A Game for Learning About Yourself

Ch. 11 -- SACRIFICES

The Saturday Level Four Game

After the dinner at the hacienda, the contestants for the Saturday January 15 night game reported to the game area. The audience was a larger than Friday night and louder. Rowdy guys had arrived during the day who had even more morally questionable jobs than working in the gambling industry. Stephanie was strangely calm.

Stephanie had packed light for the trip. Saturday, she wore only sandals, the black bra and black knickers she'd bought at a discount store, a V-neck black T-shirt and the light blue chinos she'd bought mail order. It was suitable clothing for a casual tourist and Stephanie wouldn't miss these rags if they were lost. There was no use getting fancy she thought. She realized that she'd not even packed clean clothing for Sunday.

The seating arrangements for the event were as they had been Friday except that Hollie and Naomi were chained to the pillars on which they had been flagellated and stimulated with electrical toys the prior night. There was a large man dressed like a bare-chested executioner or bodyguard for some ancient potentate between them and a masked dominatrix on the left and the right. Stephanie thought it was an odd sort of Feng Shui. She was sure the two dominatrices were Livia and Madam Madelina.

Hollie and Naomi had endured their first night of sex slavery. Hollie looked a bit tired and reeked of recent sex but gave an embarrassed smile as the contestants filed passed her to get to their stools. She was enjoying something she felt she should not be enjoying.

Naomi looked like hell, like she'd been ridden hard and put to bed wet. There were numerous light whip marks across most of her torso and upper thighs. Her pierced nipples were holding large loops that seemed made for attaching Naomi to medieval machines of pain. Naomi's hair was an unkempt mess. Her whole body seemed to be sticky with semen. Her expression was tired and tortured as though death would be a blessing. Stephanie would have been horrified if she believed the drama queen felt in reality as bad as she looked or really minded any of her treatment as a slave.

However, something new shocked and horrified Naomi as the Saturday contestants arrived. When she saw Maria Andreas, Naomi shouted out, "Oh my God, Holy Shit, it's her." The immediate result of this outburst was the guard saying, "no one gave you permission to speak" and administering an electrical shock to Naomi's stomach. This caused Naomi to shout "ouch" in a shrill tone. She then whispered to the guard while nodding toward Maria Andreas, "may I speak to that new woman, Steffi and Katie." The guard laughed and said, "Oh, what the hell" and motioned for Maria, Katie, and Stephanie to come to the pillars.

Naomi looked at Maria Andreas and asked in a trembling voice as if she were talking to a ghost, "You, you, you appeared at a psychologist convention did you not?"

"Well, yes," Maria Andreas answered sounding annoyed at such an uninteresting question.

"Did you say at that convention that you were cured of your desires for submission, humiliation, and gang bangs by participating in a game in which you risked being the center of a big gang bang?"

"I thought at the time that I was cured but I decided later that I was not and that I did not even want to be cured. So here I am." Maria smiled and went to her seat as Naomi moaned in further misery.

Katie and Stephanie had both been recommended the cure by Naomi and laughed heartily. Exasperated, Stephanie said, "Naomi, I can't say I am surprised by anything. The game did not cure me of my desires. What the game has done is teach me that I have a great thirst for sex, an irresistible desire to surrender to the direction of others, a profound longing to breed like the old woman who lived in a shoe, and that I'm not going to get over any of that shit soon."

After Katie and Stephanie took their seats along with Alsha, Maria Andreas, Ami, Sabrina, Maria Calzoni, Priya, Brigitta, and Precious, Shameless was ready to speak.

"Most of you perverts heard my review of the rules last night and you all know all the players so I'm not going over any of that except to mention again that everything here is consensual and anyone can walk out of here whenever they want. If anyone needs a refresher on the rules, check your programs." A couple people looked for programs that did not exist and the first round of numbers were dealt to contestants.

With Hollie and Naomi showing what could happen, the game started right off on a serious note. Shameless, though, lived up to her name. She was not required to sit on a Sybian while acting as MC for the event, but she struck provocative poses and her slave status was highlighted. Several times she was given orders by the man or one of the two women attending Hollie and Naomi to stand or present some body part for a quick slap or a sharp little electro-shock. Shameless did so gleefully. Off and on the clamps hanging from her collar were placed on her nipples which caused her to do her job in a tone more shrill than usual. Even then, Shameless maintained her glib manner, a few times suggesting that if no one gave her some sexual relief during the first break she might have to do something drastic.

