub. It will not be long enough to enter the kitchen or bedroom.”
“You’re telling me not to try to kill myself.”
“Yes. You will also not be able to reach any windows, and the blinds will remain closed. I don’t think I need to tell you that the chain will not extend to the elevator.”
“I can’t escape.”
“Yes. And don’t try. Even if you were unchained and able to make it out of this apartment, you would never make it out of Land of Predator.”
Will knew the snow leopard was trying to instill a sense of fear in him, but he didn’t need to. Will understood that Land of Predator was dangerous. But Will also knew that staying here would be the death of him.
“What time are you coming back?”
“I’m not sure,” the predator said. He was fully dressed now and freed Will’s wrist from the bedpost. Dr. Lecter held the other end of the handcuffs and led Will to the dining room. They ate a quick breakfast. Will had oatmeal. Then the predator chained Will to the fireplace in the living room.
The snow leopard showed Will a large anal plug before wrestling the more frail animal to the rug and inserting it, with a generous amount of lubricant, up the ram’s ass. Once the plug was snugly in place, the leopard stood back up and warned Will.
“You will keep that plug inside you all day so that you are ready for me when I get back. You have permission to take it out to use the bathroom. That is the only time. Do you understand, Will?”
“It hurts,” the ram said.
“You will get used to it. Now I must leave. Here,”the predator handed the ram a large bag of trail mix and three bottles of water before walking out the door.
Will waited to hear the sound of the elevator before taking out the plug and throwing it across the room. Then he sat on the couch for a while.
At some point, he’d fallen asleep on the couch. He got up and went to the bathroom. The chain was just barely long enough for him to reach the toilet. After washing his hands, he walked back to the living room.
If the leopard was coming home late, then he probably wouldn’t have enough time to eat him tonight, Will mused. Will guessed the predator was waiting for the weekend. That gave him a few days to come up with a plan and try to escape.
He definitely needed a weapon. He’d bring a kitchen knife. He didn’t want to run across a predator and not be able to fight back. He also needed to learn the apartment’s layout. Dr. Lecter had mentioned an elevator. Will remembered an elevator in the hall when he’d run from the predator after he’d met the man for the first time. It was all the way down the hall. The opposite of the bathroom. Will also needed clothes. It was going to be freezing outside, and he needed clothes that would keep him warm and hide his ears. A long coat and a winter hat would do…and maybe some gloves and a scarf. He wished he could rummage through the snow leopard’s drawers.
Will looked around the room. It was a very fancy place. He walked up to the bookshelves. Most of the books were psychiatric texts. Will took one off the shelf, sat back on the couch, and began reading about dissociation.
♦ ♦ ♦
Hannibal checked his watch. He was ten minutes early. He sat in his booth and waited. The grizzly bear arrived fifteen minutes late. They ordered food and drinks and made small talk for a while before the food arrived. They ate almost silently. The bear commented on the food. Apparently, the restaurant was one of his favorites. Hannibal had never been.
The snow leopard took a sip of his wine. It was good. Very good. Hannibal looked at the vintage. Not that old. That was surprising. The wine was a Port wine too. Not very sweet. But sweet in its own way. Hannibal realized it would go perfectly with the ram. The man had been looking for a fine pinot noir. Pinot noir typically pairs nicely with lamb, so Hannibal hadn’t expected a port wine to be the one. He’d need to visit his favorite wine shop and grab a few bottles tomorrow.
“So, I never expected to see you at an auction,” the bear said, derailing Hannibal’s train of thought. “I’ve never seen you there before.”
“Yes, I remember you did tell me it was quite the hobby of yours to go to such things,” Hannibal replied. “I was there for a friend.”
“A client or something more?” The bear was currently looking down at his meal; he’d ordered the steak, looking unenthused. Clearly, he wished he were currently destroying Hannibal’s ram instead.
“A client I’ve known for a long time,” Hannibal said. “Now, I believe we should discuss the matter of why you invited me tonight. I don’t believe you wish to restart your sessions. Especially not how the last one ended.”
“I believe I already apologized for my outburst in your office. And besides, that’s all in the past.”
Hannibal knew that the man had not apologized. He kept an info card with his name and number in his cooking catalog for that reason. Well, not just for that reason. The grizzly bear truly was a rude man.
“If you won’t cut to the chase, I suppose I must. You want to buy my lamb.”
