“Now,” Helm called out, hands folded behind his back like a general. “All of you will kneel, and all of you will be silent. The Masters are about to arrive, assisting you in the grandest of your journeys. You will be bought tonight, you will become the property of one of us. Do not speak unless spoken to, do not act unless instructed.”
Shaking all over, Judith was grateful to crumble to her knees. Turning sideways, she saw the other girls all held a particular position; backs straight, chest thrust, hands on their thighs.
Licking her bottom lip, Judith emulated them as best she could. It felt strange, sitting so quietly, her body exposed to the eyes of any who wandered around the circular stage. They were elevated, almost eye level with any Master who wandered close.
For what felt like forever, they sat in silence. Judith saw Helm speaking softly with his group of collared women, before they began arranging chairs around the room. They'd barely finished when the first footsteps down the hall reached the ears of all that had gathered.
Holding her breath, Judith looked up.
They entered with cool grace, heads held high and jaws squeezed tight. Each of them masked, each of them a vision of pure male dominance. Any one of them would have made her shiver, made her sweat and squirm.
But only he could make her quiver to her core.
Onyx entered like a shadow, his outfit as black as tar. Lifting his chin, he scanned the stage, focusing on her instantly. His intensity, his calm disapproval, it struck her with absolute shame.
He's angry that I came here. He told me he wouldn't let me so soon, that I needed more training.
Well, too bad, Master Onyx.
Too bad, Benedict Vance.
Tonight she would find out what she needed to know. It would influence her decision to stay, or to leave and never return like she had thought she must.
Tonight, if he doesn't choose me, then I'll walk away.
“Welcome, everyone.” Helm spoke with a rumbling baritone, standing in front of the sitting men. “Tonight we have five girls for you to bid on, all of them lovely in their own ways. They've been trained, and they're ready to serve. Let us begin, shall we?”
He climbed on top of the stage, his boots clomping around them in a circle. “First, we have the lovely Roseli.” Helm reached down, stroking her shoulder. The girl flashed a tiny, pleased smile. “She's the most patient of the bunch, and easily the most beautiful.”
Wandering around the girls, Helm talked about them as if they were livestock. The compliments were scant, and by the time he reached Judith, she was pink from nervous expectation.
Reaching down, he grabbed her by the jaw, forcing her head up towards the crowd. No, she thought desperately, I don't want to look out there, I'm not ready to meet his eyes!
“This girl,” Helm grunted, “is the most feisty of the lot. If you don't enjoy a Sub who will require you to punish them at times, I would avoid her.” Freezing, Judith glanced up at Helm in surprise. His sneer was cruel, but his gaze was full of hunger. “I was thinking of taking her myself, honestly, as I do quite like the girls who need extra work.”
He let her go, but his expression, his threat, stayed with Judith long after.
No, I can't go with Helm. If he picks me, I'll never come back here.
She was spared from more of the cold man's commentary. He moved back through the line, then dropped down to the floor. Folding his arms, he nodded at the gathering. “I imagine you all want closer looks. Go ahead, help yourselves.”
Closer looks?
The Masters rose like a gentle wave, coming to crash down upon all of them. They strolled around the stage, leaning close and talking to themselves. It was humiliating, yet still, it sent a rush through Judith's blood.
That feeling grew ever higher when Onyx appeared before her. Staring down into her face, locking her with his fierce gaze, he spoke under his breath. “So, little Sparrow. You felt you were wiser than I, ready to auction yourself off in spite of my instructions?”
“No, no, I didn't think—”
His finger tips gripped her chin, squeezing until she gasped. “Yes, you didn't think. I actually debated with myself, you know. Thought about purchasing you.” Those words made her heart throb. “But,” he went on, letting her go. “Now I know better. You are too defiant, too keen to break the rules.”
Onyx spun away, striding past her shoulder. She hung her head, sorrow welling up, chilling her blood and blackening her mood. He might have chosen me, if I had just listened.
