Birdcage

Thank you to those who have sent your kind feedback for my first chapter, I hope you enjoy this one as much.

Generally with my writing it won't be rampant sex from start to finish, as I like to also have a focus on the narrative...If this isn't what you are looking for...please move on!

This also won't particularly make sense as a stand alone story, so if you have found this by chance, please read the first chapter to get the most out of it!

Happy fapping,

G

Music I listened to writing this chapter:

Garbage, I'm only happy when it rains

Wyvern lingo, Run

Hozier, movement (the scene with her first customer...trust me on this song choice)

Lennon Stella, Love can kill

The Lumineers, Nightshade

Lorde, Everybody wants to rule the world

Kings of Leon, Closer

Chapter 2. The Devil

Joni sat staring at the large cherry-red door, her reflection in the round brass doorknob. Her fingers fiddled impatiently with intricate carved arms of the chair she had been left in. The other virgin sat to her right, eyes red from her earlier tears. The guards had deposited them there and left, but neither was naive enough to think they weren't being watched.

"I know who he is..." the girl spoke, not looking up at Joni, but keeping her eyes fixed at the floor.

"Him? 4?" Joni asked, nodding towards the door.

"Sí...a girl in the cell next to me warned me about him. He's a monster. Diablo. He makes women disappear, they're all fucking scared of him. Even the suits. Evil." Her voice caught in her throat and she squeezed her eyes tightly shut.

Joni had sensed the fear in the room during the auction.

She opened her mouth to ask the girl more but the noise of the handle of the door rattling stopped her dead. The door swung open seemingly by itself and a voice from inside rang out.

"Elena? In."

The girls eyes widened and her chest heaved as she stood and reluctantly shuffled in. Joni craned her head to get a glimpse into the dark office as the door swung shut again. It was a silent and uncomfortable 30 minutes before it opened again. During this time Joni had conjured up all manner of evil in her head. Who could this man be? This devil? Could he be worse than Michael? Joni winced at the thought of his sardonic smile and thought 4 couldn't possibly be worse.

She remembered Elena's outburst in the auction and wondered what Michael had done to her. Was it the same as she had endured? Worse? Her thighs clenched together at the memory and disgust rolled up the back of her throat.

Once again she heard the doorknob creaking as it was turned and Elena stepped out. Her face ashen and her eyes expressionless. She stepped towards the chair but a guard appeared as if from thin air and grasped her tightly under her arm, leading her down the hallway. Joni watched them march until they reached the end of the long hallway and turned the corner, and then she was alone again.

"Fuck." She spat out quietly, the butterflies in her stomach growing into nausea.

She didn't hear the doorknob turn again; the rushing blood in her ears disguised the sound. When the voice spoke again, it made her jump.

"Joni...in"

The office was smaller than she imagined, or maybe it just appeared smaller for the large man in it. The man known as '4' was casually propped up against the large dark wood desk, his arms folded across his chest and his white shirt pulled taught across the muscles of his arms. His icy blue eyes were brighter than Joni remembered in the warm low light of the office, and seemed colder still next to the deep red of the walls.

"Good evening Joni." He gestured to a chair in front of the desk, barely 2 foot away from him.

Joni approached slowly and slid herself into it, pressing her back into the cool leather and keeping as far from him as she could. Her eyes found a spot on the dark wood floor and scrutinised it.

"I have spoken to Elena about what happened, and now I want to hear your side of things." Joni found it curious that he called them by name, given that everyone else barked a number at them. It made her more uncomfortable, and right now she wished for the anonymity a number would give her. She felt his piercing gaze without seeing it.

"As you've probably gathered, we run a tight ship here. Clients are carefully vetted, and It appears Michael had been selling to unregistered clients...off the books" He spoke as if about something as casual as buying a car. Joni had to remind herself she was one of the commodities he spoke of.

"We have retrieved some security camera footage that Michael tried to have deleted, and I'd like to show it to you." He moved aside and Joni looked up to see a small monitor propped up on his desk. Paused on the screen was a small frightened looking figure in a shiny white reclined chair with straps at the arms and legs, and in a stool next to it was Doctor J, a manilla file in hand. Joni's heart sank into her stomach and the blood drained from her face. She knew the scenes that followed and couldn't bear the thought of reliving them.

