"I – I don't like pain, sir," she stuttered, bruised flesh beginning to ache.
He slapped her quickly across the face. "What a liar you are! Of course you like pain! I saw it myself. You spanked your own little clitty when you were masturbating during our coming out party for you. Don't try to tell me that didn't hurt!"
"Y-yes, but that was different, sir."
He snorted. "It was only different because you instigated it yourself." He turned away from her. "I've been thinking about this Nina, and I believe you and I could come to an … accommodation."
"Sir?"
"I'm getting on in years, and the works don't always operate as I'd like them to … as they did when I was younger. You saw that the other night."
She wisely remained silent.
"It seems to take rather more stimulus to keep my interest. I know perfectly well what that stimulus is, but I'm hesitant to utilize you as the provider of that stimulus."
Was this all a prelude to sending her away? To turning someone else loose on her? Would that be better or worse?
"Instead, I'd rather use you, and your beautiful body, as my vessel. And if the gods bless us, you'll grow round with child and so forth."
The idea disgusted Nina, but she played along. "If the gods bless, sir."
"Nonetheless, I've decided that a second female is required to provide the stimulus I'm referring to." He saw her look of revulsion. "Now, now, my Nina, I know you have no desire to lick pussy. But surely you have a desire to please me, don't you?"
Sick dread coiling in her belly, she responded as he expected. "Of course, sir."
"Very good. Then we'll see where our accommodation leads us." He clapped his hands and a guard brought Amy in. She looked exhausted, her petite little body sagging. "I think you know Amy, Nina. Amy is our playmate for tonight. Take off your robe, Amy."
Amy dropped her robe and Nina gasped. Amy's breasts were dotted with ugly black bruises, as were her inner thighs.
"As you can see," Laricon explained. "Amy has been busy." He got up and moved toward the small female. "Poor Amy hasn't slept much either, have you Amy?"
"No, sir," she said, her lips somewhat swollen.
"You see, Nina, Amy was my special ambassador last night. A critical group of miners from East Shores was here and of course I wanted to provide them with something more special than bang-girls." He patted Amy's cheek in a sick fatherly way. "And dear Amy served them admirably. All six of them."
He reached for the girl's long hair and pulled her up on her tiptoes. She cried out and began to beg him to release her. Nina felt her own hands ball into fists. "And tonight, Amy's going to serve us."
Nina crawled to him. "Please, sir, please don't hurt her anymore! Can't you see how much you're hurting her?"
He let Amy drop down, and she wobbled on rubbery knees, her breath coming in gasps.
"That's very soft-hearted of you, Nina." He gestured back toward his desk. "Get the riding crop off my desk."
The riding crop was a collector's item he'd shown Nina before. It had ceased being used for horses because it left them scarred. She brought it to Laricon, hating him with greater and greater intensity as this sick play unfolded.
He looked at it and shook his head. "Not for me, silly girl. For you. Remember, you like to instigate the pain yourself. Let's pretend little Amy has been a naughty, naughty girl." He took Amy by the hair again and led her toward the desk, forcing her across it to expose her poor, bruised bottom. "What do we do with naughty girls, Nina?"
"No, sir. No … I can't," she sobbed. "Please, sir, don't make me."
"Do as I tell you, you stupid slut, or I'll make you a bang-girl without a second glance!" he screamed.
Both Nina and Amy were crying, their sobs a strange counter-point to Laricon's heavy breathing.
"Do it, Nina!" he commanded. And swiftly, trying not to put force behind it, Nina brought the crop down over Amy's smooth bottom. The girl screamed, and immediately a red welt rose where the crop had fallen.
"Again!" Once more, Nina, her face streaming, brought the crop down, and Amy screamed again. Another red welt paralleled the first.
Nina could see the mound in the front of the old man's pants. She briefly thought of hitting him with the crop, but knew it would be suicide. He caught her eyes and smiled his yellow smile.
"Not bad, Nina. Now, both of you kneel." He released Amy and she puddled to the floor. Nina knelt beside her and rubbed the girl's back sympathetically. "That's very sweet. Are you sure you aren't interested in licking the slut's slash?"
