Security Binds Her (Thalia Book 1) (The Thalia Series)

by Jennifer Bene

  “I didn’t want this, I didn’t ask for it.” Thalia spoke softly. It was so difficult to articulate her panic and her fear when the first people she’d seen since he’d taken her were so accepting of her new situation. And they expected her to accept it as well. Hell, Anna apparently expected her to be grateful.

  “You wouldn’t be here if he didn’t believe you were meant for it, Thalia. Our Master has always said your Master has an eye for natural submissives.” Kaia smiled as she washed her hands in the sink. “He was right with me, he has been right with every girl we have helped prep for the auctions, and I am sure he is right with you.”

  “You should accept it, or your new Master may not be so gentle with you.” Anna’s voice dripped venom, as she squeezed Thalia’s cheeks and then brushed color across her lips.

  “Gentle?!” Thalia almost screamed at Anna. She wanted to tell her about the chair, scream at her that he had kidnapped her, raped her - but she heard Thomas’ boisterous voice in the hall and her Master entered the bathroom a moment later. Anna and Kaia dropped smoothly to their knees the moment her Master entered the room, Thalia took a moment longer but she knelt between the two girls as Thomas arrived, still laughing. An aura of cigar smoke filled the air around them, pungent and a little nauseating in the mix of all the lotions and makeups in Anna’s kit.

  “Oh, lovely girl, you are making my friend’s life very difficult aren’t you?” Thomas spoke directly to her, and she knew she was supposed to respond, but she didn’t know what would be appropriate. A flutter of panic rose up, reminding her of her Master’s demand for obedience. She went with the least offensive thing she could think of.

  “I’m sorry, sir.” Her voice was quiet, but luckily Thomas just laughed again.

  “He’s had it way too easy lately, you’re challenging him, keeping him on his toes.” A friendly punch to her Master’s arm, and then Thomas continued, “Whoever buys you is going to need patience, or a stern hand – or both! But they will be lucky, because as my girls have drawn attention to... you are beautiful.”

  “Thank you, sir.” Thalia kept her eyes down.

  “Girls, please continue.” Thomas said it warmly and they both stood, but Thalia stayed on her knees.

  “Good girl, Thalia. You may stand and continue as well.” The guard sounded pleased with her and she was grateful she’d passed this test, and now she understood why he had made her practice as she had cooked dinner the night before.

  When she stood Anna began putting the final touches on her makeup. She had closed her eyes so Anna could work on her eyelids again when Thalia felt Kaia pinch her nipple. She yelped and looked at Kaia who laid a hand on her shoulder, squeezing in a silent urge for Thalia to relax. There was rouge on Kaia’s fingers and she rubbed it around Thalia’s nipples, occasionally pinching her.

  “Will we be piercing her? She’d look lovely with some.” Thomas’ voice was low with lust, but the guard’s voice cut in quickly.

  “She’s not mine to make that choice about. It’ll be up to whoever wins the auction.” His voice was serious and sent a chill down her back. Her new Master might pierce her? “You know what I need you to do, Thomas.”

  “Of course.”

  Thalia wanted to ask what they meant but Kaia’s fingers suddenly slipped between Thalia’s legs and as she started to move away, the rouged fingers began to slowly but methodically apply the color to her inner labia. Anna dug her nails into her arm as she began brushing a lavender scented powder all over her skin. It left a faint shimmer everywhere, which would have been nicer if her skin didn’t sporadically blossom into blues and purples and sickly greens from her random bruises. They were right, she looked like she’d been beaten repeatedly, because she had. Which only meant one thing in this world of theirs – defiance.

  Maybe her behavior had cursed her. Maybe she was already doomed.

  Anna and Kaia stepped back and knelt, and the guard was suddenly right next to her, the smell of smoke engulfing her. “You look beautiful, Thalia. Thank you Anna, Kaia, you’ve done beautiful work.” He coiled one of her waves around a finger and then released it. “Girls, will you take her to the bedroom for the last items.” He turned back to Thomas as Anna and Kaia took her arms gently. Thalia wanted to ask what was going to happen, but fear had her tongue-tied and she didn’t want to embarrass the guard and suffer the consequences.

