1 comments/ 11023 views/ 1 favorites Masked in Rio Ch. 01 By: BardsLady Rio. Just the name invites visions of half naked men and women, dark tropical nights near moonlight kissed beaches, and Carnival. For most people, anyway, it is a dream come true. A paradise to be reached for and eagerly embraced as the top most place to go for romance, erotic adventures, and to relax from the rigors of the modern day world. Most people, but not me. A year ago, I was a premier female artist in California. Catherine Lavoux was the name on everyone's lips when it came to working with charcoal and pastel chalks. That was before several things happened at once. My rich parents, fed up with what they thought was trivial nonsense, disowned me. My boyfriend decided he wanted something better. Better, to him, was a personal body slave to use as he wanted. His taste ran to leather and whips. Something I wasn't into. A whispered story also had him leaving his former lovers with scars. He found out that the cash flow wouldn't be up to his standards of living anymore, and left. But not before his verbal lashing had shredded my self confidence until I felt no bigger than a work on the floor. As I lay on my living room floor, he whipped out his cock and jacked off on my quivering body. "Payment for the stay." then walked. Afterwards, it was worse. No one wanted to buy my works anymore after rumors started about the breakup. People coming to my door demanding drugs and money due to Al, the ex boyfriend, telling them I had it to give out. I was an emotional wreck, sitting in a dark apartment in the middle of a bare floor, contemplating buying a gun and blowing my brains out. Not much left to live for when you're convinced you're not worth a damn to anyone. It was then that my sister, Rose, forced her way into my apartment and gathered me into her arms. "It's okay. Shhh. It's alright." Rose was the favorite of the family. What she wanted, she got. She didn't agree with my parents and always came over when the times got rough. With her arms around me, I fell apart. I sobbed my heart into her chest. "I don't know what to do anymore. I'm lost, Rose. Mom and Dad hate me, everyone thinks I'm a drug addict and here for the taking. Al thought he could just.." I couldn't go on. "Well, we're getting you out of here and under wraps for a couple years. You're definitely moving out of here. And you need rest and time to think." She smiled at me. "Think you're up to living in a small cottage down in Rio? No interruptions, no strings attached? Just a long rest with only a few people coming by to restock the fridge? Within walking distance of a marketplace where you can start selling on the sidewalk if you want." Slowly, I looked up into her face and nodded. "Anything is better than this right now. I.. I just can't face anyone. Get me out of here, Sis." It was the only time I had actually asked for anything from her. She nodded and smiled, hugging me warmly. "Come on." she smiled. "You dont need any of this stuff here. do you?" I glanced around and shuddered. "No.. Nothing.. except..." I dove for the TV set and popped a DVD out of the player, slipping it back into it's jacket. I'd kill anyone that got ahold of my most precious movie. Hours later, we were at her condo. Slowly, she got the entire story out of me after a hot bath, food, a bottle of good wine, and a comforting arm. When she found out what he was doing, she was furious. It was all I could do not to shrink away from the anger in her voice, the tenseness of her body. "Sis," I whispered, "Don't.. please." She immediately calmed down. "It's okay, Cat. I'm not angry at you. Go to bed now. Rest. No one will bother you, I promise." she smiled and ran her hand through my hair. "Tomorrow, you and I are going to go shopping, spend the day at a spa and then I'm going to get you out of dodge and off the bull's-eye." The hard glint to her eye made me not ask what she had in mind while I was asleep. I never did get to the spa and all the shopping we did was done online. The moment we went out together, people started pointing and whispering. It was too much to even think things would get settled that quickly. So she just had things brought up to the condo while I tried to cope with my shattered self-confidence. Six months later, I awoke to the sounds of parrots chasing each other through the trees, the sound of the surf pounding against the rocks, and the smell of the sea air filling my nose. Off in the distance, I heard a group of musicians begin to warm up. The tempo of the Samba was beginning to be heard everywhere as Carnival crept closer. Naked, I had a breakfast of fruit, then strolled out the back door and down to the beach. The ocean water sparkled like diamonds in liquid. The temptation was too great to resist. My running dive carried me through the rolling waves and into the torrential waters as they curled in towards the sand. The water cooled my skin and caressed it with each thrust of the waves. Suddenly aware of the sensual movement along my flesh, I moved towards the shore. Laying back, I let the water work it's on my pussy. With each pounding wave, the liquid force parted my outer lips and rushed in to torment my clit and slide in and out. The wind cooled my flesh as much as the warm water heated my blood. The combination was exquisite torment for me, in desperation, I pinched my nipples until the pain made me arch my hips into the wave. A small pebble, caught in the wave's torrid motion, hit my clit at the right time to send me plummeting over the edge of orgasm. Not caring who heard me, yet scared of discovery, my mewling cries of release were muffled by my hands and the pounding waves. Moments, or an eternity, later something made me sit upright and glance around. The feeling of being watched overcame me as my eyes took in the open sea. It wasn't until my eyes scanned the roadway a hundred yards distant did I see a figure on what appeared to be a Harley. Deciding to be bold and give the mysterious figure a small show, I stood, facing him, then backed into the waves to wash off. When I re-emerged and began to walk towards my home, he started the bike and drove off. The roar of twin pipes caused a colorful flight of birds to rise from the trees near my home. Smiling, I decided enough was enough. Time to go to town and try to draw something. ****** Hours later, I sat underneath a tree sipping a bottle fo lemonade and staring at the set of charcoal drawings I had made. Animals, Trees, anonymous faces in the crowds, the beginnings of the Carnival setup. I even did a scene of a faceless man on a