Freak is an Ugly Word

So, here's another chapter for all of you that read this story. I hope that you enjoy. Thanks to those that reviewed it.

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A warm dainty hand rested on the sleeping Princess’ should and shook her. She groaned but ignored it. She did not want to get up yet, still tired from the night before. Rest was good. Sleep is what she needed, and this person would not let her do that. What the hell was their problem? Why couldn’t they just let her sleep?

“Princess!” Selina’s voice called to her. Fear and alarm filled her voice.

Hearing her tone, Princess instantly woke, alert and ready. “What’s wrong?” she quickly asked.

“Andy’s out of the hospital. He’s pissed. He’s coming for you!” In her fear, Selina’s voice rose in pitch and volume. “You have ta get out of here. He’s not just gonna hurt you this time, he wants ta kill ya.”

“Where is he?!” Princess asked alarmed. She searched around the bed for her clothes.

Selina went to the lone dresser next to the bed and rummaged through the drawers, pulling out random articles of clothing. Tossing them to the woman on the bed, she answered, “He’s downstairs. Shelly’s tryin’ hard ta calm him down, but it ain’t workin.’ You have ta get out of here.”

As fast as she could, Princess got dressed. Selina handed her the only pair of tennis shoes she owned and she put them on her socked feet. The outfit was not the greatest, but that did not matter at the moment. Getting away from Andy was the only thing she cared about.

“Take the fire escape,” commanded Selina once Princess had both shoes on her feet.
With a nod, Princess headed to the window next to the bed. Scrambling out of the window, she banged her knee on the sill. Only a moment was allotted to her to wince in pain. Soon after, banging was heard from her door accompanied with Andy’s booming voice. At hearing the man’s angry voice, she quickened her pace.

As fast as her short legs could carry her, she scrambled down the steps. When she reached the ladder, she was already out of breath. Running was not something she was used to doing. Then again, she never had someone chasing her that was hell bent on killing her. Beating, yes, killing, no. She may hate her life, but Princess did not want to die. Not at such a young age. She wanted to experience at least a little bit of happiness before she was in the grave.

Once her feet hit the pavement below her, she took off running. There was only one place she could go. ‘Jaded.’ A strip club that happened to be owned by the mob. It, also, happened to be the place where Croc worked as a bouncer. He stayed there from open to close, trying to keep the peace. With his bulk, that came naturally to him. Most of the men would instantly stop any brawl once the man stepped in. He never had to throw anyone out; they just went willingly, afraid the man would crush their skulls with his large hands. A task that he could easily accomplish with one hand.

At the exit of the alleyway that she was running down, Princess encountered the one person she did not want to see, Andy. He grabbed her pinning her arms to her sides as she struggled in his grip. “Where you goin,’ Princess? Don’t you want to see me?” His voice was dark and sinister, hinting at the things he wanted to do to her.

“Let me go!” she screamed. When he closed his eyes to chuckle at her, she brought up her knee and hit him in the groin. It was her only defense and it worked wonders. He released her and she took off running.

Harder and harder she was finding it to breathe. The burning in her chest and legs were excruciating. Only adrenaline kept her going. Long ago she would have stopped, but Andy was so close behind her she dared not to. Her heart pounded so fiercely in her chest she feared it would burst forth from it in a bloody mess.

When she reached the entrance to the club she burst inside. Not giving her eyes to adjust she ran to the bar. The club was closed at the moment, but would open in under a half an hour. Mike was standing behind the bar. “Princess, what’s wrong?” he asked in mild interest.

“Where’s Croc?” she managed to ask between breaths.

“He stepped out to get us all something to eat. Why?”

Princess finally managed to get her breath. “It’s Andy. He’s gonna kill me.”

Mike rolled his eyes. “Whatever, Princess. Stop being so melodramatic.” A big word for a part-time bartender full-time pimp. Mike was a well educated man, but had chosen a different lifestyle. One he found more enjoyable than wasting his life away in a cubicle somewhere.

Tears started to well in her eyes. “I’m being serious, Mike. He was chasin’ me. I don’t know if I lost him or not, I didn’ want ta turn around.”

