"Pet!"
Her master's voice boomed across the small cottage. Danielle trembled with fear. She couldn't hide from his anger. It reached out for her, surrounding her and she gasped for breath.
"Come to me!"
Danielle crawled out from behind the kitchen table. She was hungry and he had forgotten to feed her again. She'd almost made it to the kitchen, where her bowl of water and food were on the floor. Almost wasn't close enough and he wasn't asleep like she thought. She didn't ask for permission and he would find that an excuse to punish her. Not that he needed an excuse.
Her stomach growled and he laughed in understanding. The laugh was ugly, hurtful. In the last few weeks, she had come to hate the laugh of her shadow master. Wearily, she crawled across the wooden floor. It was difficult, because her wrists were bound with a thick leather strip and she had little space between them. Walking was forbidden and another punishable offense.
"Faster, Pet. You will beg for your dinner."
Danielle caught a quick glimpse of herself in the full length mirror and almost spoke aloud. That would not have been a good thing. She was frequently beaten for speaking, because her master didn't like the sound of her voice. How she looked astonished her. The bruises and welts on her naked body weren't much of a surprise, but the unhealed bite marks on her neck, back and shoulders made her shudder. He was drinking from her, yet he had stopped healing her as a further punishment and reminder that she would never be good enough for him.
By the time she made it to the bed, he was standing. His naked body was hard and thick with his lust. Her shadow master always wanted her and his cock could be as punishing as any other weapon. His body was strong, muscular, a warrior's body shaped to perfection.
Perhaps in another time and place she would have found him attractive. Maybe she used to. He was certainly handsome, she remembered that, but Danielle wasn't allowed to raise her eyes or look at him. Pets had to earn the privilege and she wasn't a good pet. She could never please him.
She kissed his feet and put her face to the floor. She was prepared to beg, but even that required permission. His cool hands touched her back and she shivered. Not enough food combined with the constant blood loss caused her to have a difficult time maintaining any body heat. Danielle felt as if she had been cold forever. Maybe she was becoming as cold as his heart. Her master sighed.
"Should I beat you for that thought, Pet? Do you hate me so much?"
Quickly, she shook her head in denial. She hated the things he did to her, but not him.
"I think you want me to beat you."
"No, please," her thoughts begged. "Master, please forgive me. Please let me eat something."
"You can eat after I hear you scream."
He wrapped his hand in her long auburn hair and tugged. Danielle saw the carpet beater in his other hand and had two choices. She could try to fight him again or give in. The latter was more attractive, because after he punished her, he tended to be kind for an hour or three. It all depended on how well Danielle submitted to his punishments.
She followed his lead, hugged his thigh and prepared herself for the inevitable. The large carpet beater was a nasty spanker, but it was better than his riding crop. When he used the riding crop he often struck her with the braided middle instead of the tip, raising welts and drawing blood. She took a deep calming breath and then another.
"Ready, Pet?"
