Chapter 20 : Auctioned

George arrived eagerly in response to Erica's summons, but he was dismayed once he had been stripped and told to put on his rubber mask and ball gag by Deanna, to discover that there were half a dozen other slaves similarly masked, similarly naked, similarly gagged in the room he was shown into. He never really enjoyed sharing his experiences with other slaves. Even masked there was something too revelatory about the exercise for George's sense of embarrassment.

When Deanna herded the group of them through into a small room, crowding them all together, he felt distinctly uncomfortable. The door of the room was shut, plunging them all into darkness. The group stood there silent, uncertain what was happening, for perhaps a quarter of an hour. When the door opened once again, they were confronted by Rebecca, Darla and Deanna in full fetish regalia. Even Rebecca was there in a short flared skirt and a tight black sweater, very much part of the party.

As one the group of slaves dropped to their knees and bowed their heads. From where George knelt he was lucky enough to have an uninterrupted view of the three women's feet and the sight of the dagger sharp heels and the shining leather were more than enough to take George's mind off anything else. His luxurious contemplations were interrupted by two things; the cramping discomfort as his cock stiffened and swelled against its cage and then the sound of Erica's voice.

"Excellent," Erica announced. "Now listen to me." She barely needed to give the group that instruction; they all waited with rapt attention. "You are here because you are my most devoted slaves and you will be the most affected by what I have to say. The facilities here will be closed for the summer. Mistress Deanna, Mistress Darla and myself feel we have earned ourselves a holiday so you will not be required here for the next eight weeks."

The assembled slaves said nothing but George could sense in all the others the dismay that he felt at the idea of having no contact with Erica or the others for so long. For his own part he wasn't sure how he would cope without the prospect that the phone would ring and that there would be Erica's voice, or one of the others, summoning him. And that was without even thinking about what would happen with his cock cage.

"Now, I am quite aware that none of you can be trusted for that length of time. I dread to think of the trouble that we would have getting you all back in order after such a time. So we have decided that you will each be looked after while we are away. Mistress Darla will explain."

With that Erica turned on her heel and left the room. Seven pairs of masked eyes swivelled surreptitiously watching her disappear, each lost in their own desperation at whatever it was that they would not be experiencing during the Mistress's holiday.

Darla interrupted their thought with the crack of her cane on the frame of the door if the room the slaves were in. "Right, all of you, listen," she snapped. "We have invited a group of our friends that have expressed an interesting looking after one or more of you. Some of you are more attractive propositions than others because of your natural abilities or training so the only fair way is for each of you to be auctioned. Rebecca will make sure you are marked up with your lot number. Mistress Deanna will bring you in and I'll be running the auction. After all we want to make sure we've got enough to have fun with while we're away, don't we?"

Seven gagged mouths mumbled what could have been "Yes Mistress." as Darla left to follow Erica.

In the sitting room Erica was already entertaining her guests. They made a curious bunch. Erica herself was in a three piece tweed suit with loose, 30's style trousers and the others were dressed in outfits ranging from classic dominatrix style corset and boots, through to Allison in a rather ordinary skirt and sweater. The group was socialising in a manner that while friendly could not disguise the anticipation of the coming competition for the services of Erica's slaves. All of them were wearing masks of one type or another.

Ruth was happily contemplating a large gin and tonic while Allison sat rather diffidently, not really comfortable with finding herself part of the group. Although the others were all busily exchanging their ideas of just what they were going to do when they took possession of one or other of the lots on offer, Allison kept quiet, nodding and smiling as the conversation demanded but not really feeling able to join in.

"This is an excellent idea, Erica dear," Ruth congratulated. "It will do some of your 'students' good to feel another woman's control. I'm sure I speak for most of us when I say you'll find them no worse for our attentions when you get back from your break."

"I'm sure you'll take great care to see they are well looked after," Erica said, bringing a laugh from most of the others.

"And do you have that funny little man I had for the County Ball?" Ruth asked. "I might well be interested in bidding for him."

Allison looked up. She was worried. After their last encounter, she had decided that George was going to be the one to serve her. She was aiming to secure George's services in the auction but if Ruth was planning to bid it could all get a bit too expensive.

Erica took her seat beside a small platform at the front of the room. "Ladies," she said. "Let's begin." As the others took their seats, she took her walking cane and tapped it smartly on the floor before pulling a whistle from her waistcoat pocket and giving a sharp peep to start the proceedings.