Willing Slave, Unwilling Master Ch. 14

"You should lay in bed," my sister says. "The floor is cold, and you're already sick."

I nod slowly, getting shakily to all fours. But before I can throw myself onto one of the beds something catches my eye.

"I will," I tell Leilani, getting to my feet with a lot of effort, "but I want to make sure Dahlia is ok."

My black haired sister hasn't moved since the Wardens left, and she's still kneeling on the floor beside her bed.

"Okay," Leilani says, peering over at Dahlia. "Don't get her into trouble."

I stare at her. Does she know something? Without another word Leilani moves over to sit beside Thistle, who is back to contorting herself into uncomfortable positions for the amusement of her future Master.

"Are you okay?" I ask, kneeling down beside Dahlia, wincing as the motion causes the pain in my bum to flair, and my head to spin.

As an answer my sister, her eyes glazed over and unfocused, holds up a red cord with a key card swinging from it.

Without thinking about it I throw my arms around her. I'm surprised when she doesn't hug me back. Is this how I acted when I ran into Master in the woods? When that happened my owner fixed it by kissing me. I hope I don't have to kiss Dahlia!

Thankfully, before I have to do anything that feels too wired for reasons I can't really explain to myself, Dahlia stirs.

"Rose?" she asks softly.

"You did it!" I say, struggling to keep my voice low, as I stare at the keycard in wonder. I almost giggle when I read the old Wardens name is Steve Smith. It's far too innocent a name for someone so cruel!

"I was bad," Dahlia says, her knuckles white on the cord.

"No," I say softly. "Well, yes, but it was bad for a good reason."

Looking over my shoulder, I reach for the keycard, before my other sisters spot what we are doing. Dahlia however doesn't let go, her eyes darting from me to the card.

"We need to hide this," I say, tapping the card while trying to keep my pounding heart under control. I'm so close, but everything can still fall apart so very quickly. "I need you to give me the card."

Slowly Dahlia lays the card flat across my palm. I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding, and wrap and arm around her, feeling her tremble as she leans into me.

I'm caught between wanting to continue hugging her until all the signs of her fear go away, and wanting desperately to find a place to hide the card. Finally I can no longer keep my heart-rate under control. I'm terrified that the Wardens are going to burst back into the room at moment. Disengaging from my one armed hug, I look around, wondering where in our almost empty concrete cell I can hide my only means of escape.

At first, I consider tucking the card under one of the thin mattresses, but i've seen enough beds ripped apart for not being perfectly made to quickly decide against that. I wish I was wearing something, there's nowhere to hide anything on you when your naked!

Looking around critically, my eye catches the small pile of books. I might be able to hide the card there, especially if I took off the cord. But any one of my sisters might decide they need to catch up on the slave codex. And, anyway, in movies people always check though books for secret things.

"Rose?" Leilani calls, "Would you like to play the maze game with Thistle and me?"

For the first time in my entire life I hesitate before agreeing to the euphoric tickling of my sisters fingers as they trace the maze in my markings. "Umm, ok!" I say, trying to sound bright and cheerful.

Panic rising in my chest, I turn back to Dahlia, who is still somewhat spaced out. She taps her knuckles against the metal foot of my bed. The tapping sound is grating as I struggle to think, before it hits me. The metal tube frame of the bed is hollow!

Ignoring the startled look on my sisters face, I lift the conner of the bed and run my fingers over the tube that forms one of the legs of the bed frame. Yes! I wince as I bend the card so that it will fit into the tube. Worried that at any moment it will snap. However, it remains whole, and not only that but holds itself inside the tube. Quickly I push in the cord, careful not to push it too far out of reach, while hoping it doesn't fall out should the bed be disturbed.

"Rose?" Thistle calls, in a tone somewhere between concern and impatience.

"Coming!" I say, dropping the conner of the bed and taking Dahlia's hand.

She looks at me with big wide eyes and shakes her head.

"Come on," I tell her, "the maze game will make you feel better."

I'm not sure if she agrees with me, or simply wants to be told what to do, but either way she stands up. I'm so elated that I hardly notice the pain, coursing through my whole body. I'm close now. Only a few more hours and I can escape. I can deal with the pain for that long, after all, I've been taught about pain for my entire life.

