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.

 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.

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.

 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 t hen 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 senseas 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.

 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 herdesk. 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

to be continued.......