EXTRACT FOR
Payment 2
(Fiaine Cluiun)

One



Penny Charter gritted her teeth as her body contorted in ever present agony. She felt like she had been beaten and battered, her flesh marred with bruises, and with good reason. It was true. Each muscle was stiff and sore from the complicated positions she was held in against her will at the hands of Mark Bently. Even in her pain filled state, flashbacks of his disdainful expression twisted through her mind. He was exacting misguided revenge on Penny for some unknown offense from many years ago; a moment merely brushed away by Penny as inconsequential and insignificant, but to Mark it seemed like an unforgivable offense.

No, it had been more than just his mere presence that had unnerved her. She hadn't trusted him for a second, and each passing day of servitude only reinforced her suspicions. Now she lay alone on something soft but thinly padded, her body well marked from his cruel training sessions. Those heeled pumps she'd been made to wear from the morning of the wedding were now cast aside as if they were never supposed to touch her feet again.

Not her wedding. How could someone like Penny ever be anything more than a slave in Mark's eyes? Even if by some miracle she found a way to repay his debt, there was no chance he would ever let her go. No, that wedding had been between Mark and Lavena Traynor - a woman who still hadn't realized the unfortunate fate that awaited her until it was too late, until the marriage and change in laws left her as helpless in Mark's grasp as Penny herself.

Penny realized that she had been a fool to ever think that her debt would be paid off and she would once again be free of Mark Bently. He was determined to keep her as his slave, no matter what it took. She could never trust him, and knew that if he ever got the chance, he'd do anything in his power to keep her under his control. Penny couldn't ignore the bitter sting of betrayal as she thought back to the day she had been entrapped by Mark Bently. She had been so foolish, thinking that her debt could be cleared, and she would finally be free of him. How wrong she had been! He was relentless in his desire to keep her as his property, watching her every move with a hawk-like gaze.

She sighed heavily, feeling the burden of her circumstance's and situation bearing down on her with an unbearable heaviness on her already exhausted body. Penny had been trapped in a gilded cage and she felt like she was running out of time. But even if she did manage to find a way out, what then? Where would she go? What options did she have left?

She drifted, barely aware if she was awake or asleep, her ability to focus lost to her as the darkness embraced her, holding her fast. She knew what had happened. How she had come to be in Mark's hands, and everything that had happened in the short time, perhaps a month at most, since she'd entered the study that fateful morning in Mark's home. 

The self-same study where she'd met Lavena, in all her cruel glory, but that had been before Mark had turned Lavena into his whimpering, beaten wife, submissive to whatever the man had desired.

Or so the man had assumed.

And she had done nothing to fight his beliefs, if for no other reason than to find a means of surviving her time with the man. No matter how cruel he'd been, all the pain and shame he'd forced her through, she'd clung to the one slender hope that she'd find a means of escaping him.

Except it hadn't worked out the way she'd wanted.

Instead of being safe in her home she was once more a prisoner, though this time Lavena's, not Marks.

Her limbs grew heavy, and she lost track of her thoughts, slipping into a state where time had no meaning. She didn't move, or if she did, she wasn't aware of doing so. Which was perhaps for the best with the pain she'd already endured.

Whatever the world had in store for her, she'd find a way to survive. She'd made it through a month of pain and shame, whatever lay ahead of her now would be easier to deal with. 

Penny awoke to find herself in a strange place, one she knew wasn't the stables she'd grown used to on the estate, nor was it the dungeon where Mark had tormented and trained her. Yet neither was it a place she drew any comfort from. 

She didn't want to open her eyes but shutting out the reality she found herself living, wouldn't change her situation. With a soft moan she opened her eyes and rolled onto her side, reaching out with one hand. She was on a thin mattress on a cold stone-lined cell. She was naked and chained in place. Her hands and feet were manacled, though the chain was loose between her wrists and ankles, and a metal collar had been locked around her neck. 

Under other circumstances how she'd been restrained would have been a shock, a reality she'd have denied, but a month in Mark's hands had changed her expectations on what could and couldn't happen to her. She was, under the letter of the law, property. All because she'd had to take out a loan to keep her car working.

Without the car she couldn't work.

Without work her situation would have deteriorated rapidly.

