Leah's Bondage Ch. 09-10

Alexis hissed when a small gray mouse jumped out of the box and ran for cover. She had warned the trainers not to put anything in the boxes with the girls. She was even more upset when she saw what they had done to Kanin's hair.

"I did not give orders for this," she snapped in Mandarin. "I will decide a suitable punishment later." Switching to English she pulled Leah from the box and halfway onto her lap as she sat on the floor, "You poor girl! I did not know you were in here. I did not give orders for this. Miss Dora and Miss Doreen shall be punished most severely. You poor girl! You must have been so frightened!"

Leah blinked in the light, her mind confused to the sudden kindness. It felt so good to be able to breathe fresh air. She could not help but respond to the petting strokes. Tears rolled down her face as Alexis removed the straightjacket. She barked orders at Dora and Doreen and soon was gently bathing Alexis in hot water.

"You are much too special girl, I think, to sell. You only ran because you were scared," Alexis purred as she had Dora lather up Leah's body. Carlton had not been exaggerating when he said the girl had trauma, she had not stopped shaking since she was taken out of the box. "I will keep you as my personal slave. You will not have to train down here with the other girls. You would like that wouldn't you?"

Not to be sold? It would keep her that much closer to Master, Leah thought. It would help her plan. She tried to look gratefully and speak, but nothing came out. Her fear was not faked.

Alexis kissed her tenderly, "Poor thing lost your voice. You must have been so terrified to scream like that. Here, let me dry you off. Doreen, get a uniform and a scarf from the linen closet. Kanin, dear, you can just communicate with me by nodding your head."

Leah barely listened to her prattle as her mind tried to figure out what Alexis was up to. She realized that the gentle Mistress routine was to manipulate her into bonding with Alexis. It was hard not to respond to it, to be grateful for the simple kindnesses after all the cruelty. She had to make Alexis think that she had broken in the box.

In a short time, Alexis had Leah dressed in a shapeless black dress with a white collar and cuffs. A black scarf was tied over her bald head in such a way that it disguised her lack of hair rather nicely. The final touch was a red lacquer collar with a gold and black dragon painted on it. Leah wanted to cry as it was locked around her neck. She wondered if Master had even kept her collar with the rabbit charm.

Meekly, she followed Alexis out of the training rooms, even as she heard one of the other girls crying out in pain. She didn't care how long it took, but she would she this woman destroyed.

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Leah woke in the darkness as she did multiple times a night a looked at the clock. It was 5 am and time for her to start her day. Silently, she stood and folded up the blanket that Mistress had allowed her to use last night and put it away. She slipped silently from the room to the servant's wing and quickly showered and dressed in a clean uniform and wrapped her head.

The next step was to prepare the big coffee urn and get the breakfast things set out for the staff. The newspaper had to be fetched and the tray for Mistress arranged. By this time the cook had wandered into the kitchen. Leah stayed out of the way until the breakfast tray was ready and then carried it back to Mistress' room.

Waking up Alexis was the part she hated the most. She set the tray on a table and then crawled into the bed next to Alexis. Pushing back her disgust, Alexis began to gently kiss and lick the woman, increasing her attentions until the slaver arched on the bed in a breathy orgasm.

"Such a good little Slave," Alexis purred as she slid out of the bed, and let Leah help her on with a silk robe. She was amazed at how well the girl had taken to her role as a personal slave. Carlton had really missed her potential when he wanted to use her as a sex slave.

Alexis buttered her perfectly toasted bread and watched Leah as she moved efficiently around the room. She knew that Leah disliked giving her oral pleasure, which is what made it especially delightfully for her. Still, despite the girl's misgivings, she had a natural skill for it. She would have to have Leah demonstrate it today when Carlton came over for tea this afternoon. She was so looking forward to this meeting. Her sources said that the man was pinning for his lost slave. The damn man could waste into a toothpick for all she cared. He had destroyed enough of her business deals over the years that having something that he wanted, was pure pleasure in itself. She just needed to be sure that Leah was readied for it.

