For the next several days, the crew at the valley waited. Uncertain as to the fate of their friend, they spent their time doing busy work.
Peter surveyed the damage the flood did to the barn and other small buildings, and was able to report to the rest that nothing significant was wrecked. The water's short stay of just a few hours had not been long enough to erode the foundations of any of the buildings, and water damage was limited to mud deposits. He was able to keep his thoughts off Maria by pumping out the water in the basement and cleaning walls. Melissa and Lisa kept busy at the diner. Lisa still felt pretty sore from her beating, so she took it easy and handled just the counter work. Melissa, in an effort not to rush off to New York, helped out by once again donning her waitress out fit.
Inspector Kenji Hasumara spent his time on the phone or near it. It seemed to the group that a lot of his time was spent talking to others, but as he spoke mostly Japanese during these calls, no one could tell what they were about.
Any inquiries were answered by "Police business" so they soon learned not to ask.
Robert, against his wishes, went to the hospital with a concussion. He then checked himself out and disappeared.
Melissa figured he went to New York, the others didn't really disagree.
The third day after Maria's disappearance, Joseph called.
Melissa happened to take the call and passed on the information to the others.
"Well, she's there alright," Melissa said to the assembled group.
"Joseph tells me that Cynthia arrived this morning at her Long Island home with Maria. He says that Cynthia found out what he was doing in the city and successfully blocked his attempt to transfer ownership of the valley back to Maria, but because of the timing of their petitions, they have to get the case settled in court. Joseph says he doesn't hold out much hope now of winning."
"Damn!" exclaimed Lisa, "She can't just waltz in here and take this away from us!"
"It looks like she can," commiserated Melissa.
"What about Maria? What is her condition and when will she be returned?" the Inspector asked.
"Joe says that he's working on that. He doesn't know for sure how she is, but he tells us not to worry. Cynthia may be a sadist, but she isn't stupid. She isn't going to do anything rash to Maria, not as long as she hopes to use her over Joseph. Joe said that her stay with Cynthia may be uncomfortable, but not life threatening."
"So he's not doing anything?" Peter said angrily.
"He said to wait," Melissa said firmly.
"How can we trust him to know what he is doing?" Peter asked her. "Hell, a week ago you didn't even like him, yet here you are now, his biggest cheering section!"
Melissa bit her lips, a clear sign to Lisa that she was about to unload on him. But to Lisa's surprise, Melissa calmed down and repeated, "He just said to wait."
***
It had been a hell of a trip for Maria. Not once did she leave the back seat of the car where she lay. She stayed wrapped in the duck tape the whole time, lying in her own waste and suffering muscle cramps from the hog-tie she was in.
Only her mouth was freed from time to time, to allow Cynthia to feed her a liquid diet of juice and whatever else Cynthia could find in liquid form.
By the time they finally arrived at the ocean side home Cynthia kept on Long Island, Maria was so tired and sore that even unbound she couldn't have gotten away.
Cynthia pulled the car into the private driveway and parked it next to the converted stables she now used for other purposes.
"Apollo!" she yelled, getting out of the car.
The door to the stables opened, and there stood a very large man. Blond, extremely well muscled, and wearing nothing but a loin cloth, he knelt on one knee and bowed his head.
"Mistress, welcome home."
"You would not believe the trip I've had," Cynthia said, reaching for her hand bag. "Has Carter called yet?"
Carter, her lawyer was handling the valley land transaction for her. It was him, calling her on her cell phone, that alerted Cynthia to what Joseph was trying to do. He was the kind of lawyer that made other lawyers look good. He regarded Cynthia as one of his most trusted clients, especially as she wasn't overt to lending him one of her girls every once and a while.
"Mr. Carter has not called yet today, Mistress," Apollo told her.
Cynthia snorted. "Damn that little creep. Still, see to my luggage will you? It's in the trunk, and there's a rather messy package on the back seat that needs cleaning. You can put her someplace more accessible until I have time to deal with her. Have the girls keep her occupied but tell them not to go to far. Then return the car to the rental agency with my apologies for the mess. They can bill me." This last part was said over her shoulder as she began walking toward the house.
"Yes Mistress," Apollo said and stood up. He peered through the window and watched the silver bundle on the back seat.
