FORCED

An Elloras Cave publication written by

VONNA HARPER
MS Reader (LIT) ISBN # 1-84360-609-7
Other available formats (no ISBNs are assigned):
Adobe (PDF), Rocketbook (RB), Mobipocket (PRC) & HTML

Copyright Vonna Harper, 2003.

All Rights Reserved, Ellora's Cave.
Ellora's Cave Publishing, Inc. USA
Ellora's Cave Ltd, UK

This e-book may not be reproduced in whole or in part by email forwarding, copying, fax,
or any other mode of communication without author/publisher permission.

Edited by MARTHA PUNCHES
Cover Art by SCOTT CARPENTER







Chapter One

Shanel Fox got out of her car and studied the brick house. Without running a comp
on it, she couldnt be sure, but she guessed the places value was around three hundred
thousand dollars. The location was a little remote for her likingat the end of a single
gravel lane with no other house within a half-mile. She couldnt turn her back on the
commission shed get when and if she sold the place.
She wished she could turn her back! What she wouldnt give to tell her boss and her
creditors to take this damn job and shove it!
Dont! she warned when regret and anger threatened to overwhelm her. Life threw
curves. Shed better get used to it.
I have, she muttered. Just look at me.
Although there was no one around to see, she stuck out her foot and glared at her
dress shoes. What bothered her most about the damn things wasnt that they pinched her
toes, but she couldnt run in them.
Couldnt run when once her athleticism had been her whole world.
Because she knew the danger of getting too deep into regret, she glanced at her
watch. Her clientshe hadnt met the man whod called out of the blue yesterday and
asked her to list his placewasnt due for another ten minutes. Hed told her business
might run him a little late and for her to go in and look around. She wouldnt even be
out here by herself, let alone contemplating walking into an empty house if her client
hadnt said he was Nevans friend.
I hope you knowwhat Imdoing, Nev, she muttered to her ex-fianc. And I hope
to hell this joker and you go back a long way because Back a long way? She and
Nevan had been engaged for more than a year and dating nearly that long before, and
she thought shed known all his friends.
Well, you didnt, just like you didnt know your career as a cop was going to get flushed down
the toilet along with the countys budget.
Enough! she snapped and stalked toward the stark-looking house. She carried her
briefcase, the tool of a realtors trade. Hopefully, what this client wouldnt need to know
was she had a small pistol tucked in with the forms, calculator, and other assorted
material. And I knowhowto use it, she said to no onemaybe the birds squawking at
her fromthe top of the trees. Thats one thing they couldnt take from me when they let
me gomy training.
She half expected to find the front door locked because surely someone who lived in
a remote area would make security a priority, but it wasnt. She just hoped there wasnt
a silent alarmsystem.
Hello, she called out as she stepped inside. Is anyone there?
No one answered. And as the door clicked shut behind her, her attention settled on
her surroundings. She was standing in the entry way. Beyond was the living room, at
least she assumed thats what it was because she could barely see. She searched for a
light switch but couldnt find one. Slightly disconcerted, she continued on. The drapes in
the barely furnished living room were closed and so thick only a faint illumination
shown through. She backed up to the closest wall and waited for her eyes to adjust. The
air smelled stale, as if no one had opened a window in months. Now she could make
out details about the furniture: large leather recliner, huge, wrap-around couch done in
a muted flower pattern, a couple of end tables with lamps, a fireplace that took up
nearly all of the far wall.
After putting down her briefcase, she made her way to the closest lamp and
switched it on. The bulb was of a ridiculously low wattage but better than nothing. From
what she could tell, there was no overhead lighting and no TV. What did people do in
this room, anyway? Trying to read under these conditions was guaranteed to bring on
eyestrain.
A prickling at her neck stopped her mental criticism of the interior decorator. She
hadnt heard anything out of the ordinary and told herself her discomfort came from
feeling like an intruder, although it might be the sense that no one lived here. A look at
the fireplace revealed no ashes. There was nothing on the low, dark coffee table, not
even a newspaper. The walls were darkly paneled which dated the room and yet the
manwhat had he said his name was?had told her the house was only ten years old.
A cave. Thats how shed promote the place, she thought ruefully, a cave for a
caveman.
In an attempt to counter what she told herself was claustrophobia, she opened the
curtains. Doing so improved conditions somewhat.
Because shed jotted down the name hed given, she opened her briefcase; it didnt
look professional not to knowa clients name. However, before she found it, she heard a
faint mewing sound coming fromthe opposite end of the house.
Here kitty, kitty, she said. What are you doing? Are you lonely? Want someone
to talk to?
The sound wasnt repeated; had she imagined it?
Frowning, she turned her attention back to her briefcase. The first thing she touched
was her gun, and she seriously considered tucking it into a pocket just in case. The
trouble was, her straight, hip-skimming skirt had no pockets, and even if it did, the
bulge would stand out. A heat-packing realtor wasnt what most clients wanted. Finding
the slip of paper with the necessary information, she walked over to the lamp.
Joe Smith.
The name hadnt caught her attention yesterday, but now it added to her sense of
discomfort. Yes, Joe Smith could be legitimate, but shed been a cop too long; she still
didnt take people at face value. If shed been lured in here
Hurrying back to her briefcase, she grabbed her cell phone just in case. Nothing had
happened, yet, to warrant a call to the office or 911, but bad things had happened to
female realtors out alone; she wasnt going to add to the statistics.
Get your ass here, Joe Smith. Then I can decide whether this is legit or
The cat meowed again, at least the sound was more cat-like than anything else.
There was a wide archway at one end of the living room, but she couldnt tell what was
beyond it and would rather stay where she was, thank you very much, but Mr. Smith
had told her to start familiarizing herself with the place. It wasnt as if shed broken in
and if someone had left a cat in here
Gzz, just do it, will you! she berated herself. You havent believed in bogeyman
since you were eight. Find the frickin cat and get it to some fresh air.
Despite her pep talk, it took a few more seconds before she walked through the
archway. As soon as she did, she was plunged into, not just gloom, but total darkness.
Her throat felt as if it was closing. The prickling at the back of her neck was downright
painful.
The meowing sounded closer.
Here kitty, kitty. The words came out as a whisper. Where the hell are you?
Gathering the courage that had made it possible for her to go undercover and help
expose a drug ring, she took two more steps. She clutched the cell phone to her breast
with one hand and held the other in front of her as if trying to push away the darkness.
The cat was purring which should have settled her nerves, but it didnt.
Two steps turned into three. She felt the space, the utter black swallow her. Her
heart pounded, and she couldnt remember how to breathe. Why she should be afraid
didnt matter; she was.
Forget it, she told the cat. If you want to play games, you
Someone grabbed her frombehind. Arms like living vises circled hers and flattened
themagainst her sides. Drawing on her cop training, she stepped back and tried to mash
her heel against the foot of whoever had hold of her. Not finding anything, she kicked
back and connected.
Her attacker grunted, but instead of letting go, he yanked her against his too-solid
chest. Although she knewit wouldnt do a damn bit of good, she screamed. She was still
screaming when he shifted his grip so he held her in one arm. She tried to twist free, but
he covered her mouth and nose with a cloth. Thinking he was trying to gag her, she bit
down. Instead of the satisfying feel of his finger between her teeth, she closed around
something vile tasting.
In an effort to get the cloth out of her mouth and the smell out of her lungs, she
whipped her head fromside to side. She tried to remind herself to fight his imprisoning
arm, but she couldnt put it all together. She was making herself dizzy.
No, she wasnt, she acknowledged as the strength flowed out of her muscles.
Already, she felt slightly sick to her stomach, and her lungs burned from whatever shed
inhaled. Most frightening was the sense that shed lost all muscle control. She could no
longer stand erect, no longer lift her arms. The cell phone slipped fromher numb fingers
and clattered on the floor. She sagged in her captors embrace.
He helped, actually helped, her to the floor. When he released her, she slumped into
a nerveless heap. By putting every ounce of concentration into the effort, she managed to
lift her head as he switched on a light.
He was dressed entirely in black, a big man with arms like tree trunks and long,
thickly-muscled legs made for a physical life. He wore a black skull-hugging mask with
holes for his eyes, nose, and mouth.



Chapter Two

Shanel knew she was crumpled on a hardwood floor. Any other time, she would
have gotten off it, but she couldnt movenot a single muscle. She was terrified and yet
she wasnt, maybe because of whatever hed drugged her with. The longer the masked
man stared down at her, the more the world beyond this house faded. There was only
himand her and, maybe, the cat.
Unable to hold her head up any more, she struggled to collect her thoughts. She
needed to cry, to beg for her life, something, anything! But she couldnt think how to
forma word. Besides, nothing she said would make any difference to the bastard.
The utter, awful vulnerability tasted both cold and hot. She was acutely aware of his
presence as he knelt beside her. For too long, she simply waited. Then he cupped his
hand under her chin and lifted her head so she now looked into his eyes. Because she
knew what drugged eyes looked like, she studied him. His were bright and clear,
intelligent, not angry or demented, so dark they were nearly black. Perhaps they carried
a hint of domination and control, but she couldnt be sure.
Still holding her head, he took her right hand and squeezed her fingers. She felt
discomfort but couldnt summon the strength to pull away. Still holding her hand, he
studied her fingers. Back in high school and college, shed dissected insects and small
animals. Nowshe felt like one of them, all but pinned to a board.
What are you doing? What do you want from me? The questions stormed through her,
and although she feared the answer, shed give anything to get them out. Unfortunately,
her throat muscles refused to answer her minds command. Finally, he released her and
turned his attention to her neck. After removing his glove, he checked her pulse. Her
heart pounded so she wondered if it might break through her chest wall. Was that
concern in his eyes?
Fuck you! I hope I die on you!
Of course she didnt mean that butbut what?
After maybe a minute, she became aware of a tingling in her fingers and toes. If
feeling was indeed returning, she wouldnt let himknow. Then, somehow, shed escape.

She debated what chance she stood of getting her hands on her gun when he
grabbed her around the waist and hauled her off the floor. She tried to get her feet under
her, but her legs felt as if theyd fallen asleep. Her feeble attempt at standing elicited
what sounded for all the world like a superior chuckle from him; she hated him for it!
Hated him!
He threw her over his shoulder as effortlessly as if she was a small child. With her
arms bouncing against his back as he walked, she was able to learn more about his
physical makeup, not that she wanted to. From what she could tell, there wasnt an
ounce of fat on him. He had the kind of muscle tone that took work.
When he carried her back into the living room and deposited her on the oversized
couch, she sank into its cushions and stared up at him.
What are you going to do to me? Please, say something!
Again he knelt beside her. She waited for himto begin ripping off her clothes, but all
he did was slip off her heels. Then he lifted the leg closest to him and placed it on his
shoulder. When he began running his fingers over her nylon-clad calf, she shuddered. It
felt as if every molecule of her being had linked with his fingersand trying to
anticipate what he would do next.
The tingling in her fingers and toes increased. Although she wanted to gage how
much control she was regaining over her body, she couldnt dismiss what he was doing
to her leg. There was nothing resembling punishment. Instead, it was as if he was
caressing her, giving her pleasure. Any other time, she might have responded.
He repositioned her leg on his shoulder, pulling it out and up as far as her tight
skirt would allow. He trailed his fingers over the inside of her knee and made countless
tiny circles there until she groaned. The sound was more of a gurgle than anything else,
but it must have told himsomething important because he now studied her face with an
intensity that made her feel naked. His fingers never stilled, never let up on the sweet,
electric torture. If anything, he increased the pace of his massageif thats what it was.
And he was slowly, so slowly, working his way up her inner thigh. His finger pads
raked over her nylons.
Higher and higher he traveled, now only a few inches from her pussy. In her mind,
she ordered her legs to close. When they refused to obey, she ordered herself to kick
himas hard as she could. Her knee bent the tiniest bit.
He fastened his hands around her ankle and leaned away, dragging her with him.
Although she wanted nothing to do with the couch, she struggled to remain where she
was. She managed to close her fingers enough so she grabbed a bit of the fabric.
When he sawwhat she was doing, he stood and stalked out of sight. Alone, she put
all her strength into turning her head to the side, but she still couldnt see him. After
drawing in a few deep breaths, she ordered herself to sit up. Her first few efforts earned
her nothing except sweat under her arms and in the small of her back, but finally she
managed to roll onto her side. She felt dizzy.
She was trying to sit up when he returned. Once again he stood over her, looking
down as if he owned her. It no longer took effort to swallow, but she didnt want to talk
to himdidnt want to connect one human being to another. He had something in his
hands. Torn between needing to know what hed brought and afraid of knowing, she
didnt take her eyes off his. Behind the mask, he seemed devoid of emotion, as if what
he was doing was simply a task needing to be done.
Then, sighing, he grabbed her shoulders and positioned her face-down on the couch.
She sank into the fabric-like pillow and was trying to turn her head when he grabbed the
long single braid she used to contain her thick hair and pulled her head back toward
him. He jammed something into her mouth. She tried to fight, but although she
managed to move her head a little, she didnt stand a chance against him. Whatever he
was using to gag her with felt soft and tasted clean. It didnt force her jaw wide apart,
but neither could she close her mouth around it.
She heard something click.
Using his hold on her braid, he turned her head to the side so when he let go, her
cheek was against the fabric, and she could breathe without difficulty. She could also see
himor more precisely his crotch and the tell-tale bulge against his tight-fitting
costume.
Fear threatened to overwhelm her. She was so intent on fighting it that she was slow
to realize he had taken hold of one of her ankles and was bending her knee back. She put
considerable effort into trying to jerk free, and although she was heartened by her
increasing strength, it still wasnt enough to stop him from fastening something around
her ankle. Like whatever hed gagged her with, it too clicked into place. He let go and
reached for her other ankle. This time she managed to shake off his first attempt to
capture it, but then he placed his knee on the back of her thigh before bending her leg
toward him. Again something firm but not painful circled her ankle and clicked into
place.
Then he repositioned himself so his weight rested on her calves, her legs flat against
the couch. He drewher legs as close as possible together, and she knew without a doubt
he was fastening the ankle cuffs together.
He was still kneeling on her calves when she barely heard a cell phone softly ring; it
wasnt hers. It rang a second time.
Hello, she heard himsay. He was silent for a moment. Yeah, Ive got her.
Who was he talking to? Who was in on thisthis kidnapping?
No problem, he said, in response to his callers question. Youve handled your
part of this, have you?
It belatedly occurred to her that she hadnt heard her captors voice before. Whoever
he was, he wasnt the man whod lured her into coming here.
Good, he said, snagging her attention. His voice was low and deep; there was
nothing soft or unsure about ita voice accustomed to giving orders. Keep me posted.
Yeah, Ill get her out of here before anyone comes looking.
More silence on his part gave her too much time to wonder what the other person
was saying, more time to ask herself where the masked man would take her and what he
intended to do with her.
Itll take time, but our clients understand. Tell themto be patient.
Clients? Oh God, whats happening?
Ill have her ready. They can take that to the bank.
Ready for what?
No, he said, Ill call you. For awhile it needs to be just her and me.
Shanel was shaking when he returned to her. Now the tingling had spread all the
way up her arms to her shoulders and fromher toes to her pussy. It horrified her to have
to admit she was experiencing sexual arousal. At the same time, she knew fear and
sexual heat could be intimately related.
She tried to prepare herself for whatever he intended to do next, but he only tested
her pulse again. Then she heard him walk out of the room. Gathering her courage, she
rolled onto her back. It was insane to be so proud of being able to move under her own
steam, but she couldnt help it. Although she needed to sit up, she first felt her gag. It
was made of some kind of cloth where it was in her mouth, but at the sides it became
leather. Her fingers trembled, but she forced themto move to the back of her head. There
the leather felt harder, firmer, almost like metal. When she found metal rings and a small
lock, she sobbed into the gag. This was no spur-of-the moment contraption. It had been
designed for one thingto silence whoever wore it. She clawed at the gag, trying to
wrench it out of her mouth, but there was no give to it. It held her as relentlessly as shed
once used handcuffs to subdue perps.
Dont, dont! she warned herself. If you panic, youre lost. Besides, if she could believe
the conversation, she hadnt been lured here to be killed.
Taking what comfort she could from that, she sat up. Whatever her captor was
doing, he wasnt making a sound. Her mind whirled with possibilities ranging from him
spying on her to having left her alone and immobile. Was he waiting for others, whoever
they might be, to show up? What did they plan to do with her?
Nothing, damn it! Just wait until they found out she knew karate. Shed laid them
low, hit themwhere it counted.
She kept telling herself that until she looked at her ankles. Hed placed thick leather
straps around them. There was soft fabric between her skin and the leatherthank you so
much. Like her gag, the ankle cuffs had rings built into them, and hed placed a short
length of chain through each ring. A lock held the chain in place. She might, if she held
onto something, be able to stand, but there wasnt enough play in the chains to allow her
to so much as shuffle.
No wonder he hadnt handcuffed her. He didnt need to.
A wave of helplessness washed over her, but she still swung her legs off the couch
and placed her tethered feet onto the floor. Then she slumped forward and buried her
face in her hands. She hated the feel of the gag against her palms. Tears burned her eyes.
Shed nearly given into a crying jag when she pulled herself up short. Shed lived
through her parents untimely death, the loss of her beloved career, Nevans lack of
emotional support. She wasnt going to give up now, not without a fight.
Shed talked herself into lifting her head and was searching her gag for any sign of a
flaw in the design when he came back into the room. When he leaned against the wall,
crossed his arms, and stared at her, she clamped down on her emotions and glared at
him. Her eyes were still wet fromher brief cry, and she prayed he couldnt see, couldnt
knowhowshe felt.
You havent beaten me, you bastard. And you wont! Whatever you do to me, I wont break. I
wont lose myself.



Chapter Three

Seeing the woman sitting up told Hall Marshall what he needed to know. The fumes
fromthe compound hed used to paralyze Shanel Foxs muscles shouldnt have worn off
yet. On most subjects, the effects lasted for at least a half hour. It hadnt on her because
she was an athlete in superb physical condition. She couldnt walk, let alone run with
the ankle restraints on, and no matter howmuch she might clawat it, the gag would stay
on until he released it. She was scared; shed have to be dead or in a coma not to be. But
she hadnt given into terror, and he had to hand it to her.
Well, he amended, not her really. Brad Zetter, his fellow operative at SHIT, had
assumed responsibility for selecting the female needed for the assignment. In his usual
effective way, Brad had developed the necessary parametersa woman capable of
defending herself, young and attractive, without close family, intelligent, a survivor.
When another operative, none less than Shanels ex-fianc, had presented her
qualifications to the SHIT members, everyone, including Nevan, had turned the final
decision over to him because hed be spending the most time with her while changing
her into what they needed out of her for the operation to succeed.
Time was passing, but he ignored the need to get moving. Instead, he studied the
subject as intently as she stared back at him. The silent interaction put him in mind of
two predators deciding whether the other represented a worthy adversary or whether
flight meant living to another day. The only thing that didnt work with the scenario was
she couldnt run. Hell, she couldnt leave the room without his help.
Although he didnt want it, there was no denying the renewed stirring in his cock
that had taken place the moment hed first touched her. Thats why hed left the room the
first time, so he could get a handle on his purely instinctual reaction. The thought of the
hours theyd be spending together, with him in control of her body, taking her to the
edge of her sexuality, putting him on the edge too No, damn it! He was a trained
professional with a critical job to do. She was a subject, a means to an end.
She was also a scared and unsuspecting young woman.
With that weighing on his mind, Hall turned his back to her and stalked outside.
Another SHIT member would be here in a few minutes to get rid of the vehicle, but he
wanted to check and see if there was anything in it he might need. He didnt care where
David left the car, just that no one ever found it. Shanels parents were dead, and
according to Nevan she hadnt been fucking anyone since theyd split.
Her parents were dead, just like his.
Well, Imone up on you, Shanel, he told her. I also lost my wife and my ability to give a damn
about another human being.

* * * * *
After assuring himself that Shanel hadnt left any prescription drugs in the glove
compartment, he went back inside. No one had lived in the place for several months and
foreclosure had begun on it. Picking the lock so Shanel could walk into the trap hed set
had been easy. Soon it would be up to Shanels co-workers and the cops to try to
determine where shed gone. He figured it wouldnt be until closing time at the earliest
someone would notice she hadnt returned to the office. By then theyd be long gone.
She wasnt a fool; he figured shed left information about where she was going this
afternoon which meant it wouldnt take long for someone to show up here.
Let them. Theyd find her fingerprints and maybe ancient ones belonging to the
soon-to-be former owner. When they contacted the owner, hed insist he hadnt asked
Shanel Fox to list his property and certainly hadnt agreed to meet her out here. Let the
cops chewon the fact shed simply disappeared; soon her credit card would be used to
buy gas two states away.
He stepped into the living room. She wasnt on the couch.
What the? he started. Then he saw her. Somehow shed gotten off the couch.
Using mostly her arms, shed managed to drag herself to the entrance to the kitchen. He
didnt need to be hit over the head to figure out she was looking for a knife.
Not in this lifetime, he said.
She froze. Then, looking like a trapped animal, she stared over her shoulder at him.
He gave her the better part of a minute to study him and wonder what he was going to
do. Then, slow and deliberate, he walked over, grabbed the chain between her ankle
cuffs, and dragged her away from any chance she had of skewering him. He heard her
sob but was distracted by the way her skirt had hiked up nearly to her crotch. Thanks to
the damn pantyhose and the way the ankle cuffs kept her legs together, her pussy
remained hidden. Still
Sure she was watching him, he slowly and deliberately finger-walked from her
ankles to her crotch. Hed started to run his hand between her legs when she twisted
herself off her belly and buried her fingernails in his hand. If it hadnt been for the
gloves, she would have drawn blood. He wrenched free.
Afighter, are you? He gave her one of his rare smiles. Good.
Leaving her to mull that over, he went into the hall where hed taken her down and
returned with the cassette recorder hed left in there. He positioned himself out of reach
of her long arms. Then he flipped the play switch. Acat purred.
It worked, he said. Drewyou in.
Her eyes were dark with questions. Eventually hed supply the answers but not now
not until shed become useful to SHIT. Until hed trained her.
He put down the recorder and reached into his pocket. She watched his every
movement. Imnot going to hurt you, he said. Not now.
Her eyes went wide but not for long. He had to applaud her. No matter how close
she came to terror, she fought the useless emotion just as he now accepted she was
going to fight himevery inch.
I dont want to do this to you. Damn it, if there was any other way
No! This wasnt the time for compassion. With his familys murder, hed forgotten
the meaning of the word or at least buried it so deep it couldnt reach him. He wouldnt
forgetever.
Feeling once again in control of his emotions, he pulled out the handcuffs. She drew
up her legs and worked herself into a sitting position with her weight on one hip. He
closed the space between them, slowly drawing out her anticipation. Her nostrils flared,
and if looks could kill, his blood would be staining the floor bright red. He reached for
an arm, but she jerked away.
What do you think youre going to do? he asked. You cant run. Hell, you cant
stand and you sure as hell cant cry for help. Besides, theres no one to hear. No one
except you and me, and Imgoing to have my way.
As he expected, the words hit her like blows. For a moment she retreated into
herself, a trapped animal resigned to death. Then she blinked and the fire was back in
her eyes.
He knelt beside her, and when she tried to claw his face, he grabbed a wrist and
twisted her arm behind her, flatting her face-down again. He snapped one cuff in place
and used the metal to hold her hand against her backside while he reached for her other
hand. Instead of giving up, she bucked away from him, belly-crawling again. He played
with her for a few seconds by letting her keep her one hand free. Then because he didnt
want her to hurt herself, he rested his forearm on her back and held her in place. She
tried to keep her untethered hand out of his reach, but he leaned over her body and
caught it. The cuff settled around her slender wrist, and he snapped it in place. The
sense of power and control was more erotic than hed anticipated.
This time he was positive shed give up. Instead, she struggled to turn so she could
see him. He applied his weight to her shoulders, holding her down.
You arent going anywhere, Shanel. Not unless I take you. The sooner you
understand, the easier it will be.
She shuddered, the tremor sliding throughout her slender body. Hed been accused
of no longer having human emotions, of having turned into a machine, but those who
said that didnt truly understand him. He still remembered what hed felt when hed
held his dead and bloody wife, when hed walked into their house and seen his parents
ruined bodies. The thing called his soul now told him Shanel was looking into her own
nightmare.
He again slipped off a glove and touched the back of her neck. She jumped, but he
kept his hand therehis body heat blending with hers. When he thought shed relaxed a
little, he began massaging her neck. It was longer and slenderer than hed thought it
would be given the pictures hed seen of her. A strong manhecould break it. Certain
she was thinking about that, he was careful to keep his touch light.
I wont hurt you, he told her. Its a promise. No matter what I do, no matter how
little you understand, I will never cause you physical pain.
The words caught in his throat. Hed just vowed not to physically injure her, but he
didnt have control over what was going to happen to her emotionally.
Sexually.

* * * * *
Shanel hadnt known what to think when her captor had collected her heels, cell
phone, and the briefcase which contained her gun and taken them out the front door.
Then he returned, threw her over his shoulder, and carried her outside. Hed put back
on his glove before, and she understood he was being careful not to leave prints. She
was slow to realize hed walked around her car and was heading down the single gravel
lane. His stride was long, almost effortless. If she put her mind to it, she probably could
have dislodged herself fromhis shoulder, but what would that have accomplished other
than landing on the gravel? She couldnt be any more helpless if shed still been
paralyzed.
Hed set a trap for her, lain in wait, lured her in. Nowshe was his.
I wont hurt you. Wont hurt you.
And hed massaged her neck, and although she hadnt believed it possible, shed felt
herself relax. He could do anything he wanted with her, rape her, kill her if he was that
kind of man.
I wont hurt you.
Being hoisted over his shoulder like a side of beef with her head hanging down and
blood rushing there was giving her a headache, and yet there was no way she could
deny what else she felt. Beyond all reason, her pussy throbbed. She felt swollen, hot,
wet. What the hell was erotic about being some masked mans prisoner?
He turned into a rutted dirt road she hadnt noticed on her way here. She didnt see
the four-wheel-drive vehicle until he was alongside it. He walked around to the back
and lifted the rear door, revealing a padded cargo space.
Thats what she was, she decided when he placed her inside. Cargo. He crawled in
after her and repositioned her so she could stretch out a little. Then he patted her on the
butt. She was trying to get him to meet her gaze when he placed a blindfold over her
eyes. She felt the change in the vehicles suspension as he got out. Then the door closed,
trapping her. She was already as trapped and helpless as a person could get so why was
this newimprisonment so hard to take?
The answer came a few moments later when he started up the vehicle. It hummed
low like a cat, nearly distracting her from the jarring ride. Blackness settled around her
and pulled her inside herself. An hour ago shed been a successful, if reluctant, real
estate agent with three properties in escrow. Thanks to the severance pay shed gotten
when she and dozens of other cops had been laid off, shed been able to finance the real
estate courses shed taken in order to get her license. Things had been pretty lean at first,
but her cop training had taught her how to read people. She became what each client
wantedsometimes aggressive, sometimes laid back. She could be a friend, a colleague,
a business acquaintance if the prospective buyer wanted. And the men liked her.
You exude sexuality, the senior broker at the company had told her when shed
finalized four sales in a month, all for male buyers. Not deliberately. At least I dont
think its deliberate. But its always there.
Nowthere was nothing sexual about her, nothing human even. Shed become some
mans cargo.
Shed wanted to take the departments hostage negotiation course, but the nod had
gone to a senior officer, a middle-aged man who still had his badge and uniform. She
didnt begrudge Carl his upcoming pension and had had no hesitancy about telling him
his calm demeanor had served him well in the two hostage situations hed been
involved in since his training. Still, she could have done the same thing once she
understood the psychology involved in connecting with someone whod taken another
person against their will. If only she knewwhat to say, howto act. Howto get away.
The only sense left to her was her hearing, and she struggled to concentrate on the
sounds the vehicle made because the time might comeplease!when shed need to
lead the police to wherever she was being taken. However, no matter how many times
she ordered herself to silence her mind and heart and simply listen, the unknown kept
washing over her.
Her life was out of her control. She belonged, fully, totally, to the masked man who
d said he wouldnt hurt her. Why the hell she found that erotic mystified her. At the
same time, there was no denying shed fantasized something like this would happen.
Not really, of course, but whenever there was no man in her lifeand sometimes even
when there wasshed dreamed about waking to find a stranger in bed beside her. Hed
tie her spread-eagle to the bednot tight enough to hurt of courseand have his way
with her.
How quaint the term have his way was. Back when shed been a virgin with a
blooming body filled with hormones, she hadnt been able to fill in the blanks, but
several lovers later, she understood sex, or fucking if she was getting down and dirty.
Now her erotic thoughts often revolved around mild forms of bondage. The
difference between the kind of mental role-playing that invariably led to masturbation,
and what had happened today, was always before it had been a fantasy she could
control and direct. It was one thing to charge up her dildo and put it to use while
imagining a man had roped her wrists to a bed and spread her legs before plunging his
cock into her pussy. It was another thing this masked man had in mind for her.
Reality more than sucked. It scared the hell out of her.
Its also turning you on, she angrily admitted as darkness closed in around her. And
the sooner you get over it, the sooner youll figure out how to get free.
The vehicle rolled to a stop. Then it started up again, turning right before picking up
speed. Faster and faster it went, tires humming. They must be on a freeway, but which
one?
It didnt matter.
She was heading toward a bordello, a plush room decorated in purple and red,
maybe one with a four-poster bed complete with silk sheets. Shed be fed oysters and
strawberries, bathed in scented perfumes, given sexy clothing to wearclothes her
captor would soon remove. Hed caress her entire body the way hed caressed her neck,
and shed melt, open her legs and welcome himin.
At least thats the way things had gone in her mind while she ran her vibrator over
herself.
Lulled by the humming and gentle rocking, Shanel bent her legs and repositioned
her shoulder on the carpeting. Then, as tears stained her blindfold, she squeezed her
thighs together as hard as she could. The pressure did nothing to kill her pussys heat.

* * * * *
Had she fallen asleep? Suddenly alert, Shanel strained to make sense of what had
happened. It seemed to her theyd been traveling for hours. Her bladder was full. She
was beyond thirsty and hungry.
She was trying to think how she could let her captor know she was on the brink of
peeing her panties when it dawned on her the vehicle was going maybe thirty miles an
hour. Had he left the freeway? Was that what had roused her?
Thirty became twenty. The vehicle went through a number of twists and turns, and
the shaking started again, probably because they were on an unpaved road. Were they
in the middle of some wilderness? If the windows werent up, she could at least learn
something fromthe way the air smelled, couldnt she?
Were they still in the same state?
So this was what disorientation felt like, she acknowledged as her captor came to a
near stop before making a sharp right-hand turn. She caught a sound that might have
been a garage door opening. The vehicle crept forward, stopped. The engine died.
Without a motor to muffle it, the sound of the garage door closing again was awful,
final.
Terror raced over her and settled between her legs. The journey was over. Theyd
arrivedwhere? And for what purpose?
She heard the vehicle door open followed by the rocking that told her hed gotten
out. Go away! Leave me here! Dont touch mejust dont
She heard the rear door open, followed by a rush of cool exhaust-fumes-coated air.
Even though she couldnt see him, she turned her head in that direction. He caught her
ankles and pulled her to him. She could have tried to kick him, but what for? This was
one battle she couldnt possibly win.
This time he didnt throw her over his shoulder but held her in his arms. His shoes
thudded on what she took to be concrete. Then he shifted her weight and opened a door.
They walked inside. The door closed. She heard a lock click into place.
Against her will, she tucked in her ass and squeezed. The act was partly to keep
fromwetting herself, partly because, damn it, fear was a hell of a turn-on.
By putting her mind to it, she managed to think beyond herself. He was walking on
something that silenced his shoes, maybe carpet. Then he stopped and opened another
door. He turned her in his arms, probably so she wouldnt strike a wall. Then they began
a steep descent. She wanted nothing more than to fight him, knock him off balance and
send himtumbling down the stairs, but hed take her with him, and even if she managed
to knock himout or even kill him, then what?
Finally the descent was over. She thought shed heard himgrunt, but she couldnt be
sure. Where the hell were they? Some dungeon?
I wont hurt youwont hurt you.
Dont you have lied to me! Please, dont.
He stood her up, holding onto her hips until shed demonstrated she was capable of
standing. Then he ran his hands fromher hips to her waist and from there to the sides of
her breasts. She thought for sure hed grab her breasts; if he did, shed probably lose
bladder control. Instead, after keeping his hands there long enough for her to get the
message of his absolute control over her loud and clear, he moved to her arms, working
slowly upward until he reached her throat. Again he paused, this time with his thumbs
pressing lightly against her windpipe. Fear whipped at her and threatened to steal the
strength from her legs. She breathed raggedly. Still silenttorturing her with ithe
worked his fingers around to the back of her head and released her blindfold.
At first she couldnt see anything except starbursts of light. Then bit by bit her
surroundings came into focus. They were in a basement, not a cold, dank cellar like her
grandparents had had, but one which had been finished to resemble a bedroom and
sitting-room area. The bed was queen size with a four-poster frame just like in her
fantasies. Although she didnt want to, she noted the straps fastened to each poster. On
the ceiling over the bed someone had fastened a pulley. A length of rope had been
looped through the pulley.
Sobbing behind her gag, she turned her attention to the closest chair. It was a recliner
and so large and heavy looking, she wasnt sure howwhoever had put it here had gotten
it down the stairs. Like the bed, it came with an assortment of straps.
Instantly, unexpectedly, she felt a rush of heat in her pussy; her clit throbbed. Shit,
shit! Damn you, body!
After taking several deep breaths, she continued her perusal. A series of narrow
windows had been placed high along one wall, and the dying sunlight filtered through
them. If she pushed the bed or chair under the windows, she might be able to reach
them, but they looked too small for her to crawl through.
In addition to the stairs, there was a closed door at the far end of the room. Could
pleasecould it lead to the outside?
Her masked captor knelt before her. Before she could comprehend what he had in
mind, hed unfastened the chain between her ankle cuffs and then locked them again,
this time giving her enough freedom to stand with her legs at a comfortable distance
apart. She might even be able to move.
He pointed at the closed door and pushed on her back, indicating he wanted her to
go there. She did as he ordered because she needed to see what was there. Besides,
concentrating on taking mincing steps took her mind off her swollen bladder. When,
finally, shed made her way across the room, he opened the door and switched on a
light.
No out-of-doors, no freedom! But a bathroom.
He pushed again, and she made her laborious way into the well-equipped room
which boasted both a glass-enclosed shower and an oversized tub complete with jets.
However, the only thing that mattered to her right now was the toiletand trying to
figure out howto use it.
In his maddingly silent way, he took hold of her upper arms and turned her away
fromhim. Then to her absolute relief, he uncuffed her hands. She brought them forward
and began rubbing them. One wrist was free, but the other remained manacled with the
loose cuff hanging fromit.
Youve got to go to the bathroom, right?
She nodded and was still staring at him when he backed away and leaned against
the wall. His posture left no doubt he wasnt going to give her any privacy. At the
moment she hated him as shed never hated in her life, but she hiked up her skirt and
pulled down her pantyhose and underpants. Because she couldnt separate her legs, she
struggled to get the hose down to her knees. Trying to ignore him, she sat on the toilet.
Urinating seemed to go on and on, and she could smell it. Finally, she finished relieving
herself, pulled off several sheets of toilet paper, worked her hand between her thighs,
and wiped herself.
When she reached for her underwear, he yanked her hand away and hauled her to
her feet. Feeling utterly exposed, she stood before him for a moment. Then she tried to
pull her skirt down over her naked belly and pussy, but he stopped her from doing that
too.
What did he want of her? Why wouldnt he speak? More than anything else, when
was he going to rape her?
The thought of being raped all but closed her throat. It was one thing to fantasize
about being forced to become a mans plaything. The hard facts were much harder to
accept.
Could she beg with her eyes? If she dropped to her knees and looked imploring up
at him, would he spare her? In the middle of trying to decide whether she could debase
herself to that degree, he stepped behind her, grabbed her wrists, and handcuffed her
again. She tried to look back over her shoulder at him. As she did, she spotted a full
bottle of designer water on the counter.
Thirsty? he asked.
She hated letting him know how desperate she was for something to drink so she
refused to respond. To her horror, he hoisted her over his shoulder and marched back
into the main room. He had one arm looped over her waist to keep her from sliding off.
The other pressed her naked butt cheeks. When they reached the bed, he deposited her
on it, face down with her legs dangling off the end. She felt herself start to slide off; he
planted both of his hands on her ass and boosted her further onto the bed. He spread her
butt cheeks, and she imagined he was studying her anus and what he could see of her
cunt. The degradation made her forget her thirst until she tried to swallow. Her throat
muscles refused to work, and she wound up making choking sounds.
Thirsty? he repeated. He continued to hold her ass cheeks spread.
This time she nodded.
Youll have to earn it.
How? What do you want me
So far Ive done everything, he said. Nowits your turn.
Her mind whirled with horrible possibilities. Between awareness of his continued
study of her cunt and thoughts of what he might make her do before giving her
something to drink, she wondered if shed go crazy.
This is whats going to happen. He squeezed her butt cheeks and rolled her over
onto her back. She had to arch her breasts toward him to keep from putting too much
weight on her bound hands. Imgoing to release your hands and feet, and youre going
to take off your clothes fromthe waist down.
What difference did it make? She was sprawled out in front of him with her naked
pussy within easy reach. Hed have to release her ankles before he could rape her, but
what in hell could she do to stop him? Nothing. To her disgust, her eyes began to burn,
forcing her to blink back tears. She stared up at him, all but hog-tied, utterly helpless.
Did you hear me? he demanded. Im going to give you use of your hands and
feet. When youve pulled off your hose, underpants, and skirt, youll get a drink of
water.
Something pressed down on her chest; she wondered if she was having a heart
attack. This thing he was ordering her to dodebasing herself, making her crawl. She
couldnt! There was only one way she could tell him how much she loathed him; shed
act as if he didnt exist. After glaring at himfor a semi-satisfying moment, she closed her
eyes and turned her head away from him. He tugged down on her skirt until it just
reached her crotch. It took all her willpower not to go back to watching him. Keeping her
eyes closed was like being blindfolded again, and if she hadnt been so keyed into him,
she might not have heard the soft sounds that told her he was walking away.
Where was he going? Was he going to leave her here?
Anewkind of terror weakened her limbs. She loathed this masked man, and yet she
was dependant on him for everything. Her eyes opened of their own accord, and she
found herself staring at the ceiling. Her legs dangled over the end of the bed; if they
stayed like that much longer, her feet and ankles would start to swell. Besides, laying on
her hands was uncomfortable. She tried to sit up but lost her purchase and slid onto the
floor, landing in a crumpled and awkward heap. The fall had pushed her skirt up again.
She felt like a worm trying to inch its way somewhere but managed to prop herself up
on the side of the bed with her feet sticking out in front of her. Her reddish pussy hair
caught the last of the sunset. In contrast, her belly, hips, and thighs looked bloodless.
Oh God, oh God! Whats going to happen to me?
To her disbelief, her pussy heated again; her clit pulsed and felt as if it was being
drenched in her sex fluids. Unable to stop herself, she clamped her ass and thighs as
tightly as she could, threwback her head, and wailed silently.
She needed sex! Needed to be fucked to climax.
Being the masked mans captive had turned her on as never before.