With a final glance to make sure the card is completely hidden, I head over to the far side of the room and my sisters bed, a purr rising preemptively in my throat.

--- --- ---

Someone rubs my back as I cough. I have no idea which of my sisters it is, but the action makes me feel a little better. Everything hurts. It's like my entire body is erupting from the inside-out, and, before long, I will simply split down the middle.

Shuddering at the thought, I hug Dahlia's midriff tighter, drawing comfort form being so close to my sisters. I love cuddling with my owner, but there's only one of him. Here with my sisters in a pile of flesh and interwoven limbs I'm surrounded by one big hug!

It will be lights out soon—I think—all I need to do is wait until it's time for the inspection, and then... I shake my head. Despite everything there is still so much I don't know for sure. Like when is the best time to escape? If I put my ear to the door will I be able to hear something that will give me a clue? Where do I go if I do manage to get out of this cell and up the stairs? How will I know what to look for?

Maybe I can try the communicator chip again after lights out. It might work this time. Marvin is very smart, even if it he is a bit odd. He might have realised the chip isn't working correctly, and has done something to fix it. Then I can ask my Master, or perhaps even Mr. X, what time I should escape, and where to go when I do.

With that much of a plan decided, I close my eyes. Focusing on the feel of my sisters and the purr in my throat, I let the pain and fear drift away. We might even sleep like this tonight. Though sleeping in a pile isn't always for the best. There is a lot of fidgeting, and elbows or knees in uncomfortable places.

Plus you have to wake up—and hear complaints from—three grumpy girls if you need to pee.

"You're hot," Thistle mummers, placing her hand on my forehead.

"Rose isn't well," Leilani replies before I can, a note of concern in her voice.

"I'll be okay," I say softly. "Tomorrow I'll be better."

"You don't know that," Thistle says, her voice low as she moves her hand to stroke my hair.

I don't reply, simply enjoying the sensation of my sisters fingers in my hair. I'm about to close my eyes again, when the quiet tranquility of the room is shattered by the crash of the door flying open.

At once my sisters and I break apart. Like a nest of rats we scatter, crawling over each other to kneel on the floor as a very red faced Warden Smith storms into the room. He looks like Mistress Jezebel when she's mad at my Master, but a thousand times worse.

His eyes fall immediately on me. I bow my head at once, trying to ignore the dizziness that's making the room sway. Oh stars! He must have realised it was me who took his key card. He's going to kill me!

I stare at the floor, focusing on making my face natural. Pain rolls throw me like a wildfire, igniting my very bones. Using all of my training I manage to keep myself completely still, even as the Warden walks towards me. His heavy black boots echoing around the room.

"Where is it?" he asks, his voice low and shaking, as if he can hardly keep it under control.

I don't know if he's expecting an answer, but he didn't specifically which girl he was talking to. Nor did he ask a question any of us could reasonably answer. We've all been trained that in this situation we should remain silent. However, even though we are all being obedient, our silence just makes him more angry.

I close my eyes as he takes another step forward, sure I'm about to feel the back of his hand.

Suddenly someone else speaks from the door, their voice a hushed whisper, "What the fuck are you doing?"

I risk glancing up. Warden Jones stands in the doorway, worry written all over his greasy face.

"One of them has my fucking key card," Smith snarls like a feral dog, turning back to us so quickly that I barely have time to return my gaze to the floor.

"Impossible," Jones says, still keeping his voice low. "You've lost it. Come on, man. You're going to get us in the shit if anyone finds out you're in here."

I don't understand why either of the wardens would get into trouble for being in our cell. They come in at least six or seven times a day normally, though, now that I think about it they haven't ever come again after taking away our dinner trays. Jones is acting as if Smith is doing something bad, but I don't know if that true. I'll have to remember to ask Master.

"She took it," Warden smith says, and I can tell by the way the spittle from his mouth hits the top of my head he's talking about me. "When she pretended to trip and fall. I'm going to rip her fucking head off."

"She can't have man!" Jones says, his panic rising at the same rate as Smith's fury. "Are you even listening to yourself right now?"

"She's been gone fucking stars knows where!" Smith yells, his enraged voice echoing around the cramped cell. "We don't know what she's capable of doing."

"You can't unlearn a lifetime of training in a mouth," Jones pauses. "Sure, Red is a little screwy at the moment, but she's always been wired."

