Venom - Lady Grant the High Roller

Here's a follow-up story to a commission from last month, this is all on my own back as I really liked the OC we came up with and what she says as a character. I wanted to delve a little deeper into her story after her ladyship had finished off getting to grips with the Venom symbiote. This one is available for all Patrons, the other one will be available for everyone not on the upper tier in a few months time if the story interests you.

If some of it is on the trickier side to read, particularly Lady Grant's passages, that's because while it's third person, it's written with each chapter from a different character's perspective and Lady Grant/Venom - as a woman of haughty upbringing - is arrogant, educated and uses sophisticated words to try and drive home her character traits.

I hope you enjoy, this is a smaller project with the main goal this month being the end of Inque's story. Story pasted below and linked at the bottom if you'd prefer the .Doc

Stay beautiful,

Smooth

Upper East Side, New York City...

Instantaneous gratification resonated throughout the glistening and regal physique of Lady Cordelia Caldwell Grant as she sashayed through ornate doors.

It was a sensation akin to belonging, to a homecoming as her Ladyship graced the Elixir La Luxe with her captivating presence. This, she pondered, was a real casino! It had been too long.

The vibrant, yet refined atmosphere hummed around the latest guest as she entered; it soaked into her living second skin like a comforting embrace of warm familiarity. That atmosphere seemed to momentarily hang heavy, to pause in astonishment and appreciation of Lady Cordelia's arrival.

Indeed while the Elixir La Luxe was a stringently exclusive establishment for only the finest kind of people, there was not another soul here quite like her Ladyship. Eyes swivelled, minds refocused and ears perked in the presence of her majestic aura.

Lady Grant's own pitiless eyes surveyed the scene and found an immaculately dressed who's who of the best and brightest that New York City had to offer; her kind of people, though none could compare to her.

Finely tailored suits, elegant ball gowns, expensive designer outfits and more... all of it paled into insignificance in her Ladyship's eyes when considered next to her own, inimitable regalia.

Cordelia scoffed and threw her shoulders even further back at the mere proposition that any collection of fibres – no matter the cost – could find equivalence to the outfit to end all outfits: her own gleaming, polyvinyl chloride-like extraterrestrial raiment!

Its texture enraptured its wearer by nature and nurture, kneading her softly and purposefully within and without. Every inch of her sensed its existence, caressing her and sliding around almost worshipfully inside her.

Were another soul to look close enough they may have seen the creases between the buttocks of her skintight suit where a sizeable extension of the alien's mass invaginated to fondle her interior.

Each gentle throb of that matter filled her Ladyship with sensations akin to most indulgent of bowel movements: a bass delectation that Cordelia revelled in with imperturbable dignity.

She wasn't merely thrilled by that in vivo presence however, as her pet costume's outer touch squeezed and wriggled to match that animalistic relish. It was, inarguably, the zenith of human-clothing relations in Lady Cordelia's eyes.

Not content with posessing sensory perfection, her catsuit's style matched that sublimity. It was faultlessly sheer and yet bedecked with more pearls and diamonds than the human mind could reasonably calculate: a sight to behold!

Its lambency spoke to a quality of build no artificial fabric could even hope to immitate; in her own eyes, Lady Grant wore a dream made manifest!

Indeed, Lady Cordelia's quasi-sentient catsuit made even the recherché garments around her seem like tattered rags by comparison! She had attained empyrean levels of haute couture and all around her could but ogle her covetously.

An entire day had expired since her chance conquest of the shapeshifting, otherworldly matter and in that time her Ladyship had learned much pertinent to her enduing topcoat. So too had she imparted much upon the sable supernatant she flaunted before an impotent world.

With it free from the corrupting touch of a certain tactless upstart named Spider-Man, she had found unfettered access to its will and being, access she had seized with unbound relish.

Assuredly the manner in which she had disposed of its prior possessor had lubricated its submission: by draining him like a desiccated fruit and imbibing all he had been, Cordelia had expunged all that Peter Parker had ever amounted to! With him out of the way and made such a mockery of, the alien glop had surrendered implicitly.

Since she had assumed control, what consciousness it once conceived of possessing had frittered away in lieu of a new purpose and existence as a chaste extension in body and mind of she who wore it... It now knew its place and that place was all over Cordelia, stuck to her like glue and living for her touch.

With each collosal stride Lady Grant took in understanding her finest servant, she learned ever more of what she was now capable of; were she to describe the breadth of those capabilities, then she might choose the words... approximately transfinite!

So besotted was she with her new, comprehensive wardrobe that it was only here that she finally felt even remotely comfortable. In the presence of such grand splendor as that offered within the hallowed walls of the Elixir La Luxe Casino, she at least found herself surrounded by a pocket reality she didn't deem it an insult to her wear regal living cloth in.

Such grandeur would boggle the minds of the peasants, she was sure: the fine, gilded architecture; the meticulously kempt, rare and ornate foliage; the immense and famous personalities... such things were above the poor, of that Cordelia had no doubt!

So seemed to be the case with the youth tagging along dutifully in her wake: her new manservant, Horatio. He had been a gift, one her Ladyship had bestowed upon herself as a thing fit for enjoyment, a prize she had claimed to celebrate this new dawn and all that entailed.

Lady Cordelia needn't even spare a glance to understand Horatio's amasement, all owing to her symbiote's panoptic visual spectrum: like a third eye wrapped around her every inch, her animate body-glove endowed her with all-pervading sight!

In her rear view, the young man's mouth hung crudely agape, a sure sign that he still required work to perfect his conditioning. Lady Cordelia had few objections, she had rather enjoyed her afternoon's work breaking and re-educating her young man and on his part, he had cracked splendidly up to now!

