The girl hung suspended in the darkness, the chill in the room resulting in goosebumps on her naked skin. The marks of her trainer's whip crisscrossed her back and stomach and occasionally she whimpered in pain, but she still steadfastly refused to cry. She had lost all sense of time but the ache in her stomach and her growing weakness made her certain she had not eaten for several days.
The door opened with a creak and she squinted in the sudden light. Almost instantly she recognized the voice of the man they simply referred to as "The Boss" and she tensed involuntarily. He had only visited her once since their initial meeting when she was originally taken and both interactions had been accompanied by intense pain. His presence could not mean anything good.
"This is her," the Boss intoned. "You said you wanted a spitfire and this one certainly qualifies. Her trainer reports she is still as stubborn as the day of her take. She also happens to still be a virgin, a nice little bonus for you."
"Still a virgin at 24 years old? That's surprising." Another man entered the room as the spotlight turned on, she closed her eyes against the bright lights so she couldn't see him, but she could practically feel his eyes on her as he circled her body, extending a hand to gently run his fingers across the marks on her back.
"He worked her over good," the man stated in a firm voice. "I thought your men knew better than to cause scarring." He grasped her upraised arm in an almost protective manner as he addressed the Boss.
"The bitch bit him," came the reply. "He may have gotten a little carried away, but I doubt the marks are permanent."
Releasing her arm the man ran his hands slowly across her stomach, pressing gently on her ribs. She twisted in her bonds trying to avoid his touch but he held her firmly in place.
"I will take her," the man said at last. "Your asking price plus a bonus if you bring me a bucket of warm water with some towels and leave us alone." The boss left the room without reply, and the man switched off the spotlight, leaving the door open to illuminate the small room. Moments later the water and towels arrived and the two were left alone in the dim light.
"Hold still," the man warned her as he moistened a towel and ran it gently across her back. She grimaced and held her breath, determined not to make a sound as he slowly removed the first layer of filth. She bit her lower lip to keep from objecting as he ran a towel between her legs but he made no attempts at touching her sexually and he was soon finished. The man then reached up to her outstretched arms, exploring her bonds.
He supported her body with one arm as he released her. "Can you stand?" he asked gently and finding after a moment that she could she nodded her head. The man moved away and withdrew a bottle of water and a small Baggie from the deep pockets of his coat.
"I am going to get you out of this hell hole, but they won't let you leave awake. These are mild sedatives, they will knock you out for a few hours but shouldn't have any side effects. Otherwise they will have to inject you with the same thing they used when they took you, and I understand that results in a whopper of a headache. Will you take them?"
It was the promise of water and her parched throat that made the decision for her as she whispered her agreement. He held the bottle to her lips and she drank greedily, then opened her mouth, willingly taking the small pills. The man took off his coat and wrapped it around her frail body, drawing her close to him and holding her upright for several minutes as he waited for the sedatives to kick in. Soon the girl was enveloped in blissful darkness.
She awoke with a start, momentarily disoriented as she realized she was lying in a bed covered in a soft blanket. Stranger still she found she was wearing a simple nightgown and her hair was damp, smelling faintly of strawberries. She realized she must have been bathed and dressed while still asleep. A few minutes later the door opened and the man entered, carrying a tray. "How did you sleep sweetheart?" he asked.
"Don't call me that!" she objected and the man laughed.
"Would you prefer slut, or maybe whore?" She glared at him without further response and he smiled. "Sweetheart it is then." He sat down in the chair next to her bed, setting the tray on the nightstand, lifting the bowl and filling a spoon. She reached for the spoon hungrily.
"Hands down," he ordered, holding the spoon to her lips. She was too hungry to resist further and she opened her mouth, allowing him to spoon feed her. The oatmeal tasted of cinnamon and while in her past life it would not have been her first choice for breakfast now she was so famished that she soon emptied the bowl. He handed her a mug of warm sweet tea and she sipped it gratefully.
When she finished he offered her use of the bathroom and she readily accepted. He led her out of the room to the next door over. "There are toiletries in the top drawer," he offered. "Use whatever you need and come find me when you are done."
The simple act of brushing her teeth was thrilling and she ran a brush through her shoulder length hair, pulling it back and securing it with a simple hair tie.
Leaving the bathroom she found her way around a corner to a simply furnished living room. He was sitting on a couch waiting expectantly.
"Have a seat," he prompted, gesturing to a chair directly across from him. "I am sure you have questions, but I get my answers first. What is your name?"
She hesitated but could think of nothing she would gain from refusing to answer. "Hannah," she quietly replied.
"Well miss Hannah they tell me you are a virgin. I could have checked when you were unconscious, but I didn't. Were they telling the truth?" This question was more personal and drew a hesitant confirmation.
"Where did they take you from Hannah?" The girl named a small college town in Arizona and he nodded in response. "College towns are their favorite hunting ground. You can ask me questions now, but choose carefully. I will only answer three."
The girl sat quietly contemplating for a few moments before inquiring, "Where are we?"
The man's response came quickly, "In the outskirts of Denver, about fifteen miles from the nearest neighbor and two hours from the closest Walmart." He intentionally stressed their isolation.
"What is your name?" This query caught him somewhat by surprise.
"You can call me James while we are alone, but in the presence of others it is Master." The girl rolled her eyes, but wisely looked down when he frowned at her response.
The next question was nearly whispered, "Why me?" He thought for a moment, carefully considering how to word his reply.
"I am not looking for a mindless fuck toy Hannah. I am sure as intelligent as you are you've come to the conclusion that you are here to be trained as a sexual slave, but I am also looking for a companion. I suspect you will be harder to train than most, but I look forward to the challenge."
She clenched her fists and he wondered if she would lash out, but she quickly regained her composure and remained passively seated.