Out in the audience, Theresia, Charlotte, and other women who were slaves to the Club were performing sexual services and offering their bodies as requested. Two women were acting as Nyotaimori models for various snacks being served during the game. Stephanie thought that no self-respecting woman would have anything to do with this scene before reminding herself that she was not a self-respecting woman.

Such thoughts may have caused Stephanie's mental state to drift during the first five rounds and she may have taken a strike unnecessarily. It shocked her that she'd done that at Level Four. After that, she played carefully. Brigitta was the first one to 10 strikes with Ami and Maria Calzoni at 9 and Stephanie at 8. During that first break, Stephanie was left alone to visit the women's room, sip a little wine and look around the room at all the cameras showing the places where the woman sat.

Shameless used the break to get a "quickie" in the back of the hall with a broad-shouldered Mexican man. She ran out for a quick clean up after that. She returned just in time to return to her MC role without causing delay and acted like having a 15-minute fuck during a break was as natural as going out to buy a beer and a hot dog during the seventh inning stretch of a baseball game.

Hollie and Naomi had been taken down from their pillars for doggie style fucks during the first break. Unlike Shameless, they did not get a shower before being put back in their places.

Stephanie took off her sandals at strikes 11 and 12. I don't think they will keep me barefoot and pregnant, she mused, just pregnant.

Ami and Maria Andreas were looking more and more nervous as they emerged as leaders in strikes. Stephanie was pretty certain that they were playing as carefully as possible. They had told her that they did not want to lose. They often showed high numbers. When they took strikes, they must have just drawn low numbers.

Ami blushed like a pink rain lily when she had to reveal her breasts at strike 15. She had been the center of a week-long gang bang six months before. This seemed different. This time she imagined having all of her capacities as a female sex object used exhaustively for decades. Ami's perfect champagne glass C cups brought a round of applause from the crowd.

When down to her bra and panties, Stephanie kept a six and found that she, Maria Andreas and several other women all took a strike as the House drew an eight. Stephanie sluffed off her bra casually and felt a certain level of sexual excitement she could not explain. Maria Andreas got wide eyes and said that maybe a one tenth risk had been a lot to take on. "Everyone is staring at my breasts. I feel like a prize Milchkuh, they just need to put the little bell around my neck," she added

Stephanie thought of swiss cheese and Shirley Temple in Heidi although Maria came from Austria.

After the next round, Ami was the first on to 16 strikes having only a two to the house's three. No other woman took a strike. Stephanie assumed that Ami must have drawn a very low number at first as Ami sure did not look like she was keeping bad numbers and she had frequently shown high numbers in the rounds that she did not lose.

Stephanie and Maria Andreas were still at 15 strikes. Stephanie did not think she'd made any mental mistakes since the first few rounds.

During the second break, all sorts of Club members and contestants were wheeling and dealing in the halls and corners, but Stephanie was not part of the discussions. Not dumb, Stephanie knew that when everyone is talking to everyone but you, you are probably the subject of the discussion.

Stephanie was not at all surprised when the contestants' vote was counted. Stephanie had been voted 2 strikes with the vote being 9-0. That's clear enough, Stephanie thought. Maybe I should have voted for myself to make it unanimous. The only thing that can save me now is good numbers she thought.

Stephanie removed her knickers thinking that she might not be feeling clothing on her body for the rest of her life. Instead of horror going through Stephanie's head though, there was another twisted movie reference, "panties, slaves don't need no stinking panties." She mused that panties were much more likely to have an odor than badges. Now nude, Stephanie made sure to keep her thighs tightly squeezed together but found that that was actually exciting her more.

The following rounds, Stephanie's numbers were only a little better than Ami's or the others. Stephanie reached 19 strikes the same round as Ami with Maria Andreas at 17. Maria Calzoni was back at 15 with Katie and would come in fifth or sixth if she did not gain on Brigitta who was at 16. If Maria Calzoni could stay in fifth, she would be free to walk off with her $40,000 without having any obligations to either of the Verona clans.