Harley staring out at the crowds from a road. That one got picked up and bought for the asking price right off the bat. The rest began to trickle away as people watched me draw. It was hard at first, trying to draw with all the people around, but soon, the world went away as my hands seemed to have taken on a life of their own. I never actually meant to sell anything, but they just seemed to attract people. Soon, however, the telltale signs of overload began to get to me. Too many people staring, too many people asking questions. Time to go. The lemonade cooled my throat and allowed me to relax again and watch the crowds. My mind tried to make up stories about those that I watched. A woman walking across the street clad only in a sarong could possibly have been a model out looking for a good time with a bad boy. A man talking to a fruit seller could be a big time director out trying to find the perfect leading lady to pluck off the streets. Who knew? My mental roaming came to a screeching halt with the sound of screeching tires and a yip from a tiny form that went flying to land at my feet with a dull thud. It was a medium sized Chihuahua, that lay at my feet, whining softly. Quickly going to my knees, I shucked off the white jacket I was wearing and wrapped the poor dog in it. Thankfully, I had remembered to put on a white tank top underneath. At the moment, however, it didn't matter. A hand touched my shoulder, looking up into the chocolate brown eyes of Melinda, the maid that helped me with my cottage. "Help him, Melinda? Can you help him?" She nodded silently, "Bring him." she looked at the rest of the group that had surrounded them. "Go find that car! Now! No one harms a beloved pet and gets away with it. No excuses. But no harming them. I just want to know who and where they are." She was furious and it showed. The crowd scattered as she gently picked up my things and we went a block or two up the street and headed into a small apartment building to a room that smelled redolent of dried herbs, beeswax candles, and had a natural feel to the place. I began to shake with a bit of shock. Each soft whine tore at my heartstrings. Melinda took the dog from my arms and gently sat me down in a chair. "Easy now, chica. The little one will be fine, I think. Let's see." My bloodstained jacket came free from the furry body. She went to work on him. "No broken bones. Just a nasty little cut across his ribcage that will need a bit of tender care." she set a pot of water on to boil, grabbed some herbs from a drawer, then smiled at me. "You, however, don't normally come out of that cottage too much. Rose told me a bit about what happened. You are a brave woman and you need more time." Smiling slightly, "T..Thanks." I stood and peered at the dog. "W..What does that tag say?" I pointed to a small golden disk attached to a red collar. "Does it have anything in the way of identification?" Melinda removed the collar before making tea for me, and a poultice for the dog. " No number, just a name. Loki." she looked at me. "Well, you need a companion out there for a bit. Until someone starts looking for this cute pup, he's going to need care and loving attention. Now go sit while I close this cut." Sipping the tea, I watched, wincing at each of the five tiny stitches. "Drawing his picture and posting it around town with a Found notice on it would probably get more attention. Sometimes people think their dog is kidnapped and only when a reward is posted, do they get their dog back because some moron is too greedy and cold hearted to work for a living." I sipped the tea and smiled, "You work as veterinarian when you aren't watching me try and get my act together?" Melinda simply smiled. "I care for people and animals who can't go to the regular doctor. I learned it from my own mother and grandmother. They've tended to the children and the poor around here for ages. I don't mind. It makes it a tighter knit community around here." As she began to put a bandage around his middle, Loki seemed to have more life in his body and started to glance around. "He seems a likeable little guy." The dog lifted his head and licked my hand when my fingers came within range. "Healthy and no scruffiness. This is someone's best friend." My eyes met Melinda's. "Thank you, Melinda. Can I keep my stuff here until tomorrow? I can come back to pick the drawing pad up and all that after I get him into somewhere safe." She nodded. "Go, chica. The only payment I ask is keep that dog safe.." a truly mischievous grin lit her face, "And that you join in the Festivities of Carnival!" she crowed slightly. Shaking my head, my eyes met hers. "It's only a week away." I protested weakly. But I knew that, once she made up her mind, there hadn't been an excuse yet that would get her to change it. "I'll find something to wear. I promise. But don't try to set me up with anyone." Loki seemed to think that was a good idea and barked once in agreement with that last comment as we both walked out the door. Back on the streets, I paused to pick up some food from a nearby store, both dog and human food before heading home. Reaction set in the moment I was alone near one of the palm trees that marked the surroundings of my home. It drove me to my knees, shaking and tears began to flow down my face in torrents. "Oh gods.. Oh gods.." became my mantra as the emotions and trauma of the day came crashing down on me. The paralysis would have been longer if Loki hadn't squirmed himself up to lick my face and snuggle closer. Blinking through the tears, the dog stared up at me with his liquid brown eyes, then glanced over my shoulder and barked softly. I turned to look and, sure enough, the same motorcycle sat on the side of the road in the same place it had been in this morning. Shaking off the vestiges of the attack, I stood slowly and stared back. After a few minutes, the mystery man's head nodded in acknowledgement before he stomped on the kick start, sending the roar of a Harley echoing off the hills. A few moments later, he had made the U turn and headed back into Rio, or wherever his home was. For the first time in a long while, my mind was curious as to who was watching me. Not because they knew who I was and the circumstances surrounding me, but because they were mysterious, untouchable, unknowable. The feeling followed me all the way into the house. After fixing an early dinner for the two of us, it was only five in the afternoon, I checked the bandages on the dog. Just for my own peace of mind, then grabbed a chilled bottle of sweet red wine and a glass from the fridge. Smiling, my