"What the h.e.l.l have you done to them?"

"Done? Whatever do you mean?" I asked innocently.

"Are they dead is what I mean, a.s.shole?"

"Much as I'm sure you love your wife, she's fine. So's Polly. They are just ... well, frozen. Just like you'll be in a minute."

"Wait a f.u.c.king minute. I'm going to be like that?"

"Yeah. What of it? n.o.body will be hurting you anymore. Enjoy the peace."

"f.u.c.k."

"Back up against that tree." I pointed with the gun. The girls guided him to a st.u.r.dy oak tree. I held some rope out for Jane she walked over through the gra.s.s to take it. She wandered back to the tree and Mayer and began to loop it around him. Carefully tying knots, leaving the handcuffs in place. Finally, she was done. He was secured. These knots I didn't have to check.

"When do I get out of this?" he asked.

"I only have one question for you. How often did you ever tell Sheila how long she'd be bound?"

He nodded. Understanding that he wasn't about to be told.

Christi stepped up to him, rose up on her tiptoes and whispered in his ear. "Nice to have made your f.u.c.king acquaintance, a.s.shole."

I narrowed his time bubble before he could bl.u.s.ter out what a b.i.t.c.h she was.

Without another word, we all turned and headed back into the house.

Chapter 89.

Jane took a deep breath as we entered the kitchen. "Thank G.o.d that that is over."

Christi echoed the sentiments.

The two bare girls walked slightly ahead of me as I gently guided them into the library. Elizabeth was bent over her cla.s.sic quietly reading. She looked up as we approached.

"You handled our host?"

I nodded.

"Tough?"

"On Sheila mostly. She's pretty upset."

"I can imagine. Can a slave ask a question?" I nodded. "Am I going to be left here or going with you on your shopping expedition?"

"You don't want it to be a surprise?"

"Not really. You've come to get me for one or the other."

"Come on."

She carefully closed the book, slipping a small piece of paper between the pages. Marking her spot. It occurred to me that there was little point in reading in this timeline. She'd just forget it when I returned her. I guess that didn't stop any of us reading in the prime time line. No guarantee that we'd remember any of it in any afterlife, if there even was an afterlife.

She almost pranced over to stand in front of us.

"Ready and willing," she spoke jauntily.

I guided the three bare women upstairs. We all entered the master bedroom. Elizabeth's eyes widened as she noted Sheila bound to the bed.

"Master?" Sheila's voice rose from the bed.

"Yes?"

"Are you going to release me now? Please?"

I looked at her. "Sheila, honey, you aren't in any shape to be walking around shopping. You need rest. I'm going to leave you bound here until I get back."

"Oh G.o.d. Please don't leave me tied up here. I'll be good. I promise. You don't have to tie me up. I hate it. Please. I'll do whatever you tell me."

I leaned over and kissed her forehead. "Not today. I want you restrained while we're out."

Tears had begun to form in her eyes. But she nodded. Accepting her bondage.

"Master?" she had almost whispered. I turned back to the bound woman. "Please. My right wrist." I glanced up to her bound wrist. "It's tight. Please. I know you don't have to care. But. Your slave begs you to loosen it. It. It's cutting off her circulation. She'd be so grateful if you would retie it. She tried to adjust it, but it just got tighter. Please?" Sheila had fallen into slave talk. It had been a while since I'd heard it used. At least seriously. But I supposed that Sheila probably had had more time to master it than the others. I couldn't imagine Mayer letting her speak normally all the time. He had controlled so many aspects of her life. Then again, he'd let her use cutlery whereas I hadn't.

I kissed her wrist. Her hand looked like it was having some circulation problems. It was getting tinged a little blue.

I turned to Jane. Our resident knot expert. "Jane? You want to do the honours?"

She nodded and stepped forward. Sitting down beside Sheila, talking quietly to her as she worked at the bonds. I heard Sheila sigh as her hand was released, sharply bringing in her breath as the circulation returned.

I checked the rope work as soon as Jane was finished. It was secure and not nearly as tight. Sheila's wrist could now rotate in the rope but there was no way even her small hand could work it's way out. And there was no way for her to reach the knots either.

"Good job, Jane." She smiled at the compliment. I turned back to Sheila. "You alright other than that? Anything else falling asleep? You might be there a while."

Sheila pulled gently against the ropes holding her. Wiggling her toes. She shook her head. "I'd be better if I wasn't tied up at all. But I guess I'll be okay. My feet are going to fall asleep, but I think they'll be fine if you aren't gone too long." She sighed. Resigned to her bondage.

I turned back to Jane. "Feel like tying up another girl?"

"Not really. But I will, of course. Who?"

I pointed to Elizabeth. The bare girl paled and began to protest immediately.

"Please. Sir. I. You don't need to tie me up. I'll just sit quietly and read. Honestly. I won't wander around if you don't want me to. I'll be good. Please don't tie me up again."

I looked at her. I could tell that she really didn't want to be bound. I'd been lax with all of them as I'd dealt with the owners of the house. They had all enjoyed relative freedom. At most a pair of handcuffs adorning them. Free time. Time to themselves. Almost privacy. Suddenly they were being asked to give it all up again. It was going to be hard on them. Almost like I'd just captured them off the main timeline again.