"No, the little cunt is planning something."

"Red are you planning anything?" Jones asks curtly.

"No Sir," I reply at once.

"There you go," Jones says, apparently placated.

"Well, of course she isn't going to admit to it!" Smith growls, grabbing a hand full of my hair and forcing my face up to meet his.

"You're the one that told me they are incapable of lying!" Jones protests, his face flushed red, and his eyes darting to the still open door. "Here, I'll prove it!"

"You," he says, pointing at Thistle, "When was the last time you played with that sweet little cunt of yours?"

"The night before last Sir," my sister admits without hesitation.

Despite Warden Smith pulling out my hair by the roots, I manage to turn my head and stare at Thistle. I didn't know she played with herself! I thought that was something only I did! My own personal naughty secret.

"And the last time you took a shit?" Jones asks.

Thistle makes to answer again, but the younger Warden cuts her off, "I don't want to know," he tells her. "But you see my point, they can't lie to you."

"But you saw it. She fell on me! When has one of them ever done anything like that before?" Smith says, his death hold on my hair mercifully relaxing.

"You said yourself that she's sick," he gestures to me, "It's not like she's looking any better, is it?"

He looks down at me, staring into my eyes intently. For one crazy moment I imagine telling him the truth. Being a good girl like I tried so hard to be before meeting my Master, but the thought leaves me as quickly as it arrived. Life with Master may not be easy, but it's better than this, much, much better.

"Come on Man. Lets go get a drink and watch the game."

"We have time?" Smith asks, letting go of my hair and looking down at his wrist.

Tempting his rage when he seems to be calming down is beyond foolish. But nevertheless, I need to know the time. So, instead of returning my eyes to the floor I glance over at his watch. I have only moments to read the dial. It's nine forty-five in the morning, not night time at all.

"Inspection team gets here at one," Jones says. "We have time."

Smith takes one final look at me, before nodding slowly, "Maybe I left it in the car."

"Sure man," Jones sounds relieved. "Come on, let's get out of here."

The two men leave, the door closing with click behind them. Letting out a slow breath, I glance at my sisters. Thistle is looking at her hands guiltily, refusing to meet anyone's eye, while Leilani's attention is fully focused on Dahlia. Who doesn't look right.

Wincing, I crawl over to them. Leilani looks at me, her disapproval clear, as I get a good look at Dahlia. She lays slumped against the end of her bed. Her hands twist continuously in her lap, and her eyes are glazed.

"Dahlia?" I ask softly.

She doesn't answer me. I want to shake her, tell her that there is no reason to be scared. That I have the time now. That I know I need to escape in a little over three hours. That the Wardens don't suspect us, and that we are closer to escape than we have ever been.

"Dahlia," I say, "Dahlia, look at me, it's okay!"

She doesn't respond.

Guilt flooding over me, I wrap my arms around her, rocking her limp body back and forth. I feel battered, like the buildings Master and I saw when we were running away. Worn away and ready to collapse into dust.

"I hope it's worth it," Leilani says, her voice cold.

"What do you mean?" I ask, trying to sound innocent.

"Whatever you and her have done," she gestures to Dahlia, "I hope it's worth this."

"If you knew," I say slowly, still not admitting to anything, "why didn't you say anything?"

"I want my owner," she whispers. "I want all of us to have owners! Maybe whatever you're going to do will make that happen."

I nod slowly, "I hope it does."

Leilani shakes her head, before glancing over her shoulder at Thistle. "Do you think she realises that we all play with ourselves?"

I shake my head. Not wanting to admit that I thought exactly the same thing until only moments ago.

"I better take care of her," Leilani says. "You should go to bed with Dahlia, it will be lights out soon."

I nod once again. Watching as my older sister whispers something to Thistle, before leading her to the bed closest to the bathroom. It's not lost on me that she leaves the beds closest to the door free.

With an effort I get to my feet, pulling my stunned sister up with me. She offers no resistance as I lead her first to the bathroom, and then to bed. Unsure what else to do, I wrap her in a blanket, before wrapping my arms around her.

A few minutes later the lights go out, and I begin to count in my head. Counting up three numbers before going back one. A technique taught to us to keep us focused and alert even during times of constant inactivity in bondage, restricted to a single pose.