eyes took in the setting sun, then the TV set and DVD player. "Well, I don't know about you, but I'm in a mood. I've only got one movie to play and, well," Damnit, I was blushing in front of a dog. I never blush! "It's got my favorite actor in it." The Chihuahua looked up at me with intelligent eyes and panted before nuzzling the empty bowl around, looking for more tidbits. Lost in my own thought, I put the disk in the player. "The movie's the not rated version, Loki. It's `Wild Orchid'. " Moving to a spot on the floor and picking up the remote. "What makes this so special is that one of my ex-friends." I winced at the thought and sipped some wine. "Actually worked in the business while the dvd was being reproduced from the original tape. He actually got Mickey Rourke to give him permission to put a little video at the beginning of the movie for me." My eyes looked at the floor and a wash of anger burned it's way through my veins as I remembered the so-called gift. "Of course, he didn't tell me that he had originally given it to his girlfriend for a sloppy seconds fuck. Or that her name was Catherine. She threw him out of the house for it, calling Rourke a perverted has been and told him to get rid of it. So I got it instead." The memory of the ruined and cracked jewel case brought tears close to the surface again. "I know he's older, a bit rougher around the edges. I know he sounds different from the movie. But I really dont think that matters, do you?" My eyes took in the dog who had crawled into my lap and settled in. Taking another drink, I found myself telling the entire story to someone for the very first time. "Now, now I can't be in crowds, not for very long anyways. I cant relax and I just.." Loki leaped out of my arms and dragged the remote to me, even though he shouldn't have been doing that. He moved before my hands could catch him. However he did it, through a bite or a paw swat, the movie started playing. The face that I had come to know so well appeared before any of the credits. He was sitting in what appeared to be a living room that had a fireplace, lounging on the couch in leather pants and vest without a shirt on, the bare skin gleaming in the flickering light. Holding a wineglass. Somehow, in this time and place, he seemed more real, more.. personal, than when I watched him up in that apartment so long ago. "Catherine," Came the voice through the surround sound speakers wrapping itself around me like a sensual blanket. "your friend here says that you enjoy watching this movie a lot. I wont tell you exactly what he told me because it would give the mystery away." He winked at the camera, then took a sip of wine. "I want you to sit back and enjoy this movie as it was intended to be enjoyed. As an experience for the senses. Have you ever felt that wild, untamed hunger? That serious need that drives you to reach for the unknown?" His hand slowly caressed it's way down his chest to his waistband, running a finger through the leather beltloops. "Have you ever wanted something you know you couldn't have?" Heat ran through me as my hand mirrored his, slowly running my hands over my chest, pausing where he hadn't, at my nipples, pinching and pulling. A smouldering fire began to heat my skin as my hands slowly moved down to my waistline to tease the same areas that he was teasing. Taking a sip of wine, I returned my attention to the screen. He stared at the camera, then undid the top button of his pants. "I know what you want." He licked his lips and slowly drew down the zipper. The sound seemed more sinful comming from the speakers. "You want to be out of control. You need to let go of your rational thoughts and simply Feel." His hands slowly parted the leather, revealing what the clothing had struggled to contain. His thick, rigid cock lay flat against his stomach. "Feel, Catherine. Not watch, feel. Run your hands down your legs and back up. Remove your clothing and run your fingers over yourself." My eyes were riveted to the screen as I struggled to get out of my clothes. Somehow the little pup had made himself scarse. After another drink of my wine, I began to run my hands over my body, lightly scraping my nails up and down the insides of my thighs as Mickey caressed his chest and slowly peeled the leather off his fine looking legs. Mirroring his hands, mine began working their magic on my flesh. Soft mewling moans filled my room and it took me a moment to realize that they were comming from me. After a moment, he moved from the couch to the soft rug in front of the fireplace. The view of his sexy ass moving was almost hypnotic. Taking a sip of wine, he lay back on one elbow and began to slowly stroke his cock, giving a soft moan as his hand wrapped around the shaft. "I can see you now. Laying back and running your hands over your body. Do you burn? Are you on fire?" His hand began to move a little faster. I could see the beads of sweat beginning to form on his body. "Put your fingers in your pussy, Catherine. Play with your clit. Feel them slide in and out on your wetness." Helpless when those words seeped into my brain, I slowly parted the wet outer lips and slid two, then three fingers in. The sensation was incredible, like a bolt of heated lightning soaking into your skin and making you ache for the next bolt to hit. Hit it did when my thumb brushed that sensative pearl. I'd done this several times before, but this.. this was something more powerful. I never took my eyes off the screen as my hands began their slow dance. "That's right. Slowly work yourself." His breath got faster as he spead his legs to a more comfortable position. "Dip your fingers into the wine that I know you're drinking, dribble it over your breasts so that the liquid runs down your body in a red waterfall." He gasped to himself as his eyes, blazing with fire and lust, stared intently at the camera. With a shaking hand, the wine went down my body, teasing it in slow trickles to pool in my palm and fingers that were caressing my clit and finger fucking my pussy. I could feel the slick wetness of the combined juices flow down the crack of my ass to the floor. Soon I could feel it begin. The tingle that started in my toes. The slow burn to orgams had started. Slowly, I watched as he sped up his hand on his cock. Watching him getting harder, his eyes darkening as his breathing came in deep huffs. "Feel it, Catherine." he gritted out as his body tensed in time with mine, "Oh God. Yes, Cum for me. Now, feel your self cum." Anything else he would have said came out in a long drawn out moan that blended in with my scream of utter