Chapter 13

She felt the plane set down on the runway and became fully awake when a man told her to come with him. They deplaned and with blindfold still in place she was again put into the back seat of a limo and driven for over an hour. The sounds of the airport and city soon faded and Sasha realized she was being driven into a remote area, much as with the home of Evita and Andre. The limo pulled onto a long gravel drive and finally came to a stop and the engine died. Sasha thought she heard ocean waves breaking on shore some distance away.

“Out!” was the command. Sasha complied even though it was awkward with both chains and blindfold.

She was hustled inside not yet knowing she was entering a goodly sized villa in the remote mountains of California.

She heard the man’s voice again. “Delivered as per the contract.”

A female voice. “Yes, I’ll take delivery for the owner.”

There was the scratching of a pen on paper and she heard the man exit.

She sensed the woman move behind her and a moment later the blindfold came off as did the chains.

The woman was older, in her sixties, Sasha would guess. Sasha was surprised by the woman’s face. There was no look of disdain, no sneer of superiority, no sadistic smirk. Instead she detected what she thought was a hint of human empathy as the woman rubbed her wrists to restore circulation and applied a lotion to ease the chaffing from the chains.

“I’m Helen. I oversee the villa and household. Your new owner will arrive shortly. I’m sure you have a thousand questions which I will be glad to answer, but I’m afraid you will need to get on your hands and knees. You will find this master quite different from your previous masters, but you are a pet and must never forget that.”

Sasha slid onto all fours, her hopes dashed that this really might be a different life.

“Your new owner is of course your master, but when he is not here you obey me. I am not here to make your life miserable, only to see that you obey and fulfill your role of pet. I do not enjoy using it, but I will administer the whip if necessary.”

There was the sound of a door closing and steps across a tile floor. “Ah, your master has arrived. We will talk more later. Be a good pet ... I think they said your name was Sasha. Your new master will no doubt give you another. Be a good pet, Sasha, obey and life here will be so much better than you have had before.”

The door opened, Sasha looked up to meet her new master and her mouth dropped open.

“Sasha,” said Helen, “meet your new master...”

“Roger!” exclaimed Sasha, forgetting for a split second that per’s were not allowed to speak unless commanded. Her long ago classmate smiled and walked to her.

“Please stand, Maria. Let’s talk. Thank you, Helen.””

The older woman smiled and left.

“But ... but ... how? ... why?...”

“I have known of Evita and Andre’s treatment of their pets for some time. Actually, when your son ... and yes, I had a background check done, when your son put you up for sale, I didn’t hear of it until you had already been purchased. I tried to buy you form Evita and Andre but they would not sell you. Then a few days ago I heard that you were going to be auctioned and I had my chance.”

“So you were the American?”

“Yes, actually I was prepared to bid as much as necessary.” He smiled. “But I got you for quite a bargain.”

“But why me? There were other women, younger, more beautiful.”

“And we come to the why. I wasn’t interested in the other women, only you. I already have two pets here at the villa. Another would be enjoyable but not really necessary.”

“Then why... ?”

“Call it caring about a former classmate, call it wanting a bit of revenge on the girl who rebuffed me.” Sasha cringed. Since their talk earlier, she had come to realize she felt real guilt for deserting him when he needed her. “Call it what you will, I did not want you to continue the life of a pet with someone who would treat you as did Evita and Andre. No one deserves that.”

“So I belong to you now.” she said quietly, fearful his revenge would become physical.

“Maria, I may harbor some resentment for what happened a long time ago, but I am not that kind of master.”

“And what kind of master are you?” she asked.

“A conflicted one. I have feelings for you as a classmate and resentment for you for your betrayal. But I am a master, not a monster.”

“You rescued me.”

“Oh, make no mistake, Maria. I BOUGHT you. You belong to me, just as my other two pets are mine as well. But because of what we went through in high school I feel a connection with you, and for that reason I am going to do something I’ve never done before.”