“You always were a smart man. What’s your price?”
“You can’t afford my price,” Hannibal said simply.
“I beg to differ.”
Hannibal decided to be blunt. “He’s not for sale.”
“Those words have never been true. Everything has a price. It’s just a matter of finding it.”
“I am going to eat the lamb,” Hannibal said. “I’ve already decided on it. I rarely change my mind.”
“It’s just one lamb. There will be others. I plan to torture it slowly. I’m going to dress it up in a skimpy police costume and brutally ram, no pun intended, a police baton up inside its rectum until its organs begin coming out. I’ll keep it conscious with drugs while I make it watch as I eat its intestines. I plan to cut off its cock next and force it down the animal’s throat, making him a female. I want to cut open its stomach and—”
“That’s enough,” Hannibal said, dabbing his napkin against his mouth before putting it on the table.
“I didn’t mean to make you queasy. I just thought I’d share my plans. Now do you see why I must have the lamb? I need to humiliate it; that prey animal is perfect.”
“You did not make me ill. I just have plans of my own.” Hannibal wasn’t queasy. He was repulsed. This bear would have ruined his ram. Will is too good for that kind of play. Will deserves the best.
“Your plans…” the bear said, wiping his hand on his napkin. “He’s a black sheep. And Prey FBI. I bet you enjoy taunting it about getting caught and sold in Land of Predator, don’t you? I know I would.”
“I can see that being something you would enjoy,” the leopard said. Hannibal cut a chunk of his steak with his fork and dipped it in the mushroom sauce before continuing. “I need this animal. I still need to observe him more. I want to study his mind, the way he thinks, before I eat him. For instance, what would drive such a timid animal to pursue a dangerous career? He fascinates me, that creature.” Hannibal brought the fork to his mouth and savored the steak’s flavor.
“Sounds to me you want him as more of a patient than a meal,” the bear huffed.
“I want him both ways. I want to get inside his mind, and I want him to get inside my stomach.”
“And he wants freedom,” the bear chuckled loudly.
“No, not entirely. I don’t think Will does want freedom. He wants something, yearns for it, and his desire for freedom is very present right now, but it’s only superficial. There is something else underneath.”
“You talk about him like he’s an intellectual. You call him by the name he calls himself, but he’s still just a dumb prey animal. There can’t be anything fascinating about a prey animal’s mind.”
“I suppose I’ll find out,” Hannibal said, clearly trying to end the conversation. But the bear wouldn’t let the subject go. He insisted that the leopard wouldn’t make good use of the lamb.
“Have you even fucked it yet?”
Rude, Hannibal thought. At first, he wasn’t going to answer the question, but he wanted the bear to know for some reason. It was childish, the leopard knew, but he was feeling a bit proud and definitely territorial. Hannial was relishing in these instincts.
Instincts. Hannibal wondered when animals decided to suppress them. It’s been so long that it’s barely even mentioned in history books. Hannibal figured it went back to the times before Land of Prey was created.
“I have,” Hannibal said, placing his napkin on the table now that he’d finished his meal.
“How was he? Did he beg?”
“Excuse me, but I do not share my sexual exploits while dining. I consider such behavior exceptionally rude.”
“Ah, right. Of course. I only meant that it would have been a shame not to indulge.”
Hannibal nodded. When he saw the waiter, he asked for the check. They paid, and Hannibal made to get up, but the bear put a hand on his shoulder.
“Are you certain you won’t reconsider? Or maybe let me have him for a night? When I’m done, you can make whatever dish you want with the rest of him. I’ll make sure to save the most savory bits for you.”
Hannibal was beyond aggravated by this point. He smiled at the bear. “Sir, I can see something working out.”
“Yes? You do? When can I take him?”
“You may come to my home tomorrow night at dinnertime. I cannot allow you to take the ram from my apartment, but I’m sure you’ll have plenty of fun with him regardless.”
“At your apartment? I suppose if that’s the only way,” the bear mumbled, taking his hand off Hannibal’s shoulder. “All right. Do you mind if I bring my own utensils?”
“That will be fine,” the leopard said. “I’ll see you tomorrow then,” the leopard said in farewell before driving home.
♦ ♦ ♦
Will discovered that if he stretched just right, he could open the closet in the hallway. There he found a giant coat. The inside was lined with fur.