  “Yes, sir.” Anna and Kaia said in unison and led her from the bathroom. Kaia pushed her to get on the bed, but fear twisted her stomach.

  Acting like she was adjusting Thalia’s hair, Kaia leaned in and whispered quickly, “It only hurts a little, and if you fight he’ll hurt you again. Behave, Thalia, please.”

  What only hurts a little?!

  Kaia’s attempt at kindness had only increased her fear. Her heart was pounding in her ears and she suddenly felt dizzy as Anna pushed her flat on her back on the bed. Thomas approached and Thalia tried to sit up, until she saw the guard behind him.

  “Stay still, Thalia.” His voice had an edge of anger to it and she whimpered in fear as she forced herself to lay back, her muscles shaking regardless.

  Thomas’ hands on her thigh and her hip made her jump, but she bit her lip and stayed still. His loud laugh only made her flinch, “She’s pretty when she’s terrified.”

  “She looks even better when she cries.” The guard’s voice dropped, holding an edge of lust to it that urged her body to respond.

  A swipe of a cold cloth on the inside of her hip made her look down. She saw Thomas swipe a razor over the skin there and then he coated it with a clear substance. A small piece of paper was laid on and then peeled off revealing a small design on her skin.

  A tattoo?!

  Thalia tried to sit up again and Kaia grabbed her shoulder and pulled her back down, shaking her head. Kaia tilted Thalia’s head towards her and her fingers pointed at a small design on her hip. It matched the one that had just been laid on her own skin. An elegant bold script ‘W’ with a crown on top, and what at first looked like a slash underlining the small design was actually, on close inspection of Kaia’s hip, a riding crop. It was a concise little logo, and it was about to be permanently etched into her skin.

  The first bite of the tattoo needle felt like she was being pinched over and over. As Thomas’ smooth movements against her skin continued, she started crying. His other hand brushed soothingly over her opposite hip, but it wasn’t helping. Even if she got away, the guard had marked her. She was his. Anna made a tsk’ing sound again and began to brush the tears from under Thalia’s eyes. It didn’t take long at all and Thomas was sitting up.

  The guard approached her and Anna and Kaia backed away. Thomas started packing his bag, and suddenly the guard was kissing her. She could taste the ash of the cigar he had apparently smoked. His hand was in her hair, lifting her up to his mouth. She heard herself moan softly against his mouth, and realized she was not so different from Anna and Kaia when Thomas had kissed them. She was weak. “You bear my mark now. You represent me.” His thumb traced along her bottom lip, “Don’t disappoint me.” He kissed her again, biting her lower lip.

  Thomas clapped his hands and his voice boomed as the guard smiled down at her and sat up. “I can see why you’re still so invested in her despite her disobedience. She’s... fascinating.”

  “Just one more thing and she’s perfect.” The guard walked over to a table against the wall and brought over a small black lacquered box. He pointed at the floor next to him, “Kneel.”

  “Yes, Master,” she whispered. She slid from the bed, awkwardly aware of the sore place on the inside of her hip where the fresh tattoo shined. When she knelt in front of him she heard him open the box.

  “Give me your wrists, Thalia.” She raised them and he slid dark cuffs around each of them, tightening them until they fit her wrists, the straps weaving back into the cuffs so they resembled broad, leather bracelets. He touched her chin and made her look up at him. The same leather collar that Anna and Kaia wore w
as placed around her neck.

  She was wearing a collar.

  Looking down at herself, the cuffs and the tattoo made her painfully aware of what she was. There was no question. It all screamed slave. She bit her tongue to fight the urge to cry.

  “She looks great. Do you want Anna and Kaia to come back before the party to duplicate it? Your -” Thomas paused and chuckled, “Your partner emailed earlier that it will be tomorrow night.”