Chapter Four

Hall stood in the entryway to the bathroom where hed gone for the bottled water.
The room hed left Shanel in was quickly losing light, but enough of the sunset remained
to paint it in dark ruby hues. The strongest light streamed down on her and turned her
into something beyond a half-naked and tethered woman. He couldnt take his eyes off
her burnished muff, the way her full, firm breasts jutted out as if reaching for the dying
light. Shed let her head fall back against the side of the bed and had closed her eyes.
Her breasts under the silk blouse heaved; he heard her panting breaths.
Was she terrified?
He needed her to experience the emotion; otherwise, shed never be able to infiltrate
and gain the trust of the group known as The Takers, or more specifically their sex
slaves. For her to be accepted by those women, she had to become one of them.
Hed known that when hed started zeroing in on her. At the beginning, hed
concentrated on the logistics of how and when to capture her, but now he had her, and
the real work would begun. It was too soon to know how long her training would take
and whether shed turn out to be what SHIT needed to get the job done.
She would. Hed taken on this assignment for reasons not even the rest of his fellow
operatives knew. Two years ago hed failed to protect those he loved the most in life,
and theyd died. Along with their bodies, he buried his emotions, his heart. When the
funerals were over, and hed sold his parents house and the one he and his wife had just
bought, hed spent half a year climbing mountains and not thinking.
Then, because he had a skill people were willing to pay a great deal of money for
and an unrelenting thirst for revenge, hed joined SHIT. Hed started with several small
assignments which tested his intellect and daring, and when hed proven himself, hed
told his co-workers he was ready for The Takers.
Thats all that mattered! Destroying the arrogant bastards who thought nothing of
ruining their victims! This womanit was easier when he didnt think of her by name
was the tool he needed to get the job doneall she was.
Only, hed seen her tears and courage to say nothing of her lean, sexy body. That
was the part of this assignment he hadnt counted on. And feeling alive sexually for the
first time in two years.
Gritting his teeth, he reminded himself of what yet needed to be accomplished
tonight. He made no attempt to keep her from hearing his approach, but hed nearly
reached her before she looked at him. Instead of fearalthough there was sometheir
smoky depths gave away what he was positive she wanted to keep from him. She was
turned on.
Her former lover had been right, Shanel was highly sexed.
Well, hell, she wasnt the only one with a need for sex.
Angry at both of them, he held up the water bottle so she couldnt help but see it.
Calling on the rigid self-control that had kept him from going insane, he reminded
himself if he was going to succeed against men with the morals of animals, he had to
become one of them.
Dont try to tell me you arent thirsty, he said. I saw the way you looked at this.
He indicated the water. Youre also hungry, but thirst comes first. You know the rules.
You do what I told you to, and you get this.
Her thigh muscles became even tauter; her belly contracted. Shaking her head, she
glared at him.
Youre not going to win this fight, he told her. Sooner or later, youll give in. If
youre so stubborn youll deny your need until youre dehydrated, its your business.
He unscrewed the lid. Unfortunately, I dont have time for games. We have more
important things to accomplish.
Tilting the bottle, he let a little water dribble onto the crack between her legs. The
longer you hold out, the more of this is going to wind up on, not in you.
Her mouth opened, exposing the gag. After letting more water drench her muff, he
took a drink. Not bad. I like it colder. But if youre not interested Drawing out the
movement, he sprinkled what he could reach of her cunt with a few more drops. She
bent her knees, but he pried them apart and stepped between them to keep her from
closing up again. He could see her swollen labia and smell her sex juice. Reaching
down, he worked his hand between her thighs and dipped his fingers as far into her cunt
as he could. His fingers immediately became soaked. Although some of the liquid was
water, most of it was warmand sticky.
Smiling behind the mask he could hardly wait to get off, he continued to probe.
Finger fucking a woman whose ankles were chained together was next to impossible,
but he was getting his point across all right as evidenced by the continuing flood. Not
only that, she was trying to mash his hand between her thighs.
Cant go anywhere, can you? he said conversationallyat least he tried to sound
disinterested. Unfortunately, his cock felt as if it was intent on poking a hole through the
costume, while need ground into his belly. Hell of a mess youve gotten yourself into.
To keep himself from letting his hard-on distract him from his assignment, he
poured maybe a quarter of the water over her belly. When it trickled through her muff
and reached his hand, he captured some of it and swirled water and pussy juice together
over her cunt lips.
She closed her eyes. Her head dropped back again, pushing her breasts at him.
Thanks to the thin blouse, he had a decent look at her bra and what it contained. The bra
wasnt what he would call daring as befitting a professional real estate agent but
anything less than a strip of sheeting tied around her breasts wouldnt hide how full and
lush they were.
Score another for Brad and Nevan; theyd chosen a woman whod appeal to The
Takers all right. And to him.
Although he wanted to give her more of what she obviously wanted, it wasnt what
tonights agenda called forwhat hed determined had to be done. He withdrew his
hand. The moment he did, her eyes flew open. If looks could kill, hed be at least six feet
under at this moment.
It doesnt work so easy, bitch. His throat constricted at the word, but it had to be
done. Im not here to get you off. In case youve forgotten He held up the water
bottle and took another drink. Then he made sure she could see howmuch was left. Its
the only bottle I have, at least for tonight. Either you earn it, or you spend the night
without. Imdone playing games.
Grimacing, she scooted her feet closer to her ass and used the side of the bed as
leverage as she pushed and grunted her way to a standing position. Her eyes were
bright with unshed tears.
Youre going to behave?
She nodded.
Not try to get away?
She blinked, and he could tell she was trying to clench her teeth, but the gag
stopped her.
This parts not negotiable, bitch. One wrong move and youll regret it. You
understand?
After a moment, she nodded.
They said you were smart. Looks like they were right.
Her eyes went wide; he had no doubt she was trying to figure out who they were. He
hadnt yet decided how much to tell her, but obviously hed been right to drop that on
her.
This is how its going to play out, he told her. First Im going to unchain your
hands and feet. Then youre going to get naked fromthe waist down. Once Im satisfied,
you get what water you havent wasted.
All emotion went out of her face; it was almost as if shed pulled into herselfjust
as hed done to keep frombeing crushed by grief. Hell, how much did they have in common?

He took care of her feet first, taking time to check her flesh under the combination of
leather and padded cotton that went against her skin. There was no sign of chafing. Then
he told her to turn around and lean over. She did so without protest or emotion.
Because it was part of the program hed devised, he drew out the freeing by first
rubbing her ass cheeks and then cupping them and pushing up. She squirmed. He
thought about putting his hands between her legs, but she must be expecting it , maybe
wanting it. Sorry, Shanel, were playing this by my rules. And theres no way Im letting you
know I need to get off as badly as you do.
Like her ankles, her wrists were unmarked, but he had no doubt her shoulders
carried the brunt of the uncomfortable position. He unfastened the cuffs and resisted the
temptation to massage her shoulders. Part and parcel of what he had to put her through
was making her believe he cared nothing about her. It wasnt going to be easy.
Turn around, he ordered. Do it.
She obeyed but didnt look at him; he couldnt detect any emotion in her eyes. He
stepped back to let her knowhe suspected she was going to try to lunge for the bottle.
Off with them.
She clenched her fists.
Dont even think it. Nevan said you were intelligent. You wouldnt want me calling
your ex-lover a liar, would you?
Just like that, the color drained fromher face.
You didnt expect that, did you? he forced himself to say. Believe me, Shanel, I
knowmore about you than you do. And if youre ever going to understand how it came
about, youre going to have to start obeying me.
Graceful as a deer, she squatted and pushed her hose down onto her ankles. Then
she straightened and used the bed to brace herself on while she kicked off the hose. Next
she leaned down and pulled off her panties. He hadnt known what hed do if shed
resisted, probably throw her on the bed and do the job himselfand then give her the
damn water. He had to hand it to her for knowing whod win this round. She unzipped
her skirt and started to slid it down over her hips, then stopped when shed covered her
pussy. Her fingers trembled. He waited her out, and a moment later, she finished the
job. When shed stepped out of the garment she kicked it away, then faced him, her
hands clenched.
What next? her eyes said. How else are you going to degrade me?
Youll find out, he thought. Bit by bit until youve become what SHIT needs.
Im going to take off your gag, he said. But if you make a sound, Ill put it back
on, and youll spend the night thirsty. You got it?
She jerked her head up and down.
I thought you would. Theres one more thing before this.
Leaving her, he walked over to a low dresser near the bed and took out the cloth bag
hed put there earlier. She started shaking again.
Turn around.
Her body language said she didnt trust him any further than she could throw him,
but finally she did as hed ordered, stumbling a little as she tried to make her legs obey
her command. Her hands remained fisted. After putting the bottle down, he returned to
her, pulled out the neck collar and length of chain. Then he looped one arm around her
neck and pulled her head back against his chest, forcing her off balance.
Touch me and therell be no water, he warned as she reached back for him. Her
hands again dangled by her side, and he slipped the silk-covered leather collar around
her neck and locked it in place. Gripping the end of the chain, he told her to face him.
Her eyes flashed with fear as she stared at the chain and fingered this new proof of her
imprisonment.
The key to it isnt in this room, he told her. And you dont need to know where it
is because youre going to be wearing it for awhile. Ill show you how it works. He
backed away, forcing her to stumble after him. When they reached the water bottle, he
told her to pick it up. She did so with a quick, smooth movement and clutched it to her
chest. Then he unfastened the intricately and innovatively constructed gag and pulled it
out of her mouth. She immediately upended the bottle and drained it.
Damn it, if only hed brought more water down earlier or hadnt wasted so much
during the damn game hed played with her!
Telling himself what shed had was better than nothing, he ran his fingers over the
chain. When shed gotten every drop out of the bottle, she dropped it to the carpet and
once gave him a wary, watchful look. The truth, the damn truth, was he wanted to fold
into her arms and kiss and massage away her fear. If he could do that one thing for her,
he had no doubt that theyd wind up fucking; they both wanted it bad.
Instead, he led her back to the bed. Get on it, he barked.
She opened her mouth, and a tiny sound came out, but before she could force him to
make good on his threat to gag her again, she did as he ordered, kneeling in the middle
with her hands spread protectively over her pussy.
Imnot going to rape you if thats what youre thinkingwhich you are, he said.
Its not the way this is going to be played.
What is? The question in her expressive eyes couldnt have been more clear if theyd
been carrying out a conversation. What the hell are you going to try to do to me?
Not do but try. Hed be a fool to forget howher thinking went.
Because it was too soon for them to start talking to each other, he fastened the other
end of the chain to the overhead pulley contraption. Then, although he wanted to tell her
hed be back, he walked across the room and up the stairs.

* * * * *
Damn! Damn himto hell! What was it with the fucking mask and costume? He looked like an
idiot in it, a fucking moron!
No, Shanel admitted when she heard the door close behind the man and silence
swept over the room. She had no idea who or what he was, but he wasnt a moron. He
knew exactly what he was doing by cutting her off from the world and robbing her of
movement and the ability to speak. Forcing her to remove her own clothing in exchange
for a drink of water had been a game of control and domination; shed worked with
enough battered women to know what he had in mind. She supposed she should be
grateful because he hadnt punched her or broken bones to force her to his will, but she
d die before shed think of himwith gratitude.
When was he coming back?
The chain provided enough freedom of movement so she could move about on the
bed. She might be able to slide off the damn thing and stand, but what was the point?
Is that your game? she demanded. Her voice, so long denied her, sounded
foreign, but if she didnt speak, shed be locked in silence and darkness. Already so
much light had left the room she couldnt see as far as the bathroom. You want to make
me your dog? Chain me to your equivalent of a dog house?
It occurred to her he might have planted a listening device and be laughing at her.
Is that whats happening? she demanded. If youre getting your rocks off, screw you!
As quickly as her fury had surfaced, it nowevaporated. Feeling spent, she lay down
on the bed and stared up. Moment by moment the last of the light left the windows she
couldnt reach. She had an appointment to present an offer tomorrow morning and was
due at the title company in the afternoon. In between , she needed to work up a couple
of ads and coordinate about an upcoming open house. Only, none of those things were
going to happen.
Although it didnt matter, she spent several minutes wondering how the firm was
going to cope with her absence. Would her broker take over and present the offer?
Probably, so he could pocket the commission if she didnt return.
Didnt return.
No matter how hard she tried to hide from the words, they hung over her. Then,
because back in the lifetime when shed been a cop and doing what shed felt shed been
born to, she faced reality. She might not get out of this alive. If the masked man turned
out to be a serial killer, hed play with her for awhile and then kill her. In that case, it
was a good thing her parents had both died the year she started college.
Nevan! Her captor knewwho he was.
The enormity of what shed unwillingly become part of crashed over her like a
stormy ocean wave. She clamped her hand over her mouth to keep from crying out and
breathed deep and slow until shed regained control over her emotions. She had to
count her blessingswhat little there were of them. Her captor hadnt harmed her, not
really. True, she was hungry enough to start gnawing on the pillow, and she hadnt had
nearly enough water, and her shoulders still throbbed from having her hands cuffed
behind her. But when hed placed her hands on her body
After a moment, she gave herself a mental shake and tried to remember where her
mind had gone to. To her disgust, she realized shed slid a hand between her legs and
was rubbing her fingers over her labia.
It was his fault, she told herself as her half-hearted attempt at masturbation became
more serious. Hed played with her, stuck his fingers into her cunt and taken note of
howwet she was in there. When he wasnt doing that, hed ordered her to strip for him,
massaged and pressed and spread her ass cheeks. He had yet to touch her breasts and
for some reason had left her bra and blouse on, but it was just a matter of time.
A matter of time. She couldnt possibly want him to see her buck naked, could she, to
watch while he shucked his own clothes and thrust his cock into her.
No, of course she didnt! At the same time, she used her sex juices to lubricate her
pussy and then slid her fingers as far inside her as she could. Practiced in the art of
playing with herselfwhen a girl tells her lover to pack his bags, she learns to do what
she has to do keep from going insaneshe wiggled and dipped, exploring her
drenched, hot cave. Her clit was on fire; she couldnt begin to think how to keep her
breathing fromrasping.
Again and again she went at herself, running a nail lightly over her throbbing clit
until she broke out in a sweat and lifted her hips off the bed. Then she tucked her heels
as close to her ass as possible and splayed her legs. The playground was familiar, not as
satisfying as fucking a living, shoving, grunting man of course, but it did the job.
Oh, yes, it did the job!
Her thigh muscles burned from spreading her legs so far apart, and she felt
out-of-control. How could being a helpless captive turn her on like this?
It did! Its all she knew. It did!

* * * * *
Hall had poured himself a beer and taken it into the living room of the house which
belonged to a grateful and circumspect SHIT client. Hed thought about turning on the
TV as a way of getting back his equilibrium and getting rid of his hard-on. Instead, hed
turned on his end of the listening device hed planted under the bed in the finished
basement. Hed heard her curse him, then silence during which hed wondered if shed
been fighting panic.
No, he amended. If she felt panic, it was way down on the list of her emotions. With
his hand gripping the beer bottle, he listened and imagined. How she handled the
details of masturbating was something he could only guess at, but as her grunts and
groans picked up tempo, he felt as if he was there beside her, watching her get it on.
Athletic as she was, who knew what position shed contorted herself into. Hearing the
bedsprings squeak, he surmised she was thrusting up and down, maybe back and forth,
too.
Shit! He wanted to be with hernot to watch her climaxbut get her there himself.
Cursing, he put down the bottle and unzipped. His cock shot out and into his waiting
hand.
He wasnt going to ask how this woman, this necessary tool for the assignment, had
gotten to him. Sure, hed known the personal risks inherent in turning her onto her body;
he just hadnt expected it to hit himso soon, or hard.
Disgusted with himself, he nevertheless gripped his heavy cock and went to work.
She was ahead of him, already breathing like a racehorse going down the home stretch.
No matter how vigorously he manipulated himself, shed climax before he did.
But he tried; damn it, he tried. Throwing back his head so it rested against the chair
and splaying his legs, he rubbed and jerked, pumping as if his hand was a pussy hed
buried his cock in.
He barely heard her cry out.



Chapter Five

Shanel woke as daylight began painting her prison in muted colors. Shed drifted in
and out of sleep all night, but at least shed had the presence of mind to crawl under the
covers after masturbating. As she watched the last of the night shadows fade, she
recalled bits and pieces of what seemed like an endless dream. Awareness of her collar
strange shed think of it as her collarhad never left, and she remembered how
strange it felt to be wearing her bra and blouse while the silk sheets caressed her naked
ass. If she didnt need to go to the bathroom so badly or been so thirsty and hungry, she
would have been tempted to relieve a little of the sexual tension the sheets had kindle.
The dream. Even when she turned onto her side and repositioned the chain, the
memory remained strong. Shed been in water so deep shed had to tread in order to
keep her head above the erratic current. Fighting the current to say nothing of the fatigue
in her arms and legs had been exhausting, and at times shed been afraid shed drown.
Shed been naked which allowed the current to play with every inch of her flesh. Over
and over again, shed tried to put her hands between her legs to relieve a little of the
tension, but every time she did, her head bobbed beneath the surface.
She was alone in the immense vastness of what must be the ocean, and yet she felt a
presence. The presence, or watcher as shed come to think of him, was the real unknown.
She could understand water; she couldnt begin to comprehend what drove whoever
studied her or knowwhat he was thinking, what he intended to do to her.
A low creaking sound jolted her into the here and now. She pulled the sheet under
her chin and stared at the stairs. He came into sight.
This morning the mask and costume were gone, but until hed come within a few
feet of her, she couldnt see his face. Nowshe could, she wondered if the mask had been
better. His features were sharp as if the bones were barely beneath the surface. Shed
already known his eyes were a deep brown bordering on black, but not that they were
set so deep in the sockets she couldnt begin to guess what he was thinking. His nose
was long and bumped at the bridge as if it had been broken. High cheekbones and an
angular chin beneath maybe two days worth of stubble and an unsmiling mouth added
to the mystery. He wore faded jeans but no shirt. If hed done so in order to intimidate
her, hed been successful because this was a man who just didnt lift weights; hed made
a religion out of strength. True, his muscles lacked the massiveness of a professional
weight-lifter or body builder, but he hadnt gotten this way without effort.
His shoulders looked even broader than shed thought when hed thrown her over
them. His arms were nearly proverbial tree trunks with prominent veins a network over
the taut flesh. Not so much as an ounce of extra flesh lay between his chest muscles and
skin; his wide, flat breasts added to the message of strength. If shed been able to put her
mind to it, she could have counted his every rib, and at the waist he was narrow, his
belly non-existent. The jeans rode so low she could see the top of his navel.
Amillion reactions tore at her and dried her throat. She gripped the sheet so tightly
her fingers cramped. Between her legs, she once again flamed to life. Crawl under the
sheets with me. Let me feel your body.
Get up, he said.
When she remained beneath the silks scant protection, he repeated his order. He
could have grabbed the neck chain and yanked, but he didnt.
Yesterday shed felt numb some of the time, but this morning she was rawly aware
of her helplessness. Why the hell that turned her on angered her, but it was an anger she
didnt dare focus on because this man was waiting for her to obey.
Determined not to make a strip tease out of it, she pushed down on the sheet until it
was around her waist and sat up. Then she slid her feet over the side. There wasnt
enough play in the chain, and she had to tilt her head to keep from choking herself. She
held the sheet to her belly and waited.
You need to pee, right?
Yes. Was this the first time shed spoken to himsince hed kidnapped her?
His hand snaked out, and he gripped her under the chin. The band around her neck
tightened. Did I give you permission to speak? Do you want the gag again?
Because she didnt dare try to shake her head, she told himno by dropping her gaze.

I didnt think so. Releasing her, he pulled a key out of his pocket and used it to
unfasten the chain. Then he wrapped the end of the chain around his hand and used it to
compel her to stand. Hating her butt nakedness, she kept her eyes lowered.
He led her into the bathroom as if she was a dog, but she needed to go so badly it
didnt matterat least not much. When she was done urinating, he told her to wipe and
she did, grateful that this time her ankles werent chained together. What would she
have to do to keep what little freedom hed given her this morning? And did she have it
in her to be obedient?
When she flushed the toilet and washed her hands, the sound of running water
made her half crazy, but she didnt dare risk his anger by trying to drink out of her
cupped hands. Already she knewto get his permission first.
Not saying anything, he took her back into the bedroom. His silence was like
fingernails down a blackboard to her splintered nerves. If only hed let her drink. Eat.
Then she could think.
To her disbelief, he rechained her to the ceiling contraption. Watching him walk up
the stairs, she wondered if he wanted her to remain where hed left her or get back on the
bed. If she climbed onto the mattress, would it make it easier for him to rape her? Shed
have to be a fool to believe what hed said about not doing it.
After what seemed forever to her parched throat, she heard him again. Strange she
wanted proof of his existenceor maybe not strange because without him, she might
die in here. At the thought of her dependence on him, her pussy came to life.
He was carrying another water bottle! And a bowl with cereal and milk in it. Instead
of giving themto her, he walked over to the chair and sat down.
Last night, he said, you earned a drink. Now youre going to have to earn this.
He indicated the food and water. I want you naked.
I hate you! Hate you! If I could, Id kill you!
Imnot a patient man, Shanel. You have five seconds.
Not trying to keep her loathing of him from him, she began unbuttoning the blouse
shed actually liked back when she lived in other world and had a life she could call her
own. She pulled it off as if it meant nothing to her and dropped it to the floor. She
needed to study himfor his reaction, but she was afraid. The bra came next, a practiced
unfastening followed by a quick, get-it-over-with removal. To her disgust but not
surprise, her nipples pinched into small, hard balls.
Fear or excitement, Shanel? He pointed at her breasts. Which is it?
It had to be a trick; he hadnt given her permission to speak. But if she broke his rule,
what would he do, kill her? No, hed gone to too much effort to capture her to murder
her for simple disobedience, but did she want to communicate with him? Maybe it was
better to remain his puppet.
What happens now, Shanel? he asked. Now you have no more clothes, what will
you do to earn something to eat and drink?
The question stuck her with the force of a blow. Her head came up, and she clenched
her fists. I loathe you! Whatever it takes, Ill see you dead.
He returned her gaze as if they were dueling with their eyes. Shed never seen a
more powerful man. Before her law enforcement career had been cut short by
economics, shed fought to be considered an equal among her mostly male co-workers.
Some of them had, no doubt, called her a ball-buster behind her back, but she hadnt
cared. Shed loved being a cop, the best damn cop she was capable of being! Now she
was a naked, thirsty, starving, and chained woman.
But not for long, she realized when he placed the food and water on the floor near
the chair and unfastened her again. This time he didnt take hold of the chain but folded
his arms across his too-big chest, only inches fromher.
Crawl to it, he said.
Hatred slithered over her like a snake. Whirling on him, she stared up, up past his
impossible shoulders to his whiskered features, into his eyes.
Try it, he said. Then well know which of us is the stronger.
He was.
Clamping down on the impossible fantasy of landing blow after blow on his balls
and cock, she sank to her knees. A wave of dizziness assaulted her, reminding her that
without nourishment, shed never stand a chance. Although she struggled not to
imagine what she looked like as she made her way over to the little he was allowing her
to eat and drink, she had no doubt he was staring at her exposed ass.
He hadnt given her permission to sit in the chair so she squatted on the floor and
picked up the water bottle. Shed told herself she wouldnt drink like some dehydrated
animal, but orders and need had nothing in common. Even before shed drained the
bottle, her stomach felt full, but she picked up the bowl with soggy cereal in it and
shoveled in one spoonful after another. She was so intent on getting something into her
that would convert into strength she was slow to realizing hed settled himself in the
chair. His crotch was nearly within reach. If she came at him wielding the spoon like a
weapon
I knowwhat youre thinking, he said. Dont try.
Dont try. The words became bars closing around her. In her mind, she grabbed them
and pulled them apart and sprang for freedom. In reality, she upended the bowl and
drank the last bit of milk. Then she waited.
After an insane moment, he took hold of her chain and pulled her close to him.
Turning her head away, he deftly unbraided her hair. It fell over her, shielding her from
him. Another soundshed already become animal-like in her ability to hearcaused
her to straighten. She spotted something in his hand, but before she could tell what it
was, he clamped his hand around the back of her neck and pushed her face into the
carpet. She struggled to straighten, but he straddled her. When he grabbed a hand and
pulled it behind her, she lost her balance and fell, smashing her breasts. He settled his
weight on her naked ass, then snagged her other hand and brought the two together. A
moment later she was handcuffed.
She prayed hed get off her. Instead, he slid lower until his legs were on either side
of her thighs. For what seemed forever, he simply stayed there and applied just enough
weight to the back of her thighs she could barely think beyond that. Then he ran his
hands gently over her waist. Not knowing what to think of this sudden change in the
way he was handling her, she remained alert.
Over and over again he caressed her waist, her backbone, the hollow at the base of
her spine. The longer he kept at her, the harder it was not to respond. What affected her
the most was when he pressed the heel of his hand into the hollow above her buttocks;
she could feel the touch all the way to her pussy.
Her ass cheeks grew hot and her cunt was getting wet. What if he found out? What
did she mean, if? How could she stop himfromdoing whatever he wanted?
Despite the question, it really didnt matter, not with the way he was handling her.
Handle was exactly it because her body was his.
Tears burned her eyes, but if hed asked, she wouldnt have been able to say why or
even if she was crying. The massage, or whatever it was, went on and on and might have
lulled her to sleep if she hadnt been so turned on. She was slow to comprehend he was
now exploring new territory, specifically her ass cheeks. Back in what seemed like
another lifetime, shed watched her grandmother knead bread and been struck by the
strength in her bony fingers. Her captors hands were all strength and what he was doing
couldnt possibly be called kneading; yet she couldnt shake the image.
He seemed to have no plan or design beyond testing the limits of her self control.
She desperately wanted to knowhowmuch Nevan had told himabout the games theyd
played on lazy Sunday afternoons with feathers, vibrators, and their tongues.
She couldnt think! Now, when she needed self-control as never before, her mind
refused to function beyond what his hands were doing to her flesh. By turn his touch
was light and then firmenough to be almost painful. She loved the feather-touches over
her hips, the quick, small pinches where butt and legs joined. A few times he ventured
between her legs. When he did, the struggle not to clamp her buttocks together and trap
himagainst her pussy took every bit of concentration in her. Her cunt felt on fire. If he so
much as touched her clit, shed explode. She was drenched in sweat.
He was teasing her, playing. Why else was he again demonstrating his mastery over
her, not just with the handcuffs, but his handling of her body. Her body! Never, ever, had
it occurred to her that the collection of bone, muscle, and flesh wouldnt belong to her,
but when he slid his hands against her crotch, she kneweverything had changed.
As shed suspectedhell, as shed known would happenhe found a new
playground. Now he took her labia between thumbs and forefingers, not in a painful
grip but one that threatened to take off the top of her head. Panting, she struggled not to
thrust her ass at him. Her clit seemed to be vibratingdamn it, she could feel it! A
climaxa climax was just beyond her reach, coming closer, promising!
She barely noticed when he shifted from straddling her to kneeling beside her.
When he slid one hand under her belly and pressed up, she didnt fight but struggled to
accommodate him. His other hand remained over her cunt, pressing against it, a finger
dipping into her drenched opening. Head still twisted away from himit was better if
she didnt have to look at himshe waited for what he might do next, waited and felt as
if she might drown in her just-beyond-her-grasp climax.
Hed trapped her pussy between his hands, pressing up and down at the same time,
compressing what felt so swollen it might burst. Her breath snagged, then when she
couldnt hold it any longer, it exploded in an animal-like howl.
Fuck me! Oh God, please! Dontdont tease any longer. Ram your whole hand inside me,
take my clit and punish it! Let me ignite!
But he didnt.
Just as the first wave of a climax began rolling through her, he slapped her ass and
released her. For too long, she couldnt comprehend what had happened, just that the
fire in her pussy remained a hot ember but nothing more. She became aware of the
carpet pressing against her cheek, breasts, belly. Her ass still stuck up in the air, and she
swore her sex juices were staining the damnable carpet. Theyd already soaked her
thighs. She forced herself to turn her head toward the bastard whod done this to her.
He knelt nearby, his lips parted, eyes dark and glittering. His fists rested on his
thighs and were tightly clenched. His swollen cock strained against his jeans.
Good, damn you! At least Imnot the only one in agony.
Get up, he ordered.
I cant move. Youve stripped my muscles.
Get up. Not waiting to see if shed obey this time, he grabbed a handful of her hair
and pulled her head back as far as it would go. He slapped her ass again.
I hate you! You damn bastard, I hate you!
The moment the words were out of her mouth, shed have done anything to take
them back, but it was too late. He walked over to the dresser she suspected was filled
with everything he needed or wanted to control her. She dreaded what he might return
with; at the same time, she managed to stand. The stairs werent far away. Was it
possiblecould she get up them before he hauled her back down? But if the door was
closed, she couldnt open it. Besides, the still-dying climax had so weakened her hips
and legs that standing took all the strength she had.
A dildo! Silver and sleek looking, slightly curved like her pussy. No larger than the one she had
at home, at least not the head. But the part the user held in his or her hand looked more
substantial than any shed ever seen. She took an involuntary step backward.
Imsorry, she heard herself whimper. I didnt meanplease! What?
Before she could finish, he dropped the dildo onto the recliner, gripped her
shoulders and turned her away from him. Her legs threatened to give out, and she
sagged forward. She waited for punishment; instead, he blindfolded her. She tried to
prepare herself for a return of the gag, but it didnt come.
Fromthe sounds he made, she guessed hed picked up the dildo again. Then he led
her back into the bathroom. He ran water in the sink. Water! Was he going to give her
another drink?
Open your mouth and stick out your tongue.
She did as he ordered, and he placed a pill on the tip. The thought this might be a
tranquilizer or one of those drugs used in date rape situations gave her pause, but given
what shed been through, maybe unconsciousness was better. When he placed a glass
against her lips, she drank, swallowing the pill.
Its your birth control, he said. I took your supply fromyour house.
Hed been in her home, her sanctuary!
Why? she asked because the unknowns were driving her crazy. Yousaid you
wouldnt rape me.
I wont.
You think Imgoing to come to you willingly? In your dreams! But hed already teased her
to the edge of sexual control, and if shed been able to, she would have jumped his
bones a fewminutes ago.
Why are you doing this? Did he have the gag on him? No matter, she had to try to
make sense of what was happening.
Youll find out, when youre ready to know.
If you havent killed me by then. But although she was in the dark both literally and
figuratively, one thing she believedhe didnt intend to kill her.
Once again she was slow to catch onto what he was doing. This time the running
water was coming from either the shower or large Jacuzzi tub. She felt the humidity in
the room increase. He placed his hands around her waist and guided her forward until
her knees touched what she took to be the sides of the tub.
Get in, he said.
The thought of how wonderful getting clean would feel made her obey
unquestioningly. As the first warm spray from the overhead attachment for the tub
reached her breasts and belly, it struck her that shed stopped being ashamed of her
nakedness. Hed seen all of her and had had his fingers in her pussy. What was left?
She didnt try to resist when he refastened her hands in front of her, then lifted them,
and hooked the cuffs onto something over her head. He left her with enough freedom
she was certain she could turn around, and her arms werent stretched enough to be
uncomfortable. Besides, next to the absolute luxury of getting clean, what did a different
kind of imprisonment matter?
When she no longer sensed his presence, she thought about turning so the spray
would wash her back, but before she could talk herself into moving, she heard
something, followed by the loss of water on her front. Confused, she cocked her head to
one side; the water was still running.
Oh, she concluded when the warmstreamhit her side, its a hand-held attachment, and
hes washing me.
He moved the attachment up and down, slow as if he had all the time in the world.
She felt heat in her armpit; then the spray inched up the inside of her arm to her wrists
and over her fingers. He worked his way down her body, on her waist, over her hips,
inching down her leg, the feeling both soothing and electrifying. He did something that
changed the water from a spray to a pulsing jet that hit her like small heartbeats.
Wherever he touched, she came alive. She zeroed in on the one spot and forgot
everything else.
Her lethargy changed to nervous anticipation when he varied the temperature. By
turn she felt almost uncomfortable heat followed by nearly cold. He kept up his journey
over her shoulders, centering for a long time in the small of her back, down her legs
and then between them. When he started washing away the stickiness that was proof of
her near climax, she struggled to keep her legs together so he wouldnt know he was
turning her on again, but as sanity slipped, she admitted it didnt matter; he knew what
he was doing. Oh yes, did he!
He wetted her hair, then shampooed it with something that smelled like lavender;
the scent lingered in her nostrils and became part of the total experience. She tucked her
chin against her chest when he started to rinse her hair so she wouldnt get soap in her
eyes. Next, he used a soft sponge to wash her face. She tried to prepare for the feel of the
silken touch on the rest of her, but he switched to another sponge. This one was more
abrasive, not painfully so but enough to make her skin tingle.
He soaped her throat, her shoulder blades, under her arms and down her sides.
Then when she was least ready for it, he used the sponge to clean her breasts using
small circular motions. He began at the outside of her breasts and came slowly in to her
nipples, teasing and taunting. Her nipples tightened and grew hard. With his free hand,
he cupped the underside of one breast and lifted it. Then he slid his hand over it until he
reached her nipple. She gasped and shuddered when he closed his fingers over the nub
and pulled up, down, left and right. Her belly tightened.
Her breast was his prisoner, his captive. But he was a kind master, soaping, soaping,
soaping the trapped and swollen flesh. Her cheeks felt on fire, and her cunt quivered at
the thought of his possession over her. Unable to control herself, she arched her back
and thrust her breasts at him.
He rewardedor maybe it was punishmenther by releasing her throbbing nipple
and taking the other. Now, not only did he repeat the long, sensual soaping, but he
rolled the nub between thumb and forefinger over and over again. If it wasnt for the
soap, the abrasion would have been painful. Instead, she sagged in her bonds.
Sensitive breasts. And I can make themeven more so.
Hed placed his mouth near her ear, and his warmbreath sent a shiver up and down
her neck. More? she managed.
Think about it. Think and wonder what I have in mind.
His words struck her as a threat. She tried to lean away from him, but he still held
her nipple and used his grip to keep her where he wanted her. Although her brain didnt
record the sensation as pain, she yelped. Ignoring her protest, he twisted her nipple in
one direction and then the other. By the time he finally released her, her whole breast
was on fire and felt as if it had swollen to twice its normal size.
When he continued sponging her, his hand was gentle, almost loving. As the fire in
her breasts receded, she again lost herself in the delicious sensation. He had yet to move
between her legs. She should have tried to prepare for assault, but it was easier to
mentally follow him as he washed her legs and feet. Although it was hard to keep her
balance, she dutifully lifted one leg and then the other. When he was done there, he
languidly soaped her belly. She imagined soap sliding from her belly to her pubic hair
and wondered if the sight was turning himone.
The soap was starting to dry in places when he put down the sponge and
thoroughly rinsed her. He still hadnt touched between her legs, and in the rare
moments when she wasnt consumed by the most sensual shower of her life, she thought
about the dildo. The rest of the time she simply existed for himand herself. It wouldnt
take much for her to climax. Just a little
Anowfamiliar sound let her knowhed hooked the nozzle up again. She waited for
him to turn off the water. Instead, he placed his hands between her legs and pushed
themapart. It didnt occur to her to resist.
There was still some soap on the sponge, just enough to clean her pussy as it had
never been cleaned before. No longer able to summon the strength to hold up her head,
she let it loll to one side. He spread her labia and cupped the sponge around first one
and then the other, working up and down their length, not touching her clit but coming
achingly close.
Her legs and ass burned, and she couldnt release the muscles that had sucked in
her belly. Soap slithered over her clit and inner lips. She felt her whole cunt let down.
Her breasts became weighted, and there was a line like lava fromthemto her pussy.
Fuck me! Please, fuck me!
No! Dont give himanything! Dont let himknow
But of course he knewwhat he was doing to her and howher body was reacting.
She heard the sponge plop into the water in the bottom of the tub followed by the
sound of running water. Anticipating he meant to rinse her cunt, she thrust her pelvis
forward. She felt, not the familiar hot and cold pulsing but a thin, strong spray. She tried
to put distance between it and her cunt, but before she could, he took hold of one lip
and used his grip to keep her in place. He aimed the stream at her core and manually
opened her.
Water spreading up her pussy! Not a powerful, painful blast but like nothing shed
felt before! It branded her clit, found the cave where a mans cock belonged and branded
that as well.
She shuddered. Her legs went out from under her. She sagged in her bounds. He
followed her down and kept the water flowing inside her. Her head dropped back; if she
hadnt been blindfolded, she would have stared at the ceiling.
Oh! Oh!
Youre coming?
Y-yes.
No.



