by Sadie Marks
She walked naked by his side without fighting or dragging her feet. It felt a little strange being out in the hall without clothes, but he'd made her strip before they left their quarters. Hungry stares followed them to the dining hall where her punishment was to be held, and she wasn't surprised to find the room full of waiting Sadecs when she got there.
She stopped in the doorway. "Nothing like making a dramatic entrance," she muttered, keeping her voice low so that only he could hear her.
He laughed and planted a hand at the small of her back, pushing her forward. "Almost everyone not on duty will be here to watch…and participate."
Something low inside her stomach flipped and she had to bite back a moan. For something that was supposed to be a punishment, it was honestly sounding pretty erotic and the image of Sadec hands all over her body, stroking, pinching, and slapping as she writhed under the touch had her skin tightening. Her nipples were so hard, they ached.
This 'display' punishment was something new, and while it was bound to be intense, she was also excited to see how it played out. There was a certain undercurrent of smugness there too. If they thought that being on display would embarrass her into behaving, they were wrong. How many times had she been up on the small stage, naked and bound for an audience?
It might be terrible for the human pets they were used to, but not for an experienced masochist like herself who was used to showing off. She enjoyed being the center of attention and even if parts of it were beyond her limits, it would be worth it for the fantasy fodder that would probably last her the rest of her life.
At least that's what she thought. It turned out, she was only partly right. Nothing could have prepared her for the intensity of it all—there were no other activities to draw anyone's attention from the show. From the second she walked in the door, all eyes were on her and she began to feel like prey. Helpless, naked prey, just there for the taking.
Her Master led her to an alcove that had been emptied for the event. There had been something the Sadecs considered art there before. The rough statue of a leaping beast that had been harsh to her eyes was gone now, and she was going to stand in its place. It made sense; giving pain was an art form to them as well.
The magnetic field was a surprise, and once she was cuffed, they turned it on and she discovered that they could use it as a form of restraint, holding her in place or forcing her to move into any position they desired. She tried to fight the pull, just to test it, and slowly but surely, it pulled her body into place, using the cuffs at her wrists and ankles.
It was moderately embarrassing to know that with her legs spread and held wide apart, the aliens would be able to see how aroused she was already, but that was tempered by knowing how much they'd enjoy it. No one was going to shame her for being turned on; they were going to relish it.
While she was busy playing with how much leeway the cuffs gave her, the general had moved up by her side silently and caught her by surprise. She jumped when he began to speak and immediately looked up with startled blue eyes. Suddenly, she felt vulnerable and the restraints reminded her that that was exactly what she was. Helpless. A pet to be toyed with.
After ten months on the ship, she had acclimatized, and most of the time, her new life felt normal. She'd gotten used to all of it and settled in like a native. But something about the general always unsettled her. He had an aura of power that surpassed the other warriors, and at times reminded her of what she'd felt when she'd first met Trev. She was drawn to that energy and repelled by it at the same time.
"You all know the rules. There is a clinician here to supervise. Remember, humans are fragile and care must be taken not to damage them," he reminded them. His eyes slid to hers and held them for a moment, and then he returned his attention to the waiting warriors. "One half cycle. Kri't will choose."
Finished with his speech, he turned and left the room with a quick stride that took him out of her sight quickly, without looking back. She tried to stifle the disappointment that he wasn't going to be part of it, or at least watch. After that, things moved quickly, and she soon lost the ability to worry about the general.
Playing with one or two people while a crowd watched was a very different experience from being played with by many people. She got tired, but they never did. Her body was stretched and pulled into different positions, each exposing her more than the last, and throughout it all, someone was always there touching, spanking, pinching.
All of her orifices were probed, and when it became obvious that she enjoyed the attention, they focused on seeing how much they could make her react. She remembered some who chose only to punish her during their window of opportunity, bringing a belt or a paddle down across her ass without mercy until she was yelping and straining as she tried to move.
Others mixed a nice balance of pleasure and pain that left her moaning and crying out as she climaxed without caring how many people heard her. None of them gave up the chance to see her react to pain at all. After a while, it all blurred together: the pain, the pleasure, the ink-black eyes of her alien hosts.
The clinician stopped things at regular intervals so she could use the facilities, and then high-calorie snacks and water were pushed at her. She appreciated the breaks. She began to understand how this worked as a punishment. Whether they fingered her to orgasm or whipped her ass with a leather belt stopped mattering. It was all pleasure, but it was also all pain. She was sore and aching everywhere, but her body continued to react for much longer than she could have expected.
At one point, she blinked blearily and realized her Master had lifted her head so he could see her face. "How are you holding up, human? Still enjoying yourself?" he asked.
She was too out of it to know if he was mocking her or being kind, but more importantly, she really had no clue how to answer. At that particular moment, she was bent over and something large had been inserted in her ass, stretching and filling her as it sent delicious vibrations pulsing through her body.
She'd already come twice and could feel it building again, but she'd begun to dread another orgasm; they'd become too much—too overwhelming. And the toy kept going from a steady, low buzz to a sudden random pulsing which had her whole body shaking. So, was she enjoying herself? "I don't know, Master." It was the only possible response.