With the welcome and envivifying assistance of her slippery skin-soup, Lady Grant had cracked his ego apart like the rind of an overripe cantaloupe and eagerly punched into the sweet pulp of his subconscious mind! She had twisted and she had tampered, straining Horatio's mind into utter obedience... she had found him most receptive.

It seemed that despite her efforts however, her footman remained rough around the edges; it hadn't been as cut and dry as her previous, cruder attempt to break a human mind. That worthless chauffeur she'd conquered last night...

She'd fed entire quadrants of his cerebrum to her ravenous costume and while that had made him supremely receptive, it had also reduced the man to little more than an animal, one incapable of higher tasks.

With all that in mind, she had forsaken a full lobotomy in favour of merely brainwashing Horatio, a more protracted yet intimate experience. Her Ladyship's ever expanding suite of alien abilities had rendered the process mostly successful and exquisitely gratifying!

'Horatio...' She finally declared as she floated across the priceless marble floor ahead of him, 'With your mouth hanging open like that, everyone will think that I'm fraternizing with imbreds.' His mouth snapped shut as he hung on her every word; where his eyes had wandered they now focused and he stood straighter than ever.

Cordelia's head slowly swivelled to show a repulsed, uncompromising sneer of disgust carved from her full, plump features. 'You wouldn't want that now, would you?' She asked, staring daggers into him while not so much as breaking stride.

'N-n-n-no, M'lady!' He stammered and hurried a couple of steps to catch up to her long, pretentious gait. He himself corrected his posture, the venue losing its spectacle the moment he recalled everything expected of him in Lady Cordelia's employ.

'There's a good boy...' She raised a hand and casually yet ostentatiously flicked her wrist. 'Now bring me a drink and make it a good one!' She challenged her new servant, a rather cruel trick given her exquisitely honed and particular tastes: chances of his pleasing her were slim to say the least... unless he used his head that is.

'At once, M'lady!' He stopped while Lady Cordelia turned towards a short set of steps onto the gaming floor; she glanced towards her butler as he clacked his heels together and bowed deeply before turning away. Yes... he'd do nicely indeed!

By now she'd spent fully several seconds considering her manservant, several seconds too long when surrounded by a phalanx of aristocrats, power-players and celebrities all crying out to be hobnobbed with!

Casting her gaze excitedly across the room, her Ladyship smiled warmly and genuinely; she lived for this, for the high life, for this kind of company and tonight she would go all-in!

On the Gaming Floor...

'While I would love to see such a charming man right, such behaviour just wouldn't be proper, Mr. Walpole!' That was a good way to put him down, nice and simple, slightly uppity but definitive enough to make her point.

While she would never say the quiet part out loud, Felicia Hardy was on the clock and rubbing shoulders with the rich and famous was only a part of her job.

Nobody on this table was offering any interesting intel, they were all on their best behaviour being the usual upper-class mob she'd grown used to over the weeks she'd been coming here.

As someone with a more than shady claim to wealth, she wasn't about to judge the crowd too harshly of course. Her appearance tonight was about business, but she certainly enjoyed the company and atmosphere.

Still, the immaculately dressed attention-grabbing cat-burglar supreme needed a way out of this situation right now and that get-out was just about to breeze behind her.

An almost uncomfortable sense of apprehension swept over Felicia, like eyes were burrowing into the back of her skull and the air had grown heavy.

She'd known auras before, she felt like she had quite the aura herself, but this...

Her nostrils filled with a scent like natural, high-grade latex mixed with the finest feminine perfume she'd ever smelled.

Someone... Someone important... walked by! Even over the constant soft din of the exquisite casino, the sounds of high-heeled boots clacking on the marble floor hit her like gunshots.

Mixed in with that sound was snother that matched the smell: creaking, rippling rubber latex pulled tight to a large, imposing body.

Sometimes Felicia's superhuman senses felt like a burden, but right now they were a blessing; every one of those senses was on high alert, screaming out for attention.

Even before she half-turned to look, she felt like she knew an awful lot about the woman in question:

Firstly, Felicia didn't know her. Newcomers were nothing special in such a vital centre of power in the Big Apple, but this woman felt like a total mystery. For the famed thief and information broker known as Black Cat, that felt like a huge failing.

Secondly, she was dangerous. Socially, that was a given since everyone here was a master negotiator; physically however, even as someone with hidden powers and almost unmatched skills, she felt very threatened indeed!

Lastly, this woman appealed to her on more levels than she would like to admit. Like, every level... The latex, the aura, the perfume, the style...

Felicia Hardy finally got a glimpse with a side-eye and confirmed everything. Indeed the mystery woman wore a gleaming, polished black catsuit tailor-made to bring out the absolute best of her large, yet voluptuous frame.

She didn't just wear that bodysuit however, she absolutely owned it! She knew a thing or five hundred about shiny catsuits and making them look good, but she felt rather small both physically and metaphorically next to this plump, yet somehow delightfully muscular figure.

The curves of the woman, sporting a pixie haircut of black with slight flecks of violet, swayed back and forth hypnotically, making it more than a little difficult to look away.

Look away she did, though, turning back to the table and taking this as the opportunity she was looking for.

'I'm sorry, Mr. Walpole, but I'll have to leave you to your game.' She said, sliding her chips towards the croupier to cash out.

When she finally turned to see the ageing, yet silent man's expression, she realised he wasn't even looking at her, but was rather transfixed with the same woman Felicia had found herself perving over!

Almost unconsciously, Felicia puffed out her cheeks and furrowed her brow. Like... hello?! How, slim young woman in a plunging pencil dress stood right in front of you?!