As if on queue, Andy burst through the door. He stood still for a moment, scanning the room. When his eyes landed on Princess a large grin broke on his face. “Princess,” he called as if she were a long lost lover. “There you are. I’ve been looking everywhere for you.”

“What do you want with her?” Mike asked. Maybe there was some truth to Princess’ words. He still thought that she was being a drama queen, but the look on Andy’s face unsettled him a bit.

“I just wanna talk ta her. Nothin’ important, just a little chitchat.” He held up his hand with his forefinger and thumb touching each other.

Mike sighed. It would appear that Princess was not being melodramatic; the man really did want to kill her. Andy was pissed about something, and Mike was going to get to the bottom of it. “Harley,” he called. The blond haired blue eyed woman at the end of the bar turned and looked at him. “Take Princess to the back. Me and Andy are going to have a talk.”

Harley nodded and stood up motioning for Princess to follow, and the young woman did so gladly. When they were in the back room, it was where the strippers got ready for their sets, Harley turned and smiled at Princess. With a few motions of her hands, she asked if Princess was alright. “I’m fine. Just a little scared is all,” Princess answered.

Harley Quinn, one of the greatest strippers in all of Gotham had only one flaw. She was mute. At birth, she had not been blessed with the ability to speak, sing, or laugh. If she opened her mouth to do anything, not a single word would come out. Her muteness had been the reasoning for her nickname. Princess thought that whoever had come up with the name was not all that bright. She may not be the smartest, but she knew that they had been thinking of a mime, not a harlequin.

When she was younger, Princess would read books. Most of them were fantasy, her favorite genre. She had spent many nights dreaming that she was an entertainer in the halls of kings and queens. Now, she was an entertainer for the scoundrels of the worst city in the world. Funny how things turn out.

With her hands, Harley talked to her. The woman did not use the conventional signs that the deaf and mute normally used. She had come up with her own. Princess had learned quickly to understand what she was trying to say. With the many days she had spent there keeping Croc and the woman company, it had been a simple task. Harley’s gestures were always simple and to the point, making them easily understandable.

“Do you know why the prick wants to kill you?” she asked.

“No. I think it might have somethin’ to do with Croc puttin’ him in the hospital last night.”

Hands moving quickly, Harley asked, “How did he get out so fast?”

Shrugging her shoulders, Princess answered, “I dunno. He didn’ look all that messed up. Maybe Croc didn’ rough him up as bad as they had thought.” Harley snapped her fingers and shook her head, her way of saying damn. Princess laughed. “I said the same thing.”
Women started to pile into the room in small separate groups. Each group was giggling and laughing at each other. They piled behind the row of mirrors lining the wall to the left and started to get ready for the evening. Harley rolled her eyes at every one of them. She did not like the other strippers, found them too giddy. Felt that they daydreamed too much. She wanted to be surrounded by people who were in reality. People like Princess.

When Croc had first introduced the two, Harley had taken an instant liking to the girl. She was sweet, caring, and overlooked what most did not. It was the reasoning behind people calling her ‘Freak Lover.’ Every one of her acquaintances were, in one way or another, different from the norm. Selina looked and acted like a cat, her sister Holly never went beyond the apartment door that they shared, Harley could not talk, and Croc’s appearance was just as his name sake suggested. All of them were different and Princess cared for each and every one of them.

With a smile on her face, Harley turned her attention back to Princess. “Bib told me about your last customer of the evening.” Princess blushed as Harley’s hands spoke. “So, how was he?”

“Good,” mumbled Princess. “Very good. The best, actually.”

Harley clapped excitedly. “Did you get his name?”

“Told me to call him Joker. Eva hearda him?” Harley shook her head.

One of the other girls, standing in front of a mirror, caught their attention when she stated, “Must have been a freak if she liked him.”

Only two in the room were left without laughter. Sadly, Princess was not well like among the women. Most of the men liked her well enough. Well, more like what she could do than her personality. “Freak is an ugly word,” retorted Princess as she glowered at the woman.

“Not as ugly as you,” the woman hissed back.

Shrugging her shoulders, Princess only had one comeback. “Think what you want of me. I don’t give a shit.”

Before the woman could say anything, Mike entered the room. He did not look happy. “What the hell are you all standing around for?!” he yelled at the women. “Get your asses in gear!”

