Chapter 12 Noelle #2
There was no way around it—cheeks burning with embarrassment, she slipped off her plain beige bra and panties and stood there, utterly bare.
She couldn’t remember the last time she’d been completely naked in front of anyone other than her doctor.
Even when she’d been with Branson, her ex, she’d insisted the lights stay off.
He hadn’t minded. He’d hardly ever looked at her anyway—he only wanted to use her body for his own selfish pleasure and then roll over and go to sleep.
Still shielding her chest with one arm, she tried to keep some semblance of dignity as she stood there, nude and trembling.
“No, no—none of that,” Lupin said impatiently. “I need to see your form for the scanner. Now over here, please.”
He motioned toward a piece of tech that looked like a 3D viewer crossed with a dressing room mirror from hell—angled panels of gleaming metal and mirrored glass, with a blinking red light which began scanning her up and down immediately as soon as she stepped awkwardly into position.
The image that appeared on the screen made her flinch.
Dios, is that really what I look like?
Her hips were wide, her thighs were soft and her breasts sagged more than she cared to admit.
Stretch marks laced the sides of her belly like silver spider webs.
Her arms weren’t toned. Her skin looked tired.
Her stomach was too full and round—a soft curve that used to be flat back in college… but of course, that was years ago.
I used to be thin. I used to be cute. What the hell happened to me?
Lupin tsked behind her.
“Well, you need a bit more work than I thought. But never you mind, my dear—I’ve seen worse,” he said briskly. “Just wait—we’ll get you into shape. Now then—into the pool.”
He gestured toward the enormous circular basin of glossy black liquid.
Noelle turned toward it, heart sinking. The pool took up the entire far wall of the “spa” and looked less like a luxury feature and more like an alien tar pit. The surface shimmered faintly under the overhead lights, as though it were breathing.
“Uh…” She stepped forward warily. “What is that stuff?”
“It’s the Rejuvenation Pool, of course,” Lupin said with a wide grin. “It’s the centerpiece of your transformation. Come on now—let’s not be difficult.”
“I… I can’t really swim,” she admitted. “Well—not very well.”
“Oh, don’t worry about that. It’s quite shallow,” he said with a dismissive wave. “Come along—your fertility treatments won’t take otherwise.”
“My what?” she demanded, turning her head to look over her shoulder at him. “Wait, what are you talking about? I don’t—”
“In you go!” he interrupted cheerfully—and before she could stop him, he gave her a sharp little shove between the shoulder blades.
Noelle shrieked as she lost her balance.
“Hey, wait! No—”
Her arms windmilled wildly, but it was no use. She stumbled forward and fell face-first into the inky black surface… and immediately discovered that it wasn’t water at all.
The substance enveloped her like warm glue—thick, dense, and heavy.
It smelled faintly of sulfur and metal and something strangely sweet underneath, like decaying fruit.
Noelle’s mind screamed in horror as the alien stuff sucked her in.
Oh God, it’s not water—it’s like oatmeal. No, not even that—like pudding made of tar. What the hell is this?
She broke the surface with a gasp, sputtering and wiping the clinging black goop from her face. It stuck to her skin like melted plastic, oozing down her shoulders and clinging to her hair.
The pool was not shallow. She was standing on tiptoes just to keep her chin above the surface, and she could feel the stuff sucking at her legs like it was alive and it wanted to drag her down again.
“Hey!” she shouted up at Lupin, who was watching from the edge. “What the hell is this? Let me out of here, you hijo de puta!”
“Now, now—just relax,” he said, completely unfazed. “In just a moment the bathing attendant will be along to give your skin an extra treatment—I think you need it.”
“What attendant? What extra treatment?” she sputtered, blinking black goo out of her lashes. “I just want to get out of here!”
The goop had gotten into her mouth—bitter, acrid, like scorched toast and chemicals. She gagged and spit into the muck.
Lupin didn’t answer. Instead, he produced a tiny silver bell from somewhere inside his tunic and gave it a sharp ring.
“Hey now!” he called brightly. “Hurry up—we need an extra rejuvenating skin treatment and the client is already in the tub. Come on!”
Client?! I’m not a client—I’m a prisoner!
Noelle turned slowly in the viscous liquid, heart thudding. Should she try to scramble out? But wouldn’t Lupin just push her in again?
Even if he does, I have to try, she thought.
“Okay, I’m getting out,” she said, and reached for the edge of the pool… just as something slithered around her ankle.
It was slick—like rubber or snake-skin—but strong. Too strong for Noelle to get free, even though she kicked her legs.
“Wha—?” she gasped and then screamed as she was yanked under.