“What, pet?”
“Wash my face for me, please?”
He did that for her and promised her a bath when the tonic did its work. Then he read her a lovely funny story and she fell asleep.
* * *
In the tub, she waslike a human doll. He washed her and rinsed her off, then carried her back to bed. He’d never done anything remotely like it for any other pet. The female house manager, Duckworth, attended a girl after a rough night of harsh punishments. A physician came too to apply ointments to sore or abraded areas. All the pets were very well cared for, but not by him personally.
In this place at the outer reaches of the world, there was no one to take care of his precious girl except him. He wasn’t sorry about that. He liked being alone with her and having her depend on him.
She was so beautiful. She’d submitted so completely. The rush and satisfaction of having her that way washed over him every time he thought about it.
She asked for a few things over the course of the day. Feed me something. Read something else. Brush my hair.
Anything she asked for, he gave her, along with things she didn’t, like nutrient lotion rubbed carefully over her skin. And ointments on her pussy and inside her in both places he’d used. She protested weakly, which he ignored. It had given him a hard-on to touch her and remember the reason he had to be so careful with her.
In the shower, while picturing her face, he stroked himself to fantasies of another night like the last.
* * *
Brande sat on the couchthe next day and ate bits of bread, fruit, and salted meat. She felt flushed and still a little sore, but almost ready to travel.
“I can be ready to go in the morning,” she said.
He looked at her over the top of his mug. “We can stay longer.”
She shook her head. Before he’d arrived, she’d been bored for a long time, uncertain what to do with herself. She’d been afraid to return to civilization for fear of being caught by anyone from the palace who might be hunting her. It had been a relief to see Evston.
“You want to go back?”
“Yes,” she said. She swallowed. Her throat still felt strange.
“Why?”
“I’m tired of it here.”
“Because I’m here?”
“No, of course not.”
He set the mug down and strode over. He ran a hand through his hair. It was short, so his fingers caught in the curls.
He sat on the low table in front of the couch. “Will you give me a few more days?”
A few more days together? Wouldn’t they be together at his castle?“I don’t understand. Am I not coming home with you?”
“Yes, of course. Where else?” His vibrant blue eyes were so lovely and almost earnest at the moment.
Understanding dawned. “You want me where no one’s around, so I can be your pet.”
“Yes,” he said. “The play won’t be as rough as two nights ago. That night involved a lot of harsher punishments intended to address your recent bad behavior.”
“Evston,” she said softly, shrugging her shoulders. She had never felt so exhausted and sore in her life as she had waking up the morning after the night as his thoroughly punished plaything. And she hadn’t even really felt like herself. She had just been the object he disciplined and played with, completely restrained and controlled. She couldn’t deny that it had led to some very intense pleasure, but to do that again so soon?
He rested his forearms on his thighs and clasped his hands, looking at them. He nodded. “You went to the Submissive Assessment Center; you saw a little of what the life could entail and still came here with me the first time...” He trailed off, then when she didn’t speak, he finally said, “It’s a lot for you to accept, but a part of you enjoys and needs to be brought under my control.”
“Ev,” she began, shaking her head. “One night was plenty. I learned my lesson.”