"...Pp..pplease...I can't watch that." Joni mumbled low under her breath and looked down again at the floor. She heard 4 sigh deeply and watched as his polished brogues disappeared from view as he moved behind her. Two large warm hands pressed down on her shoulders firmly. The threat was evident though he didn't press hard enough to hurt.

"Eyes up." He breathed. "Play."

And as he spoke the video began, crystal clear as if she were back in the room. It moved at slightly quicker than normal speed, and despite the fact 4 couldn't see her eyes, she kept them glued on the screen. Figures quickly filed in, at a comical pace and gathered around her.

"The sound was unfortunately lost." 4 spoke from behind her, his breath tickling her ear. Joni was so thankful of that fact, as she had tried to block out the memory of the words they had spoken to her, and the embarrassing sounds she made as she fell apart on the bed.

The moment came when her dress was sliced up the middle and torn off her, and Joni couldn't help but look away, she put her chin into her chest and sobbed quietly.

4 removed his hands from her shoulders and grasped either side of her face, wrenching it up painfully and angling it towards the screen.

"Please!" Joni begged now, the tears rolling down her burning cheeks. She felt him lean forward, pressing his soft lips against the curve of her ear and she shuddered as he uttered the single word "watch."

And so she did, the shame flooding her as the man on screen roughly pressed into her with the toy. She wanted to squeeze her eyes shut but they refused and she watched herself-teeth clenched and body writhing, as she approached orgasm. She felt 4's heavy breath in her ear and her body rippled in goosebumps, her moistening thighs clenching tightly together. Anger bubbled up in her, replacing the fear. Was it not enough that she had endured this once? What kind of sadist would make her watch?...And enjoy it? as he so clearly did.

As the screen version of herself arched up in ecstasy, 4 stood abruptly and leaned forward to turn off the monitor. Joni hadn't realised she had been gasping and the sound of her heaving breaths was deafening in the silent room. He walked quietly around the other side of the desk and sat behind it, in a large wingback chair that seemed moulded to his body.

At that moment a phone rang in his pocket and he took it out, silenced it, and placed it on the desk, before knitting his fingers together in front of him.

"Is that you?" He nodded towards the monitor.

Joni gawped; it was a crystal clear image, why did he need to embarrass her more?

"...yes." She spoke firmly. Enraged by his question, she lifted her head boldly to look directly into his ice blue gaze.

"Can you tell me his name?"

Joni assumed he meant the stranger as they both knew who Michael was.

"No."

"Had you seen him before?"

"No."

"Had you agreed to this? Beforehand?"

"No!" Her voice was raised now, and shook with emotion.

"And what was said? Anything useful at all? The guard hasn't been seen since so he's no help..." His tone was almost bored, and this enraged Joni further.

"They discussed payment and that was it. He said not to mark me. I'm sorry that I didn't get any more useful intel whilst I was being sexually assaulted." She spat out the last two words and crossed her arms haughtily.

4 paused for a moment, clearly taken aback. He picked his phone up, pressed a button and held it to his ear. 'Now' was the only word he muttered into it before placing it back down.

"Watch that attitude Joni, there are men here that would hurt you for less."

"Men like you?"

"Yes. Men like me." He glared at her now. His nostrils flared and his jaw clenched. Joni was thankful that the desk separated them, but despite the fear flooding her veins she forced herself to hold his gaze.

"What else have I got left to lose?" She shot back, her voice higher and louder than she had intended.

At this, 4 stood up and advanced towards her, Joni's stomach jolted and she shrank back. In 5 paces he reached her and leaned forwards, his hands on the arms of the chair caging her in and his mouth mere inches from hers.

"Plenty...shall I show you?" His breath smelt like spearmint toothpaste and Joni was overcome with the urge both to lean forward to taste him, and to run screaming from the room.

He lifted his hand to her face and grasped her chin, his thumb pressed solidly against her lips. She opened her mouth without a second thought and he entered, his thumb stroking lazy circles on her tongue. He teased her, one side of his mouth pulling into a cruel and satisfied smile. Again her body acted on instinct and she sucked firmly, her soft wet lips puckered around his hand. The air whistled through his clenched teeth and his fierce eyes flamed. Her doe eyes looked up at him...waiting.

At that moment the door knocked loudly behind her, and Joni jumped violently in the chair as a large guard entered.

