"No."

"You'll just leave me alone?" Her face registered incomprehension. At last, her eyes lit up with understanding. "You'll hurt Nicole until I have s.e.x with you?"

"I won't hurt her anymore either. I told you. Jane or Christi are there if I need release."

"I said I'd f.u.c.k you and I will. I don't go back on my promises. If you want it, I'm here." She looked at me defiantly. Her hands pulling at the cuffs behind her.

"Kathleen. Sweetheart. You can go back on this one. I just whipped the h.e.l.l out of you. Forced you into lesbian acts. Hurt you. Threatened you. You would have said anything to make it stop."

"I would have done anything to avoid it in the first place. You didn't have to whip me," she said accusingly.

"I know. You are a smart girl."

"Why did you whip me?"

"Because I enjoyed it."

"You enjoyed me hurting? Screaming?"

"Yes. I enjoyed watching you naked and squirming and begging."

"At least it wasn't for nothing," she remarked caustically. "Why? Why does hurting a defenseless, vulnerable girl turn you on?"

"I don't know. Just in my nature."

"Is it possible to like being hurt? And abused?" she asked quietly.

"I think so. But I imagine it's rare. Christi said you were ready for her."

"You mean the s.e.x afterwards?"

"Yeah."

"I was wet."

"Why?"

"Maybe my body just reacted to the pain. Found some way of turning it into something more pleasurable. I didn't like the whipping if that is what you are thinking. I'd even f.u.c.k you to avoid it again. Please. Just f.u.c.k me and get it over with."

"How about Christi?"

"She's very attractive. You want me to do her as well?"

"You don't mind s.e.x with girls." A statement.

"Not really. I liked it then. I climaxed. It wasn't a fake. But I was pretty screwed up. The pain. It still hurts. I've never been with a girl before, if that's what you are asking. I just want this to end. Please." This girl had regained her calm. Almost distant. Distancing herself from the things happening to her.

One mystery solved. In the very least she was bis.e.xual. And not embarra.s.sed about it.

"Come on. I'll take you back. Release you."

"You don't want s.e.x?"

"Sure I do. But you really don't. I'll get my relief later."

"Thank you. I would have f.u.c.ked you, you know. Even without the cuffs and the threats." She rattled the chain behind her. "I promised and I would have. I wouldn't have tried to kill you until after we'd finished." She actually managed to flash me a smile.

I led her back to the tether. I reached up and released Christi and Jane. They both wore big expressions of confusion. Not having a clue what had just happened. Not understanding why I hadn't forced her to have s.e.x with me. I wasn't quite sure why I hadn't either.

Chapter 95.

I moved Christi and Jane off to the side where they stood quietly. Shifting their weight a bit uncomfortably.

I turned to Kathleen. I released her wrists. I watched as a quick thought of escape or revenge flashed past her blue eyes. She took a deep breath and lowered her eyes.

"What do you want me to do now?" she inquired quietly.

"Just go give Nicole a hug."

"Excuse me?"

"Just go give your cousin a hug. She's pretty upset over there."

Wonder crossed her delicate features as she limped over to where Nicole was still standing. Her topless body slumped in her bonds, but she hadn't quite fallen yet. Her feet bound apart. Her marked b.r.e.a.s.t.s heaving as she sobbed. Her handcuffed wrists hung in front of her. With the weight of Jane and Christi removed from the other end of the tether, Nicole had lowered her arms, raising the other pair of handcuffs a few extra feet in the air at the other end of the rope.

Kathleen wrapped her free arms around Nicole. Hugging her. Breast to breast. Not caring about her nudity. Stroking Nicole's hair and whispering to her. The two girls crying together.

I turned to Christi and Jane, gathering up their swinging leashes.

"You are going to let them go aren't you?" Christi asked softly.

I nodded. Still lightly holding the nude girls by their leashes, I turned to the two cashiers.

"Good-bye Kathleen."

The nearly naked girl turned her head, still holding her friend and cousin. Tears still tracked down her cheeks. A brief look of confusion crossed her features.

"Good-bye," she whispered. Perhaps expecting to be shot.

I narrowed the time continuum around her and her cousin. Joining them together in their embrace. Allowing them to fall out of time, rematerializing back by their cash registers. Their bodies undamaged. Their uniforms back on them. Completely unaware of the torture that they had endured.

I released Christi's leash. Not even needing to tell her what to do. She slowly moved around the area, picking up the stray cuffs, ropes and whips. Returning them to the pack.