Nina shot him a glare and he laughed with delight as he removed his clothes. By the time he was done, his erection was sagging. He picked up the crop from where it had fallen from Nina's hand. "Amy, go lie on the bed."
Nina nudged the sobbing girl and Amy moved to the big four-poster. "Nina, I'll need your help once again." Nina shook her head and opened her mouth to plead. "No, not with the crop," he said impatiently. "I need you to hold our little plaything still. She's going to squirm, you see, and wiggle like a little fish out of water. So now go and kneel above Amy's head on the bed."
He moved to the foot of the bed. "Now Amy, raise your knees up, bent, that's right, until you're wide and split right open."
"Oh god, oh god," Nina muttered, knowing very well that just a couple of strokes from that vicious crop could ruin Amy for life.
"Nina, you take her knees and hold them really, really tight. Like I said, she's going to squirm."
"Please don't do this, Master," Nina begged.
He whacked the bed fiercely with the crop and both women jumped and cried out. "Now!"
Nina put her hands under Amy's knees and held her as steadily as she could. Amy was trembling and crying pitifully.
Laricon's erection was thick again.
A knock sounded heavily on the door. "Damnit!" Laricon shouted. "Go away!" He looked over at Nina. "Hold her." Another, more insistent knock rattled the door. Laricon ignored it, instead bringing the crop down furiously against Amy's inner thigh. The girl shrieked in agony and Nina held tight to Amy's knees, afraid to let go. Laricon reached out and rubbed a finger in blood welling from Amy's cut thigh and ran it over the girl's exposed vulva and clit. Amy moaned and cried.
"Isn't that exquisite?" Laricon whispered.
Again, there was pounding at the door and Laricon ignored it. Nina could not; she was desperate and sick to her soul. "Help! Please help!" she screamed, finally letting go of Amy's knees.
Laricon slapped her blindingly across the face, shrilling, "Shut up! Shut up! You stupid bitch!"
Outside the door Michael was desperately trying to coax, then bully, the guards into opening Laricon's door. He'd come to deliver an important strategic message that needed to be acted on right away, and had heard the shrieking and crying from within. Knowing Nina would be involved, it became imperative that Michael get in, but the guards were steadfast. And upon hearing Laricon scream for Nina to shut up, they couldn't even be swayed by concern that The Great Man might need help. But he pounded on the door, which was all they'd allow him, and prayed that the noise would get Laricon's attention before he hurt Nina badly.
Again the old man wielded the crop, this time whacking Amy on the outside of a thigh. The girl screamed and clawed at the bed clothes.
Nina, dazed from the blow to her face and afraid she'd be sick, slid down off the bed, only to be brought up short by Laricon's hand pulling her hair. "Now are you wet, my dear?" he hissed.
Someone pounded on the door again. Laricon pushed Nina down on the floor and positioned himself between her legs. She cried and struggled. That only spurred him on. He rammed himself into Nina's dry cavern as she cried and Amy sobbed, and someone was yelling outside the door.
"Next time I'll have the slut lick you, bitch," Laricon said through gritted teeth as he stroked again and again. "Lick you and suck on you until you want to come. Come with her mouth on you." Again and again he rammed into her, his face distorted by
lust and malevolence. The pain was horrible, feeling like she was tearing open from the inside, and Nina cried louder as he pounded her down into the floor. Finally, it was over. He yelled loudly as he spilled hotly into her, then just hung over her, his face purple, breathing hard for moments that seemed like an eternity.
His erection shrunk to nothingness as his semen ran down between Nina's bottom cheeks, and he pushed away from her.
"Get out," he spat.
She didn't wait for him to think it over. Nina stood and grabbed for Amy's wrist, pulling the girl along as she stumbled, naked, to the door. Together, they staggered out and past the guards, all thoughts of obeisance forgotten as they hurried back to the women's enclosure.
