"You have your options. You can say *Free me', or you can say *Lazarus'."

I shut my mouth, determined to play this out properly. She lay quietly in her bonds, pulling against them, crying softly at her predicament. She was still highly aroused, I could tell. I could scent her musk from sitting beside her. And I wanted her.

"Will you f.u.c.k me?" she asked into the room, not being able to turn her head accurately towards me. I fought down my urge to answer her.

"Will you at least let me m.a.s.t.u.r.b.a.t.e myself if you let me go?"

Again I had to fight with myself to force her to make the decision on the information she had. Truthfully, I wouldn't deny her the climax in whatever form she wanted. This truly was her show. But she didn't know that. She'd almost fallen completely into the submissive role for this. It was part of her game, even after she'd safeworded out.

She shuddered and took a deep breath. Obviously she had arrived at some decision.

"Free. Free. Free," she stuttered. "f.u.c.k. Lazarus," she said in a strong clear voice.

I stepped back from the bed and waited beside her bound form. Within fifteen seconds her small voice issued forth.

"Please? I'm begging you to reconsider. Talk to me."

"Beg me."

"Please. You don't have to hurt me like that. I can't."

"Why did you safeword back in, if you can't take it."

She thought about it for a moment, tears beginning to form beneath the blindfold again.

"I. I don't know. You wouldn't talk to me," she admitted.

I refused to answer her, letting her think. I could see her desires warring across the features of her face that I could see. She wanted the experience, but the pain was so intense. I couldn't pretend to understand what she was going through, but I knew it wasn't easy. Finally, after a few minutes of thinking, her voice began again, soft and pleading.

"Please. Hit my p.u.s.s.y. I can't take it, but I need you. I want you. Hit me this one last time. Why couldn't you have picked *nine'. My poor body. Please don't hit me hard." I let the crop fall one last time between her legs. I still had never figured out how hard to hit a girl there, despite practicing on Amy so often. I was a gentle as I could, but I suspect even the most gentle tap on such sensitive skin is exceptionally painful for them. The tip of the crop sank deeply between her puffy lips, I felt it connect squarely on the rigidness of her pubic bone. I was sure that I'd connected with her c.l.i.toris. It took a moment for the reality of the pain to hit her.

She nearly sat up, nearly wrenching her shoulders from their sockets. She screamed loud enough to make the windows rattle. She cried and begged for minutes, sobbing incoherently, trying to curl her restrained body into a ball, wanting to close her legs, bruising herself in her struggles. I felt like I was forcing this on her, when she'd chosen it herself. I cringed at her obvious distress and pain. I hadn't meant to hurt her quite to that extent. I felt like I did when I punished Jane, or Amy and accidentally went too far. Only Jane and Amy had never had any options for safeword.

She finally collapsed against the bed, her bare body wracked with sobs. After a while of watching her, she finally whispered a coherent word, breathlessly.

"Ten. Thank G.o.d. Ten."

I let her cry for a few moments, inspecting her body as she struggled. There was no blood, except where she'd cut her wrist on the handcuff on that last blow. The blood at her wrists wasn't serious. I was sure she'd be tender, her b.r.e.a.s.t.s and c.l.i.toris, but there would be no lasting damage. Even if I was keeping her, I wouldn't have worried. She'd be fine after a rest.

I almost returned the crop to the pack, but then decided on something more interesting. I took the instrument of her pain, and held it to her face. I gently touched her lips with it.

Misunderstanding my intent, she gently kissed the crop, as though to thank it for her pain. Very erotic, but not what I'd intended.

"Elizabeth. I know you hurt. I'm going to try and make it better. Alright?"

She nodded, exhausted.

I pressed the leather against her lips again. "Open," I commanded her. With only a slight hesitation, she opened her mouth. I settled the crop between her teeth and she obediently held it. She was still crying inconsolably around it, her whole body shaking.

I knelt between her still outstretched thighs and slowly ran my tongue from her bare toes, up her leg, tracing the welts on her thigh. She squirmed at the touch to the welts, but forced herself to accept the tease.

I finally lay easily between her thighs, letting my tongue stroke gently across her swollen lips. Her sobbing slowly turned to gasps that I could easily hear around the crop. She whimpered as I purposely avoided slipping my tongue between the lips. I tasted her, smelled her. Her wet course hair felt delicious against my roving tongue. She was ready, had been for some time.

She murmured something around the gagging crop in her mouth. I was quite sure she was unashamedly begging for relief, for me to delve between her soft folds and lick her, let her finally get some pleasure amongst the torment. Allow her to climax as she had wanted from the beginning.

Acquiescing, I let my tongue dart between her lips. Her c.l.i.t felt twice as large as it had last time I gave her oral s.e.x, oh so long ago. I wasn't sure if it was due to the crop on it, or just her extended state of arousal. She moaned deep in her throat at she felt the soft contact of my tongue against her. She squirmed, trying to get more contact, but I insisted on teasing her. Nothing she could do about it.