Chapter Six

Bastard! Youre a damn bastard.
Although this was exactly what hed planned from the time hed placed her in the
tub, Hall still had to fight self disgust. He knew what having a climax interrupted at the
last moment felt likehell. Still, thats the torture The Takers inflicted on the women
under their control. It had to be done to Shanel.
Refusing to question why he was risking her sanity for an assignment, for money, he
turned off the water and leaned against the wall, watching her. She kept turning her
head one way and then the other, fighting the blindfold. Her mouth sagged, and she
made mewling sounds, but it didnt get to himthe way her bodys messages did.
Thankfully, shed gotten her feet under her again which meant the cuffs were no
longer digging into her slender wrists, but it gave himscant comfort and did nothing for
the heavy pain in his ignited cock. He nearly freed it, but if he did, he wasnt sure he
could make good on his vownot to take her.
Turning on the sink faucet, he repeatedly splashed his face with cold water, not that
it did enough to kill his arousal. Hed thought hed addressed any personal reaction to
what he was going to do to the female subject and had told the others that after losing Beth,
hed have no trouble closing down his emotions. Hell, hed believed it back when Shanel
had been nothing more than a name and a picture, but now she was a living,
breathing
Still disgusted with himself, he forcefully recalled what he had to accomplish before
presenting Shanel to The Takers. Water still dripped from his hair and chin and trickled
down his naked chest as he picked up the carefully selected dildo.
They dont use garden variety, the slaver had admitted. Once a women has one of these
suckers up her pussy, she cant get enough of it. It drives them crazy.
Which was why The Takers used them.
Because hed already familiarized himself with everything from the scientifically
contoured shape to the temperature variations, various rhythms, and size adjustments, he
gave the mechanism scant attention. What was harder to dismiss what his self-disgust. If
this was any other situation, and his heart hadnt been so deeply scarred, he couldnt
think of anything more enjoyable than using this high-tech toy to pleasure a woman. He
and Beth had enhanced their sex life with vibrators and shed returned the favor by
dressing in exotic, barely-there nightwear, but the difference between then and now was
Beth had been a willing and enthusiastic partner.
Shutting off his damn mind if not the hot grinding in his cock, he stepped into the
tub and crouched in front of Shanel. He could tell she was trying to determine what he
was doing, but depriving her of one or more of her senses was a vital part of her training.

When he ran his free hand against her pussy, she tried to clamp her legs together.
Unfortunately for her, she was slow to react. As result, he ran his thumb up her before
she could close herself off from him. Once he was inside her, she rose on tiptoe, then
stilled. He wiggled his thumb. Sighing, she settled back on her feet and spread her legs.
He guessed she hated both of themat this moment. He teased her for a moment, making
her think he had nothing more than a little finger-play in mind. When the first drop of
pussy juice leaked out of her, he deftly spread her lips and slammed the dildo in all the
way.
As soon as he turned it on, she tried to back away, but he hadnt given her enough
freedom of movement. Next she tried to twist to the side. Anticipating, he clamped a
hand over her hip and held her in place. He had to make sure she didnt try to kick him,
but so far she was too distracted.
The setting hed chosen to begin with was standard issuenothing more than a mild
and enthusiastic humming. Going by the way her breathing picked up and the juice
which continued to ooze out of her, he had no doubt she was enjoying herself. Hell,
maybe shed forgiven himfor what hed done so far.
Not bloody likely.
After letting her get used to that, he pushed a button which controlled the heat.
Thanks to careful engineering, it was impossible for it to get hot enough to burn, but the
top setting came close. She stopped breathing and tried to stare down at himthrough the
blindfold. Her legs trembled; she gasped.
It wont hurt you, he wanted to say, but hed already broken one rule by telling her
that earlier. He didnt dare make that mistake again if he was going to get her ready. By
clenching his teeth, he kept the words buried. The warmer the dildo became, the more
out-of-control she appeared. She was obviously sexually excited, but the element of fear
was nearly more than she could control. Before long, the heat in his hand told him
maximum temperature had been reached. However, she didnt know.
What are you doing? she demanded. Near panic raised her voice an octave. Don
t! No, you cant!
He didnt say anything.
No, please. She started to lift one leg, and he had no doubt she intended to kick
himwhere it counted. However, when she shifted her weight to one leg, her foot slipped
out fromunder her. For a moment, she hung by her arms. He nearly stopped stimulating
her so he could come to her aid, but because he knewhowfar over the edge the women
who belonged to The Takers were taken, he didnt.
Fortunately, she soon regained her footing. During her struggles, hed been unable
to keep the dildo all the way in, but as soon as she was standing again, he slid it up
tight. She sucked in her belly but didnt make the mistake of moving her feet again.
No, please. It was a whimper.
His self-loathing kicked up another notch. Then the emotional ice that had made it
possible for him to survive a nightmare closed over him. He became what made him a
valuable member of SHIT, the consummate professionalexcept for the painful
hard-on, that is.
Leaving the heat on high, he introduced her to the dildos next trick. The humming
became a vibration that increased in intensity until he could barely hold onto the damn
thing. The rapid-fire thrusts slammed into her and made her breasts jiggle. A wave of
movement ran up and down her belly; he noted the same wave in her ass.
Her head lolled to the side; she sucked in air. He couldnt tell how close she was to a
climax, but it sure as hell didnt look far off.
Not yet, Shanel. Before I let it happen, youre going to beg.
It occurred to himthat the ultimate proof of his power would be to tell her, but hed
put it off a little longer, draw out the teasing torture. With that in mind, he manipulated
the vibration so it no longer threatened to tear her apart. Bit by bit he slowed it, pulling
her back fromthe brink.
No, she sobbed. No, please!
Although he hadnt yet demonstrated all of the dildos tricks by far, he limited this
lesson to one more. Because it had been so well designed, the casual viewer wouldnt
know the tip retracted into the body of the apparatus until that particularly trick had
been demonstratedwhich was what he did now.
He couldnt be sure exactly what she was feeling, but then neither was she making
an attempt to keep her reaction from him. As the tip slid away from her passage while
the base continued to spread her lips, she straightened and clenched her jaw. He
imagined the last thing shed expected was to have part but not all of her pleasure taken
awayalthough what he was putting her through didnt come under the heading of
pleasure. More like hot torture.
She opened her mouth, and he thought shed say something, but she didnt,
probably because shed already learned it wouldnt do her any good. How was she
handling his silence? Did she have a clue that one strategic touch on her part and hed
explode?
He shifted position so the dildo was now aimed at the front of her cunt. When hed
touched Beth there, shed gone off like a rocket. Hed told his wife hed found her G-spot
and shed retorted she didnt give a damnjust do it again!
Shanel thrust her pelvis at him; her nostrils flared even more. He didnt immediately
reward her but kept the tip retracted for the better part of a minute. Although her pussy
still leaked, it was no longer a flood. Good.
Slow, slow, he pushed the release button. He imagined the end sliding like sweet
hot steel up her pussy. His pelvis muscles contracted. If he didnt free his cock, the
damn head would probably break off! She was trying to increase the dildos contact with
her pussy walls, and he wondered if she might climax before he could keep her from it.
Howhad he judged her progress before? It hadnt been hard and yethell, like it or not,
hed become too much participant and not enough observer!
At the last momentfor him at leasthe drew the dildo out of her with a sucking
sound. She howled, actually howled. Then, instead of the whole body jerks that had
been part of Beths climax, Shanel Fox whimpered.
Didnt get there, did you, he said. He readied himself for a barrage of curses, but
all she did was shake her head like some beaten animal.

* * * * *
No more. Please, no more. I cant take it.
The words were still drumming in Shanels head when the man unhooked her cuffs
fromthe overhead restraint.
How many times had he brought her to the brink of a climax only to rob her? It
seemed as if the exquisite torture had gone on forever but that couldnt be because she
would have died by now.
Sharp pain in her arms signaled the return of circulation, but although she longed to
curse him, shed be damned if shed let him know what she was feeling. Maybe her
thoughts were the only thing about herself he hadnt made his.
But the journey from being a separate human being to existing through and because of him
incredible!
He put his hands on her hips and let her know he wanted her to get out of the tub.
Now her core no longer ruled everything, she realized the water had been turned off,
and she was starting to shiver. Because her hands were in front of her, she could have
pulled off the blindfold, but what if she displeased him?
Imcold, she whispered.
He didnt say anything, but when he placed a towel in her hands, a wave of
gratitude caught her by surprise. She dried herself as best she could, all too aware he
had to be watching. When she dried between her legs, her cunt felt so swollen and
sensitive, she could barely stand to touch it, and she didnt want to think about how
sticky she was there. He had done that to her!
After shed dried her feet, he took the towel and rubbed her back. He drew out the
act and spent more time than was necessary gently toweling her ass and the back of her
legs. Wanting and yet not wanting it, she waited for him to do the same to her cunt and
get her all hot and bothered again, but he didnt. Instead, he took hold of the neck chain
shed forgotten about. She let himlead her back to the bed and when he let her know she
was to get on it again, she did.
Leave me alone, please. I needto rest. To find myself.
It took all her strength not to demand an explanation when he positioned her on her
back. He fastened something to her ankle cuffs and pulled first one leg and then the
other apart. She heard the now familiar clicks and knew hed chained her legs to the
metal rings at the foot of the bed. Then he did the same to her wrists so once again they
were over her head.
Hog-tied.
No, spread-eagled.
In a dull way she realized she no longer cared that hed taken over control of her
body. When shed first heard about the possibility of layoffs in the police department,
shed been filled with a mix of anger and fear. Was all her training and dedication
dispensable, unneeded? Howwere she and her fellow officers going to pay their bills if
they were laid off? However when the axe itself fell, shed felt nothing. The shrink whod
met with everyone whod gotten a pink slip had explained that numbness was a
self-protective mechanism, like accident victims who dont feel pain for awhile.
Maybe thats what it was, she concluded as she waited for what her captor now had
in mind. Shed been so emotionally battered since her kidnapping shed shut down so
her emotions could heal. And just maybe the countless interrupted climaxes had taken
too much of a toll.
When he removed the blindfold, she concentrated on clearing her vision. Once she
could see clearly, however, she wasnt sure it was such a hot idea. Although hed taken
care to dry her, he hadnt bothered to do the same to himself. Droplets still clung to his
chest, and the front of his jeans were wet. She couldnt see his lower legs but guessed his
jeans cuffs had gotten the worst of the soaking. Knowing hed had to get drenched in
order to bathe her gave her a small measure of pleasure.
His hand was near her throat. Did he intend to choke her? Before she could do more
than fantasize about biting him, he ran his knuckles along the side of her neck. Going
weak inside, she leaned into the caress. He stroked up and down, his touch tender. She
was afraid to look at him but even more afraid not to. His eyes had become smoke and
deep in their core she found pain. Why was he hurting?
Maybe he sensed her question, maybe hed belatedly gotten a grip on his emotions.
Whatever it was, he stepped back and glared at her.
Why are you doing this? she asked.
He clenched his jaw. Ill tell you, he said. But not yet.
Its gone. Whatever passed between us for an instant no longer exists. Why not? Its not as
if Im going anywhere. The silk sheets felt wonderful against her sensitive backside;
they also lacked warmth, and she was starting to feel chilled againeither that or she
was still reacting to his unexpected and precious compassion.
You arent ready.
What happens before I am?
If I told you, youd be able to anticipate, and thats counterproductive.
Of course! Sarcasmburst fromher. I wouldnt want to inconvenience you.
You wont, he said. Then he gripped her jawand forced her to look at him. I didn
t give you permission to talk.
Talk was all she had. Talk was helping her start to think again.
If you dont like it, gag me. Its not like I can stop you.
No, you cant.
Although hed released her jaw, she didnt break the eye contact. Who are you? Are
you going to tell me ?
From his reaction, she could tell he hadnt expected the question. Maybe hed
thought shed be too cowed. She was scared all right, but the damnable truth of it was,
the past twenty-five or so hours had been the most mind-blowing of her life. Nothing
she and Nevan had done, not even her active imagination where it came to sexual
matters had come close to this.
When and if I believe its to my benefit, Ill tell you my name.
But you knoweverything about me.
Not everything, but what I need to.
What did that mean? Howhow did you find out?
Various sources.
And my former boyfriend was one of them, right?
Instead of affirming what she already knew, he moved to the foot of the bed and
touched her right foot. Youre getting cold.
Nice of you to notice, she snapped. There was absolutely nothing about her
physical body he couldnt study, experiment with, control. Against her will, her belly
contracted. The reaction reaffirmed what hed already taught her, namely that sexual
excitement and fear were closely related.
He ran his fingers between her toes, pushing them so far apart the sensation
bordered on pain. She squirmed and tried to pull free, but the damnable ankle restraints
made that impossible. When he switched his attention to her instep and pressed and
kneaded, she felt the exquisite pressure all the way to her cunt. It belatedly dawned on
her that he hadnt fastened her neck chain. Instead, the lightweight lengths rested
between her breasts. She twisted to the side as far as she could which caused the chain to
slide against the inside of her left breast. Both nipples immediately puckered, and the
electrical charge between her legs increased.
Not cold any more? he asked.
She didnt answer.
Do you think not admitting it is going to make a difference?
You know so damn much about me, you figure it out!
He released her foot. Before she could so much as make a stab at figuring out what
he had in mind, he bracketed his hands on either side of her calf and started walking his
fingers up her leg. She squirmed. Unfortunately, she also shifted position which resulted
in the chain sliding from her left breast to her right. Her nipples were now more than
halfway to hot.
His upward journey continued, teasing and taunting as he closed in on her hips and
pussy. Havent you done enough? she bit out. Youve felt mymy equipment. IdI
d think youd be bored by now.
No, not bored.
His voice had barely been above a whisper. She tried to get him to meet her gaze,
but he was staring at the wall, almost as if trying to divorce himself from what he was
doing to her.
He doesnt want to be turned on!
Taking that piece of wisdom, she tucked it deep inside her. Somehow, some way
shed find a way to exploit his vulnerability and use it to her advantage. Then he flicked
a fingernail against her labial, and she lost hold of what little shed learned about him.
It did no good to try to wriggle free so why the hell was she trying? In the wake of
the question, some of the tension left her muscles; she waited for his next move. The
hand on the outside of her thigh traced a slow path fromthe joining between leg and hip
to over her pelvic bone. At the same time, he took hold of both folds and sealed them
together.
She yelped.
It doesnt hurt. Dont tell me it does.
He released a little of the tension. Not pain, he said as calmly as if they were
debating political positions. Ahell of a lot better.
Howwould you know?
He chuckled, prompting her to wonder if shed heard him laugh before. Maybe
because shed been distracted by the question, she lost any chance to prepare for what
he might do next. He brought both hands between her legs and drew down and out on
her lips. Fire laced a trail deep inside her pussy. She tried to buck off the bed.
Dont! she begged. Please.
Thats closer to pain.
All right! All right, she repeated. The pleasure-pain continued.
All right what? he demanded.
Dont!
What does it feel like? He rubbed his juice-slickened thumbs over her cunt lips.
As if its your body, no longer mine.
Why are you doing this? She was on the brink of tears.
Because nowits time for you to understand.
Understand what? Oh God, please stop rubbing! Thisthis isnt good!
Ive laid claim to your body. Its mine to use as long as I need it.



Chapter Seven

As long as I need it.
Shanel lived in a red world with black at the edges. At the same time she felt as if
she was flying. Her cunt had caught fire, and her clit became a living thing trying to
escape.
Please, she sobbed. Please dont hurt me.
Either hed let up a little or she was getting used to the feelingwhatever it was. It
couldnt be possible, but once again she leaked. Squeezing her eyes shut, she tried to
find her way out of thisthis torture?
Do you want me to stop?
Yes. No. I dont know. You bastard!
Answer me. Do you want me to stop?
Yes!
The fire banked down a little. Then beg me to.
You bastard.
With what seemed a single act, he released her and guided the dildo inside her. It
felt cold and moved in a circular fashion so by turn it branded every molecule of her
core. Any other time that would have sent her over the edge, but the cold
You havent been pierced, he said.
What?
Your labia pierced.
No!
What I did, pulling on your labia, this is the way itd feel all the time if I pierced
you and hung weights fromthe loops.
He was sick! A horrifying, terrifying sick man! You wouldnt
Whats the matter, Shanel? Nothing to say? Could it be because you know you cant
stop me?
Hed sucked her into a dark, airless cave. A fire burned in its depths, but how could
that be when the dildo was so cold? It continued to move inside her. No longer
questioning everything it was capable of, she accepted that its diameter had contracted.
As a result, it glided freely in her, pressing here, there, and everywhere like a long, thin,
hard cock. The circular motion became random thrusts, keeping her totally off balance.
She didnt feel on the brink of climaxing, just excited and confused.
Think about it, Shanel. Your body is no longer yours. Its mine.
Why? She barely got the word out.
By way of answer, he reached under the bed and pulled out what looked like a
leather bikini bottom. She didnt comprehend its purpose until he lifted her ass and slid
one of the leather strips around her hips and another between her butt cheeks.
Leaves me free to do other things, he said as he used the contraption to secure the
dildo in place. The trusting movement ceased, and it started to warm.
He started to climb onto the bed and straddle her waist, but his jeans didnt have
enough give to them. She couldnt be sure, but he appeared hesitant about removing his
jeans. Finally, however, he did. He wore tight white briefs that hugged his ass and hid
almost nothing of his huge arousal. Dimly she remembered that earlier shed felt a
moment of control knowing what he was doing to her turned himon.
When he turned his back on her and walked over to the dresser, she wondered what
instrument of sexual harassment hed pull out of it this time. Closing the drawer, he
showed her a small white jar.
The bed sagged, and she tried to prepare for his weight on her waist and hips, but
he let his knees take the pressure. He placed his hands on her ribs and moved slowly,
wonderfully upward until hed cupped her breasts. She started to tremble. Her cunt was
being heated by the amazing dildo.
Firm breasts, he said. Full. You like playing with them, dont you?
W-what?
We placed a camera in your bedroom last week. You lit a candle before beginning
to masturbate, but even if you hadnt, we would have seen because its an infrared
camera. Tell me, do you get off every night?
You bastard.
He shook his head. Youre going to have to come up with something else to call
me. That ones getting pretty shopworn. He pressed up on the undersides of her
breasts, making them look as if she was wearing an industrial strength push-up bra.
Bastard wont do, he said. Not at all.
Was she imagining it, or was the dildo getting larger? Much as she needed to keep
ahead of everything it was capable of, she needed to knowsomething else even more.
We? she asked.
Everyone whos part of this.
Part of what! She hated the way her voice sounded, small and out-of-control.
Goddamn it! Whats going on?
She should have saved her breath because obviously he had no intention of
answering. When he was done studying what hed done to her breasts, he released them
and picked up the jar hed placed on the bed. He unscrewed the lid; the faint aroma of
lavender reached her. He dipped his fingers into whatever was in there and began
rubbing it on a breast, the motions as gentle as a mother tending to a babys bottom. The
scent became stronger. The cream was warm, and the longer it was on her skin, the
warmer it became. He was in no hurry. Instead, he continually replenished his supply
and spread it over every part of her breast. She loved the way his fingers glided over her
flesh, the languid warmth. Then he did the same to her other breast and she felt, what,
loved? When both were slick and on the way to hot, he used his thumbs to press down
on her nipples.
You belong to me, he ground out.
Idont belong toanyone.
Dont you? Whatever I want, I can make happen.
The words hung in the air. He continued to apply pressure to her nipples; hard and
electrified, they pressed back. Too late she realized shed been right; the space-age dildo
had expanded so it now filled her completely. Larger than the cock of the handful of
men shed had sex with, it pressed everywhere, claimed everything. This was no longer
her pussy; the dildoand the man whod put it in herowned her.
Make it stop, she whimpered. Please. Before
Theres a safety feature. He sounded as if he was explaining the workings of a
piece of machinery. If it hadnt been for his cock trying to rip his briefs apart, she would
have been fooled into believing he felt nothing. Its sensitive to a womans contours. It
cant over-expand.
She wanted to sarcastically tell him she was impressed by the technology necessary
for that feature, but she couldnt get out a word. Her pussy no longer consisted of
separate parts but had become a single whole. Her clit had given up trying to escape
this sweet torture and simply jutted out of her, hot and panting. Maybe shed gone
beyond a climax and existed in a blazing fantasy world.
Although it took several tries before he managed to clamp his fingers around her
cream-slickened nipples, he now drew them toward him. She didnt want to, but she
looked through an ebony haze at what hed done.
I can pierce these, too, he said. His jaw was clenched; he didnt meet her gaze.
Put rings through themand hung a chain between the rings.
No. Please.
It wouldnt take much, a tug on the chain and youd do everything I order you to.
No. Please.
Then theres clamps. He squeezed. You ever have clamps put on your nipples,
Shanel?
N-no. Fear nibbled on her nerve endings; she couldnt tell where the emotion
ended and primitive sexual excitement began. Against all reason, what hed just said
turned her on even more.
Good. Then, if I decide to, itll be your first time. His hold on her nipples
remained secure. Despite her rampaging emotions, she swore he didnt want to be
saying what he was. Clamps run the gambit fromclothes pins to expensive works of art
made from silver or gold. He breathed long and deep. Your nipples are dark. Silver
would make a dramatic contrast, or white-gold. Pale against dark. Pinching.
N-o.
The drawing sensation became less intense, and her pussy no longer felt on the
brink of exploding. With what remained of her brain, she focused on her captor.
He wasnt handsome; the word fit someone less intense and without darkness
settled deep in his eyes. But there was something compelling about his eyes, his
trained-for-survival body. She sensed endless layers. This man with calluses on his
hands and faded old jeans and dark stubble wouldnt normally think of rubbing
lavender-scented creamon a womans breasts or talk about nipple clips; she was certain.
When he fucked a woman, the act was animal-to-animal. Elemental. Real.
He wanted to fuck her. She knew that as maybe shed never known anything else.
But something stopped him and turned him in a direction that didnt fit him. If she
could figure out why
If you had your choice, he said. Which would it be? Pierced pussy lips or
nipples.
You hate asking; I know you do. What does it matter? she said. Youll do whatever
you want.
By the way his eyes narrowed, she knew he hadnt expected her response. If she
could keep himoff balance, she might get out of this alive. Changed but alive.
Why wont you tell me your name? she demanded. Thank goodness he was no
longer trying to separate her boobs from her breastbone; the return to a nearly normal
sensation made it easier to think and talk. Is it because if I say it Ill become a human
being, not just your plaything?
He hoisted himself off the bed and stood glaring down at her. Ill gag you.
I cant stop you, but you wont be able to forget my words. Is this a power game?
She jerked her head in the direction of her skewered pussy. Some fantasy youve been
dying to play out? I dont think so.
What is it then?
I dont know. Thats the hell of it; I dont understand anything. You tell me, she
challenged. His jaw clenched, and she went on. Or maybe youre afraid to. Keep the
poor bitch ignorant and shes easier to control. Dont let her talk or see. That way she isn
t human to you.
You are human, more than I expected, more than I want. Although he said nothing, she
swore that was what he was thinking.
What do you want? she demanded. To see howfar you can push me before I lose
my mind? You get off on sexual torture? This was insane. Here she was spread-eagled
on this mans bed with a dildo stuck up her cunt. She should be a mass of quivering
flesh. Instead, she felt strong. At least stronger than she had when hed first captured her.

It isnt torture.
Howthe hell would you know? You arent the one its happening to.
To her surprise, he laughed, the sound deep and without humor. You think not.
He brushed his hand over his straining cock.
She didnt know what to say. With an effort of will, she closed her eyes. Make up
your fucking mind, she muttered. Either let me climax or dont. And if you ask me
which I want, Ill yell the answer to the rooftops.
Not yet. It isnt time.
What the fuck did he mean, and how the hell was she going to survive until then?
In short order she was questioning her decision to shut her eyes. Just the same, if she
looked at him, he might see her insecurity, the climax close enough to touch. If the dildo
so much as twitched
She felt his hands on her hips. Despite her efforts, her eyes flew open. To her relief
at least she told herself she was relievedhe unhooked the straps that kept the dildo in
her. However, it stayed put. Next he released her ankles. After taking a moment to
become accustomed to the wonderful sense of freedom, she lifted her pelvis. Take it
out. Please.
Youre sure? According to the manufacturer, there isnt a woman alive who can get
enough of it.
Take it out!
He folded his arms over his naked chest and stared down at her. Slow and steady
undoubtedly so shed be aware of what he was doinghe ran his gaze from the top of
her head to her toes, lingering on her breasts and pussy. Once shed been the picture of
power and authority in her uniformwith a gun strapped to her waist. Nowshe was buck
naked, and hed shoved a foreign object up her pussy, one that might stay there
indefinably if he wanted.
You dont like it.
I hate it! Careful. Stay calm.
He lifted an eyebrow. Then after a fewmore seconds during which her sex juices felt
as if they were streaming out of her, he put his hand between her legs. She had to fight
the desire to squeeze him. When he touched the protruding end of the dildo, she felt the
contact all the way to her belly button. Hovering on the brink of insanity, she waited. To
her disbelief, he did something to make it hum.
Vibrations radiated out from her pussy to first kiss and then ignite every nerve
ending from the neck down. She couldnt be surehow could she be certain of
anything?but she thought he was pushing on it a little because it seemed to penetrate
even deeper. Hating herself but unable to do anything about her reaction, she bent her
knees and let her legs splay out.
Dont like it? he murmured. Hate it? Doesnt look like it, Shanel. Doesnt look
like it.
So close! Just a few more seconds and
She sobbed when he drew out the dildo. Not thinking of the consequences, she tried
to kick him. Then a sense of emptiness assaulted her, and she sank deep, deep into the
mattress. Spent, she fought to accept her hungry need. She didnt dare speak. Until he
straightened her legs, she didnt realize she was still offering everything to him.
What had happened to the person shed always been? Had it taken so little time and
this man to turn her into little more than a starving pussy? Shed arrested a couple of
prostitutes whod admitted they were sex addicts. Shed felt sorry for them; they were
throwing their lives away for a series of quick and mechanical fucks. Now she was
beginning to understand what ruled them.
Dont give into him, a new voice whispered. Remember what you said about staying strong.

Its too late, she retorted. Hes changed me.
Only if you let him. Only if you surrender, let him own you.

* * * * *
Shanel remained motionless so long Hall wondered if shed passed out. Finally she
sighed.
My arms hurt, she said. I have to pee.
As he unfastened her wrists, he had to clench his teeth to keep from apologizing for
what hed put her throughso far.
Help me up, please.
Because he figured her shoulders had been under enough strain, he slid his hands
under her back and helped her sit up. She sagged against his chest, and her long, loose
hair fell over her face. She started to lift her arms, then whimpered. Hurts, she
whispered.
Thinking a massage would help, he slid her legs over the bed and made sure she
wasnt going to slump over before turning his attention to determining whether to start
by massaging her hands or upper arms. Although she lifted her head, her hair remained
in her eyes, and he started to brush it away fromher face. Some of her hair lay across her
lips, and he reached to remove it. As he did, she kissed his fingertips.
Surprised, he didnt move. She continued to paint his calluses with feathery
caresses.
What are you doing? he asked. Instead of answering, she opened her mouth and
drewin his forefinger. The very real possibility she intended to bite him made him pull
free. What the hell?
She didnt answer and kept her eyes downcast as she placed her hands over his
breasts. It had been so long since a woman had touched him like thatsuch a long,
lonely time. Her fingers became brushstrokes. Her knees were less than an inch from his
cock. He needed to back up, demand to know what she had in mind, to gag and blind
her. Instead, he let her continue. No, not a brush, he concluded when she pressed her
fingertips against his workout-hardened chest, a feather, or a birds wing.
Do you like it? she asked.
What are you doing?
I want to show you howgrateful I am.
Forwhat? Shit, he sounded like a fifteen year old in the back seat of a car.
Ive had bondage fantasies for years, she went on in a husky tone he hadnt heard
before. She began drawing small circles on his breasts. Thats what I thought theyd
always be, fantasies. But you turned theminto reality.
What the hell was this about? And more important, did he care?
Dont.
You dont like it?
Shit. He wasnt going to lie to her. Neither was he going to let her know why he
hadnt turned his back on her. If he did, the confession would strip him bare and make
him as naked as she was. While his brain screamed to put an end to this insanity, he
stood still as her hands trailed lower, to his ribs, his belly, under the low-cut briefs.
When she took hold of the elastic and eased the cotton down, he stared like a dumb,
unthinking animal.
So far its been one-sided, she continued. You giving and me taking.
Thats the way you see it? He captured her wrists but didnt try to pull her hands
off him. As if Imoffering you something?
He saw a flicker of fear in her eyes. Although it might be the most dangerous thing
hed do today, he released her wrists and waited to see what she would do next.
Her smile was tentative as she slid off the bed and knelt before him. He backed a
step. Then she pulled his briefs the rest of the way down. His cock had been swollen so
long he should be used to it by now. Instead, the reality of his nakedness next to hers
sent his blood to pounding. Still kneeling, she stared at his cock, arched slightly away
fromhim.
Didnt she want to do this?
How could she after everything hed done to her?
But shes going to and you, damn you, will let her.
Let nothing! Hed never been passive; he wasnt about to start now. He didnt know
how.
Fisting his hand in her hair, he drew her to her feet. She slid her body up his,
igniting his tormented cock. Now that she was next to him, not touching but the need
arcing through him, he longed to have her kiss him. She didnt, and in the aftermath, he
was glad hed been spared that kind of intimacya caring gesture.
To his surprise, she hopped back onto the bed. After settling herself on her knees,
she grabbed his shoulders, and pulled him toward her. The bed was just enough lower
than his cock so he couldnt simply slide into her.
Fool! Damn fool! Theres not suppose to be sex between the two of you.
Who the hell cared?
Riding on the wave of his silent argument, he wrapped his arms around her thighs
and lifted her onto him. Instantly, his cock slipped into her softened and well-lubricated
pussy. She held onto his shoulders and locked her feet around his ass. They were
connected breasts to breasts, heads slightly turned so their cheeks pressed together and
there was no danger of a kiss.
It was all wrong, all wrong. Hell, the neck chain proclaiming her his captive hung
between her breasts; he felt it against his chest. Then his cock shuddered, and he shut off
his brain.
He thrust at her. She came at him with equal strength, pelvis grinding into pelvis.
The part of him that still functioned knew he couldnt keep this up for long and forced
himto pick up the pace, to buck repeatedly.
It felt incredible! His rod-hardness being caressed by her warm, wet core. No more
jacking off in a dark, lonely room. Not now! Again and again he contracted his muscles
and drove his cock forward. He couldnt find a rhythm. She came at himat her own pace,
grunting, pushing, her fingers clawing at his shoulders, her breasts pressed against his
chest, sweat staining both their bodies.
His thighs and pelvis muscles burned, screamed. But releaserelease was right
there. Once, twice, three more times he pounded at her.
Then he climaxed, pent-up cum shooting out of himand into her. It seemed to be an
endless supply, draining him as it exploded. Coming to the end of his strength, he
shoved her away and back onto the bed, then fell on top of her. Mindful of his greater
weight, he slid off her but brought her with him so they lay side-by-side. He smelled
sweat and cum, felt her ass in his palms, her hands still on his shoulders but no longer
clamping down.
A familiar post-fuck lethargy stole over him and unless he did something about it,
hed fall asleep.
Asleep with Shanel in his arms.
Without knowing he was going to do it, he pressed his lips to her forehead. Even
more of the real world slid away. In a dim way he knew the speed of his climax came
close to besting the worlds record and had been much too fast for any woman to keep
pace with.
The fog lifted. He saw, felt, tasted, understood what hed done. What shed made
himdo.
Angry beyond all reason, he sat up. She rolled onto her back and placed her hands
over her vulva, waiting.
He wanted to tell her that her attempt at subterfuge had failed; he wasnt the dumb
stud shed tried to play himfor. But if he did, hed have to own up to his vulnerability.
Not saying anything, he flipped her onto her stomach and fastened the neck chain to
the end of the bed in such a way she could turn her head fromside to side but little else.
He debated refastening her legs and arms but couldnt bring himself to do so.
She was trying to look at him but probably not seeing much beyond his limp cock.
Stepping out of her sight, he touched the stickiness between her legs. Im clean if thats
what youre thinking, he said. No diseases. And I know youre the same.
Of course you do, she whispered on the tail of what sounded like a groan. What
s your name? Dont I at least deserve something?
Hall, he said and walked naked out of the room.

* * * * *
He was still in the shower when his cell phone rang. Although he hadnt fully
regained his strength, he managed to grab a towel and push the send button before the
message feature kicked in. Yeah, he growled.
Good day to you, too. It was Brad. You arent with her, are you?
No. He started to dry off. His cock felt bruised.
Ive got news.
He didnt need to be hit over the head to know he didnt want to hear what came
next. Give it to me, he said.
Youve got to pick up the pace.
I just got her yesterday.
I know but
SHIT existed because of Brad. If he had a weakness, it was his inability to ever shut
off the business part of his brain.
What do you mean by pick up? Hall pressed. He pulled fresh briefs out of the
dresser but didnt try to put themon. After the time hed spent with a naked woman, his
take on nudity was changing. Somethings gone wrong?
Yeah. Brad sighed. Suicide. One of our clients ate a gun last night.
Shit.
Thats putting it mildly. At least he had the decency to do it at work instead of at
home. Because he was also involved in city politics, its making headlines. Im surprised
you havent heard about it.
Ive been occupied.
I guess you have. Anyway, the D.A.s office is poking around, looking to see if he
killed himself for financial reasons.
Shit.
Shit is right, in more ways than one. You know what the investigators are going to
find, dont you?
The deceased had been siphoning money out of his business. Feeling nearly as
spent as he had right after fucking Shanel, Hall sat down and stared at his uninterested
cock. Are The Takers acting nervous?
Brad snorted. Those bastards? Theyre too damn cocky. Its business as usual with
them. The only difference is they have one less disgruntled client asking what happened
to his money. However, so far this morning Ive gotten calls fromfour of our clients.
Because our clients want The Takers to pay, right?
They want The Takers exposed, now. For the pyramid scheme to fall apartand
for them to get their money back. Keeping a low profile is no longer their primary
concern. This has gone on too long.
Did you tell them
Youre not ready to take the woman undercover? Their response is, thats not their
problem.
If the tables were turned and hed lost tens of thousands of dollars to a coalition of
ruthless, power-hungry bastards, he wouldnt be patient either. What did you tell
them? he asked.
Well have the trail to their money by the end of the week. Brad sighed. I had to.
Hall, the DOA was married with two teenager daughters. His wifes in the hospital.
Emotional collapse.
Hall took a moment to slip into his briefs. Doing so brought himface-to-face with his
reflection in the dresser mirror. He didnt like what he saw.
It gets worse, Brad said. The DOAs father had a stroke when he heard. The old
mans also one of our clients.
I dont need to hear this.
Because of what happened to your parents and wife. I know. Hall
Day after tomorrow. He ground out the self-imposed deadline. Ill be at The
Takers club.
And the woman?
Shell be there too.
You can
I have to.