"Take this slave back to her cell to cool off." He spat.

She had spent the next few hours stewing in her cell, turning over the events in the office in her head. When Marnie had arrived back from her days 'work', Joni had taken the opportunity to grill her.

"Who is '4'?" She asked, slurping down her evening meal of beige slop as opposed to brown.

"Shit yer, I forgot about the stuff with Michael! What happened? Did you go to his office?"

Joni brushed off the question, simply stating that he'd asked her some questions about Michael, but not wanting to reveal any more than that.

"Do you know him?" She asked Marnie again.

"Yer of course, everyone here does, he's not exactly in charge, but he one of the big dogs here. He's got a thing for violence I've heard...never seen it myself but I've know girls to disappear, and guys too actually! They say he likes it rough, and that's how he gets off...by..." With this Marnie gestured a single finger across her throat in a slicing motion.

"But the other heads won't ever get rid of him, I think they're scared too, but they like that he keeps people in line. I think he's got the big clients too." She spilled all this out as Joni listened intently.

"But like...I've known girls in his house, and they're fine. As long as he doesn't take a fancy to you. Just keep your head down." She smiled brightly at Joni and licked the remnants of her slop off her spoon.

Marnie then proceeded to enthusiastically describe her day, but Joni's mind wandered elsewhere...

"...And it really is a good day if all you do it 2 blowjobs. Like my first week here I did anal! How unfair is that! Like ease me in..."

Joni nodded and murmured her agreement politely.

"...Joni? You're not listening...Are you ok?" Marnie paused and Joni woke from her daydream with a start.

"Yes! Sorry...I'm tired, I haven't had a proper sleep since I came. When do we get real beds?"

"The step up to level 2 is pretty big, don't worry. And then you'll get the nicer Johns too. Only the cheap ones pick girls in 1...and the rough ones..." She rolled her eyes.

"And since we don't make them too much money, the heads don't give a fuck if 1's get hurt."

Shortly after the trays had been collected, a guard had arrived at the door of Joni's cell and silently whisked her away to a utilitarian dressing room. Joni had given up asking where or why when she was moved around; refusal meant you simply arrived at your destination slung over a burly shoulder, kicking and screaming.

When the guard had left her, he was replaced by a striking dark skinned woman who had asked politely if she could do her makeup and hair. Again seeing it useless to resist, she sat back in the chair and closed her eyes, taking the opportunity for peace and quiet. Joni had tried to ask the hand questions, find out what was happening, but she had smiled and politely told her she wasn't meant to speak. She didn't push her, from her conversation with Marnie, she knew this young woman was no different than her, just trying to stay alive.

When Joni looked in the mirror next her messy brown locks had been curled and artfully pinned back, a few stray locks framing her cheeks. Her skin looked flawless and her dark tired eyes had been concealed and dusted with a soft gold shimmer. Her full lips looked fuller still under a smear of glossy pink lipstick and her cheeks had a youthful glow. She didn't think she had ever looked this good in her entire life.

Joni had wavered slightly however when her outfit had been presented to her. The hand apologised and told her it had been pre-selected. It consisted of a very thin lace bra and thong set in a blush pink colour, little diamantés along the bra cups and top hem of the thong. It also came with a very thin and completely see through blush teddy, which Joni thought was the mostly pointless scrap of fabric ever sewn together. Once on, the outfit hid nothing. The dark brown shadow of her curls sat in the triangle of the underwear and her dusky pink nipples poked freely through the thin material. She stared in the mirror and tried to pull at the fabric, trying to fold it in a way that may have saved some of her dignity.

"No. Don't." The women pulled Joni's arms down and spoke in a thick African accent.

"Don't let them see you scared. Be strong, don't let them see...they like you scared." She smiled sadly at her and nodded.

Joni had slipped into the strappy white heels handed to her and had been led once more down the maze of corridors. When they had reached their destination, her feet already ached and she had wobbled more than once on the thick carpet.