I plunged one finger deep into her v.a.g.i.n.a, pumping slowly with my purposely slow rhythm. I could feel her frustration as she pulsed her v.a.g.i.n.a, wanting more, and faster. After teasing her for a few more minutes, I relented, letting my tongue trace around her c.l.i.toris in a faster circle, finding her natural rhythms within moments and feeling her body tense.

The crop fell out of her mouth as she screamed into the room. I could feel her body tensing beneath me, her v.a.g.i.n.a gripping and spasming around my inserted finger. I felt her peak, and I gently sucked at her again, plunging another finger into her. I felt her explode again, reaching a high plateau. Her cries filled my senses, as did her tensing. I flicked her c.l.i.toris again with the tip of my tongue, plunging into her with my fingers again. She climaxed again, for the final time. Soon, I felt the pulses within her body recede and her muscles stopped straining at her restraints.

"I'm done," she murmured. "I'm done."

Her bare body stretched out in front of me was flushed from her forehead to her bare toes. She was pulling again at the restraints, whispering to herself.

I lay beside her and released her eyes from the blindfold. Her deep eyes looked up at me. I could see wonder, pain and perhaps love in them as she looked up at me.

"Three. Thank you."

"Don't thank me," I smiled at her. "Thank yourself. You did it too."

She rattled her handcuffs held above her head.

"Can your slave ask for the use of her body back?" she asked almost shyly.

I smiled at her and moved down her body. As I was releasing her ankles from the ropes, she spoke quietly.

"That was the most wonderful thing that I've ever felt."

"Glad I could help."

"I hurt like h.e.l.l, but it was worth every second of it. Christ. My t.i.ts are on fire. Please, let my hands go."

"Legs first. Then I'll let your hands go."

She lay back quietly accepting my decision. As her ankles were freed, she instinctively moved her sore legs together. Probably trying to ease the ache that must still be settled between her thighs.

I moved back up the bed to lie beside her. I reached up and slipped the ropes free that held her hands to the headboard. They remained handcuffed, but she was essentially free of the bed.

I'd expected her to immediately cradle her b.r.e.a.s.t.s or her p.u.s.s.y, but she didn't. She immediately reached down and touched me through the material of my jeans.

She whispered quietly to me. "Let me suck you? I want to have intercourse with you, but I think I'm too sore."

I considered refusing her offer. I didn't know what I'd be up to with Jane and Christi, but I had some ideas. And I'd already had s.e.x with Sheila this afternoon. I wasn't sure I'd be able to perform later if I indulged with Elizabeth. I wasn't Superman.

But she'd already managed to release my jeans and unzipped my zipper. Even with her hands in handcuffs. She urged me to my feet standing on the bed. With an obvious effort, she rose to her knees, and knelt in front of me. Her small hands pulled at my jeans and underwear, baring me to her.

I closed my eyes, and felt as her fingers teased me. I was harder than a rock, my erection insistent and throbbing. Hurting her and then pleasuring her had turned me on far more than I cared to admit. But she knew that. Now.

I just about exploded as I felt her warm lips engulf me. Her soft fingers toyed gently with my pubic hair and my s.c.r.o.t.u.m. I thought I heard her sigh as I entered her mouth. I willed myself to wait, to enjoy the sensations she was giving to me. But I knew I wouldn't last long.

I felt my hands circle to touch her bobbing head. Her hair was like soft velvet, as I guided her rhythm. As I knew it would, her soft mouth quickly coaxed me to the point of no return.

Groaning, I exploded into her. She didn't hesitate, or withdraw. I could feel her mouth still working on me as I climaxed, shooting my fluids into her mouth. She gagged a bit, but didn't complain as she swallowed my e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.e. When I'd finished, she finally released my p.e.n.i.s from her mouth, her tongue still lapping at me, cleaning me. She looked up at me with those deep eyes. I was going to miss her. Unbearably.

I sank to my knees, not bothering to dress. I hugged her tightly into me, feeling her feminine body against mine, her softness against my shirt, against my lower nudity.

"I don't want to go," she said softly into my ear.

"I don't want you to go. If there was any way ..." I began before she shushed me.

"I understand," she whispered.

I reluctantly broke the embrace and rose to my feet on the floor this time. I replaced my clothing. She knelt quietly on the bed, tears falling from her eyes. She looked on almost wistfully. She didn't have any clothing to replace, a fact that she was aware of at times like these. Her bound hands twisted into her lap. She looked up at me, and forced a smile to grace her lips. I couldn't help admiring her one last time. She was so feminine, so desirable kneeling there.

She slowly rose to her own feet, bare against the carpet of the bedroom. I wondered at the freedom of being barefoot for so long. No shoes. No socks. No clothing at all. I abruptly realized that this girl had not been allowed coverings for as long as I'd had her. And I don't think she ever had complained about it.

"Time to go?" she spoke softly and with regret.

I nodded, not trusting my voice. This was getting harder and harder.

I reached for her handcuffs, intending to finally release her from the bondage. She took a step back, slowly shaking her head.

"I don't mind. Leave them on me. Until I'm gone. Please?"

