Time Out Of Time

  

  

  

 Chapter 65.3

 Chapter 66.8

 Chapter 67.12

 Chapter 68.18

 Chapter 69.25

 Chapter 70.29

 Chapter 71.35

 Chapter 72.41

 Chapter 73.48

 Chapter 74.55

 Chapter 75.62

 Chapter 76.69

 Chapter 77.75

 Chapter 78.83

 Chapter 79.92

 Chapter 80.99

 Chapter 81.106

 Chapter 82.115

 Chapter 83.122

 Chapter 84.130

 Chapter 85.136

 Chapter 86.142

 Chapter 87.148

 Chapter 88.156

 Chapter 89.164

 Chapter 90.171

 Chapter 91.177

 Chapter 92.186

 Chapter 93.193

 Chapter 94.199

 Chapter 95.208

 Chapter 96.214

 Chapter 97.221

 Chapter 98.228

 Chapter 99.238

 Chapter 100.245

 Chapter 101.251

 Chapter 102.258

 Chapter 103.266

 Chapter 104.271

 Chapter 105.278

 Chapter 106.284

 Chapter 107.289

 Chapter 108.295

 Chapter 109.301

 Chapter 110.307

 Chapter 111.314

 Chapter 112.320

 Chapter 113.324

 Chapter 114.329

 Chapter 115.333

 Chapter 116.339

 Chapter 117.344

 Chapter 118.347

 Chapter 119.353

 Chapter 120.359

 Chapter 121.366

 Chapter 122.372

 Chapter 123.377

 Chapter 124.387

 Chapter 125.391

 Chapter 126.396

 Chapter 127.403

 Chapter 128.408

 Chapter 129.414

 Chapter 130.420

 Epilogue.424

  

  

 Chapter 65

 The girls scrambled to their feet and piled into the kitchen. Their noses telling them that breakfast was going to be better than cold cereal this morning.

 I walked in a little more dignified to find the women pressed up around the table. Leaving plenty of room for me. My plate had cutlery beside it. The girls had plates. A big jug of syrup sat in the middle with a healthy plate of pancakes.

 I sat down. The girls looked at the food anxiously.

 “Smells good.”

 “Thanks.” Christi replied. A smile playing on her lips. Knowing that she was going to get to eat some of them today.

 I picked up a couple of the pancakes with my fork and prepared them. The girls watched me. Waiting for permission to eat, I suppose.

 “What are you waiting for?” I asked them mischievously.

 Jane got her fingers into the pile first. Pulling four pancakes from the pile. The others playfully fought over the remaining pancakes. Jane waited quietly for me to finish with the syrup, then asked,

 “Can us slaves be permitted syrup as well?”

 “Of course.” Though from their perspective, it was better to ask these things.

 She reached forward and daintily poured some over her breakfast. I watched, fascinated, as she used her fingers to separate and eat small portions of the food. Very carefully. Trying not to spill sticky syrup on her bare body.

 The other girls had the same problem. I almost completely forgot about my breakfast as I watched the women eating with their fingers. It was damn hard to ignore them, as they carefully licked their fingers clean from the sticky mess. Amy was completely oblivious to herself. No sign of trouble like we’d encountered yesterday at breakfast. The girls seemed happy, despite their challenges. They were excitedly talking amongst themselves. Laughing even. The perfect image of happy girls.

 Finally, I tore my gaze from the women and I ate the pancakes in front of me. Very. Very. Good. It tasted like Christi had made the batch from scratch. Real pancakes. Delicious. Pancakes tended to fill me up, so I only ended up taking one second helping. They had disappeared before the women had finished their first. Eating with your fingers slowed you down a bit.

 I sat back and watched the girls interact. Polishing off all the pancakes. They must have be ravenous. I really hadn’t fed them enough over the days. But strangely enough, they hadn’t complained about that. Probably had too many more pressing things to complain about. Like sore breasts. I marveled. These women. Complete strangers until four days ago. Laughing and talking like friends. Acting as though everything was normal. Everything normal about four complete strangers sitting around a breakfast table, completely nude, and eating with their fingers. I watched as Amy even fed a piece to Jane. Jane licking Amy’s fingers. Bemused, I sincerely hoped that this didn’t deteriorate into a food fight. And god help them if I got hit. So, they’d need another shower. If they went that far, they were showering in a damn cold spray.

 The girls behaved and finally finished. No food fight. Lucky for them. Amy and Elizabeth immediately rose to their feet and began to clear the table. Running the water for the dishes. I relaxed as Jane and Christi just watched as the other two naked women cleaned up the kitchen.

 I wasn’t quite sure what I wanted to do with them today. Amy was probably a bit too sore to be involved in any really rigorous activities. I could live with hurting her further. But it just didn’t seem necessary. And Jane deserved some rest after the hell I’d put her through yesterday. I guess I’d have to make do with Elizabeth and Christi today. Or find something different to do.

 Elizabeth and Amy finished washing the dishes and returned. They simply stood and waited. Knowing that with breakfast done, I would probably give them further orders.

 “Girls? We’re moving.” I opted for different.

 “What?” Almost all together. It was almost as though they had considered Amy’s hotel suite a sort of home. It was a fantastic suite, I had to admit. I idly wondered what Amy’s father did for a living. To be able to afford this place.

 “I think we’d do better in a house. What do you think?”

 Elizabeth was the one that spoke up. “But. We like it here. We’re used to it.”

 I looked at her quizzically. “Does it really matter what you think? Or like?”

 “No. I guess not.”

 “Okay. Gather up the toys. Make sure you forget nothing. You can have a vote on where we settle next. Okay?”

 Elizabeth sighed. “Yes. Master.” No sarcasm. Just defeat.

 The girls all rose and began to hunt down discarded handcuffs. Refilling the packs with bondage toys. Ropes. I watched as Jane recovered the crop. When she thought I wasn’t looking, she closed her eyes and tapped it against her thigh. Feeling the pain settle into her flesh.

 Amy, a look of dread on her face dropped the tongue clamp into a pack.

 Jane wandered up. Yesterday’s lingerie folded neatly in her arms.

 “Please. Master. Can a slave take her clothing?”

 I shrugged. We could always pick up more. But she seemed attached to this stuff. I nodded.

 She scampered away. Tucking it into another pack. Finally, the girls lined up in front of me, as though for inspection. I rose and left them there making a quick tour of the suite. I couldn’t see anything they had missed. I picked up the two packs and handed one to Amy and the other to Elizabeth. They grasped the packs in their fingers.

 We trudged out of the hotel room for the last time. Amy looking back at her frozen father one last time, a tear forming in her eyes. She whispered, “Good-bye” and turned around.

 Their mood brightened as the girls stepped out into the morning sunshine. Their bare feet touching the warm asphalt. Jane turned to me. Her bathrobe twirling around her body. Pulling at her bound hands and said, “Please. Master. Can a slave please walk in the grass again?”

 “Sure. Knock yourself out.”

 She skipped away to tell the others. I walked a bit behind them. Their mood seemed to have focused back on finding new shelter instead of melancholy about leaving the suite. They talked quietly amongst themselves. I really couldn’t hear much, but I definitely picked up the word “sex” a number of times. Amy shaking her head a lot. Girls would be girls. I’d probably have to separate them to keep them quiet. I really didn’t care, I let them talk.

 Soon, we had walked out of the commercial core of the city back out to where there was a bit of residential housing. I began to watch for a decent place to make our new home base. The girls just enjoying the sunshine and the day. Not particularly uncomfortable. I only had them loosely handcuffed. More for visual effect than restraint.

 Jane stopped up ahead. I caught up to the girls.

 “That one.” She pointed with her bound hands. I followed the line of her arms. She had picked a large house. Almost a mansion. Gates and everything.

 “That one?”

 “Yeah.”

 “All of you happy with that?”

 The other girls nodded. Probably had never even dreamed of being in a house like that.

 “Let’s see who’s home then?” I opened the gate.

 The girls followed.

 The front door was unlocked. I opened that and stepped foot into this huge Victorian mansion. Enormous foyer.

 “Stay here.” I ordered the women. They obediently knelt on the foyer tiles and continued their conversation quietly.

 I poked my head into the downstairs rooms. Library. Den. Large dining room. Entertaining room. Living room with a huge entertainment system. TV. Stereo. All empty. Until I hit the kitchen. An enormous place. Christi was going to like cooking in here. There was a cook. An elderly lady frozen while preparing something. Perhaps tea. I ignored her for now.

 I wandered back to the foyer. The girls looked up from their knees expectantly.

 “Okay. You can make yourselves comfortable. Don’t go too far. Stay out of the kitchen. And wait until I come back down. Understand?”

 The girls nodded in unison and began to climb to their feet. Anxious to start exploring their new home. I walked slowly upstairs. A feeling of dread permeated me. I have no idea why. It isn’t as though there could possibly be any danger. I patted the gun that I’d shoved into the waistband of my jeans.

 The upstairs consisted of a long hallway. Closed doors. Maybe five or six of them. I opened the first one I came to. A bathroom. And what a bathroom. It was the biggest bathroom I’d ever seen. Toilet. Bidet. Counter with two sinks. Huge mirror. Shower and tub that all four girls could fit in at the same time. Looked like a whirlpool tub. Magazine rack. Tons of space.

 I closed the door. Next room looked like a guest room. Queen size bed. Empty.

 Next room. Some kind of den. Or sewing room. It was hard to tell. But the decor looked masculine. A den but with a sewing machine. Strange.

 The next room contained a huge four poster covered bed. Very Victorian. Flowery. Lacy. There was a prone woman sleeping in the bed. Older. Fifty or so by my guess. I’d have to get rid of her. Huge mirror. Lush carpeting. After the hotel suite, the girls weren’t going to bitch about sleeping on *this* floor.

 I wandered back out to the hall. The next room turned out to be a closet. Holding linens and towels.

 The final door took me aback. It was locked.

 I’m not really one for locked doors. I could have kicked it in, but I figured that lady in the bed would know where the key was. I had to unfreeze her eventually if I was going to sleep in that very comfortable looking bed of hers.

 I wandered back to the bedroom. I sat on the edge of the bed and unfroze the woman lying there. She just continued to sleep as though there wasn’t a strange man in her room and nothing odd had happened.

 I gently shook her. Without opening her eyes she mumbled, “Evan, five more minutes, ‘kay?”

 I shook her again. This time her eyes fluttered open. She screamed when she saw me. Gathering her nightgown around herself. Crawling up to the head of the bed and huddling there.

 “Who the hell are you?” she whispered.

 “Doesn’t matter. Who are you?”

 “Gertrude. Gertrude Mayer. What do y-you want? Money? It’s in the safe downstairs. I’ll open it for you,” she babbled.

 “I don’t want money.”

 Her eyes betrayed her fear. Her mouth opened and she bellowed, “Sheila!!!”

 I just looked at her. I assumed that she was yelling for the elderly lady in the kitchen.

 “She can’t hear you.”

 “Oh my God. What have you done to her?”

 “Relax. I haven’t done anything to her. She just can’t hear you.”

 “I. I don’t understand.”

 “Lady, you don’t have to understand.”

 “Are you going to hurt me?”

 “No. Just displace you for a while.”

 “Are you going to r-rape me?”

 “No. Relax.”

 Her eyes showed her confusion. “What do you want?” she repeated.

 “Gertrude. You know that locked room in your hall?”

 It took a second to skip tracks. Completely confused. “Yes.”

 “Where’s the key?”

 “Th-that’s my husband’s room. I. I don’t go in there. Why?”

 “I don’t like locked doors.”

 “I don’t know where the key is.”

 “You realize that I can hurt you, right?” A bit of menace in my voice.

 “Oh my God. You are going to torture me?”

 “I have to be sure that you don’t know where the key is.”

 “Please. All right. I’m not supposed to know. Please just let me go. The key. I can show you where the spare key is. Please.”

 I nodded. She slipped off the bed. She looked over her shoulder at me. Judging whether she could make a run for it. She started towards the door and suddenly made a run for it. I wasn’t too surprised. I just nonchalantly narrowed her time bubble. Trapping her in a slower time. I casually walked in front of her, between her and the door. I released her from the time constriction and she stumbled out of it, her timing off. I grabbed her by the nightgown and gave her a good hard slap across the face.

 She screamed in fright and in pain. To her it would have looked like I’d just materialized in front of her. She was startled by the phenomenon and the slap stinging her cheek. She brought her hand up to her face, rubbing the red hand print. Her eyes tearing.

 She fell to her knees. Begging. “Please. Oh God. Please don’t hurt me. I didn’t mean. I’ll do whatever it is you want. Just don’t hurt me. Oh God.”

 I touched her shoulder. “Gertrude. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to slap you that hard.” I did, but I was trying to calm the distraught woman. “Just show me where the key is, and I’ll let you free. Okay?”

 She nodded. Tears still running down her face. Fear in her eyes. She stumbled back to her feet. This time I kept her within arms reach. Letting her lead me to the den. She opened a drawer on the left hand side and fished around. She finally handed me an ornamental key.

 “Please. I’m not supposed to know about this. I. I think he does his business in there. I haven’t been allowed in that room in ten years. Please.”

 “Your husband will never know about this. At least not from me. Promise.”

 “Do you know Evan?” her eyes becoming shrewd.

 I shook my head. The woman probably thought I was involved in Evan’s business. And had come to check up on things. Or something. I idly wondered what I’d stumbled into here.

  

 Chapter 66

 “Gertrude. I don’t want to panic you, but I need you out of the way.”

 “What are you going to do to me? Kill me?”

 “No. No. Nothing that drastic. I’m going to introduce you to someone. And she is going to take care of you. Alright?”

 “She? Who? What?” Confusion reigning again in her mind.

 “Janey!” I called. My voice echoing around the house. I could feel the girl moving throughout the house. The house making every movement known. We were in the room closest to the stairs. I could hear her bare feet moving on the tile until she reached the base of the stair.

 “Yes?” Jane called up. Gertrude’s face was a mask of fright. Someone else was in her house?

 “Jane. Come up here. First door.”

 I could hear the girl climbing the stairs. I glanced out the window. The backyard was huge. A pool. Tennis courts. Tall oak trees graced the property. I wasn’t aware that there were places left like this in the city.

 Leaving Gertrude in the room, I met Jane in the hallway. I whispered to her so that Gertrude wouldn’t hear.

 “I’ve got a woman in there. Her name is Gertrude. Older lady. She’s scared to high heaven.”

 “No wonder. You’re here. She naked yet? Poor woman.”

 I glared at Jane. “She’s in her nightgown. I don’t find her particularly attractive.”

 “Lucky her,” Jane mumbled. I glared at her again, and this time Jane paled a bit. Knew she had overstepped her bounds. “Oh God. I’m sorry. What do you need me to do?”

 “Take her. Calm her down. Take her into the backyard. Tie her to a tree. She isn’t going to like that, but explain to her the alternative. When you’re done, let me know. I’ll slow time to a crawl for her, so she essentially is out of time again.”

 “You are letting her go?”

 “She’s in the way at the moment. And she doesn’t understand.”

 Jane just nodded. Not unwilling to help a woman escape my grasp. I released the handcuffs on her wrists. I didn’t want Gertrude deciding to take advantage of Jane because she was handcuffed. Jane was younger and stronger than Gertrude. I just hoped that Gertrude listened. I didn’t particularly want her to force me to hurt her.

 I walked back into the room. Gertrude was standing on the far side. Away from the door. Trying to get as far away as she could. Badly frightened.

 “Gertrude. I’d like you to meet Jane. She’s going to help you. If you listen to her, you don’t have to get hurt. Okay?”

 Gertrude nodded. Her eyes widening as Jane stepped into the room. Her robe still unbelted not really covering her nudity. Jane tried her best to wrap it around herself, but was only partially successful. Any time she had to use her hands for something other than holding the robe closed allowed it to swirl open, revealing her nakedness beneath. Jane was used to it.

 “What the hell is going on here?” Gertrude blurted out.

 Jane took a deep breath, let the robe just fall as it would, and walked over to the frightened woman.

 “Gertrude. You have to listen to me. Please. This man. He. He’s capable of very bad things. He can hurt you, and me, very badly if we don’t listen to him. I know you don’t understand. You haven’t been whipped yet. But if you listen to me, you never have to feel it. You are so lucky. Please listen to me.”

 At the word “whipped”, Gertrude pulled in her breath. Fear really settled in her eyes.

 “Wh-what does he want from me?”

 “Oh God. Gertrude, I know this won’t make any sense. But you have to do what I say. Okay?” She numbly nodded. “I’m going to take you downstairs and outside. Okay? And I’m going to ... to ... tie you to one of those oak trees. It won’t hurt. I promise.”

 “Oh my God. You have to be kidding.”

 “I’m not Gertrude.”

 “You won’t get away with this. The neighbours. The police.”

 Jane took a deep breath. “Gertrude. You have to listen to me. Please. You wouldn’t believe what he is capable of. The pain he can put you in.”

 “No. I’m not going to let you tie me to a tree. Are you crazy?”

 Jane sighed. “Look.” She opened her robe. Exposing her bare chest to the woman. She pointed to herself. Various places on her bare breasts. Gertrude averted her gaze from the bare youthful body displayed in front of her. “Gertrude. Look at me. Please?” Gertrude finally couldn’t keep her gaze away any longer. “Look at the marks. See these? This bruise? Here? And here?”

 Gertrude nodded. Horror reflecting in her face.

 “He whipped me. A couple of days ago. The marks are still there. You don’t want to have that happen to you, do you? I made the mistake of not listening to him.”

 Gertrude just numbly nodded. Really badly frightened.

 “He can do this to you too. Please. It’s for the best. Trust me. Just do what he wants. You’ll do it eventually anyway.”

 “What makes you think that he won’t just whip me when I’m tied to a tree?”

 Jane sighed. “I don’t know that. But I’ve known him a lot longer than you have known him. Please. If he wants to whip you, he will. Nothing you can do to stop him.”

 Remembering how easily I caught her when she tried to escape, she nodded.

 “I’ll do what you say. Please. Just don’t hurt me. Please?”

 Jane nodded. “I won’t hurt you unless he tells me to. And he hasn’t yet. Okay?”

 Gertrude nodded. Jane took her hand reassuringly and began to lead the trembling woman out of the room. I heard Gertrude scream just before she was led outside. Not sure what that was about. I watched from the window as the ill-robed girl led Gertrude out into the backyard. Their feet making soft tracks in the grass.

 I could see Jane talking to the woman. From my vantage point there was no way to know what was being said, but it looked like Jane was trying to comfort the woman. Gertrude stood still, looking around. Probably not quite understanding why her neighbours weren’t helping. Weren’t even noticing the sight of her in her nightgown tied to an oak in her own backyard. But she was docile enough as Jane wrapped the rope around her wrists and ankles, loosely holding her to the tree. Jane climbed back to her bare feet. She checked the ropes and gave Gertrude a reassuring kiss. She fairly ran back into the house, letting Gertrude begin to struggle with the bonds. No doubt calling out for help.

 Soon Jane re-entered the room.

 “Done.” She was out of breath.

 “Nicely done, too.”

 “I didn’t want to do that, you know. She was such a nice woman. She deserves better.”

 “I’m not torturing her, am I?”

 “I guess. But she was so frightened.”

 “I’ll deal with that as well.”

 I looked out the window and concentrated on Gertrude’s bubble of time. I narrowed it until it moved at barely a thousandth of normal time. It was enough to keep her in our timeline, but not enough that she’d even be aware of the events around her. The ropes would prevent her from moving around, even at that slow time rate. She effectively became very unaware of any events around her. Jane watched the transformation with me in fascination.

 “I really wish I knew how to do that.”

 “And if you did, that would be the end of my control over you.”

 “Christ, yeah.”

 “And that, my dear, is why you don’t know.”

 “Someday maybe you’ll teach me.”

 “Right.”

 Again without being told, she raised her wrists, offering them to me. I slipped the steel back around her. She twisted her wrists a bit to find the most comfortable position. She was getting used to the ornaments as well as the others.

 She looked at me. “You know you don’t have to put these on us anymore. We aren’t about to disappear or anything.”

 “I know.”

 “You just like to see us in them. Don’t you?”

 “You’ve got it.”

 “So we better get used to them for the rest of our stay, huh?”

 “They aren’t so bad. It could be a lot worse.”

 “I guess. At least you don’t keep us in ankle chains, gags and nipple clamps all the time. Or make us wear things that cut off our circulation.”

 “Leniency. As long as you are good.”

 “I learned that lesson. Remember.”

 I smiled at her and changed the course of the conversation. “So, what did our host scream at down there while you were taking her out?”

 “Actually, she screamed twice. I just managed to cover her mouth before the second one erupted into an ear splitter.”

 “What the heck happened?”

 “Well. The first one caught me off guard. Elizabeth has taken the liberty of catching up on her reading. Sprawled out in the library on a leather recliner. Well, she left the door open understandably. You’d freak if she had closed it. And well, Gertrude happened to glance in. Saw our nude beauty in handcuffs quietly reading Dickens or something. Gave both of them quite a start. You didn’t tell Gertrude about the rest of them, did you? Anyway, I hurriedly explained about the other two. Hoping that we wouldn’t run into them on our way out. We didn’t. Problem is, the way out was through the kitchen. Well, you had told us not to go in there and we haven’t. So even I didn’t know about her cook, Polly or something, standing there. Frozen. Making tea or something silly. Nearly startled me to death. I managed to stifle Gertrude’s next screech just as she was opening her mouth. Do you have any idea how hard it was to explain that to her? Poor frazzled woman. Thou art a shit, you know.”

 I watched a grin play across Jane’s fine features. She was pretty proud of herself.

 I acknowledged her. “You done good.” I kissed her on her offered cheek. I gave her a light slap on her rear end. “Go on back to what you were doing before I interrupted you.”

 “What if I was making love to Christi?” Her grin widened mischievously. I could tell she was kidding.

 I gave her another sharper whack. Couldn’t have hurt her very much through the terrycloth. I was going to have to relieve those ladies of the garments soon. I hated not being able to connect with bare skin at a time like this.

 “Well then, by all means, get back to it. I’ll call when I need your services again,” I responded to her.

 She pranced away, seductively swinging her hips as she left the room. I listened to her as she descended the stairs. Far happier than I’d seen her in a long time. I didn’t have an explanation. Perhaps I wasn’t tormenting her enough.

 I wandered back around the hallway. Stopping in front of the mysterious door. I guess I was about to find out what her husband did for a living.

  

 Chapter 67

 I unfroze the door and slipped the key into the lock. I heard a faint click as the bolt withdrew from the door frame. I glanced at the door as I twisted the knob. For an interior door it was solid. I could have smashed through it if necessary, but it would have been an effort. Mr. Evan Mayer was concerned about his security. I stepped into a large room and looked around.

 The room was decorated in a very masculine fashion. Greens. Browns. Bookcases filled with binders, notes and books against the far wall. A large desk. Picture windows covered with heavy green draperies. A mirrored wall helped enhance the size of the room. A leather sofa and recliner. What looked like a closet, or an entrance to another room. Dark green carpeting beneath my running shoes. Tasteful art hung on the wall. A few potted plants.

 Evan was seated in the recliner, wearing a dark business suit. Gray hair. Relaxed but intently watching a young woman standing in front of him. My gaze traveled to the woman. Her back was to me. She was wearing high heels, a short uniform and nylons. Long blonde hair cascaded down her back. Her posture looked a little strange.

 I closed the door behind me and carefully relocked it. I wandered to the bookcase. Law reviews. Case studies. Law references. Some fiction. Mostly court fiction. John Grisham. Some horror. Stephen King. Peter Straub. I raised my eyebrows at a particular paperback by Pauline Reage.

 The desk was organized. Neat. A blotter. Stationary and writing instruments. Didn’t look like it had been used recently. Curious.

 I picked up a letter from the corner of the desk. Addressed to Judge Evan Mayer. That solved that little mystery. A judge.

 I wandered over to the judge. Wondered what he would think of his wife bound in the back yard. I suppose that I’d find out when he joined her. I followed his frozen gaze, seeing the young woman from the front for the first time. She was a stunning young lady. Blonde. Twenty-something. Perfect figure. Beautiful face. Except for the gag in her mouth. I did a double take. Gag?

 On closer inspection, the woman was not just wearing a short uniform. It was nearly non-existent. A very skimpy French maid uniform. Barely covering her body. I could easily make out the slightly darker flesh of her aureole but the sheer fabric just covered the tips of her erect nipples. It was cut that low. The uniform looked like it was about three sizes too small for her. She was carrying a tray, with what looked like a drink of some sort. A bloody ceasar or something similar. Her hands were encased in sheer black gloves. A thin pair of leather cuffs with tiny padlocks adorned her wrists over the gloves. Another tiny pair of padlocks held her wrists to the handles of the tray. The tray almost looked like it was built to allow for the small padlocks.

 I walked up to the girl. She didn’t even look real. Her face looked like a porcelain doll’s. Her make up was applied heavily enhancing the effect. The make up was slightly marred around her eyes where tears were frozen on her cheeks.

 The gag pressed cruelly into her mouth. I’d never gagged any of my girls this tightly. Except maybe when I had punished Amy. It was a large white ball wedged firmly into her mouth. Her red lipstick marred the white surface. A leather strap wrapped from each side of the ball cutting into the sides of her mouth, forcing her to grin horribly. The strap of the gag snaked around her head, under her hair to be fastened somewhere behind her head. I could just imagine the discomfort that it must be causing her.

 Finally, there was a constricting band, probably leather, wrapped just above her nylon encased knees. It was pressing into her skin. This is what I missed when I looked at her from behind. The black band almost melted into the sheer black nylons that she was wearing. I recalled thinking that she was in an unusual posture. Her knees were forced together. It must have been very difficult, if not downright painful to walk like this. And everything in her posture indicated that she was, indeed, trying to walk with the tray.

 I shook my head. Not quite sure what to make of this. It was pretty obvious that this judge did his ‘business’ in this room. The wife had indicated that she wasn’t allowed in this room. I guess I now knew why. Was it possible that this character had managed to spirit this woman into this room, while his wife was sleeping? Mid morning? That was brave. And she didn’t know? I guess I also knew the reason for the tight gag.

 Who the hell was this woman? Was she here willingly? She couldn’t even be half his age. I toyed with the idea of freeing them both and finding out what the hell was going on. I was almost dying of curiousity.

 I glanced around the room. My mind was telling me that it would be more than interesting to just let them continue. Free them, without knowledge of me and see what happens. Kind of like what I did to Christi when I first found her. That turned into quite a show.

 The room was large, but really didn’t afford much cover. I glanced behind the drapes. The view of the front yard was spectacular. From above, the manicured grounds were quite picturesque. More so, even, than from the gardens themselves. Hiding behind a curtain, though, seemed like such a Hollywood kind of thing to do and it wasn’t likely to work. Damn, it would have been nice to discover invisibility along with time manipulation. But that was pushing things, I suppose.

 I stepped over to the closet. Opening it, I discovered a deep walk-in closet. My eyes widened as I discovered kinky clothing by the racks. Corsets. Stockings. Racks of high heels on the floor. Lacy things. Jungle things. Thank God, Judge Wapner in there hadn’t chosen to be Tarzan today. I think I would have been ill. I suddenly felt very sorry for the girl tied up in the business room. There was video equipment. Cameras. Along one wall, whips and chains to rival anything I had in my equipment pack. No crop though. Restraints. Handcuffs. Steel and leather. Hoods. This guy was equipped.

 Another smaller door led to a small bathroom. The door had been locked, but the key still in my hand had opened it. Washbasin. Toilet. Shower. Nothing spectacular. Another door led into a smaller bedroom. Feminine decor. Flowery. Single bed. Writing desk. Not fancy like the other rooms. Opening the main door to the room from the inside clicked the lock on the door. It had been locked from the inside. Just one of those flimsy privacy locks used on interior bedroom doors. I opened the door and peered out back into the hallway. The last door which I hadn’t gotten to before coaxing the key to the business room from Gertrude. Interconnected rooms. Cool.

 I wandered back into the walk in closet through the small bathroom. Closing and locking doors as I’d found them. I wondered whose bedroom I’d just been in. Obviously the girl’s. But, who was she? A daughter? Despite my tendencies towards abusing women, and forcing incest, I somehow found the idea repulsive. Sure I liked to see it, but after the fact, the women wouldn’t have to live with the trauma. They’d forget everything when I returned them. I was a bastard, but I wasn’t a total bastard. I wouldn’t ever consider forcing a woman on the principle time line. I began to see red. Took some deep breaths. Better to find out what was happening first before jumping to conclusions.

 I just shook my head. I was betting that Gertrude, tied up in the backyard, had no idea what her husband was up to in here. Ten years? I just had to get the scoop on this. I stepped back into the closet. Closed the door. I noticed that there were two small holes drilled in the door. Light was streaming through them from the room beyond. Sure enough, one could bend down a bit and place one’s eyes against them and see perfectly into the room beyond. Convenient as all hell. I was guessing that the eye holes were just about at Evan’s height since I was bigger than he was. This guy had probably watched Porky’s. Got off on watching her when she didn’t even know he was in here. Curiouser and curiouser.

 Shutting the door firmly, I positioned myself. I mentally prepared for the time shifts. I had to be ready in case either one of them decided that they needed something from the closet. Though, if that happened, it might just be better to let them discover me. I was going to have to take them eventually.

 I concentrated and formed a large time bubble around the entire room. The girl grunted and stumbled forward. Straining against the strap around her knees. Her eyes betrayed her pain much more than any scream that she was unable to produce. Struggling in the shoes and against the strap, she finally managed to walk to the chair where Mayer sat.

 He had been silent, simply watching the girl’s progress. I had a perfect view of the two of them. The mirrored wall giving me a good view of both. The girl was pleading with her eyes. Tears still streaming down her face. Mayer smiled up at her. Absolutely no warmth in the smile whatsoever. She shuddered.

 She bent daintily at her waist. Struggling to keep the tray level. I could just imagine what would have happened to her if she’d spilled it.

 Mayer let her stay bent over for a minute, balancing the tray in her bound hands. Then slowly, an evil smile still playing on his lips, he lifted the drink from the tray. The girl straightened as he took a sip of the drink.

 He grimaced. Then with no warning at all, he simply splashed the red drink into the girls face. She tried to turn away, but the drink still covered her upper body. Her face. Her hair. Her upper chest. Red. She stumbled, trying to cry out. Mayer reached out with his foot and let it kick into her unprotected side. She tried to twist away from the blow but her bound knees prevented the quick movement necessary. She looked like she was in good shape. If she hadn’t been bound, she probably could have avoided it. The blow landed viciously into her side, just under the ribs, knocking the wind out of her. I could see her struggling to draw a breath through her nose. The gag not allowing her to breathe normally through her mouth. Her body lurched to the right, her feet struggling in the high heels to keep her balance.

 But the shock of the drink being thrown at her and the kick finally toppled her. She fell heavily to the carpet unable to break her fall with her hands. I was surprised that she didn’t break anything. She just pulled her legs up and sobbed after she regained her breath. Though I couldn’t really hear her through her gag, it was easy enough to tell that she was in pain and her body shaking showed that she was crying her heart out. One of her high heels had come off in the fall, her stockinged toes were curling and uncurling with her agony. Her fingers in the gloves spasming, trying to reach her side where he’d kicked her. The tight bands on her wrists impeding her. One breast had peeked out from the bodice of the uniform. I could actually see some faded red marks on the bottom of the bared breast.

 Mayer sat in the chair calmly watching the girl writhe and rubbing his crotch. After a few minutes he stood and approached the girl. The girl seeing him approaching tried to shuffle herself away. But with bound knees and wrists she wasn’t going anywhere fast. She was begging through the gag.

 He sauntered up to the girl and crouched down.

 “Sheila. I thought I told you to bring me a bloody MARY!” The girl on the floor just lay there and cried. “You dumb cunt. Not a bloody CAESAR.” I had guessed right. Mayer stood and aimed another kick at the defenseless girls stomach. She convulsed as it landed, sending her into more violent sobbing. “Can’t you get anything right? Stupid dumb fuck. If you want something done right you gotta do it your-fucking-self.”

 Mayer pulled a remote control from his pocket aiming it at the wall. A section of the wall rotated and a mini bar came into view. I’d have to remember that feature. There was another red drink sitting on the shelf. Mayer picked it up and sipped at it. Touching the remote control again, the bar rotated back out of sight.

 “Ahhh. That’s more like it. Fuck. I don’t think you’ve ever picked the right one. Dumb cunt.” As the judge walked back to his seat he aimed another kick at the prone girl. She tried to shy away but got it in her side again. She tried to scream through the gag but it just came out as a small wail. Tears coursed down through the clamato juice covering her face. She just lay there as he took his seat and watched her writhe, squirm and sob as he slowly finished his drink.

 By the time he had finished the bloody mary, the girl had stopped shaking on the floor. She was trying to breathe quietly and carefully through her nose. He set aside the empty glass on the table beside the chair and spoke to her again.

 “Sheila?”

 She just looked at him dully.

 “Christ you are dumb. I think that you need more punishment. Don’t you?”

 She just slowly shook her head. Still crying a bit.

 “You’ve made a mess of yourself. You’ve made a mess of the floor. You wasted a perfectly good drink. And you are a worthless cunt.”

 She closed her eyes and nodded her head. Crying. At this, Mayer got out of the chair and crouched down by the bound girl. Being careful of the spilt drink caking her upper body he lifted her off the floor and carried her back to the chair. He somehow managed to place her, attached tray and all, over his knees. For an older guy, he was pretty strong. I’d have to be careful of that.

 She squirmed and muffled pleading noises came from behind her gag. Ignoring her protests, he casually lifted the back of her skirt and pulled her high cut panties down to her cruelly tied knees. Then, as though it were nothing, he began to spank her. His bare hand rising and falling on her upturned bare bottom without mercy. After about twenty she really began to cry, kick and struggle, but her bondage was far too tight to allow her to escape the blows. His hand at the base of the back easily holding her petite form across his knees. At a regular pace, not particularly in a hurry, he hit her. He talked quietly to her the whole time. I couldn’t quite make out his words and I seriously doubt if the girl was paying any sort of attention through her sobbing. I did catch a few words. Just small phrases.

 “Teach you a lesson.” “Bad slut girl.” “Cunt whore.”

 Finally he just gave the girl a push and she fell heavily to the ground at his feet. Crying uncontrollably. She grunted through the gag as she fell.

 Finally he looked at his watch. I glanced at mine. Though it had seemed longer I’d only been watching them here for about forty-five minutes. I idly wondered what was going on in the rest of the house. What the girls were doing with their freedom. I supposed that I really ought to find out.

 My eyes returned to the peep holes.

 “Well, Sheila. Fun time is over. Gerty is expecting me to take her shopping this afternoon. The old ball and chain.” He grimaced.

 The girl just looked up with a glazed look in her eyes. The man reached down and used a small key to release her wrists from the tray. He used the same key to release the padlock on her knee strap. Her hands had automatically wound around and tried to ease the pain in her bottom from the spanking. Making a small detour to probe gently at her side where she’d suffered the kicks.

 “On your knees, you fucking useless wench.”

 She struggled to kneel, I could see her body shaking from the abuse. He lifted her soiled hair, he used another key to release her gag, She pushed it out of her mouth with her tongue. It made an audible pop as it came out from behind her teeth. She just hung her head. Refusing to meet his gaze. I didn’t blame her.

 “Goddamn it. Why do you always make me punish you? Jesus Christ. You’d think you’d be tired of it by now.”

 The girl spoke very softly into the carpet. “Please. Sir. I’m sorry. I’m just a worthless slave slut cunt.” She had almost a musical voice. But there was just a hint of something behind her docile words. A tiny element of rebellion? Perhaps it was just hate? Either way he completely missed it. If it was even there.

 He reached forward and slapped her face. Hard. Her head snapped to the side with the force of the blow. She cried out softly and almost fell to the side. She somehow managed to stay on her knees.

 “You are such a stupid cunt. Fuck. You can’t even do anything right. Goddamn it. Here. Maybe you can do this right.”

 I watched as Mayer lowered his pants and waved a pathetically small penis in her direction. I watched as the spark left her eyes and she mutely shuffled forward on her knees and took the organ into her mouth. Using only her mouth she moved back and forth on him. No real effort on her part. Very mechanical. He didn’t seem to care. He closed his eyes and about a minute after she started, he gripped the back of her head and pumped into her mouth, finally withdrawing and ejaculating over her face and hair. She moaned and closed her eyes, allowing the indignity. I seriously doubted if she had a choice in the matter.

 After he was finished he reached forward and gave her another good hard slap. She cried out again and this time fell to the floor and curled her body into a ball. He crouched down beside her and showed her his hand.

 “You fucking got my hand dirty.” It was covered in cum and bloody caesar from the drink he’d thrown at her. It had clung there after he’d slapped her. “Clean it.”

 She began to cry, and he hit her again. She cringed and cried harder. “Fucking cunt. Who the hell do you think you are? Fuck. Can’t you do anything you’re told? Christ. We had an agreement.”

 She finally got a hold of herself and reached forward with her head. She hesitantly stuck her tongue out and began to lick at his hand like a dog. Cleaning it.

 Finally, he stood up and glanced around the room.

 “Fuck, this place is a mess.” Glancing down at the girl still lying and sobbing at his feet. She lay almost in the middle of a large clamato stain resulting from the thrown drink. I couldn’t imagine what it would take to get that out of the carpet. “I want this place spic and span for my meeting this evening. You hear? I want that uniform of your’s cleaned. You’ll need it for the meeting. I’ll need this suit cleaned. And I’ll need this carpet cleaned. Jesus Christ. You would have to get fucking bloody caesar on the carpet. And if you miss anything, I’ll fucking make sure you regret it. Christ.”

 He began walking towards the closet. I readied the Time manipulation. About halfway to the closet he turned around and addressed the girl again.

 “You understand, cunt?”

 She just moaned.

 “What?” He took a step back towards her.

 “Y-yes s-sir.” she quavered from the floor. Her small gloved hands making a warding off gesture.

 This girl was going to have bruises from this. Damn good bruises too. Especially where he kicked her. The face slaps would be just high colour for a while, but those kicks were vicious on an unprotected body. I wasn’t quite sure what was going on here, but I had a damn good idea. On the other hand it could be really realistic role playing. But I doubted it. The only question was, whether to take them in real time with the gun, or slow Mayer down and find out what was happening with the girl only. She might talk to me if she saw Mayer was out of the way.

 I opted to talk to the girl alone first. Mayer turned around and began to walk back towards the closet. Probably intending to change out of the soiled suit and return to “normal” life. We’d see about that routine today. His life was about to become decidedly UNnormal. No matter what the girl said.

 As he turned around and began to walk back towards the closet, I isolated his body space from the continuum around it and restricted the time flow to about a pace of a thousandth normal. He’d actually almost be in sync with Gertrude’s time phase. Until I released him.

 I took a deep breath and exited the closet.

  

 Chapter 68

 The girl was still lying on the carpet quietly weeping. Her head covered in bloody caesar and cum cradled in her arms. She sobbed, not realizing that the world had changed for her again. I could see her whole body shaking with her distress.

 My running shoes were soundless on the carpet. I was right beside her prone figure before she realized that someone was there. She didn’t even look up.

 “Please no more,” she moaned.

 I gently touched her shoulder. She raised her head and looked up at me. She screamed and scrabbled away across the carpet sideways like a crab. Fear radiant on her face. She moved away until she backed into a wall. She drew up her nyloned knees, hugged herself and just watched me out of fearful eyes.

 “Wh-who are you? H-he didn’t give me to someone else again. Did he? Please don’t hurt me? I have to clean up the carpet first. Please.” Her breathing was really ragged. I wasn’t surprised.

 “I’m not going to hurt you.”

 “Wh-Who are you, then?” Her eyes darted to the frozen Mayer. “Wh-What happened? Wh-Why i-isn’t he moving? Please.”

 “Is Sheila your name? Your real name?” It could have been a play name for all I knew. Though I was pretty sure that Gertrude had hollered for Sheila as I took her. At the time, I thought it was the cook.

 She nodded.

 “Sheila. I want you to calm down. Okay? I promise I won’t hurt you.” The frightened girl just nodded. “I just want to talk to you for a minute. Okay?” She nodded again. “You’ll talk to me? I’ll stay over here if you like.” Again she nodded.

 “Do you mind if I sit over here?” I indicated the chair that Mayer had tortured her from. She shook her head and then looked down at herself and realized that her panties were still around her knees and her right breast was poking out from the flimsy uniform that she had on. She swallowed and used her gloved hands to pull back on her panties, returning them to her hips. Watching me out of the corner of her eye, she carefully and slowly tucked her breast back into the bodice of the uniform. Tears were still coursing down her dirty face. I recalled the beauty that was hiding under all that clamato and tears.

 “Wh-who are you?” she finally asked me.

 “I really don’t know anymore.”

 She accepted that. “What have you done with him? How’d you get in here? Did he let you in?” She had indicated the semi-frozen Mayer with a quick jerk of her head. She had tucked herself back up into a ball against the wall. She was deeply afraid. I suspect of Mayer, but also of me. She thought that I was a friend of the judge.

 “Sheila. I just stumbled in here. I swear it.”

 “But he keeps it locked when he’s ‘playing’ or ‘working’. I don’t understand.”

 “Sheila. I’m not sure you can understand. But *I* froze him. The whole world is frozen except us.” I stretched the truth a bit. Sheila would meet the rest of the girls eventually, but not now. Not until she was calmer.

 She just shook her head.

 “Sheila. Will you come over here? I won’t hurt you.”

 She again shook her head. I could have forced her, but I was suspecting that she was in a very fragile state of mind at the moment. Frightened badly and in pain. I’m not sure I’d be overly cooperative after I’d been beaten senseless and raped either. I decided to find out what the hell was going on before I began to assert myself.

 “Okay. That’s fine. Will you talk to me?”

 “I guess,” she mumbled.

 “What is going on here? I saw that little display out here from the closet. He was knocking you around a lot.”

 She glanced at the frozen Mayer and pressed her lips together. Her eyes began to brim with tears again. She hugged her knees and rocked herself.

 “Sheila. Listen to me. Are you here willingly? Do you enjoy this treatment?” I had to know whether I was dealing with consentual, albeit really rough, sex or abuse and rape here. I would have put money on abuse and rape.

 Sheila slowly looked up at me. Her eyes blazing. “You think that I like being treating this way?” Anger was beginning to creep into her voice. “You think I like being kicked around?”

 “Sheila. Please. Calm down. I don’t think anything. Honestly. You have to understand I just watched some bizarre stuff, and I know some people like abuse. B&D. S&M. That sort of thing. I just want to know if that was the case here. It matters on how I’m going to treat this guy when I unfreeze him.”

 “You’re going to unfreeze him?”

 “Eventually. But he can’t hear us now. And I won’t be telling him anything that we talk about. I swear it.”

 “Oh God. Please don’t unfreeze him. Are you a cop?” Hopeful.

 I shook my head. Her face registered confusion. “He can’t hear us?”

 “No.”

 “Oh God. No. I hate him. I’m not here because I like it. I swear it.”

 “Then what the hell is going on?”

 “You’ll help me?”

 “Sheila. This is a very weird situation. I’m not sure what your definition of help is. But you have to tell me what is going on. Will you let me show you something?”

 “What?” Suspicious.

 I got up out of the chair and walked to the window. I opened the curtains and Sheila squinted in the sudden brightness. I walked away from the window and sat back down. A safe distance away.

 “Go to the window. Look out.”

 Sheila glanced at Mayer. Still frozen. Glanced at me. I was doing my best to be non-threatening. She slowly got to her feet. Wincing. Probably at the pain in her side. She kicked off her remaining shoe and padded in her stockings to the window. She looked out.

 “What am I supposed to see?”

 I could see some of the tree tops from the chair if I twisted around a bit.

 “Look at the trees.”

 “Yeah. So?”

 “Are they moving?”

 “No. So what? There isn’t any wind.”

 “Actually there is.” I concentrated on the trees. Gave them a time bubble. They suddenly jumped to life. The breeze moving branches and leaves. I released the time bubbles and the trees stopped again. “I controlled that. Same way that I control the judge here.”

 She turned around and looked at me.

 “Sheila. This is going to be really hard for you to comprehend. Okay? But we are the only two people up and about on the planet. So in a way, yes, I’m going to free you from this bozo here.”

 “Oh thank god,” she breathed a sigh of relief.

 “Sheila. What is the situation here? I swear I won’t tell anyone.”

 She sank back to the floor. Hugging her knees again. Shoeless. I watched a war fight itself inside her head. Not sure what her internal daemons were but I could imagine that they weren’t much fun. Finally she licked her lips, making a decision.

 “That son-of-a-bitch blackmailed me. Three years ago.” It sounded like she’d wanted to tell someone this a long time and it came tumbling out of her mouth like water flowing down a mountain. “He actually was a judge back then. He’s retired now. Anyway, my stupid brother got nailed for armed robbery. Guilty as sin. I knew it. Judge knew it. But he was only a kid. I knew the judge’s wife. Gertrude. Through the church. I begged her to try and get Evan to go easy on my brother. She agreed to try. She’d known Robby since he was a kid as well. I get a call from the judge the next day telling me that it would cost him his bench if he messed with the court and that he couldn’t do it. I begged. I promised him anything. I just didn’t know that anything was this.” She spread her arms out, indicating the room. “I couldn’t see my brother going to jail. He couldn’t handle it. Finally the judge relented. And true to his word my brother walked. Kept out of trouble too.” Tears were beginning to roll down her face. Tracing through the grime.

 “The next week I get a call from the judge politely inviting me into a new position. A maid in his household. Obviously, I tried everything not to do this. It would mean giving up a very good job at IBM. Finally I convinced him that I’d help part-time. And I did. It was a bit degrading to do the housework for them, especially since they didn’t pay me. But Gertrude was kind to me and seemed to appreciate the help. Finally he demanded that I quit my other job to become a full time maid. He swore that he was a couple months from retirement anyway, and that he’d squeal on the deal and that my brother would get retried. Not having any choice I quit and became the full time maid around here. The first couple of weeks it was alright. But then one night I found him standing in my room. Telling me that I still had to work off the debt. At first it was just sex. Then the kinky stuff about three months ago. Christ. Videos. Snapshots. I couldn’t get away if I tried. He threatened to send it to my *parents* and friends. I didn’t even know what was in this room until three months ago. At first he just got off tying me up. Then the bondage got tighter. And longer. And then he. He. Began to h-hit me. Nowhere it would show. But it was for nothing. For nothing. I didn’t do anything to deserve this. Oh God. It hurts. I hate him.”

 At this point she just broke down crying. Her gloved hands pressing against her side. Sobbing.

 I sat back in the chair, unsure what to do. I hated him too. This was real life. Real time. Sheila was going to have to live with this for the rest of her life. I couldn’t do a thing about that. I mentally made a note that when I did restart the world to ensure that this asshole got caught somehow. An anonymous tip or something. For now though I could make things a little righter. At least in this timeline. I didn’t fail to see the irony. Here I was fully planning on making her a slave as well. I’d already abused women beyond comprehension. Especially Jane. And I hurt them. Perhaps I really wasn’t much better than this prick. Difference was I knew that the girls would never remember. This guy was doing this as a hobby in real time. Sheila would never forget him. I had to tell Sheila the truth about me though. Otherwise things were going to go off track quickly.

 “Sheila? Sweetheart?” She looked up at me with bleary eyes. “Will you stay here a moment? Not move? I’ll be right back. I swear it.”

 She nodded. To be safe I narrowed her time bubble and she slipped into a time phase with Mayer. She wouldn’t be in the same time phase with him long enough to interact.

 I used the key and left the door open. I slowly made my way downstairs glancing through the rooms. Amy was relaxing in the front room. Eyes closed. Cuffed hands lying on her bare stomach. Headphones on. Bare body slowly moving to some unheard music. Listening to something slow on the stereo. Elizabeth looked up from her book as I entered the library. A Tale of Two Cities. I raised my eyebrows and she just smiled. Turning pages two handed, forced by the cuffs. Like a child.

 I glanced around and spotted Christi lounging in a leather chair. Holding a Stephen King paperback.

 “Christi?” She looked up.

 “Break over?”

 “Kind of. I’ve got a really strange situation here and I need your help. And Jane’s. Know where she is?”

 “Dining room, I think. What’s happening?” She could tell that something was unusual by my tone. This wasn’t a call to torment her again. Instinctively she just knew. She was serious, not her usual sarcastic self.

 “I’ll explain it to both of you. Don’t want say this twice.”

 Christi rose from the chair, her robe twirling around her. She placed the book down on the chair to hold her place.

 “Whatcha reading?”

 “Talisman. Same one that you let me read when you took Jane. Remember?”

 “I don’t remember. Any good?” I didn’t think that I had even asked what she was reading when I left her alone in the bookstore. Not important.

 “Amazing. What’s up?”

 We arrived in the dining room. At first I didn’t see Jane. Then Christi pointed with her bound hands. Jane was stretched out like a cat in the bay window. Her robe open. Letting the morning sun beat down on her bare body. Fast asleep. My kitten.

 I wandered over to her. Shame to wake her. But I really needed her. I gently shook her. She mumbled something.

 “Urg. Not yet, Mom. Too early for school.”

 I just shook her again. This time her eyes fluttered open and she sighed.

 “You’ve come to torment me again. Haven’t you?”

 “Nope. But I need your help. Okay?”

 “What can I do for you?”

 I sat backward on one of the dining room chairs. Jane simply sat up on her perch and Christi stood barefoot on the carpet.

 “This is a very weird situation. Even I can’t believe this one. I’m going to give you the short version. Our host, at least the male side of it, is a former judge.” The girls nodded. “Problem is. He’s worse than me. In real time.” Jane and Christi both had looks of confusion on their face.

 “I found a locked room upstairs. Our host likes to play with women. Rougher even than I do. And he doesn’t control time so this woman is going to remember all of it.”

 Jane piped up. “What does he do? Kill them?” She was being flippant.

 I glared at her. She hadn’t seen the display I had.

 “Shush. The maid here has been abused by this guy for at least three months.”

 Christi went pale as the implications sunk in. She at least knew that she’d forget about this place as if it never happened. “What did he do to her?” she whispered.

 “I just watched him put her through the wringer. Stuff I wouldn’t even dream of doing to you unless you really really pissed me off. And even then I’d think twice about it. And even if I did do it to you, you wouldn’t be traumatized for life from it. You won’t remember it when you go back.”

 The girls just nodded together.

 Jane spoke up. “What are you going to do?”

 “When I restart the world, I’ll take care of it in real time. For now, there isn’t much I can do.”

 Christi looked up at me. A strange glow graced her eyes. She softly remarked, “You could let me and this girl at him for a while.”

 I nodded. “Actually, that’s exactly what I had in mind. But, my problem now is that I need you two to explain our situation to this girl. I really don’t want to frighten or hurt her any more than she already is. On the other hand I want her while we stay here. But I’m afraid that a less subtle approach might end up with her in hysterics and completely unmanageable. She knows that I can freeze things, but she isn’t in the frame of mind to understand. She’s hurt.”

 Jane looked at me shrewdly. “So you want us to help you snag yet another victim?”

 I nodded.

 “What’s in it for us?”

 “I don’t whip your breasts until you pass out. Plus, as a bonus, you don’t revoke on your deal to do anything for me.”

 “That sounds fair.” Jane shuddered and paled a little. “This guy did worse than whip her breasts? Glad I’m not *his* captive.”

 “If you’re not careful I might give you to him.” I was only joking with her. “Wrists.”

 The girls obediently raised their wrists. I removed the cuffs from them and they stood rubbing them idly. I held out my hands. “Robes.”

 The girls gave me a hurt look, but shrugged out of them and handed them to me. Glorious in their nakedness.

 Jane braved the question. “Why?”

 “I just thought it would be better if you were naked when you talked to her. If you are good, I’ll let you have them back later. Okay?”

 The girls nodded. I crooked my finger and the bare women followed me up the stairs. Jane yawned.

 I took them to the room and their eyes widened as they saw the red stains. Probably thinking it was blood. I didn’t doubt that this character was into blood play. However the stains weren’t blood and I told the girls so.

 “Calm down. It isn’t blood. Just a spilled drink. That’s her in the corner.” Sheila was still huddled in the corner. Semi-frozen. “Do either one of you know first aid?”

 Christi piped up. “A little.”

 “Good. I don’t know what went on before I arrived, but while I was watching he kicked her in the side twice, once in the stomach. While she was bound. He slapped her hard enough to make her fall. In the face. I’m surprised she wasn’t spitting teeth. Or knocked out. Okay? He orally raped her as well. She’s been through a lot. I’ve talked to her. She’s pretty calm, though you may surprise her. I think she needs another woman to talk to. You think you two can do it?”

 Christi took a deep breath. “God. I hope so. You’re right. This guy is a real animal. I wouldn’t put him in the same category with you. Brutal.”

 “Can you check her ribs? She’ll have bruises like you wouldn’t believe on her left side. I just want to make sure that she didn’t crack a rib or something.”

 “I’ll try. You’re serious. He kicked her that hard? And we didn’t hear it?”

 “I don’t know why he kicked her that hard nor why you didn’t hear it. Maybe the room is soundproofed or something. She was gagged when he kicked her. She couldn’t make a lot of noise anyway. I should have stopped it earlier.” I felt guilty as hell that I’d let her suffer through that.

 I wandered back and sat back in the chair. Turned it to face the huddling frozen girl. I sent Christi and Jane in the hall out of sight.

 I unfroze her. To her it would have just looked like my chair had twisted a bit suddenly.

 “Sheila?” I asked softly. I leaned forward on my knees towards her. She turned back to the sound on my voice. “I lied to you a bit. There are other people around. I want you to meet a couple. Okay?”

 “Like this?” She looked down at herself. “Please no.”

 “Believe me. You won’t be uncomfortable around them.” I raised my voice a bit. “Christi? Jane?”

 The two nude beauties walked slowly into the room. Sheila’s eyes widened. Frightened again. Christi couldn’t help herself any longer. She advanced quickly on her bare feet. Fairly running across the room. Grimacing as she stepped across the wet carpet. Christi dropped to her knees beside the shuddering girl and gathered her into her arms. Sheila just melted against Christi slowly crying and rocking. Really needing the comfort. Christi’s eyes brimmed as well. Whether in sympathy with the girl, or just at the situation in general, I don’t know. The girls stayed like that for a while. Just comforting each other. Jane had slipped to her bare knees beside them. Just silently lending her female presence and support. It seemed like enough. I watched as Christi whispered comfort to the girl and softly kissed her hair. Closing her eyes. Not believing what some women had to go through. Christi was getting the clamato and other fluids smeared over her bare body as well. Just from holding the crying girl. Christi didn’t appear to even notice or mind.

 I walked over to Jane and drew her away from the other two. I whispered in her ear. “Listen. I think you two can do better without me around. That okay?”

 Jane turned her head and whispered back. “We’ll do what we can. God. She’s a mess.”

 “Let her use the main bathroom. First door after the stairs. You and Christi can use it as well. You might need it.” I glanced at Christi’s smeared body.

 “Give us some time. She’s really hurt.”

 “I know.”

 “You won’t consider letting her go?”

 I shook my head.

 Resigned Jane nodded. “We’ll get her ready. But she’s going to need sleep and no abuse until after she sleeps or you won’t be able to keep her. I don’t believe I’m helping you. You’re such a bastard.”

 I stroked Jane’s hair and kissed the top of her head. “I know.”

  

 Chapter 69

 I glanced back at the girls and watched Jane move back to Christi and Sheila. She knelt and whispered something to the other two. She glanced back at me in the doorway and nodded.

 I slipped out, walked around the hallway and made my way down the stairs. Amy was still listening to the stereo, quietly humming. I couldn’t make out the tune. Elizabeth was still buried in her book. I poked my head into the library and she looked up from Revolution France.

 “My break over?” she asked with obvious disappointment in her voice. I think despite the cuffs and their nudity, the women were enjoying this quiet time. No demands. No pain.

 I shook my head. I just wasn’t in the mood to play with them. The Sheila thing had bothered me a bit. Maybe I needed some relaxation as well.

 “You hungry?” I asked her.

 “A little.” I couldn’t imagine that she was anything less than ravenous.

 “What would you like for lunch?”

 “I have a choice?”

 “If you’ll make lunch and mine.”

 “What about the others?”

 “I’ll find out. Just a sec.”

 I wandered back to the living room where Amy was still stretched out on the couch, listening to music with her eyes closed. Peaceful. I smiled to myself and walked over to the stereo. I gripped the volume knob and suddenly turned it up and immediately back down. Even I could hear the music suddenly blare through the headphones. Amy just about jumped through the roof. Her eyes flew open, she screamed and her cuffed hands rose frantically to her head, her fingers scrabbling at the source of her panic. The headphones finally fell from her ears and she looked around the room wildly. Her gaze fell on me, laughing hysterically by the stereo. I think I really needed some release. Such a childish thing to do.

 Before I knew it, Amy was off the couch and approaching me. I couldn’t help myself laughing. She slowly advanced on me. Yelling something. I couldn’t make it out over my laughing. My stomach hurt.

 She finally got herself to me. This small girl. Naked and cuffed. Trying her best to keep a straight face and affect anger. I managed to stop laughing and tried my best to look at her face without smirking.

 Her lips quivering, trying to keep herself from laughing, she managed to get out an admonishment.

 “You think that was funny?”

 Just before I burst out laughing, she raised her small fists and began to ineffectually pound them against my chest. The cuffs making the job much harder on her. Finally I couldn’t take it anymore. I just about collapsed on the floor. I was holding my stomach and crying. This poor girl. I could hear her laughing as she mock hit me.

 Finally, she gripped my shoulder with her hands and managed to pull me to the floor. Not like I could resist a lot. I vaguely heard Elizabeth wander into the room and remark.

 “What the hell is going on in here? Hmmmmm?”

 By this time Amy had managed to straddle my chest. Pinning me down. Her bare body looking luscious as she wrestled with me.

 She pretended to choke me. Not really threatening me. Just playing.

 “Listen to me, you brat,” she hissed at me. “That wasn’t funny. I could have had a heart attack.”

 I just couldn’t stop laughing. I felt Elizabeth’s weight come down on my legs. I heard her voice distantly.

 “What did he do to you?”

 I managed to control the laughter for another moment. Enough to hear Amy speaking over her shoulder to Elizabeth.

 “There I was. Quietly listening to AC/DC. Minding my own business. Enjoying myself for the first time in like three days. And this turkey sneaks in and turns up the stereo to like eleven. I just about had a freaking heart attack. And this bozo,” I felt her fists hit me again, “thinks it’s hilarious.”

 I began to laugh again. Shaking the bare girls sitting on me.

 I managed to gasp out. “It was freaking hilarious. You should have seen yourself.”

 I could feel Elizabeth begin to laugh as well. It was infectious. Finally Amy just gave up and just let herself laugh. Falling across me. Nearly smothering me with her bare breasts.

 Finally, the giggles nearly left us.

 “All I wanted was to find out what you wanted for lunch.”

 I could feel Amy begin to giggle again. I felt Elizabeth roll off my legs and just sit cross-legged beside us stupid people. At last the giggles were spent. My stomach hurt. But I felt better. I gently pushed Amy until she gave up and rolled off me. The bare girl just lay back on the floor and tried to stop her laughing. Tears were streaming from her eyes and she brushed at them with her bound hands. There was a shine and a smile on Elizabeth’s face.

 I sat up.

 Elizabeth looked at the two of us with a mocking severe look on her face.

 “You two quite finished yet?”

 I nodded. But the question managed to get a few more giggles out of Amy.

 “If you two idiots are done with your giggling, I’m hungry. What am I making?”

 Amy managed to gasp out. “I’m famished. Please. How about a Club sandwich.”

 I looked at Elizabeth. “You know how to make a Club sandwich?”

 She gave me a withering stare. “I was a waitress in a former life. I can make a Club sandwich. Geez.”

 I had no idea what any of the girls did in real time. Except maybe Jane. She was probably a high school student. Amy was probably a college student. But that didn’t preclude employment I suppose.

 I smiled at Elizabeth. “Go on. Careful though. Polly, the cook is in there. Don’t let her surprise you. Make six sandwiches. Okay?”

 Elizabeth gave me an odd look and carefully rose to her bare feet. To her count there was only five of us. I guess she’d find out about the newest addition to our family soon.

 I looked down at Amy, still gasping for breath on the floor. Her bare breasts rising and falling erratically. She opened her eyes.

 “You are such an idiot.” Her belly convulsed a couple more times as she tried to control the impulse to laugh. She finally succeeded. I lay back down beside her on the floor.

 “I needed that.” I remarked to her. “Sorry that you were the victim.”

 “You’re sorry?” she was completely incredulous.

 “Yeah. It was childish.”

 “You torture me for hours on end and you’re not sorry, and you deafen me as a prank and you are. I’ll never figure you out.” Amy rose up on her elbow and looked at me. She scrambled over to me. Pressed her bare body against my clothes. “I sort of liked it up there. More comfortable than the floor.” She struggled a bit but managed to get herself back up on top of me. Her weight didn’t bother me. She was light enough.

 Her face hung inches above mine. She ducked her head and gave me a quick kiss on the lips. Traced my lips with her tongue. She gave me a quick kiss on the tip of the nose.

 “Your slave Amy, thanks you,” she whispered to me.

 “For what?” I was completely confused.

 “She needed the laugh too. It felt good. Though her stomach hurts, now.”

 I nodded and she smiled. She worked her body down a bit so that she was lying further down me. Her bare crotch pressed at my jeans. I could feel myself reacting to her. My legs were apart, hers were lying easily between mine. She had extended her arms above head. Almost cradling my head between her arms. Having trouble lying on her front with handcuffs. Her head lay on my chest just under my chin. Her hair smelt wonderful. She lay quietly. Not making any other sexual movements. Just lying there. Breathing hard.

 “You’re welcome,” I murmured to the girl on my chest.

 We lay there like that for perhaps fifteen minutes. Amy didn’t stir. I was beginning to think that she had fallen asleep, but she raised her head immediately as Elizabeth wandered in.

 “Sandwiches are ready.”

 “Lunch time!” Amy announced from her perch. Elizabeth kind of gave us a weird look, I guess meaning the position. Amy hiked herself up me again, making me stir. She gave me a big kiss right on the lips and rolled off me. Bouncing to her feet.

 I slowly sat up. Realizing that I was breathing easier without her weight on my chest. Not that I minded. I looked up at the standing girls.

 “Why don’t you bring three sandwiches out here. You can continue what you were doing before I so rudely interrupted you.”

 The girls looked like they were in shock that I wasn’t going to torment them with their lunch, but hurried to obey. Elizabeth returned with two plates and handed one to me.

 “You sure?” she asked me.

 “What?”

 “You’re going to let me go back and read and eat alone?”

 “Yeah?”

 “Not going to make Amy feed me?”

 “Elizabeth. Do you want me to?”

 Her eyes widened and she straightened up. She shook her head and hurried back to the library while the getting was good. She remarked over her shoulder, “We should make you laugh more often.” I guess she attributed my being nice to them to my good humour. Truth was, I simply didn’t feel like tormenting them at the moment. Maybe it was the good laugh.

 Amy just wandered back to the sofa and stretched out. She placed the plate on her flat stomach and, giving me a dirty look, carefully brushed her hair behind her ears and placed the headphones over them. Soon she had closed her eyes and was gently moving to the music again. Slowly eating her lunch.

 I just shook my head. I couldn’t believe the resilience of this girl. Yesterday she spent the entire day in horrible punishments. In pain. Her breasts still bore the marks of the crop that I’d used on her. Her thighs, too. And today, she was laughing and voluntarily kissing me. No longer even self conscious of her bondage or nudity. Just enjoying her free time.

 I doubted if I’d ever understand the female of the species. I hoped that Sheila would be as resilient after a good sleep and some loving care from Christi and Jane.

 I ate my sandwich in silence, watching Amy, and thinking.

  

 Chapter 70

 Shortly after I’d finished eating, I suddenly heard the faint sound of water flowing. Sounded like the shower running as heard from a basement. Like in an old house I used to live in.

 I sighed and rose to my feet. I poked my head in on Elizabeth. She looked up from her book as I entered the library. She had finished her sandwich and there were only crumbs on the plate.

 “Lunch good?”

 “Mmm-hmmm. Wouldn’t mind some more. And a drink.”

 “Do you deserve it?”

 She blushed a little as she remembered who and where she was. “I don’t know,” she whispered. I ultimately controlled when, what and how much she ate.

 I nodded. “Go on. Make Amy another as well. And get us all some milk.”

 “Milk?”

 “Milk.”

 “But there’s some pop in the fridge.” She looked at me hopefully.

 “Milk.”

 She nodded. Not wanting to push things. Calcium is good for the girls. And I quite enjoyed a cold glass of milk. Elizabeth rose to her feet and pranced out of the library towards the kitchen.

 In a few minutes she returned with a plate and a glass of milk in her bound hands. She placed them in front of me.

 “Elizabeth?” She turned around. On her way out for another trip. “I didn’t want another sandwich.”

 “Oh God. I’m sorry. Please. I just thought that you wanted one too. Please. You don’t have to punish me. I’ll eat it.”

 “That’s alright, babe. Just leave an extra in the kitchen. Jane and Christi can fight over it.”

 Her face was a mask of relief that I hadn’t punished her for the slip. Normally I probably would have.

 “You wanted the milk, right?”

 I nodded. Taking a sip. Cold milk. Ahh. I watched as Elizabeth made two more trips. Bringing Amy her second sandwich and then bringing herself a glass of milk to go with her sandwich which I’d just slid across the table to be in front of her. I watched as she tasted it and grimaced.

 “You don’t drink milk?”

 “Not in a long time. Can’t stand the taste.”

 “It’s good for you. And I want you to drink it.”

 “I will.”

 I rose as she took another sip. I downed the rest of my milk in one long swallow. Elizabeth watched me with undisguised envy. Really wishing that she liked the taste of the liquid as much as I.

 “Behave yourselves down here. ‘kay?”

 “When don’t we?”

 I raised my eyebrows and she just lowered her eyes quickly and resumed reading.

 Leaving Elizabeth in peace, I wandered back out to the main foyer and the staircase leading upstairs. As I walked slowly up the stairs I could hear the shower more clearly. I could smell the clean odor of soap and steam as I approached the huge bathroom. The girls were talking softly in there. The door only half closed. It sounded as if all three were in the shower together.

 There were two sets of wet reddish footprints on the white carpet of the hallway. Bare feet. Heavier the closer to the business room they got; very faint by the bathroom at the other end of the hallway. I looked at them. Christi’s and Sheila’s feet, I was guessing. I was willing to bet that Jane had been careful to avoid stepping in the large red stain in the business room.

 I entered the large bathroom without bothering to knock. These women no longer had anything to hide from me. As I suspected all three were in the shower. The doors were opaque but I could easily see the three female forms moving around. Washing each other. Enjoying the cleansing of the hot water.

 I sat up on the counter and listened.

 “God, he got you good, didn’t he?” Christi’s voice.

 Sheila murmured something back. Something like, “Yeah, the fucking bastard.” I heard Jane gasp and Sheila again spoke up. “It will fade in a couple of days.”

 A few seconds of silence.

 “He keeps you naked all the time?” Sheila’s musical voice drifted out of the shower. It was hard to tell to which of the girls she was talking.

 “Lately he’s been letting me and Christi wear robes. But I wouldn’t count on him letting you wear anything.”

 “Nudity is better than corsets and high heels any day. Trust me. You’ve been with him for days?”

 “Yeah.”

 “Why haven’t you attacked him?”

 “Why didn’t you attack Mayer?”

 “I guess. Couldn’t you escape?”

 “Why didn’t you run from Mayer?”

 “Because of my brother.”

 “You can’t escape this guy. Please Sheila, you have to listen to me. You can’t get away. I’ve watched it happen so many times. Me. Others. He just stops you in your tracks and holds a gun on you. Or worse your family. You always end up doing what he says. You wouldn’t like what happens to you if you try to escape.”

 “He won’t hurt me if I don’t try to escape?”

 I heard Jane sigh. “Sheila, honey, I can’t guarantee that. He likes hurting girls. I don’t know why. But he’s not malicious about it, like that asshole in the other room. He wants to see something. You don’t want to do it. Problem is, he can make you do it. And it is so much easier and less painful if you just do it the first time. Believe me. He can be kind.”

 “W-will he rape me?”

 “Hold still. I’m trying to get this goddamn clamato out of your hair. Hold still,” Christi chastised the girl.

 “I don’t know, sweetheart,” Jane answered Sheila’s question. “He hasn’t raped anyone. Never demanded sex. As far as I know. He hasn’t raped me. And Christi has had sex with him, but I’m not sure you could count that as rape. Sometimes I’ve heard women offer sex to him to avoid something. But he rarely takes them up on it. I’ve offered myself numerous times but he’s never taken me.” Jane conveniently left out the forced lesbian sex epidemic that was going around.

 Sheila sighed at something.

 Christi spoke up. “You okay?”

 “Yeah. I’m okay. It’s just a bit tender over there. I’m sorry.”

 Jane spoke to her. “Sheila, honey. You sure you understand? We really don’t want to get into trouble if you decide to make life hard on this guy. We’ve been through it. Time and again.”

 “I’m okay with it. I’ve been a sex slave for the last three months already. Another few days aren’t going to matter. And he did rescue me from that monster in the other room. If you two aren’t completely off your rocker then I won’t remember it anyway. And if you are wrong then he’s going to get caught soon.”

 “God, don’t we wish,” from Jane wistfully.

 “I’ll behave for now,” Sheila promised.

 “He’s going to tie you up, you know.”

 “That’s okay. You should have seen some of the stuff that I’ve been through. One night the fucking bastard decided that I had to sleep suspended from the ceiling. Upside down. Yeah. I got a lot of sleep that night. And he didn’t even give a crap. Still had to be on duty at five. He took me down at 4:45, slapped me around to wake me up and then went back to bed. I’m used to ropes.” I could almost hear the shudder in her voice.

 Another long silence. Just the sounds of the girls washing themselves.

 “He punished your breasts?” Sheila asked.

 Jane answered her. “Yeah. I was dumb though. I disobeyed. He wouldn’t have done it if I’d done what I was told.” This wasn’t entirely true. I would have found some excuse to punish Jane’s breasts anyway. She probably knew it as well, but there really wasn’t any sense in frightening the new girl.

 “What happened?” I wondered which incident she was going to relate. I smiled to myself.

 “He was tormenting another girl. Badly. And he’d just told me to sit and watch. I got up and stopped him. He took it out on my breasts. But he was careful. No lasting marks. Just pure agony for a while. He didn’t send me into some insanity if that’s what you are worried about. It hurt. But it wasn’t unbearable. I survived. I’ll always survive.”

 So she picked the Kimberley incident. Or maybe the Amy incident. No, the Amy incident had been when Jane hadn’t whipped Amy when ordered. She hadn’t stopped me from tormenting her. Different story. Must have been thinking of the Kimberley incident.

 “Oh. Will he hit my breasts? God. I remember the first time that fucker hit my tits. Oh my God, I thought I was going to die. I thought I had died and gone to hell. That is what it’s like. That fucker drew blood. I couldn’t wear a bra for a week. I could barely wear my uniform. I cried every night after that. He won’t do that to me, will he?”

 “I doubt it,” Christine piped up. “He’s pretty careful about going overboard. I accidentally drew blood when he made me whip another girl and he urged me to be careful. And though I’ve seen him leave marks, the pain generally fades after an hour or so. Whatever he’s done. No matter what a bastard he is. No matter how cruel he seems. He’s never punched or kicked anyone as far as I know. And he doesn’t leave any bruises that we don’t put on ourselves.”

 “What do you mean?”

 “I mean, if your breasts are being whipped and you are tied down, then you tend to ahhhh struggle a bit. Right? And the ropes can leave bruises if you pull too hard. But you can’t help it. Right? They’re usually small bruises and they tend to fade quickly. At least on me. I don’t think that he finds bruises particularly attractive on a girl.”

 “I see. God. If I had to be a slave, I’d take your master over mine any day.”

 “Me too,” Christi piped up.

 There was some movement in the tub/shower. The door opened letting out a cloud of steam. Jane screeched as she stepped out of the shower, not expecting me just sitting there quietly on the counter.

 Christi immediately called out. “What is it, Jane? You okay?”

 Jane closed her eyes and tried to slow her breathing. “Fuck, you scared me.”

 “I’m sorry. I was just waiting for you slowpokes to vacate the shower.”

 “No. I’m sorry. I guess I’m still not used to having no privacy. God, you gave me a start. I had no idea you were in here.” She looked at me shrewdly. “How much did you hear.”

 “I heard you taking cheap shots at me.” Jane paled. “But then you defended me so it all evened out in the end.”

 Jane began breathing again and reached behind her to shut the shower door. I handed her a huge bath towel. She began to dry her hair. After she was done I motioned her out into the hall. Christi and Sheila had fallen silent after they realized I was in the bathroom with them.

 The dripping girl followed me out into the hallway. Soaking the carpet with the water dripping from her naked body. She continued to towel off slowly.

 “She okay?”

 “Mentally, or physically?”

 “Both.”

 “Mentally, she’s strong. If she could survive some of the abuse I heard about, then she should be okay with your brand of abuse. She’s getting better now that she’s out from under Dickwad’s thumb. Physically, she’s a little worse off. He’s raped her. A lot. And you were right, she bruised badly from those kicks. Christi suspects that she’s got a cracked rib. But I think she’ll be alright. The shower helped a lot. Since we scrubbed her, she has cheered up a lot. She’s quite beautiful underneath all that crap he threw at her. She’s got bruises all over. Her ass. Her back. Her boobs. Her face. Her arms. Legs. You name it. He got her there. And not lightly. I couldn’t imagine what she went through to get them all. But her body will mend itself. She should be a lot better if you just let her sleep for a good eight hours. You are going to get him back for this, aren’t you?”

 “I am. You want a shot at him?”

 “Normally, you know I’m not a violent person. But if you were to order me to, say, give him a dose of his own medicine, I doubt if I’d risk my hide and say no.” She gave me an evil grin. “You want us to give her anything to wear? She’s going to want something.” I shook my head. “I know. What use are clothes on a woman? I doubt if she’s particularly shy anymore anyway after what she’s been through.”

 “Finish her up. Get her dried off and presentable. Don’t bother with make up for her. I’m just going to put her to bed anyway. Meet me in the next bedroom. The master bedroom. She’ll know which one. Assure her that I’m not planning on raping her.”

 Jane nodded curtly and turned on her bare heel. I was proud of her. She’d had the huge towel the whole time. She’d dried off and then simply held it at her side. No attempt to wrap it around herself. It would have covered her small body neck to toe. She disappeared into the bathroom and I heard her trying to coax the other two out of the shower before they turned into prunes.

 I quickly made my way downstairs to the kitchen. I glanced in on the girls but they were engrossed in their activities. Elizabeth looked up from her classic and waved as I passed. Amy didn’t even know I’d checked on her. I assumed that AC/DC had her attention.

 In the kitchen, I found four sandwiches sitting on plates sitting on the kitchen table. Polly, the cook, still stood frozen by the counter forever pouring tea. I walked over to the refrigerator. Opening it, I discovered the largest and best stocked fridge I’d ever seen. I grabbed the milk and set it on the table beside the sandwiches. I had to browse through the cupboards to find glasses, and eventually found some. I suppose that I should have gotten Elizabeth to do this for me. After all, she’d already done this once. She wouldn’t have had to search for things.

 I quickly poured a tall glass of milk and returned the milk container to the fridge. Picking up a sandwich and the milk, I turned and made my way back upstairs. I detoured on my way up the stairs to pick up three pairs of handcuffs from the equipment pack. I walked into the master bedroom and placed the food and the cuffs on the night stand. I lay back in the bed propped up on the pillows. This bed was far more comfortable than the hotel bed. I closed my eyes, faintly hearing sounds from the adjoining bathroom. Soft female voices. The occasional item hitting the counter.

 I may have dozed for a second. I heard a soft throat clear and I opened my eyes and sat up. The girls had entered the room. They were standing just inside the door. Radiant. Christi and Jane were standing easily behind Sheila. They had brushed out their hair until it shone. Their face bore light makeup and their skin fairly shone. Their nails were painted a light peach colour. Fingers and toes. Sheila was standing in front of the other two. The blonde was stunning. Perfect figure. No attempt to cover her nudity. Even without the heavy make up her face was like a china doll’s. Except for the bruises. I let my eyes run over her exposed body. She flushed but made no attempt to cover herself with her hands. Her hands stayed limply at her sides.

 I could see the beginnings of a really ugly purple bruise beginning to form on her left side. Just under her ribs. I could see fainter bruises on her upper arms. Her neck. Her thighs. Even her face and breasts. I was sure that she was in worse shape on her backside as well. Despite all the aches and pains that she was undoubtedly suffering, she still managed to stand straight and look stunning.

 “Sheila, come here.”

 A look of fright crossed her features, but she took a deep breath. Jane whispered in her ear and she began to move slowly and daintily towards the bed. When she made it to the bedside, she slowly sank to her bare knees and lowered her head. Very submissive posture.

 She spoke, “So you are my new master?”

 “Shhh. In a minute. Okay?” I turned to the other two girls. “Jane? Christi? Come here.”

 They padded over, knowing instinctively that they didn’t have to kneel like Sheila had. They were about to be dismissed.

 “Wrists.”

 Jane began a soft protest but I cut her off with a glance. Her mouth snapped shut. As I was carefully placing the restraints back on their wrists, I spoke quietly to them. “You know this isn’t a punishment. Seriously. I want to thank you two for helping Sheila. You did a great job. She needed you two. Are you hungry?”

 The girls nodded. For some reason Christi and Jane were both fighting back tears. Not sure why. I’d have to ask them later.

 “Elizabeth has made Club sandwiches downstairs in the kitchen. They’re good. Pour yourselves some milk. There is a sandwich each plus an extra she made accidentally. Share the extra between you. You can go back to what you were doing before I so rudely pulled you away. Enjoy your lunch. I’ll be down for you soon.”

 Christi looked at me, fear in her eyes. She spoke softly, “Sir? Can I speak?”

 I nodded reassuringly to the frightened girl.

 “Please. The milk.”

 “What about it. It’s good for you.”

 “Oh God. I know. And I love it. But, please. It doesn’t love me.”

 “Allergic?”

 She nodded. Tears almost falling but she fought them back.

 “Truly?”

 “Yes sir.”

 “Alright. You can have water instead. That better?”

 “Thank-you.” I suspect that she was remembering the peanut butter incident where I’d forced her to eat it despite her intense dislike for it. But this was different. She was allergic to the stuff. I needed Christi sick like I needed a sudden flood. “One more thing?” she was feeling a little braver since I’d allowed her to drink water instead.

 “What is it?”

 “Please sir. Sheila. She. She’s hurt enough for today. Please don’t hurt her. If you need to hurt someone, I’ll take it for her. Okay?”

 I nodded. I had no intention of hurting the girl kneeling on the carpet. Christi was right, she’d had more than enough for the day. “Go on. Go eat.”

 Jane and Christi both turned and I heard them make their way slowly down the hallway. Finally I could just sense the vibrations from their bare feet through the house as they descended to the first floor and to their meals.

 I turned back to the girl kneeling nude on the floor. She was shaking like a leaf. Tears brimming in her eyes, but not falling. She was looking up at me. I smiled at her, trying to put some warmth and kindness behind it. Unlike her former master.

  

 Chapter 71

 I just sat up on the bed and gazed at the new girl. Her eyes were lowered and she just knelt quietly and suffered my scrutiny.

 Finally, she spoke softly, “Sir, you aren’t going to hurt me are you?” She sounded so forlorn. So resigned to her fate.

 “Sheila, honey. I’m not going to hurt you. I promise.”

 “Wh-what should I call you?”

 “I’m not sure. Sir? Master? Hey you?”

 I actually saw a smile play along her lips. I could still see a faint red hand print embedded on her right cheek where she’d been slapped earlier. It distorted a bit when she struggled to control the smile.

 “You don’t have a name?”

 “Nope. I’m nameless.”

 “A shadow in the dark? I think I’ll stick with Sir or Master. I get the feeling ‘Hey you’ will probably get me in trouble.”

 She was finally looking up at me. Her defenses were beginning to crumble. I was being careful to be kind to her. She was actually on the verge of a smile. In her position I doubted if I’d ever smile. I nodded to her.

 “Sheila? I have to admit that you are a sight to see kneeling there, but why don’t you come up here? It’s more comfortable.”

 Her eyes betrayed her fear. “If you don’t mind, I’d rather stay here.” Still afraid of rape, I’d wager. She simply didn’t want to come up on the bed with me there. Even if it was infinitely more comfortable than being on her knees on the floor.

 “Sheila. Sweetheart. I’m not going to hurt you. I promise. I won’t even touch you.” I slid down to the foot of the bed and leaned back against the foot board. Giving up my spot for the naked female.

 The girl warily got to her bare feet and hesitantly walked to the bed and sat down. Sighing as her bare body sank into the bed.

 “Comfortable. Isn’t it?”

 She nodded. She hitched herself up onto the bed, pulling her bare legs up onto the coverlet and relaxing back into the pillows. Her bare legs and feet lying alongside mine, legs together modestly.

 “You know. I wasn’t even allowed in this room. Gertrude cleaned it herself. Very private woman. This is the first time I’ve ever even seen it.”

 I thought of Gertrude on display tied to an oak tree in the backyard in her nightgown and smiled. Private, huh? Sheila didn’t miss my quick smile.

 “Something funny?” she asked.

 “Just thinking of someone. Relax. You hungry?”

 Her eyes darted to the food on the night stand. Her eyes rested briefly on the handcuffs, but she finally tore them away to gaze at me. She shook her head. I wasn’t too surprised that she wasn’t hungry.

 “I want you to eat something eventually.” I paused. “Sheila. Honey. I have to handcuff you.”

 “I know. I’m used to it.” Resigned.

 “I won’t tighten them. They won’t hurt.”

 The girl fought back tears but raised her right wrist. I got off the bed and wrapped the steel around her slender wrist. This was the most I’d touched the girl since I’d met her. Her wrist had faint marks on it. Perhaps the remnants of bruises from a particularly cruel or tight binding. I closed the cuff carefully and locked it, tested it to make sure she couldn’t slip her hand out from the loose steel and clipped the other end around the bedpost. She let out an involuntary whimper but suffered the indignity mostly in silence. Her mind was probably rushing around to other horrors that had happened to her while she was helpless and nude; things that weren’t going to happen to her this time.

 I pulled one of the decorative desk chairs over to the bedside and sat down facing her. She just looked at me waiting.

 “Sheila, I know this is hard for you. I hope Jane and Christi helped you understand what is going on.”

 She bit her lip and nodded. “They were wonderful. I feel so much better. I really do. And that shower they gave me. I feel. Cleaner. I think I would have gone nuts if it wasn’t for them.”

 I was actually surprised that she hadn’t felt a little uncomfortable around the other girls. I mean, they had taken a shower together. A little much for a first date, I would have thought. But the girl was a bit of an enigma. Who knows what she’d been forced to do. Showering with a couple of people of her own sex was probably tame compared to some of the stuff she’d had to do. Maybe this girl just wasn’t shy around other women. Maybe she didn’t mind being touched and washed by another woman. I’d heard that women weren’t as paranoid of same gender touching as men. Perhaps, she’d been traumatized into rejecting males. I couldn’t blame her. Or maybe she was bisexual or lesbian even before being taken by Mayer. I supposed that I would have to probe more into this later. It might help me understand her. Like I had a hope of understand a female anyway, much less a lesbian. But I was curious, there really wasn’t any real evidence that she was homosexual at all, just my overactive imagination.

 “Honey. You have to eat. Okay?”

 She nodded. She used her free left hand to pick up the glass of milk. She downed it in one quick swallow, her throat muscles working at the fluid. She put the glass back down and took a deep breath. Her breasts rose up as she filled her lungs with air.

 “Thirsty?” I asked, surprised at how fast she drank it.

 “Like a desert. Abuse makes you thirsty, don’t you know?” She flashed me a brief smile.

 I smiled back at her and watched her pick up the sandwich and nibble at it.

 “I’m going to let you sleep after you eat. You must be tired.”

 “And achy,” she replied around small bites. “Please. Sir. Master. I. I’m not really hungry.”

 “Eat half then. You’ll be hungry when you wake. You can eat the rest then.”

 She continued to eat the half sandwich in her left hand as she was told. Shortly she finished, but it looked like she almost had to force herself to eat. She licked at her finger tips and then lowered her hand to rest easily on her bare belly. I watched as she experimentally probed the discoloured area of her side with her fingers. She winced and let her hand fall back to her stomach. That was going to be one hell of a bruise she was going to be sporting for the next few days.

 “Why are you doing this?”

 “What?” I was confused by her question. Could have meant any number of things.

 “Why are you keeping me? What are you planning to do with me?”

 “Sweetheart. Even I don’t know the answer to that.”

 “You are going to hurt me as well, aren’t you?”

 “Not like that animal that was keeping you before. And I will let you go.”

 “When?”

 “I don’t know. You won’t remember any of this when you return.”

 “So they tell me. Then what’s the point?”

 “*I* will remember. Problem with you is that I’m going to be returning you back to something worse than this reality. I feel bad about returning you. The others are going back to a better place.”

 “Please. Don’t send me back. You can do whatever you please to me, but I can’t go back.” She’d made a similar deal with Mayer. But I doubt if that occurred to her. She seemed genuinely afraid of Mayer. Understandably.

 “Honey, I have to. Eventually. But, I swear, I’ll find some way to get you out of this when I get back to the main timeline. I’ll make sure that bastard pays for what he’s done to you.”

 Sheila swallowed heavily. Fighting back tears. “O-okay. You aren’t going to hurt me as much as he did are you?”

 “No honey. I’m not. Right now, I’m just trying to take care of you. Not hurt you. You’ve been through quite enough for the last couple of months by the sound of it.”

 “Jane told me. She told me that you could be kind.”

 “Jane is a good woman. Strong. Like you. Smart.”

 “You actually respect them in some ways. Don’t you?”

 “Yeah.” I nodded. “Honey, you have to get some sleep.”

 She hitched herself back down the bed. Extending her right arm to accommodate the handcuff, lying her blonde head down on her extended arm. She had turned on her side and drawn up one leg. She looked almost comfortable despite the restraint on her right hand. She closed her eyes.

 “You don’t have to handcuff me, you know. At first I was horrified that I was moving from one monster to another. God, how I cried. But if the girls are telling the truth, at least you aren’t as bad as that other asshole. And I’m not going to run. Jane told me that you actually kept your word. If I obeyed I wouldn’t be punished. Mayer, that fucking bastard, would force me to obey. Usually with promises that I wouldn’t be punished. And then kick the hell out of me anyway. Please. You don’t have to keep me bound. I’m not going anywhere. I can’t.”

 “I know, sweetheart. I know. It’s just a safety and decorative thing. At least for now. It shouldn’t hurt too much.”

 “It doesn’t. It’s better than what Mayer made me sleep in.”

 “Get some sleep. Try to rest.”

 “I will. And thank-you.” I turned to look at her naked, reclining figure. Puzzled. “For getting me away from him. And being nice to me,” she continued. “Even if you couldn’t let me go.”

 I bent down and kissed her forehead. She didn’t flinch at all, but merely closed her eyes again. I walked to the door and touched the light switch. The room fell into a semi-darkened state. I could see her body moving rhythmically with her breathing and I softly shut the door behind me. Allowing her to sleep off the horror and abuse of the morning.

 I walked swiftly back downstairs. I checked in on the girls again. Amy was still quietly listening to her music. Elizabeth was still reading Dickens. Christi had picked back up the Stephen King/Peter Straub novel. I found Jane lying back in the sun, delicately eating the last of her sandwich. She looked up as I approached.

 “The sandwich was good.”

 “You should tell Elizabeth.”

 “I will.”

 I sat there watching the bare girl for a moment. “What are you thinking?” I asked her.

 “I was just thinking about Sheila. And what she had to go through. What she still has to go through when you return her.”

 “I know. Scary ain’t it?”

 “You aren’t ever going to treat us like that are you?”

 “No. Why?”

 Tears formed in her eyes. She willed them away. “I couldn’t handle that. She shouldn’t be sane. That went beyond cruel, what that asshole did to her. At least when you are hurting me, I can rationalize. Some day it will be over and I will forget about it completely and continue to live my life as though none of it ever happened. She doesn’t have that option.”

 “Maybe she’s not sane.”

 “She is. Tired. Battered. Frightened. Terrorized. But she somehow retained her sanity. That guy was going to kill her you know. Still is, I guess.”

 “The thought had crossed my mind. Janey, I’ll take care of it. When I restart the world. That bastard is going to be ‘discovered’. Don’t you worry your pretty little head. Sheila will be okay. Here and there.”

 Jane blushed. “Why’d you come down here?”

 “Couple of reasons.”

 “Torment time for the rest of us?”

 “Not yet. I came down here because I wanted to talk.”

 “Yeah?”

 “Yeah. And you talked to me. The others are engrossed in books. And music.”

 “You could have forced them to talk.”

 “Not the same.”

 “Why else? You want sex?”

 I was surprised. “You offering?”

 “If you want. You know I will. Don’t have much choice.”

 I shook my head. “‘fraid not now. Not in the mood.”

 “I thought guys were always in the mood.”

 I just looked at her.

 “Might help you take the edge off this,” she remarked. She idly arched her back, thrusting her bare breasts out towards me. This woman was full of surprises. I felt myself react to her offer, but this wasn’t the time. Later perhaps.

 I shook my head. “We’ve got to deal with our elderly cook out in the kitchen. And then I have to have a little chat with our judge.”

 Jane nodded. “I don’t believe that you are choosing Polly over me.” She smiled mischievously. “I’ll help with our cook. You realize that you are going to give her a heart attack if you unfreeze her. I’m assuming that you want her out in the backyard as well.”

 I smiled. “How the hell am I going to unfreeze her without giving her heart failure?” I touched Jane’s arm. She picked up her plate and glass in her bound hands and carried them back to the kitchen.

 We entered the kitchen and Jane dropped the plate and glass into the sink. We both regarded Polly. Still oblivious to the people around her. The nude girls moving in and out. The sex. That was going to change for her unfortunately.

 I reached down and released Jane’s hands from her restraints. I sent her off to get some rope to deal with our cook. Poor old woman. I felt sorry for her, but I had to move her out of the way. And to do that I had to slip her into a different timeline. Ours. I’d try and make it as painless as possible for her.

 I guess it had to be done. Soon she’d be obliviously in a slower time frame and out of all this. I sat on one of the kitchen chairs. I pulled the gun out of the waistband of my jeans and lay it on the table. I concentrated, freeing the elderly lady from the time freeze. She began to pour the tea which she’d been doing when I froze the world. Her back was still to me.

 I let her finish pouring the tea, not wanting to startle her while she was holding the hot liquid. When she put the teapot down, I spoke to her, “Polly?”

 She whirled around. Far faster than I’d expected. Her accent was distinctly English, “And who the ‘ell might ye be?” Her eyes found the gun lying on the table immediately. “Aye. Come in to rob the place, eh?” She laughed. “The Judge will love ‘at. ‘fraid that I don’t ‘ave naught but tea for the likes of you.”

 No fear. Her calm demeanor surprised me into laughing.

 “Polly. My dear. I’m not here to rob you.”

 “Aye lad. What else you need one of them popguns for? Silly man.”

 Just then Jane waltzed through the kitchen door. Obviously not aware that I was going to unfreeze the old woman without her here.

 “I got them, Master!” she announced jovially. “Oh shit,” she continued as she saw the old cook standing there. Polly’s jaw had just about dropped to the floor as this naked teenager just walked in like there was nothing unusual about being unclothed in her kitchen.

 In amusement, I watched as Polly’s eyes rolled back. Her hand flew to her breast and she exclaimed a quick, “My word.” She promptly began to sway. Jane dropped the rope and scampered to the tottering old woman. As she fainted, Jane just reached her and had real trouble lowering the bigger woman to the floor. I just sat and watched, unable to react quickly enough to help.

 “Ooof.” Jane grunted as the woman was laid out on the floor. “Couldn’t wait could you? She weighs a ton. A ton and a half. Way to avoid heart failure.”

 “Your fault.”

 “My fault????” Jane looked at me. Completely incredulous.

 “Yeah, I was having a nice conversation with the nice old woman and you barge in like you own the place. All naked and all. Make her faint.”

 Jane gave me a dirty look but checked the woman. Loosened the collar on her uniform. Jane breathed a sigh of relief. Just a faint. Not heart failure.

 “Like I had a choice,” Jane remarked as she worked.

 “Come on, what’s done is done.” I got up and wandered over to where Jane was. “You take her feet. I’ll get her arms.” Jane moved around to where she was told gripping the woman’s ankles.

 Together we struggled with the woman, dragging her out the door and to the nearest tree outside. I sat her up with her back against the tree. I relaxed in the grass as Jane carefully bound the helpless woman to the tree.

 “Not too tight. Doesn’t have to be,” I instructed Jane.

 “I know.”

 “God she was heavy.”

 “I told you that,” Jane said smirking.

 The woman stirred just as Jane was forming the last knot.

 “Wh-what?” she began.

 I concentrated and she slipped into a different time phase with Gertrude. They could interact there. At least they had company. Though it wouldn’t be for long. Even if I kept them here a week, they’d only have time for maybe few sentences. They were moving that slow. I hardly had to take the precaution of binding them at all.

 Jane just looked at me. “That is just so amazing. I’d be really impressed if you used it for the common good, instead of for enslaving me.”

 I smiled at her as we walked back into the house, Jane’s bare feet making a slight trail through the grass in front of me.

  

 Chapter 72

 As we re-entered the kitchen, Jane picked up her handcuffs from the table and handed them to me. She raised her wrists, allowing me to lock her wrists together again. No complaints.

 I hesitated before putting them on her.

 “Janey? If I don’t lock your hands, will you behave?”

 “Of course. I’ve only been telling you that for days.”

 “No. I mean I think I need your hands free for a while.”

 Her perception kicked in. “You want me to be there when you deal with the asshole.” A statement.

 “You tie better knots than me. You think you can make him uncomfortable?”

 Jane actually smiled. “If you let me tie that jerk up, Christ, I’m yours forever. He’ll be uncomfortable.”

 I nodded. “That’s my girl. Come on.”

 We practically ran upstairs.

 Jane shuddered as we entered the business room. Mayer was still standing in the same position that I had refrozen him. Technically he could have moved a couple of millimeters, but I doubted if he even moved that far. I saw Jane glance at the red puddle on the ground. I guess I could have returned that piece of carpet back to the prime timeline. It should clean itself. But I wanted a reminder of this man’s behaviour. I still held Jane’s handcuffs in my hands.

 I carefully walked to the leather chair, motioning Jane to close the door and follow me. I vaguely wondered if I should have brought Christi up as well. She’d want a shot at this guy. I considered it, but I’d let her have her fun after I had this guy under a semblance of control. He was going to be a challenge. I figured that he would be a coward underneath the tough exterior. Far more concerned for his own skin than anyone else’s. I should be able to use that to my advantage.

 I pulled the gun out of its impromptu holster and aimed it at Mr. Mayer. Jane just stood quietly behind the chair. I glanced up and regarded her face. She was doing her best to control her emotions. But I could see it in her eyes. Almost rage at this animal in front of us. She’d talked to Sheila far more than I. She was probably far more aware of the horrors that had happened here than I was.

 “You ready?”

 “Let’s get him.” Jane was ready.

 I concentrated and released our judge from his time block. Without really noticing anything wrong, Mayer continued his turn towards the closet. Fuming about his now non-existent slave who was peacefully sleeping in his bed.

 “Oh Judge?” I called out softly.

 He turned at the sound of my voice. He stopped dead as he saw me sitting in his chair. I saw his eyes travel to Jane. Eyeing her. Lingering on her exposed chest. Then the eyes fixed on the gun. This distraction only held for a second or so.

 He exploded. “What the fuck?!?!?!?”

 “Sir. I think we should get something straight here. This is a gun.” I let a shot off into the ceiling above his head. Chips of wallboard shattered across the room. Mayer screamed. “It’s loaded. And I won’t hesitate to shoot your balls off if you don’t cooperate.”

 He stood still and glanced around the suddenly small room.

 “What do you want? Money? It’s in the safe. I’ll get it for you.” He’d noticed that Sheila was not in the room but he hadn’t mentioned it yet.

 “Sir. I have no interest in your money. At all.”

 “Then what do you want? How did you get in here? Who’s the bitch?” I felt Jane’s fingers tighten on my shoulder.

 “You are Judge Evan Mayer. Aren’t you?”

 “Yeah. Who the fuck are you?” Still not moving.

 “Evan. Can I call you Evan? Yes. I suppose I can. I’m the one with a gun. Evan. I’m getting tired of all this profanity. I don’t let my girls use it idly. And I won’t let you.”

 “In case you hadn’t noticed. I ain’t one of ‘your girls’. Fuck you.”

 “Evan. I’m going to give you this last warning. You can quit the swearing, and apologize to Jane, or, and I think I’m being reasonable here, I can happily shoot you in the elbow. Or perhaps you’d prefer a bullet in the balls? At this range I doubt if I could possibly miss. What do you think?”

 His face paled and he stammered. “Wh-what. What. What do you w-want? Please.”

 “At the moment I want you to apologize to Jane here. The only person that calls her a ‘bitch’ is me. And I would only do that if she was being particularly disobedient. Or I had her acting like a dog. She has never deserved it. Now apologize to the lady.”

 He took another look at the gun. “Lady. I apologize.”

 “That okay Janey?”

 “For now.” Her voice was like ice. She hadn’t met this guy before now. But she knew him. She was holding herself in check pretty good. She was good at self-control. Perhaps it was better that I hadn’t involved Christi in this, after all. I’m not sure that she would have the self control necessary for this situation.

 “Now. Evan. You remember that girl you had a moment ago? Sheila was her name?”

 “What have you done with her? Where is that cunt? Is she behind this?”

 “Uh-uh.” I raised the gun. Let him be very aware of it. “Language judge. Language. You remember what you liked to do to her? Tie her up? Had a good time with her, didn’t you mister judge?”

 “I swear. I’m going to kill her for this.”

 “You are going to do nothing of the sort. You will do exactly as I say or you are going to meet some agony that makes what you put her through seem like a cake walk.”

 “I never touched that stupid cunt.”

 “I’m getting really tired of your mouth, Evan.”

 I glanced up. In the ceiling above his head were two eyebolts. Similar to the ones I’d used to torment Amy yesterday. Looked like they were sunk right into the overhead beams. Solid as all hell. Probably Sheila had discovered the hard way what they were good for. I felt a pang of empathy for the sleeping girl.

 “Evan. I’m going to have Jane here do something to you that you probably did to Sheila. That’s fair isn’t it? Turnabout and all that? You won’t like it, but if you don’t resist you can keep your joints. Sound fair?”

 Fear began to enter into his eyes. I think he was beginning to sense the depth of the anger that was present just below my calm. And he was frightened.

 “You can’t be serious. Who sent you?”

 “You are going to let Jane tie you to those eyebolts above you. Aren’t you Mr. Judge?”

 “The hell I am.”

 “Do you like your elbows and knees, Mr. Mayer? I hear that a bullet in each is an extremely slow and painful way to die. I hear that you might even deserve it.”

 Evan paled again. “Can’t we talk about this? Man-to-man. Get rid of the bitch ... I mean, lady, and we can sort something out. It’s pretty obvious that we are alike.”

 “We can talk. But I want you immobilized. For my safety and that of Jane. The ‘bitch’ is staying right here. One more slip and I swear to god I will make you so regret it. She’s a lady. Got it?”

 “Okay. Okay,” he mumbled.

 “Jane?”

 “Gladly,” she muttered. “Can I gag him too?”

 “Tie him. But don’t gag him. Not yet.”

 Jane walked up to the man, her bare feet whisking along the carpet, a vision of cool efficiency. As she reached for his right wrist, he moved like a cat, grabbed her wrist and twisted her against him, using her as a shield. Jane screamed. He grabbed her hair in his other hand. Her head bent to the side, trying to ease the pressure on her scalp. Involuntary tears formed in her eyes from the pain.

 “Now. You ain’t going to shoot me through your bitch. Are you big man? Now drop the fucking gun. Or I swear, I’ll break her fucking neck.”

 I was expecting this. Jane wasn’t. She had gone completely white. Her body shaking. I could still see the anger burning in her eyes just behind the fear. I idly wondered how many times this guy had tried to rip the hair from Sheila’s scalp.

 “Evan,” I remarked casually. Still speaking calmly. “I’m not afraid of killing her to get to you. She simply doesn’t matter to me that much,” I lied smoothly. “But if I have to kill that innocent little woman to get at you, I swear I’ll make a bullet in your joints seem like heaven. It’s not that I particular care if she lives or dies, it’s just that she’s been good today and I really don’t want to mark her beautiful body. She doesn’t deserve it. Not something you would care about, I know. You fucking animal.”

 I easily narrowed the time bubble around his body. Isolating it from the time continuum, slowing just his body space back to a rate where he couldn’t hurt Jane any further. Jane felt a slight tingling at the proximity of the slower phase but she was still free of the time freeze. Despite the time shift, she couldn’t get out of his frozen grip, and she began to cry. Shaking. Really not wanting to be in his embrace. Not wanting to be the hostage. I couldn’t blame the frightened woman.

 “Relax, sweetheart. You’re doing fine. I was expecting this out of the fucker.” I was really angry. I actually debated just putting a bullet into his knee for the hell of it. I just couldn’t bring myself to do it despite my threats. Perhaps later. After I’d calmed down. I had to get control of this. Losing control with this guy could be dangerous.

 “E-easy for you to say. You’re not the one being used as a bullet shield.” She closed her eyes. Still crying and shaking softly. “You wouldn’t have shot me, would you? I’ve been good.”

 “I won’t let anything happen to you, sweetheart. I swear it. Watch this. I’m going to enjoy this.” I sneered at the coward using the woman to shield himself. So ineffectively.

 I walked up behind the jerk and pressed the barrel into the base of his skull. I wound my arm around his throat holding his head and my gun firmly together and choking him for good measure. I released him from the time freeze.

 “Now. Release the girl. Slowly. And I mean, now. I swear you’ve strained my patience about to the breaking point. You wouldn’t want me to SNAP would you?”

 He jumped, almost making me pull the trigger. From his perspective, I’d just disappeared from the chair and suddenly appeared behind him. Like magic. Must have shocked the hell out of him. I watched as he slowly released Jane. First the hair, then the arm. Jane shuddered and pulled away from the grasp of the former judge. He raised his hands, like in the movies. Letting me see them.

 “Oh God. Oh God. I don’t want to die.”

 “You will want to die when I’m done with you. You have no idea what that little stunt cost you.”

 “H-how did you do that?”

 “Doesn’t matter. Jane. You still have a task to do.”

 She shuddered. Not even wanting to touch the guy after her ordeal. I’d let her get even soon enough. She silently obeyed. Evan pleaded with me as Jane began to wrap the ropes around his wrists. She wasn’t gentle with the knots. This was definitely one rope job I wasn’t going to have to check. I felt him wince as she tightened the ropes.

 She retrieved the desk chair and stood up on it, feeding the ropes through the eyebolts. He didn’t resist as she snaked them to each side of the room and tied them off to other rings set in the walls. I felt him test the bonds as she tied them off. He was going nowhere fast. She played cowgirls and Indians with her brother. I felt sorry for the kids she played with.

 I released Evan’s throat and allowed Jane to back off from him. I walked back to the chair and sat down, idly turning the weapon over in my hands.

 When I glanced up, I could see Evan, still standing in the middle of the room, his arms extended above him, stretched apart by the ropes running through the eyebolts. His gaze was fixed on Jane who was standing a little uncomfortably beside my chair. His eyes held undisguised desire. Imagining what he’d do to Jane, if only she were his. I shuddered along with the naked woman beside me.

 I looked at Evan again. “Give me one good reason that I shouldn’t shoot you right now.”

 “Oh Christ. Oh God. I don’t want to die.” His eyes had torn away from Jane’s nudity and returned to the threat at hand. Me.

 “That isn’t a very good reason.”

 “Oh shit. You can’t just kill me.”

 “Sure I can. Easy.” I raised the gun, aiming at his forehead.

 “I have a family. Please. Why are you doing this?”

 “Who was the girl?” I changed direction. Kept him mentally off balance.

 “What have you done with her?”

 “I’ll ask the questions. Who was she?”

 “Just some worthless cunt.” He actually saw her this way.

 I motioned for Jane to come closer. I gathered her into my lap and she gratefully sat down for the interrogation.

 “Sir. I believe her name is Sheila.”

 “Fuck you. She’s mine.”

 “Actually, she’s mine now. And I’m treating her a lot better than you ever did.”

 “I never touched a hair on her head.”

 “What’s that stain?” I asked him.

 “It’s her blood,” he sneered. God I was going to enjoy watching the girls go at him.

 “I thought you never touched her,” I was calm.

 “What are you? A fucking cop? Did that goddamn whore bitch call the fucking cops?”

 “I, sir, am your worst fucking nightmare. By the end of this, you are going to wish I was only a cop.”

 “You can’t do this to me. I have fucking rights. Arrest me.”

 “Evan. Evan. Evan. If I were a cop, would I be arresting people with this along for a good time?” I pointed to Jane.

 His eyes registered the truth of that. “That bitch brought you in. I’m going to kill her.” Meaning his former slave, Sheila.

 I just looked at him. A strange calm on my face. “I’d be surprised if she doesn’t torture *you* to death first.”

 His face paled at the implication. He began to plead.

 “Please. I have money. I can get it for you if you just let me out of these damn ropes. I’ll pay you triple whatever she’s giving you. I’ll do anything.”

 “Anything?”

 He began to shake. Nodded. I just sat there. Waiting. Jane patiently sat in my lap. Fascinated.

 “Whose the girl? Jane you called her?” Mayer was interested in Jane. He was ready to try reasoning with me again. He’d calmed down.

 “She’s mine as well,” I answered his query.

 “Yours. So she’s your slave? You and I. Maybe we have something in common.”

 I humoured him.

 “Maybe.”

 “You keep cunts as well. Right?”

 I nodded. “Ladies,” I patiently corrected his vernacular.

 “We’re not so different. Sheila is ... was ... mine. Maybe we can make a deal or something. We could ... have fun ... together. You and I.”

 “Evan. Let me explain something to you. I keep women. I even torment them. I enjoy it. But never. Ever. Think that you and I are alike.”

 “You can keep Sheila. I swear it. You can do anything you want to her if you let me go.”

 “Can I kick the hell out of her?”

 “Of course.”

 “Can I punch her in the head?”

 “Sure. I’ve blackened her eyes a couple of times. It’s a bit harder because she has to wear dark glasses for a while, but it’s so satisfying. I indulge in it once in a while.”

 “Can I whip her until she passes out?”

 “Of course.”

 “I can make her fuck me?”

 “Cunt and ass. Until she bleeds. No problem. Best blowjobs in the world. Nothing like a crying woman giving you head. And even if she bleeds you don’t have to stop. Better lubrication.” He smiled and laughed. At some memory of his terror. He pulled against the ropes holding him. “Please. Just let me down. We can have fun together with her.” His eyes narrowed shrewdly. “Maybe we could trade for a while?” Eyeing the young beauty perched in my lap. I felt Jane shudder just a little, but she managed to fix him with a stare of pure hatred hiding the disgust. She knew that Mayer would never touch her.

 “Can I kill her?” I asked. Ignoring his ‘trade’ offer for now.

 “Slowly if you want. I’ve had to get rid of girls before. It isn’t a problem. Have you ever killed a helpless woman before? It’s quite a rush.” Add murder to the list.

 “See Evan. We aren’t alike at all. You see. I wouldn’t do that to Sheila. I might punish her for disobedience. And I will play with her. But that amount of pain isn’t necessary. Further. If our positions were reversed. I would be smart enough to realize that I didn’t have anything to bargain with. You see. I already have Sheila. She’s mine now. I can do everything I mentioned and more. Without letting you down. You know that. Right now she’s sleeping peacefully. But if I wanted to, I could wandering into *your* bedroom and screw her silly in your own bed. I could kill her if I wanted to. I don’t, but that’s beside the point. Not a thing you could do about it. I could do the same to Jane here. And I certainly don’t need your permission. I don’t need you. Period. And I would never, ever, let you get your filthy paws on any of my girls. Especially Jane here. She deserves better than you. She deserves better than *me*.”

 Evan swallowed heavily at the tirade.

 “What are you going to do to me?” Realizing he’d lost. Bigtime.

 “Well. I haven’t quite decided yet. But I’m sure that Jane and Sheila could think of tons of stuff. Especially Sheila. But she’s sleeping right now. When she wakes, we’ll see what’s going to happen to the great judge Mayer. Doesn’t everyone love a mystery?”

 I gently pressed my fingers into Jane’s bare side. She obediently slipped off my lap and knelt quietly on the floor. Still glancing at the bound man with hate in her eyes. I could see that he was in for some real trouble with Jane. She was going to be taking out more than her anger at him. If I wasn’t completely mistaken, she was going to be transferring all the pain, all the guilt, all the horror that I’d inflicted on her into this as well. Evan was going to suffer not only for his crimes, but mine. That didn’t particularly bother me. It’s not like I was fond of the asshole.

 I got up out of the chair and walked over to Evan, my face just centimeters from his. His eyes were wide and scared. I pressed the gun against his left elbow. He closed his eyes, pleading with me. Babbling.

 “You are such a fucking animal, it disgusts me,” I hissed at him. “This is my shot. For Sheila, and any other women you’ve had over your lifetime.” Instead of shooting him, I drove my left fist hard into his stomach. He sagged in the ropes. Struggling for breath. Hanging from his bound wrists.

 When he finally recovered and got his feet under himself, I moved back to his face. Tears were flowing down his cheeks, and his mouth was set in a determined line.

 I continued. “That was the last time I’m going to touch you. But I’d get ready for the girls. I have a bad feeling that they aren’t going to be as kind to you. Think about it. And while your stomach recovers consider how many times Sheila felt exactly like this.”

 I turned away from the gasping pathetic excuse for a man and helped Jane to her bare feet. Without another glance at him, I guided her back to the door and we slipped out. She spat at him as we passed. I wasn’t watching so I have no idea if it hit him or not. I didn’t care.

 I heard his voice just as we slipped out. “We are alike, you know.”

 We’d see about that.

 I softly closed the door to the business room. Jane stood up on her tiptoes and kissed my cheek.

 “You were wonderful in there. So calm. You scared the hell out of *me* and I wasn’t the one in ropes. For a change. God. I hope to god I never piss you off that badly. He doesn’t know what hit him.”

 “You’ll get your chance at him. I promise.”

 “I can do anything?”

 “Yeah. I’m going to let you, Christi and Sheila convince him that it isn’t nice to do what he does in real life. I’m going to let him think about it for a while first though.”

 “Oh God. This is one time I’m not going to fight you when you want me to hit someone.”

  

 Chapter 73

 I poked my head into the master bedroom as we passed. Sheila was still fast asleep in the bed. She’d pulled the covers over her as best she could with her one free hand. She’d tucked the cover up under her chin. Her slow, steady breathing visible even through the covers. The covers hadn’t quite covered her legs and feet. And with her right wrist bound to the bedpost, she probably couldn’t fix it herself. I slipped in and arranged the cover to cover her bare legs and feet. She mumbled something in her sleep, but didn’t wake. I returned to the hallway.

 I silently closed the door, letting her sleep. Jane and I walked back to the main floor in silence. We stopped at the base of the stairs.

 “Wrists.”

 “Please. You don’t need to ...” she began and then realizing the futility of that decided to simply raise her arms for me. I slipped the steel bands closed around her wrists. In resignation, she simply let them fall in front of her.

 “Just feeling antsy.”

 “Uh-oh.”

 “Don’t worry. Your skin isn’t in danger. Need you fresh for our friend Evan. You feel like relaxing for a while?”

 “What did you have in mind?” She smiled mischievously.

 “Not that. Go on. Go back to your patch of sun.”

 “Really?”

 “Yeah.”

 “I’m offering myself to you, and you are sending me to my patch of sun? Goddamn. I’ll never figure out the male of the species. What are you going to do?”

 “I think I’m going to go off and play with Amy and Elizabeth.”

 “Oh. God help them.”

 I aimed an easy slap at her bare ass but she twisted and got it on her thigh instead. She yelped. She stuck out her tongue and scampered back to the dining room and her bay window.

 I walked back into the living room. Amy was still listening to music. I walked over to her and gently lifted the headphones from her head. She looked up and smiled at me.

 “At least you didn’t deafen me this time.”

 “You ready?”

 “For what?”

 I slipped the headphones over my ears. Thunderstruck pounded into my head. You’ve been ... THUNDERSTRUCK. I slipped the headphones off my head and looked at her quizzically.

 “What?” she asked. Completely confused.

 “Thunderstruck?”

 “Yeah.” She smiled at me.

 “Never would have figured you for that kind of music.”

 “I wouldn’t have guessed you’d recognize it either.”

 “You ready?”

 “I guess. Where are we going?” I guided the naked girl to her feet. “Oh no. Playing?”

 I nodded.

 “Wrists.”

 She obediently gave me her wrists. I unlocked the left wrist and pulled her arms behind her. I relocked them.

 “You don’t have to ...” but she trailed off when she noticed that her hands were going to be bound behind her no matter what she thought of the situation.

 I guided the pouting girl to the library. Elizabeth and Christi looked up from their respective books and noticed Amy with her hands bound behind her.

 Christi spoke up. “Break over?”

 “Not for you. You are going to need your strength for later.”

 “I am? How’s Sheila?”

 Noting the way the conversation was going, Elizabeth put on a resigned face and gently closed her book. Carefully marking her spot. I continued to speak to Christi while I recuffed Elizabeth’s proffered wrists behind her.

 “Sheila is sleeping pretty soundly. She’ll be alright. If she wakes up, you or Jane should go and make sure she’s alright. Try to get her to rest. She needs it. By the way, you have an appointment with the Judge later.”

 “Oh God.” She gasped. Misunderstanding. Thinking that I was going to let the judge have her for a while.

 “No. No. Perhaps I should rephrase that. The Judge has an appointment with you. And Jane. And Sheila. I’m guessing that he ain’t going to like it much. For now, keep out of that room. Okay?”

 “Other than that and these,” she rattled her handcuffs, “I’m free?”

 “Yup.”

 “Thank-you,” she whispered.

 By this point, Elizabeth’s wrists were securely fastened behind her. Her face registered disappointment, but she knew better than to complain.

 I took Elizabeth and Amy by the arms and gently walked them to the front hall. I opened the front door and walked the two of them out into the bright sunshine. Amy was bouncing her hands behind her, purposely making the chain between her wrists jingle. I sort of liked the effect.

 We walked through the gardens with the girls silent in front of me, their bare feet walking free on the path to the front gate.

 When we reached the front gate, Elizabeth’s curiousity got the better of her.

 “Master? May a girl speak?”

 I smiled. I was wondering how long her curiousity would be held in check. “Sure.” I answered the bare girl. She’d stopped walking and she was facing me.

 “Whose Sheila?”

 I almost laughed. I guess I was so used to the fact that Sheila was around, that I hadn’t considered that Amy and Elizabeth both didn’t even know of her existence.

 “A new girl.”

 “Five of us now?”

 “Sort of. I doubt if I’ll keep her.”

 “Lucky her.”

 They didn’t know the circumstances here. I sobered. “Not really.” I refused to say any more. Noticing my change of mood, Elizabeth wisely changed the direction of the conversation.

 “Can a girl ask where are we going?” Elizabeth spoke again as we passed through the gate.

 “You’ll know when we get there.”

 Elizabeth sighed as I guided the women to the left. Amy followed in silence.

 Actually I hadn’t planned on taking them too far. Just to the neighbour’s. However, with the size of the lots in this area of the city, it took us about ten minutes to make our way to the next house. But we weren’t walking very fast. The girls enjoying the sun on their bare skin.

 I stopped the girls in front of a much more modest house than the home we had just left. It was a two story house, painted yellow, but without the grounds or obvious wealth associated with the last house.

 As we approached the front door, Amy spoke up. “Why are we here?”

 I answered her. “Just exploring.”

 “You aren’t going to hurt us?”

 “Not yet, darling. Not yet.”

 Elizabeth shivered.

 The mailbox read, ‘The Johnsons’. I tried the front knob. Locked. I idly wondered if anyone was home or not. I left the two bound girls on the front porch and wandered around the back of the house. The gate was unlocked. The house had a large backyard bordered on one side with a stone wall, facing the Mayer residence. The Johnsons had a small swimming pool and a back deck. Modest. I tried the back doors. They were standard glass patio doors. Locked as well.

 I wandered back into the yard and found a large rock. Not elegant, but I couldn’t see any way for my time abilities to help me get into a locked house directly. I threw the rock through the back door. Glass all over the place; on the deck, on the kitchen floor. I carefully picked my way through the jagged glass and into the house. I concentrated and removed the time bubble from around the door. The glass magically reattached itself and mended the door. End of glass problem. I would normally have just left the destruction, but the girls would have been in some serious danger in their bare feet. And I had no intention of punishing them by making them walk over broken glass nor was I about to allow them shoes.

 I glanced around the kitchen. It was a nice size. There was a pretty woman working at preparing some meal on the counter. Twenty something. Perhaps very early thirties. I walked through the house and opened the front door from the inside.

 Elizabeth and Amy were still waiting quietly on the front porch, sitting on the rail.

 “I heard a crash.” Elizabeth spoke to me.

 “Back door.”

 She looked down at her bare feet as she stepped across the threshold.

 “Glass?”

 “I cleaned it up. Your pretty toes will be fine.”

 “And here I was thinking you were finally going to let me wear shoes.”

 I laughed. Amy smiled at me as she stepped inside.

 “Anyone home?”

 “There’s someone in the kitchen.”

 I took the pack from Elizabeth’s bound fingers and rummaged. Finally I selected a short length of chain and connected Elizabeth’s and Amy’s wrists with it and a pair of padlocks. The girls stood quietly back to back. I ran the chain into the front closet locking it to the hanging bar. The girls watched all this in silence. When I was done, Elizabeth spoke up. “Proud of yourself?”

 “Yeah. Actually.”

 “You realize that we’d have stayed where ever you put us without the need for any of this.”

 “Yup.”

 “Why then?”

 “I wanted to.”

 “I see.” But she still didn’t understand. I guess I couldn’t blame her.

 I turned away from the girls and walked up the stairs. I could hear Amy and Elizabeth softly talking as I moved away. Not much else to do when you are chained up.

 I wandered through the house. No surprises like at the Mayers. No locked rooms. No hidden abused sex slaves. Nobody else home. The last door on the right held a small child. Asleep. Less than a year old certainly. There was a huge poster on the wall above the child’s crib with a picture. Like what you could get at the photo development places. Blown up to poster size with a likeness of the kid. The word across the bottom, in fancy script, was ‘Autumn’. Didn’t quite know what that was all about.

 I closed the door and wandered back to the women.

 “Anything interesting?” Amy spoke. “Please. Can’t you let us out of this?” She rattled her wrists against the chains. “We’ll be good. I promise.”

 “How good?”

 “I’ll do anything you want. You know I will.”

 “Would you threaten an infant?”

 “Huh?”

 “If I gave you a knife. Would you threaten an infant?”

 “You have to be joking.”

 “Not really hurt it. Just pretend like you would.”

 “Whatever for?”

 “Would you?”

 “I guess. As long as you didn’t ask me to really hurt it. That I couldn’t do.” She was serious. She’d take whipping until she died, but she wouldn’t hurt a child. That was fine. I didn’t want or expect her to.

 “Hmmm. Wait here.” I was actually surprised that she agreed to do it this easily. Perhaps her lesson from yesterday had sunk in.

 “Where am I going to go?”

 The girls went back to whispering. Probably trying to figure out what the hell I was up to.

 I wandered back to the kitchen where the woman was working at preparing that food. I laid the gun out on the kitchen table and sat in a chair. I concentrated and released the woman from the time freeze.

 “Ms. Johnson, I presume?”

 She whirled at the sound of my voice. A large knife held out in front of her.

 “Wh-who the hell are you? How did you get in here?”

 “Who I am is unimportant. I broke in.” I smiled, thinking about how I had quite literally broken in. I was still somewhat amazed that the doors were back to an intact position. Or more correctly, a more intact time. This time stuff really took some getting used to.

 The woman began to shake from the adrenaline rush I’d given to her.

 “Wh-what do you want?”

 “I just want to talk.”

 “We don’t have anything in the house. I swear it. Please just go.”

 “What’s your name?”

 “Why?” Her eyes followed as I idly picked up the gun. “Karen. I’m Karen Johnson. Please,” she quickly blurted out at the sight of the gun.

 “Why aren’t you at work, Karen?”

 “I’m on maternity leave. Please what do you want?”

 “Your son or daughter upstairs?”

 “Oh God. Please,” she began to scream. “AUTUMN. Oh God. What have you done to her?”

 I tried to calm the frantic woman. “Calm down. I haven’t touched her. That’s her name. Autumn? That’s very nice.”

 “Oh God. Oh God. Please don’t. Please. Why?”

 “Karen. You’ll wake her up.” I lied.

 “What the hell do you want? You bastard.” Karen began to advance on me with her knife. “I swear. If you hurt her. I swear to God. I’ll kill you.”

 “I’m not going to hurt her. But you might want to reconsider coming any closer with that knife. You wouldn’t want Autumn to be motherless, would you?” Her eyes widened. “Come on, Karen. Bringing a knife to a gunfight?”

 “Oh God. Please what do you want? I’m so frightened.”

 “I know you are. Karen. You have to listen to me. Put the knife down.”

 She closed her eyes. Realizing the futility of the situation. She carefully put the knife down on the counter.

 “You are going to rape me. Aren’t you?”

 “Is that what you think?”

 “Why else would you be here? We don’t have anything.” Her eyes lit up as she lied to me. “Listen. You know my husband is coming home. Right? Soon. It’s only fair to warn you.”

 Even if I hadn’t stopped time, I would know she was lying. I idly wondered if there even was a husband. I’d find out.

 I just sat there quietly thinking. The woman stood in her kitchen, her eyes darting around trying to determine if she could escape or not safely. Get to her child.

 “Karen?”

 “Yes,” she answered a bit dully from the other side of the kitchen.

 “You can’t escape. At least not without getting really hurt. You don’t want to piss me off. Do you? Will you do what you are told?”

 “I don’t know. Depends on what you want me to do.”

 “Will you take off your clothes for me?”

 “I. I guess. Please. I don’t want to be raped.”

 “I know. Nobody in their right mind does. I’m not going to rape you. I promise.”

 “Then why do you want me to take off my clothes.”

 “I’d just like to see your body.”

 “Oh God.”

 “Will you?”

 “You won’t hurt me? Rape me?”

 “Not if you do as you are told.”

 “Okay. I’ll take them off. Oh God. I’m not wearing anything underneath.”

 “Don’t worry. I don’t mind. And if it’s any consolation, I was going to strip your underwear anyway.”

 “Oh my God. I can’t do this.”

 “We could go get Autumn, if you prefer.”

 Her hands stole to the base of her sweatshirt. She closed her eyes, tears beginning to form there. In one fluid motion, she pulled her top over her head. True to her word, her bare breasts sprang into view. She had small breasts. Small nipples which stood erect probably due to her fear.

 She pleaded with me. “Please. I can’t. Please just let me get dressed and go. I swear. I won’t tell anyone.”

 Yeah. And as soon as I left, she’d be calling 911. She had no idea that it would do her no good. Nobody moving about to answer 911 calls. I motioned for her to continue. Tears now falling like rain from her eyes.

 She closed her eyes again and hooked her fingers into the waistband of her track pants. She slowly lowered them to her feet and stepped out of them. No panties either.

 “Socks too.”

 She bent at her waist and peeled the woolen socks she was wearing from her feet. She had a nice body. Not unpleasant on the eyes at all. Especially for a recent mother.

 “Turn around.”

 Her face flushed, but she did as she was told.

 After a complete revolution I ordered her, “Kneel.”

 She fell to her knees on the tile.

 “Please. What do you want?”

 “I have what I want. You.”

 “Oh God. Please. I’m a recent mother. Have some mercy.”

 At her last words, I narrowed her time bubble and she lapsed into silence kneeling immobile on the floor. I wandered back to Amy and Elizabeth. They were both pulling on the chain holding them to the closet.

 “She’s a mother for Christ sakes.” Elizabeth exploded. “Don’t you have any compassion.”

 “I haven’t hurt her yet.”

 “Making her worried sick about her kid and stripping her naked isn’t hurting her?”

 “Perhaps you’d like to join her?”

 Elizabeth went white, but bravely continued. “I’m not a mother, but I am naked. I know what it feels like. Humiliation to the nth degree.”

 I began to free the girls from the connecting chain between them and the closet. Soon they were only held by the handcuffs behind their backs.

 “Come on.” I grabbed Elizabeth by the upper arm and propelled the struggling girl to the kitchen. Elizabeth stumbled along. Her eyes widened as she saw Karen kneeling on the kitchen tile. I sat her in a chair and began to tie her into it. Spreading her legs and tying them securely with the soft cord. Elizabeth squirmed but by now was used to being tied up in revealing positions. She cried out a bit as I tightened the rope on her right ankle. She squirmed in her ropes, but didn’t complain. I knew that I had her a bit tighter than I normally would have tied her.

 I wandered back to the front hallway. Amy was still standing there. Nude. Hands cuffed behind her. Waiting. I released the cuffs.

 “Can I ask what you did to Elizabeth?”

 I nodded. “She’s just tied to a chair. Nothing bad.”

 “Are you going to hurt us? Her?”

 “The ropes are probably uncomfortable.”

 “I see. What do you want me to do?” She was rubbing her wrists.

 “Go upstairs. Get the baby. Be careful with her. I don’t want her hurt. Her name is Autumn and I just want to scare the mother. That’s all. Try not to wake her. You know how to carry a baby don’t you?”

 Amy nodded. “You are a bastard. You know that? Threatening a child.”

 “I just want the mother’s cooperation for a few minutes. That’s all.”

 “What are you going to do to her?”

 “Make her scream.”

 “Oh God. That will wake the child you know?”

 “Not if she’s in slow time, it won’t.”

 “You bastard.” Amy turned on her bare heel and headed upstairs. I followed. When we reached the baby’s room, Amy walked in giving the typical female “Awwww. She’s so cute.”

 “Go on. Get her. Try not to wake her up.”

 I released the sleeping child from the time block. She resumed breathing quietly.

 Amy gathered the child, blankets and all, into her arms. Actually smiling. Probably forgotten the purpose of all this.

 We returned to the kitchen.

  

 Chapter 74

 Elizabeth’s eyes widened as Amy and I walked into the kitchen. Amy was holding Autumn, still sleeping in her arms. I considered how best to proceed.

 “Amy?” I addressed the nude girl softly. “Why don’t you wait out by the stairs with Autumn. I’ll call you when I need you. Try not to wake her.”

 Amy nodded and padded back out to the foyer, her bare feet whispering on the tile.

 Elizabeth was looking up at me from her chair. “Please. You don’t have to do any of this. Please let me out.”

 “Elizabeth, darling. This is just pure play time. I’m going to have some fun with you and Karen here. If you behave and obey, then you don’t have to experience any punishment. After that, we go back to the house and you can do whatever you like. Honest.”

 “But the kid. How can you possibly justify that? It will kill her.” Meaning Karen.

 “It will frighten her. I have no intention of hurting the child. I’m not a complete monster.”

 “I can’t make you change your mind? Can I?”

 “You have no idea what an appealing picture you present. Naked and tied to that chair.”

 She squirmed. “Please. I’m uncomfortable. I’ll do whatever you want without the ropes. I swear it.”

 “You’d torture this new mother?”

 Elizabeth swallowed. “How?”

 “You’d whip her breasts? Threaten her child?”

 “Oh God. Leave me in the ropes. Please.”

 “Alright. I’m going to unfreeze Karen. It would be a really bad thing to wake up the baby. Let’s see if we can keep her quiet. Okay?”

 I concentrated and released the bare kneeling woman from her time prison. She snapped to life. Her eyes immediately taking in Elizabeth. Her eyes widened. Fear and confusion. Whatever she was planning on saying died on her lips.

 She finally spoke from her knees. “Wh-what happened?” To her it would have looked like Elizabeth just appeared, nude and bound to the chair. Quite disconcerting I would imagine. “Are you some sort of magician? David Copperfield or something?”