Chapter Eight

Were going for a run.
Because she was tethered to the bed, Shanel couldnt study her captorsHalls
eyes and thus gage his mood but obviously he was angry. Undoubtedly he regretted
having sex with her and blamed her; either that or he was smart enough to guess
seducing himif thats what it washad been her unsuccessful attempt to level the
playing field.
Hed climaxed, but she couldnt say the same for herself. Close didnt count; in fact,
close was worse than feeling nothing. If only he hadnt come so fast!
Was this her, wanting satisfying sex with the man whod made her his prisoner?
She tried not to shiver when he unfastened her. Ive had a bowl of cereal in
twenty-four hours, she told him. Imnot going to make it without something to eat.
I figured that, he said and thrust a sandwich at her. She all but wolfed down a
flavorful combination of Swiss and ham on rye. Not until she was done did it strike her
he must have known Swiss was her favorite cheese. Next he handed her a granola bar
and another bottle of water. Go to the bathroom, he ordered when she was done.
He watched as she sat on the toilet. When she was done, he handed her a toothbrush
not just any brush but her own from home. What else of mine do you have? she
asked.
Your running shoes.
And dont forget my birth control pills. Being able to brush her teeth was heavenly. After
she finished, he ordered her back into the bedroom, or whatever her oversized prison
cell was called. This time when he went to the dresser, he retrieved her running shoes
and socks. Her hand trembled when she took themfromhim.
Where are we going? she asked.
Around the property. There are trails.
I take it I dont get clothes.
Instead of answering, he jerked his head indicating he wanted her to put on her
shoes. Maybe she should have been mortified at the thought of stepping outside naked,
but the thought of getting some exercise caused her heartbeat to pick up. At the same
time, the change in Hallknowing his name changed the way she perceived him in
ways she didnt fully comprehendbothered her.
She watched him attach a leather loop to the loose end of her chain. Then he
wrapped his hand around the loop and headed for the stairs. Like a well-trained dog,
she followed him. Her legs felt numb as she trailed him up the stairs, and she didnt
breathe while she waited for himto open the door at the top. They stepped into an unlit
room no more than ten-by-ten. It had two doors, one of which she assumed led to the
main part of the house. The other opened to a great sweep of lawn surrounded by forest.
There was no sign of a road or other houses, not even a telephone pole, and although
she listened intently, she couldnt hear any man-made sounds.
When they walked onto the grass and she looked back at the massive roofline, she
couldnt help but be impressed. Still, she couldnt reconcile Halls faded blue jeans and
scuffed running shoes to such an expensive place. If only she had some idea where they
were, whether there were neighbors, or if they could be trusted.
You do five miles most mornings, Hall said. Ill match your pace.
She couldnt keep her eyes off the more than a little intimidating wilderness beyond
the manicured grounds. Why are we doing this?
I need to get something out of my system, and youre no good to me if youre out
of shape.
He started walking. The lightweight chain was some ten feet long, and as he eased
froma walk into a jog, she decided they could run without getting into each others way.
Usually she wore a sports bra and felt self-conscious about the way her boobs jiggled up
and down. Breaking into a run to keep the collar from choking her, she tried to control
and cradle her breasts by cupping her hands under them. However, he picked up the
pace, forcing her to pump her arms in order to find a like rhythm.
They ran, not exactly as one but with the same confidence in the strength in their
legs, the same comfortable way of pulling air deep into their lungs. Even with the collar
and chain, she fell in love with running the way she always did. Head up, arms moving
in unison with the rest of her body, landing and taking off, hips glidingexcept for her
nudity, this was something shed done countless times.
Glancing over at Hall, she was surprised to sense the same contentment in him.
Whatever devils had compelled him to put on his running shoes, the process of
releasing the endorphins was keeping those devils under control.
There was a trail at the end of the lawn. He stepped onto it first, running ahead of
her. Feeling evergreens close in around her was a little disconcerting so she concentrated
on keeping her balance. She heard their shoes slap on the packed earth, watched the
interplay of shadow and light as the sun filtered down through the tree branches. Her
lungs burned a little, letting her know they were at a higher elevation than she was
accustomed to, not that the evergreens and crisp air hadnt already told her. She
imagined snow blanketing the earth in winter, wild animals hibernating. Maybe they
were nowhere near civilization.
The possibility distracted her enough so she barely saw the fallen branch in time to
leap over it. When Hall glanced back at her, the momentary eye contact broke her sense
of oneness with her surroundings. How could she be thinking about hibernating
creatures and winter storms when at the end of this run hed force her back into the
sub-terrain room?
What else did he have in mind? Did his intentions go no further than breaking down
her inhibitions until she didnt care what he did to her body? Until shed beg and cry for
a climax?
Shed been a fool not to think beyond her next drink of water, to consider herself
fortunate because Hall had allowed her to brush her teeth. From what hed told her, she
believed he intended to make her part of something larger than captor and captive. Hed
talked about nipple clamps and piercing her labia. What next, a tattoo, maybe branding?

Ashudder rippled through her and splintered her memory of their quick, hard fuck.
He didnt care about giving her pleasure; it was the last thing on his mind.
What was then?
Another shudder dried the sweat under her arms and down her back. A moment ago
her cheeks were hot, but now they felt cold. Look at this place they were in, this dark
wilderness with millions of trees crouching around her, holding her in.
She needed out! Had to get away!
Fighting panic, she studied his backside. The only thing that kept her with him was
the leather in his hand.
Aweapon! She needed a weapon.
Clinging to a half-formed plan, she grabbed the chain and jerked. As he stopped and
turned, she began fiddling with her shoe laces. Its too tight, she said. She made
herself sound more out-of-breath than she was. I have to loosen it.
He swiped sweat off the side of his neck. Drawing on her cop training, she reached
out, grabbed the branch shed spotted a moment ago, and surged to her feet. She came at
himswinging the branch like a baseball bat. He threw up his arms, but she managed to
connect with the side of his head. The loud thunk reverberated throughout the branch.
His head snapped back, and she swung again, this time striking his neck. Not giving
him time to recover, she yanked on the chain. For a horrible instant she thought hed
hold on, but then it came free.
Free!
She ran.
Almost as soon as she dove into the wilderness, she regretted taking the direction
she had because the trees were everywhere. She had to run in a zigzag pattern, not that
there was any pattern to it. Branches scraped her skin and without the path, the uneven
terrain forced her to keep her eyes on her feet instead of where she was going.
That was the problem. She didnt know where she was running. However, she felt
exhilarated. She was free! No hands on her, no man turning her body against her.
Shed hide in the forest and wait until night. She had a good sense of direction.
Surely
What looked like a fortress of trees was directly ahead of her. Disconcerted, she
stared around. Deciding the trees looked a little less dense to her left, she took off in that
direction. Her momentary exhilaration evaporated, leaving her with nothing except
dogged determination to not let her captor put any more ropes or chains on her.
Although she couldnt remember ever wanting anything more, she didnt dare do more
than jog. She was getting dizzy from alternating between watching her footing and
trying to see where she was going. She felt like a wounded rabbit trying to run from an
angry, determined wolf.
Was he after her? If only shed knocked himout!
Too late she realized the hated chain dragged on the ground. Shed started to reach
for it when it snagged on something and she went sprawling, her air supply cut off.
Even before she fully came to a rest, she started to scrabble around so she could free
herself.
Then she sawhis shoes. Sobbing, she crawled on hands and knees, but he got to the
end of the chain before she did. She watched his hand close around the leather loop,
then forced herself to look up at him.
Shed never seen that look on a human being before, not even with all her experience
dealing with people whose emotions were at the rawest. Unable to comprehend what he
was thinking, she waited.
What do you think you were doing? he demanded. This is BLM land. Tens of
thousands of acres of it. Howthe hell did you think you were going to survive?
Tens of thousands of nothing. The enormity of it stripped the strength from her legs.
His eyes deep and unfathomable, he pulled her to her feet.
Although she didnt want to, she again looked at him. At the same time, she was
unbelievably aware of the way his chestscant inches fromhersheated her breasts. He
pulled her roughly against him and wrapped his arms around her back, holding her
tight to him. They were both breathing rapidly, their hearts hammering almost as one.
If he hadnt overtaken her, shed have begun a journey to a long, slow death.
Gratitude washed over her and not questioning the wisdom of what she was doing,
she reached down and cupped her hands over his swollen cock She thought hed push
her off him, but he didnt.
Blood rushed to her groin. Unable to fathom what was happening to him, she
unzipped his jeans. It took no more than another second to push down his jeans and
briefs. Before she could put her splintered mind to what she should do next, he lifted
her right leg and angled it so her foot touched his ass. With his other hand at the small of
her back, he bent his knees until his cock was aimed at her cunt. Lost in the buzzing
inside her head and the equal buzzing she felt in her clit, she arched her pelvis toward
himand took himinto herall of him. Hard. Primal.
She nearly lost her balance when he thrust forward, but he held her in place and
drove again and again. She wanted, needed this! Wanted proof she was alive and
important to him beyond the receptacle her pussy represented. She felt his cock, hard
and hot, deep inside her and wondered if she could swallow him.
But it wasnt right for her.
Pulled back fromthe brink, she railed at both of thembecause theyd started fucking
before her pussy had had time to ready itself for him. She was barely moist. Between the
friction that caused and the impossible position she was it, she hung on the edge. He
was flying; she wasnt.
Get it over with! This isnt affirmation of anything. Its fucking. Only fucking.
Despite her anger, she nevertheless gave himwhat he needed by shoving her pelvis
at himat himover and over again and screaming silently at himto hurry, to get his rocks
off before she went insane.
He did, his cock swelling and jerking, letting go, drowning her pussy in his sex. His
cock was still spasming when he pulled out of her and let her put her leg down.
Were going back, was the last thing he said.

* * * * *
Hall paced from one end of the massive living room to the other. Afternoon was
drawing to a close. Before long, the basement would be darknearly as dark as he felt.
Finally, because he had no choice, he picked up his cell phone.
Nevan, Shanels former lover, picked up after the first ring. How is she? Nevan
asked.
Recently fucked. Alive.
What happened?
He told his fellow SHIT operative about her attempted escape but not about the
damn stupid way hed used her afterward. Even if he was of a mind to, how could he
explain what he didnt understand? You said it wouldnt be easy, he said when the
telling was over. She wouldnt break down.
What I said was, she has balls. Nevan sighed. Shell die before she knuckles
under. I made it clear.
Yeah, you did. Outside the shadows were lengthening. If he hadnt run her down,
shed be facing a night alone and naked in the forest. Thats why I thought shed work
because I could bring her close but not over the edge.
Why are you calling me? Im not coming there; I told you, thats one thing I wont
do.
Nevan was a complex mix of a professional operative and a caring man, something
Hall believed he no longer wasat least he had until hed taken responsibility for
molding Shanel.
I havent forgotten, he said. Did you hear? The timetable has been stepped up.
Everything we decided had to be done to her, it has to be compressed.
I heard. Nevan groaned. I hate this.
Youre the one who
I know! he interrupted. I gave up her name. You knowwhy.
Because of what was happening to the women who belonged to The Takers. I cant continue
doing what I have been, he told Nevan. That way will take too long to get her to where
those women are.
What are you going to do?
She has to knowmore, he said.
Let her in on it?
Hall closed his eyes and let the chair support him. I dont think I have a choice. The
reason I called youhow do you think shell take it?
Beyond wanting to rip both our lips off? I cant say. Damn, I wish I could but
Despite his impatience, Hall understood why Nevan couldnt give him the answer
he needed. There simply werent any guidelines.
Shell hate you, Nevan said.
Heres a bulletin. She already does.
Its better than being terrified of you.

* * * * *
When hed brought her back into the basement, Hall had removed her shoes and
cuffed her hands behind her but hadnt chained her to the bed. Once hed left, shed
paced back and forth, but although walking had helped dissipate a little of her pent-up
emotions, it hadnt done enough. Shed wanted to have sex with him. It just hadnt
worked out for her.
When shed grown tired of asking whose fault that had been, shed gone into the
bathroomand managed to turn on the faucet with her chin and lapped water like a dog.
She had no way of cleaning his cum off her thighs.
She hadnt wanted to get near the bed so had sat in the recliner with its assortment of
hooks and straps. Thinking about the possible uses for those things gave her the chills
so she watched the light fade fromthe windows.
If Hall hadnt caught up to her, shed be out theredeep in the woods. Thats why
shed initiated sex, because shed needed to showher gratitude in a way that didnt need
words.
She jumped and stood up when she heard the door open. He stepped toward her
stalking reallyand despite herself, she inched back.
Where do you think youre going?
No where, she admitted. No where. What are you going to do?
Anything I want. You understand, dont you?
Yes. To her disgust, her cunt grewhot. Was she getting off on his dominance?
I want you to think about something. As hed done before, he folded his arms
across his naked chest, his gesture saying he had all the time in the world for this. You
ran because you remember what freedom is like. You want it back, dont you?
Yes. She had to work at not stuttering.
But what if weeks had passed, months? If you hadnt known anything except this
room and the collar around your neck for months, would you have still tried to get
away?
Oh God, oh God! I dont know.
I can turn you on whenever I want to; you cant deny the truth, can you?
Her legs were turning to mush. It took everything in her to remain standing. I
havent seen all your tricks yet. Some of themmight not work.
She could tell he wanted to laugh. Oh, believe me, those tricks, as you call them, are
proven. Theyre what would keep you here, waiting to see what Im going to do to you
next, loving being turned on.
If you think I get off on that crap, youre an idiot.
Really? All right, so you say you dont like my touching you. You want to make a
bet?
No! Its a bet Ill lose. The only thing Ive learned is youre a sexual sadist. From the
way his nostrils flared, she knew shed gotten to him. Getting me all hot and bothered
but not allowing me releasewhat the hell is it about?
So youll understand what kind of men they are, what theyre capable of.
What was he talking about? Somehow she knew she didnt want to knowbut it was
going to happen anyway.
So far youve only had a taste of what they get off on; it isnt enough.
Enough? For what?
For what youre going to do.
This isnt making any sense!
Not now. But it will. Were going upstairs. Theres something you have to see.



Chapter Nine

Shanel hadnt had any expectations about the living room, but one look told her the
houses owner was wealthy. The carpet was a rich green and so dense she felt as if she
was gliding on it. Most of the furniture was white which made a striking contrast to the
carpet. Although she wasnt an art expert, she recognized oil paintings and water colors
when she saw them, and there were a half dozen one-of-a-kind modernistic arts on the
cream walls. She found the decor rather stark, probably because she didnt want to be
here.
She was still naked; maybe that wouldnt change for as long as she was with him. At
least hed gotten rid of the cuffs although she couldnt dismiss the reality of his grip on
the neck chain. He ordered her to sit facing the TV. After fastening the end of the chain to
the chair leg, he placed a tape in the VCR and sat near her.
This was taken from a hidden camera used at the headquarters of a group called
The Takers which functions as a pyramid scheme, he told her. I work for an
organization hired by disillusioned clients who invested in what The Takers presented.
Our assignment is to expose The Takers and put an end to them.
The cop instincts and need for detail shed thought belonged to the life shed lived
before her kidnapping clicked into high gear. Who ran the camera? she asked.
Lets just say we convinced himto work with us as an informant, something he was
somewhat willing to do because The Takers were screwing him.
Over what?
He was providing a service which youll soon understand. Halls expressive eyes
darkened. One he believed he wasnt being adequately compensated for.
She didnt want to have anything to do with this, but if she refused to look at the
tape, shed never know why shed been ripped from her lifeor what shed have to do
to get it back.
The picture quality isnt the best, he said. And some of the words are garbled,
but youll get it.
She gripped the chair rest and leaned forward. Despite her position as a prisoner,
excitement ran through as it had back when shed been investigating crimes and
arresting suspects.
The opening camera work showed shoes and slacks belonging to five men. There
was male laughter. Other than that, she couldnt tell what was going on. Then whoever
was running the camera repositioned it; everything jumped. When things cleared, she
saw torsos and the cropped heads of the two shortest men. All held drinks. Some wore
suits and ties while others were more casually dressed.
These are The Takers? she asked.
Yeah. The camera is tucked in the informants shirt which is why the angle is low.
Everyone seemed to be talking at once, probably because their tongues had been
loosened by alcohol. One man seemed incapable of speaking below a bellow, and he
was talking about some real estate investment which was turning out well for him. He
was constantly being interrupted. She decided they sounded like bragging boys, each
trying to outdo the others.
They do a lot of bragging, Hall said.
Is that what brought themtogether, seeing who can out-boast the other?
Initially. Then they went a step further. More than one step. These are powerful
men, Shanel. Powerful and arrogant. Made that way by their wealth.
Hall hated them; she had no doubt. Do they own this place? she asked. The
question made her uneasy.
No. It belongs to one of our clients.
A client whod made it possible for Hall to bring her here. Who was the enemy, the men she was
watching or those Hall worked with?
Listen, Hall said. Things are going to change.
She heard a voice she hadnt before; it sounded so close, she guessed it was whoever
had the camera. The first was garbled. Then, dont have all night. You men want to
see the merchandise or not?
The conversations tailed off, and she could tell the wealthy men were looking at the
speaker. Yeah, a man wearing a dark blue suit and red power tie said. We want. It
better be better than the last worthless piece of ass you brought us.
Just like that, Shanel felt cold. Piece of ass? Thats what I am?
Listen!
Everything went out of focus for a moment. She heard footsteps. Hes going out to
the car to get her, Hall said.
Had the temperature of this green and white room gone down? A car door on the
tape squeaked open. Then everything became crystal clear. In the dim interior light, she
saw a naked, big breasted woman huddled in the far corner. The woman had a gag in
her mouth and was blindfolded. The gag was a twin of the one Hall had used on her.
The informant grabbed the woman and hauled her out. She tried to stand, but with
her hands cuffed behind her and her legs cuffed close together, she swayed and would
have fallen if the man didnt have a hold on her.
Shanels heart pounded; she couldnt speak.
As it had in the car, the camera panned over the woman, showing her in all her nude
helplessness. Everything went out of focus again; then Shanel saw the man had released
the womans ankles. Like some animal being led to slaughter, she stumbled along as the
man led her inside.
It gets worse, Hall said. You need to know.
What she needed was a stiff drink and a way out of this nightmare. Because she
didnt have access to either of those things, Shanel concentrated on breathing as the
woman was placed in the center of the room, and the men gathered around. Power-tie
man hefted her breasts. Whered you get her? he asked.
In another state, the informant said. Thats all you need to know.
Whos looking for her?
They dont know whether to declare her missing or wait for her to come back. The
way I set up things, it looks like she embezzled some money at work and decided to
split.
Everyone laughed. Another man, this one with long, thin fingers and manicured
nails rammed his hand between the womans legs. Shit, he announced. Shes wet.
Howd you do that?
Training, the informant said. Shes so hot youd think she was in heat.
Shanel was out of her chair before she remembered the chain. Holding the restraint
out for Hall to see, she glared at him. You bastard! You absolute bastard.
Sit down. It isnt over.
Still furious, she did as she was told. Then she clamped one hand around the chair
armand held the other to her throat where the thin, necklace-like collar lay. She felt sick.
Because shed missed some of what was being said, it took her a moment to catch
up. It soon became evident the informantor slaver as she now thought of himwas
trying to negotiate a higher price for the woman. The Takers, however, showed no sign
of giving in.
You arent in a position to negotiate, power-tie man said. And threatening us isn
t going to get you anywhere. You arent going to the cops. You dont dare with
everything we have on you, the safeguards weve taken to protect ourselves.
You think you can get anyone else to do this? the slaver retorted. Try hiring
some junkie to snatch a bitch and see what happens. Hell screw it up, and itll all come
down on you.
No, it wont. Power-tie man walked up to the woman and pulled nipple clips and
a chain out of his jacket pocket. Shanel closed her eyes to keep frombeing sick.
Look, Hall said. You need to understand.
Why? Why me?
Listen. Look.
Despite the awful knot in her belly, she did. Someone removed the womans
blindfold, and she stared at the clips and chain as if they were the only thing in the
world. When the man tried to fasten one to her breast, she jerked back, making a
mewling sound. Two men grabbed her and shoved her into a chair. Although she
resisted, they easily tied her hands and feet to the chair, the leg fastenings wide so her
cunt was exposed. Shanels own pussy became uncomfortably warm.
Nowthat the woman was held in place, power-tie man had no trouble fastening the
clips to her large, erect nipples. The moment the clips clamped down, the woman tried
to buck out of the chair. Then she relaxed, all strength seeming to flow out of her. Shanel
heard the captives quickened breathing. The camera panned in on the womans pussy.
Shed been shaved there; moisture glistened on her labia and a drop oozed onto the
chair seat. An indistinct dark red tattoo was in the shaved area. The men laughed.
Power-tie man hooked the thin gold chain to each clip and tugged. Once again the
woman bucked.
Like it, do you, bitch? someone asked. Would you look at those knockers? A
man could get lost in them.
Or suffocate trying to suck on them.
The comment caused everyone to laugh. After each man had a turn at tweaking the
nipple chain, a man Shanel hadnt noticed before removed the womans gag. She started
to say something but he ordered her to be silentas Hall had done to her.
Are they going to rape her? she asked.
Shell ask for it.
Dont play word games! Her head felt as if it was splitting. Shed worked with
female abuse victims and knew how helpless they felt, but what was being done to the
womanand had been done to herwas different. Because Hall had known how to
awaken her body sexually, she no longer feared what he might do to her; instead, she
anticipated it.
Its almost over, Hall said.
Almost over. And then what? Unnerved, Shanel watched as the man whod ungagged
the woman gave her a drink. The woman swallowed greedily and spread her legs as far
as theyd go. Shanel was disgusted with her, and yet she understood.
As the video grew dim, the man knelt between the womans legs and licked her
swollen clit.

* * * * *
Its time to talk about it, Hall said.
They were sitting at the kitchen table eating the salad and rolls shed made while he
watched, undoubtedly to make sure she didnt try to use the knife on him. Except for the
skewed balance of power between them, they looked like any ordinary couple sharing a
mealand her nudity.
Willing herself not to shudder, she nodded.
First, the informant, he said. We recently arranged to have himarrested.
We?
The group Ima member of. We call ourselves SHIT.
SHIT? Why?
It seems appropriate for the work we take on. Im not going to tell you about the
other members, so dont ask.
Why did you have the informant arrested?
Although he was cooperating, we needed himout of the way.
Why?
So I could step in.
Another familiar wave of nausea washed over her; whatever Hall was involved in,
so was she. And she now understood what her role would be. Who will The Takers
think you are?
He put down his fork and looked at her. Aslaver specializing in sex slavery.
Why? she demanded when shed recovered enough so she could speak. You
you get off on it? Is it the money?
No. He drew out the word. Im doing this because The Takers have to be
stopped.
Was he some kind of undercover investigator? No, that couldnt be because no arm
of law enforcement would condone what had already happened to her and what she
feared might still come.
I thought youd want to knowwhy they have to be stopped.
I dont care! It isnt my concern.
It is now, he said, telling her what she already knew.
Why me? she blurted, her appetite gone. The neck chain dangled between her
legs, no longer under his control. The knife shed used for the salad was in the sink.
Alot of reasons. One of themis because youre a cop.
Not any more. Dismissing the knife, she stared at him. All right. She forced out
the words. Tell me something about The Takers.
Hed just put down his own fork when his cell phone rang. Hall pulled it off the clip
on his waistband and glanced at the number display. Hell leave a message.
He?
Another member of SHIT. The Takersthere are five of theminitially came
together because they all belonged to the same hunting club. They raise hounds and
other hunting dogs and go after game on private preserves.
Its legal?
Up to a point. Shanel, the club isnt whats important.
Maybe not, but it helps me understand what kind of men they are.
Good point. After several years of hunting together, their relationship expanded.
As Im sure youve already surmised, theyre men with disposable income, but theyre
more than just sporting enthusiasts. Theres a construction equipment supplier, the
chairman of a bank with five brancheshes the real driving force. Another develops
world-class golf courses throughout the Northwest.
Garpwell! she exclaimed. It has to be him.
Hall gave a curt nod. You get the point. These are men accustomed to power.
According to the papers, last winter Loring Garpwell bought a low income mobile
home park and evicted the residents so he could level the park. Buying their ramshackle
trailers for pennies on the dollar was his generous way of easing the shock of the eviction.

Youre well informed.

Not enough. She touched the collar. If Id been more aware, this wouldnt have
happened.
One thing The Takers are into is putting money in foreign banks as a way of
avoiding having to declare it, he said. Specifically in Mexico. And the money isnt
theirs. It belongs to our clients. He reached across the table and after a moment, she let
him take her hand. When his fingers closed over hers, she felt both trapped and
comforted. The less you know about who SHIT works for the better. He squeezed her
hand. You knowwhat a pyramid scheme is, dont you?
Something that looks like an investment company or corporation. Investors are
promised a high rate of return, but it doesnt happen. Instead, the crooks use the initial
investments to cook the books and thus draw in more business. In the end, unless the
crooks are caught, the money is never seen again.
Right. Only in this case, The Takers arent the only ones determined to stay one
step ahead of the IRS. So are SHITs clients.
Because theyre using their companys money, not their own, right?
He nodded and she couldnt help but take pride in his look of admiration. SHITs
clients arent the most ethical, but they arent the ones ruining lives. The Takers are. One
client, a basically decent man, just committed suicide. His family and company is
starting to put things together, but before it happens, The Takers will bury the funds
even deeper than they already have.
The ramifications of what shed just learned were getting larger and more
complicated. What does this have to do with me? she asked.



Chapter Ten

Instead of answering her, Hall had listened to the message on his cell phone.
Whatever hed heard had turned his expression even more sober. He started for the
living room, then indicated he wanted her to follow him.
I dont want to have to force you, he said. Id like to believe youre thinking like a
cop now.
She got to her feet and faced him, not trying to cover her muff or breasts. A naked
cop whos been drugged and tied.
Now you knowwhy, he said and left the room.
Against all reason, her gaze settled on his jeans-clad ass. Damn but the man was put
together well. Not bothering to ask what he wanted from her, she joined him and curled
up on the white couch. After everything hed done to her, how much hed seen of her,
being naked didnt matter. He sat at the other end of the couch.
We dont yet know enough to pull the plug on the operation, he said. We need
proof of how the moneyits always cashgets into Mexico and where its being kept.
Until we have all the pieces, we cant go to the police.
What about your clients? They dont want the exposure.
Its taken SHIT awhile to convince themof this, but they now know they dont have
a choice. What theyre banking on is if the attorney general understands they committed
their resources and risked their reputations to expose The Takers, theyll be able to keep
their involvement out of the press.
Of course. They dont want to look stupid.
Or be charged with theft and tax evasion.
She waved off what didnt matter a damn to her. Even with everything shed been
trying to assimilate, she hadnt forgotten what shed seen on the tape. Just thinking about
the woman having her breasts clamped made her own nipples ache.
Where do I come in?
Youre willing
Imnot promising anything! Damn it, why did you want to make me part of this?
Not want. We didnt have a choice.
Bull shit!
He took hold of her foot and drew it to him. She felt, not imprisoned but incredibly
aware of her body. Like I said, he continued. We dont know enough to go to the
attorney general. Until weve uncovered the money trail
You want me to apply for the job of mule? Fuck it.
As if determined to make her reconsider, he pressed his thumbs into her instep. She
felt the pressure all the way up her legs, ending in her cunt.
The women know.
What wono! she gasped as reality sank in. She tried to pull free, but his hold
was too strong. No! she repeated. I cant This is what this has been about. She
held up the chain. It took all her willpower not to throw it, which would have been
stupid because it was fastened to her neck. Youyoure trying to turn me into one of
them. The Takers sex slave.
I was.
Was? What changed things?
Because of the suicide, the timeframe has changed. We have to stay ahead of the
police investigation.
Shanel pressed the heel of her hand against her forehead. Hed be surprised if she
didnt have a headache; he sure as hell did. However, that wasnt the only thing he felt
as evidenced by the growing bulge in his jeans. Shit! Could it bewas it possible
talking to her intelligent human being to intelligent human being was a turn-on? When
was the last time that had happened between himand a woman?
Dohowmany women do The Takers have? she asked
It varies.
Varies? She spat out the word. What happens to them when theyre retired? They
leave to become dental technicians?
No.
No, she repeated and repositioned herself on the couch so she was facing him
with both legs stretched toward him. She slid her hands between her legs and cupped
her pussy. This is all Id be to them, wouldnt I? A piece of ass. Acunt to use and abuse.
Andand because they wouldnt see me as a human being, because you would have
stripped everything from me and left me with nothing except wanting to be fucked
they might say things in my presence they shouldnt. Details. Facts and figures. Places.
Names.
Wondering if she had any idea how much he hated himself at this moment, he
nodded.
Say it, Hall, she insisted, her hand still on herself. Drawme a picture.
He could lose her; he and the other SHIT members had known how critical this
moment would be. Theyd convinced themselves that once hed completed her training,
the former cop would be willing to do anything in exchange for a climax. What
God-damn fools theyd been!
The women
Not women, Hall, she interrupted. Thats not how The Takers think of them. Say
it howit is, cunts, whores.
The women, he insisted. Theyre kept at the mansion all the time.
Like a harem?
Like a harem, he agreed although that was white-washing the truth. Sometimes
theyre placed in cages.
Her lips trembled. Her fingers on her pussy twitched, and he had no doubt she was
stimulating herself as a way of keeping her fear and disgust at bay. Hell, hed love to
help.
The women, she whispered. They must knowa lot.
We think they do, he admitted. Probably not at first but after awhile, when The
Takers are convinced the women are malleable, we believe they stop monitoring what
they say around them.
Like they were dogs or pieces of furniture. How can you have anything to do with
this? How? She yanked her foot free and surged to her feet. She all but ran to the door
and tried to turn it, but of course hed locked it. He followed her but forced himself not
to grab her. Damn but it was hard not to with her breasts calling to him and her pussy a
playground waiting to be explored.
When she sank to her knees and covered her face with her hands, he didnt know
what to do so stood there, waiting.
Whatwhat happens to the women when the men grow tired of them? she asked.
Or if they refuse to be used?
Shit. Shit. I think you know.
She nodded. II was going to ask why The Takers are soso depraved, but I dont
have to. They can do this. Its part of the power they get off on.
He joined her on the carpet and wrapped his arms around her. She wasnt crying,
maybe because what she felt and now understood went beyond simple emotion. They
get off on power, he told her. They have to be stopped.
When she lifted her head, her mouth was so close that their proximity hit him like a
fist to his groin. He should be used to her impact on him by now, shouldnt he? But,
damn it, it had been so long since hed felt. Cared.
I dont give a damn about SHITs clients, she whispered, her gaze locked on his
mouth. Despite his rocketing emotions, he knewthat was the worst thing she could have
said. If she wasnt committedDetermined to get to her, he shifted his grip to under her
arms and pushed her back so the door supported her. Harsher than hed intended, he
covered her breasts and closed down.
You dont care that those bastards are getting rich and our clients are being
destroyed financially, committing suicide?
No. She made no move to free herself. Dont you get it, no.
Damn it, Shanel! I cant believe
Go on, she retorted, her gaze locked on what he was doing to her breasts. If you
think this is going to change my mind, squeeze my boobs. Stick another dildo up my
pussy and make me beg. But although maybe I will beg, I wont change.
Feeling helpless, he let up on the pressure.
I cant think about powerful and arrogant men, she whispered. Not even those
you call your clients. All that matters to me are those helpless women.
Deep inside him something shook and started to come to life. Fearful of its escape
and onslaught on his sanity, he leaned toward Shanel and ran his tongue over her throat.
She sighed and turned her head to the side. Taking it as an invitation, he drew her up
toward himuntil her so inviting breasts were flattened against his chest. The moment he
did, he knew hed made a mistake. Thinking of her as a tool in SHITs war against evil
had been his rock, his protection fromfeeling.
I dont want you, she said. But I do. Its your fault. Your trickstechniquesI
feel as if Imon fire.
What man wouldnt accept such an invitation?
He could take her anywhere in the overpriced house and make her forget the
basement, but he didnt trust his legs to support him so, like her, he remained on his
knees. Shed admitted she was on fire, but she wasnt the only one. Because he wasnt
ready to show her how vulnerable he was, he draped her arms over his shoulders. The
moment he sucked in a nipple, she made a throaty sound. Taking as much of her inside
himas possible, he ran his tongue over and under the now-puckered nub. She groaned
again, arching her back in invitation. He wrapped his arms around her waist. She
increased her grip on his shoulders, and he folded himself over her, licking her nipple,
her breast, bathing her with his saliva.
She continued to give way before him, and he eased up long enough for her to bring
her legs in front of her, then came at her again, forcing her to throw her arms behind her
for support. He slid between her legs and braced his hands on her thighs. If she wanted,
she could jump to her feet and run.
To where? The house was locked up.
It didnt matter, didnt matter. As long as she allowed him
God but she tasted sweet! Her flesh was salty because shed sweated during their
runand when shed tried to escapebut it only added to the heat in his cock, his
whole damn pelvis.
Maybe he could do this forever, bathe one and then the other breast, repeating
himself over and over again until hed driven her mad. But while he was still making his
decision, she scooted away and rested her back against the door again. Now that her
hands were free, she took hold of his head and guided it toward her pussy.
I wantto be sucked.
Much as he wanted to accommodate her, it was awkward this way so he stood and
drewher up to him. Then he carried her into the bedroom hed been using. He sat her on
the rumpled coverlet with her legs over the side. Kneeling before her made him feel
vulnerable and reminded himof how vulnerable hed forced her to be. Too late. He had
to do this.
Her legs trembled and he could smell her liquid heat, but instead of opening herself
to him, she sat with her knees pressed together. If this had been all about him, he would
have pushed her onto her down and taken her missionary style, gotten off as hard and
quick as hed done before. But those two abrupt explosions, although satisfying on an
elemental level, had left himdisgusted with himself. He was no longer a horny teenager;
hed become a mana man who should understand what a woman needed.
Holding tight to his insane resolve to give her what she deserved, he slid his hands
along the inside of her thighs and slowly opened her to him. Her cunt was already
swollen, her hard and reddened clit begging to be taken. The world, the phone call from
Brad saying a womans nude and tied body had been found along a seldom-used road,
all that disappeared. He started to ask himself how Beth had liked it, then forcefully
dismissed his dead wife fromhis mind; this was about Shanel.
About himand her.
She must have gotten over her hesitancy about letting him touch her core because
while hed been arguing with himself, shed splayed her legs and planted her feet on the
bed-frame which lifted her enough so her playground lay before him. He came at her
without thinking, his tongue reaching. The moment he touched her nether lips, she
threwback her head and sucked in air. He toyed with her labia for awhile, bathing there
as hed bathed her breasts, taking her in his mouth and sucking.
She sobbed and tried to grab hold of his hair. However, when she did, she nearly
lost her balance and went back to supporting herself on her braced arms. He ran his
tongue all over her cunt, tasting and testing everything except her clit. He deliberately
left it alone.
Hall! she gasped. Please.
Youre ready? he asked, his head still between her legs.
Yes! Oh God, yes!
Getting her to come was such an easy thing. Yesterday hed lighted a fire in her, and
now all it took was breathing on the embers to send her over the edge. Maybe shed
always be like this, hot and alive.
Shaking off the question, he ran his tongue feather-light over her clit. Her
responding shudder seemed to touch every part of her, shaking her legs and arms,
making her breasts jut toward him. He was aware of those things but only dimly
because giving her what she needed and deserved took so much attention. He gave her
a few seconds in which to recover a little of her equilibrium and then gently closed his
mouth around her clit. She shuddered again and tried to pull back. He didnt let her,
held her in his moist mouth and pushed his tongue over the throbbing bud.
Careful not to hurt her, he released her clit and blew on it. She all but lifted her
buttocks off the bed and then sagged. He leaned away so he could run his middle finger
deep inside her. He then bent his finger and rubbed the top of her cunt. Crying, she fell
back. With his finger still inside her, he once again closed in on her clit and brushed it
with his tongue.
All it took was a single touch, but he stayed with her as her climax rolled on and on,
small explosions one after the other until, finally, she threw out her arms and lay
splayed and still.