release. I did not need to see the white ropy spurts of cum to know that he was feeling a powerful orgasm. His moans said it all. Masked in Rio Ch. 01 My body rocketed into orgasm, exploding into the stars as my fingers hammered in and out, trying to get that last bit of pleasure from the experience. Soon, my body became stiff as a board for several seconds before collapsing into a heap of exhausted flesh and smiled at the screen. Michael Rourke sat there and rubbed the cum off of his cock with a towel, slowly wiping his chest off as well. "Now you know what insatiable hunger is, Catherine." His dark eyes looked intently at the camera. " Now watch Wild Orchids and enjoy my gift to you. Perhaps, one day, you and I can meet for real." With that, Wild Orchids started, leaving me bereft of that voice. I reached for the remote and shut down the movie and turned off everything in the house. "I can't watch that movie after such an explosive experience." "Yip" came a small bark from underneath the covers of my futon. A tiny brown and white head poked out from underneath the sheets. "Yip Yip." Shaking my head, I finished off the bottle of wine, and then opened the windows to let the breeze flow through. "One day, maybe. Perhaps one day, we will meet, Mr. Rourke. Maybe it's only just a fantasy. But still. " Just as the moon rose into the evening sky, my eyes closed in exhaustion, and sleep sucked me under. Author's Note: Scream if you want me to write more. I always enjoy comments, Anon. or not. Masked in Rio Ch. 02 Okay, I had begun to think either my mind had started to blow a gasket, or someone was truly being mysterious and watching me. Since I know the first hadn't happened yet, the second had to be the most probable explanation. Even though my eyes couldn't see the face, I knew he or she watched me. Every morning for three days running, when I'd go for my morning swim, they'd be sitting on a Harley up on the road. Not doing anything, just watching as I emerged, naked except for the stunningly white hair on my head. A gift, or curse, of my past. Today had been no different than any other. When I came out of the surf, the roar of the pipes let me know my silent watcher had headed back into Rio. A soft yip and a flurry of fur and tiny paws greeted me at the door. Three days ago the tiny Chihuahua had been hit by a car and survived with a little help from my maid and neighborhood medical person, Melinda. A gash on his side that needed five tiny stitches. The tag he wore gave him a name, Loki. But there hadn't been anything else attached to the identification ring. Kneeling to pick up the hyper little furball, he leaped into my arms and rewarded me with a speed facial, licking frantically. "Aren't you supposed to play the poor, innocent and injured thing?" I laughed into his face, then cuddled him close. When I got into the house, my cel phone began to ring. I snagged it with one hand and sat on the couch without bothering to cover up. Checking caller ID, Rose's phone and name glowed in the semi-darkness of the room. Smiling, my thumb hit the ON button. "Catherine," came the excited voice from her end of the line, "you will never guess who is on vacation down in your end of the world. It's a private vacation. Rumor has it that even the Paparazzi are having a hard time finding out about it." Just great, she wants to play the guessing game, I thought grumpily to myself. "Okay sister of mine. I'm not up to playing twenty questions. Spill the beans." A dramatic sigh. " Mickey Rourke is supposedly vacationing down in Rio de Janeiro. My source says he wanted to experience the Carnival without being bothered by anyone. Seems his publicist had pulled a scam off on everyone. No one knows where he went off to." My gut clenched tight and my eyes closed, envisioning the hard body and rough voice on the DVD still sitting in my player. "And why should I care who is here at Carnival?" See, my own voice didn't quaver one bit. "I cornered one of your ex-buddies the other day." A cold edge came to her voice and I was glad that she hadn't turned that voice on me. "Your ex-lover's in jail for assault and battery of a police officer. Seems he was being watched by the cops because of his habits and his tastes. They set him up and took him down. The lady cop they used as bait said he wont get out anytime soon. This one, however, was trying to make trouble by trying to blackmail me... Me of all people, with your supposedly dirty little secrets." As she spoke, my heart started to beat harder and a cold sweat began on my face. Loki cuddled closer and began to demand attention. "Please tell me he didn't try to tell you I was on drugs or anything like that?" My voice shook as barely healed wounds began to reopen. "Cat. I've made sure that if he pulls that stunt ever again, I would have him personally castrated and tossed into jail for slander and character assassination. However, I did force him to tell me every little detail that he had about you. Just to get a feel for what had gone on." Her voice shook with rage. "I should have castrated him!" I closed my eyes. "I... I..." Hugging Loki to my chest seemed the only good thing to happen in my life at the moment as I sought out the words to tell my sister how I felt. "No, Cat. You're not to blame for this. That's why you're down there and I'm up here. He told me that you were a fan of Mickey Rourke and he told me about the DVD. I saw you swipe the movie from the player before I dragged you off to my condo. I hope he still looks as gorgeous now as when he made that movie. I envy you, actually. Not often you get a gift like that, even if it was meant for some slut who doesn't deserve it." Her voice held a smile. I began to calm down. "Just.. don't tell mom or dad, Okay? And sis? Thanks for the info. But I don't think Mickey Rourke would be anywhere near this house. Why would he? He doesn't even know who I am.." "Well, if you do meet up with him. I want all the details, woman. You're not getting loose of that one anytime soon." she laughed. "Hey, look. I know you just had some salt dropped on half healed wounds and I'm sorry. Go drink a bottle of wine and relax. Carnival is only what? Three, Four days away? Go loose yourself in the party." "I'll do that, sis and Thanks for being there. I have to go relax a bit more before Melinda gets here." I hesitated, then added, "She's making me something special for the festivities. And I'm drawing again." A gasp, then, "Good for you, sis. I'll let you get back to it and give Melinda my love. She always was a good woman and a good person to listen to you when you