Michael was unnoticed by the fleeing women. The blood and painful, staggering way the two women hurried away scared him more than he was prepared for. Laricon was obviously cracking up. It seemed likely that he'd kill one of the women during his sadistic idea of sex. Michael had to make sure Laricon was taken down before that could happen; somehow he had to make sure Laricon's next victim wouldn't be Nina.
Chapter 6
The old man looked tired, his face gray, his movements slow. He put the data pad down on his desk and looked up at Michael. "This is an important development. I can see why you were so anxious to deliver the message. Are you sure it's not a trap?"
"Very sure, sir. It appears you may get your wish to expand sooner than we could have dreamed."
Laricon nodded. "If Governor Wallis is considering using our 'staffing services' then he must be in a desperate economic position. We may be able to lever that into an alliance that would squeeze the damned Federation out and put us in as the leading power in this system.
"Get with Ed immediately and make sure he can arrange for a good selection of workers to be available for inspection upon the Governor's arrival. Also, I want Fisk to step up acquisition so that we'll be able to fill the contract quickly and efficiently."
"Yes, sir." Michael rose to his feet.
"And one more thing, send Matron to me."
"Is something wrong, sir?"
Laricon eyed Michael speculatively. "I've decided to set my consort to retraining." He watched as Michael remained impassive. "She's a mouthy bitch. I wish you'd have warned me."
Michael lowered his eyes, hiding his fury from Laricon. "If I'd known, I would have, sir. But it wasn't like I talked to her, if you know what I mean."
Laricon sat back in his chair and rubbed his face. "Yes. Yes, I remember how much easier it was when I was your age. A look in the eye was all it took to make the women squirm and toss their panties aside."
"I'm sorry, sir. Is there anything I can do to help?"
"No, my boy. She'll soon enough be pregnant and then I'll look to a more pliant companion. Probably what I should have sought in the first place, but … I have an eye for vigor."
Michael nodded, almost feeling sorry for the perverse older man. Still, the idea of Nina carrying Jerold Laricon's child made Michael's flesh crawl. "Yes, sir. So do I, so I know what you mean."
"You'd like to have her again, wouldn't you?" Laricon asked without asking.
Michael didn't want to go there. "You mean Nina, sir?"
The older man nodded. "There's some connection between you two that is more than a little slap and tickle."
"I don't know what you mean, sir. I told you what happened with her and me. And it was years ago."
"Roberto says he can teach the girl manners, but his idea of teaching might leave her scarred." He considered. "I think I'd like to see you give it a try," he said, his eyes narrowed. "See if she comes 'round."
Michael shook his head quickly. "I don't think that would be a good idea. Not that she isn't attractive and everything, sir. But I think it would set a bad precedent among the other men. You can't be known to share your consort, right sir?"
"She's mine to do with as I please. If I choose to give her to a dozen garbage laborers for a week, that's my business."
Michael felt sweat trickling down his back. "But sir–"
"Why are you avoiding this opportunity, Michael? My other men would jump at the chance."
There was no denying that fact. The others would line up for this prize. "I – I'm not avoiding, sir. Not really. I just want to help you be sure you're not suggesting something that you'll regret later."
Laricon steepled his fingers on the desk. "You still don't have a consort, Michael. Are you hiding something from me? Do you perhaps prefer boys?"
"No!" Michael exclaimed. "I just haven't had time to go to the auctions and pick out one to be trained."
"Pick one of the spares, Michael." The older man was relentless. "They are already trained, and familiar to you as well."
Michael felt truly backed into a corner. "Yes, yes, I'll do it in the morning, sir."
"And perhaps tomorrow afternoon you'll ply your magic with my Nina so that we can get past this little … glitch."
"No, sir. No. I'll take a girl for my own if you want, but I won't fuck yours on demand. Roberto would be a better choice."
Laricon's eyebrows shot straight up.
"I came to you a free man and I remain a free man. I'm eager to serve you in whatever way I can, professionally. But I'm not a slave-boy to be used for your titillation."
The old man smiled benevolently. "How right you are, Michael my boy. I sometimes forget that there are limits to my power."
Michael's shoulders relaxed. "I understand, sir. I'm sorry that I can't comply."