Then a twist in politics, a chance in how debt was handled, left men and women like herself vulnerable to the rich and powerful. She had been a free woman. But then she had found herself in debt to the powerful Mark, and he had taken her as his personal property. The thought of it made her stomach turn and she swallowed down a rising bile that left a bitter taste in the back of her throat. How could she have ever allowed herself to come to that?

As if I actually had a choice?

She'd had no say in the change of laws and hadn't known it was on the cards until it was already too late. She hadn't been the only one impacted, there'd been others she'd known about but hadn't been aware of exactly how bad it could be until her note had been called in.

Penny shook her head, trying to clear her thoughts of the past month. None of it mattered now, she thought, all that mattered was getting out. She took a deep breath and surveyed the cell. The walls were made of stone and there were no windows or doors that she could see. But there was a grate in the floor that seemed to lead somewhere else.

She sat up with care and examined the manacles around her wrists and ankles, but there didn't seem to be any way for her to unlock them. She was stuck in this place until someone came to free her.

But if no one did come, what would become of her?

She began to look around for anything that might help her unlock the manacles keeping her chained to the floor - a sharp object or something with which she could pick the locks. But after several minutes of searching, she realized it was pointless. There was nothing with which she could break free from her shackles.

Penny shifted position onto her side and tried to find a means of resting without hurting. Ignoring the bruises and welts was an impossible task, yet it didn't prevent her from trying.

Penny lay on the mattress, completely nude and still wearing the manacles. She was uncomfortable, yet she'd come to find a certain sense of peace in her captivity. It was as if she had no control over her own life, so why bother struggling? 

At least she no longer wore the high heeled shoes that had caused her such discomfort. They were gone. In their place was a mattress that was better than the stone floor of the stables which had been all she'd had to sleep on, with a scant covering of straw and two thin blankets. 

The mattress was clean, from what she'd been able to make out and the blankets were softer, appeared new and were threadbare the way the others had been. Penny realized just how fortunate she'd been when Lavena's father had agreed to take her away from the estate, but that didn't mean she was grateful to still be a slave. 

Penny sighed heavily as her thoughts inevitably turned back to her current situation. How long would it take before someone came for her? What would become of her once freed from this prison? 

No, she couldn't allow her fears to consume her. If she focused on what was happening now instead of giving in, then she'd have a better chance of surviving the change in situation. After all, if she could cope with what Mark put her through, whatever Lavena had in mind would be easy. After all, what could a woman do to her that could be worse than her previous experiences?

Penny tried to take stock of her situation and not allow the growing knots in her stomach or the creeping fears and anxiety weaving patterns across her skin to overwhelm her. She was a prisoner, yes, but she had faced worse ordeals than this. No matter what happened, she would remain strong and find a way out of whatever Lavena had planned for her.

She tried to move in the chains and found that they hindered her movement, making it impossible for her to go far. Of course they've been used to prevent me from moving freely, why else would they be used?

She shook off the unwanted response and began to mull through other ways she could escape; maybe if she could break through the small grate in the floor or find a way out through the wall. But these plans seemed almost impossible with the manacles on her wrists and ankles preventing any sort of movement. Even if the grate had been large enough, which it wasn't, she had no means of lifting it, nor anything to use that might help her dig through the wall.

Had she had the tools, she didn't know the layout of her new location and any attempt at escape would only make matters worse. 

Now, whatever else was awaiting her, she needed to remain strong until help arrived; without strength, this situation could only end in despair; with strength came hope - hope that one day freedom would come again.

It had to, or she'd give into the darkness lingering in the back of her mind. Surrender to it the same way Mark had wanted her to surrender to him. Utterly, without reservation. 

But now Mark was gone, and she was here. In this dark, dank cell. There was no way out. No escape. She was a prisoner. No, worse than a prisoner. They had rights protected under the law.

She was a slave.

Helpless, naked, bruised, beaten, and used to the point of exhaustion.

Property with neither rights nor hope. Would being with Lavena be any better? She doubted it, women could be cruel, she'd grown up learning that one firsthand. The richer the woman, or the more beautiful, the harsher she was to those she saw beneath them.

At least from her experience.