Most of the women turned and started to apply their makeup. Only one stood as she was. Easy to guess which one that was. “I don’t see ya yellin’ at Harley,” she spat putting her hands on her hips. “Jus’ because she’s yo woman don’t mean ya should treat her any differently.”

Now, Mike was livid. Normally, he was a hard man to anger, but not that day. He had already had to deal with Andy. Then Croc had come in at the most inopportune moment. It had started a screaming match, which had given the man a headache. Now, he had to deal with this shit as well. Some bitch that thought she could talk back to him. “Shut yo mouth before I smack ya.” Mike had reverted back to street talk. It only happened when he was at his angriest. “I know how hard it is for a stripper to earn tips when she’s got bruises on her face. Do ya want that?”

The woman ‘humped’ and went back to applying her makeup. A smile of satisfaction appeared on Princess’ face. She rather enjoyed that moment. The smile was wiped from her face when Mike turned his anger lit eyes on her. “Come on, Princess.” He gripped her upper arm with a bruising grip.

Princess let the man lead her out of the sight of the worried filled eyes of Harley. “Where are you takin’ me?” she asked when they did not head to the bar room.

“To one of the private rooms.”

For the first time, Princess started to struggle against the man. “No,” she pleaded almost in tears. “Don’t make me go to him.”

A low growl of aggravation came forth from Mike’s lips. He did not have the patience to deal with the whiny little bitch. The grip on her arm tightened and she whimpered in pain. “Listen!” he shouted. “I don’t have time for yo shit! I don’t care what he does to ya! I just can’t have a dead body lyin’ around. So, ya gonna take whatever he gives ya without complaint!”

Princess looked to the floor, stopping her struggling. “I don’t see what Haley sees in ya. You’re a bastard.”

Mike glared down at the small young woman. At that moment, he could have hit her. He refrained from doing so; she was going to get a lot more done to her once she was in the hands of Andy. It was common knowledge to him that Andy had a sick obsession with the girl. He did not understand why. Princess was young, always bruised, and very weak. Thinking about her last attribute, Mike understood.

Andy liked to prey on the weak, and she was the weakest of the flock. She took whatever anyone gave her, tears being her only reaction. To Andy, she would be the perfect woman. There had only been one problem. She had chosen Croc over him and that angered the man. Had chosen a freak over the norm.

Not caring about the tears that now spilled from Princess’ eyes, Mike dragged her to the room that held the one man that she feared and hated the most. After he opened the door, he literally shoved her into the man’s arms. Before Mike even had time to close the door, Andy’s hands started to roam her small body.

“Well, well, Princess,” the man started, grinning from ear to ear, “looks like I have you in my arms once again.”

A shivered racked her entire body. “Just drug me up and fuck me like ya always do,” she whispered.

“If you insist!” Andy always carried a needle specifically for her. The drugs, whatever they were, mind numbing and made her more compliant to his will. Made her enjoy his touch along with making her touch him willingly. He did not know what was in the drugs, but they were made just for him by his good friend Doctor Jonathon Crane. The man was a genius when it came to mind altering products. He could conjure up anything seemingly with a flick of a wrist. Benefit of having a quack as a friend is he gets all the drugs he wants. Too bad the man had gotten caught by Batman the night before.

Princess felt the sharp prick of a needle entering the flesh of her lower back. Cold liquid was injected into her and her mind went blank. Never did she remember what happened after Andy’s drugs took effect, which they did quickly. As the drug took its effect, her head fell forward on his chest. A small sigh escaped her lips, and she smiled.

Andy wasted no time in leading the young woman to the lone bed in the room, while stripping her of her small amount of clothing. The bed was not just used for sexual purposes; some men enjoyed watching the woman dance on the bed. They could just watch them move their bodies and fantasize about them, never touching the woman. Just the pleasure of watching their withering bodies was enough for them.

It was when he saw the bite mark Joker had left her that he grew angry. Someone else had marked her before he could even do so. He gazed down at her smiling face and a blinding fury hit him. How could she? How could she let some other man mark her and still smile up at him like that? The traitorous little bitch! His right hand wrapped its way around her neck and squeezed tightly, his fingers digging the flesh near the back of her neck.
In the state that she was in, Princess did not feel panic nor fear rise in her. She felt pleasure. The only benefit to Andy’s drug, she could no longer feel the pain he inflicted on her. Pain was turned into pleasure. She ran her right hand up the man’s forearm, and then brought it back down, her nail lightly scratching into his flesh. When his grip tightened, a small moan left her.