* * * * *
Oh God. Oh God. Maybe Imdead.
Too weak to so much as contemplate moving, Shanel stared at the ceiling. She still
hung half over the bed; her crotch was sticky with her juices. She needed to see where
Hall was, but she dreaded meeting his eyes and seeing his intimate knowledge of her in
them.
Nevan had never made her feel like this, never. As for masturbationwell, it wasnt
in the same league with what Hall had done to her.
Done to her? Was she a puppet hed manipulated?
No, she answered her own question. Shed wanted this, begged for it if she was
remembering correctly.
Well, she acknowledged as she turned her head and began taking in her world, she
d gotten what shed asked for all right.
She didnt see Hall until she sat up. He was still kneeling on the floor, his eyes
glazed, one hand cupped over his crotch. Should she ask if he wanted her to do to him
what hed just done? Did she have the courage?
No.
Youre satisfied? he asked and got to his feet.
Yes, she managed.
Good. He turned his back on her.
Where are you going? she asked.
I need to return that call. Theres a shower in the bathroom.
Feeling dismissed, she walked on leaden legs into the bathroom. She found herbal
scented shampoo and body wash; one of the towels was decorated with flowers.
Curious, she opened the cabinets and found womens deodorant, hand and face cream,
even an open box of sanitary napkins. However, most of the items were designed for
men, making her wonder if women only came here occasionally.
The question was too complex for her drained mind to contemplate so she turned on
the water and when it was warm, she stepped in and closed the glass door. She didnt
want to compare this shower with the last one shed taken but couldnt stop the
memories. Now she was going about the practical and practiced business of
shampooing, soaping, rinsing. Before, Hall had turned it into a sensual experience
which highlighted his control over her, his ability to turn her on at will and bring her to
the brink.
No longer just to the brink, she realized as she washed between her legs. She still
didnt fully understand what had changed between them; maybe it was enough to
acknowledge he was no longer preparing her for something she wanted no part of, no
longer simply training her. Instead, he sawher for what she was, a woman. Ahuman.
Training. Training.

* * * * *
She found himin the living room sitting on the white couch. He held his cell phone
as if he hated it, and although he looked at her as she walked in, she didnt think he was
aware shed draped a towel around her.
What is it? she asked. So much needed to be said, so many things decided. If his
call had complicated things
You dont want to know.
Does it involve me?
Yeah.
Then you cant leave me in the dark, she said and sat on the opposite side of the
couch. The last time theyd done that, things had ended with his sucking her to climax.
You said you needed to return a call. What was the message?
The specifics dont matter. He placed the phone on the end table and fixed his
gaze on her. You feel better? The shower helped?
Who did you talk to?
Brad, the man who developed and designed this operation. Hed left a message
about a possible development. Nowhes sure.
How long had it been since Hall had shaved? The stubble made him look as if he
was in perpetual shadow. His chest hair wasnt quite as dark and softly curled.
Someday, somehow, shed run her hands, her mouth over his chest. Taste him. Sure of
what? she finally remembered to ask.
Of the bodys identity. He reached out as if to touch her, then withdrew. The
message said a nude and bound womans body had been found just over the state line.
Back then, her identity was unknown; there was no way of determining whether shed
belonged to The Takers.
Belonged. She all but spat the word. Now you know?
Yeah, damn it. Brad took the slaver to the morgue. He identified her as a woman he
d sold to The Takers last month. He glanced at the wall clock. Her familys probably
being told now.
Even as she struggled with horror, the cop in her came to life. The body was part of
a case. A crime had been committed. It was her job to identify and arrest the killer.
Excited now in a way that had a lot in common with the sexual awareness Hall had
infused in her, she slid around until she faced him. Doing so caused the towel to inch up
her thighs, close to exposing her pussy. What did it matter? It wasnt as if Hall hadnt
already seenand tastedwhat she had to offer. Let himdeal with it!
How do you feel about it? she asked. Knowing The Takers have killed someone,
do you feel as if you and the rest of SHIT have failed?
She isnt the first one.
His words rocked her. It took all her self-control not to clamp her hand over her
mouth. Instead, she lay it in her lap, probably too close to her cunt.
Howmany?
At least three. Maybe as many as five.
The nightmare kept growing. And youre letting it happen! Damn it, what is it? Whats
a few womens lives in the scheme of things? As long as you get your clients money
back, its all you care about?
Shed jumped to her feet without being aware of it. The sudden movement
dislodged the towel, and it started sliding off. She grabbed it and held it over her
breasts.
No, thats not all I care about. Hall spoke without emotion. I dont want this.
Damn it, you have to knowI dont.
I dont knowanything about you.
Except I can tongue you to climax.
What was that about? Still holding onto her towel, she backed away. Putting distance
between themhelpeda little. You should have told me what you wanted me from the
beginning, she said. If Id known, we wouldnt have had to go through all this shit.
To emphasize her point, she held up the chain. The city might have given me two
months severance pay, but Im still a cop. Whats been happening to those women
Fighting to keep her revulsion tamped down briefly took all her strength. Soon,
however, she drew on her training and thought like a law enforcement agent, not a
woman. Howsoon can you get me in there? she asked.
He got to his feet. Tomorrow.
Tomorrow. The word was a noose around her neck, one she had to accept, not fight.
Youre still willing to go through with this? he asked.
Isnt it a moot question? If you wanted, you could force me.
No, I couldnt, not with what you know, your will. If Id had time He shoved his
hands in his pockets. I had my doubts. Fromthe beginning, I didnt knowif Brads plan
was going to work, but what the hell choice did we have? The only person The Takers
wouldnt suspect was a slave.
Sex slave.
Yes. Someone whod been trained to
She didnt hear any more. She felt exhausted but couldnt put her mind to sitting
down again. Let me get this straight. The plan was to break me down and make me so
hungry for sex, I didnt care what anyone did as long as I was able to get off? Why
couldnt I just go undercover?
Because the women need to accept you. See you as one of them.
The women, not just The Takers. Why hadnt she realized that before? All right, she
managed. NowI get it. Theyre the only ones who might talk about what they know
but only to someone they believe is one of them.
He nodded.
The imaginary noose tightened. And The Takers would have to buy it too. Theyd
knowif it was an act.
Another nod.
This is a nightmare. She waited for him to agree, but he only studied her. Tell
me. What did you have planned for the rest of my training?
Why?
Why do I want to know? Damn it, Hall. Do I have to spell it out?
No, he muttered and sat down again. Taking his cue, she did the same. Her arm
was growing weary fromholding the towel over her boobs so she let it slip to her lap.
Youre willing to go through with it? he asked.
Willing? I have to. What I saw being done to that womanthe dead ones



Chapter Eleven

No matter how hard he tried, Hall couldnt keep his eyes off Shanels breasts. He
briefly wondered if she was exposing them on purpose, but after studying her body
language, he had no doubt her mind was on other things.
The hell of it was, he didnt want to go there with her.
One of the reasons we picked up the slaver, he said, was so hed tell me his
techniques.
She folded her arms under her breasts. You were a damn good student. It was
working. Depriving me of my senses, bringing me to the edgeis that what he did to all
of the women he kidnapped?
As far as we could tell. He took a moment to gather his thoughts and in the end
decided to hold nothing back. If she panicked and tried to run, maybe hed let her. In
truth, he wanted nothing more than to showher the door.
He goes by the name Hew Smith these days. Hes been coughing up aliases for so
long were still working at tracking down his real name, not that it matters. Were not
sure howhe got into the business
The sex slavery business?
Yeah. Hes tried other careers. Bodyguard, bouncer, pimp. Hes dealt drugs, but
the gig landed him in prison twice. Pimping brought him in contact with men who
wanted more than to pay for a hooker.
Men who wanted to buy women.
Right. He hated it because they were on the same page. At the same time, he had
to admire her determination to get the facts no matter how disgusting they were. We
havent dug back all the way. As far as we can tell, hes cut all ties to his life before he
picked up thisthis trade.
Wise of him. Hes less likely to leave tracks. So somehow he and The Takers
connected?
He found them after they put out some feelers. Hed come highly recommended
because he supplies quality merchandise.
Merchandise! Theyre human beings.
Imusing his words so youll understand the world he lives in. The world you and
I are going to step into tomorrow.
A little of the color went out of her cheeks. He didnt bother to point out that the
towel was nowon the floor.
Tomorrow, she whispered. Soso you interrogated him after you got him
arrested. He was willing to pass on his techniques?
With persuasion.
Shed placed her hand over her throat and was absentmindedly fingering the collar.
Hate didnt begin to describe how he felt right now. She should be showing houses
today, not this.
Tell me about those techniques. If Im going to play my role, I have to know
everything.
No misgivings. Youre sure?
Hell, yes, I have misgivings! Its taking everything I have not to get the hell out of
here. She clutched the chain. And if you think this would stop metell me.
Because neither of them had a choice, he did. Holding nothing back, he explained
Hewtook great pride in preparing a captive for her role as a sex slave. He always began
the same way, by snatching a woman fromthe world she knewand felt safe in. He had a
remote cabin where he took thembut went far afield to find his targets as he called them.

Never picked a broad from my neighborhood, hed said proudly. Only a fool
would. Outta state is best. Take her a long way, blindfolded, gagged, and tied so all she
knows is the miles are piling up.
It worked, Shanel whispered. It nearly did me in. I felt so cut off. She closed her
eyes. Does Hewhurt the women?
Yeah.
Rape them?
Yes. Hewhad called sex his bonus.
But you didnt. She was still whispering. You told me you werent going to hurt
me, and I believed you. IIm not sure I would have survived without that. I thought
you said he taught you to do it his way.
Imnot made like him, he said and stood up. He walked to the far end of the room
before turning around. She looked so damn innocent and inviting curled up naked on
the white couch, her light tan contrasting with the pristine fabric. His cock stirred.
Then, by his standards, you were making a mistake, right?
Right.
Werent you afraid it will backfire? You didnt make me feel like an object. Close
but notnot the way I would have if youd raped and beaten me.
The image shed painted made him sick to his stomach. Dimly he knew he hadnt
felt this intensely in years, but because he didnt know how to handle the emotion, he
forced it away. Hew did other things, he said. Things that had the same effect as
physical abuse. The bottom line was, he knew how to toy with a woman until shed do
anything for a climax. Its what The Takers want.
As he expected, she recoiled. She bit her lip and even from here he could see she
was pressing so hard into her throat she was leaving marks.
What things, Hall?
Nevan and Brad had called her courageous, but they hadnt come close. Much as he
wanted to fuck her senseless and lose his mind in the process, he couldnt put off the
truth.
You sawthe clips. We talked about piercing.
Y-es.
Have you ever seen a fucking machine?
No. She breathed loudly. But Ive heard of them.
Hewhad one hed designed. He drew me a picture. He ties the woman so she cant
move. Then he puts part of the machine up her cunt and turns it on. It can run for hours.

Damn, damn, damn. Like a vibrator?

Like a vibrator on steroids. Its operated by a small motor. Its tireless.
Youyou were going to do that to me?
No, he wanted to bellow. Hopefully
Hopefully Id turn into a hot cunt without you having to resort to it. What else?
What else was in Hews bag of tricks? Branding. Tattoos. The Takers love it.
She started shaking her head, a slow, laborious rhythm. Where is he?
Where he cant even think about making bail.
She walked over to where he was, clamped her fingers around his arms, and dug in.
When this is over, I want to see him. For it to be just himand me.
Police brutality? He tried to make it a joke.
For a start.
She didnt have to keep gripping him; it wasnt like he was going anywhere.
Although his arms were going numb, he didnt free himself. Hed wanted to be this close
to her since she walked out of the bathroom. Giving in to instinct, he closed his hands
over her hips and pulled her against him, letting her feel his erection.
Tomorrow, she whispered. I have to be ready by tomorrow.
Yes.
So I canso I can fool The Takers and convince the women Imone of them.
Yes.
Soso those poor women will tell me what they know.
Yes.
She stood on tiptoe and brought her mouth close to his. It wasnt the first time shed
made him feel as if he was breaking apart inside but this time was worse because he
knewsomething she didntsomething that would make her hate him. You dont want
to do this, he managed. He wasnt sure which of themhe was talking to.
No. Her warm breath touched his lips and chin. I dont. II dont want to care
about you.
Then get the hell away fromme before its too late.
Tell me, Hall, she said and settled back onto the soles of her feet. Her breasts
continued to caress his naked chest, and she had to feel his cock against her belly. You
dont want to care about me either, do you?
You need to hate and fear me, he told her. If theyre going to buy our
relationship, its the way it has to be.
I do, she whispered. Imafraid of you, but not for the reasons they think.
He didnt know what the hell she meant, but shed made such an emotional and
sexual mess out of him he wasnt sure he knew anything about anything. Had the
balance of power shifted completely? Was it possible? Could she be manipulating him?
The Takers get off on intimidation, he said. The Takers told Hewthey wanted the
girls to cower, to beg.
And if they didnt?
I think we both knowthe answer.
He waited for her to let go; shed have to be the first one to make the move because
he sure as hell didnt remember how. Instead, she slid a hand between themand cupped
it around his cock. It was too damn dangerousat least for him.
Dont, he ordered and pulled her hand off him. She stepped away and turned her
back on him. Although he should have let her go, he snaked his arm around her and
pulled her off-balance toward him so her back pressed against his chest. Instead of
trying to fight free, she reached behind her and began running her hands up and down
his thighs.
Not giving a damn about the risk, he shifted his grip so one arm was over her
breasts; he applied enough pressure so she would have fallen backward if he hadnt
been there. Once he had her where he wanted herif this was indeed what he wanted
he ran his free hand over her belly, dipping his forefinger repeatedly into her navel
before folding himself over her and sliding his hand down to her pubic hair. When he
cupped her mons, she sighed and widened her stance.
Taking advantage of the invitation, he placed his fingers over her labial lips, then
spread themand tested their inner silkiness. She sighed again; she might have muttered
bastard. Not caring, he pushed two fingers into her already flooded passage and
explored until his fingertips pressed against the front of her inner walls. She tried to
back away fromthe invasion but only managed to flatten his cock with her ass.
Certain he had her full attention, he renewed his exploration. Judging by her earlier
explosive climax, he had no doubt he could wrestle a second such response out of her.
Whatare you doing?
I dont know. Checking.
Checking what?
Whether youll be able to pull it off.
The moment the words were out of his mouth, hed give anything to take them back,
but it was too late. As he teased her sensitive pussy walls, he struggled against the
nearly overwhelming urge to push her down onto her elbows and knees with her ass
high in the air so he could take her from behind, plunge his aching cock into her and
climax. That way hed have what he neededhed come. Also, he wouldnt have to face
her, could think of her as a receptacle and not the all-too-real woman shed become.
Pull offwhat? she managed between gasps.
Hoping to silence her, he kept at her until his fingers were drenched, and her
spasms seemed endless. She might hate this manipulation, but that didnt stop her from
molding her body to his and keeping her legs apart, tucking her ass back so hed have
easy access to her cunt.
Pulloff
Being what they expect. Ahot whore.
She cursed him. At the same time, she closed her hand over his wrist and kept him
there, let himknow without words she was too far gone to give a damn about anything
except exploding.
Because tomorrow scared him, because he didnt know whether either of them
would survive it, he pulled out of her and took control of her clit. He held it between
thumb and forefinger, drewon it, then pressed. She sagged in his grip. He lightly rolled
his thumb and finger over the hot, hard nub.
Bucking back into him, she screamed. Screamed again.

* * * * *
We havent fucked, not really. Whatever it is weve been doing, it isnt sexnot what I always
thought sex was.
Shanel remembered stumbling back to the couch and collapsing on it. Shed been
trying to get her breathing back under control when he handed her a glass of water, and
she wondered dully why she hadnt noticed hed left the room. Although she still felt as
if shed been ridden hard and put away wet, she pulled herself into a sitting position.
Her pussy was drenched fromher own juices; maybe she was staining the couch.
What the hell was that about? she demanded.
I told you. He was sitting across fromher in an oversized recliner. The Takers are
going to expect a nympho.
The label left a sour taste in her mouth, but he was right; its exactly the way shed
acted. Im used up, she admitted. Theres nothing left in me. IllI wont be able to
respond.
By tomorrow you will. Youll have to.
He was right, and the sooner she wrapped her mind around that the better. Instead
of reinforcing she was doing this because shed committed to rescuing those women, she
asked himto tell her what to expect.
The camera didnt show anything of where youll be taking me, she said. Shed
deliberately used the word take so she could get into the proper mindset. Whats it like?

Its a mansion. He reached out and turned on the nearest lamp. Strange how it had
become night without her being aware of it. In the west part of the county outside the
city limits. Its part of an estate, and as far as the tax assessors office knows, it belongs to
a corporation. The women are there full-time, but The Takers come only when their
agendas allow, or when they want to get their kicks.
What about when the women are alone?
Hewwasnt too sure because, as he said, he hasnt been invited to join the parties.
But fromwhat hes seen of the basement
Basement? Like the one I was in.
Yeah.
She nodded. Awareness of her nudity was returning, but if she asked for clothing,
shed only have further to go when it came to placing herself in the role of sex slave.
You are thorough, arent you. Doing your best to recreate the experience.
He didnt so much as blink. Damn but he was hard to figure out. Most of the time
she could all but touch the wall hed erected around himself; only occasionally did he
reveal another side to himselfthe side which drewhimto her
Is the basement there the same as here?
No. There are the small, high windows, but the room is divided into cages. Cells.
And she might be placed in one of them. Howhow big are they?
Large enough for a bed and toilet. The walls consist of bars so the women can see
each other. There are iron rings set into the cement floor and chains, also rings on the
bed frame.
Thenthen the women are chained in addition to being caged?
Sometimes. It depends on if theyve displeased the men they call their Masters.
She could never, ever say the word! But maybe shed have to. The men dont do
their thing to the women in those cages, do they? Not all the time. I She swallowed. I
cant see millionaires humping in a cell.
Hall shook his head and watched her in that intense way of his. The mansion has a
number of bedrooms, he said. Each is appointed differently.
She wasnt ready to know what he meant by appointed. How do the women eat
when theyre there alone?
Its Hews understanding food and water are left in the cells, but if a girl has been
chained
Woman! Dont call themgirls.
Women then. Sometimes there arent any men there for several days.
And nights. Thats when the women talk, isnt it? she said. When theyre most
likely to share what they know aboutabout their masters.
Its what we hope.
She didnt knowhowshed survive nights in a small, dark cell, but she had to try for
the sake of women whod already been there too long.
All right. A deep breath helped a little. What about when the men are there.
What happens then?
Hewwasnt much help on that score. Hes taken a new slave into the basement and,
like you sawin the video, hes shown the men what the slave can do.
Slave. Because shed become one tomorrow, she had to wrap her mind around the
word.
Things take place in what Hew calls a den, Hall continued. The men all sit in a
circle around Hewand the slave, at least theyre sitting at the beginning.
Isis she tortured then?
No. Until hes been paid in full, whish is done in installments, the women belong to
Hew. He doesnt want the merchandise damaged.
She was going to kill Hew! Somehow.
Howmuch?
Twenty grand for the last one.
Twenty thousand dollars in exchange for a human life. Is that the going rate? she asked
sarcastically.
According to him, he cut his usual rate because shed had an abdominal surgery
scar he didnt know about fromhis surveillance. The Takers want their women perfect.
Shed never thought of herself as perfect but then her physical looks didnt matter
much; what she prided was her brain. Shed use it in order to survive the challenge shed
taken up. All right. She blew out her breath. Howhow long do you think Ill have
to stay there before I learn anything?
In the subtle lamplight, she noted hed increased his grip on the chair arm. Its one
of the unknowns. Imsorryfor so much.
She couldnt remember hearing an apology from him before. With night all around
and the lighting in here so dim, hed nearly turned back into the masked man whod
drugged and captured her. Against all reason, she found it erotic. If the need to educate
herself wasnt so strong, shed probably let him know that, once again, hed turned her
on.
He. Would The Takers be capable of doing that to her or did only Hall hold the key to her base
sexuality?
The problem is, he continued, his tone strangely remote, Hew is our only key to
what goes on in the mansion, and I dont have to tell you hes unreliable. What he did
sayand I think this is the truth because he had no reason to make something upis
they pride themselves in on breaking in a new slave slow.
Inin what way?
He says theres a lot of taunting, telling a woman theyve just bought about
everything theyre going to do to her, but they let her think about it for awhile. At least
Hewdidnt see anything except brainwashing while he was there. In his words, they get
off on watching her reaction to their threats. Then they take her off to the basement. My
guess He stopped and studied her, undoubtedly looking for her reaction. She
struggled to maintain a neutral expression. My guess is shes thoroughly terrified by
the time they put her in a cage. Shes bound to ask questions of the other women down
there with her.
With an effort, Shanel returned his stare. Which makes it a perfect time for me to
learn something.
Yes.
What amI going to do with the knowledge, assuming I get any? she demanded.
Weve worked on that detail, he said. By we, she guessed he was referring to other
members of SHIT. Im going to come back in a day or two and insist on seeing my
merchandise
A day or two sounded like a lifetime. D-do you think theyll buy that?
Its the way Hew worked. Im going to hint Im working on getting someone
special, a world-class athlete, maybe a female politician, a woman with a reputation as a
real ball-buster for themto play with. But before I go to the effort, I need proof they won
t turn around and ruin the merchandise in a few days.
This is sick.
Theyre sick men, Shanel.
She took a moment to digest what he told her. No more than two days. You
promise.
One if I get a sense youre going to be in danger.
She didnt dare think about that. All right. The pressures on me, isnt it? I wont
have much time to learn everything I can. Howare you going to get me out of there?
I will. You have to trust me.
What did he think she was, an idiot? Furious beyond all reason, she stalked over to him.
It mattered not at all that she was buck naked. Dont give me shit! she insisted. As a
cop, Id never go into a potentially explosive situation without being sure of my backup.
You want me to risk my life, you tell me howImgoing to get out alive.
He looked up, his eyes dark again, whatever he was thinking, shut off from her.
You dont have to do this.
And spend the rest of my life haunted by images of women in cages and chains,
dead? Maybe you can turn your back on their situation, but I cant. You heard me. What
s your plan to keep me alive?
Instead of supplying what she desperately needed, he closed his hands over her
hips. He pulled her close so her thighs touched his knees. His hands slid around to her
backside and cupped her buttocks. All too familiar sexual heat flooded her. They were
so close, cock and cunt only inches apart. If he pulled down his jeans
No! Damn it, no! He wasnt going to play her that way!
Stop it! she insisted and jerked free. She couldnt hide the reality of her erect
nipples or heated cunt juice. You heard me, Hall. How am I going to get out of this
alive?
He stood and cocked his head as if listening for something. If you let me know you
ve learned enough to bring down The Takers, Ill give the signal for a raid.
The cavalry would come. God, wouldnt she love to see that! And if I dont?
You have to, he said. Your life depends on it.
Before she could formthe words to ask if this was more than a threat, he turned and
headed toward a door she hadnt paid attention to. After opening it, he stepped through
and closed it behind him. She hurried after him and turned the knob, but it was locked.
Disconcerted, she took in her surroundings. In addition to the door Hall had
disappeared through, there was the large, ornate front door which she already knew was
locked and an entry leading to the hall and beyond it to the bath and bedroom. She
couldnt remember whether the kitchen led to any other room.
Alone. She was alone.
A short perusal reinforced what shed already suspected. There were no phones in
here, no way of calling for help. Shed have to wait for Hall to return. Shed started to
turn on another light when she heard a key in the front door. Alarmed, she backed away
fromit. The door opened and in walked two men, their features obscured by masks.



Chapter Twelve

Her brain was still trying to process the impossible when she wheeled and sprinted
for the kitchen. A knife! She had to
Something large and heavy struck her from behind and sent her sprawling to the
carpet. The air was knocked out of her; struggling for breath brought tears to her eyes.
She managed to suck in a little air, but then someone straddled her waist and pinned her
down. She tried to turn and look up at whoever was doing this to her, but before she
could, her arms were yanked behind her and cold steel closed around her wrists.
She sobbed; someone yanked back on her hair, lifting her face off the carpet. A gag
was shoved into her mouth. Beyond terror, she tried whipping her head from side to
side, but the hold on her hair increased. There seemed to be hands everywhere. The
familiar snap left no doubt this was the same kind, if not the very gag Hall had used. She
felt sick to her stomach and on the verge of losing bowel control. When her attackers
placed a blindfold over her eyes, she stopped struggling.
Instead of adding the ankle restraints she expected, the men left her legs free, and
when they hauled her to her feet, she stood. There was one man on either side of her.
Gripping her elbows, they steered her where they wanted her to gowhich was across
the room and down the stairs to the basement.
Hall! Hall! Dont let themplease dont be part of this!
Even with the blindfold in place, she could tell the lights in the basement were on.
They started her walking again. Soon her legs came in contact with the bed. Handling
her as if she was little more than a side of beef, the men lifted her onto the bed. At least
theyd put her on her belly so she didnt have to rest her weight on her bound hands.
Her small sense of comfort died when one of them unhooked the cuffs but continued to
hold her wrists while the other man turned her over.
Before she could guess what they intended to do, her captors drew her arms over
her head, forced them apart, and handcuffed her again. Beyond helpless, she lay on her
back, her arms spread but not painfully so.
When one of themplaced his hand on her ankle, she tried to kick him. The next time
he touched her, she drew up her leg and aimed as best she could. To her delight, her
heel connected with soft flesh. Aman grunted.
Then someone threw himself over her thighs and pinned her to the bed while
disembodied hands fastened cuffs around her ankles. The manipulation was followed
by the horrible sound of a chain being rattled and the soft click she knew all too well.
The man lifted himself off her. Her ankles had been chained to the foot of the bed;
her legs were spread as far apart as her arms, her pussy exposed.
Captured. Again.
Hall! Hallplease.
You thought your training was over, an deep male voice said. But it isnt.
No, no, no.
Everything hangs on The Takers believing youre a slave, he continued, his tone
almost conversational. That cant be faked. It has to be the real thing.
The real thing.
Although her mind and body felt close to shattering, she willed herself not to panic.
These men were associated with Hall; she had no doubt of it. Hed told her he wouldnt
hurt her, and hed kept his promise. Please, please let themhave the same code.
Ill do whatever you tell me to, she wanted to tell thembut of course she couldnt speak.
Imcommitted to getting those women out of the hell theyre in; dont you understand? You dont
have to force me.
They didnt care. Hell, they couldnt even hear her.
She felt rough hands between her legs. With no warning, whichever man this was
grabbed hold of her pussy lips and pinched them together. Her response had nothing
with any kind of arousal shed ever experienced. Just the same, there was no denying the
softening in her cunt.
He released one lip but kept his hold on the other. Waiting for him, afraid and yet
unable to stop him, she concentrated on the nuances of what he was doing.
Unlike Hall, this mans hands touched nothing except her sexual triggers. Oh yes,
she was getting turned on all right. At the same time, her mind felt as if it was standing
off to the side dispassionately watching the proceedings, but maybe it wasnt her mind;
maybe her heart was what was unaffected.
The question distracted her. By the time shed brought herself back to reality, it was
too late; a clip of some kind had been placed on her outer fold. She tried to shake it off,
but of course that was impossible. The man took hold of her other lip and fastened
another clip on it. The sensation wasnt what shed call painful, more like disconcerting.
Awomans pussy is an amazing thing. The speaker wasnt the same one as before;
he had a calm, almost disinterested tone. Doesnt matter what the rest of her wants, how
intelligent she is, the cunt is a primal organ. Its not into anything except pleasure. He
could be talking about tuning up a car for all the emotion hed put in his voice.
She felt a hand on her breast. Ill give you an example, Shanel. Im sure youre
interested in what Imtalking about.
The clips were being jiggled; what was being done to them? The too familiar sense
of vulnerability took over, and she dug her ass into the bed in a futile effort to escape.
She was still stupidly telling herself she could evade them this way when she sensed a
faint humming coming from the clips. The intensity picked up a little, and her cunt felt
as if it was being warmed.
Mechanical turn-on, wouldnt you agree, Shanel? Not much you can do about it, is
there?
No matter howhard she tried to keep her mind off what she was feeling down there,
it didnt work. The clips were humming, vibrating at such a rapid pace she couldnt
begin to keep on top of it. The sensation spread through her nether lips, oozed into her
rapidly flooding passage, settled over and took command of her clit. In some ways the
feeling mirrored a finely tuned dildo; the biggest difference was there was nothing in
her pussy. Instead, it felt empty, hungry, lonely.
Fill me, fill me. Let me swallowsomething.
Her cunt grew even warmer. She could no longer comprehend where her body let
off and the mechanically controlled clips began. It felt as if she was being sucked out of
herself. She was a prisoner of the devices hold on her and hated and loved it at the same
time. Her breathing grew ragged and now, damn it, she was trying to lift her ass off the
bed in order to get closer to this wonderful punishment.
Hall? Hall. Do you know what theyre doing to me? Are you there, watching?
It went on and on. She swore she was being stung by countless tiny insects, and yet
it wasnt painful, not really. Given how drenched her pussy had become, it was
remarkable the clips hadnt slid off. Maybemaybe she could drown the damn things in
her own juices.
Did she want to? Or was she willing to die fromwhat was being done to her?
A climax. A climax would put and end to this. Or would it, she asked in alarm. It
nowfelt as if her whole body had become part and parcel of her clit. Everything she was
and had ever been was centered in that one place between the legs she couldnt spread
far enough. She might fall over the edge, leap and scream and come, but if the vibrating
didnt stophowmany climaxes could she endure without going insane?
Sick at the thought, she thrashed her head from side to side. She pressed her heels
into the bed and struggled to scoot somewhere, anywhere. Her thighs burned from the
tension shed put themunder.
Come! Just come. Pass out. Then it wont matter.
Enough.
Enough. Oh God, yes.
Slowly, too slow, she came back to earth. Her cunt throbbed and her clit felt as if it
might explode. In a dim way she knew she hadnt achieved a climaxor had one forced
on her if truth be known. Her pussy seemed to be weeping. It was exhausted, a failure.
How does it feel, Shanel? Do you understand the meaning of control?
What was her tormentor talking about? What response was he trying to wrestle fromher?
She sobbed behind the gag when the clips were removed, but when the man slid his
fingers inside her passage, she barely responded. Its not your pussy any more, is it
Shanel? It belongs to me. I can do whatever I want to itto you.
Hall, help me, please.
Were going to let you rest for a little while, the other man said. When we return,
therell be another lesson. Then

* * * * *
Shed been surrounded by a blissful silence and existed in a place without substance
or form. When she heard the returning footsteps, Shanel tried to climb back into the
nothing where shed found refuge.
The steps became more distinct, and like the self-reserving animal shed become,
she mentally tried to face what would come next. Her cunt still felt somewhat bruised,
and if the right person touched her there, shed probably go off like a rocket.
But although she prayed Hall was here with his compassion, his caring, his
mind-blowing touches, it wasnt his voice she heard.
Its time for the next lesson, Shanel. Because of our time constraints, were having to
crameverything into a single night. I know its not what you want, but its the only way
its going to work.
Dont worry about me. I understand, perfectly. My contract stipulates I agree to all reasonable
and formally presented changes in the schedule and agree to do whatever is legally required in order
to accommodate the schedule.
Shut up! Just shut up. Maybe if I die theyll go away.
The first lesson was all about stimulation, not that I need to tell you, one of them
said. Unfortunately, as youve seen, The Takers can be sadistic. Were aware of their
favorite modes of entertaining themselves and have availed ourselves of one of them. I
cant promise that whats coming is what youll encounter once youre with them, but it
ll help you prepare. Much as Id like to put a limit on your experience, its not going to
help you get through it.
Did he have to talk like that, scare her?
All right. Shall we begin?
Just do it, the other man grumbled. This isnt a fucking golf lesson.
You want to start? the first retorted. There was no answer.
Aware of every inch of her flesh, Shanel relied on the only sense theyd left her with,
her hearing. She heard something that might have been a small hinged box opening
followed by a faint tinkling soundlike metal or steel.
No! Please, no!
Because her skin was so sensitive, she sensed the hand near her breast before he
touched her. In an attempt to keep on top of what he had in mind, she clenched her teeth
around panic and willed herself to pay attention, to anticipate.
The faint sound was repeated. Then she felt something metallic close around her
nipple. The nub instantly hardened. Whatever had been put on her settled more firmly
around her nipple, not pinching but not something she would have chosen on her own.
The man pushed up on her breast, probably in an attempt to bring more of her boob in
contact with the foreign object.
Its a nipple clamp, he explained. The designs really quite innovative. What you
feel He did something to increase the pressure so her nub was now firmly
imprisoned. are the two clamps, one on either side of your nipple. The clampsthey
re straight and longish and fairly slender, made of polished steel with a thin bead of
rubber on the inside for gripping.
Shed once arrested a woman who proudly wore nipple rings and had done her own
piercing. Obviously, an effective alternative for piercing had been designed.
At the end of the clamps is a hex nut which can be turned to tighten or loosen the
clamps.
The clamp jiggled, reminding her of the sensation just before her pussy lips started
vibrating. God, how was she going to handle As the grip tightened, she lost her thought
and simply felt, anticipated.
Theres more to it, he said and released her breast. The steel continued to grip. A
bead chain loops fromone nipple clamp to the other.
Shed known he was going to fasten the God-awful invention to her other breast but
knowing and enduring were two entirely different things. No matter how she tried to
ready herself for another layer of imprisonment, she failed. She sobbed into her gag as
steel and rubber gripped and the hex nut was turned, securing it in place.
Now for the bead chain. Its lightweight and quite decorative. You might even get
used to it; some peopleabet those into bondagelove wearing them.
She felt him take hold of first one clamp and then the other accompanied by some
minor manipulations. When he once again released her, the bead chain lay between her
breasts. Before she could become accustomed to the sensation, heor maybe it was the
other man, not that it matteredtook hold of the chain and lifted it off her. He continued
to pull until her clamped nipples were stretched, taking her breasts up with them. Her
nipples burned and yet there wasnt the pain shed feared. Despite everything, the
sensation was erotic. These faceless, nameless men were teaching her new things about
her own body.
Control, Shanel, control. Dont ever forget; dont let yourself go. When a woman is
held that way, shes not going to fight, is she?
He waited a moment, but when she didnt acknowledge her question, he tugged.
Slivers of feeling like light electrical charges ran up her breasts. You wouldnt struggle
as long as someone has you like this, would you? Wherever youre led, youll go, wont
you?
Determined to prevent a repeat performance, she shook her head. To her great relief,
he let up on the pressure although he continued to hold the chain.
Remember, he said in his calm tone. Stay on top of the experience. Lock your
mind around it and accept it for what it is.
Why was he saying that? She couldnt think or feel or experience beyond the here
and now. Even her mental pleas to Hall seemed disconnected to this moment.
Her captor still had control of her breasts and could do anything he wanted to them;
she didnt dare forget. When his grip on the chain shifted, she stayed with the sensation
and made it her everything. He was applying yet another device judging by the ripple
of movement she felt from nipple all the way to her ribcage. Now her breasts felt heavy
and weighed down. She imagined theyd flattened against her body, or they would if
they werent still being held away fromher by the chain.
Feeling came at her from all directions. She understood the liquid heat in her
passage. Oh yes, she couldnt begin to deny that! But it was an instinctual sexual
response. What was less easy to explain was how mind-blowing it felt to have her
breasts both lifted and weighted at the same time.
The sensation hadnt approached pain, but it hovered just beyond where she was
and licked at her senses. The burning in her nipples kicked up a notch and ran like lava
over her breasts to her belly, her groin. Although she felt it coming, she had no defenses
against the heat lapping at her clit. She clenched her teeth to keep from tossing her head
from side to side. Then the lava flow became a near flood; she tried to clamp her legs
together.
Getting close, are you Shanel? It doesnt take much to turn you on.
No!
The word evaporated, replaced by a grinding sensation in her belly. One of the men
had placed his fist over her navel and was pushing down and grinding none too gently.
If he kept it up, hed reach her pussy fromthe outside, fuck her with his fist.
What did she care! She needed to come! Needed release.
Shit, one of the men hissed. Just fucking look at her.
Look at what? But of course she was sliding her ass around on the bed, straining
against the bonds which prevented her from closing her legs, lifting her upper body as
much as possible so she could get closer to the clamps and maybe bring more of her
breasts under their control. Shed flung her head back as if trying to see behind her.
The first wave of a climax rushed over her, and her arms and legs started to spasm.
She sucked greedily at it, then feltwhat?
Her world resembled the scattered pieces of a puzzle. She needed to turn them over
and sort out the edge pieces, find the box it had come in so shed know what she was
trying to produce.
Only, there wasnt a puzzle. Instead, shed been scattered into countless fragments,
none of them touching, all without form. Wondering if shed been killed only no one
had told her, she fastened what she had of a brain on what she knew about her body.
The fastenings around her wrists and ankles were loose enough so they didnt cut into
her flesh, but her limbs ached from the unnatural position. Behind the gag her mouth
was dry, and her eyes felt as if they were being pressed into her sockets. She could, if
she put her mind to it, dismiss those things. What demanded attention was her weeping
pussy and on-fire breasts.
Shed tasted a climax, but it had been taken away before she could swallow more
than a single bite. If the man had continued to press on her belly and her breasts were
still being manipulated, she could have reached her goal, damn it!
Instead she was alone; at least no one was touching her. The weights on her nipples
continued to flatten her breasts against her body, dragging and drawing.
She cocked her head to one side and then the other as she strained to hear, but if the
men were nearby, she couldnt sense them. The thick fluid coating her labia had started
to cool, and she felt as if she was looking down at herself. Torn between equal parts
shame and resignation, she waited. The men werent done with her; she was certain.