I nodded again, marveling at this woman. I opened the door for her and held it as she walked her bare body out and into the hallway. Together we walked down to the main floor. I cringed as I watched her move, the welts somehow seeming too deep and angry for this delicate creature. She didn't seem bothered by them, beyond an initial cringe as her bare soles touched the tile in the main hallway. The bottom of her feet would have been tender; I remembered hitting them harder than I'd originally intended as well.

She hesitated outside the library. She turned to me. "A private good-bye? Afterwards?"

"You got me," I spoke with a joviality I didn't feel.

She solemnly reached for the doork.n.o.b and swung open the door into the empty room. She glanced around confused. I had this fleeting vision of Christi running from the house as quickly as she could as I made violent love to Elizabeth. But then I remembered her request as I'd left her last time.

I touched Elizabeth and guided her to the dining room where we'd had the nice dinner a few days ago. Jane was perched on her window ledge quietly talking to Christi. Christi had dragged a chair over to the window and was sitting on it backwards, her chin resting on the backrest, her hands encircling the back of the chair. Jane stopped speaking as Elizabeth entered the room. Christi turned, her eyes closing as she took in the fresh welts on Elizabeth's bare body.

She rose out of the chair, her joined wrists hindering her.

Christi fixed me with her soulful eyes and spoke quietly. No anger or blame in her voice.

"You couldn't help it, could you. We heard her down here. I. I thought you were torturing her to death up there," she just sounded mournful. There was no accusing in her voice, just acceptance and perhaps disappointment. All the girls were still mine, no matter how much they knew I was releasing them soon. One look at any female's wrists and the bondage still holding them would verify that. They still were ultimately under my control.

Elizabeth stepped forward and hugged Christi, pressing her bare body into Christi's clothes, her still bound hands encircling Christi's neck.

"Sweety, I wanted him to do it. It was my last request. I wanted him to hurt me. It's okay. I won't feel it soon. But I wanted to feel it. My choice, for once."

Christi's eyes widened, and Jane nodded in understanding.

Christi took a deep breath and turned her face to gaze at Elizabeth. She spoke softly.

"I was jealous of you. And I still am. A little. But I love you too. I'm going to miss you." Tears began to run down her face.

"I'm. I'm sorry. I never meant to hurt you."

"I know," Christi spoke truthfully. "I got used to sharing. Took a while, but I did."

To prove her point, Christi leaned forward and gently kissed Elizabeth's lips, her only way of convincing the girl that she was forgiven for whatever had happened. Truthfully, I think that Christi always had understood.

Jane had lowered herself to her bare feet, walking over to the other embracing girls.

"I'm going to miss you too. A lot. You always tried to protect us. You always cared," Jane spoke softly as she struggled to embrace both Christi and Elizabeth. The girls remained together, crying softly and hugging each other for a few minutes.

Eventually, Elizabeth broke the embrace. She kissed both Christi and Jane on the lips.

"I have to go. I'm going to miss both of you terribly," Elizabeth spoke quietly.

I watched as Elizabeth turned away from the remaining two women, tears falling uncontrollably down her face. She lifted her hands to try and wipe them away, but wasn't very successful. As I guided her from the dining room, she turned and whispered one last "Good-bye", to the others, who were watching her leave silently through teary eyes.

We walked slowly to the entertainment room. I settled into the sofa. Elizabeth stood in the center of the room, watching me watch her.

"I remember that night, when you fed us that Italian food. And allowed us to use cutlery and shared your dessert. And then we watched movies. That was the most romantic thing I've ever done. So I was nude and I was tied up for the night. I didn't care. You know that?"

I nodded slowly. I wasn't sure what she was trying to say, but it seemed important to her. I'd enjoyed that night as well. The girls had all been happy.

"I wish that I'd be able to remember this."

"No, you don't," I admonished the girl.

She knelt easily on the carpet.

"Actually I do," she said quietly and I believed her. "If I had a choice, I'd stay with you. Even though I know you'd hurt me, I know that I ... that I don't mind it here. I. I feel wanted. I'm not sure I can explain it."

She waited there on her knees for a few minutes, thoughts of her captivity and her adventures flitting through her mind. Finally she rose to her bare feet again and stood in front of me.

She bent at her waist and kissed me pa.s.sionately on the lips, her fingers caressing my face.

"Despite all the things I didn't like, there was more that I did. I hope that I can find them in real life."

"Perhaps you can," I spoke to her quietly.

She bent again, and I thought that I was going to feel her soft lips again. Instead she whispered in my ear.

"If you do this again, find me," she whispered in a voice that I wasn't even sure was hers.

She straightened back up, thrusting out her bare b.r.e.a.s.t.s almost proudly one last time. I swallowed heavily, tears forming in my eyes.

"Remember me," she whispered as she felt her time bubble begin to collapse around her. A moment later, she was gone, returned to her seat in that BMW with Catherine. I'd never found out what their relationship was. I regretted not knowing her better.

The handcuffs that she had worn clattered to the carpet, probably still warm from her. The necklace and the anklet that I'd given to her a day ago fell to the floor as well. I couldn't bear to pick them up as I rose heavily to my feet.