LIGHTNOVELONLINE 22. Belly of the Beast
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Belly of the Beast
For Dinah, it was worse than being naked.
The outfit that she wore had been prepared not simply to accentuate, but to arouse. To titillate. The ensemble - if it could even be called that - was put together with the intent of pleasing an audience. A male audience.
Dinah was no stranger to using her goods to throw off the pigheaded street toughs she encounters on her nightly patrols. The Black Canary was meant to be underestimated. Distracting. A pretty bird with sharp talons and an ear-splitting song. But this…?
The fishnets were far more revealing, boasting a wider mesh than what even Zatanna would dare. The lace thong certainly afforded less coverage than her regular leotard bottoms, leaving her ass exposed as the rear band sank between her cheeks. But the corset was the worst of them all. Dinah had discovered to her dismay that it was cupless. The only thing covering her breasts was the leather half-jacket. And even then, with the damn thing being zipperless… If she turned too quickly or moved her arms the wrong way she’d be flashing the goods to any and all.
The outfit Dinah wore was a perversion. The heroic garb of a League veteran, twisted at the pleasure of horny junior criminals. It turned Dinah’s belly. Even just wearing the scanty things felt like a betrayal.
And yet the blonde wore them. It could never be said that Dinah Lance didn’t tough it out for her girls.
At least the boots were of a sort that she was used to. A few undercover stints as a stripper, wearing them on special nights with assorted gentlemen visitors, or simply because Dinah thought they looked good and that she’d look good wearing them. The familiarity brought a sense of comfort. A small one, but enough to keep Dinah on the level. Mostly.
Dinah had a number of choice words for the jackass who put together her get-up. But she kept her more biting words to herself. Quietly, obediently, she followed Lilith. The gym teacher, Dinah noted, hadn’t changed into a new outfit. The fit brunette still wore her backless dress of red silk.
Lucky her, Dinah thought bitterly.
Lilith led the Canary to her quarry, taking them both deeper and deeper into the bowels of Timm Hall. The trek passed in a haze, with Dinah unknowing if it had been lengthy or brief. It was an odd feeling, the blonde noted in her mind. She had always been the alert type, keenly aware of her surroundings. But for a moment, not so much. Dinah put the feeling aside and followed Lilith onward.
They were upon a stairway then, gray stone steps taking them down, down, down. Unlike the architecture of the upper floors, the place Lilith had led her seemed older, mustier.
This must be the basement, Dinah guessed blithely. Of course the Brotherhood operates out of their basement.
The stone steps ended and opened up into a hall with an arched ceiling. Gray stone still, the walls and pillars and arches. All made of thick, stone bricks. All except for the statues.
The statues caught Dinah’s eyes. Her vision was drawn to them. They were impossible to ignore. Statues of men and women. Naked men and women. Bold in their natural beauty, towering over Dinah and Lilith, oppressive with their effortless sensuality. The men exuded primal power and the women appeared to surrender to it, offering themselves. Each of them a breathtaking work of art, immaculately carved from glossy black stone.
It was not right. A voice in the back of Dinah’s head was urging her to turn and leave. Screaming at her to run. But it was muffled. Smothered. Until it was finally silenced. Dinah stared at the statues, drinking in the perfection of their stone bodies. The hall was lit only by braziers and Dinah was enthralled by the way the firelight reflected on these carved men and women. Bright, brilliant tongues dancing across their nudity.
Dinah watched for a moment longer. Then she continued on.
She joined Lilith who was waiting for her at a set of large, wooden double doors. The brunette had been waiting patiently, as if guests being mesmerized by the statues was routine. Dinah wouldn’t have been surprised if that was the case.
Lilith offered a small, knowing smile. She reached out and tucked some of Dinah’s hair behind her ear, taking a moment to admire the blonde. It was an odd feeling. A few moments ago, Dinah would have felt repulsed. But now…
Now, the other woman’s admiration was… not unwelcome.