needed to talk. I'm glad she's helping out. Give me the details when Carnival is over with." "Love you, Rose. Now get out of my hair for a bit." I laughed as I hung up on her. Standing, I moved over to the full length mirror that dominated one wall of the cottage. My body, thanks to all the walking and swimming, had become lithe and firm. Nothing sagged or jiggled when it shouldn't. "Not bad. I just wish this damned white hair would go away." I groused at my image. The white had snuck in on me when I wasn't looking. It seemed one moment, my hair had been a glorious dark red. The next, white as a sheet. A sharp rap on my front door and a smiling face poked it's way in. "Hey Catherine." Melinda. A slender Brazilian woman with a smile like the sun coming out from behind a cloud. You can't help but smile back. Her age, to me, could've been anywhere between thirty and sixty. She moved inside the door, arms loaded down with packages. Gently, she closed the door and grinned down at Loki. "You, you rascal, are supposed to be resting. Not running around like a hyperactive spinning top!" Loki contrived to look as innocent as any small dog can look. It worked, for about two seconds before he dove at the woman's feet and began to lick her ankles. Smiling, I moved over to help her with the packages. "What are these things? Hopefully not all of them are what you're trying to get me to wear for Carnival." I arched an eyebrow, "You'd better not be making me up to look like a peacock with a huge amount of plumage." She laughed. "Oh chica! The look on your face is priceless!" Her whole body shook with laughter. "And such a sight would probably eclipse all the other celebrants with your beauty." She picked up my bathrobe off the floor and tossed it over to me. "Put that on before you take a chill." Tying the robe shut, I watched as the woman unloaded groceries from several of the bags she had brought in. She wouldn't let me help her put them away. The first and only time I tried, she handed me a mug of coffee and made me sit in the lounger. "Have I told you how much I appreciate your company and your friendship, Melinda?" I sighed softly, "I haven't been the easiest person to live with since I arrived several months ago." She turned her dark brown eyes at me. "Several months ago, you were so bad off, you would have probably done something incredibly stupid the moment anyone raised their voice at you." Staring intently, she smiled, "Now look at you. You're able to go out and draw again, to sit at the market and sell your pictures without so much as a twitch when someone makes a loud noise. And," Those eyes began to twinkle in merriment. "You've been looking." A blush stole up my neck and warmed my cheeks. "Only looking, Melinda. I have to admit there are some very handsome men out there. But, " My eyes met hers, "Beauty is only the surface. I've had to many bad experiences with pretty faces." She nodded and sat on the futon, opening up one of the packages, revealing a dark gray shirt of the softest cotton. The neckline dipped in a v almost to the bottom seam. It's short sleeves were embroidered with peacock blue trim. Another package revealed an ocean blue skirt that tied on the side. Three ties would hold this skirt in place. Melinda laid both out on the bed with a grin. I gaped at the clothes. "You.. You..." Damnit, the blush heated my face again! "There's nothing there! Underwear will ruin the look!" I spluttered, knowing that there would be no getting out of her machinations. Her grin confirmed my suspicions. "Catherine, there is no need for you to even think about underwear. None is needed. Look at you. You're beautiful, you have a beautiful tan. I dare say that you're in the best condition you've ever been in your life! No, you're not wearing underwear with this." Winking, she unwrapped a large, flat box, bringing out the most beautiful peacock feathered mask I had ever seen in my life. It was the standard half mask, but iridescent green feathers were artfully glued into place while some of the longer feathers with the blue eyes stuck out of the top. Instead of a wide elastic band, an even wider black velvet tie gave the whole creation an air of expensive elegance. A closer look showed that the outline of the eyes were a double row tiny gold sequins that made two tiny swirls in the feathers at the corner of each eye slit. A gasp escaped my lips. "It's beautiful!" My eyes locked onto hers and I grinned. "May I try it on?" Handing it over, she smiled, "Of course. I, for one, would like to see how it fits and what it will look like when you wear it to the Carnival." she winked. My hands shook slightly as they lifted the mask to my face. To my surprise, the half mask was made from a soft leather instead of plastic. It caressed the contours of my skin as I slowly snugged it down and made a bowtie out of the ends. Only then did my body turn to face the mirror. I could hardly believe the transformation a simple mask could make. Mysterious, sexy, alluring. All those words flitted across my mind as I turned my head this way and that, admiring the way the colors highlighted the tan on my face and enhanced the whiteness of my shoulder length hair. "Melinda, where in the world did you find this stunning thing? I feel.." my mind went blank.. "different?" I drew off the robe and let my body speak for itself. Naked, I forgot anyone was in the room with me. My hands began to caress my nude flesh. The world went away as I began to pinch and play with my nipples, bringing them up to rigid peaks. Each caress sent little darts of pleasure down to my clit, causing me to moan softly. My hands traveled from my breasts, down my ribcage to torment the inside of my thighs. Melinda came up behind me and began to massage my back. Slowly she reached around to play with my nipples as my hands began to spread my pussy lips apart to finger my clit. "Yes, Catherine. Let yourself go. Ease the ache in yourself." She nipped my neck and pinched my nipples hard. Aching for a quick release, I thrust three fingers inside, spreading my legs. My body started to buck and thrust onto those fingers. My eyes watched as one of those coffee colored hands made their way down to play with my clit. The excitement was too much to bear as my eyes met her reflection in the mirror. Lightning electrified my whole body as it began to convulse. It was too much to hold in. The orgasm rocked my body backwards into her arms. She whispered in my ear in some unknown language, hugging me close, letting the pleasure run it's course. Nodding as she watched me regain my composure, then blush, she