She didn't bother, taking her winning and spinning away with just enough force to snap the man out of his trance.

'-Wha?! Well I-' The aristocrat huffed in that thick British accent of his, 'Ah, Miss?' He asked after her as she stormed off with more poise and grace than she had any right to. 'Where are you... Blast!'

She almost heard him slump against the table in defeat, though he'd made her easy social escape possible. Felicia now set about finding the woman who had caught her eye.

This wasn't exactly new, being overwhelmed by the people in these parties, but this time felt special. Her heart was beating nervously in her chest, her hands were clammy and her eyes wouldn't so much as glance away from the unmistakable figure.

'~Ooooo~ho~ho~ho~hoooo!~' The woman's harsh, yet cultured voice rose over the murmur, clear as day in Felicia's ears. Unfortunately, she'd stopped for a chat rather than to play.

'Oh Benjamin, you old rascal you!' She seemed so very comfortable and confident amongst such company, clearly she belonged here. It was only now that she caught a slight glimpse of the woman's face.

She wasn't young, late fourties perhaps, not what might be considered traditionally attractive; her fierce yet full face had a certain spellbinding something about it though, an X-factor of some kind.

'Oh Lady Grant, your humility does you much credit but you simply are the Belle of the ball this evening!' Lady Grant, is it? She knew that name... Cordelia Grant, basically American royalty but the kind of figure Felicia would never expect to meet in the wild!

Without even realising it, caught up in her thoughts, Black Cat had continued walking; she suddenly found the woman's cold, piercing eyes staring right into her own!

'Oh I'm not so sure about that, Benjamin... Good Evening, young lady.' Even her smile, when she shared it was impermeable: she was either the warmest person on earth or was the toothy grin of a predator set to tear her apart in an instant.

With a slight, almost hidden gulp, Felicia wondered if she'd almost prefer the latter. She glanced down to the glittering rubber gloved hand extended to her.

She couldn't help but identify the clear and obvious signs of finely honed and effective musculature hidden beneath Lady Grant's almost total-enclosure catsuit.

At range even she had confused that raw power as the pleasing fullness of a life lived in the lap of luxury; the truth was that this woman had the body of a power-lifter and yet deep experience in life.

She could tell that power even before her own velvet-gloved hand slid into the slick rubber glove awaiting her, but still the grip strength behind a gentle shake made Felicia question her safety.

This was crazy! There was no way that she, a literal super-villainess was feeling intimidating by some admittedly well-proportioned socialite! Nothing she knew about all this made sense until a lightbulb went off in her head.

Of course she knew who this was, she'd collected the footage after all, but why had it taken so long to click? The figure and especially the hair were unmistakable! Then there was the ornate pearl spider-shaped jewellery... This was her alright!

The realisation stuck with Felicia for a few moments as she tried to come to terms with it; indeed, if she was right, then this woman really was dangerous... Dangerous to a truly frightening extreme!

'Ah! Lady Grant, allow me to introduce Miss Felicia Hardy.' The fine gentleman beside them interrupted. 'And Miss Hardy, this is Lady Cordelia Caldwell Grant, a true beacon of American society!'

Lady Grant released her hand and pulled away, immediately breaking into a laugh '~Oooo~ho~ho~hoooo!~' She flamboyantly swung her hand to her mouth coquettishly, 'Oh Mr. Rollins, you flatter me!'

'It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Miss Hardy...' Lady Grant refocused on her, 'Perhaps...' She glanced away for just a moment towards a young man approaching from Felicia's rear.

'You'd indulge me in a game?' She asked, taking a glass of wine sheepishly offered to her by the almost haunted looking youth.

This was exactly what she'd hoped for, a chance to find out for sure if her guesstimation was correct: that this was the woman who killed Spider-Man!

'The pleasure is all mine, Lady Grant. I'd be delighted to!' She gave a warm smile, the kind of smile she would usually hide in favour of a colder, more detached expression. That flicked of unprofessional behaviour was out of character, maybe Cordelia was really getting under her skin!

'Excellent!' Lady Grant clapped her gloved hands together with a deeply satisfying sound, a sound she seemed to almost enjoy; Felicia certainly did, but then fetishes are wild things in practice. 'And what's your preference, my dear?'

Felicia was caught out, she hadn't thought this far ahead; this feeling of losing control of a situation, being a pawn in someone else's plans... it unsettled her deeply, but somehow it almost felt wrong to try and impose herself.

She had to think: did she know this woman's favored game? No... She was totally unprepared for this! All she could do was be honest and confident!

'Well... If I may be so bold, Lady Grant. I consider the humble dice to be the purest indicator of fortune. Would you care for a game of Craps?' Felicia suggested in her finest voice and watched light and life surge into Cordelia's eyes.

'Oh my sweet girl, you're simply delightful!' The mature woman exclaimed excitedly, had she... had she really guessed Lady Grant's favourite game? Did they have something else in common?!

'Pah! Isn't she just?!' Benjamin Rollins interjected once more, there never seemed to be a private conversation around these people. 'Miss Hardy has been a breath of fresh air here these last few weeks, a delightful young lady indeed!'

'Oh I can imagine, Benjamin!' With a smooth, alarmingly swift yet elegant movement, Cordelia was suddenly by Felicia's side with a warm, sticky rubbery hand wrapped around the small of Black Cat's bare back. 'Polite and wise at such a young, fresh age!'

Maybe it was the sensation of latex against her skin once more or maybe it was the way Cordelia used the word “fresh” to refer to her like a piece of meat, but either way a shiver ran the whole way up Felicia Hardy's spine.