 Elizabeth spoke up from her chair. “Karen? That’s your name, isn’t it? Karen?” The naked woman on the tile just mutely nodded. She looked like she was fascinated that Elizabeth could even talk. That she wasn’t some kind of pretty doll. “You have to listen to me, Karen. This guy. He’s dangerous. He is sort of a magician. Christ, he sometimes can even tell what you are thinking. You have to listen to him. Do what he says. Karen. Honey. You are going to think you’ve gone to hell. Believe me. He’s going to ask you to do things that no sane woman would do. Please. No matter how insane it sounds. You have to do it. You couldn’t imagine what he’s capable of. He’ll hurt you. Badly. But please. You have to just do it. Trust me. It will end. He’ll let you go. Your daughter too. Just try and remember that. Whatever he makes you do. Can you do that Karen?”

 Karen spoke softly from the floor to Elizabeth. “Please. My daughter.”

 Elizabeth spoke from her bonds. “Karen. Honey. You have to do what he says. He’s a monster. Please. He will hurt you and your daughter if you don’t do what he says.”

 Karen mutely nodded. “I’ll do whatever he wants. I swear. Please. Can I see my daughter? Please?”

 I finally spoke up. “Karen. Dear. I am going to let you see your daughter. But I don’t want any funny business. She’ll be fine if you behave.”

 “Oh God. Please. I’ll do whatever you want. You can hurt me. You can even rape me. I don’t care. Just don’t hurt Autumn. Oh God.” The tears began to run down her face again. Pitifully sobbing. I watched as Elizabeth cringed, afraid of what I was going to make this woman do for me. I really believed that Karen would do anything to protect her daughter.

 “Amy? Come here a moment.” I raised my voice slightly so the girl out by the stairs could hear me.

 I watched as Karen’s face registered confusion through her tears. Not realizing that there was yet another woman in the house with us.

 I turned to the entrance of the kitchen as Amy walked gingerly through. She was cradling the infant against her bare breast. Trying her best not to wake the child.

 Karen closed her eyes as though she was in pain. Perhaps the sight of Amy, a stranger, nude, cradling her child caused her distress. Not having the control of the situation to protect her daughter.

 Without permission, the nude woman rose to her bare feet and practically ran across the kitchen. Whispering her daughter’s name. She reached for the sleeping child which was so unaware of the drama taking place around it.

 Amy looked at me, seeking permission to let Karen hold her child. I nodded and Amy carefully passed the sleeping girl to her nude mother. Karen was openly weeping now. Her tears tracking down her cheeks. Nearly sobbing at the unfairness of it all. Having to seek someone’s permission to hold her own child. Whispering that it would be all right. Convincing herself. Not understanding.

 I walked over to the women. I carefully stroked Karen’s long hair and she shuddered at the touch.

 “Karen? You have to let her go. It’s best for her. Okay?”

 “Please don’t do this?” she implored me. “You don’t have to do this. You can just go. Leave me and Autumn. I swear. You can take whatever we have. I won’t report it. I swear to God. I won’t.”

 I actually believed her. If I left her and her daughter alone and took everything from her. She’d be happy. She actually wouldn’t call it in. She wouldn’t try and report it. Not that it would do her any good. But her intention was there. Her entire world was pressed against her chest. Quietly sleeping.

 “Karen. I swear. If you do what you are told, I won’t let any harm come to Autumn. She’ll be fine. And if you behave yourself, you’ll be fine as well.”

 “What do you want?” she asked me with trepidation in her voice.

 “Right now? I need you to give Autumn back to Amy. That’s all. We can’t have our fun if you are holding her. And I really don’t want to have to take her away from you. Might hurt the baby.”

 Karen gave her daughter one last soft hug and kissed the top of her head. She closed her eyes, tears still leaking from the corners. She carefully handed her child back to Amy who held the still sleeping child to her breast.

 “Please. Take care of her? While I can’t? Please?” Karen pleaded with Amy.

 Amy replied as kindly as she could. “I’ll take care of her as though she was my own. I swear it. She won’t know any of this.” Amy shot me a withering look. Hating me for doing this to this woman who didn’t deserve this worry and pain.

 “Karen? Go kneel over there. Okay?”

 Through her tears, Karen managed to understand and walked slowly back to the other side of the kitchen, slowly sinking to her bare knees on the tile. Her eyes never leaving the child.

 I whispered in Amy’s ear. “Put her back in the crib and come back here.”

 “What if she wakes up?” Amy hissed.

 “She won’t.”

 Amy nodded. Understanding that I would slow Autumn’s time bubble to prevent her from knowing anything about this horror that her mother was about to go through. Amy turned carefully and headed back upstairs, still holding the infant to her.

 I turned back to the mother who was quietly weeping on her knees on the tile, her eyes lowered.

 “Karen?”

 She just continued to cry. I let her for a few minutes. The woman was going to need to cry more than once.

 Elizabeth spoke up from the chair after a few minutes. “M-Master? Can a girl speak?”

 I turned to Elizabeth. “What is it?”

 She paled a bit but continued. “Please. I know that it probably won’t do any good. But can I offer myself? I’ll do whatever it is you want Karen to do. Let her go to her daughter. Please? I can’t stand to watch this.”

 I walked over to the bound redhead and looked down at her. I bent and kissed her forehead. She let me. Hope shining in her eyes. Hope that I’d finally let her take someone else’s pain. That she could feel good about herself; even if the agony that I inflicted on her was unbearable. Sometimes doing something, even something unpleasant, was preferable to seeing an innocent suffer.

 “Elizabeth. Sweetheart. You know I can’t let you do that.”

 I heard a soft voice from behind me. “Thank-you. God bless you for trying.” It was Karen. Thanking Elizabeth for her chivalry. I pursed my lips and turned back to the woman on her knees. Her eyes had taken on a note of defiance. Elizabeth’s brave offer seemingly bringing back Karen’s spirit. Coaxing her to just endure this and get it over with.

 She spoke to me from her knees. “Just do whatever it is you are going to do to me. Let’s get this over with.”

 As she spoke. Amy walked back into the kitchen. Karen’s eyes watched her enter. Hoping for some indication from the girl that her daughter was all right. Amy spoke to me softly. Karen could hear her from her position on the floor.

 “Autumn is back in her crib. She was beginning to fuss a little in her sleep. She’s going to be awake soon. But for now she’s sleeping.”

 Karen spoke from the floor, entreating me. “Please. Have some compassion. Let me feed her, if she wakes. Please.”

 She wouldn’t wake. But I turned slowly and looked at the woman on her knees. Tears forming in her eyes. Probably humiliated that she had had to beg to feed her daughter.

 “I’ll think about it. Depends on how cooperative you are.”

 She paled. But nodded. Anything to see her daughter again.

 I concentrated fiercely. Locating Autumn’s small bubble of time. I removed the bubble and she slipped back to the prime time line. She hadn’t even been here. I staggered a bit. Manipulating time at any physical distance was far more difficult than close, line of sight, manipulation. It could be done, but it took a lot out of you.

 Amy’s eyes widened as she saw me stumble and she unconsciously reached out to catch me if I fell. But I regained my balance and forced the world to stop spinning. I recovered quickly and Amy took a step back as she realized that I was alright. I saw the look in her eyes. Just a very fleeting flash of bravery. Wondering if she could somehow take advantage of the brief moment of weakness. But any chance she had, was far gone. And she knew that.

 The woman on the floor had no idea what had just happened. But I could see that Amy had a pretty good idea. I’d have to watch that.

 “Wrists.”

 Amy, resigned, padded over and held her hands behind her back. Karen watched in fascination as I slipped the steel handcuffs around Amy’s wrists. Karen watched as the bare girl just let me bind her. No complaints. No struggling. Just mute acceptance of her situation; that I would bind her, no matter what she wanted.

 I guided Amy to a chair on the other side of the table. Allowing her to sit for now. Her bound wrists lying easily around the back of the chair. She was probably just thankful that I hadn’t tied her into it, like I had Elizabeth.

 I turned to Karen.

 “Why are they bound like that?”

 I was about to answer but Elizabeth spoke first. “Karen. You may as well ask why we are nude. Why you are nude. Why he’s going to hurt us. Why he’s tormenting you and your daughter. He likes it. It gets him off humiliating, tormenting and embarrassing women. You get used to it after a while. Being nude. You never get used to the pain, the bondage, the humiliation. But you learn to accept it.”

 “Oh God. Are you ever going to let me go? Please. You don’t have to hurt me.” the frightened woman asked me. “I’ll do whatever it is you want. I swear I will.”

 I looked at her again. Her small shaking naked body. “Karen. If you do exactly what I want, I’ll let you go. I promise you.” I fully intended to let her go. I had enough problems. Five women in my direct power. Granted most of them were a bit more accepting by now, but Sheila was an unknown. And any of them would still do nearly anything if a chance to escape or incapacitate me presented itself. Last thing I needed was an unstable mother worried about her daughter. I didn’t know for sure, but I suspected that this would be a very dangerous situation if I let down my guard. Or tried to keep her for any length of time. She’d value her daughter’s safety far above her own, and I didn’t have the strength or resources to bring along her daughter to keep my control over her. No. I couldn’t keep her. Luscious as she was.

 “Please. What do you want? Me? Would giving you sex make you let me go? You want to rape me?”

 I heard Elizabeth mutter behind me. “Never that easy, lady. Good try though.”

 “I told you I didn’t want to rape you.”

 “It wouldn’t be rape if I consented.”

 “You’d willingly give me sex?”

 “If it would make you go away and get me my daughter back unharmed. I swear. I’d be good. The best you ever had.”

 I seriously doubted that. But I had to give her credit for trying. I answered her. “So. Let me get this straight. If I let you go. With your daughter. You’d be willing to have sex with me? Not because you particularly want to. But to save yourself and your daughter?” She nodded. Tears forming in her eyes. “Doesn’t sound much like consent to me.”

 “But I’d let you have me.”

 “How?”

 “Any way you want.”

 “You’d let me tie you up?”

 “If you must.”

 “And you’d let me have anal sex with you while you’re trussed up?”

 She swallowed. Tears forming again. “Oh God. Please. I’ve never. I couldn’t. It would hurt.”

 “Yes. It would hurt. A lot. Would you still consent?”

 She gulped again. Tears actually running down her face now. She slowly nodded her head. Her bare body shaking in fear. Still on her knees.

 “Please. W-wouldn’t my vagi ... I mean cunt,” she swallowed at her use of the word, “feel better?” She probably thought I wanted her to talk dirty to me. Degrade herself.

 “I’m not going to rape you. I told you that already. I have two women right here that I could have sex with, anal or otherwise, if I wanted.” Both Elizabeth and Amy paled at the suggestion of anal sex. But they kept quiet.

 Karen began to protest, probably about the consent thing. “But ...”

 I cut her off. “However, I do want you to crawl for me.”

 “Crawl?”

 “You know. Hands and knees.”

 “Why?”

 Elizabeth spoke again. “Karen. Honey. It’s better than being raped. He just wants to see you humiliated. Please. Just do what he wants.”

 Karen flushed but obediently fell to her hands and knees.

 “Where do you want me to crawl?”

 “Just around the kitchen. I’ll tell you when to stop.”

 She concentrated on controlling her breathing, and began to move on her hands and knees. Slowly moving her bare body in a small circle in the middle of her kitchen. I watched her. Her muscles straining at the unfamiliar motion. Her small bare breasts hanging beneath her, swaying slightly as she moved. Her thigh muscles moving her bare legs across the tile. Quick flashes of her sparse pubic hair and the lips it concealed. After a few tight revolutions, I stopped her.

 “Okay. Enough. Stay on your hands and knees. Look at me.”

 She raised her head, her hair falling around her tear streaked face. Her eyes betraying fear, humiliation and hatred. I left her on her hands and knees for a few minutes and just gazed at her. She was breathing a little hard from the exertion of the unfamiliar motion. She tossed her head, tossing her hair like a mane as she patiently waited for me to tell her what else to do.

 “You ever been tied up before?”

 “Please. You don’t need to tie me up. I’ll do whatever you want without ropes. I swear it.”

 I wasn’t sure of that. “I know. But I like to see a woman restrained.”

 “Oh God.”

 “So. Have you ever been tied up?”

 She thought about it, and she didn’t lie. Good thing. I suspect in her state I could have told a lie pretty quick.

 “When I was a kid.”

 “Yeah?”

 “Yeah. Just the standard cowboys and Indians type stuff. I was a squaw or something. My neighbour was a cowgirl and I was tied up to a picnic bench for a while. Not tight. I could have gotten out if I wanted to. We were kids.”

 “Anything else?”

 “Oh God. In college. I tried it once.”

 “Tried what?”

 “An old boyfriend wanted to tie me up. I let him.”

 “What happened.”

 “Must I?” I nodded and she hesitantly continued. “This guy just wanted to try it. He’d read about tying someone up being fun in bed. So I agreed to try it. He tied me down to the bed, spread-eagled with some scarves. He fucked me. And then untied me. It didn’t do anything for me. It was kind of boring actually. I broke up with him shortly after that.”

 “Nothing else?”

 She shook her head; her hair tossed around with her movement.

 “I’m going to tie you up.”

 “I know.” She sounded resigned. “Are you going to rape me when I’m tied up. You can you know.”

 “I’m not going to rape you. Why do you keep offering? You want to be raped?”

 “Oh God. Please no. Don’t think that. Oh God. I. I just thought that you’d want that. And I just want to stop this. I just want you to leave. Please.” I understood. She was frightened. “How do you want me?”

 I was confused. “Huh?”

 “How do you want me tied up? Hand behind me? In front? Hands to feet?” She’d risen back to her knees. She used her hands to demonstrate where I could tie them.

 “I’m going to tie you to the ceiling.”

 “How?”

 I pointed to a hanging plant which was hanging high off to the side of the kitchen. Her mind registered comprehension. She began to rise to her bare feet. Just wanting to get this over with.

 She held out her wrists. Palms together in front of her and waited. Surprised at her compliance, I wrapped the rope around her offered wrists and lashed them tightly together. She cringed a bit at the tightness of the rope, but didn’t complain. I’d have to release her hands reasonably soon. That rope would cut off her circulation. Her hands were already a bit redder than her arms from the restricted circulation. But for now, she’d be fine.

 I took down the plant and began to feed a rope through the hook. It didn’t look particularly sturdy, but I suspected that it would hold most of her weight before pulling out of the ceiling. She wasn’t a particularly big girl.

 As I turned around, I noticed something not quite right.

  

 Chapter 75

 I caught a flash of her calf as she moved swiftly out of the kitchen. Running. Amy was struggling to get up out of her chair to go after the woman. Elizabeth was pulling at the ropes holding her to the chair. Frustrated.

 I calmly turned to the women. Elizabeth shrugged and began speaking rapidly.

 “She just ran. I wasn’t paying attention. Oh God. She’s just frightened. Don’t hurt her. She doesn’t understand. Please.”

 I motioned for Amy to stay put and she sank back into her chair allowing her bound wrists to relax behind it. She sighed but didn’t say anything.

 I sensed Karen’s time bubble. She hadn’t gone far. That was certain. I was willing to bet that she was heading for the stairs. To her daughter.

 I walked swiftly to the front hallway and took the stairs two at a time. I poked my head into Autumn’s room. Karen wasn’t there as I’d expected. I suddenly became disturbed. Her hands were bound, but she could still be dangerous. No need for me to get killed here. She knew the house better than I.

 “Karen?”

 No answer. Not surprising. She couldn’t have gotten out of the house. Outside the doors was a no time zone. She’d just return to the kitchen if she stepped out the door. Where was she? How many places could a mostly bound, naked woman hide?

 I walked back down the hallway. Slowly. Readying the time defenses if she tried to attack me. Though I suspected that if her intent was to attack me, she would have tried it in the kitchen where there were weapons. Knives. Perhaps, she had a gun stashed in the house. I walked back down the stairs cautiously. I could still sense the time bubble. Close.

 As I reached the bottom of the stairs, I noticed that the front closet was closed. I had opened it to chain Amy and Elizabeth to the clothes rack earlier. I’d never closed it.

 “Karen?” I stood by the closet. No answer. Perhaps Amy had closed it earlier. I had left her unbound here for a while.

 I heard a small whimper. My ears located it. In the closet. The frightened woman hadn’t had time to get upstairs. So she had simply ducked into the open closet and was sitting in the dark. Frightened. Bound. Nude.

 “Karen. I know you are in the closet.”

 A very small voice from the bottom of the closet. Near the floor. “Oh God. Please. I’m so scared.”

 “Come on out.”

 The door cracked open. Just a touch. I watched as she used her toes to open the closet door from the inside. Her face was tear streaked. And her whole small body was shaking. She was seated on the closet floor. Hugging her knees with her bound arms. Underneath the hanging jackets. Pulling weakly at the rope around her wrists.

 Her voice was shaking. “I. I’m sorry. I just couldn’t. I had to try.”

 “I thought we had an agreement. You did what you were told, and I wouldn’t hurt Autumn.”

 Her face went pale. Frightened. “Please. I didn’t mean to run. I. Please don’t hurt my daughter. It was me that ran. Punish me.” Sobbing.

 “Karen. I’m going to give you one more chance. You will be punished for this. That I can promise you. But I won’t hurt your daughter this time.”

 I reached down to the sobbing woman. I’m not even sure if she heard anything I had said to her. Didn’t matter. I helped her to her bare feet and walked her back to her kitchen. Elizabeth and Amy both wouldn’t meet my eyes. They both knew that they were in trouble for not warning me that Karen had run. To be fair, they probably didn’t know until it was too late either. But, no matter. It was an excuse to punish them. I had to take care of Karen first.

 As I led Karen back into the kitchen, Elizabeth moaned. “Please. Don’t hurt her. She was just scared.”

 I ignored the bound girl and led Karen back under the plant hook. She was docile as she watched through teary eyes as I looped the rope through her bound wrists and pulled on the other end. She willingly raised her arms above her head and gasped as I increased the pressure. Soon she was stretched to her limit, her arms lifted above her. She was positioned about four feet from the corner where her counters met. I had increased the pressure on her arms such that it was actually easier for her to stand on tiptoe to relieve the pressure of her own weight on her wrists. There was enough give in the overhead rope to allow her to stand flat on her feet, but that caused her pain in the wrists. She stared back at me defiantly. She had managed to stop crying and was realizing her precarious position.

 I stepped back. Her breasts rode high on her chest as her arms pulled them upwards. They were going to be a fun target. Her eyes, a strange mixture of hate and fear. Her long brown hair cascaded down her back and over her shoulders. I just gazed at the picture of her standing there. Helpless.

 Finally she spoke. “Please. I’m sorry. Please. It will never happen again. I’ll do anything you want. Even a-anal sex. My arms hurt. Please. Can’t we loosen the ropes? Just a bit? I have to stand on my toes.”

 “Karen. Didn’t I tell you that you’d be punished if you didn’t obey?”

 “Oh God. Yes.”

 “Part of your punishment is that tight rope holding you. You got a problem with that?”

 I heard Elizabeth moan.

 “Please. It just hurts. I just wanted it loosened. Just a bit. Please? What did I ever do to you? You don’t need to hurt me.”

 I shook my head. Tears began to form in her eyes. It was actually pretty. She was realizing that she didn’t have a lot of control over what happened to her.

 “Please. What are you going to do to me? Please. I’ll do anything for you. You don’t have to hurt me. I let you put me here. Didn’t I?” Her bare body was shaking and straining at the ropes holding her. She squirmed a bit under my steady gaze.

 “Do you deserve to be punished?”

 “No. No. Please God. No.”

 “Karen. Do you know what the punishment for lying is?”

 “Oh God. What?”

 “Worse than for running. Now. Do you deserve punishment?”

 “What do you want to hear?”

 “The truth. I laid out the rules. Did you break them? Did you disobey?”

 “Oh God. I did. But ...”

 “Then do you deserve punishment?”

 “Please don’t make me do this.”

 “Do you?”

 “I suppose.”

 “You suppose?”

 “Yes. I deserve punishment.”

 “Good. That’s what I thought as well.”

 “Oh shit. Please.”

 “Karen. Do you have a cucumber in the refrigerator?”

 “What?”

 “A cucumber.”

 “I think so.”

 I turned to the refrigerator and opened it. I checked out the vegetable drawer and found a medium sized English cucumber. I picked it up and closed the fridge door. Karen watched all this with real fear in her eyes.

 “Karen. Have you ever masturbated with a vegetable? I hear that some women do.”

 “Please.”

 Elizabeth piped up from her chair. “Oh God. You can’t do that to her. It will kill her.”

 I turned to the bound woman in the chair. “Would you rather have it?”

 “Yes. I’ll take it for her. She’s a recent mother for Christ sakes. You have no idea how much that thing will hurt her.”

 “I’m counting on it.”

 “God. You are a bastard.”

 “It won’t kill her.” I turned back to Karen. “Have you ever used a cucumber before?”

 “No. Yes.”

 “No? Yes?”

 Her face flushed. “Oh God. Yes. A couple of times. I was just experimenting. Please. You said you wouldn’t rape me.”

 “And I won’t. At least not in any standard way.”

 “I won’t let you.”

 “Karen. Look at yourself. You are hanging from your wrists. You are completely naked. All I have to do is to use a bit more rope and tie your ankles to a broomstick. You’ll be hanging from your wrists. Off the floor. And you can’t stop me from doing anything to you. You really want to go through that?”

 I watched her face as the mental image burning into her mind. Knowing the pain that would be caused if I did what I threatened. A tear overfilled her left eye and traced down her face.

 “Please. Use some lubrication? Please?”

 That I could do. I walked up to her. I placed the vegetable on the counter behind her bound body. I slowly traced my hands down her body, starting at her bound wrists, down her bare arms. Down her sides. Brushing the sides of her breasts. Down over her hips, ending at her straining ankles. Traced her instep while she was still trying to stay on her toes. To her credit she shuddered at the touches, but didn’t try to move away. She couldn’t have gone far anyway, but she could have moved her feet away from my touches quite easily. I carefully took her nipples between my fingers and thumbs. Pressed gently. Her nipples unconsciously came erect. She shuddered again.

 She mumbled one word. “Please.”

 I retrieved the cucumber. I judged that she shouldn’t have any trouble with it, if I wasn’t too rough. I held it up to her mouth. She looked at the vegetable in fear. Knowing that soon it was going to be violating her. Whether she wanted it, or not.

 “Open.”

 She closed her eyes and opened her mouth. I slowly placed the end of the cucumber into her mouth. She automatically began to mimic oral sex on it. Probably thinking that this is what I wanted. Tears falling down her face.

 “Just hold it.”

 She struggled to hold the thing in her mouth. Her teeth gently sinking into the flesh of the vegetable. She lowered her head, as the weight of the thing tried to pull it out of her mouth. She tried to mumble something around the gagging cucumber and then gave up.

 Leaving her like that, I wandered over to the equipment pack which was placed by Elizabeth’s bound feet. She spoke to me as I crouched down, searching. “You fucked up bastard. She’s a new mother for Christ sakes. You can’t do this to her. This is going to kill her.”

 “Elizabeth. Haven’t you earned yourself enough punishment?”

 She paled. “Please. Have some compassion.”

 I looked up at the bound girl. “Elizabeth. Whatever I do to her, she won’t remember. Whatever I have to do to you, you will remember. For a while anyway.”

 “Yeah. She’ll forget in like a few weeks when you let her go.”

 “Elizabeth. I don’t know why I’m even telling you this. But I’m not keeping her.”

 “Why not? She’s gorgeous. Your type.”

 “I’m not keeping her. She’s going to be tormented. And then I’ll let her go. I swear it.”

 “That doesn’t make it any better what you are doing.” But she wasn’t convinced. I honestly think Elizabeth felt better knowing that the girl was going to be released. I could see it in her body. The way she relaxed. Her body language accentuated by her ropes and her nudity.

 I had found what I was looking for. Lubricant. And the nipple clamps.

 I walked back over to the bound mother. Still frightened. But effectively gagged. I could see her drool beginning to coat the end of the cucumber in her mouth. She tried to look up, but the weight of the cucumber prevented her head from rising too far. Her eyes flashed at me and she tried to mumble something around her gag.

 I put the nipple clamps on the counter behind her and used my hand to raise the other end of the cucumber. Keeping it in her mouth, but raising her head. She was forced to watch as I carefully spread lubricant over the end of the vegetable. Pleading in her eyes. I gently pulled the cucumber from her mouth and held it up. I carefully used her hair to wipe the slight remaining lubricant from my fingers. She cringed at this use of her hair, but didn’t complain. She began to beg.

 “Please. You can’t do this. I don’t want this. Please. Please don’t put that thing in me. I’ll have sex with you. I’ll crawl. I swear I’ll never run again. Oh God. Please. You can leave me tied up. Forever.”

 I traced the drool moistened end of the cucumber down her body leaving a very light wet trail. Between her taut breasts and down her belly. I paused at her belly button and she tried to dance away. Didn’t get very far. I traced it through her sparse pubic hair. She had closed her eyes. Trying to somehow will away what was happening to her.

 I reversed the vegetable. Presenting the lubricated end towards her body. As I touched her thighs she took a deep breath and parted them for me. I guess she didn’t want them bound apart. With her legs apart she really did have to stand on her toes to take any pressure off her bound wrists.

 I slowly ran the unwelcome probe along her outer lips and she shuddered. Standing bound. Unable to stop this invasion. Softly crying.

 I gently began to part her lips and press the vegetable into her. She cried out, but with the amount of lubrication on the phallus, she couldn’t prevent it from slipping into her, no matter how much she resisted with her vaginal muscles. I touched her between her folds. Completely dry. Understandable.

 She cried out a number of times as the cucumber slowly slipped into her. Tears were flowing down her face as she cried. Cried from the invasion. From the humiliation. From her absolute powerlessness. Finally, I felt it bottom against her cervix. She cried out again as she felt it from the other end.

 “That’s it, I guess.”

 “Oh God. Please. Take it out. Please.”

 “Karen. Honey. I’d get used to it being there.”

 “You’re leaving it in? You bastard. I can’t take it.”

 “You can. You already have.”

 There was a good portion of the cucumber protruding from her shaking body. My fingers preventing the slippery intrusion from falling out under the influence of gravity. I began to wrap some cord around her waist. She cried out and opened her eyes. She spoke. “What are you doing?”

 “Making sure you don’t push it out.” I could feel her vaginal muscles pulsating. The pulses running along the cucumber from deep inside her. She probably wasn’t consciously doing it. Her body was just trying its best to get rid of the overlarge object invading it. I actually kind of hoped that she wouldn’t cramp because of it. But if she did, I guess that was life.

 I finished the rope belt around her waist, tying it off. I dropped a length of the cord down between her legs. I carefully wrapped the end of the cucumber with the cord making sure that it was secured. I then ran the cord up behind her, between her buttocks and tied it off. The belt and the ropes securely holding her invader in her body. Her body was wracked with sobs. Realizing that this thing was going to be in her until I chose to remove it. With her hands bound, she had absolutely no way to remove the cucumber from herself.

 I wandered back to the kitchen table and sat backward on one of Karen’s chairs. I sat beside Elizabeth who was watching Karen with a kind of morbid fascination. I watched the bound woman as well. She struggled with her wrists. Alternately pulling against them and bucking her hips. Moving her legs. Dancing on her toes. Trying to loosen any of the knots. Trying to find the least painful position. Given her restraints, I don’t imagine any position was particularly comfortable. Anything to bring about some comfort for her aching body. After letting her struggle for about five minutes she looked over at me. Forlorn expression on her face.

 She just begged. “Please. Please let me go.”

 “Karen? You have to be punished yet.”

 “Oh God. This isn’t the punishment?”

 “Part of it.”

 “What are you going to do to me? God. Please just let me go.”

 I finally got up and rummaged through the pack again. I found the blindfold I was looking for. I don’t think I’d ever blindfolded any of the girls I tormented. Always a first time. I didn’t want Karen to know what was going to happen to her.

 I approached her and picked up the large knife from the counter where she’d placed it much earlier. Her eyes widened, her face went ashen and her whole body began to tremble.

 “Please. Don’t cut me. I’ll do whatever you want. You can stick the cucumber up my ass if you want. Please. Not a knife. Oh God. You can’t be serious. I’ll do anything. Anything.”

 “Karen. I’m not going to cut you. If you stay still.”

 “Oh God. Oh God. Oh God.”

 I brought the sharp blade up in front of her face. Her eyes followed it. She just kept repeating her mantra. “Oh God. Oh God.”

 I took the tip of the knife and circled her right nipple about a millimeter from her flesh. Any slip and she was getting a nasty cut. Her nipple had hardened involuntarily in fear. She was trembling, and having trouble keeping still especially being up on her toes the way she was. But I could tell that all her concentration was on that knife and keeping her bound, bare body still. She was doing a good job. I suppose desperation will let you do some amazing things.

 I softly touched the hardened nub with the blade. Scratching carefully down it. She gasped as she felt the cold dangerous steel dragged across her sensitive flesh, but she kept still. Any move would have meant immediate blood and pain. And a completely ruined breast. She knew that. I knew that. Together, we were very careful.

 Finally, I released her. She let her breath out and began to shake more violently. Tears falling silently. Unseen by her, I had flipped the knife over. I brought it to her left nipple. The dull side of the knife. But she didn’t know that. I rested the knife just above her erect nipple against the flesh. She was crying and pleading. She drew in her breath and concentrated on staying still again. Again, she did an amazing job. Reverse the positions and have some woman threaten my private parts with a knife, I doubt if I could have kept as still as she was. Holding her breath.

 “Ooops.” I said softly. At the same time I dragged the knife down and across her nipple. Like I was slicing chicken. She screamed in terror and fear. Making the other two girls cry out and jump in surprise. The dull side of the knife slid harmlessly across her erect nipple. Her face paled and she looked like she was about to pass out.

 She managed to keep conscious and she finally looked down at her breast expecting blood and injury. Probably psychologically even feeling the burning pain of the knife; the imagined slice to her nipple. She had nearly passed out from fear. Seeing her breast still intact. Her nipple still where it ought to be. No blood. The look of pure relief and disbelief was actually quite pretty on her face. She looked at me and mouthed “Thank you.” She must have been really frightened to thank me. She let her breath out in a whoosh.

 “Karen. Next time you disobey. I won’t be so careful.”

 “Oh God. I’ll be good. I’ll be so good. Please. Just give me another chance. I’ll prove I can be good. I’ll do whatever you want. Oh God.”

 I nodded. “I’m going to put this on you.”

 “A blindfold? Why?”

 “A surprise.”

 “Oh God.” But she stood still while I fitted the dark cloth over her eyes. She cried out a bit but didn’t complain beyond that.

 I waved my hand in front of her face. She didn’t react. I pretended to slap her. Stopping just short of contact. She didn’t flinch. She was blind.

 I traced my finger down over her right nipple. She jumped at the touch, but controlled her impulse to move. Probably sudden movements made themselves known through the inertia of the foreign body deep in her vaginal canal.

 I rummaged through her drawers finally coming up with a pair of wooden spoons. Lightweight. They would serve.

  

 Chapter 76

 I placed the spoons on the counter beside the nipple clamps. Then I walked back to the opposite side of the table. Adjacent to Amy. She looked at me, fear in her eyes. I could see it. She wanted to be anywhere but here.

 “Amy?”

 “Y-yes.”

 “Do you think that you could help me, if I untied you?”

 “Please. I will if you force me to. But I don’t want to help you hurt her.”

 “But you will?”

 I could see Karen squirming in her bonds. Blind. And afraid. She could certainly hear me talking to Amy. Knowing that I was going to get Amy to hurt her.

 “Of course. Do I have any choice? I remember the tongue thing.”

 “Good girl.”

 “What do you want me to do? You bastard.”

 I raised my eyebrows. I was expecting to be called a lot of names before this day was done. I couldn’t punish them every time they released some tension calling me names. I reached behind her and released her from the cuffs. I placed them on the kitchen table. Amy sat quietly rubbing her wrists.

 I motioned for her to rise and be quiet. She did as she was asked. We walked over to where Karen waited. Her arms must have really been aching in that tight bondage. And she wasn’t going to be let free for a while yet.

 I whispered in Amy’s ear. No way for Karen to hear.

 “Take a wooden spoon. I want you to hit her from behind. Be creative. If she turns around, hit whatever she presents to you. If I see you avoiding her breasts, you’ll regret it.”

 I watched as Amy closed her eyes, but silently walked over to the counter. She returned with a wooden spoon. “Wait for me to tell you,” I whispered to the unwilling girl.

 Amy pleaded with me with her eyes. I’d never had her hit anyone yet. For some reason the girls had real trouble hitting another helpless woman. Even Christi sometimes had trouble. And she claimed to be a dominant personality. Probably some empathy happening. “Please don’t make me do this. I don’t know if I can.”

 “You have to, sweetheart. You can do it.”

 She silently accepted it. Bracing herself. Trying to convince herself that she had to do this. Cause this helpless woman in front of her real pain. Like it or not.

 I wandered over to the counter myself and picked up the second spoon and the nipple clamps.

 I walked up to Karen and she jumped a bit as I spoke to her. “Karen? This is going to be a bit uncomfortable.”

 “Worse than I am now?” she said between gritted teeth.

 “A bit.”

 I traced her right nipple with my finger. It involuntarily tightened and she gasped. I slipped the tiny clamp over the nipple and began to tighten it. I was careful not to tighten it too much, but this woman had almost certainly never worn one before. Tears began to fall from her eyes beneath the blindfold. I watched her face as it began to tighten in fear and pain. Not quite knowing what was happening to her breasts, but knowing that it was damn uncomfortable. If not downright painful. Her nipple was securely trapped and suitably uncomfortable.

 “I told you that it would be uncomfortable.”

 “Shit,” she hissed. “What the hell is that? It feels like my nipple has been crushed. Please. Whatever it is. Take it off. Please? It burns.”

 I just silently repeated the procedure on her other nipple. This time she cried out as the clamp was tightened.

 “Please,” she begged. “No more.”

 I released her breasts and let her rest. I reached forward and touched the chain between her nipples. It swung, eliciting gasps from the bound lady.

 “Oh God. Please. It hurts. Please take it off me. Whatever it is. I can’t take it much longer.”

 She’d have other things to worry about in a few minutes anyway. I watched as my unwilling naked assistant moved behind the suffering girl. I nodded to her.

 Amy raised her arm and closed her eyes. She brought the wooden spoon down softly against Karen’s exposed back. Karen hissed through her teeth. Even that light blow had caused her pain. Perhaps she had jumped and caused the nipple torment to move. Perhaps her sudden movement had caused the cucumber still deep inside her to shift. Perhaps she was just in such an uncomfortable position, any further pain was magnified.

 Amy looked up at me. “Please. I can’t do this.”

 I walked back around Karen to join her. “Why not?”

 “Please. She’s in such pain as it is. Her nipples. Her arms. Please. Have mercy on her. My mother used to punish me with these things.” She held up the spoon in her hand. “I know how much they hurt. Please.”

 “Amy. We could change positions if you like. Let Karen down. And put you up there instead.”

 “Oh God. I’ll do that if you don’t make me hit her anymore.”

 “No. You’ll go up there until you beg to hit her. Then we change positions again. You hit her again. Twice as hard and twice as long.”

 “Oh God. I’ll hit her.”

 I raised my spoon and let it fall against Karen’s bared shoulders. She pulled in her breath and screamed. Finally falling into incoherent pleading.

 “Like that. Got it?”

 “Oh God. I can’t hit her that hard.”

 “You want to change places.”

 She shook her head. “But I don’t have that much strength. Please.”

 “Just do your best then. It doesn’t take much with these things.”

 Amy mutely nodded and raised her arm again. Karen was bracing for the blow. Knowing it was coming. Just not knowing where. Trying to twist. Anticipating where the spoon would fall on her unprotected bare skin. She screamed again as the spoon fell into her unprotected back. Her feet actually left the floor as she struggled with her bonds. Trying to escape the pain or ease it.

 I aimed a hard blow to her exposed belly. She screamed again as the spoon made contact with her defenseless skin. Squirming. I watched as she choked. The cucumber moving in her. The nipple chain dancing against her skin. Her feet dancing and twisting. Trying to ease the pain raining down on her. Begging.

 Alternating, Amy and I let the wooden instruments of stinging pain fall onto Karen’s bare body. Karen twisting. Never knowing where the next blow was going to land. Her ass. Her thighs. Her stomach. Her calves. She let out particularly enticing screams when the spoon caught her bare breasts. Or touched the nipple clamps. I made sure a few strokes caught her face. I finally decided the poor girl had had enough. Hell, she’d probably had more than enough after the first blow. Her bare body sported red welts all across the front and back. She was hanging by her wrists, her feet barely supporting her. She was moaning pitifully. Gasping for breath. Begging for forgiveness. Begging us to stop. Just begging.

 I motioned for Amy to go back to the table. Gratefully, she scampered away. Glad to be away from the torture. Probably glad that she hadn’t really earned any punishment this time. Maybe even glad it wasn’t her, bound, naked, and writhing in pain.

 I turned back to Karen. The blind girl was still sobbing. Dancing her bound body from foot to foot. Trying to ease the stinging over most of her body. Oblivious to the extra pain she was causing herself from the nipple clamps and cucumber. I just watched her for a while. Finally, her breathing began to return to normal and with an act of will, she managed to stop moving her body. Finally easing the pain from her wrists, nipples and between her legs. She even managed to get her uncontrollable crying under control.

 I spoke to her. “Karen? You okay?”

 “No.” She just hung in her bonds.

 “You ready for more?”

 “Oh God. Please no more. I can’t. It hurts. Oh God. You can’t imagine how much I hurt. I’ll do anything you want. You don’t have to hurt me anymore. I swear. I’ll do anything.”

 “Anything?”

 “Yeah. Please. I’ll fuck you. No problem. I’ll crawl for you. I’ll do anything. Anything you want. Just please. No more. I can’t take it anymore. Please let me down. I’ve learned. I don’t need to be punished anymore.”

 I nodded. Though she couldn’t see me. I reached towards her body and began to release the nipple clamps. She screamed as my fingers touched the metal and the vibrations transmitted themselves to her body through her nipples. I wasn’t particularly careful either. She screamed again as the blood rushed back into the tortured bits of flesh. Finally, gasping for air, she simply hung by her wrists.

 “Please. No more. My tits hurt. Please.”

 “I had to hurt you a bit to get them off. It wasn’t intentional.”

 “Please. What were they?”

 “Nipple clamps.”

 “You clamped my nipples? Oh God.”

 “They’re off now.”

 “My tits. My nipples. They’re burning.” I watched as she unconsciously pulled at her wrists. Wanting to pull her hands down and cradle her breasts. Softly crying. Unable to comfort herself. Just having to endure the pain.

 I stepped back. Letting her suffer a little longer. Finally she spoke.

 “Please. What do you want from me?”

 I was silent. She waited a few minutes and repeated the question. I watched as her face became puzzled. She shook her head. Struggling with her bonds. Finally becoming quiet. Trying to determine where I was. Only hearing her own ragged breathing. Elizabeth and Amy were silent in their chairs.

 “Are you there? Please? I hurt. Please. Please let me down.”

 She began to feel out with her legs. Sweeping the air in front of her with her bare toes. Trying to determine where I was. If I was even there. She began to cry again. Pulling at her bound wrists. I noted that they were turning an angry red tinged with blue. She could be in the bonds a little longer, but not much more. Her wrists were probably bruised as it was.

 I silently moved closer to her. Just inside the range of her searching leg. Standing on one foot and using her other leg to search must have really moved the cucumber which was still inserted into her vagina. But she grimly continued. Needing to do something. Not able to just stand there waiting for me. Gritting her teeth.

 Her toes brushed my jeans and she jumped. She drew in her breath and almost screamed. Not expecting to touch anything I suppose. She ventured her foot forward again and tried to grip the material of my jeans with her toes.

 She pleaded. Now she knew that I was there. Watching her.

 “Please. I know you are there. Please talk to me. Whatever I’ve done. I’m sorry. God. I’m sorry.” I was silent. Wondering where she was going with this. “Please. I’ll do anything. Please. All I want is to be let down. This damn cucumber out of me. Oh God. Please, at least take off the blindfold. Oh God. Please what do you want? I’ll do it.”

 Finally, I relented. “What will you do? Make some suggestions.”

 She looked surprised that I’d finally spoken to her.

 “Oh God. Please. What do you want from me? You must know that I’ll do it. I don’t want to be punished. I’ll do it. Whatever it is.” I was silent. Waiting. She was silent. Waiting for an answer.

 Not getting one, I watched as her mind began to work. It was actually pretty to watch. Her bound body straining. Her mouth set in a grim line. It would have been interesting to see her eyes as she tried to figure out what I wanted, but that would have given her some balance. Right now, not being able to see was disturbing her. She didn’t even know where I was if she was speaking to me. Couldn’t read my expression to see if she was getting anywhere. Trying to figure out what I wanted from her. Trying to ignore the cucumber. I reached out and touched the end of it. Moving it deep inside of her. It had slipped down a bit with her struggles, but it was still deep enough in her that there was no chance of it slipping out. She cried out at the touch. Obviously uncomfortable.

 “Please. Just tell me what you want. Please. I just want out of this. Oh God. Please.”

 I’d already told her what I wanted. I was curious how long it would take her to figure it out. I remained silent. She lapsed back into silence, thinking as best as she could considering the pain she was experiencing. I was surprised that she was able to think at all. But I suppose that desperation could drive one to do things that one would be otherwise unable to do. I watched as she reached out with her toes again. Searching. This time, I just moved a step back. Just out of her range. She searched with a sense of futility. Softly crying.

 “Please. My arms. My vagina. My hands. Oh God. I can’t feel my hands.” She wiggled her fingers. They moved slowly, but they moved. Her hands were turning a distinct shade of blue. She replaced her bare foot under herself and raised back up on her toes. Relieving the pressure on her wrists. A bit of colour flowed back into her hands. But not much.

 She stood there crying for a moment. Then begged a bit more. “Please. You have to let me down. Please. I’ll do whatever you want. Are you even there? Please?”

 I had to give Elizabeth and Amy credit. They must have been having trouble with this. Not being the one’s in pain, they probably knew what she had to do. But they kept silent. Knowing that opening their mouths would mean a gag and severe punishment. Elizabeth, especially, knew what it was like to be gagged.

 Karen, just hung in her ropes crying softly. Rocking herself. Mumbling, “please” every so often.

 Suddenly her head snapped up. She’d probably been going through what I’d said earlier in her mind. Her blind head searched me out. She spoke towards a spot about two feet to my left. Frightened.

 “Oh God. You’ll let me down if I tell you what to do to me. Won’t you? You wanted suggestions?”

 “See. You are a smart girl.” Her head snapped towards my voice. Her ears guiding her. “Oh God. Please.” This time she faced me unerringly. I waited. She pulled again at the rope holding her wrists in the air.

 She took a deep breath. Trying to think what I wanted to hear.

 “I’ll crawl for you. As long as you want. Out in the backyard if you want.” Her eyes began to tear again. I was sure that blindfold was soaked. Her voice sped up as thoughts occurred to her. “A pet. I’ll be your pet. You can put a collar on me. Leash me. I’ll crawl. I’ll bark. I’ll be your dog. You can walk me. Oh God. Please let me down.”

 I watched her. Her face was turning red. Her pain overriding her shame, she continued.

 “I’ll fuck you. I’ll be the best lay you’ve ever had. I’ll give you head. You can tie me up on my knees and I’ll give you head. I’m good at it. I swear. You can screw me. Use my pussy. My a-ass. Oh God. You can hit me some more. I’ll do my best not to scream. Please. Have some mercy on me. My arms. I’ll do anything you want. Please.”

 I watched her. Struggling. Crying. Begging. She looked up, pleading evident on her face, tears streaming from beneath her blindfold.

 “Please. What do you want me to do? To say? Please. I’ll do anything you want. I’ll cry for you. I’ll beg. I’ll crawl. I’ll fuck you. I’ll fuck them. You want me to make love to Amy? I will. I’ll do anything if you’ll just let me down. Oh God. I. I’ll masturbate for you. Right here. I’ll use the cucumber. I’ll even use it in my ass. Oh God. My arms hurt so much. Please. I can’t feel my hands. I’m so frightened. Please let me down.”

 I finally spoke to her. She’d have no way of knowing this. “Not I. Not me.”

 A look of confusion crossed her face. I could see it through her grimaces of pain and even with the blindfold covering her eyes. “Please. I don’t understand.”

 “You are no longer Karen. You have no identity.”

 “Oh God. I don’t understand. Please. No more.”

 “You will not use the word ‘I’ or ‘me’ any longer. If you do, you get punished more.”

 “Oh God. I. Please what can I use then.” I struck her across the right breast with the spoon. She cried out and tried to back away. Her wrists stopping her. She was sobbing. Not understanding.

 Elizabeth finally spoke up. Helping the girl. I gave her a dirty look, but she continued regardless. She paled, but I suppose that this was getting too intense for her. I was surprised that she’d held her tongue this long.

 “Karen. Honey.” The bound tormented woman turned her face towards Elizabeth’s voice. “He’s made women do this before. You have to remember to use the third person. You can do it. Refer to yourself in the third person. You know, ‘This slave’ and ‘This slut’, that sort of thing. I know it’s demeaning. But he won’t let you down until you do. You can do it.” She lapsed into silence and I slowly turned back to the crying woman in front of me.

 “Oh God. I can’t.” I hit her again on the left breast and she screamed. She was undoubtedly in agony this time. She was getting a bit hoarse from her screaming. Her hands were now getting to be a bright shade of blue. I didn’t doubt that she couldn’t feel them. I had to loosen her soon if I wanted to keep playing with her.

 “Okay. Okay. I. This s-slave will try. I. This slave doesn’t know if I .. she can remember. Please don’t hurt me anymore. Please let me ... this slave ... down.” She tried to speak in the unfamiliar way. She’d slipped but I had to give her credit for trying. It must have been really hard on her.

  

 Chapter 77

 I stood in front of her and just watched as she struggled with her pain. Shifting her weight from foot to foot. Pulling weakly at her wrists. Moving her hips gently, trying to adjust the position of the cucumber still bound in her.

 Finally she spoke. “Please. I. This slave hurts so very much. She begs to be released. If she could, she’d kneel and kiss her master’s feet. Anything. What else can she possibly offer?”

 She finally lost her hesitation. Any trace of pride. She had slipped into a completely submissive role. Her pain driving her.

 I reached forward and touched her blindfold. Soaked with her tears. She flinched away from the touch, but slowly moved her head forward again until it touched my outstretched fingers. Allowing me to check her blindfold.

 I reached around her head and removed the wet cloth. Her eyes were red. Her eyes expressing her pain. She glanced up, trying to see her hands, blinking in the sudden light. She wiggled her blue fingers. Gasping at the pain and the sight of her blue hands. She began to cry again. Frightened that she might lose her hands if I kept her in this much longer. She had to figure out a way to make me release her.

 I began to free her from the rope belt she wore. I simply released the rope around her waist, allowing it to fall loosely around her hips. I knelt in front of her and watched as the cucumber began a slow viscous journey out of her vaginal canal. She shuddered at the sensations of it slipping out of her. Unable to clench herself enough to keep it in place or force it out of herself quicker. After a few minutes, I gripped the end of it with my fingers and began to pull it gently from her. She gasped and cried out as the invader finally pulled free of her body. She began to weep. Tears falling from her eyes, unashamedly. Tears of relief. Even without the invasion of the cucumber, her vagina still gaped wide. I imagined that it would take a while for it to relax and close the stretched muscles where it was forced to accommodate the larger than normal invasion of her body. She unconsciously brought her legs back together. She stood back up on her toes helping take some of the strain off her wrists. I could see her calf muscles straining to keep her raised on her toes. They were quivering slightly. I doubted if she could stand like this much longer. Her wrists were going to have to take her weight again pretty soon. I could see it in her face. Her pain.

 I placed the now warm cucumber onto the counter behind her and walked back around. She looked up at me. Her tears never stopping.

 “Please,” she begged me. “My wrists.”

 I just closed my eyes and let the spoon fall on her body at random. I think I caught her just under her bare breasts. Her lower ribs. She screamed again.

 “Oh God. I’m. Oh shit. Please. This slave is sorry. She begs forgiveness. She forgot. Her wrists. She can’t think with her wrists. This slave. This slut begs to be let down. She’ll do anything to be allowed down. Please. Her wrists hurt so much. Her arms.”

 I picked back up the knife and showed it to her. Even though she knew that I wasn’t going to cut her, she begged anyway.

 “Please sir. Your slave. Your c-cunt begs her master not to cut her. Oh God. Your slave is so frightened. Please let her down.”

 I dragged the blade down her upturned nose as she struggled to keep her face as still as she could. The blade passed harmlessly over the skin of her nose. Just scratching her skin like a hunter might check the edge of his knife against a fingernail. Her body was shaking badly. Not sure if it was her fright or just muscle fatigue. She’d been hanging there for a long, long time.

 “Karen? Are you ever going to disobey again? Run? Even think you can escape?”

 “Please. Never. I’ll. I mean. This slave is yours to do with what you like. I’ll do. She’ll do anything. She’ll never run again. She’ll never disobey. Please. My. Her wrists. She is going to pass out from this. Please. You don’t want me ... her ... to pass out. Do you? Please?”

 I nodded. She’d done a passable job of sticking in the third person. Actually excellent for a first attempt and considering the obvious pain she was enduring. I raised the knife away from her face and easily cut through the rope holding her to the ceiling. The knife was very sharp. She was very lucky that she hadn’t gotten nicked with my playing. A credit to her will and her ability to stay still despite her pain. Bet she never imagined that her kitchen knife would ever be used to release her bare bound body from her plant hook.

 As the support was severed, she collapsed. I was ready for it. Holding the knife carefully away from her falling body, I moved to catch her. Her eyes rolled back and her legs simply collapsed under her. I caught her around the waist and gently lowered her bare body to the tile. I could have just let her fall. But then she may have broken a bone, or hurt herself badly. Smacked her head on the tile. Not a lot of doctors around. I would have had to return her immediately. End of fun. She was light anyway. No strain.

 She lay back, slowly bringing her still bound hands in front of her, pulling weakly at the ropes. She tried unsuccessfully to restore circulation to her blue hands. All her twisting only served to give her rope burn. Her hands stubbornly remained a deep shade of blue. The ropes holding her wrists together were the problem. No way for her to adjust them any longer. She wasn’t getting circulation back into her hands until I released her wrists. She just began to cry again and lay back. Just letting whatever was going to happen, happen. Completely resigned to her fate. That I was in control of her and whether she would lose her hands or not.

 I released her waist and reached for her wrists. She cried out as I lifted her hands but tried to help me. With her hands so numb she really was more of a hindrance than a help. But I think she needed to do something.

 “Be still, Karen. I’ll have you out of this in a second.” I gently chastised her. She wasn’t really helping the effort to get circulation restored to her hands.

 She nodded, tears still tracing down her face. Holding her shaking arms as still as she could.

 I lifted the knife and carefully guided it to one of the strands of cord holding her wrists. She was still, as ordered and I easily sliced through one of the cords cruelly circling her slender wrists. I fished the cord around, unwrapping the loops of cord, using it to release her hands, not bothering with the knots. Her hands were ice cold as I touched them. I wasn’t surprised that she’d lost feeling in them. She cried out and whimpered as the rope came free. The cord had badly chafed her skin, but as the rope loosened, her hands almost immediately began to regain a healthy pink colour. I’d caught the circulation problem in plenty of time. She’d have been fine even for another half an hour. Uncomfortable as hell, but no lasting damage would have occurred.

 She sighed as her hands were finally separated and I’d released them into her own care. She began to moan as the circulation caused massive pins and needles to crawl across her hands and fingers. She closed her eyes and tried to hold her hands as still as she could. She struggled to control the unavoidable body tremors which were a result of the adrenaline and endorphins running havoc through her bloodstream. She was probably going to feel slightly sick after the adrenaline kicked down. Unless she was lucky and could maintain her adrenaline production until I freed her from the timeline.

 I sat beside her and stroked her hair while she recovered. She didn’t even flinch as I touched her. Her breathing slowly returned to normal and her hands began to feel a little better. The pain began to leave her face.

 The female body recovers so quickly from pain. Though, the stinging pain from a wooden spoons does tend to fade reasonably quickly anyway. The nipple clamps and cucumber had been removed a while ago. Her nipples still looked red, but I suspected that they no longer were in pain. Unless I touched them. She closed her eyes briefly.

 After she had slowed her breathing down and was beginning to feel a little better, she rolled herself over and managed to get to her hands and knees. She bent her head and kissed at my shoes. She looked up at me, not a trace of shame in her face.

 She whispered, “Thank you for letting this worthless slave down.” She ducked her head, unable to maintain eye contact with me. Probably couldn’t believe that she’d actually said the words on her own. Without ‘encouragement’.

 Finally she raised her head and looked at me from her hands and knees.

 “Please let me go?”

 I let the first person reference go this time. I shook my head. “Not yet.”

 “What do you want me to do? Please?”

 I walked over to the bag and retrieved a collar and leash. I turned and her eyes widened. As I was fastening the collar and leash to her throat she tried again.

 “Please. This slave begs you not to do this. She’ll happily screw you and your friends even. Please. You don’t have to make her act like a dog.” She instinctively knew what was about to happen. She’d suggested it after all.

 She gasped as I tightened the collar and picked up the leash. Ignoring her pleas.

 “Do pets talk?”

 She looked up at me, frightened and pleading with her eyes. She closed her mouth. Whined. Surprisingly very dog-like.

 I walked in front of her and gently tugged her leash. Resigned to her fate, she began to crawl for me. I guided the miserable naked female through the dining area and into her living room. I sat down on a leather chair and left her on her hands and knees in the middle of the room.

 “Beg?”

 She slipped out of her role. “Pardon?”

 “I could swear I heard a non-canine voice.”

 She clapped her mouth shut and I could see her mind working. Finally figuring out what I wanted. Her face flushed, but she obeyed. She pushed herself into a kneeling position and exposed her bare front to me. Her breasts jiggled as she raised her front paws and did a passable imitation of a dog begging. Panting.

 “Roll over.”

 Her face flushed again but she fell to her side and rolled over ending up on her back. Limbs raised as a dog would. She was really trying to please. Her hind legs parted, exposing herself shamelessly for my amusement. Biting her lip to keep from saying anything.

 “Bark.”

 She took a deep breath and let out a soft bark. “Woof.”

 “Louder.”

 “Arf,” her face was bright red. Not believing that I could force her to these depths of humiliation.

 “Okay bitch. Hands and knees.”

 She closed her eyes and rolled back to her hands and knees.

 “Leash.”

 She bent her head and gathered the leather into her mouth. She then crawled to me and raised her head. Offering me her leash. Her face bright red. I could see her mouth muscles fighting. She desperately wanted to say something. Beg not to have to do this. But I just gathered the leash and gently pulled her, stumbling on her hands and knees back into the kitchen. Tears rolling down her face. Not quite believing that I was making her do this. I was having trouble walking with the erection I was sporting. Seeing a grown woman humiliating herself like this was really turning me on. I thought that I might just have to have one of the other girls do this as well.

 Elizabeth broke her silence. “Please. She doesn’t have to do this. No woman should have to do that. My God. Have you no feelings? Put yourself in her place, for God’s sake. She’s frightened.”

 “Okay. Our first volunteer.”

 Elizabeth shut up. A look of completely confusion crossed her features. She pulled at her ropes, not understanding.

 I turned to Karen. “Karen? You know what dogs do to girls?”

 She shook her head. Afraid to say anything.

 “They sniff them, don’t they?”

 Karen’s face flushed again and tears began to fall again from her eyes. Understanding, she crawled forward and made a production of sniffing at Elizabeth’s leg. Starting at her bound foot and knowing that I wouldn’t allow her to do otherwise, Karen moved her head slowly up Elizabeth’s bound thigh and ended up with her nose right between Elizabeth’s legs. Elizabeth was pulling at her bonds more forcefully now.

 “Lick her.”

 Karen raised her head and looked imploringly at me. Begging with her eyes. Not wanting to do this. Not with another woman.

 Elizabeth spoke. “Please. I don’t want to do this. What am I being punished for? Master?”

 I looked at Elizabeth’s earnest face. Struggling to figure out why I was tormenting her. There wasn’t always a reason. But I tried to give her one anyway.

 “Elizabeth. You are being punished for not warning me when Karen, our mutt here, ran away without permission. Now, this isn’t much of a punishment.” I picked up the crop from the pack. “But this is.”

 “Please no. Don’t hurt me,” Elizabeth begged. Tried to back away into the chair. Make herself as small as possible. “You don’t have to. I’ll do whatever you want. I’ll cum for you. I’ll enjoy Karen. I swear it.”

 I stepped over to Elizabeth and let a soft blow fall across the tops of her breasts. It left a slightly red mark, and Elizabeth cried out. The crop hurt terribly, even if not swung hard. I’d swung it lightly against my palm once. I couldn’t imagine the pain it would inflict on breasts. But it should be bearable at this strength. At least I thought.

 I looked at Karen, who had begun to cry again. I could see it in her eyes. She wanted to beg. She so much didn’t want to do this.

 “Karen, what is it? You can speak.”

 “Please. Master. This. This b-b-bitch. She. She isn’t gay. She can’t do this.”

 “I could have sworn that you claimed that you would fuck my friends earlier.”

 “Please. I would have promised anything. I. Oh shit. This slave hurt. You must understand that. I. She has never been with a woman before. Something else. Whip your slave. Anything but this. Make her crawl more. Act like a dog. It turned you on. I. She could tell. She’ll bark for you more. Please.”

 Elizabeth took a deep breath and helped. “Karen. Honey. I don’t want this any more than you do. But he will make you do it anyway. He’ll put you back up on that hook. And whip you. Your breasts until you beg to have sex with me. Either way I have to cum from it. You only have to try and pleasure me. I’ll try to hurry. Oh God. He’s going to whip me until I cum. You have to try. Or we’ll both regret it. It’s just skin. Try not to think about what you are doing. Please try.”

 I watched Karen swallow. Frightened. She mutely nodded and lowered her head again to Elizabeth’s lap. I saw Elizabeth tense and I knew that Karen was exploring her sex with her tongue. Trying her best to get this over with. Trying to ignore what she was doing with her mouth. Somehow.

 I stood beside Elizabeth’s bound body and at random brought the crop down on her body. Sometimes as high as her collar bone. Sometimes as low as her lower ribs. Most fell on her heaving breasts occasionally catching a nipple. She cried out at every blow to her bare body, but managed to retain her concentration. Always returning to the sensations from her crotch. Struggling to get herself to her edge. Karen appeared to be doing a passable job. Overall, Karen should know what a woman should like. Being one herself. She ought to be able to give decent head if she wanted to. Elizabeth didn’t recover as quickly if the crop caught a nipple. She just howled and begged until the pain subsided. I usually gave her a bit of extra time if I caught that sensitive part of her. I really wasn’t aiming. And I really wasn’t putting very much strength into it. Somehow that seemed to make it worse for her. That I was disinterested in her pain, but still giving it to her. Really emphasized her helplessness.

 “Argh. You bastard. Please stop hitting me. I can’t cum like this. My tits. Hurt. Arghhhhh. No more. Please no more. You goddamn bastard. It hurts. Ow. Please. Let me go. I can’t. I can’t. I can’t.”

 But she did. Finally after about ten minutes she began to tense.

 “Fuck. Please no more. I’m cumming. Oh my God. Please stop. Argghhhhhhhh.”

 Her body spasmed against the ropes. Karen’s head was still bobbing between her legs. I tried to judge the peak of the climax and brought the crop down once more lightly flicking the erect nipples. Elizabeth screamed and pushed her breasts outwards. Straining at the ropes holding her. Tensing. Crying. Her body finally relaxed and I touched Karen’s head. Allowing her to stop her stimulation. She gasped and I watched her as she worked her tongue around in her mouth. Grimacing at what I’d forced her to do.

 Elizabeth finally recovered. “What the hell just happened?”

 “What?” I asked her bewildered.

 “Oh God. I’ve never felt anything like that.”

 “So now you like lesbian sex?”

 “Fuck no. I was just fantasizing it was some guy down there. But. I don’t understand. I came. I swear I did. And then you brought that fucking thing down across my nipples again and I thought I was going to die. Instead, it only hurt a little and the next thing I know, the world is exploding again. I. I think I had two. One right after the other.”

 I grinned. “Ain’t being a female wonderful?”

 “Not with you around,” she griped. But I think she was kind of proud of herself. Having a multiple orgasm. I was beginning to suspect that her experience of sex prior to me might have been a little minimal. And her experience of kinky sex, probably non-existent.

 I looked up at Amy and she was watching with wide eyes.

 I addressed her. “You want a orgasm?”

 Amy looked at me warily. “Not really. If I have a choice.” She knew exactly how she was going to get one. Given the choice, she probably didn’t want the crop on her body as another woman used her tongue on her.

 “You’d allow Karen to make love to you though. Right?”

 Amy swallowed and nodded her head. She spoke. “I don’t really have a choice if you tell me to do it. Right? But please. I helped you whip her. Please.”

 I nodded. She didn’t want the lesbian contact. I’d spare her this time. Amy had behaved herself. Her punishment could be simply helping me whip Karen earlier. I know that was hard on the poor girl. She really hadn’t wanted to do that. Besides I think it was her trying to jump out of her chair that had tipped me off that Karen had run. Amy looked relieved. Bigtime.

 I turned my eyes back to the mother on the floor. She was still on her hands and knees. Her whole body was shaking. She looked up at me with pleading in her eyes. Begging. She was crying again. She struggled. Not knowing if she was in the dog role still, but desperately wanting to plead with me.

 I sat down in one of her chairs and regarded her. Finally she braved it.

 “Please. Master. Don’t punish this b-bitch for talking. If you don’t want her to talk, she won’t.”

 I was silent. I didn’t mind her talking. I was curious what she wanted.

 Finally she wracked up her courage. “Please. This slave is sorry for whatever she’s done. All she wants is to be let go.”

 “Why should I let you go?”

 “Please. I’ve. This slave has done everything you wanted. Please. Your slave is tired. She’s hurt. She’ll do everything you want, but she needs some rest. Please.”

 I could see that she was tired. She was having trouble even keeping herself upright on her hands and knees. Having trouble lifting her head. The adrenaline and endorphins were probably coming out of her system. She probably felt sick too, but she didn’t say anything about that. And with the withdrawal of the endorphins, her pain was probably returning. Aches and pains that she probably didn’t even realize were there. Her whole body was shaking uncontrollably. Probably a reaction to the adrenaline and fear combined. She just continued to beg. It was all she could do.

 “Please. Your slave begs you to let her go. I’m. She’s so worried about her daughter, Autumn. Please. Can your slave beg to see her daughter. Just one last time?”

 “What have you got to offer me?”

 “Please. Master must know that his slaves have nothing to offer. You can take whatever you want. Your slave is just begging her master for some rest and to see her daughter. She loves her.” Tears were rolling down her face as she remained on all fours. Naked. Shaking.

 That surprised me. I was expecting her to offer me herself again. Or anything. She was catching on that she didn’t really have anything anymore. I nodded to her.

 “Karen. Honey. You can drop the slave talk. Get to your feet.”

 “Oh God. This slave isn’t sure she can.” She was actually having trouble stopping from talking in the third person. I watched as she struggled to her knees. She tried to get to her feet, her thighs straining. She finally made it. Tears falling down her face. Swaying on her bare feet. Struggling to keep her balance. She looked like she was fighting faint nausea as well. She didn’t complain about it though. “Please. I can’t do anything else. I can barely stand. Please don’t make me do anything else. Please.”

 “I know you are tired, Karen. Can you get dressed?”

 Her eyes looked at me questioningly. “You want me to put my clothing on?”

 “Unless you particularly want to orgasm or something.”

 “Please don’t tease me. I hurt.”

 “I know. You’ve been very cooperative. And I’m going to let you go.”

 “Please. I don’t need my clothes. Can I just go to my daughter? Please?” She had nothing left to hide. I’d forced her to hold a cucumber in her for what seemed like hours. Might have been. I’d completely lost track of the time. Nevertheless, she didn’t care about clothing anymore. I’d seen everything.

 “Karen. Put on your clothes.”

 “Alright. Just don’t hurt me anymore. Okay?”

 She stumbled over to her discarded clothing on the far side of the kitchen. She looked at me once again. “Really? You are just going to let me dress myself and walk away?”

 “Sort of.”

 I reached over and began to release Elizabeth’s bonds. Keeping my eye on Karen. Karen was pulling her sweat pants over her legs. Moving gingerly. Her legs and arms probably aching. She picked up her sweatshirt and tried to pull it over her head. She cried out as her muscles cramped when she tried to put her arms over her head. She struggled with it anyway. Her desire to cover her nudity more important to her than the transient pain in her body. Maybe she did still have some pride left. She ignored her socks and stood barefoot in front of me. But mostly covered. After seeing her bare body, it was much easier to visualize her without the clothes. I undressed her again with my mind. I debated making her take off the clothing again, but she didn’t look bad with them on. A little disheveled, perhaps, but she couldn’t hide her beauty. Even the red marks on her chin and face, leftovers from the wooden spoon treatment enhanced her features.

 By this point, Elizabeth was free of her chair except for her wrists cuffed behind her. She was still flushed from her climax.

 I motioned Amy and Elizabeth to their feet. They struggled out of their chairs. Their bound wrists impeding them, making basic balance a bit of a chore.

 Karen spoke. “What are you going to do with them?”

 “Keep them for a while.”

 “You are just going to let me go? Why?”

 She’d never understand the time thing. She thought that I was going to just walk out with the girls and she’d call the police. She couldn’t understand why I’d just let her do that. And I didn’t feel like explaining it to her.

 “You’ve been cooperative,” I answered her.

 “Why didn’t you rape me?”

 “I didn’t want to. Not in the mood.”

 “I’m not attractive?”

 “Very attractive. Under different circumstances, you’d be joining Elizabeth and Amy here.”

 “I noticed that they were attractive.” She flushed. Probably thinking how up close and personal she had had to get to Elizabeth.

 I took a last look at Karen. The red welts on her face from the spoons already fading. Her amazing body hidden under the clothing. It wasn’t necessary let her get dressed, but I wanted to watch her pull on her clothes. She was feeling much better with her clothing returned to her. Standing taller. Less defeated looking. A bit stronger. More human.

 “Can I go to my daughter now? Please?”

 “Who are you?” I asked her a last question. She looked a bit puzzled.

 She considered her answer. “I’m your slave. Your slut. Your bitch. Your pet. And I’m Karen Johnson. All rolled into one.”

 I nodded. It was a good answer. I concentrated on her body space and released it from our time line. She gasped as she felt the time collapsing around her and she winked out of existence. Her body jumped from one side of the kitchen to the other. Instantaneously. Her body again frozen with the rest of the world in time.

 I left Elizabeth and Amy standing quietly by the kitchen table. I walked up to the frozen woman. Her socks had materialized back on her feet. She was holding the knife. No marks on her body. Happily preparing her lunch. Having no idea that I had taken her, broken her, tortured her. This woman was still blissfully unaware that she could bark like a dog and she still had no idea what nipple clamps were. I actually hoped that she’d never find out in real life.

 I kissed her time frozen hair and whispered to her. “You were fun Karen. That’s why I let you go. Sleep well. Say good-bye to Autumn for me as well.” She couldn’t hear me, but I just somehow wanted to leave her with something.

 I turned on my heel and approached Elizabeth and Amy. The girls were a little pale from their adventures. I touched their bare arms and guided them towards the front of the house. The girls walked silently beside me, their bare feet moving across the tiles in the silent house.

  

 Chapter 78

 I guided the women out the front door and onto the porch. I concentrated and collapsed all the time fields within Karen’s home. I never did find out if she actually was married. She probably was though. Whoever it was, was a lucky man.

 Amy seemed to be in her own world. A distant look on her face. Elizabeth sighed.

 “Amy?” The nude girl turned towards me. Questioning me with her eyes. “You know the way back right? Can you lead? A bit ahead?” I wanted to talk to Elizabeth on the way back.

 For some reason her face brightened. “Of course,” she replied. Perhaps she just wanted some time alone. She had witnessed the complete degradation of another woman. She had helped in the complete degradation of another woman. She knew it could have just as easily been her begging and pleading. Her wrists bound above her. Humiliated. Barking like a dog. She looked a bit rattled. It had been a while since I had put any of them through an ordeal. I suspect that they were getting used to slightly better treatment. Their free time.

 I held Elizabeth back as Amy bounced on ahead. Her mood improving as she moved away. Elizabeth looked a little frightened, but she stood her ground somewhat defiantly. Pulling weakly against the restraints still adorning her wrists.

 I looked at her and we began walking slowly back to the Victorian home next door.

 “What’s the matter?” I asked her.

 “Look at me. What do you think is the matter?” She pulled against the handcuffs to make her point.

 “Elizabeth. You’ve been in chains for days. You have to be getting used to it by now.”

 “Hmph. You try being nude and in chains twenty-four hours a day. No privacy at all. Always frightened. See how you like it.”

 “I can understand that. But I don’t believe you.”

 “It was Karen,” she admitted.

 “Karen?”

 “Yeah. You were really really rough on her. It scared me.”

 “She’s fine now.”

 “I know. I couldn’t believe that you let her go. She was such a nice looking woman. So much better than Amy or I. Her breasts were perfect. And that body.” She paused. “I was thinking what if you decide to do that to me before you send me back. I don’t think I could do all that. I know I offered to take her place. But I don’t think I could have gone through the pain she did. That kind of humiliation.” She paused again. I just waited for her to continue.

 “That crop.” She began to cry. “It was all I could do not to scream my heart out. And you weren’t even hitting me hard. I don’t know how Jane survived. I’ve watched you hit her, like, ten times harder. All on the tits. Christ.”

 “I won’t torture you that bad unless you disobey me. Piss me off. I promise.”

 “She was obeying you. And you still put her through the wringer. You scared me.”

 “I should scare you. Means you are still sane.”

 “What if I can’t keep up?”

 “Keep up?”

 “Keep you happy. You’ll kill me? I don’t want to die.”

 “Don’t be silly. Amy really pissed me off the other day and she’s still alive. I have no intention of killing you. Or of even hurting you badly. Even the punishment I gave Amy wasn’t *that* bad.”

 “She might be of another opinion. She won’t even talk about it. She’s changed.”

 “If you went through what I put her through. You’d change too. Believe me. She hasn’t changed that much though. She’s just more frightened of me. More obedient now. More accepting of her position. I saw her eyes flash at me once today. She hasn’t been broken. Believe me.”

 Elizabeth lapsed into silence. We were about halfway back. Amy was walking about 100 meters ahead. Well out of hearing range. My eyes traveled the back of her body up ahead. From the top of her head, down her bare back, her hair gently bouncing with her gait. Her hands handcuffed behind her. Her bare feet gently falling on the asphalt.

 “That’s not all. Is it?” I asked the bound beauty beside me.

 Elizabeth grimly nodded. Her eyes beginning to tear up again.

 She swallowed. “Please. I don’t understand.”

 “Understand what?” But I had a pretty good idea. I was beginning to think of it as Jane’s syndrome. But the other girls didn’t know about Jane. At least I hadn’t told any of them.

 “Please. I can’t.”

 I decided to help. I knew what the problem was. “Elizabeth. It’s normal.”

 “How would you know? You aren’t a girl. You aren’t bound up all the time. You aren’t being tortured all the time. It scared me.”

 “Elizabeth. Sweetheart. It’s precisely because of that. Any pleasure is magnified. You are just having a normal reaction to the pain. It doesn’t mean you are weird. You just turned it into something more pleasant. That’s all. Honestly.”

 “But. I don’t understand. Why pain? Why are you doing this to me? I can’t believe another girl got me off. I’m not. Honestly. I’m not lesbian.”

 “You are just in a strange situation. I’m forcing you to do this. You’re fine. It’s just that I’m not giving you any choice.”

 “But I wasn’t thinking about some guy tonguing me like I told you.” The tears really started to flow. “I was feeling the pain of that damn crop. I was thinking of you and Amy hitting Karen. I was seeing Karen naked and begging. Crying. I was visualizing her head between my legs. HER head. Not some guy’s. I was thinking of Amy and Karen. Oh Christ. Naked. Maybe I am a lesbian. I orgasmed to thoughts of you torturing me and Karen making love to me. My own thoughts. I hate myself. And I didn’t have a normal orgasm. No. Not me. Not just a tiny climax to satisfy your twisted game. I have the mother of all climaxes. Some multiple thing. I can’t even work myself up that high when I’m by myself. You and some girl took me there and I’m scared.”

 Her voice trailed off. I didn’t quite know how to handle this. “Elizabeth. Baby. Please. You’ve got to believe me. You are alright. You aren’t a lesbian. And you aren’t into pain. I’m forcing this on you because I enjoy it. You are just identifying with me. Don’t hate yourself. Honestly. You were only enjoying the sensations because that was all you could feel. And you just managed to turn it into something less painful. The mind does these things to protect you. That’s all I let you feel. Your mind had to do something with it. You would have had the same reaction if I’d been eating you out. Or Tom Cruise. Same reason that you wanted to make love to me the other night. I haven’t given you the opportunity for sexual release and any stimulation is going to make you hot. And besides it is normal to have thoughts of the same sex. Especially in women. It doesn’t make you gay. It doesn’t even make you bisexual. It’s normal. It was just a fantasy. In normal time, you know, the real life that I took away from you a while back, you’ll never feel these things because there won’t be some asshole tying you up constantly and preventing you from normal sexual expression. Elizabeth. You’ll be alright. You can’t let this get to you. You’ll be nuts before you know it.”

 She thought about this for a minute. “I’m not all that experienced, you know?”

 “I know.” I had suspected as much. The almost virginal pleasure she was finding in everything. She seemed to feel almost proud of herself when she managed to give a good blow job. Have a multiple orgasm. Losing herself into this unfamiliar sex. But then, she dropped into this guilty mode. I suspect that this was just those age old daemons and sexual taboos surfacing again. Despite the multiple orgasm things, maybe there was some disadvantages to being female. Always fighting these daemons. Didn’t sound like much fun.

 “Don’t get me wrong. I’ve had a couple of lovers. But. It was always straight forward. Boring. I. I can’t ... I had better orgasms by myself. Then you come along. Whips and chains. Visions that I never should have seen. Lesbian acts. Pain. Torture. Incest for crying out loud. And I’m getting horny? I’ve been turned into a sex slave. I don’t even have control over my sexual urges. Incest! My god I should be disgusted. But no. Elizabeth gets turned on. Goddammit. The sex I had with you the other night, the stuff I *asked* for? You know that you are the one and only guy I’ve ever asked for sex from? The oral sex? It was the best sex with another person I’ve ever had. And I’m not in love with you. And now a complete stranger. A woman. Is forced to have oral sex with me while I’m bound and being whipped. I have a fucking multiple orgasm. Maybe the only one I’ll ever have. I’m so confused.”

 “Elizabeth. I know. Honey. I wish I knew. Everybody reacts to stress differently. And believe me. You are under stress. You’ll be alright. You are such a strong woman. Don’t let it bother you. Just enjoy yourself when I let you. There’s no pressure here. No inhibitions. I’m not going to think anything. That you’re some kind of slut. Honest. If anything, I’ll be impressed that you can actually find some kind of pleasure in all this. I’m betting that most women would fall apart completely. Go insane. If they were put into your place. I’m forcing you to do it. Try to remember. It’s only temporary. You get to forget everything when I send you back.”

 Elizabeth just pulled against her handcuffs and stopped in the middle of the road. She looked so lost. So alone. Standing in the middle of the asphalt. Naked. Handcuffed. Tear streaked face. Body shaking.

 This suffering creature managed to choke out. “But. But what if I never get to have another multiple orgasm again?” She just collapsed into tears.

 I moved to her and gathered her into my arms. Giving her a hug. She trembled and I could tell that she wanted to return the embrace but the handcuffs behind her back prevented it. She just stood still and cried into my shoulder. I stroked her hair until her shakes subsided. Finally she pulled away. I checked over my shoulder. Amy wasn’t in sight, but the gate to the house was just up ahead.

 “I’ll be alright? You promise? I’m not a lesbian?”

 “I promise. Maybe you should talk to Jane. She’s pretty good at these things.” I knew that Jane had been, and was still, going through this process. I don’t think she was worried about turning into a lesbian, but she certainly was concerned about the pain and degradation turning her on. She was far more naturally masochistic than Elizabeth, but the feelings were similar. They might be able to help each other through the confusion.

 “Jane is feeling this too. Isn’t she?”

 Perceptive. “A little. Her situation is a little different. But she’ll tell you if she chooses.”

 “You are respecting her privacy?”

 “Yeah. And I’m not going to tell any of the girls about this conversation either. No need. I figure you’ll tell them if you want them to know. Why do you think I sent Amy up ahead?”

 “You knew? You knew I was feeling this way?”

 “Of course I knew.”

 She managed to get out a smile and I kissed her forehead.

 “I’d be better if you didn’t find it necessary to torture us so much.”

 “I know. Not an option. This is my timeline.”

 “Don’t remind me.”

 She began to walk. Quiet. Lost in her own thoughts. Thoughts of her feelings. Thoughts of her body. Tears threatened a number of times, but she fought them off with an obvious effort. I let her walk in silence. Let her deal with her thoughts. We passed through the open gate. I turned and closed it behind us. Up ahead I glimpsed Amy. She was sitting in the grass beside the path. Her hands supporting her behind her back. Her legs stretched out. Enjoying the sun.

 She waited for us to approach and struggled to her bare feet.

 “What the heck took you so long? Stop for a quickie?” She’d been tied up in the same room that night that Elizabeth had asked me for sex. It was her attempt at humour.

 I aimed a slap at her ass. She managed to block it with her bound hands. She laughed. Her mood had certainly improved with the time she spent alone. She stuck out her tongue and ran to the front porch. Her breasts bouncing as she ran through the grass. She was completely oblivious to the show she was giving me. I doubted if she even cared anymore. They were pretty used to being naked all the time. Not having control of their own bodies. The chain of her handcuffs jangled as she ran.

 As she approached the door, she turned around and managed to open it with her bound hands. She slipped inside leaving the door open. I linked arms with the naked bound girl left beside me and we walked slowly up to the door and also slipped inside. Compared to the bright sunshine outdoors, the hallway looked dark and gloomy. My eyes began to adjust to the lower light level. It was actually quite bright in the foyer. Light streaming in through a skylight. Amy was waiting for us sitting daintily on the bottom step. Her legs modestly together. Her hands still attached behind her back.

 I turned Elizabeth around and removed her handcuffs. I tossed them on the foyer table. Automatically, she knelt. I motioned Amy over and did the same for her. She absently rubbed her wrists but sank to her knees beside Elizabeth.

 “Girls? Feel like showering?”

 Elizabeth glanced behind her and grimaced at the state of the soles of her feet. She’d been walking without shoes for a couple of days. She ought to be used to dirty feet. “I’d happily fuck you a million times if you let me have a hot shower. God. I feel so dirty.” I could tell by her tone that she wasn’t just referring to her dusty bare feet.

 Amy piped up. “Well, I wouldn’t fuck you a million times, but I’d give you a really good tumble for a hot shower. Maybe even a good blow job.” She stuck out her tongue again. I wondered what had gotten into her.

 I turned to Amy. A smile playing on my lips. “If I ordered you to fuck me a million times you would.”

 She lowered her head before I could see the mischievous smile. She tried to feign a gruff voice. “I guess. You couldn’t keep up with me, though.”

 I knew that I couldn’t. I probably should have punished her for that remark, but I just couldn’t bring myself to do it. She was just having fun. And they had precious little of that with me around. Just blowing off steam from the ordeal they’d just been through. Probably was healthy for them. I let it slide, smiling ruefully. She was right after all. I probably didn’t have a hope of keeping up with her beyond the first climax. She was female after all. And their bodies did give them some natural advantages.

 “After you finish. Make yourselves presentable. Make up. All that. And then you have free time until I need you. You can go back to Dickens and AC/DC if you want.” I smiled at the contrast in their free time activities. “Just keep the noise down to a dull roar. Shower is first door on the right upstairs. Keep it down. Sheila still may be sleeping right next door. No singing.”

 The girls rose to their bare feet. They both thanked me before disappearing upstairs. They knew that they were expected to shower together. They would. They had bounced right back. Free of restraints. Free of torment. Completely happy again. Female resilience. I’d never figure them out.

 I moved off into the living room. The room that held the stereo equipment. I leaned back on the sofa that Amy was using to listen to AC/DC. Comfortable. The Mayers did know how to buy comfortable furniture. Though I had my doubts at the comfort of Sheila’s bed. I rose and poked my head into the library. Christi was sitting in her recliner. Head still buried in the Talisman.

 She jumped when she saw me. “Oh. Hi. I didn’t hear you come in.”

 “Enjoying the book?”

 She curled her bare legs under her and nodded. I could see the look in her eye. Hoping that it wasn’t time to put down the book. I walked over to her and kissed the top of her head. “Keep reading little one. You’ll be busy soon enough.”

 “Oh.” She wagged her tongue at me. A mischievous smile playing along her lips. “Not with this I hope.”

 “I somehow doubt it. But one never knows.”

 I turned away from her and wandered into the dining area. Jane was asleep in the sun in the bay window. She looked very peaceful. Smiling in her sleep. Though she seemed to be pulling gently at her cuffed wrists in her sleep. I walked back out. I wanted to relax for a while. No need to disturb her.

 I walked back through the library, past Christi. I touched her hair as I passed and she smiled.

 “Anything I can do for you? To you?” she inquired sweetly.

 I laughed. “If you want.” I wasn’t in the mood to force her to do anything. I’d had my fill of forcing females today. The images of Karen were still dancing fresh in my memory. Christi’s eyes darted back to her book and I laughed again. It was pretty clear what she’d prefer to do.

 I wandered back into the entertainment room. I picked through the compact disks. A whole collection of AC/DC. I couldn’t imagine who in this household would listen to it. Perhaps they had a teenager or university kid away from home. I guess I ought to find out. Later. Some Celtic music. Country and western. Some rock and roll. Some light jazz. An eclectic mix.

 I wanted to relax so country was definitely out. I didn’t particularly want to raise my stress levels. I debated putting on the classic Back In Black album, for about 0.36 seconds. I pulled out an Enya disk and slipped it into the player. I raised my eyebrows. An older B&O system. One thing was for sure. The Mayers had taste. Thinking of Sheila briefly, I’d have to say that at least Evan definitely had taste.

 I wandered back to the sofa and lay back. I slipped the headphones over my ears and felt myself slipping away to another land. Another place. The haunting notes and clear voice of Enya transporting me. I closed my eyes. I could have sworn it was only for a moment.

 I awoke to feel someone unbuttoning my jeans. Soft hands began to play with me. Storms in Africa crashing about my ears. I felt myself engulfed in a warm wet cavern. I felt teeth graze me. My breathing quickened as I hardened. I thrust up towards her. I still hadn’t opened my eyes. I had no idea which of them it was. I was guessing Christi, but I really didn’t care. I felt the soft mouth leave me and I heard myself moan over the music.

 I felt a different warmth. Warmer. Wetter. Tighter. Engulfing me. I felt a warm leg pressing against my jeans as she straddled me. She began slowly. Softly kissing at my lips. She cried out as well as she increased the tempo. Soon she was moving in rhythm with the drums crashing into my ears. As Storms in Africa ended, and silence ensued I felt her heat rising. I could feel her fingers gently probing between our legs. Pushing herself. Touching her clitoris. Gasping. I dimly realized that the CD had ended. Meaning that I’d been here for the better part of an hour. Until whoever it was had come to find me. I didn’t want to open my eyes. Enjoying the sensations of the sex. Experiencing the girl. Whichever one it was. I could feel her fingers speeding up. Finding her own rhythm which was far faster than mine. Her hips rising and falling. Slowly. She let out a small cry and I could feel her internal muscles spasming. Tightening. Forcing herself down onto me. I felt myself rise. Unable to hold back with the sensations of her orgasm. I thrust deep into her. Feeling myself tense and gasp out. I felt her weight fall forward onto me as she finished. Her chained hands pressing into my chest through my T-shirt. Her cuffed hands pressing between the softer pressure of her bare breasts. Her lips gently licking at mine as she came down from her climax. Her muscles still twitching. She just lay there panting. Not even bothering to extract me from her. Just enjoying the afterglow. I finally opened my eyes. Flipping the silent headphones from my ears. A blonde head rested on my chest just below my head. I could smell her hair. Clover. With an effort she rose. Pressing against me with her bound hands. She smiled.

 She whispered. “I was just going to swallow. But then I realized that I needed it too.” She was still breathing hard as she rose off of me. I was soft and I shuddered at the sensation of coming out of her. She smiled again. She knelt and took my limp penis in her bound hands. She leaned forward and used her tongue and soft mouth to clean me. Despite having just had sex with the girl, I found myself reacting to her again. I just found it incredibly erotic, this nude, restrained creature kneeling beside me after sex and cleaning her own fluids from me. She finished her task and carefully tucked me back into my jeans and rebuttoned the pants. She had some trouble because of the handcuffs, but she managed.

 “I think I’ll go back to reading. You want the CD on again?” She padded barefoot over to the stereo. I shook my head.

 “Where are the others?” I asked her.

 She turned just before disappearing into the library. “I think Jane is still asleep in the dining room. Elizabeth and Amy showed up a while back. Pretty clean. Amy was livid that she couldn’t listen to the stereo, but you were asleep. She didn’t think it was a good plan to wake you. She’s just lying on the floor of the library staring at the ceiling. Elizabeth is reading that dreadful bore Dickens. Enough of an update for you?”

 “Do they know what you were doing?”

 “Yeah.” Christi blushed. “I heard you had some fun with the neighbours. I thought you might be able to use the relief. I heard you managed to control yourself. At least you didn’t rape her.”

 I sat up. “You can send Amy in. I’m not using the stereo anymore.”

 “Alright. Hey? You mind if I have a shower? I wasn’t going to ask, I mean I just had one with Sheila, but after ... what we just did ...” She glanced down at herself. I could see the wetness on the tops of her bare thighs.

 “Come here.” Christi pranced over. Proud of herself. I unlocked her cuffs. “Go enjoy your shower.”

 “I will. And thank you.”

 “Make it quick. I have plans for you.”

 “Oh no.”

 She practically ran to the library doorway and stuck her head in. “Stereo’s free Amy.” Christi ran back through the living room. A streak of nudity and scampered into the foyer and up the stairs. Minutes later I heard the shower running.

 Amy slowly walked in from the library. Eyes lowered. I was surprised that her hands were cuffed in front of her. I was sure that I’d left her and Elizabeth free. She noticed my scrutiny.

 “Elizabeth and I thought that you would want us cuffed like Christi and Jane. Christi recuffed us.”

 I was surprised. “You really don’t want to be punished, do you?”

 “Would you in my position?”

 I smiled at the girl. She looked radiant. Fresh make up. Fresh nail polish. Fingers and toes. Her hair shone as it fell across her bare shoulders. She simply glowed, exuding sexuality. Her skin looked silky soft. She walked over to me and carefully knelt on the carpet in front of the sofa.

 “Can a slave please listen to her music in her spare time. You are giving us free time, aren’t you?”

 I nodded and handed her the earphones. I kissed the top of her head. I debated having her lie on the floor instead of the sofa, but couldn’t really see the point.

 “Why did you let her go?”

 “You mean Karen?”

 “Yeah. As Elizabeth pointed out, she was your type.”

 “You think anything female with a pulse is my type.”

 “No. She was drop dead gorgeous. And you know it. Maybe not as nice as Christi or Jane. But she was certainly nicer looking than me or Elizabeth.”

 I decided to be honest with her. “She had a kid. She would have been a handful.”

 “I thought you liked your women feisty.”

 “She wasn’t very feisty at the end.”

 “You just about killed her. What did you expect? She’d have regained her self-esteem after a rest. I saw her face when you let her dress herself at the end. She still needed a rest, but she would have been even more frisky afterwards. And you know that too.”

 “I have enough girls right now. Honest. I can always go back for her if I want her.”

 “I guess.” Not really understanding. But she didn’t have to. I gave her a peck on the cheek and she smiled. She used her bound hands to place the earphones on her head.

 “What were you listening to?” She changed the subject.

 “Enya.”

 “You have to be joking.”

 “Enya. It’s relaxing music. I should force you to listen to it. Tie you to this sofa. Force the earphones on you. And turn it up.”

 She paled, getting the image. I smiled and she grinned uncertainly. I rose and walked over to the stereo. “Back in Black? Or Thunderstruck?”

 “B in B, please,” she replied quietly from the sofa. Completely unused to me doing something for her. Even something as simple as putting a disk on for her. Normally I’d make her crawl to the disk rack, take out something she hated, make her put it on and listen to it. I smiled at her confusion. I switched disks for her and pressed play. Not quite understanding. But not willing to question the small kindness, she simply settled herself back into the sofa. I could see her moving her body to the initial bells on the album. Hell’s Bells indeed.

 She had closed her eyes, and didn’t notice as I slipped back into the library.

 Elizabeth looked up from her book. “Hi.” She regarded me with a mixture of slight apprehension and relaxation. Probably afraid I was going to take the book from her.

 She was stunning as well. Freshly scrubbed. Clean. Her red hair catching the light. Shining. Fresh make up and nail polish. I couldn’t see her feet, as she was seated at the table. But I assumed that all of them knew to put on nail polish. Finger and toes. The handcuffs she wore almost looked like jewelry adorning her wrists. I couldn’t quite tell but I thought she might have coloured her nipples. Or maybe she was just aroused and they had deepened in colour. I couldn’t imagine Tale of Two Cities arousing her, though. Maybe her mind was on something else. She saw where my gaze was falling and let her book fall gently to the table. Not losing her place. She raised her bound hands so I could see her chest more clearly.

 “You like?”

 “Of course I like.”

 She gave me a mischievous grin. “I thought that your sex drive would have been diminished.” Referring to Christi. She was still holding her bound arms out of the line of view. “Alright. You are confused. I used some rouge on them. You like?” I nodded. “I thought you might.” She lowered her arms. Partially blocking my view of her chest again. “My face is up here, you know.” I jerked my eyes away from her bare chest. It was surprisingly hard to do. She was smiling. Knowing that she’d surprised me. I’d have to have a closer look at her nipples later. I couldn’t believe that I was reacting to this as well. I certainly hadn’t had time to recover from Christi. Yet, there it was.

 I blew her a kiss and began to walk towards the dining room.

 “She’s sleeping.”

 “Not for long.”

 “Oh. I still have free time, right?”

 “Considering your little surprise, I guess it would be really cruel to take it away from you.”

 She allowed herself a self-satisfied smile and bent back to Revolution France.

 I wandered into the dining room. I slipped into a chair quietly and just watched the nude woman reclining asleep in the window. The morning sun caught her bare body as she lay easily on her back. Her breasts rising and falling gently with her regular breathing. She looked so peaceful. I almost hesitated to wake her. Unfortunately, I needed her. I let myself watch her for a few more minutes. Just enjoying the sight of her.

  

 Chapter 79

 As I watched, Jane’s eyes fluttered open. I hadn’t even touched her or made her aware of my presence. She just came awake. Somehow feeling my eyes on her as she slept.

 She yawned and stretched, raising her cuffed wrists above her head and pulling her bare breasts into a delightful position. Her legs reached, toes pointed. She seemed unaware of the effect she was having on me. I couldn’t understand this. There was absolutely no way I should be interested. No matter what the stimulus. Even this gorgeous teenager nude and stretching. Completely at ease in her nudity. Christi had drained me. I just tried to ignore my reaction to her. Somehow.

 She had pulled herself up and was now sitting on the window ledge gently swinging her bare legs.

 “I wonder why there weren’t plants here.”

 “Huh?”

 “The morning sun is beautiful here. Warm. Bright. It would be a perfect place for plants. Lots of room.” She indicated the wide shelf upon which she had stretched out.

 “Maybe Gertrude slept here in the nude as well.”

 “Right.” She yawned again.

 “Still tired?”

 “Not really.” She was swinging her legs again as she sat on the edge of the window shelf. Completely uncaring that she was nude and I wasn’t.

 “Sheila make any noise while I was gone?” I asked her.

 “Not that I know of. But I was asleep. Maybe you would be better asking Christi. Christi didn’t wake me up. I’d assume if there was a problem, she would have come to get me to help. Those were your orders. Where’d you go?”

 “To the neighbours.”

 “Why?”

 “Exploring.”

 “Anybody interesting?” Not anything. Anybody. Jane knew me too well.

 “Maybe.”

 “You took another one?”

 “Sort of.”

 “I’ll bet she wasn’t thrilled.”

 “Not really. I doubt if she liked acting like a dog.”

 Jane just raised her eyebrows. “You’ll have to tell me more later.”

 “Perhaps. Amy and Elizabeth can tell the tale as well.”

 Jane just looked at me. “You just want to talk, or was there another reason you woke me up?”

 “I didn’t wake you.”

 “You were going to.” I nodded. She was too perceptive. “Time to take care of our Judge? Or are you going to rape me?” She said it calmly. Almost dispassionately.

 I set my mouth in a grim line. “Our judge has reached his judgment day. You know it.”

 “You haven’t told Sheila yet? Have you? She may not even want to see him, you know?”

 I couldn’t imagine that his former slave wouldn’t want the chance to get back at him. “What do you mean?” I asked the naked girl in front of me.

 “He’s abused her so long, she might not be capable of striking back at him. I’d keep my eye on her. He might still have influence over her. Even if the bastard is tied down, she might be so used to following his orders that she might turn on you if he tells her to. She might be too afraid to go back into that room. She might not be capable of hurting another person. Even if he deserves it. She knows what being hurt is all about. She might not be able to inflict it back on someone else. Even her tormentor. Don’t punish her if she can’t. That’s all.”

 I nodded. That made some sense.

 “I’ll talk to her. Are you going to be alright with this?”

 “I think so. I just keep thinking how he just was casually calling me a bitch and I see red. He has no respect for women at all. He actually thinks of the whole female of the species as animals. His animals. No better than your average cute monkey. I’ve lived my life hating people like that. I think I can strike back at him. I might even enjoy it.”

 “You thought I was just as bad once.”

 “Sometimes you still are. Sometimes I hate you just as much. Luckily, or maybe unluckily, you usually have me tied down when that happens. I can’t do much. And then you ease up. You can actually be nice to us. And my anger melts. I mean, I’ve just been lying here nude in the sun for hours. Just relaxing. Thinking. Sleeping. I can’t do that in the real world. I have to go to school. Impress my friends. Hold down an after school job. Worry about college. And obviously I can’t just lounge around without my clothes. Maybe a bit of torment once in a while is worth it just to have this peace. You know, I still haven’t figured you out. I just know that I don’t hate you like I hate that bastard upstairs. I do know that I’m freer here. Despite these.” She rattled her handcuffs. “I’m not sure that I can explain it.”

 I nodded. I was thinking that I might just have to explore her a bit more. Figure out what she was feeling. It felt vaguely important. But now wasn’t the time.

 I motioned for her to rise. She padded over to where I was sitting. She made a quick motion to kneel, but I stopped her. We were going upstairs anyway. I reached for her bound wrists and released them. She stood quietly rubbing her wrists. There were marks where the steel had dug into her skin. Not because they were particularly tight, but because of the position that they had fallen into while the girl had slept. She didn’t make any comment about the deep indents.

 “Come on.” She fell into step beside me as I made my way back out to the foyer and the stairs. As we climbed the steps, I heard the shower cease and the sounds of clean bare feet squeaking against porcelain.

 I opened the door to the bathroom and a cloud of steam flowed out into the hall. Christi had just stepped from the shower. Her skin produced goose flesh as the cooler air from the hallway kissed her bare body. She shivered but immediately dropped the towel from around her as I gazed in. Sensing that she ought to present herself bare unless told otherwise. Her body looked radiant as she stood there dripping. Her nipples were hard from the sudden indraught.

 “You can dry yourself.”

 She thankfully resumed toweling herself. Rubbing the moisture from her skin. Purposefully running the towel between her legs. Sighing. Not even a hint of self-consciousness as I watched her. The girls really were getting used to me just watching their bare bodies moving in everyday tasks. At one point they were distinctly uncomfortable with me watching them. Now it was almost as though they enjoyed it. At least in Christi’s and Jane’s case.

 “Didn’t wash your hair?” It was only wet below her shoulders.

 “I washed it this morning. It didn’t think it needed it. If you want, I’ll get back in and wash it for you. Not like I’m dressed or anything.”

 “That’s alright. I was only curious.” I could see that the portion of her hair that was still dry shone in the light. It didn’t need cleaning. She was telling the truth. I was sure that after she’d brushed it out it would be as lustrous as though she’d just been to the hair dresser.

 She smiled and continued to dry off. Running the towel down her legs and lifting her foot to dry her toes.

 “Janey?”

 “Yes sir?”

 “I want you to help Christi get ready. Help her with her makeup and touch up yours. I’m going to rouse the sleeping beauty in the next room.”

 “Be gentle with her. Okay?”

 I nodded, watching as Jane stepped into the bathroom with Christi. I turned away as she picked up a bottle of nail polish off the counter.

 I walked to the master bedroom. I found myself consciously holding back my arm from knocking. Sheila couldn’t answer the door anyway. I silently opened the door and slipped into the room, turning the knob so that the door shut quietly. I waited for my eyes to adjust to the gloom. Sheila was still sleeping peacefully under the blankets. The blankets rose and fell with her soft breathing.

 I slipped into the chair that I’d left by the bed and just watched her. I really enjoyed watching them sleep. So peaceful. Sheila moved in her sleep. Her wrist pulling against it’s restraint. She mumbled something softly and wrinkled her nose. She settled back down and was peaceful again. I watched her for a few more minutes, then leaned forward and gently kissed her forehead. She mumbled something in her sleep and tried to roll over.

 Her right wrist snapped hard against the steel around it and her eyes fluttered open. She screamed as she saw me beside her in the dark. Startled by my presence.

 “Shhhh. Shhh. It’s just me. You’re okay. Relax. I’m not here to hurt you.”

 She closed her eyes. Trying to control her wild breathing. Gasping for air. I’d really frightened her. Pulling at the handcuff holding her to the bed.

 “Oh God. Oh God. Oh God,” she mumbled. “Not a dream. Oh God. Not a dream.”

 Her face was in profile as she lay on her back. Her lips moving as she rocked her body. She weakly pulled against her restraint and struggled to control her body. I could see her shaking under the covers. Second time today I’d given a girl an adrenaline rush. I just gave her time to recover. I doubted if the rush of adrenaline was enough to make her sick.

 Finally she managed to control her breathing; it returned to a slightly fast, but regular beat. I was sure her heart was still hammering a mile a minute. She gingerly grasped the covers in her left hand and lifted them. Regarding her body beneath. Just as nude as when she fell asleep. She closed her eyes and then reopened them.

 She turned her head towards me in the dark. “Oh God. It wasn’t a dream. Was it?”

 I shook my head. “No, Sheila, it wasn’t.”

 “You aren’t going to let him touch me again are you?”

 “He won’t touch you while I’m in control here. I can promise you that.”

 Her body began to shake again and she struggled to control it. With an effort, she succeeded.

 “Jane? And Christi? Where are they?”

 “In the bathroom. They’ll be here shortly.”

 “I’d like to see them. Please?”

 “As soon as they’re done.”

 She swallowed. “Please. I’m thirsty. Can I have a drink?”

 I rose from the chair. “Sure. Be back in a minute.”

 I walked out to the bathroom. Blinking in the sudden light. The girls were just about finished. Christi was drying the bottom part of her hair. She playfully thrust her bare chest out as she saw me enter. Her hands above her, her right holding the hair dryer and her left buried in her hair. Most of the steam had disappeared from the room. Escaped through the open door. Jane was drying her nails. She’d changed the colour to a deep red. Her make up was perfect again. No sign of the sleep she’d had. She’d brushed out her hair as well. Still soft and shiny from this morning. I couldn’t help myself. I ran my fingers through her chestnut hair. She allowed the touch and actually smiled and gave a small laugh. For some reason pleased that I’d done it.

 I searched around and found a plastic cup. Probably used by the former occupants of the house for brushing their teeth. I rinsed it in the sink and filled it with cold water.

 “Come to the master bedroom when you are both done,” I left them one last instruction as I left carrying the water.

 I slipped back into the room with Sheila.

 “Lights,” I announced to the only other occupant of the room. I flicked on the lights.

 Sheila cried out as the bright light hit her. Not quick enough to close her eyes before the lights snapped on. She had scrunched up her face, closing her lids tightly against the harsh light. Her left arm was thrown across her eyes. I sat back in the chair beside her.

 Finally she opened one eye and managed to brave the light. “You could have warned me,” she chastised me.

 “I did.”

 “Not much of a warning. I’m barely awake. I don’t want to be awake.”

 I looked at her again in the light. Her eyes were both open, but blinking furiously. I cringed as I saw her face for the first time in the light. The right side of her face was slightly swollen. There was a angry red bruise formed on her right cheek. About where the bastard had slapped her. Her right eye was blackened. Not the worst shiner I’d ever seen. Hell, I’d gotten worse myself in the schoolyard in my younger days. But seeing it on this delicate woman seemed wrong somehow.

 “What?” she asked seeing my scrutiny of her face. She hitched herself up towards the head of the bed, sitting up. The covers fell away from her bare breasts. Noticing, she tried to cover herself by pulling the covers up with her left hand.

 “Sheila. Honey. Leave it, it’s nothing I’m not going to see anyway.” I was far more concerned with her face anyway.

 She noticed that my gaze hadn’t fallen to her bare chest but remained on the right side of her face. She lifted her left hand and touched her right cheek, letting the covers settle around her waist. She winced at her touch. She traced along her eye, involuntarily moving away from her fingers. She dropped her hand back to the covers and began to cry silently.

 “I’m a mess aren’t I? I’m sorry.”

 I couldn’t imagine for what she was apologizing. Maybe that bastard in the other room had made her apologize for her appearance. Even after he’d caused the bruises marring her perfect face. I couldn’t understand what would possess him to be so brutal with such a delicate creature. Control didn’t require this kind of heavy handedness.

 I lifted the cup of water towards her lips. I noticed that the right side of her upper lip was slightly swollen as well. She allowed me to feed her, wincing as the cup touched her upper lip. She drank the whole cup of water in one big long swallow.

 I gently asked her. “How are you feeling?”

 “Sore as hell.”

 “I’ll bet. What were you sorry about?” I asked her.

 “Me. My face. I. I guess I just didn’t want you to see me like this.”

 “Sheila, you’ll be alright. It’s not your fault. It will heal.”

 “I’ve been through worse.” I couldn’t imagine her looking any worse unless he had gotten to the left side of her face as well. Then it would have been twice as bad, I guess. “Why did you wake me up? Why are you being so gentle with me?”

 “I didn’t mean to frighten you.”

 “I know. It’s just that, my Master ... I mean the judge ... would wake me up by slapping me, or shaking the hell out of me. I can’t count the times I was awakened screaming in pain.”

 “I’m sorry. I don’t wake up my girls like that. Usually they are up well before me anyway.”

 “Thank God you don’t wake us up like that. God I hated that. Why’d you wake me up then? You want something.”

 “Sheila. Honey. I just didn’t want you to sleep all day. You wouldn’t sleep when we do. Tonight.”

 “That’s not all is it? You want to hurt me. Or rape me.” Suspiciously. “Why aren’t Jane and Christi here?”

 I almost laughed, but I controlled the impulse. “I think that you are hurt enough. I don’t need to add to it. And I think raping you qualifies as hurting you. I’m not going to hurt you. I promise. And I told you. Jane and Christi just have to finish in the bathroom and they will be here.”

 She sighed. “You are so different. He wouldn’t have cared. He would have raped me and added to my bruise list just for fun. And god help me if I complained.”

 “I’m not Mayer. Never will be. And speaking of Mayer, you feel like getting back at him?”

 “Getting back at him?”

 “Yeah. Paying him back? Getting some revenge?”

 “What do you mean?” She was truly confused.

 “Let’s hypothetically pretend that I had him helpless. You know, how he kept you. Maybe bound up. Uncomfortable. Would you want to pay him back for some of those bruises? Give him a taste of his own medicine?”

 She closed her eyes and thought about it for a second. “I’d be yours forever if you let me at him for just a half hour.” A thought occurred to her. “He couldn’t get at me. Retaliate? Ever?”

 “Nope. He’d be completely at your mercy.”

 “Oh God. I don’t know. I want to. God, do I want to. But. I know what it’s like on the other end. Being helpless. Having someone just beat the hell out of you for no reason. It’s wrong.” She closed her eyes. Remembering some abuse from the past.

 “Alright. I won’t force you to do it. But I think you should reconsider. You have a damn good reason to do this. It would hardly be for no reason. I doubt if I’ve ever met someone who had a better reason for beating the hell out of someone. There aren’t any courts here to determine right or wrong. Just me. And I think that he deserves it. Any damage that you inflict is temporary anyway. I won’t let you kill him though he probably deserves that as well. And even if you decide to spend the time relaxing in this comfortable bed instead of getting some much deserved revenge, just so you know, I am letting Jane and Christi take out some of their frustrations on the guy. And believe me. They have their frustrations. Not to mention a touch of anger at what he did to you. They didn’t have a problem with it after being with you earlier.”

 “Jane and Christi are going to do this? They’ll be there as well?”

 “Yes. For you. Personally, if I were in your shoes, I’d want to just beat the hell out of him. Maybe you should see your face before you make a decision.”

 Sheila thought about it. “I’m not wearing any shoes.” She managed a smile. “You wouldn’t let me. So I don’t think that you could be in them. But I guess you are right. If they can do it, I guess I can. I’ll do it.” Tears began to fall down her face. She’d bowed her head a bit while thinking and her tears fell slowly off her cheeks and onto her bare breasts.

 “You sure?”

 “Yeah. I’m sure. I hate him.” Simple sentiments. I could hear the simple truth in her words.

 I nodded. I heard a knock on the bedroom door. Could only be Jane and Christi.

 “You okay?”

 I watched as she exerted her will and fought back the tears. She nodded wiping viciously at her face with her left hand. Crying out as she forgot about the bruises on the right side of her face.

 “Come in.” I called.

 I saw Jane poke her head around the door as she opened it. “I wasn’t sure if you wanted us to wait outside.” She gasped as she saw Sheila’s face. Without waiting for my answer she practically ran into the room and jumped onto the bed with Sheila. Taking her face in her hands. Gently stroking her.

 “Oh God. He really did a number on you. Didn’t he?” She looked over at me. “I can do anything to him? I’m gonna fucking enjoy this. See how he likes it.”

 Christi had walked into the room and came to stand by my chair. Gazing at Sheila’s bruises. Tears beginning to form in her eyes as she realized in stark detail just what this woman had had to endure. Sheila was wincing a bit at Jane’s probes of her bruises, but she just closed her eyes, sat still and let the other girl rattle on. Finally, Jane noticed that she was hurting the other girl and withdrew her hands.

 “Oh my God. I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt you.”

 “It’s okay. I’ve endured worse and with a lot less love.” Sheila impulsively bent at her waist and gave Jane a quick kiss on the cheek. Definitely not shy around women. She was far more nervous when we were alone together, even though I’d never done anything to suggest that I’d hurt her. Or even touch her. Only what had to be done to keep her in my control which pretty much consisted of placing a handcuff on her wrist. Hardly on par with mauling her. But I guess I couldn’t blame her. I was her new master and she didn’t really have a clue what I was like.

 Sheila turned to me. “M-master? Can your new slave clean herself up before we do this?”

 I nodded. I handed Christi the key to Sheila’s restraints and Christi moved towards her. Sheila suffered another kiss to her bruised cheek as Christi moved towards her. Christi whispered to her. “We’ll get him back. Just you wait.”

 As Sheila was released from the bed, she idly rubbed her wrist. She smiled and then cringed a bit. Even smiling hurt her.

  

 Chapter 80

 Sheila took a deep breath, cringed again as something inside her twinged with the motion, and threw off the covers. They landed pretty much on Jane who was still kneeling on the bed beside her. It didn’t look like the cover thing was intentional on Sheila’s part. I smiled.

 “Ooof.” Jane mumbled as she untangled herself laughing.

 Sheila swung her legs off the bed and stood on her bare feet, slightly swaying. I swallowed as I looked at her perfect figure. Her face looked like it had gone through a war. Her hair was tangled. She sported a number of minor bruises along her arms. Probably where Mayer had gripped her before I met her. Her left thigh had a yellow bruise just above the knee on the inside. Again, it looked like an older discolouration. I motioned her over and she gingerly walked towards my chair.

 Her entire left side was purple. I closed my eyes, trying to imagine the discomfort that she was experiencing. The angry looking bruise began just below her breasts and extended all the way to halfway down her hip. It wrapped around to her back and touched her belly on the other side. A bright purple tinged with yellow.

 I ran my finger slowly down the discolouration and she cried out softly. She didn’t back away, which surprised me. I really was concerned that she had a cracked rib. I couldn’t imagine anything else causing this kind of bruise. If she did have a cracked rib there wasn’t a whole lot I could do about it. She’d just have to suffer. But she seemed to be in decent spirits despite the pain. Perhaps she was just glad that she wasn’t under Mayer’s control any longer.

 I heard Christi whisper, “Oh my God,” as she saw the injury.

 Sheila spoke up. “I’ve had worse, you know. Don’t worry about it.”

 I just shook my head in disbelief. I couldn’t believe this girl was standing here, much less calmly talking about it. She must have had an incredibly high tolerance for pain. Perhaps she’d just learned to accept it during her stay with the judge. I’d seen it inflicted on her, but I had no idea that he’d kicked her this hard. Nobody deserved this. Even a dog wouldn’t have been treated this badly.

 She calmly continued. “Last time I had one of these, he forced me to crawl for him, he raped me, and then he laughed as he kicked me in the same place again. I think I passed out. And the next day it was like twice this big. And so purple. I bruise easily.” Tears began to fall from her eyes silently as she dispassionately described what had happened to her. “It eventually healed. This will heal. If I don’t get kicked again.”

 I closed my eyes. It was going to be a pleasure watching these girls go at this monster.

 I rose and gently guided the injured woman from the bedroom. Jane and Christi just followed us silently, their bare feet whispering across the carpet. I leaned on the bathroom doorjamb as Sheila cleaned herself up. She gasped as she splashed cold water on her face. Gingerly drying it off. Dabbing at her right cheek. She picked up the brush in her left hand and was unable to raise her arm to run it through her hair. She transferred it to her right and raised her arm again. Cringing at the pain from her left side. But she managed.

 I heard Christi’s voice close behind. “May I?”

 I nodded. Even I was having trouble watching this beautiful creature struggle with the pain. Such a simple task too. Brushing her hair. I couldn’t imagine her having to do anything strenuous. Like crawl. Or be raped. Christi walked into the bathroom and gently took the brush from Sheila. Sheila gladly relinquished it and Christi began to carefully brush out the tangled blonde hair. Sheila tilted her head back and sighed as Christi took care of her. Even with all the bruises, all the pain, and absolutely no makeup, she was still gorgeous.

 “You know. I was never allowed to use this bathroom. I had to clean it. But I wasn’t even allowed to pee in here,” she spoke to me. I could have guessed as much. Servants use the good facilities? Even unpaid sex slave servants? Never!

 Christi finished and Sheila thanked her. She surprised me by walking over to me and giving me a quick kiss on the cheek. Rising up on her toes carefully to reach my face with her lips.

 “What?”

 “Because I know that you could have made me brush my hair myself. Evan would have.”

 “Oh.”

 “You want me to put on makeup? Cover at least these?” She pointed at her cheek and eye. She was still worried about her appearance. She’d been knocked to hell and back, and she was worried if she looked good enough for me.

 I shook my head. There wasn’t any need. I didn’t mind. The bruises didn’t particularly detract from her natural beauty. And the reminder of the brutality might be useful in the hours ahead.

 “He would have made me.” Meaning Evan and her makeup. I could have guessed that as well. Destroy a beautiful face, and then force her to make it beautiful again. So he could destroy it again. All because of a power trip. Bastard.

 “Maybe later. You won’t need it for now. You can stand to touch those bruises enough to cover them with makeup?”

 “I’ve done it before.”

 I shook my head. “It’s alright. I’m not going to make you go through that. At least not now.”

 “Okay. If you can bear looking at me.”

 I could stand looking at her. As I’d noted before, she still looked ravishing. Despite her pain and the bruises. I doubted if there was any way that you could completely destroy her natural beauty. She was in the same class as Christi and Jane. Model material. High firm grapefruit sized breasts. Long athletic legs. Tight ass. Long flowing blonde hair. A real blonde.

 I guided the girls around the hallway and stopped in front of the business room. I had no idea what Mayer was doing in there, but I doubted if he was happy. He’d been left in those ropes for a long time. I hoped he was damn uncomfortable.

 I unlocked the door. Before opening it, I glanced around at the girls. Sheila was shaking and Christi had an arm around her shoulders.

 “I. I don’t know if I can go in there.”

 “He can’t hurt you now.”

 “I know. But. You don’t know what went on in there. What I had to do.” She drew herself up to her full height. Threw back her shoulders. Took a deep breath. “I can do it.” Taking some emotional support from Christi’s closeness.

 “Okay. I’m going to talk to him first. I don’t want you three to go at him until I tell you. You’ll get your chance. He might be offensive towards you. Don’t let it bother you. He’s a coward underneath. Okay?”

 The three females nodded.

 I opened the door and walked in. Mayer was just where I’d left him. Hanging with his arms bound above him. Jane’s knots holding him nicely. As the door opened he twisted in his bonds, looking over his shoulder. His eyes widened as the girls followed me into the room.

 “It’s about fucking time,” he exploded. “Do you have any idea how hard this is on your arms?”

 I walked in front of him. His eyes and head swiveled to follow my movements. I sat down in his chair and silently regarded him. The girls stayed out of his sight, standing easily behind him.

 I spoke quietly. “I know exactly how hard that would be on anyone’s arms. In your case, I could hardly care less.”

 “This isn’t funny,” he continued. “Let me out of this right now.”

 “How long have you been like that Mr. Mayer?” A feminine voice from behind him. Sheila. He didn’t even bother to turn around. I don’t even think he realized that his former punching bag was in the room.

 “What is this? Why’d you bring back the bitches? This is between you and me.”

 “Answer her.”

 “A long time. Five. Six hours maybe,” he gruffly answered. Still talking to me and not to her. “And I demand that you let me out of this. Fuck. I’m not a goddamn animal. Do you any fucking idea who you are messing with?”

 “Now you know what I felt like when you left me like this for a day and a half. But you were kind enough to have me stripped naked and gave me some entertainment. Between my legs. I begged you for hours to let me down before I gave up and just hung there. Crying my eyes out. You’ve only been there for five hours or so. Imagine what it would be like for twenty-four. Or thirty-six pain filled hours. Just imagine. I was sure that my arms were going to fall off. Why didn’t you let me down?”

 Mayer twisted around. Finally realizing who was behind him. He sneered at her. “So. Cunt. Come to see me again? Just couldn’t keep away from my handsome face, huh?”

 I motioned for Sheila to join me. She carefully walked over to my chair. Limping. Favouring her left side. Her small hands trying to ease the discomfort. Pressing just outside of the purple bruise. She just silently stood beside me, looking at her former tormentor. She was shaking a bit, but she held his gaze. I was proud of her.

 He spoke again. To her. “So, you worthless little slut, you finally called some help in. Couldn’t handle my love on your own? Cunt?”

 I spoke, “She didn’t call me in. I just stumbled into this. Decided I didn’t like you very much.”

 I could tell that he didn’t believe me. I didn’t particularly care.

 “Well, bitch, are you happy? You belong to him now?” He smiled cruelly. “Like your new decorations? They’re kind of pretty. They hurt? Answer me, you fucking worthless cunt.”

 I saw tears begin to form in her eyes, but she didn’t back down. She still held his gaze. I saw Jane had balled up her small hands into fists behind him. She was barely keeping her anger in check. She was shaking; she was that angry. But she didn’t go at him. Obeying.

 I touched Sheila beside me. I could tell that Sheila was fighting the urge to answer him, as he’d demanded. She was definitely conditioned to an extent. But she was fighting it. Successfully.

 “You know what I’m going to do when I get out of this? And I will get out. You are going to regret the day you were born. You think those pretty bruises hurt you? Try some broken bones on for size. I’m going to break every one of your fucking fingers. One at a fucking time. Then I’m going to break your toes. With a goddamn hammer. Then I’m going to fucking ream you until you fucking pass out, you goddamn BITCH.”

 I sat calmly through this tirade. Sheila just stood beside me. Anger and fear flashing across her bruised face. Her body was shaking. But she had managed to keep a handle on her tears. I was surprised. This had to be very difficult on her. Facing this guy.

 I spoke gently from the chair. “Sir. There is no need to scream. We can all hear you just fine without it. And swearing isn’t really necessary, is it? Now. I’d like to get something straight.”

 “Fuck you and the fucking horse you fucking rode in on.”

 “I’d like to get something straight here,” I repeated, ignoring his blustering. “Sheila is mine now. Got it? If you want to break her fingers or her pretty toes, you are going to have to go through me first. I happen to like her body intact.”

 “You fucking little asshole. When I get free of this, I swear, I’m going to kill you.” He sneered again. “And when I do, I’m not only going to break her fingers and toes, I’m going to break the fingers and toes of those bitches back there as well. Christ, I’m going to enjoy doing that. They look like they’d be really good fucks while they’re screaming their lungs out.” He ran out of steam again. Pulling against the ropes that held him.

 “You know as well as I do that that is really unlikely to happen.”

 “We’ll see.”

 “After I let these girls go at you, I very much doubt if you’ll care about Sheila’s fingers or toes. I suspect that you’ll either be glad to be alive, or wishing you were dead. Her pretty fingers and toes will be the last thing on your mind. Believe me.”

 “Oooooh. Big man. Can’t even deal with me himself. Has to tie me up and let his ‘girls’ do his dirty work. That’s real fair. Three on one.”

 I calmly looked at him. “Let me get this straight. You blackmail a girl. Hardly out of college. What is she, maybe a hundred, hundred and ten pounds? Five foot four? Maybe five five? You keep her tied up. Naked. Subservient. Because you can extort her because her brother is an idiot and you. You claim to be a judge? Now that sounds fair. What are you? Five eleven? Six feet? Two hundred pounds? Two fifty? Sounds like a fair fight to me. Blackmail and physical size. Yeah. You play fair.”

 He gazed at me with hatred in his eyes. Realizing that he wasn’t going to be able to intimidate me like he could the women. He tried a different approach.

 “You know. We’re about the same, you and I. You are just deluding yourself that you are different. Look around you. Check out the female flesh. Your bitches. Your cunts. Your fucking little harem. You keep women too. You rape them. You abuse them. Just like me. Only I was smart enough to only take one at a time. You think you are going to get away with this? You think they fucking like being under your power? They’ll turn on you too. Just like that bitch turned on me. You fucking hypocrite.”

 Actually I knew I was going to get away with this. As long as I kept control of the situation with him.

 “Janey? Come here.”

 She walked towards me, stopping on the other side of my chair across from Sheila. She gazed at the monster with utter disgust in her eyes. I noticed for the first time that the girls were about the same height.

 “Evan? Look at her.” That he didn’t have trouble with. His eyes were glued to Jane. Traveling up and down her proud bare body. Just his type I would guess. Petite. Young. Smart. Feisty. And best of all, naked. I watched his face as he imagined what he’d do to her. To her fingers and toes before he fucked her. I pointed to Sheila’s bruised face. “Evan. Pay attention, you fuck. Look at Jane, then look at Sheila. See any difference? I don’t put these things on my women.” Referring to the bruises gracing Sheila’s body.

 “So? I’m a bit rougher. Give yourself time, and you’ll do the same thing.”

 “I think not. Jane? Given that you had to be someone’s slave, who would you prefer?”

 “You, of course,” she answered immediately.

 “Sheila?”

 “Please don’t make me do this.” She paused. Her eyes flicking to Mayer then back to me. Probably still unsure if Mayer could get to her. She took a breath. Made her decision. “Y-you.”

 “Christi?”

 “You know my answer.” From behind him.

 I raised my eyebrows at him.

 “You fucking little weasel. Let me out of this.” He strained his arms pulling at the rope on his wrists. There was no way that he had the brute strength necessary to part the ropes holding him. And if I knew Jane, there was no way he was going to get anywhere with the knots. Hell, I had trouble untying her knots and my hands were free.

 “Care to apologize to the ladies? Especially Sheila? Might make them a little less angry with you.”

 “You can fuck right off. I have nothing to apologize for. They deserve it. Every fucking bruise. Especially Sheila. Fucking worthless cunt. Can’t even fucking wear clothes. At least I dressed her.”

 I thought of the French maid outfit Sheila was wearing when I first met her. Falling out of it, was more like it. Three sizes too small for her. Some dress. But, I kept my opinions to myself.

 “Evan? How many girls have you had here?”

 “What the fuck is it to you?”

 “Call me curious.”

 “Seven. Counting the bitch over there, eight. Mostly hookers desperate to keep out of jail. What are you a fucking cop? A fucking FBI agent?”

 “How many have you killed?”

 He sneered. “Seven.” I couldn’t tell if he was lying or not. I thought I saw truth in his eyes, but I had a hard time telling. It was easier for me to tell if a female was lying.

 Jane bent her head to my ear. She whispered, “I think he’s telling the truth.” She shuddered. Jane was pretty good when it came to these things. I believed her. Thus I believed him. I was dealing with a goddamn serial killer here most likely. And I now knew what Sheila’s ultimate fate would likely be if I didn’t intervene for her on the prime timeline.

 I nodded. I turned Jane’s head and whispered in her ear. “Tie his ankles apart.” She looked at me questioningly but walked past him to the closet to get some rope.

 I held the madman’s gaze until he finally looked away.

 “Sheila?” he called his former slave. I wasn’t sure what he was up to. But I was taking Jane’s warning seriously. Sheila might turn on me if she was afraid of Mayer enough. “Honey? I didn’t mean to hurt you. Truly.”

 Sheila turned to me helplessly. Frightened.

 “Awful big bruises for being unintentional,” I commented.

 “Tell him, Sheila. Tell him that I didn’t mean to hurt you. You fell down some stairs by mistake.”

 I waited wondering what she’d do. I knew what had happened. If you renamed his feet stairs, then the descriptions might have been more accurate.

 Tears were forming again in Sheila’s eyes. I briefly debated the idea of getting her out of here, before he managed to get to her. If he managed to regain control of her, I would have a hell of a time reasserting myself as her master. I didn’t particularly want to go through that. On the other hand, if she managed to resist him, she’d be well on her way to recovery. To usher her out, or have her stay and fight him.

 Jane emerged with the rope. She paused as she processed what was going on. I could almost see her mind working. She was still behind him holding the rope easily behind her, out of his sight.

 Jane spoke up, saving me from making the decision. Mayer turned and glared at her. “Sheila. Sweetheart. Look in a mirror. That one over there.” Sheila’s mind locked onto the female voice and obeyed. Looked at herself in the wall mirror. Cringing at the sight of herself. “See that stain on the carpet?” Jane pointed to the remains of the bloody caesar. Sheila nodded mutely. “When we found you, honey, he’d just kicked the hell out of you because you brought him the wrong drink. You couldn’t pick the right one. They were both bloody caesars. Or tomato juice. Or whatever the hell he put in them. It didn’t matter. That’s the point. He’d poured the thing over your head, whatever it was, and kicked you until you fell. He raped you. You wanted to have sex with him after that? Did he even ask? Then he slapped you silly. Look at your face darling.”

 Christi had walked slowly over to the weeping girl. Gently touched her shoulder. She continued where Jane had paused, “He did this. You think he didn’t mean to hurt you? You honestly believe you fell down stairs? This is your chance to kick the hell out of him instead of the other way around.”

 I watched Christi and Jane in amazement. These naked women saying all the right things. Far better than I ever could have. They far better understood the workings of the female mind.

 “You fucking little whore,” he hissed at Christi. “Who the FUCK do you think you are?”

 Christi turned to face the judge. “Your worst fucking nightmare. I’m going to make you wish you were never ever fucking born. It’s going to be a pleasure to kick the shit out of you. You worm.”

 Jane moved slowly in front of him. Still holding her coil of rope loosely in her hands.

 “What the fuck do you think you are going to do with that, bitch?” he growled as Jane moved into his line of sight with the rope.

 “I’ve been ordered to tie your feet,” she replied with hate in her eyes. She really didn’t like this guy calling her a bitch. And he knew it. He was taking advantage of it. Trying to provoke her. She’d get her chance to get even. If she held on to her self-control.

 “The hell you will. Bitch.”

 “I have to.”

 “You come within kicking distance and I swear I’ll give you a kick that will make that cunt’s ribs look normal.”

 I nodded to Jane. It wasn’t necessary to force her to endure one of those kicks. She paused just outside what she judged was his kicking range. She silently gazed at him, almost rage smoldering behind her brown eyes. Waiting. I rose from the chair and walked over to him until my face was centimeters from his. He didn’t try to kick at me. Knew better. “I’m getting real tired of your mouth.”

 “Too fucking b ... oooooooooooooofffff.” The air collapsed out of him.

 My right fist crashed into his stomach. I drove my left into his solar plexus. He looked a little like a fish out of water. Trying to convince his paralyzed muscles to breathe. Mouth silently opening and closing. I smiled and motioned for Jane to continue. I walked slowly back to my chair.

 Jane knelt by his feet as he was far more interested in trying to breathe than to worry about what she was doing. Jane had wrapped cord around both ankles and tossed the ropes to the side before he could draw breath. She had scampered well out of range before he had recovered sufficiently to even think about kicking out at her. She bent to tie the cords off to spread him, as ordered, but I signaled to her to wait. She padded over to my chair.

 “He’ll resist you tying them off anyway. Wait until he’s a bit weaker. Just tie them off loosely so he can’t get an effective kick at you.” I turned to Sheila as Jane moved off to tie off the ankle ropes loosely to the eyebolts set in the wall. Sheila was still gazing at her battered body in the mirror, tears silently tracing down her face. “Sheila? You want the first shot at this guy?”

 She was still crying a bit. She shook her head. She’d join in when she was ready.

 I motioned Jane and Christi. They didn’t need to be told twice. He was still shaky from my punches, and his face actually registered some fear as the two girls approached him. It briefly crossed my mind that I was really glad I wasn’t in his place. I knew these girls.

  

 Chapter 81

 Mayer weakly aimed a kick out at Jane, but being unfettered she easily danced out of the way. His ankle actually didn’t get very far or have any real strength, being brought up short by the ropes Jane had attached to him. I thought I even heard her stifle a laugh. My mind flashed back to Sheila desperately trying to avoid that same foot. Her knees and hands bound. Unable to simply dance away. She wasn’t laughing at the time.

 Mayer simply wasn’t all that coordinated. I actually had my doubts if he could have mounted any kind of offense or defense against Jane. Even if he’d been unbound. She was more in shape and faster than he was. Hell, even Sheila was probably a match for him despite the size differences. His style was to use blackmail and treachery to wear the girls down. Bully them. Then, when they were bound, and defenseless, he’d break them. Batter them physically while they were unable to fight back until they no longer believed in themselves. Believed that he was bigger, stronger, more powerful than them. Sheila hadn’t been completely broken yet. But she was well on her way. The technique, while not elegant, would work. I had to give the bastard that.

 Jane sauntered up to him, behind the kick and whispered something in his ear. All I caught was the word “balls”. He paled at whatever she had said to him and tensed. She casually balled her fist and swung it in an wide arc. It hit him under his ribs. Not quite hitting his solar plexus. He grunted and then incredibly he grinned.

 Jane had struck out at me once. Granted she wasn’t really trying at the time. Just hammering her small fists into my chest in an expression of female frustration. I remembered after her marathon in the mall. It hadn’t actually hurt all that much. She simply didn’t have the strength to seriously hurt him. Not with her fists. But I wasn’t even sure she was trying to hurt him at this point. Just getting out her frustrations.

 Christi stepped in and let her right hit him in approximately the same place. This time his eyes registered a bit of discomfort. After all, I had softened the area already. Jane got the idea and again drove her fist into his midriff. She grunted as she felt the force of the blow in her hand and arm. Christi followed with another strike. Alternating, the girls used their small fists, always aiming to hit him in the same place. Just below the solar plexus. Finally, he began to break under the constant pounding. I suspect that the girls were hurting themselves more than him, but I wasn’t really sure. I could still see the hate smoldering in their eyes and his.