"No Elizabeth. I want you bound as well while we are out."

"Oh G.o.d. Please. I'll do anything you want."

"Would you rather be gagged as well? Then I wouldn't have to listen to these protests."

"Oh G.o.d. Please no. I. I'm sorry. I would rather not be gagged. If I have a choice anymore. Please."

Elizabeth had sunk to her bare knees on the carpet. Tears beginning to form as she realized that her freedom was about to be taken away again. I just watched her struggle with the knowledge for a moment and then look up at me.

"Where?"

"Huh?"

"Where are you going to tie me up?"

"In here. If you behave and don't end up being gagged, at least you'll have someone to talk to."

She nodded. Miserable. "How?"

"Huh?"

"How do you want to tie me up, dammit?" she swore in her frustration. Tears beginning to form in her eyes again.

"Elizabeth?"

She paled. "Oh G.o.d. Please don't punish me. I apologize for losing my temper. I. Please. How do you want me tied, sir?" She swallowed. Hoping that her anger hadn't bought her a punishment. Nothing she could do about it now, though. She'd just have to suffer if her mouth had gotten her in trouble again.

"On your front, Elizabeth."

Obediently, she dropped to her hands and knees. Rocking forward and pressing her bare body into the carpet. Lying p.r.o.ne.

"Hands behind you." She whimpered but placed her hands behind her back, crossing her slender wrists. I motioned for Jane to secure her. Jane picked up a short length of rope left over from tying Sheila and wrapped Elizabeth's wrists, lashing them together. "Cross your ankles." Elizabeth crossed her bare ankles, not so silently waiting for the rope.

"Sir? Please. You don't have to do this. I. I'll behave. I swear it."

"You are already misbehaving by trying to get out of this. You know that I want you tied up."

"But why? I haven't done anything."

"You don't need to do anything. You know that. This isn't a punishment. If you were being punished, you'd know it. You just look pretty that way. Now. Do you want to be gagged as well?"

She shook her head. Afraid of saying anything further. Jane had finished binding her ankles.

I spoke to Jane. "Elbows and connecting rope. Hog-tie her. Make sure she's as comfortable as possible. She's going to be in it for a while."

Jane bent to her task. I simply sat back and watched the girl work. Slowly, Elizabeth become more and more immobile. She grunted a couple of times as her elbows were secured, but she didn't have the bravery to actually complain any further. She'd been gagged before. She wasn't fond of it.

Finally Jane rose to her feet and nodded that Elizabeth was secure. Elizabeth was lying on her front. Her arms secured behind her back. The rope work was intricate. Her elbows. Her wrists. Her ankles crossed and bound. A rope looped back between her ankles and her wrists, bending her legs back. Her bare feet in the air. Squirming. Her back was arched slightly with the tightness. Her bare b.r.e.a.s.t.s almost lifted off the carpet, but not quite. Her knees had spread involuntarily to reduce the strain on her body. She was going to be one sore lady by the time I released her. I crouched down and double checked the ropes. Secure as always. Jane apparently wasn't in the mood for a punishment either.

I bent down and looked into Elizabeth's teary eyes. Touched her face.

"You alright?"

"I've been better. Can I speak?"

"Not if you are going to beg to get out of this. You are staying in this until I decide to let you out. End of discussion."

"I know. Please. I'm just not used to it. Please don't punish me. Don't gag me," she whispered.

"Unless you do something else to deserve it within the next three minutes, I won't gag you. You two can talk while we're gone. Okay? I just wanted to know if anything was going to cause problems. Circulation problems over the next few hours."

She cringed as she heard the words, realizing that she was going to be in this uncomfortable position for hours. "I. I can't tell yet. I think I'll be alright. Sore as h.e.l.l at the end, I'm sure. But I'll survive. Why do you like doing this to us? You won't even be here to look at me." Her tears overfilled her eyelids as she thought about the unfairness of this.

"I don't know. I really don't."

She just lowered her head to the floor and sighed.

"Get something for me?"

"What?"

"You are going shopping, right? Get something for me?"

I smiled. Just like a woman. I halfway suspected that she was missing going shopping more than bothered about being hog-tied, naked for hours. She wiggled one of her bound bare feet.

"We'll see."

I stroked her face and then rose to my feet. She craned her neck trying to follow my movement. Gave up and just looked at the carpet beneath her.

I ushered Jane and Christi out of the room. I glanced back at Elizabeth. I couldn't imagine what she must feel like. So helpless. But yet so beautiful. Sheila. The same. More comfortable. But bruised to h.e.l.l and back. Still beautiful in the ropes that held her body.

I heard Elizabeth begin to talk to Sheila, "Well, Sheila, it looks like we're going to be here for a while. Lucky us. May as well get to know each other. We've slept together after all ..." her voice beginning to fade out as I moved down the stairs to join Christi and Jane kneeling quietly at the foot of the stairs.

I left the girls kneeling in the foyer and stepped into the living room. Amy was in her usual position. Lying on her back on the sofa, eyes closed, headphones playing. I walked over to the stereo and flipped off the amplifier. Her eyes popped open as her music died. She sat up and took the headphones off her ears.

"Free time over?"

I nodded.

"Well?"

"Well what?"