'Indeed, you know I have a preference for cards so I'll leave you ladies to your game.' With a sudden jolt, the thickset woman pulled Felicia into motion; despite their equal heights, Cordelia made Felicia feel rather inadequately slender.

'Do take care of the young lady, Cordelia; she's yet a budding flower!' The voice behind them cautioned. Felicia, almost along for the ride, saw Lady Grant half turn to reply.

'Oh Benji, do behave! I'm not about to despoil such a sweet, innocent thing...!' Felicia could see the older woman regarding her nervous expression. '-immediately.' Cordelia whispered her final word for only Felicia to hear.

She gulped and summoned up her courage, she could handle this... probably. Felicia gave a smirk as they crossed the gambling floor, all clacking heels and creaking rubber. 'What makes you think I'm so innocent, Lady Grant?'

'Oh?' She chirped in amusement, 'You see yourself as something of a maverick, do you my sweet?' That wasn't the reaction Felicia had hoped for, Cordelia was clearly not someone to intimidate easily. The elder stateswoman gave a gentle chuckle.

'Clearly you haven't heard, then...' Cordelia turned away as the strolled on.

'Haven't heard what?' Felicia asked, lost in trying to find her meaning.

'We're all mavericks here, darling... Exploiters, kingmakers, masterminds...' Cordelia listed off just a few of the things Felicia knew happened amongst this crowd, '-we're the people the world is supposed to hate, the powerful few pulling all the strings...'

'What you have to understand...' Another smile crept onto Cordelia's face, '-is that there are no prizes for letting the world know they should hate you!'

That... actually made a lot of sense... in a horribly insidious and thoroughly unsettling way... Wait! Who was supposed to be the supervillainess here?!

'Here we are...' Felicia had hardly even realised, but as Cordelia stepped away, she found herself taking up a spot at the table. She watched as the large, swaggering woman continued around the table with her young servant following dutifully and silently behind.

Cordelia sipped her wine as she circled the head of the table and let out a quiet hum of delight that Felicia's keen hearing picked out.

'Cheval Blanc St-Emilion 1947, exquisite!' She exclaimed with the kind of deep glee the young woman wasn't sure she'd ever experienced. 'How did you know, Horatio?' She asked while taking up her position next to the stickman.

Black Cat watched on with amusement as the young man's face began to glow, his haunted look vanishing almost instantly when praised; again, the expression seemed to far outweigh the praise, but she wondered how it must feel to experience that level of pride.

'The Bartender was most helpful, M'lady. Once I mentioned your name she was happy to oblige.' The young man proudly boasted, face full of energy.

'Splendid work, I'm glad I didn't hire another imbecile!' Cordelia bluntly responded, raised a hand and clicked her fingers. Even as she herself fumbled for notes to throw on the table, Felicia watched the young man do the same.

Lady Grant really let her servant carry all of her money so she didn't have to... Was that confidence or arrogance? Either way it made for an impressive power-play, he even stacked up her chips for her before stepping back and fading into the background.

Those cold blue eyes settled on her once more; Cordelia's possibly scheming, but always entrancing smile suckered her in once more. 'Allow me to show you how the professionals play, Felicia...'

What a confident claim before even receiving her dice... With an elbow on the table, Felicia could really see the glistening curvature of the potent aristocrat's assets, what were these feelings she couldn't brush off?

It was strange, a mix of camaraderie, admiration, intimidation and probably lust, but it all added up to an overwhelming sense of being sized up like prey. At odds with how being scared usually got her heckles up, Felicia almost felt like she was welcoming this sensation.

She watched as the latex clad bejeweled lady pinched her dice with only two fingers, a dainty but elegant pose; with a mere flick of her wrist they flew and they really flew!

Felicia, despite her sensational eyesight, lost track of the cubes mid-flight, but she was sure she saw a few splinters escape the far cushion as they landed.

She watched, mouth hanging open as the dice span in the air, almost hovering as they span back on themselves. What power was this?! Incredible!

'So tell me, Felicia...' Cordelia made small talk as they played, 'What's a young woman like you doing in a place like this?' Felicia shot her a glance, momentarily stunned. Did she... know...?

'A-' She cleared her throat, refusing to be intimidated. 'Am I not entitled to enjoy a little gambling, M'lady?' She put emphasis on that as if to be snarky, but her Ladyship didn't even flinch.

'Oh you're entitled to do anything... if you've got the money.' She commented, sipping her extremely fine wine. 'And I wonder where a little slip of a thing like you has found the money you're losing tonight?'

It was true, every single round Cordelia shot was going against her, almost like it was intentional! 'Is it common courtesy to ask where your fellow players make a crust?' Felicia countered, not liking where this was going.

She had her secrets, but she could usually brush these kinds of accusations off easily. She looked away for a moment.

'Courtesy?!' Felicia's eyes snapped back to the seemingly offended woman, Cordelia's voice suddenly harsh and abrasive. She couldn't respond, how could she seeing... that?!

'And why oh why would a petty thief deserve common courtesy from a Lady such as I?!' Lady Grant snapped, but her appearance had changed so rapidly that Black Cat barely knew how to control herself!

A mask... a full head mask like a skintight fetish hood had wrapped around her face, leaving only an opening around her lower face and wide, lens-like spaces around her eyes; now she really looked threatening!

'You don't belong in my world...' Lady Grant continued as the black latex of her mask grew! It moved, squirming to life to smother her lower face in a tight mask that moved as she spoke! '-and you know it!'

The eyes too! White rubber now, swimming into being from the edge of her eye-holes and forming into pure white lenses. She looked... just like him! Spider-Man, except dark... and shiny... and terrifyingly sexy!