She looked as though a few more minutes wouldn't kill her, he thought, and went to the trunk to get his Mistress's bags.
Maria heard a lot of what Cynthia had said to Apollo, and waited patiently for him to get her out of the car. The wait seemed way too long to her cramped limbs, but eventually she felt his arms run down the side of her duct taped body until he found a good hand-hold.
"Jesus, you stink," he said to her.
In a moment she was pulled out and Maria felt herself carried just a short distance and laid on the ground.
"Better wash you down first," Apollo said, and a moment later Maria felt water from a hose striking her. It actually felt good, the cold water seeping through the tape to her skin, and she was disappointed when it ended. She was picked up again and carried a much greater distance.
Apollo took her inside the converted stable. Once used to house horses, the turn of the century building now contained three large bedrooms on the first floor, each with a private bathroom. The second floor had eight small jail type cells and a large open area full of bondage equipment in the making, and one more simple bedroom. This bedroom was Apollo's, the cells were where most of the other female house slaves spent the night. The shop with the unfinished bondage equipment was also his. Cynthia had been delighted to find out that Apollo had both the talent and the skills needed to build anything she could ask for. Since joining her she had never wanted for any kind of unusual bondage device. She had merely to voice an idea and he would bring it to life.
Apollo was also in charge of all the slaves she owned, even though he was one himself, and was the only slave allowed to leave the estate alone.
When Cynthia wasn't around, he ruled here.
He carried Maria into one of the downstairs bedrooms and lay her on the floor.
"Mia!" he called out, and a moment later a young woman stood in the doorway. She had on a leather corset that compressed her waist a good two inches smaller than it normally was. It included cups that completely encased her breasts in rubber, with two small holes in the front that her nipples had been forced through, and a steel chastity belt. All the women were belted. Cynthia wanted Apollo to herself.
"Yes Sir?" Mia said breathlessly.
"Come help me unpeel this grape," Apollo said smiling.
Mia rushed over and knelt down. The two then found the end of the tape on top of Maria's head and proceeded to pull it away from her. The tape pulled at her hair, making Maria scream, but Apollo continued as if he didn't hear, while Mia licked her lips, feeling for the woman. Mia was glad at least to see that Maria had short hair.
"Fetch a blindfold," Apollo ordered. Mia jumped up and ran for a closet. In these bedrooms the closets were filled with SM toys, and Mia had no problem finding what she was looking for before running back.
Meanwhile, the tape about to come off her eyes, Maria felt Apollo lean close.
"You open your eyes and I will whip you till you bleed," he whispered, sending a shudder through the bound girl. She nodded as best she could. The tape came off her eyes and she clenched them tightly shut until she felt the blindfold seat itself properly, then the torture was resumed. The ball gag was left in her mouth, but otherwise everything else was removed, including the collar and cuffs Cynthia had put on her so long ago.
Maria found it a luxury to be able to stretch her aching limbs, and was glad when no one made a move to stop her doing so.
That she was now naked again among strangers was the least of her worries. In any case, it wasn't the first time Apollo had seen her like this. Cynthia once brought him with her to Joseph's apartment.
"Clean her up, Mia, and then spread her on the bed before feeding her. The gag stays in until she eats and goes back in when she is done. Understood?"
"Yes sir," said Mia.
"Maria, you WILL follow Mia's instructions wont you?"
Maria nodded.
"Good. Remember Mia, no talking, I'll have the cameras on."
"Yes sir."
Maria felt hands taking hers, and on unsteady feet she was led away.
***
After her bath and a much needed meal, Maria entered a different kind of hell.
She hand been bound on her back on the bed, spread eagled, while she ate. As soon as she was done the gag was put back in and she was left alone for a short time. She thought she had slept, but wasn't sure. What she was sure of was that without hearing anyone come into the room she was suddenly being assaulted.
It was a very gentle assault however. A set of lips and tongue was delicately caressing a nipple, pulling on the ring, sending little bolts of pleasure through her body.
Maria tried to get their attention, she had to let them know that Joseph forbade that kind of contact, but she could do nothing as a second set joined the first, working her other nipple. She got a greater shock when a third set began on her clitoris and labia, and she tried to pull away.
Here legs were spread so far apart though that she could get no leverage and the person caressing that most intimate area used their weight to hold her down.
