“I went through three girls to get the look I wanted,” Preston smiled lasciviously.
“Camille, you’re going to destroy the workings.”
Chayton’s eyes gleamed, thinking of the pain the slave experienced.
“I know what I’m doing.
You should have handed me Ayden a year ago,” she smiled cruelly.
Ayden trembled.
“I have found other ways to torture my man, as you’ll see later,” Chayton chuckled.
Ayden and Alyssa glanced at each other nervously.
CHAPTER XIII.
UNUSUAL BIDS
It made Alyssa uncomfortable to have all the people in the house.
She had come to think of Chayton’s estate as their own private island, and she had become accustomed to her nakedness and the Master’s unusual sexual preoccupations around the members of their household.
The dining room was crowded as the Masters and some favorites were seated with slaves kneeling on pillows beside almost every chair.
Ayden and she were kneeling on either side of Chayton, quietly eating.
After dinner, the party moved out by the pool.
The Masters looked over the slaves being auctioned and asked current owners any questions they had about the property being offered.
This was the last chance this group of slaves had to stay on the island, and anyone not bid on tonight would be facing the off-island auction in November.
Alyssa saw Sandi towards the end of the line, tied to a post with another woman.
She was despondent, staring at the ground.
The other woman tied to the post with her was sobbing through her gag.
“That’s Isabelle,” Ayden informed her.
“I don’t think she’s going to make it.
The other Masters already know Constantine and Chayton have passed on her.”
“She looks miserable.”
Alyssa could not imagine how scared the young woman must be.
“What about Sandi?”
“Sandi?
Oh, you mean Rene.
It’s possible she’ll stay because Chayton didn’t have any problems with her.
After Helo turned her away, the Master had no place for her.
I heard Julienne talking to someone about how unique she is.
As you can tell, he likes things different,” Ayden explained.
“She looks awful.”
Alyssa saw the dark circles and vacant look in Rene’s eyes.
“I heard Helo’s been keeping her in a cell in the basement.”
Ayden was pained by the distress in his twin’s eyes.
“I don’t think she’s seen anyone for a while, because she looks like she’s shut down.
You see that look in the eyes of the slaves going off-island.
If she stays here, she’ll probably get better.”
Chayton was looking over a couple of the men Camille put up for trade.
“Bored with Ayden?” she smiled.
Chayton ignored the question, stating, “I may need a couple for the house.
Diablo and Arturo will be staying in the stables.”
Preston walked up behind Camille and caught the end of the discussion.
“I heard you’ve got an impressive filly for spring.”
“She needs a lot of work.
It’s hard to compete against Sundown’s record,” Chayton acknowledged.
“Mind if we take a look?”
Preston was eager to see the potential champion he had been hearing about.
Without waiting for an answer he headed towards the ponies and he signaled Sundown’s trainer to bring her over.
Sundown had heard the trainers talking about the new competition.
She was not concerned about first season, because the new pony had no experience of Sundown’s carefully honed track tricks.
The season after could be a problem.
Five years was old in the races, and she decided to make a point, and hopefully the new pony would never want to challenge her.
Chayton walked them past Misty and Copper, and Preston eyed them critically.
Obviously, Misty would not be a problem.
Copper had possibilities, but not the makings of the champion he had heard about.
Chayton had purposely blocked his view of Pretty Baby and Antonio.
“She’s pretty enough.
I like the red hair,” Preston commented.
“Oh, that’s Copper.
She’ll be running lead on a team with Misty,” Chayton smiled.
“This is my Pretty Baby.”
He stepped aside, and Preston’s eyes narrowed.
Sundown made the same mistake and had been eyeing Copper, trying to intimidate her.
When she saw Pretty Baby, she almost took a misstep, something she had not done in years.
It was impossible for a new acquisition to have such long, sinewy muscles.
Preston’s trainer stopped Sundown about four feet from Pretty Baby.
Pretty Baby looked at the pony in front of her.
So, this is Sundown
.
Baby felt the familiar surge of competitive strategy.
The dark haired girl had legs a little longer than her own, but the length was wasted on long calves.
The push for the races required the strength of the thighs, and Pretty Baby knew she had it all over Sundown in that department.
The other pony glared at her and snorted.
Pretty Baby grimaced her smile and broke stance.
She stuck out one strong leg and drew a horizontal line in the grass with the toe of her boot, and the challenge was obvious.
Antonio tightened his grip on her lead.
Pretty Baby calmly returned to position, her eyes never leaving Sundown’s astonished stare.
The outraged champion tried to bolt at her in fury.
How dare this new mare challenge her in front of her Master?
Her trainer had to hold her lead with both hands.
She snorted and shook her head, pawing the ground.
“I’d say we’re going to have one helluva’ race next spring,” Preston laughed nervously.
Chayton caught the slight quiver of uncertainty in his voice.
“It will be Baby’s first year on the circuit, but I think she’ll make a good showing.”
“Would you consider selling?
Mares with potential are a burden to train.
So many never produce the desired results.
As I recall, you’re not that involved with the races.
I could easily persuade Camille into trading for those two males you were looking at earlier.”
Preston tried to make it sound as though he would be doing Chayton a favor, but the offer sounded hollow, even in his own ears.
“No.
I’m going to give it a shot.
I find the process rather interesting.
I’ve got Diablo and Arturo in training, and it frees Antonio to work personally with Pretty Baby.