She leant over the table, coming closer and rising up on top of it! 'You're nothing but a criminal and a little girl...' Felicia gripped the table unconsciously as she watched Cordelia physically crawl onto the Craps table, lens-eyes squinting with an expression like disgusted hate!

'-trying to play with the big girls!' Felicia felt like she was about to faint as Lady Grant's mask suddenly tore open into a face-wide maw capped with inch-long pearlescent teeth!

'Did you think we wouldn't know?!' Cordelia hissed with a voice like nails on a chalk board mixed with smooth, haunting growls; she was coming closer, stalking over the table like a predator now fully ready to slay her prey!

'I could end your game of make-believe in a heartbeat...' Black Cat was... from the fright... everything fading... '-and there's nothing you could do to stop me!'

Cordelia, caked in her skintight monstrous rubber, pounced straight at her! Splayed fangs and a sudden flailing tongue lunged towards her and all Felicia could do was collapse backwards!

The fanged horror followed her off the edge of the table though, fear-incarnate descending teeth-first off the back of the table. 'Thank me!' Cordelia roared as she landed atop Felicia, fangs mere inches in front of her tear-filled eyes.

'Thank me for sparing you a fate worse than death!' Her Ladyship insisted as her fangs vanished and her eyes reappeared, the fanged maw vanishing as quickly as it had appeared!

'I want you for myself, Little Kitten!' The suddenly smooth, sensual voice of the large, powerful lady growled, folding her mask back away to reveal her hair. Her face was so full of life and joy, grinning broadly and excitedly as she faced down her frozen plaything.

'You'll be seeing a lot more of me, mostly in your nightmares!' She grinned and Felicia felt a sudden flash of inspiration, a vision of Cordelia pouncing through the air intent on victimizing her.

It looked every bit like a vision fresh out of a dream, but a moment later it vanished and Felicia found herself not on the floor but arched backwards over Cordelia's thick, powerful forearm.

Black Cat blinked then took a huge gasp of air as if hands had just let go of her throat and allowed her to breathe. Her eyes darted around and she realised she was indeed still in the casino, that nobody had noticed anything and Lady Grant was... worried?

'Are you alright, Miss Hardy?' The potent woman set to haunt the young woman's dreams asked, clearly feigning concern. 'You went a little faint there for a moment...'

Cordelia reeled her in as if helping her to stand once more, but instead pulled the slender younger woman in to her huge and firm chest. Felicia felt her breath on her ear and heard a slight chuckle.

'That's quite the imagination you've got there, young lady.' Was it... All in her imagination?! Looking over to the staff at the table, they seemed unperturbed, a little concerned for Felicia maybe, but it seemed nobody had seen anything!

'I... What happened...?' She asked and realised she felt funny and also a little runny. 'I need to go to the little girl's room.' How... How had an experience so detached from reality and scary made her... come?

'Yes...' Cordelia purred, her slick and powerful body like an aphrodisiac everywhere they touched, '-you do.' She confirmed and with an artful flourish launched Felicia into a stumble towards the bathrooms.

She felt so confused, so exploited and abused, but she couldn't even figure out how! She had to be psychic, right? Felicia had heard of superheroes with psychic powers, but had never actually met one... how invasive!

'Oh and Miss Hardy?' Cordelia added, bringing Felicia's confused stumble to a halt; she turned to find the big, glistening woman leant against the table once again, looking every bit as enrapturing as she always did.

'Do tell your boss that I'm here, won't you?' What... was that supposed to mean?! How could she know something like that? That settled it, psychic for sure!

She watched Cordelia's lips purse sensually in amusement, though Black Cat could only blink in astonishment.

'It's fine...' Another voice, one Felicia knew very well indeed. 'I'm already aware.' She turned and found herself face-to-face with the boss Cordelia had referred to: Wilson Fisk, the Kingpin of Crime!

How embarrassing! How humiliating! It was bad enough that she'd been made to look so foolish, but in front of the Kingpin too?!

She'd carved out a role for herself as his information expert and thief-in-residence, a lucrative position, but she'd just been made to look like an absolute dope!

She hung her head in shame, keeping her eyes out of sight and, fighting back tears, scurried off to get herself cleaned up!

In the Lap of Luxury, Elixir La Luxe...

'Wilson!' Lady Cordelia Caldwell Grant exclaimed with all the charming exuberance she could muster, pleased with this progress towards her ambitions. 'How are you, darling?'

Indeed her Ladyship hadn't attended this evening merely for the twin delights of gambling and socializing, her intentions were more... multifaceted.

One look at the impressively proportioned mountain of a man told Cordelia all she needed to know: he was, as usual, delighted to see her! Extending her hand, the very large individual broke his usual stoical demeanour to take it.

'Enchanté, Lady Grant!' He kissed the slick living rubber adorning her fingers, his own chubby digits bedecked in priceless rings and jewels; here was a man more than willing to spend and subsequently flaunt that wealth!

'And might I say that you're looking altogether ravishing this evening?' He queried, dutiful and doting as ever. She spared him a beaming, warm smile in response; such charm and dignity coupled with material power and a sizeable fortune...

While many would see an ugly man compensating and committing evil for ego, Cordelia saw in the Kingpin a man who could be respected and confided in, a true gentleman beneath a hard exterior.

'Well of course you can, Wilson; I've never denied your praise before, have I?' She responded warmly and heard his gruff chuckle of a reaction.

She respected him, of that she could harbor no doubt, but still she had allowed his innumerable overtures to lead to little more. Charming as he was, Cordelia could think of nothing worse than entering into a pact where another held more power than she.