With Ami and Stephanie having hit 19, there was another break for the audience vote. The audience could now send one of them to slavery by giving one of them the two strikes to take her to 21 strikes. Stephanie was pretty sure that they would rather nail her than Ami although Ami looked very beautiful. Stephanie had developed a reputation as a "fertility goddess" and Maria Andreas had said that she'd heard the Club really wanted Stephanie.

Instead, though, Shameless smiled as she announced that the audience vote had sent Maria Andreas to 19 strikes. Now there were three women tied at 19 on the verge of slavery to the Club. Maria Andreas looked like she could feel the bell going around her neck as her breasts were milked and some other woman sang "the Hills are Alive."

Stephanie had a sudden insight as to what she would do. Ami and Maria Andreas had both said that they did not want to become sex slaves. Maybe they were lying or did not know what they wanted. What self-respecting woman would admit to wanting to be a sex slave? On the other hand, there was no reason not to take them at their word. Stephanie couldn't figure the odds, but it seemed that there was a real chance of a three-way tie for first with her, Ami and Maria Andreas going out together. A two-way tie seemed likely. Further, Maria Calzoni might go into fourth and have to go back to Bernando and the Capujets to pay off the ridiculous bet she'd made to keep peace in Verona.

Stephanie knew now, after months of playing the game, that deep in her soul she just did not give a damn, or rather like Buridan's ass, could not decide if she wanted to be a career woman or a breeding sex slave. But she had developed a desire to spite the Club. Yes, they had succeeded in proving to her that she was a very submissive, many would say 'sick,' woman. She hated herself but had learned to live with it. At the same time, in her final act of resistance, she would give the finger to the bastards if only in her head.

Stephanie resolved to do everything she could to get to 21 strikes first by herself. The Level Four rules did not allow as much control as the Level Two rules, but Stephanie would try. She thought of the line, "it is a far better thing I do than ever I have done before." She knew she'd not read Tale of Two Cities but probably she'd heard the line in a movie. It was maybe 20 years ago when I saw that one. Who played the character who said that? Anyway, I'm not going to the guillotine, she thought.

The next round, Stephanie's first number was a 13. She threw that away and drew a 2 on the second draw. Hoorah she thought as the house got a 6. She had to force herself not to make a little victory gesture with her fist. Unfortunately, Maria Andreas had a five and was starting to sweat bullets. Maria Calzoni with Katie caught Brigitta and so Maria Calzoni was also looking very frightened. She could become the toy of an angry gang.

The next round, Stephanie held a three. House drew a two. No woman took a strike except Precious who was not a factor at 12 strikes.

The next round, Stephanie threw out a 10 and got a 4 on the next deal which beat the House's four. Damn, Stephanie thought, I can't lose for trying.

Brigitta with a 3 went back ahead of Maria Calzoni. Brigitta, so far from 21, did not care. Maria Calzoni who had made the strange side deal, breathed a sigh of relief. Ami and Maria Andreas both showed numbers over 8.

The next round Stephanie threw out a 10 and got a 4 with the replacement. Seemed promising but, shit, the House got a 3 and only two women out of contention took a strike. Stephanie hoped her frustration was not showing.

The round after that, Stephanie held a two. BINGO. The house had a seven.

Maria Andreas had an eleven. Ami took a strike, but it didn't matter as it only meant that she joined Maria Andreas in second place at 20. Maria Calzoni showed a 12 to end up in fifth or sixth depending on how the second-place tie was treated. Either way, Maria Calzoni could go back to Manhattan as a free woman if that was what she wanted to do. Mission accomplished, Stephanie thought.

Stephanie used all her acting ability to act horrified. Shameless looked at her in bemused amazement and winked, but she was not the only one wondering how Stephanie had produced a number four or lower five times in a row. "Just unlucky, I guess," Stephanie lied to no one in particular while thinking wow I wonder what the odds were on that?

Still, Stephanie could not believe what she'd done. She told herself she might have been the first to 21 strikes even if she had not deliberately misplayed five times and taken two strikes and absent-mindedly taken a strike early.