murmured, "Tonight. You must wear the mask tonight at a pre-festival masquerade party. The whole neighborhood will be out in masks and having a good time. Oh please say you'll come?" She helped me back into my robe while her eyes got wide and innocent. Far too innocent for me. "Melinda Santiago! What have you been up to? You never give me that sort of look unless something's happened." My eyes met hers in the mirror. Her almond ones had a glint of mischief in them. "Moi?" When I didn't relent, she sighed dramatically, " Someone showed up at my place with the drawing you made of a faceless man on a motorcycle. Seem a friend of his wanted to know who the artist was." My throat went dry and an image of Mickey Rourke floated into my brain. "Did he say who he was? " Another thought hit me, "You didn't invite him to the party, did you?" Shaking her head, she undid the mask from my face. "I didn't have to say anything. He already knew about it. He asked what time to be there. I said around nine. So." She grinned. "We'll leave the alluring clothing for the night of the festival. But what do you have for a party?" My face emerged from anonymity and I felt more like myself once again. "Let's look." I went over to a small closet in one side of the hut. Grinning, I reached in and brought out a jeans and tank top, then made a face at it. "Nah, too normal." A flimsy dress that was a slip someone had given me as a gag gift. "Not even." That got tossed aside. A flash of emerald green caught my eye. Reaching in, I removed a wraparound dress, held together with a tie at the left hip. I knew this dress, and my throat closed. My hands bunched the silk in to a wad. "No!" I gritted out. Seeing my distress, Melinda came over and grabbed my hands. "Chica. What is it? You went pale." Looking at the dress, then at me, she arched an eyebrow. A soft bark from somewhere near my feet got my attention as well. I knelt to pick up the small dog. "I'm sorry. It's just that. The dress. It's not supposed to.. I left it.. " I stiffened and looked around. A silent dread made the hair on the back of my head stand on end. "I left that dress back in the States with the rest of the garbage in that apartment. If you look on the inside right shoulder strap, you'll see a thin line of a dark stain." I pulled the robe off my shoulder with one hand to show the thin, white scar. "I am not wearing that, Melinda. Not after the memories." She nodded, then paused. "Do you have a pair of scissors and some thread?" I nodded and got them from a hiding place. "What are you planning?" "Making good memories out of the bad for you. Because if you let it rule your life, you will never be happy again. And no worries, Chica. You will be safe. If that boy is out there in the night, he will find himself in pain should he dream of causing you any more emotional stress." She laid out the dress, then turned to me. "Go to the ocean. Loki and I will make you your party dress." Giving the dog one last nuzzle, I set him down and ran for the ocean. I had the shakes bad. All my mind could think of, before the roaring waves and pounding water enveloped my naked skin, was that he was here. Lord help me, he had found me. The water became a merciless torment, driving all thoughts out of my head as the waves pounded the shoreline. Finally, exhausted and still shaking, I climbed up on one of the rocks and sat down. My entire body started to tremble as I looked over the shoreline, and the ocean. What once had been my sanctuary, my hideaway, now became my torment. Not even the departing roar of the Harley made me look up from my misery. ****** The Samba music set the pace for the party about an hour before I arrived. It had been going full swing ever since. My nerves were high strung as my feet stepped onto the terraced patio. If it hadn't been for Melinda at my side, murmuring encouragement, I'd have been running back out to the darkness. Somewhere in the swirling, and colorful mass of people, my past waited to torment me. She was right. I needed to face my past, not let it rule me. Damn, life sucks! "Damnit, Melinda." I growled under my breath. "Why did I let you talk me into this?" "Because you need to. You're fine, the shakes are gone. Come on, over by the buffet and relax. You look like an Emerald princess. But then again, you are just a jewel amongst jewels in this crowd. There's only one that would recognize that dress and the moment he moves, he starts anything.." she let the threat an open ended one. Smiling, I self-consciously smoothed down the dress. Melinda had made it a strapless, and shortened the hem to knee-length. To enhance the look, she had found a pair of my sandals and used the scraps to make green criss cross ties up my calves. "Did I remember to thank you for the dress, the mask, and the rest?" The rest included a pair of green glass earrings and a silver necklace that draped a single green teardrop of glass into my cleavage. She nodded, then handed me a drink from the bar. "Relax, Catherine. You're doing fine so far." Someone called her name from across the room. "I'll be back in a few. Stay here if you like, or wander. Remember, someone will always be watching out for you." And off she went, disappearing into the crowds. Her bright yellow dress moved seductively with each driving beat of the music. Sipping my drink, I moved around the outer rim of the place. Slowly, I relaxed enough to interact with the people that knew me from the neighborhood. They asked after me, made sure I was okay. The way everyone acted, they all had a hand in making the mask I was wearing. For all I know, they did. Suddenly, I found myself on the dance floor, throwing caution to the wind. One of the musicians came down and began teaching me how to dance the Samba while another took his place. I began to have a good time, laughing and joking with people. Soon, however, my thirst got the better of me and I begged off for a bit. Before I got close to the buffet, my arm was seized in an all too familiar grip. One that would leave bruises in the morning. My brain shut down in terror as he spun me around to glare into my eyes. "Thought you could escape yer fate, eh bitch?" he growled, tightening his grip. "No one gets away from me that easy. When I'm done with you, I think I'll go back and pluck that Rose you call a sister!" Those words sliced through the paralysis of fear. Threaten me all he wanted and he'd probably have gotten away with something. Threaten my family and that's something totally different. My free hand came up to caress his tiny cock. Keeping my nausea at bay, I let him see what