That, she envisaged was about the change. Romance couldn't be further from her mind in this moment, what with a certain living costume focusing her body and mind. Other agreements, however... there they might find progress.

'It has been too long, your Ladyship. Perhaps you'd like to join me for a private game?' Interesting, Cordelia thought while expressing nothing; perhaps he had something to barter with then.

'Why that sounds positively delightful, Wilson!' He seemed frankly startled; clearly he'd surmised that she knew he had leverage, so couldn't fathom why she would accept.

'~Oooh~ho~ho~hoooo!~' She laughed at his expression, 'Oh darling, you underestimate me!' She coldly redressed him and swaggered confidently to the collosal male's port side, offering her arm. 'Shall we?'

'Underestimate you, Cordelia?' He retorted, accepting her arm and leading her on, 'Never again!'

Cordelia raised her spare hand and clicked her fingers once more, trusting in her latest conquest to do his thing and take care of everything at the table.

'So, your Ladyship...' The Kingpin proposed as doors were opened before them by standing guards, '-have you given much thought to my proposal?'

Ah yes... Word had spread far too wide for Cordelia's liking. Bad news, as they say, travels at the speed of light.

'You shouldn't believe everything you hear, darling...' Cordelia confidently rebutted, 'To paraphrase Mark Twain: Reports of my financial death are greatly exaggerated!'

'Mhmhmhm, I suppose they would be...' The doors clicked shut leaving the pair in the presence of only a single trusted croupier. '-given what's changed.' Kingpin concluded, leaving a heavy atmosphere to descend; things were progressing swiftly.

'Oh...?' Cordelia asked, sliding her hands up to her hips as she pranced around a blackjack table laid out in preparation. '-and what do you think might have changed, darling?' The path of obfuscation a choice that served to heighten the tension.

'~Hmph!~ You never let anything slip, do you?' Mr. Fisk asked rhetorically.

'Well...' She leant on the table as he took his place across from her; she leant right in to really push forth her copious measurements, '-a lady has to have her secrets!'

The unfortunate dealer, trying fervidly to maintain some decorum was caught in betwixt this tension as it ramped up, but honestly this was more akin to play fighting. Jostling for the high-ground and not relinquishing an inch.

'Of course... Which is why the striking resemblance you bear to the woman caught on multiple CCTV cameras murdering people with superhuman powers is... merely a coincidence.' He smiled knowingly as if delivering a fierce blow and gesturing the croupier to deal.

Silently they played, both acknowledging that they were playing for that footage. 'Now Wilson...' Cordelia purred as if expressing sorrow, '-if that were even remotely true, do you believe a single judge in this city would find me guilty?'

Her sarcastic tone made it abundantly clear that she was guilty and wouldn't spare the effort to so much as contest such accusations.

Cordelia could feel her extraterrestrial symbiote rippling excitedly, savouring the tension in the air, revelling in it and flourishing; its touch became ever more enrapturing!

'Oh but we can each solve all our problems with money and connections, Cordelia... Where would be the joy in life without a little jeopardy?' They played on, Cordelia quite keen on winning this hand and utilitising her Other to its fullest capabilities.

'~Hmmm?~' She quizzically hummed, 'You don't believe that's why I'm playing to win, do you?' She met his eyes as she gestured to the dealer.

'No, I find that I do quite enjoy reminiscing every once in a while...' Kingpin stuck only for Cordelia to hit and land on 21, '-over some nice home videos!' She pursed her lips provocatively and in the process overtly confessed to everything!

'~Mhmhmhm~' Kingpin laughed gently, 'I see. That does explain a lot.' He acknowledged her guilty plea and pushed the conversation forwards.

'What interests me the most, however...' He continued and ushered for another game, 'Is the... tragic passing...' His words suggested sympathy while his tone suggested relish, '-of a certain individual who seemed to dedicate his life to spoiling many of my ventures.'

'Tragic indeed.' They shared a knowing smile.

'A certain individual who died at the hands of this mystery lady while the pair sported strikingly similar insignias...' Wilson's eyes wandered, settling on the huge and ornate arachnid-shaped charm dangling on a chain of finest pearl around the neck of Lady Cordelia.

'And you're curious why such a style might be shared? My-oh-my, Wilson... Your curiosity is rather unquenchable.' She made a point, 'Do you not imagine that some things are better left unknown?'

'Perhaps, though perhaps a little tidbit about that particular individual's funeral might be something also best left unknown...' Her attention was piqued. 'I know that several of my colleagues plan to... pay their respects.'

Cordelia watched the wicked grin creep across the Kingpin's face and she permitted herself a slight smirk to match it.

'Well, information can also be invaluable.' She commented arrogantly as she won the hand, sparing her opponent the shrug of an eyebrow and a wicked lick of her teeth.

'Indeed. It seems this might not be my night after all...' A bulbous hand slid begrudgingly across the table, carrying with it a slip of paper.

Pre-empting a withdrawal, Cordelia's own warm, gloved hand laid atop the Kingpin's. His eyes met hers, 'Not letting such a slight setback get you down are you, darling?' She smirked.

'After all, didn't you just get finished saying how your nemesis is now little more than an empty wrapper found dangling over the edge of a crust garbage can?' She purred aggressively, savouring the memory of how she had exsanguinated that pitiful creature with between her alien-lathered thighs!

'Well I hadn't put it in such terms, but you make a valid point my dear.' He withdrew his hand and reached for a glass, offering a toast.

'To promising developments then...' Lady Cordelia chinked glasses and leant over the table with a wicked smile.

'-and eliminated nuisances.' She thoroughly enjoyed that next nip of fine bordeaux, enhanced by the feverish exhilaration her sentient couture rippled with in this moment.

