Time's Prey
by Bayta Amber
Smashwords Edition
Copyright 2012 Bayta Amber
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Chapter One
Amber sat at the coffee shop, skimming the news on the Internet. Her skinny vanilla latte cooled next to her as she looked over the screen. While the headlines changed, the news never did seem to. Earthquakes, taxes, celebrity scandal, missing women, tornadoes. It was all the same. She sighed and sipped at her coffee, absentmindedly twirling a lock of blonde hair. Her exquisitely manicured nails tugged at a small knot of hair, then shook it loose.
“You'd think that all the work I put into myself would have paid off by now,” she thought. “Every day at the gym, mani-pedi, hair color and style. Still can't find a decent guy.”
She looked around at the mouthbreathers in the coffee shop. As she turned away in disgust from the regulars, something caught her eye.
It wasn't something, it was someone. Damn, was it ever someone. Almost like he appeared out of thin air, Amber's dream man was sitting at the table by the door. Chiseled and handsome, with dark hair and blue eyes, Amber couldn't stop staring. DreamMan blinked once and flashed a stunning smile at her.
“Oh, God. God. Shit. I'm totally staring at the hottie,” Amber, blushing, tried to look away, focus on her computer screen, drink her coffee. Anything but stare at the guy the universe just put in her line of sight. She was such a loser! Reacting like a schoolgirl to this man. He probably had a girlfriend. A wife. A boyfriend?
A quiet clearing of the throat made her look up. And turn scarlet. DreamMan was right there, right next to her.
“May I buy you a coffee?”
Amber was stunned. Her full latte sat next to her as she nodded, barely able to squeak out a “yes, latte, thanks.”
She watched DreamMan order and pay for the drink. While he waited for the barista to finish, she tried to compose herself. This is what she'd been waiting for. A nice guy, buy her a drink, go out on some dates. She closed her computer, tucking it away into her messenger bag. She winced as she heard the clank of her car keys hit the computer case. She always did that, slamming the computer in too hard.
DreamMan's hand appeared at her side, steaming coffee for her to take. She made a face as she took the first sip. Had the milk gone bad? She'd have to ask for a new cup.
Chase's eyes widened as the young woman drank from the coffee cup without a second thought. Could it really be that easy? Could the stories the other Hunters brought back be true? The women were as easy to find as apples on a tree, and just as easy to pick. He liked this one. She was like the pictures of women the Hunters trained with. Blonde, pretty. Perky, full breasts. This one was wearing pants, not a dress, but that would be changed quickly when they returned to Chase's time.
Amber swayed slightly as she put the coffee cup down and tried to stand up. Chase took her arm, gently as he was trained to do, guiding her towards the door. Amber weakly attempted to say something, slinging her bag over her shoulder. Chase made a soft, reassuring sound as they turned the corner. Amber leaned into him, the scent of her perfume nearly driving him over the edge. So close now, he wasn't going to lose control. He'd be the laughing stock of Gamma House, losing a woman in his arms before bringing her home.
A quick glance over his shoulder reassured him no one was watching. An arm around the prey, a tap on his ring, and the familiar darkness surrounded him.
Chapter Two
Amber felt like hell. Her head was fuzzy, her mouth was dry. Oh, shit, what did she do last night? She tried to remember, but everything seemed wrong. It wasn't until she tried to roll over that she realized she was bound, ankles and wrists. She wanted to scream, but she couldn't get a sound out. As she began to struggle, strong hands quickly held her fast.
“Don't struggle, it'll make the transition harder,” said the deep voice. “Just relax.”
Relax? Fuck relax. She was tied, God-knows-where, with some strange man. Man? Oh, crap, it was the hottie from the coffee shop. She'd been drugged and kidnapped. She writhed and tried again to scream.
“It's the drug, plus the effects of the Tunnel,” the deep voice said. “Your voice will come back very soon. But scream all you want, it won't change what you are now. You are mine.”
Amber looked at him in fear. The suave man from the coffee shop looked incredibly fierce, his eyes blazing with heat.