As the trio moved around, Maria began to give in to their ministrations. In the back of her mind she realized that it was three women working on her, for she could feel their nude breasts brush her arms and legs every so often.
Maria squirmed and cried, not knowing if she wanted to get away or give in to the orgasm that was building. Every time she got close the women would back off a little and let her cool down. It seemed like they were purposely toying with her, keeping her in an agony of unrelieved passion.
She had no idea how long they kept at it, having lost all sense of time being blind for several days, but when she started to think she could go no further the women drew away.
Maria groaned, wanting them to return to finish the job.
She felt someone climb on the bed and Maria strained to reach them. Her blindfold was removed and Maria found her blinking eyes looking into the face of Cynthia.
"My, what a hot bitch," Cynthia said, smiling.
Without looking away, Cynthia reached down and ran a finger across Maria's labia. In itself that was almost enough to make her cum, but not quite.
Cynthia held up a very wet finger, licking it slowly, and Maria groaned again.
"So sweet. My husband does love them sweet. I'm sure he's tasted your nectar many times, hasn't he?"
Maria did nothing, but evidently Cynthia was expecting and answer. She grabbed a nipple ring and twisted it, hard.
"Hasn't he?"
Maria nodded, and tried not to scream.
"I thought so. It's about all he can do now isn't it," she said with a small laugh.
Cynthia let go and pushed herself away a little.
Maria took a second to glance about the room. On one side, next to the wall, stood three women, naked except for their chastity belts, collar and cuffs. They stood with their hands behind their backs and their heads bowed.
By the door stood Apollo, he had pushed his loincloth to one side and was stroking his penis. It looked huge to Maria.
Cynthia herself wasn't nude, but she might as well have been. She wore a bright red rubber cat suit with an open crotch and holes for her breasts to push through.
Cynthia got off the bed and went to one of the closets, she returned with a large dildo attached to a set of straps.
Maria recognized it at once, and began to struggle again.
"Really girl, if you were going to get away wouldn't you have done so by now. Unless of course, you were hoping to get a taste of Apollo here."
Apollo stepped closer, and Maria groaned in fear.
"I don't think she wants you," laughed Cynthia, and Apollo shrugged.
"She will eventually, they all do," he said, looking over at the other women, all of whom blushed.
Cynthia blushed too, and silently cursed her weakness.
She fastened the strap on around herself.
"I have always enjoyed this moment," she said to the quivering girl.
"I have always enjoyed taking Joseph's women away from him. The three you see here, were all his once. I took them, made him give them to me. Then I took them again, with this." She pointed at the huge, realistic looking dildo projecting from her crotch. "Do you recognize it? If you were any kind of slut at all you would see that it is a perfect replica of Joseph's, although a lot bigger of course. But then, being the slut you are, I guess it's hard to remember all the dicks that have passed your way."
Cynthia crawled onto the bed and knelt on all fours over Maria. She leaned close and whispered into her ear, "He didn't really keep you from his friends did he?"
She laughed softly, and took hold of Maria's clit chain.
Maria, by this time, thought she was too scared to feel anything erotic anymore, but when Cynthia gave the chain a small tug a strong waved of pleasure flowed all over her and her hips moved of their own accord.
"Yes, you want it don't you. Well, you're in luck."
Standing with his penis hard in his hands, Apollo smiled as Cynthia bent low and went to work.
***
"I just got a call from Joseph," Melissa said to her friends two days later. "He says he can free Maria and that she will be home soon."
"Thank God!" Peter said.
"He want's you to fly out and bring her home, Peter."
"Me? Isn't he coming back?"
"I don't know. He just said to go out there. He made your reservations already. You had better get going."
"Sure, sure."
Melissa took Peter by the arms and looked him straight in the eye.
"Promise me. If that Woman injured her in any way, you repay in kind."
"Don't worry," Peter whispered.
As he left the house where he had been staying while awaiting word on Maria, Hasumara joined him.
"I will come too," he said.
"Is that wise?" Peter asked him.
"It is...necessary."
Peter agreed.
***
"I'm telling you, we have him over a barrel," Carter said on the speakerphone the next day.