In her time sporting the exquisite alien, Lady Grant had swooned over its majestic touch and energetic nuzzling while engaging in vicious, adrenaline-fueled exploits; in this moment it felt every bit as excited and aroused, a delightful development!

'Speaking of the late Mr. Parker's fortuitous passing... There are some things a man should never wish to experience, but that remain things he cannot fully deny himself.' Wilson Fisk seemed to be monologuing for his own sake, though Cordelia found the concept charming.

'You're suggesting there may be worse ways to go...' He looked her way, conceding to her reading. '-well...' She sipped her Chateau Cheval and smiled, '-never say never, darling. Never say never...'

Private Quarters, Elixir La Luxe...

Felicia puffed up her chest as she approached the private lounge, she wasn't fully back together, but she felt better with a change of clothes. Maybe, just maybe this might calm that terrifying woman's urges...

Or maybe it would backfire and only serve to encourage her. Felicia wasn't sure which would happen... or which she'd prefer to happen!

Stepping through the doors, she instantly spotted the pair sat by the Blackjack table, Wilson's eyes picking her out as he gestured to her.

She could barely even look at him though; not through shame, she simply found her eyes and attention drawn to the rubber-clad woman sat with him.

'Ah, Felicia. I'm glad you're feeling better.' Did he mean that or was it all a show for his guest? Black Cat knew the Kingpin had little patience for failure...

'Well, well...' Those cold eyes, that fierce smile... Why did she look even more attractive now than when she'd all but flayed Felicia's mind with a glance?! 'You have cleaned yourself up, haven't you?'

Cordelia stood up, eyes set on the now fully worried young lady; they met halfway.

'~Hmmm~' Lady Grant hummed as she looked Black Cat up and down hungrily, 'I wonder...' Cordelia's own latex gloved hands brushed against Black Cat's now equally fetishwear-clad body.

'Oh this is excellent quality material!' The elder, more potent woman purred in excitement, circling around and continuing to feel Felicia up. 'It's nothing next to mine.' She suddenly whispered, fully aware that only Felicia would hear her.

Black Cat felt the soft, warm glove on her back as Cordelia explored Black Cat's true outfit. 'That seems pretty obvious.' She responded, refusing to be intimidated only to find the large woman's hands slide around her front to pull her in tight.

Cordelia's hands slipped inside the low, low neckline of Felicia's suit to get a good feel: utterly inappropriate behaviour! '~Mmm~ That's not how you ask someone to stop!'

'Cordelia, please... You're scaring the poor girl.' Kingpin came to Felicia's defence; her hands slid out of Felicia's suit.

'~Hmmm~ I suppose I am.' She didn't seem to care about that in the slightest, fact is she seemed to enjoy the idea!

'Cordelia and I were just discussing the impact she managed to have on you in your brief meeting earlier...' Kingpin addressed her directly as Lady Grant walked away, Felicia's eyes drawn to her thicc, swaying ass.

'I'm fine...' She lied, she wasn't fine. Even when she was getting changed, that woman was on her mind... When she so much as looked at or felt her own costume, Cordelia was living in her head like free real estate.

'She's sweet, Wilson.' Lady Grant simply responded, sitting back at the table and glancing over, 'I don't bite, young lady. Not you anyway....' She winked.

Felicia had to inhale before going over there; she was silently trying to control the trembling she still felt from Cordelia's touch and presence. She was definitely not alright, but increasingly she was struggling to want to be!

'Now what were we talking about? Ah yes, I had a proposition...' Cordelia addressed Mr. Fisk while Black Cat arrived. 'How about another game... If I win, we strike up a partnership.'

'~Hmph!~' Fisk huffed, 'Funny... I was going to propose the exact same thing.' He sipped his drink as Felicia helped herself to some well-earned Champagne. 'Someone with you clear and obvious skillset could prove... invaluable to my organization.'

'Your organization?' Cordelia chuckled under her breath, 'Perhaps you misheard, I said partnership!' She knew exactly how to bargain, Felicia couldn't argue with that.

Few people tried to honestly bargain with the Kingpin, but here in the room with this pair it became clear to miss Hardy that this was the first time she'd known anyone to have him beaten in terms of aura.

She hung on every word Cordelia said, her presence was so vital and potent it just seemed like everything was under her control even in the heart of Mr. Fisk's empire!

'~Mhmhm~' he laughed in a gravelly voice, 'You can't blame me for trying.' He wasn't even going to fight her on that?!

'Perhaps a senior role then?' He offered, 'We are always looking for investors keen to make... Important decisions on exciting business opportunities.' Felicia watched the smile creep onto Lady Grant's face.

'That sounds considerably more interesting...' She conceded only to turn Black Cat's way and fix her an intriguing stare. 'But if I'm to invest so heavily, I believe I should be confident that my investment is in safe hands...'

'You're doubting my credentials, Lady Grant?' Kingpin sounded almost offended.

'Not at all, but I believe a little... senior oversight of the day-to-day operations might be... enlightening.' She gestured to the croupier. 'One last game then, if I win you let me examine your operatives personally...'

She reached out and grabbed Felicia by the waist, pulling her in to rest her hip against her chest, '-such as this one.' Black Cat gasped, there was no way she was being gambled away like that!

'Umm, hello?! I'm not some possession, you know!' Cordelia simply laughed.

'~Oooo~ho~ho~ho~ho~hoooo!~' They met eyes once again, 'Do be quiet, darling. The adults are talking.' Felicia scoffed, 'But why don't you play me on behalf of Mr. Fisk then?'