 Finally Evan began to breathe a little harder and grunt as the small fists continued to rain down on him. Quantity was making up for quality. At least that was the theory.

 Jane suddenly stepped back, cradling her right hand. She managed a weak smile in my direction.

 “I think I softened him up for you,” she managed to get out. She was breathing hard. Her hand obviously in pain. You could hurt yourself if you didn’t know how to throw an effective punch. I doubted Jane knew how. I was tempted to teach her.

 “You okay?” I asked her.

 “I’m alright. I’m feeling a bit better now.” I assumed that she meant that her anger was fading. Punching someone tended to be a good release for anger. Even if it wasn’t particularly effective and hurt the puncher more than the punchee. Pure stress relief.

 Christi threw a couple more weak punches at him and stepped back as well. Knowing that she wasn’t being particularly effective. He felt them, but it wasn’t hurting him to the degree these girls wanted. Christi rubbed her knuckles as well.

 Evan recovered his breath faster than the girls.

 “You fucking bitches hit like girls,” he taunted them. Despite his words, I could see that he was feeling it. I decided to let the girls fight this battle themselves. They didn’t need me. Let them figure out how to hurt him. They were smart.

 At the words, I could see the anger building back in Jane’s eyes. When he’d finished speaking, she suddenly whirled on him. She hissed at him, “For the last fucking time. You don’t have the fucking right to call me a bitch.” Tears of hate and anger were forming in her eyes.

 She instinctively swung out her leg. It actually was a damn good approximation of a roundhouse kick. Probably dumb luck. Her bare foot caught him hard in the side. About where he’d let Sheila have it. She almost fell with the effort. Her anger more than made up for her small size. I wouldn’t have wanted to be on the receiving end of that kick. Even with her foot bare, she managed to connect hard.

 Evan gasped as her foot connected with his body. Again, he completely lost his wind. Not expecting the vehemence behind the blow. Trying to draw breath. Jane managed to regain her balance and stumbled back to her feet. Her bare breasts rising and falling as she tried to catch her breath. This was quite visually stimulating. The way the girls moved and strained, trying to hurt Mayer. Their perspiration sheening their bare skin.

 She watched Mayer as he managed to convince his paralyzed diaphragm to begin working again. He struggled to gasp out one word. “Bitch.”

 Jane closed her eyes, looking defeated. She’d put everything into that kick. She drew in another deep breath and lashed out again with her bare foot. Aiming for the same place. She was an athletic girl. Her legs had some muscle behind them. Her foot connected just under his ribs again. She cried out as her bare foot took some punishment from the effort. I could see that she was hurting herself. But she was more than determined to hurt him more, despite her own pain.

 This time, when her foot hit him, Evan grunted in pain. I couldn’t imagine him maintaining his obnoxiousness much longer in the face of these kicks. I knew that when Jane tired, or couldn’t take the pain any more, Christi would gladly take over. If I were him, I’d be saving my strength instead of insulting the women. They’d barely begun.

 Jane’s kick didn’t knock her quite as off balance as last time. She was beginning to get the motion of the kick down a little better. She returned to her feet and regarded him. More satisfied with the look of pain on his face. This one had almost definitely hurt Mayer more than her.

 This just looked so surreal. Here was this older guy, in a business suit, tied to the ceiling. This petite completely nude teenager standing shakily in front of him. Almost pure rage emanating from her. It was like a palpable fog surrounding her. Completely and utterly focused on her task, ignoring her nudity. Drilling roundhouse kicks into his double breasted gray suit. It just struck me as unreal. Watching her bare foot, with her deep red toenails, so feminine, so delicate, so viciously striking into him. Flashes of her sex as she stumbled. Her bare body sheened with her efforts, like she was covered in baby oil. Her soft grunts as she kicked him. Sounds like you might expect a quiet woman to make during love making. I shook my head, trying to clear the impressions. Wanting to watch the display. Make sure everything was going smoothly.

 He raised his head and looked at her. Still breathing hard from her last kick. “All your fucking fingers and toes. Enjoy this while you can, bitch. I’ll have you screaming soon enough.”

 Jane closed her eyes at the words. Opened them and aimed another kick into his side. This time he tried to avoid it. The first sign that he was actually feeling it. The ropes held him in place as Jane’s bare foot connected again. He let out an involuntary cry, but I doubted if he was anywhere near the pain level he’d caused in Sheila with the same technique. Jane simply didn’t have the weight or the technique. She tried to make up for it in pure spirit.

 This time Jane didn’t wait for him to recover. She lashed out again. Regained her balance. Kicked him again. And again. And again. He was twisting in the bonds. Christi and I were watching in fascination as Jane just continued the onslaught with her feet. Mayer couldn’t breathe. Completely unable to tense, or avoid the kicks to his side. Jane finally stumbled and fell to the carpet. She buried her head in her arms and wept there. Her right leg slowly moving back and forth on the floor. Her breathing a mixture of frustrated sobs, simple fatigue and pain. She was certainly getting her work out today.

 Christi bent down to Jane. “Are you alright?”

 “I. I guess. My foot hurts.” Jane managed to get out.

 Christi smiled. “If it makes you feel any better, he’s hurting too. Probably worse that you are. Guess we aren’t much in the fighting department. We’ll do it together. He’ll hurt.”

 Mayer recovered more quickly than the upset girl on the floor. Incredibly he mouthed off again.

 “Hey bitch? That the best you can do? Christ, it’s going to be fun to break your fucking weak fingers. And I’ll teach you not to fucking kick me either.” He was breathing a bit hard, and was in some obvious discomfort. But he still managed to be an asshole. Didn’t he realize that it only made it easier on the girls to hit him when they were angry? Not the brightest star in the sky.

 Christi rose to her bare feet and regarded the bound man. She began to walk towards him. Getting ready to continue the kicking exercise. She stopped when she felt a small hand on her shoulder. Turning, her eyes widened as she realized it was Sheila.

 Sheila, her face showing obvious fright but also a measure of pure determination, whispered to Christi. “My turn.”

 Christi gave her a kiss on the cheek, her unbruised left one, and backed off. Nodding silently. Knowing that Sheila needed to do this. To confront her tormentor.

 Sheila walked hesitantly up to her former master. She glanced down briefly at Jane who had managed to draw herself up into a sitting position, hugging her knees and rocking herself slowly. Her eyes were still tearing a bit mostly in frustration, but she watched Sheila approach Mayer. Fascinated.

 “What the fuck do you think you are doing, cunt?” Mayer stared in hate at the nude frightened woman in front of him.

 “Y-you hurt me.” Sheila whispered.

 “And I enjoyed every fucking second of your pain. Those bruises hurt? How about your ribs? Bloody useless cunt.”

 Sheila dropped her eyes. Tears overfilling them. Her bare body shook as she tried to control her fear and pain. I watched the drama in fascination. I idly wondered if she would break, or she’d manage to overcome her fear.

 “I. I hate you.” She managed to gasp out.

 “You pathetic little cunt. Fuck. Why don’t you just untie me and let things get back to normal. I won’t punish you.”

 I watched as her head rose, her eyes flashed and she drew in her breath. She gathered some of her formidable inner strength. She managed to stop crying. Her eyes locked with his.

 “You will punish me. You always will no matter what I do. I hate you. I may be standing here, naked and scared. But I’m ten times better than you are. A hundred time better. I’m not a cunt.” She spat out the word. “I have a cunt. And you’ll never ever use it again. I’m not worthless. I’m not useless. I’m Sheila McBain. And that was never. Ever. Fucking. Good enough for you. I deserve better than that.”

 She gathered her strength and spat in his face. Her spit splashed into his forehead trickled down.

 He sneered at her. Unable to comprehend what she was going through.

 “You are a pathetic worthless cunt. Remember those fingers and toes? That’s really going to hurt. I promise it. I’ll do it nice and slow. Breaking one every ten minutes. Letting you feel it. And when I run out of fingers and toes, after I ream you, I’m going make you watch as I gut you alive. You fucking waste of skin.”

 She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Wincing at the pain in her side. With no warning at all, she mimicked Jane’s roundhouse kick. She put every ounce of her strength behind that kick. Her bare foot connected with his side and he twisted in agony. She fell heavily to the floor, in tears as the force of the fall drove the pain deep into her side. She lay there gasping and wept. Jane, favouring her right foot, crawled over to Sheila and just cradled her. Trying to ease her pain. Even through her tears, Sheila looked like she had just shaken the weight of the world off her shoulders. She’d just let out months of pain, suffering, frustration and humiliation. She was beginning to heal. She needed this. Badly. She sobbed uncontrollably in Jane’s arms.

 Evan just moaned as he tried to control his pain. Despite her handicaps, the kick had been a vicious one. It had landed squarely on the same spot that Jane had targeted. I wasn’t a great judge of these things, but it wouldn’t have surprised me if she had managed to crack a rib on him. An eye for an eye, if she had actually managed to do it.

 Between gasps Mayer still managed to get the word out. “Bitch,” he whispered. Still defiant. The man had more stamina than I had originally given him credit for.

 I watched as Christi moved slowly towards the man.

 She spoke to him. “I want you to apologize to both of them and me.”

 “Fuck you, bitch.”

 She stiffened her fingers and slowly pressed them into the area that Sheila had just kicked. Deep into his flesh. I could see the pain in his face as Christi probed his side. But he gritted his teeth and refused to yield.

 Jane murmured from the floor. “It’s not worth it Christi.”

 Christi held his gaze. She was taller than the other two girls and could pretty much look directly into his eyes, though she did have to look up a bit. Her eyes were mere centimeters away from his. He glared back at her, easily enduring the pain her fingers were causing. Keeping her left fingers ground into his side, I watched as she brought her right hand up to touch him through his pants.

 “You want to fuck me. Don’t you bitch? I’m a lot better than him. Trust me little girl.” He had noticed the pressure of her hand. Mistaken it for an intimate gesture. He rocked his hips obscenely into her hand.

 His mouth then opened in a soundless scream. I saw her right hand gently squeezing about where his balls were. It didn’t take much of a squeeze there to cause intense pain. Ask any male. She released him.

 “You fucking bitch. You can’t do that.” He pulled desperately at the ropes. Bucking his hips against the pain.

 Sheila had managed to control her crying and was watching Christi with her undivided attention. Jane idly stroked Sheila’s hair but was all eyes as well.

 Evan turned to me with desperation in his eyes. He spoke to me. “Call your bitch off. You must know what it feels like. You can’t let her do this.”

 I shrugged.

 “Evan, darling. I can do whatever the hell I want. I told you I was your worst nightmare,” Christi spoke softly to him. She jerked her head towards me. “He gave me permission to do whatever the hell I want. As long as it doesn’t kill you. Why he wants a fuckhead like you alive, I don’t understand.” To be honest I doubted if any of the women had the stomach to actually kill anyone anyway. She gave him another squeeze. He cried out again. “This won’t kill you. Unfortunately.”

 “God that hurts.”

 “Think about how much it is going to hurt when I whip you there.”

 “Christ, you fucked up bitch you can’t do that.”

 Sheila’s musical voice spoke from where she lay on the floor. “You fucking shithead. How many times? How many times did you have me like that? Hanging from your fucking hooks. Naked. Helpless. My legs spread for you. How many times? How many times did you come out here? That goddamn grin on your face? That fucking whip in your hand? How many times did you make me kiss it? Huh? How many times did I beg you not to use it on me? How many times did you use that fucking whip on me? On my pussy? Even on my asshole? While I screamed? And begged? How many fucking times?” Tears began to fall from her eyes again. She fought them back. Fought back the memories. “How many times?” she whispered.

 Christi hadn’t lost eye contact with him. I saw her eyes flash. Taking in Sheila’s words. I watched as she struggled to contain the impulse to kill him on the spot. Instead she smiled. A scary, evil smile. He paled. I’d have paled too in his position. I watched as Christi purposely applied pressure with her fingers to his testicles again. Watching his face intently as it fell through the stages of fear, pain and then to agony. She kept the pressure on as he fought to pull away. Fought with the ropes holding him. Fought like a daemon. And finally simply held back his head and screamed. Much like Sheila probably had in another time as he whipped her mercilessly between her spread thighs. I couldn’t imagine that kind of pain.

 Finally Christi released him and backed away. Her face a mask of satisfaction. She’d finally broken the bastard. He fell forward, still gasping for breath. Moaning. If he wasn’t bound, I was sure he’d be doubled up in pain. Unable to utter any intelligible sound.

 Christi returned to her stance by my chair. Jane and Sheila shakily got to their feet and limped over as well. The two of them sunk to their knees watching Mayer. Too tired to stand.

 I raised my eyes to Christi. Noticing my attention, Christi looked back at me.

 “Nice,” I remarked to her.

 She smiled. While she had my attention, her hand purposefully snaked down her bare body, lightly brushing her hard nipples as it traveled down. I watched as her hand lightly traced her outer labia and she moaned quietly. She was showing me that she was turned on. I wasn’t too surprised with her. I’d seen this reaction before. She had even admitted her sadistic tendencies to me. I saw Jane’s eyes flick over and widen, but she probably just assumed that I’d asked Christi to do that. I didn’t think that Christi had shared her dominant tendencies with the other women. But it was hard to tell. The look that crossed Jane’s face had an element of understanding in it as well. Maybe she just knew. Jane was incredible perceptive.

 With an obvious effort, Christi withdrew her hands from her own body and shivered. Mayer was beginning to recover. I glanced down at Sheila and out of the corner of her eye she knew I was looking at her. She glanced up from her kneeling position.

 “Master? You wouldn’t believe the pain he put me through up there. Can I? Can I kick him again? In the balls? Please?” Her face was flushed. She couldn’t believe she was asking this. That she was pulling enough away from Mayer’s control to ask this. She’s probably dreamed, fantasized about doing this for months.

 “Sheila honey. You can do anything that doesn’t kill him. You don’t have to ask my permission. I’m just observing. I doubt if a kick to the balls will kill him. He might wish he was dead, but it shouldn’t kill him.”

 “Really?”

 “Really.”

 Mayer had heard the exchange. He shook his head. Moaned. “Please. No.”

 Finally he was losing the attitude. Christi had a way with men. He’d felt her fingers. I couldn’t imagine the pain of getting kicked there. Even by a small woman like Sheila in bare feet. Schoolyard mishaps were enough for me.

 Sheila climbed to her bare feet and walked slowly and carefully until she was standing in front of him again. His eyes traveled over her nude body. She silently suffered his attention. Not much she could do to cover herself. Not like he hadn’t seen her before.

 I watched as he managed to regain some of his self-confidence.

 “Well cunt? Can you do it? Put me in as much pain as I put you?”

 She hesitated. He was clever. Playing on her feminine side. Trying to get her to remember how awful the agony was. Trying to make her think twice about inflicting it on someone else. Playing on her female tendency towards sympathy. However misplaced. It might have worked if he hadn’t slipped and called her a cunt. He probably didn’t even realize his mistake.

 She slowly shook her head, “I’m not a cunt.”

 “You fucking cunt. I swear you’ll regret this. Fuck you.”

 She closed her eyes and lashed out at him with her bare foot. I heard it connect with him. Right through his pants. Directly on target. His mouth opened in a soundless scream, pure agony crawling across his face. His whole body convulsed and twitched against the ropes. Finally, he gasped in another big lungful of air and screamed. If I didn’t know better, I would have guessed it was a woman under extreme torture. I was actually surprised that he didn’t pass out.

 She had fallen again to the floor. Her face a mask of pain mirroring Mayer’s. Her side, bruised muscles and cracked rib flaring into her nerves. She’d put all her fading strength into that kick. Tears ran down her face, but she managed not to cry out. Trying her best to control her breathing. Finally she raised herself to her hands and knees. She leaned forward, retching from the pain. Her stomach was completely empty and nothing came up. Finally she just hung her head, crying out as her stomach muscles contracted. She finally regained control of her breathing and looked up at me wearily. Tears falling freely from her eyes. She managed to get a smile out.

 “Got him. Didn’t I?” She gasped out. Proud of herself. I nodded back to her.

 She struggled her way to her knees, looking at the man in agony hanging from his wrists. She waited a few minutes, breathing deeply, and then with a huge effort, managed to raise herself back to her feet. She cringed and gently held her injured side, but faced him again. Swaying from side to side. Even keeping her balance was an effort. A stunning bruised woman facing the rapidly failing man. She managed to hold her head up and quietly waited for him to recover.

 Finally he raised his head and whispered to her. “Fuck. You fucking goddamn cocksucking bitch.”

 “Now you know why I was screaming so much when you whipped me between my legs. But you didn’t fucking care. Did you? You just kept it up until I couldn’t scream any more. No. No rests for me. You fucking bastard. Didn’t matter if I hurt? Did it? I’ll bet you fucking care now.”

 “I hope it hurt you. You deserved it, you fucked up bitch.”

 “Apologize.”

 “Apologize?”

 “I want you to apologize. I want you to stop calling us degrading names. I’m not a fucking cunt. I’m not a whore. I’m not a BITCH. Got it? And neither are Jane and Christi. We’re people. Human beings.” Her voice had dropped to a whisper.

 “Who the fuck do you think you are, bitch? You are a goddamn slave. If not mine then his. You’re a fucking pet. You better fucking get used to it.”

 “I know that I’m his slave n-now. If he wants me called a bitch, then I’ll accept it. But. I. Don’t. Have. To. Take. It. From. You. Anymore. I also think that I’m the *woman* that is about to boot your balls up through the roof of your mouth if I don’t hear an apology and right now.”

 I felt like applauding. She as getting the hang of it. Letting her pain and anger go.

 “I. I can’t take another kick. Not there.”

 “You think that I could take that whip of your’s on my pussy? I didn’t have a goddamn choice, now did I? I wished I was DEAD, you fucker. I just about committed suicide, you fucked up bastard. I would have if I wasn’t afraid for my brother. And you think I won’t kick you again? It hurts me to do it. I’m in fucking agony thanks to you. But I swear to god I will kick you again, and I’ll keep kicking you until I can’t anymore, if you don’t fucking start APOLOGIZING.” Her voice had risen from a soft whisper to a scream. She was nearly hysterical. She was scaring me, and I wasn’t even the one she was pissed at.

 “Alright. I’m sorry. Fuck. I’m sorry already. Just don’t kick me again. I won’t be able to have children. Christ. I’m sorry I called you names. I swear it. I’ll never do it again. I swear.”

 “You weren’t too worried about my future children? Were you? Care to apologize for whipping my cunt? Care to apologize for not giving me a chance? For raping me every fucking day for the last three months? For whipping me even though I was begging and pleading? Even though I couldn’t beg because you fucking gagged me to keep me quiet? Care to apologize for kicking the shit out of me for no goddamn reason?”

 “I sorry. I’m so sorry.”

 She closed her eyes. Seeing what was coming, he braced himself as best he could. Her foot lashed out again and traveled the short distance to his crotch. The flat top of her foot connected with him again. Again, he screamed silently. Twisting. His body retched. His stomach was empty as well and nothing came up, thankfully. He ended up mimicking that tortured woman again. Screaming. Crying. Begging. Much like I imagine Sheila did when the positions were reversed. Only in her case it went on and on. Her whole world just a wall of red pain. I was beginning to wonder how she’d survived as sane as she had. What I’d seen appeared to be just the tip of the iceberg.

 She had fallen to the floor again. Tears running down her face as she tried to get her breath. This time, she was facing him as she’d fallen. Crumpled on the floor. When she could breathe again, she managed to hiss at him, “I don’t believe you.”

 I seriously doubted if he could even hear her; his agony overriding all his other senses.

 She collapsed onto the floor, sobbing. Christi and Jane were just watching this whole thing with tears in their eyes. Paralyzed. Not quite believing this woman’s courage.

 I slowly got out of the chair and walked over to her fallen form. I knelt beside her.

 “You alright?”

 “Emotionally or physically?” she managed to gasp out. Tears coursing down her cheeks. Her right cheek was turned towards me, the bruise, if anything, looked worse than before.

 “Both.”

 “No.” I took that to mean that she was hurting both physically and emotionally.

 “Sheila. You certainly got him back.”

 “I. I can’t get up.” Her fingers weakly scraped at the carpet.

 “I know. That’s why I’m here.” I very carefully rolled her over onto her back. I could have sworn that the bruise on her left side was larger as well. I reached for her hands and she placed her small hands in mine. I gently pulled her into a sitting position. She grimaced with the pain, and looked like she might be sick again for a moment. She fought off the nausea and actually managed a smile.

 “He apologized. Even if he didn’t mean it.” She grinned and then shifted her weight trying to avoid the stab of pain running through her body. I waited for it to pass.

 “Shhh.” I admonished her. She nodded.

 I bent down to her and guided her shaking arms around my neck. I tucked my left arm under her knees and lifted her. It was as though I’d lifted a trembling feather. I doubted if she was even a hundred pounds.

 As she came off the floor, she let out an involuntary scream as her weight settled into my arms. I saw Evan’s head glance up dully, but he immediately fell back to moaning. Not caring about her pain. He was still obviously in considerable pain. Probably still sick, too.

 “I’m sorry. It had to be done. I had to lift you.”

 She whispered, “I know. It’s okay. Thank-you for coming to get me.”

 I carried the bare female back to the chair. I carefully sat back in it, still cradling Sheila in my arms. She rocked slowly in my arms. I lowered her into my lap. Her arms still around my neck. She was moaning to herself softly. Crying into my shoulder. Trying to ease the pain in her wracked body. Her eyes closed.

 After a while, Evan managed to stop moaning and just hung in his bonds. Silent.

 Sheila finally managed to fight off some of the agony coursing through her. She smiled up at me weakly.

 I spoke to her. “Let Christi take over now. You can’t do any more. Okay?”

 “No. I have to kick him again. He hit me so many times. He just didn’t care.”

 “I know. I know, sweetheart. You can’t though. You’ll kill yourself.”

 “I don’t care. I want to kick him again and again and again.”

 “I know. You are one brave little girl. But you have to let Christi have her turn. Okay? She hasn’t been knocked around as much as you. She can hurt him more. Right? She’ll kick him for you.”

 She closed her eyes. Looked like she was going to argue, but then a spasm of pain shot through her body again making her cry out.

 “Honey? You can’t even stand up anymore. You’ve done enough for now. Rest.” I felt like I was comforting a child.

 She silently nodded through her tears. Incredibly, her breathing began to slow and her eyes closed. She simply fell asleep in my arms.

  

 Chapter 82

 “She’s asleep?” Christi whispered to me incredulously.

 I nodded. I couldn’t see much choice. I just sat there and cradled the girl in my arms.

 “Do we stop then?” Jane asked me. Concern in her eyes. Concern for the nude woman in my arms. She didn’t particularly care if she got to continue the torment of the monster. All she cared about was making sure this abused creature lying in my arms was taken care of. The asshole would always be there.

 “No. Male domination isn’t really my thing,” I confessed. “The only reason you are doing this at all is because he is such an asshole. And he deserves it. I was thinking of leaving him to you anyway. Go get some sleep myself. I’ll take care of her. Somehow.”

 “You are going to leave us alone with him? Unbound?”

 “I’m sure you’ll behave.”

 Christi’s eyes fairly shone. “You know. It doesn’t seem to be quite fair. Us all naked and him getting to keep his clothes.”

 Jane nodded her agreement.

 “I definitely don’t want to see this. There are scissors in the closet. I’m sure I saw them. You don’t need my permission to strip him.”

 Jane scrambled to her feet.

 “Hold on a second.” She stopped midstep. “I’m going to lock you both in here with him. You won’t be able to get out. Key works both ways. The place is soundproofed. I can’t hear you once you are locked in. If you let this guy free, he probably will break all your fingers and toes. You’ll probably be dead before I ever find out you are in trouble. Understand? He’s dangerous. Have your fun. Knock him around. Knock him out for all I care. But be careful. I don’t want to have to be setting busted bones. At least not yours. Or have more than one girl full of bruises. Okay?”

 They both nodded. I suspect they understood the danger even better than I. They were female after all. This guy knocked women around for sport. And when he got tired of them, or they finally fought back, he just casually murdered them.

 I rose with the naked girl still fast asleep in my arms. She murmured something in her sleep.

 “And remember. Don’t kill him. Use whatever you like from the closet though. He used most of it on Sheila here and she survived. You two going to be alright in here on your own?” Christi nodded. “I’ll be back for you later. Remember to sleep.”

 I made my way past Mayer. I walked up to him, still cradling his former slave in my arms. He looked up at me dully. Most of the fight left him after Sheila’s kicks to his groin.

 “You fucking bastard. I’m. Going. To. Kill. You. For. This.” He was a determined asshole.

 “I’d save your strength. I think Jane and Christi know what your weak spot is.”

 “I’ll never give in to those fucking bitches.”

 “We’ll see.”

 I walked away from the pathetic madman. I struggled with the door. Though she was light, the girl in my arms was awkward. I found it incredible that even asleep she maintained her grasp around my neck. Holding on to me like I was a lifeline. I took one last look in the room. Christi was carefully cutting his clothes off, ignoring his protests and insults. Jane was busy tightening his ankle restraints, spreading his legs further than they were. He was far too weak to resist. The naked women looked like they had things under control.

 My eyes were closing. It had been a really full day. Most of the girls at least had gotten some rest, but I had been moving all day.

 I carefully carried Sheila to the master bedroom. I placed her gently on the bedcovers and she stretched her nude body out as soon as her head touched the pillow. Automatically releasing my neck from her grasp. I found it amazing that her unconscious mind could do that. Know when to hold and when to let go. She was so fast asleep. She sighed and winced in her sleep as her injuries twinged. I walked out the door quietly. I had to deal with Amy and Elizabeth before sleeping. Jane and Christi were safely locked in the business room.

 I padded down the stairs. Amy had turned off the lights and drawn the shades in the living room. The headphones were still on her head, but I noticed that the stereo wasn’t playing. The red digits on the CD player were just softly flashing 00:00, giving the darkened room an eerie glow once very second. Her eyes were closed and she was breathing softly. Her breasts rising and falling gently. Seemed everyone in the house was asleep but me. I debated just leaving her to sleep the way she was. But, of all the girls, I was worried about Amy the most. She seemed to still have trouble, once in a while, accepting her captivity. I gently took the headphones off her head. She muttered something in her sleep. Sounded a bit like Elizabeth’s name actually. She settled back down. I retrieved a set of ankle restraints from the equipment pack. I slipped back into the living room and knelt beside Amy. I carefully lifted her right leg and attached one end of the steel cuff to her slender ankle. I attached the other end to the leg of the sofa she was lying on. She never awoke. She’d be fine. I’d fallen asleep on that sofa. It was plenty comfortable. As I moved to the library, I switched off the stereo. The red lights on the CD player faded out to black. The eerie pulsing red illumination faded from the room.

 Elizabeth had dimmed the lights in the library as well. There was a desk lamp burning on the table presumably illuminating her book. She still sat at the library desk, her head down using A Tale of Two Cities as a pillow. Her cuffed hands rested easily on the table in front of her. She was gently snoring.

 I softly touched her on the head. She moved her cuffed hands a bit. “Come on Catherine. Let me sleep. Just five more minutes. Please?” Groggily. Catherine? That had been the feisty girl in the BMW. The one I’d released when Elizabeth had agreed to be my ‘hostage’.

 “Elizabeth?” I whispered to her. Her eyes fluttered open. She sighed when she realized that she was neither in her own warm bed nor was I Catherine. She glanced down at herself. Nude in a stranger’s house.

 She slowly sat up. She stretched her bound hands above her head and yawned.

 “I can’t believe I fell asleep.”

 “You did. And you were going to have one hell of a pain in your neck if I’d let you sleep here.”

 “You ain’t joking.” She felt at her neck with her fingers. Twisting her head trying to work out the kinks that had already settled into her.

 “Come on. Bedtime.”

 “Bed?”

 “Well. Sort of.”

 “You are going to make me sleep on the floor again. Aren’t you.” It was a statement. Not a question. Her eyes lowered. “Can I at least have a pillow tonight?”

 “Nope. If you want, I think there will be room for three in the master bed.”

 “You’re kidding.”

 “Why would I kid?”

 “Whose the third?”

 “She’s already asleep. Sheila.”

 “I finally get to meet the mythical Sheila?”

 “Maybe. Maybe I’ll blindfold you.”

 “How kinky.” She wasn’t even phased. She knew she didn’t have much control over what happened to her. And she’d much rather sleep in a bed blindfolded than on the floor unblindfolded.

 I touched her arm. She rose obediently and shut her book. I actually thought I could see a faint hint of print across her pale cheek in the pale glow from the desk lamp. She placed the book neatly on the corner of the table with her handcuffed hands.

 She silently followed me back through the dark living room to the stairs. Still bright there with the morning sun streaming through the skylight. We climbed the stairs. As we passed the bathroom, Elizabeth touched my arm.

 “Can a slave brush her teeth before sleeping? Her teeth feel furry.”

 I nodded. “But you don’t have a toothbrush.” I made a mental note to go shopping tomorrow. Pick up some basic toiletries for the women.

 “I’ll just use whatever is there.” I watched as she ran her tongue over her teeth. Frowning.

 She padded into the bathroom and using both hands picked up a pink toothbrush from the holder. I would have guessed that it was originally Gertrude’s. She ran it under hot water and struggled a bit with the toothpaste. Using both hands she brushed her teeth thoroughly. Either not realizing, or not caring that I was watching her brush. Her nudity was the last thing on her mind. She looked tired as well. She picked up the hairbrush and stroked it through her hair.

 Finally she walked back out.

 “Did I give you permission to brush your hair?”

 She paled. “P-please,” she stammered. “I didn’t mean. I was only trying to make myself pretty for y-you. Th-this slave is so sorry.” She tried to sink to her knees in the hallway.

 I stopped her from going down with a touch to her bare shoulder.

 “It’s alright. I was just kidding.”

 She let her breath out. “You shouldn’t do that. You scared me.”

 “I apologize.” I actually was sorry I’d done it. But her reaction was interesting. Probably just overtired.

 We entered the master bedroom. Sheila was still fast asleep. Curled up on her side. Shivering in her sleep. In the dark she just looked like a normal woman. Asleep. You couldn’t make out her injuries.

 I bent down to her. I gently kissed her forehead. She mumbled something in her sleep. I carefully slipped a pair of handcuffs around her limp wrists. I connected her ankles with another pair. She slept through it all. She was really knocked out. I doubted if I really needed to bind her hand and foot, but I hadn’t really known her long enough to trust her. And I was going to be sleeping in the same bed with her. I wanted to restrict her movements in case she woke in the night and had some bright ideas of how to go from a monster to another unknown master to complete freedom. I seriously doubted that she’d have the courage or strength to attack me, but why take a chance? She seemed to be sleeping alright despite the bondage.

 I idly wondered what Jane and Christi were up to. I was willing to bet that Evan wasn’t liking it. Whatever it was. I debated looking in on them but decided against it. I trusted them.

 “Wrists.” I whispered to Elizabeth.

 She obediently presented her cuffed wrists to me. I released her right hand and pulled her arms behind her. She protested weakly as I reconnected her wrists behind her back.

 “Please. I’ll behave. You don’t have to put them behind me. I won’t attack you. What good would it do me?”

 “Elizabeth. It’s just a safety precaution. I can cuff your feet instead if you’d like. Bring your hands back around front. Like Sheila.”

 She thought about it. “Leave them. I can live with this.” She pulled at her wrists. Adjusting the cuff position to something more comfortable for her.

 I carefully covered Sheila. She snuggled into the covers. Her bound hands grasping at the sheets. She almost immediately stopped shivering.

 I quickly undressed. Too tired to look for pajamas.

 There was tons of room in the bed. I slipped into it from the opposite side. Sheila’s warm hip pressed softly against mine. She was turned away from me. Elizabeth slipped in beside me. Having a bit more trouble getting into the bed with her hands bound. Her head nestled into the crook of my shoulder.

 I pulled the covers over us, tucking them under Elizabeth’s chin.

 She sighed.

 “Master?”

 “Yes?” I replied a bit sleepily.

 “Can a slave speak?”

 “Of course. Just make it quick.” My eyes felt like they were going to close on their own. I was warm. I was in bed with two warm women. And I was tired. Problems could wait for the morning.

 Elizabeth kissed my bare chest. “You know what we were talking about earlier today?”

 My mind wasn’t working quite right. Elizabeth. Sex. Her experience. Something like that.

 “Yes. No.”

 She looked up at me. A bit confused. She continued along anyway. Determined to speak. “If I’m a lesbian or not? If. How I reacted to Karen? And the crop?”

 “Mm-hmmmm.”

 “I was thinking.”

 “I thought you were reading Dickens.”

 “I was. But. That orgasm. I couldn’t stop thinking about Karen. And everything. I’m one confused little slave girl.”

 “I know you are sweetheart. But I can’t think right now. My brain isn’t working. You’ll be fine. I promise.” I felt her pulling at her chains. Frustrated. Wanting to use her hands for something. “Can we talk about it tomorrow?”

 “I guess.” She seemed a bit disappointed. Frightened even. “Master?”

 “What is it?” A bit gruffly.

 “Please. Your slave is sorry. She’ll be quiet now.”

 “Elizabeth. What is it?” I asked her a bit more gently.

 “It’s. It’s just. It’s Christi.”

 Now what? “What about her?”

 “Well. Please don’t be angry with me. She went to you earlier. On her own. Right?”

 “We had some fun together. Yes.” I remembered vaguely that Christi hadn’t made it a secret that she was going to have sex with me when I fell asleep to Enya earlier today.

 “Is it monogamous?”

 “Huh?”

 “Is it only her you want? That way?”

 “Don’t be silly. Why would I keep all of you around, naked, if she was all I wanted?”

 “I don’t want to rock the boat. That’s all.”

 “What is it?”

 “Please. Master. Don’t me angry with me. If you don’t want to, just say so. I. This slave will be quiet and sleep as she was told. Honestly.”

 “This slave is going to get punished if she doesn’t start explaining herself.”

 “Please no. I don’t. I can’t.” She took a deep breath. “I want more,” she finally whispered.

 She was talking in riddles. And I was far too tired to decode her talk.

 “More what?”

 “Ever since you made love to me that night. Then today. Forcing me to be with Karen. You’ve been bringing out a part of me I didn’t know existed. I really hated you at first. But. I don’t know what’s come over me. My body. My. My breasts. They ache. And my stomach flutters. And my pussy. God. My pussy. And you. All that humiliation and pain. All those erotic sights I get to see. Like it or not. Even Amy, naked,” she whispered. “I know I’ve already climaxed once today. Twice technically. But I can’t seem to get my mind off sex. I. I feel like a high school girl. Just discovering myself and I’m almost thirty. I know I shouldn’t. I know Christi will be jealous. But. I just don’t have any choices. I’m sorry. If you don’t want to, I’ll understand. I didn’t want to ask. But ...” her voice trailed off.

 I touched her face. Wet. She was quietly crying again. I kissed the top of her head.

 “M-master? I’d even be happy just giving you head. You don’t have to do anything. I swear it. I’ll swallow and everything. Then I’ll leave you alone. You don’t have to do me or anything. You don’t even have to untie me.”

 I reached behind her and released her hands from the cuffs leaving the things dangling from her left wrist. “Come on then,” I said to her. I lifted the blankets for her to get back out of bed. We could use the guest room. It was empty.

 “M-master? Why not here?” She’d gotten to her hands and knees on the bed.

 “Here?”

 “The other night. I. I thought it was kind of different having Amy tied up only a few feet away. She heard everything. It. It was kind of exciting.” I was sure her face was completely red at the admission.

 I didn’t want to wake up Sheila.

 “Okay. But keep it down. I don’t want to wake up Sheila. I have my reasons.”

 “I’ll be silent. Like a mouse. I promise.”

 She turned herself around on her hands and knees and crawled down the bed until her head was between my legs. I could feel her smooth body pressing against my legs. She slowly and sensually took me into her mouth. I felt her warmth as I entered her. Slowly she swirled her tongue around me, achingly slow. Bobbing her head. Taking me deep into her mouth. Softly sucking. I lifted my head. She was lying easily between my legs. Her calves raised into the air, her bare feet crossed. If she lowered her legs she’d be hanging off the edge of the bed. She continued her ministrations. I could feel her hot breath around me, tickling my pubic hair gently. I closed my eyes letting her do the work. She didn’t seem to mind. My mind wandered to the days events. Karen. Barking like a dog. The discovery of Sheila. Even the simple pleasure of watching the girls emerge from the shower. Wet and shivering. Imagining what Sheila had gone through with that monster. Visualizing her hanging from the eyebolts. Screaming as Evan laid into her pussy with his whips. Ignoring her pleading. Karen screaming and screaming as she was tortured. My mind flipped from image to image. Even falling back over the last few days. The warm mouth on my penis. Slowly sucking and touching me. Her fingers gently tickling my scrotum. Seeing images of Amy tormented. Her tongue clamped. Her bare thighs straining in the chair. Struggling to talk to me, to beg. Jane, licking her own mother while masturbating for her father. Holding her in my arms afterwards, crying her heart out. Frightened. Even as far back as Kimberly. Tied to her chair in the hardware store. Breasts bound and aching with the clothespins. Begging. I briefly wondered about Andrea and Linda, Christi’s mother. I felt Elizabeth slowly increase the tempo, sensing that I was ready. Her mouth and fingers driving me nuts. I felt myself thrusting into her willing mouth. Exploding into her. Feeling her mouth desperately swallowing. Her gasp as I finally finished. I felt her tongue licking at me. Finishing. Cleaning me. Swallowing everything. She crawled back up and lay on her back beside me. Breathing hard.

 I felt my eyes closing in the afterglow. No way in hell I could ever keep them open. The images still roaring about behind my closed lids. All the women.

 “Beth?”

 “Mmmm-hmmmm.”

 “You mind finishing yourself off for me. ‘kay? I just don’t have the energy. And make sure you put the cuffs back on before you sleep.”

 “Thank-you master,” she whispered. I could faintly smell her musk. I knew that she wouldn’t have finished herself without permission. If I’d fallen asleep without remembering or finishing her myself, she’d have just cuffed herself and suffered through the night waiting for morning. She had some self-control. All the girls did.

 I felt her slowly moving beside me. No shame. Not self-conscious that she was masturbating beside an essential stranger. Her body demanding the release. I could vaguely see her hands touching her body in the semi-darkness. It didn’t take her long. She was pretty worked up. I was still not quite in dreamland when I felt her stiffen. Her left hand moving from her breast to cover her mouth. She cried out softly around her muffling hand. Finally relaxing. Her breathing returning to normal slowly. I felt her turn onto her side. Check if I was still awake. I feigned sleep. She sighed happily and I felt and heard the cuffs click shut against her wrists again. She gently kissed my mouth and settled herself into the crook of my shoulder. Her hair cascading across my chest.

 I reached over and pulled the covers back over us. I tucked the sheet under her chin again and she sighed. “So you are still awake.”

 “Barely.”

 “Thank you.”

 I almost felt like I should be the one to thank her. She was willing to give me a blow job. And excellent one at that, for nothing in return. If I’d fallen asleep, she would have had to stay frustrated the rest of the night. But she didn’t seem to mind.

 “Pleasant dreams.”

 “Pleasant dreams. Maybe you can have your next conquest make love to me as well ...” she said dreamily. I lay there for a few minutes. Thinking. Her breathing turned shallow and she slipped into sleep again. Sheila hadn’t stirred through the whole encounter. I was aware of her in the bed with us, her light weight beside me, but I suspected that she wasn’t going to be awakened by much less than a freight train running over her.

 I kissed Elizabeth’s clean red hair. “Pleasant dreams.”

 My exhaustion finally caught up to me. I slept.

  

 Chapter 83

 Both my shoulders felt heavy. I slowly opened my eyes. I glanced down. A blonde head and a red one. I faintly smelled the clean scent of their shampoo. I could feel their gentle breathing against my bare chest. Sheila’s handcuffed hands lying easily between us. I could feel the light pressure of both of their bodies next to mine.

 I feared that my arms were asleep. They felt odd. Thick and heavy. I stirred, not wanting to wake the sleeping women. Elizabeth muttered something in her sleep. Sounded like “Not yet.” Her unconscious mind interpreted the stirring of her pillow as a sign to turn over. She muttered something else and rolled over her bound hands, curling up on her right side, turned away from me. I flexed my freed right hand, beginning to feel the blood return. I winced as the pins and needles began. My mind briefly realized that the girls had to go through this everytime I released them from tight rope work. Elizabeth’s head must have been pressing on a nerve or something. I didn’t mind; I patiently waited for feeling to return to the limb.

 I gently moved my right hand over and touched Sheila’s shoulder once the pins and needles had receded. She mumbled something incoherent but wasn’t quite as cooperative as Elizabeth. She burrowed herself further into my shoulder and refused to wake.

 I slipped my hand under her head and gently lifted her. I was careful of the bruises I knew were still there. I extricated my left arm from below her head and lowered her back to the pillow. She unconsciously reached for me with her hands, but settled down into a fetal position. Her bound ankles drawn up. I crawled over Elizabeth and dropped to the floor. I carefully covered the still slumbering women back up. Sheila sighed in her sleep as the covers were tucked around her.

 I picked up a bathrobe off the back of the bedroom door and slipped it around me. Probably Evan’s. A bright blue terry cloth.

 I carefully closed the door behind me, letting Elizabeth and Sheila sleep.

 I padded down the stairs and wandered into the kitchen. I flipped on the coffee pot. The women were going to want coffee when they finally got up. Soon the smell of fresh coffee filled the kitchen. I was ravenous. We’d skipped a meal last evening. No dinner for anyone. I guess everyone was too tired. None of the girls had complained that they were hungry.

 I found some orange juice in the refrigerator and poured a big glass for myself. I drank it in one long swallow. Tasted like real orange juice. Not that from concentrate stuff. In this house, it wouldn’t have surprised me.

 I padded out into the living room.

 “Good morning,” Amy was sitting up on the sofa. Awake as I walked in. “I wondered how long I was going to have to sit here twiddling my thumbs.”

 I flipped on the lights and wandered over to the window, pulling the shades open. I yawned and turned to the bare girl just swinging her legs. She still had sleep in her eyes. Her hair was a bit of a mess, but it looked like she had at least run her fingers through it.

 “Good morning. Been up long?”

 “Not too long. When did you put this on me?” She raised her right leg and rattled the ankle chain.

 “Last night. You were kind of asleep at the time. I didn’t want to wake you.”

 “You didn’t have to do it. I wouldn’t have moved or tried to run.”

 “I know. Call me suspicious.”

 “You still don’t trust me.”

 “Would you?”

 “I guess not. But I would have started breakfast if I had been able to move.”

 I smiled. “You can cook?”

 “Not very well. Not like Christi.” Her stomach growled. “God I’m hungry. Can a slave beg to have something more than cereal this morning?”

 “What do you have in mind? Since you and I are the only two awake, I guess you get your choice this morning.”

 “Oh God. I’d love some of those pancakes that Christi made the other day. But, I can’t make them like that. I’m not that great in the kitchen.”

 While she was talking I knelt down and released her bare ankle from the ankle restraints. She instinctively raised her right leg, bending her knee and placing her bare foot up on the sofa cushion. She idly rubbed her ankle. The steel had left a slight mark on the back of her leg, near the Achilles tendon. Probably just slept on it there. I hadn’t tightened it into her skin.

 I gathered the cuffs into my hands, moving to drop them back in the equipment pack.

 “What can you cook?”

 She didn’t even suggest that I cook something. She just accepted the fact that I could force her to do anything, may as well just do it. Making breakfast was far more pleasant than getting whipped. She understood that it was going to be her job to make breakfast this morning. It didn’t look like she minded.

 “Mmmmm. I can cook scrambled eggs. And bacon. And toast. Hard to screw that up.” He stomach rumbled again as she thought of the food.

 “That would do just fine. Hope they have enough eggs.”

 Amy stood up. “You’ll let us eat them too?”

 “Yeah. You all missed dinner last night. I’m sure you are all as hungry as I am. Hungry girls can’t perform.”

 “I noticed the lack of a meal last night. But you were a bit busy. I was afraid to mention it. I thought maybe you were punishing us.” She spoke as we both walked barefoot into the kitchen. “What were you doing up there, anyway? Mmmmmmm. Coffee. Can a slave beg for a cup. Please. Please. Please.”

 “I wasn’t punishing you. I just forgot. And I was taking care of a pest last night. And I’ll get you a cup.”

 Confusion crossed her face, but she didn’t ask for more details. Her face brightened when she realized that I was going to allow her the coffee. I’d turned on the coffee maker and I certainly didn’t drink the stuff. It was for the girls. I opened the refrigerator and picked up a dozen eggs. “This be enough for you?” Amy nodded. I picked up a package of maple flavoured bacon as well. “Can you cook with your hands cuffed?”

 “I guess I’ll have to learn.”

 I walked to the bare beauty. “Wrists.”

 “You have to be kidding. I can’t cook with them behind my back. Honestly.” She thought I was going to recuff her. She was so used to being bound.

 “Relax. I’m taking them off you.” And I did.

 Again, confusion crossed her face. But she just rubbed her wrists once and picked up the carton of eggs. I walked over to the coffee maker, dug out a mug and poured her a cup of coffee. “Cream and sugar?”

 “Just cream if you are allowing me.”

 I smiled. She did know what to say this morning. I was in a good mood. I found some cream and poured a drop from the carton into the steaming mug. I stirred it and delivered the poison. She smiled like the Cheshire cat. She raised the cup to her lips and took a sip. Savouring the taste. I didn’t allow them these pleasures all that often. Didn’t want to spoil them.

 “Oh God. That’s good. Your slave, she thanks you. You said that there was another girl?”

 “Yeah. Sheila.”

 “When do I get to meet her?”

 “At breakfast.” I settled into a kitchen chair. There were only four chairs around the small kitchen table.

 “Hmmm. Two eggs each. That should be enough. Unless you want more for yourself.” She knew that the girls would have to split whatever I allowed them to have.

 “Two’s fine.” I watched as she struggled with the package of bacon. Finally cutting it open with kitchen shears and dumping the contents into a pan. It immediately began to hiss. She began to break eggs into a bowl, mixing them up with a whisk. Soon the captivating smell of bacon permeated the kitchen.

 “She happy about being here? I guess not,” Amy returned to the subject of Sheila.

 “Actually, I think she’s happier about being here than where she was in real life.”

 “She hasn’t disobeyed yet then.” Amy didn’t realize the hell I’d taken the girl from. She’d find out eventually.

 “You can handle this?”

 “I guess. It will be ready in about fifteen minutes. You want me to call you?”

 “Sounds good.”

 I took one last glance at Amy carefully turning the bacon. Trying to avoid the grease spitting on her bare skin. I smiled. She seemed happy this morning. Rested. She didn’t even seem to mind her nudity.

 I slipped out of the kitchen and slowly made my way upstairs. I poked my head into the bedroom. Sheila and Elizabeth were both still asleep under the covers. I left the door slightly ajar and moved around to the locked room.

 I took a deep breath. I was surprised that I was apprehensive. Not sure what I’d find behind door number five. I wasn’t concerned about Mayer. I didn’t much care what hell they’d put him through. Whatever it was, it wasn’t enough to make up for what he’d done to Sheila. I was actually concerned that the girls had let him go. Maybe for a second to retie him in another position. Maybe he managed to break free. Visions of Jane and Christi, screaming as he used his hammer on their hands and feet. Being raped by him. Finally lying in a pool of their own blood. I supposed that I could return them to an earlier time. I had marked the timeline before I left them as a precaution. It wouldn’t cost much to return to the earlier time when they’d been alive and kicking. But then I’d have to kill Evan. And much as he deserved it, I didn’t much want to do it. I hadn’t had to kill anyone yet, and I didn’t want to find out how it worked.

 I unlocked the door in front of me. I held my breath.

 The door squeaked open. Mayer was in the same bonds, hanging where I left him. His head was rocked forward on his chest. He was completely naked. I was looking at his back. His back and ass were crisscrossed with red welts. I could have sworn some of them were bleeding, or had bled. I moved towards him until I was close enough to see if he was still breathing. I closed my eyes. I would have to punish the girls if they’d managed to kill him.

 But as I approached I could see his ribs expanding shallowly. He hung there either stunned, unconscious, or merely sleeping.

 I took my eyes off him. I found the girls huddled together on the floor in front of the leather sofa. I idly wondered why they hadn’t slept on it. It would have been much more comfortable than the floor. At least one of them could have slept there. If they’d each taken an end and curled up, they both would have fit. A little less comfortably, but it would have worked.

 Christi was lying on her back. Her bare breasts gently rising and falling with her breathing. Jane’s head was pillowed on Christi’s left breast. Her brunette hair spilled over Christi’s shoulder and her own. Jane’s left arm was thrown casually over Christi, just under her breasts. She too was fast asleep. Her head rising and falling with each of Christi’s shallow breaths. Christi’s arms were loosely encircling Jane’s body. Holding her. Her right hand tangled loosely in Jane’s brown hair. The position looked odd to me. Almost intimate. But as I’d noted before, women often weren’t as afraid of same gender contact. Jane and Christi had gotten along well since the beginning of this. In fact, all of the girls had supported one another. As if they were old friends. Whatever was most comfortable. They’d been nude around each other for long enough to feel comfortable with it, I supposed.

 I knelt by their outstretched feet. I gently traced Jane’s instep. She sleepily moved her foot, but didn’t quite wake. I thought I saw traces of blood along her back. She didn’t look injured. Didn’t make sense.

 I reached out and traced her bare instep again. This time she murmured, “Stop it, Darren. You bastard. Let me sleep.” She tightened her arm across Christi in her sleep. My eyebrows raised. Who the heck was Darren?

 I smiled to myself and did it to her again. This time she kicked out at my hand. I snatched my fingers from her bare foot. Her eyes fluttered open and she gave a startled little shout.

 “Where the hell am I?” Still groggy. Her startled voice waking Christi. Jane’s eyes scanned around the room and she uttered an understated, “Oh.”

 Christi awakened and squirmed around. Jane stretched and rolled off Christi and sat up.

 “Not enough sleep.”

 “Long night?”

 “Yeah.”

 “What was that all about?” Meaning the position they were sleeping in.

 They both flushed and pressed their lips together.

 “Never mind. You can tell me about it later. It’s almost breakfast time.”

 Christi glanced up at Evan who still hadn’t stirred. “We put him through the wringer.”

 “I can see that.” The girls were stumbling to their bare feet. It honestly looked like they’d been through a marathon. They looked far more tired than Amy did. I wondered how much sleep they had gotten.

 “Can I take a shower?” Christi asked, running her hands through her blonde hair and grimacing. It no longer looked clean and shiny like last night.

 I shook my head. “After breakfast. It’s almost ready and you don’t want it cold, do you?”

 Jane spoke up. “We get more than cereal then? Who’s cooking?” Our usual cook, Christi was right here in front of us. “God, I’m so hungry.”

 “We going to feed Evan, here?” Christi asked.

 “Are you joking?” The pig could starve for all I cared.

 I grasped the girls’ arms and propelled them out of the room. They moved as quickly as they could. Still trying to work out the kinks of sleeping on the floor. Jane stumbled a bit.

 “You sure we don’t have time for a shower?” Jane asked this time. She was feeling her hair. “We really need one.”

 “Right after breakfast.”

 “Don’t blame us if the others complain about us.” I leaned towards Jane and smelled her. There was a faint trace of female musk about her. And that wonderful smell that always seems to be a part of being female. But she was hardly offensive.

 “Don’t worry about it. You’re fine. Your hair is a mess, but you can fix that after breakfast. I don’t mind.”

 She shrugged. Not much she could do about it if I wouldn’t let her shower.

 “Go help Amy. I don’t really trust her cooking. I have to wake the last two sleepy heads.”

 “Tell Sheila that she did good last night,” Christi said over her shoulder as she walked down the hall. “Tell her that the bastard suffered.”

 I watched as the nude girls padded down the stairs and, by the sound of their footfalls sounded like they raced for the kitchen.

 I walked into the master bedroom. Sheila’s eyes opened as I entered.

 “I woke up and you were gone,” she spoke softly.

 “Yeah. Couldn’t sleep.”

 “I woke up in the middle of the night. I was so cold. Shivering. I. I moved over to you and shared. She won’t mind will she?” Sheila glanced at Elizabeth’s sleeping form on the other side of the bed.

 I just about laughed. I was surprised that Elizabeth had stayed close to me all night, herself. For some reason it was cooler in this room.

 “Hell no. Don’t worry about that. How are you feeling?”

 “A lot better. I really needed that sleep. How’d things work out? You know. I can’t believe I fell asleep on you in there. One minute I’m taking out my revenge on that asshole, the next minute I’m shivering in this bed. And. Having to snuggle up with you for warmth. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean that the way it sounds. You are my Master now.”

 “I understand. I didn’t want to be in there anyway. Male domination. Not really my thing. I left him to Jane and Christi right after you passed out. So I really don’t know what they did to him after I left. Honestly.”

 She nodded. “They didn’t kill him, did they?” Almost a spark of hope back there in her eyes. I couldn’t see very well in just the light streaming in from the hallway. She might actually wish him dead though.

 “They didn’t kill him. I checked. But he didn’t look like he had a good time with the girls.”

 “I can imagine. Who is that?”

 “That’s Elizabeth.”

 “Your girlfriend?”

 “She’s another slave. Definitely not my girlfriend.”

 “Oh my God. You mean there’s more? Christi and Jane aren’t it?”

 “No. There’s one more as well. Amy. She’s currently cooking our breakfast.”

 “You’re kidding.”

 “Have I ever kidded you?”

 Sheila seemed to be a lot more comfortable around me. I guess since we’d slept in the same bed and I hadn’t raped her. She was perhaps feeling a little safer and less vulnerable. Maybe she had shed some emotional baggage from her healing activities last night. Perhaps her bruises just weren’t causing her the same level of pain. Constant pain can do strange things to a person.

 “No. But I think I’m hungry.”

 “I’ll bet.”

 “Can we please take these chains off me? I don’t think I have the strength to attack you, much less hurt you.”

 I smiled. I’d forgotten that I’d cuffed her last night. She was still mostly hidden beneath the covers. Her hands and feet included.

 “I’m sorry. I forgot. Of course we can take them off.”

 I lifted the covers off of her. She shivered slightly, but held up her hands. I unlocked them. I still couldn’t see what her condition was. I wouldn’t be able to tell until I turned on the light. She shifted around and gave me her feet. I took the handcuffs off her ankles as well.

 She sighed. “I was kind of surprised when I woke up in the middle of the night and found myself in handcuffs. It shouldn’t have surprised me. You have no reason to trust me yet. They didn’t hurt or anything. But you didn’t have to restrain me. I wasn’t going anywhere.”

 I nodded. The girls, for the most part were good. Apart from Jane, they had never risked attacking me while I slept. And Jane hadn’t gone through with it. Didn’t even know that I knew.

 “I’m going to wake up Elizabeth.” I walked around to the other side of the bed. I gently touched Elizabeth’s hair. Smoothed her bangs back from her face. Her eyes opened. Not startled. Looking rested.

 “Time to get up?” she inquired.

 “Yup. Breakfast is on. Give me your wrists.”

 I heard her stomach rumble under the covers. She quietly turned over presenting her cuffed wrists to me. While I unlocked her, she noticed that the other woman was awake.

 “Hello,” Elizabeth greeted her a little uncertainly. “You must be Sheila.”

 “Yes. Good morning.” All civilized. As though there was nothing strange about sleeping in the same bad when they had never even met. Naked. Handcuffed. Sharing the bed with a strange guy. Even sharing his body heat. These women. Such a different world they lived in. I’d never figure them out. I swear.

 “I’m Elizabeth.”

 “I know. He told me.”

 They lapsed into silence. Elizabeth’s hands clicked free.

 “You ready for lights?” I asked them. I walked slowly over to the light switch.

 “Yes,” from Sheila.

 “Don’t you dare,” from Elizabeth.

 Smiling, I snapped them on. Sheila blinked rapidly, but she’d been awake a lot longer than Elizabeth. Her eyes adjusted quickly. Elizabeth just squeezed her eyes shut and moaned. Shielding her eyes with her hand.

 “You can’t do that to a girl before she’s fully awake.”

 “You were awake. And besides which. You know fully well that I can do anything I want to a girl. Awake or not.” I grinned playfully at her.

 “Shut up,” Elizabeth mocked me. She was just playing.

 Sheila swung her legs off the bed and climbed to her bare feet. Her fingers reaching up to run through her tangled hair. She winced as she straightened.

 Her bruises were as bad as yesterday. Her side was still that nasty purple colour. Her face still had the mottled reddish bruise on her right cheek. That bruise, perhaps looked a little better. Her eye looked a little worse. She gently touched her left side and softly cried out. She put her hands down at her sides and simply waited for Elizabeth to rise.

 “How do I look?” she asked me.

 “Like you’ve been dragged through a hedge backwards.” I returned to the doorway by the light switch waiting for the girls.

 She smiled at the expression. “I’ll look better after a shower.”

 “After breakfast.”

 Elizabeth had finally managed to stop blinking. Her eyes adjusted to the higher light levels. She glanced at Sheila and gasped. She was on her feet in a split second.

 “You fucking bastard,” Elizabeth practically screamed at me. “How could you do that?” Her bare feet pounding on the carpet as she launched herself at me. Her fists driving into my chest. I stepped back and grabbed her wrists. Stopping her from continuing her assault. Gently.

 “Calm down. Calm down.”

 “You filthy fucking animal. How could you do that to her? What did you do? Use her as a fucking punching bag? Jesus Christ. Look at her. Nobody deserves that. Holy Christ. Look at her.” She was in tears. From frustration. Horror. Fear.

 “Elizabeth.”

 She paled. Horror crawled across her face. Her eyes brimmed with tears. Knowing what she’d done. It didn’t matter what I did to any of them. It never justified trying to hurt me. Those were the rules. And she knew it.

 “And I fucked you last night. Jesus Christ. You are a monster.” She slowly sank to her knees. Frightened. Realizing what she’d done. Knowing that she’d be punished for attacking me. For screaming at me. For swearing at me.

 “I am a monster. And you are right. Nobody deserves that. Elizabeth. Honey. I haven’t touched her.”

 Elizabeth looked up from her knees. Wanting to believe me but not quite being able to. Wondering why I wasn’t angry with her.

 “It’s true. He hasn’t touched me, Elizabeth. He’s been nothing but kind to me. He freed me. Thanks for coming to my rescue though.”

 “What?” I could see the confusion spreading across Elizabeth’s face. “How?”

 Sheila walked carefully across the room. Favouring her left side still. She slowly sank to her knees. Held Elizabeth’s face in her hands.

 “Christi and Jane explained to me what this place is all about. The time stuff. I don’t understand it. But I don’t need to. This guy. Our Master. He isn’t the only one that likes to hurt women. He’s not unique in the world. Christi and Jane told me that he does unspeakable things sometimes. But not like this. Look at me. This was done before he came and took me away. He didn’t do it. You know that. In your heart. My. My former master. He was. Rough. Rougher.” She pointed at her body. Her left side. “Evan. That’s my former master. He kicked me here. Twice. He slapped me here. Hard.” Her right index finger circled her right cheek and eye. “God it hurt. I know it looks bad, but I’m used to it. He saved me from this. I swear to you that he hasn’t touched me. I swear it.”

 Elizabeth began to cry, her bare body shaking on her knees. “Good God. Look at you. You mean. This happened to you in real life? Oh my God. You’ll never forget this?” Sheila shook her head. Tears beginning to fall from her eyes as well. Elizabeth looked back up at me. “Oh God. This. This slave is so sorry. She presumed. She. She deserves punishment. Please forgive her.” She reached out and softly touched my leg with her hand. “Please.”

 I touched the women’s shoulders, urging them to their bare feet. I spoke reassuringly to Elizabeth. “It’s okay. I understand. I wasn’t thinking how you’d might take the sight of Sheila here. My fault. She looks like she’s been through a war or something. Doesn’t she? Can’t really blame you for thinking it was me. And if you weren’t horrified about this, I’d think something was wrong with you. I’m not going to punish you. You actually did the right thing. If I ever do this to anyone I’m going to keep, I’m giving you permission right now to take your anger out on me. Understand?”

 Elizabeth nodded mutely, tears still flowing. Confused. I stroked her tangled hair.

 “Still regret making love to me?”

 “I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean that.”

 “You did. And I understand.”

 “No. I don’t regret it anymore.” She moved towards me. A bit hesitantly. She wrapped her arms around me and gave me a big hug. “Thank God you didn’t do this.” Her body shook a bit.

 I kissed the top of her head and she managed to control her crying. Sheila stood uncertainly watching her sister in captivity and I interact.

 Elizabeth sniffled and reached up on her toes to give me a kiss. “That’s for helping her instead of hurting her.”

 Jane poked her head in the door. A whirlwind of brunette. “I’m sorry to interrupt your little party here, but didn’t you hear me hollering for you? I’ve been yelling for like five minutes. Breakfast is ready.”

  

 Chapter 84

 Jane disappeared and I gently guided Elizabeth and Sheila out of the bedroom. Sheila looked wistfully at the bathroom and shower as we passed, but we all padded down the stairs together. I needed a shower as much as they did. Well, maybe not quite as much.

 I smelled the heavenly aroma of coffee, bacon and eggs greet me as I walked into the kitchen. My stomach growled. Elizabeth and Sheila trailed me, wrinkling their noses as they entered.

 Elizabeth muttered, “Coffee. I would do anything for coffee.” Her eyes glued to the mug that Amy held in her hands. She looked at me hopefully.

 “Can a slave beg for coffee. Please?”

 Suddenly I had a clamour around me. All of them but Amy trying to speak at once. All of them begging for coffee.

 “QUIET!” I barked out at the women. They silenced themselves. I sighed. “That’s better. Like a pack of hyenas you are. Yes. You can all get yourselves coffee.” Amy’s eyes twinkled. Amused. “And before you all start asking, the cream is in the refrigerator and the sugar is on the counter.”

 Jane, Christi and Elizabeth practically dove at the coffee machine. Amy had placed four mugs beside it. All different mugs. Catchy sayings on them. I Hate Mondays. I’m a Bear Until I’ve Had My Coffee. Hard Work Never Killed Anyone, But Why Take Chances. I smiled at the nude girls scrambling for the coffee. Sheila had hung back. I looked at her quizzically.

 “What’s up? Why aren’t you in there as well?”

 “Couple of reasons,” she answered. “This.” She pointed at her side. “Last thing I need is one of them to accidentally elbow me. They look a little rambunctious in there. And I’m not so sure I want any. Evan, that prick, wouldn’t let me have coffee at all while I lived here. It didn’t matter how much I begged and pleaded or how obedient I was. I had to make it for them. But I wasn’t allowed to drink it. It was one of his little torments. Showing his power over me. After a couple of weeks I realized what he was doing and stopped begging for it. I guess I broke the habit. I’m not sure I want to start it up again. I thought I did. As soon as I smelled it. But now I’m just not sure. You’d really let me have coffee?” A bit incredulous. Not quite used to her new ‘freedoms’.

 “Want some orange juice, instead?”

 “I’d love some.”

 “It’s in the fridge.”

 She walked gingerly over to the refrigerator and pulled out the jug I’d found earlier. Amy handed her a glass.

 “Hi Sheila. I’m Amy. I’m glad to meet you. I hear you’ve been through a lot.”

 Sheila smiled at the other girl. “Someone has been telling stories. Don’t believe everything you hear.”

 “Jane and Christi. And your face and body kind of tell it as well.” Sounded like Jane and Christi at least managed to warn Amy. She hadn’t blinked an eye when Sheila walked in. At least I hadn’t had to deal with another performance like Elizabeth’s.

 Sheila poured herself a glass of orange juice, and raised the glass to her lips. I glanced around the kitchen. It just seemed so normal. Five nude women, happily interacting. Fighting for the sugar bowl and laughing on one side. I was almost sure I saw some nipple tweaking as they playfully fought. Like a bunch of school girls. And two others just quietly talking over by the refrigerator. I wasn’t sure I’d ever get used to seeing this.

 I touched Amy’s shoulder. “How’s breakfast coming?”

 “Oh shit. I forgot about that.” She rushed back to the stove. She opened the oven portion. She breathed a sigh of relief, knowing she’d have been punished if the breakfast had been ruined. She had the plates and food keeping warm while she had waited for me.

 “‘fraid we don’t have enough chairs here. Two will have to be on the floor. I guess I’m newer, I’ll take the floor. Someone else will have to as well,” Amy called out to the others.

 She started to distribute plates around the table. I sat down at one end.

 “I’m newest, I’ll take the floor too.” Sheila spoke up.

 Christi and Jane exchanged a glance. They nodded to each other. Sipping at their coffee.

 Christi spoke up. “That’s not really fair. You cooked this morning, Amy. You take my chair. Please.”

 Jane stepped in as well. “Please. Sheila. You take mine. I can’t let you sit on the floor. Not with those bruises. I’ll be fine on the floor with Christi.”

 Sheila smiled thankfully at Jane and reached for a kitchen chair. Jane and Christi moved to the side and sat on the floor. Their bare backs pressed against the floor cabinets, knees up in front of them. They were talking in whispers together. Sipping at the coffee. Savouring it.

 Amy distributed the plates. “Watch. They’re hot,” she warned as she placed the first one in front of me. Scrambled eggs. Bacon. Toast. She placed three more plates down on the table. Same fare in front of Elizabeth, Sheila and where she’d be seated. She carefully handed plates to Christi and Jane on the floor. All the girls thanked her as she served.

 She pulled out a drawer and picked up some utensils. She handed me a knife and fork and then sat. Sheila picked up a piece of bacon and was raising it to her mouth. Amy touched her arm and whispered to her, “Wait for permission.” Sheila nodded and dropped the bacon back to her plate. Not realizing the rules that the girls had made up. I actually had nothing to do with that one. I think Jane had made it up in the hotel room one morning in an effort to please me. And it had just been accepted as fact that the women waited for me to tell them to eat. At least at breakfast.

 I smiled at Sheila. “Go on eat.”

 “Please. Sir? Can I get cutlery?”

 Amy whispered to her. “I know. I hated it too. Still do. He won’t let us use cutlery.”

 Sheila just nodded as though she understood. Maybe she did. Maybe she was just used to accepting unreasonable situations. She picked back up her piece of bacon and nibbled at it. Without another word she simply began to eat her breakfast. The eggs were going to be a bit messy, but they all needed showers anyway.

 I wolfed down my breakfast. It was surprisingly good given that we were a bit late coming down. Still warm and we were all so hungry that anything would taste good. I finished, as usual, far ahead of the women. All of them were struggling with the eggs. Having to let them cool a bit before they could get their fingers into them to eat. I watched Christi and Jane eating on the floor. They didn’t seem to be having more trouble because they were on the floor. No more so than the women at the table. They were still talking to each other in hushed whispers. Glancing my way once in a while. I idly wondered what they were up to.

 Sheila looked a bit uncomfortable having to eat with her fingers. Probably still used to using cutlery. I caught her a couple of times staring wistfully at my knife and fork. A symbol. For them, being forced to eat without cutlery just reinforced my control over them. It seemed almost uncivilized. I had taken away a small portion of their humanity. Animals didn’t use cutlery. But Sheila ultimately accepted it. It was better than the symbols of her slavery that Evan used. She was wearing them on her face and side.

 Finally the girls finished. Jane and Christi automatically rose to their bare feet and began to clear the table. Christi washed and Jane dried. The other three just sat a bit uncomfortably, waiting for me to dismiss them or give them instructions.

 I spoke to Elizabeth, “Shower time?”

 She nodded enthusiastically. The other two were nodding as well. I glanced around at them. They were a mess. All of them. They had all made an attempt at straightening themselves after their rest, but none of them had really succeeded. Though they’d all licked their fingers clean after the messy breakfast, they still looked sticky and uncomfortable. They were all still beautiful in their nudity, and I debated forcing them to stay disheveled for a day to see how they’d take it. Maybe even punish them for not looking their best. But that was evil and unfair. Though I didn’t mind being evil and unfair, it just didn’t seem right for today. Perhaps tomorrow.

 “You know the drill then. Shower together. Wash each other. I might check in on you. You can use hot water this morning. You look like you need it. Be careful of Sheila. I’m sure she’s kind of sensitive. She can wash herself if necessary. Make yourselves presentable.”

 The three of them stood and begun to file out.

 “Sheila?”

 “Yes master?” She didn’t have any hesitation using the word master as the other’s did. She’d only been in my power for less than a day. I guess Evan had conditioned her to use the word.

 “You don’t have to put on make up. I like nail polish, but don’t worry about your face. It still looks sore.”

 “You sure? I don’t mind if you want me to touch it up.”

 “I don’t mind. You look fine. Really.”

 “Thank-you master. I’ll do my best.” She just stood there. “You know the shower in my room? The one I had to use? He didn’t even bother hooking hot water up to it? Yesterday’s was the first hot shower I’ve had in months?” She moved forward and kissed my cheek. “I never thanked you for letting me take a hot shower. It. It felt so good.” She scampered out of the kitchen to catch up to Elizabeth and Amy.

 “That was nice of you,” Jane spoke from the sink. She pranced over to me. “And so was that hot breakfast you let us have for a change. A slave thanks you.” She kissed my other cheek. She walked back to drying the dishes. As she approached, I noticed some faint red marks under her bare breasts. I thought back. When was the last time I’d punished her? It seemed like ages ago. And I couldn’t remember seeing those marks on her last night. Granted I was tired and had other things on my mind.

 I heard the shower start upstairs and I was almost sure I heard a playful squeal from that direction.

 I leaned back in my chair and watched the nude beauties as they cleaned up. Everyday tasks made so much more interesting when the ones doing it are naked. Disheveled. But naked. They were no longer even aware of their nudity. Probably not even caring anymore.

 “You two have been acting like you have a secret all morning. Like two high school girls passing notes. What’s up?”

 Christi stopped washing the dishes and looked at me. Her face flushing.

 “Why would you say that?”

 “You think you can hide things from me? What are you two up to? Hmmm? Planning a coup?”

 “No. No. Oh God. Please don’t think that. I don’t need punishment for things that aren’t true. I get enough for things I’ve actually done.”

 “Why didn’t you two sleep on the couch last night? You would have both fit if you took separate ends. Your legs would’ve tangled up together but I wouldn’t have thought you would’ve minded. I didn’t tell you that you had to sleep on the floor.” My sixth sense was telling me that their sleeping like that had something to do with all this secrecy. But I couldn’t imagine why.

 Christi flushed again. Jane tried to busy herself with the dishes.

 “Alright. Jane. Look at me.” She turned slowly. Fear evident on her face. Her toes curling against the tile. She dropped the dish she was drying back into the drainer. “Knees.” The two of them sunk to their knees on the kitchen tile. Squirming.

 “Please. Master. These slaves beg you not to punish them,” Jane spoke softly.

 “What have you done?”

 “Please. We couldn’t help it. We didn’t think you’d mind. We know we didn’t have permission. But. We. We just couldn’t help it. Please.”

 “I am going to punish you both. On the breasts. Hard. If you don’t start telling me what the hell happened last night. What you two are so bloody secretive about.” Christi paled and Jane shuddered at the threat. They knew damn well that I’d make good on it.

 Christi whispered to me, her face bright red, “We. We were together last night.”

 “I know that. I locked you in the same room. Oh.” The penny dropped and I realized what she was saying. I wasn’t expecting that. But I guess I should have. I sat there as the silence thickened around me. The girls just knelt quietly, their faces flushed, their breathing laboured. Their eyes on the floor. All I could hear was their shallow breathing and the soft sound of water running upstairs.

 I was used to the girls being forced into lesbian acts. I quite enjoyed watching it. But Christi was telling me that her and Jane had done it without me forcing it. These girls that claimed that they were straight. I could admit it. I was confused.

 I cleared my throat. “I. I don’t know quite what to say here. Um. What are you saying? Are you telling me that you are coming out of the closet here? That you, ahhhh, have feelings for one another?”

 Christi actually began to laugh. “Oh God. Good Christ no. Don’t worry, you can still force me to tongue a woman and I’ll hate it. God. I’m not a lesbian. And I don’t think Jane is either.” Jane was shaking her head. Not laughing, but not a lesbian either. “And I love Jane. I love all of them. She’s. Like a sister to me now. We’ve been through so much together. You’ve put us through so much. But no. She’s not my girlfriend or anything. Even if I had the choice of having her as my girlfriend.”

 “I don’t understand,” I truly was confused. “I think you’d better explain.”

 Christi continued. Her initial hesitation gone. “Oh God. I don’t know how to explain. Last night was so nuts. I think you fulfilled every fantasy I’ve ever had. You saw me last night. You saw the state I was in. Jane knows. Now. It was turning me on. You knew it would, you bastard.” She was smiling. Remembering. “After you left, it even got more intense. Jane and I were really taking our frustrations out on that asshole. We used nearly everything in there. God, he could yell. We had to gag him for a while. And everytime that whip fell on him, and he screamed for me, I swear another bolt of electricity singed through my body. Starting at my nipples, and ending in my clit. Jane was hitting him. I was hitting him. It was just nuts. Crazy. I finally noticed that he’d passed out. I tried to revive him, but that wasn’t about to happen. I finally gave up and sat down. I was so tired. Jane was practically asleep on her feet. We’d probably tortured him for three or four hours. Though I have no way of knowing. Not like you let me even wear a watch.”

 She paused. I could see that the story and her memories were affecting her. She was flushed and breathing heavily. Nipples red and swollen. Not like she could hide them. Jane was just flushed. Embarrassed by the whole thing, I was guessing.

 Jane swallowed and continued the story. “At the time, I kind of suspected, but didn’t really know that Christi was really getting turned on by torturing this guy. I was just dead tired. I asked her if she wanted the couch. She just shook her head. I figured that she’d just sleep in the chair. I lay down on the couch. I was just about asleep when I heard Christi crying. I managed to open my eyes and she was just sitting there weeping. For no reason.”

 “I was hot. I was horny. I didn’t want to masturbate with Jane there, or in front of Evan if he woke up. Hell, I just wanted someone else. I just didn’t feel like pushing myself over. And I didn’t have your permission. Though I knew you’d never know if I did it, I still felt weird. Almost disloyal or something dumb. So I was crying. Not knowing when you’d let us out of the room. If you’d indulge me when you did. I don’t know. The stress and exhaustion got to me. I was so screwed up. I couldn’t help it. I just cried. Anyway, Jane was suddenly right there. Holding me. We cried together for a while. I told her. I told her about me. How I felt. About domination and submission and how you messed me up.”

 Jane had closed her eyes. Remembering last night. “And I couldn’t help it. I told her about me. I didn’t think I could ever tell anyone. And now both of you know. I hate myself.”

 Christi touched her. Leaned over on her knees and kissed her cheek. “Jane. It’s normal. No weirder than what I feel. Anyway, I know we weren’t supposed to, but we did it anyway. We were so tired we weren’t thinking straight. It’s my fault. If you want to punish anyone, punish me. I deserve it. We hardly even spoke. It was like we were telepathically linked. I don’t know. It was the strangest thing that has ever happened to me. Jane and I just got up. I tied her. I tied her to Mayer. Her bare skin against his. Back to back. He woke up as I was tying her to him. He was so sore I doubt if he even knew what was going on. I stood there and looked at her. So delicate. So helpless. I gagged her with a pair of panties I found in the closet. Crotchless ones I think. Before I placed them in her mouth, she whispered to me to hit her hard. I couldn’t. I’m sorry, Jane. I just couldn’t. But I used a cane on her. Not hard. I swear it. I was playing with myself. I was hitting her. I remember she was screaming. But she never pushed the gag out. She could have. But she didn’t. She just stood there and let me cane her breasts. Tears were streaming down her face. It just seemed so unreal. Like a dream. Finally I collapsed. Jane was just hanging. Tied to Evan. I. I think I crawled over to her and untied her. I remember thinking that I had to be careful not to untie Evan as well. I remember catching her as she fell. Having her in my arms. Crying. I was crying. I remember crawling over to the couch. And. God help me. We. Were together. It felt so good. I didn’t care that it was Jane. That it was another woman. I just didn’t care. I remember being cold. I remember holding her afterwards. We talked about it for a long time. I don’t remember falling asleep. That’s why we didn’t sleep on the couch. And then she woke me up when you came in.” Christi’s voice faltered and fell silent.

 Her eyes were brimming with tears. Jane was openly crying.

 I sat there stunned in the silence. I didn’t think anything could surprise me anymore. But these two nude, kneeling beauties had managed it. I hung my head back. Picturing it. Picturing what they’d described. I’d long ago decided that I wasn’t going to punish them for whatever they’d done. And this wasn’t something to punish them for. I just wish I’d seen it.

 “Please. Master. We’re sorry,” Christi’s small frightened voice came from the floor. “I swear. We were just tired. We weren’t thinking straight. It was wonderful. But it was only once. We swear. Maybe we just wanted to try it without being forced. Please. It won’t ever happen again.”

 I got up from my chair and walked over to the two girls. They were still on their knees. Their faces frightened. Not knowing how I felt about what they’d done.

 I knelt down, my knees between their knees. Facing them. I leaned forward and gathered them into my arms. Hugging them fiercely.

  

 Chapter 85

 They quietly wept in my arms. Their bare bodies shaking, strangely silent. I just held them until they calmed.

 “You aren’t going to punish us?” Christi whispered.

 “I think. I think you’ve punished yourselves enough. I don’t think that I have to do anything.”

 “Oh God. Thank-you.” Jane whispered. She turned her head and gave me a kiss on the cheek. “I. I don’t know what came over us. I. We. To call us confused is an understatement. I don’t know what to do. We’ve been trying to make sense of it since you woke us. I’m sorry. That’s what we were whispering about. Honestly.” I believed her.

 I hugged them again. “Girls. Don’t worry your pretty heads about it. As far as I’m concerned it was perfectly natural. You were dead tired in this really weird situation. You just were comforting each other. It got out of hand. I doubt if it means anything.” I’m not sure I believed my own words, but they seemed to make the women feel better.

 Christi swallowed. “I wish that was all there was to it. I’m scared.”

 “You’ll be fine.” I gave each of them a kiss on the forehead. They quietly allowed the kiss. I released them from the embrace and rose to my feet. I glanced towards the counter. I’d interrupted Jane as she was drying the last plate. Christi had finished washing.

 Jane silently rose to her bare feet leaving Christi kneeling on the tile. She picked up the last plate from the drainer and took the dishcloth to it. She returned it to its cupboard and then sank back to her bare knees. Silently waiting. Brooding.

 I heard the faint sound of the shower cease. I was sitting in a kitchen chair just watching the girls. They were shifting a little uncomfortably. But they remained quiet. Their eyes downcast. Ashamed?

 As the shower stopped, I rose to my own bare feet. I padded over to them.

 I touched their bare shoulders and the two women looked up at me.

 “You two alright?”

 Christi nodded and Jane sort of mumbled, “I think so.”

 “We have to finish with our Judge friend.”

 “Master?” Christi looked up at me.

 “Yes?”

 “I know we don’t deserve it. But. But this slave. This slave begs. Begs her Master for a shower. Please? Th-this slave feels so very dirty. Please, even though she doesn’t deserve one, please let her shower? She’ll even be happy with a cold one. Please?” her voice had dropped to a whisper. It wasn’t often that Christi deigned herself to use slave talk. She must have really wanted a shower. I can’t say I was surprised. After their little confession, I could now see why Christi and Jane had particularly wanted a shower this morning.

 I touched their bare shoulders again, indicated that they should rise. Jane was shaking a little, but they both managed to get to their bare feet.

 “Listen up. Okay? I know you two are feeling a little odd this morning. I can’t blame you. I’m not going to punish you for your adventure. I promise. That means that we’re about to go have a shower. But I want you two to realize that I’m not going to treat you any different. Okay? You are still my slaves and I expect you to perform the same as if last night hadn’t happened between you. It also means that I’m not going to keep you apart or anything. I might even still make you have sexual contact for my enjoyment. Are you two alright with that?”

 Christi swallowed hard. She nodded. Jane followed suit. They exchanged a glance, but then looked back at me.

 “You two want your shower now?”

 “Oh God. Please.” Jane was restraining herself from just being a normal girl and racing upstairs to use the shower.

 I smiled at them and gave them each a playful pat. They practically bounded out of the kitchen and raced upstairs. I sat down on the kitchen table and swung my legs underneath. What the hell was that all about? It was pretty clear that those two had gone beyond simple lovemaking. I was actually worried that they had somehow managed to displace their feelings. Being in this situation may have driven them into each others arms. Both physically and emotionally. They may not realize it themselves yet, but I was guessing that if left without some protective measures these two girls were going to fall in love. I could see it on their faces. No matter how much they protested that they were still straight. They didn’t want to admit it. And I could understand that. They probably hadn’t even admitted it to themselves yet.

 What the hell did this mean? Should I just back off and let whatever happens, happen? That could prove to be very interesting. On the other hand, wasn’t I in control here? Did I want this to happen? What did it impact? And if I chose to prevent it from happening, how did I go about it? Keep them apart? Keep them together? Force them into sex with others? I could see drawbacks to all the plans. If these two were going to love each other, I wasn’t sure I could prevent it. I’d have to ponder it later. For now, it simply wasn’t a problem. I wasn’t sure it ever would be.

 I lifted myself and dropped back to the floor. I knew what the girls felt like. I felt icky myself. I walked slowly back to the foyer. My head still spinning from the morning’s events. The problems of being in control.

 As I climbed the stairs, I heard female voices raised in laughter. I smiled. At least they were happy this morning. I stood at the door for a good two minutes before the girls noticed me.

 Elizabeth and Amy were fighting over the hair dryer. It was actually a sight to see. These bare dripping women sliding around playfully pulling the device this way and that. Sheila was standing a safe distance away, on the toilet seat. Carefully watching the battle. She was laughing hysterically. It must have hurt her like holy hell to be laughing that hard, but it was nice to see her in better spirits. Finally, with a cry of triumph Amy pulled the hair dryer out of Elizabeth’s wet fingers and turned it on. This appeared to end the battle. Sheila daintily stepped down from her perch.

 “Master.” She spoke as she saw me watching the fight and her.

 “Hi girls. A disagreement?” Amy and Elizabeth just looked sheepish. “Amy. Now that you’ve managed to win your Waterloo, perhaps you’d like to use it to dry Sheila’s hair?”

 “Of course, Master.” She moved to obey. Her face twisting, trying her best to keep a straight face. And failing miserably. She finally broke out into a grin, but managed to control the giggles. She didn’t seem to mind helping Sheila before drying her own hair.

 Elizabeth pulled a towel from the rack and began to dry herself off. Her face a mask of self control. I could still see the giggles in her eyes. But she managed to control her laughter.

 I removed the bathrobe I was wearing and handed it to Amy. She held it in her fingers. Staring at it wistfully. Wishing that she could don it.

 I smiled to her. “Go on. Put it on until I get out.”

 “You’re kidding. I haven’t worn anything in like a week and you are allowing me to wear something now? Why?” A week was an exaggeration, but I got the point.

 “You cooked a good breakfast for all of us. I think everyone here appreciates it. You’ve been a good girl. Obedient. And you did win the hair dryer. This is your prize for a brave battle to the death.” Her mouth broke out into a grin again. Scarcely believing this turn of events.

 I heard Jane’s voice from the shower enclosure. “Don’t argue with him Amy. I’d just wear it while you can. Silly girl.”

 Amy handed the hair dryer to Sheila for a moment and pulled the terry cloth around her bare body. She closed the belt. Her nudity disappeared in a flash. Pure pleasure graced her face. She actually looked stunning in it. Her figure filled it out despite her petite frame and the fact it was a man’s robe. She did have to roll up the sleeves, but even that looked charming. The robe fell to her ankles. The bright blue of the terrycloth almost matching the colour of her eyes. She twirled in it. Unable to believe I’d allowed her to do this. Flashes of her pale skin as she moved. I hadn’t realized I was going to do it either. I was originally planning on just having her hang it up for me. I supposed that it was hung up. Just on an exceptionally beautiful hanger.

 She danced over to me and rose up on her tiptoes. She kissed me full on the mouth.

 “Thank-you. Thank-you. Thank-you. Thank-you,” she gushed.

 “Keep in mind you are just keeping it warm until I get out.”

 She nodded and happily pranced back to Sheila. She didn’t care that she would only be allowed to wear it for ten minutes or so. She was allowed to cover herself for the first time in days. She began to blow dry the nude blonde again. Being exceptionally careful of the bruises. All smiles. One happy little girl.

 I pulled the shower doors open and stepped inside the steam bath. Christi was leaning against the far wall of the shower enclosure, her eyes closed. Jane was using the soap to wash the other girl. They knew the rules. Unless I allowed them the rare privilege of showering alone, they were to wash each other thoroughly. As though they were washing themselves. Christi’s hair was full of lather. Her blonde mane matted with water and shampoo. Her hands idle at her sides. Enjoying being washed.

 Christi opened her eyes as I stepped into the shower. Her face flushing. Probably, still not used to showering with me, or with other women. Maybe just enjoying the feel of Jane’s fingers a little too much.

 The two girls advanced towards me. I expected them to be still a little unsure of themselves. A little reserved. Again, I misjudged the female of the species. Jane grabbed one arm and Christi the other. Between them, the two nude girls managed to maneuver me into the stinging spray, soaking me. Laughing, they pulled me back out from beneath the spray, spluttering. I allowed them to manhandle me around the shower enclosure. Jane practically attacked me with the soap, beginning on my chest and drawing it down my torso. Christi poured shampoo into my hair and began to wash and massage my hair and scalp. If you ever get the opportunity to have two women wash you in the shower, my advice is to take it. I relaxed under their care. I closed my eyes and allowed the sensations of their slippery fingers to whisk away all the small aches and pains of the morning. Completely forgetting that these two beauties kind of caused them all.

 I felt Jane’s fingers being a bit more intimate as she returned to wash my groin a second time. I felt myself reacting. Christi’s fingers were still buried in my hair. I touched Jane’s head. She was kneeling in the tub below me.

 Mistaking the gesture, the girl moved her head forward and engulfed my penis in her mouth. Her tongue running up and down as I entered her. I gasped in pleasure. Suddenly hard as a rock. I could feel Christi’s soapy breasts against my back. She was purposefully pressing her bare body against me.

 Originally, I was going to stop them before this got out of hand. Not really wanting or expecting sex at the moment. I had plans for the rest of the day. Wanted a strong sex drive.

 Perhaps the girls knew this. If they managed to get me first thing in the morning, it might reduce my sex drive enough to prevent me from wanting to abuse them later. Probably sound reasoning. And all of the girls were smart enough to figure it out. I wondered if they had collaborated on this somehow. A conspiracy of sex of sorts? Watergate? I smiled at the thought.

 I resolved to make sure to upset their plans, if I wasn’t being paranoid.

 Jane’s tongue swirled around me again and I completely lost my train of thought. Was I a complete idiot? In the shower with two gorgeous nude women. One on her knees in front of me? With me in her mouth? And I was thinking of stopping it?

 I ran my fingers through her wet hair feeling her small movements taking me into her mouth. I glanced down. One hand was busy moving on my soap lubricated scrotum. I gasped as I reacted. Her other hand was moving between her own legs.

 One of Christi’s hands was pinching gently at my left nipple. Her body was moving slowly to the beat of the shower. She was moaning softly. Her mouth nibbling at my ear.

 I couldn’t help it. I exploded into Jane’s waiting mouth. She frantically swallowed. Her own moans emerging around me. Even after I’d finished and released her head, she voluntarily remained on her knees. She kept me in her mouth. Her tongue still slowly circling me as I softened. Christi had stopped touching my nipple, and her hand had disappeared. Her soft cries becoming more insistent. Jane’s voice too had become more and more desperate below.

 Jane’s mouth released me and she looked up at me. I could see her desire in her eyes. Her lips ruby red. Water streaming over her.

 “Please. Master.”

 “Wha?” I managed to get out. The sight of this naked teenager, soaked, kneeling, not allowing my brain to operate.

 “Hit me. Let me climax. Please?” she whispered. I could barely hear her over the beat of the shower and the hair dryer.

 Christi whispered into my ear from behind me. “Oh God. Please. Allow a slave to orgasm. Oh God. Please?”

 I suddenly understood. These girls weren’t going to let themselves climax without permission. I turned and looked at Christi. Her soapy body writhing. Her hands busy on her own body. One deep between her legs, the other brushing her very erect nipples.

 I leaned in to Christi. “You want to hit Jane?”

 “Oh God. Yes. No. Please. I don’t know. I don’t think so. Please just let me cum. I’ll do anything you want. Please.”

 I closed my eyes and turned around. I slapped Jane’s face. She gasped in pain. Her head snapped back and her eyes flew open. The open handed slap would leave a red mark for a few minutes, but wasn’t anything like the slap that Mayer had delivered in anger to Sheila.

 “Harder,” she whispered.

 I leaned down to her ear. “You can orgasm as soon as I slap you again.”

 “Oh God. Please. Hurry.”

 I turned to Christi. “You can climax as soon as I slap her again.”

 “Oh God. Please don’t hurt her.”

 “I won’t. She wants it. You understand.”

 Christi nodded. Her hands still working furiously. Slowing down once in a while to prolong things. Stop her from climaxing early. She moaned low in her throat. Wanting to climax but afraid to without permission.

 I turned around. Jane was still kneeling. Naked. Vulnerable. Her eyes frightened, but strangely at peace.

 I reached forward and slapped her cheek again. Her head slowly tilted back and her fingers flicked her clitoris one last time. Her wet hair streaming down her bare back. She screamed. Startling me. Her whole body tensed on her knees. Her mouth opened. She climaxed hard. Her whole body showing her pain and pleasure.

 I heard Christi’s low moan. I turned just in time to see her draw in a last breath of air and hold it. Her whole body tensing. Her head falling to the side. Finally taking a last breath of air.

 I felt a weight against my bare foot. I looked down to find Jane collapsed off her knees and quietly crying under the spray. Christi had somehow managed to keep her balance. Jane’s fingers were pressed against her right cheek. It was probably stinging like a thousand bees had settled there to let their anger be known. I crouched down, more concerned for her than Christi who’d managed to stay upright.

 “You alright, Janey?”

 She nodded. She managed to get herself to her hands and knees, looking at me.

 “Soap tastes awful,” she remarked casually. A smile breaking over her face. Her cheek was red. But not seriously. “I should have rinsed you. Remind me next time.” She opened her mouth and let water flow into it from the waterfall cascading over her body. She spit, grimacing. Very unladylike, but under the circumstances I wasn’t about to punish her. She looked up and smiled. “Yuck.”

 I hadn’t realized that she had given me head while I was still soapy. I couldn’t imagine what kind of self-control that took, not to react but continue her task. What a way to wash your mouth out with soap. And she hadn’t even been swearing.

 I helped Jane to her feet.

 “Thank-you,” she whispered. I knew she meant for the slaps. I nodded and kissed her mouth. She returned the kiss.

 I stepped under the spray again. Rinsing out the shampoo and the soap covering my body. I was actually surprised that the shampoo hadn’t crept down and into my eyes. Lucky for Christi. Soap in the master’s eyes was a punishable offense. Christi waited patiently, her own body still needing rinsing. If I wasn’t mistaken, shampoo had crept into her eyes. They looked a bit bloodshot and she was wiping at her forehead and cheeks with her wet hands. I had no idea if Jane was done or not. But they hadn’t really been in the shower long enough. Jane probably still had to wash.

 I stepped out from the spray. Christi leaned down to whisper to me. “I. I guess I’m not a lesbian. Not really. All I could think about was you that time.”

 I smiled. “I think Jane had other things on her mind as well.”

 Maybe they’d be alright after all.

  

 Chapter 86

 I slipped out of the shower leaving the two girls to finish cleaning themselves. They were laughing and splashing each other. I just shook my head and stepped out.

 The mood in the outside bathroom was more somber. Elizabeth was standing near the counter, waiting for the hair drier. Her eyes downcast. Amy was running her hands through her own locks. The hair drier humming away. Her face looked almost grim in her mirror. It looked like she had cleared a patch of the mirror with the hair drier, the steam having disappeared from the glass in a big oval. Sheila glanced up at me from the other side of the washroom. Her hair dry and loose around her shoulders. She was gingerly mopping up the last of the moisture from her left leg and foot with a pink towel.

 I caught Sheila’s eye and she quickly looked away. A look of fright crossing her bruised face.

 “Sheila?” I raised my voice over the hair drier. I touched Amy’s shoulder. A look of fright crossed her face and she immediately switched the device off lowering the ambient decibel level. The only sounds were the splashing of the shower and the occasional giggle from the shower enclosure. I could see Christi and Jane moving as silhouettes behind the frosted glass. A lot happier than the girls out here. I idly wondered if there had been a disagreement out here while I was being washed and pleasured.

 Amy ducked her head and shrugged off the robe. She lay it down on the counter. She immediately picked up a towel and began to dry my body. I had only meant the touch to make her stop the hair drier for a moment. But I enjoyed the girl’s initiative. Even if she was sullen.

 “Sheila?” I repeated. Her frightened face looked up from drying herself. She swallowed heavily and dropped her towel to the floor. Revealing herself to me. Thinking that I wanted to see her nudity.

 “I’m sorry. Whatever I did. I’m sorry. Please don’t hit me.”

 “Sheila. Honey. You didn’t do anything. I’m not going to hit you. Why do you think you did something?”

 “I. I just don’t know all your rules yet. I don’t know.” Her eyes brimmed with tears. She was shaking. I wasn’t following this at all. They had been happy before.

 Amy had managed to dry most of the moisture from my skin. I picked up the bathrobe and slipped it on, letting the terrycloth soak up the rest of the water from my skin.

 “Knees. All of you.”

 Elizabeth scampered over to Sheila. Amy was already on her knees beside me. Sheila and Elizabeth sank to the floor. Confusion and fright still mirrored on their faces.

 “What’s the matter?”

 “Nothing Master,” Sheila replied.

 “If I don’t find out what is the matter with you three, I am going to punish you all. I’m serious here.”

 The three girls exchanged glances. Finally Sheila spoke. I was surprised that she was the one to speak and not Amy or Elizabeth.

 “Sir? Please. Why did you slap Jane? She was doing what you wanted. She didn’t deserve punishment.”

 Now I was beginning to understand. They’d noticed what was going on in the shower. They thought I had punished Jane with some slaps. And they couldn’t understand. They probably saw the silhouette of us in the shower. They could see Jane on her knees. See me. It didn’t take a genius to figure out what she was doing. And the shower and hair dryer would have masked both Jane and Christi’s voices, but probably not the sharp slaps. Or Jane’s final scream. After what had happened to Sheila with Evan, I imagine that all the girls were going to be sensitive to face slapping for a while.

 I knelt down with them on the floor. “Sheila. Honey. I slapped her but it wasn’t a punishment.” I traced my finger gently down her face across her bruise. She flinched but didn’t back away. Problem was I didn’t want to explain what had really taken place in there. That Jane had wanted it. I continued. “I didn’t really hurt her. I would never hit anyone enough to cause this.” Meaning the bruise I was tracing. “You know that I enjoy a bit of pain in my women. I was just indulging. Honest. She’s used to it. I didn’t hit her hard. I doubt if she even minded. Ask her.”

 Sheila’s lower lip quivered as she struggled not to cry.

 I spoke to her gently again. “Ask her.”

 “You hit her because you enjoy it. She didn’t mind? And she’s not going to be bruised?” Sheila sounded really doubtful.

 “You know that I enjoy it. But I wouldn’t go this far. It’s not necessary. Ask the others. Elizabeth? Have I ever hurt you for no reason?”

 “All the time.”

 “Ever seriously? Physically?”

 “N-no. I don’t think you’ve ever bruised me.”

 “Amy?”

 “You hurt me worse when I disobeyed. But no bruises. Unless you count what I did to myself trying to get free of restraints. Ropes.”

 “Sheila. Baby. I’m not denying it. I do hurt them simply because I enjoy it. I know that it’s unfair. But I’ve never hurt them so that they were in agony for days. Like you are.”

 “Are. Are you going to hurt me as well?” Sheila asked in a quavering voice.

 I nodded. The tears finally broke free and crawled down her cheeks.

 “I won’t ever hurt you this much though. No matter how much you disobey. It won’t last. I promise.” She pulled in her breath and managed to stop crying. “Ask Jane. See if she’s still hurt.”

 Sheila closed her eyes and rose to her bare feet. She walked over to the shower, knelt back down and opened the door just enough to stick her head through.

 “Hey! Close that door. That’s cold. Oh, Sheila. I’m sorry. What can I do for you?” It was Jane’s soft voice from under the spray. I could see Sheila hesitate. Jane’s bright demeanor telling pretty much all of it. But she continued anyway.

 “Jane? Can I ask you a question?”

 “Of course, honey. What’s up?” I watched Jane’s silhouette as it crossed the frosted glass. Christi changed positions with her, allowing the spray to soak her again. I thought I heard Christi sigh.

 I strained to hear Sheila’s soft voice.

 “He just hit you. Didn’t he?”

 “Oh honey. Yes. You saw that?” Sheila’s blonde head just nodded. “Oh God. I didn’t think you’d seen that. I’m sorry.”

 “Did he h-hurt you?”

 “It hurt. But, honey, it’s alright. I can’t explain it.”

 “Does it still hurt?”

 “No. I’m fine. He didn’t really hurt me. Just for the moment. See?” Jane must have turned her cheek towards Sheila. “No marks.” I was sure that Jane leaned forward and kissed Sheila’s forehead. “Don’t worry your pretty little head. I’m fine. I know what you are thinking. He won’t hurt you until you can take it. It’s not as though he doesn’t have his choice of women to hurt. He won’t hurt you yet. I promise. I’ll offer myself if he wants to hurt you. He can’t resist me.” I smiled at this. “You alright?”

 I heard Sheila’s voice. A bit shaky. “I. I guess. I don’t want to be hurt.”

 “Honey. I’m sorry. All I can promise is that he won’t hurt you for a while yet. And when he does, it won’t be as bad as that monster you were with for so long. I understand that you are afraid. I would be too. I. I may look brave to you. But most of the time, I’m scared to death. We’ll make it. Alright?”

 Sheila just nodded. Her bare body shaking. Probably crying softly. I saw Jane lean down and kiss the frightened girl again.

 “You’ll be fine. I promise. Now close this door before I actually do hurt from freezing to death.” I saw Jane’s wet hand ruffle Sheila’s hair. Another gentle kiss and Sheila backed out of the shower, softly closing the door.

 I was mistaken. She wasn’t crying. Her relief was written all over her face.

 “You see? She’s fine.”

 Sheila nodded. “I’m sorry Master. I was just worried.”

 “Considering what you’ve been through, I understand. Sheila, honey, I don’t hurt my girls like that. I’m not going to lie to you. I do hurt them. But I swear it doesn’t last.”

 “Why do you have to hurt us? We. We don’t need to be hurt. We’ll do whatever it is you want. You must know that.”

 Amy spoke up. “Honey? He just likes it. And, much as I hate it, he can do whatever he wants with me. With us. We are his slaves now. He keeps us nude. He keeps us bound most of the time. He just enjoys it. Pain. Our pain. Is just part of it. I doubt if he can even explain it. He’s not as brutal as your former master. I should know. Jane and I have been through his worst punishments. Believe me, you don’t want to disobey.” She swallowed heavily. “Sheila, darling. I tried to escape once. He ended up punishing me. I thought I’d gone to hell. I was in such pain. But the marks and the residual pain only lasted a few hours. Don’t get me wrong. I never want to go through that again. But I’m fine.” She spread her arms out. “See. No bruises.”

 Sheila nodded. Still not understanding me, but having to accept it. That someday, I’d hurt her.

 Sheila crawled over to Amy. “Tell me?”

 I rose to my feet and sat up on the counter. Elizabeth had brightened on hearing Jane so cheerful. She looked at me questioningly. Wondering if she could rise as well. I nodded and the woman climbed to her bare feet. Smiling she snatched the hair drier from the counter. Pleased with herself that she’d managed to steal it from Amy.

 “Can a slave use the hair drier? Please?”

 “On low.” I wanted to listen to Amy. I heard the much less harsh hum of the drier start up as Elizabeth began to dry her hair on the lower setting. I watched Elizabeth drying her hair while I listened to the girls still kneeling on the tile. Elizabeth looked delightful with her arms up, exposing herself. She noticed the scrutiny and just tried to ignore my eyes on her. She wore one of those boys-will-be-boys looks.

 Amy took a deep breath. “I’m not sure you want to hear about it Sheila. It might frighten you.”

 “I want to know what happened. I’ll tell you something worse that happened to me if you want.”

 “I don’t think I want to know.” She took another deep breath. “Here goes. Stop me if you get too upset. Okay? It was only a day or so after I was captured. God. I remember. I couldn’t stand being nude around him. I. I felt like an animal. Frightened. Cornered. Something small sparked it. Probably the cutlery thing. I hated what he’d forced me to do. I hated how he had taken a part of me. Taken part of my humanity. Molded me into his pet. I simply hated him. I didn’t think it could get any worse. The constant humiliation of being naked. The pain of his games. I just wanted to die. I figured if I disobeyed him, tried to run that he’d either let me go because I was too much trouble, or he’d shoot me. Kill me. I didn’t care at the time. He caught me in the bedroom. I was dressing myself. God it felt good to put on those clothes.” She paused. “But it wasn’t worth it. He. He forced me to submit to his will again. I couldn’t. I wasn’t strong enough. He gagged me. With a tongue clamp. I’d do anything to avoid that pain again. Oh God did that hurt. I can’t even describe the agony. I’m not sure I can tell you the rest.” She paused again. Pain flashing across her features as she relived the torment I’d put her through. “He. He tied my toes to the clamp. Through a pulley arrangement in the ceiling. I thought I was going to die. That my tongue was going to ripped out of my mouth. That he was going to wait until my thighs gave out and couldn’t support themselves. Watching me. My own toes tearing my tongue from my mouth. I swore that I’d never talk back again. That I’d do whatever he demanded of me. I’d kill for him. I prayed. Even though I don’t, didn’t, believe in God. I didn’t care. Praying made me feel better. Somehow. I tried to beg. I didn’t care anymore what I looked like. I didn’t have the energy to feel humiliated. Did whatever I had to do. I just wanted out. The pain to stop. Finally. My thighs were in agony. They were about to give up and he let me go. He let my tongue out. I remember. It felt so good. My mind was telling me, somewhere that it was a fallacy. That it was like that old joke. Why you bang your head against a brick wall? Because it feels good to stop? It was like that. It felt like heaven to have that clamp released from me. It hurt, but being freed made me feel so damn good.” She paused her narrative again. Thinking. “He followed it up with a breast cropping. He cut my breasts out of my sweater, my favourite sweater, and cropped me. Until I screamed and begged for him to stop. And then to teach me, he had Christi hit me until he returned. And she did. Slowly. All day. God did she hit me. I was incoherent by the end of it. But it was alright. He made sure that I wasn’t seriously hurt. The marks stayed for a day or so. And my tits hurt like hell for a few hours. But I survived.” She pointed to her bare breasts. “Not even a welt to be seen. I’m fine now. And not nearly as eager to disobey, I might add. The tits I could handle. It hurt. But that tongue trick. Shit. Don’t ever let him do that to you. Whatever you are fighting for, it’s not worth it.”

 Sheila had paled. But then, incredibly, she smiled. Somehow the story had relieved her. I couldn’t understand that. But she actually smiled.

 “I can top that, you know.”

 “Your last session with the Judge can top that.” Amy said seriously. “Those bruises on your body can top that. Seriously, honey. You can tell me later. I want to hear it, but I can’t right now. I’m not sure I can take it. Whatever brutality that monster did to you. I. I guess I’m still in a bit of a fragile state right now.”

 Sheila just nodded in understanding. “I’ll tell you when you are ready. I don’t mind.”

 Amy climbed to her bare feet. Extended her hand to the bare girl still kneeling. “Come on. If we aren’t done soon, he’s going to tongue clamp us both.” She playfully stuck her tongue out at me. Telling her story of pain to Sheila seemed to have lifted a weight off her shoulders. I’d never understand the female. Never.

 Sheila rose with Amy’s help. Still wincing at her aches and pains. They returned to the counter.

 “Hey!” Amy spoke to Elizabeth using her hair drier. “Hurry up with my hair drier.”

 Elizabeth smiled and spoke, “Mine now. He let me use it.”

 “Come on girls. Finish up.”

 Elizabeth switched the drier to high, her red locks almost dried. Sheila and Amy began to apply their makeup and nail polish.

 As Elizabeth handed the hair drier to Amy, Jane and Christi stepped out of the shower looking very scrubbed. Their fingers were pruned. They hugged themselves in the suddenly cool air. Their nipples at attention. They looked a bit like a pair of drowned rats. I almost mentioned it to them, but refrained. Not sure they’d have appreciated the compliment. They scrambled to the towel rack and began to dry off.

 Christi walked up to Amy and gently took the hair drier from her fingers. Amy was never going to get her hair done. Amy began a protest but Christi whispered something in her ear. She paled and let Christi have the device.

 Christi walked up to me still sitting on the counter. She was still damp, her hair dripping over her bare body. She began to run her fingers through my hair. Teasing it. She directed the warm air onto my head and styled my hair.

 “What did you say to her?”

 “Just that you still had wet hair. That’s all.”

 “I see.” My hair was much shorter than the girls. It was mostly dry anyway. She was finished in a matter of moments. I turned to look in the mirror. She hadn’t given me a mohawk style or anything. She’d done a damn good job.

 Christi returned the hair drier to Amy. Amy looked in my direction as I slipped off the counter. “I’m so sorry. I. I just forgot. I should have dried your hair first.”

 I stepped over to the bare girl. “It’s alright. I didn’t mind. I liked watching you dry your hair. Quite erotic actually.” Amy flushed and I kissed her head. “Relax. I’m not going to punish you. Yet.”

 “I’m still sorry.”

 I turned on my heel and simply walked out of the bathroom. I heard the hair drier switched back on. I wandered back to the main bedroom and slipped back into my clothes. I lay down on the bed, faintly smelling Elizabeth and Sheila in the sheets. I waited for the girls to finish.

  

 Chapter 87

 I relaxed into the pillows and closed my eyes. Within minutes I heard the patter of feet enter the room. Whoever it was saw me lying back on the bed with my eyes closed and caught her breath.

 I opened my eyes. Sheila stood just inside the doorway. Looking decidedly nervous. She began to sink to her knees. When she was settled, she spoke softly.

 “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to disturb you. I. I wasn’t even sure I was supposed to come in.”

 “It’s alright, Sheila. I wasn’t asleep or anything.”

 She nodded and looked down at the carpet upon which she was kneeling.

 Her soft voice spoke again. “What are you going to do with us?”

 “Do?”

 “Today. I’m just curious. You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to.”

 “First, we finish up with your former boss.”

 “Oh. Am I going to be involved?”

 “Probably. You know him best.”

 “Then?”

 “I don’t know. Maybe some shopping.”

 “Shopping? Forgive me, but you don’t seem like the shopping type.”

 “I’m not. But we need some stuff. Besides, shopping is more fun with nude females along, don’t you think?”

 “Oh.” She was probably sorry she’d asked.

 Elizabeth wandered into the room next. Still sporting some goosebumps. Seeing Sheila kneeling, she also sank to her knees.

 Before she had dropped, I noticed that she had rouged her nipples again. She saw my gaze. From her knees, she spread her arms wide and smiled.

 “Before you ask. Yes. I did it again. You didn’t have much time to notice them yesterday. I tried to convince the others to try it, but that was less than successful. I guess if you like it, you’ll have to tell them.”

 I grinned. One adventurous girl was enough for me. At least at this time.

 As she finished speaking, the other three wandered in. Their bare feet softly scuffing at the rug. They quietly filed in and knelt down. I just gazed at them. Not quite believing the sight. Normally, the women just wore their hair loose around their shoulders. I liked it that way and it was easier for them. Not normally having the freedom to keep their hair in any style.

 Christi’s blonde hair was pinned up. Her make up perfect. Amy had her hair loose as usual. Jane had put her brunette hair into a long ponytail pulling it back from her face. Christi and Jane looked like completely different women with their hair styled. Even these relatively simple styles.

 “Wow.” I remarked.

 Jane and Christi flushed. Jane spoke. “We can’t take the credit. It was Elizabeth’s idea. I hope you don’t mind.” She smiled. Pleased that I’d noticed the effort.

 I slowly shook my head. I didn’t mind. Christi and Jane looked so ... different.

 All the women looked revitalized. All of them, hair done or not, shone. I loved the sight of them even more after a shower. They looked so clean. So fresh. So female. They were more relaxed.

 They all knelt easily. Sitting back on their heels. Hands resting casually on their knees. Breasts slightly thrust forward.

 I leaned back. “Alright girls. This is the plan for today. Elizabeth and Amy. You get free time for a while.” The two girls smiled. Looking forward to the time alone. “Christi, Jane and Sheila are going to keep me company with our host.” Sheila paled, and Christi and Jane exchanged another glance.

 “After that. We are going shopping. I haven’t decided who, but two of you will be bound until I return. Alright?”

 The girls didn’t look too happy about the bondage part, but they all nodded.

 I spoke to Elizabeth and Amy. “Go on. Enjoy your free time.”

 “You aren’t going to handcuff us?”

 “Do you want to be handcuffed?”

 They shook their heads in unison, afraid to say anything further. And without another word, the girls jumped to their bare feet and scampered out of the bedroom. I could hear them thundering down the stairs through the open door.

 I looked at the remaining girls. “We are just going to finish him off. Shouldn’t take too long. Anyone want to stay? I can tie you to the bed instead.” I was concerned about Sheila. I was pretty sure that I could trust Christi and Jane to keep their self control.

 Sheila nodded. “I can do it. I want to do it.” Despite her words she didn’t seem very sure of herself.

 “Good. On your feet.” The girls scrambled to their feet. Together, we reached the room with Mayer and unlocked it. “Last chance to be in a bed, instead.”

 The girls didn’t say anything. I walked in. The girls in tow.

 Evan stirred. Moaned. He was still in rough shape.

 “God. Please let me out of this.”

 I took my seat. I glanced over the floor by the sofa. Knowing what happened there. Feeling almost aroused. I thought I saw Christi and Jane glance over as well.

 “Mayer. It will be over soon. I promise.”

 He just looked at me dully. I motioned the girls over beside my chair. They all filed past him, without looking at him, and knelt around the chair. Christi had knelt in front of the recliner and she leaned back easily against my legs. Even through his pain and humiliation, Mayer managed to eye the women. Almost disgusted, I saw him react. I thought I heard Christi stifle a smirk.

 “Mayer? You said you killed seven women last night.”

 “God. I need water. I’ll tell you after you give me water.” His voice was hoarse. Probably from screaming last night.

 Jane rose up on her knees. Pulling me down to her lips. She hissed at me. “You can give him water if you want. But last night I asked him. He was more than willing to tell me about it. He strangled them. Sometimes made the new slave kill the former one. I doubt if that happened to Sheila though. He wouldn’t tell me. I can’t imagine her sane if that had happened to her. Buried them in a field near his winter getaway.”

 I looked at Christi. “Go get him a glass of water. Okay?”

 She tilted her head back and looked up at me upside down. Not really wanting to get it for him, but she obeyed. She rose to her bare feet and padded out into the hallway. I watched his battered face as he moaned quietly. But I could still see defiance burning somewhere behind his eyes. The looks he was giving the naked women weren’t just of desire, but also of sadistic fantasy. He was breaking their bones behind those eyes. I shuddered that he could go through such abuse from these women and still not be broken. I doubted if the women even realized of what this man was capable.

 I whispered to Jane. “What the hell did you do to him?”

 “We played.” She flashed me an evil smile. It looked like she’d taken a cane or a whip to his entire front. Including his face. I cringed at the welts in his groin area. I had to remind myself that he’d done as bad or worse to Sheila in the past. For her part Sheila was gazing at the damage to his body. Probably picturing herself in similar conditions. She was far more delicate. I would imagine that the damage to her would have been worse, in general. Hell the bruises alone could be considered worse. If I let the bastard down now, he’d be sore as hell for a few days, but not suffering for a week or more like Sheila would be.

 Christi returned with a tall glass of water. She knelt with it carefully, falling back easily into her kneeling position. I bent to her ear. “Give him the water. But pour it over his head. Make him beg for it first.”

 She closed her eyes. She wasn’t as angry at the man this morning. She’d had her way with him last night. Letting her anger go. She looked like she was about to say something. Perhaps a small protest. But she rose to her feet and approached him. For a change his eyes were glued to the glass of water in her hands, and not her bare chest.

 “Evan? You remember last night?”

 He nodded.

 “You want the water?”

 “I’ll tell you anything you want to know. Just don’t hit me anymore. Please.”

 “The water?”

 “What do you want to know?”

 I spoke softly from the chair. “You killed seven women over the last few years. I need their names. And where they are now.”

 “A sip?”

 I nodded. Christi raised the glass to his parched lips. He tried to drink, but she maintained control of the glass and only allowed him to wet his lips. Just a taste.

 “Okay. I can’t remember all their names. But other than the bitch over there they were all tried by me. Over the last twenty years. I remember a few. Doreen Stills. Hannah Waters. Gladys Lifkin. I remember them. Hannah was fun. She wasn’t a hooker. She was a house wife. In for something stupid like indecent exposure or marijuana possession. Maybe both. For a while I used to play with her at her home while her kids were in school. I buried them at night up by my winter retreat. Clearwater.”

 I committed the names to memory. I’d need them after all this was over.

 “Christi. Give him the rest of the water.”

 Christi stood on her tiptoes and reached above his head. She slowly turned the glass over his head, soaking him.

 He spluttered and coughed as the water ran over his face. “What the fuck did you do that for, bitch? I told you what you fucking wanted to know.”

 I sat back. I had everything I needed from him. Christi realized that I’d just released them to torment him again.

 “He told me to, asshole. *I* wanted to let you drink it. Are we back to, calling women, bitches?”

 “Fuck you.” But there was real fear in his eyes. “I saw you last night. I know what you did with that other bitch. You fucking weird dyke. You prefer that over ‘bitch’? Dyke. Or lesbo? Cunt sucker? Give me a second with you and I’ll show you why men are better.” I seriously doubted that his kind of love would convince any girl of that. He turned to me. “You know that your cunts are dykes? Fucking weird dykes too.”

 I saw Christi flush, but she wasn’t about to let him get under his skin. Jane had gone ashen at the words. Probably thanking the lord that I already knew about what they’d done last night. That they were safe from punishment for their small tryst. If I’d found out this way, I doubt if I’d been as lenient. Sheila didn’t even seem to notice. Probably thought that the guy was just blowing off steam, trying to rattle the girls. Maybe not surprised that Jane and Christi were lovers. Maybe thinking that I had ordered them to have sex while we were asleep. Didn’t matter to her.

 Christi backed off suddenly, tactfully ignoring his tirade. She pointed to a device on the desk. A black box with switches, a dial and wire running from it. “What is that? I found it in your closet last night. Couldn’t figure out how to use it.”

 He shook his head.

 “I can make you tell me.” Christi reached forward to grip his balls again. Sheila stopped her.

 “Christi. Wait. I know what it is. And he’ll never tell you.” I watched a bit of irritation crossed Christi’s face. She wanted to at least try and make him tell her. His outburst, trying to get her punished would have succeeded if she hadn’t been fortunate enough to tell me in advance. Her anger was returning by leaps and bounds as he verbally degraded his tormentors. Sheila continued from the floor. “It’s electronic. It’s a pain inducer.”

 “A what?”

 Sheila had paled. “It’s an electronic pain inducer. I don’t know how it works.”

 Fascinated, I got up and walked over to the desk. I picked up the toy. I knew what it was. I turned over the black box in my hands. It looked like some sort of home made job. It had five black wires protruding from it. Two with alligator clips. Two that ended in connectors. And one standard wall plug. A dial with numbers inscribed from one to ten, a switch, and a LED.

 “Oh God,” Sheila continued. She took a deep breath. “He only used it on me once. I don’t remember why. Not that he had to have a reason or anything. I. He. The clips went on my nipples. I remember they hurt even before he turned it on; they drew blood. I still have the marks. He slipped these smooth metal dildos into me. My. My cunt and my ass. And he plugged the thing in. That’s all I remember. And the pain. From deep inside me. It pulsed. And he said he’d turn it up to three. And he left me there to suffer as he watched. God, how I screamed. God. I’ve never felt anything quite like it. The agony is. Indescribable. It comes from so deep inside you. You don’t know whether to pay attention to the shocks from your bowels, or your cunt or your nipples. Or all of them. Or none of them. I. I think I passed out. When I revived. He. He was there. The dildos weren’t in me anymore. But the clips were still on my nipples. I remember him inside me. Grinning. And turning it on again. Fucking me as I screamed and writhed. I thought my tits were going to explode or something. The agony was indescribable. He pulsed the thing. Letting me rest from time to time. Keeping me awake. Ignoring me. My begging. I don’t remember him taking them off me. I only remember waking up the next day in my own bed, screaming. I hurt for days after that. Thank god he only used it on me once.”

 I heard a deep growl from deep in his throat. “I never used it again because I was afraid of killing you too soon, you fucking bitch. But you looked so fucking beautiful hanging there screaming your guts out. If I ever get out of this, I am going to use it again on you. After I break your fucking fingers. Make you crawl around like that for a while. See how long you can take it on ten before it kills you.”

 Sheila paled, but held his eyes. Despite her ongoing pain and bruises, maybe even a cracked rib, she looked like she was in a hell of a lot better shape than he was. And despite the bruises looked ten times more beautiful. A hundred times.

 Christi padded over to me. “What say we find those dildos? Huh? Though we probably only need one for him.”

 I shrugged. Christi padded away to the closet. I continued to turn over the device in my hands, studying it. Moments later Christi returned with two silver phalluses. Complete with short wires and matching male electrical connectors. Evan’s eyes widened at this. Knowing that he was about to feel the pain that he’d subjected at least Sheila to, if not all his slaves. For all I knew, he’d even killed some of them with this little gem. I wouldn’t imagine it would take too much electricity across the chest to interrupt the heart. I could almost picture it happening with the nipple electrodes.

 Jane rose and walked over. “Maybe you should let Sheila have the honours.”

 “If she wants them.”

 Sheila had gingerly walked over as well. She nodded and held out her hand. I gently placed one of the metal dildos in her outstretched palm. Grasping the instrument of her own torture. She closed her eyes and swayed a bit. Probably remembering her own torment with this very phallus. When she opened her eyes, she had that look of hate smoldering behind her baby blue eyes again. She picked up one of the dildos and walked back over to him. He looked at her dully.

 “Remember this?”

 He swallowed. “You don’t scare me, cunt.”

 She closed her eyes. I couldn’t believe that this guy had the strength to be insulting them.

 She silently walked around him and stood behind. He craned his neck to try and watch her. “I wouldn’t do that cunt. You are only making it worse on yourself.”

 “I wouldn’t do that cunt. You are only making it worse on yourself,” she mimicked him cruelly in her higher voice. “Evan. I’ve had this used on me before. It hurt. But I survived. The question is, will you?” She continued in a very calm voice. “I want you to apologize to me. For doing this to me the first time. I did nothing to deserve it. And I want you to apologize for calling me a cunt. Either call me Sheila, or Mistress. Got it?” She got a worried look on her face and looked in my direction. Wondering if she’d overstepped her bounds.

 I smiled at her and shrugged. I didn’t mind if she could make him call her Mistress. Kind of liked the touch actually.

 “Let’s get this straight right now. I loved watching you writhe when I tortured you. I’m not apologizing. You can torture me until death and I won’t. And I’m not calling a cunt like you Sheila or any other name. Cunt. That’s all you are.” Brave, brave words. I was reasonably sure that he was going to regret them.

 She was still calm. I watched as she lowered the metal invader towards his ass. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you.” With one brutal motion she rammed the dildo into him. Even I cringed. His head fell back and he howled. She mercilessly kept her hand on it. Forcing it into him as he bucked and pulled on his restraints. Desperately trying to get the thing out of his ass.

 She whispered to him after he calmed down. “That’s how I felt when you did it to me. Only I have two holes to do it to, don’t I? If you’d apologized I would have had the kindness of using some lubricant. And I would have set it on three, instead of five.”

 “Oh God. It burns. It hurts. Take it out. Please.”

 “Those words sound familiar. Did you listen to them when they came out of my mouth?”

 “No. M-mistress. I. I’m sorry. Oh God. Please. Take it out.”

 The pain must have been intense for this turn around.

 Jane walked over to Sheila carrying the black box and some duct tape. Sheila smiled at Jane, who didn’t return the smile. This was far more brutal than anything they had done to him last night. I suspect that Jane wasn’t quite as into this as she was earlier. The displays of outright pain a bit much for her. I debated letting her out. She was a pretty sensitive girl and she had expended her anger last night. Instead of an insolent, obnoxious jackass, the pathetic creature in front of us was merely in pain. Exhausted and nearly out of resources.

 I spoke to Jane as she returned, “Hey? You alright? You want to leave? I’ll let you. I’ll understand. You can join Amy and Elizabeth downstairs if you like. I won’t force you to be bound on the bed.”

 “God. That sounds nice. But. No. I’ll stay here. I. I just feel like I should see this. Understand Sheila.”

 Jane hadn’t gone through what Sheila had. Sheila deserved this. I was determined to let her go through with it. Christi just watched. Vaguely turned on by the whole drama, despite its brutality. I tried my best to simply distance myself from it. But I thought it was just about time to end Evan’s agony. I’d let Sheila finish this, but that was it.

 Sheila had taped the invasion into Evan’s ass so he was unable to expel it. She knelt and carefully connected up the device. Instead of placing the alligator clips on his nipples, she attached them to his scrotum. She left the second dildo connection free having nowhere to place the second metal probe on a male.

 She knelt in front of him. Looking into his face.

 “Evan? Can you hear me?”

 He nodded. Tears of pain streaming down his face.

 “Good. How long did you subject me to this thing?”

 “I. I don’t remember.”

 “Well I sure don’t either. But it seemed like forever. When I was conscious.”

 “Please. Mercy.”

 She reached forward with her small hand. She ran her fingers along the length of his penis. Despite his discomfort and outright pain, he reacted and began to stiffen. Jane and Christi just watched in fascination.

 “Remember this touch Evan, darling? Remember forcing me to do this to you? Tease you for hours before you raped me, again? I might point out that this time, I’m doing it by choice. Not using my mouth, if you’ll notice. I’m not going to use my mouth unless I’m ordered to. And I don’t think I will be. And remember that cunt that you are so fond of reminding me that I have? Yeah? You aren’t going to be raping it either. What do you think of that?” She wore a look of disgust on her face. I was surprised that she had brought herself to do this at all. Touch him. Even with her fingers. But she knew that it would ultimately increase his discomfort. The female of the species is far more dangerous than the male.

 Evan had closed his eyes. Concentrating on the light touches that her fingers were imparting to him. He rocked his hips forward, trying to increase her stimulation. He was raging hard. The only pleasure that he’d had in the better part of the day. The rest being pure pain. Of course, he reacted.

 “Evan? Dear? Remember teasing me? Whipping me? Then giving me some pleasure? Using your fingers? Your tongue? Gently on me? Whether I wanted your attention or not?” Her words were making me hard. His erection seemed to be getting more and more solid, if that was possible. “Teasing me? Using vibrators? Remember how I reacted to it? Any kindness? I moaned? I begged? But did you ever let me climax? Ever let me have any kind of release? Any pleasure? No matter how small? It was fun to deny me? Wasn’t it?”

 “I let you climax, bitch.” He’d opened his eyes again.

 “You made me masturbate for your friends while they all catcalled. And if you hadn’t tied my hands at night, sometimes I could masturbate myself in private. Yeah. A great sex life I had.”

 “You orgasmed other times. You can’t lay this one me.”

 “To stop the pain. You were whipping me between my legs. I couldn’t help it. My body just did it to feel better. To stop that horrible pain even for a few seconds. But it was only for a second. Wasn’t it? You saw the climax. And you thought that you could make me do it again. The same way. Thinking I liked it. Despite all my pleading. Didn’t I pass out from the pain that time?”

 Her fingers still idly touching him. He was moaning.

 “Please don’t do this to me.”

 “I know those words. Written and performed originally by Sheila. Queen of the Slaves. You want to apologize? Or shall I flick this button?”

 “Oh God. What do you want?”

 “I just want you to be sorry for what you did to me. What you put me through. And degrading women in general. For the last fucking time. I’m not a cunt.”

 “I. I can’t do it.”

 “Evan? Do you have any concept how much this thing hurts?”

 “I watched you in it.”

 “Not the same as experiencing it. I’m planning on sitting here and watching you experience it first hand. But I won’t feel a fucking thing.”

 “Oh God. I. I apologize. I swear it. I’m sorry. Anything you want to hear. Just don’t turn it on. Please.”

 Sheila lay back on the carpet and arched herself. His eyes never left her bare bruised body. She finally sat back up.

 “Let’s compromise then. I’ll only leave it on five for a few minutes. Then you can experience what three is like.”

 “No. Please. Have some compassion.”

 Her fingers set the dial. I couldn’t see it from my vantage point, but I assumed that it was set at five. Her pretty finger with the peach nail polish rested idly on the switch. The box balanced easily on her outstretched thigh. That one slim digit controlling his world. His pain.

 “I lost my compassion for you when you never. Ever. Fucking. Listened to me. Even when I was screaming in pain.” Her face was an unemotional mask as she flipped the switch. The red LED flickered to life and the reaction was instantaneous.

 His whole body tensed. His face a mask of agony. His mouth opened as I looked away. As far as I knew all the girls managed to watch.

 “You fucking BIIIIIIITTTTTCHCHCHCHCHCH!” he screamed into the uncaring room.

 She let him dance for a full ten seconds before she switched it off. Not the few minutes that she’d threatened. I’m sure that a full three minutes in that agony would have nearly killed the man. Though even the ten seconds probably felt like an eternity to the bound monster. I turned back as he slumped in the bonds. Breathing hard. Straining desperately against his ropes. Still breathing hard, he managed to gasp out one word. It would be his last for a while.

 “Cunt.”

 Sheila’s fingers moved slowly to the dial and turned it counter-clockwise. I presume to the three level. Her eyes still locked with his. Her voice was calm.

 “Evan? You don’t have the right to call me that anymore.”

 She casually flicked the switch on the box on the floor. His body went rigid again. His mouth opening in a soundless scream, finally falling through the octaves until he sounded a high pitched squeal. Sounding like the tortured woman again. His body convulsing with the shocks.

 Sheila struggled to her feet and walked over to the group of us. Leaving the device on and Evan screaming. Her eyes were closed as she approached. Silent tears falling from her eyes. I had thought that she was cold. Her words. Her actions. But she was driven by hate. And that hate had been extended beyond her capacity to handle it. She was unable to even look at the man she’d brutalized. She practically fell into Christi’s arms, sobbing into her bare breasts. Christi held the woman. Rocking her. Whispering to her.

 Suddenly the keening scream was cut off as Evan passed out. The electronic toy still causing his body to involuntarily twitch. The room lapsed into silence only broken by Sheila’s quiet sobbing.

  

 Chapter 88

 I nodded to Jane. She took a deep breath and walked over to Evan. She knelt down and flipped off the switch. His body slowly stopped its involuntary twitches. With a look of distaste on her pretty features, she reached forward and gingerly removed the duct tape and withdrew the metal phallus from his body. He was completely unconscious. No reaction as the instrument of torment was removed. Jane unclipped the nipple clamps attached to his scrotum. A few small drops of blood accompanied the torments. Fell onto her small hands. She shuddered.

 Still on her knees, she unplugged the unit. She looked up at me.

 “He’s still alive,” she whispered. I knew that, I could see his shallow breathing. But I nodded. Jane was fighting back tears. She looked sick.

 She shakily rose to her feet, handing me the black box as she approached. I gently pressed her fingers back around the box and the metal phallus.

 I whispered to her. “Take these to the washroom and sterilize them. Really hot water. Okay?”

 She nodded. Still a bit stunned. I hoped that getting her out of the room would revive her spirit. Make her feel a little better. She looked very pale. Problem was, I kind of needed her to get this lunk out to the backyard.

 We walked to the door together and I unlocked it. I left it open for her return.

 “Sheila?” she asked softly as she stepped out into the hall.

 “She’ll be alright. Christi is taking care of her.”

 “Get her out too.” Jane was clever enough, even in this state to realize why I was sending her to sterilize the electronic device. A break from the horror. Give her mind time to recover without the sight of the tormented man hanging in front of her.

 I nodded. I fully intended to get the shaken girl out of the room.

