Against Her Will (Dragon's Lair) (11 page)

The senior manager of Foxtram & Stein stared, unbelieving, at the latest report. Pulled from his latest project, he had little time to waste. Instead of fiddling with the texting buttons, he took out a disposable phone from his hidden desk drawer. Closing his office drawer and turning the white noise machine on full power, he dialed the number.

“Yes, sir,” came the answer.

The senior manager spoke before he could change his mind. “Let her go.”

“Sarah.”

Sarah looked up, startled. It was the first time anyone had referred to her by name since Becky had said good night in the parking lot at work. If anyone
addressed her here, they called her by an odd code name of “Dragonfly.” “Yes, Nurse Julia,” she answered, wondering what she had done wrong.

After her rescuer had left, Julia dressed her and allowed her the unprecedented luxury of staying in bed. Sarah had tried to hide her tears, but Julia noticed and clucked over her like a mother hen. She dabbed Sarah’s
forehead with a cool cloth, pulled up the rocking chair to sit next to her, and spoke to her in the soft, soothing voice of a visitor to the terminally ill.

“I’m okay,” Sarah had tried to say, but Ju
lia insisted she remain lying down. How could Sarah explain that the tears were not from the first intruder but the second? How could she confide that his exit had left her feeling desolate in a way she had never imagined possible? “I’m Richard,” he had crooned into her ear, as if he were sharing the secret of the stars. How shy he had looked, and how strangely the shyness contrasted with his iron-hard body. The past few days, or however long she had been in this place, had turned all of her previous ideas upside down. She had forgotten about Luke, forgotten she was promised, and forgotten that a whole world existed outside of these walls. What kind of idiot would disappear from family and friends…and fall in love with one of her captors?

“My pet,” Julia soothed, and this time the term sounded affectionate rather than possessive.
Or perhaps possessive, too. As if Sarah belonged to her. It was a curious feeling, to belong and to be taken care of by a woman devoted solely to her needs. Would any of Sarah’s roommates, or even her best friends, have cared for her this tenderly if something had happened to her?

“What will happen?” Sarah meant, “What will happen with Richard?” She knew better to ask, though, and Julia responded otherwise.

“The Major will be questioned by Master Dragon, and my guess is that he’ll be thrown out.” Julia didn’t answer the girl’s question about Richard. Better not to encourage what could only lead to trouble.

This was foreign to Sarah, and she didn’t even know what questions to ask. She gave an unintelligent shrug. Julia patted her hand.

“He wanted to be your new Daddy, but we’ll have to see how Master Dragon handles it.”

This was
n’t the first Sarah had heard of a Master Dragon, but it was the first time she understood this man would control her fate. She lifted her head and noticed a subtle red and black pattern over the doorway. A dragon. What did the connection mean?

“I don’t
want …,” Sarah began, but Julia interrupted her.

“You’ll go to the Major over my dead body, pet, and that’s the end of that. Close your eyes and get some rest. You’ve had far too much excitement for one day, and I want you rested for when the counselor comes.”

Sarah made a face. She had meant to say she thought her new Daddy should be her own choice, not Master Dragon’s, but wisdom of experience made her bite her tongue. Instead, she tried to object to the other mandate. “I’m fine, honest Nurse Julia, and I don’t need to talk to a counselor.”

At that, Julia rolled Sarah onto her sto
mach. Clearly, the girl needed a bit of routine to get her back to normal. A few swats with her leather strap set the girl howling in no time, and Julia smiled in satisfaction. In all of her years as a nurse, one thing always stayed the same. Every naughty girl came to rely on good, old-fashioned ways to keep her in line. As much as they might fight against it, a strapping or paddling would instantly convert a girl’s fretful tears into contented obedience. They might not understand it at the time, but they would become much happier in the long run.

As Sarah drifted off into an exhausted, dreamless sleep, she hugged Julia’s arm to her chest. The same hand that made her cr
y also gave her much love, and nowhere felt safer than by her side.

*              *              *

When the summons came, Julia was startled but not unprepared. None of her charges had been called to the council before, but none of them had been assaulted. The Dragon’s council had no choice but to move quickly. Richard refused to tell her which way the vote had gone, and his unusual curtness made her wonder what was going on. Clearly, he was hiding something from her. For the first time, Julia regretted refusing a seat on the council. They had tried to persuade her for years, but she hated bothering with endless meetings. It didn’t make her feel comfortable to be the only woman amongst men, either.

“Wake up, my pet,” she said, shaking Sarah. Sarah gave an inarticulate groan, her tousled hair framing her sleep-flushed face. She was so adorable in her confusion that Julia gave her a kiss on the cheek. She was spoiling the girl abominably, but she’d get her back to normal the next day.
“There’s no time for bathing, but at least you’re already clean. Hurry, now.”

Julia took out a simple white dress, both childish and elegant. Soft, flowing fabric fell from Sarah’s shoulders and accentuated every one of her desirable curves. The thin undershirt did little to hide her bosom, and the small gathers around the neckline emphasized, rather than minimized, the generous breasts.

Sarah stepped into the leather sandals and followed Julia out the door. She knew better than to ask where she was going. It took Julia three times to check security and make sure the suite would be guarded while they left. Two armed guards stood at attention in the outside hallway. Sarah shrank behind Julia, but the guards didn’t touch either of them. Instead, they walked in front and back of the women, calling out orders to halt before making any turns. Sarah gratefully took Julia’s proffered hand.

“Dragon security is the best,
or at least it used to be,” Julia explained. “They’re still conducting an investigation to see how many guards were bought off by the Major.”

