"Can you get back to sleep?"

"I'm not sure if I'll be able to fall back asleep."

"You need your rest. Try."

"You. You can gag me if you want. That way if I scream it shouldn't wake you. I'm used to sleeping with one."

I shook my head. "That isn't necessary. If I did that, you might choke in the night."

"Mayer didn't care. He'd almost always gag me after the first time I screamed. Sometimes he'd just gag me before I fell asleep. If he didn't want to punish me in the night for screaming."

"I'm not Mayer. Try to sleep."

"You aren't going to crop me, are you?"

"Only if you misbehave. Now go to sleep."

I slid her off my lap. Amy had laid back down already. Watching. Unable to sleep with us making so much noise so close to her.

Amy spoke quietly. "Sheila? You want to sleep over here? With me? I promise not to bite. And my arms are tied as much as yours. No funny business."

Sheila smiled gratefully. Perhaps a little female comfort and physical closeness might help. She nodded. Amy shifted herself, moving closer to Sheila. Finally, they were face to face. Their bare bodies touching at the breast and hips. Their legs entwined. Despite the fact that they were both bound and nude, there really wasn't anything s.e.xual about it. Almost like sisters just comforting each other. Amy kissed Sheila's cheek chastely and settled her head down onto the carpet and closed her eyes. In moments Sheila did the same. I sat and watched them as Amy's breathing became regular and Sheila, while obviously not asleep, at least pretended. She was relaxed.

I let the adrenaline work itself out of my system. I slowly rose to my feet and returned to the sofa, working myself under Christi and Jane's feet again. They were fast asleep again. They stirred but didn't awaken as I moved back to the sofa. Again I cursed myself for not returning to the master bedroom. I could feel the aches and kinks already starting. I idly wondered if any of the girls knew ma.s.sage as I slipped back into a deep sleep.

I awoke a lot later, feeling a soft sensation on my lips. I opened my eyes to a nude blonde softly kissing me. Her arms seemed like they were in an odd position. I was instantly aroused, but I pulled back. Her eyes looked questioningly at me.

"Good morning," she whispered.

I yawned. "Good morning. What the heck are you doing up so early?"

"Early?"

"Yeah. It's early. I'm not awake. It's early," instinctively I was whispering with her. The other girls were unlikely awake, either.

She lowered her blue eyes. "I'm sorry. I. Just could help it."

I stretched. Wincing as the aches and pains from sleeping sitting up intensified.

"It's alright. Time to get up anyway."

"I've been a bad girl. You can punish me if you want."

"Tempting as that is, you wouldn't like your punishment, and I'm not awake enough to punish you. Maybe later."

She stuck her lip out in a pout and then broke out into a grin, not being able to hold a straight face.

"Can a slave beg for coffee?" she whispered.

"Come on."

I rose to my feet and groaned at the various muscles that suddenly had appeared. My right arm ached fiercely.

Sheila had turned onto her back. Her feet still touching Amy. Amy was still on her right side, breathing regularly. Elizabeth was going to be in pain as much as I. Still fast asleep, her head tucked into her chest. I glanced over at Jane. She shifted her position as I came off the couch. Sensing her legs being moved in her sleep.

"Not yet. Please," she mumbled to someone before slipping back into slumber.

I guided Christi out into the hallway. She daintily stepped over the carpet, trying to be silent. As we walked towards the kitchen, she made a deliberate glance into the dining room where her clothes were lying carefully folded on the table. She pulled at her restraints, sighed, and continued her nude journey to the kitchen.

She stood awkwardly in the middle of the kitchen as I flipped on the coffee maker. I sat down, leaving her standing.

"Aren't you going to untie me?"

"You wouldn't happen to know any ma.s.sage techniques, would you?"

"You mean like walking on your back?" she smiled mischievously.

"Yeah."

"I used to give my boyfriend ma.s.sages. He liked them."

"I keep hearing about this boyfriend of yours. You still seeing him?"

"Not in this timeline."

"On the normal one. You know what I mean."

"No."

"No?"

"I broke up with him. About two months ago."

"Why?"

"He wanted to get married. I didn't. Do we have to talk about this?"

"We'll talk about it if I want to. But alright. What do you want to make us for breakfast."

"Whatever you want. Can I take a shower first?"

"A shower? After breakfast."

"But. Please. I feel like I'm so dirty. My hair. My G.o.d. I can't even run my fingers through it." She tossed her head, her hair limp and tangled. She was a bit of a mess.