 I walked over to where Sheila was crying in Christi’s arms. I touched her shoulder but she didn’t turn. Christi looked at me, unsure what to do.

 “I’m getting her out of here. If he wakes up. Ignore him. Don’t let him bait you. Whatever he says. Alright?” Christi seemed to be holding up the best out of all the women.

 Christi just nodded. She helped to lift the sobbing girl out of her arm. Together we gently pried Sheila’s arms from around Christi’s neck and turned her bare body towards me. She almost fell against me, her legs not wanting to support her weight any longer. Her arms reached up, encircling my neck. Supporting herself. I bent and placed my left arm beneath her knees. Lifting her into my arms. She just allowed me to carry her, pressing her face into my shoulder. Sobbing. Unable to stop. This was getting to be a habit. Carrying this sobbing girl from the room.

 I glanced back at Christi and she just nodded. Sinking back to her knees. Watching Evan.

 I stepped out into the hallway. I could faintly hear the water running in the sink in the bathroom as Jane washed the implements as she’d been ordered. I carried Sheila to the bedroom and lowered her body to the bed. She gave me a quick squeeze and then fell back to the bed. Her head turned to the side. Curling herself into a ball. Still sobbing.

 I sat back in the chair and just watched at her. She continued crying, though it was softer than in the business room. I waited patiently for her to cry herself out.

 Jane stuck her head into the bedroom.

 “Sir?” I turned to Jane. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to disturb you.”

 “You aren’t. What is it?”

 “Is. Is she alright?”

 “She hasn’t stopped crying yet. I’ll let you know.”

 “Sir? Do I. Have to go back in there?”

 “I’m sorry Jane. I’m going to need your help to move him. Unless he wakes up.”

 The bare girl nodded and slipped back out. I could hear her faintly moving back towards the room and Mayer. She was a strong one. She’d manage to keep her self-control. The break to wash the torture items would help.

 Sheila had managed to slow her crying to the point that she just had tears slowly tracking down her face.

 “You okay?” I asked her.

 She nodded. Miserably.

 “Sheila. What happened in there?”

 “I. I really don’t know. I’m frightened.”

 I felt like holding her, but I wasn’t sure that she’d welcome it. I stayed in the chair.

 “You were pretty rough on him.”

 “I know. I know. I. I hate myself. I can’t believe that I did that to him.”

 “He deserved it sweetheart. He really did.”

 “It was as though I wasn’t in control. I couldn’t get the images out of my head. Of me. Of what he’d done to me. What he’s going to do to me when I return.” She swallowed. “I just hate him so much. I. I wanted to kill him. I’m not that kind of person. I. I have never hated anyone in my entire life. But. I. Just. Wanted. To. Hurt. Him. Worse than he hurt me. And that scares me. What have I become? I don’t want to be like him.”

 “Sweetheart. Torture does that to a person. You’ll be alright. You’re strong. You are so not like him, it isn’t even funny.”

 I wasn’t sure that she’d be alright at all. I couldn’t imagine what this woman was going to go through for the rest of her life. But the words seemed to make her feel a little better.

 “You aren’t mad at me? For falling apart in there?”

 “Sheila. Honey. I honestly didn’t think you’d go as far as you did. I was proud of you. For lasting as long as you did. If you hadn’t fallen apart I would have been worried.”

 “I was trying to please you as well. I have to live with you for a while, after all.”

 “Yeah. He deserved it.”

 “He did. I know he did. I just wish that I was capable of hurting him a tenth of what he did to me. Before I break down and cry like a child.”

 “I’m not sure it would make you feel any better anymore. Hurting him.”

 “I know,” she whispered quietly.

 “Sheila. I have to go back there and deal with him.”

 “I know. Please don’t make me go back in there. I’ll do anything else you want.”

 “I wasn’t going to let you back in, even if you begged me on your knees.” She looked relieved. “Honey? I’m just going to tie you to this comfortable bed for a while. Until I fix him so he’s out of our lives. Okay?”

 Tears sprang into her eyes at the mention of tying her up.

 “Okay. I suppose I don’t mind. As long as I don’t have to go in there. But you know you don’t have to tie me up. I’ll stay wherever you put me. I promise. You could lock me in a room or something. I hate being bound.”

 “I know, honey.”

 She closed her eyes. “But you like us bound up. Even if you’re not around.”

 I smiled ruefully. She had to start getting used to this. “I’m sorry.” And I still wasn’t quite comfortable with her running around free without my supervision. Especially in this state. Hating masters and all. I really didn’t know her yet.

 “How do you want me? Spread-eagled?” She rolled and spread herself out, no shame in revealing herself. Bruises and all.

 I picked up some soft rope and gently wound it around her outstretched wrists. I pulled them back to the bedposts individually and secured them. Not tight.

 I touched her bare legs, indicating that she should close them. A surprised look crossed her face but she slid her ankles together. Expecting, if anything, I’d want her legs spread. I looped another length of rope around her slender ankles and lashed them together. I watched as she tested her bonds. Squirming a little trying to settle in a little more comfortably. Content that she wasn’t wildly uncomfortable, even with the ropes holding her down.

 She actually managed a smile. “This is actually a lot more comfortable than I’m used to. Thank you.”

 I kissed her bound wrist and rose to my feet. “I’ll be back in a little while to release you. Okay?”

 She nodded and I walked back to the room with Jane, Christi and Mayer.

 Jane and Christi were kneeling quietly together by the sofa. About where they’d made love the night before, or so I judged.

 Their eyes flicked over to me as I walked in but then returned to Mayer. He was unaware of my presence. But he was awake. Turned away from me. I leaned back against the doorjamb to watch.

 “Please, ladies? I’ll free you from him if you let me down. Can’t you see that?”

 Christi spoke softly. As though I wasn’t even there. “You’ll free us? You promise?”

 “Please. Honest injun. Those things she said. Sheila. They just aren’t true. We had some fun. She. She liked the stuff we did. It was all consentual. I swear it. She was into pain. And I liked to give some to her. But I swear. I didn’t put those bruises on her. She’s just trying to get in good with that ... master of yours.”

 “She fell down a flight of steps, right?”

 “Yeah. Something like that. Listen. Between the three of us. If I’m free, we can handle him. How’s he going to stop all three of us?”

 “You don’t know him very well. Do you?”

 “We have to try. You like being his slave?”

 “It’s better than having our fingers and toes broken.”

 “Oh God. I’ll let you free. I swear it. I didn’t mean that.”

 “You wouldn’t, say, kick us for bringing you the wrong drinks? Hang us upside down and use that electronic device on us before you let us go? You wouldn’t whip our pussies until we passed out? Just a little fun before you freed us? Once he’s out of the way?”

 “Oh God. You believe her. That fucking little bitch. Fell down the stairs and I’m the fucking bad guy. Shit. You fucking little cunts. You can’t even see what is good for you. That I’m your only fucking chance to get out of this.”

 “Seems to me that you are offering us a chance to experience your brand of slavery. I believe her. And I think I’m better off with my current master. Thank you very much for the thoughts though.”

 “Jesus Christ! I don’t fucking believe you. Both of you. You’re just as stupid as that other cunt. You have to let me go.”

 “Let me get this straight.” Christi looked like she was actually having fun with this. “We let you go. Right? And then our guy comes in. What? We all jump him? Then what?”

 “We put the asshole up here, where I am. Torture him until he agrees to send us back. Maybe kill him if we have to. We all get what we want.”

 “You certainly know about killing. Don’t you? But ignoring that for a moment. Let’s just assume for a second that this worked. That we managed to overpower him before he froze us all. Let’s even assume that he lets us string him up. Let’s even assume that we can torture him until he sends us back. What if I don’t want to go back?”

 “You don’t want to go back? You like being a sex slave? A cunt?”

 “You don’t have the right to call me a cunt, whore or a bitch. Only my master does. You really want another taste of the whip? And besides which. What’s stopping you from having us help you overpower him and then take advantage of the situation. You are bigger than us. Right? So what? We help you restrain him. Maybe even have us help you torture him. Then you grab us. Not much we can do about it. Huh? And then what? Next thing we know you are taking out your pain on us? Us hanging naked like you are now? Legs spread? Screaming? You telling me that you don’t want to get even with us too? Even if we didn’t have a choice in hurting you? I’ve seen your eyes. They have that look in them now. Like you just want to hurt us unbearably and then fuck us.”

 “You want to be his slave? For the rest of your pathetic life?”

 Christi thought about it. She took a breath. “It’s not for the rest of my life. Unlike you, I believe him. He’ll let us all go. Eventually. And not into a six foot deep hole in the ground. I’ll survive. Despite what you might think, he isn’t anything like you. Besides which. I don’t have a choice.”

 “You have a choice. Let me help you.”

 “And if you fail?”

 “I won’t.”

 “I’ve seen what he’s capable of. Jesus Christ, man. He’s a hell of a lot more imaginative than you. He doesn’t leave us in agony for days, but believe me. If you’d ever been through one of his punishments, you don’t want to go through another. No matter if you’re not bruised, and you don’t have broken bones. Believe me. It hurts enough. And if I helped you. And failed. As I know it would fail. It would make your punishments so far look like heaven.”

 Evan just hung his head. Sheila wasn’t here. These girls were far too smart for his pathetic attempts at winning them over to his side. He was completely defeated.

 “You stupid fucking bitch. I am going to enjoy you, you know. I am going to break every fucking one of your fingers and maybe a rib or two for good measure. And I will string you up here. Maybe by your broken thumbs. Let you have a good scream before I fuck the living shit out of you.”

 Christi just remained on her bare knees. Her face impassive. Just as I’d ordered her. Jane was a little pale, but I was sure that I could see a flash of anger. But she too just knelt there quietly. Both girls knew that even if the asshole got free that I’d intervene before he had a chance to lay a finger on their bodies. But still, the brutality of this man must have shaken them. It even shook me, and I was capable of some pretty brutal stuff myself.

 I walked silently up behind him. I whispered into his ear.

 “Two things.” He gasped and tried to spin to face me. “One. I have half a mind to personally break all your fingers for that. You should know better than to try and convince the girls to turn against me. They know better than that. You should too. They aren’t as stupid as you, you know. Much as you might like to think so. Underneath those kneeling beauties is a person. And believe me, they ain’t dumb. And number two. I don’t recall giving you or anyone else permission to degrade them. If anyone is going to do that it’s me. Got it? They are to be addressed as Christi and Jane. Lady if you prefer. Or better yet, Lady Christi and Lady Jane. Mistress would suffice, if you can’t handle that. But under absolutely no circumstances will they be addressed as bitch, whore, cunt or any of your other very lovely names. Otherwise I might just have this uncontrollable urge to start breaking bones. Do we have an understanding? Mr. Mayer? Care to apologize to my lovely girls?”

 He had turned pale. But his mouth returned to a grim line and he refused to say anything.

 “You are a glutton for punishment. Aren’t you? My God. I would have thought that you’d be tired of pain, by now.” I casually reached up and grasped the index finger of his left hand. He struggled with the grip, but being bound wasn’t about to break my hold.

 Jane whispered to him. “I don’t know why I’m helping him. I swear I don’t.” She raised her voice. “He’ll do it you know. Same as you would have to us if you’d gotten the chance. He will break your finger. And keep breaking them until you do what he wants. I really would do what he says unless you particularly want to be in agony for the rest of your stay. Please.” She whispered.

 I felt his finger tense and he tried to pull it away.

 “Last chance. The human finger is remarkably easy to break if you simply bend it backwards enough. You might even be able to resist it for a while. If you are strong enough. But believe me. I’ll win.”

 He took a deep breath. “L-ladies? Oh God. I apologize.”

 “For what?” I asked him.

 “For. For calling them. Degrading names.”

 “Degrading names? Like what?”

 “Don’t make me do this.”

 “Let me get this straight. You don’t want to apologize to such beautiful women? Aren’t they beautiful today? After their showers? And their make up? Perfect? Aren’t they just radiant kneeling over there?”

 “I. I don’t know what the right answer is. Please.”

 I twisted the finger. He gasped at the increase in pressure on his trapped hand.

 “Yes. Yes. They are beautiful.”

 “And what are we going to do with them?”

 I could see the indecision flash across his features. Wanting to say that he wanted to break them. Destroy their beauty. Make them scream. He opened his mouth and then closed it.

 “I. I’m going to apologize to them. For calling them cunts. For calling them whores. For calling them bitches. I’m sorry. I’m sorry.”

 It was perhaps the least sincere apology that I’d ever heard in my life. But it would have to do. I’d have to start breaking bones to hear a more sincere one. The girls looked happy though. That I’d finally stood up for them.

 “I’m going to let you down now. But I want to get something straight. Right here. We are going to have a nice calm walk out to the backyard. Easy right? Now. Remember our little earlier encounter? Your earlier plan simply isn’t going to work. I’ll freeze you far before you have any possible chance to attack me. Or the girls. Remember Jane? When you tried to use her as a shield? Didn’t work too well. Did it?” Confusion crossed his welted face. Didn’t quite understand this freezing thing. “I wouldn’t count on the girls helping you at all. Despite that sincere apology of yours. Now we can do this the hard way, or we can do this the easy way. The easy way involves you walking with your beautiful female escorts downstairs and allowing us to tie you much more comfortably to an oak out there. The alternative is that I stun you into unconsciously again with the electronic zapper you like so much, and then dragging you down the stairs and tying you to an oak anyway. You understand your options? Simple aren’t they?”

 “I’ll walk.”

 “Now. I want to get another thing straight. For every time I have to freeze your sorry ass along the way. For example if you, say, decide to attack Jane or Christi while you walk along. For every time I have to freeze you, I break a finger. Period. No deals. No last minute reprieves. I simply break a finger. After a while, you won’t be able to attack anyone. And your stay here will be so much more painful. Do we understand one another?”

 He slowly nodded.

 “Jane. Get the handcuffs.”

 She rose to her bare feet and cradled a pair from the desk in her small hands.

 I backed off, turning the gun in my hands over. Idly stroking the weapon. I saw Mayer’s eyes on the gun as I stepped in front of him. Freezes he may not understand. But guns he did.

 “Jane. Get his wrists. Handcuff him behind his back. If he so much as breathes wrong or resists you in any way, let me know.”

 She nodded and a bit apprehensively approached him. Still unsure of letting this guy go. He was an unstable one, and I recognized it. That’s why I backed away. Unfortunately that meant that the girls were going to have to put their delicate bodies on the line. If he moved fast enough, he might get at them before I could freeze him. Unlikely. But possible. Especially if my attention wandered for a moment. I was sure that Jane was glancing at her pretty toes and fingers as she approached. Hoping that they’d still be intact at the end of this.

 She stood up on her toes and released his wrists. The knots had tightened somewhat as he struggled, but she worked at the knots patiently with her deep red nails. Eventually his hand fell from the ropes that had held him so long. He glanced at me, murder in his eyes, but he carefully placed his hand behind his back. Very non-threatening. I think he did like his digits after all. Jane released his right hand a little faster. He again glanced at me. Gauged his chances. Didn’t like them and allowed Jane to cuff him. He stood on his still bound feet and glared at me.

 “Aren’t you going to let me at least dress?”

 “What for? You’ll be out of my sight. I won’t have to look at your ugly ass anyway.”

 He sighed and waited as Jane knelt and released his ankles from the ropes. All the ropes still dangled from the hooks, she’d released the knots holding his limbs.

 “Christi? Jane? Take an arm. Remember. Any sign of trouble, sing out.”

 “Believe me. We will.” Christi’s face was showing some fright. She was concerned. This guy hadn’t been this free in a long time and he was dangerous. I felt almost like I was leading Hannibal Lecter to the gas chamber or something; the fact that they were all naked sort of shattered the illusion.

 Christi stepped over to him and took his right arm. Jane took the left.

 Slowly, the man and the two flanking girls made their way out of the room. As they passed the master bedroom, he glanced in. I’d made the mistake of leaving the door open. His eyes widened as he saw Sheila. Naked. Stretched out, tied to his bed.

 He smirked and pulled free of Christi and Jane. The girls cried out as he broke free. He was smart enough not to make any overt threats.

 “Mayer. Behave.” I warned him calmly. Casually making the gun more visible. “Back to the girls.”

 He sneered with his battered face into the bedroom. Sheila had gone white upon seeing Mayer. Pulling weakly against the ropes holding her body. Mayer took a step towards the door and spoke.

 “So. I get to see her one last time, huh? How do you like his ropes, cunt? Any better than mine? I’ll be back for you. And those fingers and toes of yours.”

 He turned away from the doorway and allowed Christi and Jane to hold his arms again. They shuffled away from the doorway. As I passed the door, I glanced in. Sheila was softly crying in her bonds. Keeping one eye on Mayer, I leaned in. “I’m sorry about that,” I apologized to her. I closed the door. I hadn’t foreseen the exchange.

 The girls and Mayer had reached the stairs. If he was going to cause grief, this was the place to do it. He might try to throw the women down the stairs. Maybe throwing them down the stairs just to get back at me. Despite my words to the contrary, I suspect that he knew that I cared about the women more than I showed. I could see the hesitation in the girls demeanor. They didn’t want to flank him down the stairs. They were just as aware of the waiting ambush as I was.

 “You’ll regret it if you try,” I softly warned Mayer. Letting him know I was aware of the danger.

 Christi and Jane took a deep breath and led the monster down the stairs. He calmly walked down, as though he was completely unaware of the girls apprehension. Though he was watching the nude females. Their legs. Their breasts. Probably wishing that he could get at the fingers lightly grasping his arms. He had to be aware of their tenseness.

 We carefully walked him out through the kitchen. I thought that I saw him raise his eyebrows as he glanced into his living room and saw Amy, nude, listening to whatever it was she was listening to. He didn’t make any comments. He’d probably already figured out that if I had three women, there was likely more.

 His eyes widened as we led him outside. Polly and Gertrude, tied to separate trees. Frozen in place. Well, sort of frozen.

 “What the hell have you done to them?”

 “Done? Whatever do you mean?” I asked innocently.

 “Are they dead is what I mean, asshole?”

 “Much as I’m sure you love your wife, she’s fine. So’s Polly. They are just ... well, frozen. Just like you’ll be in a minute.”

 “Wait a fucking minute. I’m going to be like that?”

 “Yeah. What of it? Nobody will be hurting you anymore. Enjoy the peace.”

 “Fuck.”

 “Back up against that tree.” I pointed with the gun. The girls guided him to a sturdy oak tree. I held some rope out for Jane she walked over through the grass to take it. She wandered back to the tree and Mayer and began to loop it around him. Carefully tying knots, leaving the handcuffs in place. Finally, she was done. He was secured. These knots I didn’t have to check.

 “When do I get out of this?” he asked.

 “I only have one question for you. How often did you ever tell Sheila how long she’d be bound?”

 He nodded. Understanding that he wasn’t about to be told.

 Christi stepped up to him, rose up on her tiptoes and whispered in his ear. “Nice to have made your fucking acquaintance, asshole.”

 I narrowed his time bubble before he could bluster out what a bitch she was.

 Without another word, we all turned and headed back into the house.

  

 Chapter 89

 Jane took a deep breath as we entered the kitchen. “Thank God that that is over.”

 Christi echoed the sentiments.

 The two bare girls walked slightly ahead of me as I gently guided them into the library. Elizabeth was bent over her classic quietly reading. She looked up as we approached.

 “You handled our host?”

 I nodded.

 “Tough?”

 “On Sheila mostly. She’s pretty upset.”

 “I can imagine. Can a slave ask a question?” I nodded. “Am I going to be left here or going with you on your shopping expedition?”

 “You don’t want it to be a surprise?”

 “Not really. You’ve come to get me for one or the other.”

 “Come on.”

 She carefully closed the book, slipping a small piece of paper between the pages. Marking her spot. It occurred to me that there was little point in reading in this timeline. She’d just forget it when I returned her. I guess that didn’t stop any of us reading in the prime time line. No guarantee that we’d remember any of it in any afterlife, if there even was an afterlife.

 She almost pranced over to stand in front of us.

 “Ready and willing,” she spoke jauntily.

 I guided the three bare women upstairs. We all entered the master bedroom. Elizabeth’s eyes widened as she noted Sheila bound to the bed.

 “Master?” Sheila’s voice rose from the bed.

 “Yes?”

 “Are you going to release me now? Please?”

 I looked at her. “Sheila, honey, you aren’t in any shape to be walking around shopping. You need rest. I’m going to leave you bound here until I get back.”

 “Oh God. Please don’t leave me tied up here. I’ll be good. I promise. You don’t have to tie me up. I hate it. Please. I’ll do whatever you tell me.”

 I leaned over and kissed her forehead. “Not today. I want you restrained while we’re out.”

 Tears had begun to form in her eyes. But she nodded. Accepting her bondage.

 “Master?” she had almost whispered. I turned back to the bound woman. “Please. My right wrist.” I glanced up to her bound wrist. “It’s tight. Please. I know you don’t have to care. But. Your slave begs you to loosen it. It. It’s cutting off her circulation. She’d be so grateful if you would retie it. She tried to adjust it, but it just got tighter. Please?” Sheila had fallen into slave talk. It had been a while since I’d heard it used. At least seriously. But I supposed that Sheila probably had had more time to master it than the others. I couldn’t imagine Mayer letting her speak normally all the time. He had controlled so many aspects of her life. Then again, he’d let her use cutlery whereas I hadn’t.

 I kissed her wrist. Her hand looked like it was having some circulation problems. It was getting tinged a little blue.

 I turned to Jane. Our resident knot expert. “Jane? You want to do the honours?”

 She nodded and stepped forward. Sitting down beside Sheila, talking quietly to her as she worked at the bonds. I heard Sheila sigh as her hand was released, sharply bringing in her breath as the circulation returned.

 I checked the rope work as soon as Jane was finished. It was secure and not nearly as tight. Sheila’s wrist could now rotate in the rope but there was no way even her small hand could work it’s way out. And there was no way for her to reach the knots either.

 “Good job, Jane.” She smiled at the compliment. I turned back to Sheila. “You alright other than that? Anything else falling asleep? You might be there a while.”

 Sheila pulled gently against the ropes holding her. Wiggling her toes. She shook her head. “I’d be better if I wasn’t tied up at all. But I guess I’ll be okay. My feet are going to fall asleep, but I think they’ll be fine if you aren’t gone too long.” She sighed. Resigned to her bondage.

 I turned back to Jane. “Feel like tying up another girl?”

 “Not really. But I will, of course. Who?”

 I pointed to Elizabeth. The bare girl paled and began to protest immediately.

 “Please. Sir. I. You don’t need to tie me up. I’ll just sit quietly and read. Honestly. I won’t wander around if you don’t want me to. I’ll be good. Please don’t tie me up again.”

 I looked at her. I could tell that she really didn’t want to be bound. I’d been lax with all of them as I’d dealt with the owners of the house. They had all enjoyed relative freedom. At most a pair of handcuffs adorning them. Free time. Time to themselves. Almost privacy. Suddenly they were being asked to give it all up again. It was going to be hard on them. Almost like I’d just captured them off the main timeline again.

 “No Elizabeth. I want you bound as well while we are out.”

 “Oh God. Please. I’ll do anything you want.”

 “Would you rather be gagged as well? Then I wouldn’t have to listen to these protests.”

 “Oh God. Please no. I. I’m sorry. I would rather not be gagged. If I have a choice anymore. Please.”

 Elizabeth had sunk to her bare knees on the carpet. Tears beginning to form as she realized that her freedom was about to be taken away again. I just watched her struggle with the knowledge for a moment and then look up at me.

 “Where?”

 “Huh?”

 “Where are you going to tie me up?”

 “In here. If you behave and don’t end up being gagged, at least you’ll have someone to talk to.”

 She nodded. Miserable. “How?”

 “Huh?”

 “How do you want to tie me up, dammit?” she swore in her frustration. Tears beginning to form in her eyes again.

 “Elizabeth?”

 She paled. “Oh God. Please don’t punish me. I apologize for losing my temper. I. Please. How do you want me tied, sir?” She swallowed. Hoping that her anger hadn’t bought her a punishment. Nothing she could do about it now, though. She’d just have to suffer if her mouth had gotten her in trouble again.

 “On your front, Elizabeth.”

 Obediently, she dropped to her hands and knees. Rocking forward and pressing her bare body into the carpet. Lying prone.

 “Hands behind you.” She whimpered but placed her hands behind her back, crossing her slender wrists. I motioned for Jane to secure her. Jane picked up a short length of rope left over from tying Sheila and wrapped Elizabeth’s wrists, lashing them together. “Cross your ankles.” Elizabeth crossed her bare ankles, not so silently waiting for the rope.

 “Sir? Please. You don’t have to do this. I. I’ll behave. I swear it.”

 “You are already misbehaving by trying to get out of this. You know that I want you tied up.”

 “But why? I haven’t done anything.”

 “You don’t need to do anything. You know that. This isn’t a punishment. If you were being punished, you’d know it. You just look pretty that way. Now. Do you want to be gagged as well?”

 She shook her head. Afraid of saying anything further. Jane had finished binding her ankles.

 I spoke to Jane. “Elbows and connecting rope. Hog-tie her. Make sure she’s as comfortable as possible. She’s going to be in it for a while.”

 Jane bent to her task. I simply sat back and watched the girl work. Slowly, Elizabeth become more and more immobile. She grunted a couple of times as her elbows were secured, but she didn’t have the bravery to actually complain any further. She’d been gagged before. She wasn’t fond of it.

 Finally Jane rose to her feet and nodded that Elizabeth was secure. Elizabeth was lying on her front. Her arms secured behind her back. The rope work was intricate. Her elbows. Her wrists. Her ankles crossed and bound. A rope looped back between her ankles and her wrists, bending her legs back. Her bare feet in the air. Squirming. Her back was arched slightly with the tightness. Her bare breasts almost lifted off the carpet, but not quite. Her knees had spread involuntarily to reduce the strain on her body. She was going to be one sore lady by the time I released her. I crouched down and double checked the ropes. Secure as always. Jane apparently wasn’t in the mood for a punishment either.

 I bent down and looked into Elizabeth’s teary eyes. Touched her face.

 “You alright?”

 “I’ve been better. Can I speak?”

 “Not if you are going to beg to get out of this. You are staying in this until I decide to let you out. End of discussion.”

 “I know. Please. I’m just not used to it. Please don’t punish me. Don’t gag me,” she whispered.

 “Unless you do something else to deserve it within the next three minutes, I won’t gag you. You two can talk while we’re gone. Okay? I just wanted to know if anything was going to cause problems. Circulation problems over the next few hours.”

 She cringed as she heard the words, realizing that she was going to be in this uncomfortable position for hours. “I. I can’t tell yet. I think I’ll be alright. Sore as hell at the end, I’m sure. But I’ll survive. Why do you like doing this to us? You won’t even be here to look at me.” Her tears overfilled her eyelids as she thought about the unfairness of this.

 “I don’t know. I really don’t.”

 She just lowered her head to the floor and sighed.

 “Get something for me?”

 “What?”

 “You are going shopping, right? Get something for me?”

 I smiled. Just like a woman. I halfway suspected that she was missing going shopping more than bothered about being hog-tied, naked for hours. She wiggled one of her bound bare feet.

 “We’ll see.”

 I stroked her face and then rose to my feet. She craned her neck trying to follow my movement. Gave up and just looked at the carpet beneath her.

 I ushered Jane and Christi out of the room. I glanced back at Elizabeth. I couldn’t imagine what she must feel like. So helpless. But yet so beautiful. Sheila. The same. More comfortable. But bruised to hell and back. Still beautiful in the ropes that held her body.

 I heard Elizabeth begin to talk to Sheila, “Well, Sheila, it looks like we’re going to be here for a while. Lucky us. May as well get to know each other. We’ve slept together after all ...” her voice beginning to fade out as I moved down the stairs to join Christi and Jane kneeling quietly at the foot of the stairs.

 I left the girls kneeling in the foyer and stepped into the living room. Amy was in her usual position. Lying on her back on the sofa, eyes closed, headphones playing. I walked over to the stereo and flipped off the amplifier. Her eyes popped open as her music died. She sat up and took the headphones off her ears.

 “Free time over?”

 I nodded.

 “Well?”

 “Well what?”

 “Do I get the pleasure of going shopping, or the pleasure of your ropes?”

 “Maybe both.”

 I pressed the CD eject button. Lifted the small circle of light. Enya. I switched off the unit, the red numbers fading into oblivion.

 “Yeah. I broke down. Listened to it.”

 “Tired of Twisted Sister?”

 She made a face. “AC/DC. There’s a bit of a difference. By the way, that Enya stuff is pretty good. I didn’t think I’d like it.”

 “Wait until I tie you down and force you to listen to Country and Western.”

 “Oh God. Please no. I’ll do anything to avoid that torture.”

 “I hear you. I don’t think I’m that cruel. Perhaps if you try and run again. Now there’s incentive to be good. Hands behind you.”

 She took a deep breath but moved her hands to behind her back. I moved over to her and she twisted to allow me access to her wrists. I slipped a pair of handcuffs onto her and she gasped as the cold metal touched her skin. She didn’t protest as I’d expected. Just sat quietly on the sofa, legs together, waiting for my next instruction.

 “Feet.”

 She lifted her bare feet, carefully holding them together. I looked at her puzzled, finally realizing that she’d mistaken the order. Thought I was going to cuff or tie her ankles as well.

 “No. To your feet. Stand up.”

 She flushed, and lowered her legs. She stood up. I guided her to the front foyer where Jane and Christi were still waiting on their knees.

 I spoke to them. “Hands behind you. Same as Amy.”

 They rose to their bare feet and allowed me to handcuff them all. No protests.

 I opened the front door and they followed me out to the front porch. I admired their bare bodies as they moved outside. The sun reflecting off of them. Still sparkling from their shower. I shrugged and left the front door wide open. Who was going to break in? Find the two nude beauties bound up for my pleasure in there? It kind of felt odd walking away from the house, leaving it unlocked. Unprotected. Especially knowing what the house contained. Specifically Elizabeth and Sheila. But I suppose that it was one of the side benefits of this timeline. Not much crime beyond whatever mayhem I managed to cause.

 “Okay, girls. Lead on to the nearest mall. Drug store. That sort of thing.”

 Jane turned to me. “Sir? We don’t really know the area. We don’t know where the nearest mall is.”

 “Well, I guess we will just wander around until we find one. It’s not like we are short on time or daylight.”

 She swallowed. “One more thing?” I nodded to her. I might indulge her. “Can your slaves walk on the grass? Please? It’s so much easier on the feet than asphalt. Have you ever walked on pavement in bare feet?”

 “I have half a mind to have you crawl.”

 He face clouded. Frightened. Not sure what they’d done to inspire my wrath, and afraid that her tongue was about to get them all in trouble. She just begged. Hoping that would appease me.

 “Please. Master. Don’t make us crawl. We’ll gladly walk on the pavement if you want us to. I was just asking, in case you didn’t care. Please. Please don’t punish us,” the suddenly frightened girl’s voice fell to a whisper at the end of her plea.

 “You may walk on the grass for now.”

 Her face brightened a little. Realizing that I was just tormenting her a little. She thought for a second and managed to organize her speech.

 “This slave. Thanks you.”

 She scampered over to Amy and Christi who were just waiting silently up ahead. I couldn’t hear her voice as she whispered to them, but they had a worried look on their faces, probably as Jane related my mood, and then a little happier when told that they could walk on the softer grass.

 I caught up to the bare girls. “You want to be out here all day?” I asked them.

 Jane swallowed and answered for them. “No sir.” And the girls began to walk, moving off to the side into the green grass. I walked about five paces behind them. Admiring the view. Just enjoying the way their bodies moved. The way the steel cuffs jingled softly against their skin. Watching their bare female feet, painted toenails, whisking through the dewy grass. Aware of my presence, the girls didn’t chatter much. Just raising their faces and enjoying the morning sun as we walked. Almost ignoring me.

 About an half hour later, Jane spoke again to me. “How about that one?” She indicated a shopping complex with a nod of her head. It looked fine to me. Didn’t look too crowded, but by the advertising signs outside appeared to have most of the types of stores I wanted.

 Our small group walked in that direction. The girls wincing as their feet struck the pavement of the parking lot. It had been a long time since I’d had any of them in such a public place. I could almost sense as their discomfort grew. Feeling their nudity, bordering on exhibitionism. But not being able to do anything as we slowly made our way past men and women, wheeling shopping carts, baby carriages and high school kids cutting class.

 I had to open the door and hold it for the girls, their hands not being particularly useful still cuffed behind them. The bare girls and I filed inside. We had to let our eyes adjust to the darker interior of the mall. It was a standard strip mall. One floor. A multitude of specialty shops. Shoe repair. Fabric places. Women clothing. A grocery store near one end. A video store. Jewelry shops.

 Jane was the first the speak. Braver than the rest. As usual.

 “M-master? Can this slave ask what we are shopping for?”

 “You want to eat, don’t you?”

 “Yes sir.”

 “I thought we’d grab some food before the kind Mayers run out of the basics. And I thought that we might do a little other shopping.”

 “For other women?”

 I smiled. Perceptive. As always. “Perhaps. But I think we ought to get the food first. What do you think?”

 Jane silently nodded. Her bravery run out.

 I herded the bound girls towards the far end of the mall. Dodging the odd pedestrian. The mall wasn’t particularly crowded at this time in the morning. I took note of some of the shoppers. Families. A couple of late high school girls caught my eye. Frozen talking to one another as they strode down the hall. A young mother, wheeling her infant in a carriage. Talking to it, by the look of things. A family. Boy. Girl. Mother and father. Almost looked like tourists. A clerk in a jewelry shop caught my eye. Blonde. Athletic looking.

 I listened to my charges’ bare feet against the tile as they walked down towards the grocery store.

 The girls stopped in front of the entrance door. Helplessly looking at the automatic door.

 “Come on. We don’t have all day. Get in there.” I admonished them.

 Christi looked at me. “Sir? But the doors are automatic. They aren’t opening.”

 “I don’t want to hear any excuses. Get in there.”

 Her eyes welled up with tears and she walked towards me instead of the doors.

 “Please,” she whispered. Really frightened by my sudden change of mood. “You know we can’t get in without help.” She gently rubbed her bare breasts against my arm. I reacted. Of course, I reacted. “Please. If you are looking for someone to punish, you know you don’t need a reason. You can punish us anytime. For anything you deem fit. Please. You don’t need to torment us with this.” Her eyes were the perfect vision of helplessness and frustration.

 I gently moved her away from me. Tears still falling silently down her cheeks. Her hands moving ineffectually behind her, wanting to brush the tears away, but unable. Amy and Jane were standing by the door, looking frightened and helpless.

 I let them wait there for a few moments and then released the auto doors from the time block. The heat sensor sprang to life, sensing the warm girls standing in front of it. The doors slid open.

 Relief flashed across the women’s faces as they realized that punishment, whatever I was planning for them, had been staved off for little while at least.

  

 Chapter 90

 The store was nearly deserted. I left the girls huddled by the door and walked along the front of the store. Pop cases were piled up against the front windows. The cashiers and tills a step or two back.

 There were a few customers lined up at the registers. Four cashiers were ringing up the sales. A more senior woman was taking care of the express line. Another middle aged woman was ringing up a elderly woman’s purchases in lane four. Down at the other end two younger women had their lanes lighted. Lanes ten and eleven. Both brunette. The shorter of the two looked like she was helping bag for the one in charge of lane ten.

 I walked over to them. They were both mid twenties. Perhaps late twenties. Kathleen and Nicole their name tags read. They almost could have been sisters. Similar builds. Similar upturned noses. Kathleen was ringing up the groceries of an older gentleman. His young grandson, seated in the cart. Kathleen was smiling, talking to the older man as her hand swiped a bag of milk across the laser reader. All frozen in time.

 I wandered back to my nude girls. They were still frightened and huddling near the door. Whispering.

 “Christi?”

 “Sir?” She stepped forward hesitantly.

 “Turn around.” She did and I unlocked her hands. I released the equipment pack from her fingers. She turned back around to face me, her hands limply at her sides.

 She looked at me. Apprehension still evident on her face. “You are going to take them. Aren’t you?”

 I pursed my lips. “Probably.”

 “Why are you angry with us?” she whispered.

 “I’m not angry with you.”

 “You sound angry. Please. We haven’t done anything.”

 I touched her shoulder. “Christi. I really am not angry with you. I’m just in a strange mood.”

 “It’s not about what Jane and I did? Is it? Amy doesn’t deserve to be punished for that.”

 I shook my head. “I’m not punishing anyone, unless there is a reason to. We might play a bit, though.”

 She wore one of those, I’m-not-very-surprised-about-that looks. “You are going to hurt us. Aren’t you?” Her voice was flat. And almost unemotional. Though tears had begun to well in her eyes.

 “Maybe. We’ll see. For now, we need to do some shopping. Come here.”

 The frightened girl followed me meekly to where the shopping carts were stored.

 “Hands.”

 She held her hands out in front of her. Expecting the cuffs back. I gently took her hands and placed them on the pushbar of a shopping cart.

 “Oh no. Why do I always get tied to the cart?”

 I smiled. She still remembered the hardware store. And Kimberly. Seemed like a lifetime ago I’d tied her naked body to that shopping cart. I silently used short lengths of cord to secure her to the cart. She pulled idly at the bonds, not expecting to be able to work herself free. She didn’t complain further. Probably frightened to.

 I motioned the other girls over. I turned them around, one at a time and changed their handcuffs from behind their back to their fronts. Jane and Amy just waited quietly. Pulling at the restraints on their wrists.

 “Alright girls. I’m going to let you go nuts here. Buy the good stuff. Make sure that you get staples. Bread. Peanut butter. Cold meats. Stuff like that. Milk. Eggs. You can get some cookies or something. Whatever you want as a treat. Don’t go too nuts though. Remember whose carrying all this stuff home. Okay?”

 Jane and Amy nodded. Christi was grimacing at the mention of peanut butter.

 I watched as the girls slowly made their way down the first aisle. Jane and Amy reaching for items with their bound hands. Soon they were out of sight. The naked women softly talking amongst themselves as they did the shopping.

 I wandered back to Kathleen and Nicole. I turned the gun over in my hands. Wondering how to release them. I decided not to release them at the moment.

 I walked through the store. Towards the back. Finally I reached a door marked Employees Only. Private. I shrugged. I pushed the door open. There was a flight of steps leading upwards. I walked up the stairs and opened the door at the top. Lunch room on the right, manager’s office on the left. I peeked into the lunch room. Couple of older guys smoking in the corner. I opened the door to the manager’s office. The manager had a small office. Desk. Chair. Phone. And a small window that looked out over the store. The manager was a woman. Coincidentally named Jane according to the name plate on her desk. Jane Orton. She looked to be in her mid-thirties. Nice figure. Reddish hair. Business suit. She was talking to another younger woman across the small desk. Orton was holding a piece of paper in her hands. Almost studying it. The younger woman was dressed nicely as well. Dark skirt and blouse.

 I ignored them, for now, and glanced out the private window. It was high and gave a good view of the store. I could see the nude girls slowly making their way down the third aisle. I couldn’t tell what they’d thrown into the cart from here. I’m sure they were doing an adequate job. They knew what kind of mood I was in. Forgetting something would be cause for punishment.

 I turned back to the women at hand. May as well have some company if I was going to wait for the others to finish shopping.

 I studied the gun in my hands. Probably the easiest way to get them under control. I closed the door. I leaned back against a wall, just under a framed Escher print, and concentrated. The new Jane and the younger woman suddenly began to resume their conversation. Unaware of my presence.

 “... and I have a head for numbers. Have a look at my math marks. Miss Orton ... who’s that?”

 The younger woman had just noticed me. Jane looked up and screamed as she saw me.

 “Who? Who are you?” after her initial startled reaction, Jane had raised her right hand over her breast and calmed fairly quickly. Calm under fire.

 “It doesn’t really matter who I am.” I tapped the gun idly against my thigh. Jane’s eyes immediately glued to the gun. The younger woman shrank back in her chair. Really uncertain about this situation, but not really frightened yet. But I wasn’t sure that she’d seen the gun either. Her view of it was blocked by my thigh.

 “What do you want? I can’t open the safe. Brinks is the only one that can do that. How did you get in here?”

 Jane had begun to raise her hands, like in Hollywood. The younger girl had finally seen the gun. She also began to raise her hands.

 “Listen to me. I’m not interested in your safe. Keep calm and nobody will get hurt. Understand?”

 The two women nodded.

 “Put your hands down. You look silly. I know that you don’t have any weapons. Why would you?”

 Both women lowered their hands and held them lightly at their sides.

 “Wh-what do you want from us, then. If you don’t want money.” Jane stammered.

 “First of all, I’d just like to know who you both are.”

 “Why do you want to know that?”

 “Well, by your name plate on your desk, I’d guess you are Jane Orton. What’s the point in not telling me?” I waved the gun vaguely in her direction.

 “I. I’m Julie. Julie Kensington. Please. I’m only here about a job. I. I don’t even w-work here. Please just let me go.” The other woman spoke up softly front her chair answering my question.

 That explained the dress and the paper that Jane had dropped to the desk. Probably the application, or resume.

 “Alright girls. You do what I say and nobody has to get hurt. Okay?”

 They both nodded. Terror cemented to their features.

 “First of all Jane. I’m afraid that your name kind of clashes.” The woman looked really confused. Of course, she didn’t know about the *other* Jane currently shoplifting from her store. “What’s your middle name?” I asked her gently.

 “Kara.”

 “That’s pretty. Can you remember to answer to that name instead? You don’t really look like a Jane anyway. How old are you, Kara?”

 She looked a bit confused. Probably difficult to get used to answering to a new name. I gave her some leeway.

 “Kara?”

 “I’m. Thirty-three. Why do you want to know that?”

 “Julie?”

 “Twenty-six. Please just let us go. What do you want?”

 I picked up her application. I scanned it. Out of the corner of my eye I could see her shifting uncomfortably in her chair.

 “I’m just curious, Julie. You are twenty-six. And you’ve listed your education to third year of college. What are you doing here for a job?”

 “Please just let us go.”

 “I asked you a question, Julie. I guess you don’t have to answer it if you don’t want. It’s not like I work here either.”

 “Oh God. What did you ask me?” Fright apparent on her face.

 “Why are you applying for a job here? When you obviously are more qualified for, what is it? Astrophysics?”

 She swallowed. Afraid not to answer. “I just ran out of money. I haven’t finished my courses. And there aren’t a lot of summer jobs in astrophysics. Please. I just want to get out of here. Alive.”

 I nodded. “You just want to get out of here alive. You seem like a smart girl. Third year astrophysics, after all. You want to live. That’s understandable. What are you willing to do for me, if I agree to let you go?”

 Julie paled. Her mind doing the female thing. Gun plus threats plus not wanting cash equals rape. Simple. Fascinated I watched as the thoughts flitted across her eyes.

 “Please. I don’t want to be raped.”

 Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Kara begin to rise out of her chair. I casually swung back towards her. Gun leveled at her chest.

 “Kara. Be smart. Sit back down. You aren’t going to be real effective with a hole in your chest.” Kara paled and sat back down heavily.

 “Okay. Okay. I won’t try anything. Calm down. Please. Can’t you put the gun down? Please? We’ll do whatever it is you want. You look nervous. Are you on drugs?”

 I laughed. “Drugs are for losers. What the hell would I need drugs for?”

 I turned away from Kara and concentrated on Julie again.

 “Julie? I’m sorry. What were you saying?”

 “Oh God. Please don’t rape me.”

 “Don’t me silly. I’m not going to rape you.”

 “Wh-what do you want from me then? I don’t have much?” She began to reach for her purse. She didn’t really look like she believed me.

 “I don’t want your money. Sit still.”

 She snatched her hand back and sat up straight again.

 “What do you want?”

 Kara echoed the sentiment. “What do you want?” she repeated.

 “What if I asked you to strip for me? Both of you?”

 They both paled. It took Julie a second to respond.

 “I thought you said that you didn’t want to rape us.”

 “First of all. I said that I wasn’t going to rape *you*. And I won’t. Second, I didn’t say anything about Kara over there.” Kara paled significantly. “Third, having you strip is hardly raping you. You might be embarrassed a little, maybe even border on being humiliated, but it will hardly hurt you. You take off your clothes every night, don’t you?”

 “I don’t want to take off my clothes.”

 “If I thought that you wanted to, why wouldn’t I just walk up to you and ask? Why would I need this?” I twisted the gun in my hand.

 “Oh God. Please. Just let me go? I haven’t done anything to you.”

 “Julie, honey. You aren’t going to like anything I want you to do. And you are absolutely right. You haven’t done anything to deserve this. Sometimes life just isn’t fair. But I’m the one with the gun.” I shrugged.

 “I’ll scream. Someone will come.”

 “So scream. I won’t try and stop you. I won’t even shoot you for trying it. But I do promise that I will punish you later for it. And you’ll like my punishments a lot less than you’ll like stripping for me.”

 I watched as Julie took a deep breath. Considering her options. Suddenly she let go an earsplitting scream. I almost covered my ears.

 “Please! Somebody! Help me. Help us. He’s got a gun. Please. Call the police. Help.”

 Kara had added her voice to the commotion. I just leaned back against the wall and let them holler. Shaking my head. I glanced towards the window and saw the three nude women, in aisle six now, look up and try and locate the source of the noise. Looking up towards the ceiling.

 Finally, they let up. Probably feeling a little silly, especially when I hadn’t dashed from the room at the slightest call for help.

 “Finished with the noise making, ladies?”

 “Someone will come.” Kara intoned without emotion. “I would be gone by the time the police show up, if I were you.”

 I actually laughed. The two women looked distinctly uncomfortable.

 I raised the gun again. I aimed it at Julie’s knee. She went pale.

 “Please. You said you wouldn’t shoot me. Even if I yelled. Please.”

 “I’m not going to shoot you for yelling. I’m going to shoot your knee because you aren’t stripping.”

 “Oh God. Please.”

 “You want another chance?”

 “Why are you doing this to me?”

 “Simply because I want to see your body.”

 She tried to keep me talking. “So you can rape me?”

 “Goddamn. How many times do I have to reassure you. I’m not going to rape you.”

 Her face paled.

 “Now. Are you going to strip. Or am I going to shoot your knee?”

 Slowly her hands moved to the throat of her blouse. Her fingers fumbling at the buttons. Her nails were long and painted a deep shade of purple. It looked professionally done. Even a star pattern painted onto her right index finger. I seemed to recall that one of the most effective things in an interview being clean, well groomed hands. She had certainly taken that advice. She whimpered, took another look at the weapon in my hand and finished unbuttoning it. She swallowed heavily. Lowering her eyes, she pulled the blouse free of her skirt and dropped it on the floor. She was wearing a plain white bra. Front closure.

 “Julie?”

 She looked up. Uncertain what to do next anyway. Tears in her eyes.

 “Can I see your hands?”

 She obediently held her hands out. Palms up. Confusion in her face.

 “Turn them over.” She obeyed. Turning over her hands. “Nice nails.” I commented. “Professionally done?”

 “I. I had a couple of interviews today. I had heard it might help to do it. My. My friend does them. As a hobby. Sort of.”

 “Stand up.”

 The frightened girl stood. She was still wearing a dark skirt. Nylons. And three inch black pumps. Being topless, except for the bra, was actually quite appealing. She had nice breasts. Probably didn’t even need the bra.

 “Continue.”

 “Please don’t make me do this. I don’t want to take them off. Please?”

 “Julie. You must know by now that I will make you do it no matter how much you beg. Taking off the blouse didn’t hurt, did it?”

 Her mouth clamped shut. Frightened again. Her fingers reached behind her and pulled the zipper down. The skirt dropped around her ankles. She stepped out of it and kicked it away with her foot. She was one of those girls that didn’t wear panties with their pantyhose. I supposed it really wasn’t necessary, but I’ll bet she regretted it today. I could faintly see her through the thin material. Her face was flushed bright red.

 “Happy now?”

 “You ain’t done, are you?”

 “Oh God. Please don’t make me go further. Please? Haven’t I humiliated myself enough for you, yet?”

 “Julie?” I motioned to her lower body with the gun.

 “Oh God. Okay. Okay. Stop waving that thing around.”

 She closed her eyes and her hands moved to the front of her bra. “Please?” she implored one last time. I didn’t even bother replying.

 “Oh God,” she whispered as she unsnapped the clasp. The bra fell to the sides, still covering her. She shrugged her shoulders and peeled the material back from her breasts. She shuddered as the satin slipped off her body and fell at her feet. Tears were falling down her face as she tried to cover herself with her hands.

 “Julie. Still more to go, you know. Take your hands away. I’ll see them eventually anyway.”

 “Oh God. Not more. Please. Have some mercy on me.” This girl still had no idea that this strip show would probably be one of the easier things I wanted her to do.

 “Come on. Don’t have all day.”

 “God. Why aren’t they coming?” she whined. Referring to their yelling match earlier.

 Hanging her head, she worked her pumps off with her toes. Finally, resigned that she was going to have to do it anyway, slipped the dark nylon down her legs. Her legs were perfect. Pale skin in contrast to the pantyhose. She pressed her bare legs together. Her light pubic hair was just vaguely visible as she squirmed.

 She swallowed. “Please. Can I put them back on now?”

 I laughed. “Julie, honey. You aren’t going to be putting them back on for a while. Or until your police show up.”

 “Oh God. Please. Have some decency.”

 “Me? Decency?”

 “Let me at least sit back down.”

 “Okay.”

 She self-consciously sat her bare bottom back into the chair. Squirming. Crossing her legs and crossing her arms over her breasts. Softly crying.

 I turned to the woman I’d renamed as Kara.

  

 Chapter 91

 “Kara?”

 “Oh my God. Please.”

 “You know what I want you to do.”

 “I. I can’t.”

 “You can’t?”

 “I can’t do that. Not in front of you.”

 “Why not?”

 “You have to ask why not?”

 “Well. The way I see it, is either you learn to strip in front of me, or I can start making holes in Julie here. Maybe she’d like a new hole in her breast.” I stepped over to the terrified girl and pressed the barrel of the gun into the side of her right breast. She gasped and began to pray. “And if the sight of all her blood doesn’t convince you to take off that suit, perhaps the sight of your own blood might.”

 Julie was almost hysterical in fear. Tears were running down her face, falling onto her naked chest in rivers. She was gasping for breath. Trying not to move. Not to make any threatening gestures.

 “Please, Jane. He’s going to sh-shoot me. If I could do it, you can. Please. I don’t want to die.”

 Gently I corrected her. “Kara.”

 “Oh God.” Julie lips moved in silent prayers again.

 “You son-of-a-bitch. You wouldn’t shoot her because I refused to strip.”

 “Try me?”

 “Alright, you bastard. I’ll do it. Calm down. Move away from her.”

 I shrugged and returned to my post against the wall. Julie collapsed. Bending at her waist. Sobbing uncontrollably.

 I watched as Kara began to strip. She slowly pulled her clothes from her body. Her face beet red. To her credit she didn’t whine at the underwear and soon she was standing naked behind her desk. She lightly held her hands to her sides. She had a passable body. Looked like it had gone through a couple of children, but it also looked like she worked out. Her short blonde hair was really blonde, I idly noticed. She suffered my gaze.

 She spoke. “Can I go to her?” Meaning Julie still crying hysterically in the chair. “Without you freaking out with that thing?”

 I nodded and Kara moved slowly around the desk and knelt beside Julie. She tried to comfort the sobbing girl.

 “Julie. You have to be strong here. He’s not going to hurt us. Come on. I need you here.”

 Julie managed to control her shaking. She sat back up, tears still rolling down her cheeks.

 “Why me? God. He’s going to kill us.”

 Kara whispered to her urgently. “He’s not going to kill us. We’ll do whatever it is he wants. He’ll rape us. And then he’ll go. We’ll call the police. You have to stay with me here.”

 “I don’t want to be raped.”

 “Neither do I sweetheart. Neither do I.”

 “This is a dream, right?”

 “I wish it was. I’ve pinched myself three times already. And every time I keep waking up without my clothes, here with you.”

 I finally intervened. “Ladies?”

 They both swiveled their heads and looked up at me.

 “See how Kara is? On her knees? Julie. I want you like that.”

 “Oh God.”

 Kara tugged at Julie’s arm and she slipped off the chair. Ending up kneeling beside Kara. Still tears falling down her face.

 I tossed them a pair of handcuffs each. They looked at them. Frightened.

 “Put them on. Behind your back.”

 “Oh God. Why?” Julie implored.

 “Because I don’t want you to have any bright ideas of attacking me.”

 “Just let us go then.” Kara interjected logically.

 “Not yet, my pretty ones.”

 Julie hesitantly picked up the cuffs and looked at them. “Please. You don’t need to do this.”

 Kara spoke as well. “Really. You walk out of here. You’ve had your show. You’ve had your cheap thrill. Us naked for you. You walk out of the store. And that’s it. We don’t call the cops. We never even mention it happened. Period. You don’t get caught. Everyone wins.”

 “Sorry ladies. Have other plans. And I doubt very much if I’ll get caught. And besides. As soon as I’m out that door, you’d be on the phone to the police. You probably wouldn’t even bother getting dressed first.”

 “Please don’t make us do this.”

 “Put them on.”

 Kara reached for her pair of handcuffs. She closed her eyes and snapped the first side around her left wrist. She wound her hands behind her and I heard the ratchet close. I watched as she made some kind of eye gesture at Julie and Julie did the same thing. I wasn’t sure what Kara was trying to tell the frightened girl.

 I casually walked behind the women. They stayed on their knees, Kara looking decidedly nervous. Watching me. Her head turning on her long neck.

 I crouched down behind them and ran my fingers around Julie’s left wrist. Tight. Same with her right wrist. She wasn’t getting out of the steel until I released her. I moved to Kara. Her left wrist was tight. I rattled her right arm and the cuff fell off her wrist, dangling.

 She immediately sprang to her feet and dashed towards the door. The handcuff still dangling from her left wrist.

 “Kara?”

 She turned just before she got to the door. I could have frozen her, but that wasn’t necessary.

 “My name is not Kara. It’s Jane.”

 “You open that door, Kara, and Julie here is going to be very uncomfortable.”

 “You wouldn’t shoot her.”

 “I wouldn’t? Care to try me?”

 “No.”

 “How about if I shoot you instead?”

 “Shit.”

 “Come back here.”

 The naked woman walked back on her bare feet.

 “What are you going to do to me?”

 “Turn around.”

 Shaking she did.

 “Hands.”

 She reluctantly put her hands behind her. I closed the handcuff tightly around her right wrist. Pressing it deeply into her skin.

 She cried out. “Oh shit. That hurts. God. You didn’t need to make it that tight.”

 “Kara? Last time it appears to have fallen off. I just wanted to make sure that it didn’t happen again.” I pressed on her shoulders and pushed her hard to her knees. Tears welled up as she pulled against her restraints. Trying in vain to get her right wrist into a comfortable position.

 Kara glared at me with determination in her eyes.

 I left the women on their knees and walked back over to the window. Gazed out. Christi, Jane and Amy were just finishing up the last row.

 “You got an intercom in this store, Kara?”

 “Of course.” The sullen voice floated up from the other side of the desk.

 “How?”

 “You dial 9-1-4 on the phone and then just speak, you fucking bastard.”

 “Such language from such a beautiful woman.”

 Kara muttered something, but I didn’t quite catch it. I walked over to the phone on her desk. I picked it up. Dialed the magic numbers.

 I heard the intercom system announce itself with a soft bell. The naked women shopping in the store looked up in surprise.

 “Christi?” I thought I saw her lips move. But from where I was standing I couldn’t make out her words. It was probably just an acknowledgment.

 “Christi. When you finish down there, take it all to the front and wait for me. Read a National Equirer or something.”

 I saw her speaking and nodding.

 I turned back to the women on the floor. I sat up on Kara’s desk and gazed down at them.

 “Who was that you were talking to? Who the hell is Christi?” Kara asked.

 “None of your business. Yet.”

 “It is my fucking business. It’s my fucking store.”

 I reached down and casually slapped her. Her head snapped back and she cried out at the blow. I hadn’t hit her hard.

 I crouched down, my face centimeters from hers.

 “You listen to me. It’s your *fucking* business and your *fucking* store when I tell you it is. You are nothing right now. You don’t even have a name anymore. You are mine. You understand? And I don’t want to hear any more unladylike language emerging from that mouth of yours. Or I’ll gag it. Understand?”

 She nodded. But she didn’t understand. Julie was in tears again.

 I pulled her to her feet. Painfully, the cuffs digging into her wrists, she stumbled to her bare feet. I dragged her around her desk and practically threw her into her chair. Involuntary tears of pain surfaced in her eyes as she fell against the cuffs. A faint “ooof” sound escaped her lips.

 I knelt in front of her chair. It was not one of the new comfortable reclining chairs, but one of the classroom chairs with four sturdy legs. Cheap store.

 “Feet.”

 The frightened woman allowed me to guide her bare foot to the chair legs. I lashed it securely there. Her other foot followed. I could see her wincing at the tightness of the bonds. She was secured to the chair. She wasn’t going anywhere fast.

 “Please,” she gasped out.

 “Please what?” I hitched myself up on the desk in front of her. Facing her. Her short hair was messed up and terror was across her face. I wasn’t used to treating women this rough. I swung my legs.

 “Please.”

 “You want to beg?”

 “I just want to be left alone.”

 “Kara. Let me explain ...”

 “My name isn’t Kara,” she softly protested.

 “It will be Kara until I tell you otherwise.”

 “Alright. Just don’t hurt me.”

 “Kara. How are you feeling right now?”

 “Sore. Please.”

 “Please what?”

 “Please. If you have to tie me up. Alright. But please. My feet are already falling asleep. They don’t have to be that tight. And my wrist. Please. I’ll do whatever you want.”

 “Kara. I thought you wanted them tight?”

 “Wanted them tight?” she said incredulously. “I don’t even want to be here. You fucking insane psychopath.”

 I ignored her language for the time being. She’d slip again. “Well. I did give you the chance to put the handcuffs on yourself. And you did a pretty lousy job.” She began to cry. “So I naturally assumed that you wanted me to tie you up instead.”

 “You can’t treat me like this. I demand to be let go.”

 I laughed. “You demand? That’s cool.” I casually reached forward and slapped her face again. She cried out. “You demand that I stop that as well?”

 I heard a soft voice from behind me. I turned. Julie, tears still streaming down her face was talking to me.

 “Please. I don’t even know what your name is. Please don’t hurt her anymore. She didn’t do anything wrong.”

 “Julie. Do you really want to get involved with this?”

 “No please. Please just stop slapping her. I’ll be quiet back here. Please just let us go.”

 I turned back to Kara, seated naked and bound in front of me. I reached out and began to lightly fondle Kara’s bare breasts. She twisted and tried to get away. She screamed at me.

 “Leave me alone. You fucked up bastard.”

 I gripped her right nipple. I began to apply pressure. In gradients. I watched her face intently. Her face beginning to register the pain emanating from her breast. Finally, as I began to twist the nipple she cried out.

 “Argh. No. Please stop. I’ll do whatever you want. Just stop hurting me.”

 I released her. She sat breathing hard. Gasping for breath. Struggling with the handcuffs.

 “You’ll do what I say?”

 “Yes.” Resigned. “You’ll make me fuck you anyway.” She thought I wanted to rape her. She was in for a surprise.

 “What if I don’t want you to fuck me?”

 “What?”

 “What if I don’t want you to fuck me?”

 “What the hell do you want then.”

 “First I want you to listen to me. I want you to put handcuffs on properly when I tell you to. I want you to stop using unladylike language when I tell you to. And after you’ve learned that lesson, I’ll let you know what else I want.”

 “Oh God.”

 “Just sit there and be quiet while I take care of your friend. Then we’ll decide what to do with you.”

 She nodded. Not wanting to feel the nipple torment again.

 I hopped off the desk and approached the cowering girl on the floor. I crouched in front of her.

 “Julie?”

 She looked at me through her tears.

 “Julie. I want to tie you into that chair. We can do it the hard way. Like Kara. Or you can just let me do it. You can be in pain, like her. Or you can be a bit more comfortable. Ask her which is better.”

 I looked at Kara.

 “Julie. Just let him tie you up. He’s going to do it anyway. And my feet are already asleep from his fucking ropes. You don’t have to go through that.”

 “You going to do this the easy way?” I asked the terror-stricken girl.

 She nodded dumbly and I helped her climb to her feet. She placed herself into the other chair with her cuffed hands on the other side of the backrest. I knelt in front of her and lashed her slender ankles to the chair legs. I was careful of her skin and made sure it was just tight enough to hold her. She wouldn’t have the same circulation problems that Kara had.

 Satisfied, I let myself out of the office. I ran down the stairs and walked briskly to the front of the store. The three girls were waiting as instructed by the cashiers. Jane as reading the National Equirer aloud to the other two. Laughing at some two headed baby from Mars tripe.

 I moved to release Christi from her bonds holding her to the cart. As soon as her hands were free she held them up. Knowing that I was going to recuff her. I slipped the steel over her wrists and then led them all back into the store.

 “Clothespins. Where?”

 Jane thought about it. “I think I remember seeing packages of them with the cleaning stuff. Please. What do you need them for?” Knowing full well what I needed them for.

 “Don’t worry. Your nipples are safe for now. Run and get me a package.”

 Jane scampered away, her bare body doing delightful things as she ran down the main aisle. Her bare feet flawlessly gripping the tile as she turned into the cleaning aisle. She returned seconds later, completely out of breath but holding a package of like three hundred clothespins between her bound hands.

 “Enough?” she managed to gasp out. When I told these girls to run, they ran. I shook my head. I wasn’t really intending for her to run a marathon.

 “You didn’t have to bring me enough to sink Titanic.” I stepped back. Briefly pictured Jane, bound and naked with three hundred clothespins pinching her body. All over. I smiled to myself.

 “I’ll get you a smaller package if you want,” she replied breathlessly. Missing my smile.

 “It’s fine,” I told the nude beauty.

 We began to walk back to the employee’s stairs.

 “Okay girls. I don’t want any shocked women here. I have a couple more women upstairs.”

 “Oh no.” Amy groaned.

 “What?”

 “We only shopped for six.”

 I actually laughed, expecting another diatribe about me subjugating women. “I’m not keeping them, bozo.”

 She flushed, but grinned.

 “Now. We are going up there. I don’t want to hear a peep out of any of you. No matter what you see. What you hear. Got it? If I hear you sneeze, I’ll gag you for the rest of the afternoon. You stay where I put you. Jane? You understand?”

 “I understand.” She flashed me a mischievous grin. “Why are you picking on me?”

 “You know full well why I’m picking on you. I’m serious here. You won’t enjoy the punishment. I’m not kidding. I have half a mind to gag you right now and avoid the trouble later.”

 She paled a bit. “I’ll be good. I promise.”

 The girls stopped out of habit as I guided them towards the door marked Private. I almost laughed.

 “Since when is anything private around me?”

 The girls smiled ruefully and waited for me to open the door for them. We all climbed the short flight of steps together. Christi and Jane ahead. Me and Amy trailing. Their bare feet scuffing at the stairs.

 “Remember. Not a peep.” We approached the manager’s office door.

 I opened the door and the girls filed silently into the now crowded office. I gently took the clothespins from Jane and the three nude beauties sank to their knees on the threadbare carpet just behind Julie’s chair.

 I was immediately faced with questions from Kara.

 “What the fuck is going on here?” She was beginning to recognize that this wasn’t your average hold up, break and enter, or rape scenario.

 “I thought I told you to watch your language.”

 “I want to know who the hell they are? And how the fuck you managed to get them in here like that?”

 I could see the desire burning in Jane’s eyes. Wanting to explain to this woman what was going on. Make her understand not to disobey. Help her. She managed to keep her tongue. I glanced around the room. Christi and Amy were sitting back on their calves trying to be impassive. Not really succeeding, but trying. Julie was just staring over her shoulder at the new passive women. Frightened out of her mind. Realizing suddenly that events had passed far beyond her ability to understand and control them. Beginning to realize that rape might be the least of her concerns.

 I sighed. I sat back on the desk in front of Kara.

 “Kara. Kara. Kara.”

 “That isn’t my fucking name. Are you going to answer me? Who are they?”

 “Kara. Each time you swear, you get another one of these on you. Eventually, you aren’t going to care about cursing anymore.”

 “What?”

 I reached forward and grasped a small pinch of flesh on her right breast. Just above her budding nipple. I snapped a clothespin over the patch of skin. It stood up from her flesh like a small tower.

 She cried out. “What the fuck do you think you’re doing? That hurts.”

 “I know it hurts. What does that make? Seven? Or eight?”

 “What the hell are you talking about?”

 Patiently I looked into her frightened eyes. “Kara. I told you. Unladylike language.”

 Her eyes teared up. “Please? What do you expect from me?”

 It was Amy that broke the silence. Surprised the hell out of me. I was sure it was going to be Jane if any of them.

 “Ma’am. Please. You have to listen to him. Believe me. I’m going to be punished horribly for even opening my mouth. But. He’s going to hurt you like you’ve never been hurt before if you don’t listen. If he told you not to curse, you can’t. No matter how much you want to. Please.”

 I dropped off the desk and rummaged through the pack. I picked up a red ball gag and walked over to Amy. She closed her eyes. Shaking her head.

 “Please. Master. I was only trying to help.”

 “Do you know why you are being gagged?”

 “Yes.” Tears were running down her face.

 “Why?”

 “Because I was ordered not to speak. But. Please. I couldn’t help it.”

 “I know. And you are a brave girl. Silly. But brave. She won’t listen to you, you know?”

 Tears just rolled down her cheeks and she opened her mouth.

 “You are just going to let him gag you? Just like that?” Kara asked incredulously.

 Amy opened her eyes. “Please. I knew what I was getting into when I opened my mouth. If I don’t let him, he’ll just gag me more painfully and then whip me or something. Something I won’t like. Easier just to take my punishment. Please don’t let it go to waste. Listen to him.”

 Her words were cut off as I pressed the gag gently into her accepting mouth behind her white teeth. Her eyes still trying to express her earnestness over top of her stretched mouth. She held it easily in her mouth as I moved to the back of her neck. I buckled it behind her head but didn’t wrench it into her. She’d be uncomfortable, but as long as I didn’t leave it in for hours on end, she’d be alright. She’d end up with a slightly sore jaw. Nothing worse. No more outbursts out of her.

 “Hands.”

 The glum girl just obediently raised her cuffed wrists. I removed the left cuff and she unconsciously touched her lips, stretched around the ball. She moaned and then realized that I hadn’t given her permission to move her free hand. She paled a bit and placed her left hand back into position with her right. I grasped her wrists and moved them behind her. I could hear her protesting behind the gag, but couldn’t understand her words. I clipped her wrists back together behind her and then rose.

 I returned to the desk and sat back in from of Kara.

 “Now. Where were we?”

 “Please don’t do this.”

 “Clothespins, right?”

 “You were placing eight clothespins on my tits for my swearing.” Kara’s attitude seemed to have changed with the appeal from Amy. Maybe she was beginning to realize that she was in some real trouble and she better start cooperating if she expected to get out without some real pain. Perhaps realizing that Amy had taken punishment for her to try and warn her.

 I began to systematically attach the clothespins to the firm flesh of her bare breasts. She squirmed against he ropes holding her, but not significantly. Twisting her body probably was painful in itself with the tight bonds. She cried out as the sixth one settled into her left breast. Julie was still softly crying behind me. Not being able to stop.

 “Now. The hard part.”

 “Please. Not the nipples.”

 I nodded. “You ready?”

 “Please. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I’ll never swear again. As long as I live. I’ll do whatever you want. God. Please. You don’t have any idea how much that is going to hurt. These hurt enough. I’m begging you.”

 I reached out and touched her right nipple. I could see the concentration across her face. Trying not to squirm. Trying not to twist away. Trying not to react to my gentle caresses. She lost. Her nipple hardened involuntarily and she screamed as the clamp squeezed the tip. She thrashed in her bonds. Shaking herself. Trying to dislodge the pain.

 “Ahhhh. Noooooooo. Oh my god. Oh my god. It hurts. Please take it off me. I’ll do anything you want. I’ll fu ... make love to you. Any way you want it. Please.”

 I waited for her to calm. The pain to subside to a dull throbbing in her nipple.

 “Kara?”

 She turned her head. Looking at me through bleary eyes.

 “If you mean love making, you can say fuck. That’s acceptable. It’s only when you embellish with it. ‘Fucking bastard’ doesn’t really sound very ladylike. Unless you are in pain, like now, in which case I can sort of understand losing your composure.”

 “You fu ... bastard.”

 “See. You are getting the idea.”

 I reached out and lightly touched her left nipple.

 “Please no. I’ll do anything you want. I’ll fuck you. I’ll crawl for you. I’ll do anything you want. I’ll degrade myself. But please. Don’t clamp my other nipple. It hurts so much.”

 She didn’t even try beyond the begging. Her nipple slowly tightened to my touch. Again she screamed out her pain as the clothespin closed on her.

 “Argh. No. No. Please. Oh God. My tits. It hurts so goddamn much. Please take them off me. I’ll do anything.”

 I leaned back on my hands and watched the woman as she hurt and pleaded. Finally the pain peaked and descended into that dull throbbing. She was breathing hard. Her clothespin decorated breasts rising and falling with her distress.

 I hopped off the table. Done tormenting her for the moment. I looked out the window. I had a fine view of the front of the store. Cashiers. Front doors. The works.

 I turned around. Jane and Christi looked pained. Having to watch Kara sitting there naked as she had to watch her breasts being tortured. Wanting to comfort her. Wanting to at least say something. But somehow holding their tongues. All they had to do was look at Amy. Head hung, gagged. Hands cuffed behind her back instead of in front. Actually I was proud of them. It must have been near impossible for Jane to keep quiet.

 Julie just sat and cried in her chair. Trying to pretend that she wasn’t handcuffed naked in some interviewer’s office. Waiting to be tortured.

 “Ladies?”

 All the heads in the room perked up as I addressed them.

 “Kara and Julie. I want you to think about something. Okay? I have a few other things to do. When I get back, I expect you both to be ready to have sex.”

 Julie looked up at me. I was surprised after all she’d seen that she’d care. “I thought you said you wouldn’t rape me.”

 “And I’m not going to. I meant have sex with each other.”

 “You have to be joking.”

 I turned back to the window. “Just be prepared. I am going to ask you to do it. Ask Kara what the price of disobedience is. Hell just look at her chest.”

  

 Chapter 92

 Ignoring the soft crying coming from the women behind me, I glanced out at the store again. I studied the cashiers from above. I had a perfect view of Nicole and Kathleen at lane ten. Frozen in time.

 I concentrated. I isolated their body masses from the vicinity in space-time. Seeing them made it easier, but they were a fair distance away. And there was a plate of smoked glass between us. I felt their space assert itself onto this timeline and I groaned at the effort. Dizziness washed over me. Kara gasped as I leaned on her bare shoulder shaking her tightly bound body and the clothespins.

 I glanced over at Christi, who was struggling to get to her bare feet. She paled at my look, falling back to her knees. She looked like she was desperate to say something, knowing that she wasn’t allowed.

 I shook my head and the dizziness cleared to be replaced with a very faint nausea. I straightened.

 Looking out the window, I watched as the two stunned girls excitedly spoke to each other downstairs. I couldn’t hear their words, but I was willing to put money on that they were trying to sort out why their old friend Mr. Gramps wasn’t moving. And neither was his grandson. Kathleen carefully stepped out from her cage. Both girls looking around desperately. Frightened.

 They crept down the front aisle between the cases of pop and the cash registers. They stopped in front of lane four. Pointing at the middle aged woman. Finally, Nicole, at least I think it was Nicole, got braver and opened the enclosure. Reaching out tentatively with her hand and touching the frozen woman’s face. I heard the scream faintly as she pulled her hand back from the frozen cold flesh.

 She scrambled out of the cashier enclosure and desperately hugged the other girl. Trembling. Her lips moving soundlessly. Probably trying to make sense of all this. The girls carefully crept around other frozen people. Frightened to touch them. Staying together.

 Finally, panicked, they began to run for the door. I had long ago ensured that all the entrance doors were frozen on the prime time line. No matter what they did, they couldn’t have opened them.

 Kathleen actually ran into the doors. Expecting them to open automatically. She fell backwards onto her bottom and began to shake. Nicole tried to pry the frozen door open with her fingers. Finally, after a few minutes they gave up and sank to the floor. I couldn’t tell, but it was looking like Nicole was crying as well. The girls shifted until their backs were to the door and just waited. For what, I have no idea.

 I turned to my other captives. “Girls? I want you all to stay here. Quietly. You can talk together. But quietly.”

 I stepped around Kara and the desk. I petted Julie’s head as I passed her. She cringed.

 I crouched in front of Jane and Christi. I whispered to them.

 “I don’t want you telling them about the time thing. But explaining the rules is alright. Get them ready for the sex. I don’t want either one of you off your knees while I’m gone. Understand?”

 They both mutely nodded. I rose to my feet and slipped out of the room. I silently made my way down the stairs. As soon as I opened the door into the store, I could faintly hear the girls through the silence. I carefully closed the door and made my way towards the front of the store. As I approached them, I began to be able to make out their individual voices and the odd word.

 “... Nicole ...”

 “... trapped ... Ms. Orton ...”

 I waited just out of their sight. Curious what they would do. I could barely see them. They were definitely in tears. Trying to make sense out of the messed up world.

 “We have to get out. Get help,” the girl named Kathleen was speaking.

 “How? We can’t even open the damn doors.”

 “We’ll break the glass or something. Find a phone that works.”

 “Come on. Maybe there is someone alive upstairs.”

 I watched as they got to their feet and began to walk towards me. I stood stock still. Trying to look like one of the frozen people. Kathleen and Nicole walked past me. Carefully moving around my body to avoid touching me. Touching the frozen people, must have really spooked Nicole earlier. I let them get ten meters or so towards the back of the store, before I made any sound.

 I softly spoke. “Going somewhere ladies?”

 I think you probably could have heard the double scream at the South Pole. Nicole almost fainted. Her eyes actually rolled back but she managed to catch herself and hold onto consciousness.

 Kathleen whispered. “Goddamn you scared us. Thank God. You’re alive. We aren’t the only ones.”

 I let Nicole regain her composure before I continued.

 “The others aren’t dead exactly. They just can’t hear you.”

 “Excuse me? Do you know what is going on here?” Kathleen’s face had lit up. “Who are you?”

 “The people are frozen. They aren’t dead.”

 “Why aren’t we?”

 “Because I let you free.”

 “You?”

 “Kind of.”

 “I don’t understand.”

 “You don’t have to understand.”

 “What the hell is going on here?” Her tears had dried up. Anger replacing them. Then plaintively, “Are you going to help us?”

 “Girls. You are currently on a separate time line. The others are frozen on the original one. Does that help?”

 “No.”

 “I doubted it would.”

 “So, how do we get back to the original timeline? Back to normal?”

 “I start it up again.”

 “You. Start it up again? So why don’t you?”

 “I like it here at the moment.”

 “So where do we fit in?” She was still mighty calm. I could see it in her eyes. A conscious decision to remain cool and calm. Similar to Jane the first time I met her.

 “It’s actually very simple. If you do whatever I say, then you don’t get hurt.”

 “This is some elaborate robbery? I don’t have any money.” Still calm. But I noticed her eyes darting around.

 “Kathleen. Nicole. You look like smart girls. Right?”

 They both nodded.

 “Were you able to get out of here?”

 “No. What have you done to the doors?”

 “Believe me. You can’t open them. You can’t break them. You can’t get out of this store unless I let you.”

 Nicole moaned. Despite the fact that Kathleen was doing most of the talking, she caught on quicker.

 “You want us. Don’t you?” Nicole moaned.

 “Kind of. Kathleen. I see your eyes. You can’t escape. Believe me. Save yourself the trouble.”

 “What do you want with us?”

 Nicole answered the question for me. “He wants *us*, Kath. He’s going to r-rape us. Or something.” She had begun to cry and her body was shaking.

 Kathleen absorbed the assertion. Nodding. Not panicking.

 “What if we just turned and ran?”

 “I wouldn’t if I were you. You don’t want to piss me off.”

 “Oh God. Tell me why we shouldn’t just attack you. Right here. You couldn’t stop us both.” I saw her begin to tense her muscles.

 “Kathleen. You look like a smart girl. What if I have a gun? A knife? You willing to risk your pretty body for a futile attack? And what if you don’t succeed? What if it just makes me angry? What if I have that gun and I decide to shoot you? And not to kill you? Bullets can be really painful.”

 Both girls had paled. Kathleen was shifting her weight from foot to foot.

 Kathleen spoke again. “What do you want us to do?”

 “Are you two sisters?”

 Kathleen answered. “We actually get that a lot. No. We aren’t.”

 I just watched them for a few minutes. Considering what I wanted them to do. They stood uncomfortably. Frightened, but not crying any longer.

 “Girls? I know you aren’t going to like this. But I need you out of the way for a little while. Okay?”

 “Please. Just let us go.”

 “I need to tie you up for a while. Okay?”

 “Please. You don’t need to tie us up. Why?”

 “Got other things to take care of.” I lied.

 “If we let you tie us up, will you leave us alone? You can do whatever it is you want to do, and then leave. You can just call someone to come untie us.”

 “Perhaps.”

 “Okay. Just don’t go ballistic here. Nobody wants to get hurt. We’ll do whatever you want. You want to tie us up. You can. I’ve been tied up before. I have brothers. Where do you want us?” Kathleen was still calm. Nicole was beginning to cry again. Kathleen threw her arm around Nicole’s shoulders and tried to comfort her.

 “Nicole. Calm down. It’s just a bit of rope. He’ll tie us up for a while. No big deal. Better than being raped or shot. Okay? Honey?”

 Nicole snuffled but managed to control her crying. “You aren’t going to hurt us?”

 I considered the question. I really didn’t know what I was going to do with these two. I wanted to see them nude. That almost went without saying. And I was picturing them screaming.

 “I’m not going to hurt you,” I lied again to them.

 I had the girls walk ahead of me back towards the front of the store. As we walked, I watched their bodies as they moved beneath the uniforms. So soon to be removed uniforms.

 I glanced up. The ceiling in this store was very high. A good six meters up. I wanted their hands above them. Somehow, I’d have to get a connection up into the rafters.

 I moved towards the women. They had stopped by the second cash line. Waiting quietly for my instructions. I produced another couple of pairs of handcuffs. I could have frozen them again while I prepared, but the dizziness had scared me a bit earlier. Last thing I needed was to pass out trying to refreeze them. Kathleen would have me in knots, if not dead, in a matter of seconds.

 “This won’t hurt you. Hold out your right hand Kathleen. Left for you Nicole.” Nicole was standing to Kathleen’s right.

 I walked up to the girls and carefully slipped the first pair of cuffs over their extended wrists. Nicole began to cry again as she watched her left wrist encircled by the steel. I double checked since I hadn’t tightened the cuffs into their skin. Nicole shuddered at my touches. The cuff was secure between them. I connected another cuff to Kathleen’s left wrist and led them together to the second cash. There was a convenient red railing marking the lanes. I slipped the cuff around the railing securing them to it temporarily.

 “You are just going to leave us here?” Kathleen asked.

 “For now.”

 “How long? Shush Nicole.” Nicole struggled to control herself.

 “I need to work out a few things. I’ll be back for you in a little while.”

 “Take your time,” Kathleen told me. She pulled a bit against the handcuff holding her to the railing. Realizing that she wasn’t going anywhere.

 I wandered back towards the rear of the store. The store had advertisements swinging from the rafters. There must be a maintenance area somewhere. A big ladder for putting up those signs. After a brief search I located a long stepladder. It was a bit of a struggle, but I managed to drag it to the front of the store.

 Kathleen and Nicole had dropped and were sitting quietly on the floor. Cross-legged. Kathleen’s left wrist was extended up, dangling from her tether.

 “Sir? Can I ask who you are? And why you need that ladder?” Her eyes betrayed her confusion. But it hadn’t settled into worry yet. She was a cool customer. By now, she had to have figured out that if I really only wanted to tie them up, I could have just left them cuffed to the railing. I could see the knowledge burning behind her bright blue eyes. I was sure that she hadn’t voiced her concerns because of Nicole.

 I set up the ladder and called down to her as I climbed it. “Kathleen, I don’t really have a name. Not really. Sir will do.” I didn’t want to frighten her by suggesting that Master would also be acceptable. “Who I am is really unimportant.”

 “I just feel odd, you knowing my name and me not knowing yours. After all, I let you restrain me. That should put us on a first name basis don’t you think?”

 I considered telling her my real name. I wanted her off balance a bit so I just decided to wait. I’d tell her if the time was right. Until I had complete control of her. I was almost sure that she was just stalling for time. Waiting for an opportunity to either try an escape or incapacitate me. She was a smart girl. She’d go along with whatever I wanted to do to her, and she’d just wait for the right time. I’d have to watch her.

 “I don’t have a first name. You want to make one up?”

 She considered it. “You’ll hurt me if I come up with one you don’t like.”

 Pretty bright girl. “Uh-huh.” I’d reached the top of the ladder. I reached up and touched the rafter above me. Idly I wondered if any of the girls could see me up here through the private window in the manager’s office. I glanced down. Damn good thing I wasn’t afraid of heights. I idly considered what would happen if I fell off this thing. Perhaps I should have made Christi or Jane do this. Too late now.

 I fished a length of rope out of my pocket and looped it over the rafter. It was one of those warehouse steel beams. Strong as hell. It would need to be.

 I let the end of the rope fall to the floor, six meters down. I gripped the other end and descended the ladder, pulling the rope down with me. After I reached the bottom, I retrieved a can of apple juice from the shelves and tied it off. Didn’t want the rope slipping back up. I gathered up the ladder and moved it off to the side.

 Kathleen looked up at me from her seated position.

 “What’s the rope for?”

 “You are a smart girl. What do you think it is for?”

 “Us.”

 “Uh-huh.”

 She glanced at Nicole who was pulling gently at her cuffed wrist. By extension pulling at Kathleen. Kathleen just suffered the motion in her right hand quietly. Thinking. Probably wanting to ask more, but afraid of frightening Nicole further. Knowing that this wasn’t as innocent as it appeared.

 “Why?” She finally asked.

 I considered my answer. This could go two ways. If I managed to frighten Nicole, then Kathleen was going to become uncooperative. She was being cooperative to spare Nicole and thinking that doing what I told her would prevent her from being hurt, or raped. In that she was correct. At least, she wasn’t going to get punished if she cooperated. She was sparing herself a lot of agony. She didn’t know that though. She would still hurt, but not like she would if she actively resisted. But if Nicole got spooked, then she really had no reason to cooperate and she might become a little more dangerous. I’d probably have to use my gun. At least as a threat.

 “You are going to be in the way if I leave you here.” I made something up on the spot. Not particularly plausible, but Nicole wasn’t really in any shape to notice.

 She nodded. Not understanding, but realizing that she wasn’t ever likely to understand why some strange guy could freeze people and wanted to unfreeze her and tie her up.

 She raised her right arm, carrying Nicole’s wrist with her. I carefully released the cuff from Kathleen and guided the free end to the railing. I cuffed Nicole directly to the railing. I then released Kathleen from the rail and recuffed her hands in front of her. Her blue eyes held a questioning look, but she didn’t complain. She just accepted the bonds.

 I guided the girl to the shorter end of the rope. The end I’d protected from escaping from the rafter with the can of apple juice. I slipped the rope from the can and attached the end to the chain between Kathleen’s wrists. She squirmed a bit.

 She glanced over her shoulder at Nicole and then turned back. Nicole was crying, not really paying attention to the restraint of her friend.

 Kathleen whispered to me as I attached her.

 “Please. What are you going to do with us? You aren’t just going to tie us up are you?”

 “I’m not sure exactly.”

 “You are going to hurt us? Rape us? Aren’t you?” Calmly.

 “Kathleen. If you cooperate, I’ll try to go easy on you.” She didn’t really deserve full fledged lies. I hedged around the truth a bit to keep her calm. “And I’m not going to rape you.”

 She nodded. “I’ll do whatever you want. Please. You don’t have to hurt us. And, I’ll. I’ll do *whatever* you want. Please just leave Nicole alone. She. She can’t take this. Can’t you see her crying?”

 Girls always seemed to come in pairs. The strong one. And the weak one. Must be something in pairing. One always felt protective of the other. Kathleen and Nicole. Jane and Elaine. Lynn and Janet. Catherine and Elizabeth. Even Evelyn versus Ashley and Lisa. Kara and Julie. Always a stronger one.

 “Who is she? You look too similar to be friends.”

 “We are friends. But she’s also a cousin. A distant one. That’s why there is a resemblance. Please. Don’t hurt her. I’ll do whatever it is you want. You want me? I’ll let you have me. I’ll give you whatever you want willingly. Just let her go. Please?”

 “I’ll try not to hurt her, but I need her secured as well.”

 “She is secured.” Perceptive. No fright in her eyes anymore. “I’ll start to resist you if you don’t let her go.”

 “Kathleen. Be smart. You don’t want to resist. And how do you know that I’m not turned on by a girl resisting? Huh?”

 “Shit. You are a bastard. What are you going to do to us? Me?”

 “Right now, I’m serious. I just want to have you both bound. Easy. A little embarrassing. But I’m trying to make sure that you aren’t really uncomfortable. You are somewhat comfortable because you’ve been behaving so far.”

 “Actually, I noticed. My brothers used to tie my up worse than this.” She knew I wasn’t lying about making her uncomfortable at least.

 “I’m going to move Nicole over. Alright? I won’t hurt her. I promise.”

 “Please. Just let us go. You don’t have to do this.”

 I smiled at her, but ignored her plea. I returned to Nicole who looked up at me with frightened eyes. Her eyes, I noticed, were brown. Matched her hair.

 “Nicole. Honey. I’m just going to move you over there with Kathleen. Okay? You aren’t going to do anything dumb are you?”

 “N-n-no. I’ll do what you want. Please. Just don’t hurt me.”

 “You’ll be comfortable enough. Okay?”

 I released the cuff from the railing and coaxed the upset girl to her feet. I handcuffed her like Kathleen. Hands in front of her. I walked her over by her cousin. I gently pulled on the other end of the rope. The rafter working like a pulley. Kathleen’s hands rose and though I could feel the weight of her arms, she didn’t resist.

 “Nicole? Raise your hands above your head. High. Reach for the ceiling.”

 She just stood there crying.

 “Nicole? Sweety?” Kathleen spoke to her friend. “You have to do what he says. Or he’s going to hurt me. Please? It’s just me that you are going to be attached to. Please? For me?”

 Nicole looked up and raised her hands above her head. Fingers outstretched towards the ceiling.

 I wrapped the rope around the short chain between her wrists and tied it off. I had to reach up a little, but neither girl was all that tall. I was able to secure the knot adequately. I stepped back from the bound women to check the scene. The women just stood quietly with their arms bound above them. Their cashier uniforms pulled tight across their chests with the arms high position. Breasts flattened against their jerseys. There was slack in the tethering rope, but the women couldn’t move very far apart. Any movement on the part of one was transferred through the tether to the other girl. I nodded. It would do.

 Kathleen spoke. “Don’t make me regret letting you do this to me.”

  

 Chapter 93

 I left the two cashiers and slowly made my way back upstairs. As I approached the manager’s office I could hear soft voices inside. Jane’s and Kara’s. I stood outside the doorway and listened.

 Kara’s voice floated through the door. “You are freer than I am. Please.”

 Jane’s quiet voice. “I can’t. I wish I could. God how I wish that I could.”

 “But, he’s not here. I’m not suggesting that we attack him. I know it won’t work. But, I could get out of here. Get help.”

 “Didn’t you say that you yelled earlier?”

 “I don’t understand why the police aren’t here yet. God, this hurts.”

 “It looks like it. Jane? Kara? Whatever your name is? You have to listen to him. You have to obey him. I know it is hard. I know you are an independent woman. So am I. I know it doesn’t look like it. But I was. You aren’t going to like what he wants you to do. But believe me, you have to do it. It will be over soon. I promise. I know that he doesn’t want to keep you. You’ll be freed if you cooperate.” Jane spoke soothingly to the other woman.

 “Oh God. I can’t take this much longer. Just. Please. If you won’t untie me, please get these things off my nipples. Please?”

 “I can’t. I’m so sorry. I feel for you. I really do. I know how much that hurts. Having clamps on your nipples. But he could be outside the door listening right now. I’m not allowed to move.”

 “He’s not here, goddammit. Why are you so afraid of him?”

 “Kara. Listen to yourself. Your feet are blue. Your breasts have a half dozen clothespins on them that you can’t remove. You’ve been slapped. My God. Aren’t you afraid of him?” Jane reasoned.

 “I just want out of this.”

 “I know you do, sweety. I know.” It sounded strange this teenager calling a woman twice her age ‘sweety’, but Jane managed to pull it off. Strange situation. “He’ll let you out if you cooperate and don’t go out of your way to piss him off.”

 There was a pause. I was about to walk in, I had my hand on the doorknob when I heard Julie’s soft voice begin.

 “He’s. He’s not really going to make us do that is he?”

 Christi’s voice floated through the thin door. “Honey? Julie? You have to try and get used to the idea. He is going to make you two have sex together. Honestly.”

 “I can’t do it.”

 “Sweetheart. That’s what I thought as well, the first time he made me have sex with a woman. God. I hated it. I still do.”

 “Then why?”

 “Why do I do it for him? I don’t have a choice. The alternative is so much worse. Jane. She’s been through it. I’ve seen her screaming. I couldn’t do that. So I just close my eyes and make love to whoever he tells me to. I just try to forget it’s a woman. It’s just skin. I know it’s hard to think that way, but you are going to have to try. It won’t kill you. But the alternative might. I don’t want to watch if you can’t do it.”

 “What. What will he do to me? What did he do to Jane?”

 “Honey, he’ll probably whip you. If you are lucky.”

 “Wh-whip me? I. I think I can do that. It would be better than having sex with Kara. I mean Jane. I don’t even know what I mean, I’m so scared.”

 “You don’t know what it feels like. Look at Kara ... Jane. Now imagine that ten times worse and ten times longer.”

 “I. I can’t have sex with her. I can’t.”

 “Yes you can. Believe me, he’ll keep whipping you until you either pass out or beg to make love to her. You will do what he asks. You can’t take that pain.”

 “I can.”

 “Honey. He’ll whip you on your breasts. Between your legs. Your face. You can’t take that very long. I’ve seen much stronger women than you begging to be raped by a dog rather than take another stroke across the nipples. You’ll do anything to avoid another stroke. Trust me. It hurts.”

 There was another pause here. I thought I could hear the bound girl quietly weeping. I heard Christi mutter, “God. I wish I could move.”

 “I know,” Jane’s voice filtered through. “Me too.”

 I slowly opened the door and peeked in. Julie was hanging in her ropes. Pulling weakly at them. Crying softly. Kara just glared at me in hate as I walked in. Jane and Christi turned their heads.

 Christi spoke first. “Sir? Permission to go to Julie?”

 I nodded. Christi scrambled to her bare feet, her handcuffs jangling. She knelt again near Julie’s bound feet and stroked the girl’s thigh. Whispering to her. Trying to calm her. Julie wept, but seemed to be reacting to the female comfort. Calming a little.

 Amy just looked over her gag. Trying to speak through it to get my attention. Wanting it out. I’d remove it for her, but I had some other things to take care of first.

 I walked over and sat in front of Kara again.

 “Well? How’s the breasts?”

 “They fucking hurt, you son-of-a-bitch.”

 “I see. You want me to take them off you?”

 “What do you think?”

 “I think you actually look pretty in them,” I remarked casually.

 “Bastard.”

 “Do you want me to take them off you?”

 “Yes.”

 “Beg.”

 “Beg? You fucked up maniac. Never.”

 I slapped her. Not hard, but enough to remind her that she was the one tied into her chair, not able to move away. Tears sprang to her eyes as the blow settled into her face. She looked up at me again with loathing.

 I reached forward and grasped the two clothespins attached to her sore nipples. I gently pulled them out from her bare breasts. Her face registered disbelief at the level of the pain, seconds before her mouth opened and she screamed.

 “Argh. Please. Oh fuck. My nipples. Please. Please. Please. That hurts. Oh God. Let me go. I’ll do what you want. I’ll beg. I’ll beg. Please. No. Stop.”

 I released her nipples and her breasts snapped back against her chest. She sagged in her ropes. Moaning.

 I left her there and hopped off her desk. I walked to her window, waiting for her pain to subside. Kathleen was standing close to Nicole. I had a perfect view of the two bound girls on the store floor. Kathleen was on her tiptoes trying to reach the knots holding her hands. Her fingers scrabbling at the tether holding her arms up and to her cousin. Nicole was trying to give her as much slack as she could. With the handcuffs interfering and the way I’d tied the knots in the tether, Kathleen was going to have a hell of a time even reaching the knots, much less loosening them. For now, I’d let her try.

 I turned back to Kara. Stroking her hair from behind. She just sat still and suffered the touch.

 I hopped back up on the desk. Facing her. Her eyes were still tearing but she had gotten the old defiance back again. She opened her mouth to say something. I slapped her again before she could get the words out.

 “Ow. Please. What was that for?”

 “I felt like it.”

 “God. Please. I was just going to tell you ...”

 I slapped her again. Tears began to fall down her cheeks. Not understanding why she was being hit.

 “Owowow. Please. Stop slapping me. I’ll do whatever it is you want.”

 I slapped her again. This time she tensed for it and her face flipped to the side. Slowly she brought her face back around. I wasn’t hitting her that hard. Her face would sting for a while, but there wouldn’t be any lasting damage. Couple of red hand prints. I’m sure it wasn’t comfortable but overall she’d be fine.

 “Please?” she implored me. Not having a clue what I wanted. How she could stop me from slapping her.

 I slapped her other cheek. Her head rocked. She turned back towards me. Hate burning in her eyes, but this time she kept her mouth closed. She just waited for the next slap.

 I leaned back on the desk and just regarded her. Her pinned breasts heaving as she softly cried.

 “Have you been thinking about Julie?” I asked her.

 “Please.”

 I slapped her again. Her left cheek again. Her cheeks were getting really red. Tears were free flowing down the reddened cheeks. Her head rocked to the right and she wept there for a moment. Finally she turned her head back towards me. Beginning to understand that she wasn’t to speak.

 I waited a few moments and then repeated the question.

 “Have you been thinking about Julie?”

 This time, Kara just shook her head in the negative. I stroked her face instead of slapping it this time.

 “You realize that you two are going to have sex for me?”

 A confused look on her face. So wanting to talk to me about this. Wanting to somehow persuade me not to play this perverse game.

 She shook her head. Wrong answer. I slapped her face again. Right cheek. Her head rocked to the left. Weeping. She didn’t turn her face back this time. She spoke, turned away from me.

 “I can’t. Please. I’ll do whatever else you ... aahhhhhhh. Please. No more. Fuck. That hurts. Oh God. Please. My nipples. My poor nipples. Fuck. Stop. No more. Please. For the love of Christ. Stop.”

 I released her nipple pins. As soon as the pain faded she managed to turn her face back towards me. The spark of defiance still showed through her pain. I slapped her. Harder this time. Still not telling her why. I think she was beginning to make the connections. She speaks, she gets slapped. If she tries to avoid it, her nipples get my attention and she gets slapped anyway. Harder.

 After she managed to get control of herself, she slowly turned her face back towards me. Begging with her eyes.

 “You realize that you two are going to have sex for me, right?”

 She took a deep breath. Still wanting desperately to protest. She slowly nodded.

 “Because you are going to sit there and get slapped unless you do as you are told. Right?”

 She nodded again.

 “So. Don’t you think that you should be thinking about that nude woman currently tied to that chair over there?”

 Another look of confusion crossed her face. Not wanting to answer but knowing she had to. She nodded again.

 I stroked her short blonde hair. “Good girl.”

 Her face flushed. I could see her wanting to turn her face away in shame, but knew the consequences. Her nipples knew the consequences.

 “Now. Do you want those clothespins off your breasts?”

 A big nod. Easy to tell the truth here.

 “How about having your ankles loosened?”

 Another huge nod.

 “Do you want to make love to Julie?”

 A look of confusion crossed her face. Tears welling up again. She slowly nodded. Thinking that this was the answer I wanted. I knew that she was lying. I gave her a light slap. Not even enough to really feel compared to the others, but enough for her to know that she had done something wrong. Tears welled up in her eyes again. Afraid. Not knowing what the hell I wanted from her. Not being able to ask.

 She slowly shook her head. Negative.

 “Kara. I just want the truth. I know that you don’t want to make love to her. I still am going to enjoy watching you do it, but I know that you don’t want to.”

 She nodded. Slowly. Tears falling. She understood. She understood the pain of the slaps.

 “Now. I gave you a chance to get those clothespins off your breasts once before. By begging. And you messed it up. So I guess that you’ll have to live with them for a while. You want to beg to have your ankles loosened?”

 She closed her eyes and nodded.

 “You can speak now.”

 No hesitation this time. “Oh God. Please. I’m begging you. I can’t feel my toes. They’re numb. I don’t want to lose them. I’m afraid. There’s no circulation at all. I’ll get down on my knees if you’ll let me.”

 “Beg Jane. Not me.”

 Confusion crossed her face. But she was beginning to see that disobedience caused discomfort and punishment. Whether it made any sense to her or not. And she really was worried about her feet. That I could see. She was trying desperately to twist in her ankle ropes, trying to find somewhere to allow some circulation. There simply wasn’t any position because of the tightness of the ropes. She could barely even twist her ankles.

 “Jane? Please? I’m begging for my feet. Please? The ropes on my ankles. They are too tight. Oh God. I’m going to lose my feet. I don’t want to lose them. Please. Have mercy on me. I’m not asking to be released. Just loosened. Just a bit. Please? Let me have circulation? I’m begging you.”

 I turned to Jane. Still on her knees behind Julie.

 “Jane? You think that you can loosen these things with your hands cuffed?”

 “It will take me a while. But if she cooperates ...” Jane’s voice trailed off.

 “You going to cooperate?” I turned to Kara.

 “Yes, sir.”

 “Come here, Jane.”

 She rose to her bare feet and padded over to the desk. I had her raise her hands and I released her handcuffs letting them dangle from her left wrist. She immediately knelt and gasped as she saw the pair of blue bare feet in front of her. Her fingers immediately began to work at the knots. They were my knots so she didn’t have as much trouble as if she’d tied them. In a few minutes, Kara’s right foot was free of the chair leg. I watched as the pink colour returned to her lower extremity. Tears of relief dripped down her face. Jane worked on her left foot while I talked to her.

 “Kara?”

 She looked at me. Almost defeated.

 “Are you sorry about the handcuffs?”

 She slowly nodded. I actually believed that she was.

 Her left foot came free of the ropes. She flexed her toes. The colour returning to her left foot as well.

 Suddenly she gasped. Pain crossing her face. Pulling at her handcuffs. Tears of pain crawling down her cheeks again.

 “Please. Oh God,” she gasped out. “My feet. Oh my God. My feet.”

 “What’s the matter?”

 “Tingling. Pins and needles. Oh God. I can’t take it.” Trying to hold her bare feet still against the floor.

 “Janey? Massage her feet.”

 “Sir? That will hurt her.”

 “I know. Kara? You keep your feet still for Jane. Okay?”

 “Oh God. Please don’t touch .... God. Oh God. Please. I’ll do anything you want. They fucking hurt. Please make her stop. Oooowwwwwww.”

 I let the woman suffer, eventually Jane’s fingers massaging the blood back into the poor woman’s feet. I could see the relief flow into her features as the pain faded.

 “Jane. Retie them. But not as tight. Okay?”

 Jane nodded and I hopped off the desk, leaving the tormented women to finish. I crouched in front of Julie. My forearms easily rested on her bare thighs. Christi was still kneeling there, stroking the girl. She’d raised up on her knees and was stroking the girl’s long brown hair with her cuffed hands.

 “Julie?”

 She was still quietly sobbing. Probably scared by what I’d done to Kara.

 Christ whispered in the girls ear. “Julie, honey? You have to answer him. You don’t want to feel what Kara felt, do you?”

 “Please? Don’t hurt me. I’ll do whatever you want.”

 “That’s good. So you’ll make love to Kara for me?”

 “I. I’m not sure I can.”

 “But you’ll try?”

 “I’m not a lesbian. Please don’t make me do that.”

 Christi spoke up. “Remember what we talked about, Julie? You have to try.”

 “I’ll try. Just don’t slap me. Please?”

 I ran my fingertips down her bare exposed breasts and she cringed. I rose.

 Jane had finished re-tying Kara’s ankles. I crouched and double checked the knots. I’d never caught her not tying up a girl to the best of her ability. Kara wasn’t going anywhere but her feet wouldn’t fall asleep due to lack of circulation again. I ran my finger along Kara’s right instep and up her calf. She shuddered but was smart enough not to make a complaint.

 “Thanks, Jane.”

 She just smiled. Knowing that she was damn good at knots. She crawled out from the foot of Kara’s chair. Knelt by Julie’s chair.

 “Christi? Jane? On your feet.”

 The girls obediently rose to their feet with me. I recuffed Jane’s hands. She made no complaint. I guided them towards the doorway. Their bare feet moving ahead of me. As we passed the door, I turned back to the remaining women.

 “Amy?”

 She turned towards me hopefully. Forced to remain voluntarily immobile. Her hands still cuffed behind her. The ball gag still stretching her mouth.

 “I’ll let you out of that gag when I get back.”

 Her face fell. Hoping for the use of her mouth again. But silently accepting her punishment. Not having much choice. Not as though she could take it out of her own mouth.

 “Julie and Kara? When I get back, you should be ready to have sex. Okay?”

 Kara defeated, nodded. Julie shook her head. Neither was very enthusiastic about it. Julie pulled once more at the ropes holding her bare body and gave up. Slumping in the bonds.

 I picked up the pack and I closed the door as I walked out with the girls.

  

 Chapter 94

 Once outside the office, I quickly connected leashes to their throat collars.

 “You didn’t have to slap her that hard, you know.” Christi spoke to me as we made our way out of the employee area and back down the stairs. Tugging a bit against the leash.

 “She was not being obedient.”

 “She’s new. She doesn’t even know what is expected of her. You didn’t even tell her why you were slapping her. Torturing her.”

 “She figured it out.”

 “Sometimes you are such a bastard.”

 I put my hand on her shoulder and stopped her. Jane stopped as well, gazing at us. We’d almost made it to the bottom of the stairs. The cuffed blonde in front of me was shaking a bit. I couldn’t tell if it was anger or fright.

 “Christi. Do you want to be the next one being slapped?”

 She paled. Suddenly really frightened. I couldn’t blame her.

 “No sir. Please. I’m sorry. Truly I am,” she managed to get out shakily. “You don’t have to hurt me.”

 “I don’t want to hear anymore about how I’m treating them. I’m not in the mood to put up with it. Alright?”

 Tears had begun to form in Christi’s eyes and she clamped her mouth shut and nodded slowly. Not understanding. Frightened. Jane looked like she was about to say something but decided not to. Her mouth set in a grim line.

 I opened the door and let the girls walk out into the store again. They padded out and stood waiting for me to join them. I walked them along the back of the store, and finally down the aisle leading to the front of the store. As we approached, Kathleen and Nicole both stared at us. Not quite believing that I was leading a pair of nude women by their throats, their hands in handcuffs down the store aisle towards them. Along the way, I picked up some broom handles as we passed.

 Kathleen found her tongue first. “Oh God. Is that our fate too?”

 Christi and Jane just sank to their knees on the store tiles. Keeping their mouths shut. I walked over to the bound cashiers.

 “Kathleen, that isn’t your fate. I promise you. We are just going to have some fun and then I’ll release you. If you cooperate.”

 “By fun, you mean rape. And I let you tie me up. I have been cooperating. I thought that you weren’t going to hurt us. Why should I believe that you’ll let us go after raping us.”

 Nicole was almost incoherent in fright. Tears running down her pretty face.

 “You can’t. But I can’t keep you like I’m keeping them.”

 “Why not?”

 Jane spoke from her kneeling position on the floor. “Honey. You’ll end up doing what he wants anyway. Trust me. It doesn’t much matter if he’s telling the truth or not. I’ve been with him long enough to know that it is always just better to cooperate with him.”

 “Who are you?” Kathleen asked the naked kneeling girl.

 “I’m Jane. And I have no idea if he’s even going to punish me for talking to you. I’m frightened like hell, and I just don’t want to see you hurt more than necessary. Please. Just listen to him.”

 Kathleen nodded. “You’ll let us go after you’ve had your fun?”

 I nodded. “I can’t keep you.”

 She looked a bit confused, but didn’t question it again. “If I willingly have sex with you, will you let Nicole go? Spare her at least?”

 “I can take whatever I want from you. And from her.”

 The first tears began to form in her eyes. “I swear. I’ll give you the best time of your life. I don’t. Have much experience, but I’ll make it up in effort. I’ll try my best. You won’t regret it. Please.” She tried to move towards me, but the tether stopped her short.

 “Kathleen. You don’t really want to do that.”

 “Of course, I don’t. But I don’t have much else to bargain with, now do I?”

 I picked up the scissors from the pack. Kathleen’s face went ashen. Her mouth moved, but no sound came out.

 “Oh God. You know I’ll do whatever you want. Please. Don’t hurt us. I don’t want to die,” she finally managed to gasp out. She thought that I was going to use the scissors on her body.

 “Relax. You’ll be fine if you don’t move. I’m just going to relieve you of those pretty uniforms.”

 “You are going to cut our clothes off. You don’t have to do that. I’ll take them off if you just release me for a moment. I’ll let you tie me back up. Please.”

 I ignored her and moved to her bound body. She aimed a kick at me, but her body was stretched upwards by the ropes and she wasn’t able to get it to land with any force. Just glanced harmlessly off my hip.

 I stepped towards her. Cutting off any further kicks. I grabbed her lower jaw and held her face. Staring into her frightened eyes.

 “Kathleen, you don’t want to do this. You don’t want to resist. Listen to Jane,” I hissed.

 “You are going to rape me anyway. What the hell do I have to lose?”

 “This.” I slapped her hard across the face. Her head rocked to the side and involuntary tears formed in her eyes. Defiance burned in them. She struggled not to cry out.

 “I don’t care. Slap me all you want. I’ll still kick you whenever you give me a chance. And god help you if you ever let me out of these.” Meaning the handcuffs.

 “Kathleen. Honey. I’m not going to slap you. I just wanted you to feel how much it hurts. I know you can take it. I just wanted you to know that for every kick you aim at me, Nicole gets a slap like the one I just gave you. Understand?”

 “You are a bastard.”

 “Now, you are going to let me cut your clothes off, right?”

 She nodded. Hate burning in her eyes.

 I slipped the sharp shears into the throat of her uniform. She shuddered at the touch of the cold steel against her bare skin. In one quick motion I tore the material down her front. I snipped out the straps of her bra, cutting it between her breasts. A few more cuts and the garments lay crumpled on the floor. I stepped back. She was well built. High firm breasts. Small nipples becoming erect at their exposure. She was shaking, but still managed to glare at me. Probably beginning to feel more vulnerable being topless.

 I repeated the procedure on Nicole. Nicole was far more cooperative. Just standing still while her top was removed. Same build. Almost the same nipples.

 I walked back to Christi and Jane. I crouched and released their hands. They remained on their knees idly rubbing their wrists. Afraid to speak.

 “Jane. I know you don’t want to do it, but I want you to tie their feet apart. To those broomsticks.”

 Without a word, Jane scrambled to her feet and obeyed. Taking some rope from the pack and approaching the girls. Whispering to Kathleen. Trying to calm her. Both girls allowed the spreaders on their ankles without need of coaxing. Jane was pretty persuasive when she had to be.

 She returned and knelt back beside Christi.

 “Now. Both of you. I want to hear them scream.”

 Christi spoke up. “Please don’t make us do this. They’ll do whatever you want.”

 “Christi. Honey. What I want is to hear them scream.”

 “They’ll have sex with you if you want. Wouldn’t that be better than making us make them scream?”

 “Perhaps after they’ve screamed.”

 “You don’t have to do this.”

 “I know.”

 “But you can. What’s up with you today? You are scaring me. Scaring the hell out of everyone,” Christi finally broke down and raged a little at me.

 “Not sure. Just do what I ask, and you can avoid punishment.”

 “Yes sir,” Christi’s face fell, not understanding, but knowing that she couldn’t take the punishment that I would give her for disobeying.

 I reached into the pack and withdrew the crop and a small stranded whip I’d picked up in the adult store before snatching Jane. Their eyes widened at the sight of the implements.

 Jane moaned. “I. I don’t think I can.”

 “Janey. You have to. I want to see them both across the breasts.”

 “They aren’t ready for it. They can’t. I can’t.”

 “Remember what this feels like across your breasts? Want to feel it again? I’m in the mood.”

 “If it will get me out of hitting them. They. Don’t deserve it. They haven’t done anything but obey you.”

 “Jane. Listen to me. I know that you can take the pain. And that you’d gladly let me whip you until you passed out to avoid this. But eventually you’d break. I’d make you beg to whip them to make it stop. Believe me. It won’t get you out of it. Remember Amy?”

 She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “You bastard. Which one do I have to hit?”

 “Nicole. Christi, you get Kathleen.”

 “Why? What did they do to deserve a breast cropping?” Christi tried to reason with me.

 “Nothing. I just want to see it.”

 “Hit me instead. I deserve it more than they do. They’re just frightened girls trying to do what you want. It’s not fair,” Christi choked out the offer.

 “Christi. Darling. I’m going to hurt them, and then just return them. They won’t remember a thing. Remember the time thing? I wouldn’t do this to them if I was going to keep them.”

 The two nude girls nodded. Not quite understanding why I was making them do this, but realizing that the other women’s pain would be temporary at least.

 I settled myself to the floor to watch. Kathleen’s eyes widened as she watched Christi and Jane approach with the whips.

 She questioned them silently, begging with her eyes for them to release her.

 “Please. What are you going to do to us?” she finally asked.

 Jane closed her eyes.

 “Kathleen. Honey. He’s going to make us hurt you. A lot.”

 “Oh God. Please. I haven’t done anything. Please just let us go. I. I’m not good with pain.”

 “I’m so sorry. I tried everything to make him not do this to you. I even offered myself in your place. He wants to hear you scream. I don’t know why.”

 “You are going to whip us? God. How can you do that?”

 “I. I don’t have a choice. He’ll. Punish me if I don’t. And eventually, I’ll do it anyway. Please don’t make it harder than it already is.”

 Jane moved towards Kathleen and hugged her fiercely. I could hear her soft voice whispering. “Kathleen. It’s going to hurt. A lot. Don’t hold back. Just scream your heart out. It helps.”

 “You’ve been whipped?”

 “Yes.”

 The girls separated.

 “I really don’t want to do this. But. I just have no choice,” Christi spoke to the bound woman in front of her.

 “I know.”

 “You ready?”

 Kathleen nodded her head. Bracing herself.

 Christi stepped forward with the crop. I heard her whisper, either to herself or Kathleen, “Forgive me.”

 I heard the whistle of the crop through the air. Watched as the tip crashed heavily into Kathleen’s chest. Catching her just above the nipples. A red line appearing immediately. Her bare breasts dancing on her chest. The look of complete shock on her face as she realized that she really wasn’t ready for this kind of pain. Her mouth opened and cried out her pain in one long sound.

 “Aiiieieeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee,” she screamed wonderfully.

 I heard the smaller whip land on Nicole’s breasts. She followed her cousin’s wail of despair as the pain settled into her body.

 Kathleen was crying and pulling at her bound feet and hands. Jane had closed her eyes. Wobbly on her bare feet. Looking decidedly sick about this.

 Christi let another fall onto the still crying girl. Kathleen tensed and cried out again.

 “Aiiiieeeeee. Fuck. Fuck. FUCK. Please no more. It hurts. Mercy. I’ll do whatever you want. Please.”

 Nicole was simply hysterical as her breasts were caught again by Jane’s strands. She was already broken. Screaming incoherently and crying. Sagging against her handcuffs, pulling Kathleen’s arms up painfully through the tether. Not even having the energy to beg.

 Kathleen began to beg. “Please. Whoever you are. God. You have tits. You know what this feels like. Please no more. I’m begging you. I can’t take it.”

 Christi closed her eyes, bring the crop down against the bound woman’s nipples.

 She arched backwards and her mouth opened in a soundless scream. Incoherent. Tears falling unheeded down her face. Struggling against the steel and the ropes holding her body helpless.

 She finally caught her breath. Crying.

 “God. Please. Stop. No more. I can’t take any more. If you have to hit me hit me somewhere else. Not the tits. You are going to kill me. Please,” she whispered. “I’m going to pass out if you hit me again.”

 Christi closed her eyes and raised her bare arm again. Having to hit her until I told her to stop. I watched as Jane whipped Nicole’s breasts again. The girl arched with the blow and screamed. But her voice was already getting hoarse. Her eyes were closed and she would pass out with another blow. Both girls. I could tell.

 “Hold.” I spoke to the nude women. I rose to my feet and approached Christi.

 “Thank God,” she whispered. “She was going to pass out. You fucking bastard. Are you fucking happy?”

 Kathleen was slumped in her bonds, hanging from her wrists. Breathing heavily, sobbing at the pain radiating from her chest. I ignored Christi and stood by Kathleen.

 “Had enough?”

 “Good Christ,” she gasped out. “You have no fucking idea how much this hurts. I want to die.”

 “You won’t die.”

 “Please. No more. I’ll do anything you want. I would have before. You don’t have to keep hitting me. Please.”

 “So, you don’t want any more crops to your breasts?”

 “Please. I’m going to pass out. I almost did on the last one. What do you want from me? I’ll fuck you. I’ll let you do anything to me. Anything. You can have me anyway you want me. Just. Stop. Hitting. Me. And Nicole. Please.”

 “How about your pussy?”

 “You can have sex with me. I don’t care.”

 “I meant, instead of your breasts.”

 “You want to hit me between the legs? Good God. Why? Please no more.”

 I turned to Christi. “Cut her pants off.”

 Christi just looked at me. “You can’t be serious. She’ll faint. If you don’t destroy her forever.”

 “Forever isn’t very long for her.”

 “Please. Don’t kill me. I swear. I’ll be your sex slave forever. I don’t want to die.” Kathleen interrupted. Probably misinterpreting my forever isn’t very long for her comment. Christi had begun to cut the green uniform pants from Kathleen’s body. Her long legs were exposed. Her bound feet still encased in white socks and running shoes. Christi took a deep breath and cut the panties off Kathleen in two quick strokes. Kathleen shuddered and begged quietly.

 Jane had walked over and put her small hand on my shoulder. She whispered in my ear.

 “Please. I’ll take her place. You can whip me between my legs.”

 I turned to her. “Whip?”

 She handed it to me.

 “Will you stand still while I do it?”

 Tears had sprung into her eyes. She slowly spread her legs apart, bare feet gripping the tile. She held her hands easily behind her back. She nodded. Tears running down her cheeks. Waiting for the pain. She closed her eyes.

 I casually flicked the strands up between Kathleen’s bare legs. She was intently watching, expecting me to hit Jane instead. Her head rocked back and her screech echoed around the store.

 “Oh God. Oh God. Oh God. It hurts. Please not another one. I’ll do anything. Argh. No. No. No. No. Ahhhhhhhhhhh. Argh. Shit. Please. Whip my tits. Not my pussy anymore. Oh God. I’m going to die. I can’t take this. Please. Oh God. Please. The pain.”

 Jane stood in her stance. Tears rolling down her cheeks. Knowing that she failed. And not being able to look.

 I knelt down. There were faint red marks running across Kathleen’s thighs, her lips and through her light pubic hair. She was moaning and trying to ease the terrible pain. I hadn’t even hit her very hard. Still not really knowing how hard I could hit her without causing damage. It didn’t look like any strands had penetrated the protection of her outer lips.

 I let her rest. Jane had returned to her feet. “You are such a bastard.”

 All the girls were in pain. I didn’t pay any mind to the name calling.

 Finally, Kathleen turned her red eyes towards me. Pleading. A hurt expression on her tear streaked face.

 “Please?” she whispered.

 “Please what?”

 “Please stop hitting me. I swear I’ll do whatever you want. I don’t even know what you want.”

 “What if I told you I wanted you to orgasm for me?”

 “I’ll masturbate for you. I’ll fuck myself. I swear it. Just let my hands free. I’ll do it however you want me. On my knees? On my back? I don’t care.”

 “What if I had Christi rub you instead?”

 “You’ll stop whipping me? Having them whip me?”

 “For now.”

 “Yes. I’ll do my best to climax for you. I can’t believe I’m doing this.”

 “Christi? Care to give your tongue a work out?”

 “Not really.”

 I turned to her. The blonde woman was standing there crying. Shaking.

 “Come on,” said a little more gently. “After she climaxes, I’ll let them both go.”

 “You promise?”

 I nodded. I fully intended to let the girls go after this. I’d just about gotten as much out of them as I could. Without one of them going insane.

 “Don’t hit her while I’m doing this. Okay? She’ll pass out. Please, I don’t want to be punished for not being fast enough. Please?”

 I nodded again. I’d lay off Kathleen. She did look like she couldn’t take much more. She seemed to have a low pain tolerance. The only reason the girl hadn’t passed out was sheer will power which simply wasn’t going to last much longer. Jane would have been able to take three times as much before she even started to beg.

 Christi sank to her knees in front of Kathleen. I saw Kathleen try to close her legs instinctively. Tears running down her face.

 Christi gazed up at the frightened girl above her.

 “Kathleen? Honey? I don’t want to do this any more than you want it done to you. He’s not going to hurt you while I’m down here. You just try and relax and enjoy it. Okay?”

 “It’s okay. I understand. I’ll do my best to hurry.”

 Christi’s head tilted up and she ran her tongue down the lips in front of her. Spreading them with her fingers. I watched as her tongue darted inside and flicked at Kathleen’s clitoris. Within moments, Kathleen was pressing her bound body into Christi’s mouth and tongue. Flushing. Within minutes, she had tensed, holding her breath, and climaxed heavily. The fastest that I’d ever seen a woman climax. Especially a woman in pain. Her pussy had to still be tender from my kisses with the whip.

 Christi rocked back on her bare heels. A self satisfied smile on her lips. Working her tongue back and forth. Happy that she hadn’t had to spend a half hour between the other girl’s legs.

 “You getting better at that?” I asked her.

 She blushed. “Maybe. But she was really wet. Didn’t take much.”

 Kathleen blushed bright red in her bonds. I idly wondered if she just liked girls, or whether she was yet another one that got excited by the pain.

 I walked up to Kathleen. “You alright?”

 “No. I hurt like I’ve been run over by a truck. Are you going to let us go now? Please? Haven’t I done enough for you?”

 “I don’t know. Weren’t you going to fuck me?”

 “I will. If it will get me closer to getting out of here. God my tits hurt.”

 “Christi. Jane. Come here.”

 The nude women padded over. I reached up and released Kathleen’s right wrist. She immediately dropped her hand to her bare breasts. Cradling them. Tears still falling down her face. I placed Christi’s left wrist into the cuff I’d just released. I released Kathleen’s left wrist and placed Jane’s right hand into it. Christi and Jane stood quietly with their arms extended above them. Wondering what I was up to.

 “I have to cuff you,” I spoke a little more gently to Kathleen.

 Kathleen, with an effort, held her arms out in front of her. I was surprised that she was even able to stand. I gently turned her around. Slipping the cuffs on her behind her back. She kicked off her shoes, using her toes. Not bothering with the socks. I had no idea why sh’ had done that. Anticipating getting raped, perhaps she thought she’d be more comfortable without her shoes.

 I guided her off to the side. Her stocking feet swishing ahead of me. A little distance from Nicole, Jane and Christi, I stopped her.

 She looked into my eyes. Tears still falling down her face.

 “Please. I don’t want to do this.”

 “That’s alright. I won’t force you to. I can put you back on the tether line. I can always have sex, whenever I want. I don’t have to force you.”

 “Are you going to hurt me more, if I choose to go back? Are you going to hurt me until I have sex with you?”

 “No.”

 “You’ll just leave me alone?” Her face registered incomprehension. At last, her eyes lit up with understanding. “You’ll hurt Nicole until I have sex with you?”

 “I won’t hurt her anymore either. I told you. Jane or Christi are there if I need release.”

 “I said I’d fuck you and I will. I don’t go back on my promises. If you want it, I’m here.” She looked at me defiantly. Her hands pulling at the cuffs behind her.

 “Kathleen. Sweetheart. You can go back on this one. I just whipped the hell out of you. Forced you into lesbian acts. Hurt you. Threatened you. You would have said anything to make it stop.”

 “I would have done anything to avoid it in the first place. You didn’t have to whip me,” she said accusingly.

 “I know. You are a smart girl.”

 “Why did you whip me?”

 “Because I enjoyed it.”

 “You enjoyed me hurting? Screaming?”

 “Yes. I enjoyed watching you naked and squirming and begging.”

 “At least it wasn’t for nothing,” she remarked caustically. “Why? Why does hurting a defenseless, vulnerable girl turn you on?”

 “I don’t know. Just in my nature.”

 “Is it possible to like being hurt? And abused?” she asked quietly.

 “I think so. But I imagine it’s rare. Christi said you were ready for her.”

 “You mean the sex afterwards?”

 “Yeah.”

 “I was wet.”

 “Why?”

 “Maybe my body just reacted to the pain. Found some way of turning it into something more pleasurable. I didn’t like the whipping if that is what you are thinking. I’d even fuck you to avoid it again. Please. Just fuck me and get it over with.”

 “How about Christi?”

 “She’s very attractive. You want me to do her as well?”

 “You don’t mind sex with girls.” A statement.

 “Not really. I liked it then. I climaxed. It wasn’t a fake. But I was pretty screwed up. The pain. It still hurts. I’ve never been with a girl before, if that’s what you are asking. I just want this to end. Please.” This girl had regained her calm. Almost distant. Distancing herself from the things happening to her.

 One mystery solved. In the very least she was bisexual. And not embarrassed about it.

 “Come on. I’ll take you back. Release you.”

 “You don’t want sex?”

 “Sure I do. But you really don’t. I’ll get my relief later.”

 “Thank you. I would have fucked you, you know. Even without the cuffs and the threats.” She rattled the chain behind her. “I promised and I would have. I wouldn’t have tried to kill you until after we’d finished.” She actually managed to flash me a smile.

 I led her back to the tether. I reached up and released Christi and Jane. They both wore big expressions of confusion. Not having a clue what had just happened. Not understanding why I hadn’t forced her to have sex with me. I wasn’t quite sure why I hadn’t either.

  

 Chapter 95

 I moved Christi and Jane off to the side where they stood quietly. Shifting their weight a bit uncomfortably.

 I turned to Kathleen. I released her wrists. I watched as a quick thought of escape or revenge flashed past her blue eyes. She took a deep breath and lowered her eyes.

 “What do you want me to do now?” she inquired quietly.

 “Just go give Nicole a hug.”

 “Excuse me?”

 “Just go give your cousin a hug. She’s pretty upset over there.”

 Wonder crossed her delicate features as she limped over to where Nicole was still standing. Her topless body slumped in her bonds, but she hadn’t quite fallen yet. Her feet bound apart. Her marked breasts heaving as she sobbed. Her handcuffed wrists hung in front of her. With the weight of Jane and Christi removed from the other end of the tether, Nicole had lowered her arms, raising the other pair of handcuffs a few extra feet in the air at the other end of the rope.

 Kathleen wrapped her free arms around Nicole. Hugging her. Breast to breast. Not caring about her nudity. Stroking Nicole’s hair and whispering to her. The two girls crying together.

 I turned to Christi and Jane, gathering up their swinging leashes.

 “You are going to let them go aren’t you?” Christi asked softly.

 I nodded. Still lightly holding the nude girls by their leashes, I turned to the two cashiers.

 “Good-bye Kathleen.”

 The nearly naked girl turned her head, still holding her friend and cousin. Tears still tracked down her cheeks. A brief look of confusion crossed her features.

 “Good-bye,” she whispered. Perhaps expecting to be shot.

 I narrowed the time continuum around her and her cousin. Joining them together in their embrace. Allowing them to fall out of time, rematerializing back by their cash registers. Their bodies undamaged. Their uniforms back on them. Completely unaware of the torture that they had endured.

 I released Christi’s leash. Not even needing to tell her what to do. She slowly moved around the area, picking up the stray cuffs, ropes and whips. Returning them to the pack.

 Her eyes lowered, she finally picked up the pack and walked back over to Jane and I. Pressing her leash back into my hand.

 I guided the quiet girls back upstairs. They walked ahead of me, free except for their collars. Their bare bodies looking almost dejected.

 As we reached the top of the stairs I stopped their motion with a quick tug on the leashes. They stopped, slowly turning towards me. Their faces silently questioning me.

 “You two look like you are about to get shot.”

 Jane spoke quietly. “I feel like I’m about to be shot.”

 “Too much excitement for one day?”

 She nodded glumly. I gently guided the naked women into the lunchroom instead of the office. The two guys were still sitting in the corner smoking. The white smoke hanging around their heads. I guided Christi and Jane to a side table away from the smokers.

 I sat on the table, leaving them to stand in front of me. I unhooked the leashes from their collars, folding the leather up in my hands.

 “What’s the matter?” I asked them.

 “I honestly don’t know,” Jane spoke for both of them. Christi just stood awkwardly, shifting her weight from bare foot to bare foot.

 “Was it the cruelty?”

 “I guess. I know I should be used to it by now, and you did return them.”

 “But it was unfair. I know. Kathleen was ... different.”

 “Please. Can I speak freely? Will you punish me? I know you are in a weird mood.”

 I nodded. I felt a bit drained myself. I was curious what was going through that pretty head. Sometimes I had to remind myself that this beautiful nude teenager actually did have a head on her shoulders. She was usually far more perceptive than I. That her captivity must be just about killing her.

 “Kathleen didn’t deserve that.”

 “I know. She was doing everything she could to avoid pain. And I whipped her silly anyway. I let her off in the end.”

 “I know. Why didn’t you rape her?”

 “I couldn’t.”

 “You couldn’t?”

 “No. She was. Different. She was willing, you know. She would have. To save herself any more pain. Or to save Nicole.”

 “I see. You know if you want, that Christi or I will take care of you. I’m sure even Elizabeth or Amy would, as well. You didn’t have to rape her.”

 “I didn’t.”

 “You didn’t have to torture her either.”

 I nodded slowly. “Jane. I know you can’t understand this. I don’t expect you to. I. Just wanted to. That’s all. I knew that I was going to return her. She’ll never remember it.”

 “It just seems wrong. That’s all.”

 “I know it does, sweety. I know.”

 “I just feel drained. I wish you hadn’t made me hit that poor girl. She was in such pain. She was screaming. And crying. She couldn’t even beg, she hurt that much. I wish you’d done it yourself.”

 I took a deep breath. “She’s fine now.”

 “What if I’m not?”

 “You’ll be alright. Try not to think about it. Christi? You feel the same way?”

 She nodded. Tears were brimming in her eyes.

 “How about if I let you two just relax in here while I deal with our office ladies?”

 “I. I’d like that. If you’ll let us,” Jane spoke softly.

 “You promise not to move? To behave?”

 She nodded.

 “Do I have to tie you into the chairs?”

 “Please no. You can if you want, of course. But we’ll stay where you put us. We promise. Where would we go?”

 “Alright. Sit here.” I indicated the chairs beside the table. I hopped down. The nude women slowly moved to the chair and lowered themselves into them. Both clasping their hands on the table.

 “Wrists.”

 The girls just raised their hands. Out towards the middle of the table. They didn’t even seem to mind that they were going to wear cuffs again. Handcuffs were better than being tied up, hand and foot, to the chairs they were seated in. I slipped handcuffs over their slender wrists, connecting Christi’s right hand to Jane’s left. They were facing each other. They let their hands fall to the table with a soft jingle of chain.

 “You want a snack? A drink?”

 Christi’s eyes lit up. “Chips? Oh God. I’d do anything for a bag of sour cream and onion flavoured chips. I’d crawl for a bag of chips. Please. Please. Please?”

 “Jane?”

 “A muffin, maybe. If there is any.”

 Leaving the girls at the table, I walked over to the smokers. I wrinkled my nose at the smell as my time bubble intersected with the air around them. I hated the smell of smoke. I briefly entertained the idea of having the girls shove the smoker’s lit cigarettes into less comfortable orifices. The smokers had some change strewn about the table. I freed the change from the time block and gathered it up. A couple of bucks. They were probably headed for the vending machines themselves in a few minutes.

