I didn’t answer him, though Ididfind the bottle of lube and use it. The anal plug attached to the long, silky white fibers was larger than any Sir had trained me to take, so I needed it.
At last I was ready to go, though I felt horribly naked and helpless. I had gotten used to running around nude with Sir, but he had always been by my side, comforting and protecting me—keeping me safe from anyone who might have seen my nudity as an invitation. Now I was on my own and I had never felt more vulnerable in my life.
“This way,” Shadrack said when I was finished “dressing.” “Got somebody who wants to say hello to you, girly.”
I followed him unwillingly out of the small, dim room and found myself in a larger area. One of the walls was flat white with nothing on it, reminding me of the viewing wall Sir had in his spaceship for watching movies and plays on.
Just as I was thinking that, the wall flickered and an enormous image of Gra’multh’s head and face appeared on it.
I gasped and drew back—it was kind of a shock seeing such a huge face projected right in front of me, after all. But Shadrack grabbed me by the arm and dragged me forward.
“No, no, girly,” he chortled. “No time to get shy now—His Honor wants to see you.”
“So I see you found her at last,” Gra’multh said, speaking to Shadrack.
“Yes, Your Honor.” Shadrack performed a quick bow. “Took some time to locate the little pet, all the way in another galaxy, but in the end we found her. Many thanks for the Folding Drive—we’ll be able to bring many more females through from other worlds with it.”
“Just see that it’s not in any way connected to me,” Gra’multh ordered, glaring at the Pet Finder.
“No, Your Honor! Of course not!” Shadrack bowed reflexively again.
“Now, bring her forward—I want to see the little slut who caused me so much trouble!” Gra’multh ordered.
“Here she is!” Shadrack dragged me closer to the giant head projected on the wall, though I didn’t want to go.
“Get your hands off me!” I snapped, yanking my arm out of his big, dirty paw. Then I glared up at the screen. “Howdareyou have me brought here? Do you know what the Sovereign is going to do to you once she finds out that you’ve broken her rules and kidnapped me?”
“But my dear little pet, I’m not doing athingto you.” Gra’multh widened his full-black eyes innocently. “I swore to her Majesty that I wouldn’t lay a finger on you—and so I haven’t. In fact, I’m all the way in the Southern Continent!”
“Wait—does that meanI’min the Northern Continent of Korrigon Four?” I demanded, my heart leaping in my chest.
Gra’multh ignored my question.
“As you can see, your fortunes are about to changegreatly, my dear. You’re going to be just an ordinary pet again—no more ‘shock-a-lot ship clookie” parties with the Sovereign for you.” He smirked at me.
“You can’t do this!” I exclaimed, not bothering to correct him. “Once the Sovereign finds out—”
“Oh, shewon’tbe finding out,” Gra’multh interrupted me. “You see, the auction you’re being sold at is a black-market affair—every single pet being sold is rare, exotic, banned or prohibited in some way. And every buyer there knows it is in their best interest to keep their purchases quiet.” He cocked his head to one side, his full-black eyes filled with malice. “Why, it wouldn’t surprise me a bit if your new owner didn’t cut out your tongue or inject you with a voice paralytic to make certain of your silence. We can’t have word of the Sovereign’s favorite pet being sold at the Under Road Auction, nowcanwe?”
“You…you bastard!” I exclaimed. I reached for the heavy collar around my throat, looking for a way to take it off, but it was one seamless piece and I couldn’t find any opening or crack in the metal.
“Forget it, girly—there’s no way you’re getting the inhibitor off,” Shadrack growled from behind me. “It’s perma-welded on. So you can kiss Your Mental Abilities goodbye.”
“Enjoy your new servitude,” Gra’multh’s giant head said, smirking down at me from the viewing wall. “And don’t think that your old Master will come and rescue you, either,” he added. “The location of the Under Road Auction changes every time it’s held and it’s always kept strictly secret. Barinthian willneverfind you—even if you’re right under his nose!”
He threw back his head and laughed—an ugly, evil sound that made my stomach knot into a slick fist. And then the viewing wall went blank as the giant head at last disappeared.
“All right,” Shadrack said to me. “Now that’s over, it’s time to go get ready for the auction, girly.”
I wanted to protest or resist, but I knew it wouldn’t do me any good. My fate was sealed—I was going to be sold to some stranger right here on Korrigon Four and Sir would never even know about it.
FIFTY-EIGHT
ELLI
Iwas herded into a room with a lot of other women, who were nude, like I was. Some of them seemed upset and disorientated but others were clearly used to being pets. All of them had collars and leashes and tails, though no one else had a white tail, like I did. Also, none of them were human, so at least Shadrack hadn’t been using his new wormhole tunnel to get other women from Earth.Not yet, anyway,I thought sourly.Just give him time…
The other women were all alien species, though most were at least vaguely humanoid—or at any rate, they were all bipedal. I saw them glancing at me with suspicion and uncertainty. I guessed I must look pretty strange to them, especially if they’d never seen anyone from Earth before.