He ruffled her hair affectionately. "Plenty of time left before the end of the cycle, Silla, and look how happy you made the crew. They all want a taste of you."
She focused her eyes with effort and scanned the watchers. Even now, the room was packed with Sadecs hoping to get a turn at her. And though they were disciplined and still, in that predatory way they had, she could see how much they wanted her in the stiffness of their posture and the ravenous look on their faces.
"You should know by now, Silla, we can even make pleasure hurt. Most humans never need to face display more than once. They tend to behave themselves after it—though if any human was going to push for a second turn, it would be you." He sounded both amused and resigned, laughing as he moved away and let the warriors make use of her.
It was the longest seven hours of her life, and by the time the clinician called a halt and sent the audience away, many of them grumbling because they hadn't gotten a chance, or even been able to get close enough for a good view, she was exhausted. The sturdy Sadec doctor caught her around the waist as he released the magnetic field.
She fell against him and let him hold her up. An unending stream of orgasms and pain had left her empty of all energy, but oddly sated to a level she'd never experienced before. Every inch of her skin stung. Every muscle burned. She could feel the heat and welts that crossed her legs, ass, and breasts as she moved, and when he sat her down on a chair, she hissed and tried to shift her weight to her hip.
"Fuck, that burns," she said. It wasn't a whine or a complaint and there was a hint of respect in her voice. They really did take the sadism thing seriously around here. It was going to take her a while to process what she'd just been
through, both the good parts and the bad. It wasn't something that she'd be able to pull apart while the clinician examined her, either.
He gave her a cool drink to sip as he tested her reactions, looking, she thought, for signs of shock. Then he began a physical inspection of her body—all of it, inside and out. When he found an especially sore spot, he rubbed a thick gel in with gentle fingers. Normally, it would have bothered her that he was doing it out in the open, but all things considered, it really wasn't worth complaining about since an entire room had just seen pretty much everything she had.
Besides, she didn't have the energy to go all the way to the yellow section where medical was located. The clinician didn't seem to need her to participate much anyway. She let herself be poked and prodded as he moved and arranged her as necessary.
"Very healthy reactions, girl. No problems to worry about. You'll feel sore for a few days, but it should all be gone by the end of the week. In the meantime, lots of fluids and rest." He aimed the last part at her Master who was leaning against the wall watching the examination.
Kri't nodded easily. "I'll see to it."
"Good, I'll have a special drink sent over."
Considering the situation, Silla decided not to roll her eyes at the directive being passed over her head, and instead, she stood up. She took her time in straightening, wincing as the skin pulled tight, but enjoying the all-over soreness. This wasn't something she'd try to earn again but as far as unique experiences went, it was one to remember.
She took a few minutes to stretch, turning and twisting to work out the stiffness from being restrained. The magnetic field was gentle but the positions she'd been put into would make anyone's back sore. The rest of the aches weren't going anywhere, but once she got the kinks out of her spine, she looked at the clinician.
"Can I go now?" She was careful to be respectful, and not just because her Master was watching. The Sadec doctor, whose name she didn't even know, had been gentle and caring with her during the ordeal. He could easily have used the opportunity to add to her misery. As a Sadec, she was sure he had the same needs and desires, but he had been strictly professional.
"Yes, go on. Remember what I said. Fluids and rest—and behave yourself for a while. At least until the marks fade." He sounded resigned as he shook his head. "You humans can't get enough of the punishment."
"And you Sadecs can't resist the chance to dole it out!" she snapped and then laughed as she caught sight of his expression and realized he was teasing her.
The clinician offered her a smile and then gave her a gentle push. "That's why we need you. Now, go and rest. Kri't, see to it." It was an order for both of them.
Her Master pushed himself up off the wall and nodded. "I will."
The Sadecs didn't seem to use ranking honorifics like Sir among themselves, but she could see from the deferential way her Master responded that the clinician outranked him in some way. But as she walked beside him to their quarters, she filed it away as an interesting bit of trivia that she might one day have a use for.
Once they were inside, he sent her to the bed immediately and she didn't argue. She was worn out, and even the short walk from the dining hall had been an effort. The moment she crawled into the oversized bed and pulled the soft furs over her, she began to yawn.
She would have drifted off to sleep almost instantly if Kri't hadn't brought her a plate of high sugar foods and a thick drink that smelled sickeningly sweet. She wrinkled her nose and tried to pass the heavy glass back, but he shook his head.
"Jav'eel sent it." And then before she could begin to argue, he added, "You'll drink it, or I'll start adding up punishments to give you as soon as you're recovered."
"Ugh, fine!" She brought it to her lips and took a careful sip. Like all Sadec medicinal drinks, and she'd had more than a few, it wasn't terrible. She'd never been a fan of too much sugar, and it was an effort to get the thick sludge down, but once it settled in her stomach, she began to feel better almost immediately. A burst of energy came back, and though it didn't last long, it was enough that she was able to eat the meal before she began to yawn again.