Perhaps there were those who had both wealth and beauty who didn't act like that, but she'd yet to meet them.

She closed her eyes and listened. Nothing at first beyond the beat of her heart, then other things seeped into her awareness. The only true source of sound came from the faint drip of water from the ceiling. She didn't know where the leak was coming from, but someplace in one far corner she could hear it strike the stone floor. It was a lonely, desolate sound.

A light shone down from above as it flickered into life, piercing the dim surroundings as she opened her eyes. Penny glanced around, finding the door she'd been aware of but hadn't been able to reach and could make out a figure standing in the entrance. It was a woman in blue and gray scrubs, trim built with close cropped hair. The woman stepped into the cell, a tray in her hands. She set the tray on the floor and silently studied Penny. Her features expressionless.

"You are to stay on the mattress unless told otherwise when someone enters the cell," she said. Her voice cold and indifferent. "When you're well enough, you'll kneel on the mattress, but for now you are safe to remain as you are."

"Yes, ma'am." Penny whispered, unable to hide the fear in her voice. She didn't know if she was supposed to use titles, the way Mark had instructed her, but it was better to err on the side of caution than to risk angering the newcomer.

"Once you've eaten, I'll return girl. Don't rush the food and sip the water. You've been underfed and you're dehydrated after everything you've been through. I'll check you over when I return. But be aware, just because you don't see anyone else, it doesn't mean you aren't being watched." Her voice offered no mercy.

"Yes, ma'am. Thank you." Of course she was being watched. Mark had done the same thing.

Why hadn't she looked for cameras?

Not that it mattered. She might not have been able to see them, and she had to assume there would always be at least one set of eyes on her even if she couldn't see them.

The woman nodded and stepped out of the cell, leaving Penny there alone in the small room. She blinked, feeling tears start to well up in her eyes. She was a slave. There was no way out of this, nothing but obedience and survival. 

Still, she'd managed before, and would do so again. They wouldn't break her the way Mark had tried. He'd failed. She'd clung onto some shred of herself, and she was already being treated far better than she had in his hands. Which offered a shred of hope.

Something she could cling to and use, a means of growing her strength despite everything she might yet face.

Penny lifted the tray and inspected the contents. A thick sludge made up of something like oatmeal, a cup of water, and a small bowl with something that looked to be vegetables.

She took a spoon from the tray and cautiously began to eat in small bites. The food wasn't tasteless, but neither was it anything to write home about. Still, she knew it would help her strength return so she kept on eating until the bowl was empty. Besides, she'd gone without anything more than a few small bites a couple of times a day, and that had been bland. Rice and chicken for the most part. Sometimes a little fruit. So she'd learned to accept whatever she'd been given.

When she finished, Penny drank her water in a series of small sips, taking care not to rush things. She felt as though her entire body had been parched for days and the relief was immediate, but she knew, even without the woman's instructions, that gulping down the water or rushing her food, would only have her heaving and losing everything she'd consumed.

She waited until the woman in blue scrubs reappeared at the entrance to her cell before speaking again. "Is it possible ? can I get clean clothes?" If there was a chance, however slim, she might be given something to wear, then she had to try. Anything, even a slip or a scrap of cloth, would be an improvement on her current situation. He'd kept her nude but for heels, making her situation clear to all around her.

But there'd been no collar, not like the one she'd woken to find locked around her neck.

"No, girl. That was a foolish request. You're a slave. Unless the Lady Lavena or her father decides you've earned such privileges, then you'll remain as you are." The woman's voice was cold and detached as she said this, leaving Penny with no illusion as to where she stood.

Penny nodded; she hadn't truly expected anything else. She wasn't sure how long she'd been in here, but it felt like an eternity though she knew better, and the thought of days stretching out with no hope of escape was almost too much for her bear. She tried to keep herself focused on one day at a time, doing whatever needed to make that day bearable until tomorrow came and she could try again. 

For now, that was enough; she could manage this so long as it didn't become permanent.

But what if it did?

"On your belly, girl. I need to check your back first. And move, I've enough to do without spending too much time down here."