 I walked over to the machines. Bought a bag of Hostess chips for Christi. I turned to the girls. They were just whispering together.

 “Janey?” She looked up. “Blueberry, or chocolate chip?” I asked her. Betting that I knew the answer.

 Her soft voice floated across the silent lunchroom. “Chocolate chip. If you are giving me a choice.” She smiled. She looked beautiful when she smiled. I won the bet with myself.

 I grabbed a couple of cans of cokes from the beverage machine and carried the food over to the table. I distributed the snacks to the girls.

 Jane looked at the junk food and I could almost hear her stomach growl. I dropped the remainder of the change on the table with the food. There really wasn’t that much left.

 “Go on. Enjoy yourselves. You haven’t had a break in a long time. If you want anything else, feel free to go buy it. Just there isn’t a lot more change.”

 “Your slaves thank you, Master,” Jane said softly, her face flushing.

 “Just enjoy the time. I’ll be back for you soon.”

 “Thank you for not making us go back in there, and for the treats,” Christi whispered.

 I nodded to her. Watching her as she tore into the bag of chips. A look of happiness gracing her face for the first time in a while. She picked up a curled chip and closing her eyes let it fall between her perfect teeth. Sighing.

 I turned from the naked beauties and made my way back to the office door. I could hear faint voices behind the door. Kara’s voice. Very faint.

 “One last time. Okay? I don’t know which of us he’ll free, but if you get a chance. Kick him in the balls. And run. Don’t worry about the rest of us. Okay?”

 I heard Julie make a non-committal answer. Mumbling something. I waited a few more minutes and opened the door. Amy was still on her knees, gagged behind Julie’s chair. Julie still hung in her ropes. Kara was defiant again. Her face a little worried that I had heard her. I gave her no indication that I had.

 I walked over to Amy. I knelt behind her and unbuckled the gag from behind her head. I felt her bare body tense as she held the gag in on her own. Waiting. I placed my hand below her jaw and she pushed the intrusion out of her mouth with her tongue, letting the wet ball drop into my hand.

 She swallowed a couple of times heavily. She had been drooling around the gag. She worked her jaw back and forth. Sighing.

 “Oh God. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.”

 “Did I give you permission to speak?”

 Her face registered fright. Thinking that her instinctive gratitude would be punished by the gag going back in. She shook her head. Closing her eyes.

 “It’s alright. You can speak. Just not to them. Yet.”

 She let her breath out. Relief. The gag was going to stay out. For now.

 “Please. This slave wants to say she is sorry for earlier. Very very sorry. She’ll do anything not to be gagged anymore.”

 “Apology accepted. Just remember. No speaking to the women here. Got it?”

 She nodded her head. “Thank you for taking it out. It hurts when it has been in that long.”

 “I know it does. Had to teach you a lesson though, didn’t I.”

 “I learned.”

 “I doubt that very much. But for now, I’m almost sure that you’ll behave.”

 She hadn’t told me about the plan yet. I didn’t even know if she was involved. I doubted it. But I expected her to tell me about it, at least. Perhaps, she was just being passive. Letting the kicking plan play out. If it worked it might be in her benefit, even if she didn’t help in it directly. I’d find out later what the heck she was thinking. Maybe she just forgot about it, in the relief of having the gag out. Maybe she’d still let me know about it.

 I rose to my feet. Glancing at Kara and Julie.

 I sat on the desk in front of Kara again. She glared at me. I didn’t particularly like that look of defiance on her face.

 “You want those pins off?”

 “You know I do,” she almost hissed at me.

 “Ready to beg to have them off?”

 “You pig. Yes.”

 I waited.

 She swallowed. Her face turning bright red. “Please? Take them off me?”

 She was having real trouble with the begging. Sounded about as sincere as your average politician.

 “Kara. You can do better than that. Do I have to hurt you some more.”

 “I can’t beg. It’s not in my nature.”

 “You begged to have your feet loosened.”

 “That was different.”

 “What? The clothespins don’t hurt enough?”

 “They hurt. But not like my feet did.” The initial pain of the pins had probably dulled to an annoying ache. Not really painful until they were removed. I smiled at her.

 “I can make them hurt more if that would help.”

 “You don’t have to hurt me. Why are you treating me like this?”

 “Because I can, Kara. Haven’t you figured that out yet?”

 I casually reached forward and gave her nipple pins a quick sharp twist.

 “Oh shit. Not again. Ow. Please. That hurts.”

 I hadn’t really given them a really painful pull. Just a twist. Her nipples just had rolled with the pressure. It hurt, I’m sure, but not like the torment I’d put her through before.

 “There. See. You can beg.”

 “You bastard. Just let us go.”

 This time I pulled the nipple clamps, and gave them a sharp twist at the end. Stretching her bare breasts by their nipples. Holding them like that. Her face twisted in agony. She screamed.

 “Ahhhhhhh. God. Please. Stop. No more. I’ll do what you want. I’ll beg. Please. Oh God. Please take them off me. Jesus Christ. My tits. My nipples. They hurt. Oh Jesus. Stop. Stop. Please stop.”

 I released the pins from my fingers. Letting her breasts fall naturally. She gasped as the pain reduced again. Her trapped nipples throbbing.

 “Well?”

 “Oh God. Okay. Please. I’m begging you. Take them off me.”

 “No.”

 “Why? What have I ever done to you? I’m sitting here, in pain. Please. I’ll do anything you want. Just take the damn things off my tits. Please.”

 That sounded a bit better. I reached forward and flicked one of the clips on her left breast. Enough to dislodge it. The clip snapped over her pinched skin and fell to the floor.

 “Oh God.” She gasped as the pain of the removal hit her.

 I continued in this way with all the clips except the ones clamping her by now very sensitive and sore nipples. She cried out as each clip left her skin.

 She looked up at me. All traces of defiance gone. She knew what was about to happen to her. Realizing that the ones on her nipples were really going to hurt coming off. If I flicked them off, like the others.

 “Please?” she asked plaintively. “Please just remove them normally. I’m begging you. You have no idea how much it hurts.”

 I casually flicked the left clothespin off her nipple. She screamed.

 “Argh. Ah. Ah. AH. God. Worse than I thought. My nipple. God, you tore it from my tit. Shit. Please let me go. Arghhhhhh.”

 She screamed twice as the clip snapped off her nipple and again as the circulation returned to the sensitive mound.

 We repeated the procedure on her right breast. Her screaming. Me watching her. Finally, she calmed as her nipples fell into a dull ache rather than the burning agony of before. Her breathing falling back to normal slowly.

 “You ready to make love to Julie?” I asked her as she recovered.

 “Fuck you.”

 “You really want those pins back?”

 She ignored me. I gently slapped her face. Reminding her that she had to answer.

 “Please no. I can’t take that again. Please. I’m sorry. I really am. Don’t slap me.” She babbled in her bonds.

 “You ready to make love to Julie?”

 “Not really.”

 I turned my body and looked at Julie. Bound to her chair. “You ready?”

 “Please. I. Can’t. I’m not a lesbian. I’ve never even thought about making love to a woman. Please don’t make me do this.”

 I turned back to Kara. “Alright.” I rubbed my hands together.

 “Now. I don’t want any funny business here. I’m going to release you from the chair. You are going to fall to your knees and crawl out to Julie. I’m going to leave her in the chair. You are going to make love to her. Until she orgasms. Then you are going to wait for further instructions.”

 She paled. Realizing that she was going have to do this. Like it or not.

 “If either one of you look like you aren’t trying. I have this.” I held up the crop. “It’s really nasty on bare skin. Here.” I flicked it lightly across Kara’s sore breasts. She cried out at the light blow. “Imagine that but harder. Across whatever I can reach. On Julie. On you. Trust me, making love is far more comfortable. Do you both understand?” Kara nodded and looking over my shoulder, Julie was just crying. I knew that they didn’t understand. That they would both need some convincing. I’d try to keep the pain to a minimum. I really did want to see Julie climax to Kara’s attentions. And she didn’t look like the strong type that could concentrate to an orgasm while being whipped. The applicant applying for more than she bargained for.

  

 Chapter 96

 I bent down on my knees. Cursing Jane’s knots. I worked my fingers trying to release the bindings around Kara’s ankles. It took some time, but I eventually managed to release her bare feet. Mindful of any possible kick. None were forthcoming. Yet.

 I rose and touched her shoulder. The naked woman wordlessly dropped to her knees from her seat. I guided her towards Julie, ignoring her soft protests. Julie just watched in horror as Kara approached. Creeping forward on her knees. Hands still cuffed behind her. Her right hand was getting noticeably bluish from the tighter cuff.

 I sat up on the desk and watched the older woman creep across the floor. Finally she sat back on her bare heels in front of Julie. She turned her head, her eyes tearing and pleaded with me.

 “Please? Don’t make me do this.”

 “If you prefer, I can whip your breasts for a while.”

 “Will that get me out of this?”

 “No. I’ll whip you until you beg to do it.”

 “Oh God.” She turned her face up towards Julie. “Sweety, you heard what the other girls said. He’ll do it. And I know that I’ll break. No matter how much I try to be strong. He’ll whip my tits. I. I’d be in pain, more in pain, and still doing this. Please try. For me?”

 Julie nodded. Kara whispered to her. “Good girl. I can’t do this alone. I don’t do this for all my applicants.”

 She shuddered and lowered her head. Instinctively Julie tried to snap her legs closed, but the ropes held her bare body securely open on the chair. Tears were rolling down the girl’s face but she closed her eyes and tried to concentrate on Kara’s tongue. Probably, Jane or Christi had advised her to just pretend it was her boyfriend or something. I was surprised, after all the protests, I was fully expecting to have to crop at least one of them to convince them to make love. They continued, aware of my scrutiny of them, but trying to ignore it. Trying to get it over with. Perhaps it was useful letting them think about it beforehand.

 Lost in her own private world, Julie had her eyes closed. Breathing harder and harder. Fantasizing. Bare breasts rising and falling. Faster and faster as her rate of breathing increased. Concentrating on the sensations of Kara’s soft tongue flicking across her clitoris. Tracing her lips. Amy was kneeling watching in fascination at the sex in front of her. I thought even her lips were flushing, her nipples hardening. It was erotic. No matter who you were. No matter what gender.

 Finally, Julie took a deep breath and cried out. Pulling desperately against the ropes binding her. Her soft cries filling the room. Struggling to catch her breath.

 Julie spoke, as her breath returned. “Kara? I’m done. You can stop now.”

 Kara raised her head and looked at me. Instinctively knowing that she wasn’t to stop until given permission. I nodded to her. Julie slumped against the ropes and sighed. Tears beginning to fall as she realized that she had just had oral sex with another woman. In front of other people. Naked and tied up like a slave. And she had managed to enjoy it. Her face flushed.

 I walked over to Amy. Crouched down behind her. I stroked her hair and whispered in her ear. “You’re next.”

 She shook her head wildly, her soft hair whipping across my face. I turned her head sideways, so she could see me. “Amy, sweetheart. One way or the other, you are next.”

 “Please no,” she begged. “I’ll do anything else. I’ll let you whip me. You can rape me. Wouldn’t that be more fun? You can tie me up. Gag me. I’ll try to resist you. You can fuck me while I squirm. Please? I’ll masturbate for you even. Just not another woman. Please? I hate that.”

 I stroked her hair again. “Kara? Feel like doing another one?”

 “Oh God. Please no. Don’t make me do it again. You can fuck me. I’ll do it with Amy there. Together. Two women at once. Please.”

 I gently guided Amy’s body down into my lap. Her cuffed hands pressing into my lower legs. I stroked her face. “Amy. Darling. Be a good girl. You know you don’t want to be punished more than you already have managed to earn.”

 “Oh God. Alright. I’ll try to enjoy it for you. Just don’t get the tongue clamp out again. Please.”

 She melted back against me. Tried to relax.

 “Kara?” She hadn’t moved. Just watching in horror as Amy spread herself out.

 Amy spoke up. “Please. Kara. You have to. I’ve been punished before. You don’t want that. You’ll be begging to lick me. Before he’s even started. Remember the clothespins? That was nothing. Remember the slapping? That wasn’t even a punishment. Come on. Come here? Please?”

 Feeling her small nude body pressing down on me, I was reacting fiercely. And I was sure that she could feel it against her bare back. She closed her eyes.

 Kara began her slow journey towards us on her knees. Hate flashing in her eyes as she stared at me. Not quite daring to make an escape attempt. Especially with her hands handcuffed tightly behind her. She arrived on her knees between Amy’s outstretched legs. She glared at me sitting easily behind Amy, my arms wrapped around her, almost protectively.

 I felt Amy swallow. “Kara? I know that you don’t want to do this. I don’t particularly want to do this either. But believe me, its better than being whipped. Nobody, least of all me, thinks you enjoy this or that you are a closet lesbian or something. You are being forced, honey. I’ll be thinking about my boyfriend. Not you. If it makes you feel any better. As Christi says, it’s just skin. Damn sensitive skin, but just skin.”

 “You aren’t the one licking the skin.”

 “I know. But I still might have to. Depends on what he wants. I haven’t had to tongue a girl yet, thank god. I don’t even know if I could. But I’ve been tongued enough. And I know it’s a hell of a lot better than being whipped. Trust me on that one.”

 Kara hesitated a bit but finally acquiesced, “I’ll do it.” She stared at me. “Will you let me go if I do a good job?”

 “I’ll let you go if she climaxes in five minutes.”

 “Really?” Suspicious. “And Julie?”

 “And Julie. Your time is ticking away.”

 “Oh God.” The nude woman practically dove between Amy’s legs. I had a perfect view down Amy’s bare body of the woman using her tongue. She didn’t even bother teasing her; she just dove between the folds desperately searching for Amy’s clit. Amy sighed as the tongue found her center and began stroking her. I could see Kara twirling her tongue around Amy’s clit. Sucking gently on her. Amy had closed her eyes and her breathing had almost immediately began to quicken. Determined to help this woman escape my torments. Fantasizing about whoever her real boyfriend was. Determined to climax before five minutes were up. Struggling, trying to think of a man, rather than Kara between her legs. Pulling against her cuffs.

 Her eyes still closed she whispered to me, “Please. My nipples? Please?”

 I smiled to myself and let my hands idly stroke her bare breasts. She arched, trying to get more contact. Shivering. I slowly circled her erect nipples, feeling them tighten still further to my touches. She was breathing like a train, quick short breaths. Trying to concentrate on the sensations from the girl between her thighs and my wandering pinching fingers on her nipples. Trying to imagine it was her boyfriend and that she wasn’t having sex with virtual strangers. Handcuffed.

 She exploded in my lap. Her whole body tensing, grinding herself into Kara’s tongue. Screaming. Her voice carrying through the entire store. Not caring who heard her. She spasmed and collapsed into my arms. Panting. Unable to speak. Kara, feeling the climax, raised her head from licking and sat back on her knees. Her face flushed, her breasts heaving. Pulling against her wrists. Tears forming, but not quite falling from her eyes. Working her tongue through her mouth, against her teeth. Trying to escape the taste of the other women.

 I released the nipples and turned my left wrist. Glanced at the watch.

 Amy saw the movement and craned her head to look at my face.

 “Did. Did we make it?” she asked softly.

 “Five minutes and sixteen seconds.”

 Her face fell. Tears almost brimming. All that fantasizing. All that effort. For nothing. Well, not quite for nothing. I watched as Kara’s face collapsed. Her bare body shaking. Wanting to spring at me. Pound my face. Hurt me. Not believing that she’d failed after all that. By sixteen bloody seconds.

 “Please,” she begged. “I tried my best. At least let Julie go? Please?”

 “I’ll do better than that. You come up here and give Amy a big kiss and I’ll let you both go. You were close. At least you tried.”

 Her face fell and then brightened. A kiss. After her adventures between the other’s legs, a kiss should be simple. I watched her hesitate. Not quite sure of this. The sex had been, well, forced. Impersonal. She didn’t have to see the woman she was licking. Not really. A kiss. She had to look at the other woman. It just seemed more intimate somehow. Kara made her way slowly up to Amy. Amy watched her face. The bound girl in my lap turned her face up to me.

 “Please,” she begged. “Don’t make me do this.”

 “Amy. This woman has just licked you to orgasm and you have a problem with kissing her.”

 “I. That’s just it. She was. Just. Licking me.”

 I laughed. “You’ve never tasted yourself?”

 Amy blushed and nodded. “Ick.”

 “Personally, I think that a woman tastes wonderful down there.”

 “Please? I’ll kiss Julie instead. I don’t mind kissing another woman. Just. She’s got me on her. And Julie.” She grimaced. “Please?”

 “I never knew you were so shy of yourself. You’ve never tasted your fingers after, you know, masturbating?”

 “I. Never. Don’t.”

 “You never masturbated?”

 She shook her head.

 To my surprise Kara spoke up. “You’ve never masturbated? I thought everyone did.”

 She shook her head again. Serious.

 “That’s alright. Please, Amy. I really really don’t want to kiss you. No offense. But I have to. I just want out of this. Your pussy didn’t taste that bad. And I’m sure it’s faded off me by now. It’s just a taste. Think of it like a strange new food. Please? For me? And Julie? You got gagged to try and help me before. You climaxed to help me. Just this one last thing. He’ll make us do it anyway. Please?”

 Amy closed her eyes and nodded. Turned back towards Kara’s waiting lips.

 Kara looked up at me. “Any particular type of kiss you want? You bastard?”

 “I don’t know. Open mouth. I want to see your tongues touch.”

 “Oh God.”

 She closed her eyes as well. Amy watched with fear on her face as Kara leaned down. Briefly opening her eyes to find Amy’s lips and then closing them again as they pressed their lips together. Amy grimaced, but returned the kiss as best she could. I watched, fascinated, as their lips touched and traced each other. Finally opening and allowing the other’s tongue to thrust into each other’s mouth. They separated and let me see their tongues touch as they separated. Just the tips touching each other. Lingering. Almost intimate. Two females. Kissing. Kara rocked back on her bare heels.

 “That okay?” Absolutely no warmth on either girl’s face. It was a mechanical kiss but that was probably the best I was going to get out of them without punishment. And Amy was already getting punished later. She didn’t know it yet, but she was.

 I nodded. The girls visibly relaxed.

 I concentrated on Kara and isolated her from the time continuum, releasing her body space from this timeline. Her body vanished and rematerialized behind her desk. I idly wondered what would happen if I’d been sitting there at the time. Her hands held an imaginary sheet of paper, Julie’s application. I hadn’t freed the entire room from time, so that would return as I did so. Her clothes had returned to her body. She sat frozen. Unaware of her timeless fate. Clothespins still strewn about the floor by her feet which were now encased in leather shoes.

 I sat Amy up and released her wrists. I whispered to her, “Pick up our equipment and then wait outside.”

 She turned to me. “You are going to let Julie go as well, aren’t you?”

 I nodded. I just was going to talk to her again, before I did. Amy scrambled to her bare feet and began to pick up the bondage toys. The handcuffs, the gag, the clothespins from the floor.

 While Amy quietly picked up the toys, I walked over and sat down on the floor in front of Julie. She flushed and pulled at her bonds, suddenly very aware of her vulnerability. Her nudity. Her restraints. The perfect view of her most private areas if I chose to look. No way to close her legs. I rested my arms on her bound knees and looked up at her face. She looked away. Her face flushing.

 “You are a monster, you know?” she whispered.

 “Didn’t you have fun?”

 “What the hell do you think? How would you like having to strip naked for some sick stranger? Tied up like some sort of animal? Threatened? Forced to have sex for their amusement? Shit. I forgot. You are the guy and I’m just a helpless female. Right? I don’t count.”

 “Julie? Calm down. It was just a question. I’m not here to torment you any longer.”

 “It’s hard. You know? I ache.”

 “I know, sweetheart. I’m going to let you go in a minute.”

 “What did you do to Kara?”

 “You mean the Amy thing? Or the freezing thing?”

 “She just vanished. And now, she’s over there? I don’t understand.”

 “I know. You don’t have to understand.”

 Amy slipped out of the room. Softly closing the door behind her. Carrying the bondage equipment pack in her fingers.

 “Those other women. Who were they?”

 “That was Christi, Jane and Amy.”

 “You aren’t going to let them go?”

 “They interest me. I’ll let them go eventually.”

 “They wouldn’t help us. Kara really tried, you know. You can understand that. But even though they didn’t seem particularly happy, they weren’t unhappy either. And they seemed to be really frightened of you. You should treat them better. They are people you know. Females. But people. Like me.”

 “Christi and Jane are currently munching on their favourite snacks in the lunchroom. Perfectly comfortable. Perhaps not normal. A pair of nude women, handcuffed together. But reasonably comfortable. Compared to how they might be. Amy, I’m afraid deserves some punishment, but that will happen later. I’m being as kind to them at the moment as I possibly can.”

 “You care about them, don’t you?”

 “In a way.”

 “Not like us. Me and Kara. You didn’t care what we felt like. How much we hated you.”

 “I was always intending on releasing you. I didn’t have to care.”

 “Am I going to remember any of this? After you do that to me?” Julie indicated Kara sitting behind her desk.

 I shook my head. “You won’t remember a thing. I promise.”

 “I won’t remember what you put me through? Stripping? Having sex? Sitting here tied to this chair talking to you?”

 “Not a thing.”

 “I can understand why they don’t mind being here, then. No responsibility. If you weren’t so rough it might actually be fun. Being able to roam around without clothes. Not worrying about paying for anything. Not worrying about idiots. Not having to worry about enjoying sex. Or getting it.”

 I nodded. “It can be kind of peaceful. And I’m not that rough on them. Most of the time.”

 “You were rough on us.”

 “I know. But you won’t remember a thing. No marks. No memories. You could have just let yourself go and enjoyed it.”

 “Easier said than done. You sit here, naked and let me torment you and see if you can let yourself go and enjoy it.” She paused. “You’ll remember. Won’t you.”

 I nodded.

 “Oh God. Then you could see me. Later. Walking down the street. Knowing what I looked like having sex with another woman. Tied to a chair. Open.”

 “Yup. And you won’t have any idea why I’m smiling at you.”

 “Shit. I promise not to attack you. I couldn’t possibly hurt you. Can’t you at least untie me? Let me dress? Please?”

 “Julie. I’m going to let you out in a second. Like Kara. It will take me longer to untie you than to just free you.”

 “Alright. I guess I’ve been in these damn ropes so long another few minutes aren’t going to kill me. You’ve seen me anyway. Have a good look. Nobody but you is going to remember this. Right?”

 “Nobody. Just you and me here. And even you aren’t going to remember.”

 “Can I tell you something?”

 “Sure.”

 “I don’t believe that I’m going to tell you this. I. I didn’t have that bad a time. If I’m not going to remember it anyway.”

 “What?”

 “I didn’t have that bad a time. I mean, I could have had a worse time here.”

 “You cooperated.”

 “Yeah. I don’t think that Kara had much of a good time.”

 “I told you up front it would be easier to cooperate. She didn’t have to go through all that. She would have still had to have sex with you, but she didn’t have to be in pain.”

 She blushed furiously. “You know. I even. Liked. When you made her. Lick me. I haven’t climaxed like that in a long time. I didn’t fake it. I wasn’t just fantasizing about some guy either. I did. At first. But I also was thinking about you watching me. Getting turned on by my humiliation. That I was helpless and naked. In a store office. And my interviewer, my female interviewer, was between my legs. Licking me. I’ll probably never experience anything like that ever again. Will I? I can’t believe I just told you that.”

 I smiled. “Doesn’t mean you are a lesbian, you know.” I almost laughed.

 “I know. I was just frightened. I’m not scared anymore. I am glad that I’m not going to remember any of this, though. I can’t believe I’m just sitting her, nude and bound, talking to you like this.” She was blushing.

 “Julie? It’s been a pleasure meeting you.”

 “I wish I could say the same,” she replied softly.

 I grinned and stood up. I bent down and gave her a kiss on the lips. She stretched her bound body up as far as the ropes would allow her and returned the kiss. To my surprise. I wasn’t expecting that.

 “Good-bye,” I whispered to the bound bare girl. “Good luck with your interview. Try not to call her Kara accidentally. And you’ll make a damn fine astrophysicist some day. At least a really nice looking one.”

 “Good-bye.” The bound bare beauty tossed her head one last time. Cascading her hair around her shoulders.

 I narrowed the time bubble cast around her and the chair. They instantly popped out and back into existence. The ropes formerly holding her fell to the floor, still knotted. She reappeared in front of the desk. Still in her chair. But now reclothed. Her black pantyhose still looking alluring, even though I knew exactly what was underneath. Leaning forward in her chair, her left heel rising out of her shoe. Oblivious to my presence and what she had had to do for me.

 I bent and picked up the ropes from the floor. I took one more glance at the women and slipped out the door. Shaking my head at Julie. Not quite understanding the female of the species.

  

 Chapter 97

 Amy was waiting in the hallway. Leaning against the wall, the pack at her bare feet, her hands resting easily between her back and the wall. Unconsciously thrusting her bared chest out as her shoulders rested against the wall. She didn’t even appear to be aware of her allure. She hadn’t wandered into the lunchroom with Jane and Christi. I suppose I hadn’t really given her permission to do so. Yet, I was surprised that she hadn’t.

 She smiled at me. “Done in there?”

 I concentrated and released the entire room from our timeline. I could imagine all the small details, Julie’s application, misplaced dust, that sort of thing, all moving back into their original positions. Almost by magic.

 “I am now,” I replied to the bare girl as the room returned to normal. “You want to give me your wrists?”

 “Not particularly.” She lifted her body from the wall, extending her arms in front of her despite her words. I slipped the steel around her slender wrists, locking them in place. Not tight. She suffered the decorative bondage again in silence.

 I pressed the pack into her fingers and led her into the lunchroom by her wrists. She exchanged soft greetings with Jane and Christi. Christi had carelessly tossed the empty bag of chips onto the floor and Jane had long ago finished her muffin. The crumbs graced the table in front of them. The coins I had left for them were untouched. Presumably they hadn’t wanting anything else to eat after their snack.

 They rose to their bare feet, still handcuffed together. They walked over to Amy and I. I lifted Christi’s right hand and released her from her cuff. I lifted Jane’s right hand, letting Christi’s free, and cuffed the bare woman. She pulled idly at the bonds, but didn’t complain. Amy was still flushed from her sexual encounter a few minutes ago. If Jane and Christi noticed they didn’t remark on it.

 I left Christi free. The girls didn’t speak, but they seemed to be in a better mood. Time having dulled the memories of the morning. I glanced at my watch. A lot more time than I’d expected had passed. We really needed to get back to the house. In the very least to release Sheila and Elizabeth. Elizabeth, especially, was probably bordering on real pain by now from her strict bondage. I supposed that she would just have to suffer for a while more. I’d have to let her rest, unbound for a while to let her recover. She’d like that, at least.

 “Downstairs with you,” I spoke to all three of them.

 They slowly moved out of the room. I let them lead the way back down into the grocery store, never tiring of watching the nude beauties walking ahead of me. We made our way back to the front of the store. I glanced at the shoppers, but nobody particularly interested me. One girl in her twenties picking up canned salmon was cute, but I had other plans at the moment. Not the least of which was getting us back to base.

 The girls walked directly to the full shopping cart. I quickly glanced through it. Seemed fine. Staples. Bread. Eggs. Milk. Lots of milk. I smiled as I spotted a huge jar of peanut butter. Christi must have loved that. There were fresh fruits. Vegetables. Even some steak. Cereal. I smiled. Fruit Loops? Looked like they also grabbed healthier stuff to be safe. Oatmeal. Grains. There was some cream soda stuck in there. Some packages of cookies. Oreos. Some granola bars. Lunch meats. They’d actually done an excellent job as far as a quick inspection was concerned.

 Jane’s voice floated up from beside me. I was surprised to see all three of them on their knees. Waiting. “Did we do alright? Anything else you want us to get?”

 I couldn’t see anything missing. “Not a thing. You done good.”

 She smiled. She’d probably been the one to argue Christi into letting them get peanut butter. Then again, Christi couldn’t have done much about it, being tied pushing the cart.

 I motioned to Christi. She sighed and rose off her knees. Placing her hands on the bar of the shopping cart. Expecting to be bound to it.

 “You need to be tied to it? Or are you going to behave?” I asked the bare girl.

 Her eyes widened. “I’ll behave. You know I will. You don’t have to tie me to it. I’ll keep my hands right here if you want me to.”

 “Alright. One finger comes off that bar and I’ll have to use rope to keep them there. Let’s see how you do without it.”

 She nodded gravely. Understanding that her freedom was conditional.

 “On your feet.”

 Jane and Amy rose to their bare feet. I walked along beside Christi, Jane and Amy moving on ahead. Keeping their hands in front of themselves. Not really having a choice with the handcuffs. They stopped as they approached the automatic doors.

 I turned and had one more quick look at Kathleen and Nicole. Blissfully unaware of their torture and torment in my hands. Unaware that I knew every curve in their luscious bodies.

 I freed the doors from the time block and they slid open quietly, sensing Amy and Jane standing in front of it. We walked out into the mall, Christi pushing the cart along, one of the wheels softly squeaking.

 After leaving the grocery store, the girls appeared to become a bit more relaxed. Perhaps, just the atmosphere of the grocer disturbed them, simply being close to the point where they had had to torment the other women. Moving away from the physical scene of the crime probably improved their moods. I guess I couldn’t blame them. They still had feelings. I smiled. They were going to be happy about my next plans. Well, everyone but Amy.

 They suddenly had more spring in their steps. Jane actually skipped from time to time as we slowly made out way around shoppers and down the main aisle of the mall. Her bare feet softly scuffed at the tile as she moved. I idly wondered just how it felt to be constantly without shoes. Wonderful, I would imagine. Though, if asked, the girls would probably say ‘odd’.

 Christi was intently looking at the stores that we slowly passed.

 “You want to shop?” I asked her.

 “You wouldn’t let me buy anything. Not anything I want.”

 “What do you want?”

 “Clothes.”

 I smiled. They were really going to like my next plans. At least Christi and Jane were.

 I watched as her eyes traveled wistfully over a jeweler’s display. The front window of the small shop filled with sparkling necklaces and jewels.

 I put my hand on her shoulder. Stopping her. I called out softly to Jane and Amy, as they moved ahead. Unaware that we’d stopped. They padded back to the cart.

 “You can let go of that thing,” I told the blonde still carefully keeping her hands on the cart. She gratefully let her hands off the cart and flexed her fingers. She’d been gripping it hard to ensure that she didn’t forget to keep her hands there. Obediently.

 I smiled at them as they shifted uncomfortably in the mall. Unsure what I had planned for them. Pretty sure they weren’t going to like it.

 “You all wear jewelry?”

 Jane spoke up. “I did. Before you made me take it all off in front of my father.” Tears brimmed up in her eyes. Still able to be upset about her first encounter with me. “I lost my favourite necklace.”

 “You didn’t lose it, Jane. Just temporarily relieved of it.”

 “I know. But I still miss it.”

 “What about the rest of you?”

 They both nodded.

 “Would you like to wear some for a while?”

 Jane looked at me shrewdly. Knowing what my jewelry entailed. “Please, not nipple clamps. I. Can’t take them. They hurt.”

 I just about laughed.

 “Come on.” I touched Jane and Christi’s arms and turned them around. Turned them towards the jewelry store. Christi’s eyes widened as she began to realize what I was going to allow them to do.

 She turned instinctively and gave me a wet sloppy kiss on the cheek. She broke away from the rest of us and ran over to the jewelry display. Tears brimmed in her eyes. Jane and Amy smiled as they began to realize as well what I was letting them do. A little more restrained than Christi, they too moved quickly to the display. Scanning over the jewels with their eyes. It was kind of nice to see all of them happy again. I kind of missed their smiles.

 I turned to the cart. There were perishables in there. They’d already been left for a little long. I narrowed the bubble of time inside the cart. Leaving the food in a slower time frame. Almost as good as refrigeration.

 I wandered back over to the girls. They were excitedly talking together. Pointing ring, necklaces, and bracelets out. Jane pointed with her handcuffed hands. Christi hopped from bare foot to bare foot. I stopped and just admired this view. Not often that you see three nude gorgeous women, unashamed, dancing around in front of a jewelry store in a mall. I just shook my head and smiled. They probably had no idea what a picture they presented. Their reflections in the glass. Just their simple nudity in such an odd environment.

 I touched Christi on the shoulder. She whirled. Throwing her arms around my neck and hugging me. Suddenly so female. So happy. Probably just glad to be away from the grocery store. Perhaps just happy that I was about to give them something. Women always love jewelry. Even if they are sex slaves.

 She whispered to me. “What can we have?”

 “Two pieces each. And I don’t know how long I’m going to let you have them, so don’t get too used to it. I do love you completely nude, you know.”

 She leaned back. Her arms still around my neck. Her bare body causing all sorts of uncomfortable reactions in me. She knew it too, the minx.

 “How about earrings?”

 “That’s one piece. Kind of go together. See anything you like?”

 “God. I wish I could afford this stuff in real life. It’s gorgeous.”

 She released me and danced back to the window. Her long legs flashing as she moved. Tossing her blonde mane.

 “Can we go inside? Please? There’s more.”

 “Sure.” I released the doors and the girls excitedly poured into the small shop.

 “Pick out something you like, and something that I would like.”

 They nodded, glancing through the display cases. Being female. Ooohing and ahhhhing.

 “Christi? Jane? Pick out something for Elizabeth and Sheila. We’ll give them a present too for putting up with me.”

 I briefly debated freeing the clerk, a youngish woman, to help the girls. I wasn’t particularly interested in her. But I wasn’t sure how I could control her. The girls would freak her out. Immediately. And I didn’t want to waste too much time getting her under control, considering that I really wasn’t all that interested in her on her own. On the other hand, she might be really able to help. Especially if the girls ended up wanting rings or something. Getting them sized was going to be a challenge without help.

 I concentrated and the young woman sprang to life. She gasped. To her it would have seemed that three nude women, two of them in chains, and one strange guy had just materialized in her store.

 “Oh my God,” she stammered. “What the hell is going on here?”

 The girls whirled around at the voice. Slightly embarrassed. Slightly startled. Not knowing I was going to free the clerk. Slightly embarrassed that yet another person was seeing them nude. Yet again.

 I just raised the gun and aimed it at the clerk. She screamed as she registered the movement.

 “Oh my God. I’m being robbed?”

 “Kind of. Be smart and you won’t get hurt.” Almost better to let her think this was just a robbery. I couldn’t quite understand this. How she could possibly think robbery with three nude women in her store. Who robs jewelry stores in the nude? But I suppose that jewelry clerks are maybe conditioned to always think robbery. It was a robbery of sorts.

 She raised her hands. “Take whatever you want. I’m not going to stop you.” Her adrenaline was probably pounding through her veins.

 “What’s your name?” I asked the shaking girl.

 “Anne.”

 “Alright Anne. I want you to listen carefully. If you do what I say, you won’t be harmed at all.” I had no intention of harming her. She looked frightened enough that I doubted she was going to present any problems.

 “Alright. I’ll do whatever you want.” Her eyes were glued to Christi. Probably thinking this was a horrible nightmare. Not quite believing that she had a nude woman in her store. Had to be some weird erotic nightmare. Right? Shouldn’t have eaten that peanut butter and salami sandwich the night before. She shook her head. Still awake. Unfortunately.

 “Anne. I need you to take your top off.”

 I wasn’t even all that interested in seeing her nude, though naked females are always more interesting. I just wanted her off balance. More like the other women.

 “You’re kidding. Why?”

 Jane spoke up. “Anne, honey. Just do what he says. You don’t want to be hurt, do you? That gun is real, honey. You think I’d be standing here without my clothes and in handcuffs if it wasn’t?”

 Anne nodded. “Just a dream anyway,” she mumbled. She pulled off her sweater. Dropping it to the display case in front of her. Without even hesitating she slipped out of her bra as well. She did have nice breasts. Large and firm. Bigger than any of the other girls.

 “Now what?” she asked me. Almost unafraid. Convinced she was dreaming. I almost laughed. I wasn’t going to hurt her, so she’d probably just go along with this until I released her back into time. I smiled.

 “Pants too. Shoes and socks.”

 She shrugged. Actually getting into this dream. In moments, Anne was standing behind her counter, nude. Her jeans, her panties, and her shoes and socks lying haphazard on the display cases.

 She looked at me. “You going to handcuff me, too?”

 I almost laughed. I wondered if many of her real dreams were like this.

 “No. I just want you to help the girls here pick out something nice. Give them whatever they want.”

 I sat down on the courtesy chair. Jane had this stunned look on her face. Completely unbelieving that I’d somehow lucked into a girl that thought that she was dreaming. That she’d just stripped happily for me. Even offered to let me put her in handcuffs.

 I had to stop myself from laughing. Christi, also wide-eyed, slowly made her way up to the counter. She began to point to a few items on display.

 Anne, completely nude, walked back to the safe and retrieved the keys to the displays. She pulled out the items for Christi. A necklace. Two bracelets. A large ring. And a jeweled anklet.

 While she tried them on, checking herself out in the courtesy mirror, Anne pulled out some jewelry for Jane and Amy. She then just stood back quietly watching the girls. I could swear that her nipples had hardened and she was beginning to breathe a little heavier.

 I debated playing with her, but this was just too funny to break the illusion. If I started doing really scary stuff to her, things she really didn’t want, especially pain, and she’d realize she wasn’t in dreamland after all.

 The women were excited. Trying on different items. Just being female. I loved watching them. All of them. Moving around the store. Completely happy. Not caring in the slightest that they were nude. None of them. Anne was even smiling. Making suggestions.

 Finally I spoke from my seat. “Girls? We don’t have all day. Remember Elizabeth?”

 Anne softly asked Jane, “Who’s Elizabeth?”

 Jane smiled evilly and leaned over the counter. “She’s the girl we left at home. Tied up. Naked as well. She’s probably getting uncomfortable by now. Even though she can still talk to Sheila if she’s bored.”

 Anne’s eyes widened at that, but she just nodded as though Jane had explained the general theory of relativity to her. I smiled as I kept seeing Anne pinch her bare arm. Looking a bit confused when it failed to wake her up.

 Finally the girls presented themselves to me. Just standing in front of me. Christi had picked out a necklace and earrings. Both with red rubies. Jane had gone green, with emerald. A silver bracelet and a necklace. Amy had a saffire and diamond tennis bracelet gracing her left wrist. Rubbing up against her handcuffs. A thin gold chain around her right ankle. All the girls were beaming. None of them could hope to afford any of this in their former life.

 Christi opened her hand. She showed me another necklace, a bracelet, and two anklets for Elizabeth and Sheila. All the jewelry they picked out was stunning. They certainly had taste. Instead of distracting from their nudity, the gems enhanced it. I don’t know why I was surprised.

 I ushered the girls out of the store, laughing and admiring their new possessions. Certainly female. I just shook my head as they filed out into the mall standing around the cart looking at themselves.

 I turned to Anne. I motioned her out from behind her displays.

 Without a look of worry she pranced out. On second glance she did look nice. Not stunning like Christi or Jane. Kind of plain. But she had an inner beauty behind her blue eyes. She was a kind and caring person on the real timeline. I could just tell. She stood nonchalantly in front of me.

 “This where we fuck?”

 I cringed at her use of the word. Seemed wrong coming from her lips. In other circumstances I might have punished her for it.

 “Anne. Come here,” I said to the nude girl.

 She walked over on her bare feet and carefully draped herself into my lap. She kissed me on the lips. Arms loosely around my neck. Still thought she was dreaming.

 “This is the most realistic damn dream I’ve ever had.” She smirked. “Why don’t we get you out of these clothes.” Her fingers pulled at my top gently.

 I kissed her lips again. Softly bit her lower lip.

 She backed her face away from me, realizing that the sensations on her body were just a touch too realistic. “This isn’t a dream. Is it?”

 “No, honey.”

 She scrambled off my lap. Her breathing laboured.

 “It must be a dream. There were just three naked girls in here. I just took off my clothes for you. I’m aroused. It has to be a dream.” She pinched her right arm again. No response.

 I almost laughed. “You dream like this often?”

 “Sometimes.”

 “Anne. You were a wonderful help.”

 She looked confused. Looking around. Fear creeping into her eyes.

 “What’s going on?”

 I didn’t bother answering her. I just shook my head and released her from our time line. Her mouth formed a small ‘o’ just before she returned to her normal timeline. Clothed. And waiting for the next customer to walk in. Minus a few lovely pieces of jewelry. I hoped that the next customer didn’t make her strip and rob her.

  

 Chapter 98

 I exited the store and walked back to the shopping cart. Christi, smiling, moved back to her post and placed her hands back on the pushbar.

 “What the hell got into you?”

 “You were behaving. And it didn’t seem fair to go shopping and not let you get anything. Besides, I kind of promised Elizabeth a present.”

 “This stuff is gorgeous.”

 “Don’t get too used to it.”

 “Thank-you,” she whispered. Such a change. A week ago, if I’d told her that she’d be thanking me for allowing her to shop naked in a jewelry shop with two other nude women, in handcuffs no less, she’d probably have laughed her ass off.

 “Come on, then.” I gave her a playful swat on the rear and she squealed. Prodded into motion, she moved back down the mall.

 We stopped at the drugstore. I sent Amy and Jane in to pick up basics. Toothbrushes and hair clips for the girls. Toothpaste. Soap. Whatever their normal shampoo was. Tissue. Basic stuff.

 Once the two girls had disappeared into the store, Christi tried to talk to me.

 “Can I ask you something?”

 “I suppose.”

 “What’s wrong?”

 “Wrong?”

 “Yeah. You seem. Unstable.”

 “Unstable? You looking for punishment?”

 “No. Please. I’ll stop asking dumb questions if you want.”

 “It’s alright. What were you saying?”

 “Unstable. You were happy in the morning. Treating us nicely. Then you scared the hell out of us. Were cruel to Elizabeth for no reason. She’s still suffering. You torment the hell out of two cashiers for no reason. God knows what you ended up doing to that poor woman, Kara. Then you are nice to us again. It’s hard to keep up.”

 I smiled. Way to keep them off balance.

 “I don’t know. I just sometimes need something. I’m kind of struggling to find out what.”

 “If it’s sex, you know that I’ll be more than willing. You can have me right here. I don’t care. You don’t need to hurt us to get that.”

 “Christi. Let me ask you a question.”

 “Alright.”

 “If I offered to send you back right now, would you want to go?”

 “Of course. I think.”

 “Alright then. I’m giving you a choice. Stay or I’ll send you back. Your choice.”

 “Don’t give me that choice. Please. Give it to Amy. Or Jane.”

 “You don’t want to go. Do you?”

 “I don’t know.”

 “Why?”

 “I really don’t know. I hate you. Then I like you. Then you let me have jewelry. Then I hate you when you force me to do some of the things you do. And I don’t like having to keep my hands here. Just because you say so. I don’t know. I kind of like not having a million people around. Stressing me out. All these people don’t even know I exist.” Referring to the frozen people in the mall. “You know? In some ways it is really peaceful. It would be paradise if it wasn’t for some of the things you make me do. But I’m not even minding most of that now. It doesn’t seem like that bad a trade. Some torment for some peace.”

 “So you like the lack of responsibility?”

 “Yeah. It’s easier to have fun when you don’t have to worry about the consequences. The sex is certainly easier.”

 “My thoughts exactly. Alright. I wasn’t going to send you back anyway. Just curious.”

 She fell into a kind of silence. Looking at her hands. The hands she wasn’t allowed to move. Must have felt weird for her. Being free, but not being free.

 I spoke again. “You are going to like my next surprise. Well, most of it.”

 “I generally don’t like your surprises.”

 “You liked these, didn’t you?” I lifted her new necklace from between her bare breasts. Her eyes lit up and she nodded. “It’s a surprise like that.”

 I heard Jane and Amy approaching. Their voices carrying ahead of them. Arguing about toothpaste of all things.

 They emerged out into the main mall. Their arms loaded down with various toiletries. Even makeup. All of it pressed up against their bared breasts. They approached, finally standing in front of the cart. Still playfully arguing.

 “I said I like Colgate,” Jane was speaking angrily to Amy.

 “Crest. I’m older than you,” Amy asserted herself.

 “I’ve been his slave longer.” Jane tried a very illogical argument. I almost laughed at that.

 I broke up the disagreement. “What did you end up getting?”

 “Crest.” Jane looked disgusted.

 “That will do fine. Either of you even consider that maybe you should have found out what *I* wanted?”

 They paled.

 Jane mumbled, “I’m sorry, Master.” Echoed by Amy.

 “It’s alright. I’m not angry or anything. But you should be lucky that I’m not making you all brush with baking soda.”

 Jane made a face, couldn’t keep a straight face and stuck out her tongue at me. The two girls moved forward and dumped their arms into the shopping cart we’d liberated from the grocery store. Toothbrushes, shampoo, soap, and makeup all cascaded over the food. Someone was going to have a hell of a time sorting this out. And it wasn’t going to be me.

 “Now march,” I gave the order in a mock disapproving tone. Jane turned on her heel and began to goose-step back down the mall. Amy was laughing her ass off at Jane.

 “Janey?”

 The nude girl turned around. Stopped her marching. A wide grin on her face. Standing with her bare feet slightly apart.

 “I’d salute if I could, SIR!” She pulled at her handcuffs.

 I just shook my head. I’d have to put up with the hijinx if I didn’t punish her. It was refreshing. I left her alone. Let her play.

 “Carry on.”

 “Yes sir. Very good SIR!”

 She spun again and resumed her exaggerated marching. I just shook my head. Smirks on Christi and Amy’s lips. Amy walked normally beside Jane and Christi began to push the cart again. Jane stopped her marching fairly quickly. Tired. She was panting with the effort. I filed it back in my mind. It might not be a bad idea to force them to march like that as a punishment at some point. The flashes of their bodies and the effort that they had to expend was delicious. Jane had no idea what she’d just done. But they were happy, for now.

 We continued almost until the end of the mall. I glanced over to the left where there was a teen clothing shop. The Gap, or something. To the right a fancy women’s boutique. Holly’s. Perfect.

 I called out to the girls, stopping them. They gathered around the cart.

 “Christi? You can let go.”

 The bare girl let go of the cart again. Relief on her face that she didn’t have to remember to hold the bar any longer.

 “What now?” she asked me.

 “Time for more shopping.”

 “Shopping? What now? We don’t need anything else.”

 “I thought you wanted clothes.”

 “Oh my God. You have got to be joking.”

 “I’m not. For now. Just you. And again. Don’t get used to it. I may not let you wear them very long.”

 “I don’t care. Clothes.” Her face had a far away look. Dreamy almost.

 Jane’s and Amy’s faces both fell at the words, but it looked like they were happy about even shopping for clothes. It might mean that I’d let them wear clothes eventually as well.

 I took Christi’s hand and led her towards the Gap. I grabbed Amy’s hand as well as we passed her. I motioned Jane to follow as well. Amy was still carrying the bondage equipment between her cuffed hands.

 We entered the store, Christi ahead, the other two trailing.

 I stopped them in the middle of the store, shelves of clothing surrounded us. We were in a large clearing in the middle of the store. The girls stopped on the hardwood store, shifting their weight on their bare feet. Amy and Jane idly pulling at their handcuffs.

 I gently took the equipment from Amy. I rooted through it, finding some rope. The girls watched somewhat apprehensively. I grabbed a courtesy chair, climbed up on it and reached up, connecting the rope through the dropped ceiling, letting it dangle on the floor.

 I turned to Christi and Jane. “Kneel.”

 They both sank to their bare knees. Fright beginning to enter back into their eyes. Amy definitely looked frightened. Being the last one standing.

 I reached forward and grasped the short chain between her wrists. She gasped as I wrapped the rope from the ceiling around the links. I slowly tightened the rope until she was standing with her arms extending above her head, pulling her bare breasts into a delightful position. Her eyes frightened. I tied off the rope leaving her standing in the middle of the floor.

 She swallowed, accepting her bondage. One word escaped her lips.

 “Why?”

 “Amy. I have to punish you.”

 “Oh God. Why? What did I do?”

 “You know what you did.”

 “I don’t. I swear it.”

 “Really?”

 “Really.”

 “I guess it will be hard to learn your lesson, then.”

 “Please. If you’ll just tell me what I’ve done. I’ll behave. I swear it. You don’t have to punish me. You don’t have to hit me. Please. I’ll learn. I swear I will.” Fright was settling into her eyes. Knowing what her punishment was likely to be. Pain. Probably in the upper chest area. She’d been punished before and wasn’t anxious to repeat the experience.

 “What do you think you are about to be punished for? Legs apart.”

 She looked confused at the rapid orders and question. She didn’t quite know what to do first. Spread herself or answer the question.

 She inched her bare feet apart as she answered me.

 “This. This slave really doesn’t know what she did to deserve punishment.” Tears were beginning to well in her eyes. She honestly didn’t know. Had no idea why she was about to be hurt. Trying to appease me with her slave talk.

 Finally she was standing with her bare feet spread about twice shoulder width apart. Trembling at her exposure. Not really understanding what had happened. One second she was shopping happily for jewelry. The next she was bound. Vulnerable. Trying to figure out what she did wrong. Waiting for her punishment.

 “Further.”

 She took a deep breath and inched her feet apart again. Taking some of her weight onto her cuffed wrists. She grasped at the rope holding her arms to the ceiling. Her heels rose off the floor as her legs spread further apart. Her stance looked uncomfortable. She stood in the awkward position and looked at me with her teary blue eyes.

 “Please,” she begged.

 “Now. Any guesses what you did to deserve this?”

 “Please. Master. I don’t know. Your slave begs for your forgiveness.”

 “Shall I just begin then?”

 Jane spoke up. “Amy, honey? He’s done this to me before. You have to figure out why you are being punished, or you will be punished until you do.”

 I looked at Jane, and she immediately dropped her eyes. Frightened of punishment herself.

 “Please. I really don’t know,” Amy spoke softly.

 “How about if I tell you that the punishment is appropriate?”

 She looked around wildly. Not understanding.

 I rummaged through the pack and pulled out the small whip that Jane had been forced to use on Nicole’s bared breasts. Nasty little thing with six tails on it. I was sure that it hurt a lot more than it looked like it would. I had already decided to hold back. Not lay into her enough to damage her skin. Just scare her. It would hurt, really hurt, but I wouldn’t cause her skin to break, as this thing was capable of doing. She’d hurt like hell for the time being, but it should fade reasonably quickly afterward.

 “Now. Unless you really want punishment, you’ll keep that position no matter what happens. At least drop back into it if you can’t hold it when you get hit.”

 “Please. You don’t have to hurt me. I’ll do whatever it is you want. I’ll learn. I swear it. I don’t even know what I did.”

 Jane hissed from behind me. “Guess, Amy. Just keep guessing until you get it. Please. I can’t watch this.”

 I raised the whip and casually flicked the tails across her straining breasts. Amy screamed.

 “Ahhhhhhh. Oh God. Please no. Not my tits. Anything but that. Oh God.”

 “Do you know why you are being punished?”

 “No more. Please.”

 “Amy. You get one guess per strike. If you get it wrong you get another one. Harder than the last. If you don’t answer. I hit you anyway. If you don’t get it fast enough. I move to whipping your pussy. Now?”

 “Oh God. Please. I don’t know.”

 I raised it. Brought the instrument of pain down again against her bare breasts. Somehow she managed to stay on her toes. Pulling desperately against the ropes holding her helpless. Screaming.

 “Oh God. Please. Have mercy. My tits. My nipples. Oh god that hurts. Please no more. Argh. Shit. No. Noooooooo. Bastard. Fuck. Please. Don’t hit me anymore. Christ. Please. I’ll guess. Please. I’ll do whatever you want. You don’t know how much this FUCKING hurts. Please.”

 I waited for her to catch her breath. Sobbing. Her bare breasts red. Twelve small red marks crisscrossing her breasts. Kissing her nipples.

 “I disobeyed,” she gasped out. “I spoke to them when I wasn’t supposed to. But you gagged me for that. Please. I don’t deserve to be whipped as well. Please. You gagged me.”

 “Amy, honey. You did disobey. You spoke when you weren’t supposed to. And I did punish you with the gag. I’m not sure that was enough. But that isn’t what this is about.”

 I brought the whip down on her breasts again. This time she couldn’t hold her position. Screaming she rose up on her feet. Bringing her legs together in agony and kicking her small bare feet. Crying uncontrollably.

 “Please. Oh God. Not again. My tits are on fire. That thing. HURTS. FUCK. Please no more. I’m sorry. Whatever I did. I’m so fucking sorry. Please. Please. No more. I’ve learned.”

 I spoke quietly. “Learned what?”

 “Oh God. I don’t know. I just don’t want to be hit again. Please. No more.”

 “Learned what?”

 “Please. Just tell me. I’ll apologize for it. I’ll scream it out for you. I’M SORRY. I swear to you. Whatever it is. I’m sorry.”

 “You breasts look like they are sore.”

 “What the hell do you think, you fucking bastard. They’re in agony. I don’t even know what I did to deserve this. Please.”

 “Spread.”

 She closed her eyes and inched her legs apart again. Exposing herself. Until her heels were back off the floor.

 “Any other guesses?”

 “Oh God. I’m begging you to just tell me. I swear to you I don’t know.”

 “Guess.”

 “Oh shit. I picked out jewelry you don’t like. I’ll take it off. Just let me down and I’ll give it to you. I will.”

 “I love the jewelry you picked out. You look very pretty in it. At the moment I want you to wear it.”

 “Oh God. Please stop whipping me. I’ll do anything you want. I’ll let you rape me. I’ll crawl for you. I’ll dance naked for you. Anything.”

 The dancing actually sounded interesting. I filed it away in the back of my mind with the marching idea.

 “I just want you to guess why you are being whipped. I want to make sure that you understand why you are being punished.”

 “Oh God. Just tell me. I don’t know.”

 “Your breasts look sore.”

 “They are. Please stop hitting them.” Her breathing was ragged. Her reddened breasts rising and falling invitingly. Nipples erect.

 “I’m going to switch now. I’m going to start hitting you between your legs. I want you to resume the position if you break it afterwards. This is far more appropriate anyway. Hitting you between the legs.”

 “Please no. I’ll ... Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh. Argh. Aiiiieeeee. Jesus fucking Christ. Please. No more. That. You can’t imagine that pain. Please. You can’t hit me there. You can’t hit a girl there. Oh my God. It hurts. It hurts so fucking much. Please. Owwwwwwwwwww.”

 I waited for her to recover. I saw in satisfaction a number of red welts forming between her legs as she spread herself back out. The insides of her thighs. Her lips. Even up through her sparse pubic hair. She had managed to remember to spread herself again. She was hanging limply by her captured wrists. Her toes hardly supporting any weight. Sobbing uncontrollably.

 Finally she raised her head. Sick. “Please. No more. You can’t imagine how much that hurts. I can’t take much more. I’ll pass out. Please. I’ll do whatever you want. Just no more. My pussy. Please let me down.”

 All she wanted to do was curl up in a ball. Jamming her hands between her thighs. Ease the burning welts. Ease her pain. Her breasts forgotten.

 “Amy?”

 She looked up dully. Hardly even able to see through her tears.

 “You can get yourself down. Do you have any idea what you did? Why you are being punished?”

 “Oh God. Please. I didn’t know you knew. I didn’t mean to. I know I wasn’t allowed without permission. Oh God. Please. I don’t deserve this. I. I was just horny. If I’d known this was coming I would never have masturbated this morning. Please. I didn’t think you’d mind. I couldn’t help it.”

 My eyebrows raised. I actually didn’t have any idea that she had pleasured herself.

 “Amy? You aren’t going to like this. But I didn’t know. But because you were honest here, I won’t increase your punishment for that. I wouldn’t punish you like this for masturbating without permission. You’d be punished, but not like this.”

 “Oh God. Not another one. Please. I can’t take it. Please let me down. I’ll crawl on my hands and knees forever for you. You can whip my tits again. As much as you like. I’ll suck you. I’ll make love to every woman in the mall. I don’t care. Please don’t hit me there again. Noooooooooo. Ohhh. Ahhhhh. Argh. Aiiieieieieeiieei. Please. Jesus. Please. Jesus. My pussy. My fucking cunt. Oh God. I’m not going to make it. Oh God. I’ll do anything. I’ll fuck. I’ll crawl. I’ll fucking die for you. I’ll let you kill me. Just no more. It hurts. It fucking hurts so fucking much.”

 She had pressed her thighs together. Hard. Trying to ease the pain. Dancing on her toes. Pulling at her wrists. Twisting in pain. Wanting desperately to protect her most sensitive areas. Crying. Having trouble breathing.

 I let her rest for a few minutes, letting the pain fade until she could talk again coherently.

 “Oh God. Please. No more. This. This slave hurts. She’ll do anything. Just, please. Let this stupid cunt know what she did wrong. She’s so sorry. You have no idea how sorry she is.”

 I walked up to her and stroked her hair. Wiped her tears from her eyes.

 “Amy. First of all, I know you are in pain and not thinking straight. But you aren’t a stupid cunt. Alright? Refer to yourself as a slave.” Her calling herself a cunt kind of grated on my senses for some reason. I kind of liked when they referred to themselves in the third person, but that word just didn’t seem right. I have no idea why. It shouldn’t have bothered me. Maybe flashbacks to Mayer whom she had never met. I didn’t mind her using the word ‘cunt’, especially when she was in pain, just not to refer to her person. “Secondly, you have to figure it out on your own. Or you won’t learn.”

 “Of course, I’ll learn. Believe me. I’ll fucking learn. You have no idea how much that fucking hurts. I’d do anything to avoid it.”

 “Then you have to figure this out.”

 “Let me rest. Please.”

 “Alright. Three minutes. Spread.”

 She gritted her teeth and inched her feet apart again. Wincing at the pain in her crotch. Still crying. Trying to gather her strength. Knowing she was going to get hit again, and she had to just stand there and take it.

 I walked over to Jane and Christi. Both a little pale. Jane spoke.

 “Oh my God. I couldn’t even take that. You aren’t even hitting her hard, are you?”

 I shook my head. “Just a few taps. But it doesn’t take much with this thing.”

 “What the hell did she do?”

 “You’ll find out. She knows. She just doesn’t want to tell me. She doesn’t know that I know.”

 “She told you about the masturbation.”

 “Lesser of two evils. And she knows it. She’ll tell me now. She’s out of options.”

 “God. I hope so. She’ll pass out if you continue much longer.”

 “I know. I’m actually easing up on her as I go. The first ones were a lot harder. But she’s more sensitive now. It probably hurts just as much, though there won’t be any lasting damage. She’ll be sore for a couple of hours is all.”

 “Don’t kill her,” Jane whispered.

 “I won’t. Too pretty to kill,” I whispered back.

 I rose.

 “You want to tell my what you did to deserve this.”

 “Please. I don’t know.”

 “You do Amy. Save yourself pain and just tell me.”

 “Tell you what?”

 “Nice try. Do I have to hit you again?”

 “Oh God. Please no. I honestly don’t know.” I could see that she’d gathered her internal resources again. The rest allowing her some respite to strengthen herself again. To resist. I could see it in her eyes though. She knew for what she was being hit.

 “Alright.”

 I brought the whip back up between the girl’s legs. Landing squarely on her exposed lips. Between her lips. Kissing her clit. Her vaginal opening. Curling up behind her and touching her exposed ass cheeks.

 She screamed again. “Ahhhhhh. No more. I’ll tell you. Fuck. Jesus. My cunt. Oh my God. I can’t believe how much that fucking thing hurts. Please. No more. I’ll tell you. I swear. Don’t hit my cunt again. Please.”

 She had jammed her thighs together again. Squirming. Desperately trying to get her hands free. Tears coursing down her cheeks. Fighting her pain. Her agony. Wanting to hold herself. Stop this unbearable agony from raining down on her.

 Finally she fought off the pain enough to look at me. Hate in her eyes.

 “Alright. No more. I. Was there. When Kara and Julie were planning. To attack you. Fuck that hurts. Please. Whichever one you freed was supposed to kick you and escape. I knew. I’m so sorry. I. I didn’t tell you. I know I should have. I deserve to be punished. Oh God. Please don’t make me let you hit me again. You. I. Hurt so much. I swear I wouldn’t have helped them. I’d never kick you. I’d hurt myself more than you. I swear on whatever you want me to. I. Just. Didn’t. Tattle. On. Them. Please. No more.”

 I smiled.

 “Where were they going to kick me?”

 “Oh God. Between your legs.”

 “Don’t you think that would have hurt?”

 “You goddamn bastard. Yes.”

 “Do you think you deserve punishment for trying to hurt me?”

 “Oh God. Please no more.”

 “I’m going to assume that they were only going to kick me once and then run?”

 “Yes. Yes. I’m so sorry. Please. Forgive your dumb slave. I didn’t mean anything. Please.”

 “So. I should maybe show you how much it would have hurt me if they’d actually tried it? And I hadn’t been warned?”

 “Oh God. Please. I already know. You’ve already hit me there. Please don’t kick me. I. I’m sorry.”

 “Your punishment is one stroke between your legs. With this.” I held up the whip in front of her face. No way was I going to kick her. I wanted to hurt her. Not disable her. “Not my foot, though you probably deserve that as well.”

 “Please. You’ve already hit me there. It hurts so much.”

 “Spread.”

 “Please no. Oh God. I can’t.”

 I shook my head at her. And flicked the whip across her breasts again. Harder than before. She screamed in pain. Her body twisting. Howling. Finally she fell to begging again, as she recovered her breath.

 “Please. I. My tits. My fucking cunt. I hurt. I’ve learned my lesson. I’ll never do it again. I’ll tell you next time. I swear it. I’ll tell you immediately. If not sooner. Please. Please.”

 “Spread. Unless you want another one across your breasts.”

 “Please,” she begged. “I. I can’t take another one. Not between my legs.”

 I gave her a break. “Amy. Darling. This is going to be your only warning. Okay? You have to spread yourself out again and let me whip you. That is your punishment. It is going to happen. One way or the other. For every time you resist, I add another stroke. Right now it is still at one.”

 She’d gone pale. Couldn’t imagine the agony of one more, much less two. I watched as her feet twitched. Her mind trying to make them move apart for me. Her body resisting.

 “Honey. Listen to me. I will happily keep whipping your breasts until you comply. And if you pass out, I’ll just tie your feet apart. Wider than you’d like. And then whip you for all the times you resisted as well. Take my advice. Spread your legs for me now.”

 Jane spoke up from her knees. “Amy? Sweety? Listen to him. He’s not kidding. Take the last stroke and be thankful it isn’t more. I’m surprised he’s letting you off this easy. I’ve gone through more for a lot less than that. Come on, honey. One more and you can stop. He’ll let you down.”

 Amy took a deep breath. Her bare toes finally pressing against the hardwood, spreading her legs apart. Frightened. Finally she managed to get her legs all the way apart. Her toes resting on the ground. Bare feet arched. Tears running down her face as she begged with her eyes.

 She looked at me and begged one last time. “God. Please. Have mercy. If you’d ever felt this, you wouldn’t do this to me. You’d understand why I had so much trouble spreading my legs for you again. It hurts. I can’t even describe it. That’s me. My sex. Please. Hit my ass. Or thighs. Or something else. Even my tits. Please. Not there.”

 “Keep your legs apart.”

 “I. Can’t. Not if you hit me.”

 “Try.”

 “Oh God.” She braced herself.

 I brought the whip up between her legs. Harder. She exploded in agony. Throwing back her pretty head and screaming her guts out. In absolute agony. Her body spasming in her pain. She was completely incoherent for at least five minutes. Hanging in her bonds. Gasping for air. Retching. I was glad that I hadn’t let her eat anything. Somehow, she managed to keep her legs apart. Sheer will. I wasn’t going to punish her if she wasn’t able to, but I had to admit that I was impressed that she’d managed to do it. Her bare toes spasming against the floor. Curling in her agony.

 Finally she managed to catch her breath enough to speak again.

 “Oh God. I’m so sorry. Please. Master. This slave begs to be released. She hurts. God. She hurts. Please at least let her close her legs.”

 “Go on. Close them.”

 She collapsed herself in agony. The movement of her legs causing more pain to shoot up from the center of her. Tears rolled unheeded down her face and down her bare defenseless body.

 I reached above her, half expecting a kick but not getting one. I wouldn’t have blamed the girl if she had aimed a weak kick at me. But she knew better anyway. I pulled the knot out holding her handcuffs to the tether to the ceiling. Her legs were unable to support herself. She collapsed to the floor in a heap. Her bound hands immediately between her legs. Curled up in a ball on the floor weeping. At her pain. At her humiliation. At her complete vulnerability. That she’d suffered so much for such a simple transgression.

 I glanced up and saw Jane rocking on her knees, like a terrier pulling at her chain. She looked at me, catching my eye. “Please?” she mouthed.

 I moved over to her and released her hands from the handcuffs. As soon as she was free, the bare girl shot forward on her hands and knees like a rabbit. Pulling Amy into her arms and rocking her. Soothing her. Stroking the girl’s hair. Trying her best to comfort the shaking woman. Mothering her.

 I whispered in Jane’s ear. “Make sure she’s alright. I was a bit rough on her.”

 “I’ll say.”

 “Just take care of her. I’ll get out of your way.”

 “She’ll survive. She won’t be masturbating for a while though.” Jane had managed to keep some humour at least through this. Her emeralds reflecting the colour of Amy’s hair as she sobbed and Jane’s fingers slipped through her locks. It wasn’t the first time she’d had to take care of a woman I’d punished. Jane always managed to keep her head when she was going to be needed. Amy was in good hands.

  

 Chapter 99

 I turned away from the tortured girl and crouched down beside Christi.

 “You fucking bastard,” she almost spat at me.

 “I know. I know. She was getting willful again. I had to stop her before she got out of hand again and I really had to punish her.”

 “She’s just a girl for Christ sakes. She didn’t deserve that. Nobody deserves that. No matter what you think she did.”

 “Bet she tattles next time.”

 “Christ. I guess so. Have to remember not to tell her any of my secrets.”

 “I guess.”

 “She’ll be alright won’t she?”

 “Yeah. She’ll hurt for a few hours. But there won’t be any lasting damage.”

 “There will be. It just won’t be physical, you fuckhead.”

 “Christi? You are never going to get used to this, are you?”

 “If I do. Shoot me.”

 “I don’t blame you for being angry.”

 “That’s very fucking big of you. Jesus Christ. What is it with you today? I mean. We didn’t do anything to deserve this. We’ve tried. Our goddamn best. To do what you want. Why?”

 “She stepped over the line,” I gently told the upset girl. “Her actions were tantamount to attacking me. You know that ain’t allowed. I have to punish that. Or the next thing I know all of you will be attacking me and I’ll eventually have to really hurt someone to stop it.”

 “We are people. Human beings. Please. I don’t want to be treated like that.”

 “I know you don’t, sweetheart. And if you behave, you won’t be.”

 “I don’t want to live like this.”

 “Sweety, you don’t have a choice.”

 “Don’t I know it.” The tears began to fall from her eyes. Her whole body shaking as she knelt. Quietly sobbing.

 I let her cry for a minute and then leaned forward and kissed her forehead gently. “Come on. Let’s make life a little better for you. Okay?”

 “What are you going to make me do now?”

 “Get dressed. How’s that?”

 She closed her eyes. Trying to will away the tears.

 “Why me?” she finally asked. Her eyes finding mine.

 “Because you’ve been cooperative and you’ve been around the longest.”

 “Oh. I’ve almost gotten used to being nude. I don’t even remember what clothes feel like.”

 I smiled at her.

 “So, what are you going to let me wear? Lingerie?” She made a face. It looked like her cry had loosened her up a bit. Not nearly as upset now.

 “Actually, I was thinking something a bit more casual.”

 “Casual?”

 “Yeah. What kind of jeans you normally wear?”

 “Levi’s. But ...”

 “But?”

 “If you want me in good jeans, I wouldn’t mind trying some of those Guess Jeans. This store doesn’t carry Levi’s.” Female to the core.

 “You shop here?”

 “I’ve been in here before.” Her tears had dried up. She was consciously trying to avoid the sight of Amy curled up with Jane, trying to ease her pain. Try to concentrate on what I wanted. Avoid any punishment.

 I stood up and extended my hand. Christi took it and rose to her bare feet.

 “You are actually going to let me get dressed?”

 I nodded and led the baffled woman to the shelves of jeans. As we approached, she seemed to forget her earlier hate of me and a smile actually began to form on her lips. She stepped towards the racks and she began to finger the denim. Searching for her size. In moments she had pulled two pairs of jeans from the rack.

 “Can I get some panties? They are just over there.” She pointed to some straight forward briefs over on the other side of the store.

 “I think you are okay without them.”

 She flushed and nodded. Given the choice of one or the other, I figure she’d have picked the jeans every time over panties. She didn’t have much choice. She was probably disbelieving that I was about to allow her pants. She could live without the underwear. She made to walk towards the change room.

 “Christi?”

 She turned. Looked at me quizzically.

 “A change room? Why?” I almost laughed. Her face broke out into a smile and she almost laughed as well. Looking down at her bare body.

 I watched as she slipped the first pair over her legs. Pulling her long legs into the pants until her bare foot protruded from the bottom. Balancing on one leg, she pulled the other leg over her foot. Soon she was pulling the denim up over her hips. She buttoned the pants and looked at me hopefully. Hoping that she’d be allowed to keep them. Other than a robe this was the most clothing she’d been allowed since I met her.

 “How do they look,” the topless girl inquired of me.

 “They are alright.” She actually looked stunning in them. I wasn’t aware how alluring simple jeans could be on a mostly nude woman. She just stood there and waited to find out what else I wanted. I just looked at her for a moment. “What’s that?” I pointed to the other pair of jeans she was holding in her hands.

 “Another pair.”

 “Why?”

 “In case these were too big. Depends on the make of jeans what size I am.”

 “Try them on as well.”

 “These fit fine.”

 “Try them on.”

 Her eyes welled with tears as she realized that she’d have to go through the whole procedure of stripping and reclothing again in front of me. For some reason this bothered her whereas her complete nudity over the last few days didn’t. I suppose she was the only girl who had never had to strip more than a robe off her body for me. I’d found her nude which started this whole time line.

 She closed her eyes and obeyed. She unbuttoned the jeans and slowly slipped them down her legs. Revealing her pale skin to me once again. She stepped out of the fabric, simply leaving them on the floor. She then repeated the procedure, pulling the other pair of jeans over her slim legs. The next pair were a different style. Slimmer. Hugged her legs more. The waist was certainly tighter. She had a bit of trouble pulling the denim over her hips. But it was just the fit. They weren’t too small on her. Probably would have been easier pulling them over panties, her bare skin catching a bit at the fabric as she tugged at them. She buttoned the jeans and lowered her eyes. Slowly turned herself for my inspection. God, she looked stunning. And no panty lines. The new jeans looked a lot better. I told her so.

 “Wow. You look fantastic.”

 “I figured you’d prefer these.” Despite her somber words her mouth curled into a smile. Still appreciating the comment despite the circumstances. “Do I get a top as well? Or do I just walk around like this?” She spread her arms out to the sides, thrusting her bare breasts out.

 I left her standing like that for a moment. Still stunned by the beauty in front of me. Topless. Barefoot. And in blue jeans. Calvin Klein? Model this girl and believe me, you’d sell jeans.

 “Pick out a top yourself. Keep in mind, I don’t like it, you just might spend the rest of the day that way.”

 “I don’t mind, you know. I’ve been naked too long to mind going topless.”

 “I know. Find a top.”

 She scampered to obey. Running her fingers over the sweaters and blouses. Occasionally stopping and holding one up for my inspection. Holding it against herself for me to see. I turned as she moved around the store. Furrowing her brow. Searching. Shopping. Finally I left her to her own devices and walked back to Jane and Amy. Amy was still crying, but the intensity had drastically reduced. Jane just looked up at me as I approached. Not saying anything.

 I crouched down and asked Jane, “How is she?” I was truly concerned. I’d been a little rough with her and she just simply wasn’t used to it.

 “She’ll be alright. She hasn’t said much, but she doesn’t seem to be in as much pain.”

 I ran my hand down through her dirty blonde hair. Kissing her forehead as she wept. Amy just looked up at me with pleading in her eyes.

 “Please. No more. Okay? Please?”

 “Amy, sweetheart, I’m not going to hurt you anymore. Honestly. I don’t think you need anymore? Do you?”

 “Oh God. No. Please. It still hurts.” Her fingers were still pressed between her legs. Her handcuffs impeding her a bit. Thighs pressed tightly together.

 “You going to be alright?”

 “I’d be better if you hadn’t whipped me.”

 “I know. I know it hurts. I’ll let you rest for a while more.”

 “Thank-you,” she whispered. Meaning for the extended rest.

 Jane just watched this exchange, still cradling the girl. My attitude moving to kindness and concern seemed to reassure the trembling girl in her lap. Amy didn’t seem as frightened. Her trembling seemed to have reduced and her tears almost stopped. She looked up at Jane, still gently stroking her hair.

 “Jane?”

 “Shhhh.” Jane shushed the hurt woman.

 I was standing up. I only half paid attention, my eyes searching for Christi through the store. Not locating her right away.

 “It hurts. God it hurts.”

 “I know, baby. It’ll fade. I promise. I’ve been through it too.”

 “How. How did you? Deal with it?”

 “Shhh. I can’t tell you that sweety. You have to figure out how to deal with it yourself. You don’t want to deal with it my way. You’ll be alright. It’ll fade. I promise. It must be fading already.”

 “A bit. I guess. I never ...”

 Her voice faded as I walked away from the girls, searching for Christi. My guard suddenly up. She was free. No restraints at all.

 “Christi?” I called out softly.

 “Over here,” came the immediate reply. I carefully walked over towards the sound of her voice. Readying the time defenses in case she had found a weapon.

 She was innocently sitting cross-legged on the hardwood in front of a display of sweaters. Her fingers tugging at bright knits. Just doing what I told her. I relaxed.

 “What?” She looked at me with bewildered eyes. Realizing that I was on edge before I’d relaxed.

 “Just didn’t see you.”

 “I’m sorry. I just sat down her to see all these sweaters. Aren’t they gorgeous?” She held up a light red sweater against her naked torso. Thrusting her breasts out to emphasize how it would look on her. Completely unconcerned that I was worried about her. Not even crossing her mind that I had thought she was escaping or planning an attack on me.

 I nodded dumbly.

 “I couldn’t decide. I will if you want me to, but I thought I’d give you a choice. Red sweater, or silk blouse.” She held up a maroon silk blouse in her other hand. “They both will look good, I think.”

 “Take your pick.”

 “You won’t punish me for picking wrong?”

 “There isn’t a wrong one. Relax.”

 “I don’t suppose you’ll let me have a bra?”

 “Do you think you need one?”

 She smiled and dropped the maroon blouse on the floor. She slipped the sweater over her head. Settling the knit over her nudity. Adjusting the garment over herself. Around her waist. It looked stunning on. She looked like a teenager, but she looked stunning. I was pretty sure that she’d picked the sweater for its covering value, since the silk was a bit sheer, but it didn’t matter. She filled out the sweater without a problem. Her figure obvious underneath it. The sweater fit a bit tightly, but that was the style. It was supposed to hug her body like that. Again she turned for me, awaiting my approval. Praying that she wouldn’t have to take it off and model the silk as well.

 She completed her slow turn. “Well?” she demanded.

 “You look stunning. I should let you wear clothes more often.”

 “I’d like that,” she smiled shyly. Covered for the first time in days. Hidden.

 “How do you feel?”

 “The jeans are a bit tight, but I don’t imagine that you’ll let me change back to the other pair. And it feels really really weird not having underwear on. Especially here.” She pointed to the sweater at about her nipple level.

 “Come on, then. Time to get moving. If we can get Amy on her feet.”

 “Sir?”

 “Yes?” I turned back to the clothed girl.

 “I just. Wanted. To thank-you for letting me get dressed. It. Feels really good,” she said haltingly.

 “You are welcome. Don’t get used to it, but I like seeing you in this. I might keep you in it for a while.”

 “One more thing?”

 “What?”

 “Please. If you don’t want me in them just say so. I won’t press. But. Shoes? Socks maybe? Please? I’ve been in bare feet for so long. I. I would kill for a pair of running shoes. Even high heels. Whatever you want.”

 I smiled at her. “Christi. Honey. I know you want them. I don’t blame you. I would too in your position. Let me think about it. You don’t really need shoes. You look pretty without them.”

 She briefly looked disappointed, but then looked down at her body again. Probably shocked not to see bare breasts and legs, but a sweater and jeans. She pranced over to me in her bare feet and hugged me. Gave me a quick kiss on the cheeks.

 “Maybe I can earn shoes later?”

 “Perhaps,” I grinned at her. I grasped her wrist, unusual to touch fabric there, and guided her back towards the other girls.

 When we arrived, Amy was sitting up. Quietly talking to Jane. Both girls sitting cross-legged. Not caring about their exposure. I couldn’t quite make out the conversation. Probably just talking about Amy’s recent ordeal.

 I was concerned about her. She had been the first girl I’d ever really whipped between her legs. I knew it had had to really hurt. I was hoping that she’d make it through alright.

 I crouched in front of her. Noted that her bound hands were no longer pressed desperately into her crotch. She lifted her hands from her lap to allow me to check her. I traced some of the welts running up between her legs. My finger touching some of the worse ones on the inside of her thigh.

 “That one,” she gasped. “Really fucking hurts.”

 I must of caught her unexpectedly hard on that angle. Not sure why. The rest of the welts had already begun to fade. I looked up at her. Her face was flushed, but she held my gaze. Used to me being able to touch her whenever and wherever I wanted. Sitting still for the humiliating inspection.

 “Amy? How are you feeling?”

 “Damn lousy, thanks to you.”

 “You learned your lesson?”

 “Oh God. Have I.”

 “Can you walk?”

 “I. I think so. You aren’t going to punish me any more?”

 “You have something else to tell me that deserves punishment?”

 “No.” A bit sullenly.

 “Come on them. I promise not to punish you again until we get home.”

 “Oh shit. What have I done this time?”

 “Nothing yet.”

 “God. I’ll behave. I can’t take that again. Please.”

 I rose and extended my hand to her. She grabbed on with both her bound hands and climbed a bit painfully to her bare feet. She now tried to keep her feet slightly apart as she stood. Trying to ease any contact with her vulva and thighs.

 I helped Jane to her feet as well. At this point, Jane noticed Christi. Her eyes opening wide.

 “Oh my God. You look gorgeous. He let you dress?”

 Amy glanced over with a look of undisguised envy. Her eyes widening as well.

 Christi just smiled. Running her hands down her top and the hips of her jeans like a model on a runway.

 Christi spoke. “He’ll let you dress sometime soon as well. And he’s already told me that I’m not going to be allowed them long. But it feels so good.”

 Jane turned to me, longing in her eyes. “Please, Master? Can a slave beg you to allow her clothes. Please. Please. Please.”

 I just looked at her. Another one. Four days ago, this girl couldn’t imagine herself standing in front of some guy begging and pleading for something as basic as clothing.

 She noticed that I wasn’t outright refusing her. She dropped to her knees and began to inch her way over to where I was standing. Not caring what she looked like or how humiliating it was. If she managed to plead her way into clothing, she simply didn’t care. I let her approach.

 “Oh God. Your slave is begging you for clothes. She’d do anything if you let her dress. I. She would. Anything. Just for a while. She’d take them off whenever you said. Please? Please?” Her voice had dropped to a whisper.

 “What would you do for clothing?” I asked the groveling woman. I was aware that I hadn’t really demanded anything from Christi. In truth I wasn’t going to demand anything from Jane either. Just different clothing. But it would be interesting to know how far she’d go for something as simple as clothing.

 “Oh God. Anything. What do you want me to do? I’ll make love to you. Right here. Gladly. In front of Christi and Amy. I’ll give you the best damn blowjob ever.”

 “Maybe later.”

 “Oh God. I’ll make love to anyone you want me to. I’ll. I’ll have sex with any woman you want. Pick one. I’ll have sex with her. Please. I’ll masturbate for you.”

 Her hands were around my thigh and she was teasing me through my jeans. Pressing her hair against me.

 I gently touched her head, pressing her back. Forcing her to drop onto her haunches. She swallowed and placed her hands on her knees. She closed her eyes and spread her knees a bit apart. Letting me look at her. I looked at her face.

 “Jane? How far would you go to get clothes?”

 “Anything. I swear it.”

 “Would you act like a pet for me? Crawl home?”

 “If I had to. You could make me do that anyway.”

 “I could make you do anything without giving you clothes. What do you have to bargain with?”

 Tears welled in her eyes. “Your slave. She doesn’t have much. She’ll give you anything you want. Please? I know you don’t have to care about me, but I’d be so happy if you just. Let. Me. Cover myself. Just for a while. Please?”

 “How about slave talk until I tell you otherwise.”

 She looked confused. “I. I mean. This slave will do that. Gladly. All you had to do was tell her you wanted it.”

 “Would you whip Amy again? Between her legs.”

 I glanced over at Amy who had gone pale. Beginning to glance around wildly with her eyes. Looking for an escape route. If she was going to get punished anyway, she might as well have a reason. For now, she just balanced on her bare feet and stayed where she was.

 “Oh God. This slave really doesn’t want to do that. Please don’t make her do that. Not for clothing. This. This slave doesn’t want clothing that badly if she still has a choice,” Jane spoke quietly from her knees.

 “I thought you were willing to do anything.”

 “Nearly anything,” she corrected herself. “I. This slave would do anything involving herself and yourself. And maybe other people. If she has the choice. Please. I. This slave just wants some simple clothing. Some dignity. For a while. Please?” Such a simple request. Something so taken for granted in her other life. Being allowed to cover herself. Wear clothes.

 I crouched down in front of her. She gazed back at me. The helpless girl looking at her Master. Her eyes teary and a bit frightened. Not quite knowing what she’d gotten herself into.

  

 Chapter 100

 I silently rose and helped the frightened girl to her bare feet. She stood uncertainly waiting. Not sure what she was going to have to do for me. Whether to even expect punishment.

 I let her worry and gathered up the other women and the toys. Christi looking like a completely different woman in her jeans and sweater, bending to gather up the stray restraints and putting them back into the pack. I pressed the refilled pack into Amy’s fingers and the girls filed back out into the mall.

 Christi made to latch onto the cart again. It seemed so odd having her clothed and still so obedient. I stopped her with a touch.

 I spoke to Jane, who had resigned herself to failure. She’d humiliated herself for nothing. Except perhaps punishment for her actions later. “Janey?”

 “Yes sir?” she replied a bit sullenly. Disappointed.

 “Come on.” I turned to the other two girls. “Stay here?”

 Amy and Christi both knelt on the tile. For the first time, Christi had knelt in her jeans. Protected from the cold of the tile. Not feeling the tile directly beneath her bare knees.

 I took Jane’s hand, her face a mask of bewilderment. Hand in hand, we stepped into Holly’s. The clerks were all middle aged, four of them hovering around the few shoppers frozen in the store. None particularly attractive.

 Jane turned to me, “You brought me in here to tease me, didn’t you.”

 “Whatever do you mean?” I asked innocently.

 “You are going to make me pick out something to wear and then make me carry it back or something. Just to torment me for asking, aren’t you?”

 She actually was pretty perceptive. The thought had crossed my mind.

 “If I am, is there anything you can do about it?” I pointed out.

 She shifted her weight from foot to foot. Tears almost breaking free of her eyes.

 “Please? Look at me?” She stood with her hands at her sides. Unashamed of herself.

 I stood back and gazed at her nude body. I certainly didn’t mind the view.

 She continued. “You’ve kept me like this for days. Naked. At your whims. I’ve done everything I can to indulge you and your sick games. I’ve tried to keep to my end of this bargain. I. I don’t really mind that much, as long as you don’t force me to torture other women. I don’t even mind it when you torture me. I can even handle the constant sex and pain. But. I’m a person. You know? I’m Jane. I’m here. I have needs. I have wants. I. I can’t be a slave. Not all the time.” Tears had begun to fall down her pretty face. Still gazing at her I couldn’t help but notice how attractive she was. Especially this almost silent crying.

 She haltingly continued. “I don’t even care. If. You keep me naked. I’ll display myself forever for you. It’s a lot better than some of the stuff you make me do. I’ll gladly fuck you. I’ll have sex with whoever you want. Including myself. I just don’t care anymore. But. Please? Please? Don’t tease me with this. I don’t know if I can take this. Don’t make me pick something out and not allow me to wear it. I feel like I’d just fall to the floor and cry. Please.” She was already crying.

 I stepped over and embraced the girl, letting her cry on my shoulder for a while. Finally, the shakes departed from her small bare body.

 She stepped back. Again, arms at her sides. “I’m only seventeen. I’m just not prepared for this. Please?”

 I’d decided long ago that I wanted her in evening wear. Her small speech actually didn’t affect my decision. Though, to give her credit, I had considered doing exactly what she was describing. Though I had no idea that it would have affected her this way. It was just another torment to me. I suspected that I’d about pushed the girls as far as I could today. I had to get them home and relaxed. Let them shower and have something to eat. Maybe watch a movie or something tonight instead of tormenting them.

 “Jane. Honey. I wasn’t going to do that to you.”

 “You were. I could see it,” she was right. “Please. I don’t deserve this. Either make me go nude, or let me have something to wear. I. Care. But I don’t. Please?”

 I stepped over to the shaking girl and kissed her forehead. “Come on. You get to wear something. I won’t guarantee for how long, but for now.”

 Her face brightened. “You aren’t going to take it away before I can wear it?”

 “No.”

 “Oh God. I can’t believe it. What do you want me to wear?”

 “Evening wear. Black. Nothing too fancy.”

 “I. I’ve never worn anything like that.”

 “Nothing? Not even to a wedding?”

 “My prom hasn’t even happened yet. Not that anyone would take me.” She shook her head as she spoke.

 That, I didn’t believe. Christ, all the boys in her school and a fair number of girls would probably be aching for this beauty if they could see her now.

 I pointed to a rack of sheer black gowns. Jane practically ran over to them and began to run her fingers through them. Finally, she selected one and held it up to her bare body. Looking for approval.

 I nodded. She hunted a bit more and found her size. She looked at me, smiling.

 She glanced at the price tag and gasped.

 “What?”

 “You realize that this thing costs fifteen hundred dollars?”

 “Aren’t you worth it?” I asked with a big smile on my face.

 “I suppose underwear is out of the question.”

 I almost laughed. “What do you need underwear for?”

 “Actually, because without it my nipples are going to be ... a bit ... visible. I guess that sounds dumb. Considering.”

 “Put it on. Let me see you in it.”

 She slithered the dress over her head, stretching her body deliciously as she did. The black dress settled over her. Strapless. It hugged her young body. She twirled, the hem rising as she did. She actually laughed at the sensations of the fabric on her body. She finally faced me. Held her bare arms out. “Well? Can I keep it?”

 “You like it?”

 “It wouldn’t be my first choice. I’d prefer to be in jeans and a sweater, but if this is my choice, it fits and is relatively comfortable.” She added an afterthought, “Though a bra and panties would be nice.”

 The hem of the dress fell below her knees. The bust of the dress was held up perfectly by her unfettered breasts. Low bustline, but that didn’t bother me. Her natural resiliency of her breasts was sufficient. She really didn’t need a bra. Despite her plea for a bra, her nipples were covered and not all that visible. You could make them out under the fabric, but not if you weren’t looking for them.

 “You look ravishing.”

 She blushed. Slowly turning again. Her dark hair complementing the dress. It was really hard to picture this woman nude, on her knees. Or whipping a cashier’s bare breasts. Or tied to a clothes rack, naked in front of her father screaming as her breasts were cropped. She had been transformed into a perfect lady. Hard to even think of her as a sexual slave.

 “Master?” she shyly spoke. “This slave. Is grateful.” Her eyes downcast.

 The words coming from this ravishing creature in front of me just about drove me nuts. She hadn’t forgotten that she was still under my power. Her slave talk was a carefully calculated move to ensure that I knew. So that I might not feel the need to have to strip her as fast to reinforce her status. Smart girl. She knew what she looked like. Her words worked.

 I took her hand and guided her back out of the store. Christi gasped as Jane emerged in her clothing. Not having seen her in clothing since the day I took her. And certainly not in an elegant evening gown. Amy’s eyes widened at the sight as well.

 “My God. You look stunning,” Christi whispered.

 “She is a sight. And so are you,” I answered for the blushing Jane. Jane was far more used to the clothes that Christi was currently wearing. I could see Christi wearing the evening gown more often in real life. The reversal would serve to throw them off balance further. Though I doubt if either of the girls cared. They were wearing something after all. Amy looked a little envious of the others, but she didn’t dare ask for special treatment. After her punishment, I’d be lucky to hear her voice again today unless I forced her to speak. She would just try to keep out of trouble for a couple of hours.

 Both girls looked a little strange in the clothing without shoes, but it was kind of alluring. Just that little reminder of their status.

 “Does my Master want his slave to kneel with the others?” Jane whispered to me. Squirming. A bit uncomfortable being the center of attention in this unfamiliar clothing. And again taking advantage of using her slave talk to reinforce that I didn’t need to strip her again; that she knew she was still a slave underneath.

 Though I’d love to see this creature kneeling in her dress for me, I was kind of anxious to get going. I’d have lots of chances to see her subservient in that gown. “Everyone up.”

 Amy and Christi scrambled to their bare feet. Christ moved to her position behind the cart. I looked at her. “I know. My hands will stay here,” she said as she realized what I was looking at.

 I picked up a pair of handcuffs. Jane smiled ruefully and raised her bare arms. I snapped the cuffs about her wrists and jingled them. After I’d released her hands, she dropped them to her front. The steel bands making a wonderful contrast against the black of her dress. She didn’t seem to notice the effect, but then again I wouldn’t have expected that.

 I walked along beside Christi. Occasionally glancing at her. Not quite believing how her body moved beneath the sweater. Knowing that I could have her remove it in a second with a single word.

 As we exited the mall, Jane stopped and turned to me. We’d about made it back to the road across the parking lot.

 “M-master?”

 “What is it?”

 “I know I’ve asked for too much today already. And I’ll understand if you say no. Okay?”

 “Yes ...”

 “I was. I mean. Your slave was just wondering if she, and slave Amy could perhaps walk on the grass again? You still haven’t allowed us shoes. Not that I’m complaining, but it is so much more comfortable. We have tender feets. Please?”

 “What about poor Christi?” I asked her. “She doesn’t deserve to have to walk along without company. She’s pushing the cart after all.”

 Jane’s face fell. Thinking.

 Christi spoke up from her position behind the cart.

 “I’ve had to crawl on pavement. If I could do that, I can certainly walk barefoot on it. It really isn’t that uncomfortable. I’d prefer the grass, but only because it feels so much nicer on the toes. It really doesn’t hurt except when you step on a stone. Don’t let that stop you from letting them walk on the grass. Please.”

 Jane looked up. “Would you let us switch around? Take turns pushing the cart? Let two walk on the grass and then switch say every half hour? Please?” Her face brightening.

 I looked at her. Her face so hopeful. Wanting this for some irrational female reason. She just wanted to walk in the grass. Feel the softness on her feet instead of the harsh pavement. It probably twinged her somewhere inside to even have to ask permission. But she honestly didn’t mind sharing the cart duty.

 “Don’t get too far ahead over there.” I nodded and she scampered off with a quick thank-you. Jane told the nude girl that they were allowed on the grass again, and the two of them moved to the side of the road and ahead. I kept Christi company on the asphalt.

 “Thank you for the letting them walk over there.”

 “I was going to anyway. How’s your feet?”

 “They are alright. The clothes are better. What got into you? Why do you want us in clothing? I can’t believe you are just being nice.”

 “Actually, I am. I just thought that you might appreciate it.”

 She accepted it at face value. “I do appreciate it. Believe me I do. Even if I can only have it for five minutes. How long am I going to be allowed it.”

 “Well, I’m not going to let you sleep in them. If that is what you are asking.”

 “Tomorrow?” she asked hopefully.

 “Perhaps. We’ll see how good you are until then.”

 “I’ll be an angel. You watch.”

 “Oh I will. I never realized how good you could look in clothes. I’m not saying you are ugly naked or anything, but you are attractive in jeans and a sweater. Especially those.”

 “I couldn’t afford all these normally. I kind of picked out nicer stuff.”

 “Don’t tell me that I never give you anything,” I said to her grinning.

 She smiled shyly and lapsed into silence.

 “I don’t really want to go,” she said quietly after fifteen minutes or so.

 “Go where?”

 “You are going to release us eventually. And. I know it sounds crazy. And I know that I have mixed feelings. But. I. Kind of like it here. No people. I can walk barefoot down the middle of the street with a shopping cart. Nobody cares. In some ways I really don’t want to go.”

 “I know. I really don’t know what I’m going to do. I could live here forever. ‘course that is easier for me to say than you, I’m sure.”

 “It feels odd.”

 “What does?”

 “Wearing clothes. I look down at myself and can’t believe it. I’m so used to seeing myself without them. Then I look over at Amy, and I know that that is what I looked like a half hour ago. And Jane. Wow. I just wish I never had to take them off,” she remarked wistfully.

 “Don’t get used to it Christi.”

 “I know. It’s going to be hard stripping these off whenever you tell me.”

 I looked up. We were about halfway there. I stopped the procession.

 “Janey?”

 She looked over her shoulder, flashing a smile at me. She trotted back. It looked strange, this woman running in an evening dress. Barefoot.

 “My turn?”

 I nodded and the elegant woman put her bound hands on the shopping cart. Christi looked up at me. She stood up on her tiptoes and gave me a quick kiss. I hadn’t seen her this happy in a long time. She held up her wrists, waiting for me to cuff her.

 “Go on, keep Amy company.”

 “No handcuffs?”

 “You’ll behave, won’t you?”

 “Oh course.” She scampered up ahead. Jane let her bound hands push the cart.

 She was quiet for the first while. About three quarters of the way back she asked a single question.

 “Why?”

 “Why what?”

 “Why are you suddenly being nice to us? I don’t trust you.”

 “No reason for you to trust me, you minx. But I just felt like being nice to you. You deserved it. You’ve done everything I asked. Without complaining. Much. Why shouldn’t I be?”

 “You weren’t going to let me have clothes were you?”

 “Nope.”

 “You were going to torment me. Again.”

 “Yup. But I’d decided to let you have the dress even before you gave me the riot act.”

 “Oh. I didn’t need to do that?”

 “No. But it was cute.”

 She flushed.

 “What have you got planned for tonight? Or is a big surprise?”

 “It’s a surprise. But I don’t think you’ll be really unhappy about it.”

 “I won’t?”

 “Nothing strenuous. You’ve been through a lot today. And last night. Have to give you a rest if I expect you to remain sane.”

 “I could really use my bed.”

 She lapsed into silence. I broke it as the house came into view.

 “How’s your feet,” I asked her.

 “Sore. But not because of the pavement. Just done a lot of walking today. Thanks for asking.”

 “Is Amy alright?”

 “She’ll be fine. She’s just a bit frightened. Doesn’t know how you knew about that. What she told you. When you were whipping her.”

 “I’m psychic.”

 “It scared her.”

 “It should have. What about Sheila. What did she tell you about her former life? Anything I should know?”

 “A lot. A lot of the torments that he put her through. A story of pain and horror. I don’t know how she’s alive, much less sane.”

 “You’ll tell me about it?”

 “Do I have a choice?”

 “Not really. But we can put it off until later.”

 I pointed to the gate which Christi was opening and holding for us. Amy was almost at the front door which I’d left wide open earlier today. Amy slipped inside the house. Christi walked along with us until the cart bumped against the bottom stair to the porch.

 “Guess we get to put away the groceries?”

 I nodded. I had to check on Elizabeth and Sheila. I released the time block on the groceries and bounded up the stairs leaving Christi and Jane to sort out the cart. I took a look back, surprised again to see them clothed.

  

 Chapter 101

 Amy was quietly sitting on the steps, her bare body shaking a bit, her bound hands resting on her knees. She looked up as I walked in.

 I crouched beside her. Her face was a mask of fear.

 “How are you doing?” I asked her gently.

 Tears sprang to her eyes, but she forced herself to continue looking into my face. “I. I hurt. Down there.”

 “I know, sweetheart. I know. It will begin to fade soon.”

 “I didn’t know. Honestly. I didn’t think. I don’t want to be punished like that ever again. I. I’ll do whatever you want. You know that. I screwed up, but I’ll try to behave. Please. Don’t whip me there again? Please?” She was softly crying. Not sure whether it was the residual pain or the realization that she was completely a captive. That she didn’t have her former freedoms. That I still could hurt her if she didn’t obey.

 I gently touched her bare shoulder. She looked back up at me with bloodshot eyes.

 “Please. Let me go? I can’t do this much longer.”

 “Amy. Sweety. You are doing fine. The pain will be gone tomorrow, and I’m not going to put you through anything else tonight. Maybe just help in the kitchen. That’s all.” I gently wiped the tears from her cheeks.

 She forced herself to stop crying. Sniffling.

 “I don’t have to have sex with you? Nothing?”

 I almost laughed. “Could you have sex with me?”

 She shook her head numbly. I knew that I could have forced her, but after the treatment between her legs this afternoon, I suspect she’d be in a bit of discomfort. I wasn’t going to force her anyway.

 Christi and Jane walked in with their arms full of groceries. Carrying as much as they could. Jane particularly having trouble with her bound wrists.

 “Guess I should be helping them,” Amy spoke quietly.

 I nodded. “But before you go, tell Christi to start making something for supper. You help her as much as you can. Alright? I’ll come back and make sure you are doing alright.”

 I reached forward and gently picked up Amy’s hands by the connecting chain. I unlocked her wrists. She sat still and idly rubbed her wrists, making to get back to her bare feet.

 “It was nice of you to let them have clothes.”

 “They won’t be in them long.”

 “Still. I hope that you’ll let me wear something soon. I’d really like that.”

 “If you behave, we’ll see.”

 Her eyes teared. “Would you have let me wear something, like them, if I hadn’t fucked up with Kara and Julie?”

 “Perhaps. But don’t worry yourself. Jane was lucky. I hadn’t planned on dressing her at all. Probably not. I like you too much nude.”

 “They are gorgeous in those clothes.”

 They had emerged from the kitchen and were making their way back down to the cart again.

 “I know. You don’t think I’d let them look dumpy, do you?”

 “I guess not,” she actually cracked a smile.

 As Christi and Jane passed us, she stepped down and joined them. She seemed a bit more relaxed. Perhaps knowing that her punishment was actually over. That I wasn’t going to be putting her in more pain tonight. At last nothing she wouldn’t be able to handle. It wouldn’t have been wise to continue it anyway. She would have gone beyond the corrective stage, and perhaps into the insanity stage. Despite her new vitality, I could see her still wincing as her welts made themselves known as she walked. I couldn’t imagine what she was going through. But she’d be fine by tomorrow. She needed rest and a break from punishment. To be a semi-normal girl for a while. Jane and Christi were good company for her.

 I slowly climbed the stairs and poked my head into the master bedroom. There weren’t any voices from the girls. Elizabeth had managed to turn herself somehow more towards the bed. Her head was resting on the carpet, her nude body still wrapped in the cruel bindings. Her bare feet turned upwards connected to her bound wrists. Sheila remained, slightly more comfortable, tied spread on the bed. Her ankles bound securely together, though by her position it appeared that she’d at least struggled with the bindings.

 Sheila looked asleep, her head resting to the right side, cradled by her outstretched arm.

 I walked into the room and sat down beside Elizabeth. With her head down, I couldn’t tell if she was asleep as well. Though I couldn’t imagine being asleep.

 “I thought I heard voices,” she whispered. “I thought maybe I was dreaming.”

 “I didn’t know if you were awake.”

 “You think I could sleep like this?”

 “You never know.”

 “You’ve obviously never been tied up like this before. You probably have no concept of how much it hurts after a while.”

 “I’m sorry. I didn’t intend to leave you this long.”

 My fingers began to release the knots in the ropes holding her body so snugly. Having trouble with Jane’s knots.

 “I didn’t think you were ever coming back. How long have I been in this thing?”

 “I actually lost track of the time. Probably five or six hours.”

 “Oh God. No wonder I hurt. My ankles. And my wrists. My back. You have no idea.”

 “Relax. I’m letting you out.”

 “You know what I want even more than out?”

 “What?”

 “A drink of water and a hot bath. Just throw me in the way I am.”

 “The water I can get you. But I think I’ll untie you for the bath.”

 “Oh God. Thank-you.”

 I left the woman bound and walked downstairs. The girls were in the kitchen sliding food into the refrigerator and cupboards.

 “How’s it going?” I asked them as I drew two glasses of water. Sheila was going to be thirsty as well.

 “Almost done with the food,” Jane replied from the refrigerator. “By the way, what do you want this slave to be doing after she finishes putting the food away? Help with dinner?”

 “No. I want you to set up tonight’s entertainment. Come upstairs and see me after you’ve finished.” Jane looked faintly worried at the mention of entertainment, but continued whatever she was doing.

 Christi spoke up from the other side of the room. “Anything in particular you want for dinner?”

 “Surprise me.”

 “Alright. But I don’t want to be punished if you don’t like it.”

 I smiled at her. “You better guess well. You know damn well you are getting punished if I don’t like it.”

 “Should I make the same for all of us? Or are us slaves having Kraft dinner?”

 I laughed. “Much as that sounds like a good idea, all of you girls have been pretty busy today. Long day. Make a good meal for all of us. Don’t forget about Sheila.”

 Christi nodded, putting something away in a cupboard. Smiling that she was at least going to get some of whatever she cooked.

 I walked towards the exit. I turned at the last second.

 “Christi?”

 “Yes sir?”

 “I don’t want you to stain those clothes. If you are cooking anything likely to spill, take them off first.” She paled a bit. “Don’t worry, you can put them back on again afterwards. I won’t be bothering you but you really don’t want to spill on them. Understand?” She nodded at the implied threat. There wasn’t a child on the planet that would be more careful of spills. She might even strip to cook just to ensure that she didn’t spill on herself. Skin washes a lot easier than denim.

 I left the girls in peace, making my way back upstairs. I ducked into the bathroom and flipped on the bathtub, drawing a hot bath for Elizabeth. The poor girl had suffered more than I’d intended and she deserved some soothing for her muscles. Normally I wouldn’t allow the girls to bathe this way, preferring them to shower together, but this was an exception. The tub looked big enough for two. Easily. I’d put Sheila in there as well. Even though she hadn’t had the strict bondage to contend with, the hot water would probably soothe her bruises for which I wasn’t responsible.

 I returned to the room. Sheila was awake, her eyes following me from the bed.

 “Oh God. I’m dry as a desert. That second one for me?” Sheila asked hopefully from the bed. Her eyes glued to the glasses of water in my hands.

 “Elizabeth first, and then yes, you can have the second glass.”

 “Oh God. Elizabeth. You are going to let her go aren’t you? She was in such pain. I couldn’t. Actually I could. Imagine.”

 “Yup. Next thing on my agenda. Can only do one thing at once.”

 Sheila smiled. “I’m sorry, master. Just anxious for her. I. Just thought that you weren’t aware of how long she’s been tied like that, or how much it hurts. And she said that she wasn’t being punished.”

 I sat down beside Elizabeth again. She turned her head, spotting the water.

 “What does this slave have to do for her water?”

 “Nothing, pet. All yours. No strings attached.” I tilted the glass towards her mouth. Her position made it very difficult to drink and she managed to get more on the carpet than down her throat.

 “Maybe you should wait until I free you?”

 She was silent for a minute then she began to slowly lick at the carpet where the water had spilled. I couldn’t imagine her getting much from that, but the sight made me rock hard. This bound nude woman using her tongue on a carpet for her water.

 I began to loosen the knots around her elbows. She gasped as her arms began to fall out from the strict ropes. Her circulation returning to parts of her that she had forgotten even existed. I managed to get her wrists and ankles separated from each other. She almost screamed as she unfolded her bare body. Straightening her legs for the first time in hours. Tears welling up in her eyes. I moved down and unwrapped the rope from about her ankles. Separating her bare feet. She cried out again as she slowly spread her legs apart. The tops of her feet scraping across the carpet. I began to work on her wrists. Finally releasing them as well. She did scream as she moved her arms from behind her back. The ropes had held them in position so long they had cramped. She lay on her front, her legs slightly apart, her arms at her sides, slowly flexing her fingers for a few minutes. Weeping with the pain.

 Keeping my eyes on her, I sat up on the bed beside Sheila. I tipped the glass to her lips and she greedily drank. Finishing the entire glass.

 She whispered to me, “Can this slave beg to be untied. She’s been here so long and she wasn’t as uncomfortable as Slave Elizabeth, but ...”

 I looked into her eyes for a moment. “I’ll let you go in a minute. I want to talk to you.”

 She nodded. Not understanding why she had to be tied up for me to talk to her, but accepting it because she had no real choice in the matter.

 Elizabeth screamed again as she gathered her strength and managed to get to her hands and knees.

 “Oh God. It hurts.”

 “I know. I really hadn’t intended it to. At least this much. Honestly.”

 I crouched down beside the crying woman.

 “It’ll work itself out. In a few minutes.”

 “God I hope so. It feels like my whole fucking body fell asleep. Please.”

 “I won’t rush you. Let the circulation come back. I know it hurts, sweety. Take it easy. Take your time. Let the blood flow back.”

 “If. You ever really want to punish someone. Leave her like that for five or six hours. They’ll do anything you want to get out. And no marks.”

 I looked at her elbows, her ankles and her wrists. There were pretty rope marks around each. Though I could already see them fading a bit, but she was going to be sporting them for a few hours at least. I was surprised that she wasn’t bruised.

 “Your wrists and ankles aren’t even bruised,” I pointed out to her.

 “Yeah. You try moving in that thing. Christ. I could barely pull at the ropes enough to bruise myself. It hurt to even breathe after a while.”

 She managed to pull her abused body to its knees. She cried out again, closing her eyes. Pain evident on her face. Finally she opened her eyes again and looked at me. I tilted the remainder of her water up to her lips. She took a deep breath and drank the fluid. Her throat swallowing prettily. After she finished she licked her lips.

 “Now what do I have to do for you?” she asked quietly.

 “You feeling alright?”

 “Sore as hell, but I’ll do whatever you want. If you promise never to put me in that again.”

 “How about take a bath for me?”

 Her eyes registered complete confusion. The words not quite registering in her mind.

 “A bath? For you?”

 “Alright. How about taking a steaming hot bath for yourself?”

 “For me? What?”

 “That bondage fog your brain?”

 “Probably.”

 “I drew you a bath. It looked like you really needed one. Go soak.”

 “Oh my God. You are kidding.” The words finally registered into her tired and pain filled mind.

 “If I hadn’t forgotten about you so long, I wouldn’t have let you have a bath. Shower, perhaps. But I suspect that this is the only way that you are going to be remotely coherent tonight. If I let you have a soothing bath. Now scat.”

 She smiled and leaned forward on her knees. Crying, but not in humiliation and pain anymore. She gave me a huge hug. Pressing her bare body against me and gasping with the pain her muscles caused as she did.

 “A girl couldn’t ask for a better master. I don’t believe you drew me a bath.” Her face full of wonder. Like a child. Getting a gift that she never expected but loved.

 “Get outta here, or I’m going to go pull the drain plug.”

 She grinning and fought her way to her bare feet. Swaying and grimacing in pain. She limped to the door and turned one last time.

 “I didn’t think I’d ever be free of those ropes. Thank-you for not leaving me in them longer. And the bath.”

 “Git!”

 She scrambled out into the hallway as fast as her sore legs could take her. I listened for a moment until I heard her splash into the water next door. Heard the water I’d left running turned off. I leaned back on my hands. Just sitting on the floor, thinking.

 A soft voice brought me out of my reverie.

 “M-master?”

 I turned to look up at the bed. Sheila’s wide eyes were looking down at me sitting on the floor.

 “If you don’t want to be disturbed, I’ll be quiet.”

 I rose to my feet and dragged a chair over, sat down facing the bound bare girl.

 “It’s alright.” I traced a finger down her left side, causing her to wince. The bruise didn’t look any better than this morning.

 “You wanted to talk to me before you released me? You are going to untie me, right?” Her face was hopeful.

 “Yeah. How are you doing? Still tender over here.”

 “It still hurts. I’m not surprised. But I can take it. I can do whatever you want with me.”

 I smiled. “You are eager to please.”

 “You are going easy on me and I almost feel guilty.”

 “You have got to be joking.”

 “I feel like you are taking out whatever you were going to do with me on the other girls. It’s not fair. I can do whatever you need from me. Sex even.”

 “Relax. I’m not taking out anything on the other girls. And I just want you to get better. Get rest, for now.”

 “Thank you. Is that all you wanted from me?”

 “Someday I’m going to have to find out what really happened to you here. I’m interested.”

 “I’ll be happy to tell you. I don’t mind. Mayer made me tell him about it for thrills. Describe the last days tortures in minute detail for his amusement.”

 “I’m just curious. It’s not really for titillation.”

 I began to loosen the knots around her ankles. Releasing her. She drew up her knees as I released her wrists from the rope holding her body to the bed. As her wrists came free she pulled them in and shook them out.

 She smiled up at me. “Thanks. I was getting tired of that position.”

 “You sore as well?”

 “A little. Being tied up in the same position is hard on the muscles. Even in a relatively comfortable position. Elizabeth really was in a lot more pain that I was because of that.”

 “I hadn’t intended that.”

 “Obviously you can do whatever you want with us. But its just something to be aware of. It’s probably more appropriate for a punishment, is all.”

 “I’ll keep that in mind.”

 “She didn’t complain too much about it while you were gone. I would have been cursing you.”

 “If you are sore, you can go join Elizabeth in the bathtub. Tons of room for two in there.”

 “Can I take one alone? Later?”

 “I don’t think there will be time.” I wasn’t about to let her bathe alone anyway. If she managed to get a hold of a knife or razor, that could be it. I simply didn’t know her well enough to allow her to do anything dangerous on her own.

 “Alright. I’d love a hot bath. And I like Elizabeth. Important to like the person you bathe with.” She grinned. I idly wondered what these two talked about in my absence.

 I took her hand and pulled her up. She winced at the pain in her face and side as she rose. I walked with her to the bathroom.

 Elizabeth was stretched out under the water. Her head back against the porcelain. She looked up as we entered. Her body was visible beneath the clear water. Her arms floating. Bare breasts just under the water as she laid back. She made no move to cover herself. She smiled up at us.

 “This feels so absolutely wonderful. I could stay in here forever.”

 “Room for Sheila?”

 “Of course.” Elizabeth pulled her legs back a bit, bending them until her knees broke out of the deep water. Sheila daintily stepped into the water at the other end, gasping as the hot water caressed her lower legs. She inched herself into the water. Her skin reddening with the heat. Almost crying out as her crotch lowered into the steamy water. Finally she settled and the two girls entwined their legs. Completely unselfconscious. Comfortable with each other.

 I sat up on the counter and just watched the two nude beauties relaxing until Jane walked in.

  

 Chapter 102

 “You finished with putting everything away?”

 “Yup. Just these left.” Her hands were full of toiletries. Toothbrushes, toothpaste, hair clips, make up. That sort of thing. She dumped them on the counter and straightened them up. The short chain between her wrists hampering her. But she knew better than to complain.

 Sheila opened her eyes as she heard Jane’s voice.

 “Holy shit!” she exclaimed from the tub. “He let you dress? That thing is gorgeous. What? Where? Oh my God. When he dresses you up, he dresses you up.”

 Jane almost laughed. Her voice raised in mocking. “Holy shit! He let you take a bath? Actually ... you don’t have any idea what a privilege that is.”

 Elizabeth opened her eyes. Smiling. “I got about five minutes in here *alone*,” she boasted.

 Jane’s eyes widened. She crouched beside the tub. Her bare feet contrasting against the evening gown as she leaned forward on her toes. She gently pulled Elizabeth’s arm out of the water and traced the rope marks.

 I heard her whisper to Elizabeth. “I’m truly sorry, Liz. I didn’t want to tie you up like that. God. It must have hurt.”

 “It did, sweety. Don’t sweat it. I know you didn’t want to do it. I know who to blame.” She threw a withering look my way. “I’m alright now. This bath is wonderful.”

 Jane rose to her feet. Looked at Sheila. “You alright? How’s the bruises?”

 “They still ache. But Elizabeth is right. This bath is wonderful. I could stay in it all day.”

 “And become a prune,” I interjected. “You can stay in there for a while, and then both of you get ready for supper. Okay?”

 They both nodded. I motioned Jane over to my seat on the counter. She walked over, head bowed.

 I released her hands. She was the last girl to be wearing fetters. And I needed her free. I told her what she had to do, and her eyes lit up.

 “You’re kidding,” was her only response.

 “Don’t let any of the others know. And tell them to keep out of that room.”

 “Alright. I can’t believe you are going to let us do this.”

 “Enjoy. Go get it set up, then help Christi and Amy in the kitchen. Set up the dining room. There’s room for six there, right?”

 “Room for twelve.”

 “Good. None of you will have to be on the floor.”

 “I can’t believe you care.”

 “You want to argue, or get going?”

 She scampered out, her gown flowing around her body as she left.

 “What the heck was that all about?” Elizabeth asked lazily from the water.

 “You’ll find out. Now, I’m going to relax before dinner. You two can stay in there for another fifteen minutes. Then out. I don’t want you pruned for dinner. Dry off and then come to the master bedroom. Understand?”

 “Yup.” Both girls answered together. Dreamily. Relaxed. They had better not fall asleep in there. They really weren’t going to like their punishment if they disobeyed. This was not the night to disobey. Jane knew why.

 My eyes wandered to the counter where Jane had arranged all the toiletries. The extra jewelry was sitting there. Two anklets, a bracelet and a necklace. All diamonds. Christi had probably given them to her and she’d forgotten to mention it in her excitement.

 I turned just as I was about to leave. “Oh. And girls?” They turned towards me. Elizabeth arched her neck to see. “There’s a present for each of you on the counter. Actually two each. Share them and I don’t want to see you without them. Okay?”

 Elizabeth craned her neck up to see onto the counter. But she was far too small to allow this maneuver. The gifts were safely hidden at the back of the counter. She relaxed back into the water. Content that she’d find out what her present was later. Pretty sure she wasn’t going to like it anyway. Especially if it was something she had to keep with her. I smiled as I saw her mind working. Probably thought it was nipple clamps or something. She was in for a pleasant surprise.

 I walked back to the master bedroom. Alone for the first time in a long time. I lay back on the bed. It was still warm from Sheila’s body heat. I fingered the ropes that had held her, wondering what it would be like to be restrained for so long. Unable to free yourself. Vulnerable. Naked.

 I leaned my head back and relaxed. No girls to worry about. The silence only broken by the occasional sharp sound as something was dropped in the kitchen and the soft murmur of Sheila and Elizabeth softly talking in their bath. I closed my eyes. Just listening to the silence. Enjoying it. Quiet.

 I heard the girls get out of the bath. The water splashed and the vibrations of their bodies as they moved around the bathroom. I could hear the faint sounds of the hot bath water draining from the tub and the girls drying off. I heard them as they entered the bedroom. Unsure what to do. I could sense them as they moved to the center of the room and just knelt. Unsure if they should wake me up. Or just kneel quietly until I woke and gave them further instructions. Neither particularly wanted to guess wrong.

 I opened my eyes and hitched myself up on the bed, saving them the decision. Glanced over. They were kneeling in the middle of the carpet. Quietly watching my movements. I could see that their fingers were pruned the way they were kneeling with the palms of their hands upturned on their naked thighs. Legs together. Elizabeth had chosen the necklace and Sheila was wearing the diamond bracelet on her left wrist. Presumably both were wearing the anklets. Even though I couldn’t see, their feet were probably pruned too. Their skin almost glowed, in that way women’s skin glows after a bath. I could watch them all day, kneeling there.

 Elizabeth spoke softly. “I’m not sure if I’m allowed to speak, but thank you for the gifts. They. Are beautiful. I wasn’t expecting that.”

 “What were you expecting?”

 “I don’t know. Knowing you, maybe some nipple clamps, or a new vibrator, or platinum handcuffs. I don’t know. But thank-you. Did you pick them out?”

 “No. Actually Christi, Jane and Anne did.”

 “Anne?”

 “You don’t want to know.”

 “They are gorgeous. Whoever she is.”

 Sheila was silent.

 “Is there anything else we can do for you?”

 “Nope. Just kneel there and look pretty until dinner is ready.”

 I leaned back and rested again.

 A soft voice, hesitantly spoke again. “Sir? Can I speak?”

 I opened my eyes again. It was Sheila.

 “What’s up?” I asked kindly.

 “Can we. At least talk while you are resting? Please? We’ll talk quietly.”

 “Sheila. I’d prefer if you didn’t. I’m enjoying the silence.”

 “Alright. I’m sorry.” She lapsed back into silence. Her expression was one of confusion and hurt. Not sure why I couldn’t just let them go to another room and talk. But she knew better than to question it. It was better than being gagged. And she knew about being gagged.

 I closed my eyes again and relaxed into the comfort of the bed. I could hear the soft breathing of the girls as they just quietly knelt and waited. Probably a bit uncomfortable on their knees.

 Finally I heard a faint voice from the bottom of the stairs. Sounds didn’t travel particularly well in this home. It sounded like Jane or Christi calling that dinner was on the table.

 I opened my eyes. Elizabeth and Sheila had both heard the call as well. They looked anxious to go. I suppose being forced to kneel naked for twenty minutes with nothing to do but keep silent makes a woman a bit restless. I forced them to remain on their knees while I slowly got up.

 Finally Sheila risked breaking the silence.

 “M-master?”

 “Did I give you permission to speak?”

 “I’m sorry.” She closed her mouth again.

 “Come on. Dinner is served. I think.” It had been about three minutes since the call.

 Elizabeth and Sheila both scrambled to their bare feet. Waiting for me to tell them they could go downstairs. Elizabeth’s eyes expressive. Wanting to say something. Ask if she could go downstairs. As I approached the door, I knew why. It hadn’t reached to the bed yet, but the smell of dinner, whatever it was, permeated the room. Garlic. My mouth began to water. I’m sure the women were in as bad a state. Hadn’t eaten since breakfast. I thought I could hear Elizabeth’s belly rumble as she smelled her coming food.

 I gave them both a pat on their bare bottoms. “Go on. You two are like a pair of lions, smelling the kill. You can talk now as well.”

 The girls gratefully scampered out of the room. Elizabeth calling a word of thanks over her shoulder. I could hear the two of them thundering down the stairs and towards the dining room. I followed them at a more sedate pace.

 When I got into the dining room, I stepped back in shock. The girls had made the dining room up into something to rival fine dining establishments. They had moved the extra chairs over to the other side of the room. Now there were only six chairs towards one end of the huge table. The end of the table was obviously reserved for me. Jane and Christi flanked me, and the rest of the girls were seated demurely in the remaining chairs. Candles graced the table, and the lights were dimmed. Their hair and faces glowed in the soft light. They were all waiting patiently for me to allow them to eat. Hands clasped in their laps. I glanced at the table before I sat. Christi had prepared a full dinner. Bread. Wine. And a steaming bowl of pasta. Some sort of cream sauce. A huge tossed salad.

 I sat and looked over at Christi. Her red sweater flickered in the candlelight. I idly wondered what our illustrious Mr. Mayer would think of us, three clothed, three unclothed strangers using his kitchen and dining room as though it was our own. Drinking his precious wine. I didn’t particularly care what he thought.

 Christi smiled. She whispered to me. “Did we do good?”

 I nodded. It had been a long time since we’d had dinner together. And this really blew my mind. I guess they were probably looking for something to stimulate themselves as well. Christi saw my questioning look at the pasta.

 “Carbonara. I used some of the lunch meats. I really hope you like it. My last boyfriend did.” She whispered to herself, “God. I hope he likes it.”

 She picked up the serving spoons and put some pasta onto the plate in front of me.

 “Can I serve the rest of us as well?”

 I nodded, watching her body move as she doled out the noodles. Giving the girls less than she did me. I wasn’t going to stop them from having seconds if they wanted it. There was tons of pasta.

 I picked up my fork and spoon and twirled the first strands of linguine on the fork. I popped it in my mouth, my mouth exploding with flavour. The best carabonara I’d ever tasted. Garlic.

 I looked up. Christi looked worried. I reassured her.

 “Excellent. What are you all waiting for?”

 Christi smiled and swallowed in relief. She experimentally dipped her fingers into her plate and pulled at a few noodles. Having trouble with the slippery food. Tears beginning to form at the corners of her eyes. Frustrated with her dinner and her inability to eat it. She snatched her hand back, the pasta still a little hot for her. She stuck her fingers in her mouth to ease the burning sensation.

 The other girls watched as Christi slipped her fingers out of her mouth and stood. She licked the cream sauce off her fingers carefully. I could see the tears brimming in her eyes as she grasped the bottom of her sweater and pulled it over her head in one swift motion. I was too surprised to react. Her breasts fell free and she sighed. She began to unbutton her jeans.

 I finally found my tongue. “Christi?” I asked her. “What are you doing?”

 “I’m. I’m taking my clothes off.”

 “Uh. Why?”

 “I’m going to spill. And I don’t want to get punished. Not tonight. Please just let me take them off.” She swallowed heavily. Hardly being able to stop the tears.

 “Christi. Stop.”

 She actually began to cry. The rest of the girls were looking decidedly uncomfortable. Elizabeth was trying to pick up her pasta, not having to worry about her clothes. She burned her fingers a little as well. Her fingers got put in her mouth quickly as well. She sucked gently at her digits, trying to ease the burning sensations.

 Christi spoke through her tears, “Oh God. Please. I’m not hungry anymore.”

 I knew that was a lie. She was as hungry as the rest of us. She was just more afraid of punishment than of her hunger.

 “Calm down. Calm.”

 She tried to stop crying. I wasn’t quite sure what had upset her. Having to take off her clothes, or just the simple fact that she wouldn’t have to if I just let them eat like human beings. Or both.

 She looked at me with her baleful blue eyes. “I’m sorry. I know I’m not going to be allowed to wear them forever.” Didn’t even bother asking for cutlery. Knowing what the answer would be, if it wasn’t accompanied by punishment just for asking. It just all seemed so unfair to her. I couldn’t blame her. It just didn’t seem right for her to have to strip and be upset in this atmosphere. Nor did it seem right that she couldn’t enjoy this wonderful dinner she’d prepared.

 “Christi. I don’t want all of you to need showers before bed. Go on. Dress yourself. And then go get forks and spoons for everyone. I would have told you before, but I didn’t realize that you were going to make such a wonderful meal. I had actually sort of forgotten you didn’t have utensils.”

 She face fell in disbelief. She hadn’t been allowed cutlery since I took her. Clothes and cutlery in one day. She didn’t need to be told twice. She picked up her sweater and rebuttoned her jeans. She pulled the garment back over her head, hiding herself again. She practically ran to the kitchen, returning with her hands full of forks and soup spoons. She distributed them to the anxious girls. Elizabeth was silently licking her fingers to clean them. Smiles on all the females, nude or otherwise.

 “Don’t get used to it. It’s back to fingers tomorrow. You can thank Christi for it tonight. If this wasn’t so delicious, you’d be using your fingers anyway. Showers or no. It’s hard to enjoy it if you are worried about slopping. And it is excellent. Especially when it’s hot. Eat up. Quit listening to me.”

 The girls dove into the pasta. Their fingers working the utensils. Savouring the flavour. Everyone enjoying it. Everyone complimenting Christi.

 After the pasta, I was stuffed. Some of the girls, Jane and Elizabeth took seconds after seeking permission. Christi distributed the salad and bread. I buttered the bread for them, since they weren’t allowed knives. And they happily ate the salad and bread with their fingers. Licking themselves clean afterwards. It was almost normal. Jane was stunning. Christi looked almost normal. If you ignored the fact that the other three were nude, and Jane and Christi were barefoot, and the women were eating with their fingers, albeit daintily, it almost could have been a dinner at a fine dining restaurant.

 I finished up and leaned back in my chair. Satiated. The girls were still eating since their salads took a little longer, eating with their fingers. I just watched as they talked amongst themselves. Telling stories about their siblings. Families. Goals. University stories. I just drank my wine slowly. Not quite believing this scene. Hadn’t expected this. It was actually quite nice. I was curious which of the girls had come up with the idea. Probably Christi or Jane.

 Amy looked like she just might have had a bit too much wine. Her face was flushed and she was talking a bit louder than normal. But she was hardly drunk. I debated saying something, but she probably deserved a bit of an escape. Maybe it was dulling the ache between her legs. I took note as Christi purposefully, but discreetly moved the wine bottle down towards our end of the table. Away from Amy. Amy didn’t seem to mind. Perhaps sensing that she was about to go over the limit, and into the realm of possible punishment for getting out of control. And she’d was well aware of punishment today.

 One by one, the women finished their meals. Sighing. Content. They all sat back and quietly talked. Sometimes including me in their conversation, but sensing that I really was content to simply watch them interact. They weren’t shy. Even talking about sex and relationships. Almost as though they could pretend that they were just a bunch of friends on an evening out. Able to ignore the oddity of the scene in the low light. The nudity. Their positions. Almost forgetting that they were captives.

 Finally Elizabeth, Amy and Sheila all rose, almost as if on cue, and began to clear the table. The nude women, still chattering with the clothed ones and myself. The three of them gathered up the dishes and finally exited to clean up.

 Christi and Jane leaned on their elbows and just looked at me. Jane spoke softly.

 “You know, if it was more like this, I’d love it here.”

 Christi echoed the sentiment.

 “You liked this evening?”

 “I loved this evening. I’d happily go all the way with you for giving us this evening,” Jane murmured. “And not because I had to.” Her face was a little flushed as well. She was definitely underage to be drinking. Like I cared. She probably just wasn’t used to it. She hadn’t gotten drunk though. Just flushed. Her self control asserting itself well before she crossed any danger lines.

 “Me too. At the same time even,” Christi echoed softly.

 “I enjoyed it too. Kind of relaxed. Don’t have to torment you all the time, I guess.”

 “It almost feels weird, you know,” Jane remarked.

 “What does?” Christi asked.

 “Sitting here. You in jeans and a sweater. Me in this ... thing,” Jane reflected. “If I had shoes, I’d almost believe I wasn’t ... here. And this was the most relaxing time I’ve ever had in my short life. It almost doesn’t seem real. That pasta was so good.”

 “I know what you mean. God it was hard taking off this thing.” Christi pinched her sweater between her breasts. “I’m almost used to it. I. I don’t want to go back to the way I was.”

 “Christi. Enjoy it. But please don’t get attached to it. You know I’m going to have to take it away from you eventually,” I had to inject some reality into this.

 “I know. I look too good nude,” she spoke almost with a pang of regret.

 I smiled. “You got it, babe.”

 “Well, I’m going to enjoy it as long as you let me. It feels good.”

 “Me too,” Jane chimed it. We all sipped at our wine and lapsed into silence. Just thinking. Watching the candles flicker in the darkness. We were still like that as Elizabeth, Amy and Sheila padded back into the dining room. Each of them filed past my chair and gave me a kiss, then returned to their own chair.

 “What was that for?” I almost laughed.

 “For tonight. You don’t often treat us nicely, and we thought we’d show our appreciation. You can have more appreciation later if you want,” Elizabeth grinned up from her end of the table.

 “Christ, I almost forgot.” Amy jumped to her feet and ran back towards the kitchen.

 I watched the nude girl as she disappeared. A frown creased my brow. I wondered what she possibly could have forgotten.

 She reappeared moments later with a big bowl of ice cream.

 “Dessert!” she cried as she placed it down in front of me with a teaspoon.

 I smiled. “Where’d you find this?”

 “Freezer. That’s all there was.”

 It was a huge bowl. I couldn’t possibly eat it all. I took a spoonful of the dessert and offered it to Amy. She stared wide eyed. Not expecting any. She opened her small mouth and extended her tongue. The same tongue I’d clamped so long ago. I slipped the spoon into her mouth and she took the dessert. Swallowing with a look of pure rapture on her face. After today’s events I doubt if she expected any kindness from me ever again. I couldn’t blame her. She was probably still aching something fierce between her thighs.

 “Anyone else?”

 Christi spoke from beside me. “I wish. Milk doesn’t agree with me. Remember? God. And I love the stuff.”

 “Alright. You go make the coffee then. Everyone but me and Sheila.”

 “Really? Why can’t Sheila have any? She hasn’t done anything to be punished has she?”

 I turned to Sheila. “Sheila? You want any?” She shook her head negative. “Go on before I change my mind. You girls are going to be up half the night.”