Dinah felt her heart begin to quicken. She felt warm. Inexplicable, given her state of near-undress. But before she could dwell on the absurdity, Lilith spoke up.
“I’m glad you found the courage to join us in our righteous sisterhood, Dinah.” The brunette began. Dinah watched as she leaned back against the double doors, clasping her hands together before her thighs. The woman regarded Dinah in silence for a moment, staring at her with unreadable eyes. Lilith bit her lower lip, as if pondering her next words. Then she spoke again, warm and matronly. “You may still have some concerns… But I promise you won’t regret this.”
Again, Lilith did not wait for Dinah to respond. The brunette turned and knocked upon the large wooden door. Once, twice, thrice. Heavy booming knocks, each one hammering in sync with Dinah’s heart.
This is it, Dinah realized. Beyond those doors… the Belly of the Beast….
There was the groaning, creaking of old lumber as the doors slowly parted, opening inward. Each one was being pulled by a young man, a fresh-faced Kingston Brother. Both were dressed in hooded robes, colored red. Not the rich, sensual red of Lilith’s dress, but a deep, dark red. Crimson. The color of fire. Of power. Of hot, boiling blood.
And beyond the doors and the two hooded men? The Brotherhood’s central chamber. It had to be, from what Dinah saw. The large circular room was illuminated by candlelight, the warm glow of a hundred tiny flames giving the chamber a decidedly ancient, primal feel. Like a brothel out of the heart of Rome.
Plush, velvet cushions were arranged in half circles around the central, stone dais. And it too was topped with pillows and velvet sheets. Silk drapes of red and pink hung from the ceiling, a shock against the stone walls.
But the biggest shock was the people. Dinah knew she had been invited to a Brotherhood gathering. She knew it wouldn’t be a lonely experience. But she didn’t expect there to be so many people. There had to be fifty of them, at least! Kingston Brothers and their lady guests. Green recruits and their vulnerable inductees.
And Dinah Lance had just joined the party.
Lilith and Dinah strode forth together into the chamber, the brunette standing tall, elegant, and proud. It was an honor, it seemed, to present the newest woman to be officially ensnared. Even Dinah found herself moving forward with a sense of dignity, to her own bewilderment. Was she trying to impress these bastards?
One of the bastards in question stepped up to the opposite end of the circular dais. He too wore a hooded robe of red silk, the same as every other male in the room. And from the way his robe was opened, Dinah could see that he wore the robe, a pair of black boxers, and nothing else. Like Reston, he was in damn good shape. Though the candlelight was dim, Dinah could make out the lines of his chest and abdomen. A quick glance around the room told the blonde that this too was the case for all the other men.
The Black Canary’s lips curled into a small frown. This would have been easier if these creeps were all just a bunch of skinny nerds. She had hoped that Reston and Barbara’s mark, the Westfield boy, were outliers. But no dice. The Kingston Brotherhood was composed entirely, it seemed, of healthy, strapping young men.
The Kingston Brother at the other end of the dais spoke, his voice deep and commanding. Dinah didn’t like the tremble that crawled down her back. Not at all.
“I am pleased to announce that Miss Dinah Blake, our new gym teacher, has chosen to step into the Brotherhood’s shadow.” He said, lifting his arms to ‘present’ Dinah to the gathering. Dinah narrowed her eyes, not recognizing the young man. The presenter was not Matthew Reston. The blonde glanced around the room, hoping to catch sight of her quarry among the others. But it was no good. Not with everyone wearing their hoods up. The presenter’s voice thundered again, shocking Dinah out of her thoughts. “She has accepted Brother Reston’s affections and will henceforth be considered under his protection.”
The women of the gathering broke into fits of whispers and giggles. Dinah felt her cheeks grow warm - but was it because of embarrassment or something else? She was the only one present who was dressed like a streetwalker. Everyone else was garbed in silk robes - though only the men were hooded.
