Chapter 1: Hall of Doors (continued)

Wrenley

Wrenley really didn’t have high expectations for this night, but she was so angry it was as if she could feel the fury burning under her skin. She’d been mad for months, as soon as they told her she wasn’t going into Snow White. And that anger had been stewing for so long it had begun to make up the majority of her personality.

So, releasing some pent-up energy in the outlet of sex seemed fine. Sure, perhaps she was feeding into something that she shouldn’t, but it didn’t matter. Dylan was offering her an escape for the night. An escape from her resentment, her bitterness, her sense of helplessness which only fed into the first two.

But she remembered it well three years ago and so her hopes were not high. If all else, he had a nice dick. If there was still nothing going on here, she could push him to his back and ride that thing. Then she wouldn’t have to worry about whether or not she was going to enjoy this.

Already, his kiss was nothing like it was that night. There was no hesitation or uncertainty. He was heated, pressing her back into the bed and leaning against her, pressing his hardon to her hip. She shivered in anticipation. There was nothing like that first feel. Waiting to have it pulled out and give it a touch. That first stroke.

He pulled her hands up, taking the condom he’d pressed into her palm and putting it somewhere. Since he didn’t move or reach to the nightstand so he must have just pushed it under the pillow. But then his hands were back on her, pulling her shirt up as his lips left hers. His hungry mouth trailed down her neck, down between her breasts as he pushed her shirt out of the way.

His kisses were sensual, erotic, and definitely spoke of him knowing what he was doing. Definitely an improvement. The way his tongue teased her skin make her muscles jump and clench, rendered her breathless when he hit a spot that tickled.

Dylan pulled her up, bringing her shirt over her head and tossing it aside, reclaiming her mouth with his once more. He kissed her heatedly was he lay her back, one hand slowly moving down to her boob. He just messaged her at first. As if learning her exact shape and weight. Playing with her nipple and around her areola.

Then his mouth left hers again and she felt how very breathless she was as she tried to gulp in hair. Her breath caught again as his mouth replaced his hand on her breast, kissing and licking and biting just hard enough that she’d suck in another quick mouthful of air.

The hand that was playing with her book now held some of his weight as he brought the other hand down her ribs, down her waist, holding her hip like a handle. He shifted so he was between her legs though instead of laying against her, he kept his body weight from hers and used his legs to spread hers.

Her bed pants tonight was loose and not ones she was planning to take with her. Dylan didn’t move them aside but brought his hand over her thigh, around to her inner thigh, and just barely ghosting over her heat. Her pants were pulled tight, so it was barely a feather of a touch. Just enough to make her squirm. All the while, the attention he paid her chest didn’t let up. And it was only as he finally pressed his fingers against her that she realized he was already eliciting sounds from her throat because they caught.

He rubbed her through her pants, teasing her and making her squirm under him. She fisted her hands in his hair and he must have taken that as some kind of que and abandoned her breasts to trail his tongue slowly and sensually down her stomach. Though she didn’t feel slimy and wet from where his mouth had been on her, he had left her somewhat damp since the air suddenly felt incredibly cold against her chest.

She wasn’t sure if the shiver that went down her spine was because of the cool air on her nipples or because his mouth was concentrating on the bit of her skin right before her pubic region. He was inching her pants down, maddeningly slowly. As her pants slid down her hips, his mouth continued south until his tongue barely touched her lips. Seriously, he was teasing her right out of her mind.

Finally, he pulled away, bringing her pants and panties off and tossing them on the floor. Before he came back down on her, he must have discarded his clothing, too. She could hear the rustle of clothing and the movement of the bed. She was thankful for the minute to calm her breathing though she was disappointed that the room was so dark, and she couldn’t see his body. To this day, he had one of the most impressive dicks she’d ever had the fortune of seeing.

His hands on her legs made her start. His palms trailed from her knees down the inside of her thighs where he gently spread them. His hot breath on her sex made her shudder again. She reached for him finding his hair and taking fistfuls once more.

He kissed the inside of her leg, the junction between her leg and her sex. His tongue, just the tip, trailed sensually over her lips before pushing its way between them. Not far, but barely there, and he licked down until his tongue hovered over her opened. He paused, flicking his tongue between her folds until she was damn near whimpering. She tired to flex her legs up, bring them together, but he held them apart.