"Kanin, dear, come here." Alexis ordered, picking up her tea cup and sipping it. It was a little cold. She would have to talk to the cook. She watched Kanin set down the towels, come over and kneel in front of her so very gracefully. She really was a pleasure to watch. She liked how nicely the girl kept her eyes down at all times and her silence was a nice break from the continual yes Lady Alexis, no, Lady Alexis.

"Kanin, do you trust me to take care of you?" Alexis reached out and gently touched Leah's cheek.

Schooling her face into a trusting puzzlement, Leah nodded. What was the witch up to today?

"Your former Master is coming to tea today, and I wanted to give you warning," Alexis mistook Leah's widening eyes for fear, "I'll be with you the whole time, but you must trust that whatever I ask of you has its purpose. He treated you horribly, dear, and I have heard through acquaintances that he is willing to tell any lie to get you back."

Leah could not stop from trembling. Master was going to be here - today! She had to use the opportunity somehow, but how? Her throat was still so damaged that she could barely whisper. Could she pass him a note?

"I have hesitated to let you hear this, my dear. I didn't want to make things any harder than they have been, but under the circumstances, I think you need to hear it." Alexis put down the tea cup and rose, gliding across the room to a desk. From a drawer she took a small tape recorder. "This could be shocking, Kanin."

There was some static and then there were two voices. Leah instantly recognized the one voice as Master.

"Yes, I'll show her to you when you come over tonight. If our deal goes well, I'll let you give her a try."

"You know I am not eager to deal with you, Carlton," the other voice spoke and Leah frowned at the familiarity of it, "But your offer is compelling. Was she really worth all that money?"

"I don't squander my money, Bruger, and I don't often invite others to use my property, but I know you are in the market. I think after sliding in yourself, you will understand -" Alexis snapped off the tape.

"The rest is just far to degrading for you to hear. Bruger did not just randomly attack you that night; Carlton arranged for Bruger to have the opportunity." Alexis smiled sweetly at Leah, "When I found out about this information, I began to plan how I could get you from him to protect you."

The anger flashed in Leah's eyes. This woman was a manipulative, lying snake in the grass. Master would never have done that. That conversation could have been about a car. She had to control herself. She had to.

Alexis drew her close and kissed away a tear that had escaped and rolled silently down Leah's face. The tape had worked. Kanin was furious with Carlton. This was going to be a delightful day. She would have to have some rewards for the other slaves tonight to celebrate her good mood.

At two o'clock Leah pushed the tea cart into the front room. Through the wide window, she could see the outside world. It was snowing. It seemed very surreal. Alexis was chattering in French about a training method she was using quite successfully. Leah could feel his eyes on her the second she entered the room. She didn't dare look up. Remember the detailed instructions from the books she was made to study during the morning hours, Leah served the tea and pastries and then knelt by Mistress' chair.

"Beautifully done, Rabbit," his voice had a catch to it and she fought with herself to keep from looking up at him. "I will cut to the chase, Alexis. I want to buy her back."

Leah felt like her heart had stopped. Please, oh God, please!

Alexis gave a trilling laugh, "She is not for sale, Carlton. I don't know what I ever did before I got her. Besides, I would never sell a slave to someone they did not want to go with - you understand."

Carlton looked like a knife had been pushed into him, "Of course."

"Kanin," Alexis lifted Leah's chin, "Do you want me to sell you to him?"

If she could have spoken, she would have shouted yes, but instead she silently shook her head no, knowing that to do anything else right now could be very dangerous. He had the note she passed him. He would understand the note.

Carlton put down the china teacup so hard that it cracked, but he did not notice. He could barely contain his rage. What had this woman done to his Rabbit? He could read the lie in her eyes and in the line of her body.

"Look at me, Rabbit," he said in his most commanding tone. "Tell me to my face that you want to stay with her."

Instinctively, Leah looked at him. He was so close. She ached to reach out and touch him, to cling to him, to tell him that she loved him. Her lips parted, but there was nothing.

"Leah!" Carlton demanded, "Answer me! Do you really want to stay here?"

Leah was about to shake her head no and throw herself at Master when she felt Alexis' hand on her shoulder like a lead weight.

"Just say the word, Kanin, and I'll box you right up for him. No hard feelings." Her words were playful and light, but the pressure of her fingers were another thing.