Andy shivered in delight. By her throat, he raised her to a sitting position. “You like that, don’t you?” he asked her. The only reply she gave was removing her hand from his arm to his chest. While on the drug, Princess never spoke, the ability had abandoned her. Andy did not mind, he preferred her silent. “Of course you do,” he answered himself. “You like anything I do to ya.” The grip on her throat slackened as he removed his thumb to trace the line of her lower lip, her neck was already bruising.

Princess scooted herself closer to the man. Once she was in range, her lips met the flesh of his neck. She nipped and sucked on the tender flesh as she ran her hands down his torso to his groin. Once there, her long nails scraped the fabric of his pants as she rubbed him hard.

Moans and whimpers left her unchecked as Andy removed his hand from her neck and to her breast. He rolled her nipple with his thumb and forefinger until it became hard, and then moved down from there. When his fingertips barley brushed her stomach, goose bumps erupted all across her body. Not only did the drugs numb her mind, it heightened her sense of arousal. It was like ecstasy but better, she remembered nothing afterwards.

His fingers slipped easily inside of her making her arousal evident. The rubbing of his groin stopped and she squeezed him painfully hard. The fingers of his left hand tangled themselves in her hair and ripped her from his neck. “Hey,” he hissed forcing her to look at his face, “that hurt. You don’t hurt me, I hurt you, understand?” Princess bit her lip and nodded. Andy always enjoyed this. She was so much better on drugs, all the women were. He had tried the same drug on multiple women but never got the same results as he did with Princess. The drug had its full effect on her while the rest acted as if on a form of opiates. Princess became a whole other person. One that did not talk, did not glare at him, and did not hate him.

No more waiting, he could do so no longer. His obsession needed to be sated and there was only one way for that. He had to take her. Had to make her his, at least in part. A nagging part of his brain told him that he was sick and demented, but he pushed is away. That part of his brain did not matter to him. What he wanted was right in front of him, willing and ready. Why should he not take it?

Removing his fingers from her hair and from inside of her, he started to strip himself of his clothing. Princess fell back to the pillows and watched him longingly. The look in her eyes was enough to make him quicken his pace.

After all his clothes were off, he crawled onto the bed and in between her legs. He pulled her hips toward him, forcing her to wrap her legs around his. No time was wasted as he pushed himself into her. Princess’ back made a high arch as she clawed at the covers of the bed. A loud cry of pleasure burst forth from her lips.

Andy’s pace was surprisingly slow and gentle. Only Princess was allotted this. Shelly, his woman for the time being, got the quick and dirty version. He had only chosen the woman because she lived next to Princess. This had prompted him to even move in with the woman. It was a choice he regretted most nights. Not only did he have to deal with Shelly’s constant complaining about everything in life, but he had to hear Princess’ cries of pleasure as Croc fucked her.

Princess was his. He was the first to have her five years ago. She had been young and drugged out of her mind, but he did not care. Everything of that night was imprinted on his mind. Her cried, her screams, and her pleads for him to stop. She had bled so much that night it nearly frightened him. But he could not bring himself to stop. The head that held his brain had not been what he was thinking with.

A scream breached the lips of Princess as she orgasmed. That was just one. Andy could go on much longer, and would if he did not fear the drugs wearing off. He quickened his past to that of a hard pounding. Right before he reached his peak, she climaxed once again and that was enough for him. Her quaking body and her muscles contracting around him made him involuntarily finish.

As soon as he was finished, he left her. There was no reason for him to stick around; he had gotten what he wanted from her. His fix for the day. While he was getting dressed, he chanced a look at Princess. She was gazing at him with those puppy dog eyes, pleading for him to continue. He smirked and left the room. He’ll leave Croc to deal with his sloppy seconds.

Croc watched Andy leave with the smirk still on his face. He hated that man. After Andy had left the club, Croc stood to go check on Princess. Mike started to protest, but Harley quieted him with a glare. She was very angry at him and would not even move her hands to speak to him.