"Then why is he insisting on this meeting. Why does he insist that it is in my best interests," Cynthia said, striding up and down her elegant library.
She walked to the window and looked out on the gardens where four of her submissives were doing some landscaping. They wore coveralls that despite their name didn't cover much, and each girl was well shackled. Cynthia herself was well dressed in a white silk gown that flowed and drifted over her body.
"Well it can't be about the valley property. When the Judge sees our case three months from now he'll throw their claim out of court. We can't loose."
"Maybe he want's to make a deal?" offered Cynthia.
"He has no deal to make. He has nothing you haven't already taken from him."
"Yesss," she said, thinking of Maria shut in a cell in the stables. After spending a very enjoyable evening with her the day she arrived, she had Apollo lock her in one of the upstairs cells. Maria had been there ever since.
"My advice, don't meet with him," concluded the lawyer.
"Oh, I don't know. I might be entertained by his latest attempt to grovel for his slut," laughed Cynthia, and cut off the connection.
Yes, she thought, it could be very entertaining.
Late that afternoon, a Limo pulled up to the front of the house, and Apollo, dressed in a butler's outfit, came down the steps and opened the back door.
He was surprised at who stepped out.
Dressed in a suit for one of the few times in his life, was Robert. He had, as Melissa suspected, flown directly to New York to meet with Joseph and plan for Maria's release.
Robert stood face to face with Apollo, something that was rare for either man.
"I'll take that," Robert said, putting his hand on the door.
"Er...sure," said Apollo. Always a man to use his size to intimidate others, he found himself at a loss now that he wasn't the biggest man on the block.
He was so shaken he didn't notice the next two men to step out of the car. Also dressed in suits were Peter Brown and Kenji Hasumara. They stepped aside to allow Joseph to push his legs out of the car while the chauffeur got his wheel chair ready.
Once he was seated in his chair a fifth man got out of the Limo and the group headed up the steps, Robert carrying Joseph and his chair, and into the house.
Cynthia was waiting for them in the library.
"Robert, darling! How good of you to come!" she said when she saw him enter pushing her ex-husband.
"Cynthia." was all he said in reply, his eyes, as were the eyes of all the men, were focused on another part of the room.
Next to a chair knelt Maria, still nude, but apparently unfettered in any way. Her head was bowed as she looked at the floor. She was under orders not to say or do anything until given permission.
"Maria!" Peter called out when he saw her. He took a step toward her, which was a far as he got.
Ready for this move, Apollo grabbed his arm, holding him back.
"Now, now!" said Cynthia sweetly, "have some respect for my property and keep your fingers off it!"
"She's not your property, Cynthia," said the fifth man who had stayed behind the others, out of sight. He made his way forward to where Cynthia could see him.
To give her credit, she hardly reacted, although her face did pale a little.
"Why, Edward. I didn't know you were a part of Joseph's little group," she said carefully.
Edward Hale did not smile, he rarely did. As the "unofficial" leader of the BDSM group both Joseph AND Cynthia socialized with, and chairman of the committee that owned the Kennel, the Farm and a good portion of the BDSM clubs in the city, Edward Hale could afford not to smile and still have people be nice to him.
It was even more gratifying to him to know that people respected him. That was something even power couldn't give you.
And he had power.
"You don't have a claim, Cynthia," he said to her.
"Of course I do. She signed on to be his property, and anything he has I can ask for. And I don't think my ex-husband would really object to my having her would he?"
She looked doe eyed at Joseph, mocking him.
"Not this time, Cynthia. She's not mine to give," he said coldly.
"This morning," said Hale, "We had a meeting of a few members of our group, just an informal get together you understand. Joseph here brought a couple of friends along and conversation drifted over to your little argument."
Cynthia knew that it had been anything but an "informal get together". Joseph had actively sought out the few people that might actually have influence over her. She glared at her ex-husband who coldly looked back at her.
"After he explained his problem he suggested a small way we could help to solve it, and we did so, gladly. For as you know we all try to help our friends," continued Hale.
"Yes, of course," replied Cynthia, her anger building.
"We are all quite aware how Joseph tore up his contract with this girl, and to tell the truth we were a little taken aback by that until he told us you still possess a copy?"
"Yes, yes I do," she said, wondering where Hale was going with this. Her copy of the contract was her guarantee of her eventual ownership of both Maria and the valley.