I’ve owed him a champion.”
Chayton wanted Preston to know he was in real trouble.
Sundown was still attempting to challenge Pretty Baby.
The pony stomped and whipped her head, even when her trainer ordered her to settle down.
Pretty Baby calmly watched the other pony’s antics and looked down at the imaginary line she had drawn in the grass, daring Sundown to cross.
Sundown became uncontrollably angry when her Master had offered to buy the new troublemaker.
Preston finally grabbed her lower lip and painfully pinched a nipple to get her attention.
Forced to look into her Master’s glaring eyes, Sundown shrank back in embarrassment and her trainer led her away.
“We’ll have to carefully consider our wagers next season.”
Preston was deciding the best course to acquire Chayton’s pony.
Sundown had three good years behind her and this new one had no experience.
Perhaps he would manipulate a wager where the winner took the loser’s champion.
Glancing at Pretty Baby, Preston figured he would only have the first season for Sundown to win.
“I think it will be a most interesting year,” Chayton agreed.
When the Masters walked away, Antonio chuckled.
“Well, she knows she won’t intimidate you, girl.
She’ll remember tonight, and the anger may help us through a couple of the races.”
Pretty Baby gave the short nod her high collar allowed and brushed affectionately against him.
“I’d heard you figured out your opponent’s weaknesses quickly, and I’m pleased you’ve learned to apply them in this competition as well.
Diablo, can you bring Copper closer and keep watch on Baby for a minute.
I need to talk to the Master.”
Diablo brought Copper over and took the other pony’s lead from the trainer.
Antonio found Chayton standing in a small crowd that had gathered around Julienne as he led his ‘horse’ through a series of tricks.
Chayton saw him standing to the side and walked over to him.
“That went well.
I thought Preston would whip Sundown in front of us.”
“Baby has her figured out and she knows how to push her buttons,” Antonio laughed.
Antonio’s expression sobered.
“I’d like to ask a favor of you.”
Chayton was intrigued.
Antonio had asked for nothing since he had been rescued to the island.
“Go on,” he replied.
“Rene, Helo’s discard, I’d like her if it’s possible.”
Antonio shuffled his feet nervously.
No one’s position was secure.
“Really?
What on earth for?”
The request was a complete surprise.
“I’d like a slave, a woman of my own,” Antonio broke down.
“Hell, Chayton, I’m lonely.
I want a companion.
The other women are going to bring too high a price.”
“I could talk to Constantine about Isabelle.”
Chayton knew the man must be desperate to have broken formality.
“No.
I don’t need her games distracting me from the training.
I’ll have to introduce Rene slowly enough as it is.”
Antonio never liked Isabelle.
He had watched, unnoticed, as she played Ayden.
“Rene has already been introduced to the estate.
I’m fine with her.”
“The only other interest I’ve noticed is Julienne.
I’ll talk to him and pull her,” Chayton decided.
“Thank you.
You’ve been good to me.”
Antonio held out his hand.
“You’re welcome.
I’m counting on you to deliver a champion,” the Master reminded him.
“You’ll have that.
Now that Baby’s seen her competition, she’s going to put her heart into training,” Antonio declared.
Antonio walked back to his pony.
“Let’s put these mares up for the night.”
The three trainers took their charges back to the stables.
Antonio made it back to Chayton as the auction began and saw that Rene was gone.
“Julienne had no problem.
Rene is back at your room in the stables.”
Chayton did not mention that Julienne had told him he figured Rene was a joke, and that no Master would seriously admit to having acquired something like her.
“You know she’s shut down.”
“I saw her.
It’ll take time, but I’ll bring her out of it.”
Antonio smiled and headed back to the stables.
Isabelle was the second slave up for bid.
She smiled coyly with her eyes and tried to look seductive and compliant, but there were no takers.
Her discordant reputation had preceded her and she was not worth the trouble.
The young woman sobbed as she was led away to general quarters awaiting the off-island auction.
One more of the five offered women was also passed.
Julienne purchased two and Sean took one.
Camille’s offering of males was up next.
Chayton was interested in numbers two, three, five and seven, with two and five being his first choice.
Sean and Constantine began a bidding war on number two, so Chayton backed off quickly.
He won three at a higher cost then he had intended.
Four went to Sean, five to Preston.
Camille did not trade to her brother if there was money to be made.
Six was passed and Chayton got seven at a bargain.
The last two were passed as everyone who needed a male had already made their purchase.
The stronger of the two that were passed would be shipped to the crop farms, and Camille would be compensated for him equally by all the Masters.
Chayton ordered Helo to take the new males to the induction room.
The Masters sat around the patio with their slaves standing or kneeling beside them.
As the Masters started conversing about island affairs, the races and stories of their acquisition trips, Chayton turned to Ayden.
“Kneel behind Alyssa.”
The meaning was clear to the twins.
Alyssa had hoped the evening would wind down without incident.
She was fascinated with some of the kidnap stories and how gullible the unknowing innocents were.
There were predators everywhere.
She knelt without being asked and Ayden pulled her back against his chest.
He caressed her gently and stretched her ass with his fingers to prepare her, and entered slowly.
Chayton hooked Alyssa’s hands behind Ayden’s back, where they rested on the top of his butt.
Ayden’s hands were fixed together across her belly, and he began caressing her trembling flesh.
Ankle cuff’s were hooked to their partner’s, and they were once again immobilized.