In all of her life, no one had taken so much trouble to ensure Sarah
’s safety. She trotted alongside of Julia, eager for her first look around since the doctor’s visit. She was surprised that some parts of the corridors were in various stages of disrepair. After spending all of her time in her private room with Julia, she had thought she was in a luxury building. She wondered who had paid for all of the top-of-the-line furnishings and equipment in her room.

When the guards ushered Sarah and Julia into a conference room, Sarah
knelt in a respectful greeting before being seated in one of the leather chairs as instructed. Julia tried to hide her surprise. Whatever the reason for the meeting, things must be quite serious if she and Sarah were invited to sit at the table as equals. Each of the nine men gazed hungrily at Sarah. They had, of course, previewed her preliminary videos and read her file. That Sarah was Julia’s protégé was recommendation enough, but the training videos added immensely to her value. Julia wagered that several of the council members had already downloaded at least one video for private viewing.

“Welcome, Julia,” the presiding council member said. “
Master Dragon has chosen not to participate in the meeting today, and he sends his regrets. Welcome, Sarah.”

Only lightning-
quick reflexes saved Julia from betraying her surprise. Were they going to release the girl to the Major, after all? “Dragonfly” was used until the time of the sale. Julia hated the thought of arguing with the entire council, but she would do whatever it took to prevent the girl from going to that monster.

Sarah, having been schooled by Julia in the appropriate ways to address her superiors, lowered her head. “Thank you, sir.”

In spite of her anger, Julia smiled. The girl was a natural. Richard had been right in persuading Julia to take her on. He better not try to interfere now that Julia had committed to the work.

“Major Jeffrey Sanders has asked to take you home,” continued th
e presider, and Julia glared at him. He gave a quick “calm down” gesture with his fingers. “Upon further investigation, we have decided against the placement. However, we have received another offer for you.”

Julia and Sarah exchanged confused looks. Who could it be?

The presider consulted his notes before speaking. “A man named Luke Williams has asked for you, but only if you are willing.”

Sarah stopped breathing. Luke? “H-h-how did he…I mean how did he know…”

“If you choose, we will send you now. Do you wish to go?”

Sarah struggled to breathe, to think, or to make sense of this strange turn of events. Each moment she had lain in the horrible cell, she had called out Luke’s name. She had longed for him, wanted him, and begged for him. Over the past few days, however, she had forgotten him entirely. How could she remember a completely irrelevant person from a different life?

Sarah looked at Julia and saw the woman had turned as white as sheet. Sensing something strange about the situation, she asked cautiously, “Why isn’t Luke here? How do I know it’s really true? What’s the catch?”

Julia raised a hand, but the presider stopped her. “It’s all right, Julia. She may ask questions freely.” He addressed Sarah directly this time. “Luke is not here because no outsiders may enter the Lair. No one who has been here may leave.” Before Sarah could point out the contradiction, he spoke over her unsaid words. “Nor may you. If you choose to leave with Luke, you will both be given new identities and resettled in a new living place. You will not be allowed to contact any of your previous friends or acquaintances.”

Sarah stammered, overwhelmed by the cruelty while curiously unaffected by the pronouncement. So her old life had finished, then. She had gone through this new episode as if living in a play, but this was the end. Would life with Luke mean anything?

Before she could stop herself, Sarah’s gaze drifted over to the council member seated on the far right. Splendid in his dress uniform,
Richard kept his face carefully averted. She stared at him, willing to look at her. “May I ask a question to a council member?” she asked. They nodded, and she continued. She spoke to Richard, and all of the other heads turned toward him. “Do you think I should go?”

Julia gave her a sidelong glance, an unspoken warning. And yet she could not stop herself because her entire answer would depend on his.

At last, when he saw that no one would reply in his stead, Richard lifted his head. His eyes found hers, and the look he gave her was both loving and sad. “If you love this Luke, you should go.”

Tears gathered in her eyes. “It will mean losing everything,” she said.

“Yes,” he agreed. “Your family. Your friends. But to re-enter the world after living in the Lair, there is always a price.”

She nodded. She knew what she must do, no matter what anyone said. “What if I stay? Do I get to decide where I go?”

From the reactions of the council members and Julia, she might well have asked if she could reverse the magnetic polarities of the earth. But she had known, really. She asked only to give herself a few moments to gather her courage. For her decision made not one bit of sense. She would give up freedom, and she would give up her freedom for not one shred of hope. She was dooming herself to a life of captivity, but at least she would be pampered in her captivity. Julia, she believed with all her heart, had come to care for her. And perhaps, if she were lucky, her new Daddy would be someone who cared for her, at least a little.

“I’ll stay,” Sarah said
.

Although tears blurred her vision, she saw Richard’s head jerk backward in surprise. Julia squeezed her hand, and Sarah heard nothing more until she was escorted back to her room. When a knock came at their door, Julia sprang to action. Instead, she relaxed as Richard came into the room. He came next to her, picking up the leather strap Julia had set out for her nightly spanking.

“It was a foolish decision,” he told her, bending her over the bed.

She hiked up her nightgown and stuck her bottom out for him
to strike. She felt warm and tingly all over as his hands brushed her bare skin, and she could have melted into his arms.

“They’ll never let me own you,” he said, and she shushed him.

“Spank me, Daddy,” she said, and he landed the first blow.

*              *              *

Julia looked down at the note in dismay. One girl at a time, she had always insisted. How could she do her job properly if she were forced to divide her time between girls? Yet this came from Master Dragon himself, and Richard was hardly in a position to run interference for her.

New recruit in holding cell.
Will transfer to Diamond after she has acclimated.

“Well,” Julia said to herself, trying not to listen to the enthusiastic and thoroughly unorthodox moans in the next room. “
I guess I’ll have something to keep myself busy while the lovebirds are occupied.” She sighed. “And he better not interfere with this one’s training.”