Sarah Fisher - The contract

Leonora glanced down at her. "I'm going to check you're in the same condition as when you arrived – our clients appreciate our honesty. And then -" she glanced at the trolley. "I'm going to give you a contraceptive injection, it will be renewed three monthly whilst you are with us." She paused. "Normally we wait until our girls are sold off, so that their new owners can make the decision. Some of the overseas clients prefer their women to be fertile. Fertility confirms their status; any children born from liaisons at Deuvar are taken and raised in their own homes -"

Emily felt her colour draining as Leonora continued. "Some men prefer women who they can suckle from -"

Emily flinched as the guard lifted her legs into the stirrups for the examination. Leonora's touch was cold and perfunctory. When she had done she pulled off her rubber gloves and smiled narrowly. "Good, everything is still in order. You will remain here until we are ready for you. Kai will help you dress. Remember, we demand obedience. You already know the punishment for disobeying the rules. I would have preferred to have trained you for longer before you were auctioned off, but the powers that be have decided otherwise. Whoever buys you will have exclusive rights to your body for twenty four hours only. After that your training with us will resume whilst you earn you keep."

Emily considered the words with a growing sense of apprehension as Leonora left.

As soon as she had gone, Emily strained experimentally against the ties that held her wrists. Remembering the night she had been brought to Deuvar, she was certain that the medical room hadn't been far from the outside – and freedom. Her body was well oiled; if she could just slip the leather straps down over her wrists. She strained a little harder, wriggling on the leather couch.

Kai sighed theatrically. "Take my advice. Don't even think about it. There's no escape. Deuvar stands in its own grounds; we're miles from anywhere. The security guards have trained dogs. Even if you make it outside you won't get past the first fence."

Emily bit her lip and tried to relax as Kai unfolded a dress from a box. It was a simple shift made of thin white cotton, so finely woven that it was nearly transparent.

"Here," said Kai, leaning over her. "We've got work to do." Emily felt the tension in her stomach return as Kai cupped one of her breasts.

Kai let another deep sigh. "For God's sake, don't make it worst for yourself. I'm going to make you look lovely." As she spoke she smeared something cold over Emily's nipples; glancing down she could see it was staining her nipples scarlet. The little peaks hardened as the skilful fingers worked the oily dye into them. Next she rubbed gel into Emily's short crew cut, spiking it. Moving lower she snapped a short length of chain between the cuffs Emily wore around her ankles, effectively hobbling her. Finally she unlocked the wrist restraints and helped Emily into the shapeless transparent shift. In one corner of the room the guards watched impassively. Emily glanced right and left wondering whether she had the courage to try and escape.

As if reading her thoughts Kai shook her head. "Don't," she said quietly. "I've told you already. You wouldn't stand a chance -"

Emily caught sight of herself in the full length mirror set in one wall. She truly looked like a slave – broken – as good as naked in spite of the dress. Her oily sleek skin stuck to the thin fabric, revealing every curve and plain. The transparent dress was like a delicate gift wrapping. She shuddered as Kai moved around behind her and slipped a blindfold over her eyes.

"There," the Oriental girl whispered. "All done."

Behind her, Emily could hear the door opening. Kai locked her wrists together above her buttocks, so that her shoulders were pulled back and her breasts jutted forward, brushing their swollen scarlet tips against the sheer cotton. Emily felt someone approaching and then hands snapping leashes into the rings either side of her collar.

"Good," said Kai softly, "I think we're ready."

Emily walked slowly, the ankle restraints slowing her progress. Her mind flickered with wild terrifying possibilities about events that might follow. She tried to stay calm. After all, she had seen Deuvar, seen the faces of the guests and the girls when she had worked in the dining room. Surely nothing that Leonora could arrange for her could be any more humiliating than clearing tables, naked except for the harsh leather harness.

She thought about the way the diners had looked at her, eyes moving across her body like invasive fingers. She began to blush, longing for whatever was to follow to be over and done with, confused by the strange mixture of feelings she was experiencing. Deep in thought, the unseen guards lead Emily through the rabbit warren of corridors and passages. She didn't even take notice of which way they turned.

Finally there was the sound of doors opening and subdued voices close by. As she moved along under the guidance of the guards, the voices faded to an expectant hush.

"And today's final lot, ladies and gentleman -" Emily heard Leonora's distinctive voice. "Lot 27, a Caucasian female, 19 years old. This lot comes with a certificate of virginity. The sale price is for exclusive rights for a twenty four hour period to be agreed post sale."

Emily was guided up onto a low step. The voices rose again.

"Turn around, let them look at you -" said a male voice close to her.

Slowly Emily circled – even behind the blindfold she could sense the eyes. Eyes that explored and roamed freely over her almost naked body, assessing her worth, her capacity for compliance. She shivered, imagining the images the bidders could see. Her nipples had hardened in the cold. Their scarlet peaks pressed against the thin cotton, silver rings glittering as she shivered. Her naked sex, barely veiled by the wisp of transparent cotton, offered an untested pleasure.

She bit her lip, trying to hold back the fear, and the tears – and, more disturbing, the little dark glimmer of pleasure that curled low in her belly. She shuddered again, trying hard to quell the bubbling sense of panic that was growing inside.

From amongst the subdued hubbub came the first bid. The size of it took Emily's breath away. She thought miserably about Peter Howard's debt; at this rate she would clear it in a single day.

A single tear soaked into the blindfold as a voice on her left raised the bid. She recognised it as the voice of the man she had met so briefly in the dining room, when she had knelt beside him and his lover.

"We've barely had a chance to view this lot," said another voice from the room. "What are we getting for our money?"

Emily flinched. Rough hands closed on the neck of her shift and she let out a thin unhappy shriek as the fabric was ripped down over her shoulders. Cool hands lifted her breasts.

"Plump, ripe and ready," said an unnerving masculine voice.

"And the rest," snapped a voice nearby.

The unseen man laughed dryly and jerked the thin shift up around her waist, fingers splaying the lips of her quim amongst the flutter of rags. "As I said, all ready. Turn around. Let the punters see you."

Emily flushed scarlet as the unseen porter splayed the cheeks of her backside. "Open an' eager," he said brushing the bruised bud of her backside. "This is a prime lot, nicely stretched for your pleasure, gentleman." He slid a finger into Emily's backside making her tremble.

"Now," snapped Leonora. "The bid is on my left, any advance?" Leonora kept the bidding brisk, the sum rising every few seconds, the voices rising in a clamour of excitement. Emily tried to block out the voices until finally she heard the unnerving sound of the hammer falling and Leonora's voice.

"Sold to Mr and Mrs Haroldson -"