Dinah glanced around the chamber, catching sight of all manner of pretty ladies. She recognized many of them. Cheerleaders were an obvious choice, but Dinah spotted some young women from the gymnastics team, others from the debate club, and so on. And of course, many of the women were of the Kingston faculty.
Adult women, all of them turned into the pretty, fawning arm candy of a group of villainous preppy jocks. And they wanted to make Dinah into one of them. A weak little woman, all giggles and batted eyelashes. A pretty little thing meant to be protected. Owned.
Dinah’s cheeks were no longer warm. They were burning.
Beside her, Lilith gave a snap of her fingers. A moment later, two figures in blue hooded robes emerged from the darkness. They approached Dinah and Lilith’s side of the dais, coming upon them like indigo wraiths. Reapers coming to collect Dinah’s soul. But as they drew closer, the blonde brawler could make out their faces. Their very familiar faces.
“For a moment there, I was afraid you’d gotten cold feet.” Matthew Reston said, wearing an infuriatingly pleased smile.
Dinah felt her belly coil and uncoil as the King Creep himself drew his eyes up and down her outrageously dressed body. His hungry gaze was… it was… Dinah couldn’t even think of the words, her mind was such a whirlwind. She balled her hands into fists, her nails digging into the skin. The sting would bring her some clarity. It had to.
But Helena put a quick stop to that.
“After her performance last night?” The raven-haired Huntress cut in, slicing Dinah’s hope for sanity to ribbons. Dinah gave her friend a wide-eyed stare, but Helena only gave a throaty laugh. The woman who used to be a superheroine gave a delighted hum as she pressed herself into Reston’s side. Dinah could only watch in silent horror as Helena draped herself over the younger man’s shoulder. She watched her friend purr into the bastard’s ear. “You don’t know Dinah like I do, babe. When she commits, she commits.”
Helena gave Reston a small peck on the cheek before pulling away. Dinah was rooted to the spot as her friend then closed in, drawing her in for a deep hug. There was warmth in Helena’s touch, loving affection as she rubbed circles into Dinah’s back. And even more still, if Dinah bothered to dwell on it. But she did not.
Dinah’s mind was a storm. A war of emotions. And her body? A war of sensations. She didn’t know whether to feel shame or pride at Helena’s praise. She didn’t know whether to feel disgusted or horny at being the center of so much lustful attention. All she knew was that she was enduring this for Helena. Feeling her friend’s touch, seeing her friend’s smile… Dinah knew she had to see the mission through.
Helena pulled away from their hug, smiling. It was only then that Dinah noticed her black-painted lips, so full and glossy and kissable. Plenty of kinky things could be done with such darkly colored lipstick, Dinah knew from much experience. And despite the inner conflict, the blonde felt a spark of anticipation.
Perhaps Helena could sense it, because Dinah saw her friend’s eyes light up. The raven-haired heroine reached forward and brushed a soft hand against Dinah’s cheek.
“I can’t tell you how happy I am that you’re here, Di.” Helena spoke softly, barely above a whisper. So unlike the Huntress that the Black Canary knew. Yet the warmth in her friend’s voice was comforting. Soothing. Helena’s hand dropped further down, her thumb brushing gently over Dinah’s lower lip. Dinah fought the urge to take it into her mouth and suck. Helena gave a soft hum. “Tonight, we’ll become sisters. Real sisters.”
“What kind of initiation ceremony is this?” Dinah blurted the question out, half in a daze.
Helena giggled sweetly, the lovely sound bubbling deep in her chest. The front of her robe parted slightly and Dinah could faintly make out the details of lacy lingerie. It wasn’t anything as scanty and provocative as Dinah’s own outfit, but surely it must have been enough to tantalize the likes of the Brotherhood. Dinah couldn’t imagine Helena wearing anything less.