he wanted to see, before my hand began to slowly tighten on him. "Al," I whispered quietly, "Anything you do to me, I can survive." I clenched my hand sharply and lifting. "But if you so much as THINK about touching my sister with your fucking paws, I will personally remove what's left of your ego and shove it up your ass!" My voice shook with fear and rage. He stood very still. "We aren't done yet, bitch." He turned loose of my arm, backhanded me across my face so hard my grip loosened on his crotch. Smiling nastily, he turned and melted into the crowds. I glanced around as people began to react to what they just saw, some followed Al out the door, others began talking. Unable to bear their stares any longer, I snagged a glass of dark red wine and fled outside to one of the empty balcony terraces. Once there, I set the glass on a nearby flat space and gripped the iron railing so hard, my knuckles turned white. Every muscle in my body locked into place as emotions ran rampant. The skin across my face burned like fire and something salty touched my tongue as my mouth opened to breathe. Damned asshole. He wore the discipline ring. A ring with nothing but sharp spikes on it. I moaned softly into the night and closed my eyes, trying to keep the whimpers from escaping. Suddenly, powerful arms wrapped themselves around me, enveloping me, pulling me backwards into a very muscular chest. I looked down to see black silk and calloused hands. I almost jerked away when a familiar voice murmured in my ear. "It's okay. Relax." His lips were close enough to caress my earlobe when he spoke. Masked in Rio Ch. 02 Closing my eyes, I shook my head. "A dream." I whispered, "This is a dream." This was the voice that had tormented me from the DVD housed in the player at the bungalow. My mind refused to believe that Mickey Rourke stood behind me, holding me. The smoke roughened voice sent goose bumps racing up my arms. "It's real, hon." A hand reached out to take the glass and lift it to my lips, "Drink. It will calm your nerves." I drank, wincing slightly as the alcohol touched the cut on my lip. Taking a breath, my body hands finally let loose of the railing enough to caress the hand that still held me. I tried turning, but the arm tightened. His lips descended onto my bare shoulder, causing me to inhale sharply. "No. Don't turn around. I want you to forget the world. It's just you, and me and the sky above us." His hands caressed their way down my arms. "Besides, if I saw your face at the moment, I would be hunting down that bastard instead of being here with you." Just the vibration of his voice sent my pussy into soak mode. I had no underwear on and the juices would soon be running down my legs. "You don't know me." I whispered the half-needed plea. "Why would you.." His finger brushed my lips. "Because I want to." He turned my face slightly. Not enough for me to see his face, but enough for him to kiss the cut on my lip, lick the blood from the cut. "And because you need to." His hands slowly worked their way down over my dress, cupping my breasts through the fabric and running his thumbs across the hard, pointy peaks. His hands worked their magic as they gave me a brief respite before working their way down to my hips. Slowly, the hem rose until he could touch bare skin. Just the sensuous feel of his touch made me moan softly. I reached back to caress his leg, feeling the jean-clad muscles tense, then relax as my light touch caressed. His lips were sending fire rocketing through my veins, sending any rational thought screaming into oblivion. Then I felt it, his fingernails, lightly raking up the insides of my thighs. Each fingernail seemed to be a single, exquisite torment all it's own, drawing a soft whimper from my lips. "Oh yessss." My body started to shiver. Behind us, the band warmed up to a semi-fast dance. The lips that had been kissing my shoulder paused and I knew he had started to smile while his hands continued their erotic torture. "Catherine" he breathed in my ear, "Would you like to dance?" "I don't think my legs will go with the idea." I moaned. My lips opened to suck on one of the fingers, causing him to gasp. I began to lick, savoring the taste of him. His body began to move in time with the music, grinding his hips into my ass. The sizable bulge rubbing against me almost made me cum right on the spot. One of his hands made its way up to my lips in a tender caress. "Let me worry about that, baby." His other hand gave in to temptation and slipped a finger into my wet pussy. His thumb found my clit as he began working me up to a fevered pitch. My body began to dance to the tune of his fingers, bucking and thrusting as three fingers invaded my wet pussy. Grinding my hips back into his concealed cock, I reached my hands back over my shoulder to caress his neck, only to encounter a mask. No feathers on this one, just soft velvet. The fabric sent tingles down my arms. "Unh." as the music picked up the tempo. Soon, my body began to shake as much as it was dancing. The tingle of an impending orgasm began to tighten my inner muscles. "Go ahead, Catherine." Mickey's harsh breathing warmed my neck. "Cum. I can feel it building in you. Cum for me before I loose control and forget myself." His hips began to grind into my ass. His teeth bit down into my neck muscle as his own groan of need was as much of a trigger as his whispered plea. I sucked his index finger deep into my mouth as the pleasure and pain sent me over the edge. My whole body bucked and rocked in orgasm. He pulled his finger out and hugged me close as my body had gone into convulsions. His thumb brushed my clit and stars exploded behind my eyes, sending me soaring higher into bliss. Bucking and shaking, my legs gave out. I would have fallen to the cobblestones if Mickey hadn't been holding me. When my brain cleared, his arms were still holding me tight, his body absolutely still. When my body began to shift slightly, his arms tightened. "Don't." He whispered. "Don't move. Give me a few minutes." His body started to tremble and a soft groan escaped him. It was only then that I realized that he hadn't cum. He hadn't even touched his pants. My hand reached back to caress his neck again. "Why?" I asked. No one had shown that much restraint. No one had ever given me pleasure without finding heaven themselves. A deep breath sounded behind me and he stepped back. "Because of who you are. You are special. A man who uses a woman solely for his own pleasure is not a man at all. I've seen it in your eyes, Catherine. I've watched you." His hand came up to caress my cheek from