I wake up in an unfamiliar bed, in a strange room. The light is dim, but I can make out a few things. There are no windows, no furniture other than the bed I'm lying in.
There's a door to my left. I can just make out some light underneath it.
There are rough sheets covering me. I lift them up, off of me.
I'm naked.
Where are my clothes?
The last thing I remember is being at a club. It was my friend's birthday- she's the last of us to turn 21, so we were out celebrating. I went to the bathroom in the back of the club, and then- then next thing I remember is right now.
Was there something in my drink?
I shake my head. It feels fuzzy.
As I continue to ruminate, the light under the door flickers, disappears for a second.
There are feet.
I hear a lock, then a doorknob turning. Someone is coming in.
I pull the covers to my chin. My hands are shaking.
The door opens, and a person enters the room. A man, judging just by height. I can't see much as he's silhouetted in the doorway.
He turns, closing the door, and flicks on a light, and I can see him.
"Good morning, baby," he says, smiling. His dark hair and eyes, along with his five o'clock shadow, make him handsome, but his dangerous smile leaves me cold.
"Who are you? Where am I?" I try and fail to keep the tremor out of my voice.
"You may call me Ryder. That's not my name, of course, but that's what you'll use. Or Sir," he adds, smirking.
"What do you want from me?"
"You're here for training," he says, simply. He reaches down, pulls my sheet out of my hand and down, exposing me. I kick out, catching him in the leg, and scramble backward on the small bed.
He's too fast for me. He grabs my ankles, flipping me to my stomach. I pull at the sheets, trying to get away, but his one hand on my back is too strong. He holds me in place like a small child.
"To answer your next question, baby, you are being trained to obey. To listen to those who have power over you. To not question. There will be many lessons on this topic, I can already tell."
As he speaks, I feel something cold tracing my bottom cheeks. It feels smooth, supple. As I struggle to escape, I feel it lift. I hear a whistle of air, then a loud crack.
A split second later, the searing pain hits. I scream, fighting to get away. He brings it down again and again on my ass. The pain grows, building fire on my ass. I'm screaming, crying, begging. Finally, spent, I lay limp, sobbing as the lashes continue.
His hand lifts from my back. The leather strikes two, three, four more times. I don't fight it anymore.
At long last, it stops. I jerk as his hand rubs across my bruised cheeks, squeezing the flesh with a renewed ache.
"That was lesson one, baby. Don't fight me." He grabs my ankles again, flips me face up.
My ass burns as it rubs against the rough sheets.
But despite the pain, I feel my core heating. I squeeze my legs together so he won't see my wetness.
I'm certain he knows, from his smirk.
"Let's try this again. You are here for training. You will be trained as a slave, to serve a master. To obey. How long the training takes is up to you. Once I am confident that you are trained to my standards, you will be sold as a slave. Your life, as you know it, is over."
I'm trembling on the bed as I hear these words. A slave. No. I shake my head from side to side. No. This isn't happening. I look to the door. There must be a way out.
He follows my gaze. "Go ahead, baby. Try it."
The taunt in his voice, and my sore ass, make me think better of it. I'll wait, find my escape.
"Stand up."
I stare at him, not moving.
He pulls something from his belt. A leather strap. "Do you need another taste of the strap, baby? I went easy on you last time. We can make the next lesson stick a little better if we need to."
I shake my head, forcing myself to my feet. He gathers my hands behind me and walks me forward, toward the door. It opens inward, and he pulls me a step back to let it swing wide.
We're in a brightly lit hallway. Doors line both sides. Are there other girls here, kidnapped like me? I tug at my hands, and his grip tightens.
His low chuckle comes from behind me. "Oh, baby, I know how to take care of bad girls like you. Don't worry."
He steers me toward one door and opens it, propelling me inside. The door closes behind us.
I hear a lock click.
There's a doctor's table in front of me, cabinets lining the walls. I dig my heels in. I'm not getting on that table.
His dark chuckle comes from behind me again. "Come on, baby. Up on the table."