  She’d be sold tomorrow night? Her heart effectively stopped, and she suddenly couldn’t breathe.

  Her Master seemed to ignore her distress. “Yes, if you can spare them Thomas.”

  “As long as I can stay to observe the party, I’ll be happy.” Thomas laughed again, “Speaking of happy, before we leave did you want some time with Kaia?”

  Thalia’s head snapped up, but no one was looking at her anymore. The guard’s eyes were on Kaia, and she was breathing rapidly as if the idea of being with him excited her.

  She couldn’t decide if she felt confused or relieved or shocked when she heard the guard say, “No, Thomas, it’s alright. You all should head home.”

  And they did.

  Thalia stayed alone in the sunny toned room, but he locked the door on her. He came back to discuss how he expected her to behave perfectly the next day. She just nodded, and replied appropriately as he outlined his requirements. Then he kissed her again, and sighed, lifting his shirt to his nose to smell it. With a shrug he told her he’d be back to give her dinner, but that he needed to clean up.

  When he left she was alone again, and emotionally exhausted.

  She’d avoided punishment so far that day, but at such a high cost. Letting Anna and Kaia paint her like a doll, letting Thomas tattoo her permanently with the guard’s mark. Listening to the other slaves admonish her behavior like SHE was the one in the wrong. Thalia twisted in the sheets of the bed. She was supposed to fight. She wasn’t supposed to give in to him – even though she did. Repeatedly. She’d even begged him to touch her on numerous occasions.

  She was shameful.

  The lock on her door clicked and she sat up in bed and kneeled, but she didn’t try and hide her tears. If she tried to wipe them away she’d probably just smear the makeup. The door shut sharply and her eyes lifted, and immediately her body froze, her stomach tightening in fear.

  Not her guard. Not her Master.

  Terror choked her for a moment, and then she knew she had to move. She slid backwards, and the moment she shifted he started walking forward.

  “Master?” She raised her voice a little and the man in front of her shook his head.

  “He’s busy. I wanted some alone time with you, Thalia.” The man’s voice was cold, and the way he said ‘alone time’ triggered another surge of fear inside her. Every instinct she had urged her to run, and she slid farther back on the bed. It hit her suddenly that this had to be his partner. The same partner that had hurt her in the chair. The one her Master had said he would do his best to protect her from.

  And she was alone in a room with him.

  Fear so potent that she thought she might be sick took hold of her. As if he could sense her terror, he moved around the bed and she tried to counter him by trying to get towards the door by launching herself across the bed, but he lunged for her and caught her ankle. Yanking her hard back towards him.

  She screamed, “Master! MAST-”

  His hand pressed down over her mouth, his other hand fisting in her hair to pull her off the bed. “Shut up, slut. Shut. Up.”

  She begged against his hand for him not to hurt her. Begged and pleaded as fear made her dizzy. He sighed and calmly slammed her into the wall by the bed hard enough to knock the air out of her. His body pressed against her. He was a little taller than the guard and she ended up staring at his chest as he pinned her with his body. His hair was dark brown and a little long, and he seemed older than the guard. Definitely more cold, more terrifying.

  “I guess you’ve figured out who I am? That I’m your Master’s partner in this little enterprise?” She whimpered behind his hand and nodded slowly. She struggled against him, her hands pushing against his ribs to no avail. He sighed and released her mouth for a moment to gather her wrists, but she didn’t waste the chance.

  “MASTER! PLEASE!” Thalia screamed as loudly as she could manage and the man brought his knee into her stomach hard enough that air coughed out of her and her ribs ached. She couldn’t draw another breath at first. He crushed her wrists against the wall with one of his hands, and returned the other to her mouth. He gripped her face painfully, his face was still calm which only increased her panic.