Leah felt the blood drain from her face as she too eagerly nodded that she wanted to stay. The box? Did Mistress mean that she was going to the box? Had she done something wrong?

Carlton crumpled the decorative paper napkin in his hand. He couldn't leave Rabbit here. The girl was terrified. "Alexis, I'll give you three times her selling price. You and I both know you never worried about a slave's desires."

Alexis smiled. "Very tempting, Carlton, but I am not tired of her yet. Maybe then. Kanin, dear. Go down to the training room and wait for me there."

Carlton watched in pained horror as his dear Rabbit rose to her feet, cast a look of longing at him and then lowered her eyes in defeat as she left the room. He left a few minutes later, the paper napkin still crumpled unnoticed in his hand. It was swept up later by the chauffer, the note written on it, never read.

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Alexis sat at her computer swearing at it in several languages. It was necessary to have one these days, but it seemed to be out to get her. Why couldn't she find that file?

"Mistress?" a soft voice to her right whispered timidly.

"What?" she snapped turning to look down at Leah kneeling at the floor waiting patiently for Alexis next order. It was the first time the girl had spoken to her. Her second visit to the box had made her even more tractable and eager to please.

"If it please you, Mistress," Leah kept her eyes down on the carpet not daring to even lift her head, "this slave has skill with computers."

Alexis' eyes narrowed thoughtfully. She really did need some help. She could have Dora chain her to the desk. If she didn't get her workload done, it would give her another excuse to punish the girl. It was so fun to watch her struggling to meet unrealistic standards of perfection already.

"Good. I will have you do all the computer work. Of course, you will be punished for not telling me of this skill earlier. I think a session with the cane will help you remember that your duty is to me." She scrawled a note and handed it to Leah, "Take this to Miss Doreen. I should have your desk set up when you are back."

An hour later, when Leah came back up, she sat gingerly at a small desk and began to work silently on the written list of tasks. As the days passed Alexis became more comfortable with Leah working in the office on her day-to-day business. She found it hard to find fault with the girls work or attitude. She made no effort to communicate with Carlton when he came unannounced to the office, offering an even more elaborate sum of money. Her pleasure at turning him down was so great that she gave all the girls chocolate that night. She knew that Carlton was getting more and more desperate as the 60 day mark approached and the final sale papers would be sent over. At that time, Alexis would be free to re-sell Leah, making it even harder for Carlton to get her back. She would probably keep the girl. She was becoming rather valuable property.

"I am going downstairs, Kanin." Alexis took a training whip from the umbrella stand and swished it through the air a few times.

Leah kept her eyes down and worked steadily on the sale papers for Panther as she listened to Mistress' shoes clack down the hall. She was just about to explore the files for something to help her plan when she was startled by an instant message from a RAY78 asking Alexis for when they could expect Justine's papers.

Leah blinked and then typed, "One moment please while I get Mistress. This is Kanin her assistant."

"Leah?" the word typed back in a flash, "This is Raymond. Are you okay?"

Leah glanced up at the door nervously and typed back, "Raymond? Please, get me out of here! She won't sell me back to Master. I can't escape. You have to help me!"

Raymond sat at his desk, his mind spinning furiously. What could he do from here? His eyes fell down to the papers on his desk and a thought began to form. A wicked devious, evil thought.

"Do you have access to Alexis' financial information?" he typed.

Leah frowned and did a quick search. She closed her eyes and prayed a quick prayer of thanksgiving for predictability and financial organization programs.

"Yes. She has it all here." Leah typed back.

"Give me account numbers and bank names," Raymond typed. He turned to where Ming was working and whispered, "Get a pen and paper and take these down." As the numbers came over the screen he dictated them to Ming. He realized the risk that Leah was taking.

"Leah," he typed when she was done, "I can't tell you how I am going to do this, because it is better for you not to know. But I will find a way to make her sell you, and I promise that I will be there to buy you and I will free you. You have my word on it. Now clear the memory of this conversation and get Alexis. Be brave."

Leah carefully removed the conversation log from the memory, schooled her expression and went to find Alexis. She felt the flame of hope inside of her and it warmed her. It made the pain of her earlier canning and the hundreds of little torments during the day that much easier to bear.

