An Elaborate Scheme

It was noon before Brian finally showed up at the studio, sporting a black eye and looking miserable. He'd always hated what Michele liked in bed, but he could get over the things she said. It wasn't until after the nuptuals her true nature came out.

“Hey, dude. What took you so-- Holy shit, what happened?” Matt asked as Brian removed his jacket painfully and hung it up.

“None of your fuckin' business.” He muttered, grabbing his Schecter from the stand and went to start recording his tracks.

Several months passed before Brian got up enough courage to talk to his friends about it. “Hey, guys... I need to talk to you guys about something.”

Zacky looked up from the studio couch. “She's beating you, isn't she? That bitch, I never liked her. Venge can't stand her.” He said. He always had to bring up his fiancée whenever he got the chance.

“No.. Well, she is, but... It's only when she gets in the mood, y'know. I mean, I'm down for some kinky shit but she's started to get out of hand.” He explained over his Guinness. He'd taken to drinking them solely when he wanted beer. They'd always been Jimmy's favorite.

Matt stayed silent for a minute before he started to laugh hysterically. “She's a sadist! You married a fucking sadist, that's awesome.”

Brian glared. He was trying to find out what to do about the situation, not make his friends chuckle. “Why don't you go fuck yourself, Matt. I didn't want to be mocked.”

The other male stood and walked over. “No, it's not that. It's just... It's an easy fix. What you need to do is go to a dominatrix. Learn her side of things and you'll be okay. You never know, you may learn to like it.”

Brian stared at him, his mouth hanging open. “I'm gonna skip over the how and just go for the what?”

He shrugged and folded his arms over his massive chest. “Val's the same way, brother-in-law.” He explained. “Look, I have the number of this one bitch, Mistress Ember, she'll straighten you out.” He told him.

Zacky stared at Matt. “That is a glimpse into your personal life I had never wished to view, dude.” He said, shuddering.

Brian had no earthly idea why he decided to actually go through with this meeting. As he walked into the darkened room in the back of a house that looked all too familiar somehow he started to panic. He wasn't a fan of the dark when he knew a stranger was inside of it.

A light clicked on across the room, casting a dim red light over perhaps an eighth of the total room.

“Mistress Ember?” He asked, his voice sounding more sure than he felt.

The figure sitting in the chaise beside the lamp nodded, her head was covered by a shroud of some kind. She gestured to a wall. “Go.” Was her only command.

He was in shock, but he did as he was told, standing with his back to the wall.

She stood and walked out of the pool of light, lowering her hood as she did so he still couldn't see her. “So your girl is a sadist.” The voice said, the sense of familiarity coming through again.

He'd never been one for the whole dominion game, so he didn't know where the feeling was coming from. He opened his mouth, “I'm sorry, but do I know you?”

“I didn't tell you that you could speak!” The voice barked from beside him, causing him to jump.

He turned toward the source of the noise. “Look, just because you're a dominatrix doesn't mean I want you fuckin' yelling at me. Got it?”

A laugh sounded from behind him. “Oh really? So you're not a slut like I thought you were. Good.”

He spun to seek her out in the pitch darkness around him. “I'm not a slut. I'm here to get over this shit with my wife. If you can't help me, I'll gladly leave.” He said stubbornly.

The sound of a whip broke the silence after he'd stopped speaking, then the sting of the leather making contact with his skin caused him to yelp. “What the fuck?!”

The whip connected with skin again. “Shut up, whore. I don't need such a pathetic little man mouthing off to me in my domain.” She said.

He growled. “I'm not a whore! Stop fucking calling me that!” He screamed, his voice echoing off the walls.

There was a long silence, when all Brian could hear was the sound of his breathing, he was pissed off and that had caused his breathing to become slightly ragged.

After what seemed like eternity had passed, the voice was across the room and the one source of light was off. “You tell me to stop getting pleasure out of causing you pain. Does that mean you don't like to be abused?” She questioned, her voice softer.

He looked around in the emptiness. “No. I fucking hate it. My girl has always been this way. I could ignore it because I loved her, but I'm not gonna take this abuse. Looking like I belong in a battered men's shelter or some shit.”

She chuckled from beside him. “So what do you plan to do about it?” She asked.

He paused. He didn't know. Did he want to end his marriage and long term relationship because of one issue? He thought long and hard about his entire time with her. She had never just left the abuse in the bedroom. She constantly abused him, sometimes publicly. She'd done it in front of his parents on numerous occasions and he just shrugged it off. He'd been beaten down so long that he couldn't see straight anymore.

He took a breath and let it out. “I'm gonna fucking end it.” He said assuredly.

“Well it's about fucking time, Haner. I never thought you'd leave her.” The voice said, an overhead light coming on to show a very deranged room painted black from floor to ceiling.

He looked at the dominatrix who had shown him that his love life had been one huge mindfuck and gasped. “Lotus?”

She laughed and hung the whip back on one of the racks of various toys that lined the walls. “Who else do you think could have a place like this? You knew I did this a long time ago, why didn't you think when Matt told you. Like he'd actually go to a dom. He's a pussy.”

He gaped. “Did Jimmy know about your... extracurriculars?”

She looked down at her feet, touching the bolt that hung around her neck that was the last physical memento she had of her late twin. “We never spoke about it. He had his secrets, I have mine.” She muttered. “Look, I didn't want you to break it off with your woman, but I think you should sit down and really think about it. I opened your eyes to what she's done to you, time for you to take a stand against her.”

He smiled. “Remind me why I never dated you?”

She chuckled sadly. “Because you were in love with her the whole time I was in love with you. Now get out of here. I'll see you again.”

It was a full year since Brian had divorced Michele. He didn't like what he'd become and she'd never change her ways. During that time, he'd started to realize something else, something that caused him to re-evaluate his life. It'd only be right to be with the one person who'd always stood by him. The one who helped him realize what an idiot he'd been.

He showed up at the Vengeance's annual wedding anniversary costume bash, looking around.

“You're not in costume, Haner. Don't make me remove you physically.” Venge said, showing up at his side.

“I am in costume. I'm a fuckin' rockstar, now where's your friend.”

She paused and stared at him like he'd grown an insane second head. “Everywhere?”

He sighed. “Your best friend. Lotus.”

“You didn't know? She's on a plane going to spend the next four years in Ethiopia with the Peace Corps.”

He sighed. “Well I'm not a sadist... I'm a masochist. I like causing myself pain.” He muttered.

“What do you mean by that?” She asked him.

“I fall in love with the wrong people and end up getting hurt.” He said, walking away.