SWNOVELS Chapter 38: Dr. Nemesis
An hour later, a noise at the cell door broke the silence. With a loud clang, it opened and the monstrous form of Nemesis entered the cell followed by three men with food, water, and first-aid supplies. One of the men was the jailer that led Hanna and Magnus to the secret passage out of the fortress. Nemesis saw Selina unconscious on the cushion and swore, rushing forward. One of the men shut the door behind them, and then they too rushed forward. Nemesis dropped to his knees next to Selina and examined her head to toe, inside and out with his cybernetic eye, checking for any internal damage and found plenty. Ahriaman bruised her liver, spleen, lungs, and heart, and fractured both her wrists and ankles when he beat her mercilessly. Selina’s swollen and bruised face exhibited the violence of Ahriaman’s actions. Moreover, Selina’s groin was still raw, wet, and swollen from the relentless extended vibrator torture she received earlier. As Nemesis continued to scan Selina, he saw several broken ribs and a hairline fracture on her left femur just above the knee from the beating she endured at Ahriaman’s hand. Overall, he marveled that she was still alive and not worse off. “Your God must sure love you, my feline sister,” Nemesis murmured as he checked her pulse and breathing. He detected a weak, erratic pulse along with shallow, coarse breath. He could tell that she was under extreme depravation of food and water.
First, Nemesis treated her ravished groin, cleaning it and applying a healing ointment to her raw genitals, inside and out. Then he gathered her into his arms and shook her gently, calling out softly, “Selina, Selina. Wake up, sister. Follow my voice and return to us. Come back to the light, Selina. Don’t let the darkness take you. Come back to us. Hanna is coming for you, sister. Come back to us.” He rocked her gently, placing his cybernetic hand over her heart, and administering a small electrical shock to stabilize her heart palpitations. She jerked as he did it, and then sighed as her breath then slowly became a bit stronger and more regular. “That’s it. Wake up, sister. Come on. Come back to us,” Nemesis pleaded.
The three men surrounding her and Nemesis watched with deep concern as Nemesis tried to revive the beautiful cat wearing a scandalous leather teddy with open breasts and crotch. Suddenly, Selina moaned and her head tilted over toward Nemesis’ face. Her eyes opened just a little and she managed to gasp, “Who’s there? Is that you, my love?”
A growling rumble of satisfaction reverberated from Nemesis. “No, sister,” he replied softly. “I’m not your mate, but a friend who has come to help.” She coughed and wheezed in pain, and then opened her eyes a little more. A hazy film was over her eyes, which blurred her vision significantly. She then noticed the scent of Nemesis and whispered weakly, “I can’t see you, but I know your scent. I caught the same scent while in the Harem. Is that you, Nemesis?”
Selina’s utter and desperate condition aroused compassion in Nemesis and, despite her terrible physical condition, he marveled at her strength since she remembered his scent. “Yes, my feline sister. It’s Nemesis,” he murmured. She squeezed his organic arm slightly and a slight smile came over her face as she coughed then whispered, “My guardian angel has finally come to my assistance.”
“Shhh. Don’t speak; you’re still too weak,” Nemesis said. “You’re suffering from depravation, extended ravishment by vibrator, and a severe beating. Lie still.” He motioned to the men and the jailer handed Nemesis a cup of cool water. Taking the cup of water, he carefully put it to her lips and said, “Drink, but slowly. You’re damaged internally by the beating.” She slowly sipped the water as he poured it into her mouth. The water was cool and refreshing, cooling her chest as she drank it. After a few moments, she gagged and coughed, spitting out the water and some blood. The jailer immediately took a cloth and cleaned her off. By this time, she was becoming more alert and was able to move her arm a little more. Nemesis continued to let her drink at her leisure. As he did that, he ordered his helpers to tend to her oozing wrists and ankles. They managed to move the bands up her arms and legs to clean and dress the bloody rubs. As they did it, she cringed, partly with fear, and partly in pain. “Don’t be afraid, little one,” Nemesis cooed to her. “I won’t let them do anything to you. They have to move the shackles in order to get to the wounds. I would take them off except these bonds are made of a material that I cannot breech and only the Emperor has the keys to them.” At that, she relaxed a bit. After an hour and a half of nursing her, she was eating a little and talking a bit more freely. Nemesis stayed right with her like a father would to a sick or injured child. Finally when he deemed the time was right, he asked, “Selina, do you know where you are?”
Selina shook her head and said, “No. I don’t. All I know is that this is the room in my nightmare and it seems that it has come to pass…right down to the sexual torture.”
This intrigued Nemesis and he asked, “You dreamed of this room and what happened in here beforehand?”