 Christi laughed and jumped to her bare feet. Practically flying out of the dining room to prepare the coffee. I caught a flash of her blue jeans as she stumbled through the swinging door.

 I gave each remaining girl a taste of the ice cream, before taking some myself. They each savoured it; just being female. Their faces showing their pleasure. I ate most of the rest of the ice cream. It was really good. Maybe I just hadn’t had any in a long time. Chocolate.

 I left each girl about two spoons each and fed them the last of it. Jane hesitating over the last spoon.

 “You sure you don’t want it?”

 “I do. But you’ll enjoy it more and I’ve had lots. Go on. Eat it. Not like I’m going to punish you for taking something I offered to you.”

 “You sure?” still a bit hesitant. But I could see her desire for it deep in her brown eyes. She was just unsure of my motives; I couldn’t blame her.

 I gently pushed the spoon against her teeth until she opened her mouth and took the offered treat. She savoured the chocolate and swallowed it. Closing her eyes.

 I dropped the spoon in the bowl just as Christi entered with a tray. The aroma of fresh coffee permeated the room. She poured a mug for everyone but Sheila and I. I topped up Sheila’s wine and we sipped at that instead. The girls prepared their coffees and enjoyed them in silence.

 I spoke down the table. A thought occurring to me.

 “Sheila?”

 She turned her head towards me. Her eyes questioning.

 “This the first time you’ve eaten in here?”

 “Like this? Yes.”

 “You’ve eaten in here before?” I couldn’t believe that Mayer had allowed her to eat with them.

 “Once. Sort of. But nothing this good. Or pleasant.” Her face flushed at the memory. “When Gertrude was away with her sister ... Mayer could force me to do all my duties the way he liked me. Bound. Naked. Dismissed Polly for the day. Had me. Had me bound to the table. Naked. Tight. And he invited a few friends over for a little dinner party. I. I was dessert that night. That was well before he started to hit me. His friends were, actually, mostly civil for a change. Though, I did have to service them all later that evening. Ick. I don’t remember that much, thank God. Just their boring conversation during dinner, as they ignored me. Not that I minded being ignored. And the burning of the hot dishes they placed on me from time to time. They. They forced me to drink a lot of champagne. I. I don’t remember much but being eaten after dinner. Them making comments about the quality of the dessert. And begging them not to do it. Begging them to stop. It was early in my, uh, service. I didn’t know that this was actually kind compared to some of Mayer’s tastes. All I knew was that strange men were getting a lot closer to me than I liked. I think he made me eat a cold dinner later that night in here after his friends went home. It was a while ago.”

 The girls listened to the account quietly. Amy touching Sheila’s shoulder as she finished. Sheila had been nearly emotionless as she told the story. She snapped out of it with Amy’s touch.

 “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to ruin dinner.”

 “You didn’t sweetheart,” Jane whispered from her end of the table. “You didn’t.”

 “I’m pretty sure the table was cleaned after that,” Sheila managed to force herself to grin. Breaking the tension. I had to give her credit, she could cope with what was done to her.

 As Elizabeth cleared the coffee and my dessert bowl, I turned to Jane.

 “Everything set up?”

 The girl in the evening gown nodded solemnly.

 Elizabeth wandered back into the room and took her seat. Her breasts rising and falling gently with her breathing.

 I nodded to Jane, and she rose. She padded quietly out towards the kitchen giving me a furtive glance. The other females shifted a bit uncomfortably in their seats. Not knowing quite what to expect. Christi looked a bit apprehensive, knowing that nice treatment was sometimes followed by rough treatment.

  

 Chapter 103

 After a few minutes Jane walked quietly back into the dining room. Her feet whispering across the hardwood.

 She had tears in her eyes, but she willed them back. She walked over to where I was seated. She swallowed heavily and handed me what she had in her hands. Five lengths of rope. I took them from her hands and just placed them on the table in front of me.

 She looked at me pleadingly, but knew what she had to do. Actually she was the only one who knew, so she had to go first. Taking a deep breath, the girl slowly pulled at her gown until it lifted over her bare body and over her head. She shook her hair out, not quite being able to stop the tear as it rolled down the left side of her face. Hating stripping for me, again. She carefully laid the garment out on the table in front of the others, so it wouldn’t wrinkle and then stood proudly in front of me. I’d turned my chair and sat back watching her move in the candlelight.

 She sighed and turned her back to me. She carefully folded her arms behind her, silently waiting for the ropes to be placed on her. I wound the soft rope around her wrists and forearms, holding them securely together. Not tight, but inescapable for the girl. I tucked the last end in, and touched her bare shoulder. Tears were brimming again in her eyes as she gently pulled against her bound arms. Knowing that she wasn’t getting out of this until I let her out. Her arms folded behind her had the effect of accentuating her bared breasts and she knew it. She took another deep breath.

 “Your slave. She thanks you,” she whispered. Knowing that this is what we’d arranged. She walked over to her seat and sat herself down. Now bound, but not particularly uncomfortably. She just couldn’t lean back into the chair. She sat up straight instead, quietly fidgeting. She shouldn’t have any problems with circulation in her hands.

 Jane looked to her left and whispered to Amy who was sitting beside her. Silently watching. “You’re next. Just do what I did. Okay?”

 The nude girl nodded and quietly got to her feet. She didn’t have any clothing to remove so she just stood with her back to me. Allowing me to tie her. Thanking me. One by one, Jane told the girls who was next. Even Sheila, with her discomfort submitted to the binding without complaint. They had no idea how long I was going to leave them like this. Finally ending at Christi.

 The last girl rose to her bare feet. She approached with tears falling down her pretty face. Unashamed. She lowered herself to her knees and looked up at me.

 “Please. I’m begging you. Don’t make me take them off. I swear. I’ll do whatever you want. You can tie me. I don’t care.”

 “Christi. Sweety. On your feet.” Silent tears traced down her face. She obeyed. “You knew you weren’t going to be allowed them forever. I’ll let you put them back on later. I promise.”

 “You promise?”

 “Even if I didn’t, you can’t do much about it. Come on. I don’t want to punish you. Take them off for me. I just want you naked for a while. I’ll let you have the clothes back. Honest. Okay?”

 I was being gentle with her. Not really wanting to ruin the evening. I don’t think she wanted to either; she sighed a bit and simply reached for her top and pulled it over her head. In a few minutes, the jeans had slipped down her legs and she daintily stepped out of them. She flushed a bit, but bent to pick up the clothing. Carefully, she folded it and placed it with Jane’s evening gown.

 She swallowed heavily and turned her back to me. She folded her arms like the other women. I wrapped her as I had the others and she silently returned to her seat. The women were all quiet. Sitting there in their bonds and waiting patiently to see what else I had planned for them. Even Jane, who sort of knew, was aware that I could change my mind as well as any female.

 I rose to my feet, gazing at the females, so naked and beautiful in the candlelight. I almost just wanted to order them to be silent and just watch them all night like this. Perhaps one night I would. Tonight they deserved something else.

 I motioned for them to rise, and as one, they all scrambled to their bare feet. Their bound arms impeded them, but they managed. I walked out to the large room that housed the entertainment area. The girls quietly followed.

 “Make yourselves as comfortable as you can.”

 The girls looked around the room. Only Amy had spent any time in here. It was a huge room. Carpeted. Lots of choices for five women to settle in. There was two easy chairs. The sofa. A recliner. Hassock.

 Uncertainly the women looked around. Unsure what was going to happen, and not sure where they were best situated. Jane sighed and led them once again. She knew. She walked over to the sofa and lowered herself carefully to one end. Having a bit of trouble with her balance. Her arms forcing her into an awkward position. She settled herself in, settled back. Stretching her bare legs out across the sofa. Her legs reached about halfway.

 Jane looked up at the rest of the unmoving girls. She smiled encouragingly at them. “Come on, you fraidy cats. Jeez. The furniture isn’t going to bite you. Relax.”

 Christi tentatively stepped forward and walked towards the other end of the sofa. She dropped into it and sighed. Comfortable. The rest of the girls followed. Elizabeth and Sheila taking easy chairs and Amy settling herself on the carpet. Her back up against the ottoman, leaning back, her legs curled under herself. She was facing the wrong way, but she didn’t know that yet. She probably thought that I wanted the recliner and the women had run out of furniture. She took the floor.

 I looked at Amy. Spoke to her. “Amy? You can take the recliner if you want it. I’m going to join Christi and Jane on the couch.”

 Amy looked up gratefully and smiled. “That’s alright. Can I move to it later? I’m comfortable here.”

 “Sure. Whatever you want. You can even switch around later if you want. No problem.”

 The girls shifted a bit uneasily. Not sure what was coming up.

 I walked over and settled myself into the center of the sofa. Christi and Jane both pulled up their legs to allow me to sit down between them. They modestly kept their legs together as they shifted.

 I picked up a remote and aimed it at the huge wall unit across the room. The doors silently slid open to reveal a huge television and the stereo to which Amy had previously been listening in here.

 “Alright. We have choices here.”

 The girls all looked towards me expectantly. Except Jane who knew what the choices were because she’d set them up.

 “The bozo didn’t have a huge selection, but these are your choices. I don’t want a lot of arguing.”

 The girls nodded. Confused.

 “Forrest Gump. Debbie Does Dallas. Sleepless in Seattle. Toy Story. Or Virile Vixens Bound and Whipped ... an exciting three hour extravaganza.”

 Christi started to laugh. “Virile Vixens? You have to be joking.”

 I reached under the coffee table and pulled up the box. Showed it to her. She stopped laughing. “Oh my God.” She hesitated. “Are you honestly giving us a choice? Or are you expecting us to pick ... uh ... certain ones.”

 “I’m honestly giving you a choice. Pick two. I feel like watching a couple of movies, and I thought that you all might appreciate it as well. Not much for entertainment around here. At least nothing that you’d like as well.”

 I touched Jane’s shoulder and motioned for her to rise. She did.

 “Now. By the time I get back I want a consensus. I already know what Jane is voting for.”

 I guided the bound woman around the sofa and we walked back out towards the kitchen.

 “You are so cruel. I swear it,” Jane murmured as we walked along.

 “What?”

 “You know that they aren’t going to know which ones to pick. Be afraid of punishment if they pick what they really want to see. Why’d you throw those two in? Debbie Does Dallas? Huh?”

 She grinned at me. Actually kind of liking being on the inside of the joke for a change.

 I laughed as we entered the kitchen. I released her arms and she idly rubbed her forearms. I looked at her and she held her arms up. I cuffed her with the handcuffs she’d laid out on the table for me earlier. She pulled at them a bit but eventually settled down. Between us we popped four bowls of popcorn and salted and buttered them. I had to keep slapping at her hands as she playfully tried to get some into her mouth.

 After we were done, I handed her a bowl, and clipped three pairs of handcuffs to her left arm loosely. I balanced the other bowls in my free arms and we walked back to the entertainment room. I stopped just outside the doors. I heard Christi’s voice.

 “You have to be joking. He’s going to punish us if we don’t pick the ones *he* wants to see. And I think that is pretty obvious.”

 “I suppose,” Elizabeth sounded so disappointed.

 “See,” Jane hissed in my ear.

 I smiled at her and pushed the door open with my foot. Jane walked into the room and the girls faces lit up as they smelled the popcorn. I placed the largest bowl on the coffee table in front of the sofa and distributed the smaller bowls to the other girls. One to Amy on the floor and one each to Elizabeth and Sheila.

 “Now. If you chose right, I’ll let you all out of those ropes so you can eat your popcorn. If you chose wrong, you can pick who feeds you. Either way you get the popcorn.” I’d gone to the trouble of making them snacks, damned if I wasn’t going to let them eat it.

 The girls looked a little confused but that didn’t really matter to me.

 I turned to Christi. “Have a consensus?”

 “We want to watch what you want to watch,” she smiled.

 “Cute. But no. What have you all chosen? Hmmmm? Do we need to vote?”

 “No. We decided.”

 “Okay?”

 “We’ll watch the porns with you. The Virile Vixens and Debbie.”

 “That’s very kind of you. But you’re lying.”

 Christi went pale.

 “But. We thought that is what you wanted.”

 “It might be. But I told you to pick what *you* wanted. Not what *I* wanted.”

 “Oh God. Does this mean we are going to get punished? Please no. It’s been such a nice evening. Please?”

 “You are going to get punished. But it isn’t a hard punishment. Are you all reasonably comfortable?”

 Thrown by the question, the girls all nodded. Even Jane who wasn’t really expecting any of this.

 “Alright. Between Amy, Elizabeth and Sheila, pick one of you to be handcuffed like Jane here. She’ll be responsible for feeding the others their popcorn. That’s your punishment. If you’d done what you were told, then you’d all be free of the ropes. Okay?”

 They all nodded. The lightest punishment that any of them had ever endured.

 “That means Elizabeth and Sheila will have to join Amy on the floor until the popcorn is done.”

 The two girls slipped to their knees and moved towards Amy. I got up and moved their popcorn to the center of the room where they were all kneeling.

 “Who?”

 “Elizabeth, I guess.” Amy spoke quietly.

 I released Elizabeth from her ropes and quickly recuffed her hands in front of her. She nodded, understanding what was expected from her.

 I returned to my seat. “Now. What movies are we going to watch tonight?”

 Christi spoke. “Our other choices were Forrest Gump and Sleepless. We’d all seen Toy Story. Most of us had seen Forrest Gump too, but Amy hadn’t. If we still have a choice.” She looked a bit glum. She’d been the one to cause this trouble. Her arms would be free now if she’d realized what was expected of her. Same with Amy and Sheila.

 “Alright then.”

 I sent Jane to load up the VCR. Her bare body moved effeciently towards the television. Jane returned to her seat after pushing Forrest Gump into the VCR, moving the big bowl of popcorn into my lap.

 I flicked the remotes, getting away from the static on all the channels and starting the movie. I sent Jane to dim the lights. She did and returned.

 I’d already seen Forest Gump, so I contented myself with watching the girls. Jane carefully feeding me and Christi. Taking the occasional kernel herself as she watched the movie. The girls on the floor were engrossed. Kneeling. Bound. Elizabeth feeding them quietly. I relaxed. Occasionally watching Tom Hanks bumble his way through life.

 It seemed so short as the credits rolled up the screen. We’d long ago finished our bowl of popcorn, Jane settling back into her seat. Her legs pulled up. Sometime during the movie, Elizabeth had finished feeding the other two, it didn’t look like they’d finished all their popcorn, but presumably they didn’t want any more, since Elizabeth had moved back to her chair. Amy and Sheila had just remained kneeling on the carpet through the whole movie.

 I felt my eyes closing as it ended. But I’d promised the girls two movies. I didn’t bother rewinding Forest Gump, just asking Jane to change the tapes. She complied.

 “Elizabeth?”

 “Yes sir?”

 “Come here.”

 She rose her bare body from her chair and approached. A bit apprehensively.

 I took her cuffed hands and released them. I gently refolded her arms behind her bare back and retied her as she squirmed a bit. Preferring the handcuffs.

 I did the same to Jane. She didn’t seem to mind and settled back into her position.

 “You two don’t need to stay there, you know.” I spoke to Sheila and Amy still curled up on the carpet together.

 “We know. If you want us to move, we will, but it’s nice down here.” They’d come off their knees and were sitting a little more comfortably after the first movie. Stretching themselves out.

 “Alright. Suit yourselves.”

 I flipped on the second movie. The girls settled back in their bonds and were captured by the movie. The flick didn’t interest me again, though I watched more of it this time. Instead I reached out, drawing Christi’s bare feet into my lap. She allowed it without any hesitation. As she watched the movie, I played with her bare toes, rubbing her insteps. She moaned a bit at the attention, seemed to be enjoying it. About halfway through the movie she drew her legs back. In moments Jane had extended her feet into my lap. I relaxed idly playing with her feet, occasionally tickling her, making her squeal. But she kept her bare feet in my lap through it all.

 I don’t remember the end of the movie. I woke up sometime much later. Static on the television. Glancing around the room, Elizabeth was asleep with her head ducked to her chest. She hadn’t moved from her chair. Jane and Christi had both extended their bare feet over my thighs. Toes touching. My hands rested easily on their shins. They were fast asleep. Christi’s head bent to her shoulder. Jane’s fallen forward, her hair obscuring her face. Amy and Sheila had stretched out on the floor. Sleeping peacefully, despite the ropes. On their sides. Their bare breasts rising and falling as they breathed shallowly.

 I flipped off the television, silencing the static. Christi stirred as the white noise disappeared. She opened her eyes and looked at me. Pulling gently against her trapped arms.

 “Good night, Master” she murmured before closing her eyes and falling back asleep. I was exhausted. I tilted my head back as well, idly thinking that I was going to regret not going up to bed as I fell into a deep slumber.

  

 Chapter 104

 We were all awakened a few hours later. Sheila screamed like she was being tortured to death. A high pitched wail that rivaled anything I’d ever wrung out of Jane.

 My eyes snapped open and adrenaline poured into my system. The other girls were instantly awake. Struggling with their bondage. Questions falling from their lips. I jumped to my feet trying to locate the source of the agonized screams. Christi and Jane almost thrown from the sofa by my movements. My heart hammering.

 The adrenaline increased my awareness. I scrambled over to Sheila. She was the only one in the room still asleep. Amy had initially scrambled away, her bare feet scrabbling at the carpet. Moaning. As she realized what was happening, she began to inch her way over to her carpet mate. By this time I was kneeling beside the still screaming girl.

 I gathered her into my arms, gently rocking her. Unsure whether I should wake her, or let her wake herself. I was saved the decision. As I cradled her bound body, she snapped awake with another scream. Struggling violently. Swearing. Trying to free her arms. Kicking out at Amy, who had to scramble away again to avoid the thrashing legs. Finally, I managed to calm her, stroking her hair gently and holding her tight against myself. She fell into a deep weeping. I wasn’t even sure that she had any idea where she was.

 Amy managed to get herself to her knees. Fright and adrenaline flushing her face in the weak light.

 “Is. She alright?” she whispered.

 “I’m really don’t know. Probably just a nightmare.”

 Amy nodded, watching with wide eyes. I glanced around the room. All the girls were flushed and watching with morbid fascination.

 “You can all go back to sleep. She just had a nightmare.”

 Elizabeth mumbled something, “Some nightmare ...” She tried to settled back into her chair. Fighting off her adrenaline. Trying to slow her breathing.

 I turned my attention to the shaking girl in my arms. She was breathing hard. Her eyes closed. Sweat was pouring off her brow. Her tangled blonde hair damp. Whispering to herself. I stroked her hair like a child.

 “Shhhh. It was just a nightmare. Shhhh.”

 She seemed to calm a bit. Pulling at her ropes. Still crying. She hitched a few times and managed to stop. I wiped at her face. Brushing away her tears.

 “I. I’m so sorry,” she said quietly. “I. I didn’t mean to wake everyone.”

 “That’s alright. What happened, sweetheart?”

 “N-nightmare. I. I should have warned you. I get them. My. Evan used to come into my room when I was screaming and hit me until I woke up and stopped. I’m sorry.”

 “He hit you for screaming? That makes sense.”

 “I don’t know. Please. I didn’t mean to wake you up. I’ll try to go back to sleep. Please don’t punish me.”

 “Relax. I’m not going to punish you for having a nightmare. Sweety. I’m surprised that you didn’t scream last night.”

 “It was the first night in a long time that I haven’t.”

 I stroked her hair. “Care to tell me about it?”

 “I. I don’t remember all of it. I. I was chained up. Naked. And. You were there. But you weren’t doing anything. Just watching. Mayer. He was whipping me. Trying to get me to do something. My. Pussy. Hard. I can still feel it.” Her eyes began to tear up.

 “Sheila. You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to. It wasn’t an order.”

 “I know. He was whipping me and I was screaming. Finally, he let me down. I remember him letting my wrists go and I fell. I ran to you. Begging you not to let him hurt me. Oh God. You showed me a riding crop. And I knew. You were going to whip me. My. Pussy. As well. And I ran. Screaming. Because I hurt. Because you and Mayer were chasing me. Oh God. It just seemed so real. I. Feel sick.”

 I stroked her damp hair and kissed the top of her head. She shivered a bit.

 “You going to be alright?”

 “I. I don’t know.”

 “Should we be getting you to a bathroom?”

 “No. It’s fading. I should be alright. I think.”

 “Can you get back to sleep?”

 “I’m not sure if I’ll be able to fall back asleep.”

 “You need your rest. Try.”

 “You. You can gag me if you want. That way if I scream it shouldn’t wake you. I’m used to sleeping with one.”

 I shook my head. “That isn’t necessary. If I did that, you might choke in the night.”

 “Mayer didn’t care. He’d almost always gag me after the first time I screamed. Sometimes he’d just gag me before I fell asleep. If he didn’t want to punish me in the night for screaming.”

 “I’m not Mayer. Try to sleep.”

 “You aren’t going to crop me, are you?”

 “Only if you misbehave. Now go to sleep.”

 I slid her off my lap. Amy had laid back down already. Watching. Unable to sleep with us making so much noise so close to her.

 Amy spoke quietly. “Sheila? You want to sleep over here? With me? I promise not to bite. And my arms are tied as much as yours. No funny business.”

 Sheila smiled gratefully. Perhaps a little female comfort and physical closeness might help. She nodded. Amy shifted herself, moving closer to Sheila. Finally, they were face to face. Their bare bodies touching at the breast and hips. Their legs entwined. Despite the fact that they were both bound and nude, there really wasn’t anything sexual about it. Almost like sisters just comforting each other. Amy kissed Sheila’s cheek chastely and settled her head down onto the carpet and closed her eyes. In moments Sheila did the same. I sat and watched them as Amy’s breathing became regular and Sheila, while obviously not asleep, at least pretended. She was relaxed.

 I let the adrenaline work itself out of my system. I slowly rose to my feet and returned to the sofa, working myself under Christi and Jane’s feet again. They were fast asleep again. They stirred but didn’t awaken as I moved back to the sofa. Again I cursed myself for not returning to the master bedroom. I could feel the aches and kinks already starting. I idly wondered if any of the girls knew massage as I slipped back into a deep sleep.

 I awoke a lot later, feeling a soft sensation on my lips. I opened my eyes to a nude blonde softly kissing me. Her arms seemed like they were in an odd position. I was instantly aroused, but I pulled back. Her eyes looked questioningly at me.

 “Good morning,” she whispered.

 I yawned. “Good morning. What the heck are you doing up so early?”

 “Early?”

 “Yeah. It’s early. I’m not awake. It’s early,” instinctively I was whispering with her. The other girls were unlikely awake, either.

 She lowered her blue eyes. “I’m sorry. I. Just could help it.”

 I stretched. Wincing as the aches and pains from sleeping sitting up intensified.

 “It’s alright. Time to get up anyway.”

 “I’ve been a bad girl. You can punish me if you want.”

 “Tempting as that is, you wouldn’t like your punishment, and I’m not awake enough to punish you. Maybe later.”

 She stuck her lip out in a pout and then broke out into a grin, not being able to hold a straight face.

 “Can a slave beg for coffee?” she whispered.

 “Come on.”

 I rose to my feet and groaned at the various muscles that suddenly had appeared. My right arm ached fiercely.

 Sheila had turned onto her back. Her feet still touching Amy. Amy was still on her right side, breathing regularly. Elizabeth was going to be in pain as much as I. Still fast asleep, her head tucked into her chest. I glanced over at Jane. She shifted her position as I came off the couch. Sensing her legs being moved in her sleep.

 “Not yet. Please,” she mumbled to someone before slipping back into slumber.

 I guided Christi out into the hallway. She daintily stepped over the carpet, trying to be silent. As we walked towards the kitchen, she made a deliberate glance into the dining room where her clothes were lying carefully folded on the table. She pulled at her restraints, sighed, and continued her nude journey to the kitchen.

 She stood awkwardly in the middle of the kitchen as I flipped on the coffee maker. I sat down, leaving her standing.

 “Aren’t you going to untie me?”

 “You wouldn’t happen to know any massage techniques, would you?”

 “You mean like walking on your back?” she smiled mischievously.

 “Yeah.”

 “I used to give my boyfriend massages. He liked them.”

 “I keep hearing about this boyfriend of yours. You still seeing him?”

 “Not in this timeline.”

 “On the normal one. You know what I mean.”

 “No.”

 “No?”

 “I broke up with him. About two months ago.”

 “Why?”

 “He wanted to get married. I didn’t. Do we have to talk about this?”

 “We’ll talk about it if I want to. But alright. What do you want to make us for breakfast.”

 “Whatever you want. Can I take a shower first?”

 “A shower? After breakfast.”

 “But. Please. I feel like I’m so dirty. My hair. My God. I can’t even run my fingers through it.” She tossed her head, her hair limp and tangled. She was a bit of a mess.

 “I know. But you might get more dirty at breakfast. Syrup is sticky.”

 “You want pancakes again? You’ll have to untie me eventually if you want me to cook.” She grinned. Accepting that she simply wasn’t going to be allowed to shower before breakfast.

 I motioned her over and she groaned as I finally released the ropes holding her arms. She shook them out, wincing.

 “You know. You don’t have to do that to us. Make us sleep like that. You have no idea how uncomfortable it is.”

 “What would you suggest? Letting you run free? Let you stick scissors in my chest?”

 “You know we wouldn’t do that. Lock us in a room or something?”

 “Ahhh. And what if I like sleeping with a warm body or two?”

 “Then tie us up then? The ones that you are sleeping with.”

 “I’ll think about it.”

 Christi began to move around the kitchen. Gathering cooking utensils, pans.

 “Can a slave have her coffee now?”

 I glanced over at the coffee machine. It was just finishing up perking.

 I walked over to the coffee machine and poured her out a mug. I placed it in her outstretched hand. She looked at it. Then turned her blue eyes to gaze at me. Pleading in them.

 “Can a slave have cream and sugar? Please?”

 I was in a tormenting mood for some reason. “Any particular reason?”

 “Because I. She likes it that way? Please?”

 “Does it matter how you like it?”

 Her eyes brimmed with tears. Not knowing why she was being tormented. Not knowing why I wasn’t letting her drink her coffee with cream and sugar.

 “No sir. I. She’ll drink it as you want.”

 She brought the mug to her lips and sipped at the bitter brew. Tears in her eyes, she turned away towards the stove. I relented. She just looked so forlorn, and she hadn’t give me a hard time about it. Trying to please.

 “Christi?”

 She turned towards me again. “Yes sir?” she replied a bit sullenly.

 “Come here.”

 She walked over. Waited. Then knelt. Her coffee still in her hand. She placed it on the floor in front of her. Tilting her head up to look at me.

 “Would you beg for cream and sugar?”

 “If I had to.”

 I considered. She would. I knew she would. I didn’t need to hear it this morning.

 I extended my hand, helping her to her feet. I guided her over to towards the counter where the sugar was. Gave her a little push.

 “Go on. You’ve been a good girl. Fix your coffee.”

 She turned to me, confusion on her pretty face. An unspoken question. Why?

 “Because you didn’t beg, but you would have.”

 She still looked confused, but didn’t want to risk her cream and sugar. She scampered over and fixed her coffee. She tasted it and smiled in my direction. Wordlessly thanking me and returning to mixing her pancake batter.

 I watched her nude body as she worked, soon smelling the sweet odors of pancakes frying. She set the small table. Plates for the girls. Plate and cutlery for me. A huge jug of syrup.

 “They’ll be ready soon. Care to get the others, or you want me to?”

 I rose, leaving her to her tasks. I returned to the entertainment room. Jane was awake. But that was it. She got up off the sofa as I entered. She walked over, silently, and knelt at my feet. I ruffled her tangled hair and set about waking the others. Feeling evil, I approached Elizabeth’s chair. She was still fast asleep.

 Her nipples still had a trace of the rouge that she’d used. I reached out and suddenly grasped her nipples and twisted. Not enough to seriously hurt her, but she’d wake up quickly.

 “Ahhhhhhhhh,” she screamed as she woke up. I released her and she lay back in the chair and tried to catch her breath. She struggled with her ropes but couldn’t get free. Finally she just stared at me sullenly.

 “What the hell was that for?”

 “I was feeling nasty.”

 “I’ll say. You aren’t going to do it again, are you?” she paled as she realized just how vulnerable she was with her arms pinned behind her as they were.

 “Nope. You’re awake.”

 “Some fucking alarm clock.”

 I kissed her lips, and surprised she just kissed me back.

 “You are always hard to wake up. I figured I’d just make sure you were awake.”

 “Shake me next time.”

 I leaned down and kissed her nipples. They were a bit redder than when I started.

 “Alright. Go on. To the kitchen.”

 All the girls were now awake. Elizabeth’s scream having woken them.

 The girls all rose and carefully made their way to the kitchen. Still bound.

 I followed them at a discrete distance. Elizabeth was favouring her right leg, probably in a bit of pain from sleeping in the chair. I had aches in places where I didn’t even know I had muscles. I was ready for a shower as well.

 When I entered the kitchen, the smell of pancakes assaulted me. Christi was free and happily cooking at the stove. The others had knelt down on the floor just waiting for me. Jane looked up at me as I entered.

 “Sir? Can we be freed? Please?”

 I looked at her. “Do you know any massage?”

 Jane looked completely confused. “No sir.”

 Sheila piped up from behind Jane. “Master? I do.”

 “You know massage?”

 “M-Mayer forced me to take some classes when I first started. If you want I can massage you.”

 I nodded and crouched by Sheila. I released her arms, quickly undoing the knots holding her. She sighed and shook out her arms.

 “Christ, *I* need a massage,” she mumbled as she tried to work out the aches in her own arms, stretching.

 “Sheila?”

 “Yes sir?”

 “I want you to give me the best massage of your life. I’ll let the others free and give them coffee based on how well you perform. Okay?”

 She paled a bit. “Wh-what happens if you don’t like what I do?”

 “Then I guess they go without breakfast and can stay that way for the rest of the day. You’ll join them as well.”

 Jane looked like she was about to say something and thought better of it. She just hung her head, hoping that Sheila was able to satisfy me. She knew that she’d remain hungry and bound all day if that was what I wanted. She was in no position to protest.

 I pulled off my shirt and sat down in a chair. Sheila hesitantly walked up behind me and began to work her fingers into my sore muscles. I leaned forward as she worked, her fingers finding all the knots and gently working them out. She was quite good. She eventually sank to her knees in front of me and I looked at her earnest face.

 “Is that better? Evan always made me ... suck him ... afterwards. I can do that as well, if you want. Or I can try to work out more. If it will make you let the others go.”

 I stretched my back. It felt wonderful. It was as though I hadn’t slept in that awkward position.

 “Sheila, honey, you’re hired.” I sighed.

 The girl looked like she’d just won first prize at the county fair. She beamed from her kneeling position.

 “D-does that mean you’ll let them go?”

 “And give them coffee. They don’t even have to drink it black. Go on. Untie them.”

 Sheila scampered over to Jane on her hands and knees and quickly began to loosen the knots. Soon all the females were thankfully shaking out their arms and sighing as they were released. Jane slowly climbed to her feet and walked over to the coffee machine. She turned to me, “Sir? May I?”

 I nodded. Sheila had more than earned them all coffee this morning.

 Sheila walked over, still smiling. “Can a slave beg for orange juice instead?”

 “As much as you want. Go on.”

 Sheila practically ran over to the refrigerator and pulled out the pitcher of juice. She poured herself a huge glass and then walked back over to the table. The others had prepared their coffee and were standing sipping it, watching Christi preparing breakfast and leaning back on the counter. They were all unconsciously trying to straighten tangled hair and work out their various complaining muscles from the awkward night and the bondage.

 Sheila sat beside me and spoke quietly.

 “Showers?” She ran her hand through her tangled locks.

 “After breakfast. I promise.”

 She nodded.

 I spoke towards the three girls by the coffee machine. “Elizabeth?”

 She paled a bit, already having been punished for no reason once this morning. Her nipples were still tender to prove it.

 “Yes sir?”

 “Come here.”

 “Oh my God. Please. I haven’t done anything.”

 “Just come here.”

 The girl walked over in trepidation.

  

 Chapter 105

 “Sit.” I ordered her. She sank her nude body into the chair opposite me. She still wore that frightened look, not quite sure what to expect. “How are you feeling this morning?” I gently asked her.

 She looked confused at the question, perhaps not expecting a normal request.

 “My nipples hurt a bit, if that’s what you are asking.”

 I smiled at her. “Good. They ought to hurt. How’s your back?”

 She grimaced. “It hurts.” She twisted a bit in the chair. “I’ll be alright, though.” She had slept sitting up, the same as I.

 I turned to Sheila. “Sheila? Do you do as good a job on girls as boys?”

 She shrugged. “I guess.” She rose to her feet and padded over to Elizabeth. Soon Elizabeth was sighing, all her aches and pains disappearing under Sheila’s soft hands. When she was done, Elizabeth sat back up straight and smiled up at her.

 “Oh God, that felt good. Thank-you.”

 Sheila smiled back and kissed Elizabeth’s forehead. “You’re welcome.”

 “Alright, all of you. On the floor.”

 All the women dropped whatever they were doing and gathered in a line on the floor. I stopped Christi before she knelt, motioning her back to her cooking tasks. She could listen from there.

 “Everyone except Christi gets to eat on the floor today.” There was a bit of a murmur from the girls, but they remained quiet. They knew better than to complain about direct orders. If they even got breakfast, they knew they’d probably end up bound for it, if they complained. “It isn’t a punishment, I just want to watch you eat from there. You can get your food from the table without asking. Understand?”

 They didn’t understand why, but they understood their orders. They all nodded. Christi walked over carrying a huge plate of pancakes. She dropped them onto the middle of the table and looked at me.

 “I can sit at the table?” she asked meekly. I nodded to her and watched as she settled her gorgeous bare body into the chair opposite me. “Why?” she whispered.

 “Because you cooked. And those look delicious,” I grabbed myself a plate of the pancakes. She tentatively reached out to take her own. Her eyes were a bit frightened, not sure why she was the only one given a chair, feeling a little awkward to be put into a special position. She almost looked like she’d prefer to be kneeling on the floor with the others. She carefully pulled a couple of pancakes from the serving plate and waited. The other girls were looking up expectantly from the floor. I nodded to them and one at a time, they rose and carefully carried a plate and their food back to their kneeling positions. After the girls were settled, I poured some syrup onto my food and began to eat.

 I heard a small voice, Jane’s, speak from the floor.

 “Sir?”

 I looked down at her small body, kneeling. Her face looked up at me. “Can we eat as well? Please?”

 “Of course, eat. It’s excellent.” I’d forgotten that at breakfast their tradition was to seek permission to eat. I still wasn’t completely used to their submission, even though I’d been the cause of it.

 Amy spoke up quietly. “Please sir. I know that we maybe don’t deserve it, though I can’t imagine why, but can we have syrup as well? Please?”

 I smiled. I had been waiting for one of them to ask. I rose from my seat with the jug of syrup and crouched by Amy.

 “I could have gotten it myself ...” she spoke quietly.

 “You sure you want it?”

 Her face was a mask of uncertainty. “What am I going to have to do to get it?” she asked.

 “Nothing.” I smiled at her evilly. She was completely unsure what I had in mind, just that she wasn’t likely to enjoy it.

 She nodded, probably sorry that she’d been the one to ask the innocent question. But knowing that it was probably far too late to change her mind.

 “Lean back.”

 “Lean back? Why? Please.” She extended her hands behind her and leaned her bare body back, thrusting out her chest as she was forced into the awkward position.

 I carefully poured a line of syrup across the top of her chest. She cried out as the cold liquid hit her bare skin, but she endured it.

 “Sit up.” I ordered her. The sticky liquid began to flow down her body, slowly dripping down her breasts, coating them. She shivered as the liquid slowly dripped down.

 She crunched up her face and spoke. “I. I sort of meant more for my pancakes.” She couldn’t quite keep a straight face.

 I carefully lifted the jug and poured the liquid into her tangled blonde hair. She sharply moved back, not expecting me to do that, her eyes opened wide. Her quick movement caused me to spill a little onto her thighs and onto the floor. She gasped.

 “Amy?”

 “Oh God. I’m sorry. I.” She moved herself back into position, knowing complaint or refusal was useless. I’d just tie her down, not give her her breakfast and pour as much syrup over her as I wanted. She would drown in the stuff if I wanted her to.

 “Amy? There’s some on the floor because of that.”

 She looked down, confused, at the small puddle of syrup by her left knee.

 “Don’t you think that you should clean up your mess?”

 She looked around, beginning to rise to her feet to get a cloth. I touched her shoulder.

 “Not that way.”

 She closed her eyes. She reached down and extended her fingers, intending to wipe it up onto her skin.

 “No fingers.”

 She looked at me, finally realizing how she was going to have to do it.

 “Please? Don’t make me do this. Please? I. I don’t want to.”

 “Amy.”

 “Oh shit. Alright.”

 She carefully got to her hands and knees and bent her head. She tried to keep her hair out of the way, but wasn’t too successful as she bent her head and carefully licked the small puddle from the floor. The syrup was slowly dripping from her hair and her breasts onto the floor. She could be at this all day if I wanted. But I stopped her as she began to move towards one of the drops that had fallen from her body. I’d humiliated her enough.

 “Knees.”

 She looked up thankfully and returned to her knees, kneeling in the syrup drips, but not really caring at this point, as long as I wasn’t forcing her to clean the floor with her tongue.

 She swallowed and stayed still as I finished pouring syrup over her head. The sticky substance coated her hair, ran down her face, and mixed with her tears. Her sticky hair stuck to her shoulders and her bare back.

 “Would you like some on your plate as well?”

 She swallowed and closed her eyes. “You aren’t going to fill my pussy if I say yes?”

 “If I was going to, you can’t do much about it.”

 She took a breath. “This slave would like some syrup on her breakfast. Please?” she begged. If she had to be humiliated, at least she wanted something out of it.

 I smiled at her and poured a liberal amount over her pancakes.

 “Why didn’t you say so?” I teased her.

 “Oh God. You bastard.” But she was smiling now as well, realizing that syrup washed off. Not like she was ruining her clothes or anything. This was mild torment compared to other things I’d put her through. “At least I don’t have to worry about getting my fingers sticky.”

 I moved over to Elizabeth.

 “You want syrup as well?”

 “Do I have a choice?”

 I grinned at her. “You have a choice. If you say no, you only get it over your pretty head and on your chest. If you say yes, you get it on your breakfast as well.”

 “Yes,” she replied quietly. Without even being told, she leaned back allowing the syrup to be poured over her bare breasts. After that was done, she sat back up and stayed motionless as I poured more into her hair. She licked at it as it fell down her face. I completed the show with some across her breakfast.

 She whispered quick thank-you as I moved to Sheila.

 “Oh no,” she murmured as I approached her. Without another word, the bare blonde beauty allowed the same treatment. She looked up at me from her kneeling position.

 “Sheila? Sweety? You want some on your pancakes?”

 She nodded shyly.

 “Beg.”

 “Beg?”

 “Beg.”

 “Please? Master? A dirty slave begs for syrup on her breakfast.” She fell into the begging role so easily, probably having been taught it by Mayer.

 I finished with the tormented girl and moved to Jane. Jane just looked at me with her deep brown eyes. Pleading.

 “Please. We haven’t done anything. I’d like some syrup, but ... oh God.” She gasped as the cold liquid ran over her head. I didn’t bother with her breasts but just poured a bit extra over her hair, allowing it to drip onto her chest. I brushed her hair forward across her bare shoulders. I forced the girl to lick the syrup from my fingers that I’d gotten sticky from touching her head. I couldn’t imagine the feeling of that. Being nude, helpless, and having syrup poured over you. Having to sit still. Jane’s nipples had risen, but I’m not sure if that was due to the cold of the syrup, or something else.

 I didn’t make her beg, but simply finished off by pouring some over her food.

 I stood and surveyed the girls. They looked a bit miserable on their knees and covered in syrup, but they knew better than to complain.

 Jane saw me looking at her. “If I thought that I could take whatever punishment you’d give me, I swear I’d come over there and hug you for this. God. I’m sticky. You are going to let us shower after this, aren’t you?”

 “Maybe, if you are good and don’t complain.”

 “God. Alright. I’ll even tell you I like it if you let me shower.”

 “We’ll see. Eat. Your breakfast is getting cold.” The girls all began to pick apart their pancakes with their fingers. One advantage to this treatment was that they weren’t worried about their fingers anymore, not concerned about getting sticky.

 I sat back down.

 “You want syrup?” I asked the only clean girl in the room.

 “Oh God. Not me too. I cooked for you,” Christi spoke softly, trying to get out of it. “Please?”

 “Don’t worry about it. I’m not going to cover you too.” I reached forward and simply covered her breakfast in syrup. I watched as she carefully dug into her breakfast with her long fingers, popping pieces into her mouth and licking her fingers clean.

 “Thank-you,” Christi whispered. “I can’t imagine what that must feel like.”

 “You still might find out.”

 “Oh God.”

 I finished up my breakfast and just watched the girls eat. Jane and Amy both asked for seconds and I indulged the sticky women. The pancakes slowly disappeared into their mouths. I allowed Jane and Amy to pour their own syrup on their second helping. They seemed grateful not to have to endure the food to skin contact once again.

 “You girls are a mess,” I joked with them. Jane just shot me a dirty look from her syrup streaked face. “Alright, on your feet. Put your dishes in the sink.”

 The girls scrambled to obey. I could see that the ones from the floor were fighting the instinct to wipe their skin, their faces, their bare breasts. Desperately wanting to clean themselves. I looked down where they had been. Syrup was evident all over the floor. All five girls stood awkwardly in front of the sink.

 “Christi?”

 “Yes sir?” she asked innocently.

 “Hug them. All of them.”

 She paled. “You can’t be serious.”

 “When was the last time I joked about you hugging another woman?”

 “Please no.”

 “Christi?” I asked in a warning tone.

 “You are going to let us shower, right?”

 “Does it matter?”

 She looked down and softly said, “No sir.”

 She turned and hesitantly placed her hands around Jane’s neck, their bodies still far apart. She looked back at me, pleaded with her eyes. Not wanting to do this to herself. She finally took a deep breath and before she was ready, Jane helped her by grabbing her waist and forcing their bare bodies together. Christi yelped, and Jane actually laughed, rubbing her soiled skin against Christi.

 “Thought you were going to get away without it?” Jane gaily asked her friend.

 Christi just stepped away and ran her fingers across her bare breasts. She licked at her fingers and smiled. “I guess not,” she said ruefully.

 She breathed in deeply and moved on, taking care with Sheila, but hugging each nude girl in turn until she was nearly as covered as they were. Her hair had escaped serious stickiness, but that was all.

 “Alright. That’s enough of that, as erotic as it was.” I noticed that despite herself, Christi’s nipples had managed to tighten during this skin on skin contact. Perhaps the food play had excited her as well.

 “Kneel.”

 All the women dropped obediently to their knees.

 “You all ready for a shower?”

 They all nodded in unison. They were more than ready for a shower.

 “Who’s first?”

 They all began to talk at once, wanting to be first.

 “Alright. Quiet. Elizabeth, Sheila, and Amy. Go on. Cold water. I don’t want to get up there to a steamy bathroom. Got it? Make it quick.”

 Elizabeth spoke up. “Please, master? Can we please use hot water. At least cool water?”

 I turned to the girl. “Elizabeth? Would you prefer if I put you back in that hog-tie for the rest of the day? Without a shower?”

 She paled. “No sir. We’ll use cold. Please.”

 I reconsidered. Syrup was going to be damn hard to get out of their hair without hot water. And I didn’t want them sticky and dirty all day.

 “Wash each other, and you can use hot water to wash yourselves. Okay? Cold to rinse. But I want you shivering when you get out. And I don’t want you in there all day. Understand?”

 Elizabeth nodded mutely. Afraid to say anything further.

 “Thank you,” Sheila whispered as she pushed herself to her bare feet.

 I watched as the girls filed out of the kitchen. I hoped that they managed to get to the bathroom before they dripped that syrup all over the carpet. Otherwise I might have to punish them.

 “Alright, you two,” I addressed the remaining girls. “Dishes.”

 Christi sprang to her feet and began to run the water into the sink. I watched the naked girls as they washed and dried and cleaned up. The syrup was still dripping out of Jane’s matted brown hair, down her back and even down her legs. She seemed uncomfortable, but she knew that she was going to get to wash soon and she didn’t complain. This punishment wasn’t severe enough to warrant complaints and she knew it. Christi was just lightly coated.

 I stopped Jane as she bent to clean up the floor. The floor was going to get more syrup on it before it got cleaned. I’d get Amy to do it later. Maybe with her tongue.

 They finished quickly and knelt back at my feet, their faces upturned expectantly. They probably hoped that I was going to release them to the shower.

 Instead, I leaned back in my chair and gazed at the beautiful sticky girls. After a few minutes, they shifted uncomfortably and Jane spoke.

 “Sir?”

 “Yes?”

 “Can we please shower? I. I’m so dirty.” Her hand reached up and touched her hair. She grimaced as her fingers came away sticky. She was covered in the syrup. It was dripping off her body.

 “Soon. I want you to do something for me first.”

 Christi spoke. “We’ll do it. Whatever it is. Please.”

  

  

 Chapter 106

 I picked up the jug of syrup again and approached Christi. She paled. I guided her body up. She remained on her knees on the tile, but she wasn’t back on her haunches.

 “Please. You don’t have to do this. I. Christ, that’s cold.” I upturned the syrup over her blonde mane, matting it to her head. She coughed as the liquid flowed into her protesting mouth.

 I bent behind her and poured some more over her calves and feet.

 “Lie down.”

 “Please no.”

 “Christi?” That warning tone came out again.

 The frightened girl lay herself down on the tile, syrup was gathering in the small natural pool at the base of her neck. She was covered. I carefully poured a small amount through her pubic hair and into her belly button and left her lying on her back, softly crying. She struggled to lie still.

 I glanced at Jane. She shuddered, but stayed still as I poured a little more over her pretty head. I poured a bit more along her calves and then put the jug on the table. I slipped a pair of handcuffs around Jane’s unresisting wrists pinning her hands behind her back. I had Christi rise to her knees and repeated the cuffing procedure. I sat back down and regarded the miserable girls.

 Jane looked up at me, trying to blink away the new syrup that was streaming down her face.

 “Why, master? What have we done?”

 “Nothing Janey. Absolutely nothing.”

 “Then why?”

 “Do you have any idea what you two look like?”

 “Pathetic?”

 “Sexy as all hell.”

 “Thank-you. I think.”

 “Listen. You two are pretty covered with sticky stuff, aren’t you?”

 They nodded. Still miserable.

 “Well, I don’t want to get it on the carpet.”

 “So you are going to let us shower?” Jane asked hopefully.

 “Eventually. Unless you fail.”

 “Fail in what?” She didn’t look happy to be asking this question.

 “Are there carpets on the way to the shower?”

 “Of course there are.”

 “How are you going to get from point kitchen to point bathroom without dirtying the carpet?”

 “Run fast?” Jane asked hopefully.

 “Let’s assume that you are crawling. Through the dining room and entertainment room.”

 “Please no. We can’t do it. I. I don’t want to be punished. Please. It’s impossible. You can’t expect us to not drip this stuff. That’s not fair.” Christi began to beg.

 “Life isn’t fair,” I said turning towards the blonde.

 Jane took a deep breath. She was pretty quick. “Will you give us some time before you make us do this?”

 I smiled. She was catching onto what I wanted from them. “Sure. But not enough time to let that stuff drip off you onto this floor.”

 Jane took a deep breath. “Christi? Honey?”

 Christi looked over at her fellow captive a look of questioning on her face. Jane stuck out her tongue in response, slowly and seductively licking the syrup form around her own mouth.

 “You are joking.”

 “You think he’s joking? That’s what he wants.”

 “Oh God. Please no.”

 Jane just moved on her knees towards Christi. She bent her face towards her shoulder and slowly used her tongue to lap up the syrup that had coated the surface. Christi knelt and closed her eyes. I settled back into my chair to watch the women. Christi with a sigh, settled herself back onto the tile. Her bound hands beneath her. Jane gave me a withering look but began her slow task of licking at the pools of syrup that coated Christi’s body. Her tongue traced along Christi’s face, the hollow of her chest, her bare breasts, her hips, her belly button. Christi being ticklish squirmed deliciously, but allowed Jane to lick up as much of the excess syrup as she could. These girls were going to be completely sick of the taste of the sweet stuff by the time they were done. Jane even had to lick at Christi’s bare toes causing Christi to gasp uncontrollably.

 I got to my feet and quickly walked upstairs, leaving Jane to her task. The shower was still running as I walked into the bathroom.

 “Just about done in there?” I asked to a chorus of squeals.

 “We’re just about done. Do you have any idea how hard it is to get syrup out of long hair?” Elizabeth asked, poking her head around the shower doors. “I had to have Amy wash my hair four times.”

 “It gets harder when the water is cold.” I opened the door a bit and reached in, shutting off the hot water. Whoever was under the spray, Amy I think, screamed as the cold water hit her body. The girls scrambled out of the spray.

 “Amy?”

 “Y-yes sir?” she responded from where she was pressed up against the other two girls, shivering.

 “Under the spray. A full two minutes.”

 “Please no. I’m rinsed. I’m clean.”

 “Two minutes. You want five?”

 She gingerly stepped forward, gasping as the cold water hit her bare feet.

 “Please?”

 I shook my head and she took a deep breath. She screamed as she threw her unprotected body under the freezing spray. I glanced at my watch and tried to ignore her begging as she stood under the water. After two minutes I touched her. She was dancing under the water trying to warm herself.

 “Thank God,” she whispered as she emerged dripping from the shower. Her teeth were chattering and she hugged herself as she stepped out. I handed her a towel and she immediately wrapped it around herself, trying to get the cold water off her body.

 I motioned for Elizabeth to do the same thing. She threw me a pleading glance, but stepped under the spray. She screeched as well as the cold water hit her. I forced her to stand under it for two full minutes and then allowed her a towel. I had to ignore her begging and pleading. She too was shivering as she stepped out of the shower.

 “You bastard,” she hissed at me as she emerged. Her nipples had contracted to tiny hard points under the freezing cold spray.

 Sheila simply stepped under the spray without any hesitation or sounds. She was shivering, but stood still while the cold water cascaded over her bare body. When I allowed her out from under the water, she daintily stepped out, hugging herself and shivering. I let her have a towel.

 Amy couldn’t contain her curiousity. “You didn’t scream?”

 “I’m used it,” Sheila explained. “Evan didn’t have hot water in my shower at all. It’s cold, but I guess I’m just used to it. I had to shower. He. He would have been rougher with me if I’d been dirty.”

 “Alright. Dry off. Warm up. And wait for me in the bedroom.”

 Sheila touched my shoulder as I turned to leave. “Master? I. I feel a lot better today. Do. Do you want me to put on make up.”

 “If you feel alright.” Her bruises had reduced a great deal. Her face was almost back to normal. Her side still looked tender though.

 “I’ll put some on. Maybe Elizabeth can help me.”

 I nodded and exited the bathroom. Elizabeth and Amy were fighting over the hair drier again as I left. I was sure that they’d be done and waiting for me by the time I was done with Christi and Jane.

 When I reentered the kitchen, Jane had turned over Christi and was licking at her shoulder blades. Christi looked a lot cleaner. At least enough to be able to crawl without too much danger of dripping.

 “Ladies?”

 They looked up at me.

 “I hope you are enjoying Jane’s mouth, Christi?”

 “It feels alright,” she answered back. “Better than a whipping.”

 “Did she do your breasts?”

 “Yes.” Christi flushed a little. It was harder to tell with Jane, syrup was still all over her face.

 “That’s good, because you both have to climax before I take you upstairs.”

 “You’re kidding.”

 I shook my head and settled back to watch.

 Jane spoke. “God. I don’t think I can use my tongue much longer.”

 Christi struggled to her knees. “Let me, then.”

 With the words, Jane lay back on the tile and let Christi use her tongue to clean the syrup from her body. I watched, fascinated as Christi once again used her tongue on another woman. Jane flushed as Christi was forced to circle her nipples with her tongue. Gasping. Finally, before moving down to clean Jane’s legs, Christi dipped between Jane’s legs, urging her thighs apart.

 “May as well get this part over with while I’m here.”

 Jane nodded, knowing to protest was useless. I watched as Jane closed her eyes and concentrated on whatever her fantasy was. Christi’s tongue darted between her folds, finding her clit and finding her rhythm. Soon Jane was lost in pleasure, moaning and completely unaware that I was watching her make love with another woman. The seventeen year old cried out as she climaxed, arching, screaming, and finally panting as she finished.

 “I’m done. Christi, sweety, I’m done.”

 Christi looked up. Curious. “How was it?”

 “Good. God did that feel good.”

 “I have to finish your legs, okay?”

 Jane nodded, lying her head back, her matted hair sticking to the floor behind her. Christi continued to lick her way down Jane’s thighs and calves slowly cleaning the excess syrup from her. She took more care around the knees, knowing that they’d be crawling and I’d be looking for any excuse to punish them. Finally she licked the excess from Jane’s bare feet and knelt up.

 Jane struggled to her knees. I looked at the women.

 “Christi needs to climax as well.”

 “Please no. You know I don’t want to. I. I’ll do whatever you want but that.”

 “You’ll whip her for me?”

 “Please no. I. I’ll do what you want. I can’t whip her.” Christi began to lower herself back to the floor, cringing at her state, her stickiness, the floor.

 Jane looked pleadingly at me, but bent to her task. She quickly lowered her head between Christi’s thighs and began to pleasure the other woman. The blonde closed her eyes and began to concentrate on the sensations between her legs. Jane’s tongue wasn’t as experienced as Christi’s was, but Christi was soon moaning anyway. It had been a while since I’d allowed them any relief. Either one of them.

 “Beg Jane to let you climax.”

 “What?” Christi’s eyes opened wide, uncomprehending.

 “Beg Jane for a climax. I don’t want you fantasizing that it’s a guy down there. It’s Jane. A woman. Beg her for your orgasm. Call her a slut.”

 “You must be joking. I can’t.”

 “Would you rather be hog-tied all day, right where you are now? Or perhaps you’d prefer to be bound into a chair with Jane licking you for hours?”

 “Oh God no. Please don’t make me do this.”

 Jane had not stopped her ministrations while I was talking to Christi. Christi moaned as the sensations of Jane’s tongue made their way to her brain.

 “Alright. You don’t have to do it. But you may as well get the rope now.”

 “Oh God. Okay.” She closed her eyes. “Please let me climax.”

 It sounded very flat. I crouched beside Christi and began to pinch her nipples. She cried out as the pressure became painful for her.

 “Ahhh. Please stop. It hurts.”

 “Beg her. Use her name.”

 “Alright. Alright. Just stop.”

 I released her and forced her to lick at my fingertips that had picked up a light coating of syrup from her nipples. When my fingers were clean, Christi took a deep breath, unable to continue whatever her fantasy was. “Please, Jane? Use your soft tongue. Make me scream. Let me climax. Oh God. I can’t do this. Please?”

 I returned to my chair watching the girls.

 “Oh God. I’m sorry Jane. Use you tongue on my pussy, slut. Make me cum for our Master. Oh God. Make me scream.”

 At the last words Christi exploded to Jane’s tongue. Her body arched and she bucked against her bonds. She cried out as she climaxed. Her head fell to the side, whispering Jane’s name.

 As she fell over the edge, Jane rocked back on her knees, finished her task. She worked her tongue around in her mouth, working out the cramps, perhaps trying to lose the sweet taste of the syrup and Christi.

 I let Christi recover for a few minutes before ordering her to her knees.

 I released both girl’s hands and forced them to their hands and knees. They complied, too exhausted and dirty to care. I carefully poured a last bit of syrup onto their insteps. I indicated that they should lift their feet slightly to ensure that they didn’t spill any. I was going to force them to lick it off later.

 The two girls remained on the floor as I rose to my feet. Their dirty hair hung in matted braids beside their faces. Their still sticky bare breasts hung beneath their bodies. Their bare feet raised, their soles stained with the syrup.

 “You two ready for the shower?”

 “Please?” Jane and Christi both whispered. They hadn’t been up more than two hours and already I’d put them through a grueling torment.

 I watched as their nude bodies fell into an awkward crawling motion. I held doors for them as they slowly and painfully made their way, the long way, through the house. They had a lot of trouble with the stairs, but I forced them to remain on their hands and knees despite their groans and begging to be let up. They looked like a pair of gorgeous abused females as they obeyed my directions. I wished I had a camera to capture the sight of them as they crawled. Miserable.

 Finally we made it to the bathroom. Elizabeth, Sheila and Amy were long gone. Presumably, they were waiting as ordered in the master bedroom.

 “Knees,” I ordered the miserable girls on the floor. They automatically found their way to their knees. Their sticky hands resting easily on their thighs. “Thighs apart.”

 They complied, sliding their knees apart and exposing themselves for me. They seemed a little surprised at the order. I usually let them kneel a little more modestly. I sat on the edge of the bathtub and just looked at them. They did look pathetic and I almost felt sorry for them. Just two naked, syrup encrusted women trying to make the best of a terrible situation. I don’t know how they did it. Stayed sane. They looked so sexy kneeling there for me.

 I spoke to them gently. “You two have been really good today so far. I’m surprised. No complaints. Good obedience. I’m going to take a quick shower, if you are in exactly this same position when I get out, I’ll let you take a long hot shower together. And you’ll get a pleasant surprise when you get out. Alright?”

 They both nodded. I was sure that they wouldn’t move an inch from those positions. I suspect the only thing on their minds was to get into this shower and wash the remainder of the syrup from their bodies. They waited as they had to.

  

 Chapter 107

 I slipped out of my clothing and placed it on the counter. Christi followed my movement with her eyes, probably wishing for her clothes back. I stepped into the shower and turned it on very hot. I scrubbed myself. I knew that I could have forced Christi and Jane in here with me, but for once, I just wanted to shower and get back to my plans for the day. I finished quickly, rinsed and turned off the shower. I stepped out to find the girls exactly as I’d left them. Kneeling and sticky gazing wistfully at the shower. Jane was really restraining herself. All her instincts were screaming at her to be a normal girl and just jump into the shower, turning on the wonderful warm spray. But she knew that she couldn’t without my permission.

 “Ladies? Remember that small amount of syrup I put on your feet before we left the kitchen?”

 They nodded unhappily.

 “Time to clean it off. You know the drill.”

 Resigned, Christi rose up on her knees. The upturned bottom of her feet still were covered in the syrup. Jane sighed and bent herself down, supporting herself with her hands. Her tongue snaked out and she daintily licked up the other woman’s soles. Christi squirmed at the sensations, but managed to keep still enough to allow Jane to finish. The sight was exceptionally arousing. I didn’t know how much longer I was going to be able to hold out before using one of the girls.

 Jane and Christi reversed positions, Jane allowing Christi to lick the syrup off her feet. She finished and looked up at me from her hands and knees.

 Jane touched her hair again and spoke. “Please. God. Please can we shower? Master? Please?”

 I nodded and the girls just about tripped over one another scrambling to their bare feet. They were in the shower and gasping beneath the spray before I finished dressing.

 I left them to wash each other and wandered out into the hallway towards the master bedroom.

 I peeked into the master bedroom where the three girls were kneeling on the floor and quietly talking. They hushed as Elizabeth noticed my presence. She looked up at me expectantly. I just gazed in at them, three young women, glowing from their shower, kneeling for me.

 Without a word, I carefully shut the door on their confused faces and walked back down to the dining room. I picked up the clothes laid out so carefully on the table from the previous night. Pursing my lips, I draped the fabric over my arm, the fabric of the evening gown sensual, the jeans and sweater a bit harsher against my skin. I reminded myself that I could always make them strip for me, and made my decision.

 I made my way upstairs and silently entered the bathroom. The girls were still splashing in the shower. I carefully laid the clothing down on the counter for them and breathed in the smell of the steam and the soap.

 “God, that was awful,” Jane murmured to Christi behind the shower curtain. I smiled.

 “You’ll never get it all off me. Christ. I’ll never eat syrup again as long as I live. I swear it.”

 “Quit squirming, I can’t get your hair clean if you keep moving around like a monkey.”

 “We have to get clean and quick. I wonder what his problem is today. He was so nice to us last night.”

 “I don’t know. I’m not sure he ever really has a reason. Am I done?”

 “Hell no. I’m going to have to wash you again. Jesus, you’re sticky.”

 “You think we can rinse with warm water? He didn’t let the others.”

 “I guess not. I can go beg him, once I’m clean.”

 “He’ll punish you for leaving the shower.”

 “I know. But, I want a hot rinse.”

 “How would he know?”

 “He’ll know.”

 I smiled to myself. Truthfully, I had no idea if they followed my instructions when out of sight. For all I knew they could have used the shower individually and rinsed any way they chose. But there was always the chance that I’d sneak in when they didn’t know I was there and find out. Then there would be hell to pay. I almost just left then, interested what they’d come up with on the cold rinse problem on their own, but as I was leaving the bathroom I decided to give them a break. It would reinforce that I could listen anytime I wanted. Their privacy was nil.

 “Girls?”

 They both screamed as the unexpected voice registered with them, surprising them.

 “God, you scared us.” Christi managed to speak from behind the shower stall.

 “Doing something you shouldn’t?”

 “No, master, just showering like ordered,” Jane replied. “Please, Master ...”

 “No questions, girls,” I cut her off before she could ask the rinse question.

 “Yes, sir,” Jane replied quietly, knowing that she would have to risk punishment no matter what they decided to do. It would be easy for me to tell what the temperature of their final moments in the shower were. Amy had been ice cold for at least ten minutes after suffering the cold spray.

 I turned to leave smiling at their discomfort.

 “Warm water is fine for rinsing.” I said over my shoulder as I turned away from the bathroom.

 “Thank-you, sir. Thank-you,” I heard Jane’s voice calling softly from behind the stall.

 I smiled and returned to the bedroom. The girls were still kneeling and they all turned towards me as I pushed open the door. They all remained silent as I plopped onto the bed.

 “Talking about me?”

 Elizabeth nodded while the other two shook their heads.

 “Elizabeth? You were talking about me and the other’s weren’t?”

 She paled, realizing their mistake. “No, sir. I. I got confused. It’s. It’s just that I’m still not used to being here.”

 “After all this time?”

 “No. You never quite get used to being nude and subservient all the time.”

 “So you were talking about me?”

 “Yes. I mean no.”

 “Elizabeth. Calm. I’m not going to punish anyone for talking about me. Doesn’t really matter. I’m not even going to ask what you were calling me.”

 “Yes,” she finally replied. Beaten. She knew that I knew.

 “Good. Now, how’d you like your morning? Your breakfast?”

 “Truthfully?”

 I nodded.

 “I can’t speak for everyone, but the pancakes were wonderful. I could have done without the syrup shower, though.”

 “So you didn’t like the syrup?”

 “You have no idea how icky that was.”

 “Hmmm. I’ll have to keep that in mind.”

 “Please not again. We’ve been good girls, haven’t we? We even let you do that without a single complaint.”

 “Well, you are all nice and clean now. I’m not about to spoil it.”

 All the girls looked relieved. I lay back into the pillows and closed my eyes.

 “Sir?” Sheila hesitantly raised her voice.

 I opened my eyes and stared at her. I’d never seen her like this. Her face had on light make-up and her hair was brushed out around her shoulders. Except for the bruise on her left side, she was radiant. I could see that her side was still causing her discomfort, but she was bearing it well.

 “I just wanted to know what you wanted us to do,” she asked meekly.

 “Just kneel there and look pretty.”

 She looked down and swallowed, a bit embarrassed still that she had to follow orders like that. The girls remained silent for the next five minutes. Finally I rose up onto one elbow and gazed back at them. All of them lowered their eyes, knowing that something was finally up. On one hand the waiting was over, on the other, whatever was planned for them they weren’t likely to enjoy.

 “Amy?”

 “Yes, sir.”

 “To your feet.”

 The girl struggled to rise to her bare feet. She stood uncertainly looking at me on the bed. Not sure what was expected of her, knowing that she would do it. Whatever it was.

 “Drag that chair out into the middle of the floor.”

 Sheila and Elizabeth shifted on their knees to allow Amy to place the chair approximately where they were kneeling. It was the straight-backed desk chair that Gertrude used as a cosmetic seat, the same chair that I had sat on so often comforting the women when they were stuck in the bed. Amy placed it and then went to sit. Realizing that I hadn’t told her to sit, she caught herself before lowering and simply stood at the side with her hands at her hips.

 “You can sit.”

 “I don’t mind standing.”

 “Sit.”

 She paled a bit and lowered herself into the chair, crossing her legs modestly, facing me, hands demurely in her lap. The bondage pack was lying on the ground by the side of the bed. Normally, I’d wait for Jane, her being a better knot tyer than I, but I wanted to feel Amy’s silky skin as I bound her into the chair.

 I reached for the bag, pulling some soft cord from it.

 “You don’t need to tie me up, you know,” Amy implored quietly.

 “I know I don’t, sweety. But I want to, this time. I’ll try not to make it too uncomfortable.”

 “Being restrained is uncomfortable. I’ll do whatever you want without it. I’ve learned my lesson.”

 “Hush, sweety. I don’t want to gag you as well, but I will. What I want is your pretty body tied into that chair. It isn’t a punishment. I’m not going to hurt you beyond putting rope on you. Okay?”

 She mutely nodded, tears rising unbidden to her eyes. Her helplessness was still coming home to her. She knew that I would do with her as I pleased. It didn’t matter what she wanted. She was fighting every urge in her body not to simply rise out of that chair and run. There was so little stopping her. And yet she knew that she had to sit there, nude and vulnerable, and let me tie her up. Like it or not. Reason or not.

 I lifted myself off the bed and crouched beside her chair. The other two girls just waited quietly on their knees, happy that it wasn’t them being bound.

 I touched her wrist gently, guiding it to the back of the chair. Her skin was silken from the long shower she has just taken. She smelled of spring flowers. That scent that is so uniquely female mixed with the flowers, intoxicating. I almost regretted what I was about to do to this creature.

 I fought back my urge to let her be, and carefully bound her small wrist to the back support, lashing it in place. I was careful not to obstruct her circulation, she could be sitting here for a while. I repeated the procedure on her right wrist. I stepped back and watched as she unconsciously pulled at her trapped wrists, tears still falling slowly down her face. She didn’t have a clue what was going to happen to her while she was unable to stop anything.

 I knelt at her feet. Her legs were still crossed. I touched her delicate ankle and she closed her eyes, letting her legs fall apart towards the chair legs, knowing I was going to tie her legs apart as well. I carefully moved her bare feet to the outside of the chair legs and lashed them in place. Again, she pulled at the bonds, but knew that she was stuck there until I freed her. She squirmed, but didn’t offer up any complaints as I bound her knees to the chair arms and placed cord above and below her bare breasts, accentuating them and securing her back into the chair.

 I pulled at her ropes gently, and satisfied, I returned to the soft bed. She continued to weep quietly in her chair as I watched her. Finally she lifted her eyes to look at me with pleading there. She spoke softly.

 “Sir? Please? If you don’t want me to speak just tell me, I really don’t want to be gagged.” She paused, waiting for a moment to give me time to chastise her. I didn’t. I could see the vulnerability in her wet eyes. She knew what she was wide open and helpless, and it frightened her. None of the girls knew what they were in for this morning. I’d been very unpredictable. She continued her plea, “I. I don’t want to be tied. I’ll do whatever you want. I’ll fuck ... I mean you can rape me. I. I don’t mind. I’ll kneel all day for you. Please don’t hurt me. I haven’t done anything.”

 “Let’s see now. What have you done this morning? You spilt syrup. You spoke without permission. You tried to get out of a cold shower. You screamed under the cold water. You lied about whether you were talking about me earlier. And you are pleading now, even though I warned you that I wanted you to hush. I think I’ve been rather tolerant of you, so far.”

 She paled, not having any idea that she had made so many mistakes in one morning. But I wasn’t punishing her. I was just pointing out that she wasn’t as innocent as she was making out. Truthfully, I was being rather unfair, and I knew it. Most of the things I’d mentioned didn’t bother me at all, and in some cases were hardly her fault. But she also knew better than to question such unfairness. She wasn’t in any position to question it.

 “Oh God. Please don’t hurt me. I. I don’t want to be hurt. I’ll do anything to make it up to you. I can be good. I will be good. I’ll try harder. Please. Oh God. Please.”

 Even the other women had paled here, realizing that they were just as guilty of the perceived disobedience that Amy was.

 “Shush,” I said to her kindly. “Amy, darling, I’m not punishing you. You are not tied to that chair as a punishment. It might be a little uncomfortable, but I have no intention of hurting you yet.”

 Amy struggled to keep her tongue, wanting to beg, wanting out. Frightened. I watched fascinated as the emotions and the tears fell across her face.

 I took a breath and looked over at the other two girls, evaluating. I made my decision.

 “Elizabeth?”

 She was still pale but answered automatically.

 “Yes, sir?”

 “I’m interested in seeing a girl-girl scene.”

 “Oh God. Please no.”

 “Are you refusing?”

 She swallowed and took a deep breath. “I don’t know. Please. I’m clean. I. Please don’t make me. I can’t. She’s upset. I’ll do anything else. Wouldn’t you rather have me?”

 I looked at her quizzically. She hadn’t been one to refuse anything. I mentally stepped back and approached from a different angle. Perhaps she was just begging, but her voice had that edge to it. She might dig in her heels on this one. Why, I couldn’t fathom. It wasn’t like I was going to whip her while she licked Amy or anything. This should have been easy.

 “Elizabeth, I’m ordering you to lick Amy between her legs. I don’t care if she orgasms or not, I just want to see you do it.”

 “Oh God. Please. No. I can’t.”

 Amy whispered from her chair. “Elizabeth, come on. You have to. I don’t mind.”

 I turned to Amy. “Haven’t you said enough?” I asked her quietly but with some menace. Amy’s mouth snapped shut, and she struggled with her ropes a bit then quieted. Afraid of being gagged.

 “Elizabeth?”

 “Oh God. Please. I’ve let you pour shit on me. I’ve placed myself under a freezing cold shower for you. I’ve crawled for you. I’ve done everything you fucking asked. Please, don’t make me do this. Not to her. I’ll do you. I’ll let you tie me up all day again. I’ll crawl on my hands and knees all day for you. I’ll switch places with her. I’ll let you have all of them lick me. You can rape me. But please. Not Amy. Don’t make me do this.”

 Her face was getting redder and she was beginning to panic. For some reason she didn’t want to make love to this girl. I guess I couldn’t blame her. For some reason it had stuck in her mind as something worth fighting about. It wasn’t and she was going to discover that the hard way.

 I considered. “Alright. I won’t make you lick Amy right now. But you realize that you’ve earned yourself a punishment.”

 Elizabeth paled and swallowed heavily. “Yes, sir. I realize that. Thank-you.” She looked relieved. She wouldn’t be relieved for long, but for now she thought that she’d had some control over her fate.

 I turned to Sheila who was kneeling quietly, watching in fascination, on the other side of Amy’s bound body. As she noticed the attention shifting to her, she looked up at me.

 “Mayer made me do women. I’ve done it before. I’ll do it,” she said reluctantly. “What are you going to do to her?” Meaning Elizabeth.

 “Telling would ruin the surprise.”

 “Don’t hurt her, okay? You’ll get your girl-girl sex. You don’t need to hurt her.”

 I nodded, though I had every intention of hurting her. Until she begged to lick Amy.

 I watched as Sheila reluctantly shuffled forward on her knees and placed her hands atop Amy’s bare knees. She took a deep breath and spoke to the girl that she’d only met recently.

 “Amy, sweety. I want to be clear on this, before I start. I know you can’t talk. I know you don’t want this any more than I do. But I have to do it. I don’t want to see you punished, or me punished because of this. It’s just skin. I know you understand, but I just wanted to be clear. Its. It’s the first time we’ve been together. Alright? I don’t mind if you don’t.”

 Amy nodded through her tears and braced herself. I hadn’t ordered her to enjoy the sensations, and she realized that. She closed her eyes and sort of turned her head away as much as she could, as Sheila slowly lowered her head between the widely stretched thighs. I heard a moan from both women as Sheila’s tongue began its exploration of Amy.

  

 Chapter 108

 I turned away from Sheila and Amy briefly to turn my gaze to Elizabeth. The woman was still on her knees watching Sheila perform the task she was rightfully her’s.

 “Elizabeth?”

 She turned towards my voice, fright plastered across her features. I motioned for her to approach the bed. She swallowed, and shuffled forward on her bare knees, probably frightened of increasing her punishment by rising to her feet.

 “Please sir. This slave begs forgiveness.”

 I touched her bare shoulder, indicating that she should rise to the bed. She did, sitting on the edge, looking in fear at my face. I could still hear Amy and Sheila’s small noises as they had sex, but I tried to ignore it, having to deal with this woman in front of me first.

 “Kneel.” Elizabeth hastened to obey, bringing her legs up onto the bed and kneeling demurely beside me. When she saw me pick up the handcuffs from the bedside table, she gave be a look of pleading, but allowed me to cuff her wrists behind her back. She didn’t even ask why, knowing the reason.

 “Come lie down with me.”

 She struggled with her hands pinned behind her, finally stretching her bare body out with her back against me. Her bound hands reached for my groin, but I stopped her. She turned her head as much as she could, confused.

 “Why, Elizabeth?”

 “Why do I want to touch you?” A note of incredulity crept into her voice.

 My eyes had returned to the view of Sheila slowly licking at Amy’s pussy in front of me. Amy was pulling at her ropes, eyes closed. Concentrating. I wasn’t sure if she was concentrating on Sheila’s sensations or on trying to ignore them. It wasn’t like I’d ordered either female to enjoy it or climax.

 Still watching the girls having forced sex in front of me, I wrapped my arms around Elizabeth, letting my hands idly brush at her nipples. She gasped as she realized what I was doing, but finally just relaxed, knowing that if I wanted to touch her, I would. If I was going to put her in pain, I would. Nothing she could do about it.

 “Why wouldn’t you do what Sheila is doing? You knew you’d be punished.”

 She paled, I could see it from where I was lying. “Please, sir. I. I don’t know. Normally I would have. I swear it. But. I don’t know. I’m tired. And I’m tired of having to listen to you. And I didn’t feel like making love to another woman.”

 “It’s going to be worse. Your punishment.”

 “I know. God. I’m hoping I can make you forget about that.” I felt her finger tips find me through my jeans. “There are nicer things that I could do for you rather than punish me.”

 “Elizabeth. Stop. You are getting punished whether you play or not. Right now, I just want to watch the two beautiful women in front of us and find out why you disobeyed.” I carefully pinched her erect nipples making her cry out a little. Amy opened her eyes, seeing me fondling Elizabeth. She moaned again and closed her eyes.

 He hands stopped their probing behind her with the pain in her breasts. She tacitly understood that she wasn’t to play with me. For the second time today, I wondered if I was complete moron.

 “Please, sir. I’ll be good. I swear it. I’m sorry.”

 “I don’t understand. Did you want a punishment?”

 “No sir. I. I just didn’t want to lick Amy. Badly enough to risk a punishment. I. God. I’m so fucking tired of being a slave. Having to lie here naked and handcuffed, not being able to stop you from caressing my skin, not being able to stop you from hurting me. Not being allowed clothing. You have no idea what it’s like. Never knowing. Being punished because I didn’t want to have sex. I’d give you all the sex you want. Willingly. Why do you want me to make love to another woman, when you know I’m straight?” Tears were falling from her eyes as she spoke.

 “It excites me.”

 “Of course it does. We’re not even human to you anymore, are we? I’m a person down here. I have a will. I hurt, and cry. Remember? I can choose who I’m with, can’t I?”

 “Not in this timeline. I choose for you. And I know you hurt. That’s why you are supposed to listen to orders.” I pinched her again, letting her know I was still there. She cried out again and squirmed in my arms. All the instincts in her body telling her to get up and stop this. She fought them down, knowing that it would just increase her discomfort later.

 “Please. I know. I know. I’ll do what you want. I’ll take Sheila’s place. I don’t want to be hurt. I. I’m frightened.”

 “Change your mind?”

 “Yes. Yes. Please stop pinching me. Oh God.”

 The two women had stopped at Elizabeth’s cries of pain. I glanced over at them and Sheila quickly bent back to her task, slurping noises came from the chair.

 “Elizabeth, I’m afraid it’s far too late. I can’t let you get away with outright disobedience anymore than I’d let any of the girls get away with it. Whether you lick her now or not, I’m going to punish you.”

 “Oh God.” She closed her eyes and tried not to think about what I might have planned for her. I continued to lightly brush at her nipples and watch Amy and Sheila. Amy’s breathing had significantly increased since Sheila had begun.

 Elizabeth fell in and out of soft sobbing as I played with her body. Eventually I stopped touching her as Christi and Jane walked into the room. I was surprised to see that they were both unclothed. Their clothing was draped over their arms. As soon as they entered the room they both dropped to their knees.

 They were both stunning, as usual. After a shower, these girls absolutely glowed. Their hair shone, their finger and toe nails were both bright pink. Their faces had light make-up.

 “Why aren’t you dressed?” I asked Jane.

 She swallowed her pride and replied, “This slave was unsure whether she was allowed to dress. I. She knows that her clothes were in the bathroom, but she also knows the penalty for dressing without permission. Master had not given her explicit permission. She really doesn’t want to be covered in syrup again. Please let her dress. Please?”

 I smiled at that. I thought I’d been clear that they should dress by just laying out the clothes. They were obviously hoping to dress, but decided to play it safe. Smart girls.

 I nodded, pleased at them. “Go on. Get dressed.”

 Smiles broke out on their faces and they looked positively radiant as they pulled the clothing over their nudity. Jane adjusted the garment around herself and knelt quickly. It took Christi a bit longer to get into her sweater and jeans, her fingers still playing at the top button of the jeans as she, too, knelt for me.

 I could see that they were dying to ask about the two girls having sex, but held their tongues. I made them stay on their knees for a few minutes just watching the naked women making love in the chair. Amy was almost certainly getting flustered in her ropes. Her nipples had reacted to the stimulus and she still had her eyes closed. I had no idea how good Sheila was, but apparently she was fairly good. Perhaps I’d have to sample her mouth soon as well.

 I tore my gaze away from Amy and Sheila and addressed Jane and Christi as though Elizabeth wasn’t in my arms.

 “Elizabeth has already earned herself a punishment.”

 “Oh Liz,” Christi sighed. “What did she do? If I’m allowed to ask.”

 “She was supposed to be where Sheila is.”

 “Elizabeth, honey. You know he’ll make you do it anyway.”

 “I. I know,” the girl whispered in my arms.

 I released the nude woman in my arms. “Kneel.”

 She scrambled to obey, already afraid of her punishment that she’d been unable to avoid so far. I gazed into her soft face, brushing at her hair that curled around her face.

 “Now, Elizabeth, you get an extra torment.”

 She just hung her head, not wanting to know. Not even knowing what brought this latest torment on.

 “You get to choose a girl to join you in your punishment. We don’t want you to suffer alone, now do we?”

 She looked up in horror, realizing what I was asking of her.

 “Oh God. Please no. Just me. Don’t punish anyone else. God. They haven’t done anything.”

 “I have half a mind to just punish two of the others and make you watch what you caused.”

 “Oh God. You bastard. You can’t do that.”

 “Actually, I can. But I think it would be much more effective if I punish two girls with you being one of them.”

 Tears began to run down her face. “Oh no. Please no. I’ll take whatever you want. Just punish me. Twice if you have to. They don’t deserve it. It was me. Not them. Please, have some pity. They’ll hate me. Oh God ...” she broke down to sobs at this point, her hands softly fighting the restraints on her. Wanting to strike out at me, but unable. I let her cry for a while until she calmed a bit.

 “Elizabeth, you should think about these things before disobeying.”

 “Jesus Christ. It’s not fair. We. I. Please. What can I do to stop this? I’ll be good. I’ll beg to have sex with Amy. All of them. Anything. You don’t need to punish anyone else. Oh God. We’re not animals. We’re people. Please. We all have feelings. I don’t like it, but I’ll let you punish me. Even that’s not fair. All I wanted was to be free. I just didn’t want to have sex with Amy. That’s not that unreasonable. I. Please. Not anyone else. I’ll do what you want.” Her tears were falling uncontrollably down her soft face.

 “I want you to choose someone else to join you. If you don’t choose, I’ll pick for you, and all five of you will get punished. Or I’ll punish you until you pick someone.”

 “Oh God. I can’t. I can’t.”

 “I’ll make it easier on you. I don’t want to untie Amy, and Sheila really isn’t ready for the punishment I have in mind for you. So that just leaves either Christi or Jane.” Both girls shifted uneasily on the floor, but knew that one of them was getting punished, essentially for nothing. But they’d accept it easier than Elizabeth was going to have a time choosing.

 “You are such a bastard.”

 Jane spoke up quietly from the floor. “Elizabeth, honey. Listen to him. Choose one of us and get it over with. It’s going to happen anyway, and we’re not going to hate you, no matter who you choose. We know who’s hurting us and it isn’t you. Relax. Pick me. I don’t mind.”

 Christi swallowed hard and spoke in a small voice as well. “Elizabeth, sweety. I don’t mind either.”

 Elizabeth looked up miserably at me, tears rolling down her face.

 “I can’t,” she cried pitifully towards me. “Please don’t make me do this. They’re the only friends I have.”

 “Elizabeth, would you rather I crop your breasts?”

 She hung her head and nodded.

 “You realize that I’ll crop them until you decide.”

 She nodded again miserably.

 Jane lowered her head and spoke softly. “Please, Elizabeth, you don’t have to go through that. I’ll do it. I’ll be your punishment partner. Please.”

 Elizabeth looked up and thrust her chest out towards me.

 “Elizabeth, you don’t want to do this.”

 “I’ll hold still. Maybe this will lessen what comes later.”

 “It won’t.”

 “I’ll chance it. Can a slave scream?”

 “You’re not going to be able to hold it in. I promise you.”

 She tried to control her fear and her tears, her hands weakly pulling at the steel behind her.

 “Christi? Can you get the crop for me?”

 “Please no. You don’t have to do this. Elizabeth, please. For us. We don’t want to watch this. Just choose one of us. We don’t mind. Honestly.”

 Elizabeth just shook her head. Seeing this, Christi sighed heavily, trying to control her own tears and retrieved the crop from the pack. As she approached she still tried to avoid this.

 “Elizabeth, please.”

 “Christi, I can’t.”

 “You will anyway. Just pick one of us. Now. Your breasts. It’s going to hurt.”

 I held out my hand. I watched as Christi seriously considered slicing my hand with the crop, but thought better of it. She placed it gently in my hand and glumly turned herself away. She padded back to her spot on her bare feet and knelt, her clothes rustling as she moved. If Elizabeth picked Christi, she was going to lose those clothes and she knew it.

 “Ready?” I whispered to Elizabeth.

 She nodded, holding her breath. I glanced over to Sheila and Amy. They had stopped again, and were watching the show with Elizabeth in morbid fascination. Softly I spoke to them. “You two girls want to feel this thing too?”

 Sheila paled and dove back to her task. Within moments, the two girls were moaning again, though I don’t really know if it was in ecstasy or humiliation. I’d put my money on humiliation.

 Without any further warning I brought the riding crop down vertically against Elizabeth’s right breast. It danced crazily on her chest and a red mark almost immediately formed beside her nipple. It took a moment for the pain of the blow to register to her brain, and she just knelt calmly until it hit. Her face screwed itself up in a mask of agony, but she clenched her teeth around it and bore it somehow without crying out. I watched as both Christi and Jane cringed at the sound of the blow. I had held back so that I was on the border of breaking the girl’s skin. She would hurt for a long time, but it wouldn’t last beyond a few hours.

 “Choose?”

 She shook her head, this time real fear entering her eyes as she knelt there unable to protect herself from the pain. I let another fall just as hard beside her right nipple, careful not to hit her sensitive nub. This time the pain hit her faster and she gasped in a breath. Her breath came in short bursts, like a woman in labour, trying to ease the stripe of raw pain burning down her breasts.

 “Elizabeth, choose.”

 “I can’t.”

 “You can. The next one is across the nipples.”

 “Oh God. I can’t. Please don’t make me do this. Please stop.”

 I sighed and carefully lined up the next blow. To her credit she knelt still even knowing where the next one was going to land. She wouldn’t be able to take much of this. She didn’t flinch as the crop lashed across her vulnerable nipples.

 “Ahhhhhhhhhhh. Shit. Oh God. It hurts. Please no more. I can’t. Can’t you see that. I can’t. Ow. Ow. Ow. Owie. Oh God, it hurts. Not there. No more. Please.”

 She had collapsed across the bed to the side, her bare feet kicking weakly, her wrists pulling at their bonds. Anything to cradle her burning breasts and nipples. I let her cry and moan for a few minutes and then got a little impatient.

 “Kneel.”

 “Oh God. I can’t.”

 “You can.”

 She struggled with her body, trying to force it back up to her knees, her hands impeding her progress. I sat back and watched. Next time I was going to have to help her, but for now she still had the strength to do it herself.

 She finally got back to her knees and looked at me miserably through her tears. “Why?” she asked.

 “You know why. Because you won’t choose. Because you are being disobedient.”

 “I’m not a damn dog.”

 “If you are, you’re a damn pretty dog. Please. I don’t want to hit you again for this. Please just choose one.”

 “Think about what you are asking. I can’t. You’re asking me to choose which of two girls are going to be tortured for no reason. I’m not God. Please don’t make me do it. You choose.”

 “We are going to keep this up until you either pass out, or choose. It’s going to hurt.”

 “I know. It hurts already. Believe me, it hurts.”

 I sighed. It was going to take some time to break her. Eventually it was going to hurt so much that just the thought of another stroke across her vulnerable breasts was going to make her choose, but it was going to take a while. She really didn’t want to choose. And I couldn’t blame her. But this was part of her punishment. I wasn’t going to allow her not to choose. I was becoming a battle between her and I. Her will against mine. She was going to lose.

  

 Chapter 109

 She screamed out her pain as I lashed her vulnerable breasts twice in rapid succession. First her left, then her right before she had time to recover from the first blow. I carefully avoided the nipples, but the crop still left angry red welts across her pale breasts. She fell again to the side, trying to curl her bare body up to protect herself. Moaning and rocking. The pain flooding her mind. The only thing she could think of was to avoid another blow. Stop the awful pain.

 I watched Amy and Sheila as Elizabeth fought down her pain on the bed. Finally Elizabeth looked up at me with teary eyes from her lying position and gasped.

 “Oh God. Please no more. I can’t take it any more. It hurts. Christ, it hurts.”

 “I know it does. Are you ready to choose yet?”

 “Oh God. Please no. My tits. My poor tits.”

 “I won’t hit you again if you choose. Jane or Christi? Simple.”

 “You can’t make me do this. I won’t.”

 “Alright. Knees.”

 I watched out of the corner of my eye as Jane’s mouth opened and then shut. She fought with herself while Elizabeth struggled to right herself. Elizabeth collapsed, moaning again into the bed. I had to reach forward to help the crying girl and between the two of us she finally kept her balance on her knees. Moaning.

 “Elizabeth,” Jane finally braved opening her mouth again. “Please. Just choose me and get it over with. I. I want to do it. Okay, honey? Stop this, before you faint. It’s not necessary.”

 Elizabeth closed her eyes. “Janey, I love you. I can’t. Just let me do this my way.”

 “Elizabeth, please. I can’t watch this anymore.” Jane looked up at me with pleading in her eyes. She addressed me, switching back to slave talk. “M-master? Please. You are going to kill her. She can’t take this. Take this slave. Please. She’ll do what you want. She’ll let herself be punished with Slave Elizabeth. Willingly. She can’t choose. You must understand. I’ll do it. Please.”

 I took a deep breath and looked back at Elizabeth, trying to ignore Jane.

 “Elizabeth. The next one is coming across your nipples again.”

 “Oh God. No. No more. Please. I’ll do what you want.” I could see the raw fear in her eyes. The fear of that crop crashing across her nipples again. Afraid that she wouldn’t pass out. She was cringing back now, not bravely thrusting her breasts towards me anymore.

 “You’ll do what I want?”

 “Anything.”

 “You’ll choose a girl to be punished with?”

 “Yes. You bastard. I will.” Her breath was ragged, her striped breasts rising and falling with her efforts at controlling her pain. “Just, for the love of God, quit hitting me. Please.”

 I lay back onto the bed and watched the girl suffer. She closed her eyes and moaned as another residual wave flowed through her body. I glanced back at the nude girls making love on the chair. They looked frightened as well, but continued their ordered activities. Amy pulling at her ropes.

 “Well?” I spoke softly to Elizabeth.

 “I. I don’t deserve this. I just didn’t want to have sex with a woman. Please.”

 “You knew that you were going to be punished.”

 “But it hurts.”

 “Punishments usually do.”

 “But ... you have no idea ... please. I’m a person over here,” she was in tears again.

 “I know you are, Elizabeth. Come on. I don’t want to hurt you anymore. At least not in this pointless game. Pick one and we can move on. Alright?”

 “You are such a god-damn bastard.”

 “Choose.”

 Her voice dropped to a whisper as she turned her head towards Jane and Christi kneeling on the floor in their clothing.

 “I’m so sorry. I wanted to hold out. But it hurts. God it hurts. Janey? Please forgive me. Please?”

 “You’re choosing Jane?”

 “Yes, goddamn you.”

 Jane rose to her bare feet and walked carefully over to the bed. Giving me lots of time to order her back to her knees. I didn’t. Jane carefully embraced the naked woman kneeling on the bed. Both having tears running down their faces. Jane carefully traced Elizabeth’s welts, gently kissing her bare breasts. Nothing sexual, just comfort.

 “We’ll do this together. Okay? Don’t worry about me, just worry about getting yourself through whatever he’s going to do to us. Alright?” Jane whispered to Elizabeth. “Be strong. You can do it.”

 Elizabeth, still sobbing in her pain, just nodded. Underneath, though, she knew that she wasn’t even strong enough to hold off the pain enough not to choose her punishment partner. She wasn’t so sure she could take whatever I had planned for her. But she’d have to.

 I let Jane hold Elizabeth in her arms and slipped off the bed. As I walked over to Christi, Amy began moaning a bit more urgently. My attention riveted to the two women by the chair. Amy had her eyes closed and was pulling against the ropes holding her. I watched fascinated as she did her best to thrust her bound hips towards Sheila’s mouth. Crying out softly. Biting her lip. Finally, she took a deep breath and held it, straining every muscle in her small body against her bondage. She let her breath out in a gasp and a cry as she crashed through an orgasm. Her breathing ragged. Tears running down her face. When she was done, she opened her eyes, flushing bright red as she realized that we’d all witnessed it. Sheila rocked back on her heels, working her tongue through her mouth, working out the cramps.

 I clapped softly. I really hadn’t expected Amy to even enjoy Sheila’s mouth. I had just had them doing it to provide a distraction and reinforce that I could make them do it. Her orgasm was completely unexpected. I suspect that she hadn’t expected it either, judging by her tears and her flush. True, she hadn’t been allowed relief for quite some time. And she had been in erotic situations, including this one. Perhaps she was just super-sensitive or something. Amy blushed even deeper as she heard the soft clapping.

 I tore my eyes away from the heaving bound girl and crouched by Christi. She had some evidence of fright in her eyes, but she was reasonably composed, considering.

 “You didn’t have to do that. What she did wasn’t worth cropping her breasts. And I couldn’t have chosen either. No matter what you did to me. She’s hurt enough. Don’t punish her more. For me? Please?”

 “Christi, I’m almost tempted to listen to you, but she needs it.”

 “She’s not an animal. She’ll do what you want, now. You’ve won. Leave her alone.”

 “She’s not an animal. I know that.”

 “You want to punish her, don’t you?”

 I nodded.

 “God help her. Jane didn’t do anything. Go easier on her. Okay?”

 I nodded. I had no intention of punishing Jane with the same intensity as Elizabeth. Christi was right. Jane hadn’t done anything to deserve her punishment. Truthfully, Elizabeth hadn’t either. I sat silently, just looking at the fine lines of Christi’s face. The others were right, she could easily have been a model.

 She got nervous at my inspection of her.

 “What?”

 I remained silent.

 “You want me to do something, don’t you? Please don’t get me involved in the punishment. I swear, I’ll do anything else. Don’t make me hurt them. Please.”

 “Alright. You can do something else for me.”

 “Oh God. I don’t like it when you get in these moods.”

 “Take Sheila’s place.”

 “You ... you want me to make love to Amy? Please no. Not again.”

 “Would you rather help me with Jane and Elizabeth?”

 “Please. Neither. Tie me to the bed or something while you play. Take me. I want you. I’ll make love to you. You’d like that, wouldn’t you?”

 “I would, but right now, I need you to lick Amy.”

 “God. Alright. If you’ll go easier on Elizabeth and Jane. Please?”

 “Bargaining? Christi, let’s get something straight, okay? You are going to do as I ask, or I will go harder on Jane and Elizabeth.”

 Realizing that her bargaining power was reduced to ashes, Christi’s eyes brimmed with tears.

 “You bastard.”

 I smiled at her. “I won’t kill them. I promise. They might be a bit uncomfortable, but they’ll be alright. They’ve been through worse.”

 “I know. I. I just feel bad for them. As another female.”

 “They’ll be fine. Now, are you going to make love to Amy?”

 “If I must.”

 “You do.”

 Christi’s hands stole to the base of her sweater and she slowly pulled it to her neck. Her whole body was shaking with her soft crying as she did.

 “Christi?”

 She stopped undressing and looked at me with teary eyes.

 “Why are you taking that off?”

 “Don’t I have to be nude to have sex with Amy?”

 “No. You are just licking her. You can keep your clothes on.”

 Her eyes widened as she realized that she wasn’t going to lose her clothes this quickly. A smile almost graced her lips.

 “I want you to keep licking her until I tell you to stop. If she climaxes again, give her a few minutes of break and then continue. I’m going to trust you with this. Okay?”

 “I guess.”

 I rose to my feet and approached Amy. Sheila was still kneeling quietly at Amy’s bound feet. I touched her blonde head and motioned her to sit up on the bed which she did silently. I crouched beside Amy who was still breathing a bit hard from her climax.

 “I wasn’t expecting that, you know.”

 “Neither was I.” Tears were dripping down her face as she realized the enormity of what she had done. Climaxed voluntarily with another woman.

 “Amy. What happened?”

 “I don’t know. I really don’t. I closed my eyes, and it started to feel good. And I haven’t been allowed any relief in days. And I. I guess I got turned on. I’m sorry.”

 “Nothing to be sorry about. I’m impressed that you could do it. Listen. I’m going to have Christi continue where Sheila left off.”

 “Oh God. Please no. I. I don’t want it. No more. I climaxed for you. Please.”

 “Amy. There is precious little you can do about it. Christi is going to be on her knees, right here, and lick you until I tell her to stop. You can enjoy it if you want, or you can hate it. My guess is that hating it will make the time pass a lot slower. Pretend it’s your boyfriend or something.”

 “Why are you doing this to me?”

 “Because I want to think about you in here with Christi licking you. Knowing it is happening.”

 “Oh God. Please.”

 “Up to you, how you deal with it. Okay?”

 “I’m not a lesbian. Oh God. Please. I’ve done everything you want. Please untie me. I don’t want to do this. Please?”

 “Amy, nobody here thinks you are a lesbian. If you were, this wouldn’t be nearly as much fun for me. You are just following orders. Okay?”

 “I can’t make you change your mind?”

 “‘fraid not.”

 She nodded, tears beginning anew as she realized that spread out the way she was, there was absolutely nothing she could do about it. And if she tried, it would just mean punishment.

 “Good girl. Christi?”

 Christi shuffled forward, her jeans whispering on the carpet. Her bare feet, upturned as she moved. She looked up at Amy who turned her face away, flushed and crying.

 “I know, Amy. I don’t particularly want to do this either. But he’ll go easier on Jane and Elizabeth if we behave. Alright? I’m not into girls either. I’ve got it harder on this end. Believe me. Mighty hard to fantasize that I’m doing this to a guy when it’s you I’m licking. Try to enjoy it, alright? It’ll make the time go quicker. I get the feeling we are going to be at this a while.” She turned towards me with a look of sadness. “You are a bastard you know. We’ve been good.”

 “I know, sweety. I’ll give you a long rest after this. Okay?”

 She nodded and placed her fingers lightly on the ropes that held Amy’s knees apart. She sighed heavily and looked up at Amy again.

 “You ready, sweety?”

 “As ready as I can be, I guess,” Amy took a deep breath waiting for the female tongue to touch her bound body.

 Christi leaned forward and hesitantly stuck her tongue between her lips and traced up Amy’s lubricated lower lips. Amy gasped, and Christi moaned at the touch. Given Amy’s look, I wouldn’t be surprised to see her reach another climax eventually. After watching the two women for a few moments, I turned back to the three girls on the bed.

 “You three ready?”

 Elizabeth had managed to stop her crying in Jane’s arms. Jane shook her head negative, but she knew that it wasn’t going to help them.

 Sheila spoke gently from her seat on the bed.

 “Master? Can a slave ask why she is involved in this? She was kind of busy during your explanation.”

 I smiled. She had been busy bringing Amy to her first climax of the day.

 “Sheila. You are going to help me with Jane and Elizabeth.”

 “Doing what?”

 “I find myself having to punish them. Are you going to be alright helping me?”

 “You want me to hurt them? I. I don’t know if I can do that.”

 “I’ll keep my eye on you. If you look like you can’t do it, I’ll decide and get you out. Fair enough?”

 “Yes, sir.”

 “Jane? Come here.”

 Jane squirmed out from beneath Elizabeth and rose to her bare feet to come stand in front of me. I could smell the flowers in her hair from her shampoo. She was still silky clean. Quite a difference from the sticky girl I had created earlier this morning.

 I reached out and fingered the bodice of her dress. It was a strapless dress held up by her breasts. The strapless feature might just come in handy. She looked at me with regret in her eyes.

 “I suppose that you are going to want me to take it off.”

 “Net yet.”

 “I’d rather strip than have you ruin it. If I have a choice.”

 “I won’t ruin it. And if I do, we’ll find you something else to wear.”

 “Jeans?”

 “Maybe. Turn around.”

 She did, knowing what was coming. She held her hands loosely behind her back allowing me to place the handcuffs around her slender wrists. She whimpered a bit as she felt the steel bite into her skin, but she didn’t resist. She knew that she was getting punished one way or the other, and resisting wouldn’t make it any easier on her. I’m not sure she quite understood why she was getting punished with Elizabeth, but she was a smart girl. She probably did.

 I motioned for the other girls to rise from the bed. They did, Elizabeth having a bit of trouble and favouring her chest, trying to move it as little as possible.

 I led Jane out into the hallway, leaving the door open, giving me a view from the hall of Christi licking Amy. Amy’s breathing was already getting heavier again as we left the room. Elizabeth and Sheila both trailed me out into the hallway, their bare feet whispering on the carpet.

  

 Chapter 110

 I guided Jane towards the work room. As we approached, the girl hesitated. She knew what was in there, knew that she didn’t particularly want to go in there as a victim, bound and at my mercy. She didn’t want to feel most of the stuff that was contained in the room.

 Her bare feet dug into the carpet as she resisted my guiding hand on her cuffs. She twisted as best she could with an imploring look on her face.

 “M-master?”

 “Yes?” I indulged her for a moment before we entered.

 “Please. I. This slave. She begs for forgiveness. For whatever she or Slave Elizabeth have done. She doesn’t want to go in there. Please.”

 “You’ll be okay. I’m not going to kill you.”

 Elizabeth paled, the whiteness extending her entire body.

 “We’ll both behave. We’ll do anything you want. We’ll crawl, we’ll beg to make love to you? To Amy? To Christi? Sheila? All of you? Please. This slave doesn’t want to be punished,” Jane continued in a quick voice.

 “Didn’t you volunteer, earlier?”

 “You were whipping her so hard. And I didn’t know we were going in there. Please. Please give us another chance. Whatever we did.”

 Her whole body was shaking in fear beneath the dress. Her eyes were beginning to tear, but she was struggling for control of that. She knew full well that she had done nothing. Perhaps, that bothered her as well, that she was going to feel pain in there, and she hadn’t done anything, perceived or otherwise, to deserve it. She’d been a model slave all morning.

 “Jane. You didn’t do anything.”

 “Then, why are you going to hurt me?”

 “Who said anything about hurting you?”

 “You aren’t going to hurt us?”

 “I guess you’ll have to go in there to find out.”

 “Oh God. Please.”

 I heard a small voice from behind me, Elizabeth’s. “I’m sorry Jane. I’m so sorry.”

 Jane gave Elizabeth a reassuring smile through her tears, realizing the effect her pleading was having on the other girl. She took a deep breath, exerted that powerful self-control and stopped the tears. She squared her shoulders and nodded grimly.

 I turned. Sheila and Elizabeth were both pale, from their noses to their pretty toes. Sheila, like Jane, and perhaps more so, was fully aware of what was behind door number three. Elizabeth just knew that Jane was really frightened of it, and that was enough to cause her tears.

 I turned the knob of the door and Jane bravely walked through the doorway. The den looked very normal at the moment. A few eyebolts, but otherwise a normal den. The red stain was still marring the surface of the dark carpet, but it had long since dried. I motioned the two nude women into the room. Sheila hesitated, but forced herself to walk in, probably expecting to see Mayer still there. Elizabeth, unknowing, walked in a bit more relaxed, glancing around, not really knowing what had caused the other girls’ trepidation.

 Two ropes hung from the ceiling where Mayer had been secured. Jane had tied them there, and they dangled like a gallows, gently swaying in the air that had been disturbed by Jane’s passing.

 Jane swallowed heavily and turned towards me as I closed the door behind us.

 “Where do you want us?”

 “By the ropes there.”

 She paled a bit but moved herself towards the dangling ropes stopping beside one. She stood there uneasily, shifting her weight from foot to foot. I stopped Sheila from following Elizabeth, as she walked over beside Jane. I gently pressed on Sheila’s shoulder, urging her to her bare knees. She sank down, almost automatically.

 I walked over to the frightened girls and smiled kindly at them.

 “Calm down you two, you look like you’re about to be shot.”

 “Aren’t we?”

 “I promise not to shoot you, unless you get really out of hand.”

 Jane swallowed, her nervousness still evident on her face. I touched her shoulder, turning her gently around. She turned on her bare feet and presented her back to me. I lightly grasped her wrist by the chain between them and guided her backwards to the rope hanging from the ceiling.

 I tied a quick knot in the rope, capturing the chain. I urged Elizabeth into a similar position on the other rope. The ropes had previously held Mayer’s wrists, and were threaded up through the eyebolt and secured to the other bolt in the wall. Almost a pulley arrangement.

 Leaving the girls tethered, I walked back and sat in the leather chair. Jane and Elizabeth turned themselves slowly to watch me, remaining silent. I gazed at them, still marveling that I could have these women so far under my control. They had allowed me to do this to them. This teen, in the unfamiliar and stunning evening gown, her hands encased in steel behind her, tethered to the ceiling. Not allowed underwear or shoes. She gazed back at me, almost defiantly. She’d be screaming soon enough.

 And Elizabeth. The red head was standing completely nude. She’d allowed me to restrain her, knowing that she was going to be punished for disobedience. Her eyes were lowered, realizing her helplessness.

 I let my gaze wander over Sheila. She was more relaxed, knowing that she wasn’t going to be punished, just waiting quietly on her knees and watching. Used to being nude.

 I turned my attention back to Elizabeth.

 “Elizabeth?”

 She looked up, her eyes tearing as she realized that she was going to have to speak as well.

 “Do you know why you are here?”

 “You want to punish me.”

 “Why?”

 “Because I disobeyed. Because I refused to do what you asked.”

 “Do you know why Jane is here?”

 “No. Please let her go? She doesn’t deserve this. I’m the one who disobeyed. Please? I’ll take whatever you want to do to me, but she’s innocent. Please?”

 “Do you know why Jane is here?”

 “No,” she replied. I could see a spark of anger beginning to form in her eyes as I kept reminding her that Jane was here.

 “Jane is here as part of your punishment.”

 Elizabeth’s eyes overflowed with tears again, her whole body wracked with sobs as she wept at the unfairness.

 “She is going to suffer everything you do.”

 “Please. I’ll be good. I’ll do what you say. I’ll be obedient. Please.”

 Jane just looked on grimly. Ironically, she was feeling like she was the cause of Elizabeth’s distress.

 I rose, ignoring Elizabeth for now and walked to the rope connected to Jane. She turned to watch as I loosened the rope from its anchor. I gently pulled on the rope, using the eyebolt in the ceiling as a pulley. Jane obediently allowed me to raise her hands behind her back. As the pressure increased on her hands, she began to bend involuntarily at her waist. She finally cried out as her arms were pulled up into the air behind her and she was unable to relieve the pressure on her shoulders any more. I was vaguely reminded of Catherine, and the tree when I took Elizabeth.

 Jane whimpered as I tied off the rope, holding her into the awkward position. She softly let one word escape her lips before pressing them together.

 “Please.”

 I ran my hands down her exposed flank, and she involuntarily kicked her bare foot. Not at me, just into the air. She squirmed as much as her arms let her. She felt soft beneath the material of her gown. Soft and vulnerable.

 I slowly walked over to Elizabeth’s rope. She spoke again.

 “Please don’t do that to me. Please? Let her go?”

 I ignored her again, and gently pulled on Elizabeth’s tether. She began to resist almost as soon as her hands began to rise. She squirmed, her mouth forming pleading words.

 “Please. Talk to me. Please? M-master? Th-this slave begs you.”

 “Elizabeth, hush. I’ll talk to you after you are like Jane. Okay?”

 “No. Please. I can’t.”

 I heard another soft voice speak from the other tether. “Elizabeth? Honey? Just let him do it. You’ll end up this way anyway. You don’t want a gag do you? You don’t want any more welts do you? You have to listen to him. He’ll talk to you after. Okay?”

 “But ... oh god, please?”

 I ignored her again, but this time when I applied pressure to her tether, she didn’t resist. I purposely pulled her arms up a little tighter than Jane’s, but she had no way of telling that. All she knew was that she was helpless, vulnerable and aching. She had risen on her bare toes to relieve some of the strain on her arms. I casually ran my fingers over her hanging breast, causing her to moan a little at the touch.

 I left the girls in that awkward position, and returned to my comfortable chair. They remained quiet as I just watched them for a few minutes.

 Elizabeth raised her head and looked up at me.

 “Please, Master. Can a girl speak? Please?”

 I sat back in my chair and nodded slowly. I’d allow her to speak for a moment.

 She gathered her thoughts, knowing that this was probably her last chance to speak to me before she was screaming or gagged and unable to talk.

 She took a deep breath, grimacing at the sensations in her bound arms.

 “Master. Please. Can a girl beg for release?”

 “You know you are going to be punished, Elizabeth,” I told her gently.

 “I know. Please. I want to beg for Jane’s release from this. I’ll do anything you want.” She hung her head at the last words.

 “You’ll beg to have sex with Amy?”

 “In a second, if you’ll release her. Please. Jane didn’t do anything. She doesn’t deserve to be in this pain. Please. My arms hurt. Her’s do too.”

 “Elizabeth, you’ll beg anyway once I’m done with you.”

 “Please. What can I offer you?”

 “Don’t scream.”

 “Don’t scream?”

 “Whatever I do to you, you can’t scream.”

 “Oh God. I. I can’t. I’ll try. Just let Jane go. Please.”

 “I’ll let Jane go when I’m sure you aren’t going to scream.”

 I knew that this was an offer Elizabeth wasn’t going to be able to hold up. She didn’t know, but I wasn’t going to hurt Jane anywhere near the amount that she was going to hurt. But having Jane here was part of her punishment.

 “I’ll try. Oh God, you can be a monster.”

 I smiled at that and rose to my feet. I walked back to the kneeling girl and crouched by her.

 “Sheila? You alright?”

 “You aren’t going to hurt them are you? Not really?”

 “They’ll be fine. A bit sore, but I promise, no bruises. Alright?”

 She nodded, tears still forming in her eyes.

 “I want you to blindfold Elizabeth and tie her ankles apart.”

 Sheila just dumbly nodded her blonde head and fell to her hands and knees.

 “Sheila, honey. You don’t have to crawl.”

 “I. I’m sorry.”

 I assumed that Mayer probably had expected her to crawl sometimes. Perhaps she’d been through something like this before. She slowly climbed to her bare feet and made her way to the closet with the toys. I walked back to my chair and watched the girls uncomfortably shift, trying to ease the ache settling into their arms.

 Sheila emerged seconds later holding a leather blindfold and a bar with leather cuffs attached to it. I’m quite sure that she had been the last person to wear them, and she looked distinctly uncomfortable even touching the things. But she walked over to Elizabeth, murmuring something, probably an apology. She slipped the blindfold over Elizabeth’s head, carefully working her red hair out from under the elastic strap. Sheila then knelt behind Elizabeth, urging her feet about three feet apart and attaching the spreader bar to her. Elizabeth moaned as she felt the increase in pressure on her arms as her legs spread apart, but remained relatively quiet.

 When she was done, Sheila walked over to my chair, handing me the tiny keys to the padlocks she’d used on Elizabeth’s ankles. She then knelt demurely beside the chair, trying not to look at Jane or me.

 I bent to Sheila’s ear and whispered a command. She paled a bit, but obediently crawled towards Jane. Jane looked up from her bent position and caught my eye, a bit of fear in her face. She remained silent, though.

 Sheila knelt in front of Jane and whispered something to her. Again, probably an apology, but this wasn’t going to hurt her. Sheila brought her free hands up and slowly began to caress Jane’s breasts through the thin gown, just lightly touching her. Jane gasped at the sensations and tried to stop herself from pulling away, knowing that I’d ordered Sheila to do this to her.

 I sat back and watched the women, still loving the sights of them playing. Elizabeth was beginning to look really uncomfortable; she was shifting her weight and softly moaning.

 I rose silently, and entered the closet. I picked up a small paddle from a shelf and walked back out. I motioned the other girls to be quiet, and Jane, who had twisted around a bit just widened her eyes and hung her head. She knew that the paddle was going to fall on her at some point in the near future.

 I walked up behind Elizabeth, still silent. The only warning she got was the swish of the air as the paddle traveled towards her defenseless bare body. The sound probably reached her before the pain did. The paddle left a red mark across her left thigh and she jumped, desperately pulling against the bonds, trying to close her legs, wanting to scream but knowing that she couldn’t. Wanting to see, but blind. She twisted, trying to free herself.

 I watched as she gritted her teeth to the pain as it washed over her. Finally she drew in a huge breath and spoke in a strained voice.

 “Please. Master. This slave begs you. She didn’t cry out. Please release Jane.”

 Jane moaned again from her position. Sheila was now running her soft hands along Jane’s calves. Jane’s feet were free but she remained still for the exploration, struggling not to move.

 Ignoring Sheila’s plea, I brought the paddle down on her right thigh. Not hard, but I’m sure that she had never been exposed to this before and any unexpected blow was a struggle not to cry out. Again she fought her impulses not to scream and won.

 “Oh God. I can’t take much more of this. Please stop. You said if I didn’t scream you’d let her go.”

 “Hush, Elizabeth. We’ve only just begun.”

 The bound girl fell into sobs, her entire bare body shaking with her silent crying. She was beginning to realize that I wasn’t just going to hit her once. She’d have to keep control for a while yet before I’d let Jane go. And she knew, as well as I did, that there was no way that she’d succeed. She’d cry out involuntarily soon.

 I crouched and let another soft blow land on her left calf. Instinctively she fought the leather holding her bare ankle, trying to move away from the pain. Again, she caught the gasp of pain before it rose to a wail.

 Her right calf broke her. She finally cried out, not loud, but enough to be counted as a scream. She fell against her wrists and hung there, defeated.

 “Oh God. Please. It hurts. Why? Please let her go. You can paddle me forever. I’ll scream, but that’s what you want, you bastard. Just let Jane go. Don’t make her do this, too. Please?”

 I gave her one last quick snap of the paddle against her right buttock wrenching another scream from her lips. She twisted her body more, trying to avoid the next blow that wasn’t coming. She continued to beg between gasps and tears.

 I crouched by Sheila, leaving Elizabeth to cry to herself in her ropes.

 “Sheila, give her a big kiss and then go kneel by the chair.”

 “Who? Jane or Elizabeth?”

 I smiled. “Both.”

 “You weren’t hitting her very hard.”

 “She hasn’t been hit before. I don’t constantly beat my women, you know.”

 Sheila nodded and rose up on her knees. She gently touched Jane’s lips with her own, waiting for Jane’s response. The girls kissed gently and Sheila crawled her way over to Elizabeth, still crying from her defeat and her pain.

 Sheila whispered something to Elizabeth and reached up to touch Elizabeth’s face with her lips. Elizabeth kissed back and Sheila crawled over to the chair, demurely kneeling.

 Tears welled in Jane’s eyes as I carefully worked the bodice of her gown down to reveal her naked breasts. She was breathing hard and her nipples were tight.

 I whispered to her. “Sheila’s talented, isn’t she?”

 “God. I just wish more guys knew how to touch girls like that.” Jane paused. “You didn’t have to hit her, you know. You knew she wouldn’t be able to keep quiet.”

 “I know.”

 “If you didn’t want to let me out of this, you should have just told her.”

 “She wouldn’t have taken no for an answer. She wanted you out. She was willing to try for you.”

 “I suppose. What are you going to do with us. With me.” Jane looked at her hanging naked breasts.

 I reached up under her gown and let my finger trace through her pubic lips. She was wet, and she knew it.

 She groaned. “Please don’t do this. I. I hate when you do this to me.”

 “I haven’t hit you yet.”

 “You will.”

 “Perhaps.”

 I brushed her nipples with my moistened finger, making her gasp again.

 I whispered to her again.

 “I am going to punish you both.”

 She just stood there and shuddered.

 “Can you please loosen her arms. I know you’ve got her tighter than me, and I hurt. Please? For me? I’ll do whatever you want out of this game of yours, but you don’t need to hurt her as much as you are. She’s not used to it.”

 “She’ll be fine.”

 Jane sighed, knowing that she wasn’t going to be able to influence this any further.

 “Do what you have to, then.” Resigned.

 I picked up the paddle and retreated around Jane. She braced herself, knowing what was coming. I let the paddle fall onto her ass. Even through the material she yelped. I continued, mirroring the punishment that I’d given to Elizabeth. Jane, being more used to the pain, was able to get by with sharp intakes of air, until I increased the strength of the blows to her calves. To her credit, she managed to stay relatively still as I punished her. I wrenched some involuntary cries out of her with the calves and the last harder blow to her buttocks. I knelt in front of her and kissed the tears from her cheeks.

 She whispered to me, “Let her go. Please? I’m hot. Wouldn’t you rather fuck me?”

 I kissed her again and returned to my chair.

  ------

 Chapter 111

 Truthfully, between the syrup play and this punishment, I was more than ready to take advantage of Jane’s offer. I knew that she’d gladly have sex with me, and it wouldn’t be entirely forced. Tempting as it was, I wanted to finish this first.

 I looked back up at the girls as my right hand strayed to stroke gently at Sheila’s hair as she knelt quietly beside me. Jane’s tears had stopped reasonably quickly and she stood resigned that she was going to have to endure whatever I had planned. At least she wasn’t blindfolded or forced to stand feet wide as Elizabeth was. I’d even allowed her to keep her dress for the moment, though it was pulled down revealing her breasts. But in her current position, there wasn’t much she could do about that.

 Elizabeth stood in her bonds and cried quietly, not even aware of where I was, or if I was watching her. She twisted her trapped wrists occasionally, testing her tether, desperately wanting out of this.

 After a few minutes, Elizabeth shifted a bit, turning her head towards where she thought I was.

 “M-master?” she inquired a bit to my left.

 “What can I do for you?” I asked her innocently. Her head reoriented on my voice and she spoke more towards me, her ears guiding her.

 “My arms hurt.”

 “They’re supposed to.”

 “Please let me down. I’ll do whatever you want. I promise. I’ll be good.”

 “I still have more planned for your defenseless little body.”

 “Please. I’ve learned my lesson. I’ll do what you want. I’ll beg you if you want.”

 “I want you to beg. For your next punishment.”

 “Please no.”

 “Elizabeth?”

 “Alright. What are you going to do to me?”

 “You and Jane.”

 “Me and Jane,” she hung her head obscuring my view of her bare breasts with her hair.

 “Just beg me to continue your punishment.”

 “Oh God.” She swallowed, a flush rising over her entire body. “Um. Th-this slave ... I can’t do this. Please.”

 “For every moment you procrastinate, I double the amount of time you and Jane spend here.”

 “Oh God. I’m sorry. This slave begs for her punishment. Please do whatever you are going to us. Please?”

 “Do you deserve your punishment?”

 She stopped. She brought her head back up as if to look at me. I could tell by the set of her mouth that she didn’t know what she was supposed to say. Truth, or what she thought I wanted to hear.

 “This slave doesn’t know. Does she deserve punishment?”

 “Weren’t you ever taught not to answer a question with a question?” I tormented the nude bound woman.

 “Oh God. I don’t know. Please.”

 “Do you deserve punishment?”

 She took a deep breath. I could see her bare body shaking as she struggled to find the right answer. She finally whispered, “Yes. This slave deserves her correction.” Her voice picked up speed, “Please, Master, but Jane doesn’t. Please let her go.”

 I walked over to her silently and crouched in front of her. I traced my finger down her cheek gently. Not expecting the touch, she jumped, putting more strain on her bound arms and moaning. She carefully placed herself back into her bent position and murmured, “This slave is sorry for moving. You can touch me.”

 “Startled you?”

 “Please. I can’t see. Please don’t punish me. You can touch me wherever you want. Face. Tits. Ass. Legs. Anything. I wasn’t trying to resist. Please.”

 I kissed her cheek and spoke gently to her. “I know. Relax. I understand.”

 “Thank-you,” she mumbled as she hung in her position. I noticed her toes curling as she fought down her humiliation.

 I sat on the floor in front of her and simply looked over her tight body. She was straining against her bonds, moaning as she felt the aches settle further into her muscles. I waited for her to speak again.

 “Sir? Are you still there?”

 “I’m here.”

 “Please. What are you going to do to us? This hurts. Is this my punishment? To stand here like this?”

 “Not all of it.”

 “Oh God. Please. You don’t need to hit me. I’ve learned what I’m supposed to. I’ll never disobey again. It doesn’t matter if I want to do something or not, I’ll just do it.”

 “Fair enough. But I want to make sure you won’t forget it.”

 “I won’t. I swear it.”

 I rose to my feet and padded back to the chair. I crouched by Sheila and whispered a few instructions to her.

 “Please no. You have no idea how much that thing hurts.”

 “You’re right, I don’t. But I’m not going to subject them to a lot of it.”

 “Oh God.”

 “I just need for you to get it. I won’t make you use it.”

 “Promise?”

 “I promise. You can sit back and watch.”

 “Please don’t use it on them. Please?”

 I shook my head and Sheila finally hung her head in resignation, knowing that I’d just force her to endure it as well. I was perfectly capable of getting it myself and tying her as Jane and Elizabeth were. She realized that it could be her in the bonds just as easily as Jane. She’d gladly switch places, I was sure, but there was little point to having both of them endure the punishment.

 Sheila rose to her bare feet and began to slowly walk towards the closet again. Tears were falling gently from her eyes as she realized the torment I was about to inflict on the two defenseless women. She’d endured it before, though not by my hand.

 Jane twisted in her ropes to watch as Sheila walked slowly to the closet. I saw her swallow heavily as Sheila emerged carrying the small black box and two silver probes in her hands. Draped over her right arm was a pair of silver nipple clamps connected by a long silver chain and a roll of tape. Sheila knelt and laid them all at my feet on the carpet, shuddering.

 Jane spoke quietly from her bonds.

 “Please no. I’ve seen that thing work. Oh God. We’ll do anything at all for you. You don’t have to do this.”

 “What is it, Jane?” Elizabeth spoke quietly, relying on the other to see for her.

 Jane looked at me seeking permission to answer. I nodded. I wanted Elizabeth to know.

 “Oh God. Elizabeth. It’s some sort of electronic toy. I don’t know how it works. But I’ve seen it used. On the guy that was in here before us.” Tears began to fall from Jane’s eyes. “It. It shocks you I guess. From the inside. And he passed out. Screaming.”

 “Oh God,” Elizabeth mumbled.

 Jane looked back at me. “Please don’t do this to us.”

 “What if I was only going to do it to Elizabeth?”

 “You said that whatever you did to her, you’d do to me too. Please. I’m begging you.” Jane began to pull a bit at her bonds. Fright was evident in her face. “That thing could kill us.”

 I smiled at her. “Janey, sweety. It isn’t going to kill you.”

 “You won’t turn it up?”

 “Only if you do something to deserve it.”

 “It’ll hurt us, though.”

 “Isn’t that the point of punishment?”

 “Please. We haven’t done anything to deserve this. I’m scared. Please.”

 I rose off the chair and picked up one of the silver probes and approached Jane. She tried to back away, but the rope holding her wrists up prevented her from going far. She only really succeeded in increasing the strain on her arms. She moaned.

 “Where are you going to put that thing?” she asked in fear, her eyes glued to the probe.

 “In you.”

 “Oh God. Please no. I’ll do anything. I’ll crawl. I’ll masturbate for you. I’ll fuck you. Anything you want.”

 “Where would you like it? The way I see it, you have two choices.”

 “Please no.”

 “Alright, I’ll choose for you.”

 “No.”

 “Sheila, I’m going to need some lubricant.”

 I watched as Sheila got to her feet.

 “I’m wet. I swear I am. You don’t need lubricant. Please don’t put that thing in me.”

 “I suspect you’ll need lubricant.”

 Jane’s face clouded until she realized where the thing was going if she didn’t do something about it.

 “Oh God. No. Not there. I’ll do anything. Don’t do this to me. I’m begging you. Let me go. I’ll kneel for you. I’ll kiss your feet. Anything.”

 “I gave you a choice.”

 “Please. I’ll choose. Not my ass. I can’t take that.”

 “You will if I tell you to.”

 “Please no. I. This slave begs you to put it in her pussy instead. Oh God. Please.”

 I nodded to Sheila who knelt back down.

 I knelt under Jane’s bent form and slowly ran the probe up under her dress, tracing up her bare legs. Still crying, she spread her legs a little, accepting finally that she was going to get violated with this thing, like it or not. If she resisted she’d just be put in more pain that she couldn’t stop until she agreed to have the thing in her. The probe wasn’t all that wide, which surprised me considering it’s primary use was as a punishment. Jane groaned, but easily took the cylinder into herself. Using a small strip of tape, I secured the intruder into her so that she wouldn’t involuntarily expel it.

 I retreated from her. She had hung her head, her brunette hair hanging limply around her face, hiding her tears.

 “Please. Oh God. Please. I don’t want it in me. I’ll do whatever you want. Please, you don’t need to do this,” she begged quietly.

 I ignored her pleas and crouched in front of Elizabeth. I removed her blindfold, wanting her to see the probe I had.

 She blinked furiously in the sudden light and finally registered the probe in my hand.

 “Oh God. No. Please no.”

 “Your choice where it goes.”

 Jane whispered shakily from her position, “Elizabeth. Choose. Don’t let him choose for you. Be glad he’s allowing you to choose.”

 She looked at me, tears beginning to form again in her eyes.

 “Oh Christ. My vagina. Please, I don’t want it at all. Oh God. Please.”

 I walked around behind her and let my finger trace through her lips. She shuddered at the touch and instinctively tried to close her legs. The cuffs held her ankles securely apart. She wasn’t as lubricated as Jane, but she wasn’t completely dry either.

 “Do you want me to lubricate this for you?” I asked the vulnerable girl.

 “Am I wet?”

 “You can’t tell?”

 “Not really. I’m scared. Please don’t do this.”

 I thought that she was probably moist enough that it wouldn’t hurt her overly to insert the probe. Spreading her lips a little, I slipped the probe between her legs. It met some resistance, but it may just have been her natural tightening at the unwanted intrusion. She groaned and cried out as she was violated, begging piteously all the time. I taped the silver contraption inside of her and walked back to the chair.

 I picked up the nipple clamps and chain from the floor and approached Jane.

 “What now? Please don’t do this. You have no idea what this is going to do to us.” She’d managed to control her tears again, squirming in her ropes probably trying to dislodge the probe inside of her.

 “I do know that in order to have you both feel it, you have to be connected, electrically.”

 “Oh God,” Jane spoke quietly as she realized how that connection was going to be made. As I carefully slipped the clamp around her erect nipple, she cried out as it tightened. This wasn’t as bad as the time I’d forced her to walk from the mall, nor nearly as painful as the crop against her, but I’m sure it was uncomfortable.

 “Please take it off. I. I’ll do anything at all.”

 “I know you will, Janey. It’s just for a little while. You can do it.”

 “You wouldn’t be so sure if you were standing here, tied up and nearly naked.”

 I smiled at her and kissed her cheek. “You’ll be fine. Just look forward to the nice rest you get after this.”

 She fought back her fright and tears and stood motionless, trying to control her breathing.

 Without even speaking to her, and ignoring her pleas, I did the same to Elizabeth’s exposed breast, only I tightened the clamp a little more than on Jane. After all, Elizabeth was really the one being punished, here. She screamed as the clamp bit down on her, trying to twist away from the burning in her nipple, but her feet and wrists held her more or less still for me. She finally held herself as still as possible, moaning. The chain stretched between the girls, well off the floor. I smiled as I realized that any motion of one girl would transmit to the nipple of the other through the connection. By Elizabeth and Jane’s postures, I’m pretty sure that they realized it as well.

 I quickly connected the wiring up to the girls’ probes and ran the wire back so that I could sit in the chair and watch them. I plugged in the unit and twisted the setting knob to its lowest level. I had no interest in frying them, only making them uncomfortable for a while.

 “Please. Master? This slave begs to speak. Please?” Jane spoke quietly from her restraints. She looked like she was braced and accepting that she was going to have to experience this, but wanted to give one more attempt at avoiding the pain she knew was on its way.

 “What is it Jane?” My finger was playing with the glowing button which, when pressed, was going to provide them with plenty of distraction.

 “Oh God. This slave begs you not to press that button. She’s afraid.”

 “I know you are, sweety.”

 “Then why? Elizabeth didn’t do anything to deserve this much. Are you just playing with us?”

 She was a bright girl. I wasn’t just doing this to punish them. Elizabeth’s infraction perhaps warranted being bound for an afternoon, and perhaps a light spanking until she begged to make love to Amy. Not this. And both girls probably knew it. I was playing. I hadn’t played with the girls for a while, and I needed to remind them of their place, and their lack of freedom. I’d been too lax with them, and I suspected that they’d forgotten that they could be punished whenever I chose. It sort of served a dual purpose.

 “Yes, Jane. I’m playing with you,” I admitted. “Elizabeth didn’t cause all of this.”

 “Oh God. That makes more sense, at least.”

 “That helps you?”

 “A little. I don’t know why.”

 I did. They didn’t want to think that small infractions were going to result in this kind of over-reaction. And truthfully, I didn’t want them thinking that either. It wasn’t true, and there was no need to have them constantly worrying about minor infractions of my unreasonable rules. They were human after all. They would make mistakes, and I didn’t normally care too much as long as it didn’t go overboard into outright rebellion or cause me a lot of grief.

 “Can I do anything to convince you to take this thing out of me and let us go?”

 “I doubt it.”

 “Can a slave try?”

 “Of course.”

 “You’ve already punished Elizabeth, haven’t you?”

 I nodded slowly.

 “She’s learned her lesson right?”

 I nodded again. Elizabeth had learned her lesson as soon as I bound her arms so uncomfortably behind and above her.

 “You don’t need to do this to her. She can’t take it. Let her go. I’ll entertain you if you need to play with someone. You can whip me. My breasts. My pussy. I’ll stand her like this and take it. I’ll scream for you. And then I’ll make love to you. I’ll kiss you. Please?”

 She had managed to keep a hold on her tears up until this point. She began to cry a little, but she was determined to try, despite how humiliating this must be for her.

 “I can do that to you anyway.”

 “I’ll do it willingly. I’ll let you do it to me. You can have me while I’m tied up. I’ll even tell you I like it.”

 I silently rose and placed the black box down on my chair. I walked over to Jane and bent to her face. I cupped her cheeks in my hands, feeling the wetness of her tears. I gently kissed her tears away.

 Without answering her, I walked to the doorway, leaving the girls bound and hooked up, and let myself out into the hallway. The door closed gently behind me.