Chapter Thirteen

Shanels first indication of what the men had in mind next came when she felt a
warm, damp washcloth being placed over her pubic area. It struck her that they must
want to clean her up before touching her, but maybe, maybe Hall had returned.
Hed know what she needed. No matter what he subjected her to, his humanity
would be there; it would make anything bearable.
No, not Hall, she acknowledged when a man coughed. There was enough water in
the washcloth so after a moment, the overflow began trickling down her slit. She
wondered if it might stain the coverlet, not that her own body cream hadnt already.
Someone repositioned the washcloth so it covered all of her muff. Then she heard a
whooshing sound she recognized as an aerosol container being activated. She smelled
shaving cream.
They were going to shave her muff!
Unable to do anything to stop them, she concentrated on remaining still so she
wouldnt get cut. The washcloth was removed, and cold cream was spread over her. A
large hand pulled the flesh over her mons to one aside, and then a razor began scraping
at her sensitive skin. She followed the razors path in her mind, anticipating every move,
praying whoever was handling the task knew what the hell he was doing. What scared
her the most was when he pushed up on her pussy so he could get to the area closest to
her lips. She shivered with every touch.
Although she shaved her bikini line for swimsuit season, the idea of having a nude
pussy had always struck her as bizarre. None of the men shed dated had brought it up
so it hadnt been an issueuntil now.
The shaving seem to take an awfully long time, but maybe thats because she was
hung up on anticipating what would come next. Finally he must be done because she
tingled everywhere. He rinsed off the shaving cream with a blissfully warm washcloth,
and then dried her with a fluffy towel. His last act was to rub lotion over his handiwork.
Good, she thought sarcastically. At least I wont have razor burn.
To her relief, her wrists were released. Although her arms were free only long
enough for the men to refasten them, at least now they were in a more normal position
by her sides. One of the men briefly rubbed her shoulders, reminding her of when Hall
had done the same thing.
Then what had to be a wide strap of leather was placed around her waist and
cinched to the bed. As if it wasnt enough, more leather was placed around each of her
thighs. Dreading what they planned to do now she couldnt so much as twitch from the
waist down, she could only wait.
A muted rumbling sound, almost like an electric razor started, but there was
nothing left to shave.
With the electric needles first touch, she knew she was being tattooedbeginning
over the right side of her pelvic bone and angling down nearly to her pussy itself. What
she felt was something between thousands of insects crawling over the area and a mild
tickling. Occasionally the needle pricked and pinched, reminding her of the wisdom of
not moving.
She hated this, hated it with a ferocity bordering on rage. Everything else that had
happened to her since this nightmare began had been temporary. It might take endless
showers and years with a shrink, but eventually shed feel whole again. But a tattoo!
Whatever was being put into her flesh would last the rest of her life.
Would always remind her of Hall.
How can you let them do this to me! I thoughtI believed I could trust you.
Fool!
By the time the needle was shut off, shed gone beyond fury to hoping to hell shed
never have to look at Hall again, never feel his hands on her. She cared only marginally
that the two men hadnt spoken a word since returning.
The tattooed area throbbed and burned; there was nothing approaching sensual
about the sensation. She felt degraded and violated. It helped a little when the leather
straps were removed, not that it increased her mobility enough to count.
What time was it? How long had the men beenbeen working on her? Was it the
middle of the night? If so, shed be exhausted by tomorrowtomorrow when shed do
whatever she had to in order to get those women out of hell.
It was so hard to think about them now because minute awareness of her own body
had been forced on her for so long everything else seemed to be painted in pale shades
of gray. She wondered if thats how the sex slaves feltnot caring about anything
beyond themselves and getting through one more day, one more night.
She had to try to free them. Otherwise, her own life wouldnt mean shit.
One of the men unfastened her legs, distracting her from her mental ramblings.
Next, finally, the clamps were taken off her nipples. Blood rushed back into them,
making her gasp. She was still dealing with the sharp ache when her captors freed her
hands and sat her up, one on each side and holding her arms. They led her into the
bathroom, and she dutifully sat on the toilet. They let her wipe herself and wash her
hands, but momentary freedom meant nothing. She couldnt bring herself to touch
where shed been tattooed.
After they removed her gag, a bottle of water was placed in her hand, and she
sucked it down. As soon as she was done, the gag was put back in place. Because it
wouldnt do any good to try to resist, she let them steer her back to the bed and waited
for them to either lift or throw her onto it. Instead, they placed the leather belt back
around her waist and cuffed her wrists to it in front. She could move her hands maybe
six inches in all directions which was just enough to keep her arms from growing numb.
When they added what she was positive was the dildo girdle, she twisted in their grip.
At least the dildo wasnt being shoved into heryet.
She was thrown none too gently face down onto the bed she wished she could light
a match to. If only she could sit up! But because she couldnt use her hands for leverage,
it was impossible. After hooking the collar loosely to the bed, they grabbed her ankles
and forced her up on her knees with her ass high, her face smashed against the bed. She
couldnt begin to resist as they pulled her legs apart.
In it went! Quick, efficient, all the way. It took only a moment to reposition the
girdle so a strap ran between her legs and held the dildo in place. When they pulled her
legs down again and fastened a chain around one ankle, she simply let it happen. What,
after all, would fighting accomplish?
After a fewmoments of battling the weight of helplessness, it dawned on her that the
dildo was simply inside her, lifeless. By moving her chained leg, she discovered theyd
given her enough play so she could get off her belly and onto her back. True, it didnt
accomplish much but at least she didnt feel quite so vulnerable with her ass out of easy
reach. She could touch the part of the girdle hugging her pelvic bone, but unfortunately,
there wasnt a fastening there, just smooth leather. The dildo felt huge inside her.
Someone lifted her head almost gently. She felt fingers at the back of her head and
then suddenly, gratefully, she could both see and speak.
Only, there was nothing to look at except two retreating male backs. The last to
leave the room switched off the light. Tired beyond comprehension, she rolled onto her
side and tucked up her legs as best she could.
She was nearly asleep when the dildo buzzed to life.
Remote control!

* * * * *
Hall slumped in the recliner and stared at the couch where Brad and Clifford
Theilson sat. All three SHIT members were listening to the bug hed planted under
Shanels bed. He was into his third stiff drink of the evening, and if it hadnt been for
what lay ahead tomorrow, hed drink himself stupid.
No one spoke. They didnt look at each other. Brad held a device that looked like a
TV remote and occasionally pushed a button.
The bug didnt pick up much in the way of sound, but then a finely tuned dildo was
pretty quiet unless the operator chose to change it. Hall didnt need to watch what Brad
was doing to knowwhat was happening inside Shanels pussy. The trick to effective use
of the high tech device, as hed already demonstrated, was to continually change its
frequency and tempo. There was danger in giving a subject too much of one thing
sensual overload so to speak. At the same time, keeping the subject off balance,
constantly guessing and anticipating kept her from ever feeling as if she was on top of
things.
On top?
From Shanels grunts and occasional sobs, he knew she felt as if she was about to
shatter.
Well be leaving in a fewminutes, Brad said. Then itll be up to you.
I know.
I cant tell you what to do; Imnot in charge of this op.
You sure as hell arent. There were a few pieces of ice left in his glass. He put the
glass to his mouth and ice slipped in. He spoke around it. I was listening the whole
time you were with her.
I figured you were. We didnt hurt her.
If I thought you were, I would have come down.
I figured that too. Brad glanced at Clifford. Shes become more than a subject,
hasnt she?
He wasnt about to explain what Brad had already figured out. The ice tasted of
whiskey.
Shes highly sexed, Clifford said. We chose well.
Yeah, Hall said sarcastically. We did.
The unknown is whether shell perform once shes in there and hell becomes
reality, Clifford went on. You tell us. He stared at Hall. She understands whats at
stake, why The Takers have to be exposed?
She does, but it doesnt matter to her.
Clifford looked alarmed. Why not?
Shanel started moaning, not sobs really but tired sounds that tore at his heart. He
longed to turn off the damned listening device to say nothing of smashing the remote.
Oh, she cares, he made himself say. Shes a cop. She hates seeing crooks getting away
with shit. But thats not what
The bed squeaked. He guess she was changing position in a futile attempt to escape
the unrelenting sensual assault.
Its the women, he said through clenched teeth Shes vowed to do whatever it
takes to get themout of there.
Brad and Clifford exchanged another look, and both men shook their heads. I didn
t think of it, Brad said.
Neither did I, Hall admitted. He needed to say more, not to his fellow operatives
but to himself about what he was learning both about himself and Shanel.
Brad went back to studying the remote. He touched a button. Thisll let her relax a
fewminutes, pull her back fromthe edge. Has she climaxed?
Yes.
Clifford frowned. The idea was to get her so hot and bothered and pliable so The
Takers would have no doubt shes the real thing. We dont want themsuspecting
I knowwhat Imdoing! he snapped when it was a Goddamn lie. Nowget the hell
out of here. Youve done your job.
The men left soon after but not until Brad had handed the remote to Hall and given
hima meaningful look. After walking the men to the door, Hall returned to his chair. He
stared longingly at his empty glass, then shook his head. In his minds eye, he saw
Shanel curled up on her side dozing. Her hair would have tumbled across her face; she
d looked relaxed and at peace, a well-satisfied woman dreaming of a morning encounter
with her loverwith him.
Unwanted anger flashed inside him. Hell no! He wasnt Shanels lover! Yes, hed
given her the climax she needed so badly and had taken as much as hed given, but hed
only known her a few days. He hadnt loved her, married her. And he sure as hell hadnt
held Shanels bleeding and broken body while his sobs tore into him.
The woman in the basement was a tool! The means to getting a job done.
Not allowing his thoughts to go beyond, he depressed the resume button. A moment
later Shanel gasped. He increased the vibration, and she moaned.
To the edge but not over. Again and again.



Chapter Fourteen

When she heard footsteps, Shanel fought her way out of the fog. A small part of her
brain alerted her to the possibility of danger, but as she became aware of her body, she
admitted she felt as if shed just run a marathon. She ached from the waist down. The
footsteps faded; whoever was coming had reached the bottom of the stairs and was
walking on carpet.
She opened her eyes, but the room was too dark for her to see anything except a
masculine shadow. She surmised shed finally fallen asleepbeen allowed to sleepno
more than two or three hours ago. As for what had happened before then
Its time to get started, Hall said.
A wave of gratitude flowed through her, but it was quickly replaced by white-hot
fury. Despite the effort of having to do so without the use of her hands, she half sat up.
The dildo rammed up her cunt had been in a semi-deflated state when it finally turned
off; she supposed she should be grateful.
You bastard, she hissed. You let those men
Weve got a lot to do before we face The Takers.
The Takers. How could she have forgotten about them? How could she have not?
When the shadow that was Hall released her ankle, she sat straighter. Then he
reached for her hands, and she dutifully extended themas far as she could. Remove the
harness, he ordered once hed freed her wrists.
She gladly did so. Unfortunately, her fingers were numb and it took several tries
before she figured out the fastenings keeping the dildo in place. When she finally pulled
it out of her and placed it on the bed, she realized her pussy was still wet. It felt empty,
bruised, and hungry.
Where are they? Her throat felt scratchy; no wonder considering how many times
a sigh, moan, even a plea had been wrenched from her during the night. Are they
coming back?
No.
Then its just you and me.
Yes.
Just her and Hall and the unwanted energy she could actually taste. Although he
was still little more than a shadow, his presence felt like feathery kisses; knowing how
vulnerable she was, she embraced anger. Did you watch? she demanded. Were you
in the room, getting off on what they were doing to me?
No. Get up.
Not yet. Not until shed wrestled some of the truth from him. You must have listened.
She tried to slide off the bed to better confront him, but the neck chain stopped her.
I had to.
She didnt think he was looking her in the eye. Maybe he was staring at her
sensitive, hungry pussy. Did you approve that fucking training? Was it your idea?
Remembering the tattoo, she waved her hand over it. Was it your fucking design?
Instead of answering, he produced a key and unlocked the chain fromher collar. She
d started to stretch when her full bladder demanded attention. Ignoring Hall, she
walked into the bathroom. She tried to slam the door behind her, but he caught it and
turned on the light.
He looked like hell. His hair was uncombed, his stubble even more pronounced.
She couldnt be positive, but she thought he had on the same jeansno shirt. How she
longed to run her fingers over his chest! And fromthe way he was looking at herwas it
possible he was fighting the same need?
Could there be something good between us, Hall? Kindness and caring, honesty whispered in
the night, falling asleep in each others arms, waking up in the same bed, reaching
He continued to study her, and for the first time she saw specks of blue in his eyes.
His mouth seemed to have softened; he looked vulnerable.
What-what are you thinking? she whispered.
Of you. Regrettinggo to the bathroom.
When she was done urinating, she spread her legs and stared at her shorn mons
because anything was easier than asking Hall to explain himself. Even though she was
looking at it upside down, she could tell the tattoo was of a dragon, its small, fierce
outline done in red.
Cute, she muttered although that wasnt what she thought at all. At least The
Takers cant say its a fake.
She wiped herself and washed her hands. Then she cupped her hands under the
running water and drank. When shed had enough, she dampened a washcloth with cold
water and pressed it over the tattoo. No matter that she didnt want the damn thing and
hated the unwanted assault, there was no denying the miniature dragons tongue aimed
at her pussy was sexy.
Does it hurt? he asked softly.
Caught off guard by his concern, she fought the burn of tears. What do you care?
Tell me. Is this your design? She removed the washcloth and positioned herself so he
had a clear view. What the hell is the point of this?
My mark.
Your-your mark?
Hew put one on all of his women. Dont you remember from the video? Among
slavers theyre seen as proof of original ownership.
With his final word, what little strength she had seeped out of her. Dizzy, she rested
her ass against the counter and pressed a hand over her eyes. Ownership, she
whispered. Why didnt you tell me?
She hadnt really expected him to answer and wasnt surprised when he remained
silent. She struggled to regain control of her emotions, no easy task given the sexual
assault shed endured last night. Much as she hated admitting it, she now understood
what it felt like to be a slave, to have her body belong to someoneor something else.
I want to hate you, she managed. But I dont dare.
Because you need me to get you out of this alive.
How could the word alive be a turn-on? No matter, the hours of unrelieved sensual
tension returned full force. It was Halls fault, damn him! Here he wasstaring at her
new pussy tattooresponsible for it.
I need a shower, she announced, humiliated by the note of desperation in her
voice. And sleep. You were responsible for what the dildo did all night, werent you?
Not those other men. Their job was over.
Halls only reaction was to turn on the water in the oversized tub. She stared at the
rapidly-filling enclosure, the bubbles being created by the powerful jets. Glancing down
at herself, she noted her nipples were reddish and slightly swollen. Memories of the
clips caused her to weaken all over again.
She cupped her breasts and lifted themso there was no way Hall could ignore them.
Too bad you didnt see, she ground out. Or what they did to my labia. If youd been
watching, jacking off should have been easy.
Get in the tub.
Had she scored a hit? There was no way of telling from his impassive features.
Turning her back on him, she stepped into the tub and sank into the water. Small waves
caressed her pussy. God, it felt wonderful! After leaning back and getting her hair wet,
she opened her legs. The bubbles became a gentle, constant massage. The longer she lay
there with several jets aimed at her hot and just-shorn pussy, the more her attention
locked on that part of her anatomy.
The flesh under what had been her muff was ridiculously sensitive. The skin under
the tattoo tingled. Every muscle in her complained fromthe lack of sleep, and her empty
belly felt as if it was rubbing against her backbone, but she could ignore those things.
Given what her pussy had been subjected to, it deserved a treatmore than a treat,
satisfaction.
Not giving a damn about anything else, she slid both hands between her legs and
fingered her lips apart. Still holding them, she changed position until one jet was aimed
at the entrance to her core. Strange, the pussy clamps hadnt left any residual effects. If
she ever met the designer of the device she hadnt seen but could easily imagine, shed
compliment the workmanship. True, theyd inflicted flickering discomfort, but theyd
taught her the line between pleasure and pain could be a thin and eerie one.
Howlong had she been a closet masochist?
Intrigued by the question, she slid a forefinger inside her. No doubt about it, she
was sore in a way that had everything to do with having been fucked hard. The only
thing missingand it was a huge thinghad been a climax.
With her attention fully on what she was doing, she brought her middle finger into
play next to the one already in her. Increased sensitivity warned her not to put her
passage under any more pressure. At the same time, her poor beleaguered core
demanded release.
She could do this for herself!
Practiced in the way of her body, she had no trouble giving her clit the treatment it
needed. Like a gentle mistress, she feathered a fingertip over the firm flesh dampened
both by her own juices and water. The moment she did, a spasm ran the length and
breadth of her pussy. When the spasm decreased, she sucked in a lungful of moist air
and took her clit between thumb and forefinger. At the same time, she wiggled the
fingers inside her. The top of her head felt about to explode; a fire burned between her
legs. Feeling the roller-coaster rumble beneath her, she tentatively increased the
pressure on her pussy. The roller-coaster picked up speed.
No.
Fingers clamped around her wrists and pulled her off herself. She struggled to
shake himoff but only managed in slipping beneath the water. Her hair floated over her
submerged face; her ass lost contact with the tub bottom; jetted bubbles continued to
beat at her pussy. She didnt stop fighting until the air in her lungs turned stale and she
was forced to lift her head above water.
Hall was so close she couldnt see him clearly. He still held her wrists. No, he
repeated. Imsorry. I cant let you.
Then you do it! Youre torturing me!
I know. I wishits exactly what The Takers want.
She tried to yank free, but her strength would never equal his. Besides, what would
fighting himaccomplish? It wouldnt get those women out of hell.
The exhaustion shed been trying to ignore took hold, and if Hall hadnt been there,
she would have slipped under the water again. His grip on her became her lifeline, and
although she still hated himat least she thought she didshe returned his stare.
Are you all right? he asked.
She started to nod but wound up shaking her head. He had her so off-balance; his
question had been so gentle. Im tired, she managed. Then because she needed to
protect herself fromwhat she felt for him, she buried herself in anger. I spent the night
with a electric cattle prod stuck up my pussy. Imso hungry Imdizzy. You wont let me
come. Otherwise, I feel great. Imalso scared of things I cant put a name to, but Im not going
to tell you.
Its what The Takers expect, he said.
Which is why youre putting me through hell.
Apparently he didnt see a need to add anything because he only continued to study
her. Then he released her and told her to finish bathing herself. She obediently
shampooed her hair and soaped herself thoroughly, standing to complete the job. He
turned on the overhead spray, and she bent her head under it to rinse off. She didnt
dare touch herself between her legs for fear shed shoot off like a rocket. If only she knew
howto control the damnable sex toy! Given the way she felt, shed ramit so far up inside
herself she might never get it out. Of course if he was willing to provide his cock
When she was done, Hall handed her a towel. It wasnt until she was drying her
breastsunder his scrutiny of courseit dawned on her that although she still wore the
collar, there was no chain hanging between her breasts. She touched the collar and gave
hima quizzical look.
Therell be some changes, he said.
What? She had to work at keeping her voice steady. My traveling bonds?
Something like that.
Something like that. Fear of what was in store for her took her through towel-drying
her hair and applying cream everywhere. She dutifully turned around so he could put
lotion on her back and ass, an act which took longer than it needed to and stole some of
her anger and apprehension. She even complied when he directed her to brush her hair
so it trailed over her shoulders and put on a minimum of makeup. Then he handed her
black undergarments. The bikini had no crotch. The so-called bra left her nipples
exposed. She felt like a whore.
I have to do this?
Yes. Imsorry.
Her hands shook so she couldnt fasten the bra, and he did it for her. Maybe she
should be proud of being able to step into the panties without losing her balance, but
her naked pussy was being pinched by the surrounding fabric. The dragon was half
exposed. The sensation cranked up her sexual awareness.
Is this all? she asked. I wont be wearing anything else?
Its what they stipulated. Apparently they draw straws. The winner sends over his
selection.
That so disgusted her she couldnt bring herself to speak. During the night when the
dildo was silent and shed been able to think, shed asked herself what her relationship
with Hall was. No matter how many times she tried to bolster her confidence by telling
herself he cared, she didnt knowwhat hed do if she tried to escape.
First well eat, he said. Then well finish getting ready.

* * * * *
If someone put a gun to her head, Shanel couldnt have remembered what shed had
for breakfast. How could she concentrate when she couldnt think beyond what Hall
meant by getting ready? One thing stood out about the time theyd spent in the
kitchenthe way hed continued to look at her, just look.
Now they were in the living room, and he was opening a small box. He reached in
and then looked over at her. I didnt want to tell you about this ahead of time. Your
reaction needs to be real. He held up a well-worn dog collar, holding it as if it repulsed
him.
She shuddered and took a backward step. As soon as she did, he crouched slightly.
Her heart pounded. Her nipples puckered; there was no way he wouldnt notice. Fear
settled in her pussy and turned it both hot and wet.
Another of the short-strawmans stipulations? she asked when she could speak.
I dont know which ones responsible for this, Shanel. If I couldHew didnt say
much about the individual Taker members.
All right. All right. Who was Hall, committed SHIT operative or a man who didnt
want to be doing this any more than she did? She couldnt get a handle on him. It
occurred to her that maybe he didnt knoweither. Beforebefore we leave here, theres
something I have to know.
HowImgoing to get you out of there?
She nodded.
He placed the dog collar on the table and sat on the couch. Not wanting to get too
close to him, she chose the recliner. She kept her legs together but couldnt do anything
about her exposed and hard nipples.
Its the most important part, he told her. Ive spent more time working on that
than anything else.
IImglad.
He nodded. As you know, The Takers are prominent members of the community.
They have businesses, careers. This is Sunday, which is why theyll all be there when we
show up.
She shuddered.
Tomorrow is a bank holiday, and I suspect our banker will remain at the mansion.
With you there, he might take advantage of the day off.
Whois he? What do you know about him?
Its better if you go into this with no preconceived notions. That way your reactions
will be genuine.
She couldnt argue with his explanation. And the others?
We expect those four to be at work tomorrow.
Expect? What if
Weve had surveillance on all five of them for months, Shanel. We know their
routines.
Knowing more people than Hall were in on this made her slightly more confident,
as did the way he said her name. So therell probably only be the one man at the
mansion on Monday?
I hope.
She started to demand further explanation, but he held up his hand, stopping her
either that or her slave training had been efficient.
Ive already let themknowtheyre on probation as much as I am, he continued. I
m coming across as a complete SOB, a man who doesnt trust his new clients with the
merchandise and fully intends to return to check up on her condition.
When?
As soon as I can. And as I said, if you let me know youve gotten the information
we need, Ill get you out of there right away.
How?
Trust me. I wont fail.
Lordy, howshe wanted to believe him! And why shouldnt she? After all, hed been
successful so far. Knowing shed see himbefore long helped. At the same time it put her
under pressure to get the women to confide in her.
You can do this, he said as if reading her mind. We wouldnt have chosen you if
we werent certain of this.
Would you like to look at it from my position? Try putting a collar around your neck and see
what that does to your self-esteem. You might be confident of me, but I need something to
allow me to feel the same way about you.
He stood and walked over to her. When he placed his hand under her chin. His
touch was gentle, caring, and the blue flecks were back in his eyes. Kiss me, please! Make
me feel like a woman, important, loved. Instead, he clenched his teeth. Then he unfastened the
exquisitely-made collar shed become accustomed to and dropped it to the floor.
Picking up the dog collar, he placed it around her neck.
I hate this, she muttered.
I know you do. Turn around.
What for? she demanded.
We have tofinish.
Finish what? Hall, Imafraid.
Groaning, he spun her away fromhim. He slid his hands down her arms and pulled
her wrists together behind her. She felt the bite of metal as he manacled her hands before
she could begin to resist.
No! Please!
He clamped his armaround her throat and pulled her head back. Then with a move
she swore was practiced, he forced her mouth open and shoved in something round and
hard. He deftly fastened some straps around her head which held the contraption in
place. Shed seen bondage gear that included ball gags and had no doubt hed done that
to her.
Liar! Hed lied to her! Planned to sell her down the river!
The rest of her costume, for lack of a better word, consisted of a nylon lead fastened
to the dog collar and a long cape which he draped around her shoulders. While he was
doing those things, he positioned himself so she couldnt look into his eyes; his
breathing was hard, harsh. He left her standing in the middle of the room for a few
minutes, and when he returned, hed shaved and put on a snug pullover which
emphasized his solid chest.
Imsorry, he muttered. More than you will ever know.
Dont do this to me! Dont let me care.
Before she could anticipate what he had in mind, he slid his hands between her legs.
She gasped and tried to back away but ran into the chair behind her. He slipped a thumb
between her pussy lips and with a little maneuvering, buried his finger inside her.
Despite her surprise and outrage, heat flooded her. Her pussy clamped down around
him.
Stay inside me. Let it be just the two of us, learninglearning about each other.
They were right, he muttered as he worked her. Youre ripe. On the edge.
Suddenly she hated him, hated herself! Felt beyond helpless.
He pushed up and back, forcing her off balance until she tumbled onto the chair. She
started to slide off, but he pinned her to it with his cunt-sheltered finger. Her weight
rested on her bound hands; she stared at the ceiling.
He continued his assaultthats what it was, wasnt it?on her core until she thought
shed lose her mind. There was nothing gentle about his manipulation now; it was as if
he was watching a ticking clock and trying to get as much as possible out of her in a few
seconds.
Somewhere in the middle of his attack, he must have spread her knees; but maybe
shed done so herself, not that it mattered because bottom line was, she was splayed and
totally accessible. And with crotch-less panties on, there wasnt so much as a layer of
nylon between her flesh and his.
With his finger still where hed planted it, he blew on her cunt, his warm breath
reached everything. Ignited everything. She bit down on the ball and struggled to lift her
hips off the chair.
He was probing deeper, touching her pussy walls with a soft-strong mix of flesh and
bone, bending his finger and scooping up some of her free-flowing sex fluid, now
drawing both it and his finger out of her. She tried to suck him back inside her, but it
was too late. He was gone, standing over her.
Its time to go, he said and took hold of the lead.



Chapter Fifteen

Hall placed her in the back of the vehicle hed used to get her here. Maybe she
should have been grateful because hed left her legs free so she could repeatedly
squeeze her thighs together until her clit no longer screamed in frustration, but it was
small comfort.
As they traveled along a smooth, two-lane road that skirted whatever city they were
in, it occurred to her he was letting her see where they were going. The terrain was what
she expected of the Northwesttall, close-growing trees fairly dripping from the region
s frequent storms. Knowing they werent going into a city didnt add to her
apprehension until he turned onto another two-lane road which began climbing into the
mountains. Hadnt she already had enough isolation to last a lifetime?
The mansion is on private woodland originally belonging to one of The Takers
parents, Hall said. He sounded like a tour guide. When the parents died, their only
child got it all. Unfortunately, his funds were tied up in other ventures. Hes logged
some of the acreage, but the Feds put limits how much of that he can do. His solution
was to make other Taker members co-owners. Only a handful of people know the place
is up here which makes it perfect for their use.
She tried to speak around the ball.
One more thing, and then Im going to stop talking. Dont forget, The Takers are
into intimidation.

* * * * *
Shanel was still trying to deal with the information when Hall stopped in front of a
closed metal gate. He rolled down the window and spoke into what functioned as
communication with the massive house shed barely glimpsed through the trees.
Mr. Jones with a delivery for Carl and company, he said.
There was a mumbled reply, then the gate swung open, and Hall drove through.
The gate closed behind them. She felt both hot and cold and wasnt sure her legs would
hold her. Hall had been right about one thing; she wouldnt have to fake her fear.
He pulled into a small parking area to the right of the two-story building. There
were five expensive vehicles in the lot which undermined her confidence even more. As
if that wasnt enough, once her fear reached her cunt, the emotion turned into sexual
excitement. She could smell herself and feel her hard, hot clit.
Great. Just what those assholes want.
Hall, please, lets forget the whole thing! We can run away together, somewhere, anywhere.
Hall turned off the engine, got out, and walked around to the back. When he opened
the rear door, for a moment she couldnt bring herself to meet his eyes. Then because her
life was in his hands, she did. His gaze was intense but unreadable; at least he looked
her in the eye instead of taking in the hooker costume. He was carrying a manila folder.
If she could, she would have fallen into his arms and given him everythingmaybe
even her heart. Feeling strong and brave and determined again, she scooted toward him,
and he helped her to her feet. He straightened the cape around her.
It wont stay on long, he said.
Although she was rendered mute, she spun toward him, but he didnt explain
further.
Concern for the helpless women in the imposing building kept her legs from
collapsing. He took her elbow and began propelling her toward it. They might be
watching, he whispered. Play this like youre scaredand, despite yourself, turned
on.
No problem. She could do that all right, Academy Award performance.
Walking up to the mansion seemed to take forever; because the opening in the
panties was ringed with elastic, her pussy was being compressed, and every step added
to the friction, teasing what was already on fire. The front door looked like something
out of a set for a medieval castle. Hall rang the doorbell.
Whoever opened the door stood in shadow, making it impossible for her to
determine much beyond his average height and generous belly.
Youre on time, the man said to Hall. We expect it.
The men didnt shake hands, and as far as she could tell, the newcomer wasnt
particularly interested in her. Her knees were all but knocking, and she was grateful for
Halls hand on her arm. She had to struggle to swallow; even without the ball gag, it
wouldnt have been easy. When the newcomer, started down a dimly lit entry hall with a
high ceiling, she and Hall followed. The tile floor felt cool under her bare feet.
They were led into a surprisingly well-lit room where four men sat in a semi-circle.
Because it was easier to concentrate on the setting than the men, she took note of the
large picture window responsible for the light. It looked out at forestland so rich and
thick it appeared impenetrable. As soon as the sun began to sink, the night would take
over. She felt the chill in her heart.
Were ready, a man who was smoking a vile-smelling cigar said. He was relaxing
in a dark brown leather chair, and although his attire was casual, the fabric looked rich.
What do you have for us?
You wont be disappointed, Hall said. He guided her to the middle of the room
where the men all had a clear view of her.
Well be the judges, the cigar smoker said. Dont forget, if Hew hadnt gotten
himself in trouble, you wouldnt be here.
Imaware. Halls tone was a mix of arrogance and humility. But Im supplying a
better product than Hewever did.
Cigarman chuckled. Perhaps. Before we get onto the main event, you need to know
weve had you checked out.
Shanel felt the blood drain from her face, but Hall merely shrugged. Id be
disappointed if you hadnt. Its the only way to conduct the kind of business transaction
were involved in. And I wouldnt be here if you believed I was anything but
professional.
You get around, Cigarman said. Florida, California, Texas.
What can I say? I like ocean fishing and warmclimates.
Then what brought you to the Northwest?
Business opportunities.
Business opportunities, my ass!
The outburst came froma man who looked to be the oldest of the five, long and lean
and wearing expensive loafers. He looked vaguely familiar. The heat got too much in
those other places. You were forced out of the smuggling business.
Hall chuckled. Smuggling? I prefer to think of myself as an entrepreneur who
functions much like a middle man, only more efficiently.
Tell it to the gem dealer in Texas who put a price on your head.
A disgruntled former employer. Whats the bounty up to now anyway? Im out of
the loop.
Fifty grand.
Not bad. Maybe I should turn myself in for the reward. He laughed. Thats the
fascinating thing about the gem business. Because a hunk of rock is rare or hard to come
by, it has an inflated value. But a man cant curl up with a diamond which is why Ive
changed careers. Fleshlets just say flesh will never go out of fashion.
As if making his point, Hall slipped a hand under the cape covering her from neck
to ankle and cupped her breast.
Ive done some sampling of the merchandise, he said. Necessary evil you
understand. And youre not going to find fault with my preparation techniques. As my
rancher uncle would say, this is a prime piece of horseflesh.
In heat? Cigarman asked.
Guaranteed. My techniqueslets just say, mine make Hews look primitive.
Beaten?
Im offended you asked. Hall took his hand off her breast and made a show of
smoothing the cape back in place. I dont need to resort to those techniques. What you
do with her once the warranty period is over is your business, but I promised prime. I
ve delivered.
That remains to be seen, the door opener said and stood up. He positioned
himself in front of her. He was only a fewinches taller than her, but gluttony had packed
extra flesh on his shoulders and chest in addition to his belly, making him look
imposing. He fingered the leash hanging fromthe dog collar. Did she fight having them
put on?
Maybe it was only her heightened imagination, but it seemed to her Hall was
watching Bellymans every move. No, he said. Its not the first collar shes worn; shes
getting used to them.
The hell I am.
Bellyman grunted and increased his grip on the leash, forcing her to lean toward
him. We want a fighter. Hews broads were scared out of their minds.
Youll get that. I had to strap her down for my tattoo.
Tallman snorted. I hope to hell yours is better than the piece of crap Hew put on
his broads. Looked like a damn hood ornament.
Youll see it soon enough. Hall closed his hand over the leash. Let up on the
merchandise, he warned. Its still mine.
Bellymans neck flushed; he glared at Hall. Dont order me! I claimed her, sent you
her clothes, chose this. He jabbed a fleshy finger at the ball gag.
Until the warranty period is up, the transaction isnt completed. I have other
buyers.
Youll get your turn, Buddy, Cigarman said. Dont be an ass.
To her surprise, Bellyman released the leash and walked in a slow circle around her.
The exchange between the two Takers had told her a lot about who was on top of the
pecking order; it obviously wasnt Bellyman, or Buddy, if that was his name.
Who is she? the oldest man asked. Hewnever took broads fromaround here.
Neither do I, Hall assured him. He held up the manila folder but kept an eye on
Bellyman. Everything you need to know is in here.
Showit to us, Cigarman ordered.
Hall walked over to the coffee table and spread out the folders contents. Despite her
nervousness, Shanel noticed it consisted of several newspaper clippings. Bellyman
punched her ass, then joined Hall at the table. The others remained seated, and she
gathered the courage to study each of them. The oldest one who looked familiar was the
golf course developer Loring Garpwell. Bellyman picked up one of the clippings and
skimmed it.
Is this true? he asked. She isnt listed as missing?
The question shocked her; despite herself, she tried to read. Bellyman glanced at her
and held up another article. Police reportthere was no sign of a struggle at the house
where Ms. Fox supposedly went, he read. Her fingerprints werent found on the site,
and the owner insisted he hadnt decided whether to sell and certainly hadnt contacted
Ms. Fox. Her vehicle is missing. No one has been at her apartment, and her checking
account has been drained.
Shanel glared at Hall, but he ignored her.
Speculationshe left of her own accord grows, Bellyman continued. When
interviewed, her former fianc stated shed been critical of the states financial situation
and had talked of moving, perhaps to California.
Bellyman read to himself for a moment, then roared with laughter. I dont believe
this! Rich! Rich! He stalked over and planted his face only inches from hers. Shes a
cop. Former cop.
Feeling sick and vulnerable, Shanel struggled not to acknowledge Hall.
Bellyman waved the article at her. Poor bitch lost her job because of budget
cutbacks. Her former sergeant said she was a damn fine cop, and he hated having to lay
her off, but she didnt have enough seniority. So thats what you did, did you?
Bellyman took hold of her in chin. Couldnt take peddling houses for a living and split?

Hall stepped to Bellymans side. Dont, he warned.

Shit! Who died and made you king?
Buddy, knock it the fuck off. Youll get your turn, Cigarman warned. This is
where it stands? he asked Hall. She hasnt been listed as missing?
I dont leave loose ends, Hall said and closed his fingers around Buddys wrist.
Let her go.
Cursing, Buddy nevertheless returned to his chair.
After giving Buddy a long look, Cigarman pushed himself to his feet and came to
stand where Buddy had been.
Lets see what were buying, he said.