“I claim this female,” he shouted. “The Hunter returns with his prey!”
To Amber's growing horror, five men walked into the room.
“You have done well, Chase,” said one of the men. “She is young and strong. She is claimed by the Hunter. Do any object?”
Only Amber's muffled sobs could be heard in the pause.
“The prey is claimed.”
With that pronouncement, the five men stepped back. Chase leaned over Amber, the same blaze in his eyes. He lifted her up, still bound, and pushed her against the wall.
“What are you named, woman?”
With a shuddered whisper, Amber told her captor her name.
“It is a good name. You, called Amber, are mine.”
And with that statement, Chase tore her shirt and pants from her, leaving them in tatters over her matching bra and panties. He gulped for air. He'd been with women in training, soft and tender under his hands. But he couldn't have imagined it would feel like this, his manhood stirring at the sight of the girl he now owned. His prey, weeping in his arms. He tore the bra from her next, his hands rough at the soft flesh of her breasts, his mouth hungrily working at her erect nipples.
Amber, having found her voice, screamed for help she knew in her heart would not come. The men were in this together. They were watching, for God's sake. They weren't there to help her. Then she cried out in equal parts shame and desire as Chase's mouth reached her breasts. He was handsome, and he desired her. And her body responded accordingly, arching up to meet him, pressing up into him.
Chase reacted even more strongly, tearing the last bits of clothing from her, stripping her naked. His mouth never leaving her aching nipple, his free hand reached between her thighs, sliding on the thick wetness at her core. They gasped as one. Chase, barely remembering his training, felt grateful he found a ready one, not a frigid girl he'd been warned he might find. A wet, eager woman was easily tamed, he remembered somewhere in the back of his mind.
Chase threw Amber back on the bed, her bound arms beneath her. In one motion, he freed her ankles, spread them wide and again coated his fingers with the wetness he found. Amber's hips rose to meet his touch, even as she hid her face in shame.
“You are mine,” Chase declared as he pushed inside her, repeating the sentence with each thrust. “You are mine. You are mine....”
Amber sobbed as she reached her climax with Chase: “I am yours.”
Chapter Three
The ritual claiming over, Chase panted as the Elders left the room. He looked down at his prey, soft and warm beneath him. She still cried, struggling to free herself from under his weight. He laughed at her as he shifted his body to pin her down more securely.
“Wiggle all you want, woman of mine,” he taunted, his success at capturing her and claiming her making him feel twice the man he did just that morning. He was no longer a Hunter-in-Training. He was a Man, a Hunter. This small, pliant creature was his, and his alone. He looked down at her bound, naked body, slick with sweat in the low light. She was beautiful. A perfect specimen. He'd enjoy owning her.
Some of the Hunters would go on raiding parties, bringing home ugly or untameable women. They'd be forced into hard labor, in the kitchens or fields. If they weren't too malformed, they'd head to the breeding program. Scientists didn't know why girl children were never born. No matter what time period or geographical place the women came from, they only bore male children once they were brought forward in time. So, even though the raiding parties increased, there were never enough women to truly go around. Amber was Chase's first real woman, though his training as a Hunter was complete.
Amber's sobs had quieted to low whimpers. Chase shifted against her small frame again. He wiped the tears from her face as he whispered softly to her. The training had told him that this was the crucial time. When she was on the verge of being completely broken, break her gently. At first.
“Amber, I have claimed you as mine,” he whispered, stroking her cheek softly. “I traveled through time to find you. You were my prey, and now you are mine. I will protect you and I will never allow true harm to come to you.”
His hand traced the line of her jaw, caressing her throat. She quieted slowly, no longer struggling, her eyes locked into his.
“I will teach you the ways of our time. I will teach you the rules of your new position as Hunter's prey.”
She nodded, transfixed in his gaze, his hand soft on her shoulder.
“I will treasure you and keep you, as my prized possession.”