The first indication that something was wrong was two days later. Leah was at her desk struggling to stay awake and balance the bank statement that had just arrived in the mail. It was a new job and Leah had struggled through months of ones that had been left unopened. Alexis had been upset the night before and had tied Leah up for the night so uncomfortably that she had barely slept. Some fracas in the kitchen had made breakfast late and Leah had not been able to eat.

Tired and hungry, she wasn't sure if she had done the numbers wrong or not. She redid them three times and three times it came up the same. Alexis was going to blow a gasket.

"What are you fretting about over there, Kanin?" Alexis' sharp eyes hadn't missed her nervous movements.

Leah kept her eyes on the statement, "There is a problem with the bank statement, Mistress."

"What kind of problem?" Alexis stood and walked over, much like a big cat stalking its prey.

"Your primary account is short, Mistress. I have redone the figures several times." Leah held very still. She had found that being very still and keeping her eyes down at all times was a good technique.

Alexis sighed and grabbed the statement, "You stupid, Cunt! I ask you to do a simple thing and you can't even..." her words trailed off in disbelief. "One hundred thousand American dollars? One hundred thousand American dollars! Get the bank on the phone!"

Leah dialed the number and transferred the line to Alexis's desk. She wasn't able to follow the furious pace of screaming French, but it ended with Alexis slamming down the phone and then throwing the whole thing across the room. An hour later a pair of very nervous men appeared from the bank with a briefcase of papers. A freshly starched white apron around her uniform, Leah calmly served tea and pastries while the men stuttered out how a series of monetary transfers had been made from the main account to an offshore account in the name of a Dora Leclerc. They admired how cleverly it had been done, making it look like regular business expenses. Was Miss Alexis in the habit of going over her monthly statements? No? Ah? The culprit must have been aware of that. Did Miss Alexis want the police to be called?

Alexis shook her head, "No, I just want my money back. I will deal with Dora."

"But Miss Alexis," the one man looked at the other with pure panic, "The money in the other account - it is gone. It was transferred to a numbered account and from there we lost it."

Leah fought to keep the smile off her face. She knew that was over half the solvent funds of Alexis.

Alexis escorted the bankers to the door and then stood against it for the longest time, her eyes blazing with fury. Leah took deep calming breaths as she cleared up the tea cups and plates.

"I will be downstairs," She finally said, each word cold with ice.

Leah did not see Alexis the rest of the morning. When she went into the dinning room to serve lunch, Alexis was sitting in her usual spot, a cold look on her face. A very nervous Miss Doreen watched over the slaves. Leah was surprised to see a new slave, heavily beaten, her head shaved and her mouth gagged. She did a double take, unable to hide her shock as she realized that Miss Dora was now a slave.

Leah heard nothing more from Raymond over the next few days. She worked very hard at making sure that everything for Alexis was perfect. Still, Alexis was scrambling to keep the cash flow going. Then, one of Alexis' investment advisors showed up unannounced.

Leah was proofing the final draft of Justine's papers at her desk as the advisor sat across from Alexis and grimly explained to her that major investment was doing quite poorly. In fact, he was very sorry to report, that in the last week, it had lost 75%. Alexis voice was chilly with anger as she demanded to know how that had happened so suddenly. The advisor explained that Alexis had sunk most of her funds into one company and that company had gone out of business rather suddenly. She managed to contain her anger until he had left. Then she began to throw things.

"Kanin," Alexis finally managed to speak, "Make reservations in Paris at one of the finest hotels. Contact Luis and let him know that I have two slaves to sell immediately. Then pack my bags."

Alexis sat at her desk trying to figure out how this had happened. Almost three-fourths of her net worth was gone in less than a week. She could recoup some by selling off slaves early, but this could destroy her. She watched Kanin calmly making the reservations and narrowed her eyes. Could Carlton be behind this? No, he was far too up front about his manipulations-- this was not his way. Even so, she would hold onto Kanin until the very last. She war really turning out to be quite valuable. Alexis's eyes caught the nervous flicker of Kanin's eyes up to her.

"What?"