“Now this will keep me warm when I escape,” he said out loud to himself. “Now I need a hat and some gloves.” It took him a while of looking through boxes at the bottom of the closet. Most were filled with costly-looking shoes, but eventually he found the items he’d been looking for. But where to stash his treasures? The chain wasn’t long enough to reach the bedroom, so he couldn’t put the clothes under the bed. Maybe the living room? Under the couch cushions?
In the end, Will decided not to move them from the closet. It would be suspicious if they went missing. He could always easily get to them when he left.
Will spent most of his day planning again. He had the clothes. Now he needed a cell phone. How is he going to get his hands on one? He supposed he could pick someone’s pocket when he left, but the citizens of Land of Predator were so much stronger than he was. Will wouldn’t be able to overpower them.
Unless he went without one. If he could find the leopard’s personal computer, he wouldn’t need a phone as much. He really only needed directions to the police station. From there, he’d be safe. The Predator police would get him back to Land of Prey easily.
Will wished he could just call them, but he still hadn’t seen a landline and doubted the snow leopard even had one. He did have a cell phone. He always placed it on his side of the bed next to his fancy watch. The animal would undoubtedly take it with him when he left the house, so it would be impossible for Will to take it with him.
Will would also need his personal items. He didn’t know where the predator had put his phone, but if he found it, that would solve that problem; then he would need it to be charged, too, at least a little.
Will mused about this as he lounged on the couch. It wasn’t much of a plan, but at least he was hopeful. “I need to leave before the weekend,” Will told himself. “I don’t know when he’s going to try to eat me, but I can’t wait for him to start chomping down.”
A few hours later, Will heard the elevator door open. He had decided to continue reading the book from that morning, and he’d still barely made a dent in it when Hannibal Lecter walked through the door.
“Good evening, Will. How was your day?” the predator animal greeted as he put away his coat.
“Other than being chained to a fireplace in the home of someone who’s planning on eating me, pretty boring, to be honest.”
“It couldn’t have been that boring. You found something to read.” Hannibal looked at the cover. “Yes, that text is definitely a fascinating read. Did you take anything from it?”
“The only thing I took from this is that the author thinks way too highly of himself and his ability to diagnose dissociative identity disorder.”
“How so?” The larger animal said, sitting next to Will.
“Daydreaming.” Hannibal waited for him to continue. “Everybody daydreams. To base a diagnosis on that is stupid.”
“I do believe there is a difference between occasionally getting lost in thought and excessive bouts of imagining you are elsewhere or somebody else, or that your reality is far different from what it is. I believe the book also mentions other symptoms as well. I know loss of time to be one of them.
“Tell me, Will, do you have no faith in the author because you yourself have some of the symptoms of DID? Do you engage in excessive daydreaming to the extent that it holds you back from living your life?”
“I’m not one of your patients, Doctor.”
“Well, maybe you should be. Would that interest you?”
“Only if that would change your dinner plans,” Will said with a mocking smile.
The snow leopard appeared to think about it for a moment before he shook his head. “I can’t, Will. I need to eat you quickly. It isn’t wise to hold illegal goods for too long.”
“Oh, then I really must decline,” Will said with fake sincerity.
♦ ♦ ♦
Now that the thought of having Will for a patient was in his head, it wouldn’t leave. He wanted to get inside that fascinating mind of his.
Then Hannibal noticed the thick black plug on the other side of the room.
“Will, you aren’t wearing the plug,” the leopard said slowly.
“Oh,” Will spoke hastily. “I forgot. I went to the bathroom right before you got back and forgot to put the plug back in…sorry.”
Hannibal manhandled the smaller animal easily. He pulled Will off the couch and bent him over his knee. He spread his ass cheeks with his fingers. Then he let Will stand up.
“You haven’t worn the plug for longer than it took me to leave the apartment this morning. Am I correct, Will?”
“No, I just took it out a few minutes ago. I wore it most of the day, like I said.”
“You are a terrible liar. That plug is designed to stretch you, to make you ready for me when I get home. And yet your pucker is closed tight. What do you make of that?”
“You wasted your money on a plug that doesn’t work?”
“I will need to punish you. The plug should have been preparation enough, but because you didn’t wear it, I do believe tonight’s activities will hurt you quite a bit. You have no one to blame but yourself.”
“Wait, but you said yourself that I’m not prepared enough. You can’t still—It’ll be the same as the other time!” Will said hurriedly. He was already backing away.