"Inside." The guard had directed her through a plain black door and into what seemed like a cupboard. Joni turned, sure it was a mistake, but the guard had already gone. It was a dark and narrow corridor with nothing but a small window, which faced into another much larger room, reminding her of the two way mirrors she'd seen on police shows. Looking through Joni saw a circular stage surrounded by 8 small partitioned rooms in a large arc, each with only a large leather chair and a small side table furnishing them. The stage was empty, but brightly lit from all angles with spotlights, with one narrow catwalk leading away from it. As her head craned into the window further, a door to her right opened and the light from it dazzled her momentarily. When she focused she saw '4' filing the doorway, head only inches from the top of the frame. She instantly felt naked, more naked than she had walking through the whole fort in her sheer outfit. More naked than naked. Her head snapped back away from him.

"This is an auction. A private one for more discrete clients. This is where the virgins sell. You aren't being sold today but you will be displayed." Joni didn't focus on the words he spoke; she stayed staring out of the window onto the stage, trying to focus anywhere else but on him. The anxious fluttering in her stomach was already growing and one look into his cold eyes and she would crumble. She wouldn't cry today, she told herself.

"After this you will have your first customer. Not penetrative of course. But you will have work like this until you are sold. You'll be punished if you don't perform well."

He spoke his remark as if he had said it a thousand times before and then he simply turned on his heel and closed the door, once more leaving her in darkness.

Her fear turned to anger in her mouth. 'He's trying to fucking break me...the bastard. He won't.' She had yet to be punished, but she had seen the faces of those who had, returned back to the cell block with monstrous black eyes and bloodied lips, their hands shaking and their bodies a canvas of black and blue bruises. But how could she 'perform well' if she didn't even know what that meant?

The auction went on as Joni had imagined it would. Shadowy figures moved into place in the armchairs, their faces hidden in darkness. They placed their hands on the side tables, all in the same way, and Joni figure that there was some sort of button or call bell in the top of them. She scanned the room and wondered who they were, wondered if she knew them, if they were famous and she had watched them on her tiny tv at home. At least two were women which surprised her, she thought only men had that kind of evil in them.

One by one scantily clad slaves marched along the catwalk, standing awkwardly in the centre of the stage. Some looked around the room, eyes darting and fearful, some stared vacantly into the distance. There were 7 in total, men and women, ranging in age and ethnicity. When the 7th had been beckoned back up the catwalk and disappeared, the door to Joni's cupboard had been opened again. Instead of 4's broad frame filling the doorway, a small sallow skinned man in a black tunic appeared and gestured for her to follow.

She stepped onto the brightly lit catwalk and marched out as she had seen the others do, whilst over the speakers spoke a women's raspy voice. Joni hadn't been able to hear the 'commentary' from her cupboard but was now privileged to hear herself be described like cattle at a livestock market.

"Now for presale. English, 21, 5'3", 50kg. Double virgin. V&A."

She looked defiantly around at her audience as the speakers echoed out, trying to mask her fear. Adrenaline built in her veins and anger joined it. Joni looked back up the catwalk and saw the hulking frame of 4 at the end of it. She spun back towards the onlookers in a graceful circle and finished off with a low bow and a bright sarcastic smile. Before she lost her nerve she held up both middle fingers and marched back up the catwalk and out into the holding room.

She was elated with herself, feeling entirely smug about her display when again she was presented with 4's glare.

"What the fuck are you doing?" He spat. He seemed to fill the small space even more than usual and Joni's face dropped.

"Firstly don't you ever disrespect me in that way." He approached her steadily as he spoke.

"Your behaviour reflects on me. The heads will see this and will expect harsh punishment. What else did you think would happen?" Joni swallowed the bile in her throat, she hadn't expected anything, she hadn't thought far enough ahead for that.

"Secondly, you've just put a bullseye on your pretty little arse. Everyone will want to break the feisty little virgin in, so well done. You should have kept your fucking head down." He was towering above her when he had finished his rant. His cheeks flushed red and his jaw flexed angrily. The display was so different from the cool and calm facade Joni was used to, and it shocked her into silence.

When she did finally open her mouth to speak...the instinct was to apologise. But before she could make a sound he had turned and stormed away, leaving her feeling like a scolded schoolgirl. She felt stupid. 'Be strong but smart' she thought to herself 'no use getting myself killed before I've had chance to escape'. It was at that moment she realised that despite the fact that the atmosphere in the fort was laced with fear, and the promise of violence, she hadn't actually been struck since Michael. The thought then occurred to her that 4 should be overjoyed with her display, if what he said was true, she would be making him a lot of money. In that moment she wondered idly where Elena was.