Anyway, the crowd applauded wildly although there were some in the audience who were smiling at each other like they had learned something new from the game. The other contestants looked relieved, especially the two Marias who looked like the Governor had just called in a pardon while they were sitting on an electric chair.

As the crowd applauded, Stephanie suddenly remembered a very old movie with two Marias. Funny how the mind works, Stephanie thought. Neither of these Marias are robots ran through her head while the applause, wolf whistles and jeers died down.

Stephanie had only seconds to enjoy in her little private triumph before she realized that it was now time for her to get royally fucked. Stephanie did not cry, scream or say anything at all. She just sat on her stool and waited for instructions. She worried that somehow Club members had read her mind and would hold it against her. She comforted herself that no one would really know what would have happened had she not kamikazed, including her. I still might have gone out alone or gone out with Maria and Ami, Stephanie thought.

Naomi looked over from her pillar and laughed out loud either out of Schadenfreude that Stephanie was now a slave like her or because she somehow guessed what Stephanie had done. She shouted, "welcome to the Club" at Stephanie before an electro-shock was administered between her thighs.

Two bare-chested mock executioners brought Stephanie to her feet.

Stephanie stood there seemingly without emotion but breathing carefully. Her earthly presence - symmetric face, long blond hair, hairless body, DD breasts with large, richly-textured nipples, slight tummy, broad hips, compact labia that concealed her inner lips, and smooth legs with enough fat but not a trace too much - exuded classic 1950s American femininity. Her quiet passivity also seemed to scream that she was Venus, not Athena or Diana; built for comfort, not speed.

One of the two men stood, got behind Stephanie and smacked a flogger across Stephanie's derriere with all his might. Stephanie winced but made no sound. One of the dominatrices waved the man off and touched Stephanie with an electrical device on the side of each breast, causing Stephanie to involuntarily shake her breasts slightly and inhale and let out her breath slowly.

The dominatrix asked Stephanie to part her legs so that she could be shocked in an especially sensitive spot. Stephanie did so without the least hesitation, closed her eyes and received a shock just below her clitoris. Stephanie gritted her teeth slightly and looked up at the dominatrix with doe eyes as if to ask how the dominatrix would like to hurt her next and whether there was a way she could be more accommodating.

The dominatrix smiled in a bemused fashion, shook her head and announced, "That's enough. You don't punish a gentle creature that has done nothing wrong, discipline one who has not shown the least disobedience or show disrespect to a fertility goddess. I did what I did because it is always done in the Club, but the Club has not before had a slave like Steffi. Tonight, before bed, I will flagellate myself and ask the goddesses for forgiveness for striking one of them. Shameless, please help Stephanie prepare for the rest of her life while we bring out the equipment."

On the way to the women's room, Shameless said, "You are too beautiful. Make sure you are ready for a lot of sex. There will be many offering sacrifices at the altar tonight.

"Some members of the crowd may think you are getting off easy because as a perfect submissive, you won't be whipped much or otherwise disciplined. You are on course, though, to have six children or more. It would probably be more like four starting as old as you are starting, but eggs will be frozen.

"Let me tell you, childbirth contractions hurt like hell and those little critters can jaw down hard on your tit when they are nursing. I'm not looking forward to doing it again. On the other hand, once you quit nursing, you are likely to get preggers again. In many ways, a traditional submissive woman has to be lot tougher than a career woman."

"I know about childbirth," Stephanie answered, "I also know how hard it is to predict when you're likely to be fertile."

Shameless smiled and said at the rate she was going she'd soon know more about childbirth than most any woman but Charlotte Stein, the original fertility goddess.

When Stephanie returned to the main hall, there was a short bed with a small pillow for under her head and another for under her buttocks. Stephanie was placed back on the pillows. Her sex was as exposed as possible. "For now, hold your legs out and hold up each thigh," Stephanie was told.

Stephanie could look up at a television and see her pussy was being treated by the camera as an object of worship. Her inner and outer lips were parted enough one could see her clitoris as well as the dark little opening to her womb. To the world she was now an altar on which sacrifices would be made to bring forth new life. In becoming a goddess, though, a sex object and object of worship, she had stopped being an independent actor. She was that "dark place" referred to in King Lear by Edgar, but by no means a "vicious" one. Stephanie closed her eyes and let her head settle on the pillow.