His hand cupped her breast gently, his thumb grazing her nipple. Amber moaned softly, arching her back to him once more, unable to contain her longing.
“Other men will covet you and desire you. But I will fight to keep you and protect you.”
His hand moved down her belly, delving into her hot, sweet center. Though her body bucked up towards him, he held himself still against her.
“But know this, your absolute obedience is required.”
His finger found the sensitive nub between tender folds of skin. He lightly traced his fingertips against her. Her body shook at the sensation.
“You will follow orders, you will follow commands. You will obey swiftly and eagerly.”
His light touch continued, his fingers wet again from the need building inside his willing prey.
“And if you should not obey swiftly, correctly, immediately, you will be punished.”
With those words, he brought her to the edge of her climax.
“And I will deliver the punishment as I see fit.”
He slid his fingers into her core. Her scream this time was not of pain or of fear. It was in waves of pure pleasure crashing through him into her. Chase struggled to keep his own body in check. He needed to finish this properly. Missing a step now would be unthinkable.
“My punishments will not always be fair.”
He bit down firmly on her nipple. Amber cried out, her pleas unintelligible, but heavy with desire.
“They will not always be just.”
He savagely flipped her over with one hand, leaving her face down on her knees, her wrists still bound behind her. She pushed her hips back against him, doing his work for him, thrusting his fingers deeper inside her. He smiled with triumph. This one was wet, willing and utterly ready to be tamed for once and for all. She whimpered softly as he removed his hand from inside her, his free hand grasping a full fist of hair. The small whip lay on the table next to the bed. He shook it out, the soft leather strips falling smoothly into place. The training whip was not intended to cut the girl's skin. No damage like that was necessary. Just a small push in the right direction was all he needed.
With a practiced hand, the whip stung against her buttocks. Amber cried out, lost between what was pleasure and what was pain. Again, the whip came down on her, Chase's other hand still wrapped in her hair. Practically in the same motion, he once more thrust his fingers inside her, removing them only to bring the whip against her delicate skin, over and over until he could take no more.
Chase's voice was husky with his own desire:
“But the punishments will be complete.”
He threw the whip to the floor, entering her with a ferocity he didn't know he had. Her screams turned into low, guttural sounds of need. His moans quickly matched hers as he took her like the animal she'd become. The first step to taming her was complete. His hands wrapped around her hair as he exploded inside her willing flesh.
The last thing Amber heard before she slipped into exhaustion was one word.
“Mine.”
Chapter Four
Amber's dreams were feverish. Somehow, her brain was trying to tell her she'd been kidnapped, brought through time, and made to serve as some sort of sex toy for a really hot guy she met at the coffee shop. None of that could possibly be real. She'd had too much to drink, or bad sushi. Problem was, she didn't remember going out for either drinks or sushi recently.
She slowly awoke, her eyes adjusting to the yellowish light in the room. With a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach, she realized that her dreams were not crazy, but that she was, indeed, not at home or anywhere else she recognized. She stretched experimentally. No, no longer bound, she could move her arms and legs just fine. Covered in only a sheer but deceptively warm bedsheet, it seemed no one had bothered to bring her any clothing, though.
“Ah, you're awake,” came the now-familiar voice. Chase came around the bed. His face was not unfriendly, but she didn't understand the look he gave her. “I am sure you have many questions. But there are things that must happen first. The doctor will be here momentarily.”
“Doctor? But I'm not sick,” she protested, sitting up, wrapping the sheet around her.
Chase tore the sheet away, exposing her to him. Amber suddenly understood the look in his eyes. She had seen men look at cars that way. She was being appraised, not as a woman, but as a possession. She looked anywhere but in his eyes, unable to meet that unflinching stare.
“You will do as you're told, woman-of-mine,” he said. “I know you don't fully comprehend what's happened. And you will be given some time to adjust. But you will do as you are told.”
Amber recalled with a shudder the previous night's events. This was not a man who joked about such things. Her eyes fell on the small whip he had used on her, still sitting in plain view on the table. She could not explain to herself why she felt a combination of fear and excitement from that memory.