“This is not just an initiation.” Helena explained calmly. She began to idly play with the collar of Dinah’s half-jacket, looking most pleased at the amount of tit left on display. Dinah couldn’t find the nerve to stop her. “Tonight you will affirm your faithfulness and devotion to Matthew. You will become his woman, as I have. You will join us in our sacred bond. You will find your true purpose as a woman.”
It was absurdity. Insanity. A dream. A nightmare.
Dinah felt a chill roll down her back, a twisting in her gut. A million tiny needles dancing upon her skin. Fuck, she could hardly speak.
“Oh my God…” She whispered, unable, unwilling to move as Helena ghosted the tips of her fingers over the upper slope of her breasts. Beneath the leather jacket, Dinah could feel her hard nipples brushing against the thick material. The blonde breathed in, fighting down a moan.
“You will find liberation in servitude, Dinah.” She heard Lilith say, though the softball coach could not be spotted amidst the crowd. “And beyond that, untold joy.”
“Matthew is a man of boundless passion.” Helena continued, now cupping Dinah’s tits, sliding her hands underneath the barely-there half-jacket. There were not the insistent gropes of a man, but soft, delicate touches. Dinah let loose a shuddering breath as she felt Helena’s fingers roll over her nipples. Helena’s voice came again, a needy whisper in Dinah’s ear. “I alone was never going to be enough for him. He needs women who can sate his lust.”
His lust… Reston’s lust…
Yes, that was the reason for this whole mess. Matt Reston wanted a plaything and snatched up a girl who happened to be a superheroine. Reston may not have sent the sex tape to the Clock Tower, but he had turned Dinah’s friend into his happy sex slave. That alone should have put him on her eternal shitlist, the kind reserved for guys she wanted not just to capture but to cripple.
So why wasn’t Dinah furious? Because while Reston was the reason, Helena was the instigator.
“That’s why you sent us the sex tape.” Dinah moaned softly, allowing Helena’s molestation of her body to continue unimpeded. The dreadful realization pooled into Dinah’s lower belly in a dull heat. Helena was kissing the valley between Dinah’s breasts then, teasing little pecks that almost had the blonde whining like some tart. “You were luring us here.”
Helena pinched one of Dinah’s nipples. Not hard, but enough to get the blonde to gasp. Helena acted quickly, capturing Dinah’s lips in a deep kiss. Slow and sensual, the embrace was. The Huntress’ tongue was warm and soft and demanding. But Dinah just wasn’t in the state of mind to deny her. For a moment, the Canary was made a plaything. And Dinah couldn’t say that she hated it.
“Hush now.” Helena purred as she broke the kiss. Dinah breathed hotly against her friend’s lips. Surely, some of the glossy, black lipstick had smeared off on Dinah herself. The blonde could taste it on her tongue. Blueberries. “The rites must be spoken. Our priest and priestess will lead. And then you will be presented with your ring of devotion. Matthew will have you. And so will I.”
Dinah found that she had no words for that. No rebuttal. No condemnation. No rage or anger. Nothing except for the warmth blooming in her belly.
Through hazy eyes, she spotted Reston over Helena’s shoulder. There was a proud and satisfied expression on his stupid, handsome face. And in his eyes, an indomitable hunger that even Dinah feared to endure.
Dinah turned to Helena and gave a short, obedient nod. And in turn, Helena smiled so brilliantly.
The Huntress guided the Canary up to the dais. Reston joined them, trapping Dinah between Helena and himself. Surrounded on all sides, she was. Nowhere to escape.
The Priest was opposite them, still dressed in his open robe. But there was no Priestess that Dinah could see… until a woman in a red, silk dress came forth from the shadows.
Lilith!
Dinah’s eyes widened. But the softball coach only smiled warmly in turn. The brunette now carried a large, old-looking book. Even in her toned arms, it seemed enormous - and heavy!
Lilith set the book down onto the dais with a loud thud. With ease, she flipped the tome open to a specific page - like she had done this several times before.
And as the Priestess Lilith began to recite the ceremonial rites, the gathering of young men and women that surrounded them began to chant.