  “Think, Thalia. I know you’re remembering our time in the chair, but tell me, who strapped you in? Who connected the clamps and the wires? Those weren’t my hands on you.” He had blue eyes, like chips of ice, and he leaned down until she looked at him. His eyes reminded her of a remorseless predator, there was nothing more than the desire to hurt her. He didn’t even look aroused. Sadistic fuck. She tried not to cry, knowing that would likely make him happy.

  “Now, think. Why would my partner help you now, when he gave you to me yesterday?” His thigh slid between hers and rubbed against her core, but she was too afraid to react. Her body was quaking with the fear of what he’d do to her.

  Where was the guard? She’d behaved all day; he was supposed to keep his partner from her. He’d told her he would. He’d admitted the chair was wrong of him! He would never let his partner hurt her. Where was he?

  The man against her made a sound and released her hands. He moved his hand between her thighs and she screamed into his other hand. His fingers brushed over her clit, but she just shook her head, begging him to stop. For once she didn’t get wet, and she was grateful. Her fear of what the guard’s partner would do to her overwhelmed any kind of physical response. The only issue was that it seemed to be making him angry underneath that cold exterior. He thrust two fingers inside her and she lifted onto her toes trying to avoid his touch, wincing as her pussy wasn’t wet enough for his harsh touch.

  “Do you want me to tell your Master you didn’t behave?” His voice was cold, but her body still refused to respond to him. She whimpered behind his hand, her body shivering with fear.

  Where was the guard? Where was her Master?

  Thalia started crying again and the small smile that lifted the edge of his mouth turned her stomach cold with fear. “What’s wrong, Thalia? Does it hurt?”

  She screamed behind his hand, shoving hard at his shoulders. He didn’t even move. Thalia’s mind wouldn’t release the memory of the chair. If he didn’t take her back to it, what was he going to do to her?

  Chapter Eight

  The water was probably too hot, his skin was turning red under the onslaught, but he needed it. He needed to feel clean before he went to Thalia again, then he could explain the auction, and why it had to happen. He was scrubbing his hair and skin a second time to try and rid himself of the lingering smell of cigar smoke. Thomas was a good friend, but he always tempted him with cigars, and the bottle of scotch he’d left with him would be a nice way to distract himself before the auction. After he didn’t smell like an ashtray and after he had Thalia in his bed again. He had to have her again before the auction. Just in case –

  “Master! Please!” Thalia’s panicked voice bled through the sound of the shower and he flipped the water off. For a moment he thought she might just be frustrated with him for leaving her in the room after the tattoo – but then he didn’t hear anything else. No muttering, no little temper tantrum, no crying.

  He pushed the shower door open and stepped into his bedroom to check the cameras.

  No signal?

  Every feed was black with the same small white text in the center:No Signal.

  His heart stuttered in his chest. His brother was here. He had to be. His brother was here and he was with Thalia.

  She’d screamed for him.

  Fuck!

  He was dripping wa
ter all over the floor, but he managed to grab a pair of pants and yank them on as he unlocked and threw the door open and ran down the hall to her room. His head was racing with every fucked up thing he’d ever seen his brother do, and Thalia’s scream replayed in his head.

  He’d promised her that he would keep his brother away from her. If he’d hurt her –

  The door was unlocked when he got to it and he slammed it open. Rage made it difficult to process what he saw. His brother had Thalia against the wall on the far side of the bed. His hand was clamped over her mouth, and his other hand was between her legs. She was crying, and had both of her hands against his brother’s shoulders trying to push him off.

  She’d pushed at him like that before. His stomach turned for a moment, but then his anger overwhelmed those thoughts.

  “What the FUCK are you doing with my slave?” His voice cracked across the room, dripping with rage. As if a switch had been flipped the tension in his brother’s shoulders melted away and he took his hands from her and stepped back. She slumped slightly against the wall as his hands left her, like Thalia wanted to make herself smaller. His brother’s eyes stayed on her though, she looked weak and afraid, which might as well have been a neon sign to attract his brother’s attentions.