Two, four, six... I know I need to keep myself awake, but, more importantly, I need to be able to judge how much time has passed since lights out. There's no real guarantee of accuracy over such a large amount of time. But if I can keep to a rhythm I can count the seconds, which will tell me the minutes, which in turn will give me the hours.

I just hope it's enough.

--- --- --

Dan

"Sit," Vin says, a malicious grin on his face, as he points to the dentist's chair. Which I quickly notice is covered in dark stains. Oh stars, is that blood? I shudder, looking at the leather loops waiting to secure an unfortunate victim.

"Can't we talk about this?" I ask, panic rising in my chest.

"We are going to talk," Vin grunts, taking a step toward me. "But I don't think you're going to be honest with me."

"Fine," I say, trying to buy myself some time. "What do you want to talk about?"

"Sit," he says again.

I need a way out of this! My mind races as I step away from Vin and towards the chair. Panic strips the power of thought from my head, and before I realise what i'm doing i'm sitting down in the chair, the worn leather sagging under me.

"When did you last see Ernie?" Vin asks, his back turned to me.

There's a squeak as the large man wheels a small metal trolley towards me. One of the wheels doesn't spin and squeals in protest. The sound makes me wince. It's like having a dentist drill boring directly into my brain.

"What?" I ask, temporarily stunned by the question.

"When did you last see Ernie," Vin asks again, raising his voice to be heard over the wail of the trolly.

At last the trolly, and the sound, come to a stop, and I focus my attention to the black bundle sitting it it's shiny surface. With an uneasy feeling, I watch as vin unrolls the material revealing a gleaming selection of knives and other tools. All designed to cause pain by the looks of them.

"When he came to my house weeks ago!" I lie. In fact I saw him yesterday afternoon with Rose. Though judging by his appearance, he wasn't given nearly as much hospitality as I was while in Mr. X's care.

"Don't bullshit me!" Vin roars, "You're not just some dumb kid! You know more than you're letting on. And you know where Ernie is!" The words are coming from Vin's mouth but they are unmistakably Jukes.

"Look, I don't know where your friend is," I say slowly. "Why do you care so much about him anyway?"

Vin studies his tools for a long moment. Before he looks up, his dull eyes meeting mine. He looks at me like a cat watching a mouse, waiting for me to make a move, hoping I will make a move. Anything to give him an excuse to strike.

"He owes us," Vin snarls, and there's something primal in the sound. There is some genuine hatred here, but not directed at me. It's Ernie, all of this revolves around my fathers friend.

Something clicks. "You helped him steal Rose," I say, Vin's head snaps up and stares at me. "Then he sold her, and he was meant to share the profits with you."

The big man nods slowly.

"Only he never did. So, you approach the compound telling them you know how to find him. And that you can get Rose back, as long as they are willing to pay. But you didn't get Rose, and you can't find Ernie. So you are out of pocket on two fronts."

It all kind of makes sense now. Ernie stole Rose with the help of these two thugs, and probably intended to split his meagre profit. Then he realised, or more likely was forcibly informed, of just what he had stolen. And the price to pay if Rose wasn't returned. That's why he never gave up his share. He needed the credits to get Rose back, and save his own sorry neck from the compound.

The compound must have called off the search for Rose. Maybe they did it the moment she returned. It doesn't matter. All that matters is that without the bounty on my slaves head the only way these two are ever going to make any money out of all of this is by finding Ernie.

The big man nods again, his hand hovering over one of the knives on his little table.

"I'm no friend of Ernie's," I say, which is perfectly true. "If I knew where he was I would tell you. I promise you that."

With a grunt of what I can only assume is disappointment the huge block of a man walks over to me. Grabbing my wrist he secures it to the arm of the chair, seeming not to even notice my efforts to fight him off. The leather strap cuts angrily into my wrist. Far tighter than any enforcer restraint I've thus far encountered. Who on earth would have thought those black visored thugs were going easy on me?

I instinctively pull my other hand back as Vin reaches for it. Causing him to pause, and laugh. "You're just delaying the inevitable. Give it up."

"I told you, I know nothing!" I protest, holding my arm as far away from him as I can.

"You know something." Vin growls. "And by the time I'm done with you, I'm going to know everything. You think you're so smart. But you were fucked the second you walked through that door.