 ------

 Chapter 112

 I took a deep breath. I leaned against the closed door, wondering what they were feeling in there. Helpless, bound, naked, in pain, and anticipating more. I smiled to myself and walked quietly back towards the master bedroom.

 Amy was still completely nude and bound securely into her chair. She was moaning and pulling at her ropes, her bare toes curling at the carpet as she fought the sensations of the girl between her spread legs.

 Christi was still on her knees, her bobbing head buried between Amy’s thighs. She wasn’t moving her head very fast, and almost looked bored with her task.

 I crept silently into the room, Amy’s soft cries masking my presence. I tapped Christi’s shoulder gently. She screamed, not expecting the touch. Breathing hard she whirled from Amy’s vagina, her small hands forming fists as she turned.

 “Shit, you scared me,” she gasped as she realized that it was me.

 I laughed gently as I sat down on the bed, crossing my legs. The clothed girl turned herself on her knees, resting her hands on her thighs. I could almost see her bare feet under her as she knelt.

 “Who told you to stop?”

 “Please, sir. My tongue is tired. And. I’m sorry Amy, I don’t like the taste. Please can I stop now? I’ve been at this an hour at least.”

 “More than that actually. Did Amy climax?”

 Christi sat back on her heels and kept silent. I glanced up at Amy who was reddening.

 Amy spoke softly, embarrassed. Embarrassed to be sitting there helpless and nude and having to tell me, “Once more. I couldn’t help it.”

 “That’s alright. I didn’t tell you that you couldn’t.”

 “It helped if I just enjoyed it as much as I could. I don’t think I can go again, though. I. I tried.”

 I turned back to Christi. “Christi? You say your tongue is tired and you are getting sick of the taste? I can’t imagine.

 “Please sir. My tongue is cramped.”

 “Does it matter? If I want you to lick her all day, will you?”

 “Please don’t make me do that.”

 “Would you?”

 She reluctantly nodded. I left her sitting on her knees and just looked at her expectantly.

 She sighed and began to turn herself back to her task.

 “Christi?”

 She turned, a questioning look on her face. One of those please-what-else? looks.

 “Would you rather be bound, than tongue her?”

 “Please. I. This slave. She would prefer that.”

 “You sure?”

 “What are you planning for me? How long am I going to be tied this time?”

 “A while, until I finish with Jane and Elizabeth.”

 “Oh God. What. Can I ask what you are doing with them? Please. You aren’t hurting them are you?”

 “Perhaps a little, but they’ll be fine.”

 “I’m sure. What do you want me to do?”

 I shifted on the bed.

 “Come here.”

 Obediently, Christi rose to her bare feet and padded over to the bed. She wasn’t sure if she was supposed to kneel, or sit up on the bed with me.

 “Take off your clothes.”

 “Oh God. Please. I’ll lick her more. I. I don’t want to lose my clothes.”

 “You can have them back. Relax. I just want you naked for the next few minutes.”

 Her hands reluctantly stole to the base of her top, tears forming in her eyes.

 “I can dress afterwards?”

 “I’ll let you dress before I tie you up.”

 “Oh God. Alright.” She had thought that I was intending to tie her nude as I normally did. Her hands pulled the sweater from her body, revealing her bare breasts. Her fingers began to fumble with her jeans, but I stopped her with a touch. She looked at me quizzically.

 I reached up and gently gripped her blonde hair, pulling her down towards me. Her breasts inviting as she bent. I kissed her gently on her lips, feeling her respond. I could taste Amy’s lubrication on Christi’s mouth as I let my tongue trace along Christi’s lips. It tasted arousing, I couldn’t imagine why Christi would find it distasteful, but then again, I’m not female nor had I had to taste it for better than an hour.

 I felt Christi’s fingers fumbling with my jeans, unbuttoning them and releasing me. She tugged the clothing down my legs, until she could lower my briefs as well. I laid back on the bed, feeling her weight press into the bed.

 “You sure you don’t want me to take these off as well?” Christi whispered, kneeling up and touching her own jeans.

 “You’re fine the way you are,” I murmured to her.

 Knowing what I wanted, she lowered her head to me and I gasped as her tongue found me. Her softness traced and teased me as images of Jane, and Elizabeth bound and waiting in the other room tantalized me. I groaned as she pressed her silky breasts against me, cradling me between the gentle hills, licking me as she rose and fell with me between her breasts. I could feel her soft breath against me, and her clean sweet skin of her fingers. I felt myself engulfed in her as she again used her mouth.

 I closed my eyes, knowing that Amy was bound naked only a few feet away, watching this. Knowing that Christi was going to be bound after this. Feeling myself tightening. So ready.

 I touched her bobbing head and she released me from her warm mouth.

 “Please,” she murmured, breathing hard.

 I closed my eyes and struggled with my own desires. I wanted her. Badly. Sometimes things are sweeter if you wait. I reached down and slowly pulled up my jeans, re-buttoning them.

 “You have to be kidding,” Christi breathed, her breathing still ragged.

 I wasn’t kidding. I slowly shook my head.

 “You can’t do this. You. I haven’t finished.”

 “I thought your tongue was tired.”

 “Of licking Amy, you wise ass. Please. Let me finish.”

 “Later. I promise. We’ll finish this a little later.”

 “Oh God. I. I want you now.”

 “You’ll just have to wait, my dear.”

 “You’ll have to tie me up, now. I’ll finish on my own if you don’t.”

 “Not if I ordered otherwise, my dear. We’ll see about that. Give me your wrists.”

 She flushed but obediently raised her wrists, an incredulous look on her face. She couldn’t believe that I was leaving her for something else. After she’d had me in her mouth.

 “No way, behind you. I don’t want you being able to reach yourself.”

 “Please no.”

 “I don’t want you finishing on your own ...”

 She took a deep breath and turned herself around, holding her wrists crossed behind herself. I carefully wrapped soft cord around her slender wrists and lashed them together securely. She wouldn’t be in this for very long, and I was pretty sure that her circulation would be fine.

 “You don’t have to do this, you know. We. I want to finish. Please.”

 She pulled at her bound wrists as she spoke.

 “Lie down. On your front.”

 She struggled a bit with her hands bound as they were, but eventually pressed herself into the bed, lying quietly. I moved to her feet and she squirmed as I tied them together with more cord. She cried out as I wrapped her bare toes in another smaller length of cord.

 “Roll over.”

 She turned her head and looked up at me.

 “Please. Let me go. We can finish.”

 “Roll over.”

 She resigned herself and rolled onto her bound arms, face up. I reached out and traced her bare breasts with my fingers. She closed her eyes, falling into the sensations. I caressed her face, her neck, and her breasts, until her breathing was ragged and she was begging softly. I leaned down and gave her one last quick kiss on the lips, tasting Amy again, and slipped off the bed. I took one last look at her bound, half naked body and turned away.

 “Don’t go. Please?” her quiet voice pleaded from the bed. “I’ll do anything you want.”

 “I’ll be back soon, and you will do anything I want,” I softly replied.

 I touched Amy’s hair as I passed her naked and bound form. Her hair was slightly damp, probably from her exertions over the last hours.

 “Thank you for letting her stop,” Amy whispered as I touched her head. I assume that she was thanking me for letting the lesbian contact cease, at least for a little while. I’m doubt if either of them particularly enjoyed it, despite the climaxes.

 I nodded and bent, giving Amy a quick kiss on the cheek.

 “Will you let me out of the chair before you go?”

 “Not yet, Amy.”

 Not understanding why she had to remain restrained, she knew better than to question it, especially after all that had happened today. She nodded with tears brimming in her eyes, resigned that she’d be let out when I decided to let her out. She had no idea how long she would be forced to sit in this chair, and she was probably already uncomfortable. She couldn’t even shift her position and she was horribly exposed. But I would have thought that she’d be used to the exposure at least by now.

 I turned quietly and left the girls alone. Amy, a bit more relieved and, I was guessing, Christi a lot more frustrated. Hell, I was frustrated.

 I walked slowly back to the other women bound in the judge’s old chambers.

 The voices inside stopped as I opened the door. I caught the last sentence from Sheila.

 “ ... I only experienced up to three. I think. I can’t describe it. God, I hope he doesn’t do that to you. OH ...” as I entered the room.

 “I won’t subject them to even the three level, Sheila. Don’t worry about that.”

 “Please. I haven’t asked you for anything at all. I’ve done everything you ever asked of me. I’ve been good, right?” Sheila spoke softly from the floor by the chair. “I haven’t complained about anything. You are so much better than Mayer.”

 “Yes ...” I replied softly.

 “Please. I’m begging you. A soft, naked, slave on her knees is begging you not to do this. It hurts. From deep inside. Like you couldn’t imagine. Please don’t do this to them. I’ll do whatever you want. I. I’ll let you rape me. Anything but that. Please. I know you don’t owe me anything, but I’m begging you. I’ll even let you whip me, if that’s what you want.”

 I walked over to the naked girl and crouched down beside her. I lifted her face by her chin and looked deep into her beautiful eyes.

 “Sheila, I am tempted, but I don’t want to hurt you. Not now, at least. And I’ve already decided. I promise that I won’t let it get beyond their ability to handle it, not like your former master did to you. Okay?”

 I kissed at the tears that were falling down her cheeks. She nodded, knowing enough not to resist and knowing that further begging wasn’t going to work either. Jane and Elizabeth were just going to have to suffer this.

 ------

 Chapter 113

 “Girls? Are you ready?”

 Jane looked up at me from her bent position and begged silently with her eyes. She really didn’t like this, and I couldn’t blame her. She whispered quietly.

 “Please don’t do this to us.”

 Elizabeth just silently cried, looking down at the floor.

 I picked up the small black box. It felt warm in my hand. I ensured that the settings were low. I couldn’t imagine what this thing did, how it would feel, what these women would be going through. I decided to take it slow, try to determine how much to torment them with it. I really didn’t want to hurt them as much as Mayer had hurt Sheila.

 I rested my thumb on the small red button. Jane just closed her eyes, trying to brace her bound body. She had resigned herself that begging simply wasn’t going to free her from the pain. Tears ran down her face as she anticipated it.

 I swallowed, almost hesitant to press the button. They had been tormented enough. I couldn’t imagine what they’d already been through, being bound, helpless, violated.

 I watched them both carefully as I let my thumb press the button. The reaction was instantaneous. Both girls bodies snapped rigid. Jane managed to hold onto her pain better than Elizabeth. Elizabeth raised her head and screamed pitifully. Her bound body strained against the ropes holding her, even her bare toes curling. Jane’s face raised as well, and I could see her pressing her lips tightly together, desperately trying to control the scream.

 I relented and released the button. So little effort on my part, so much torment on theirs.

 Elizabeth and Jane slumped into their bonds, both breathing heavily. Elizabeth was mumbling quietly, “I’m sorry. Oh my God. I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry.”

 Jane gathered in her strength and looked at me, tears running down her face.

 “Please,” she whispered to me.

 Sheila had turned her head away, her fingers tugging gently at my jeans.

 “God. Please don’t do that again to them. Please?” Sheila begged, upturning her face towards me.

 I gently stroked Sheila’s hair as she wept. She knew exactly what the girls were going through.

 I caught Jane’s eyes and she begged, not knowing what else to do.

 “Please. Master. A slave. She begs you not to do that again to her. It hurts. She. She can’t describe how much it hurts. Inside. Please don’t. She’ll do anything you want.”

 Elizabeth just hung in her bonds moaning. Unable to speak.

 “It didn’t kill you, did it?”

 “Please. I can’t take it again. It hurts so much. Please turn it down. Take this thing out of me. I can do things for you. Anything. You’ll like it more than hurting me. Please. Oh God. Please. You can take away my clothes. I’ll stand here all day if you want. Please don’t press that button again. Please?”

 “Janey? It’s already turned all the way down.”

 “Oh God. Please not again. Elizabeth has learned her lesson. We don’t need to be hurt like this. Oh God. Please. Please.”

 Elizabeth, finally raised her head. Misery written across her features, tears falling shamelessly from her eyes. She twisted her hands in her cuffs, desperately wanting this to end.

 “Please. I’ve learned. I’ll obey. I’ll do whatever you want. Anything. Just not again. I. Hurt. Please.”

 “You’ll lick Amy?”

 “Yes.” She seemed almost eager now.

 “You’ll beg to lick Amy?”

 “Oh God. Anything. Please, let me lick Amy. I’ll lick her for as long as you want. I’ll enjoy it. Anything you want. Please don’t.”

 “If I agreed to let Jane go, would you allow me to press this button again?”

 Her face collapsed, her own pain overwhelming her. This wasn’t a fair question, I could see how much she hurt, how much she didn’t want to be pulsed again.

 She pressed her lips together, squirming in her bonds. She reluctantly nodded her head.

 “Sorry? I didn’t hear you.”

 “Oh God. Yes. Please let Jane go. I’ll let you do it again to me if you want. I don’t have a choice anyway. What can I do to stop you?”

 “It’s more than that, Elizabeth. I want you to beg to be hurt again.”

 “Oh God. Don’t make me do that.” Her face was flushing. She knew that she was going to get it again, like it or not. But if she begged, Jane might not have to endure it as well. But she didn’t want to beg for it, either. She pressed her lips together.

 “Alright. No problem.”

 “Wait.” Elizabeth cried out just before I pressed the button again.

 “Yes?”

 “Please. This slave is begging to be shocked again. Please hurt her. She deserves it. But please. Jane doesn’t. Not again. It hurts so much. Her. Her pussy is still hurting. Please release Jane. Shock me if you have to. I’ll take it. I’ll scream. But I’ll take it. Turn it up, even. I’d beg you on my knees. But let Jane go. Please.”

 I nodded. She’d had enough. I didn’t want to completely break her. I just wanted to make sure that she obeyed in the future. This thing really hurt, by the sound of it.

 “You sure you want to do this?”

 Elizabeth pulled at her cuffs but silently nodded. She’d take the pain alone, rather than have Jane involved any further. If she had a choice.

 Jane looked up at me.

 “You bastard. I’ll take it as well. Don’t make her beg for this, you son of a bitch. Nobody should have to endure this.”

 “She’s already begged enough, Janey. Relax. You’ll be out of this in a second.”

 “Oh God.”

 I rose, leaving the box on the chair. I approached Jane and cupped her face in my hands, forcing her to look at me through her tears.

 “I just wish I could put you up here, just once,” she whispered to me. “You have no concept what you just put us through, do you? It hurts. Feel my nipple.”

 I reached up to her trapped nipple and felt it throbbing and warm beneath my finger. Jane gasped at the touch but managed to stay still.

 “Feel it? Imagine what it feels like from this end. I had fucking electricity flowing through there. It hurt. Like hell. Now imagine the worst pain you’ve ever had and then multiply it by ten. That’s what it felt like between my legs. Please. I kept quiet for you. Please, have mercy on her. She can’t take it. I’ll take it for her. Let her go. I can take another pulse if you don’t leave it on. If you must see a girl in agony. Please. For me?”

 “Jane, you are one brave little girl. I can’t. It has to be Elizabeth.”

 “Why? Don’t get me wrong. I don’t want this either, but she’ll pass out. She won’t be any fun if she passes out, will she? You don’t have any idea how much this hurts. How much it hurts to even have your arms like this. Oh God. What can I say to convince you.”

 I kissed her cheek. “Nothing, my sweet one.”

 “Oh God.” She hung her head in defeat, tears falling from her eyes again. I glanced over at Sheila, who was looking positively sick at this exchange.

 I traced my fingers slowly up Jane’s leg, under her dress, savouring the feel of her silken skin. She cried out a bit at the touch, but didn’t move. She was probably sensitive all over her body from the shock I’d forced her to endure. I couldn’t imagine how Sheila had taken a shock at a higher level if Jane was having this much trouble at level one. And I could see how higher levels might be lethal.

 I carefully felt for the tape between Jane’s legs and carefully peeled it from her skin. She cried out again, as the tape lifted some of her sparse pubic hair with it. But that indignity couldn’t have been anywhere near as bad as what she had endured earlier.

 I slowly eased the probe from her sore vagina as she gasped. She sighed in relief as I pulled the shiny phallus out from under her dress.

 “Thank-you,” she whispered as she was relieved of her violation and the source of her torture.

 “Feel better?”

 “Much. But please don’t do this to Elizabeth. She doesn’t deserve it.”

 “I know she doesn’t, sweetheart. I know.”

 “Why then? What can I offer you not to do it.”

 “Your breasts?”

 “My breasts? You already have them. They’re yours.”

 “Beg me to whip them.”

 “You know I will. As much and as long as you like.”

 “Don’t scream when I hit them?”

 “Oh God. Please. You know I can’t do that. Gag me if you want me to be quiet. Please.”

 “Try. You’ll have lots of motivation.”

 “Will trying be good enough? Will you shock her anyway if I scream?”

 “Hold off screaming for the first five. How’s that?”

 “And you’ll let her out of the shocks?”

 “Yes. But I don’t promise that I won’t hit her breasts as well.”

 “Oh God. Alright. I’ll try. What if I fail?”

 “You won’t. But if you do, I’ll shock her. And I’ll increase the shocks to level two.”

 “You bastard. So it’s all up to me.”

 “You begged me to let you offer something. I was just going to give her one more small dose. You raised the stakes here.”

 “Oh God. I’m sorry.”

 “You still have the choice. I don’t really mind either way.”

 “You are a monster. You know that? I’m not sure if I can keep quiet.”

 I smiled at her. “You did during the electricity thing.”

 “That took every ounce of my strength. I’m not sure I can do it again. Please. Just let us go. We’ve suffered for you enough.”

 “Janey? Sweety? Do you want to try this, or not?”

 “Oh God. You son of a bitch. I don’t have a choice, do I? I’ll try. I can’t watch her go through that again. Knowing it was because I couldn’t stop it.”

 “Jane. Please don’t. I might pass out, but I won’t feel anything if I do. Let me do this. I got us into this,” Elizabeth pleaded with her from her tether. “I. I have to do this.”

 Jane whispered to her, “I’m sorry. I have to do this as well. He could do all this anyway to me. Don’t you see? He’s giving me a chance here. He didn’t have to. I have to try.”

 I carried the silver probe over to Elizabeth and knelt in front of her.

 “Elizabeth, I know that this is going to be hard, but you have to do this. Otherwise, I’m going to make it a lot worse on you. Okay?”

 “What do you want me to do?”

 “I want you to hold this thing in your mouth.”

 “But. Please. It’s been in her.”

 “I know, baby. If Jane fails, then you still have to hold it while I press that button.”

 “I can’t do that.”

 “You’ll have to.”

 “Oh God. Please don’t do this.”

 “Kiss it.” I held the device of torment to her lips. She wrinkled her pretty nose and pressed her lips together, refusing to touch it with her mouth.

 “I’m going to give you one more chance, Elizabeth. Don’t do this to yourself.” My fingers stole up under her bound body and caressed her right nipple gently, the unclamped one. She gasped but still refused.

 “Elizabeth. Sweety. Do what he says. Don’t you remember how much it hurts? He’ll shock you until you do what he says. My pussy still aches, I’m sure your’s does too. Just hold it. I’ll make sure you don’t get shocked again. I don’t taste that bad,” Jane coaxed the girl from her bonds.

 Tears welled in Elizabeth’s eyes as she regarded me, a mixture of fear and anger in her eyes. She pressed herself forward against the bonds and quickly touched her lips to the slick probe, tasting Jane. I pressed the tip of the phallus against her lips and she reluctantly opened them, allowing me to press the thing into her warm mouth. I watched as she was forced to provide some suction with her cheeks to hold the thing in her mouth. She moaned a bit, but succeeding in controlling her instincts to push it out. She was effectively gagging herself. She actually looked quite beautiful, but I’m sure she wouldn’t have thought so.

 I moved back over to Jane.

 “You ready?”

 “Not really,” she glared at me, knowing how much this was going to hurt her and not being allowed to scream.

 I turned back to my free assistant, Sheila still on her knees by the recliner.

 “Sheila, get me a small paddle?”

 “Please don’t make me help with this. I don’t want to hurt her.”

 “I’m not going to make you hit her. I promise.”

 Sheila, resigned, climbed back to her bare feet and padded back to the closet. Eyes downcast, she handed me the paddle as she returned. She begged me with her eyes and then knelt back down in her spot beside the chair, wanting to look away, but morbidly fascinated how Jane was going to make out.

 ------

 Chapter 114

 I looked at the paddle in my hand. It was a small leather paddle about the size of a table tennis racquet. I let it fall experimentally into my left hand, cringing at the pain with even that light blow. I wasn’t going to be able to hit her very hard with this, if I expected her to keep her screams in.

 Jane looked up at me with fear evident in her eyes.

 “You don’t have to do this. Let us go. We’ll do whatever you want.”

 I touched her face with the paddle, stroking it gently. She cringed a bit at the touch, but managed to stay relatively still.

 “I know, sweetheart. You’ll be down soon.”

 “Just get it over with, then.”

 “You ready?”

 “I just have to be quiet?”

 “You can say things, but I don’t want to hear any screams or protests. That’s all.”

 “For the first five?”

 “For the first five.”

 “Can a slave ask how many she’s going to get, in total?”

 “Until I’m tired of hitting you.”

 “Oh God.”

 “Ready?”

 “Not really.”

 I gently swung the paddle up under her bent body and let it connect with her left breast. The blow was about as hard as the test blow I’d put into my hand. My hand still stung, so I could imagine how much this was going to hurt her.

 She hissed, letting her breath out. She closed her eyes, gritting her teeth.

 Finally, she spoke calmly. “God. That hurts. Please don’t do this. Please.”

 I let the paddle flow upwards again into her hanging left breast. This time I let it fall a little harder. She drew in another breath, struggling not to cry out. “Oh God. Oh God. Ow. Ow. Ow,” she whispered. “Please. I can’t do this.”

 “Would you rather me shock Elizabeth?” I glanced at the other girl. She was hanging and crying in her ropes, trying not to pay attention to what Jane was doing for her.

 Jane just gritted her teeth and shook her head. “Go on, you fucking bastard, hit me.”

 I swung the paddle, targeting the side of her breast. Again, I increased the force of the blow a little. Tears formed in her eyes and she struggled with the pain of the stroke. “Fuck,” she whispered. “Please. No more. I’m begging you. Just let me down. Please?” She pulled at the handcuffs holding her arms in their awkward position.

 “You are doing great, Jane.”

 “Fucking easy for you to say. Christ, my boob hurts. Please.”

 “Would you like a rest?”

 “Please. Just a few minutes.”

 “Alright.” I knelt in front of her and ran my fingers down her left breast. I’d been avoiding the right one because of the nipple clamp attaching her to Elizabeth. I intended to really test her with the last stroke. I ran my fingers lightly down her bodice until I reached the hem of her dress. She obediently spread her legs apart as I traveled my fingers up her thigh and touched her lips. I could feel her wetness without even parting her. She moaned at the touches. I looked at her face hanging down, trying to watch where I was going. She was bright red, knowing what her reaction to the pain was. I let one finger slip inside of her, causing a groan and a few struggles in the bound female. But she didn’t protest the invasion of her body, in fact she pressed against the pressure of my finger lightly.

 I withdrew from her, holding my damp finger in front of her. She closed her eyes and allowed her tongue to lick the finger, probably hoping that her actions might cause me to forget about hitting her. When she had licked all of herself off my finger, she looked up at me, questions in her eyes.

 “Yes, little one. You managed to get yourself out of a few strokes. But you still have to take the five.”

 She breathed a little easier. I let her relax for a few more minutes and then stepped forward.

 “Please,” she begged simply as I swung the paddle. This time I aimed directly for her defenseless left nipple. She closed her eyes as the intense pain washed over her mind. She fought with it, and managed to keep her mouth closed against it. Finally she allowed herself to quietly verbalize it.

 “Oh God. Please. No more. Stop. I can’t do this. It hurts too much. I’m going to scream if you hit me again. I can’t help it.”

 “It’s worse than that, Janey. The next one is on your right breast.”

 Her face registered confusion until she realized that she was still clamped on her right nipple.

 “Oh God. Please no.”

 “If you can resist that scream, I’ll let you both down.”

 “God no. Please. I can’t do it. It hurts already. Please?”

 I carefully swung the leather up towards her right breast, ensuring that it would hit her trapped nipple. She threw back her head and her mouth involuntarily opened in a silent scream. Her vocal cords wouldn’t even work, she was in that much agony. Her voice finally returned to her and she let out an incomprehensible screech of pain and agony.

 “Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. Christ. No. Ow. Oh God. I can’t. Fuck. My boobs. Oh my fucking God. Please. No. Ow. Ow. Fuck that hurt.”

 Tears rolled down her face as she realized that she hadn’t been able to keep her voice down on the fifth. She immediately began to beg pitifully.

 “Oh God. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to scream. I couldn’t help it. Oh God. Please don’t shock her. Hit me again. I’ll be quiet. I promise. God.” She collapsed into sobbing. Defeated. “I’m so sorry, Elizabeth.”

 I cupped her face, forcing her to look at me. She looked at me, pleading in her eyes.

 “Hit me again. I’ll be good. I won’t scream. Hit my clamped nipple again. I swear I can do it. Please,” she whispered to me.

 I kissed her face.

 “You don’t have to Jane. That’s the end. Five. You did better than I thought you would.”

 She collapsed sobbing, defeated, upset and in incredible pain. Her failure meant pain for Elizabeth, and she knew it. Her anguish was evident on her tear streaked face.

 I returned to the chair, picking up the box and shifting it from hand to hand. Sheila looked up at me from her knees.

 “I couldn’t have taken that either. I know how much that paddle hurts.”

 “Jane did well.”

 “Please. Master? Can I go to Jane? Please? She helped me when I was hurt.”

 I nodded. Sheila didn’t even bother getting to her bare feet, but just crawled over to where Jane was bound. She whispered to her and Jane nodded. Tentatively, Sheila reached up and began to caress Jane’s breasts, kneading out the pain and soreness, occasionally using her lips to almost kiss the sore orbs better. I watched Sheila comfort the crying woman above her for a while then made my decision.

 “Sheila?”

 “Yes sir?” She turned away from massaging Jane for a moment.

 “Bring the probes here, alright?”

 She looked confused.

 “The ones currently in Elizabeth?” I replied to her unspoken question.

 Elizabeth looked up sharply at me, relief evident in her face. Sheila crawled over to the naked woman and put her hand in front of her face. Elizabeth thankfully let the suction of her cheeks relax and dropped the silver probe into Sheila’s hand. Sheila then moved between Elizabeth’s stretched legs and pulled at the tape, slowly easing the silver phallus from her as Elizabeth gasped. She shuffled forward with the probes in her hand.

 “Thank-you,” she whispered as she handed me the instruments of torment. “She would have passed out, you know.”

 I stroked the bare girl’s hair and guided her more comfortably to her knees.

 “Elizabeth?”

 “Yes sir?” she said with a quiver in her voice.

 “Don’t you think you should thank Jane?”

 “Oh God, I would kiss her feet if I could.” She turned to Jane to whom she was still connected via the nipple chain. “Thank-you. I don’t think I could have taken another one. Thank-you.” Tears were running down Elizabeth’s face as she spoke.

 Jane was still in tears from her sore breasts, but I thought I saw her nod her head in acknowledgment.

 Elizabeth turned and looked up at me, tears running down her face as well.

 “Master? Can your slave speak?” her voice cracked as she struggled with her pain and tears.

 I nodded.

 “Please Master. Your slave is so sorry. She’s been sorry since you brought her into this room. Please, allow your slave to do what you wanted from her in the first place. She’ll do it gladly. She doesn’t want to be punished anymore. Please?”

 That was a lot better than earlier. I rose and walked back to the bound nude girl. I bent and released her ankle cuffs. She didn’t immediately close her legs, not knowing if she had permission or not to do so.

 I released her nipple clamp next. She cried out as I released the pressure and her blood flowed back into the sensitive flesh. She kept still, though. Jane cried out as I dropped the clamp to the floor, pulling at her still trapped and very sore nipple. I regretted it almost as soon as I did it. I hadn’t meant to hurt Jane further. I stopped releasing Elizabeth and turned to the still sobbing girl beside her. As an act of kindness, I released Jane’s nipple from the clamp as well. To her credit she had never begged for it’s removal, and I knew that she hated the clamps, perhaps more than anything. I gently kissed the sore nipple and Jane flinched at the touch.

 Leaving her to her tears, I returned to Elizabeth, finally letting her hands down. She remained bent over, but was unable to hold her hands up without the rope. She fell to her knees, sobbing in relief. She’d probably been dreaming of this moment since this had all begun.

 “Oh God. Thank-you,” she whispered.

 I released her wrists from her bonds and guided her to her knees, hands in front of her.

 “Jane?” she whispered.

 “I’ll let her down in a while.”

 “Don’t hurt her anymore. She doesn’t deserve it. I’d rather go back up there. Please.”

 “I won’t hurt her much more.”

 “Oh God.”

 “Can you crawl?”

 I watched as the freed girl flexed some of her sore limbs. She nodded silently, tears brimming in her eyes as she realized that she didn’t have much choice. She would crawl if I told her to, sore or not.

 I reached down and carefully gripped Elizabeth’s red hair, gently guiding her to her hands and knees. She knew that she was expected to crawl, and she strained to keep her balance with her thighs and arms protesting. I knew crawling, or even standing, was going to be hard for the naked beauty, but she had been spared a lot of the pain I was intending for her. This discomfort wasn’t in the same league.

 I was approaching the door as Sheila’s musical voice called softly out to me.

 “Master? Can this slave go to Jane? Please? Don’t leave her alone like that. She’s hurt.”

 Sheila could see that I’d intended to leave Jane in her bondage until I returned, and she knew that Jane’s arms had to be aching horribly being bound above her like that. I wanted her to stay there, but I couldn’t see any problem with letting Sheila try to comfort her while I was gone.

 I nodded to Sheila and watched as she crawled forward whispering to Jane, who was still crying softly in her ropes.

 I turned and continued to guide Elizabeth out into the hallway and towards the master bedroom with her hair. She cried out once as she stumbled and I wasn’t able to release her hair quickly enough. She struggled back to her hands and knees, tears in her eyes, and waited for me to take her hair leash before falling back into the unfamiliar gait.

 ------

 Chapter 115

 I pushed open the bedroom door and allowed Elizabeth to crawl into the bedroom under her own power, releasing her hair. She sighed as she crawled over to Amy and quietly knelt by Amy’s bound feet.

 “Elizabeth? Are you alright? What did he do to you?”

 Elizabeth looked at me, seeking permission to answer Amy’s questions. I shook my head, denying it.

 “Amy, honey? I. I can’t tell you. I’m sorry.”

 Amy, shrugged as much as her bonds would let her. She didn’t understand why I wouldn’t let Elizabeth tell her what had happened to her, but she knew better than to push the issue. She wasn’t in the best position to defend herself if I chose to punish her for not accepting my decisions.

 Elizabeth looked down at herself, shivered, remembered her punishment and looked back up at me.

 “Can ... can a slave begin her task, now? Please?” She wanted to get this over with as well.

 I swallowed, looking forward to seeing Elizabeth having sex with Amy. I nodded slowly.

 With a last look of pleading in her eyes, Elizabeth spoke softly.

 “Please don’t make do this. I’m begging you.”

 “We can go back to the other room if you like.”

 “Oh God. Please no. I’ll do it. I didn’t say I wouldn’t. I just asked ...” her voice trailed off.

 “It’s alright. You’ve touched women before. You’ve slept with them before.”

 Tears brimmed again in the girl’s eyes and she bent her head.

 “Can I ask how long?”

 “Until I tell you to stop.”

 “Yes sir.”

 She reluctantly shuffled her bare body around until she was facing Amy. Amy was still bound nude and spread open in the chair, looking down calmly at Elizabeth.

 “If it makes it any easier, Elizabeth, I don’t mind anymore,” Amy spoke quietly.

 “Y-you don’t?”

 “I’ve already had Sheila and Christi down there. I’m used to it. I don’t like it. I wish I didn’t have to do it. But I don’t have a choice. Having you down there is no worse. I’ll try and enjoy it. Okay? Maybe he’ll let me out after you’re done.” Amy attempted a weak smile.

 “I. I guess.” Elizabeth shivered and Amy visibly braced herself for the third female tongue of the morning. She squirmed a bit in her bonds belying the words she had just spoken to Elizabeth. But she didn’t complain.

 As the first gasp emerged from Amy’s lips, I sat down on the bed. Christi was still breathing heavily, watching the girls make slow love by the chair.

 “What did you do to them?” she whispered to me.

 “Played.”

 “Oh God. How’s Jane?”

 “Sore. But she’ll be fine.”

 “You didn’t hurt them too much?”

 “They won’t forget the morning.”

 “I’ll bet. Are you going to untie me?” She pulled at her bound wrists. “We have something to finish.”

 I was sitting by her bare feet and I reached out and traced along her instep. She squirmed a bit, but the cords holding her body prevented her from kicking her feet as she no doubt wanted to. She cried out at the touch and wrenched her bare toes as they pulled against the small toe cords.

 I did it again, and she willed herself to turn the touches into something less ticklish. I looked up into her face.

 “Please. Untie me. We can finish what we started earlier.”

 I traced her right instep once more and shifted up towards her top end. I leaned down to her and touched her lips gently with mine. She hungrily returned the kiss, pulling at her ropes.

 “Untie me,” she whispered to me. “You can tie me back up after we’re done. If you have to. I don’t even mind if you leave me naked.”

 I ignored her voice and traced along her bare breasts which were heaving with her breathing. She closed her eyes to concentrate on the sensations.

 I traced her breasts, purposely avoiding her erect nipples. She moaned, thrusting herself as best she could towards the light touches. Her skin was silky smooth and warm to my finger tips. Her lips parted as she cried out when I touched her nipples gently with my tongue.

 I idly touched her chest as she lay there while I turned my attention to the girls by the chair. Elizabeth was doing exactly as she’d been ordered. Her head was moving as she licked the bound girl in front of her. Amy had her eyes closed and she was pulling gently against the ropes that restrained her bare body. Her breathing was quickening, and her nipples betrayed her arousal. She looked like she was heading for some release, but she also looked like she was fighting it on some level. I could feel my arousal building as I watched, almost jealous of Amy. Elizabeth’s mouth would have felt good at that point, but I simply didn’t have the capacity that a female did. If I let Elizabeth pleasure me, I’d have to forgo the pleasures with Christi. At least for a while. I closed my eyes as again I felt the jealousy rise that Amy could recover so much quicker than I. She was heading for her third or fourth climax of the morning. Being female has some advantages.

 As I turned my attention back to the girl squirming under my gently caressing fingers, I felt an odd sensation, almost like a spider crawling through my mind. I gasped as the sensation intensified, filling my mind and darkening my vision. I vaguely heard Christi’s voice crying out as darkness overwhelmed my senses and I lost touch with the outside world.

 I awoke sometime later, my hearing returned before the rest of my senses.

 “What the hell are we going to do?”

 “You can start by untying me,” Amy’s voice rang through my consciousness.

 “In a second,” Elizabeth’s voice sounded close. I struggled to open my eyes. My strength was slowly returning, but I would have to wait for a moment before I could move. It didn’t sound like I’d been out very long.

 I felt soft fingers trace down my cheek and touch my lips.

 “He’s still breathing, thank God.”

 “Thank God? Tie him up before he wakes up,” Amy’s voice again.

 “Amy, shush,” Christi’s voice sounded really near. I though I could feel her breathing close by, perhaps even under me. “He’s the only one who can get us out of here. And if he can get free, you don’t want to be the one who tied him up. Trust me.”

 I could almost see Amy paling. I heard Elizabeth grunting some assention.

 “I’m worried enough that I’m not still between your legs. Hush Amy.”

 I felt Elizabeth rise off the bed and leave the room. Moments later I heard her small footsteps and her weight settle into the bed beside me. I felt a cool sensation across my forehead.

 Finally, my eyes worked and I fluttered open my eyelids, wincing at the sharp pain of the light. Elizabeth’s face was peering at me.

 “Thank God you woke up. What the hell happened?”

 I struggled to move my lips and felt a rush of energy into my system.

 I coughed. “Blacked out.”

 My strength returned, almost as though I hadn’t even had the episode. I rose to my knees. I had indeed fallen across the bound girl. Elizabeth, being the only free girl had helped me as much as possible. I plucked the cool wet face cloth from my brow.

 Elizabeth was kneeling, her eyes downcast.

 “Sir? Please. I was only trying to help. I. I thought ...”

 “It’s alright. Your help is appreciated. I’m not going to punish you for stopping what you were told to do.”

 Elizabeth heaved a big sigh of relief. The after effects of the black out were fading quickly. My sex drive was returning like a lion. And the squirming female in ropes in front of me helped drive it.

 Elizabeth looked up at me with teary eyes. “Does this slave have to continue her task? She just helped you when she didn’t have to.”

 “I heard.”

 Amy paled at this. “Please,” she whispered from her chair. She knew that I’d heard her suggestions.

 I thought about this. I didn’t know what caused the black out, but I had to seem in control, even if I really didn’t feel like I was. My body was betraying me, somehow. But I felt fine now.

 “I’ll let you stop early, how’s that?” I smiled gently at Elizabeth. “I was going to make you lick her for most of the day. Just until I finish with Christi?”

 Elizabeth nodded, disappointment still evident in her face. Still less time at her task had to be better than licking Amy all day. Resigned, she slipped off the bed and back to her bare knees in front of Amy.

 I watched her as she reluctantly returned to tonguing Amy’s bare body. Amy, still a bit pale, closed her eyes and pulled at her ropes, accepting the stimulation again. Not much she could do about it.

 I turned my attention back to Christi, who was looking up at me with frightened eyes. I could see the questions buzzing through her head, questions that she was afraid to voice and questions to which I had no answers.

 I let my fingers trail lightly over her bare breasts again, causing her to gasp. Her arousal hadn’t faded with the episode. I bent towards her bound feet and slowly released her toes and ankles while watching Elizabeth and Amy. When her feet were free she squirmed, flexing her toes and bending her knees. I sat back, leaning on my hands, watching the nude girls. Amy was looking more and more like she was losing the battle not to get aroused. Her breathing was erratic and her nipples rock hard. She’d lost the pale complexion, to be replaced by a red glow to her cheeks.

 “M-master?” Christi’s small voice came up from her lying position. She had stopped squirming her legs, and was lying patiently waiting for my attention. Her breathing was still erratic and she was flexing her arms, pulling gently at her bound wrists.

 I turned to her quickly and then returned my gaze to Amy. I kind of wanted to see her climax.

 “Please. I know you aren’t going to release my hands, but your slave is begging you not to ignore her any longer. Please?”

 I shook my head, tearing my gaze away from Elizabeth and Amy.

 “You want these off?” I touched the jeans that still tightly hugged her lower half.

 Christi swallowed, fighting off the instincts to say that she wanted them. She wanted them, but she didn’t. Hard choice in her position.

 “Can a girl ask if she’ll get them back?”

 “Does it matter?”

 “I. I guess not.” Tears brimmed in her eyes, but her arousal overcame them easily.

 “Ask me to take them off you.”

 She swallowed again heavily and closed her eyes. “Please. This. Oh Christ. This slave. She begs her master to take off her jeans. They. They are in the way.” She quickly added, “And she begs to have them back afterwards.”

 I smiled at the addendum. She wasn’t the type to often use her slave talk. But in this case, she really wanted something. Her clothes back after we’d finished. So she indulged me. Smart girl.

 I turned my attention back to Amy and Elizabeth as my fingers reached for the button at the top of Christi’s jeans. As I unzipped her, Amy began to really pull against her ropes, moaning quietly and holding her breath.

 Christi arched her body as best as she could to help me remove her jeans. She knew that if I wanted her out of them, that she had to take them off. To do otherwise would mean losing the concealing garment forever. There was absolutely nothing she could do if I decided to cut them off her body.

 As the jeans slipped down Christi’s smooth legs, I heard Amy take one last deep breath and let it out in a small cry. Her body strained against the ropes, her whole body involved in her orgasm. She cried out again as Elizabeth continued her task. Amy’s breasts moved with her laboured breathing, tears running slowly down her face.

 Elizabeth looked up at me, pulling her head from Amy’s sex. She looked at me with pleading in her eyes.

 “Please, sir. She’s done. She’s climaxed. Oh God. Please can I stop?”

 I slowly shook my head, forcing the girl to continue stimulating Amy.

 Amy whispered, “Oh God. Please,” mostly to herself as Elizabeth resumed her task, tears falling from her eyes. Amy squirmed at the touches, probably not quite recovered enough to take the renewed stimulation to her clitoris, but not having any choice. Not like she could move away, or push Elizabeth’s head from her.

 Christi was watching the other girls, and turned as she noticed that I had taken her into my gaze instead.

 She looked a bit uncomfortable, with her hands bound. She looked up at me, face flushed.

 “We are going to finish this time. Aren’t we? Please? I ... I need you.”

 I smiled at her and she flushed more. I could see her thoughts running through her head. Such a difference from her former life. She probably couldn’t believe that she was naked, and tied up on an unfamiliar bed. Asking for sex. For relief. Feeling things for me that she probably wasn’t fully comfortable with. Fighting with herself.

 I nodded. I wanted her.

 She swallowed heavily again. “H-how do you want me?” she asked a bit shyly. She’d always initiated the sexual contact in the past, just doing whatever she thought I wanted. In most cases, I imagine it was what she wanted as well, but I’d never bothered asking.

 I smiled at her, lying here quietly looking up at me, bare breasts heaving. “How do you want it?” I asked softly.

 “I. I don’t want my hands tied,” she looked up at me hopefully.

 I slowly shook my head, letting her know kindly that her hands were going to remain behind her. I wanted her like that.

 Her face took on a resigned look, not quite daring to ask again, or beg.

 “If it pleases you, I, I’d like to be on top, then.”

 I could understand that. If she was on the bottom, her arms would probably be a bit uncomfortable. Though, they would sink into the bed below her, I’m sure she’d be more comfortable on top.

 I moved myself down to lie beside her, letting my fingers caress her bare breasts. She moaned, and with an obvious effort, she pulled away from the soft touches. She was breathing hard, as she struggled to her knees.

 “God, that was hard.”

 Thinking that getting to her knees with her hands tied was difficult I replied to her, “Didn’t pay attention in gymnastics?”

 She flushed. “I paid attention. That isn’t what I meant.” She paused for a brief moment, probably debating whether she wanted to elaborate. “I. I meant that it was hard pulling away from those touches.” She pulled at her bound wrists. I could see that she wanted to be free to touch her front. But that wasn’t happening. She’d have to get her touches from my fingers and my body. That’s how I wanted it, and she knew it.

 “Your jeans?” Christi looked at me hopefully.

 I just smiled at her, waiting for her to realize that I expected her to get them off me. It registered on her face.

 “Please. I’m tied.”

 “You can do it.”

 She flushed, but turned herself around with an effort. She tried to use her bound hands to undo the top button of my jeans, her fingers causing my arousal to increase as she struggled. After a few minutes, she turned her face to me, tears coursing down her cheeks.

 “Please. I’m sorry. I. I can’t. Please don’t punish me. Please.” She was nearly sobbing with her distress. I was watching her fingers and her wrists were tied just awkwardly enough that she couldn’t get her fingers to release the clasp. I wasn’t too surprised.

 I looked at her, trying to keep a straight face and keep it severe enough to convince her that she was in trouble, despite the fact that she was not. I was far too aroused to punish her at this point anyway. Nevertheless, the naked, vulnerable female didn’t know that, and she quickly tried to quell her tears.

 “Please. I. I don’t want to be punished. I’ll try again.”

 She pressed herself harder to her task. I cringed as I watched her, her trapped wrists bending in what looked to me like a really uncomfortable position. Her face was a mask of concentration, she probably didn’t even feel the pain from her hands. I really didn’t want to hurt her, so I gently touched her shoulder. She looked at me questioningly. As her concentration slipped she involuntarily pulled her bound wrists away from me and cried out softly as she felt the odd position of her wrists.

 “Try your mouth,” I urged her gently.

 The bound girl took a deep breath, knowing that she wasn’t going to have any more success with her teeth. She had to try though, she believed that she was going to be punished if she failed. And that punishment could range from denying her release to outright pain from a crop or paddle. Either way, she’d be restrained for the foreseeable future. Exactly what she didn’t want.

 With tears in her eyes, she again turned herself around and knelt facing my body.

  ------

 Chapter 116

 She bent again. I could feel the tremors from her body as she struggled with her teeth to release the clasps of my jeans. Her head pressed against my body, and I could actually feel her sobs of frustration and fear as she strained with the button. I raised my head, trying to see what she was doing down there.

 Finally, she let out a cry of dismay and frustration. I felt her take the edge of the denim in her teeth and pull back. Her teeth slipped, but the fabric came free. She almost sobbed in relief as the stubborn button released its hold. Tears running down her face, she knelt up and looked at me, triumph replacing the frustration.

 “Ouch,” she whispered. She moved her jaw and pulled at her bound wrists, her face crunched up in mild pain.

 “What happened?”

 “My teeth slipped. Clacked together.”

 “Open.”

 She stared at me, but obeyed, opening her mouth widely, probably expecting a gag. I merely reached up and ran my finger over her lower teeth, trusting that she wouldn’t try and bite me. She didn’t.

 “Nothing broken.”

 “I could have told you that.”

 I smiled at her. “And if I wanted to touch your teeth.”

 “They’re yours to touch.” She flushed. She sighed and bent her nude body back to her task. I felt her hot breath against me, through my underwear, and heard the zipper fall. She tugged ineffectively at the denim of my thigh with her mouth and then rose back to her knees. Her face was tear streaked, but with her success with the button, she had managed to stop crying. A new frustration had appeared.

 “Christi?” I inquired sweetly.

 “I. I can’t.”

 “Can’t what?”

 “Get them off. Please, sir. You. Please help me?”

 I reached down and raised my pelvis at the same time. I pushed the jeans over my hips and off my legs. I sat up and pulled off my t-shirt as well for her. I kicked off my shoes and socks, leaving just my underwear for her to struggle with. I lay back down, taking the weight off my pelvis.

 Her eyes followed my movements, probably surprised that I’d helped her this much. She was probably expecting at least a half hour of painful struggling against her restraints in order to get my clothes off. I’d done in thirty seconds what would have taken her thirty minutes. Minimum.

 She smiled down at me, gratefully. “This slave thanks you.”

 She bent again, nuzzling me through the thin material of my underwear. I gasped at the sensations. If it was possible, I found myself getting harder. At last, she teasingly gripped the material in her teeth and pulled them slowly down my legs until they caught at my ankles. I lifted my feet allowing her to pull them completely off me. She looked up at me, smiling as she bent again to take my toes into her mouth.

 I shivered as her tongue explored my toes. After a few minutes she glanced up and began her slow journey back up towards my head. With her hands behind her, she had some difficulty maneuvering herself upwards. At last she straddled me, her bare legs lying easily on either side of my body, looking at my face. Her bare breasts were rising and falling beautifully with her laboured breathing and I could feel her arousal and heat as she pressed herself into my belly.

 Carefully, she lowered herself to touch my lips with hers. I could see her frustration, knowing this would be ever so much easier if I’d just release her wrists. But she didn’t complain or beg me to let her free. She merely kissed me, pulling lightly at her ropes.

 “I can’t wait any longer,” she whispered as she ground her pelvis into my body. “I swear, I’m going to cum like this.”

 I smiled up at her. “You’ll do no such thing.”

 She closed her eyes, remembering that I wasn’t a normal lover. She needed my permission for her release. She nodded, silently promising that she wouldn’t climax without my permission.

 She lifted herself, straining her thighs. I had to help her a bit, she not being quite strong enough and being restrained, she couldn’t find the leverage. Finally she was poised over me, her thighs straining to keep her body lifted off mine, her toes curled into the bed sheets.

 She moaned as I guided myself to her. I nodded to her and she gently lowered herself, impaling her body with mine. We gasped together at the penetration. Slowly, she slid herself up and down, pumping, gripping at me with her internal muscles, rocking herself. After the mornings activities I wasn’t going to last very long. She took her time, savouring the sensations, feeling the sexual energy. She had cum once this morning with Jane, but she was more than ready for me.

 I glanced once at Elizabeth still working diligently between Amy’s legs. Amy had her eyes closed, trying to ignore Elizabeth’s tongue now. She was probably spent for the day. The sight of the female lovemaking heightened my arousal again. I closed my eyes to concentrate on Christi’s softness. Images flipped behind my closed lids. Knowing that she was restrained, couldn’t use her hands made it so much more enjoyable for me. Amy. Elizabeth. Jane, still bound in the other room with Sheila. The syrup. The girls, trying so hard to be pleasing.

 I exploded, not being able to hold back any longer. Christi cried out as I thrust one last time deep into her softness. My body arched, muscles fighting with one another, moaning. I fell back to the bed under her, gasping and fighting off the residual spasms. Christi had stopped her thrusting as I climaxed. I could still feel her wetness and her arousal as I remained inside of her.

 “Please?” she whispered. Seeking permission for her release. I imagine that she had been holding back. She was as ready as I was after the morning of being bound and teased.

 Not getting an immediate answer, the flushed girl began to cry softly. She needed the release, but I wasn’t allowing her. She pulled futilely at her trapped wrists, wanting to touch herself, needing just that tiny push over the edge. Resignedly, she lifted herself on quivering thighs and extracted me from her. I gasped at the sensations.

 She moved her bare body as best she could and lay down, still crying softly beside me. She buried her head in my shoulder, her skin still hot pressing into me. I let her cry for a few moments as I recovered.

 “That was wonderful,” I whispered to her.

 “Please. I. This slave. She wants to cum. Oh God. Please.” She looked up at me with earnest deep blue eyes. “Whatever I did, I’m sorry.”

 “You didn’t do anything.” I gently told her.

 “Then why? Please untie me? I’ll finish myself. You don’t have to do anything? Please?”

 “Will you accept a gag?”

 Her face registered confusion, probably so aroused she couldn’t form any thought that didn’t directly involve her swollen clitoris.

 “You know, to keep you quiet?” I elaborated.

 “You want me to keep quiet? I will. You don’t have to gag me. I. Please.”

 I reached over the side of the bed, fishing through the equipment bag that was still lying on the floor. Finally I touched a shiny hard ball shaped object which I pulled up onto the bed with the attached leather straps. Christi’s eyes opened wide as she saw the ball gag, not understanding why she had to have it. She would keep quiet if I told her to. Not even a cry. She had enough self-control and I knew it. It wasn’t like I was going to whip her.

 “Please. Why?” she pleaded with me. She knew, by now, that she was going to be gagged, like it or not.

 “I just want to see you in it. I’ll let you climax if you willingly take it. You have a choice.”

 Christi’s brow furrowed, but her body betrayed her. She didn’t like the idea of being gagged, I couldn’t remember if I had ever made her wear one before. She had always been good at keeping her mouth shut when told. She slowly nodded, wanting the climax more than she didn’t want the gag.

 She silently opened her pretty mouth as I approached her with the intrusion. I slipped the red ball behind her teeth and gently connected the straps behind her head. I worked the hair out from under the strap, allowing it to fall free around her bare shoulders. Her mouth stretched wide to accommodate the gag, but I hadn’t wrenched it in, like I had a few days ago with Elizabeth and Jane. Christi wasn’t going to have to wear it very long. I just wanted to see her climax with it.

 Christi tried to mumble something around the gag, but it wasn’t intelligible. I was guessing that she had tried to beg for its removal, but she wasn’t in any position to get rid of it herself. In frustration, she tried reaching around her nude body with her bound hands, but she wasn’t even coming close to her breasts, her vagina or her mouth with her hands tied the way they were.

 I gently urged her legs apart with my fingers. She lay her gagged head back into the pillows and more than willingly spread her long legs, her toes curling as she did.

 I idly stroked her skin, causing unintelligible begging noises to emerge from her mouth. She breathed easily through her nose, eyes closed as I gently parted her lips. Her body went rigid at the first light touch of her swollen clitoris. I eased off, teasing her, lightly stroking her slippery outer lips and entering her with my fingers. I purposely avoided her center until her mewls of dismay and arousal came at fever pitch. If it wasn’t for that gag, she would have been begging shamelessly and unreservedly.

 I whispered to her, “You may climax, little one.”

 Relief flooded into her unusually expressive eyes as I began to lightly stroke her clitoris. It didn’t take much, she was so aroused and ready. She exploded with a scream that was evident through the gag wedged behind her teeth. She screamed repeatedly into the gag as she orgasmed, her entire body arching and tensing as I continued to rub her lightly. Finally, spent, she collapsed into the sheets, trying to pull away from my still stroking fingers. I gave her one last light stroke on her sensitive clit causing her to jump and then allowed her to rest. She shivered as I ran my fingers lightly down her leg as I rose to my feet.

 I gently touched Elizabeth’s head, and she gratefully stopped licking at the girl in front of her. Using a pair of handcuffs, I had her sit with her back to the footboard of the bed. I casually connected her wrists to the bedposts, but she was far too tired to care. I suspect that she was thankful that I had even let her stop. She let her head droop towards her bare chest, her legs drawn up and pressed together. She looked pretty sitting there on the floor, arms outstretched, but I didn’t tell her. She closed her eyes, resting her tired body.

 I returned to the bed and sat down beside Christi. She looked up at me, helplessly, pleading with her eyes.

 “You want something, pretty girl?”

 She nodded her head. She was still flushed from her exertions, I could see it in her distended cheeks. She wanted the gag out of her mouth. I could see her tongue pushing against the intrusion. Even though it hadn’t been in her mouth long, it was probably uncomfortable.

 “More sex?”

 Her eyes betrayed her confusion. She didn’t know what the right answer was. She wanted the gag out, but she also would be willing to put out more to keep herself out of trouble. She was likely fully recovered from her climaxes and could probably go again if I wanted her. Problem was, as enticing as that gagged, naked, gorgeous creature was, there was no way that I was ready. Perhaps in a while. She struggled and opted for honesty. She slowly shook her head, preferring to take her chances that I’d guess again what she wanted. I could see it in her eyes. She knew that I was teasing her.

 “You’d like to sleep?”

 She looked a bit worn out, but that would have been normal, I supposed. She had been struggling in ropes, forced to exert herself without the benefit of her hands. But she shouldn’t be sleepy tired for a while yet, despite her rigorous activities. Elizabeth, and maybe Jane, could use sleep again, but Christi should still be viable. Predictably, she shook her head again, mewling into the ball. Probably trying to beg for the gag out.

 “What does she want?” I mused to myself as I idly stroked her skin. She squirmed, kicking her bare feet at the touches. Leaving her frustrated, I rose and quickly dressed myself. When I finished, I lowered myself back to the bed and gently kissed at her lips. It was an odd sensation kissing a gagged girl. Her lips were tight around the intrusion and she moaned at the touches. She probably thought it was more odd than I did.

 She tried to talk around the ball again, but finally gave up, realizing that I would take it out of her mouth eventually, and that she just had to wait. I touched the red surface of the ball between her lips.

 “Must be hard to talk with that in there,” I commented idly.

 She nodded her head vigorously, her eyes pleading with me.

 “You want it out?”

 She nodded again. My fingers were idly caressing her nipples, causing them to involuntarily, or perhaps voluntarily, harden. She squirmed, but didn’t pull away.

 “Will you be a good girl?”

 Her eyes registered disbelief that I would even ask. She’d done everything she was ordered to today without complaint. She’d taken off her clothing, had sex with me, made love to Amy, made love to Jane, suffered the syrup. She knew that she hadn’t so much as complained. She’d been good and didn’t deserve to be lying there naked begging for her gag to be removed. Despite all that, she swallowed her pride and slowly nodded her head.

 “You’ll be quiet?”

 Again, a hesitant nod. I could see her squirming, trying to keep still but so anxious to get the ball out of her mouth.

 I smiled at her and gently lifted her blonde head. I reached under her hair while she struggled to help me, twisting her head to allow me better access to the clasps. I slowly released the straps and then let her head fall back onto the pillow. The gag was no longer forcibly in her, she had closed her eyes and held it behind her teeth voluntarily, waiting for my fingers to pull it free for her. I watched her face for a moment, stretched by the intrusion and struggling not to push it out with her tongue. I wouldn’t have punished her if she had, I kind of expected her to do it. But she lay there, fighting with herself. It was beautiful to watch. Finally, she opened her eyes and looked at me, pleading. I was surprised that she’d had the self control to hold the uncomfortable position.

 I gently grasped the ends of the straps, slowly pulling the gag from her lips. As she felt the outward tension, she opened her mouth a little wider allowing the ball to slip from behind her teeth. She gasped audibly as the ball gag swung out of her mouth. It was wet, but it hadn’t been in her long enough to cause uncontrollable drool. She began to say something, probably a whispered thank-you, but I touched her lips with my finger before she could utter more than the initial “Th-”, gently reminding her to keep quiet.

 “Stay there. When I come back, I’ll let you get dressed again. If you are good.”

 “Please untie me,” she whispered pulling at her trapped wrists.

 I motioned for her to be silent and she closed her mouth, realizing that she would be bound until I returned. At least I had left her ankles free.

 I rose and walked towards the door. As I passed Amy, she looked up at me with hopeful eyes. She whispered as well, “Please. I’ve been in this chair for hours. Please let me go. I won’t go anywhere. I’ll sit still wherever you put me.”

 I raised my finger to my lips, shushing her. Her face drooped as she too realized that she was stuck in the ropes for a while. She squirmed, trying to get more comfortable. I felt a bit sorry for her, her bare body was probably aching. Probably her rear end was numb from sitting in one position so long on the hard chair. I stroked her hair gently.

 “When I get back, I’ll let you out. I promise.”

 She numbly nodded, tears falling gently from her eyes. She had been good all morning as well. I know I really should have let them free, but as I turned, regarding the three bound beauties, I again marveled at their exquisiteness lying and sitting throughout the room. Such delicate and desirable creatures. Mine. I didn’t want to let them go.

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 Chapter 117

 I quietly closed the door to the master bedroom. I was sure that as soon as I left, they’d begin talking. I didn’t mind. As long as they were smart enough to stop when I returned. If I’d really wanted them silent, I would have left them gagged.

 I walked quickly to the business room where Jane and Sheila were trapped. I twirled a pair of steel handcuffs around my finger as I approached. I set the key in the lock and took a breath. I wasn’t used to Sheila yet, and though she had never shown outward aggression, she also had never seen me punish the other girls. She might have some ideas of how to incapacitate me. She had some weapons in there, and she might have released Jane to help her. I readied my time defenses and unlocked the door. Really, I should have left Sheila restrained.

 I watched carefully as the door swung open. Sheila was on her knees, leaning back on her hands quietly talking to Jane. Sheila looked up as I entered, Jane tried to twist her bound body around to look at me. I watched as a look of hope crossed Jane’s features, but she pressed her lips together, not saying anything. Her arms looked sore bent up towards the ceiling behind her. She still couldn’t rise, and her legs looked tired. That was unfortunate, because she was going to remain there for a while, yet.

 Sheila spoke softly as I approached.

 “Please, master. This slave begs for slave Jane’s release. She’s in pain.”

 “I know. I’ll let her out soon.”

 Jane groaned as she realized that she was in for further pain and punishment before I’d let her down. I crouched down beside Sheila.

 “You didn’t let her go?” I asked Sheila.

 “You would have put her back up, and punished her twice as badly if I had.”

 I nodded and reached for Sheila’s wrist.

 “Please. I’ve proven that I’m not going to do anything. You don’t have to tie me up.”

 “You won’t be as uncomfortable as Jane is. And it’s not for long.”

 Sheila, realizing that any further protests would probably lead to further discomfort, allowed me to hang the steel from her wrist. I bid her lie down, which she did. I carefully attached her right wrist to Jane’s right ankle, having her lie easily under Jane.

 I addressed both of them.

 “Girls? I don’t want to gag you, but I want you to be quiet. Can you do that for me?”

 They both nodded. Sheila from the floor, and Jane from her bent over posture. They didn’t know why I wanted them quiet, but they knew better than to question it. They’d at least be quiet when I was around.

 “I’ll be back in a while.”

 Jane looked like she wanted to say something, perhaps let me know in graphic detail how her arms were screaming, but she decided to keep quiet, not wanting a gag to extend her discomfort.

 I stroked their hair gently and silently left them in the room. I carefully locked them in, though it was probably unnecessary with their restraints.

 I took a deep breath, allowing the shakes to finally take hold of my body. I gripped the handrail until they receded. Taking another deep breath I got myself in motion, walking swiftly to the stairs and down.

 I settled myself into the comfortable sofa and lay my head back against the cushions.

 What the hell had happened to me? One second I’m teasing Christi, the next I’m lying overtop of her bound form, with Elizabeth taking care of me as though I was an invalid. I couldn’t fathom it. What if it happened again? What if I didn’t wake up? What if it was more severe? What if the girls decided that next time, they’d take a chance at freedom by incapacitating me while I was helpless? Like Amy was already suggesting? I couldn’t blame her for that. She must be damn uncomfortable in that chair. My head swam with concerns.

 I rose to my feet and carefully walked to the front of the house, letting myself outside. I looked up at the house from the front walk. Inside, I had five girls, completely dependent on me. Without me, they couldn’t get back to their former lives. Without me, at the moment, they couldn’t even get themselves free enough to move. They deserved better.

 I forced myself to clear my head and began walking. The clean air of the morning helped the fogginess recede from my being. It felt good to be alone, enjoy the sunshine, breathe the air. I was tempted to release the few people that I passed, just to play with them in the morning light. God, this timeline was idyllic. Except for that damn blackout. My thoughts returned to the girls, restrained inside, unable to enjoy simple things at whim as I did.

 I hadn’t traveled far before I spotted a sports car, stopped in the middle of the road. The driver was a young attractive brunette, concentrating on the unmoving road in front of her. If I chose, she could be mine. I could add her to the women I already had. Make her my slave. I fingered my gun, but I realized that I didn’t need it. I could take her with a combination of time and brute strength. She was no match physically for me.

 My mind snagged, a nagging suspicion entering my consciousness. I sat down on the road, staring at the cute driver, letting my mind wander. It hit me like a ton of bricks falling from a building under construction. Bad scene.

 I leapt to my feet and ran around to the other side of the Mazda with the girl. I carefully exerted a minimum of will, allowing the passenger door to free from the time block. I slipped into the passenger seat, fighting the urge to take the brunette. She was exquisite. But I didn’t have time. I rummaged through her glove box finding paper. I dug in her purse in search of a pencil or pen. Lifesavers. Tampons. Condoms. Kleenex. And a wallet. Her wallet had a fine gold pen buried in the fold.

 I climbed out of the car and stretched out on the hood of her car. If I’d freed her now, I would have been in some serious trouble lying as I was. I feverishly scribbled equations and inequalities on the page, filling one, then another. The variables were complex, and almost unreadable, but after an hour or so, I read the last equation in disbelief.

 I could control time, but there were limits. I knew that. I just hadn’t bothered with the specifics because according to the assumptions, the limits should be far longer than a human life span. I knew more, now. Time control was taking some energy from my system, and that energy was fading. Not quickly. Not drastically. But I simply couldn’t maintain this time line indefinitely. With practice, perhaps, but I couldn’t yet. I knew that going in, but the line had proved to be so distracting that I had forgotten to keep my eye on it. According to the last equation, the controller might slip into a state of timelessness if the energy was to low. If the energy levels fell enough, then the timelines would collapse. The black out state was an attempt by my body and mind to conserve the timeline unconsciously. It would happen more and more frequently until the time line collapsed. I had a bad feeling what might happen to my body if the energy levels fell that low. Not to mention the effects on the people on this timeline. It might collapse into the primary timeline, but then again, it might not. The equations weren’t that accurate.

 I took a deep breath, the shaking now completely gone from my body. I was beginning to understand the realities of this. That is why I recovered so fast. It wasn’t a physical affliction. Problem was, I was vulnerable when it happened, and so were the girls.

 I slowly dropped off the car and sat at the side of the road holding the pages of numbers as a kind of bible. I couldn’t know when, but it would happen to me again if I tried to maintain the timeline. And there was absolutely no way to tell how low the energy reserves might be in my system. I needed rest. And I needed it on the main timeline where I wasn’t in control.

 I stared at the numbers, wanting to be wrong. I would have been happy staying here for a few more weeks. Perhaps someday I could.

 I really didn’t want to let them go. This whole peaceful world and the girls. They were great creatures. They had adjusted so well, and it had been fun. Probably more for me than them, but they had their freedoms as well. As Jane had so aptly put it, on the prime timeline, where could they go where they could romp around without clothes or cares? No school. No work. No worries. Someone else looking after your needs. They might have to put up with my games occasionally, but that wasn’t that bad a price to pay.

 I hung my head, breathing steadily. I knew what I had to do.

 I rose to my feet, hearing my own feet against the pavement in this silent world. I walked back to the house, dreading what was coming.

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 Chapter 118

 I could hear soft voices through the master bedroom door. I smiled, wondering what the girls were talking about in there. It didn’t matter that they weren’t obeying me.

 I walked over to the business room, slipping the key into the lock as quietly as I could. I turned it, and entered in one motion. They were talking quietly. More Sheila talking from the floor and Jane softly crying. Sheila had sat up, her wrist still holding her to Jane’s ankle. She paled as she watched me enter, knowing that I’d told them to be quiet before I left. She made to lie down into the position that I left her.

 I watched her struggle with her instinct to say something. She succeeded and lay quietly. Jane’s quiet crying was the only sound in the room.

 I crouched down beside Sheila and began to release the cuff from Jane’s bare ankle.

 “Please.” Sheila whispered.

 I looked at her. Taking my lack of admonishment as a sign to continue, Sheila begged. “Please. She’s hurt. Let her down. I know how much it hurts. Her arms hurt. She. She told me.”

 Jane shot a look at Sheila through her tears. Probably not wanting me to know how much she hurt.

 I didn’t answer Sheila and lifted her to her bare feet. I gently handcuffed her hands behind her back which she didn’t protest.

 “Sheila, honey. I need to talk to Jane. Will you go into the master bedroom with the others?”

 “Will you let her down?”

 “I’m going to let her down soon.”

 Sheila nodded, tears filling her eyes at her helplessness and she padded quietly towards the open door. I watched her as she moved into the hallway, and towards the other side. She’d have some trouble with the doorknobs with her hands cuffed behind her, but she’d manage. If not, she’d be smart enough to kneel in the hallway and not return until I asked her back.

 I settled myself into the leather chair and gazed at the half dressed, crying girl in the middle of the room. I couldn’t help but notice the contrast. Her having nothing and me comfortable with everything I ever wanted. Almost everything.

 I mentally marked the timeline as I sat. I felt a brief crawling sensation in my mind as I did, but nothing serious. I didn’t black out again.

 “Janey?”

 “Oh God. Please let me go. My arms. Hurt.”

 “I know, baby. I know.”

 “I didn’t do anything to deserve this. Please. I’ll do whatever you want from me.”

 “Will you kneel and listen to me?”

 She managed to raise her head and look at me, incredulous that I’d even asked.

 “You can tie me on my knees for all I care. Just let me down. I’ll do whatever you want. You don’t have to hurt me to have me.”

 I rose slowly from the chair and approached her. She watched, apprehension filling her face. She had no idea if I was going to punish her before letting her down or not.

 I knelt in front of her, looking up into her teary face. Still looking into her eyes, I ran my fingers softly up under her dress, stroking her soft skin. Relishing her feel. I touched between her legs. Sopping wet. Her eyes were still glued to mine as she squirmed in her restraints, knowing that her body was betraying her again.

 I rose, carefully untying the tether from the chain between her wrists. With a gasp the girl fell to her knees as soon as the support of the rope fell away. Her arms audibly smacked against her back. She was breathing hard and her eyes teared from relief. I knelt behind her and gently massaged her upper arms and shoulders. She moaned at the unexpected kindness. After ten or so minutes of that I crawled around front of her and adjusted her dress over her exposed breasts. She looked stunning kneeling there in her evening wear, tears still slowly dripping from her eyes.

 “You didn’t need to do that,” she spoke quietly. “I. I appreciate it, but I know you didn’t have to. Thank-you.”

 I didn’t know if she was talking about the massage, or the dress.

 “Janey. Sweetheart. I have to let you go.”

 “You just did.”

 “No. I have to let you all go.”

 My eyes began to tear, but I forced the wetness from my eyes. She was quick, probably the most perceptive of any of the girls.

 “What happened?” she asked softly.

 “I was playing, and I blacked out. I. I can’t maintain this timeline much longer. It’s a symptom of my losing control. If I don’t stop this, at some point I’m going to blackout and never wake up. And I have no idea how much danger you or I are in.”

 She sat back on her heels studying my face. “I wish I could say that I’m sympathetic.”

 “I know. I don’t expect you to be upset or anything. I just thought you should know.”

 “Why me?”

 “Because you might understand. And you were always good to talk to.”

 “Are you going to tell the others?” She pulled at her bonds again.

 “Eventually.”

 “How long until you black out again?”

 “Have no idea. Could be hours. Could be days.”

 “How much longer are you going to keep us.”

 “Not much longer.”

 Her eyes registered her perception. “You are going to have one last fling with us. Aren’t you?”

 I’d considered that on the way here. I’d decided on something a little different. I slowly shook my head and Jane’s eyes betrayed her confusion.

 “You aren’t going to use us all one last time before you have to let us go?”

 “No, sweetheart. I’m going to give you all a choice. To a degree. I’m going to let you all decide if you want anything special before you go. You won’t remember it, but you may as well get something you always wanted to do before you go. Doesn’t have to be sexual. As long as it doesn’t take too long. That’s all. You might want to think about it.”

 “When?”

 “When what?”

 “When are you going to let us go?”

 “By the end of today. Not much choice, I’m afraid.”

 She lowered her head. When she raised it again, she was fighting off tears. Not sure why.

 “Can a slave beg for lunch? Or are you purposely making her wait? She’s hungry.”

 I smiled at her. I wondered what she was going to ask for. This seventeen year old, gorgeous creature kneeling so docile in front of me.

 I had her get to her feet, and I released her bonds. She turned on her bare feet rubbing her wrists and biceps.

 “How are your breasts?”

 “God awfully sore. You didn’t have to do that to me, you know. Whatever you asked, I would have done. Even this dress hurts now.”

 “How are the arms?”

 “A little better.”

 “You think you can make lunch?”

 “Depends what you want.”

 “Anything you would normally make.”

 “I can make sandwiches. Egg salad, or cold meat.”

 “Whatever strikes your fancy.”

 “You are really going to let us go?”

 I nodded slowly. Not wanting to.

 “I know what I want.” And with those words she bent down quickly and kissed my forehead. In a whirl of black fabric, she turned on her feet and hurried to make some lunch for everyone, I could hear her bare feet whispering down the hallway and down the stairs.

 I slowly rose to my feet and followed her but only as far as the master bedroom. I hesitated, but forced myself to turn the knob. I entered the room, glancing around. Sheila was kneeling in the center of the room, her bare body still on display. Idly, I wondered how much trouble she’d had with the doorknob with her hands bound behind her back. Amy was still tied into her chair, squirming slightly. Christi lay quietly on the bed looking at me. And Elizabeth remained exhausted, sitting at the end of the bed, arms outstretched, vulnerable.

 I made my way over to Amy’s chair and knelt in front of her. I slowly ran my fingers up her calf and across her smooth thigh. She shivered, but didn’t protest. She began to say something, probably wanting to beg again for her release, but then remembered her orders to keep quiet. She knew about gags and really didn’t want another. She remained silent. I waited for a few minutes there, just enjoying the sight of her, and finally began to unknot the ropes holding her bare ankles. She sat still, breathing easier as she realized that she was getting a measure of freedom. After a few minutes, her limbs were free of the chair. She still sat quietly, not sure of my intentions. She was shaking a little.

 I picked up a stray pair of handcuffs from the pack and motioned for her to come to me. She stiffly managed to rise out of the chair. She began to walk towards the bed where I stood, but realized that she hadn’t been told how to move. Closing her eyes, she opted for safety and fell to her knees. She awkwardly shuffled towards me on her bare knees, finally ending up at my feet. She bowed her head.

 “Turn around,” I spoke gently to her. “Hold your hands behind you.”

 She looked up at me, tears forming in her eyes. She had done everything I wanted, including being bound to a chair for hours suffering female attentions. Rightly, she didn’t deserve to be bound, and she knew it. She hadn’t been free of restraints for a long time. But I had my reasons.

 “It’s not punishment, Amy. You’ve been a good girl,” I tried to reassure her.

 She looked up at me, begging with her eyes, silently asking why. I couldn’t give her an answer. Not yet. Not getting a response, she resigned herself and turned slowly on her knees, her wrists held behind her bare back.

 I bent and slipped the steel around her wrists, being careful not to tighten them into her skin.

 “Go kneel with Sheila. Okay?”

 Amy nodded silently, and began her slow journey to Sheila on her knees. I rose and walked over to where Elizabeth sat slumped at the foot of the bed.

 I crouched in front of her. Her breathing was regular, her eyes closed. Her legs were drawn up, trying to make herself more comfortable on the floor. Her wrists were hanging loosely in the cuffs.

 I touched her shoulder gently, whispering to her.

 “Elizabeth? Sweetheart?”

 The girl awoke with a start, but she wasn’t as disoriented as I’d feared she might be. She pulled once at her restraints and then moaned a bit. She looked up.

 “I’m sorry,” she mumbled.

 “Sorry for what?”

 “For sleeping,” her eyes widened as she realized the rest of the room was quiet except her. Her mind focused and she remembered her orders to be quiet. The girls were taking me seriously today. I couldn’t blame them. “And for talking, just now. I’ll be quiet.”

 “It’s alright. You can talk. Just not loudly. I’m going to let you go from there, alright? I’m going to handcuff you like Amy and Sheila.”

 She numbly nodded, not even being fully awake yet. She didn’t have much choice in how free or not free her body was anyway.

 I reached up and stroked the soft skin of her face. I let my finger trace over her jaw and down her throat. I traced down between her bare breasts, and touched her belly. She shivered, but didn’t protest the touches of her skin. She had been through a lot worse.

 I reached up and released her left wrist from the cuff holding her. She pulled the hand in, and gently held it on her thigh. I released her right wrist by releasing the cuff attached to the bedpost. She just looked at me and spoke, “Front, or back?”

 She was clearly hoping for front, but I had to disappoint her. “Back,” I told her. Her eyes registered a bit of disappointment, but she squirmed her bare body around, reaching her knees. Mimicking Amy and Sheila, she held her wrists behind her and allowed me to attach them together with the chain. She pulled idly at her bonds, but satisfied with her helplessness, she turned herself back around to face me.

 I gently kissed her cheek, which she again allowed without complaint.

 “Jane’s making some lunch and you’re probably hungry. All of you. Head down. And you can talk between you. Tell Jane that she can talk to you as well. Alright?”

 The faces around me brightened a bit, as they didn’t have to worry about keeping quiet. All four began to rise to their feet, struggling against their restraints.

 I rose, seeing that Christi had managed to rise to a sitting position on the bed. She was swinging her bare legs off the bed.

 “Except you, Christi,” I spoke gently to her. She looked up at me questioningly, but stopped her movements obediently.

 She braved speaking.

 “Please. I’m hungry too.” She had made her voice purposely pitiful, like a hungry child being denied food. Perhaps she actually felt that way. And it tore at me. The vixen.

 “I’m not punishing you. You’ll get to eat, in a moment. I promise.”

 Her face brightened a bit at the promise and she slowly lay herself back onto the bed, wistfully watching the other three girls exit the room. The door closed quietly behind the retreating beauties.

 I sat down on the edge of the bed, looking at this woman that I knew so well. Her blonde hair cascaded over her bare shoulders. Her arms looked uncomfortable held behind her, but she wasn’t complaining. Her full lips were slightly parted, her breath coming in short bursts. She stared back at me, not angry, not upset, not in accusation. None of the things she should have been feeling as I watched her. This beautiful creature that I had possessed for what seemed like forever. I idly wondered what she’d want before she left. If anything.

 I silently motioned for her to sit up. She struggled with it, her abdomen straining with the awkward sit up that I’d demanded of her.

 “What’s the matter?” she whispered.

 I couldn’t tell her yet. “In time. I’ll tell you.”

 “Something is the matter, then. I could feel it,” her shoulders shook a bit as she craned her neck to try and look at me. My fingers fumbled at the knots holding the rope around her wrists.

 “Is it me?” she asked tremulously. “Whatever I did, I’m sorry.”

 I was silent. Not knowing what to tell her.

 Christi continued as her wrists were freed from their restraints. “I truly am sorry. Not because I’m afraid of punishment. I am. But you seem different. Quiet. Melancholy. And whatever I did to cause it, I’m sorry.”

 I finished with her hands and she pulled them in front of herself, rubbing at her wrists. She slowly turned her body on her hands and knees, falling into an easy cross-legged position.

 I looked into her deep blue eyes and spoke solemnly. “Christi, honey. Honestly. It isn’t anything that you did. Everything is fine.”

 I tried my damnedest to get a smile onto my face. It shouldn’t have been hard with her, nude, and available sitting there in front of me. But I knew I had failed when tears threatened to form in Christi’s eyes.

 Instinctively, she threw herself forward and hugged me. I’m not sure what possessed her to do it, but it was right. I felt her bare body press itself into my clothes tightly. She held me for a few minutes, and then slowly backed away, falling back to her knees on the bedspread. Strangely I felt better somehow.

 “Thank-you,” I spoke quietly. Christi raised her pretty eyebrows at that. I don’t think I’d ever thanked any of them for anything that they did. They were human, but they also had to be reminded of their status in small ways. She still looked a little worried, but she managed to speak.

 “You’re welcome. I know you can make me hug you whenever you want, but that one was real.”

 “I know.”

 She held her wrists out, close together, offering herself.

 “Don’t you want to get dressed first?” I asked her gently.

 Her eyes brightened immediately as she was distracted from my state. She nodded her head slowly.

 I lay back on the bed as she crawled off and picked up her discarded clothing. I watched her lithe body as she covered it, pulling the too tight jeans over her hips, and the top over her head. I marveled that she could look so perfect both nude and clothed. She smiled brilliantly at me as she stood there, waiting for my approval.

 I smiled at her as I sat up and swung my legs off the bed. I was really going to miss her.

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 Chapter 119

 She held her wrists out again expecting the handcuffs. She seemed almost eager to have the restraints, or perhaps she was simply more accepting of her treatment since I’d allowed her the clothing back.

 Instead of attaching her wrists together, I grasped her right hand firmly in my left and walked with her, allowing her to open the bedroom door and lead the way out and into the hallway. If she was surprised at the fact that I hadn’t handcuffed her, she didn’t show it.

 As we approached the kitchen, I released her hand, and watched as she wiggled her fingers. She smiled at me, not quite understanding my mood. Her bare feet danced in nervousness on the hardwood of the entranceway to the kitchen.

 “I feel like it’s my birthday or something. Everyone in there is going to jump out and yell ‘Surprise’ when I walk in.”

 I smiled at her. “Maybe it is. Maybe they will,” I spoke quietly.

 She gave me a confused look, and waited with her hands at her sides for me to allow her to enter the kitchen.

 Taking a deep breath, I pushed open the kitchen door and motioned for Christi to enter. I watched as she walked into the kitchen, the sway of her feminine body exaggerated as she moved.

 As I followed her, I noticed that the other women were scattered about the kitchen. Amy and Elizabeth were quietly talking at the table, their hands impeding them a little as they sat upright in the kitchen chairs.

 Jane was swirling around the kitchen, finishing up making sandwiches. Sheila was doing whatever she could at Jane’s direction to help. Her bound hands making any chore difficult. But she didn’t seem to mind as she moved her bare body around. Christi moved over to Sheila who was trying to carry a small tray of cookies behind her. Christi immediately took the tray and spoke a few whispered words to Sheila. Sheila looked a bit relieved and moved towards me, kneeling at my feet.

 “Can a slave ask to have her hands released so that she can help with lunch?” she inquired with a sweet look on her face. The bruises had faded considerably from her features, but they weren’t completely gone yet. She was still beautiful.

 “Sweety. Go sit with Amy and Elizabeth. Christi can take over.”

 She looked a bit disappointed, probably hoping to be released even if it meant chores for her to do. She slowly climbed to her bare feet, with a helping hand from myself, and walked over to table, settling her bare bottom onto one of the hard chairs.

 I leaned against he wall watching the activity. Jane and Christi quickly set the table with plates and trays of small sandwiches. As Jane fished pickles out of a huge jar, I couldn’t believe the sights. Three women, completely nude from the tops of their heads to their pretty toes, handcuffed, talking like it was the most natural thing in the world. Christi, in her tight jeans and top, no underwear and barefoot. Jane in evening wear, her feet bare and moving against the tile. Busily making lunch. They were all just so ... exquisite, delicate creatures.

 It was hard to believe what I’d put them all through over the last days. Pain. Humiliation. Sexual slavery. I closed my eyes and pictured them, just this morning, covered in syrup, sticky, eating without complaint, in a situation that just wasn’t imaginable for most people. And they were here. Still alive. Still surviving. And unbroken. Even happy. I watched a quick smile flash across Amy’s face as she laughed at something Sheila had said. The female of the species is a wondrous creature.

 I took a deep breath.

 “Christi?”

 She looked up from her tray of sandwiches that she was placing on the table, her eyes questioning. If I was to tell her to make love to Jane on the floor, she would. No questions. No complaints. If I was to ask her to whip Amy’s breasts for a few minutes ... she would. She’d protest. Try to avoid it. Try to offer herself. Any number of things. But she’d do it for me. Any of them would. I felt a tingle race through me.

 “I think we are going to need a couple of chairs,” I spoke to her.

 She looked at me incredulously. I was implying that all of them might actually get chairs? At lunch time? Not make two of them sit on the floor, or worse eat off the floor like pets? She didn’t move, her thoughts freezing her body.

 “Christi?”

 She shook herself and looked at me again, her mouth open.

 I laughed gently. “Yes, you all get to sit like human beings today.”

 She finally took a breath and scampered towards the dining room. Smiling, I watched as she struggled with the larger dining room chairs. Hugging them as if they were a person, using her whole smaller body to lift the things and bring them into the kitchen. She used her bare foot to push open the door.

 After she was done, there were six chairs gathered around the small kitchen table. She had arranged the chairs with a little help from the three nude girls, such that one dining room chair had more space than the others. Presumably mine.

 I looked at the girls. Jane had finished preparations, all the food was on the table. The girls were all standing demurely beside their chosen chair, waiting quietly.

 “Christi?”

 She looked up a bit fearfully, afraid that she’d done something wrong. Something in my tone, I guess.

 “Relax, silly female. Two things. You could have dragged them,” meaning the chairs that she’d struggled to carry in here. Christi blushed a bit at that, realizing that she wasn’t thinking. I continued, “And even out the chairs. You’ll never have enough room like that.” The girls chairs were really jammed together giving my chair an excessive amount of space. While I liked the image of them pressed together and a little uncomfortable, it wasn’t necessary today. No need to have them unable to eat easily, constantly bumping elbows and other softer things.

 “I’m sorry,” she whispered. Given past treatment, there was no reason for her to think that I would allow them more room at the small table. She was apologizing anyway, as though it were her fault for not reading my mind. After this morning, I suppose that I couldn’t blame her for being careful and thinking any perceived transgression might be punishable. She quickly moved to separate the girls’ chairs. She still left me more room, but I didn’t push the issue.

 I slowly moved to the chair intended for me and sat. The rest of the girls sat down as soon as I touched the chair. They were quiet, not really knowing what was happening. Except Jane probably had an inkling what my unusual mood was about.

 A tremulous voice rose from beside me. Elizabeth spoke, almost fearfully.

 “M-master? Are we. Is it,” she stammered and finally found her tongue. “Was it your intention for some slaves not to eat?”

 I looked at her quizzically. She looked down quickly, probably sorry she’d spoken at all.

 I was a little confused by her question. She looked up quickly, saw the confusion and took a breath. She rattled her wrists trapped behind her bare back.

 The light dawned on me. I smiled and reached forward, picking up a small egg sandwich. I touched it to her trembling lips. Obediently, she parted her lips and accepted the food into her mouth. I watched her chew slowly, comprehension dawning of her pretty face. She flushed a little, realizing that she was sitting next to Sheila who was similarly bound. Unless I relented and released her wrists, she was going to get fed by me. Or I would force Christi or Jane to lean across the table to feed her. Tears briefly brimmed in her expressive eyes, but she managed to control them. I guess just the image of her not even having the control to feed herself had washed over her. For me it was exciting, for her probably a bit humiliating.

 I looked around the table at the four stunning faces watching my movements. Perhaps they were waiting for permission to eat.

 “Jane? Share your fingers with Amy. Christi? You feed Sheila. And I’ll take care of Elizabeth.”

 Taking that as a sign to begin, I watched as Christi hesitantly picked up a ham sandwich and offered it to Sheila. Seeing my gaze on her, and seeing the look in my eyes, she anticipated my next request. After Sheila had bitten off a small bite, Christi turned the sandwich to her own mouth and shared the food as well as her fingers. Jane watched and did the same. Soon, the women were eating slowly and talking softly around the table. I tried to remember to share with Elizabeth. The girl took whatever was offered to her from my plate. Sandwiches of a multitude of flavours and pickles. She seemed to enjoy all of them. She was happily talking to the other girls, and directing some questions to me. Asking to try some foods that I hadn’t taken. I wasn’t very hungry, but I did share my food, allowing her to request whatever she wanted. I figured if she was willing to sit there naked and cuffed being fed by me without complaint, then she deserved to eat whatever she desired.

 Finally, Elizabeth was full, and I didn’t want any more. She obediently licked the crumbs off my fingers after we were done. I idly sat back, stroking her red hair, watching the other’s still interacting. Christi and Jane still slowly fed the naked women and themselves.

 The girls got into an animated discussion of the relative merits of oral vs. conventional sex. I wisely refrained from entering the discussion and they continued as though I wasn’t even there. But I did notice a gleam of mischievous intent in Jane’s eyes. If I recalled correctly, she had initiated the discussion with some inflammatory comment. Considering that she was the only girl what had escaped oral sex with Amy this morning, it was actually ironic.

 At last, the conversation began to show signs of weakness, and Jane rose to clear the table. Christi automatically followed, being the only other female free of fetters. She began to run water into the sink.

 “Just clear the dishes. No need to wash them.”

 “Why? Are we moving again?” Christi turned off the water and joked with me. “You harbouring a run-out-of-plates-and-move mentality now?”

 Jane had transferred most of the plates and trays to the counter beside the sink.

 I didn’t answer right away, and Christi’s face became more worried.

 “Or are you just anxious to play with us, again?” Christi whispered. Fear had begun to creep into her eyes despite her obvious efforts to remain casual.

 I took a deep breath. “We’re moving. Sort of.”

 Christi looked at me. All the girls looked at me, except for Jane.

 Christi’s lips moved gently. “Please. Master. We like it here. It’s comfortable. We picked it. Please don’t make us move again. I’ll. We’ll do anything you want. Please let us stay here.”

 “You’ll do anything I want, anyway. Whether we move or not.”

 “Oh.” Her face fell betraying her disappointment. I could see the resignation cross her face. If I wanted to move them, they didn’t have a lot of choice in the matter. “I suppose you want us to pack all our chains and ropes and stuff.”

 “Actually no. I don’t. I said we are moving. Sort of.” This time I emphasized the ‘Sort of.’

 “I. I don’t understand,” Christi spoke quietly. The other girls didn’t know what to think, letting Christi speak for them, for now. They just watched quietly, Jane closing her eyes and watching the floor. I could see the smile playing about her lips, the vixen, but she hid her involvement here well.

 I took a deep breath and looked at Christi’s deep blue eyes until she looked away, resigned that I’d explain to her when I was ready. Not much she could do about it.

 “Janey?”

 Jane looked up with widened eyes, not expecting me to call her.

 “Yes, sir,” her mouth automatically formed the words.

 “Tell them.” I leaned back in the chair, crossing my arms across my chest and trying to keep my face neutral.

 Her face dropped in surprise, but she recovered quickly. She looked around at the four intent faces staring at her. Waiting for her to speak. Confusion infused all the expectant faces. They didn’t know what was coming, but they knew that this was far more important than a move from a hotel to a mansion. They could tell by my behaviour, by how they’d been treated over the last hour or so, and the look on Jane’s face.

 Jane took a deep breath, holding her hands to her face as though she was going to cry. Finally, the soft, almost whispered words fell into the silent room.

 “We’re going home,” Jane whispered, tears running down her face. She caught her breath and continued to her stunned audience. “He’s going to let us go. Today.”

 Amy whispered from her chair. “You. You’re kidding. Please. Don’t.”

 Tears had formed in all their faces. They knew instinctively that Jane wasn’t lying, that she was telling the truth to them. That they were going to return to their former lives. Forgetting about this time, this place. What they’d all wanted since I’d dropped into their normal lives.

 Almost as one, the girls surged out of their places. Had I ordered them to stay where they were, they wouldn’t have listened. Their voices mixed together, laughing, crying, talking. They moved together with Jane overwhelmed in the middle. The two free girls hugged and kissed the bound ones, pressing their bodies together in a show of happiness and relief. They’d made it through. Sane. Even Sheila was excited and participating. Christi and Jane hugged fiercely, crying onto each other’s shoulders.

 I sat back, shaking my head, just watching them. I don’t think I will ever see such a display of such relief and happiness as long as I live. The girls couldn’t stop talking, asking Jane questions, overwhelming her.

 I let them get it out of their systems, waiting patiently, quietly enjoying them. Finally, Jane extracted herself from the mob of girls, gently pushing them away from her. She walked slowly to where I was sitting and spoke slowly and somberly.

 “I honestly thought that you were going to keep us forever. I thought, that you were maybe even going to kill us one day. I was sure of it. No matter what your reasons are, I for one want to thank you for this. Even if I have to wait a little longer yet.”

 She bent and kissed me on both cheeks and then full on the lips, holding my jaw firmly between her hands. Each girl, in turn, followed Jane. Kissing me the same way, Christi last, running her tongue softly over my lips before breaking away.

 Amy looked over at me after Christi was done. Her bare skin shone clean despite her exertions this morning. Her hands pulled gently at the cuffs holding her.

 “When?” she asked quietly.

 “Soon,” I answered her vaguely. Truthfully, I didn’t know when they’d all be released.

 Her face paled. “You want to hurt us one last time. Don’t you?”

 I looked at Jane who turned to Amy. She touched Amy’s bare shoulder, turning the girl to face Jane.

 “Sweety. He’s done hurting us. He got that out of his system this morning. Those handcuffs are about as close to hurting as you’ll get. He’s going to let us go later today.”

 “Why not now?” Amy was understandably the most anxious to leave and get back to her real life. She’d been a bit of a firebrand since that day where she’d discovered what pain really was. A tongue clamp, a riding crop and some rope.

 “Amy, honey. He does have some plans for us.”

 Amy paled. “Rape hurts some of us, you know?” she whispered.

 Jane actually laughed. “Honey. He’s not going to rape us. At least I don’t think he is. Christi already gave him a tumble from what I heard.” Christi blushed fiercely for some reason. “He. He’s going to let us all do something *we* want to do. Something that we normally couldn’t.”

 “I just want to go home,” Amy spoke quietly.

 Jane took a deep breath. “You are going to be here until tonight anyway, honey. Think about it. I’m sure there are limits here, but make it worthwhile being here. If he’s going to let us do something for us, take advantage of it. Think about it.”

 Amy nodded in that way that says, I-don’t-want-anything-but-to-go-home, but she managed a smile. At least her worst fears weren’t being realized. At least it wasn’t looking like she’d be raped or tormented any longer.

 Christi looked like she was about to say something, but I cut her off.

 “Girls? Remember that you are still slaves. There’s just an end in sight. I don’t want to see any last minute disobedience because I’m letting you go. Jane and Christi? Remember the clothes? Remember how you knew you were going to lose them if you didn’t remember what you were? You did well with that, but remember that I can take potential freedom away as well.”

 The girls sobered a bit at the words. They all nodded grimly. It was probably easier for Elizabeth, Sheila and Amy to accept this, still being naked and handcuffed. I imagine it is tough not to remember that you are under control when you have no clothing and are restrained physically. But Jane and Christi had always been good at keeping me satisfied despite freedoms that I allowed them. I suspected that when I told them to kneel, all of them still would.

 I shepherded the girls out into the hallway. They resumed their excited chattering as though I wasn’t there. I guided them into the library where I had them kneel and carefully placed handcuffs on all of them. Jane and Christi looked hurt a bit, but I ensured that the bonds weren’t tight and just restricted their motion a little. The nude women, I merely changed their hands from behind them to in front.

 “Couldn’t have done this before lunch, could you?” Elizabeth smiled up at me playfully.

 “Then I probably wouldn’t have had the pleasure of feeding you.”

 She blushed and accepted the cuffs over her wrists again.

 I felt a bit drained and wanted a few moments to think.

 “Alright. You all have free time for a while, but don’t move out of these rooms. Okay?”

 The women nodded, understanding. Christi and Elizabeth jumped immediately to their bare feet and headed for their books, not wanting to waste free time. Sheila more slowly climbed to her feet and began to scan the book shelves. Amy moved to the doorway and slipped into the stereo room.

 Jane remained on her knees looking up at me.

 “If you want company, I’ll do whatever you need.” Her expression told me that she would do anything I wanted, whether that involved her crying in pain, or held in my arms. Or she’d simply sit and talk.

 “Thanks for the offer, Janey. I appreciate it. But I just want to think for a while.”

 “I understand,” she spoke softly from the floor. She struggled to push herself to her bare feet. “Can I ask if I’m allowed in the dining room.”

 An image of her stretched out on the windowsill in the still morning sun caught my mind’s eye. Her feline form, breathing softly in sleep. With and without the evening dress, she flitted behind my eyes.

 “Are you alright?” she asked worriedly. She’d never seen a blackout and she was understandably worried. Her life could be in the balance of another blackout and she was so close to going home.

 I shook off the images with a smile. She didn’t understand why I looked her up and down the way I did, but I nodded to her.

 “I’m fine. And, of course you go to the dining room. Little kitten.”

 She gave me a strange smile making me wonder just how much she did know. In a swirl of black fabric, interrupted only by her pale bare feet she scampered away to her window.

 I turned away and made my way slowly upstairs. I lay back on the bed, closed my eyes and let the images of the week flash through.

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 Chapter 120

 I must have relaxed on the master bed for an hour or so, just reflecting on the journey, from the moment I took Christi, through all the excitement and emotions all the way to the happiness in Jane’s eyes as she related her news in the kitchen. They were wonderful girls. And I was going to miss them. I closed my eyes and shuddered. The small black spider crawled over the recesses of my mind. Relaxing, I managed to stave off another episode, but I knew the time was coming. The girls deserved to be returned. They deserved better than this.

 Slowly I sat up and stretched my limbs. I was tired, but it was time. I gained my feet and made my way to the door, slowly opening it. The hallway reminded me of the short journey that we had left. A straight arrow with a set of stairs leading down.

 I arrived in the library, silently entering. Elizabeth was at her perch, reading the Tale of Two Cities again. Christi was curled up in the chair reading her Talisman. Both girls looked up at me as I entered. Elizabeth slowly raised her arms to display her bare breasts, flushing a little as she did. I could almost see the thoughts in her pretty head. Not much longer, and anything to make the last few hours less painful for her. I smiled at her, appreciating the gesture, but indicated to her that she didn’t have to display her body to me. Not this time. She slowly lowered her arms, a look of gratefulness crossing her features. Her arms obscured her breasts, but it was still obvious that she was nude. She looked beautiful in either position.

 Sheila was lying quietly on the floor, thumbing through an atlas of all things. She hadn’t looked up as I entered, intent on something in the reference book. I nodded easily to the other girls, who slowly turned back to their books. But I could feel their eyes still on me as I crouched beside Sheila. She finally looked up as my shadow crossed her book.

 She smiled weakly, somehow understanding that I wanted her. She pushed herself off her stomach with her handcuffed hands and knelt. Not a word had been exchanged yet. I gently touched her shoulder as I rose to my feet. She followed, somehow knowing that it was expected of her. Her bare feet whispered across the carpet as I guided her out of the room. At the entranceway, she turned, gazing back at her friends. Christi and Elizabeth both were watching us intently now, their books forgotten. Elizabeth waved her bound hand, and Christi followed suit. They had no idea if they’d ever see Sheila again. Tears formed in Sheila’s eyes as she waved back. But a weak smile also graced her features.

 As I guided her to the stairs, she tried to speak. I shushed her gently. She obeyed, and silently climbed the stair, her bare legs working in front of my eyes.

 We reached the bedroom and I sat on the bed. Looking around, a bit confused, she finally decided that the safest course was to kneel, which she did. I let her kneel there quietly for a few minutes. She broke the silence.

 “Master? Are? Are you going to rape me?”

 I laughed gently. “If I haven’t raped you yet, little one, I’m not going to.”

 She looked a bit relieved. “Why am I here then?” she asked quietly.

 I looked at her. She was a vision of beauty. She perhaps had the most stunning physical attraction of all of them. And I’d never even touched it. She was kneeling easily with her hands held in her lap. She was squirming a little, but not as much as I would have in a similar situation.

 “You know why you are here,” I spoke gently to her.

 She swallowed heavily. I wasn’t making it easier for her. She thought she knew, but she was afraid of being wrong. I couldn’t blame her.

 “Master? I. I know what I want.” She finally found the courage to take a chance.

 I nodded to her, letting her know that it was alright for her to continue.

 “I. I haven’t been allowed to leave this house in three months. I’ve been raped. I’ve been beaten. I’ve been put through things that even you couldn’t imagine. What I really want is to stay, here with you. Relatively safe. But I’m pretty sure that I can’t,” her voice faltered and she paused for a moment, her thoughts spinning through her head. “I. I want to go outside. I just want to be free, just for a while.”

 I smiled. That was easy enough to grant. I slowly got off the bed and released her wrists. I dropped the handcuffs to the floor with a jangle. She remained on her knees, slowly rubbing her freed wrists.

 I urged her to her bare feet and guided her silently downstairs and through the kitchen. I could see the tears brimming in her eyes as she anticipated the outdoors again. Anything but this house, her prison. She didn’t care if she was naked. She didn’t care if she was still sore from Evan’s treatment. She didn’t care about anything except feeling the air against her skin, the sun beating down on her.

 I opened the back door for her, letting it swing open. She hesitated in the doorway. She breathed in the fresh air wafting in from outside. She almost seemed like a dehydration victim, willing herself to take it slow, knowing that her body would reject water if she gulped.

 In one slow and careful motion she stepped outside, her bare feet touching the grass.

 She turned to me, “I can go?” she asked quietly.

 I nodded. And she turned her bare body, her arms reaching for the sky. She ran. I watched as her steps faltered a bit as she ran past Evan’s frozen body, and again as she passed Gertrude, but she continued, turning her face from them and running like the wind. I stepped out into the bright sunshine and watched her. She was like an antelope, a deer, a cheetah. She ran with the abandon of an alcoholic who was desperate for her next drink. I could hear her cries and laughter as she ran through the grass. I walked after her, just enjoying her pure joy and happiness.

 Occasionally she stopped, plucking flowers from the garden and smelling them. She trailed her hands over the rough bark of the trees. And she knelt in the grass, running her hands through the blades.

 I slowly approached her as she knelt. I settled beside her, unable to stop smiling at her simple happiness. Her teary eyes turned to my face. Her smile was enough to thank me forever, but she said the words anyway.

 “Thank-you,” she whispered. “I wish I could stay out here all day.”

 “And I wish I could watch you all day,” I answered her back.

 She smiled at that and carefully lay herself out in the grass. She arched her back, pushing her breasts out into the sunshine. She was breathing hard from her exertions, her nipples hardened into small points.

 She reached her arms out towards me, beckoning me to join her with her fingers. Such a difference from that frightened paranoid girl that I’d found with Mayer and afterwards. All she needed was some respect and some care and this girl would be yours forever.

 I touched her fingers with mine, and then withdrew. She looked up at me quizzically. “I know I’m still knocked around a bit, but you don’t want me?” She was genuinely surprised, her fingers touching her still bruised face. I suppose she was used to men wanting her.

 This was the same girl that not a half hour ago was worried about me raping her?

 I slowly nodded my head. The sight of her bare body was more than arousing. Even after my tumble with Christi this morning, I could react to Sheila.

 “Come on then,” she whispered.

 “Sheila, honey. I didn’t give you what you wanted so that you’d have sex with me. I promised I wasn’t going to rape you. I enjoyed just watching you.”

 She smiled shyly in the grass. Her breasts were still rising and falling in an irregular rhythm. Her nipples still hadn’t fallen.

 “Master? A slave wants to point out that it isn’t rape if the girl wants it too.”

 “Do you want it?”

 She shyly nodded. She’d probably been used to some sexual activity on a daily basis for a long time. Even if it hadn’t been welcome. And while I’m sure the break was nice for her, her body probably expected the stimulation. I hadn’t seen any indication that she had ever pleasured herself while under my care, but I suppose it was possible. Her body was healing, and she certainly looked interested. I guess I could understand.

 I slowly moved into her embrace, taking pleasure in her soft skin. She embraced me fiercely, pressing herself into my body. She kissed me, aroused me. I fell into her lips, letting her guide this. My body felt like it was on fire as her fingers gently pushed me down into the grass.

 I watched her as she straddled me, her fingers pulling at my shirt. She bent, pulling me to her, pressing her bare body into me. I felt her nipples against my bare skin for the first and last time. She kissed me again, her tongue carefully exploring.

 She whispered in my ear, her breath hot and desirable. I lost my bearings, enjoying her sensations, enjoying her softness. I closed my eyes, feeling her tugging at my jeans. I felt myself, at last, naked and nude as she. I gasped as I felt her moving up my body, her skin becoming a part of mine. I unconsciously reached for her breasts, caressing her firmness, eliciting her gasps as I stroked her nipples.

 Slowly I was engulfed by her. I felt her arousal as she lowered herself onto me. She rocked gently, seeking to get me further into herself. She moaned slightly, probably not even aware of it as she began her rhythm. Her hands left my chest and I concentrated on her sensations. She was gasping for breath, her breath hissing between her teeth. Slowly she accelerated her rhythm, searching for her own rhythm. I opened my eyes. This gorgeous creature straddled me, her blonde hair damp. Her left hand caressed her nipples alternately, her right was gently pushing herself between her straining thighs. Her eyes were closed, head thrown back as she worked. I could feel her muscles quiver once as she took in a last breath of air. She shuddered, and screamed as she exploded, her fingers a blur working herself between her spread thighs. I could feel her tight vaginal muscles contracting around me. The sensations were too much. Her image burned into my mind, I exploded upwards, emptying myself into her. She cried out again as she felt the warm rush of fluid within her.

 Her climax lasted longer than mine, but eventually she came down with a small moan. She fell forward, trusting me to catch her as best I could. Her body was bathed in perspiration, her vaginal muscles still spasming around my softening impalement.

 She pulled me close, tears falling down her face. I held her on top of me, letting her cry. Eventually, she raised her face, wiping at her tears.

 “I’m sorry,” she whispered. “I. I didn’t mean to cry.”

 I smiled at her, understanding. Sort of. She’d been through a lot and it was ending. I almost felt like crying too.

 I was beginning to feel a little uncomfortable, still being inside of her, but for now, it was bearable. She shifted her weight a little and whispered to me again.

 “I. I never knew what I was missing with Mayer. I. I had climaxes, because he forced me to, but I didn’t know what a real climax felt like. Thank-you.”

 I wasn’t sure that I had anything to do with it. She’d done all the work.

 “Thank yourself. You did this.”

 She smiled and rested her head on my chest. We were still joined.

 Finally her musical voice spoke again, softly turned away from me.

 “I. I don’t want to go back.”

 “I know. And I don’t blame you. I’m sorry.”

 “It’s not your fault. But. I’ve tasted freedom again. I’d forgotten what it was like.”

 “Sheila, honey. You are probably my worst problem. I care about you. Well, I care about everyone, but I really don’t want to send you back. I have to, but you are going back to the worst situation that I can imagine.”

 She lay still for a moment, unknown thoughts moving through her head. She turned her head towards me, tears streaking her face again.

 “You honestly have to send me back? I. I prefer it here. I. I don’t mind being your slave. I’d happily stay for you. I’m going to miss this.”

 “I know you will. I know.”

 She turned her head back, resigned. She knew that she was going back, and she was well aware of how bad her fate was. I had to admire her bravery. She didn’t even beg me to keep her. Even if she didn’t understand why, I think she understood that I would have done anything in my power not to send her back if I could.

 “Sheila, honey? I want you to know that I will take care of him for you in real life. You won’t remember any of this. You won’t remember me. But I will make sure he’s caught. And I will make sure that you are freed. Somehow. He won’t get away with this. And I won’t let him torture you to death. You only have to survive a couple of days. That’s all.”

 She had turned to face me again. She forced a weak smile onto her face.

 “Even though I’ve seen what you can do, and what you did to Jane and Elizabeth in there. You will never be the asshole that he is. You care about them, and I want to thank you. For everything. For freeing me. For not raping me. For taking care of me. And for what you are going to do for me. You never owed me anything, and, I know it’s ironic, but you are kindest person I’ve ever met. I wish I knew who you were.”

 I smiled at her and brushed her damp hair back from her face.

 I squirmed a bit, feeling the tight friction of her against my soft penis. She screwed up her face and actually laughed, feeling the odd sensation from the other end. I don’t think I’ve ever felt myself go complete soft inside a woman before, and I doubt if she’d ever felt it either.

 “I’m sorry. I was just so comfortable.”

 She hastily withdrew and eased me out of her sex. I sighed as I slipped free of her, and she laughed at the expression on my face.

 “Time to go?” she asked quietly.

 “Unless you want anything else. Like to take one more shot at Mayer.”

 Her eyes clouded a little, but she managed to force them back to a brighter shade. She was outside, free and just had sex that she had actually enjoyed. God knows how long it had been since the last time she had enjoyed sex. She spoke quietly.

 “Much as I’d like to see him suffer more, I don’t want to ruin this by even seeing him. The only thing I want is to say good-bye to the others, if I can.” She took a deep breath and quietly continued. “I. I think I’m ready. As ready as I can be.”

 I rose to my feet and extended my hand. She smiled up at me and grasped it, pulling herself to her bare feet. She stood and watched as I quickly replaced my clothes. As I approached her, she stood on her bare toes and kissed my lips. She returned to her easy stance and smiled shyly at me. She reached out and gripped my hand. We walked almost like lovers back to the house. She purposely avoided looking at the former occupants of the house as we passed.

 She hesitated by the library door, tears beginning to form in her eyes. I patiently waited for her to control her emotions and let her decide when to push open the door. In a few minutes she wiped at her face and entered the room. Her bare feet moved in a stilted motion as the other’s looked up.

 Amy had joined the other two, and they were talking quietly together. They all looked up, concern on their faces as Sheila walked in.

 Taking in her tears, Christi rose from her chair. She spoke quietly.

 “It’s time to go, for you. Isn’t it?”

 Sheila just nodded, her tears falling from her eyes uncontrollably. She just let them drip down her face.

 Elizabeth and Amy rose and walked over to Sheila. Despite their handcuffs, they pressed their nude bodies to Sheila, hugging her as best they could.

 I listened as Elizabeth whispered to her.

 “I really didn’t know you as well as I wish that I did. You are a brave and wonderful girl. I know you won’t remember me, but I only want the best for you. I know what you are going back to, and I hate it. Be strong. For me.”

 She kissed her cheek. Amy, tears gently falling down her face, kissed Sheila as well.

 As soon as the naked women finished, Christi enveloped Sheila in a huge embrace, pressing her clothes into Sheila’s nudity. They separated, and looked at one another, tears falling down their cheeks.

 “Thanks. For everything,” Sheila whispered. “I couldn’t have done this without you.”

 Christi choked, only able to cry. They kissed lightly on the lips and separated. Finally, Christi managed a few words. “I’m going to miss you.”

 Sheila kissed her once more and the girls separated. Sheila approached me, unable to even see, she was crying so hard. The other girls looked on helplessly. I took her hand gently and spoke to her.

 “Do you want to say good bye to Jane?”

 She nodded silently through her tears.

 I guided her slowly to the dining room. Jane was stretched out in the sunshine of the window, her black evening dress looking odd on her, but stunning nevertheless. As we entered, she looked up. She was almost immediately on her feet, running towards Sheila. Instinctively she knew. The tears, the look on both mine and Sheila’s face.

 The girls hugged, Sheila crying into Jane’s shoulder. I watched them rock one another. Jane struggled with her emotions, but she was unable to stop a single tear from tracking down her face.

 “I’m sorry,” she whispered to Sheila. “I should be happy for you, but I’m going to miss you.”

 The girls pulled back a bit, looking into one another’s eyes.

 “You were like a sister to me,” Sheila whispered. “You helped me so much. Adjusting to this. You were there for me. I wish I could give you back a tenth of what you gave to me.”

 “You just did,” Jane whispered as she gently kissed Sheila.

 She pulled back and held the crying naked woman by her arm. “Now you listen to me. I know what you are going back to. I know it won’t be easy. But he’s going to help you. Okay?” She shot me a look, making sure that I knew she’d never forgive me if I didn’t help this girl. Truthfully, I was her only hope, and I was painfully aware of it. “You just have to hold on for a day or so. You’re strong. You can do it. I promise. You promise me, that you’ll hold on.”

 Sheila dumbly nodded. Her promises wouldn’t mean much, but I had a strange feeling that she would do exactly what she’d promised despite not remembering it. She was a strong girl. Considering what she’d gone through already in her real life, perhaps the strongest out of any of us.

 “Take care of yourself,” Jane spoke softly with tears now rolling slowly down her cheeks. Sheila wiped at the tears while ignoring her own.

 “I will.” They hugged once more, both girls looking reluctant to release the embrace.

 Sheila presented herself back to me. Jane just stood and watched. Sheila bent as though to fall to her bare knees, but I stopped her with a touch. I touched her small hand and took it in mine. I slowly guided her out of the room. She turned and whispered a last good-bye to Jane as we left the dining room, throwing herself into renewed sobs. She silently cried all the way up the stairs until we were outside the master bedroom. She stood in the hallway, looking at me through blurry eyes.

 Her voice was surprisingly strong as she spoke.

 “You won’t keep me?”

 She shivered and threw a fearful glance towards the doorway across the hallway. If I didn’t relent, she knew where she’d be in a few moments. Dressed in her maid’s uniform, three sizes too small, and bound. About to be kicked and tortured and raped for hours by her old master.

 “I’m sorry Sheila. I truly am. I can’t. I so much wish I could. I don’t want to send you back into that.”

 “I. I understand,” she whispered. She moved forward and embraced me, pressing her soft body into mine. She began to cry again, but she struggled and managed to get control. She tilted her blonde head and let her lips gently touch mine. Visions of her bare body making gentle love to me out in the grass flew through my mind.

 “Thank you for giving me so much,” she whispered.

 I took a deep breath, “I’m going to miss you.”

 “Me too. Maybe look me up once you’ve freed me. Ease up on the punishments, and maybe ...” her voice trailed off. She resumed after a quick pause. “I’m going to miss you too.” Her eyes teared up again at the words, but she managed to control them again.

 I took another deep breath and began to collapse her time bubble. She gasped as the tingling overtook her bare body. She whispered one last quick “Thank-you,” before she winked out of existence.

 I knew exactly what state she was in behind the closed door of the business room. I didn’t think that I could handle checking on her. She’d be right where I’d found her. Bound, carrying that tray for Mayer, and about to be abused. Yet again. My heart ached, but I had no choice.

 I turned away from the door, fighting off my own tears and slowly walked back downstairs.

  ------

 Chapter 121

 As I entered the library, all three girls looked up halting their quiet conversation. Amy had taken the remaining library chair, and the other two girls were in their usual spots.

 Elizabeth spoke quietly, “I feel like were being taken to a firing squad. Please, can’t you tell us what is happening? With us?”

 Her face was tear streaked, and frightened. I considered, and then spoke to them.

 “Girls. You know what is happening. I’ve told you. I’m letting you all go. And I’m giving you all a chance to do one last thing on this timeline. For yourselves. Not for me. Sheila had some fun outside. She hadn’t been out in months. I’m not going to hurt you. You can relax.”

 Elizabeth considered for a moment. “Does it hurt?”

 “Hurt?”

 “Yeah, when you sent her ... us ... back?”

 “Not at all. You shouldn’t feel a thing. Maybe a slight tingle as time slows and then stops for you.”

 She didn’t look convinced. “I guess we don’t have a choice anyway. Probably easier than having your breasts whipped.”

 I smiled. “You got it.” I turned to Amy. “Amy? You ready?”

 She took a deep breath, and looked like she fought off some butterflies. She slowly nodded and climbed to her bare feet. She silently walked to the entranceway, a look of determination on her features. She didn’t even turn as she walked out. She didn’t look angry, just preoccupied.

 I heard Elizabeth and Christi resume whatever their discussion was as the door softly closed behind me. Amy was waiting quietly in the hallway, unsure where we were going. She was twisting her wrists in her restraints, her face a mask. I motioned her up the stairs, and followed behind her as she climbed.

 When we entered the room, I sat back down on the rumpled bed. Amy stood awkwardly in the middle of the room looking at me.

 She spoke quietly. “Am I allowed to sit? Or do I have to join you on the bed?” Her voice trembled a little as she mentioned the bed. I reflected that I had never actually had intercourse with this girl either. I’d forced her to use her mouth, but only a couple of times. I looked at her, standing there, nude and handcuffed and felt a quick twinge of desire flow through me. I pushed it away and spoke gently.

 “I’d rather you kneel.”

 She shot me a look of disappointment, but obediently fell to her bare knees on the carpet. She had wanted the dignity of a chair. She pulled idly at her wrists and finally lowered them into her lap, resting on her thighs.

 I lay back on the bed and just watched her for a moment. She shifted awkwardly. I couldn’t tell what was flitting through her mind. I couldn’t imagine what it felt like to have to kneel naked in front of someone who had complete control over you. I twinged again.

 She finally spoke. “What do you want with me?”

 “It’s not about what I want. It’s about what you want.”

 She considered, cocking her head to the side. I could almost see the thoughts burning across her mind. Wondering if I expected anything out of her, or whether she could actually ask for something and have a reasonable chance of getting it.

 “It’s alright, Amy. You aren’t here to be hurt. You aren’t here to be raped. You are here for whatever you want.”

 She hesitated then made up her mind. “I just want to go home. I don’t want to be hurt any more, I don’t want to be punished. I don’t want to be constantly naked. I want to see my father. I want to forget that this ever happened to me. Please.”

 I smiled at her. “Amy, I will send you home. Soon. I promise. Think about it though ... you can do whatever you want. One last time. You won’t remember it. You don’t have to feel guilty.”

 “I just want to go home,” she repeated softly.

 “You sure?”

 “I would like to say good-bye to the others. If you’ll let me.”

 “I’ll let you. Of course.”

 I rose off the bed and crouched in front of the kneeling girl. I cupped her face in my hands, and she stared out at me, her eyes unreadable. Her face was pretty, always had been. I couldn’t help picturing her with that tongue clamp attached to her, screaming. She didn’t have the stunning beauty of Jane or Christi or Sheila, but nevertheless she was beautiful. I lifting her hands and released her wrists. She knelt quietly, suffering my inspection of her and holding my gaze.

 I motioned for her to get to her feet. She started to rise and then sat back on her haunches. She looked up at me, tears beginning to shine in her eyes.

 “You really are going to honour my wishes. Aren’t you?”

 I was confused. “Huh?” I grunted as I rose to my own feet leaving her on her knees.

 “You will try your damnedest to give me whatever I want before you send me back.”

 I nodded slowly.

 “Can a slave change her mind?” she looked up at me, her hardened demeanor completely gone.

 I shrugged. I was going to give her whatever she wanted anyway. As long as it didn’t take too long and wasn’t dangerous.

 “I ...” she hesitated. “I’d like to talk.”

 “Talk?”

 I settled myself back onto my bed.

 “Talk. I’d like to know about you, and I’d like to tell you about the girl that is kneeling here in front of you. If you’ll let me.”

 “What do you want to know?”

 “Who are you?”

 “I’m just some guy that discovered the secrets to time. That’s all.”

 “Are you married?”

 I shook my head.

 “What do you do? When you aren’t creating new realities?

 “I’m a research assistant at the local college.”

 “What field?”

 “Quantum physics.”

 She looked a bit confused, but she nodded her pretty head anyway.

 “Why do you do this? I mean take us? Women?”

 “I really don’t know. It. It excites me, I guess.”

 “Do you think it excites us?”

 “It doesn’t really matter to me,” I lied, “but yes, I think that being under my control does excite some of you.”

 Amy took a deep breath. “Not me. But, I have to say that you could have done worse to me. I didn’t think so at the time, when you had me in that tongue clamp, and were whipping me, but I know you could have tortured me a lot more. I want to thank-you for not putting me through more.”

 “What about you?”

 “Me? Christ. I can hardly remember myself. I’m a student. Second year. Art. I know ... it hardly compares to quantum physics, or time control, but I enjoy it. I enjoy music mostly. That’s my major.”

 I smiled. “Amy, honey. Engineering and science isn’t all there is in the world. It would be a really boring place without emotion and art. Believe me.”

 She smiled unexpectedly at that. “I work ... worked ... part time at a restaurant. Waitressing.”

 “Where?”

 “A small pizza joint where I get pawed by the regulars. But it’s harmless. And I don’t mind. They’d love to see me now ...” her voice trailed off.

 “You are a strong girl, you know that?”

 “I begged. I couldn’t take all that you did to me.”

 “Doesn’t make you weak. The pain was designed to make you beg.”

 “I know. But I still feel weak. I couldn’t get away. I’m dependent on you letting me go. My entire life is in your hands.”

 “I’ll let you go. I swear it.”

 “I know. It’s all I’ve been able to think about since you discovered me in the hotel suite. I did what I was told, but only because you’d hurt me. Not because I enjoyed it.”

 “Amy, honey. I know. You’ve never quite accepted captivity.”

 “I accepted it. I just didn’t like it. You try being tied into a chair without your clothes for hours on end. Hell, add in a homosexual encounter or two without your consent and see how long you last.”

 I slipped off the bed and knelt beside the girl. Tears were beginning to form in her eyes. I kissed them gently away for her. I held her gently.

 “I may have control here because I managed to find the secrets of the universe, but you are far stronger than I’ll ever be. I’d have been a raving loon if I’d been put through half the things I’ve put you girls through. I recognize it.”

 She lifted her head, gazing at me, willing her tears to stop.

 “You really do mean that.”

 “Of course, I do.”

 She leaned forward and kissed me gently on the lips, letting her lips linger for a moment. When she broke the kiss, I stared at her, confused.

 She spoke softly. “You do horrible things. And I can’t like you. But at least you have the courtesy of knowing us.”

 “What was the kiss for?” I wanted so much more from her, but I had promised not to take her. I could have anyway. She’d have forgotten it. But I couldn’t. My mind wouldn’t let me.

 “Just because I know that you could have me, anyway you want me, and you never did. I may have been uncomfortable, but you never pushed me beyond my limits, even when I pissed you off. I hate you, and I love you. All at the same time. And I wanted to kiss you once, when you hadn’t forced me to.”

 I smiled and rose to my feet. I extended my hand to her. She grasped me lightly and pulled her bare body to a standing position. She smiled at me.

 “I’m going home now?”

 I nodded slowly. I didn’t want to let her go anymore than I wanted to let go Sheila, but I had to and she seemed to realize that.

 “I’m ready,” she slowly said as I took one last private look at her beautiful body. In response to my look, she sighed and lifted her arms above her head. She daintily pirouetted for me, her bare feet whispering across the carpet.

 She grinned as she returned to an easy stance, I guess the open look of admiration flattered her.

 “I know that I’m no beauty like Christi or Jane, but thank you. I think.”

 I smiled and guided her back out to the hallway. She walked easily, her step happy and looking forward to going home. I couldn’t blame her.

 She stopped herself just in front of the library. She turned and tilted her head up towards me.

 “One last thing?”

 “What’s that?”

 “Kiss me? I feel odd. Guilty. I mean, I have a boyfriend who I’ve tried to picture whenever you were around or you made me have sex. But it didn’t always work. And I kissed you, I want to be kissed. Once. Before I leave and forget all this.”

 “You are a strange girl.”

 She smiled, obviously taking the comment as a compliment. I’d intended it as a nice thing, so I was glad to see that she could recognize it for what it was.

 I gently leaned down, feeling her bare arms encircling my neck. She raised her head, letting me gently kiss her lips. I briefly felt her tongue touching my lips. She kissed me until I broke the kiss. She looked flushed, and she smiled as she stood there. She was no longer conscious of her nudity, she stood easily. Her small nipples were hardened and she was breathing heavily.

 “Thank-you,” she whispered. “That was my bit of naughtiness. That’s what I really wanted.”

 I couldn’t understand, had no hope of understanding. She was female, in a strange situation. There probably was no explanation. All I knew was that the kiss had ignited me, yet again, and I knew that she wasn’t going to pull a last minute Sheila and ask for sex. I would never have her, but maybe that was alright.

 She smiled, knowing what she’d done to my passions, she’d been pressed against me after all. I wondered how much of it she’d orchestrated, but I didn’t mind. She deserved her small victories, and I was pretty sure that she’d managed to get herself into a bit of a state at the same time. Not like she could hide the flush of her skin from her bare toes to her rosy cheeks.

 She pushed open the doorway and fairly pranced into the library.

 “Amy!” Elizabeth nearly shouted as she entered.

 “Elizabeth. I’m going home,” she seemed so happy as she spoke. I stepped into the room to watch the naked women embrace. Amy, with her hands free, wrapped her arms around Elizabeth. Elizabeth had tears in her eyes, though it was hard to tell if they were of happiness or melancholy. They remained in the embrace for some time, Elizabeth shaking slightly. Finally the girls separated and looked at each other.

 “I can’t believe you are leaving,” Elizabeth whispered.

 Amy’s breath hitched but she managed to keep her control.

 “Me neither.”

 “I’m going to miss you, kid,” Elizabeth said.

 Amy smiled and kissed Elizabeth.

 “We’ve been through a hell of a lot together.”

 Elizabeth nodded. Probably remembering the recent trip to the neighbours. This girl in front of her had seen her first multiple orgasm. Had been there when she had asked me for sex the first time. They had been bound to each other, standing up all night, ropes running through their sex, each movement felt by the other. If that didn’t make two women feel close to one another, I’m not sure what would. Both girls flushed at the memories.

 “Take care of yourself,” Amy whispered.

 She turned to face Christi. Christi couldn’t help herself, she practically leapt into an embrace, pressing herself against Amy, holding her as she cried.

 “I’m going to miss you, too,” Christi whispered.

 She gave her a full hug again, kissing her cheek. Amy flushed a bit at the attention, but stood easily. Amy nodded, and an understanding passed between them. Something unspoken.

 Amy whispered a quick “Good-bye” and turned back to me.

 “Jane?” she whispered.

 I nodded and took her small hand in mine. As we left, Amy turned to the other two girls.

 She grinned. “I’m going to miss our showers,” and she turned quickly and pulled me along behind her, before the other girls could say any further good-byes.

 We entered the dining room and Jane was sitting again on the window sill, swinging her bare legs under her gown. She smiled as Amy walked in.

 “Still didn’t let you have clothes?”

 Amy grinned and spread her arms outstretched. “I’m used to it, and what’s the point in asking for them. I’m going home soon.” She smiled widely at the words. Jane rose to her bare feet and embraced Amy. The girls hugged. As they separated, a single tear traced down Jane’s features.

 “I’m sorry I had to whip you,” Jane whispered.

 “I know who to blame for that,” Amy reassured her, shooting me a dirty look. “You helped me a lot more than you hurt me,” she continued.

 Jane smiled. “I only wish you the best. You. You are strong.”

 “Not as strong as you are,” Amy smiled back. Then she whispered a quick “Good-bye.”

 She turned back towards me. I nodded to Jane as she turned to sit back in her sunshine. I guided the nude woman back out into the hallway. I led her through the front door and out onto the front porch.

 I took a deep breath.

 “You ready?” I asked the nude beauty.

 “This is it?” she asked quietly.

 I nodded gently. “Time to go home. Go watch some television with your father.”

 She took a deep breath, unsure if she actually wanted to say anything further. She opened her mouth and then re-closed it. Finally she spoke.

 “I can’t believe that I got used to it. All the things you made me do, I would never have imagined that I could. Even through all the pain, and the humiliation, you were fair. Even if I hate you, I have to respect you,” she said haltingly. “I want to thank you for not hurting my father.”

 “You did that. By being good and not making my life hard.”

 “I made your life hard, and you could have hurt him just to get to me. You knew. I just wanted you to know I appreciated it. Even if you made me do things that I didn’t like to ensure it. At least you kept your word.”

 “Can I ask for one last thing?” I asked her.

 “Do I have a choice?”

 “You have a choice. I’ll let you go whether you indulge me or not.”

 “If it’s sex and I have a choice ...”

 “It’s not sex.”

 She cocked her head to her bare shoulder, her face a mask of puzzlement.

 “Ask me.”

 “Just one last hug?”

 She smiled and moved quickly towards me. I felt her bare body as she pressed herself into me, holding me tight. I held her, rocked her, for a few minutes. She held me until I broke the embrace. She stepped back, then rose up on her bare toes and kissed my lips for the last time.

 I wasn’t sure, but I thought I heard her breathe, “Good-bye, Master,” as she settled herself back down onto her bare feet. She stepped backwards, her head tilted up, her hair catching the sunlight.

 I took a deep breath and collapsed her bubble. She gasped slightly, and smiled as her body slipped into another plane of existence.

 ------

 Chapter 122

 I stood out on the porch for at least a quarter of an hour, simply staring at the spot where she had stood. I missed her already. Missed her laughter, her strength, her determination. I smiled briefly as I recalled laughing with her after deafening the poor creature.

 “Good-bye, Amy,” I whispered to nobody in particular.

 I swallowed heavily and turned back towards the house. My heart was heavy as I knew that I still had three more good-byes to get through in the next few hours. If they were all this hard, I wasn’t going to last.

 Elizabeth looked up from her book as I entered the library. Christi was curled up with her nose stuck in the Talisman. Christi didn’t bother looking up at the intrusion.

 “I guess I’m next?” Elizabeth took a deep breath and spoke gently from her seat behind the desk.

 I nodded slowly. Elizabeth rose to her bare feet and carefully closed her book. She set it aside on the side of the desk and looked over at Christi. Christi had dropped her book to her lap and was looking at Elizabeth’s bare form. Both Christi and I watched silently as Elizabeth looked up at me.

 “I’m not going to finish it, am I?” Elizabeth was referring to her book.

 I shook my head, unable to speak.

 Tears formed in Elizabeth’s eyes, though I wasn’t sure if it was because she was uncertain of what was about to happen to her, or she was genuinely upset at not finishing the book. Slowly she picked back up Tale of Two Cities and withdrew the slip of paper that was marking her page. Almost reluctantly, she let it fall to the table. She slowly walked back to the bookcase behind herself and slipped the book between David Copperfield and Great Expectations. The sound of the book sliding home echoed through the still library. Elizabeth turned.

 “I’m ready,” she spoke quietly.

 I extended my hand, reaching for the bare girl. She slowly walked over, the chain of her handcuffs rattling a little as she moved.

 “Don’t hurt her? Please?” Christi’s smooth voice called out as I pushed open the door.

 I turned back to the clothed girl still curled up on the chair. Tears were in her eyes as well.

 “I won’t.”

 “Bring her back to say good-bye?” Christi pleaded.

 “I’ve brought all of them back. Don’t worry about that.”

 “Can I go to Jane?”

 “Of course, if you want to.” I told her gently.

 With that, I gently guided Elizabeth out into the hallway, guiding her up the stairs towards the master bedroom. She followed the soft commands of my fingers obediently and slowly climbed the stairs in front of me. I cherished the view of her bare body as she moved. I wasn’t going to have her much longer.

 I shut the door behind us. I wasn’t afraid of Jane or Christi coming upstairs to eavesdrop, nor did we particularly require the privacy. But it felt cozy, just the two of us.

 I turned and Elizabeth was standing awkwardly in the center of the room, much like Amy had. She looked over at me.

 “Can you take these things off me?” she asked quietly, rattling the chain on her handcuffs.

 I walked over to the bed and sat down, gazing over her nudity.

 She sighed, and sank to her knees, knowing what was expected of her. “I guess not.” She murmured mostly to herself, in reference to her wrists being joined.