He took the plate from her before it could slide to the floor, and then he paused. "You don't usually like to be held, but today was difficult for you. If you want—"
She actually considered it for a minute. It might be nice to be held against his chest as she fell asleep, but finally, she shook her head. That was dangerous territory, and she couldn't risk it. "No, I'm okay—but thank you, Kri't. I do appreciate—" She stopped, unable to find the words.
How did one thank someone for taking care of you after the most unforgettable punishment of your life? How did you thank a sadist for being a sadist? Was that even what she wanted to thank him for? Mostly, she felt like she wanted to thank him for not trying to make her love him. Simplest was best, she decided. "Just, thank you."
He smiled, a slight smile that didn't show his teeth and nodded. "Sleep then. I'll be here if you need me." And then he waved a hand over the light sensor in a specific pattern that made the overhead lights go off, while the dim nightlights along the floor came on, and then he left her to rest.
She was asleep within minutes, and it was a deep, untroubled sleep that lasted through a full cycle. When she did wake, she was given another of the sugary drinks and more food. Kri't seemed gentler than usual.
"How do you feel?" he asked.
She stuffed a spicy meat roll into her mouth and shrugged. Chewing gave her time to do an inventory, and by the time she'd swallowed, she could answer. "Um, kind of achy all over. I thought I'd feel worse, honestly. Especially when someone brought out a heavy whip. I can still feel the thick lines across my back, but it's just sore, not painful." She gave a slow shrug that rippled all the way down her back to show him that the rolling skin wasn't unbearable.
"The drink boosts your healing, and so does the gel he rubbed in. But, Silla, your own body was strengthened when you got here. You'll always heal faster than normal humans now and you won't be prone to the casual illnesses they seem to pass around." He said this like it was something she should have known but the clinicians hadn't actually explained much to her.
"Oh. Right."
"You're stronger now, with more endurance too. It's standard when we bring a human home."
Well, it made sense. They wanted the humans to last, and BDSM, even with the most careful management, could be dangerous at times. Strengthening their pets and making them heal faster was a win for both sides. She didn't hate the idea, and when the effects of seven hours of punishment were almost entirely gone four days later, she was ready to play again. She didn't hate that, either.
Kri't seemed proud of her. Their relationship didn't change much between them, but when they were out in public, he developed a glow and he would often wrap his arm around her shoulders to make it clear who she belonged to. She went along with it because it was sweet.
But her popularity with the crew brought sudden changes to her life, and a few months after the display, Kri't decided to put her up for sale again. She stared at him in shock when he broke the news.
He tried to cushion the blow. "It's not that I don't want to keep you, Silla. The way you take pain is the most beautiful thing I've ever seen. You're an addiction. When I'm working, all I can think of is hurrying home to play with you."
"Then why are you doing it? No one told me this was going to be part of the process. I worked with your damn general on a plan for humans coming on, and nothing was said about temporary ownership!" Her small hands were clenched at her sides and anger was building.
"I know that, and when they get here, things will be different, but for now, he feels that it's best to give someone else a chance to experience you. I share you with many of my friends; at times, more often than I want to. But there are so many Sadecs who have only seen you. Never touched—never had a chance to watch you writhe under their hand. With a new owner, more will get a chance." He didn't seem as sad as he might have, an
d she wondered if maybe he'd been getting tired of her, but there'd been no sign of that.
And then she realized. "It doesn't hurt that my value has gone up so much, does it? I imagine you'll get back a lot more than you paid."
He gaped at her, eyes narrowed for a second, and then he burst out laughing. "No, no, that doesn't hurt. I understand some crew are pooling their money to make a larger bid. Silla, when you first arrived, so few on board had seen a human or experienced one personally that not many were willing to risk a fortune on a…" He paused, frowning as he tried to think of the word. "…a unicorn? That's the animal, right?"
She wasn't sure. She only vaguely remembered reading about them as a child. Horses with horns, she thought, but she wasn't going to admit a gap in knowledge of her own planet. "Yes, that's the one."
"Pain Receivers were so rare as to be myths, and a lot of people didn't really believe they were anything special. Not everyone felt like sneaking down to Earth to see for themselves like I did, so I got you for a bargain price. But you were spectacular during the display! Everyone wants you now," he said, smiling wide enough that she saw more than the tips of his teeth.
She tilted her head and, despite herself, felt a little pride there. She did enjoy the compliment. "So, just like that, you're selling me then?"
"The reward for selling you won't just be credit, but honor and rank. I will reluctantly give you up for the good of the ship and ensure my place for promotion." He sat back, looking very pleased with himself, and she had to admit it was smart. She hadn't realized how ambitious he was, but she couldn't blame him, really.
They'd formed a comfortable relationship, based on mutual need, and now he was sending her off. It made sense, though she was a little peeved at how easily he was able to let her go. "You should have asked for bids back when I was on display. I bet you would have done better," was all she said about the matter.
For a second, he looked chagrinned and then he shrugged. "Probably, but the general only just suggested it, and he intends to handle the details anyway. He wants to see you, now."