Laricon waved his blue-veined hand airily. "No apology necessary. I'm a little surprised that you'd rather see Roberto, or maybe Walker get the prize instead of you, but I can accept your choice."
Michael groaned inwardly. He cared what happened to Nina, but how far was he willing to go to protect her? Was he willing to possibly hurt her himself? She wouldn't look any more kindly upon his being forced on her than she would Roberto or Walker. On the other hand, he was a familiar face to her. And he knew that he wouldn't mistreat her, whereas he couldn't guarantee any of the others would do the same, especially with Laricon there egging them on. Roberto was known to be vicious with women.
"I see that you mean this as an honor, sir. Is that right?"
Laricon looked up at him and smirked. "Could you have thought it anything less?"
"Then perhaps I was hasty in my decision." He took a deep breath and let it out slowly, knowing that Nina was going to hate him for the rest of her life. "I'll accept the honor, sir. What did you have in mind?"
***
The palace hallways were dark and quiet as Michael made his way to the women's enclave. He tried in vain not to think about Nina, what might have happened to her earlier in Laricon's chamber, and what he was going to do to her tomorrow. It shouldn't even bother him. He had a life to go back to when the CS raid was over, and so did she. She must have. He wondered what it was like for her. Maybe she had a steady boyfriend, or even a husband. Had she gone on to become a teacher after the war as she'd wanted to do? Had she chosen to do something else? There were so many things a beautiful, intelligent woman could do.
Whatever. It didn't matter. This sting had taken four years to set up and Michael's megrims about having sex with an old flame wasn't going to screw up the works. Afterward she'd get over it. And he'd move on to another operation – alone, the way he liked it. No one to get in the way. No one to get hurt if things turned sour and he didn't make it home.
The guards at the women's door saluted him smartly and opened the doors for him. The light was dim in the large chamber, but a few moments later the illumination increased and Matron approached. She reverenced him and he told her to rise.
"The Great Man wants to see you, Matron."
"Oh?" she replied, her eyes still blinking off sleep. "Do you know what it's about, sir?"
Michael nodded. "He wants to set Nina to retraining. Is she … all right?"
She clucked her tongue and began wringing her hands. "Yes, sir, she's fine. B
ut I was afraid she'd misbehave, sir. I was. She's as headstrong as can be. I did what I could with her, sir. I really did; and now I'll be punished because she's failed."
Relief flooded through him. He patted the older woman on the shoulder. "I think The Great Man knows how headstrong Nina is. I doubt he'll hold you to blame that she's hard to train."
Matron's little bird eyes looked up at him with hope. "Do you think so, sir? I don't want to be punished, sir."
"He doesn't seem in a punishing mood right now, Matron. You go and see him tonight and I'll bet things will work out okay. What's involved with retraining, anyway?"
Matron was too worried to give more than a sketchy answer. "Oh, we'll make her physically uncomfortable for a few days. Use a little electric stimulus to discourage her from disobeying orders she doesn't like. Perhaps, increase the dose of seristramine she gets in her meals if she still seems defiant, sir."
Michael squirmed as he imagined Nina's reaction. "Does this usually work?"
Matron nodded. "Yes, sir. Nearly always."
"And if it doesn't?"
"Why then, sir, she'll be sent away from the palace! You don't think that will happen, sir, do you? I would be pun–"
"No," he interrupted, disgusted that the old woman really had no concern other than her own skin. "No, I don't think it will be necessary to send her away."
Matron seemed relieved. "May I be dismissed now, sir? I should go to the Great Man."
"One more thing, Matron. I'll be choosing a permanent consort from among the spares tomorrow. I'd like to take an informal look at them now. Where are they?"
"Oh, oh my. But I don't have time to take you, sir. I should go see the Great Man."
"No problem, Matron. Just point me to their chambers and I'll peek in on them myself."
"That's highly out of order, sir!" she exclaimed, obviously torn between duties.
Michael smiled. "Don't worry. I won't be stepping on anyone's turf. You can trust me."
Laricon's Ways Page 6