Behind her, she suddenly heard a sound of wild disbelief. Baffled, she straightened up until she could peek at the back of the stage. There, standing only a few feet away, was Master Onyx. His gloved palm was covering his mouth, his attention focused on her entirely.
Judith's hair stood on end, but she didn't know what was wrong. For a second, he met her eyes, before wrenching away to head back to the chairs. Watching him, turning to the front to see him sit, the red-head was more lost than ever.
What was wrong with him just now?
The Masters conversed among themselves, snippets traveling to Judith's ears.
“Oh yes, that one, her breasts are fantastic...”
“Not her. I saw them reprimanding that one last night...”
“A shame, maybe Helm will claim her after all.”
Looking down at her hands, Judith worked to smooth her breathing. They talk about me so casually. The way I want him to.
And only him.
“So then,” Helm bellowed, getting all the attention. “Let us begin the bidding. You should all recall how it works, simply raise a finger to bid. If we have multiple bidders, the price doubles for every digit. I don't expect anyone to lift a whole hand, but if so, you should make sure you're willing to spend that money.” Climbing the stage, he gestured across the first girl. “Let's start with Roseli.”
Judith gazed over the seated Masters. In their masks, with their stony mouths, it was impossible to see their expressions. The subtle way they moved an arm, to wave a finger, showed a few wanted the tall woman.
Glancing over, she glimpsed the proud smile Roseli didn't bother to hide.
By the end, three of the seven men had lifted fingers, but the final one held up three. Helm grinned hungrily, sharing a look with Onyx. He seemed disappointed when the other man didn't look as delighted. “Well, there we go. Roseli, go join your new Master.”
Easily she stood, entirely comfortable in her nudity, and in her place. Walking down the steps, she bent like a flower in the breeze at the feet of one of the sitting men. Reaching down, he touched the back of her neck, whispering into her ear. Whatever he said, it made the girl beam.
The flicker of jealousy Judith felt left her baffled.
Helm was near her, his presence so close it made her skin itch. He touched the top of her head, eliciting a flinch. “Now, let us talk about Sparrow. As I said, she's been a bit of trouble. However, she was so very, very eager during the sessions Onyx put her through last night.” He chuckled, making her remember the show she'd been a part of. How she'd cum multiple times for the crowd.
Her blush was furious, sweat blooming across her lower back.
“Who would like to bid on her?” he asked the crowd. Judith raised her chin, staring out at the emotionless sea of faces. At first, no one moved. On the nape of her neck, he gripped tighter, triumphant. “No one?”
Truly, no one? Peering at Onyx, she tried to read his mind.
“Then,” Helm murmured, stroking the back of her ear. “I believe I'll happily—”
“No,” Onyx cut him off. His hand was up, a finger pointed. “I'll bid on her. The little Sparrow is mine.”
Judith's heart swelled, her lips a relieved smile. Oddly, he still didn't seem pleased. If anything, she thought his tense mouth hinted at something furious.
Above her, Helm gave her a squeeze, then stepped away. “As you say, she is yours.” Moving around, he eyed her with petulant longing. “Go to him, girl. You belong to Master Onyx now.”
I belong to Master Onyx! Standing on wobbly legs, she was proud when she made it down the steps, all the way to Onyx, without stumbling. I'm his, I'm finally his. Staring into his face, Judith dropped to her knees in her first display of fluid grace.
Onyx placed his hand in his lap, but he didn't touch her. He didn't even try. Unsure what was wrong, the red-head's smile broke. Why does he seem so angry with me?
For the rest of the auction, Judith knelt there in heavy silence. It wasn't until everyone began to stand, began to stride from the room, that Master Onyx spoke to her. “Come, little Sparrow,” he whispered. “We need to talk.”
****
One of the woman handed her the clothing she'd arrived in. Redressing, sliding her feet into her shoes, Judith rushed to tag along after Onyx.
Together they walked down the hall. Judith stayed just behind, watching his heels as he walked. His whole body seemed tight, a rope about to snap. It scared her, truthfully.