Selina shuddered as she replied in almost a whisper while lying in Nemesis’s lap, “Yes. Everything that has happened, right down to being chained to the wall and having that terrible vibrator stuck in me I dreamed of. I dreamed it the first night I was in the Harem. I....”
Nemesis immediately stopped her, saying, “Don’t say another word about it. That snake has abused you too many times to remember it again. But….” Nemesis leaned over her so he could speak directly into her ear, whispering, “Be of good cheer, my feline sister. You’re days as a prisoner is coming to an end very quickly.”
Selina’s countenance rose dramatically as hope flooded her being. “What! Did you see her? Is she coming? When? Has she been restored yet?” she bubbled excitedly, but in a whisper.
Nemesis smiled, whispering so only she could hear, “Yes. I did. I went to ask council of some old friends and when I got there, Hanna was there. The first thing she asked was how you were. Unfortunately, Hanna is still Hanna, but we have determined how to reverse it.” Selina broke into sobs of joy, trying to bring forth words in vain. All she could do was sob like a little girl. “Shhh; It’s all right, little sister,” Nemesis cooed. “Hanna was very upset when she found that you were brought to this place. She told me another thing too.” He got close to her ear and whispered, “She told me at the dawning of the third day she was coming for you. That was a day and a half ago. She charged me to bring word to you that she was coming for you and everyone else who wants to leave this terrible place. So buck up, and be of good cheer. Your liberation from this hell is at hand.”
Selina bawled joyously with the knowledge that her liberation from the hands of the Emperor was at hand. She wanted to hug and kiss the great bear, but because of her weakened condition, all she could do was cling to his organic arm. “Thank you, thank you for such a great word of hope. I despaired that I would die alone in this hellish place,” she whispered as she managed to wipe the tears from her eyes.
“Impossible,” Nemesis retorted gently. “For you were never alone. Even here in the depths of this hell, you have friends and allies. Everyone in the Harem has been praying for you, as has Hanna and the people of Arionath and Cimmeria. You could not die alone because you and Hanna are fused telepathically. Can I tell you something?”
Selina nodded as she whimpered; trying to control her emotions. “Do you remember what Ahriaman did to you?” Nemesis asked. Her face fell and tears began to gush forth, making her choke emotionally. “You do, don’t you,” he surmised. “Do you know how you stood that terrible onslaught? Whether you know it or not, your link with Hanna saved you. Because of your link to Hanna, she was right there and experienced every blow and feeling of violation the snake inflicted upon you, trying to shield you from it. In fact, she told me everything that snake did to you, including the vibrator and the electrocution. Do you know why you survived that?” he asked. Selina shook her head no and he said plainly, “It was her strength and the strength of your God that kept you alive through that. She told me that she took the full brunt of the electrocution and that it killed her.” Selina’s face suddenly fell with shock and great concern, but he finished his tale by saying, “But before you lose hope again, Hanna lives still. Your father was there when it happened and managed to revive her after ten minutes. Hanna took that so that you might live. She literally placed herself between you and Ahriaman and took the voltage he dished out. I marvel at such absolute love. I have never heard of such a thing happening before. Hanna is truly a queen to do such a thing. By time I spoke to her, all this had transpired and she was up and about, deep into planning how to get you back.”
Nemesis’ words thunderstruck Selina. After a few moments, Selina asked, “Hanna did that for me?”
Nemesis nodded, whispering, “Yes, she did. At least that’s what she told me, and I have no reason to believe that she would lie. It’s not in her nature. Now listen careful and let it sink down into your heart, sister. Hanna will come for you in a day and a half, so just hold on. Whether you know it or not, the Emperor has fallen madly in love with you. He has forbidden Ahriaman to lay a hand on you ever again, but he will come after your mind and try to persuade you to accept and love the Emperor. Ahriaman cannot touch your will. This is a direct order from the Emperor’s own mouth. He wants you as a willing queen and mate, not a conquest or robot. Fortify your mind, draw on Hanna’s strength, and pray to your God that you can stand it. But I have a feeling that with your mind and Hanna’s mind fused and the link open and active, Ahriaman will not succeed.”
Selina smiled a little as she nibbled on a piece of bread. “I believe you,” she replied. “Since our separation, something has happened that I don’t rightly understand. Right after they brought me here, our link, which has been quiet since we were separated, suddenly became active in such a way that I was taken aback by it. Hanna initiated contact with me for the first time. Ever since our fusion, I was the stronger mind and she was the weaker, learning from my skill and experience as a telepath. However, when she came to me after they brought me here, it was as if she was a stranger. At first, I didn’t recognize her. I thought she was the snake trying to play a trick on me. When I finally realized it was my precious mate, I was astounded at her power and control. Hanna was able to hide things from me. She has never been able to hide things from me like that before. Even more importantly, she was able to regulate my sexual energy that was being overwhelmed by that terrible vibrator. She drew it off and shielded me from its effects. Hanna’s never been able to do something like that before, ever. Something has happened, I know it, something wonderful, yet scary at the same time. Her power when she contacted me is like I was when we merged for the first time. I felt open and bare before her, not able to hide anything from her, not that I would because we have always shared our innermost being with each other. It’s a total role reversal from our first telepathic encounter. This is what puzzles me. I know something has changed in her. I can sense it. She’s a completely different person now.”