A knock, and Chase opened the door to a new person. The doctor, Amber could only guess. He carried a large briefcase. He, too, looked her over in intimate detail, not even pretending to hide it like the men she was used to.
“Well done, young Hunter,” the doctor said. “She's a prize, indeed. Is she responding well?”
“Yes, sir,” Chase replied. “She's confused, of course. I haven't explained much to her yet. But she responds well to touch and climaxes nicely.”
Amber gasped in horror, trying to find a way to hide, to escape. These men talked about her as if she weren't even in the room. The doctor spared an annoyed glance at her and continued his conversation.
“And did she require more than the whip?”
“No, sir.”
“Excellent. Excellent specimen.”
The doctor opened the briefcase and pushed Amber down on the bed. Without a word of explanation or discussion with her, he started his examination. His manner was like that of most doctors, she supposed. Brisk and businesslike. But the complete lack of conversation was unsettling. It was like she was just a thing to these men.
No part of her went unexamined, with no discussion or warning between the flashlight in her eyes to the more intimate inspection.
“She's in very good health,” the doctor proclaimed, changing his gloves. “Now for the inoculations and the markers.”
Chase sighed in relief. He knew he had found a good one, but the doctor needed to certify it.
Three shots went into Amber's arm and thigh. While no more painful than any other vaccination, she could not shake the feeling of being about as important as cattle to this man.
“First, the Suppressor Marker,” said the doctor, holding up a small chip.
Chase nodded, and placed the tip of his left index finger onto the chip. After a short time, the chip gave a cheerful beep. The doctor placed it in a small tube that looked little different from the needles he had used for her shots. He placed it against her left upper forearm and pressed the plunger. Amber gasped with the sudden jolt of pain. While it lasted no more than a second, her skin had felt like it had torn apart.
The doctor studied her arm briefly before nodding to Chase. “And now the Prey ID.”
He held up a new chip, and again Chase pressed one finger to it until it beeped.
“You'll need to hold her hand steady, young Hunter,” the doctor said. “This is where they get tricky.”
“Yes, sir,” Chase replied, holding Amber's left hand open in his. He extended her index finger, holding it firmly but not painfully. “Do you have one, sir?”
The doctor readied the tube. “Prey? Of course I do. I have several. A few for my bed, some for the house. I might have one give me a son.”
Chase was suitably impressed. Of course the doctor would have all the Prey he wanted. He was an important, wealthy man. Chase's next trip might be to get a new one for him, for all he knew.
Amber readied herself for the pain. Prepared for it this time, she only whimpered softly as the implant burrowed under her skin.
“Hmm. Not a bad specimen at all, young Hunter,” the doctor said. “Will you collar her?”
“I will, sir,” Chase replied. “I know some of the guys think it's old-fashioned, now that we don't need to ID them that way. But the House leaders always said the women respond better with a real reminder.”
The doctor nodded. “Mine are all collared. They love it. When I considered uncollaring them when the new chips came out, they begged me to leave them on.” He laughed harshly. “They have such little recourse if they want something. I made them beg and please me in many ways before I reassured them they would not lose their collars. I was never going to take them away, but I made damn sure they worked for it.”
Chase laughed heartily, imagining how a dedicated group of women could make that process very pleasurable.
“Well, I'm done here, young Hunter. Others need to be seen. The House will get my bill.”
“Thank you, sir.”
“And young Hunter? Bed this one, often and with force. If you ever want to sell....”
“No, sir. I'll keep this one for myself.”
The doctor laughed, closing the door behind him. Amber sat, stunned. This could not be happening. This could not be her world. It was all a joke. Overwhelmed, she started to cry. First came slow, silent tears that quickly changed to full sobs. She didn't even try to control it. She'd been drugged, kidnapped, fucked twice, whipped, poked and prodded. All the while, being treated as if she weren't even a person.
Chase straightened the windowless room while Amber cried herself out. She didn't even flinch this time when Chase opened the door. A few quiet words, then the door closed again.