Her eyes lowered, she finally picked up the pack and walked back over to Jane and I. Pressing her leash back into my hand.

I guided the quiet girls back upstairs. They walked ahead of me, free except for their collars. Their bare bodies looking almost dejected.

As we reached the top of the stairs I stopped their motion with a quick tug on the leashes. They stopped, slowly turning towards me. Their faces silently questioning me.

"You two look like you are about to get shot."

Jane spoke quietly. "I feel like I'm about to be shot."

"Too much excitement for one day?"

She nodded glumly. I gently guided the naked women into the lunchroom instead of the office. The two guys were still sitting in the corner smoking. The white smoke hanging around their heads. I guided Christi and Jane to a side table away from the smokers.

I sat on the table, leaving them to stand in front of me. I unhooked the leashes from their collars, folding the leather up in my hands.

"What's the matter?" I asked them.

"I honestly don't know," Jane spoke for both of them. Christi just stood awkwardly, shifting her weight from bare foot to bare foot.

"Was it the cruelty?"

"I guess. I know I should be used to it by now, and you did return them."

"But it was unfair. I know. Kathleen was ... different."

"Please. Can I speak freely? Will you punish me? I know you are in a weird mood."

I nodded. I felt a bit drained myself. I was curious what was going through that pretty head. Sometimes I had to remind myself that this beautiful nude teenager actually did have a head on her shoulders. She was usually far more perceptive than I. That her captivity must be just about killing her.

"Kathleen didn't deserve that."

"I know. She was doing everything she could to avoid pain. And I whipped her silly anyway. I let her off in the end."

"I know. Why didn't you rape her?"

"I couldn't."

"You couldn't?"

"No. She was. Different. She was willing, you know. She would have. To save herself any more pain. Or to save Nicole."

"I see. You know if you want, that Christi or I will take care of you. I'm sure even Elizabeth or Amy would, as well. You didn't have to rape her."

"I didn't."

"You didn't have to torture her either."

I nodded slowly. "Jane. I know you can't understand this. I don't expect you to. I. Just wanted to. That's all. I knew that I was going to return her. She'll never remember it."

"It just seems wrong. That's all."

"I know it does, sweety. I know."

"I just feel drained. I wish you hadn't made me hit that poor girl. She was in such pain. She was screaming. And crying. She couldn't even beg, she hurt that much. I wish you'd done it yourself."

I took a deep breath. "She's fine now."

"What if I'm not?"

"You'll be alright. Try not to think about it. Christi? You feel the same way?"

She nodded. Tears were br.i.m.m.i.n.g in her eyes.

"How about if I let you two just relax in here while I deal with our office ladies?"

"I. I'd like that. If you'll let us," Jane spoke softly.

"You promise not to move? To behave?"

She nodded.

"Do I have to tie you into the chairs?"

"Please no. You can if you want, of course. But we'll stay where you put us. We promise. Where would we go?"

"Alright. Sit here." I indicated the chairs beside the table. I hopped down. The nude women slowly moved to the chair and lowered themselves into them. Both clasping their hands on the table.

"Wrists."

The girls just raised their hands. Out towards the middle of the table. They didn't even seem to mind that they were going to wear cuffs again. Handcuffs were better than being tied up, hand and foot, to the chairs they were seated in. I slipped handcuffs over their slender wrists, connecting Christi's right hand to Jane's left. They were facing each other. They let their hands fall to the table with a soft jingle of chain.

"You want a snack? A drink?"

Christi's eyes lit up. "Chips? Oh G.o.d. I'd do anything for a bag of sour cream and onion flavoured chips. I'd crawl for a bag of chips. Please. Please. Please?"

"Jane?"

"A m.u.f.fin, maybe. If there is any."

Leaving the girls at the table, I walked over to the smokers. I wrinkled my nose at the smell as my time bubble intersected with the air around them. I hated the smell of smoke. I briefly entertained the idea of having the girls shove the smoker's lit cigarettes into less comfortable orifices. The smokers had some change strewn about the table. I freed the change from the time block and gathered it up. A couple of bucks. They were probably headed for the vending machines themselves in a few minutes.

I walked over to the machines. Bought a bag of Hostess chips for Christi. I turned to the girls. They were just whispering together.

"Janey?" She looked up. "Blueberry, or chocolate chip?" I asked her. Betting that I knew the answer.

Her soft voice floated across the silent lunchroom. "Chocolate chip. If you are giving me a choice." She smiled. She looked beautiful when she smiled. I won the bet with myself.