“Yes, Will. Remember, you chose not to wear the plug. This is your fault,” the snow leopard said, allowing the smaller animal to back away from him. Hannibal did not approach. Instead, he rolled up his sleeves before unlocking the chain on Will’s ankle, connecting Will to the fireplace.
♦ ♦ ♦
The ram looked confused. He couldn’t understand why the leopard had released him.
“I will give you this one chance, Will. I will allow you to prepare yourself for me. Go to the bedroom and use the bottle of lube in the nightstand. Stretch yourself with your fingers while I make myself a drink.”
Will watched the predator animal turn his back on him and walk to the kitchen. Will didn’t move. What should he do? The snow leopard was going to rape him brutally, just like the first time, and there was nothing he could do…unless he fought.
The ram shook his head. No, it was too soon to try to escape. Nothing was ready, and the Predator was too strong. Fighting wouldn’t work.
But if Will could make it to the elevator…Will decided to ditch the clothes. He didn’t have time to get dressed. Will walked slowly to the doorway. He turned like he was headed to the bedroom, but it wasn’t necessary. The other animal wasn’t watching him. Will could hear the clink of a wine glass. Hannibal Lecter was in the kitchen. If Will could walk past the kitchen, he’d be at the elevator. Will didn’t want to think about the pain and humiliation he’d face if he were caught. He couldn’t get caught, and he couldn’t stay. Not now that he knew what was waiting for him in just a few minutes.
Will walked as slowly and quietly as he could to the open doorway of the kitchen. He looked briefly. The snow leopard’s back was to him.
Each step past the doorway seemed to take an eternity. Don’t turn around, he thought. Please don’t turn around.
♦ ♦ ♦
Hannibal smiled into his glass of wine. He’d wondered what the ram would do. He just had to test him.
The Snow Leopard knew the ram was trying to be as quiet as possible, and Hannibal was impressed. The predator could hardly hear him as he made his way not toward the bedroom, but toward Hannibal. Interesting, he thought. It was the ram’s sense of flight taking over.
Quiet. Very quiet. If Hannibal heard any other sound, music playing, for instance, he wouldn’t have been able to hear the ram at all.
But his sense of hearing wasn’t needed. He had pinpointed the exact spot the ram had been sitting the moment he entered the apartment. The prey animal’s natural scent was like a strong, flavorful perfume. Mouth-wateringly good. He smelled the ram now. The scent was right behind him in the doorway. It took everything Hannibal had not to pounce on Will then and there. But what fun was that?
No, Hannibal had hoped the ram would decide to flee. Hunting was the most exhilarating feeling. He wished she could play this game with Will forever.
Unfortunately, Will had already reached the elevator. Now what should he do? Should he catch his prey before Will pressed even a single button? Or let him realize how pointless this all was? What would the ram do without the elevator? Hannibal decided to wait.
♦ ♦ ♦
Will had reached the elevator. He didn’t know how much or how little time he had left. This was it.
Will lifted a hand to press the button for the elevator and blanched. It needed a pass code. He was screwed. Should he try a random number? No. The snow leopard would hear him press the buttons. He was sure of it. His only option was to play innocent.
Will walked back to the kitchen’s doorway and waited to be acknowledged. Will cleared his throat in case he was being too quiet.
♦ ♦ ♦
Hannibal had not expected this. He had anticipated the ram would do something idiotic or reckless, possibly climb out a window. But no, Will had not run. He’d come back. He was waiting for Hannibal.
The predator turned, wine in hand, and greeted the ram. “Will, have you finished preparing yourself already?”
“No.”
“Why not? Do you want it to hurt?”
“No,” Hannibal heard Will gulp. “Actually, I was wondering if I could have a drink too.”
Smart, Hannibal thought. Will knew there was no way out of this. Now he was…What exactly was he doing? Trying to get drunk? Putting off the inevitable?
Hannibal didn’t know, but he desperately wanted to. He poured a glass of wine for the ram. The prey animal walked into the kitchen and took the offered glass from Hannibal’s outstretched hand.
“Thank you.”
“My pleasure.”
Will took a sip. “It’s good,” he said.
“Is it?” Hannibal stared into the eyes of the ram. “Is that what you really think?”
“Well, it’s not as sweet as I like, but it’s not bad.” The ram backed away. “Sorry, I was just trying to be polite.”