 I sat and gazed at her. She wasn’t a ravishing beauty, but she exuded an inner beauty, and inner strength, a certain nobility. All despite her submissive posture on her knees in front of me. And she certainly wouldn’t be out of place in a bikini on the beach. She lowered her head and suffered my last inspection of her without complaint.

 “Elizabeth?”

 “Yes, master?” she relied in deference.

 “You don’t ...” I began and then realized that she simply didn’t have any other title or name by which to call me. I was going to tell her that the word “master” wasn’t necessary. But I had created a situation where it couldn’t be avoided.

 “Why do you keep us?” she asked quietly. “If I can ask that.”

 “I don’t know, Elizabeth. I really don’t know. I’m letting you go, now.”

 “I know. I. I can hardly believe it. I’m. I’m sad in a way.”

 “Me too. I like you.”

 “I know. Can I ask why you won’t let me out of the chains?”

 “Because I like to watch you in them. Are they uncomfortable?”

 “No. Beyond the humiliation of wearing them at all.” She rattled the bonds on her wrists again to make her point.

 “I’ll let you out of them soon. After we talk.”

 She nodded slowly, her mind processing that she wouldn’t be restrained much longer. A smile almost graced her features.

 “Amy. I miss her,” she spoke slowly.

 “I do too.”

 “I’d like to know her in real life. And the others.”

 I slowly shook my head. “I’m really sorry. Unless you meet by chance, and that would be unlikely, I fear.”

 “You could ...” Elizabeth began.

 “Do you really want me meddling in your real lives?”

 She closed her mouth and thought about it, unsure of herself suddenly. Finally, she closed her eyes and shook her head. I had no intention of meddling in their real lives, even had she agreed now to it. That would make me as bad as Mayer.

 “What did Amy want?” she asked quietly.

 I was thrown by the unexpected turn of the conversation. Females were good at that. I answered with a very intelligent “Huh?”

 She wore an exasperated expression, like I should have followed her leap of connectivity. She explained patiently, “Amy. You were going to give us something we all wanted. What did she want?”

 I couldn’t see any harm in telling the girl. “She didn’t want anything. She wanted a kiss, and to say good-bye, but mostly she wanted to just go home.”

 Elizabeth thought about that for a moment. “I can see that. She really wanted out.”

 I nodded as Elizabeth lapsed into silence kneeling there quietly and thinking. I watched her, but she showed no signs of continuing the conversation.

 “Elizabeth?” I asked gently. “What do you want?”

 She looked up as though wakened from a dream. She began to say something. Something I couldn’t make out then she took a breath and spoke.

 “I can have anything? Anything at all?”

 “No. You can have anything reasonable. Anything that isn’t going to take a lot of time. And nothing that will hurt me or any of the other girls.”

 She snorted. “You think I’d want to hurt one of the other girls?”

 I looked at her. “No, but I just wanted to be clear.”

 She thought for a moment. I was sure she’d known what she was going to ask for since I’d mentioned it. But now the time was here, and she was getting cold feet. Perhaps it was her lack of socks.

 “I’m not going to remember any of this, am I?”

 I shook my head.

 She took a deep breath. She began slowly, and built up momentum, her words beginning to tumble from her lips near the end.

 “You. You know that I’m not exactly the most ... um ... experienced girl that you took. Right? I mean, I may be the oldest, but that doesn’t necessarily make me the most sexually active. I. I’ve always been shy, and I’ve always avoided sexual contact. I. I masturbated. A lot. But that’s it. I mean, I’ve had partners in real life. But nothing like you’ve shown me. I didn’t even know that some people get turned on by these.” She rattled her hands. “I didn’t even know that I got turned on by these,” she whispered. “You’ve opened my eyes. I’ve never felt any of these things before, and I’m afraid of losing them when you send me back. I’ve never had a multiple orgasm, never been with women, never felt the rush of being in bondage. Even the whipping. I can’t say I liked that, but I didn’t hate it as much as I thought I would. Oh God. You are going to think I’m the biggest slut ever.”

 She collapsed into crying gently, her bound hands rising to her face.

 I slipped off the bed and crouched in front of the bare girl, letting her cry for a few minutes. Finally she sniffled and looked up at me, surprised that I was so close to her.

 “I. I wanted you to take me to the neighbours again. Let Karen ... oh Christ ... I can’t do this. Let her pleasure me again.”

 I looked into her teary eyes, not quite believing my ears. She continued swiftly.

 “You can tie me up. To the chair again. Whip me if you want. Have Karen lick me. Down there. Please don’t think I’m weird. I just want to feel that again.”

 I swallowed. We could do that, and I certainly didn’t have any objections to it. I’d love to see it again. I couldn’t believe that she wanted to do it, but I suppose I could understand. However, it would take far too much time. We would have to take Karen again, take the time to walk over there.

 I controlled my impulses and slowly shook my head. “I’m so sorry, Elizabeth. I want to do it too, but time ... doesn’t permit. Is there anything else?”

 Her face was a mask of disappointment, but she managed to control herself.

 “Christi is going to hate me. I know it. But what about you?”

 “Me?”

 “Yeah. Make love to me?”

 That threw me. The girl wanting to make love to me. Offering herself, as her last wish on this timeline.

 I sat there stunned. I actually thought I saw her grin slowly, proud of herself that she’d managed to shock me.

 She spoke gently. “If I let you tie me to the bed, could you make me feel that multiple orgasm thing again?”

 I had no idea. I only knew that last time, I’d whipped her while she was being licked. I wasn’t sure I could raise her to the right level of stimulation on my own. And I didn’t want to involve Christi and Jane at this time. Not without their consent. And I had a funny feeling that they wouldn’t consent, given a true choice.

 I took a deep breath. “Elizabeth. I really don’t know if I can take you there. I can try, but you’ll have to accept whatever I do to you. And I still can’t guarantee that you’ll have a multiple climax.”

 “What other choice do I have?”

 I shrugged. “Will you be disappointed if you don’t have a multiple orgasm?” I asked her gently.

 She thought about it for a moment then shook her pretty head. “As long as it’s interesting and pleasurable. That’s all I can ask, isn’t it?”

 “That’s all you can ask in real life as well.”

 She took another deep breath. “I wish I could remember that advice in real life.” She leaned forward, her bound hands resting on my thigh. She kissed me gently.

 Without releasing her hands, I guided her to her bare feet and onto the bed. I lay her back, stretching her out, gently guiding her bound hands above her head, spreading her ankles to the sides of the bed. She shivered, but held the position.

 “You sure you want to do this?” I asked her gently.

 She nodded.

 I fished around in the pack, finding some soft cord which I used to gently secure her to the bed posts. I pulled her bare body taut, watching as she tested each restraint by pulling gently against it.

 “I can’t move,” she remarked unnecessarily.

 I sat cross legged between her spread thighs and looked her over. She flushed, but didn’t have much choice but to lay there and accept my gaze. It wasn’t as though she’d never been tied down before, it was just that this time it was by her permission and desire. Not mine.

 Don’t get me wrong. I desired it as well. It was unrealistic, I knew, but I sort of wished that they all would choose a bit of fun in bondage as their last wish on this time line. I smiled to her.

 “Elizabeth. I want you to listen carefully. This isn’t my game. This is yours. I’m going to do things to you, that I think are going to make you feel good, and perhaps raise you up high enough to really orgasm. I might hurt you,” I spoke quietly.

 She flushed deeply at the words, getting a very frightened look on her face. She hadn’t expected that I might hurt her after she allowed herself to be rendered helpless. She began to protest, but I leaned forward and touched her lips, urging her to be quiet.

 “If it were my game,” I continued, “I’d hurt you as long and as hard as I liked. It wouldn’t matter how much you think you can take.” I paused to let that sink in. She paled even further. “But, this isn’t my game. We’re doing this for you, this time. Understand?”

 She nodded, still pale. She didn’t want to be hurt unbearably. And I couldn’t blame her. But I knew that she needed some extra stimulation if she wanted to orgasm as heavily as she wanted.

 “I’m going to give you a safeword. Do you know what that is?”

 She shook her pretty head, afraid to speak. She was pulling again at her ropes.

 “I want you to be able to protest, scream, do whatever you want to do, but not stop me. Okay?”

 She looked confused but I continued on.

 “A safeword is something that will stop the play. I will stop when you use it. But a word of caution. I’ll try to keep things within your limits, this time. For you. But if you stop it ... then we both have to decide to continue. You might not get to continue if I stop. Okay?”

 Understanding finally lit her eyes. She nodded silently. Still not wanting to interrupt. The concept was fascinating to her. She’d be able to scream, and protest but I wouldn’t stop. But she still could stop if she wanted. This was so unlike anything else I’d ever done to her. She had never had the option of stopping me before, no matter how uncomfortable she was.

 “Do you have any suggestions for safeword?”

 “How about ‘safeword’,” she replied unimaginatively. It would have worked, but I preferred something with more flair.

 “Try again,” I prodded her thigh with a finger.

 She swallowed. “How about ‘Lazarus’”

 That had a nice ring to it, and she was unlikely to use it in any cursing I might wring from her vocal chords. At least not accidentally.

 “Alright. Are you ready?”

 She nodded, a smile playing about her lips. Those lips that with any luck I’d have begging soon enough. And by her request.

 ------

 Chapter 123

 We began slowly. From my sitting position, I gently caressed her bare skin with my fingertips. I ran my fingers along her stretched legs, along her tummy, along her ribs. I teased her, purposely avoiding her breasts and pussy. She squirmed, occasionally gasping, pulling against her bonds as my fingers explored her body. I continued, touching her face, her thighs, her underarms, her calves, her knees, her toes. I continued until I could see her arousal between her legs. She couldn’t hide it, unable to press her legs together.

 One word emerged from her lips, “Please.”

 I had her begging already.

 She closed her eyes to better feel the soft gentle touches over her silken skin.

 Abruptly I stopped and stepped off the bed. She cried out as the stimulation left her soft skin. I rummaged in the pack as she watched, not saying a word.

 I carefully slipped a blindfold over her eyes, which she allowed without complaint. I couldn’t gag her, because the safeword was verbal. I didn’t want her gagged anyway.

 I picked up the crop, realizing that I hadn’t used it on one of the women in a long time. I let it fall gently into my palm, feeling the sting of the leather. This was going to hurt her. I hoped that she wouldn’t safeword out. I wanted this to work for her.

 “What are you doing?” she asked quietly, unable to see the crop but hearing it.

 “I’m going to whip you,” I spoke gently to her.

 “Oh God,” I watched as she shuddered in her restraints at the words. “Not too hard. Okay?”

 “I’ll hit you as hard as necessary. Now I want you to do something for me.”

 “What?” she asked breathlessly.

 “I want you to concentrate on turning the pain into arousal. Alright? And I want you to count.”

 “Count?”

 “Everytime the crop touches your skin, I want you to count for me.”

 “How high?”

 I was thrown again by this helpless girl. She switched tracks so quickly.

 “What?”

 “How many times are you going to hit me?”

 “How many do you deserve? You pick.”

 “I can’t. Don’t ...” she began.

 I relented. “Ten.”

 “Only ten?” she spoke mischievously.

 “Would you rather have fifteen?”

 She shook her head. She inquired quietly. “Where?”

 “Where am I going to hit you?” I asked her for clarification.

 “Yes. Please not on the breasts. Please?” She began to beg, even before the first blow fell on her helpless body.

 “You have a safeword. I’ll hit you where I think you need it,” I reminded her. “If it’s too much, safeword.”

 “I. I don’t want to.”

 “I don’t want you to either.”

 I took a deep breath and let a soft stroke fall onto her stretched belly. A red stripe appeared contrasting against her pale skin.

 “Arrrrghhhhhhhh,” she screamed into the room, twisting in the bonds. Her fingers twitched as she struggled with the steel bands. All she wanted in the whole world was to get her hands to her bare belly, to protect it and comfort it.

 I waited until she calmed herself. The stroke had been light, not anything to cause her too much trouble. I’d increase the strength as she could take it, but I was more interested in getting her to feel her helplessness, her vulnerability than to actually hurt her. This was nothing compared to what Jane, or even Amy, had endured at my hands. And they hadn’t had a safeword.

 “Concentrate,” I whispered to her.

 “Christ. That was a light one, wasn’t it?” she spoke in ragged breath.

 “Yes.”

 “Oh God. Nine more?”

 “Nine more.”

 The numerals she had spoken reminded her.

 “Christ. One,” she spoke without further hesitation. “I can’t take ten. Even like that.”

 I let the crop fall against her right thigh, marking it as well. She screamed again, not expecting the pain. I watched as she struggled to control her voice, her pain. Her face contorted with the effort. That blow was slightly harder. Finally, after some incoherent gasps, she managed to remember to say, “Two.”

 I wasn’t in this to punish her. I wasn’t going to restart the count or anything if she forgot to count. This was her game, and she’d remember on her own time.

 Her bare body was sheened in perspiration as my sixth stroke fell onto her bare left foot. The third had graced her left thigh. The fourth had kissed her right calf. Five and six had caressed the bottoms of her bare feet. Each blow was slightly harder than the last.

 Eventually she gasped out the word, “Six.”

 She didn’t stop there. She began to beg coherently.

 “Please. I need you. Please stop hitting me. I. I’m so turned on. Just touch me. You don’t need to hit me anymore. Please? I’ll do whatever you want. I’ll fuck you. I’ll suck you. Anything. You can make me do anything anyway.”

 Her lips formed the words in a tumbled rush, her teeth gritting against the pain.

 “Elizabeth?” I ventured.

 “Yes, master?” she was breathing heavily. I still hadn’t touched any of her obvious erogenous zones. I had purposely avoided her breasts and between her legs. She was pulling rhythmically against the ropes holding her.

 “Are you ready for something else?”

 “If you don’t hit my feet again, I swear, I’ll do whatever you want.”

 “Beg me.”

 “Beg for what?” she asked, slightly confused. I didn’t answer her right away. After a moment, the blind bare girl tried something. Anything was better than lying there not knowing what I was going to do to her. “Please. Master. This slave begs to be fucked. Fuck me. Please?”

 Well, that certainly increased my arousal. If it was possible.

 “Beg me to hit your breasts,” I whispered to her gently.

 “Oh Christ. I can’t. No,” she responded, fear reflecting in the set of her lip. She had probably been wondering why I’d avoided her breasts up until this point. They were beautiful there, protruding from her chest, heaving with her breathing. Bare breasts, just aching to be touched with the crop. No defenses.

 “Beg me.”

 “I can’t. Don’t make me do that.”

 “Concentrate, Elizabeth. Concentrate on turning the pain into pleasure.”

 “It’s hard. It hurts.”

 “I know it does. Concentrate.”

 I could see the concentration flow across her lower features. Her eyes still hidden by the blindfold.

 “Hit my breasts? Please, master?”

 I nodded to myself, she was ready. I lifted the crop and let it fall against the tops of her sensitive and helpless breasts. The cry far outstripped any other I’d wrung from her.

 “Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. Oh God. Oh God. It hurts. Fuck. Please no more. Fuck me. While I’m hot. Please. You’ll kill me. Argh. Bastard.” But she remembered to count. “Seven. Fuck. Only seven.”

 I waited patiently for her heaving body to settle. I could see her tears running down her face, leaking from beneath the strip of cloth covering her eyes.

 When she had managed to get her breathing back down to a somewhat normal voice, she squeaked out a request.

 “Please, sir. I. I don’t think I can take another one, but hit my breasts again. Please?”

 I smiled at that one, but I gently swung the crop up at the tender undersides of her small breasts. Again, the response was instantaneous as the red stripe appeared. She screamed out her pain, pulling in futility against the ropes holding her. I was sure that she was going to bruise herself. I could see all her desires to stop this pain. She wanted to cradle her breasts that had become the center of her world. She softly sobbed after counting out the eighth stroke.

 She swallowed heavily and spoke again.

 “Please. My breasts hurt. Hit me somewhere else? I can’t take it again. Please? Why are you hitting me? I’m ready for you. I’ve never been more ready. Touch me.”

 I obliged her. True to her word, she was sopping wet. I could feel her heat before I even ventured a finger between her lower lips. She was lubricated beyond belief. She tensed and screamed as my finger lightly stroked her swollen clit. I withdrew, determined to finish this properly.

 She cried out in frustration as the sensations left her clit.

 I waited patiently, and finally her small voice spoke again.

 “Hit me again. My breasts. Please. Make me hurt.”

 I smiled, an evil thought crossing my mind.

 “Your nipples?”

 “Oh God. No.”

 “Beg me.”

 “No. I can’t. Not anymore. I’ll safeword.”

 “No, you won’t. You won’t climax if you do.”

 She struggled in vain with her restraints. Frustrated. Wanting to touch herself even if I wouldn’t. She didn’t care.

 “You bastard. Okay. Hit my nipples. Please.”

 I took a deep breath, watching her tense. When she finally relaxed her muscles, I let the crop fall against her swollen nipples. She wasn’t expecting it and she opened her mouth and screamed soundlessly into the room. Her entire body tensed thrashing against the ropes. Her ankles nearly pulled the bedposts from their sockets. Her wrists were bright red from fighting the steel trapping them.

 Then her voice finally made it down to normal human hearing range she sounded like a wounded animal. I hadn’t softened the stroke, leaving her with the ever increasing power of the crop. I couldn’t imagine the pain that she must be in.

 “Ieeeeeeeieeeeeeeee. Ow. Please God. Make him stop. Fuck. Nine. One more. I can’t do it. Oh God it hurts. Not my tits. Anything but that.”

 She collapsed into hysterical crying, constantly pulling at her wrists. I could tell that all she wanted was to curl up into a ball and alleviate the pain washing over her. After a few minutes she slowed her breathing. I gently kissed at her red and swollen nipples, caressing them as best I could, trying to help her turn that agony into pleasure.

 “Lazarus,” she spoke with a shudder in her voice.

 I immediately pulled away from her, honouring our agreement. She was still in tears, but she must have been in serious pain to use the safeword. Perhaps I was being too rough with her. I reached for the blindfold, but she spoke as she felt my fingers at her face.

 “Please. Leave it on me.”

 “Alright. What’s the matter?”

 “Fuck me. I need you now. I can’t take anymore pain to my breasts. Please understand.”

 “I understand. But I’m not going to fuck you.”

 “Please? Oh my God. Why?”

 “Because you stopped. I told you that we both had to agree to continue. And I’m not sure I want to.”

 “Oh God. I went through that for nothing?” she cried out pitifully.

 “I will continue if you like,” I spoke gently to her, stroking her face with my fingers. “You can finish.” I wasn’t sure of that. She wasn’t the type of girl to call safeword for no reason. She was nearly beat.

 “Please. I can’t take anymore on the tits.”

 “I know.”

 “You won’t hit me there?”

 “I’ll tell you what. You can safeword back in by saying ‘Lazarus’ again. If you immediately beg me to hit you between the legs for the last stroke, I’ll play,” I said to her with a grin on my face. I was curious what she’d do. Stop. Or continue.

 “You can’t be serious. Not there. Hit my thighs. My feet again. You liked that.” She swallowed. “Hit my breasts again. I’ll take it somehow.”

 “You have your options. You can say ‘Free me’, or you can say ‘Lazarus’.”

 I shut my mouth, determined to play this out properly. She lay quietly in her bonds, pulling against them, crying softly at her predicament. She was still highly aroused, I could tell. I could scent her musk from sitting beside her. And I wanted her.

 “Will you fuck me?” she asked into the room, not being able to turn her head accurately towards me. I fought down my urge to answer her.

 “Will you at least let me masturbate myself if you let me go?”

 Again I had to fight with myself to force her to make the decision on the information she had. Truthfully, I wouldn’t deny her the climax in whatever form she wanted. This truly was her show. But she didn’t know that. She’d almost fallen completely into the submissive role for this. It was part of her game, even after she’d safeworded out.

 She shuddered and took a deep breath. Obviously she had arrived at some decision.

 “Free. Free. Free,” she stuttered. “Fuck. Lazarus,” she said in a strong clear voice.

 I stepped back from the bed and waited beside her bound form. Within fifteen seconds her small voice issued forth.

 “Please? I’m begging you to reconsider. Talk to me.”

 “Beg me.”

 “Please. You don’t have to hurt me like that. I can’t.”

 “Why did you safeword back in, if you can’t take it.”

 She thought about it for a moment, tears beginning to form beneath the blindfold again.

 “I. I don’t know. You wouldn’t talk to me,” she admitted.

 I refused to answer her, letting her think. I could see her desires warring across the features of her face that I could see. She wanted the experience, but the pain was so intense. I couldn’t pretend to understand what she was going through, but I knew it wasn’t easy. Finally, after a few minutes of thinking, her voice began again, soft and pleading.

 “Please. Hit my pussy. I can’t take it, but I need you. I want you. Hit me this one last time. Why couldn’t you have picked ‘nine’. My poor body. Please don’t hit me hard.” I let the crop fall one last time between her legs. I still had never figured out how hard to hit a girl there, despite practicing on Amy so often. I was a gentle as I could, but I suspect even the most gentle tap on such sensitive skin is exceptionally painful for them. The tip of the crop sank deeply between her puffy lips, I felt it connect squarely on the rigidness of her pubic bone. I was sure that I’d connected with her clitoris. It took a moment for the reality of the pain to hit her.

 She nearly sat up, nearly wrenching her shoulders from their sockets. She screamed loud enough to make the windows rattle. She cried and begged for minutes, sobbing incoherently, trying to curl her restrained body into a ball, wanting to close her legs, bruising herself in her struggles. I felt like I was forcing this on her, when she’d chosen it herself. I cringed at her obvious distress and pain. I hadn’t meant to hurt her quite to that extent. I felt like I did when I punished Jane, or Amy and accidentally went too far. Only Jane and Amy had never had any options for safeword.

 She finally collapsed against the bed, her bare body wracked with sobs. After a while of watching her, she finally whispered a coherent word, breathlessly.

 “Ten. Thank God. Ten.”

 I let her cry for a few moments, inspecting her body as she struggled. There was no blood, except where she’d cut her wrist on the handcuff on that last blow. The blood at her wrists wasn’t serious. I was sure she’d be tender, her breasts and clitoris, but there would be no lasting damage. Even if I was keeping her, I wouldn’t have worried. She’d be fine after a rest.

 I almost returned the crop to the pack, but then decided on something more interesting. I took the instrument of her pain, and held it to her face. I gently touched her lips with it.

 Misunderstanding my intent, she gently kissed the crop, as though to thank it for her pain. Very erotic, but not what I’d intended.

 “Elizabeth. I know you hurt. I’m going to try and make it better. Alright?”

 She nodded, exhausted.

 I pressed the leather against her lips again. “Open,” I commanded her. With only a slight hesitation, she opened her mouth. I settled the crop between her teeth and she obediently held it. She was still crying inconsolably around it, her whole body shaking.

 I knelt between her still outstretched thighs and slowly ran my tongue from her bare toes, up her leg, tracing the welts on her thigh. She squirmed at the touch to the welts, but forced herself to accept the tease.

 I finally lay easily between her thighs, letting my tongue stroke gently across her swollen lips. Her sobbing slowly turned to gasps that I could easily hear around the crop. She whimpered as I purposely avoided slipping my tongue between the lips. I tasted her, smelled her. Her wet course hair felt delicious against my roving tongue. She was ready, had been for some time.

 She murmured something around the gagging crop in her mouth. I was quite sure she was unashamedly begging for relief, for me to delve between her soft folds and lick her, let her finally get some pleasure amongst the torment. Allow her to climax as she had wanted from the beginning.

 Acquiescing, I let my tongue dart between her lips. Her clit felt twice as large as it had last time I gave her oral sex, oh so long ago. I wasn’t sure if it was due to the crop on it, or just her extended state of arousal. She moaned deep in her throat at she felt the soft contact of my tongue against her. She squirmed, trying to get more contact, but I insisted on teasing her. Nothing she could do about it.

 I plunged one finger deep into her vagina, pumping slowly with my purposely slow rhythm. I could feel her frustration as she pulsed her vagina, wanting more, and faster. After teasing her for a few more minutes, I relented, letting my tongue trace around her clitoris in a faster circle, finding her natural rhythms within moments and feeling her body tense.

 The crop fell out of her mouth as she screamed into the room. I could feel her body tensing beneath me, her vagina gripping and spasming around my inserted finger. I felt her peak, and I gently sucked at her again, plunging another finger into her. I felt her explode again, reaching a high plateau. Her cries filled my senses, as did her tensing. I flicked her clitoris again with the tip of my tongue, plunging into her with my fingers again. She climaxed again, for the final time. Soon, I felt the pulses within her body recede and her muscles stopped straining at her restraints.

 “I’m done,” she murmured. “I’m done.”

 Her bare body stretched out in front of me was flushed from her forehead to her bare toes. She was pulling again at the restraints, whispering to herself.

 I lay beside her and released her eyes from the blindfold. Her deep eyes looked up at me. I could see wonder, pain and perhaps love in them as she looked up at me.

 “Three. Thank you.”

 “Don’t thank me,” I smiled at her. “Thank yourself. You did it too.”

 She rattled her handcuffs held above her head.

 “Can your slave ask for the use of her body back?” she asked almost shyly.

 I smiled at her and moved down her body. As I was releasing her ankles from the ropes, she spoke quietly.

 “That was the most wonderful thing that I’ve ever felt.”

 “Glad I could help.”

 “I hurt like hell, but it was worth every second of it. Christ. My tits are on fire. Please, let my hands go.”

 “Legs first. Then I’ll let your hands go.”

 She lay back quietly accepting my decision. As her ankles were freed, she instinctively moved her sore legs together. Probably trying to ease the ache that must still be settled between her thighs.

 I moved back up the bed to lie beside her. I reached up and slipped the ropes free that held her hands to the headboard. They remained handcuffed, but she was essentially free of the bed.

 I’d expected her to immediately cradle her breasts or her pussy, but she didn’t. She immediately reached down and touched me through the material of my jeans.

 She whispered quietly to me. “Let me suck you? I want to have intercourse with you, but I think I’m too sore.”

 I considered refusing her offer. I didn’t know what I’d be up to with Jane and Christi, but I had some ideas. And I’d already had sex with Sheila this afternoon. I wasn’t sure I’d be able to perform later if I indulged with Elizabeth. I wasn’t Superman.

 But she’d already managed to release my jeans and unzipped my zipper. Even with her hands in handcuffs. She urged me to my feet standing on the bed. With an obvious effort, she rose to her knees, and knelt in front of me. Her small hands pulled at my jeans and underwear, baring me to her.

 I closed my eyes, and felt as her fingers teased me. I was harder than a rock, my erection insistent and throbbing. Hurting her and then pleasuring her had turned me on far more than I cared to admit. But she knew that. Now.

 I just about exploded as I felt her warm lips engulf me. Her soft fingers toyed gently with my pubic hair and my scrotum. I thought I heard her sigh as I entered her mouth. I willed myself to wait, to enjoy the sensations she was giving to me. But I knew I wouldn’t last long.

 I felt my hands circle to touch her bobbing head. Her hair was like soft velvet, as I guided her rhythm. As I knew it would, her soft mouth quickly coaxed me to the point of no return.

 Groaning, I exploded into her. She didn’t hesitate, or withdraw. I could feel her mouth still working on me as I climaxed, shooting my fluids into her mouth. She gagged a bit, but didn’t complain as she swallowed my ejaculate. When I’d finished, she finally released my penis from her mouth, her tongue still lapping at me, cleaning me. She looked up at me with those deep eyes. I was going to miss her. Unbearably.

 I sank to my knees, not bothering to dress. I hugged her tightly into me, feeling her feminine body against mine, her softness against my shirt, against my lower nudity.

 “I don’t want to go,” she said softly into my ear.

 “I don’t want you to go. If there was any way ...” I began before she shushed me.

 “I understand,” she whispered.

 I reluctantly broke the embrace and rose to my feet on the floor this time. I replaced my clothing. She knelt quietly on the bed, tears falling from her eyes. She looked on almost wistfully. She didn’t have any clothing to replace, a fact that she was aware of at times like these. Her bound hands twisted into her lap. She looked up at me, and forced a smile to grace her lips. I couldn’t help admiring her one last time. She was so feminine, so desirable kneeling there.

 She slowly rose to her own feet, bare against the carpet of the bedroom. I wondered at the freedom of being barefoot for so long. No shoes. No socks. No clothing at all. I abruptly realized that this girl had not been allowed coverings for as long as I’d had her. And I don’t think she ever had complained about it.

 “Time to go?” she spoke softly and with regret.

 I nodded, not trusting my voice. This was getting harder and harder.

 I reached for her handcuffs, intending to finally release her from the bondage. She took a step back, slowly shaking her head.

 “I don’t mind. Leave them on me. Until I’m gone. Please?”

 I nodded again, marveling at this woman. I opened the door for her and held it as she walked her bare body out and into the hallway. Together we walked down to the main floor. I cringed as I watched her move, the welts somehow seeming too deep and angry for this delicate creature. She didn’t seem bothered by them, beyond an initial cringe as her bare soles touched the tile in the main hallway. The bottom of her feet would have been tender; I remembered hitting them harder than I’d originally intended as well.

 She hesitated outside the library. She turned to me. “A private good-bye? Afterwards?”

 “You got me,” I spoke with a joviality I didn’t feel.

 She solemnly reached for the doorknob and swung open the door into the empty room. She glanced around confused. I had this fleeting vision of Christi running from the house as quickly as she could as I made violent love to Elizabeth. But then I remembered her request as I’d left her last time.

 I touched Elizabeth and guided her to the dining room where we’d had the nice dinner a few days ago. Jane was perched on her window ledge quietly talking to Christi. Christi had dragged a chair over to the window and was sitting on it backwards, her chin resting on the backrest, her hands encircling the back of the chair. Jane stopped speaking as Elizabeth entered the room. Christi turned, her eyes closing as she took in the fresh welts on Elizabeth’s bare body.

 She rose out of the chair, her joined wrists hindering her.

 Christi fixed me with her soulful eyes and spoke quietly. No anger or blame in her voice.

 “You couldn’t help it, could you. We heard her down here. I. I thought you were torturing her to death up there,” she just sounded mournful. There was no accusing in her voice, just acceptance and perhaps disappointment. All the girls were still mine, no matter how much they knew I was releasing them soon. One look at any female’s wrists and the bondage still holding them would verify that. They still were ultimately under my control.

 Elizabeth stepped forward and hugged Christi, pressing her bare body into Christi’s clothes, her still bound hands encircling Christi’s neck.

 “Sweety, I wanted him to do it. It was my last request. I wanted him to hurt me. It’s okay. I won’t feel it soon. But I wanted to feel it. My choice, for once.”

 Christi’s eyes widened, and Jane nodded in understanding.

 Christi took a deep breath and turned her face to gaze at Elizabeth. She spoke softly.

 “I was jealous of you. And I still am. A little. But I love you too. I’m going to miss you.” Tears began to run down her face.

 “I’m. I’m sorry. I never meant to hurt you.”

 “I know,” Christi spoke truthfully. “I got used to sharing. Took a while, but I did.”

 To prove her point, Christi leaned forward and gently kissed Elizabeth’s lips, her only way of convincing the girl that she was forgiven for whatever had happened. Truthfully, I think that Christi always had understood.

 Jane had lowered herself to her bare feet, walking over to the other embracing girls.

 “I’m going to miss you too. A lot. You always tried to protect us. You always cared,” Jane spoke softly as she struggled to embrace both Christi and Elizabeth. The girls remained together, crying softly and hugging each other for a few minutes.

 Eventually, Elizabeth broke the embrace. She kissed both Christi and Jane on the lips.

 “I have to go. I’m going to miss both of you terribly,” Elizabeth spoke quietly.

 I watched as Elizabeth turned away from the remaining two women, tears falling uncontrollably down her face. She lifted her hands to try and wipe them away, but wasn’t very successful. As I guided her from the dining room, she turned and whispered one last “Good-bye”, to the others, who were watching her leave silently through teary eyes.

 We walked slowly to the entertainment room. I settled into the sofa. Elizabeth stood in the center of the room, watching me watch her.

 “I remember that night, when you fed us that Italian food. And allowed us to use cutlery and shared your dessert. And then we watched movies. That was the most romantic thing I’ve ever done. So I was nude and I was tied up for the night. I didn’t care. You know that?”

 I nodded slowly. I wasn’t sure what she was trying to say, but it seemed important to her. I’d enjoyed that night as well. The girls had all been happy.

 “I wish that I’d be able to remember this.”

 “No, you don’t,” I admonished the girl.

 She knelt easily on the carpet.

 “Actually I do,” she said quietly and I believed her. “If I had a choice, I’d stay with you. Even though I know you’d hurt me, I know that I ... that I don’t mind it here. I. I feel wanted. I’m not sure I can explain it.”

 She waited there on her knees for a few minutes, thoughts of her captivity and her adventures flitting through her mind. Finally she rose to her bare feet again and stood in front of me.

 She bent at her waist and kissed me passionately on the lips, her fingers caressing my face.

 “Despite all the things I didn’t like, there was more that I did. I hope that I can find them in real life.”

 “Perhaps you can,” I spoke to her quietly.

 She bent again, and I thought that I was going to feel her soft lips again. Instead she whispered in my ear.

 “If you do this again, find me,” she whispered in a voice that I wasn’t even sure was hers.

 She straightened back up, thrusting out her bare breasts almost proudly one last time. I swallowed heavily, tears forming in my eyes.

 “Remember me,” she whispered as she felt her time bubble begin to collapse around her. A moment later, she was gone, returned to her seat in that BMW with Catherine. I’d never found out what their relationship was. I regretted not knowing her better.

 The handcuffs that she had worn clattered to the carpet, probably still warm from her. The necklace and the anklet that I’d given to her a day ago fell to the floor as well. I couldn’t bear to pick them up as I rose heavily to my feet.

 “Good-bye, my noble one,” I whispered into the space where her beauty had just graced. It was getting harder. I missed her already.

 ------

 Chapter 124 

 “And then there were two,” Jane spoke softly as I entered the dining room.

 I mutely nodded, still missing the other girls and unable to hide it. I carefully pulled a chair from below the table and reversed it, straddling the chair as Christi was. I faced the girls, my chin resting on the wood of the backrest.

 Christi spoke gently from her seat. Her hands still encircled the back of the chair, but she turned her body to face me.

 “Do you want us to kneel?” she asked even as she began to struggle to her feet and out of the chair. Jane was making motions as if to drop to her feet from the window sill.

 “You don’t have to kneel for me anymore. Stay comfortable.”

 A mischievous smile broke across Christi’s lips. “Will you let us out of the handcuffs as well, then?” she asked lightly, obviously not expecting a positive answer.

 “Nice try,” I actually managed to smile back at her. Silence descended into the room for a moment before Jane broke it.

 “What happens now?” she spoke so softly it was almost a whisper.

 “I’m not quite sure.”

 “I’m sorry,” Jane was still speaking in soft tones.

 I looked up at her, confused. “Sorry for what?”

 “Sorry that you have to let us go. Let them go. It’s obviously hard on you.”

 I nodded. It had been a lot harder than I’d expected. Originally I’d just picked up these girls as playthings. As sexual objects. As slaves for my pleasure and my pleasure alone. But they were more than that, now. Perhaps, I’d kept them too long. Perhaps they had just become more than just pretty girls walking down the street, available for my games. Despite what I did to them, they were thinking, breathing, feeling human beings. Women. This was harder than I’d ever expected.

 “How much time do we have?” Jane asked, breaking my train of thought.

 I really didn’t know. It might be days, it might be minutes. I wouldn’t know until that cursed black spider began its journey across my mind. And I had no idea if it would be the last one, or the first in a procession of little spiders. I was hoping to hold onto the timeline long enough to give the girls whatever they wanted. I hoped that the spiders weren’t hungry.

 After a moment I answered her. “I really don’t know, honey. I really don’t know.”

 I gazed at the girl, resplendent in her black evening gown and handcuffs. Even though I knew that was all she wore, and she still would look more natural in jeans and a sweater, she was beautiful. She was beautiful as only a seventeen year old girl can be, nonchalantly swinging her bare legs and feet, gently twisting her wrists against her fetters, her face strong and sure. Her dark hair curled around her shoulders as soft as a downy comforter. Her lips curled into a gentle smile.

 “Do you want me?” Jane asked softly, knowing what the answer was. But I had promised myself that I wouldn’t force myself on any of them. It wasn’t necessary. I had already made love twice this afternoon. Three times today if you counted Christi in the morning.

 I continued to gaze at her, not answering her simple question.

 “You do. You can have me, if you want. You know that,” her perception had always been correct.

 “Janey. Of course, I want you. But this isn’t about me. It is about you. It’s about what *you* want. I’ll do whatever I can to make it happen for you. But there isn’t much time left. I’m sorry for that.”

 She swallowed heavily. “Does that mean that I’m the next one?”

 I nodded slowly at her. I so much didn’t want to let this girl go.

 She took a deep breath, raising her breasts beneath the dress. She let it out in a long steady stream through her nose. Her breasts fell again beneath the fabric. I thought I could detect the points of her nipples. The nipples that I knew so intimately.

 “You are going to let me do whatever I want?”

 “Almost anything.”

 “I’m going to assume that the ‘anything’ doesn’t include letting me try out that crop of yours on *your* hide? Let you know what you put us through.”

 I considered it for about half a second. “I don’t think so. Nice try though.”

 She smiled radiantly. She knew that I wasn’t going to agree to that, no matter how fair it might seem. But she was just trying to make a point. I knew that. I let her have her small victory.

 She tilted her head down, staring at her toes. She took a deep breath and spoke quietly.

 “Do you remember the night that you let us free to teach the Judge a lesson?”

 I didn’t know where she was going with this, but I wasn’t about to let her at that asshole again. Even if she deserved it. No. I didn’t particularly want to spend my last time on this timeline dealing with him. I didn’t even want to think about him.

 “Yes ...” I replied cautiously.

 She continued, lowering her voice even further, almost to the point of inaudibility. “Do you remember what happened that night?”

 I let my mind wander back, trying to find what she was driving at. I glanced over at Christi who was also staring downwards, suddenly fascinated with her own small toes. The sight of Christi brought it home to me. I still wasn’t sure where she was going, but I knew what she was referring to.

 “You. And Christi. Yes.” I spoke carefully, not wanting to dissuade her from speaking whatever was on her mind.

 Jane finally raised her eyes. I watched as she fought her discomfort and embarrassment that it had even happened in the first place. Her toes curled against the air as she continued in her soft voice, her eyes capturing and holding mine.

 “Christi and I talked about it. We can’t say good-bye. We just can’t,” her voice cracked a bit and tears began to form in her eyes. “We. We would like to use one of our wishes, it doesn’t matter whose, to ... to leave together. So we don’t have to say good-bye. We would like to spend our last time together. As long as we have. Please? And if we can’t do that. If you won’t let us. Then don’t make us say good-bye to each other. I’m begging you,” Jane was crying softly by the time she’d finished.

 I leaned back a little, surprised by her request. I had honestly thought that they had worked it out, that their feelings for each other, if they even existed, had been resolved. Christi had tears in her eyes as well as she sat there, twisting her hands against the steel holding her wrists. I thought I understood. If they did have any feeling for one another, then the good-bye would even be harder than anything I’d felt so far letting the other women go. And they had recognized it.

 I spoke quietly. “Janey? Christi? You don’t have to use up your last requests. You won’t have to say good-bye to one another if you don’t want. I won’t force you.”

 “Thank-you,” Jane whispered into the quiet room.

 I let them sit there for a while with their thoughts, not wanting to interrupt them.

 Eventually, I turned my attention back to Jane. She was staring at her bare feet again as they swung back and forth.

 “Jane?”

 She looked up, unsure of what else I might want from her.

 “What do you want, truly? You can include Christi if you want. If she wants.”

 Jane took a deep breath. It looked as though she’d made a decision that she wasn’t sure that she wouldn’t regret. She let her breath out slowly and spoke.

 “You know what I’m like. Right?”

 I thought about it. “Stubborn. Strong willed. Caring.” I smiled at her.

 “And masochistic. No matter how much I hate it,” she continued.

 I nodded slowly.

 “I might never get another chance to experience this. Being completely in someone else’s control. Let’s face it, I’m unlikely to discover this on the real timeline. Right? Not safely anyway.”

 I nodded again, slowly. I was getting aroused just anticipating her request. I had a feeling I knew what it was going to be, though not the specifics.

 She turned slowly to Christi. “Christi? Honey? I know how you feel about him. I won’t ask if you don’t want me to.”

 Christi lowered her blonde head and stared at the floorboards for a moment. She took a deep breath. She obviously knew what Jane was talking about, even if I hadn’t figured it out yet.

 “It’s alright. I don’t mind,” she attempted a smile, not completely succeeding, but close enough.

 Jane nodded her thanks to Christi and turned back to me. She pulled against the handcuffs on her wrists.

 “I. I want to be your slave. One last time. I want to put myself in your hands. I want to be taken,” she shivered slightly at the words coming from her pretty lips. “I. I don’t care what you do to me, but I only ask not to hurt me more than I can take. You know where that is better than I.”

 Tears began to form in her eyes. I watched as she struggled to will them away. Her strength prevailed as I watched the tears recede. Her mind was at war with her body again. But she knew that her mind had lots of time to win on the main timeline. She might never experience what her body wanted ever again.

 It took me a moment to respond. I have to admit that I wasn’t completely surprised by this, but nevertheless I had never been sure if she would ever accept this part of herself that I saw so clearly.

 “Are you sure, Jane?”

 “I’m sure,” her voice became a little stronger.

 “Do you want sex to be involved?” I just wanted to be clear what her intent was.

 “I ... if you want it, I am going to be your willing slave. I’m not sure I have a choice.”

 I swallowed. This wasn’t the answer I wanted.

 “No. Do you want sex to be involved?” I asked her again.

 She thought about it for a moment. I had never taken her, never forced her into sex. At least with me.

 She licked her lips. “Yes,” she answered simply. When I didn’t say anything she continued softly. “What is the point of being all hot and bothered if I don’t get to climax?”

 I nodded slowly.

 She whispered again, “You can’t tell right now, but I already am. Hot and bothered.”

 I looked up at her. Her breathing was heavier than normal, but with the dress between her skin and I, I couldn’t see the other outward signs of her arousal. If they were even there. I took her word for it. For now.

 “Would you like Christi to be involved in this?” I asked slowly.

 Jane nodded slowly, almost shyly.

 I didn’t want to offer Christi’s services if she had an objection. I had a funny feeling that she wouldn’t, especially considering the circumstances. I turned to Christi, a look of questioning on my face. Christi nodded slowly, giving her permission for me to include her. If I ordered her, she wouldn’t have a choice. She knew that. But this was no longer about my control over them, and I think that Christi sensed that. If she’d objected, I wouldn’t have forced the issue.

 “Who am I?” I gently asked Jane.

 Her eyes clouded for a moment as she considered her answer. Then, as naturally as if she was in church, she slipped off the windowsill and sank to her knees on the hardwood, the black fabric of her gown flowing around her feminine form. Her bound hands rested easily between her kneeling thighs; she was no longer twisting in her restraints.

 She spoke clearly but quietly, looking up at me.

 “You ... are my Master.”

 ------

 Chapter 125

 I rose from my chair. Leaving Jane kneeling on the floor, I approached Christi. She looked up at me as I approached, her blue eyes boring into me.

 She remained seated, so I ended up towering over her. She held my eyes with her own and licked her lips.

 “Just because I’ve agreed to help you with Jane doesn’t mean I’ve given up my wish.”

 I was aware of that, but I thought that given her position, her words were a bit spunky.

 “You would have helped if I’d told you to anyway. I haven’t let you go yet.”

 She flushed a little, but lowered her eyes at my words.

 I smiled, having gotten the desired effect. I continued more gently. “I haven’t forgotten you. I’m still going to give you whatever you want. Just tell me when the time is right. Fair enough?”

 She looked back up, a smile curling her lips. She had a secret. She knew exactly what she wanted, and I didn’t. And she didn’t have to tell me. I wasn’t going to punish her until she told me her secret. Her life was changing, and even I was finding it difficult to keep her in the slave role. Especially as she sat there, looking up at me with those irresistible eyes. She was still wearing that sweater and the tight jeans that would have looked more at home on Jane. The only concession to her role as mine was the handcuffs adorning her wrists, that she couldn’t remove. Nevertheless, she looked spectacular. She should have been a model.

 “What?” she asked in confusion, not understanding why I was staring at her.

 I decided to tell her. “You should be a model.”

 She flushed. “You never asked ... but I am. Or at least I was.” She tossed her blonde hair about her shoulders and gave me one of those sexy pouty glances that she might throw at a camera. My heart caught for a moment at the sheer beauty of the pose.

 I swallowed hard. I hadn’t expected that. She smiled as she realized that she’d somehow surprised me. Though I’m not sure that she knew the reason. The girls seemed to revel in that. Surprising me. Or shocking me. Even if they didn’t mean to.

 Because I couldn’t move my tongue anymore, I crouched down and fitted the chrome handcuff key into her restraints. She sat still as I released her wrists. I watched in fascination as her fingers gently massaged the skin of her wrists where the metal had held her. The handcuffs were still warm from her body heat. I placed them on the ground and looked up at her. She remained in the seat simply letting me regard her in silence.

 Christi surprised me again when she spoke.

 “Let’s take her outside,” she said.

 I was confused, not quite understanding what she was saying. I suppose I’d dropped into her beauty, unaware of the other girl still kneeling quietly beside us.

 Christi saw my confusion, and I could tell that she wasn’t sure why I hadn’t understood her. Only that I hadn’t.

 She continued. “Jane. Remember her? Your other slave? She and I were talking earlier. She wanted to go outside for this.”

 I turned slowly to Jane who was completely flushed. She nodded her head nearly imperceptibly. Christi was telling the truth.

 Christi’s voice continued on behind me. I felt almost intoxicated by the girls.

 “Maybe we should use the front yard? If you agree? Then we wouldn’t have to see Mayer? Or have you put him back already?”

 I shook my head, clearing it. The spider crawled along the base of my head at the back. I felt the world closing in, but again it receded. I was grateful. Although the danger here was minimal, Christi and Jane would take care of me if I fell into unconsciousness, there was no guarantee I would wake up. If I was smart, I would let them go now. Forget their requests, and hightail it back to the prime time line. But I wasn’t smart. I truly wanted to give them something. They had been so good to me. They deserved something. A small voice at the back of my brain was shouting that they didn’t deserve to be trapped on this timeline forever or some unknown limbo, but I carefully ignored it. I was reasonably sure that we could get through this.

 “Are you alright?” Jane asked worriedly from her kneeling position in front of me.

 I nodded. “It didn’t get me.”

 Jane still looked worried. “We don’t have to do this. We can just go back. We aren’t going to remember anyway. Are we?”

 “You won’t remember. But I’m fine now. Really.”

 I felt fine. As though nothing had happened at all. I just hoped that the next close call would happen after I’d had my time with Jane and Christi. Preferably while I wasn’t on this timeline. Of course, the spiders would disappear once I regained the prime timeline.

 After a moment, I moved over to Jane. I removed her handcuffs quickly, dropping them beside Christi’s.

 “Is crawling going to ruin your dress?” I asked her.

 She looked puzzled. I understood. She couldn’t imagine why I’d care if the dress was ruined. She’d figured out that she was going back as soon as this last scene was played out, and the dress was useless at that point. And I’m sure she never expected to have it covering her much longer in any case. She was probably surprised that she was still wearing it at the moment.

 She shook her head and nodded at the same time. Quite a sight actually.

 “Yes, Master,” she breathed. “Crawling will ruin it. I can remove it if you like.”

 She hadn’t even blinked an eye at the prospect of crawling. She’d done it for me before, though it had been a long time ago. But she was determined to play her role, accepting whatever I asked of her.

 “You may keep the dress. Try not to ruin it.”

 “Master? Can a slave ask if she’ll be punished if she ruins the dress?” Jane slipped easily into slave talk. I was surprised. I hadn’t heard it from her lips for a while. I wasn’t even sure she’d remembered how to speak that way. She was full of surprises.

 “I’ll decide that when you are outside.”

 “Yes, sir,” she responded. “But, your slave begs to remove it first if she is going to get punished for ruining it. She knows that she is being punished anyway, but she doesn’t want to make it worse.”

 Her words struck a chord in me. I was aroused simply by her manner and her words. I had to adjust my jeans. I couldn’t believe that I could react so soon after Elizabeth. Jane’s mouth curled into a quick grin as she watched me adjust myself before she caught herself and forced a straight face. I was going to have to punish her for that.

 I answered her slowly, “Crawl with the dress. I’ll decide later what you will be punished for.”

 “Yes, Master,” she spoke with a hint of sarcasm in her voice. Despite her own willingness to be in this role, she was unable to completely discard her normal strong will and defiance. I loved that about her.

 She carefully fell to her hands and knees, waiting for a command to begin crawling for me. I motioned Christi to her feet and then to Jane’s left side. I strode to Jane’s right. Jane looked up at us towering over her diminutive and vulnerable form with a look of worry on her face.

 I smiled to her reassuringly. I wasn’t going to hurt her yet. I carefully gathered up a handful of her full brown hair in my fingers, indicating for Christi to do the same. Christi hesitated, but reached down and gathered up some of Jane’s hair in her hand as well.

 We began walking slowly, gently tugging at Jane’s hair as a leash. Jane cried out a little at the initial tug, but fell into a rhythm, moving her hands and legs in the unfamiliar and slow motion, relieving the pressure on her scalp. Christi and I moved along beside Jane matching her slow pace, not trying to hurt her. It would have been a simple matter to increase the pace to the point where Jane couldn’t keep up, her scalp in agony. But I didn’t. She would be uncomfortable enough, soon enough. Neither girl complained about the procession.

 We moved slowly from the dining room, and down the main hall. The only sounds were Jane’s laboured breathing and the whisk of her dress as it touched the tile. I looked back as we crossed the front door threshold. The mansion that had been our home. The mansion with Sheila and Mayer and all the good times and the bad. I felt that I’d lived there forever, when it had only been a few days at most. I couldn’t believe that this was the last time I’d ever set foot in the place. It seemed so odd to be leading this girl outside using her hair as a guide. The tender soles of her bare feet upturned beneath the elegance of the evening gown. It all seemed so surreal and so erotic. The former occupants of the house would probably be shocked at the display, well most of them anyway.

 I took a deep breath.

 “Christi?”

 She turned to me, waiting for instructions.

 “Run upstairs and gather up the pack. Be quick, or you are going to join miss slave, here.”

 Christi flushed, remembering that essentially she was still a slave as well. She dropped Jane’s hair that she had been gently holding. I watched as it fluttered back to Jane’s shoulder. As Christi turned and quickly walked towards the stairs, I admonished her. “Run.”

 The denim clad girl threw a withering look over her shoulder but decided it was still in her best interests to do as asked, and jogged the last few steps. Her free breasts bounced beautifully under the top and her bare feet thundered as she ran up the stairs.

 “You didn’t have to make her run, we have time,” Jane spoke from her hands and knees.

 “I don’t remember anyone asking you.” I spoke half jokingly to the elegant girl at my feet.

 Jane twisted her head as best she could, pulling her own hair in her attempt to find out how serious I was. When she managed to see that I was smiling at her, she returned to looking at the floor.

 “Bastard,” she mumbled.

 “That earned you another couple of strokes.”

 “Bastard,” she said more loudly.

 “Hmmmm. She wants more, huh?” I speculated out loud. “Little one. You don’t have to be defiant. All you have to do is ask, and I’ll make sure you can’t sit down for a week.”

 We both knew that she wouldn’t feel anything at all from this in a week’s time, but she shivered nevertheless.

 “I’m sorry, Master,” she apologized. It sounded sincere enough.

 I heard Christi’s feet thundering down the steps as she ran back. I suspected that she had probably dropped to a fast walk as soon as she was out of sight, and I could have punished her. But I wanted to save my creativity for Jane, who actually did want it.

 Christi was out of breath, even from the short run. She was dotted with sweat. I liked the effect, and especially liked the effect of her breasts beneath the sweater still heaving as she fought for breath. She smiled at me as she showed me the pack in her fingers.

 Without being told, she shifted the bag to her left hand and picked back up Jane’s soft hair with her free hand. Together, the three of us stepped out for the last time. I took note of the address as I looked back. I was going to need it.

 As we reached the steps to the front porch, Jane halted as Christi and I stepped down onto the first step.

 “M-master?” Jane spoke.

 “Yes slave?”

 “I. I don’t think I can crawl down. I’ll fall.”

 I knew that she could do it. It would take some concentration and some balance. But I didn’t force her.

 “If you like, you can suggest an alternate.”

 “Add some to my punishment, instead? For not being able to do this?”

 I nodded as she looked up at me, her hair still extending from her head to my fingers. And Christi’s.

 “I’ll try not to scream the first two times you hit me.”

 A challenge. Could I make her scream anyway? I was betting I could.

 “Alright, slave. On your feet.”

 Christi and I both released her hair at the same time and Jane struggled to get to her bare feet. The evening gown had worn where her knees had pressed into the fabric against the tile. I was quite sure that it had never been meant for this type of activity. I couldn’t imagine most women crawling in that thing. Jane smiled, glad that she hadn’t been forced to crawl down the steps. She was well aware that I could have forced the issue and she would have had to at least attempt the crawl down the steps. She was happy even if it meant making her later punishment harder. I could imagine that it would have been very painful on her unprotected knees to have to climb down. Either way, she was up for extra discomfort, she’d simply chosen her route.

 I took Jane’s hand and led her down the steps. As we reached the bottom, the girl automatically fell back to her knees. She rocked forward ready to crawl again, without being asked. I left her there, not taking her hair.

 “Jane?”

 “Yes, Master.”

 “Pick a tree.”

 “Master?”

 “Just pick one.”

 She carefully balanced herself on one hand, centering her weight. She pointed to a thick trunked oak tree just off the front path.

 “On your feet. You don’t have to crawl.”

 She gave me a dirty look as she rose to her feet. One of those, then-why-did-you-let-me-make-a-fool-of-myself looks. She sighed and climbed back to her bare feet, not quite daring to voice a complaint. The dress was now quite dirty around her knees from her kneeling on the earthen path, but I had no intention of having it on her body much longer anyway. She knew that as well.

 I took her right hand, and Christi lightly grasped her left. Jane shivered slightly. Probably anticipating her upcoming punishment and pleasures. We slowly walked towards the tree. I felt like singing something right out of Wizard of Oz. We made an odd sight, I would imagine, walking slowly hand in hand together.

 Lions and tigers and bears. Oh my.

 I smiled at my inner thoughts, but neither girl noticed.

  ------

 Chapter 126

 Jane was remarkably easy to secure to the tree. Made me wonder just how much the girls were resisting previously whenever I tied them up. She almost seemed eager to be bound, and happily rose up on her bare toes, reaching for the low branch above her head. She gripped the branch lightly with her fingers and waited patiently as I slipped the steel handcuffs back around her slender wrists. Her position raised her breasts wonderfully under her dress. If she had been a little less endowed, the dress would have slipped right off her as she stood like that.

 I stepped back, watching as she twisted her wrists in their restraints. Sighing, she let go of the branch and let herself down off her toes. The handcuffs, stretched over the branch became taut well before she was able to get her heels to the grass. She took a deep breath, knowing it was useless to complain, and resigned herself to being on her toes. She gripped the branch again, trying to ease the weight on the balls of her feet.

 I ordered Christi to her knees. The other girl knelt quickly, sensing that I wasn’t going to tolerate a lot of protests from her. I’m sure that the designer jeans she wore were getting grass stained around the knees, but like Jane, she probably didn’t care much about the state of her clothing. As long as she didn’t get punished for it.

 I slowly walked around the suspended girl, admiring her figure, admiring the way her body stretched in its restraints. She tried to watch me as I circled her, unsure of what she’d gotten herself into. Probably regretting her last request. I smiled at her as she was forced to watch my progress by whipping her head from right to left.

 She spoke softly. “Can a slave change her mind?”

 I gently shook my head. I’d arrived back in front of the girl.

 “I didn’t think so,” she whispered. “Can I ask what you are going to do to me while I’m like this?”

 “That would ruin the surprise, wouldn’t it?”

 She swallowed. “Can I stop you, if it gets to be too much?”

 I thought about it. I could give her a safeword, like I had with Elizabeth. But I didn’t want to. She was still my slave. A lovely slave, true, but still my slave. I could still do whatever I wanted with her. Even if she was here by choice. I would try not to go over her limits with my play, but I didn’t want to worry too much about safewords. It was part of the game for her. She needed to have absolutely no control. I could see it in her frightened eyes. It wouldn’t work if she could stop it. Not for her. She wasn’t Elizabeth.

 “Are you my slave?”

 She nodded slowly.

 “Will you accept what I do to you, and for you?”

 “I don’t have much choice, like this ...”

 “No, you don’t.”

 She shuddered a bit. I couldn’t tell if she was shuddering at her lack of control, or shuddering simply because of her arousal. I was entirely sure that if I checked between her legs, the anticipation would be showing.

 Leaving her, I walked slowly back to the pack. I retrieved a bright blue ball gag, the crop, some soft rope, the nipple clamps, a blindfold and the pair of scissors.

 She watched in apprehension as I approached with the items in my arms. I dropped them at her feet in the grass. She took a deep breath, let it out in one long stream, and reached out to touch the gag with her toe. It required a bit of balancing on her part, but she did it anyway.

 She licked her lips. “I. I don’t want to be gagged.”

 I touched her red lips and traced them gently.

 “Does it matter what you want anymore?”

 A tear slipped from her eye as she looked at me. She slowly shook her head. If I wanted her gagged, she would be, and however reluctantly she’d accept it.

 “I’m scared,” she whispered.

 “You should be. Means you are still sane,” I answered her as I gave her a quick kiss on the cheek. I had meant to get her lips, but she turned her head at the last moment.

 She looked back at me after I’d withdrawn. The words seemed to make her feel better. I could almost see the thoughts going through her mind. She could have had anything she wanted. A rest in a nice soft bed. A nice meal. Even a walk in the park. Instead, she had chosen to be here. Handcuffed and stretched on a tree, waiting for the pain to begin. I watched as she shivered.

 I bent and picked up the crop. Her eyes followed it with extreme trepidation.

 “I’ll do whatever you want,” she whispered. “You don’t have to punish me for whatever I did ...”

 Still looking into her eyes, I let the crop fall hard onto her thighs. The dress didn’t provide much protection for her and she wasn’t expecting the blow. She cried out more in surprise than anything else.

 “Ow. Shit. That fucking hurts. I’d forgotten. Shiiiit.”

 Her legs danced through the grass as she tried her best to pull out of the handcuffs. I was certain that she was really going to hurt her wrists if I left her in her current restraints. At least she would if I was going to be tormenting her as much as I intended.

 I smiled at her as she tried to control the pain in her legs.

 “I thought that you were going to control your screams.”

 “Oh shit. I’m sorry. I. This slave forgot. Please give her another chance. Hit her again, she’ll be quiet. Oh God, please don’t punish her for it.”

 “We made a deal ...”

 “I. She knows. Oh God. She’s sorry. Your slave was surprised. She didn’t mean to scream.”

 She had regained most of her composure. She was still hurting, I could see it in her eyes, but she was determined not to scream on the next two punishments. One way or the other, I considered, I wanted to break her of that promise. Just for fun. She would scream.

 “Alright. You can have another chance.”

 “Oh God. Thank-you.”

 She wouldn’t be thanking me later.

 I bent and retrieved the scissors, dropping the crop back to the grass. Her eyes widened at the sight of the sharp blades. I held the instrument up in front of her face, waving them slightly.

 She licked her lips and spoke softly. “Can a slave speak?”

 I nodded.

 She seemed to be struggling with something internal, but she arrived at a decision. She opened her mouth and closed it again. Finally she opened her mouth and spoke softly.

 “This slave. She has to tell you something. She doesn’t want you to get angry with her, though.”

 I considered it. “I can’t promise you anything.”

 “Please don’t get angry with me. I mean ... angry with your slave. She’s sorry and she didn’t know what she was doing ...”

 I was curious now what was going on in her pretty head. She squirmed against the restraints in front of me, knowing that I was about to cut the dress from her body. Perhaps, she was stalling me, not wanting to part with her only possession. I could understand that.

 “Jane? Better tell me quick, before I get tired of this and gag you.”

 “No. Please. I. This ...” her voice trailed off.

 “It’s alright. Drop the slave talk.”

 She looked a little relieved. “Please. Master. I. I’m frightened. And I don’t want to make it worse on me than it is. But I have to tell you the truth. I don’t know why. But I have to.”

 I stepped back, lowering the scissors to my side. I looked at her quizzically, not really knowing what to expect.

 She continued hesitantly, “Those scissors ... I can’t do this.”

 I glanced at Christi who was shaking her head at Jane, obviously telling her not to continue whatever it was she was going to do. Jane ignored her and spoke in a whisper.

 “The first night after you took me. In the morning. I made breakfast. Remember?”

 I nodded slowly.

 Jane continued, her words rushing out of her mouth now. “Christi let me free in the morning to make breakfast and ... and ... and I picked up the scissors you’d left. I. I was going to stab you. And I couldn’t. Christi was begging me not to, and I couldn’t. Even though you’d put me through hell. I don’t know why. I couldn’t do it. Oh God, please don’t stab me.”

 I had no idea what kind of bravery that took. She didn’t have to tell me that. I had forgiven her that long ago. I’d forgiven it almost as soon as I heard it from Christi’s mouth so long ago. I’d watched her a bit more carefully and never understood it. But here she was, more vulnerable than ever before, stretched on her bare feet to a tree, knowing that I was going to punish her, and she braved to tell me the truth. It almost brought tears to my eyes. She was so strong, and so confused. I resolved that I wouldn’t punish her for it, no matter what.

 I licked my lips. “I. I know, Janey.”

 She looked confused and glanced over at Christi still kneeling in the grass. I hurriedly continued, lying for Christi.

 “She didn’t tell me, though she would have if I’d asked. I wasn’t asleep,” I lied to her.

 Jane’s eyes shifted back to my face. “You knew?”

 “Of course, I knew. Why do you think you were more actively restrained on the next nights than you were that first night?”

 She took a deep breath. “You never punished me for it, though.”

 “I understood. And you stopped. I never quite understood it, but you never tried again, to my knowledge.”

 “I didn’t. I wouldn’t.”

 I stepped over and gave her a kiss again. This time she didn’t turn her head. When I broke the kiss, she was breathing harder and she spoke quietly.

 “I’m glad I didn’t.”

 I grinned at her. “Damn right you are glad you didn’t. A second attempt, stopped or not, and you really wouldn’t have sat down for a week.”

 She paled a bit, realizing what I’d threatened for this session.

 “Even so, I’m still glad I didn’t hurt you when I could have,” she spoke softly. I could see in her eyes that she at least suspected that Christi had told me, but she didn’t seem to mind. Probably understood. She was a perceptive one. Hard to lie to her.

 “Are you ready?” I held up the scissors again. Jane blanched but nodded her head.

 I walked up to her, placing the sharp scissors just inside the neckline of her dress. She shivered a bit, tears beginning to form in her eyes. She had been allowed the clothes for a day or so. She was getting used to being covered. The evening dress was not only the most expensive she’d ever owned, but it was her only real possession. That and the jewelry she still wore for me. I was about to remove it irretrievably, rend it from her physically. She took a deep breath and braced herself.

 In one quick motion I let the scissors fall through the expensive dress. She was careful not to move as the material parted for the blades. She cried out a bit at the tearing sounds, but waited until the black fabric fluttered uselessly to the grass around her bare ankles. When the material was lying still on the ground she finally gave up and let the tears flow. She cried silently staring at the ground, caressing the fabric with her bare toes.

 I turned to see Christi’s eyes wet as well. A fellow captive in tears and not from physical pain. I licked my lips. Much as I hated doing it, it had to be done. It didn’t really matter, I’d seen her bare body before, and she needed to be separated from the dress before she left. The dress would have been in the way, and it heightened her sensations to have it forcibly removed.

 I sat back in the grass beside Christi. I slowly stroked her arm as I let Jane cry. My eyes took in her nude beauty. Robbed of her garment, she was a stunning sight. As pretty as I remembered her. Even with her head hung in tears, her flawless breasts were upthrust into the sunlight. Her body was shining from head to toe, radiating an inner strength and beauty that was unique to her. Only a thin red line crossed her silky thighs on an upward angle. The mark from the crop.

 “I’m going to cry, too, when you take mine,” Christi whispered as she knelt beside me.

 I nodded. I was sure she would as well.

 Jane finally managed to stop her weeping, and raised her eyes to look at me. I slowly got to my feet, and she spoke quietly, “I’m ready.”

 I walked over to her. “Are you?” I wiped gently at her tears.

 “Thank you for letting me cry,” she said as she twisted her arms. “Can I ask how long I’m going to be here? My arms hurt already.”

 “I know, they do. I’ll let you down soon.”

 I turned towards Christi and motioned her over. Without being told, she automatically crawled the short distance to me. It was probably easier than standing and then kneeling again. At least in her mind.

 “Kneel behind her.”

 Without question, Christi shuffled behind Jane, kneeling and waiting for my next request.

 “Touch her.”

 Christi began a protest, and then realized that it was useless. Besides, she was here for this. Jane and her had something between them. A history. They’d been together many times, and not always because I’d forced it. I suspect the protest was just automatic, not really thought out. She quickly realized that it was just the three of us, and that I didn’t care what she did with Jane.

 She reached up as Jane spread her legs. The posture forced more pressure on her wrists, but Jane knew that it was expected. Her feet barely touching the ground, she gasped as the first light touch of Christi’s fingers caressed her lips.

 Christi gasped as well. I looked around Jane’s form silently asking Christi what was wrong.

 Christi whispered, her face beet red, “She’s very wet. I. I guess I wasn’t expecting it. I’m sorry.”

 I looked up at Jane, but she had her eyes closed, her face flushed as well. I couldn’t really tell if it was the humiliation, shame or just sheer excitement level.

 “Jane?”

 Her eyes snapped open. I could tell from her eyes that it really was a combination of arousal and humiliation. Even being here by her choice wasn’t enough to stop her feeling guilty for her body betraying her mind. She was an independent girl and still couldn’t understand why her body reacted to this kind of treatment. She probably simply wanted a change from real life. Less control in her sex life, and it was falling to an extreme. Probably only because I was here, and she didn’t have much choice.

 I held up the scissors and her eyes followed them.

 “Hold still,” I whispered to her.

 I gently dragged the sharp edge over her cheek. She shivered, but managed to keep her face pressed to the blade. She didn’t flinch which was good for her. I traced the blade over her pert nose. I watched as she wrinkled it prettily after the blade went on to touch her sensitive lips. I withdrew, not a speck of blood gracing her.

 She let her breath out in a long sigh of relief. I let her rest for a moment and then began at her chest. I traced the tip of the scissors along her bare breasts, circling the erect nipples. She tensed immediately, trying to hold her breath, trying to keep still, trying not to flinch or move away from the dangerous steel. I could see her struggling with the sensations of Christi’s fingers. Trying not to buck, trying to remain motionless. One move in the wrong direction, for her or me, would mean big trouble for her soft skin. She knew that and I knew that. We almost had to become one.

 She took a quick breath as I moved the blade from her breasts. I looked down and watched as Christi’s middle finger slowly entered Jane and pumped up and down. Ever so slowly. Christi was well aware that if Jane climaxed, not only could Jane hurt herself, but that I would probably punish Christi. I didn’t want Jane climaxing yet, no matter how much she deserved it.

 I carefully scraped along Jane’s erect nipples, careful not to cut her quivering breasts. She desperately wanted to move away. I can’t imagine how protective of her nipples she would feel. If possible her nipples got harder under the scrape of the blades. I did that to her twice before she begged. I could see her body trembling, fatigue causing her muscles to protest at keeping completely still.

 “Please. I. Can’t. Please don’t cut me. Oh God. Please.”

 “You can’t keep still?” I rested the blade carefully just above her right nipple.

 “Please. Not much longer.”

 “You don’t want a cut on your breasts? On your nipples?”

 “Please. I like my nipples on my body. Oh God. I’m scared.”

 Truthfully, I didn’t want to hurt her that much anyway. And I’m not into blood. I would have felt very badly if I’d cut her, but I had faith in her control. Despite the stimulation between her legs and her fading strength, I thought she’d be able to hold it for a few more minutes.

 To her credit she tried. Despite the shaking of her body and the trembling muscles she managed to stay still for a few more minutes. She screamed as her thighs refused to support her. As she inhaled deeply for the scream, I moved the steel from her nipple. She screamed again before she looked down at herself. She looked like she was readying herself to be greeted by the sight of her nipple separated from her breast. Instead, she saw her intact bare breasts heaving in her fright.

 Jane moaned as Christi resumed her slow pumping of her vagina. It looked like Christi had inserted two fingers into her and was purposely teasing Jane.

 “Thank-you,” Jane breathed.

 “For what?” I asked quietly as I reached for the soft ropes lying in the grass.

 “For taking them away before I got cut. I. I couldn’t hold it any longer. I didn’t want to lose a nipple. Thank-you.”

 I smiled. I guess because she knew that she was about to be sent back, she assumed that I was capable of anything. Truthfully, had I cut her, I probably would have fainted. Blood, especially female blood, makes me lightheaded. I was being careful as much for myself as for her.

 Silently, I began to wrap the rope around her upper chest, running rope securely above and below her bare breasts. She didn’t squirm, but seemed to be more interested in the sensations happening between her legs. As I began to wrap the base of each breast in rope, and the sensations of pressure began to increase she opened her eyes.

 “Can I ask what you ware doing?”

 “What do you think?”

 “Tying up my boobs?”

 “Good guess.”

 “Why?”

 “You’ll see.”

 “I’m not going to like it am I?”

 “You will. On one level.”

 “Oh God.”

 I felt her tense as she tried to push down onto Christi’s teasing fingers.

 Soon her breasts were tight, tied adequately for my purposes. I traced the sensitive flesh, feeling the unnatural tightness of her soft skin. Jane gasped.

 “It hurts,” she whispered.

 “It’s supposed to.”

 “Last time ...” she began.

 “I tied you up like this, you got it across ‘em,” I finished her thought for her.

 “Oh God. Please no. I can’t take it.”

 “You don’t have much choice, my dear.”

 “Oh God.”

 ------

 Chapter 127

 She squirmed a bit in the bonds, feeling the unusual sensation of her bound breasts on her chest.

 “Remember that you aren’t to scream.”

 She closed her eyes. “If you hit my boobs, I can’t. Please don’t do this to me. Hit me somewhere else.”

 “How about if I hit *someone* else?”

 I watched as her numb mind worked. Realized that I would be hitting Christi instead of her. She definitely didn’t want that. Christi didn’t enjoy this kind of thing at all and even though it would protect Jane’s skin, this was for Jane. She slowly shook her head. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Christi’s fingers hesitate between Jane’s legs as she clued into my offering her skin instead. Of course, I knew that Jane wouldn’t let it get to that.

 “Remember. No screaming.”

 “Can I talk?”

 “Just don’t raise your voice. After the first two, you can scream for me.”

 “Believe me, I will. Christ. I don’t know if I can do this.”

 “Try.”

 Her eyes registered understanding. I wouldn’t punish her if she couldn’t do it, as long as she made her best effort. I couldn’t imagine how she could even think with the sensations from her crotch mixed in with fear of that simple whip about to mark her beautiful breasts.

 I lined up on her bound breasts and made two practice swings. She flinched both times, gritting her teeth, expecting the searing pain.

 The third swing connected with the tops of her breasts. I couldn’t hit her hard since I didn’t want the taut skin to break and it was a very real danger with her like this. However, with her breasts bound as tightly as they were any touch was going to hurt her, even something as simple as a fingernail scratching gently down her skin. The crop would have been unbearable.

 She threw back her head, whipping her hair around as she struggled with the agony of the crop. I could see the red mark beginning to form as soon as the crop fell away from her. I was sure she was going to howl like a wounded animal. Instead her self control kicked in and she hissed through her teeth. She managed to hold her vocal chords from crying out her pain. I have no idea how.

 “Oh God. You bastard,” she spoke finally in a conversational tone. “You have no fucking idea how much that hurts. I didn’t remember how much that hurt. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Please no more. Hurt me somewhere else. Not there again. I can’t. I’ll scream.”

 There really wasn’t anything stopping her from screaming. I wasn’t about to stop her, and she knew in her heart that I wouldn’t punish her. I had no idea why she was holding it in.

 “Ready?”

 “No.”

 I lined up carefully on her heaving chest. I’d meant to hit the bottoms of her breasts, but when the crop fell, she flinched and managed to get her nipples directly into the line of fire. The crop landed squarely on her still erect nipples, crossing them both with a fine red line. I thought that she would either bring down the branch or dislocate her arms. She twisted violently, her hair damp and whipping around as she tried to get away. Somehow, she managed to keep her lips shut around the muffled cry of agony that threatened to emerge. I have no idea how she managed it. I felt bad for her. I hadn’t intended to put her in that much pain. Tears were running down her face, and she had managed to pull herself away from Christi’s fingers. As Christi moved to touch the girl again, I motioned for her to stop. I thought that Jane had enough on her mind, without worrying about the sensations there.

 Her voice finally came out, choked but soft. “Jesus Christ. You didn’t have to hit my nipples,” she said through her tears, as though I’d betrayed her. Truthfully, I felt like I had. “I can’t feel them, and I can. It hurts so FUCKING much. Owie,” she sobbed as she stood there unable to move or to strike out at me. She wanted to, I could see it in the set of the her nude body. If she was free, nothing could have stopped her from trying to hurt me back. I couldn’t blame the girl.

 I dropped the crop in the grass and held her. Enough for now.

 Finally, she allowed herself to press herself uncomfortably into my shoulder and cry herself out. I held her for a number of minutes until the shaking in her bare body receded.

 “I’m. I’m sorry,” she mumbled as I released her from the hug.

 “You’re sorry?” I looked at her incredulously.

 “I did this to myself. I got myself into this. I shouldn’t blame you.”

 “It hurt. I know. If it means anything, I didn’t mean to get your nipples.”

 She hung in her restraints, and sniffled. “I. I’m alright. It hurt. It still does. But you can continue. I can scream now, right?”

 I nodded, a half smile playing about my lips. I was sure that she’d beg to get out by now. But she hadn’t. She was a strong girl.

 “Christi?” I spoke to the girl on her knees behind Jane.

 “You didn’t have to hit her that hard. She’s there because she wants to be. Not because of your twisted games. Go easy on her,” Christi spoke for the first time.

 “It wasn’t intentional,” I assured Christi. “If you don’t want to be involved anymore, I can let you go now ...”

 Christi paled. “I. I didn’t mean ...”

 “I know,” I reassured Christi. “Relax. I was just offering you a way out, if you didn’t want to go through the next part.”

 “Next part?”

 “Yeah,” I rooted through the pack and came up with a less painful stranded whip. This would hurt Jane, but nothing compared to the crop.

 I handed the small whip to Christi who took it and held it limply at her thigh. She looked at me, her mouth forming the word of protest.

 “Please no,” she whispered to me.

 “You’ve done it before.”

 “Because she wanted it, and I couldn’t hit her hard, even then.”

 I glanced over at Jane. Her bare breasts were heaving and she was twisting again in the bonds. Her feet were dancing over the grass in her attempts to get more comfortable.

 Jane spoke softly from the branch. “Christi? Honey? Mayer isn’t here. And I hurt.” She paused for a moment, gathering her thoughts and her strength. “I’m here because I want to be. Honestly. I’m not sure what happened between us that night, but I’m willing to try this again.” She paused again, shorter this time. “Christi. Sweety? I want this. I want you to hit me. Just go gentle on my boobs. Okay?”

 Christi swallowed heavily as I watched her face. She took a breath, and stared at me.

 “It doesn’t seem right,” she spoke softly to me. Her eyes were betraying her though. The bright blue orbs were shining, almost anticipating it. Her dominant side, the part of her that was aroused by the power aspects of sex, were rising in her despite her desires to keep them quelled.

 “You can do it. If not for me, for Jane,” I touched her shoulder gently as I spoke. She was shaking a little as she stood there.

 She nodded, not understanding Jane, not understanding herself. She nodded anyway.

 I settled back into the soft grass as Christi turned on her bare heel and began to walk towards Jane. The whip swung gently by her side as she carried it towards her friend and perhaps lover.

 I was close enough to the girls that I could hear them.

 “You sure?” Christi whispered to the bound girl.

 Jane nodded, staring at Christi’s face. “I want you to do this to me. I want you. Please?”

 Christi glanced back at me once, her eyes shining with unshed tears. I nodded to her. Jane honestly did want this, with part of her being. She was somehow suppressing her mind, letting her sensations take her through this. She might hate herself afterward, but not for long. Not this time.

 Christi slowly brought the whip up and let it fall against Jane’s unprotected side. The strands curled around her hip, striking the back of Jane’s body. Jane grunted as the pain washed over her body.

 I watched as Christi slowly let the whip fall against Jane’s skin. She moved around her, striking her back, her thighs, her flat stomach, even her calves. Jane’s tears fell constantly from her eyes, but she never cried out or begged or protested at the treatment. She twisted occasionally, trying to avoid a blow, but she couldn’t move far and only managed to succeed in getting the strike in a different place. Christi moved slowly and methodically around Jane’s body, letting the pain peak before administering the next blow. Her aim and strength improved as she spent more time with Jane, somehow knowing what the maximum that Jane could take was without seriously hurting her or making her beg.

 Finally, Christi stood easily on the balls of her bare feet in front of Jane. She swung the whip easily through the air, not striking her friend any longer. She waited until Jane raised her face to look at her. Tears coursed down Jane’s face as she struggled with the residual pain of the whipping. Her skin was a faint red over most of her body.

 “Oh Jane,” Christi dropped the whip to her side and reached forward with her free hand. She gently wiped at Jane’s cheeks, trying to staunch the flow of tears. She unconsciously tasted the liquid from her finger. I knew how salty the tears would be. I was tempted to take my own taste. Jane wouldn’t have minded. Christi carefully brushed the mussed hair from Jane’s shoulders towards her back.

 Jane closed her eyes for a moment and then opened them again. She stared into Christi’s eyes, bracing herself.

 Christi slowly raised the whip and eyes locked let the whip crash against Jane’s bound vulnerable breasts. Jane managed to hold the gaze for a moment and then closed her eyes and let her head rock backward, spilling her hair down her back.

 “Aaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh,” Jane cried out into the uncaring world. “Jesus. Christ. Please. No more. My boobs. Oh my God. Please.”

 Christi waited for the pain to subside, and then repeated the blow after Jane raised her head and locked gaze again. This time Jane collapsed. I watched as her thighs gave out, and she hung limply from her handcuffs. I watched a trickle of blood appear as her weight dug the steel into her small wrists.

 “Aaaeeeeeeiiiiiiiii. Please. God. No more. My boobs. I can’t take anymore. I hurt. Let me down. Please. Please. Please?” she begged into the skies and perhaps to the tree holding her body.

 Christi raised the whip again. She was shaking. I quickly rose to my feet and grasped her wrist before she could strike Jane again. Despite her pain, despite not being able to stand, Jane had locked her teary eyes back on Christi’s, silently begging her. For what, I’m not sure.

 “Enough,” I whispered. “She can’t take anymore. She’s exhausted.”

 And she was. She still hadn’t managed to take her weight off her wrists. I was truly afraid that she’d get seriously hurt with this play. And I cared about her.

 Christi immediately dropped the whip and ran to Jane, trying to help support her weight, hugging her fiercely, oblivious to the fact that she was probably hurting Jane in the process.

 “Oh my God, I’m so sorry. I got carried away. Forgive me. Please, Jane. Please?” Christi murmured the words into Jane’s ear. Jane was shaking with her sobbing. Her whole body a mass of pain.

 Christi murmured other apologies quietly as I let them embrace. At last Christi separated from Jane. Jane maintained her posture despite her trembling thighs. She was still crying softly but it wasn’t the heart wrenching sobs that had been caused by the whip on her breasts.

 I stroked Jane’s face gently, trailing my finger down her fine jaw line. She smiled up at me weakly, through the tears.

 “You alright?” I asked her.

 “I’ve been better,” she whispered.

 I nodded, understanding. She was still fighting the daemons. I let my finger trail down her hot body, between her heaving breasts, bumping over the ropes, touching her belly button, and finding my way through her sparse down and separating her lips. She was far more lubricated than I’d expected. And I was expecting a lot. She was practically leaking her arousal. She cried out as my finger found her swollen clitoris. She tried her best to press herself into my touch. I teased her for a moment, realizing that it wasn’t going to take much to push her over the edge.

 “Better?” I asked her. I was quite sure that I’d taken her mind off her breasts, at least for a moment.

 She nodded, breathing really hard. She moaned desperately as I withdrew my fingers from her.

 I bent to the grass at her feet and picked up the blue gag and the nipple clamps. She watched in trepidation as I straightened.

 “Please no. I just want to cum, now. Please, no more. I don’t want to be gagged. And I hate the clamps. Oh God. No more. Please.”

 I smiled at her. She was going to have to wait for a little while before I let her climax. She was twisting in the bonds.

 I turned to Christi. “You can refuse, if you want.”

 She somehow understood what I wanted her to do. She walked over to me and Jane and slowly fell to her knees. Her fingers traced along Jane’s hot skin and gently touched her, stroking her knowingly. Jane gasped, not caring who was touching her, as long as she was touched.

 “Don’t let her,” I whispered to Christi. Jane moaned as she realized that she wasn’t going to be allowed to climax. Not yet.

 I watched as Christi again let her fingers gently enter the bound girl, pumping at a very slow maddening pace. She took a deep breath and leaned forward. I could see as Christi’s tongue caressed the girl above her. Jane spreading her thighs as far as she could, wanting more than the slow maddening touches.

 I held up the gag and waited until Jane opened her brown eyes. Her eyes registered understanding and pain and acceptance. She gazed into my eyes as she struggled to ignore the sensations from between her legs long enough to do what I wanted from her. She opened her pretty mouth and held it open waiting. I gently pressed the blue ball behind her teeth. She held it without further complaint while I moved around her to buckle the leather straps behind her head, trapping her long brunette hair under the strap. She wouldn’t have the gag long. I just wanted to see her in it one last time.

 Her muffled moans began again as soon as the gag was secured. I hadn’t wrenched it into her mouth, this wasn’t a punishment. I could see her probing at the gag with her tongue, but satisfied that she was going to be silent like it or not, she accepted it.

 I reached forward and lightly stroked her nipples. She shook her head a little in protest, but when her nipples reacted to the stimulus of my fingers, she hung her head and again accepted her fate. I carefully tightened the nipple clamps onto her erect nipples until I saw a look of pain cross her features. She wailed into the gag. I did the same to her other nipple until she was supporting the light chain between them only by her upthrust and aching nipples.

 As the pain dulled, her breathing returned to a more normal pace. At least normal for a sexually aroused female being taken further down the path to oblivion.

 ------

 Chapter 128

 I wandered back a few meters and sat down in the grass. I watched the two girls as they slowly moved together. Jane’s eyes were closed as she absorbed the sensations from Christi’s fingers and tongue, and the throbs from her bound and clamped breasts. She was breathing heavily and I was surprised that Christi was able to hold her on the edge without letting her over. I was actually surprised that Jane wasn’t falling over the edge at the slightest touch of wind.

 I watched them for a few more minutes, just enjoying the sight of them. Jane’s nudity and helplessness, her gagged mouth, her brown hair cascading behind her, her soft muffled moans. Christi, still clothed, kneeling easily in the grass, concentrating. Her upturned bare feet buried into the soft blades of grass even looked beautiful as she knelt there. I couldn’t let them go. They were simply too precious. How could I?

 I took a deep breath and rose to my feet. I gently touched Christi’s shoulder causing her to break away from her pleasant task. She left her two fingers buried inside of Jane, but turned her head to look up at me, questions flowing across her face.

 “Can I let her cum?” she asked quietly, still pumping gently with her right hand. I could see Jane’s lubrication coating Christi’s fingers. Jane was nodding and moaning, desperately wanting her release.

 I gently shook my head, leaned down and gently pulled Christi’s arm so that it withdrew from teasing Jane. Jane cried out through her gag, tears forming in her eyes. I could see the arousal painted on her face, her disappointment, her need.

 Slowly I guided Christi to her bare feet, taking her a few meters from Jane. As she rose, she moved to wipe her fingers on her jeans. I softly touched her hand, feeling the wetness myself, stopping her from doing so. She looked at me quizzically until comprehension dawned on her. She was used to the taste anyway from tonguing Jane so she didn’t protest as she licked her fingers clean.

 We sat in the grass, our legs outstretched. Christi’s eyes were glued to the crying female with her arms held above her. The female that she’d just been stopped from pleasuring. Her friend that only wanted an orgasm, more than she even wanted to be let out of her restraints, more than anything else in the world.

 She spoke softly, “She needs release.”

 “I know. She’ll get it.”

 “She’ll hurt herself when she ... you finally let her.”

 “I’ll try to make sure she doesn’t.”

 We were silent for a moment, both captivated by the sight of Jane.

 “She’s only seventeen,” Christi spoke again. “I couldn’t imagine myself being as strong as her at seventeen.”

 “She’s incredible. But you all are. Were.”

 Christi turned her eyes from Jane and looked at me.

 “I don’t want to go back.”

 “I know. I don’t want to send you back.”

 “I want to use my one wish. Will you let me?”

 I had wanted to finish with Jane before we got into this with Christi, but I shrugged. I wanted Jane to be beyond ready, insane before I finished with her. I wanted the proverbial earth to move for her. I nodded.

 I waited for a few minutes, but Christi took her time. Perhaps savouring the moment.

 She started haltingly, “I. I know this sounds crazy. And it probably is. But. I. I really don’t want to go back. I like it here despite what you do to us. Maybe the effect won’t come after you’ve let everyone else go. Maybe we’ll be okay, just the two of us.”

 I started to protest. It wasn’t the number of bubbles, or the difficulty of maintaining them. It was the fact that I was on the wrong timeline, maintaining anything beyond the primary timeline. She held her finger to my lips, so soft.

 She continued, “I. I want my last wish to be not to stop this. Send Jane back, and ...”

 Her eyes teared up as I slowly shook my head.

 “Christi, dear. I’d do anything to keep us here, but I can’t. We have to leave. It’s too dangerous. Even us being here now is dangerous. It’s your life ... and mine ... that we’re talking about here. I’m not willing to risk your existence.”

 A single tear dripped down her soft cheek. She seemed resigned as if she’d known what the answer would be.

 “I am,” she whispered. I didn’t reply to her. There wasn’t a reply. She may have been willing to risk herself, but I wasn’t.

 She spoke softly, I doubt if Jane could hear. Not that she would be listening to us anyway.

 “It seems so long ago,” she almost whispered. “You pointed a gun at me, and I swore I’d do anything to kill you. I’d do anything to escape. And you did such awful things. Made me do such awful things. I. I hated you. But you never whipped me. I don’t know why ...” her voice trailed off.

 She seemed to want an answer from me. One I didn’t have. I just watched her face. She was crying softly as she spoke.

 At last, she found her voice again and continued.

 “I don’t know why. It’s dumb. I’m dumb. But every time you touched Jane, or Amy, or Elizabeth, I felt an ache. I still do, though I’m getting used to it. I cared about you. I know that you can’t care about me the same way, and it hurts, but I’ve learned to accept it and be quiet ...” she paused for a moment. “Jane told me not to do this. And I love her. I love her almost as much as I’ve loved anyone. You taught me that. That it was alright to love someone, even if it was crazy or if she was the same sex as I was. I wish that I could remember all this when I go back.”

 I swallowed, not sure if I should let her ramble on, or stop her before she said something she’d regret. Jane was probably right, Christi probably should have kept these things to herself. For the sake of her own sanity. On the other hand, it seemed like it was helping her, so I sat back and allowed her to talk about her heart.

 Her soft voice continued. “I know that I’ve changed from the girl you took so long ago. I’m still her, but I feel better about myself. I know that sounds insane, and maybe it is. I had this dominant personality before. You never really saw it, because you had never met me in any other situation than being ultimately under your control. I guess I still am dominant. Whipping Jane did turn me on, much as I hate to admit it. But I don’t mind being under your control. Oh God. Jane, I’m sorry. I’d be happy being under your control forever. I don’t know why, but I’d like to. And I’ll never get that chance. I love you, and I don’t even know your name.”

 I closed my eyes. Underneath, somewhere, I knew that about Christi. I knew that this was going to happen. Jane had warned me long, long ago. Begged me not to do this to the female sitting in the grass beside me. I couldn’t love her as much as she loved me, and I think she knew that. It didn’t matter to her. Love is a strange thing. But I still felt like I was taking advantage of her. In my own way, I suppose that I did love her. But I loved all of them.

 When I opened my eyes, she was kneeling in the grass beside me, facing me. Her bright blue eyes shone into me, tears still falling gently. Again she spoke softly, in a whisper.

 “I so much wanted to use my wish to make you love me as I think I love you. But I know that you can’t, so I won’t even ask.”

 Her tears began to fall even faster from her eyes. She continued and I could barely hear her, even though she was only millimeters from my face.

 “I want to make love to you,” she said. “One last time, before we go. That’s something that you can’t refuse. Is it?”

 I shook my head. I wasn’t about to say no to that. Even if I couldn’t fall in love with her the way she wanted, I could do this for her.

 Her tears began to fall harder as she forced herself to continue.

 “I don’t want you to gag me. Even if I slip and say something that I shouldn’t while we make love. Okay?”

 I nodded. I wasn’t going to punish her for anything. She was far too precious to me at this point. I may have briefly fallen for her, despite all my defenses.

 “If you want to tie me up for this, I don’t mind.”

 “Do *you* want to be tied up?” I asked her.

 She thought about it for a moment and then slowly shook her head.

 “I want to be able to touch you, if you’ll let me.”

 I nodded. This was her wish, so her desires went. For now.

 Her tears still hadn’t stopped. Her fingers were playing with the bottom of her sweater. She took a deep breath and I thought that she was going to remove it for the last time.

 Instead, she released the sweater and looked into my eyes. Her tears were still falling slowly and silently, but not in a flood. Just soft female crying because she didn’t know what else to do.

 “I. You,” she stammered. “If you want to cut these off me, I don’t mind. Or I can take it off. Or you can ...”

 I was tempted to ask her again what she wanted, but I didn’t. I could tell from her voice what she wanted.

 “Christi?”

 She looked up at me as I reached forward and tugged at her top. I closed my eyes as I pulled it over her head. She raised her arms to help. When I opened them, she was still kneeling, but bare chested. Her nipples were hard and they rose and fell rapidly with her breathing. She stood, balancing easily on her bare feet. She quickly unbuttoned her jeans and pushed them down her long legs. They pooled at her ankles and she stepped out of them.

 She was absolutely stunning. I had seen her naked before, many times. Had seen her naked and restrained. Had seen her hurting. Had seen her pleading. Had seen her upset, angry, loving, shy, and noble. Nothing compared to her nudity right here and now washed in the morning sunlight. She stood there for a moment, taking in my stare and gently laughing. Tears were still falling from her eyes, but that was easing.

 “I told you, I’d cry when you made me strip.”

 “I’m not making you strip.”

 “I know. It’s still hard,” she whispered.

 I nodded as she knelt back down. I felt her soft body as it pressed into mine as she embraced me. Her soft lips found mine and kissed with a passion that I had never felt from any of the girls before. I fell into her lips and her breath. I felt her fingers tugging at my clothing, felt the fabric parting and slipping from my skin. I helped her and soon I was as naked as she. The grass felt wonderful against my back and legs. I was overwhelmed by the sheer exposure.

 I felt her lips leave mine and her tongue softly tracing down my skin. I felt her hot breath tickling my pubic hair as she began to gently lick at me. Her fingers played with my skin, her bare breasts lightly brushing the insides of my thighs. Despite the amount of sex that I’d already enjoyed today, I found myself reacting to her caresses and her mouth. Soon I was hard and accepting the warmth of her tongue. I could feel every small sensation from her breath from her nose to her teeth lightly grazing my penis. I opened my eyes, feeling Jane watching us.

 Over Christi’s bent form I could see the poor girl, still restrained and gagged, watching us. We were so free, allowed to enjoy ourselves. Such a contrast to her intense frustration.

 I gasped as Christi’s mouth left me. I felt empty, like I needed to have her connection. Needed her touch on me. She shifted herself, her bare legs spreading. She straddled me, her fingers guiding me.

 She gasped as my penis touched her lips. I could feel her arousal.

 “Christi?” I whispered to her.

 She glanced up at me, frightened that she had done something wrong. She halted before I entered her.

 I reached for my jeans that were lying in the grass beside me. I could feel Christi trembling above me, not sure what I was doing.

 I fished a small chrome key out of my front pocket and held it out to her.

 “Now?” she whispered, disbelief on her face.

 I slowly nodded, not wanting to. I wanted to be in her, with her, almost more than anything else in the world.

 She swallowed heavily and sat back, letting me fall free of her fingers. I could feel her heat on my thighs as she sighed. She was flushed, her nipples like small bullets. She idly stroked her left nipple with her fingers as she reached for the key.

 She struggled to her feet as I lay there, unmoving. I watched as she gave me a dirty look, but continued the few steps towards Jane. Again she touched herself, between her legs. If I wasn’t mistaken she’d actually run the key through her lips. She swayed, wanting touches, wanting love, wanting to touch.

 She carefully hugged Jane, careful of her bound breasts, careful of her nipples still painfully clamped. She kissed her on the lips, her lips tracing Jane’s stretched lips around the gag.

 Jane looked at her with pleading eyes. Her arms had been stretched above her for so long. They had to be aching horribly. There was some dried blood that had run down her right arm from where she’d cut herself against the handcuff.

 Christi turned towards me. “Can I take out her gag? Please?”

 I shook my head. I wanted her gagged for a little while more. I just wanted her free of the tree.

 Christi stretched up on her toes and carefully inserted the chrome key I’d given to her into the cuffs. The right cuff snapped free with a jolt. Her support gone, Jane collapsed to her knees in the grass. Her face was a mask of pain as her hands immediately went to cradle her bouncing breasts. She fingered the nipple clamps, gasping through the gag, but didn’t make any move to remove them or the bindings on her breasts. I couldn’t imagine the pain that she was enduring. Her breasts were beginning to fade from red to a light shade of blue. I wouldn’t be able, nor did I want, to leave her in the torments very much longer.

 “Behind her, Christi.”

 Jane gave me a pleading look. One of those haven’t-I-been-through-enough, looks. I couldn’t blame her. She was aching, and not simply from the bondage. I was surprised that she hadn’t plunged a hand between her legs as soon as she fell.

 Christi gave me a dirty look as well, but she obeyed. Jane didn’t resist as Christi pulled her hands behind her back and refastened them. Jane pulled in frustration at her wrists but she was probably glad that I’d released her from the tree.

 “Help her, Christi. Come here. Both of you.”

 Between them, the girls struggled through the grass. Jane still on her knees. Jane knelt there quietly, not being able to speak.

 I sat up, suddenly conscious of my nudity.

 “Jane?” I spoke gently to her.

 She looked at me with tear streaked eyes. She began to cry again, mostly from frustration, I suspect. She really didn’t like gags.

 I motioned for Christi to remove it. She fumbled behind Jane’s head for a moment, but eventually succeeded. Jane pushed it out of her mouth into Christi’s hand.

 “Please,” she begged.

 “Do you need the nipple clamps off as well?” I asked her gently.

 She knelt and thought about it. She, of course, wanted them off but she had something else on her mind. She turned slowly to Christi. It seemed so surreal, this bound and naked girl talking so easily to the other free girl.

 “Christi? Sweety? I won’t ask if you don’t want me to.”

 Jane’s face was completely flushed. I had no idea what was flowing through that pretty head of hers.

 Christi turned her head away and closed her eyes. I could almost see the wheels turning. She obviously knew what Jane was talking about. Slowly, Christi turned her eyes back to Jane’s earnest face. She nodded slowly as though she was giving orders to a firing squad to terminate a life.

 Jane licked her lips and whispered, “Thank, you, Christi. I love you.”

 Christi just nodded, tears springing to her eyes again.

 Jane took a huge breath and spoke to me, her voice calm and studied, almost as though she’d rehearsed this.

 “I. I’ve had to have sex for you. A lot. And I can’t say I always enjoyed it. But you’ve taught me so much about myself, and my sexuality, and my mind. I’m not like Christi. I love her dearly, perhaps more than I should, and I didn’t want to hurt her.”

 At this point she turned to the other girl. She whispered a quick apology again,

 “I know I’m hurting you Christi, and I wouldn’t, but this is my last chance. Please. I know you love him, and I don’t, but this. This is my last chance. My only chance. I do love you.”

 She turned back to me, tears now coursing down her cheeks. Christi had simply looked away.

 “I. I don’t love you, and I never will. I care about you, and though it sounds strange I appreciate some of what you’ve taught to me. I’m not sure I’ll ever be everything I can be, but this ... situation ... has allowed me to do things I might never ever get to do again.” She paused as though to gather her courage. “I. I. I don’t care if you untie me. Whatever you want. But I want to make love to you. Once before you send me away. Please?”

 I couldn’t say no to her. Both these girls were special to me. But her request had surprised me a little. Jane had offered herself so often. And I’d never taken advantage of it. I’m not quite sure why. Jane was strong, and rebellious, and so perceptive. I guess I never thought of her as needing this. That somehow she could get what she needed no matter what I did to her. She simply wanted the experience. I knew that she couldn’t love me, but I suspected that she cared. Somehow.

 I turned to Christi, who was kneeling quietly beside Jane. She was wiping at tears again which were falling from her eyes.

 “Christi?” I spoke quietly to her. “You don’t have to stay here if you don’t want. I’ll come get you when we’re done.”

 This caused further tears to fall from her eyes. Her sobs hurt me, as I’m sure they hurt Jane.

 “Christi,” Jane spoke quietly. “I don’t have to do this. I can do myself. Or maybe I could do it with you instead. That time we were together. I mean, when we were in there,” she glanced up at Mayer’s window, “It was really special to me. I loved you. And I still do. I don’t want to hurt you.”

 Christi spoke gently. “Don’t. I’ll be fine. I’ve shared before, and ... I’m used to it. I think.”

 “No you aren’t, and you never will be,” Jane spoke. I have no idea how this girl maintained her composure being bound with her nipples on fire. “I don’t have to do this.”

 Christi turned and touched Jane’s face. “I love you too. I don’t know how, or why, but I do. You deserve this. More than anyone, including me. We can share,” her face had set into a mask of determination. She was sacrificing for Jane. She really did care for Jane, and always had. She leaned forward and gently kissed Jane’s lips.

 Jane nodded. “Thank-you,” she whispered.

 Christi turned towards me and came to some decision.

 “I’ll stay, if you’ll let me.”

 ------

 Chapter 129

 I nodded, agreeing that Christi could stay.

 Jane spoke quietly from her kneeling position in the grass.

 “Can this slave beg to have her breasts freed?”

 “Why?” I asked her as she stared at me with her deep brown eyes.

 Her expression was a classic what-kind-of-stupid-question-is-that? But she managed to control her mouth, knowing mouthing off wasn’t going to help her.

 “Master. Please. This slave hurts. She doesn’t want to hurt anymore.”

 I sat up and idly traced my finger down her right breast. The flesh was taut and straining against the ropes squeezing her. The clamps were still tightly compressing her nipples. It did look very uncomfortable. Her bare breasts were slightly discoloured from the bondage, but she wasn’t really in any danger of having true circulation problems there.

 Even though I’m sure that my touch was causing her discomfort, she knelt still, grimacing.

 I let my finger trace down between her breasts, feeling the roughness of the ropes there. I let it drag on the chain between her nipples causing her to cry to out. I continued down until I touched her pubic hair. I toyed with it, as though I owned it. I suppose I did, in a way. She moaned at the sensations, as I lightly pulled at her hair and softly stroked her sex.

 I glanced quickly at Christi kneeling nude beside us. Her face was a mask of disappointment, but she hadn’t started crying yet. She held herself a little stiff, but didn’t interfere. When she caught my glance at her, she tried to smile. It didn’t really succeed, but at least she had tried.

 I let my finger slip between Jane’s lips, finding her as wet as Christi had indicated earlier. I was surprised at her arousal, though I suppose that I could understand it. After all, this was my intent from the start of this. Jane was moaning and struggling to keep herself still as I explored her. I could feel the slight movement of her hips as she knelt. I couldn’t imagine the effort she was putting into keeping still. As I lightly circled her swollen clitoris she shuddered. Fearful that she was going to go over the edge before I wanted her to, I withdrew my fingers. She cried out, almost begging for the touch to resume.

 Instead, I lay back in the grass. Jane watched and sighed as she watched my movements. She swallowed heavily, twisting at her restraints. The poor creature only wanted to climax. She was the one in chains, and in pain, and she was expected to do the work. She shuddered, but rose up on her knees and shuffled forward towards me. I could feel her heat as she moved up my legs. I had to stop her as she pressed herself into my thighs as she made her way slowly up my body, rubbing herself and sighing.

 She straddled me, her thigh muscles quivering. Her eyes shone with tears as she struggled. She twisted her body trying to help herself, trying to reach around with her bound hands. Her efforts were unsuccessful. She couldn’t reach around herself to touch me, to guide me into her. Finally she collapsed, letting herself fall against me. I was pressed up between her folds, where I’d never been before. I wasn’t inside of her, but she began to rub herself slowly up and down the length of me, gasping.

 “Jane?”

 “Please no. Let me climax. Please.”

 “Not like this.”

 She stopped her movements, crying in frustration.

 “I can’t get you inside. Not like this. And you won’t help. Please. I want you inside me. I’m begging you.”

 She rose up again off me. I could still feel her heat even from that far away. I began to reach forward to help her when I felt another light touch. I gasped as Christi moved forward and reached for me.

 She took a deep breath and held me. Jane leaned forward and kissed Christi’s cheek as she positioned herself over top of me. Christi used her hands in place of Jane’s trapped ones to guide me inside of the girl. I couldn’t imagine the will power and self sacrifice that it must have taken her, but she did it. I cried out and closed my eyes as I felt Jane engulf me. Jane cried out at the sensations, throwing her own head back. She sat still, and I couldn’t help but enjoy the softness of her, her arousal, her gentle internal pulsing.

 I opened my eyes as a shadow crossed them. My vision was full of a blonde slit hovering a few centimeters above my face. I glanced forward, between the silky thighs on either side of my head and saw Jane rocking herself very slowly, impaled on me. Her eyes were closed, and her tormented breasts were rising and falling with a fervor that I don’t think I’d ever seen on her.

 Christi glanced down at me between her legs, smiling.

 “I’ll move if you want,” she said mischievously.

 I didn’t say anything. Like I wanted her to move. Like hell.

 Satisfied with my lack of an answer, she said to me softly, “I don’t want to cum like this. Alright?”

 It sounded a bit too much like an order for my liking.

 “You’ll climax if I tell you to,” I mentioned to her as I lifted my hands to stroke at her soft skin of the backs of her thighs.

 “Yes, Master,” Christi spoke quietly, probably more to appease me. She knew that if she didn’t anger me, I’d do as she wanted.

 She lowered herself slightly and brought herself on quivering thighs to my mouth. I gently licked at her, enjoying her sweetness and her soft skin. I found her clitoris, completely engorged, and teased her. I could hear her moans as she pressed herself down, trying to tell me silently where to touch her. Smiling to myself, I refused, I licked her, but purposely to tease. She ground herself down as I touched her with my tongue. I could hear her soft begging.

 I tried to concentrate on Jane’s tightness, her slow rhythmic rocking. I’d had so much sex this morning that I was a little numb. I had excellent control of this. Jane could probably ride me as hard as she liked and I would have to concentrate completely to climax in her. So I wasn’t too worried about performance. I continued to lick Christi until she tensed. Crying out, she pulled herself away from me.

 The girl was breathing very heavily as she climbed off my face. I watched her in amusement as she knelt beside us. Her bare breasts were dancing with her arousal. She was flushed from head to toe.

 “I. I didn’t want to cum that way,” she spoke in explanation. My teasing had driven her to the point of climax, despite how careful to only tease her I’d been.

 I watched as she let her own fingers drop between her thighs and give herself a touch. She looked like she was trying to keep herself on the edge without going over.

 I let my gaze wander to the girl currently teasing my penis. She was beginning to find a slow rhythm, rocking herself and slowly riding me. I have no idea why she wasn’t pushing herself harder. She was one hot little girl and she seemed to be prolonging this, trying to make it last.

 “Janey?” I called gently to her.

 She looked up and opened her eyes. She twisted in her cuffs a little, but managed to answer. Her eyes were glazed.

 “Yes, Master?”

 “What’s the matter?”

 “Matter, sir?” she stopped her rhythm, settling herself down with me completely buried in her softness. “Aren’t you enjoying it?”

 “You don’t seem to be working towards a climax.”

 “I. This slave doesn’t have permission to climax.”

 She was still deep in this submissive role. But I had a feeling that this wasn’t her problem.

 “You do now,” I spoke gently to her.

 “Does her master want more?” she asked, still a little glazed.

 “I want what you want,” I answered her. “I don’t mind if you want to keep it slow.”

 She licked her lips. “I. This slave apologizes. She. She likes this. Please don’t misunderstand. She loves this. But she also knows that ...” she voice trailed off.

 “What?” I asked her. For some reason I was getting concerned.

 “I wanted to do this. I really did. But. I. I can’t climax like this.”

 “Huh?”

 Jane continued patiently. “I like intercourse. Don’t get me wrong. I. I feel full, and I love the sensations, but I can’t get enough. Some women can’t. I can’t climax like this. I never have.”

 I smiled at her. This I could understand. I wondered how long she meant to keep this wonderful sex up for me, before she admitted her inability to me.

 Christi spoke quietly from her position in the grass. I glanced over to her. Her hand was still stroking her nipples and vagina, although she wasn’t allowing herself to dip inside to give her the stimulation that she no doubt desired.

 “Can, I help?” Christi asked softly. I wasn’t sure if she was addressing me or Jane.

 “You can remove her clamps,” I told Christi quietly. Jane looked up in surprise, probably expecting to wear them until I let her go.

 Christi moved her bare body towards Jane and reached out, stroking Jane’s bound breasts. Jane cried out at the touch and I could feel her reaction from inside.

 “This is going to hurt, Janey. But you want them off, right?” Christi whispered to the shaking girl.

 Jane simply nodded and braced herself. The clamps had been tight and removal was going to throb and stab her. She’d been through this before.

 I watched and reacted to Jane’s squirming as Christi, as gently as she could, began to loosen the screws. Jane screamed as the first clamp fell from her trapped nipple. Blood rushed back into her nubbin and caused her to shake. I had to concentrate on holding back as she pulsed with the pain. She pulsed and struggled as her other nipple fell free of the clamps.

 Christi watched Jane as she struggled to hold herself still through the waves of pain. I could feel her quivering on me. At last Jane opened her eyes and resumed her slow rhythm on me. She hissed through her teeth, “Goddamn, that hurt. I’m sorry.”

 Christi bent and gently kissed at the swollen nipples that were riding back and forth in front of her. Jane moaned at the new sensations.

 I watched as Christi moved her blonde head from Jane’s chest and began to kiss her. The women kissed gently and passionately as Jane continued her slow movements. I watched as Christi’s hand stole down her body to stroke at herself. I watched as her arousal built once again to a fever pitch. Jane began to increase the tempo of her thrusts. She was getting tired, I could tell, but she wanted her climax more than words could express.

 Christi’s hand left her own lips and reached forward. I had a clear view of the slender fingers brushing at Jane’s pubic hair. Slowly Christi’s fingers traced through the coarseness and found the softness. I gasped as I felt her fingers brushing at my sensitive skin as Jane continued her thrusting, becoming longer and a little faster with each stroke. I was beginning to have to concentrate to prevent my climax. Between Christi’s soft fingers and Jane’s wetness, I was having trouble controlling it.

 I knew that Christi was teasing Jane. I could see her fingers bringing Jane to the point of orgasm, then slowing, teasing unbearably. Jane broke their kiss, her lips moving soundlessly.

 I almost couldn’t hear the words from Jane.

 “Hit me. Please.”

 Christi backed away from kissing Jane.

 “I can’t, honey. I love you dearly, but I can’t.”

 Jane whimpered as Christi’s hands kept up her stimulation. Her breasts. Her sore nipples. And her clitoris. All teased, slowly. Her thrusts were becoming more urgent, more sensual.

 “Please?” Jane whispered.

 Christi looked helplessly at me, not knowing what to do.

 “I can’t reach her,” I spoke gently to Christi.

 Christi licked her lips and turned slowly back to Jane. She kissed her again, softly on the lips.

 “I. I love you, Janey,” Christi whispered.

 I watched as she leaned back to regard the straining girl in front of her. She switched her hands, moving her left to slowly tease Jane between her legs. Knowing exactly what Jane wanted, she closed her eyes and let her right hand slap gently at Jane’s bound breasts. I watched as Jane grimaced even at the light pain. The bondage on her breasts exaggerated even the lightest touch for her senses. She pressed herself even harder onto me and into Christi’s fingers.

 “Harder,” Jane hissed, her face concentrating on the pain, on the sensations between her legs.

 Christi took a deep breath and aimed. Her open hand fell hard across Jane’s bare breasts making them dance crazily on her chest.

 “Unghhhhhh,” Jane moaned as the pain washed over her. I could feel her take her last breath and hold it. She arched, pulling at the handcuffs on her wrists, probably reopening the cuts on her wrists. She groaned again, a deep throaty groan from deep inside of her. I felt her begin to climax, her body pulsating around me. I had to concentrate on darkness to prevent myself from following her. She writhed, screaming out Christi’s name into the silent air. Her body flushed, as I’d never seen it before. I’d seen her climax before, but nothing compared to this. She climaxed for what seemed like forever. As she peaked, I could feel her internal muscles contracting around me. At her highest point, I have no idea how Christi knew, I watched as Christi let her hand fall again onto Jane’s squeezed breasts.

 Jane cried out again. I could feel Christi’s fingers still massaging Jane as she crashed through another orgasm. Jane twisted and shivered, though being inside her, it didn’t feel quite as powerful as her first one.

 I could tell as the pulses slowed around me and her body began to relax that she was going to fall. I raised my arms and caught the small girl as she fell forward. She couldn’t stop herself, her wrists were still trapped behind her. I gently lowered her onto my chest, feeling Christi withdraw her fingers from between us.

 Jane was sobbing, twisting in her restraints. I held the girl, not extracting myself from her body. I let her cry for a few minutes before she raised her face and gently kissed at my lips.

 “Thank-you,” she whispered.

 I held her tightly to me, even though I knew that she had to be uncomfortable with her breasts squeezed into my chest. She didn’t complain though.

 I let her cry on my shoulder. I glanced over her, Christi was watching with a mixture of confusion and acceptance on her face. She loved both of us, and she couldn’t understand it.

 She caught my gaze and slowly nodded, mutely understanding what I needed from her. I could feel Jane’s shuddering as Christi slowly released the ropes that encircled Jane’s body. I gripped Jane’s shoulders and bench pressed her up a little allowing Christi to pull the ropes free. As her breasts released from their entrapment, Jane sighed. It was a wonderful sound, full of contentment, love, and relief. After her breasts were freed, I allowed her back to curl up on my chest. I could feel her small pulses, almost like aftershocks through my still rigid penis. I hadn’t climaxed yet.

 I cherished the feel of her nude skin pressed against me, my arms circling her body. Her bare breasts felt so different without the ropes squeezing her. Softer and gentler against my skin.

 After a few minutes, she struggled a little, squirming like a cat to get out of my embrace. She slowly sat up, still impaled on me.

 She looked at me, her face soft and gentle.

 “I. I’m sorry. I know that you can keep me here if you want, but ... this is a getting a little uncomfortable for me.” She glanced down at her open crotch. “Either let me make you climax, or let me get off. Please?” she asked quietly.

 I hadn’t realized that she might be uncomfortable. And it hadn’t occurred to me that she might have thought that she’d be punished for extricating herself from the sex. But I suppose I should have realized it. Poor girl had been through a lot today.

 I nodded to her. Much as her body was comfortable for me, I didn’t want to climax inside of her. I still had to finish with Christi. I owed her something at least.

 Jane understood the nod and carefully extricated me from her by simply climbing off me. I fell from her, and ached for her softness. I lay with my hands behind my head, watching her slowly kneel in the grass to the opposite side from Christi.

 Jane looked at Christi and smiled gently.

 “Thank-you,” she whispered to Christi. “I’ll always love you.”

 ------

 Chapter 130

 Christi picked up the chrome key from the grass beside her and tossed it over my body towards Jane. It fell buried in the grass by her left knee.

 Jane looked at me quizzically, unsure of what she was allowed to do. I simply nodded and watched as she struggled to turn herself around to get the small key between her searching fingers. I was sure that she’d manage it.

 I felt the soft weight of Christi as she resumed the position that she had been in before I’d made her free Jane. I heard a faint click in the direction of Jane.

 “Back where we started,” Christi whispered to me. I felt her fingers slowly stroking me. “Nobody else to free.”

 I nodded slowly, peripherally aware that Jane had moved a little way away and was quietly kneeling in the grass. She was giving us a little privacy, finally free of all her restraints. Her handcuffs glinted in the sun in front of her. I cringed a little as I saw her rubbing gently at her wrist, rubbing the red gently away with her own saliva.

 I turned my attention back to the irresistible sensations from Christi’s gentle fingers. I felt Christi as she began to guide me into herself. I slipped inside her easily, she was nearly as aroused as Jane had been. I felt the soft moisture engulf me. I wouldn’t be able to hold back this time.

 She began a very slow rhythm, enjoying the sensations. Her hands roamed her body, pinching nipples, stroking skin. She moaned almost constantly as she slowly controlled her speed. She wanted to make this last. I concentrated on her body, her closed eyes, her blonde hair, her upthrust bare breasts, her belly, flat and smooth, her straining thigh muscles as she moved with the sex.

 I glanced over towards Jane. She was gone. I quickly glanced around, but Jane was nowhere in sight. I was sure that she’d just given Christi some privacy and gone for a quick walk, enjoying her last moments on this timeline, enjoying her freedom from the real world.

 We moved slowly together, shifting positions a few times. Her on her knees in the grass, her face pressed into the blades. Her standing, arms around the tree that had held Jane. Her on the bottom. Touching. Kissing. Moaning. And crying. It was going to be the last time, and both of us knew it.

 At last, we ended up back where we started. Christi straddling me, her beauty silhouetted by the sun behind her. She was breathing hard, so very hard as she pumped. She shone.

 I closed my eyes, not being able to hold back much longer, wanting to cherish these last caresses of her.

 When I opened my eyes, after Christi moaned a little louder than before, Jane was there. The girl had moved up silently, her bare feet not making a whisper in the grass. The girls kissed, Jane’s fingers trailing over Christi’s bare body. I closed my eyes again, knowing that Jane was doing for Christi what Christi had done for her. I could feel the gentle touch of her fingers as they caressed Christi between the folds. I could feel Christi rushing towards orgasm, her muscles twitching, her breathing becoming less and less regular.

 Surprised, I felt Jane’s fingers stroking my scrotum, toying with the soft hair, coaxing my climax.

 Christi plummeted over the edge moments before I. She screamed into the world, letting her pleasure wash over her like a surf. She ground herself onto me, pulsing her internal muscles in unison. Her climax triggered mine, and I cried out, thrusting into the girl, arching.

 We came down together. Christi gave a last moan and fell forward, hugging me fiercely. Jane knelt back on her haunches, quietly looking the other way. She looked a little uncomfortable, but she didn’t get up to move away.

 Christi held me for a few moments, overcome with emotions. She simply cried there. I held her gently and waited through her sobs.

 Eventually, Christi moved, pushing on my shoulders with her hands. She gently rolled off me. I had shrunk inside of her and it felt a bit odd coming out. She curled up, her arm across my chest, her head cradled in the crook of my arm. Jane took a deep breath and lay down to my right. I could feel their bare toes playing gently with my legs.

 “Thank-you,” Christi whispered, still out of breath. She was thanking both me and Jane.

 We lay there holding each other for a few minutes. This was so out of sync with the real world. Lying in someone’s front yard, nude as the day we were born, leather and steel strewn through the grass. It seemed like a dream. Perhaps it was.

 Christi took a deep breath, and let it out in a whoosh that I felt against my nipple.

 “I don’t want to go back,” Christi whispered.

 The other girl echoed the words quietly. I glanced down at them. Both were crying gently. I couldn’t feel the wetness of their tears, but the tears were there.

 They were silent for a few more minutes, I could feel their quiet breathing as they cuddled up with me.

 I felt the familiar dragging of the blackness touch the back of my mind. I steadied myself, thinking I would have to send them back to protect them, but the feeling receded again.

 I shivered.

 “Again?” Jane murmured into my chest.

 In answer I struggled to rise. The girls didn’t budge, letting their gentle weight keep me down. I could have fought them, but I didn’t.

 “Not yet, please,” Christi murmured.

 I sighed and let them curl up for another half hour. Jane slept gently, I watched as her breathing became more regular. Christi was silent, thinking, but I could see her blue eyes moving so I knew she wasn’t asleep. I held them both.

 I half considered sending Jane back while she slept, but I didn’t think that was fair on her. Instead, I gently shook her until she opened her eyes. She kissed me gently and rolled off my shoulder. She lay quietly in the grass. Taking her cue from Jane, Christi released me as well, rising to her knees.

 I picked myself up and gathered up my clothing. I had a heavy heart as I slipped the jeans over my hips. When I turned, Jane was kneeling beside Christi, their fingers entwined.

 I knelt down with them, hugging them both.

 “I want to remember,” Jane whispered.

 “I do, too,” Christi murmured.

 “You can’t,” I spoke gently to them.

 Jane looked at me, tears still falling from her eyes.

 “It will kill us to stay, won’t it?”

 I nodded slowly.

 “Tell us, then.”

 “Tell you?”

 “Tell us. On the other timeline. Find us and tell us. You know who we are. What we are. How we really feel.”

 I took a deep breath.

 “You wouldn’t believe me. Think about when I took you. You wouldn’t believe that you would be here doing this. You couldn’t. I can’t.” I paused for a moment, gathering my thoughts. “I’m sorry,” I spoke with real regret.

 Tears were falling down both girl’s faces.

 “It wasn’t enough time,” Jane spoke.

 “I know.”

 “Are. Are you ever going to do this again? Stop time?”

 “I don’t know sweety. I don’t know.”

 “Can I ask something?” Jane asked quietly.

 I nodded to her. I watched as she gripped Christi’s hand tighter.

 Jane whispered, almost too low to hear. “If you do stop time, take us again? You know us. We got along. And I liked it here. You’ll have to train me again, I know that, but I can’t imagine that you would hate that. And even though I won’t like it at first, I’ll get back to this point. I’m still me. You can do that, can’t you? Unless you are bored with me. With us.” She paused for a moment. “I’m going to miss you.”

 Christi nodded through the entire speech, lending her agreement. She wanted to come back as well, if I would let them.

 I couldn’t promise them that I’d take them again. But they would never know.

 “Alright. If I do this again, I’ll be sure to track you down,” I assured them, despite the fact that I really didn’t know if I’d ever stop time again. Much less if I’d subject them to this again.

 “Thank-you,” Jane whispered. She flushed a little. “For everything.”

 I looked over them. Blonde and brunette. Holding hands, nude in the sun. I wished for a camera, anything to be able to keep them. Even if they wouldn’t miss me, I was going to miss them horribly.

 “I’m ready,” Jane spoke quietly.

 Christi opened her pretty lips and closed them again. She turned to the girl kneeling next to her.

 “I’m going to miss you, Jane. I know that we promised no tearful good-byes, but we shared something. Something that I’m not sure I can explain. But I know that I love you. As a sister, as a lover, and as a friend. And I hope that we meet in real life, as any of them.”

 Tears fell from both their eyes as Christi rose up and kissed Jane tenderly on the lips. They embraced, pressing their nude bodies together one final time. They rose, still hand in hand.

 I rose to my feet to join them.

 Jane released Christi’s hand and stepped towards me. She kissed me gently on the lips and smiled through her tears. She carefully stepped back and reached for Christi’s hand.

 Christi slipped her hand away and stepped over towards me, her bare feet indenting the blades of grass. She embraced me, pulling me close and not letting go. She finally released me and held my arms.

 “It’s been a hell of a ride,” she tried to smile as well but she failed.

 I nodded. I couldn’t stop my own tears. I was going to miss her. I’d had her from almost the first moment. She’d been my first.

 “Can I ask you one thing?” she whispered.

 I swallowed heavily and nodded.

 “I don’t even know who you are. I don’t even know your name. I fell in love with someone I don’t even know.”

 “It’s better that way,” I whispered to her.

 She looked into my eyes and nodded carefully. I’m not sure she understood, but she accepted it. She carefully rose up on her tiptoes in the soft grass and kissed me passionately on the lips.

 “You may not believe it,” she whispered. “But I do love you. If you can, find me on the real timeline.”

 She stepped back and allowed her fingers to entwine with Jane’s. They held each other gently as I took a last long look at them.

 They were beautiful together. Feminine, strong, and simply beautiful. Tears were flowing down their faces gently as they mouthed the words “Good-bye” together.

 I closed my eyes and whispered, “Good-bye.”

 When I opened my eyes, they were gone. 

  

 Epilogue

 The front page screamed out the headlines as I scanned it. I was sitting like any normal person at the bus stop, reading the morning paper.

 It appeared that a former judge had been apprehended last evening without a struggle at his house in the exclusive Beaches neighbourhood. Judge Evan Mayer and his wife had been indicted on a number of charges including first degree murder, keeping a common bawdy house, indecent exposure, indecent assault, extortion, assault and battery, sodomy and forcible confinement. If convicted, he’d probably be confined to solitary. He certainly wouldn’t be safe in prison. The former judge had been apprehended due to an anonymous tip and basic police work. There was a list of victims found on his summer property in an unmarked shallow grave. Doreen Stills, Hannah Water, Gladys Lifkin. And other names of women that hadn’t deserved to die horribly, frightened, alone and in pain at the hands of a monster. All names that I had spoken quickly into the receiver of a pay phone a week ago on the other side of town. The police were looking for the caller, but didn’t think that they would ever track him down. There were no witnesses to the phone call, and no finger prints in the booth. The article extended thanks to the caller, praising him for social responsibility. How ironic.

 There was a brief statement from the latest victim who was found battered and nearly unconscious in a locked room of Mayer’s mansion. The girl was recovering in hospital from her ordeal and was expected to testify at the Judge’s trial. Sheila McBain personally thanked the anonymous caller for her rescue from the depths of hell. I smiled at the graduation picture that the paper had run of Sheila. She was stunning in the picture, probably a lot more at ease than she was now. She was probably lying in a hospital bed somewhere, police protected, with bruises like nobody should ever endure. She had been at that house for an extra week before the police finally moved. She would recover. Of that I was sure. She had a strength that not many on this planet could equal.

 The article ended with an appeal for an end to violence against women. I closed my eyes, picturing Sheila’s bruised body beneath my lids.

 I was unafraid of the black spiders for the first time in a while. It had been an irrational fear. The black spiders had disappeared since I’d returned to the main timeline a week ago. But still, I dreaded them.

 I heard the screech of the brakes of the bus as it pulled up to the stop. I wearily climbed to my feet, fishing a token from my front pocket. I dropped it into the coin box with a jingle.

 I sat down near the middle of the bus and stared idly up at the advertisements. With a shock, I saw Christi. Her pretty hands held a chocolate bar, an Oh Henry. I could hardly read the sign, my whole body was shaking so hard.

 I forced my eyes from the ceiling and glanced around the bus. A beautiful woman, perhaps twenty-five sat across from me quietly reading a book and jerking as the bus hastily stopped for the next passenger. Her hair was red and flowing. She reminded me a little of Elizabeth. Sensing my eyes on her, she lifted them from the book and smiled at me. I smiled back and looked away.

 I was tempted to stop time. I almost invoked the formulae. Just for a moment. I could have her, if I really wanted to. But I still needed to rest. I knew that. Those black spiders weren’t pleasant. It shouldn’t take long to recover my temporal energy, not according to my calculations, but I wasn’t sure a week would suffice. I resisted the temptation.

 I let my mind wander a little, remembering the girls, the timeline, the freedoms. I wanted to go back. Perhaps I would someday.

 I kept seeing the girls everywhere I went. A flash of blonde and a petite build and I saw Amy in a crowded mall. But Amy was probably back where ever she was from, long gone from the hotel room where I’d taken her. A flash of red and a long trim form, Elizabeth would smile from a cashier booth or from across a bus aisle. Jane would pass by on a crowded sidewalk, I’d turn to say hello, but she would be gone replaced by some teen bouncing happily along oblivious to my notice. And Christi, she appeared more than the others. A tall blonde striding down a set of stairs, beautifully clothed. I could see right through her clothing, and yet I couldn’t. At the last moment, I’d see her face and realize that the woman wasn’t Christi after all.

 I had seen them, but I hadn’t. Sheila, in truth, was the only girl I really knew what she was doing. And the advertisement, up there, featuring the girl who had begged me to find her on the real timeline. The girl I’d only discovered was a model in the last few hours of the timeline.

 I swallowed heavily, and prayed that the bus ride wouldn’t be very long.

 A familiar quiet laugh turned my head. A flash of brunette near the back of the bus. I held my breath, shaking my head. The girls were gone. I would never acknowledge them, even if I did see them for real. I couldn’t. And I wouldn’t. Even if it was her this time, it was immaterial, no matter how much my heart ached.

 She turned, Jane’s face flashing across my visual line of sight. This time, it was real, not a product of an overactive and hopeful imagination.

 Her face - none of the fake Janes had had Jane’s face. She was sitting alone, reading quietly near the back of the bus. She was reading something funny, her smile easy and light on her lips. I closed my eyes and when I’d reopened them she had returned to facing away from me. But it had been Jane’s face whereas all the others were not. I was sure of it. This wasn’t just a passing resemblance.

 I tensed and let my breath out slowly. I had to force myself to stay in my place. Not get up and sit near her, ask her if she remembered anything, remembered any of the slave talk she was so good at, remembered anything she had done, anything she had loved.

 She turned back to her book, oblivious to my knowledge of her. Oblivious to me noticing her. She was used to being noticed.

 The bus pulled into a stop. I had no idea where I was any longer.

 I forced my eyes away from Jane and glanced back at the red-head across from me. She gave me a dirty look, had seen me staring at Jane. I flushed.

 A familiar scent washed over me. Every girl has her own wonderful scent and the sense of smell is perhaps the strongest for evoking memories. I looked up from the red-head just quickly enough to see the long legs pass by me, walking easily in low comfortable shoes. I knew it was her before I saw the blonde hair pulled back in a ponytail, the tall voluptuous body in jeans and a light sweater. I breathed in her scent, not believing the twists of fate that happen.

 The blonde walked by me without a flash of recognition. No reason for her to recognize me. I breathed a sigh of relief, but the thoughts began immediately. Both of those girls wanted to remember. They wanted to meet me on the real timeline. Here we were, by some unfathomable twist of destiny.

 What could I say?

 “Hello, Christi ... Jane. You don’t know me, but you made wonderful sex slaves ...”

 If I wasn’t locked up immediately, I would get a good slap. Probably two. And perhaps I’d get the joy of being locked up *and* slapped. A good slap from the women that until so recently feared my hand as much as they loved it. I couldn’t. There was no way.

 “Excuse me? Mind if I sit down?” the blonde girl’s musical voice inquired near the back of the bus. It was still as beautiful as I remembered it. I looked up again as though her voice was directed at me which it wasn’t.

 The petite brunette girl looked up from her book, nodding easily. The blonde settled down beside the girl I thought was Jane, crossing her legs demurely. My heart ached at the sight of the girls together. I could still remember the soft touch of their skin against mine before I let them go.

 My stop came and went. It was of no concern to me. I watched them as surreptitiously as I could.

 The last stop was announced. A transfer point. The girls both rose to their feet, smiling to one another. Same stop friends. As they walked by me, the blonde girl flashed one of her easy smiles to me. I smiled back, my heart hammering in my chest.

 “Hey, isn’t that you?” the brunette pointed at the advertisement I’d noticed earlier.

 “Yeah, but don’t hold it against me. I don’t even like Oh Henry’s,” the blonde smiled back at the smaller girl as they moved past, washing me with the mixture of their scents. The scents that I remembered so very clearly.

 “I’m Jane,” the brunette extended her small hand to the taller blonde.

 “Christi.” the blonde flashed her radiant smile at Jane, taking her hand in greeting as they stepped off the bus.