She expected them to head off to a private room. What she didn't predict was that Onyx would lead them to the main area, and once there, continue on through the curtains.
Pulling up short, Judith gaped after his vanishing back. Oh, no. Suddenly, she knew what had happened. Staring down at her flats, then back at the curtain, she grasped the situation firmly. He saw the bandage on my foot. When he walked behind me on stage, he...
He knows.
Inhaling till her lungs ached, Judith walked through the drapes, the stiff stride of someone heading to their death.
Upstairs, pushing past the red door, she looked around. She didn't see anything, not at first. Then, he spoke from her left. “No regard for my rules, in the end, hm?”
She spun, finding Benedict sitting on the couch in the foyer. His legs were crossed, one arm on the back of the furniture. In his other hand, he held that black mask. Lifting his head, he rolled his cold, sapphire eyes over her.
Shaking like a leaf, Judith reached up to remove her own facial covering. Pointless to hide behind it now. “That isn't it. I just—I was just curious.”
Tilting his head, a cruel smile grew. “And was your curiosity sated, Ms. Flight?”
“It was.” Hanging her head, she reached up to untie her hair. The elaborate curls fell in waves. The game is over.
“Why did you keep going back?” Standing languidly, his emotion restrained, Benedict approached her. “Why, if you had been sated, did you return so many times?”
Flushing crimson, the girl looked away.
He glowered at her, raw fury finally leaking into his hot words. “Corbin will take you home.”
Though she had once expected such a reaction from him... she was still shocked. Her hair whipped when she twisted back. “What? What do you mean? I haven't finished—”
“I don't care!” His features creased, a rage that had been below the surface exploding. “I do not care anymore! You broke my rules, Ms. Flight. You put myself, my clients, everything at risk! Do you understand what a contract means? Did you even read it?”
She had no response, his anger had stolen her voice.
He ripped the mask from her fingers, causing her to squeak. “If you have anything, gather it up. I don't need you coming back here, I don't want you coming back. Do you hear me?”
She was amazed she could answer. “Yes, I... I do. But, please, I need that letter. You told me I could have it.”
Eyes that were colder than ice looked her over, unblinking. “You'll have it. That, and nothing more. We're done here.” Turning away, he stalked down the nearby hall. “Good evening, Ms. Flight.”
Judith watched him go, her world officially falling apart.
****
The drive was tense, the lights of the city going unseen.
Judith sat in the back, brooding back and forth over whether to be angry, or to be sad.
Both, I'll just be both.
“I'm sorry this happened,” Corbin mumbled over the sound of the engine.
Sitting up, she leaned forward, trying to catch his eye in the mirror. “Did you know about it?”
“About you sneaking in? Yes, of course I knew,” he chuckled sourly.
“But you never told him.”
“No,” he agreed somberly. “I did not.”
Biting her lip, she gathered her confidence. “Can you explain to me why he was so angry? It can't possibly matter so much if I know about that place, about what he does.”
“Of course it matters,” he sighed, turning around a curve in the road. “Mr. Vance runs a private event, a place people can go to be someone else entirely. Secrecy is the utmost importance to him, and you risked exposing him by returning beyond that red door every night.”
She shook her head, not understanding. “How can they not know he's Benedict? Isn't it obvious?”
“Was it obvious to you?”
Blushing, she sat back in her seat.
Corbin's eyes softened in the mirror. “Even if they knew, they would never say. He knows who they all are, and that is much more powerful. It's part of the condition of joining that place, they must sign over their identification and a privacy agreement to him. They never meet Benedict Vance, they only ever meet me. Yes, it's obvious I work for him, and it is obvious the event takes place at his home. But any who would get as far as that have already signed away their right to privacy. They'd risk scandal by stirring trouble.”
She put her head on the window, closing her eyes.
“Don't be too offended,” he said gently. “Mr. Vance is a unique man. I admit, I've never seen him so enamored with anyone before. You really left an impression on him.”