Nemesis listened intently as Selina wheezed and whispered her heart out to him. He gave her a drink after she finished speaking and said softly, “Do not let it trouble you. Yes, things have happened in your absence that will be explained in due time. For now, just be satisfied that Hanna is all right and very much in charge of her faculties. She’s coming for you in a matter of hours, so guard that treasure carefully and don’t let the darkness steal away your hope again. How are you feeling now?”
She coughed a little, and then said, “A little better than I did when you first came in here. But I’m still in a lot of pain and am still very weak. My groin and hips are numb, but I can feel something cool inside my vagina. Did you treat me there?”
“I treated your ravished groin with a special salve because it had become raw to the point it nearly blistered,” Nemesis stated, “The coolness you feel there is the salve I treated you with. You needn’t worry about the snake ever sexually tormenting you again. The Emperor nearly took Ahriaman’s head when he saw the vibrator in you. He didn’t sanction its use on you.”
“Oh, thank god,” Selina whispered in great relief. “That thing was almost as bad as being hung up there for days.”
“Did the water and food help?” Nemesis asked.
“Yes,” Selina murmured, “The water and food has definitely helped. At least I can now feed myself somewhat if I really exert myself.”
“Good. Good,” Nemesis said with a smile. “How do your wrists feel now?”
Selina considered it for a moment, and then said, “My left hand and wrist throbs and hurts like someone hit it with a hammer. It’s completely useless. I can’t move it. My right hand and wrist has some movement and a little strength in it, but it too hurts when I move it.”
“What about your legs and ankles?” Nemesis asked.
Selina shook her head and said, “My legs are throbbing painfully and my ankles, feet, hips, and groin are practically numb. I can’t feel anything about them.”
“Does your chest hurt?” Nemesis queried.
“Yes,” Selina replied, “My ribs and chest are sore and throbbing. It’s making it a bit difficult to breathe.”
Nemesis thought for a moment, and then held up his cybernetic hand in front of her, saying, “I thought so. Do you see this thing? This machine has a million and one uses, one of which is to administer drugs of every known type. You’ve seen it in action in the Harem. I can administer painkillers and sedatives with this thing and could just go on and give you a dose, but that wouldn’t be appropriate. It will help you relax and relieve your pain for a bit.” He noticed that the pain on her face was slowly getting more and more intense.
“Do you know how long I was hanging there?” Selina asked bluntly. Nemesis shook his head no and she replied, “Two and a half days without food, water, or sleep while under constant sexual torment because of that damnable vibrator. The last time I ate or had anything to drink was when I was in the Harem. I’m dying, Nemesis. My end is close and strangely enough, I don’t fear it. I can feel the Reaper calling to me.”
Nemesis looked her dead in the face and rebuked her soundly, saying, “You are not going to die. Do you hear me? Your end will not be in this god-forsaken tower. Hanna is coming for you and expects you to be alive when she comes. Now no more talk of dying. I forbid it. I rebuke this spirit of death in the name of Hanna’s God. Now, let your heart be lifted. Your God is going to deliver you alive from this evil place.”
Nemesis’ harsh rebuke smote Selina to her heart, but she took it graciously, saying, “Thank you, my friend. It’s good to hear such harsh and true words from a friend. It helps.”
Nemesis looked into her face and saw the pain and weariness of such a terrible ordeal. “You should sleep. I have just the thing,” he said as he took his cybernetic hand and touched her arm with two fingers, administering a powerful painkiller and sedative painlessly into her arm.
“What did you do?” she asked as a sudden wave of sleepiness came over her.
“I gave you a powerful painkiller and a sedative designed just for you,” Nemesis replied, “The sedative will wear off in about four hours. The painkiller should last about eight. You need to sleep. I’ll leave the water and some food close by so when you wake, you can eat and drink something.” By this time, Selina lay passed out in his lap, so he gently laid her back on the cushion and the three men placed the food and water according to Nemesis’ instruction. Nemesis stroked her hair, and then rose, motioning for them to leave, which they did, leaving Selina alone fast asleep on the cushion. After leaving the Tower, Nemesis went to the throne room to report to the Emperor.