Relics by Shaun Hutson Page B

to her feet, she tasted blood in her mouth. The blow had loosened one of her front teeth and she prodded it tentatively with her tongue. The pain galvanized her into action, and with fists flailing she ran at Ferguson.
    He grinned, as if her onslaught were some kind of challenge. He ducked under her clumsy swing and grabbed her hair, several tufts coming away in the process.
    The dogs were barking madly now, making an unbearable din in the confined space of the cellar. The sound reverberated around the walls until it became deafening.
    Carol screamed and struck out at her husband again but he caught her wrist, squeezing tightly, dragging her down to the floor with him. He was smiling insanely as he hauled her across the ground, and her eyes bulged in terror as she saw what he intended to do.
    He guided her hand towards the bars of the albino dog’s cage, laughing as the ferocious animal barked and snapped at the offered appendage.
    Carol shrieked as she felt her hand touch the cold steel of the bars. She made a fist to prevent her husband from pushing the hand through but he slammed it repeatedly against the bars until her knuckles bled and her fingers went limp. The dog, already going mad in its eagerness to reach the hand, became completely frenzied at the sight of the blood which dripped from the gashed knuckles.
    Carol could feel its hot breath only inches away from her, and the foul odour of it made her want to vomit.
    ‘It’ll have your fucking hand off in five seconds flat,’ rasped Ferguson, keeping her pinned helplessly against the bars. ‘Want me to show you?’ He jerked her hand closer to the foaming jaws of the crazed dog.
    Both dogs kept straining violently against their chains, and their barking seemed to grow louder and louder until Carol was aware of nothing else. She felt herself blacking out, but Ferguson pulled her head back and with his free hand tugged her away from the cage. Her blouse ripped and her large breasts were exposed. She could feel his erection pressing against her as they grappled on the floor and his hands squeezed her breasts roughly, leaving red marks around the nipples.
    She tried to push him off but he was too heavy for her. She felt his other hand reaching beneath her skirt, tearing at her knickers. He ripped them off with one savage grunt and flung them aside.
    ‘Next time I’m going to let them tear your fucking hand off,’ Ferguson said, his breath coming in short gasps. He stared down at Carol and she tried one last time to slither away from him, but he pinned her beneath him with one powerful arm, releasing his bulging organ from his trousers with his free hand and then forcing her legs apart.
    The black pit terrier managed to slip its chain and it slammed into the bars only inches from Carol’s face, its frenzied barks ringing in her ears, its saliva spattering her.
    ‘Looks like he wants to join us,’ laughed Ferguson, and he drove into her savagely, making her shriek with the sudden sharp pain. He leant forward to kiss her and, as he did, she caught his bottom lip between her teeth and bit hard, feeling the fleshy bulge split. Blood filled her mouth and she spat it at him, but Ferguson ignored the discomfort. He pinned both her arms to the filthy floor, wet with dog urine, and pounded into her, his deep grunts of pleasure mingling in her ears with the noise of the animals.
    She closed her eyes tightly as she felt him tense, then a moment later she heard his groans as he reached his climax and his thick fluid filled her, some of it spilling out to mix with the reeking mess which coated the floor.
    He withdrew almost immediately, rolled off her and pushed his shrinking penis back inside his trousers.
    Carol rolled onto her side, the pain from her broken tooth and the taste of blood making her feel sick. Ferguson prodded her with the toe of his boot.
    ‘Now get out,’ he chuckled. ‘Go on, good dog.’ He began to laugh, his raucous guffaws punctuated with threatening