After he entered the room, Croc closed the door behind him. He spotted Princess on top of the bed naked. She appeared to be asleep with her eyes closed and her back raising and falling in a rhythmic pattern. As silently as his bulky form would allow him, he made his way to her. Once at the side of the bed, he knelt so that he could better check her out.

Besides the bruising on her neck, Princess seemed to be unharmed. That was unusual for Andy. Normally, he left the girl with at least a bloodied lip and a few more bruises. In a way, it relieved Croc. Seeing her virtually unharmed eased the worry he had felt previously.

His fingertips lightly brushed her neck and she shot up. When her eyes landed on him, she smiled. She sat herself on the edge of the bed, her knees at Croc’s chest.

“Princess, are,” he started but was cut off when she pulled him into a kiss. Her tongue forced itself into his mouth and he unthinkingly responded.

His hands clawed at her back as she wrapped her legs around him and pulled him closer. Princess broke the kiss so that she could attach herself to Croc’s neck. “Princess, stop,” he commanded, but she did not. Would not.

Croc had broken his promise that night, and had been drinking. How could he not with Andy in the other room doing only God knows what to her? When Croc drank, the little control he had over himself completely dissipated. He remembered what he had done to Princess the last time he had drank, and he did not want a repeat of the night. The night that had left him feeling the lowliest of scoundrels. Even lowlier than Andy.
That night he had hurt her badly. So badly, she bled. Not once did she cry out and tell him to stop. She had let him continue until he realized the horror of what he had done. Early on, Princess had been taught that it was best just to let them finish without complaint. With some of the men, the more she screamed, the more they hurt her. If she just lay there, silent, they would sooner be done with her.

Her conditioning would be applied there with Croc. He knew that he was going to once again hurt her, but he could not stop himself. Not with her as she was, biting and sucking on his neck and earlobe. He just hoped he did not harm her too much. Not like last time.

He felt her tiny hands unbutton his pants and tug at his zipper. When she had accomplished the small task, she withdrew him from his boxers. He pulled her halfway off of the bed and with an inhuman growl he plunged himself into her.

After that, his body took over and had the inability to stop. Even when her cries of pleasure turned into that of pain. He could not and would not stop. The monster named Lust had taken over him. Only after he had climaxed did he regain control of himself.
With the pain, Princess had sobered. She hated Andy more than ever at that point. Hated him for doing what he did to her. For forcing her to make Croc hurt her. She may not remember all that had happened, but she knew that it had been her doing for her current pain filled stated.

“I’m sorry, Princess,” Croc cried as he buried his face in her neck.

She wrapped her arms around his massive neck. “It’s okay, baby,” she found her voice and the ability to comfort the man. “It’s not your fault. It’s mine.” Though she was trying her best to comfort Croc, she felt tears flow from her eyes.

“Why ya cryin’?” inquired Croc when he felt the first tear land on his cheek.

A sob escaped her. “I don’ remember what he did. I don’ remember anythin’.” She sniffled. “Take me home, please. Take me home and hold me. I don’ wanna be here anymore.”
Croc nodded in agreement. He helped her get dressed and without a word to Mike, left with her. Mike was left standing behind the bar alone, watching as Croc led Princess out the door, her arms attached to the man. He sighed knowing that later, when Croc returned, he would be hearing a few choice words from the man. It would end with him having another headache because of the young woman. He hated Princess for that. For all the drama that followed her. He could not wait until the day that she was gone. His life would be so much easier. But, he knew, that would never happen. Not with her father continuously collecting debt from the mob.

Mike did not know why anyone bothered with the girl. She was just one big headache. A headache that no amount of painkillers could remove. A constant annoying pain. He hated headaches.

Princess was a fitting name for her. Princess of Headaches. Mike smirked at the thought. Then, Harley came onto the dimly lit stage and all thoughts of the girl disappeared. She was not that important anyways. Not even worth a thought in his head. Nothing was as important to him as Harley Quinn.

Not even the Princess of Headaches.

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Hope you all enjoyed that one. Let me know if you did or did not. Review and rates are always nice and appreciated. Thank you so much for reading. Joker appears in the next chapter, just to let you guys know.