"That's good, for without it I could not do this," Hale said, pulling a piece of paper out of his pocket. "Mr. Brown?"
Peter stepped forward, shaking loose the hand that had held him all this time. Apollo made a move to take hold of him again but found his way blocked by Hasumara. Apollo sneered at the small Japanese, until he saw what Hasumara was holding inside his suit jacket. The gun looked too big to fit his hand, but from the look on Hasumara's face Apollo had no doubts he could use it.
"Mr. Brown. Following the guidelines laid down by general consensus of all sensible people who wish to follow the BDSM lifestyle, I transfer ownership of Maria to you with the agreement of both the former Master and your new companion."
"What!" yelled Cynthia.
Maria, listening in stunned silence, looked up. Could she be saved?
"I accept, and...er...thanks!" said Peter nervously.
"You can't!" Cynthia screamed.
"Cynthia, my little pain slut," said Joseph with relish. "While you were so busy using the official law against me, I thought you might be too distracted to protect your other flank as well."
"You can't do this Edward," she said to Hale.
"We just did. Maria belongs to Mr. Brown now, at least if she agrees. Of course there is nothing forcing you to go ahead with our decision at all, except that if you do decide to hold Maria and she does not wish to be held, then that at the very least is unlawful restraint, and a legal matter.
And since we have Inspector Hasumara here with us, I'm sure he would be glad to testify to his law enforcement brethren of your keeping this girl here against her will." He moved closer until he stood just a few inches away from her.
"And just what would our friends think of that? I doubt you would be invited to too many parties from now on."
Cynthia knew when she was beaten. "Alright. You have the girl. But I still have her property. There is nothing you can do about that."
"True, that is a legal matter," Hale said, stepping away now that his job was done. He was very happy to have helped Joseph out, he had never liked Cynthia.
"Say, Peter," said Joseph suddenly, and rather loudly.
"Yes, Joseph?" Peter replied, equally loud.
"I still owe you a dollar for that hot dog you got me for lunch don't I?"
"You sure do!" Peter said, unable to keep a straight face.
Joseph made a big show of patting all his pockets. "Damn, I'm out of cash. I don't suppose you'd take a trade?"
"What have you got?"
"Oh, the only thing I have on me is this."
Cynthia recognized it immediately, it was a deed transfer. "No!" she cried out.
"Sure, I'll take it," Peter said, reaching for it.
"No!" Cynthia cried out, and made a lunge for the deed. She didn't get far, Maria grabbed her legs and brought her down flat.
Apollo also wanted to move, but Hasumara kept him still using the hidden weapon he carried.
Joseph sat and looked down on his former wife. "Too late my dear. We actually transferred the deed to Peter Brown this morning and got it filed in his home state. Your case here falls apart."
"NOOOOO!!!!" Cynthia screamed, and actually hit the floor with her fists.
Peter had walked over to Maria, taking off his jacket. He draped it over the naked girl's shoulders. "Are you okay?" he asked tenderly.
"I'll live. Was all that true?"
"Every word. Come on, there are clothes in the car for you, lets go."
He helped her to stand and she walked with him out of the room. After a last look at the woman crying on the floor, Joseph motioned to Robert who wheeled him out the door followed by Edward Hale.
Last out, as if protecting their retreat, which indeed he was, was Hasumara. He took his hand off the weapon he had gone to a great deal of trouble to find, thanks to a fellow Japanese Inspector and an FBI agent named Rhianna Summer, and bowed before leaving the room.
Maria was urged into the Limo first and was given time to put something on before the rest of the men got in with her.
On the drive out to the airport where Maria, Peter and Robert were scheduled to take a flight home, Maria asked once again if everything she had heard was true.
"Yes. According to the rules of our group, you now belong to Peter here," said Joseph, eyeing the two of them. "That is, if that is what you want?"
Peter and Maria looked at each other, and Joseph by then was certain that this couple had some kind of a future together, even if they didn't know it themselves.
He knew he would regret passing Maria on to Peter, but he knew her happiness lay with the younger man. What else could he do?
Silently he wished them luck, and wondered what the future would bring them on their walk through the valley.
The End of This Story
Copyright (c) by Leviticus 1999