behind. I shivered slightly and turned my cheek into his palm. "You did that for me?" Tears formed in my eyes at his kindness. "But you.." His hand caressed my lips, silencing me. "Have your friend walk you home." He murmured against my hair. "You are too special not to be cared for." A hand reached over and gave me the rest of my wine. "Go" he whispered. I turned away from him and headed back into the party. Pausing, I looked back, only to see nothing but shadows. Shadows, I knew, held the five foot eleven frame of Mickey Rourke. Turning back to the crowds, I stopped by the buffet to get a napkin for my lip. As I was dabbing at the cut, Melinda rushed up. "Chica! Where did you go? He was here, wasn't he?" she got a look at my face and her eyes snapped with anger. "Why didn't you call?" I chuckled. "Melinda, it happened to fast. Besides, I think he's nursing a case of injured nuts and dick. " I felt the eyes of the crowd on me again. My self-confidence started to crumble. "I want to go home. Can you walk with me? I don't think I can stand making it in the dark tonight. he.. He threatened my sister and my family." "Let's go." ******* As we neared the darkened hut, my eyes took in several things at once. No lights in any of the rooms. The outline of a Harley hidden amongst the palm tree grove, and the glow of a burning cigarette in the shadows. I turned to Melinda, fighting to keep the smile off my face. "Thanks, Melinda. Thanks for everything. I think I can go the rest of the way on my own." Looking into my eyes, she must have noticed something, because she laughed outright. "Okay, Catherine. Be mysterious. But you put a cold pack on that cheek the moment you have time." She looked up to the sky and sighed. "It's a beautiful night for romance, Chica. Enjoy it" In a swirl of skirts and feathers, she was gone. I turned, ignoring the eyes that were boring into my body, and walked into the one place that had become home to me until I could get my shattered emotions back on track. Only then would I return to the States. Smiling, I reached back and undid the mask. Setting it aside, my hand went up to touch my face as my first thought was the refrigerator and some ice. The puncture wounds had stopped bleeding, but it was swollen and sore. Instead of ice, however, my searching produced a bottle of wine and a glass. Knowing that someone was out there, watching made things seem more exciting. Special. A soft rrrruf from a darkened corner let me know that Loki was hiding in the darkness. "Hush." I whispered. "He's a friend. Go guard the Harley and leave the owner alone." Clicking claws on the hardwood floor indicated the dog leaving. Pouring a glass of ruby red liquid, my body began to heat up. Streaming moonlight lit up the dress that I was wearing. And the tell tale bloodstains. Taking a deep breath to keep my emotions intact, I ripped it off and tossed it in the garbage. Then, slowly, every last bit of clothing flew into a corner, revealing my naked body to the soft glow coming through the skylight above me. Smiling, I sipped some wine, then moved to the center of the room. Out of the shadows, a hand caressed my naked shoulder, running a finger over the bite mark. "I got carried away." Mickey said from the shadows. "I'm sorry." I grinned and reached a hand up to hold his. Turning to face him, I tilted my head. "If you'll recall, neither of us were complaining." I brought his hand to my lips and nibbled the flesh there. Only then did I realize he was still wearing the mask. He touched the mask, "It stays on until midnight tomorrow night." he grinned, then it faded as he took a step forward. He drew his hand back and practically ripped the shirt off his body, eyes on fire with unfulfilled lust. I stepped into him just as his lips crashed down on mine in frantic desperation. Fire consumed us both as my hands joined his in trying to get his pants off. This time, it became pure primal need. No words were spoken, no soft music or candle light. Just the full moon to bear witness as his clothes were tossed aside. Pulling back, the glowing moonlight brought his exquisitely sculpted body into harsh relief. His cock appeared to be marbled in the shadows of the room. He looked like a god come to life. He took the two steps necessary to reach me. Fire blazed in his eyes as he picked me up, and impaled me on his that steel hard rod with a growl of sexual frenzy. We tumbled backwards onto the bed. The force of us hitting the mattress only drove him deeper inside me, triggering the first of many orgasms. Stars exploded behind my eyelids as the pleasure of being taken threatened to overwhelm my senses. Frantically, we grappled with each other. Neither of us winning as we strained and thrust ourselves together. The wet slapping of flesh against flesh echoed in the room followed by the faint crashing of the surf against the rocks outside in the moonlit ocean. Soon, his harsh breathing in my ear gave way to soft groans as he finally grabbed my wrists and pulled my arms up over my head. Gripping my ass with the other hand, he began to viciously pound his cock into my pussy. After three mind blowing orgasms, my skin became overloaded with pleasure. Gasping, I met him thrust for thrust as my body neared the peak of a fourth orgasm. I managed to get one long moan out before I heard him. "I'm Cumming" he growled in my ear, then bit down on my neck as he hammered deep inside, fusing his body with mine. My teeth found his flesh as well as we both fell over the edge of pleasure. Darkness closed about me as my mind went blank for several minutes. I woke to a cool towel on my forehead, an icepack on my face, and Mickey Rourke standing over me in nothing but one of my beach towels. My brain replayed what happened and I grinned as a blush stole up my cheeks. Mickey, taking pity on me, knelt and took my hand, kissing it. "You're so beautiful." He grinned. "And such an animal in bed." I groaned. "You had to say that, didn't you." He laughed. "Yes, I did. Because you blush so easily." He crawled into bed on the other side of me. "And because your mind started to think about what we did, and it would start telling you rational things." He moved the rag from my forehead and kissed the dampness away. "Don't think, Catherine. Just relax, and sleep." He took the ice pack from my face and set it in a bowl to melt, then gathered me into his arms. Sighing, I shut my eyes, cuddling closer. The last sound I heard before darkness sucked me into it's embrace, was the heartbeat of Mickey Rourke as he relaxed into sleep himself. NOTE: As usual, Scream if you want more.