As she was sure she was going to lose it, his tongue pushed inside her, and she gasped at the sudden intrusion. He chuckled as he started to really work her with his tongue.

She’d told him once that she wasn’t that into foreplay. And still, even though she was shivering with need and pleasure, she really just wanted his cock. Wrenley bit her tongue, preventing herself from hurrying him along. She wasn’t much on appetizers but greatly preferred the main course. Even though it was enjoyable, it was good, she really wanted the invasion of his dick reaching depths it shouldn’t. She was positive that it could.

Her thoughts scattered as he removed his tongue from inside her and ran it up and over her clit, eliciting some weird mewl from her. He spent her next several breaths just licking her, lapping at her like a dog until she was almost laughing at him. She could feel his grin against her as the giggle bubbled up inside her.

And then he was done with fun and started sucking on her clit. When her legs reflexively tried to close and box him in, he kept them pinned wide open. She tried to push his face away, overwhelmed with the bursts of pleasure shooting through her every vein, but he remained steadfast. Wrenley squirmed until she was sure she could almost wriggle free, but he was determined to send her into oblivion.

He did. The cry that was ripped from her mouth wasn’t a sound that had left her before. She was sure she was having convulsions. In the pitch black of the room, stars danced before her eyes. And Dylan didn’t let up until she was so depleted, nothing further would come from her mouth. She lay limp beneath him, her body twitching.

His tongue moved away from her clit, and he trailed soft, light kisses over her sex and legs before letting her go completely. The bed dipped next to her for a minute before he pulled back. At the quiet tear, she knew he’d grabbed the condom. The unmistakable sound of the unfurling of the rubber over him was the only sound other than her harsh breathing.

Dylan’s mouth came down on her shoulder, trailing kisses over her skin as he went. Up her neck, to her mouth. Tasting herself on him made her stomach roll. She was definitely not into that, but she allowed him to kiss her anyway, distracted by being able to finally touch him. His beautiful abs, and smooth chest.

He came down on top of her, bringing his rubber-coated cock between her legs, rubbing against her swollen sex. The way he moved against her, she was sure he still planned to tease her. Wrenley had had enough of that, though. She wrapped her legs around his waist, marveling at how heavy they suddenly felt. She was still weak from the orgasm.

Dylan chuckled against her mouth, and she pulled hers away.

“That was good,” she said, “But you know what I like. Stop stalling.”

“You’re so impatient,” he murmured, his voice a dark caress against her that raised the little hairs down her legs. But he complied, reaching between them to push the head of his cock between her folds and inside her.

Her hips jerked on their own. He shifted, bringing his arms under her legs and folding her in on herself. Wrenley’s eyes widened as she imagined what this was going to feel like.

“You ready?” he asked for the second time this night but for a completely different reason.

“Yes,” she breathed.

For a second longer, he didn’t move. He remained where he was with just the head of his thick dick inside her. Then it was in another inch or so before he pulled back out. He rocked like this for several breaths, and she wasn’t sure if he was preparing himself or her.

But then he was suddenly inside her, impaling her so deeply that she was sure he barreled through her cervix. Wrenley dug her fingers into his biceps, her breath being ripped from her so completely she couldn’t make a sound.

“Oh, my fuck,” he muttered, his head hanging down so that his hair tickled her cheeks. “Wren.”

Wrenley could do nothing but nod. Yea, it felt good. He rested his forehead against hers for a minute while she adjusted and caught his breath. All the while, his body weight slowly came down on her more fully, burying him deeper, stretching her wider and more insistently.

He pulled out of her, hovered for a moment, and shoved back insider her, pushing her breath out as if his cock took up the room in her lungs.

Her head spun as he started to dive into her with earnest. She was pinned beneath him, still curled up on herself, as he made sure that she took him to his balls. And he buried himself over and over until she was once again seeing stars. Until her orgasms were the only sensation stronger than the streaks of pleasure, he shoved into her. helpless under him, she was victim to his every hard thrust, unable to catch her breath.