"I know. But you might get more dirty at breakfast. Syrup is sticky."

"You want pancakes again? You'll have to untie me eventually if you want me to cook." She grinned. Accepting that she simply wasn't going to be allowed to shower before breakfast.

I motioned her over and she groaned as I finally released the ropes holding her arms. She shook them out, wincing.

"You know. You don't have to do that to us. Make us sleep like that. You have no idea how uncomfortable it is."

"What would you suggest? Letting you run free? Let you stick scissors in my chest?"

"You know we wouldn't do that. Lock us in a room or something?"

"Ahhh. And what if I like sleeping with a warm body or two?"

"Then tie us up then? The ones that you are sleeping with."

"I'll think about it."

Christi began to move around the kitchen. Gathering cooking utensils, pans.

"Can a slave have her coffee now?"

I glanced over at the coffee machine. It was just finishing up perking.

I walked over to the coffee machine and poured her out a mug. I placed it in her outstretched hand. She looked at it. Then turned her blue eyes to gaze at me. Pleading in them.

"Can a slave have cream and sugar? Please?"

I was in a tormenting mood for some reason. "Any particular reason?"

"Because I. She likes it that way? Please?"

"Does it matter how you like it?"

Her eyes brimmed with tears. Not knowing why she was being tormented. Not knowing why I wasn't letting her drink her coffee with cream and sugar.

"No sir. I. She'll drink it as you want."

She brought the mug to her lips and sipped at the bitter brew. Tears in her eyes, she turned away towards the stove. I relented. She just looked so forlorn, and she hadn't give me a hard time about it. Trying to please.

"Christi?"

She turned towards me again. "Yes sir?" she replied a bit sullenly.

"Come here."

She walked over. Waited. Then knelt. Her coffee still in her hand. She placed it on the floor in front of her. Tilting her head up to look at me.

"Would you beg for cream and sugar?"

"If I had to."

I considered. She would. I knew she would. I didn't need to hear it this morning.

I extended my hand, helping her to her feet. I guided her over to towards the counter where the sugar was. Gave her a little push.

"Go on. You've been a good girl. Fix your coffee."

She turned to me, confusion on her pretty face. An unspoken question. Why?

"Because you didn't beg, but you would have."

She still looked confused, but didn't want to risk her cream and sugar. She scampered over and fixed her coffee. She tasted it and smiled in my direction. Wordlessly thanking me and returning to mixing her pancake batter.

I watched her nude body as she worked, soon smelling the sweet odors of pancakes frying. She set the small table. Plates for the girls. Plate and cutlery for me. A huge jug of syrup.

"They'll be ready soon. Care to get the others, or you want me to?"

I rose, leaving her to her tasks. I returned to the entertainment room. Jane was awake. But that was it. She got up off the sofa as I entered. She walked over, silently, and knelt at my feet. I ruffled her tangled hair and set about waking the others. Feeling evil, I approached Elizabeth's chair. She was still fast asleep.

Her nipples still had a trace of the rouge that she'd used. I reached out and suddenly grasped her nipples and twisted. Not enough to seriously hurt her, but she'd wake up quickly.

"Ahhhhhhhhh," she screamed as she woke up. I released her and she lay back in the chair and tried to catch her breath. She struggled with her ropes but couldn't get free. Finally she just stared at me sullenly.

"What the h.e.l.l was that for?"

"I was feeling nasty."

"I'll say. You aren't going to do it again, are you?" she paled as she realized just how vulnerable she was with her arms pinned behind her as they were.

"Nope. You're awake."

"Some f.u.c.king alarm clock."

I kissed her lips, and surprised she just kissed me back.

"You are always hard to wake up. I figured I'd just make sure you were awake."

"Shake me next time."

I leaned down and kissed her nipples. They were a bit redder than when I started.

"Alright. Go on. To the kitchen."

All the girls were now awake. Elizabeth's scream having woken them.

The girls all rose and carefully made their way to the kitchen. Still bound.

I followed them at a discrete distance. Elizabeth was favouring her right leg, probably in a bit of pain from sleeping in the chair. I had aches in places where I didn't even know I had muscles. I was ready for a shower as well.

When I entered the kitchen, the smell of pancakes a.s.saulted me. Christi was free and happily cooking at the stove. The others had knelt down on the floor just waiting for me. Jane looked up at me as I entered.

"Sir? Can we be freed? Please?"