Chapter Sixteen

Shanel expected Cigarman to yank off the cape, but he unfastened the horrid ball
gag. Being able to close her mouth felt wonderful.
Youre a sadistic bastard, Buddy, he said as he dropped the contraption to the
floor. What porn site did you get that from?
Wouldnt you like to know?
Ignoring Buddy, Cigarman shifted the cigar to the side of his mouth, and it was all
she could do not to gag fromthe smell. The moneys over there. He jerked his head at
what shed assumed was a humidor. Cash. You want to count it now?
Yeah, Hall said. He lifted the lid and took out stacks of hundred dollar bills. Its
there, he said at length.
Then you consider the transaction completed?
No! Shanel screamed. No! Get me out of here!
Were making progress, Hall said, distracting her. You stated this would be more
than a one-time delivery.
If you delivered what we ordered.
I did. If Imgoing to go to the effort of procuring and training more merchandise, I
want proof its appreciated.
What kind of proof? Garpwell asked.
Follow-up visits. Hall smiled faintly. Ive warranted the product. It is as
stipulated. But just as a car dealership isnt going to cover repairs on an automobile that
s been driven recklessly, I wont offer future warrantees unless Ive determined the
merchandise is well handled.
Shit! Garpwell grumbled. We pay for her; we do what we want with her. Besides,
what idiot trashes a luxury car hes just paid forty grand for?
Theyd spent forty-thousand dollars for her? She felt sick.
I dont expect there to be a problem, Hall said conversationally. But you have to
understand my position. Depending on what I find, one visit might be enough. And to
demonstrate howI operate, Imleaving half of the purchase price here. Ill collect the rest
when Imsatisfied.
This was insane! How had she become chrome and rubber?
Done, Cigarman said without waiting to confer with the others. Its time to see
what weve bought.
Shanel dug her toes into the lush carpet and thought of the filled cages below.
Cigarman unhooked the cape at her neck and slowly, tantalizingly, drew it off her.
Remembering what Hall had said about acting scarednot that it was an actshe
hunched her shoulders as if trying to cover herself. She didnt have to look down to
know her hardened nipples were pushing through the openings in the uncomfortable
bra.
Shit, Buddy, Garpwell muttered. Youve got to lay off those porn sites. Youve
got her decked out like a stripper.
You complaining? Buddy challenged. You dont like it?
No one said anything. Dreading what was coming, she struggled to keep her eyes
off Hall. He sounded so confident and in control, as if he had ice water in his veins. She
prayed it was an act, but hed referred to her as merchandise, and hed made her so
desperate for sexual release shed do almost anything to relieve the tension. Trained.
Ignoring Hall and Cigarman, Buddy marched over to her and yanked down on the
so-called panties until they barely clung to her hipbones. Shaved, he announced.
Freshly shaved. What is it? He roughly traced the dragon outline, saving his focus on
the tongue until last. You tell me, slave. Whatd he label you with?
She didnt respond until he pressed his fingernail into the tender flesh at the tip of
the tongue. Adragon.
Rich! A pussy-licking dragon. Tell me, slave. You want your pussy licked?
No! She couldnt be getting aroused all over again, could she?
Answer me, bitch. You want your pussy licked?
Hall couldnt help; it was vital for her to come across as genuine. I-I dont know.
You dont know. Instead of going for the hole where the crotch fabric should be,
he slid his hand under the band of silk and tugged on it. What happened? He spear
you so many times youre dead down there?
N-no.
He hasnt fucked you?
No. She was all too aware of how close the disgusting mans hand was to her
aching clit.
No? Buddy laughed. Whats the matter, slaver? Cant get it up?
I dont need to insist on what isnt willingly handed to me, Hall said. There are
more sanitary ways of checking the merchandise.
If Buddy was aware hed been ridiculed, he didnt act like it. The instant Buddy
touched her there, hed know she was wet.
I knowwhat youre thinking, slave. But youre going to have to wait. Get used to it.
So Still holding onto the panties, Buddy cupped his hand under a breast. No marks.
You didnt clip her?
Of course I did, Hall said. Its part of the program.
With what? I dont see so much as a bruise.
To her disgust, Hall positioned himself beside Buddy and took hold of her other
breast. He examined it thoroughly, critically. Nope, he proudly announced. No
marks. You hurt most woman and theyre not going to get turned on. But if you know
howto play themright He closed his thumb and forefinger over her too-hard nipple
and used his grip to hold her aloft. Shell be the one chasing you around the room, not
the other way around.
Two men, one she hated and one whod awakened uncounted complex emotions in
her, had hold of her breasts. Beyond all reason, the experience was erotic. Exciting.
Going with the emotion, she contracted and expanded her chest muscles until her
breasts all but danced in the mens grip. Her eyes were at half mast, her mouth open.
Shit, Buddy muttered. He shifted his grip until, like Hall, he held her nipple. She
drewback, then leaned into him. Shit.
You got it, Buddy? Hall asked. This one isnt into pain. But treat her right and
check. Youll see what I mean.
She wanted to hate Hall, wanted to bellow he didnt know a God-damn thing about
her. But when Buddy slid his hand along her crease, she sagged against him and bathed
his fingers with her cream.
Shit. Its a flood down there.
Even with her senses on overload, she was aware of what Hall was doing to the
breast he held. No longer trapping it between his fingers, he now stroked her, the
gesture both gentle and calming. The touch held her in the real world. She wasnt an
animal in heat. Straightening, she clamped her legs together. No, she ground out.
What the hell? Buddy spluttered.
I have a brain, damn it. You can rape me; I cant stop you. Her heartbeat was so
erratic she was having trouble speaking. With my hands tied behind me and a collar
around my neck, you can do anything you want. But you cant stop me from wanting
you dead.
What is her problem? Buddy demanded. He tried to shove his fingers up her, but
she refused to spread herself. I thought you trained
I did. Hall folded his arms across his chest. I trained her pussy to respond.
Yes, you did, you bastard! she yelled. She wasnt sure what she was doing, but
she had these men off balance and was determined to take advantage of it. At the same
time she fought the climax that fairly gnawed on her clit. You made me spend the night
with a dildo rammed up me. What woman wouldnt respond? Thats what it takes,
doesnt it?
Disgusted with Buddys probing fingers, she stepped back. When he came after her;
she kicked at him. Cursing, he back-pedaled.
Take these damn things off me! She turned so the men could see her cuffed hands.
Then well see who wins this round.
Shit. Shit. Cigarman was laughing so hard he could hardly speak. Weve got a
live one here, gentlemen. A real hellcat.
Its about time, one of the others muttered. Anythings better than the cunts down
there.
Although she didnt dare take her eye off Buddy, she was aware of the mens
admiring looks. She might look like a hooker in this getup, but there was nothing funny
about how close shed come to kicking Buddy where hed feel it the most.
Ill teach you, Buddy growled. No one laughs at me. He reached for the leash,
but she jerked her head, flipping it out of his grasp.
I told you, Hall said as he stepped between them. Shes a cop. Shes not going to
go down easy. And she knows self-defense.
No shit? Cigarman was still laughing. You get us more like this, and well keep
you in business for years.
Bitches like her arent easy come by.
What you trying to do, negotiate for more money?
Hall shrugged. Shes agitated. If you want, Ill take her back, calm her down some.

The hell you will, Buddy growled. Its my job.
No marks, Hall warned. No blood. Thats the deal.
Buddy cursed again. Against all reason, Shanel felt more alive than she had in her
entire life. Shed just warned herself not to become an animal in heat, but the line
between sex and survival had become a thin one.
What do you think, bitch? Cigarman asked. You want those cuffs off so you can
go toe-to-toe with Buddy? He wins and you spread your legs for him. You win and you
get to geld him.
Fuck it! Buddy snapped. Ill break every bone in her body.
You and who else? she challenged. Hall was shaking his head, but shed been
through so much. She felt as if she was going to explode. If she didnt find some release
for this tension
Youve got the keys to those cuffs, right? Cigarman asked Hall. Take themoff.
And then what? Hall asked. The question might sound casual to the others, but
she caught his underlying tension.
Then our cop and Buddy find out who has balls.
I already made it clear. I dont want her hurt.
What do you care? Garpwell asked. Youre getting paid.
Not for a corpse. You read the paper? A female bodys at the morgue. According to
the coroners office, she was tied and had been beaten. There was something up both her
cunt and ass. Hall took a moment to glare at each man. If this one shows up on the
side of a road or in a lake, it could get traced back to me. Imnot taking any chances.
Although she could barely think beyond the horror of what Hall had said, she knew
hed made an impact on the men. Cigarman grunted and jabbed a finger at a nearly bald
man. I told you, damn it. We cant afford any fucking carelessness.
Imnot stupid, Buddy interjected. Much as Ive forked over for this one, Id be a
fool to cut short herusefulness. But shes got to be shown whos boss.
You and what army, Shanel thought as fingers of fear chased down her back.
Hes right, Garpwell said. The others nodded and grunted agreement. Get those
cuffs off her.
After a nearly imperceptible hesitation, Hall stepped behind her and unlocked the
manacles. Fire shot through her shoulders. Going with the sensation and accompanying
emotion, she whirled on Hall. You bastard! You didnt have to make themso tight.
Now you know what it feels like, cop, Buddy taunted. Dont much like having
the tables turned, do you. He started toward her, crouched over with his arms out.
Despite the sense of unreality, Shanel nearly laughed. For all his bravado, Buddy
was soft. In contrast, she was in great physical shape and in desperate need of an outlet
for the sexual tension that all but consumed her. After calmly pulling the panties back
up as far as they would go, she too crouched. Her fingers became fists.
Shes going to wipe the floor with you. One of the men hooted. Give it up before
she breaks your nose.
Buddys eyes narrowed; his nostrils flared. Shed seen a cornered dog look in
enough suspects to tell her he wasnt thinking clearly. Of course, the same might be said
of her. It didnt matter!
Instead of taking a defensive stance, she strode toward him. At the same time, she
moved fromside to side determined not to present himwith an easy target. He gaped at
her exposed breasts. For the first time she was glad for the outfit.
Smiling faintly, she ran her fists over her puckered nipples. Want a taste, do you?
she taunted. Not in this lifetime. When I get fucked, itll be by a man, not you. She
didnt dare look at Hall.
You bitch.
You wish. Come on. Think you can take a woman who can stand up for herself?
One you havent lashed to a bed.
Screaming, Buddy launched himself at her. Timing his charge, she didnt try to the
side until he was nearly upon her. At the same time, she rotated toward him and aimed
her fist at his throat. He gagged as she landed a solid blow. Not giving him time to
recover, she closed in and rammed her knee into his crotch. He screamed and tried to
cover himself. She buried both fists in his soft belly.
He sank to his knees and began vomiting. Sensing movement, she turned, but it was
too late. The men fell on her from all sides, two grabbing her arms and holding her
immobile while the other two took control of her flailing legs. They lifted her off the
floor and kept her spread-eagled between them. At Cigarmans order, they carried her
over to a recliner and threw her onto it. Someone yanked on a lever, and the footrest
came up. The back reclined so she was looking at the ceiling. Theyd let go of her legs
but stood nearby.
Cigarman positioned himself between her legs but back far enough so she couldnt
kick him. She spotted Hall off to the side. He shook his head, and she stopped
struggling.
I applaud you, Cigarman said. He chewed on his cigar a minute. Too bad youre
not on our side. However He exchanged glances in turn with the other men, then
looked over at Buddy who remained on his hands and knees. However, we prefer
entertainment to a female bodyguard. Youre going to be a worthy opponent. Training
you will be our pleasure.
Training? Although the word sickened her, she made it sound like a challenge. Is
that what you call it?
It doesnt matter, does it. Tell me, does ramming Buddys nuts into his belly turn
you on? You get off on that?
How did he know?
He nodded at one of the other men; the man wrapped his hands around her ankle
and leaned back, forcing her leg out at angle fromher body. Then Cigarman closed in on
her, careful to stay way fromher still free leg.
He did well. He indicated Hall who stood a few feet away. Didnt break you
down. Lifted you up in fact. He chuckled. Theres where your strength came from,
didnt it? Theres nothing like spending a night curled around a dildo to take a woman
to the edge.
Feeling sick to her stomachalong with something else she couldnt deny or keep
fromthemshe didnt respond.
Couldnt get the release you needed so you took it out on my, ah, partner over
there. He indicated Buddy. Alittle more ripening and
Ripening? What do you mean?
Its for us to know and you to think about. Whats going on there? He jerked his
head at her open-to-him cunt. Feel like its about to explode, does it?
Why did he have to bring that up when the truth was she could barely stand to be in
her own body? Fighting Buddy, especially beating him, had been like sex, damn
satisfying. Unfortunately, like everything else that had happened to her since Hall
kidnapped her, it hadnt gone far enough.
Answer me. Youd do anything to have a cock up you about now, wouldnt ;you?
Go to hell. With an effort, she kept her ass still.
He chuckled. I thought youd say fuck me but maybe the word hits too close to
home. Tell me, bitch. You willing to crawl on your hands and knees if thats what it
takes to get some relief?
She was on fire, the hottest flames centered in her clit. Talking about sex was making
things worse.
You dont want to be fucked? Cigarman asked. Youre fine with your pussy
hanging out, dripping and hot?
Dont say that! Dont make me think
I bet youd like your very own magic fingers, wouldnt you? Every time you want a
little action, all you have to do is plug it in and poke it in slot A and youre good to go.
Except for Hall and Buddy, the men laughed. As for her own reactiondamn, she
was all but soaking the recliner.
You like it up your ass? Get off on a little pain, do you?
Shutup.
His chuckle threatened to become a belly laugh, forcing him to take the now dead
cigar out of his mouth. When his laughter subsided, he looked at the cigar, then at her
pussy. Not long enough. He indicated the half-smoked stogy. But I have others. Not
as big or satisfying as a cock, but you knowwhat they say about any port in a storm.
Bombarded by equal amounts of revulsion and need, she scooted closer to the man
holding her leg in an effort to shield herself. Obviously guessing what she had in mind,
Cigarman positioned himself so her left leg was against his hip. He was close to her
pussy, so close.
What do you think, gentlemen? Are you interested in a progress report?
They nodded agreement, even Buddy whod finally gotten to his feet and
positioned himself so he had an unobstructed view of her pussy. Being open to them
like this should have shamed and angered her, but she felt hot and heavy. Desperate for
distraction, she stared at Hall. How dark was it possible for his eyes to become? Unlike
the others, his features werent heavy with lust. Instead, he looked as if he was standing
at the edge of hell.
Dont blow it, she silently told him. Weve come too far. Dont blow it!
Suddenly she shuddered. It was a moment before she realized Cigarman was
running somethingprobably the cigarover her swollen and sticky folds. He kept at
her, varying the amount of pressure, sometimes pushing the object into her passage. No
matter howhard she tried, she couldnt keep her ass still. She tried to lift it off the chair.
There. No longer the saliva slick cigar but his thumb. Probing deeper, not deep enough.
Sobbing, she hoisted herself as far as she could toward him. The man who had been
holding her ankle let go. She thought he was laughing, but she couldnt concentrate.
Want to be fucked, do you? Cigarman asked. He began rotating his thumb so it
slid over her pussy walls.
Y-yes.
Beg for it then.
No. No, she wouldnt. Anything else.
God, what was that! Two thumbs now, spreading her, assaulting her. Avoiding her clit and
adding to the torture.
Beg for it.
Please. Please!



Chapter Seventeen

Shanel didnt resist as the men holding her arms propelled her toward the dark cage.
She barely remembered being led down the stairs. All that mattered was the awful
pressure in her pussy. It was weeping and wounded, rawwith tension.
Why had he stopped? Why!
Welcome to your newhome, slave, Buddy announced as he unlocked the door.
Hopefully it wont take you long to complete the interior decorating because I have
plans for you. He laughed and stepped back.
She stared at the small, claustrophobic interior, noting the narrow bed was bolted to
the floor and had only a single blanket. A bucket served as a toilet. At least the top of the
cage was high enough so she could stand.
Buddy shoved her frombehind. The other men released her, and she half stumbled,
half fell onto the bed. Before she could command her spaghetti-muscles to move, she
heard the door slam shut.
See you later, slave, Buddy said. I want to give you enough time to think.
After a few seconds, someone turned off the light, leaving her in darkness. She
curled up on her side on the thin mattress and tucked her hands between her knees.
Although her cunt throbbed and her breasts felt as if they were about to explode from
the bra, she didnt touch herself. Instead, she listened to her vulva, her clit, her entire
body rage against what had been done to it and what might come.
She hated those men, hated herself, hated Hall most of all.
Hall.
She couldnt be sure, but she thought hed accompanied the others into what shed
dimly perceived as a dungeon. Now that she put her mind to it, she recalled seeing
other cages in the large, stark room. Each cage was separated from the others by several
feet, and all seemed to be the same size, approximately six by six feet. She hadnt noted
whether the others were empty or occupied.
It wasnt working. She couldnt ignore her aching pussy. Sobbing, she ran her fingers
almost lovingly over her labial. It reacted to the gentle touch by starting to pulse.
Imagining the increased blood flow had made it so sensitive, she continued to stroke.
The damnable crotchless panties restricted her ability to give herself relief, but shed
have to stand in order to take it off, and she lacked the strength. Besides, the black silk
was all that stood between her and nudity.
She managed to brush her folds apart and slide a finger home. Her pussy muscles
closed around it and held it there. It was already drenched in her cream. Lost and
starving, she caressed her entire passage, not aggressively in imitation of a mans
thrusting cock but compassionately. Even as her blood continued to boil, she felt
comforted and stronger. It was still her body. Even with everything done to her, she knew
what it needed and could give it that.
After resting a moment, she lifted her top leg and took advantage of the increased
access. She took a little time to massage the flesh under and around the circle of elastic
and then returned her attention to her cunt, her clit.
No one could stop her now. No one was with her in this dark hole. She was alone
with her pussy and her need, what she had a right to.
In her mind, her fingers became a mans penis, but not just any mans. She should
trust Hall least of all, but his cock nowhovered over her pussy, kissed her wet folds. His
cock spread them. His cock entered her, thrust home, rammed itself deep and true.
She felt his balls knock against her ass and imagined they were face-to-face, their
breasts sealed together, mouths equally sealed. Hed lift her in his arms, and shed lock
her legs around his hips and ride him. Hed hold her aloft with his strength, and shed
be speared by him. Deep in her throat shed laugh and sob, and hed know he had every
right to her, that she wanted everything of him.
He thrust and thrust again, his powerful hip, thigh, and pelvic muscles promising
endless strength. She rode him, gave as good as she got, forward and back, forward and
back, held close and tight
They bucked as one, his cock huge and wonderful and welcome. Now she felt him
in her belly, the tip of his cock seeming to touch her throat, caressing what had nearly
starved. She bathed him in her juices, the fluid helping his cock to glide and fill, tease
and ignite.
Her fingers clamped down over his arms. There was so much strength in her legs;
she could cling to himforever, ride himand ride himand ride him.
The pressure was building. Heat growing. Feeling as if her entire body had become
her cunt, her pussy, her clit, her G spot. He was there with her, matching her sensation
for sensation. They breathed together, sobbed as one, groaned and slammed. The last
thing she remembered was his cum squirting into her. The taste of it.

* * * * *
Are you done?
Shanel gasped and stared at the darkness. A woman had asked the question. She
still felt as if shed run a marathon and collapsed at the finish line; at the same time, she
knewwhere she was and howshed gotten here.
Are you done? the woman repeated.
Yes. There was no reason to deny shed just climaxed.
We sawthembring you in, the woman said. Youre all right?
No. Before the word could escape, she remembered why she was here and what she
needed to accomplish. What is this place? Interjecting fear into her voice took no
effort. Who are those men?
Hush. Keep your voice down.
Someone else had entered the conversation. This woman seemed to be to her left
while the first sounded as if she was behind her. Although she would have preferred to
remain sprawled on the bed, Shanel sat up.
Its so dark, she whispered. I cant see anything.
Theyll turn the light back on when theyre ready to. Its a game they play. One of
many.
She was glad to hear anger in the womans voice; at least she wasnt completely
cowed.
What is this place? she repeated. I dont understand. I was kidnapped. He did

The bastard who kidnapped you. You dont have to explain. We know.
Of course they did. After a short silence, the two women began talking. They kept their
voices low, but she had no trouble hearing them. One woman who called herself Dena
said she was a waitress; at least she had been before a man had broken into her
apartment and drugged her. She didnt know how long shed been here because she
couldnt keep the days and nights separate. She cried a little when she said that.
The other woman, who said her name was Georgia, a legal secretary, warned Dena
not to think about passing time. In contrast to Denas barely controlled despair, Georgia
seemed to be holding herself together with an iron grip. She told Shanel that with her
there were now a total of five women in the dungeon, but the other cages were far
enough away those women would have to speak in normal tones, and the dungeon was
bugged.
There used to be another woman in Shanels cage, a screamer who couldnt be quiet
even when she was ordered to. Thered been other women in the pasta past that went
back no more than approximately four months which was how long Georgia believed
shed been here.
No two women came fromthe same state, but they all had certain things in common.
None had children, a husband, or close family ties. We think its because the police are
less likely to look for women like us, Georgia said. We fall into the cracks. Are you a
crack girl?
II guess I am. Whatwhat do they want with us?
Dont make me spell it out, Georgia warned. She was quiet for a moment, then
said each member of The Takers was different. Buddy who insisted on being called
Master Bud became violent when he drank. Master Ralphthey didnt think that was
his real namewas in charge. When he gave an order, the other Masters complied, even
Master Garpwell who talked a lot about how rich he was. Ralph always had a cigar in
his mouth and sometimes burned a girl with it.
I know, Shanel admitted.
He burned you?
No. But he used it to, you know.
Which is why you had to masturbate, you poor thing. They love to get us hot and
bothered.
Not always, Dena whispered. Sometimes by the time theyre done with me,
especially Master Cy, Imnumb.
Its because hes hung like a horse, Georgia said. Dont fight them. That makes it
worse.
But Master Bud wants me to fight. Denas voice shook. Hehe knows how to
make me.
Locked in the black room, Shanel struggled to keep frombeing swamped by despair
as the women described the various mens sexual preferences. Although it meant theyd
get hungry and thirsty, the women preferred it when the men were gone. Sometimes
theyd be left alone so long they became scared The Takers would never return and they
d die in their cages.
Not every encounter was rape, Georgia explained. Sometimes, depending on the
mood a master was in, theyd be treated like valuable members of a harem, given long
bubble baths, fresh fruit and vegetables, beautiful clothes, a walkunder close
supervision of course. Being able to walk or even fucked in the sunlight was wonderful.
It almost made up for everything else.
Shanel was trying to find a way to work the conversation around to the mens
business dealings when suddenly the dungeon was bathed in light. She shut her eyes
and hugged her knees to her chest. Once shed adjusted to the light, she looked around.
Georgia was tall and thin and naked with large breasts that looked out of proportion to
the rest of her. Her hair hung in tangles around her face.
Dena, whose cage was behind Shanels, was small and slight looking, her dark hair
short cropped. In contrast to Georgias nudity, Dena had on a filmy white nightgown.
She also had a gold collar and chain which secured her to one of the bars.
The other two women were maybe ten feet away, one naked, the other in simple
pastel panties and bra. One looked asleep while the other sat on the end of her bed
staring at the floor.
Thats Jaz, Georgia said of the one who was sitting up. She goes into a trance
every time the light turns on.
Why? Shanels throat was dry.
Because she knows theyre coming.

* * * * *
Maybe five minutes passed between the time the light was turned on and two
members of The Takers walked into the dungeon. They carried lengths of rope and
leather and were laughing about something. When they stopped in front of her cage,
Shanel felt her heart slam against her chest. At least it wasnt Buddy.
Your turn will come, slave, Garpwell told her. Be patient. Itll be worth the wait.

Patient, nothing, the other taunted. Spend your time thinking about whats going
to happen. Chew on that. By the time were done with you, youre going to forget you
ever were a copor anything except what we want you to be.
Apparently they hadnt decided ahead of time which of the women they wanted
because they stood in front of each cage in turn. The woman whod looked as if shed
been sleeping was still lying down, but shed lifted herself up on one elbow and was
watching their every move. Only Jaz seemed oblivious to their presence.
Shanel had thought shed be prepared for this. No matter what happened, shed
keep her wits about her, but tension felt heavy in the air. As if that wasnt bad enough,
she couldnt stop thinking about the mans warning.
They chose Jaz and Dena, who both went willingly. Shanel waited to be plunged
back into darkness, but the light remained on after the door at the top of the stairs had
slammed shut. The woman whod been lying down, lowered herself back on her
mattress.
When will they be back? Shanel asked Georgia.
If theyre lucky, not long, but I dont think its going to be like that today.
Why not?
Georgias laugh was without warmth. She also stopped whispering. The Takers
have a new toy, you. Just thinking about how theyre going to play with you has them
horny. As long as theyre like that, they wont bother listening to us; we can talk. Damn,
damn. Jaz cant take much more.
Fear for Jaz increased Shanels tension. What happens then?
Georgia took in her depressing surroundings. They get rid of her. Like they have
others. She paced fromone end of her small cage to the other. I try not to thinkabout
anything. Jaz says she becomes someone else in her mind; its the only way she can
survive. But her defenses are cracking. Maybe
Maybe what?
Sometimes I wish I was dead.
Shanel ached to tell her the end to the nightmare was coming, but she didnt dare
risk being overheard. Besides, she didnt trust anyone fully, not even her fellow
prisoners. If Georgia was right about their being able to talk freely, she had to take
advantage of that.
Who are they? she asked. You called themTakers, didnt you?
And other things Imnot going to let themhear. You dont knowwhats going on?
Because shed decided pretending ignorance was the best way to get information,
she told Georgia shed been kept in darkness since she was snatched. She didnt know
where this place was and had no idea who the men were.
My friends are looking for me, she wound up. I knowthey are. Theyll find
Dont, Georgia warned. Dont waste your sanity thinking about that. Rescues not
going to happen.
Georgia, whod impressed her as a strong and vital woman, now sounded defeated.
Howcan you be sure? Shanel asked. You dont know whats going on in the outside
world.
No, I dont. But this hellhole has existed for several years. No woman has escaped
or been rescuedbecause The Takers are too powerful.
Much as she wanted to comfort Georgia, she decided to jump on the chance to learn
more about The Takers. I sawthe cars when I was brought here, she said. Theyre all
expensive. The Takers are rich?
Rich and powerful.
There was that unsettling word again. Because she couldnt make it go away, she
guided Georgia into telling her howshed come to the conclusion. Georgias knowledge
consisted of bits and pieces of what the men had talked about when she was in their
presence. Their confidence and arrogance was almost a living force, as if they saw
themselves as dictators. Georgia wasnt sure what their business titles were, not that it
mattered. Their careers were varied, but all of them were in positions of power and
responsible for the financial dealings in their companies.
But careers were only part of what the men talked about. Mostly they boasted and
laughed about what they called their extracurricular investment program.
Theyre using other peoples money, Georgia said. One night, when Master Cy
was drunk, he told me he and the other Takers made more off suckers than they did
legitimately.
How? Shanel could barely contain her excitement.
Georgias explanation was somewhat disjointed. Sometimes she stopped and
strained, and Shanel knew her mind was on what was happening to Jaz and Dena. Hall
had told her more about the people The Takers were defrauding than Georgia knew.
According to Georgia, The Takers took great care to keep a low profile by never
flaunting their wealth; at the same time they gave off an aura of success and confidence
that convinced investors to hand money over to The Takers.
If I was one of those so-called investors, Id really be concerned about not being
able to get my hands on my money, Shanel said. Although she kept her tone casual, her
heart rate kicked up a notch. I cant imagine letting anyone take my money out of the
country.
Youd think so, but according to Master Cy, once people hear about how much
they can make and not have to pay taxes on, they can hardly wait to jump onboard. By
the time they realize theyve been had, its too late. What are they going to do, go to the
cops? If they did, theyd have to admit they were trying to defraud the government and
stealing fromtheir corporations.
Does anyone try to take them on? Id think theyd do whatever it takes to get their
money back.
How? The moneys in Mexico.
Shanel gave her what she hoped was a casual glance. How does it get there?
What do you care?
Although she was afraid shed aroused Georgias suspicion, Shanel had come too
close to back down. IImtrying to understand howmany people are involved.
Involved? Thats not how Master Cy puts it. He laughed when he said this. There
are a couple of women who travel to Mexico on business all the time. Theyre the
carriers.
Two women? Shanel didnt try to keep shock out of her voice.
Yeah. Considering whats happened to us, its hard to accept, isnt it?
Who are they? Howcome no one has ever suspected them?
Georgia came as close as she could and motioned for Shanel to do the same. They
re lawyers. They do business with American corporations which have dealings in
Mexico.
Shanel gasped. What? Howcan
One of them used to handle some legal matters for Master Garpwell. The other is
her lesbian lover. Master Cy says neither woman is going to cross The Takers; their
reputations depend on their private lives not coming out.
Hall, where are you? I have to tell you this!
And you have to get me out of here!



Chapter Eighteen

Shanel was so concerned with what Georgia had told her that she was barely aware
of the passing time. Because there were no windows, she couldnt tell whether it was
still daylight, but she was getting both hungry and thirsty. Georgia hadnt said much
else, making Shanel wonder if she regretted revealing what she had.
While she was with Hall, hed made sure she got exercise, and hed seldom left her
alone. True, much of the time hed been readying her for the role hed forced her into,
but at least shed felt connected to the worldto him. In contrast, she now felt as if she
existed in a vacuum. There was nothing to read, nothing to hear except the beating of her
heart, nothing to think about except the too-small cage and wondering whether shed get
out alive.
No wonder the women were losing their will. Howlong could she keep her own?
And that wasnt the worst of it. Looming over everything else was the control The
Takers had over her body, her everything.
Feeling too big for her skin, she paced back and forth, turning and turning and
turning because there was nowhere to go. Georgia watched her but didnt say anything.
The other woman hadnt moved.
More time passed. She was beginning to obsess about a glass of water, even a
teaspoonful. Should she take off the idiotic bra and panties and give the men the
message she wasnt some mannequin they could dress? But if she did, shed be naked,
and they might like that even more.
Where was Hall? If he was still here, was he participating in whatever was being
done to Jaz and Dena? Was it expected of him, some kind of test?
Damn, damn, damn, if only shed never met him.
It must be too much time alone with her rambling thoughtsnothing except that
but remembering Halls masterful handling of her body increased her restlessness.
Masturbating should have put an end to her God-awful sexual tension, but obviously
shed done an imperfect jobeither that or Hall had implanted her pussy with a
memory chip.
Memory chip. Thats a good one.
She was deep in an argument with herself about how to get rid of the implant or at
least turn it off when she heard male voices. Georgia crouched on her bed as far from the
stairs as she could get. The other woman sat up and did the same. Taking her cue from
them, Shanel climbed onto her mattress and hugged her legs.
Someone had put a hood over Jazs head. There was a cutout for her nose and mouth
but not her eyes. Her wrists and ankles were cuffed and a heavy metal chain stretched
between the cuffs, making it difficult for her to walk. Her breasts had been clipped, and
a thin, decorative chain hung between the clips.
Like Jaz, Dena wore a hood, but her feet were free while her hands were confined by
leather restraints connected to a leather belt. The way she walked made Shanel wonder if
she was wearing a butt plug.
The two men whod taken them out positioned the women in front of their
respective cages. Then they left them standing there and walked over to where Shanel
was.
Hall, please!.
Come on, bitch, Cigarman said as he unlocked her door. Weve got some work
for you to do. Mess up and everyones going to pay.
With the warning ringing in her ears, she stood up and stepped forward. He
grabbed an exposed nipple and twisted it until she cried out.
Got your attention, have I? He released it and did the same to her other nipple.
Just wanted to make sure. Youre going to be a good slave, arent you?
Yes. She nearly gagged on the word.
I thought so. Now, as you can see, we havent quite finished with these two. Left
themkind of wrapped up in their work.
Both men laughed, then the other man spoke. Now, we could leave them like they
are. Give all of you something to think about. It wont be the first time.
Ill kill you. Somehow, Ill kill you.
But they were good little girls and did what we told them to. They deserve to be
rewarded. Dont you agree?
Yes.
Of course you do. And youre going to do the rewarding.
Despite her dread of what they had in mind, Shanel kept her reaction to herself. Hall
would be back; hed get them all out of this hell! And until then, shed do whatever it
took to keep everyone alive.
When the men told her to take the clips off Jazs breasts, she did so as gently as
possible. Then they ordered her to lick Jazs nipples and she complied. They kept her at
it until Jaz moaned behind the hood and leaned toward her.
Its all right, she told Jaz. Well get out of this, and when we are, Ill get you all the help you
need.
She was so concerned about Jaz she barely noticed she was becoming excited.
Suddenly Cigarman stepped behind her, snaked his arm around her waist, and pulled
her off-balance. He shoved his free hand between her legs from the rear. Although she
entertained fantasies of beating him senseless with Jazs chains, she submissively
widened her stance. He probed at the entrance to her wet pussy.
Shit, damn bitchll do all right. Hot and bothered.
Keep her that way, the other man muttered. All right, bitch, we dont want you
and the other slave to have any fun without us. Besides, your work isnt done. Slave
number two is waiting.
Hating her bodys response to what shed been compelled to do to Jaz, she
nevertheless forced herself to stand behind Dena. At Cigarmans order, Dena leaned
over and spread her legs. Shanel could plainly see the end of the butt plug sticking out
of her. It looked huge.
Weve got a problem here, Cigarman said. Poor bitchs got something rammed
up her ass, and we cant get it out. Think you can handle it?
Against all reason, the sight caused Shanel to become even more excited.
Did you hear me, bitch? Cigarman demanded. He grabbed her arms and pulled
thembehind her. If you want to eat and drink, youre going to get the sucker out. With
your teeth.
Swallowing equal parts revulsion and excitement, Shanel bent down and brought
her mouth close to Denas ass. Cigarman still had hold of her arms, and although she
might have been able to yank free, it wouldnt have accomplished anything.
She opened her mouth and positioned it over the plug end but couldnt force herself
to go any further.
Come on, bitch, get it done. The trick is to get the right angle and go at it slow and
steady. Give her something to feel.
Im sorry. Im sorry. Hating Cigarman, she adjusted her grip and angle and slowly
backed away from Denas ass, bringing the frighteningly long plug with her. Dena
sobbed and might have fallen forward if the other man hadnt caught her.
Cigarman waited for Shanel to straighten before letting her arms go. Then he pushed
the plug further into her mouth until she gagged. Finally, he took it fromher.
Not bad for lesson number one. He laughed as he shoved her toward her cage.
Not bad.

* * * * *
As much as Shanel had wanted to connect with her fellow prisoners, in the wake of
what shed been forced to do, she couldnt bring herself to break the silence. Shed been
relieved when Dena and Jazs restraints were removed and everyone was given fresh
water and a sandwich. Shed had to eat in the dark which had made it both easier and
harder to face herself. If only shed kneed those men where it counted! But if she had,
she and more importantly, the other women would have been punished; she had no
doubt.
Although the mattress was so thin she could feel the springs under it, that wasnt
why she barely slept. Howlong before she forgot who and what shed been before shed
been thrown into a cage? In a few weeks, maybe less, shed stop dreaming of killing
those bastards; shed become like Jaz and Dena, resigned. Maybe her innate sexuality
would continue to respond, but it was only a bodily function. And after awhile, the men
would growtired of what little they could get out of her.
For the first time since Hall had grabbed her, she allowed herself to truly cry, but as
a sob welled up in her throat, she forced it down because she refused to subject her
unwilling companions to her emotions. Shed remain strong, defiant, give them
something to cling to until Hall
If Hall
It might have been morning by the time she put her light sleep behind her and sat
up. She heard a spring squeak but didnt say anything. Thinking someone might be
seeking the same sexual release shed resorted to when she was first put in here, she
waited, but the squeak wasnt repeated. Talking to Georgia had eased the slow passing
hours yesterdayif it had been yesterdaybut she couldnt think of anything to say
now.
Hall. Hall, I have names. Connections to The Takers. Hopefully specific information about
where the money is.
Excited, she stood and in two steps reached the bars. She grabbed themand stared at
the dark, ceased to be a prisoner and turned back into a cop. She felt the adrenalin rush
that always accompanied solving a crime or arresting a suspect. Shed found the key,
she! Now all she had to do was get out of here so she could slap cuffs on those two
conscienceless and well-connected women.
Get a move on, Hall! Ive got an arrest to make.
Intent on her one-sided conversation, she was slow to comprehend the dungeon had
been bathed in light. Someone whimpered and more bed springs creaked. She increased
her grip on the bars and waited to see who was coming. Then she recognized Buddy and
took an involuntary step back. He carried a red lightweight whip.
Its just you and me, slave, he told her. The others put on their suits and ties and
left for work this morning. Fortunately, I have the day off. He laughed. Time for you
and me to get acquainted. And for you to understand whos boss.