His ragged breaths, his grunts and moans, only fueled her arousal until he eventually met his end in a growl of carnal pleasure that ignited her core even more.

Dylan stilled long enough to take a couple breaths before pulling out of her slowly and gently uncurled her, bringing her legs down on either side of him.

She heard the condom being removed and didn’t even care when he dropped it on the floor. She might have if she were staying in the room longer than this night and if her mind wasn’t a sluggish lightshow of mush and sensation. Then he fell next to her, his breathing filling her ears.

For a while, they said nothing as the cool night touched their sweat-coated skin and started cooling them.

“Better?” he asked.

Wrenley let out a breathless laugh. “Yes. You shouldn’t have been so nervous the first time.”

He made a noise that was something like a grunt and snort. “Fear plays some nasty tricks on you. Makes you feel trapped even when you’re not.”

She shook her head. “You really should have said something.”

He might have nodded but it was too dark to see, even as she turned her head in his direction. “I’m sorry,” he murmured, his hand brushing her ribs and over her stomach. Sighing, he repeated his apology.

Not quite sure what exactly he was apologizing for, she didn’t answer. Instead, she trailed her hand down his chest and stomach until she found his still mostly hard dick. He was ready to go again. Or still?

“I only brought one,” he said, amusement in his voice. “I didn’t intend to keep you all night.”

She wrapped her hand around his cock, stroking the length slowly, applying a little more pressure when she got to the end. Hearing his intake of breath, she smiled. It might have been better if they were done. He’d proven his point. But she still had so much aggression. So much irritation and frustration and anger, and their activities had felt good.

“I have more in my nightstand,” she said.

“Yea?” he asked, his voice deeper and husky.

“Mhm. Pretty sure you put them there years ago.”

Dylan chuckled. “You’ve left them there? Never used them?”

Wrenley smiled. “I’m not in the habit of letting people in my room. You know that. I’ll go to theirs if I’m so inclined.”

She continued to stroke him, hearing his breathing hitch and stop occasionally when she did something that he liked. His hand on her opposite hit tightened.

She knew the moment he agreed. He thrust his hip into her hand before rolling over her to kiss her deeply.

For hours he took her over and over and wore her out with an onslaught of pleasure. Until she was finally so tired, that he held her snugly to his chest as she fell asleep. But not before she heard him whisper, “I lied. I wasn’t falling in love with you. I am in love with you.”

She woke as the light was starting to peek in through the sides of the blinds. It took her several minutes of disorientation to realize where she was. She’d never woken with someone else in her bed with her.

Dylan was awake, staring at the ceiling. He obviously didn’t know she was awake yet if his pained expression was anything to go by. He wouldn’t let her see that first thing in the morning.

“What’s wrong?” she asked.

He turned his head, the look vanishing entirely. “Nothing at all.”

Wrenley rolled her eyes. “Liar.”

He snorted, pulling her against him again. “It’s nothing, Wren.”

“I’m leaving today. You can tell me and there’s no chance it’ll go anywhere else. It’ll be lost in a fairy tale, and you might feel lighter by letting it out.”

He was very still as he thought about this. “Alright. Well. By all means, everyone would think I was living the perfect life. Do you know, I’ve considered getting surgery just to change how I look? Just so I can stop being this?”

She did know. He’d confessed that to her years ago. But he never got into why he wanted to. Until now since he continued to tell her.

“Since I was a child, my parents had me modeling. I was a fashion model from the time I was six until I ran at twenty-three. You’d think that it was my only bit of worth. The only thing I had going for me. I graduated high school at fifteen. Do you think that impressed them? Not at all. I obtained my first degrees by the time I was eighteen. Not just a single bachelor degreed but I double majored and had a minor, too. Did they brag about that? No. They were more impressed that I had secured exclusive rights to a book franchise where I’d be on every single cover. I got my master’s degree in the next year and in an attempt to piss my parents off, I started modeling nude.” His lids hooded in annoyance. “They were thrilled with my initiative and started scheduling risqué shoots since they paid more. I got my doctorate three years later. But instead of celebrating that accomplishment, they tried to sign me up for a porn shoot. Seriously, sex in front of a camera.”