“Too bad it ended like this, then,” she laughed bitterly.
“Yes,” he admitted. “It is too bad.”
The car pulled up outside her apartment, lighting up the garbage cans and chasing off rats. Climbing out of the door, Judith glanced back at Corbin. “Tell him I'm really sorry. I didn't mean to mess everything up.”
The driver just smiled, nodding his head. She watched the car until the glow of it vanished around the street corner. Turning, she glanced back at the garbage, spotting a dead roach. The sight made her guts squeeze, killing any appetite she might have had.
Frowning severely, the red-head dragged herself into her small, familiar apartment.
It felt more empty than she recalled.
Chapter 13.
It was several days before the letter from Benedict arrived.
Holding it nervously, her stomach cold with regret, Judith couldn't get herself to open it. She knew what it was, she didn't doubt he'd kept his word. In her hands was her ticket to the college of her dreams.
So why did everything feel so depressing?
Her phone buzzed, ripping her back to the present.
“Hey Mom,” Judith mumbled, falling backwards onto the couch-bed.
“Is something wrong, Judith? You sound... off.”
Her smile was bitter, she was glad her mother couldn't see it. “No, everything is fine,” she lied. “I have good news, actually.” Reaching across to the table, she lifted the letter over her face. It blocked out the ceiling, blocked out the world, so all she could see was his signature at the bottom.
It was as crisp, as perfect, as ever.
“I'm going to be attending Sun Arts College, Mom,” she whispered, rubbing at her eyes with her forearm. The tears were strong, insistent as they rolled down her cheeks. “I'll finally get in. Everything is just great, Mom. So great.”
“Honey, listen—”
A crisp knock on the door made Judith stop listening. Sitting up, her brain buzzing nervously, she stared across the room. The sound came again, demanding. “Hang on, Mom,” she said from the corner of her mouth. “I'll call you right back.” Ignoring the frustrated, confused words her mother made, Judith ended the call.
Sliding off the bed, she approached her door warily. Who could that be?
Her chest was tight, blood flooding her veins when she grabbed the knob. For a mom
ent, she debated not answering at all. The rap of knuckles returned. That time, Judith pulled the handle.
In a white button down and faded jeans, a look she'd never seen him sport before, Benedict stood on her front step. Blue eyes, blue as the sea and pulling her in deep, looked down at her with a turmoil of emotions.
“Benedict.” His name came out in a puff of air. “I—what are you doing here?”
He didn't blink, didn't move. “Can I come in?”
Unsure what to do, her body and mind screaming out for the man she'd never expected to see again, Judith slid a heel backwards. Giving him space, she watched him step inside. Closing the door gently, she observed him studying her tiny, messy apartment. Her blush made her cheeks cherry red. “Uh, sorry about the place, I was...”
“Ms. Flight,” he said, twisting to face her. The seriousness in his face made her body tense. “I came here to—to apologize. To ask you to come back.”
She wondered if her eyes could get any wider. His presence was smothering, her place getting tinier by the second. “You came here to what?”
“To apologize,” he said gently, wearing more remorse than seemed logical. “Ms. Flight—Judith.” Parting his lips, he considered her again. “Little Sparrow.” The way he said that name set her heart quaking. “I need to tell you that I'm sorry for how I reacted.”
She felt the wall behind her, noticing she'd been retreating. Am I dreaming? Or just going nuts? “What happened between us, it was an accident.”
“No,” he said firmly, his shadow falling over her. “It wasn't. It was deliberate, what you did. Breaking the rules, going through that door. You changed everything in my world, little Sparrow.” His eyes were like cobalt, if cobalt could melt her soul. “And it was no accident.”
Swallowing, Judith brushed her hair behind her ears. “You told me I almost ruined everything for you.”
His frown was sheepish. “I was a fool, scared of losing the world I'd built for myself. Selfish, and angry that I was falling for a woman who could expose me entirely.”
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