“I know,” the leopard said. “But I much prefer honesty over manners…from you, at least.”
Will nodded. “Okay, then, can I be honest about something?”
Was the ram going to come clean that he had just tried to escape? Hannibal nodded.
The ramp took another sip of the wine before he began. “The truth is you were right. About, ah… my instincts…”
Hannibal waited, but Will didn’t continue. “What about your instincts, Will?”
“Well, I enjoyed the last time.” Will took another sip. “When we…did it.” Will looked away.
Hannibal let the ram continue without interruption. He wanted to know where the prey animal was going with this.
“Honestly, I didn’t know it would feel like that—good, I mean. I always thought I was straight, or rather, I didn’t want to think I was anything but. There are stereotypes in Land of Prey,” he continued, walking further into the kitchen.
He leaned against the counter, and Hannibal couldn’t help imagining lifting him onto it, removing layers of clothes, and oiling him with an expensive olive oil. He would drizzle the stuff all over the ram’s smooth skin, and the leopard would massage it in every nook and cranny with his hands. He’d spread it in his crack with two fingers and then delve inside the ram’s rectum and oil him up there too. Get him nice and slippery for some stuffing.
The snow leopard suppressed the urge to lick his lips. Now is not the time to cook the ram, and besides, the words that were coming out of his mouth were far more interesting.
Hannibal now knew what Will was trying to do, and the predator was impressed by the ram’s daring. But would it work? Should the leopard allow himself to be swayed by such things? He still didn’t know what he’d choose. For now, he’d listen.
“The stereotypes…Other animals already think rams are weak, timid, and prefer other rams. I didn’t want to prove them right, but that night… it felt good.”
“Just because you enjoy anal sex does not mean you yourself are homosexual. Have you ever been with a female?”
Will shook his head. “No, but I do find women attractive. I very much do.”
“And?”
“I think I find men attractive too.”
“Do you find me attractive?” The snow leopard decided now was the time to be bold.
“I don’t know. But I liked it. I liked it when you…when we…when it was gentle. I want to know if I was just imagining it.”
There it was. He’d said it. Now what? Should Hannibal be gentle? Make the ram think his manipulation had worked? Or should he give him the punishment he rightly deserves?
He decided to do neither. At least not yet. “You finished your wine? Would you like more, Will?”
”Yes, please,” the ram said, giving the snow leopard his glass. Hannibal filled it and handed it back, always the courteous host.
“Let’s continue this conversation in the living room.” They moved to the other room. Will in front and Hannibal behind. The leopard brought the wine bottle with them. They sat on the couch, side by side. Will sipped his glass, looking nervous.
Was he nervous? Or was that part of his plan? Hannibal was enjoying himself, so he didn’t mind. This conversation was great fun for the predator.
Hannibal listened as he drank. Will spoke of how good it had felt to have Hannibal’s cock thrusting inside him. How he enjoyed it when the man teased him and frustrated him.
They continued to drink. Will continue to talk. It was well past midnight when Will began slurring his words.
“I-I’ve never…never even thought about putting it in my mouth. But maybe, yeah, I want to try it. Yours is…It’s so big, too.”
Hannibal looked down to see Will fumbling with the button of the Predator’s trousers. He didn’t stop Will when he pulled Hannibal’s cock out. He didn’t stop Will when he bent down and gave the predator’s cock head a tentative lick.
By asking for wine, Hannibal had originally thought Will might be trying to get him drunk. It was a doomed plan. The snow leopard had a very high tolerance for alcohol. Still, now that the ram was instigating sexual contact, the predator wondered if that hadn’t been the prey animal’s intent all along. Clearly, Will was trying to guide Hannibal into a gentler form of intercourse so he wouldn’t be ravaged without preparation.
Hannibal smiled at Will’s cleverness. But would he let it work? Would he let the ram win this battle?
♦ ♦ ♦
It was getting hard for Will to focus. The alcohol was getting to him. He tried not to drink too much. He wanted Hannibal drunk and easily suggestible, not himself. He needed to give the leopard the best blowjob of his life. Unfortunately, that was hard to do when you’d never given one before…and had clearly had too much to drink. But he had to try. He knew we could make this work. Everything hinged on it. Everything. Will wanted to laugh. He never imagined that his life would come down to this. No big shootout. Nope, just a blowjob. But it did. Will had a plan now, and step one was this blowjob.
Finnian Siog 