“I couldn’t take it anymore. I ran. I fled to three states over. But every job I applied for, I was shot down. My parents come from old money and their reach is vast. I finally found DeadEnd and begged them for a job. Any job. I didn’t care. I didn’t even care what they paid me. I had more than enough money to live off of with almost twenty years of modeling. They let me teach ten- and eleven-year-olds science. For the first time in my entire life, I was doing something that didn’t have anything to do with my looks.”

“Of course, I also wasn’t using any of my degrees. I’m overqualified for nearly everything which in and of itself poses ridiculous problems. Eventually they moved me to the Fixers in their final stages of training. And once again, my looks were what captured everyone’s attention. There were these two girls who I’d flirt with. Harmless. I was too attached to having a life not in front of a camera to threaten that. But these girls, they were relentless. Making it clear that they were absolutely inviting me into their beds.”

“Well, I got the go ahead in a very subtle way and I thought ‘fuck it’. Even if I got fired, I had plenty of money until I found something else to do.” He paused, his dark eyes turning towards me. “I received a hefty raise. The exact words they told me were ‘you’re doing a great job keeping up morale, Dylan.’ I took that to mean I was to keep having sex with whoever offered it. So, I did. And I’m pretty sure I’m the highest paid person here.”

“I hate that I’m still used for my looks. I’m more than this. I have more than this to offer. But I’m fucking stuck in this cycle no matter what I do!”

In a rare moment of sympathy, Wrenley rolled over and hugged him. Pressing alongside his naked body, which she admitted was by far the best she’d ever seen, she wrapped her arm over his stomach and kissed his cheek.

He shifted so he could hold her, too. “Also, I’m fairly certain that baby isn’t mine.”

“Oh?”

Dylan shook his head. “No. First and foremost, I always provide my own condoms. I put them on myself. I get that they’re not 100% effective but I’m certain it was in working order. Besides, if the date she’s claiming she’s due is accurate, she was already pregnant when I fucked her.”

“Why didn’t you say something?”

“Because the Operators don’t care. They’re actually happy to have this child. They’ve made an arrangement with Cera that once the baby is two, she goes into her fairy tale and the baby remains at DeadEnd, where they can train it from a toddler.”

“I’m not sure that’s ethical.”

He chuckled. “I don’t even care. I’m pretty positive it’s not mine. By the way, I received another raise shortly after they found out she was pregnant and announced that I’m the father. No reason for the raise. They just thought I needed one.”

Wrenley pushed herself up onto her forearm and looked at him. “You know I’m a strong believer that only you can change your circumstances. Unless you’re like me and stuck going into the wrong fairy tale because the powers that be have changed their mind.”

He chuckled. “I know. I don’t know what I want to do, is the issue. But you’re right. It felt good to get this all off my chest.” Dylan pulled her down and kissed her forehead.

“You should know, I wasn’t asleep last night. I heard you.”

He smiled. “Yea, I figured as much.”

“I still have to leave today.”

“I know, Wren. I really hope you remember this and not three years ago.”

She studied him for a moment before letting a light smile spread across her face. With the hand she wasn’t leaning on, she ran it over his chest, down his abs, and then around his dick. He was mostly soft, proving that he wasn’t all sex. The conversation had been important to him. But as soon as she touched him, his wonderful cock surged to life. Wrenley didn’t have to stroke for more than a minute before he was throbbing and fit to burst.

Still, she only looked at him. Holding his stare. She could see the question in his gaze as he tried to do nothing but return her look. It might be a mistake. One or both of them might regret this later, and she might be doing more harm than good, but she believed him. Believed that he’d been too scared all that time ago and maybe, she could fill a bit of a ‘what if’ with him. What if he’d have just said something at some point in the last three years? What if they’d have waited? What if they had gotten together?

Wrenley pushed herself up and swung her leg over, watching him as she slid herself down his length, until he was fully sheathed within her. Forcing her to stretch for him. His chest rose high in his arousal but also in uncertainty. Why? Why was she doing this now? And why was she doing it without a condom?

“Trust,” she murmured, bringing her body up and sliding down his length again. She shivered at the feel, his eyes fluttering closed a moment as his hands landed on her knees. He was trembling. She leaned down to kiss him, making it sweet and intimate. Letting herself go and to just feel. 