Penny struggled to obey but managed it. Moving wasn't comfortable but it had been some time since she'd been touched without the desire to cause her pain and the change was welcome. She felt the woman's hands on her back, smoothing over her skin, checking for any injuries or marks. The woman's touch was surprisingly gentle, but it didn't do much to ease Penny's nerves. She felt exposed, vulnerable, and at the mercy of this woman.

Each stroke down her spine or across her buttocks triggered a shimmer of heat beneath her skin. This was Mark's doing, she understood that. He'd trained her reactions and who knew how long it would take before she would return to the woman she'd been?

The bruises and welts hurt, there was no doubting what the woman was doing wasn't designed to cause pain but it didn't prevent Penny from hurting regardless of intent. She took a deep breath and tried to relax, to accept the way the woman checked her over, but she flinched, and her breath hitched as she struggled to remain still.

As the woman's hands moved lower, to her buttocks and the back of her thighs, Penny felt something stir within her. It was a feeling she hadn't experienced in a long time - arousal. She tried to push it down, to ignore it, but it only seemed to grow stronger with each passing second. It didn't make sense, she didn't know the woman, not even her name, yet her body warmed, and a liquid heat built between her thighs.

The woman's hands lingered, and Penny wondered if she was imagining things. Was there something she'd spotted that she was taking a closer look at? 

"You have a lovely body, girl. It's a shame you're wasting it here."

Wasting it? It wasn't my choice to be here.

Penny's heart raced, and she felt a flush spread across her face. Was the woman propositioning her? Or was she just toying with her? Maybe this was a test, to see if she'd offer herself?

She didn't respond, didn't dare, knowing the danger. She didn't belong to the woman, and barely acknowledged she now belonged to Lavena or Stuart. That had been the name of Lavena's father, hadn't it?

The woman traced one finger up along Penny's spine from the base of her spine to her neck and leaned in close, her breath hot on Penny's ear. "Maybe one day, if you're good, I'll let you feel something other than my hands on your skin." She traced the edge of Penny's ear with the tip of my tongue. "Perhaps something like this, but elsewhere? Would you like that, whore?"

She wanted to remain silent but knew better. "Yes, Ma'am." It wasn't pain, she'd welcome a gentle touch, but would that be all the woman would offer her? 

Penny didn't dare allow herself a chance at hope. Not with everything she'd been through. They were all tricky... no, that was too mild. They were evil.

Cruel.

They wanted what her body could give them, without regard to what she might desire in return.

With that, she pulled away, leaving Penny trembling and confused. She didn't know what to make of this woman or her words, but she couldn't deny the thrill she felt at the possibility of something more.

"On your back, slut."

Despite her fears, she forced herself to remain calm as she rolled, carefully, onto her tender back. The chains between her wrists and ankles clinked and rattled. She could feel the stranger close to the mattress but took care not to look directly at her. Whatever was going on here she had to be aware of anything she said or did. No matter how she acted, or responded, it might be used against her.

"Legs apart." 

She hesitated, knowing how exposed and vulnerable she now was. Her stomach twisted in fear as she slowly complied, spreading her legs apart until her sex was open and inviting beneath her gaze. Her vulva clenched and despite her pain, the shame of how she was being observed, a trickle of heat threatened to coat her swollen labia as her clit throbbed eager for a touch she doubted would ever come.

The woman stood over her, inspecting every inch of Penny's skin with an appraising eye before Penny risked speaking again. "Are you a doctor, ma'am?" Maybe if she talked to the woman then there'd be no more of the disturbing touches?

"No, I'm a nurse. They wouldn't waste a doctor on you unless there was an actual need, and though you're battered and bruised, you will recover with the right level of care. That's one of the reasons I'm here." 

"Alright." Penny's heart sank as she heard the woman's words. She hadn't wanted to admit it, but she had been hoping that maybe, just maybe, the woman was a doctor of some kind. That would explain why she was here. But this nurse-like figure wasn't here to help her. She was here for something else entirely - and Penny feared it wasn't going to be pleasant.

A moment passed before the woman spoke again, this time gentler than before. "Relax," she said softly yet firmly. "Nothing bad is going to happen."

Penny released a breath that she hadn't even known she had been holding and forced herself to relax on the bed, though every muscle in her body remained rigid with tension and fear as the nurse continued with whatever it was that she had planned for Penny next.