Chapter Nineteen

Shanel stared down at what remained of the panties and bra which now lay in a
heap inside her cage where Buddy had told her to leave them after ordering her to
remove them. Before opening her cage, hed had her stick her hands out the bars and put
on cuffs that held the insides of her wrists a couple of inches apart. Then hed taken her
out and forced her to straddle a hard plastic contraption resembling a sawhorse. Hed
fastened the cuffs to the sawhorse in such a way she was forced to bend over at the
waist. As long as she stood on her toes, her cunt didnt touch the nearly pointed top, but
she couldnt keep that up forever
Buddy positioned himself behind her. She knewhe was staring at her ass.
Nice cunt you got there. Guess thats why I picked the outfit I did, so I could see it.
The slaver, he didnt ruin you, did he?
She clenched her teeth.
I asked you a question, slave. He touched her ass with the whip tails and glided it
down her thighs. Hed better not have ruined you. Whatd he do to you? Tell me.
Hall! Please, now!
Spit it out!
He swung. The whip bit into her backside, and she jumped. When she came down,
the sawhorse ground into her pussy and forced her back onto her toes.
HeI dont knowwhat you want me to say.
What the hell do I care? Entertain me.
Anticipation of another swat slowed her thoughts. She was still trying to think what
to say when he stung her for the second time. Fortunately, she remembered not to come
down on the sawhorse, but her legs already ached fromtension. Sooner or later, her cunt
would be smashed against the plastic.
Look at me. He prodded her ass with the handle, and she obediently looked over
her shoulder at him. Thats better. Now, the slaver said something that needs further
explanation. The rules are, no climaxing until I or one of my partners decides you
deserve it, but he said he let you come once. What happen, he get careless? Didnt back
off in time.
II guess. Hall, please. I need you.
Guess doesnt cut it, slave. He prodded again. Details or youre going to be
fucking this.
II couldnt stand it any more. I begged. He sucked me.
Hm. You like being sucked, do you?
Careful. Dont give him any ideas.
Like he doesnt already have too many?
Ithelped. Her neck ached, and she turned back around to relieve the tension.
Nowshe couldnt see him.
But he didnt ramhis cock up you?
No. Liar.
Pity. He slid the whip tails over her ass again; the sensation was like a caress.
Hot as the merchandise looks, he should have. Now, Ive got a bit of a dilemma. Youre
strong. He leaned down and gripped her taut calf muscle. Look at it. A runners legs.
Its going to take awhile before they give out and I get my fun watching you squirm on
this little toy. I can either go up for a drink or wait for the game to start. You tell me.
Howmuch longer?
Hall, I cant do this! I needyou.
Cat got your tongue? Huh, cat got your tongue.
There was nothing gentle or teasing about this swat; try as she might, she couldnt
stop herself from trying to get away from the whip. Unfortunately, she lost her balance
and came down, hard, on the sawhorse. A strange blend of pleasure and pain spread
through her pussy; maybe she didnt get back up on her toes as soon as she could have.
Hm, he muttered. Like it, do you? Well see how much you do after youve been
riding the bronco for an hour. He laughed. Thats what we call it, the bronco.
Hall!
Maybe Ill stay after all, Buddy said. Pull up a chair and
For a moment, all she knew was Buddy had stopped in mid sentence. Then she
heard a mans voice. Get away fromher, or Ill kill you.
Hall? Was it him or just her imagination? Although she struggled to look in the
direction of the voice, she couldnt.
Did you hear me, get away fromher.
Hall! she fairly screamed.
What the fucks going on? Buddy demanded.
Whats happening is, Hall said. youre going to get down on your hands and
knees, now.
What are you doing here? You
Shut up. Ill tell you when you can speak.
Halls words sounded calm enough to his ears, a professional carrying out an
operation, but if he looked at Shanel again, he wasnt sure he could control himself. He
didnt dare think about how long shed been chained to the damned instrument of
torture or the hell leading up to it. He was hereas soon as he could once he was certain
Buddy hadnt left with the others.
Not that he gave a damn, but obviously Buddy knewwho held the upper handthe
man with the gunand was reacting accordingly. The Takers belly got in the way but
eventually he was down on his hands and knees.
Keeping his gun trained on him, Hall walked over to Shanel. She stared at him, but
he couldnt read her expression. He put the keys in his pocket, she said.
He stalked over to Buddy and ordered himto hand him the keys. Red-faced, Buddy
complied. Then, taking a great deal of pleasure in the task, he ordered Buddy to get into
the empty cage and slammed the door shut. It gave hima great deal of satisfaction to see
the look of disbelief and fear in the bastards eyes.
Freeing Shanel took too long, but finally the cuffs fell away, and she straightened.
Dropping her gaze, she stepped off the sawhorse. She wrapped her arms around her
middle. He didnt remember her looking so small or vulnerable before.
Im sorry, was the only thing he could think to say. After the way he acted
yesterday, I didnt dare leave you alone with him.
Shoot him, she hissed. Or let me do it.
No. Were getting out of here.
She swayed, then lifted her head. Not yet. Not until the other women
Shanel, the others might return.
He hadnt wanted to scare her, but she needed to think of the danger they were both
in. The more time he spent in this hell-hole, the stronger the need to lift her in his arms
and run toward sunlight.
I cant go, she whispered. I promised
Well be back, but not until I have reinforcements. Did you get?
The information? Yes.
After months of waiting to hear the words, it was strange how little putting an end to
The Takers mattered. Next to finding her alive, everything else was secondary. Thank
you, he managed.
Instead of replying, she glared at Buddy. Hed never considered himself particularly
intuitive, but there was no doubt she wanted to kill the man.
Not now, he insisted. Grabbing her arm, he pushed her toward the stairs. She
jerked free, but after sweeping her gaze over the other cages, she started up. He didnt
dare look at the other woman because if he did, he wouldnt be able to go through with
what hed come here for which was freeing Shanel.
She was nearly at the top, and hed started up himself when the door flew open.
Two armed men filled the space. Before he could order Shanel to duck so he could
shoot, she lowered her head and rammed it into the nearest mans belly. Gasping, he fell
backward.
Run! he ordered Shanel. Get the hell out of here!
She vaulted over the fallen man, but instead of disappearing into the dark, she
whirled toward him. The other manhe thought it was Garpwellglanced over at
Shanel but kept his gun aimed at him. Holding his own weapon steady, Hall stared back
at him.
Whos going to fire first, Loring Garpwell? he challenged. Maybe youll kill me,
but if you dont, I sure as hell will put a bullet through your heart.
You knowwho I am? What the fuck are you doing?
Unexpected laughter bubbled up inside him; unfortunately, there wasnt time for an
explanation that would have drained the color from Garpwells face. The man Shanel
had floored was getting to his knees. As he started to lift his gun, she kicked, her foot
connecting with the back of his head. His gun flew out of his hand. Determined to
subdue the two men without gunfire which could injure the innocent women below,
Hall charged. Hed nearly reached Garpwell when The Taker fired.
Molten lava seared his left shoulder. He staggered, then caught his balance. A rage
he didnt believe he had in himtook over, and he fired. His bullet ripped into Garpwell
s chest, and the golf course developer sank to the floor like a deflated balloon.
Hall! Shanel screamed.
The other man had managed to retrieve his gun and was trying to aim it. Shanel
kicked it out of his hand. Fighting a strange weakness, Hall accessed the situation.
Maybe he could kill or at least disarm the man before he took another bullet, but the
more time they spent here, the greater the danger other Takers would arrive.
Run! he bellowed at Shanel. Now!
Instead, she started toward him. Hall?
He jumped over Garpwells body. When he landed, pain shot through him.
Although hed been hit in his shoulder, everything felt weak; he wasnt sure he could
hold his revolver steady.
But he could runat least he could right now.
The man Shanel had kicked had again grabbed his pistol.
Together, she said almost softly. Were running together.
A great idea, a wonderful idea! Acting on instinct and adrenalin, he matched Shanel step
by step. The dungeon was accessible via a room at the rear of the mansion, and he
guided her toward the back door hed come in through. She didnt take in her
surroundings but kept looking over at him.
No wonder. Blood soaked his shirt.
She turned the knob, stepped into the morning light and held the door ajar as he
staggered through.
Hall?
Imall right, he lied. Head into the woods.

* * * * *
God, she loved running, Shanel thought. Yes, shed prefer to have on shoes and
clothes and not be thinking about what had happened back in that God-awful place, but
the sense of freedom that went with runningwonderful!
By her reckoning, she and Hall ran about a half mile before slowing to a walk. The
distance might be off because theyd had to zigzag through the thick vegetation, but at
least the dense carpet of rotting plants had provided a cushion for her feet. Ancient trees
shut off much of the sunlight, but she saw wild growing things, not bars. She wasnt
short of breath, proof she hadnt been imprisoned long enough to undermine her
physical condition.
What did it matter? Hall had been shot. The Takers might be after them.
Not fully believing they were safe, she stopped and turned toward the man whod
complicated her life beyond belief. His cheeks were flushed from the exertion, but his
lips looked unnaturally pale. Blood continued to seep from his wound, and hed
holstered his gun, maybe because it was too heavy.
At least he had the strength to unhook the cell phone from his waist. He punched
send. Go in! he ordered whoever he was speaking to. Now! He listened for no more
than five seconds. Yeah. Be careful. He punched end.
Your partners? she asked. Where are they?
I dont know, he said. As close as they dared get. Theyll call when its over.
When its over. II was pleading to myself for you to come, she admitted. Did she
dare touch him? IBuddy
Dont think about him.
Hes a monster.
He touched her cheek with his good hand. Imso sorry.
Imso sorry. Had she ever heard more wonderful, heartfelt words? Why did we run?
You could have killed
Thats the way it works in the movies, but in real life, stray bullets hit innocent
people. You know that. Besides, there are more Takers. If two came back to see what
Buddy was up to, maybe the others had, too.
I didnt think of that, she admitted. Just before Hall had shown up, shed
despaired of getting out of the hell-hole alive. Now she was free, but the nightmare
wasnt over. Hall had been shot, and the other women were still in there. Howbad is it?
She indicated his shoulder.
I dont know.
But you must have an idea.
I can run, he said. It tells me something.
But now that hed stopped, could he start again? Although she hated hurting him,
she unbuttoned his shirt and slowly drew it off him. So much blood covered the wound
she couldnt tell anything. Do you know, are we anywhere near water?
Yes. He almost smiled. Earlier when I was carrying out surveillance here, I came
across a cabin. Its deserted, but the well still works.
A cabin with a water source! What more could she want?
Where? she asked, and when he said they were within a mile of it, she asked if he
could make it that far.
I think so, he said, revealing a vulnerability that touched her heart. Now that the
immediate danger was behind them, and shed felt sunlight on her back, she was struck
by howlong last night without Hall had been. Awful as her surroundings had been, the
worst was not knowing whether shed see himagain.
Well go slow, she told him. And if you need to rest, let me know. Theres no
reason for you to play macho man.
Again the hint of a smile touched his lips. Have the tables turned? Now youre
ordering me around?
She nodded. Wouldnt you say its my turn?
This isnt the way it was suppose to turn out.
How then? With you and the others shutting down The Takers and riding off into
the sunset?
Something like that.
What about me? she demanded. What was suppose to happen to me?
Hall didnt answer, and despite her frustration, right now she couldnt take being
told his intention had been to walk out of her life. Although he matched her moderate
pace, his clenched jaw and the way he cradled his injured arm told her what this was
costing him. She longed to stop, but shed seen enough injured people to know hed
stiffen up if he didnt keep moving. Hoping to give both of them something to think
about, she asked howhed happened to show up this morning.
This had been my intention fromthe beginning, he told her.
Why you? Because youd invested so much, ah, time in me?
Imthe only one whos been in the mansion.
It made sense. It just wasnt what she wanted to hear. What the hell was happening
to her anyway? For the first time in who knew how long, she wasnt dealing with a
libido in overdrive. She shouldnt care who played Lone Ranger as long as she and the
other women were rescued.
But she did! Hall was the only one she wanted to see, to talk to, to touch.
Imsorry I didnt tell you everything about my plans, he said. But if youd been
expecting my returning this morning, The Takers might have sensed it in you.
In other words, you wanted me to come across as scared.
And turned on.
Of course. Why had she let the conversation take this turn? Why couldnt they talk
about anything except those monsters? How could I forget?
The deer path they were on went up a slope. She took it first, then turned and
extended her hand. For a moment she thought Hall wasnt going to take it, but he did,
and she brought him to her. It tore her apart to see him without the strength that was
part and parcel of him. At the same time, it leveled the playing field, erased the
differences between them. He was no longer the one in controlwas she?
Did you sleep last night? he asked when they were again on level ground.
Not much. One of the women and I talked. She told me a great deal.
I want to hear everything, but not now.
He was still holding her hand but not, she suspected, because he needed her
support. Her hands werent what shed call small and delicate, and she loved the sense
that they were nearly equals in thisthat he could take strength fromher if he needed it.
Because she wasnt willing to tell him, she pressed him for more details about how hed
gotten into the mansion. He explained that he had a skeleton key.
How did you know about Buddy? she asked.
I never left last night. I drove away, then I doubled back on foot.
Hed been there. You
Id managed to plant a listening devise upstairs yesterday, he continued. But I
didnt know what was going on in the dungeon. When I heard Buddy unlock the
dungeon doorI called the other SHIT members; they thought it was too dangerous for
me to go in.
But you did.
Yes.
Why?
Stopping, he pulled her against him. Because she didnt want to risk hurting him,
she didnt wrap her arms around him. Maybe he was thinking the same thing because all
he did was look down at her. Then he gently brushed her tangled hair off her forehead.
I had to, he whispered. I had no choice.



Chapter Twenty

The cabin had been through a fewtoo many storms. It listed to the side and some of
the shingles had been blown away. Because it didnt have a foundation, the boards were
rotting at the bottom, but Shanel was delighted to find a substantial looking wood stove
and a supply of firewood near the front door. The door was locked, but because some of
the hinges had pulled out, it was a moot point.
She shivered in the small, cool interior. I wish I dared start a fire, she told Hall
who now sat on what served as a couch. I was warm enough when we were walking,
but She rubbed her upper arms.
He stared at her, bringing her attention to the fact that massaging her arms caused
her breasts to jiggle. There are clothes in the dresser, he said.
The dresser, if thats what it was called, looked like a yard sale reject and was next to
a single bed positioned against one wall of the single-roomed structure. She wasnt sure
she could put on something that had been molding away here for who knew how many
years but dutifully tugged open the top drawer. To her surprise, it contained a pair of
new jeans, an equally new T-shirt, and expensive-looking bra and panties in her size.
There were also socks and tennis shoes.
You, she managed. You put themhere for me?
Yes.
Nothing anyone had ever done for her had meant as much. Blinking back tears, she
clutched the clothes to her. Youtheres water? Id love to clean up.
Theres a pump in the sink. The cabin was built around the well.
She should have tended to Halls wound first, but because of what Buddy had done
to her, she felt filthy. Using the towels and wash cloths Hall had left on the kitchen
counter, she cleaned herself with icy water and heavenly-smelling soap. Then, although
it felt strange to have on clothes, she dressed.
It fits? he asked.
Perfectly. Whenwhen did you?
Awhile ago. Could I have a drink?
Oh God, Imsorry. I should have
Its all right.
The dishes and glassware didnt look particularly clean. Fortunately, someone had
left paper plates and plastic cups in the single cupboard. After taking care of Hall, she
got a drink herself and dampened another washcloth so she could clean his wound.
Theres disinfectant soap in the drawer, he told her. And bandages.
She took out the disinfectant and poured some on the washcloth. Did you do this
too? she asked. Because you thought someone might be hurt?
I didnt know.
He winced when she placed the cold soapy cloth over his shoulder. She left it there a
little while to loosen the dried blood. Then, slowly and gently, she began to wipe. She
rinsed the cloth several times, not stopping until only fresh blood oozing from a flesh
wound remained. After using some of the antibiotic cream, she covered his injury with
gauze. Now, except for the wrapping, he looked like the man she believed himto be.
She could have rummaged around for something to eat. Instead, she remained
beside him. When she drewhimagainst her, he rested his head against her breasts.
You make a good nurse, he said. Calm, cool, and collected.
Next to everything else Ive been through, a flesh wound isnt going to bother me.
Then why were your hands shaking?
They still trembled; shed just hoped he wouldnt notice.
Imtired, she told him. You didnt either sleep last night, did you.
No.
Because you had so much planning to do?
When he looked up at her, it took all her strength not to cover his mouth with hers.
What was it shed said about not being turned on? Everything had changed.
Because I was scared for you, Shanel.
She should have stood so she could walk away if necessary. Instead, she sank down
beside him. Now their shoulders touched, but they didnt look at each other. The cabin
had a small opening where a window had been. She studied, but didnt really see the
wilderness just beyond.
I dont understand you, she whispered. Youthe things you did to methey
were mechanical. A job you had to perform.
Up to a point.
He was beginning to get an erection. If she touched him, she could make his cock
strain against his jeans.
Apoint? she asked.
He indicated his erection. Im a normal, healthy male. When I see a naked woman

A helpless, blindfolded and gagged woman
He sighed. I didnt know it was going to be so much of a turn-on. Theres
something about a sense of control
I wouldnt know. Although she told herself not to, she leaned toward him so his
good shoulder pressed against hers. His warmthhis living, breathing warmthwas
getting to her.
No, you wouldnt. He was silent for the better part of a minute. I anticipated the
sexual reaction, at least I thought I had a handle on it. But the longer we were together,
when I started seeing you as a human being
Whatwhat happened then?
Instead of answering, he let his head sag forward. Alarmed, she scooted around so
she could look into his eyes. They looked so dry and haunted she ran her hand over his
cheek. Whats wrong? she asked.
I didnt expect to care. I didnt want to.
Because you had a job to do, and I was the means toward an end; I understand.
No. You dont. You cant.
Shed seen tortured human beings in her life. Hell, when shed first seen the pink
slip, shed felt as if shed been shot. But what Hall was going through went deeper than
even the end to a career. Determined to reach him, she placed her hand over his cock
and gently massaged through the denim.
I dont need that, he whispered. She started to remove her hand, but he placed his
over hers and held her there. But I want, he said. I never thought I would feel want
again, but
Again? What do you mean?
After my wife and parents were murdered
Had the sunlight left the room? Was it getting cold? Beyond caring about anything
except him, she ran her free hand over the side of his neck. He spread his legs, and she
inched closer, then rested her hands on his thighs. Murdered, she whispered. How?
By who?
I dont know. He groaned. Thats the hell of it, I dont know. He lifted his head;
rage had replaced the earlier look of despair. I was an FBI agent and had been working
three major cases at once. The only thing we could figure was Id gotten too close to
someone; they tried to stop me.
Byby killing your family?
Yes.
Enough! She wouldnt put him through any more. Hall, I am so terribly, terribly sorry.
But youre doing something worthwhile with your life now. As a member of SHIT
your wife and parents would be proud of you. Theyd understand.
Would they? I served themup like sacrificial lambs. Put my damn career first, didn
t see what I was doing.
Stop it! Shed never felt closer to another human being, angry and hurting at the
same time, desperate to help him heal. Acting on instinct, she pulled off the shirt hed
bought for her, then placed her hands on his thighs. Blaming yourself wont change
what happened. You have to look ahead, not back.
Imtrying.
But the journey was so hard. She understood that as shed never understood
anything before. Its the end of The Takers, she told him although she wasnt sure.
That wouldnt be happening if it wasnt for you.
And you. He massaged her hands, the pressure pushing her fingers more firmly
against his thighs. Youre the key, the breakthrough.
Not me. Georgia told me what we needed to know.
We? Then you see yourself as part of SHIT, not a prisoner?
She was still a prisoner although maybe she never wanted to be free of the hold Hall
had on her heart.
Hall, right here, right now, its just you and me. After youve rested, well decide
what to do next. Hopefully by then well have heard something.
And if we havent?
Well deal with it.
He nodded but didnt look at her. Instead, his attention seemed fixed on what he
could see of the world outside the cabin. Tell me about your family, she said as she
unfastened his jeans. Make themcome to life for me.
What are you doing?
What feels right, she told him. Beyond, I dont know.
As she waited for him to begin, she pulled down the zipper and eased his cock
through the opening in his shorts. Before, his body hadnt been hers to do what she
wanted with. Nowtheyd reached this pointmaybeshe didnt know how to begin so
simply ran a finger lightly over the tip. A bead of moisture appeared.
Hall, when you and your wife had sex, what was it like?
I dont want to
Youve buried her and your parents somewhere deep inside you, havent you?
IImnot sure.
Was it good between you and your wife?
Yes.
The admission hurt but she continued. And when she died
She was murdered. Blown apart by a bomb thrown at my parents house while they
were all in it.
Oh God. Youwhy did you marry her? Because you loved her, yes, butwhat
made you think she was the one?
I dont want to do this, all right. Maybe later but not now.
She wanted to believe he was being distracted by her gentle caressing of his sex
organ, but it wasnt so simple. You know everything about me, she told him. My
hopes and dreams, howmuch I wanted to be a cop. Shed dropped her gaze to his cock,
but now she faced him again. What Im like when I climax and how to get me there. I
need something from you. She brought her mouth close to his cock but didnt touch
him. Otherwise, theres nothing between us.
She thought he might order her to leave him alone. Instead, he ran his fingers
through her hair. I arrived just as the first officers were getting there, he whispered. I
d been coming to my parents house so we could all go out to dinner. My wifeId
asked her to meet me there. If I hadnt, at least she would have lived.
Shanels breasts ached, not just because she needed to have sex with him, but also
from his pain. After licking the pre-cum from his tip, she cupped his scrotum through
the fabric.
Dont, Hall, please, she begged. Blaming yourself isnt going to bring them back
to life. And beating yourself up will keep you from making your peace with the horrid last image
of them. I survived last night in a cage by holding onto hope. You have to look ahead.
You have to!
Was it her imagination or was he rocking a little? If he was being sucked into the
past, she might lose him. Because it was the only thing she could think of to do, she let
go of his balls, then reached behind her and unfastened her shirt and bra. She lay them
on the couch next to him.
Hope wasnt the only thing that kept me going, she told him with her hands now
on his knees. I kept thinking of you.
Hating me for putting you in there?
No! Id made a vow to get those women out of there; you know it. I was where I
needed to be. But that didnt make it any easier.
His cock was dark and swollen, a mans sex organ wanting and deserving a home
in her pussy. Even with everything you put me throughwe havent made love.
Love?
Imnot going to call it sex or fucking, she told him around a lump in her throat.
Hall, youre the bravest man Ive ever known. The risks you took getting me out of there

It was my job.
No it wasnt, at least thats not all of it. Ill never believe that.
Good, he whispered. Youre incredibly strong. I dont know if any other woman
could have held it together and gotten the necessary information.
Were both strong, she whispered. Maybe this is why Ive fallen in love with you.

She waited for him to rebuff her, to tell her she didnt know what she was talking
about, to turn his back on her. Instead, he leaned forward and kissed the top of her head.
After the bombing, he whispered. I stopped feeling. It was the only way I was going
to survive.
Iunderstand.
Thats why I agreed to go after The Takers. Whether I lived or died didnt matter.
Dont say that.
And this is why I believed I was the right one to kidnap you.
Nodding, she stood and slipped out of her jeans. Hed chosen modest but
well-made pale yellow panties with touches of soft delicate lace. She slowly removed
them. When did you buy these? she asked.
The day before I took you. Id been watching you and had been in your house. I
knew your size.
But why didnt you just grab a pair of mine? Or the cheapest things in the store?
I dont know.
A man whos all but given up on life, someone who does the kinds of things you
did to me because its part of his jobthat man doesnt go into a store for expensive and
feminine panties for a woman he hasnt met and doesnt care about.
When he didnt reply, she removed his shoes and socks and helped him stand.
Slowly, reverently, she drew his jeans and briefs off his hips and down his legs. Then
she indicated she wanted him to sit again. After he had, she knelt and pulled off his
garments.
You believed youd died emotionally, she whispered. His body wasnt perfect; it
had seen too many years and battles, but she wasnt after perfection; she needed human.
But you hadnt. You simply went where you needed to in order to survive.
She took hold of his cock and guided it to one side so she had easy access to his
balls. Leaning forward, she touched her lips to his soft/hard flesh. Growing bolder, she
dampened her tongue and began bathing his scrotum. Over and over again, she
replenished her moisture, bathing himas hed once bathed her while she stood helpless
in the shower. Every time she started to lean back to study her handiwork, she was
overcome by a fresh wave of desire to press her mouth to his sex organs.
At the same time, she caressed his cock with fingers so sensitive she swore theyd
been touched with an electric current. Her fingertips became paint brushes she used to
stroke and glide. Her breasts, belly, and pussy heated, and she couldnt hold onto their
surroundings. In her mind, the aging cabin became a pleasure palace, a sheltered room
made for candles, perfume, and lovers.
Opening her mouth wide, she drew one of his balls into her and gently closed her
teeth around it. He tensed but then relaxed as she bathed and sucked. Before her jaw
could growtired, she released him. Then she drew in the head of his cock and held him
in place with her lips. At the same time, she touched the tip of her tongue to the slit
where shed found the pre-cum. What shed swallowed before had been replaced by
more proof of his arousal so she drank that too. It tasted of salt and warmth, of him.
Relying on her instinct for what he needed, she released his cock and pushed on his
belly until he reclined against the back of the couch. No fresh blood discolored his
bandage; his smoky eyes said he was aware of nothing beyond the two of them.
I can do this for you. This is my gift to you.
Her legs threatened to give out when she stood, but she forced them to hold her
weight. Using her arms to brace her weight against the back of the couch, she leaned
over him, naked body to naked body. He was silk and muscle against her silk and
muscle, aroused cock grinding into her belly. He slid his good arm around her and held
her to him; until her back started to ache, shed actually believed she could stay like this
forever. A kisshungry mouth pressing hungry mouthand then she straightened
again. From the waist down, her body had grown hot and heavy, not because the
reaction had been forced on her but because shed sought it. She needed him to see her
as free and equal, making love to himof her own accord.
Smiling, she pressed his knees together. His engorged cock jutted skyward. The
saliva shed placed there had started to dry, but she could moisten it again, bathe it in
another fluid.
Climbing onto the couch, she straddled him. He braced her hip, and she took
possession of his cock and guided it into her, stopping her descent when only his head
had found a home in her pussy. She tightened her cunt muscles around him and held
him where he belonged. Drawing on the strength in her runners thighs, she stretched
upward and took himwith her. Careful not to touch his injured shoulder, she spread her
hands over his breasts and eased herself down. Claimed himwillingly, freely, joyfully.
He was filling her. Burning what was already hot.
She no longer needed help in retaining her balance; he slid his good hand over her
belly, up her middle, between her breasts.
Down, down she went until her ass covered his balls. She straightened and then
arched back to increase his cocks contact with the front of her pussy. This was why shed
become a runner, so she could move up and down, up and down during sex with this
one man. Whenever she settled down onto him, his cock speared her along the entire
length of her passage. She played with and denied her humming climax by drawing
away fromhim.
Not once did she lose him; it would never be part of this act of love and sex. She
needed himfilling her, his penis gliding, gliding throughout her pussy as if kissing it.
Her thigh muscles began to burn; she felt lightheaded. He cupped his hand around
first one breast and then the other, pressing and squeezing, mirroring what she was
doing to his cock.
She could do this forever! Over and over again she suck his cock deep into her,
maybe felt it touch her uterus even. She perch on the edge of a climax, breathing like a
race horse, sweating, her vision blurred, body aching, wanting nothing more.
Then she settled down once more and nearly flattened himbeneath her, trapped him
as hed once trapped her.
Before she could gather herself for another retreat, he closed both hands over her
hips. Not wanting to jar his injured shoulder, she stayed where she was. She tried to
make his face come into focus, but her world had turned redred and burning.
Now she understood he wanted her to remain still while he took over the dance.
With her legs widespread and his cock spearing her, she tunneled down until she knew
nothing except his thrusts. He came at her again and again, sweating, groaning,
laughing.
Wild with delight, she, too, laughed.
Is this what it is? he gasped. Lovemaking?
Yes! Yes!
Because shed ceased to exist anywhere except between her legs, she knew when he
started to ejaculate. His cum bathed her.
Not without me! This is our journey, ours.
She turned her pelvis one way and then the other, twisting his cock inside her. He
thrust again, catching her hard and solid.
The shudder began in her clit but radiated out until it exploded in her head. Her
heart.
Climax! Heat and flames, a rolling, unending shudder.
Sobbing, she collapsed against him but managed to aim so her weight came down
on his good side.
They panted in unison. His cock was deflating, but as long as she didnt move, hed
remain inside her. There was no world beyond the two of him, nothing except the sound
of their post-climax breathing, the breeze coming in through the broken window, the
smell of wilderness and sex.
I love you, she whispered.

* * * * *
If he hadnt tried to change position, Shanel might have stayed on top of himforever,
but even the aftermath of the best sex of his life wasnt enough to let Hall forget hed
been shot. When she was sitting beside him with her legs tucked under her, he touched
his shoulder.
Does it hurt? she asked.
No. I cant feel anything except you, think of anything beyond you. Because he didnt
knowhowto handle her stare or his reaction, he turned his attention to the ceiling where
generations of spiders had left their handiwork. One web looked new; the complex
webbing formed a nearly perfect circle. Not a single strand was broken. Shanel was like
that. Shed encircled him, pulled him into her core and soul. It wouldnt take much to
destroy the spider web, but the same couldnt be said for his heart.
Did he want to be free?
Before he could get a grip on the question, his cell phone rang. He snatched it off the
small, unfinished end table and punched send.
This part is over, Brad said. One dead, the others in custody.
Just a minute. He adjusted the volume to its highest level and held it so both he
and Shanel could hear.
According to Brad, the raid on the mansion had gone off without a hitch. The two
surviving Takers had been so surprised to see armed men storm into the dungeon they
hadnt put up a fight. Realizing the gig was up, theyd fallen all over themselves telling
the SHIT operatives where the rest of The Takers were.
What about the women? Shanel demanded.
Theyre alive, Brad told her. Right now they arent saying much; they probably
cant believe whats happening.
They need to be taken to a hospital.
Were heading there as soon as the state police get here. Shanel, theyre in shock. If
they saw you
Well get there as soon as we can, Hall interrupted. In the meantime, make sure
theres a psychiatrist for themto talk to.
Brad, who was obviously delighted with the way things had turned out, wanted to
give a blow-by-blow of the raid, but Hall told himthat could wait.
What is it? he asked Shanel after he ended the conversation. Is something wrong?

She shook her head and reached for her clothes. Its really over? she asked without
looking at him.
I wish. Nowthe legal system takes over.
But the women are free, and The Takers enterprise is no more.
Its caving in around them.
She slipped on her clothes without looking at him. Then she stared out the window.
Well want to leave before dark, she said. Howlong do you think itll take to get back
to the mansion, maybe an hour?
Whats wrong?
When she faced him, he waited for her to acknowledge his nudity, but she didnt
seem to notice. Its over. Except for what I need to tell law enforcement, my role in this
is over.
She could go back to her life, her world. Its what hed planned, hadnt he? And once
theyd shaken hands and parted company, hed wrap up his involvement with The
Takers and accept another SHIT assignment.
Like hell he would.
No, it isnt. He held out his good hand, but she remained out of reach. I thought I
was going to be the one to storminto your life and turn it on end, he told her. I didnt
count on the same thing happening to me.
Youdidnt?
How could this courageous woman be so unsure of herself, of him? On the tail of
the question, he found the answer.
He closed the distance between themand slid his arm around her waist. Her breasts
pressed against his chest, but her arms remained by her side. He wasnt sure which of
themwas trembling, maybe both.
Im not going to say Im sorry for what I did to you. If I hadnt, if I hadnt learned
what an incredibly sexy woman you areand how Id respondwe wouldnt have just
made love.
Made love?
Yes, he whispered and kissed her. For a heartbeat, memories of the last woman he
d truly kissed threatened to overwhelm him, but he put Beth in the past where she
belonged. Shanel, just before Brad called, you said something.
She nodded; tears filmed in her eyes.
That you loved me. He kissed her again, longer and deeper this time. Hed just
spent himself inside her and despite his bravado, his shoulder hurt like hell. Just the
same, his cock was beginning to twitch. I didnt have time to tell you the same thing.
Thesame? She wrapped her arms around his neck.
Yes, he whispered. It occurred to him that this time she was dressed while he
stood there buck naked and more vulnerable than hed been in his entire life. I love
you, he said.




Epilogue

The modernistic house overlooking the Pacific Ocean had floor-to-ceiling windows.
It had been featured in Dream Homes and belonged to couple whod been duped by
The Takers to the tune of a quarter of a million dollars. With the preliminary investment
fraud trial set to begin in Seattle in a week, the grateful owners had opened their home
to SHIT staff for any last minute strategy meetings they might want to hold. However,
when Hall heard about the offer, hed told his co-workers he had another use for it.
As she poured glasses of wine for the four former sex slaves, Shanel wondered
whether they were aware of the posh interior. Although the wind was brisk, theyd all
congregated on the deck . She couldnt blame the women. After the time theyd spent
below-ground, they preferred to be outside.
Hall would be here in a little while, but she hoped to get her newfound friends to
talk about howthey were doing before he arrived.
Georgia took a long swallow and stared at what remained of her drink. Im selling
my condo, she announced. I need something larger, with more windows.
I wish I had a condo to sell, Jaz said. She sipped. No, I really dont. While I was
gone, my landlord put my belongings in storage and rented my apartment to someone
else. I dont have a job which makes me doubly grateful for the money were getting
fromSHIT.
Imsure one of the people The Takers duped would give you a job, Shanel said.
Most of SHITs clients have asked about the four of you.
Jaz shook her head. I dont want a job, at least not for awhile. She watched a
seagull for a moment. Im going to buy a small motor home and travel, go to
Yellowstone and Disneyland, maybe Alaska.
Dena laughed and said shed been thinking about Disneyland, particularly the
laughter, lights, colors, and children there herself. As Shanel fought the lump in her
throat, the two women agreed to drive down together. Shed talked to each of them
almost daily since their rescue, but even though the psychiatrist assigned to them
insisted they needed to talk about their ordeal, so far theyd done little of that.
Imnot going to press them, shed told Hall last night. Itll happen when theyre
ready.
Hed pulled her into his embrace and in a husky voice had whispered that at least
shed only spent one night in the hell-hole.
That was the difference between her and the other women. Yes, Hall had prepared
her for what shed experience, but even at the beginning when she hadnt been able to
see or speak, she hadnt been afraid of her captor. She didnt understand terror in the way
the former sex slaves did. As for why it was differentlast night as Hall playfully
undressed her, she truly understood.
Fromthe first moment we were together, shed told him. It was as if I could hear
your heart beating. I also sensed your humanity. Shed also sensed a sexual connection
they were still having an incredible time exploring.
What about you? Georgia asked. What are you going to do with the rest of your
life, other than testifying against those bastards.
Not hurrying her answer, Shanel sipped on her wine. Tonights sunset promised to
be spectacular. She loved the sound of the waves crashing against the rocks below and
the way the birds rode the wind currents.
Im going to work for SHIT, she said. In fact, Ive already started. Hall and I are
working on an extortion case, nothing as disgusting as what The Takers were doing, but
then Imstill learning the ropes.
Jaz chuckled and smiled for the first time since coming here. Did you hear her tone
when she said Hall, ladies? Not that we need that to know the way the two of you feel
about each other. Theres steam whenever youre together.
Dena smiled too, but it looked forced. I dont knowif Id ever want a man touching
me again. Right now, I dont even want to think about it.
The others nodded agreement which left Shanel with a melancholy lasting until Hall
showed up an hour later. After joining themon the deck, he announced he had a piece of
information theyd all be interested in.
It took longer than we wanted it to, he said as he took her hand. Our female
money courier was a hard nut to crack. She was deep into self-preservation. But we had
her listen to the tape all of you made shortly after you were rescued. When she realized
what her former client had put you through, she decided to hang himout to dry.
Its the end for her too, isnt it? Shanel asked. Shes been exposed.
Shes still blowing steam about how her connections are going to get her off, but
shes wrong. Hall held up his glass. My hats off to all of you. Youre courageous
women, survivors.
Hearing that from Hall had had a deep impact on the woman. Shanel only had to
look at them to know how much his praise and confidence in them meant. Now, as she
and Hall walked from the main house to the guest cabin where theyd spend the night,
she told himso.
I meant every word, he said with his breath warm on the side of her face. Damn,
its been a long day. I thought I was never going to get free. Miss me?
Yes, she whispered.
When they entered the cabin, she showed himhow much by slipping off her clothes
almost before hed closed the door.
You dont waste time, do you, he said as he unbuttoned his slacks.
Its not that. She ran her hand between her legs. After coating her fingers in her
juices, she held them to his mouth. He licked. The lessons you gave me when we first
metIll never want or need clothes the way I used to.
He kicked off his shoes; she helped himoff with his shirt. She waited for him to take
her, but he was staring at the place between her legs. Your hairs starting to grow out,
he said. Eventually itll hide the tattoo.
She fingered the small, red dragon. It itches. Ill be glad when I have all my hair
back.
Will you? Do you want to see if someone can get rid of the tattoo? The explanation

Hall? How do you feel about it? She widened her stance and thrust her pelvis
forward trying to make out the long dark tongue reaching for her clit.
Its a turn-on. An unbelievable turn-on. But it was put there against your will.
Yes, she admitted. It was. Only half aware of what she was doing, she traced the
outline with her forefinger. But it doesnt change howI feel whenever I see it.
He closed his hand around her wrist. Which is?
You really want to know? She sighed. In heat. I mean
Hed pulled her finger off herself and had taken over the journey shed begun. His
short, smooth nail crept over the fierce head, came closer to the searching tongue. Its a
honing device, he said. Points me to my goal.
Yourgoal?
Dont you agree? he asked and closed his fingers over her clit. Right where I
need to be. Where you want me.
But What had she been about to say? If he didnt release
But what, Shanel?
Wewe can hardly see it.
He rolled her clit between his fingers. Gasping, she clamped her hands on his
shoulders. At the same time, she spread her legs even further.
Then, he said. I guess Ill have keep you shaved. Among other things. If its what
you want.
I want. I want!