His whole being seemed to groan as his hands ran up her legs to her hips, up her ribs and around her back, bringing her to him and holding her tightly as he kissed her with every ounce of affection in him.

She couldn’t move much in this position where he held her to his chest and kissed her. But he took over the slow thrusting, bringing his hips off the bed so he could bury himself inside her.

With her eyes close, Wrenley let go of herself, her mind dropping into a lull of intimacy, pleasure, and make believe. She let herself float among the what ifs. Pretend that the last three years didn’t happen. That when he came to her, this is what their night had been.

Dylan held her close, bringing his cock into her slowly but deep, pulling her hard against him. Her legs spread wider, as if she were doing a split. She’d never considered herself that flexible but the bit of strain it put on her muscles only heightened the pleasure that coursed through her.

All the while, they kissed deeply.

This was a new kind of heat that lit her body on fire. A new passion that filled her mind with want and need. After their night of passionless sex, Wrenley had gone back to making sure she had no ties. Not getting close to anyone.

That mean that every sexual encounter she had was mindless, emotionless, release-seeking experience. She’d never craved anything else. Hadn’t known that it would be something she enjoyed. But then, she hadn’t ever had a relationship that it would have made sense with. To have this kind of intimate experience, she thought she’d need to have some kind of emotional tie.

She supposed she did. Even if it was a nostalgic thread oppose to something real.

But now, as they moved together, wrapped around each other in an embrace that she could feel in her soul with pleasure that lit her whole spirit on fire, Wrenley thought that perhaps she’d been wrong. Maybe she had been missing out.

And this felt good.

If they hadn’t been so tired from the previous night’s intense fucking, she was sure this one would have lasted longer. But maybe they were both at a point where if they went any deeper and they’d leave scars. It would no longer be healing and pleasure but aches and an endless sense of unanswered questions.

So, when their pleasure spiked, together they followed the trail. Their hot breaths mingled as they moaned together, sharing in an orgasm that Wrenley wasn’t sure she’d experience again. She might not be in love with this man, but she might have been had things happened differently. And that seemed to be enough to change the color of this experience.

Slowly, she relaxed on top of him, her weight falling more fully on him. Dylan was tired, too. She could feel the way he instantly fell into an almost-sleep. Content, his arms wrapped around her.

But it was still intimate lying like this. Especially after what they’d just shared. Wrenley, gently untangled herself from him and rolled to lay beside him.

He let her with out argument, his eyes still closed. She thought that maybe she had done a good thing by the way his face had relaxed in serenity. The pain and frustration from this morning was gone. When he spoke, it was with a small smile on those gorgeous lips.

“Was that for me or for you?” Dylan asked.

“I think it started out for you but perhaps I needed it, too,” she answered into his chest. “I’m so angry about this switch and I think, more than last night even, this helped soothe some of my fury.”

“I’ve never…”

“I know. I should have asked.”

“If there’s anyone I’m not horrified at not using protection with, it would only be you.”

“Because you love me, or you trust me? Or because I’m leaving today, and you don’t have to worry about the consequences?”

He snorted, squeezing her tightly, his fingers digging into her ribs, tickling her until she laughed. “The first two, obviously.”

“Admit it though, it must be relieving not to have to think about the consequences.”

Dylan shook his head. “Do you know? Over the last three years I’ve often thought about running through the door with you. Not because you need me and I’m pretty sure I’d be more of a hindrance than a help, but because I can’t imagine being here without you.”

“It probably would have been better for you to have not come here last night,” she said.

“Probably. But I’d have hated myself for it for the rest of my miserable life.”

They laid there for a while longer, both knowing that the sexing was done. They’d had the symphony of pleasure last night and the crescendo of intimacy this morning. Now, it was about the goodbye.

“How about you leave after dinner?” he suggested. “We can hang out a while longer then I’ll go grab some food. After we eat, you get ready, and I’ll go see what I can find out about your switch.”

“You could get fired for that.”

“I don’t care. If it can bring you some peace of mind, I’ll do whatever I am able. Besides, I really don’t know how long I’ll be able to stay without you here.”