'Why not?' The Kingpin shrugged defeatedly, 'I've lost every hand to Lady Cordelia already.'

'~Tch!~ Fine! But if I win, you'll do jobs for us when we need them!' Cordelia gave her a slightly shocked look as she wriggled free and walked around the table.

'My-my...' She nodded, apparently impressed 'I may have underestimated you, Kitten!' The croupier dealt the cards. 'You do know how to negotiate!'

'I am a master of intelligence gathering of subterfuge!' She reponded as she checked her cards, 'Though you likely didn't know that when you were calling me a lowly thief!' She was being snarky, feeling put upon and having to defend herself.

'It amuses me that as a Black Cat you do seem to have that dog in you as they say...' Felicia was convinced this woman just didn't know how to feel intimidated, that was the only explaination!

'Still, that was all you, darling. A little imposter complex, perhaps?' Lady Grant eyed her up from across the table, 'Not to worry, once your lose this game as you're so desperate to, I'll train that right out of you, darling!'

She didn't want to lose this game... did she? That would mean being completely in Cordelia's clutches... Under her spell, helpless to stop the deliciously plump aristocrat from doing whatever she wanted to her.

Felicia caught herself biting her lip and stopped, inhaling sharply to control herself; Lady Grant's wicked smile burned deeper and deeper into her.

19... what a damnable number to land on! She couldn't risk it... Maybe, just maybe she'd get lucky...

'Well.' Lady Grant smirked, 'Not even I can win them all...' The new recruit went bust, Felicia won... But she didn't know whether to actually smile or not.

'No matter...' Cordelia rose and inhaled deeply, 'I guess we'll be getting to see a lot more of each other either way!' She winked at Black Cat, that was true... they'd undoubtedly now be working together.

'Wilson... Felicia...' She smiled and curtsied like this had been the most normal meeting in the world, '-it's been a pleasure, but I'll take my leave.' And without another word, she turned towards the exit.

'Leaving already, Lady Grant?' The Kingpin finally perked up and stood from his suitably oversized stool. 'Won't you stay and drink to our new partnership?'

She stopped and looked back over her powerful, rubber-clad shoulder with a sneer.

'Not tonight, Wilson. I'm a busy woman and you have a lot to prepare.' Already she was giving out orders.

'And as for you, Kitten...' She turned away and started walking; a flick of her arm changed something though, something in Black Cat's head perhaps? She wasn't sure, but a mirror in the corner now reflected an image of Lady Grant straight at her!

It can't have been real... Cordelia was walking, swaggering through the ornate open doors and yet Black Cat found herself staring at a potently posing, wickedly grinning reflection of the buxom psychic!

'Wh-wha?' She could only ask, eyes locked on the mysterious after-image that just wasn't going away!

'What a woman!' The Kingpin piped up; Felicia watched the reflection laugh and sway her hips, but once she glanced quickly back to Mr. Fisk, Cordelia's reflection had vanished!

'Huhhhh?!' Felicia asked, but it wasn't aimed at the mob boss.

'Still... Felicia, I wonder if you couldn't do some digging and see what you can find out about Lady Grant's power?' He mused, but to Black Cat that sounded almost suicidal! She'd seen what Cordelia was capable of!

'You don't honestly think that's a good idea, right?' She asked in disbelief, 'I'm telling you: that lady is dangerous!' She insisted.

Fisk turned back to her and huffed, 'I'm not of unsound mind, Miss Hardy. Only an absolute mad man would try to control Lady Cordelia Caldwell Grant, no... I simply like to know who I'm working with.'

'I see...' Felicia considered the idea, 'I don't think gathering information will be a problem.'

'Nor do I, my girl...' He nodded knowingly as he looked at her, '-nor do I.' They both knew it: Lady Grant had her eyes on Felicia and whatever she had planned, there was little Black Cat could do to avoid it.

The following night... Calvary Cemetary, Queens...

'There's a good girl... Do your business.' Lady Cordelia insisted as she tugged the muzzled creature along on a leash and positioned them exactly where she wanted.

She looked down in disgust only to find tear-filled eyes looking pathetically back at her. 'I said...' She pinched her index finger and thumb together and received an inhuman moan from the orange-haired creature beneath her alien-caked majesty. '-do your business!'

Her Ladyship cracked a wicked smile as she watched and turned her beautiful yet cold eyes towards a nearby stone.

'I would honestly like to say that it was a lovely ceremony, but I can't imagine the indignity of such a pathetic showing!' Cordelia could scarcely believe she had belittled herself by briefly attending a funeral for an actual commoner!

It had been everything she'd feared: cheap, scarcely attended, mockingly insincere... A simply woeful display, but considering the individual in question, that seemed rather fitting.

'Still...' She turned away and yanked on the leash in her hand, dragging the helpless sobbing entity on the other end along behind her. '-we can make positive futures for ourselves even from the darkest of pasts!'

The thrill she felt in all of this, in everything over these past two days, it hadn't subsided in the slightest; if anything it had only grown as her living costume had become more and more besotted and devoted to her.

'You're fortunate...' She insisted, '-that after freeing the world of your mate's influence, I'm giving you the greatest opportunity you'll ever receive!' The pair continued through the dark, spooky graveyard with not another soul in sight.

'I'm not sure if little man Parker would have wanted it for you, but what he wanted doesn't matter any more, does it?' She looked down at the sobbing redhead she held completely in her thrall.

'Now that you work for me, you have the opportunity to transcend anything anyone in your family has ever accomplished...' She stopped and slowly squatted down; she ran a rubber gloved hand through the young thing's hair and sneered sadistically, '-and I intend to ensure you take that opportunity!'