Wrenley agreed. They stayed in bed for the rest of the afternoon, using Dylan’s tablet to watch movies as they remained wrapped around each other.

She remained in bed among her pillows and blankets while he left to get dinner, relishing the last moments in a luxurious bed. She’d probably be sleeping on the ground tonight. Perhaps she could stuff a pillow and blanket in her bag? She snorted. Yea, that was going to be effective when she needed to defend herself against the rotten bears!

Dylan returned with a tray full of food. They ate on the bed, something she wouldn’t have allowed if she’d been sleeping there. No more heavy conversation, they only talked of light things and laughed while they ate their meal.

He made her promise that she would give him at least an hour after she was ready before she left. He needed time to get into the right office and find her file. Wrenley agreed and watched him leave in nothing but his boxer shorts. Yea, there’d be talk.

Slowly, she got up and headed into the shower, wondering if she’d ever have one again. And then dressed in her clothes that she’d had prepared for her entrance into Snow White. Picking her bag up and slinging it over her back, she gave one last look at her room. In a moment of sentimentality, she picked up Dylan’s shirt and stuffed it in the side pocket.

Wrenley spent the next forty minutes wandering DeadEnd. The kids were going between dinner and lounging around for the night. There wasn't any homework at DeadEnd. All their work was in the classrooms. So, there wasn’t much studying unless it was something you did on your own. There was an extensive library where most Fixers spent much of their time as they read their fairy over and over again. Whether it be as retellings or different versions or just the original.

There were gyms and obstacle courses and brain exercises of all kinds. There were just as many leisure rooms, too. Media, games, art. Anything one could think of. And if they didn’t have it, all the Fixers had to do was put in a request to one of the Operators. Usually, it showed up within a month.

Sighing, Wrenley finally turned down to the Hall of Doors. There were more than a dozen on the wall but hers was easy enough to find. A cabin door with three black bear heads carved into it. She rested her hand on it and sighed. This could not be where she was headed. It just couldn’t!

“You promised.”

Wren turned at his voice and smiled. “I’m still here, aren’t I?”

He was still only in his shorts, showing off that perfect body of his for all to see. He stopped beside her and pulled her away from the door. Frowning he said, “I found your file. Going back from when you were thirteen, there are notes that you shouldn’t be going into Snow White for ages. Something was wrong with the results and that had been a mistake. But because you didn’t match any of the others, they were going to let you go. You’re strong and resourceful and intelligent and they were sure you could fix it even if that’s not where you were meant to be.” He smiled, enjoying that he could tell her these things. “When this door showed up, you matched at ninety-eight percent, Wren. They’re only pushing you to go so quickly because of how rapidly it is becoming more toxic. The bloody pages have reached all parts of the world already. They’re afraid of what it could mean if it's left unchecked.”

Wrenley frowned. It answered a lot of whys, but she wasn’t satisfied. Looking up into his dark eyes, she smiled. “Thank you.”

He smiled in return, brushing his fingers through her hair. “You’re welcome.”

She set her bag down and wrapped her arms around his waist. He was a perfect height. Not so tall that one would get a crick in their neck looking up at him. But not short, either. She breathed him in and found how incredibly thankful she was for him.

“You need to tell the Operators about Cera. Don’t let that stay on you. And ask them to use more of your talents. You’re a good guy, Dylan. Don’t spend the rest of your life unhappy.” She looked up at him. It was clear that her words had meant something to him. He nodded but didn’t speak. Wrenley leaned up on her toes and kissed him. A soft kiss, not meant to be more than a sweet goodbye.

Without another word, Wrenley picked up her pack and opened her door. She didn’t look back, but she wanted to. If she did, she thought she might refuse to go. Not because of Dylan. Not really, though that might have turned out to be a pretty great bonus. But because, despite what these results in her file said, she was sure this wasn’t her fairy tale.

Taking a breath, she walked through the door and into a forest covered in blood. The ground was saturated. The trees were dripping as if they themselves were what was bleeding. The air was filled with the coppery taste.

Wrenley swallowed, turning around to look at the door again. She could still run back through it. Demand to be retested. Demand a different tale.

But as she looked, the door had already latched and vanished before her eyes.