“I know this is difficult,” Chase said softly. “I will explain everything. But first, you need to eat.”
Chase pushed a cart closer to the bed. There was a bowl, a mug and a spoon. He lifted Amber's face to his, pulling her gently to a sitting position. Amber, defeated, didn't realize how hungry she was until she smelled the food.
“It's been at least a day since you've eaten,” Chase said. “We're starting you with something soft and easy.”
Amber reached for the spoon, but Chase quickly took her hand away.
“No,” he said in a firm, but not angry, tone. “You are mine. If you are to eat, it is because I allow it. If you are to drink, it is because I allow it.”
Chase picked up the spoon and stirred the oatmeal. Amber watched, afraid to move or speak. Chase scooped some of the oatmeal onto the spoon and slowly began to feed her. He pet her hair softly inbetween bites, keeping the feeding process gentle. He lifted the mug to her lips, and she drank awkwardly from it.
Finally finished, Chase moved the cart back by the door. Returning to sit on the bed with her, he inspected her once more. To her shame, Amber was starting to not only get used to being looked at so openly, she nearly enjoyed it.
“I will explain where you are and why you are here,” Chase said. “You will get full lessons once you are settled properly. But I will give you a crash course in your new life.”
Chase took a silver circle from the bedside table. Amber shuddered. What new horrors would come from there? He pointed to the floor.
“Kneel.”
Amber, confused, obeyed, kneeling awkwardly on the floor. Chase pulled her arms tight behind her back, binding her wrists once more. Amber shivered, remembering what he did to her the last time she was bound before him.
Standing over her, Chase opened the silver circle with a small click. He placed the collar around Amber's neck and with a press of his finger and another beep, it locked closed.
“This is your collar,” he said. “This marks you as mine. This is proof positive that you are my prey.”
He held up his finger.
“Each of us is embedded with a small chip in our fingers. It gives us computer access as well as proves our identity. You have now been marked three times as mine. Once in your shoulder along with the Suppressor chip. Once in your fingertip. And once, now, on your collar. No man but me can release that collar from you, and you are marked as mine for all to see. Do you understand?”
Amber nodded silently. There was no denying what was happening to her anymore. She was once again bound and naked before this man, and now she was literally marked as his. This both disgusted and thrilled her. She found herself wondering when he would take her again, imagining how his touch would feel.
“You have been brought forward in time,” Chase said. “I know that is hard for you to believe, but it is true. You have already seen technology beyond your time, technology that has already been placed inside your body. In your heart, you know this to be true. I have brought you to my time because I am a Hunter. A Hunter of women. Many years ago, a brutal war wiped out millions of people. Women were the hardest hit, with very few surviving the war. To keep humanity alive, we tried to breed those remaining women. Only male children were born. Finally, just when all hope seemed lost, a brilliant scientist discovered the key to time travel. Women from every time have been brought here, to help save humanity. But no matter what, girl children are never born. Even genetic manipulation failed.”
Chase paused, but getting no reaction from Amber, continued.
“So, we Hunters go to different places, different times, and take women to bring them here. To make them ours. And make no mistake, you are ours. We have complete control, from when you are allowed to breed,” he touched the Suppressor chip on her shoulder. “To what information you are allowed,” he touched the ID chip in her finger. “To when you eat and sleep and bathe.”
Amber shuddered at the enormity of it all. It was true. She hadn't even been allowed to feed herself.
“I have brought you here to serve my pleasure. In the coming weeks, you will be trained on how exactly you will be expected to serve me and mine. But for now, know that your body is here for my amusement. If it pleases me to touch you, I will. If it pleases me to bind you to the bed, I will. If it pleases me to show you off to another, you will perform perfectly for me.”
The certainty in Chase's voice brooked no argument. How could she? If he was telling the truth – and there was no reason to believe he wasn't at this point – even if she found a way out of this room, what would that bring her?
“I'm sure by now you're wondering about the rest of the world outside this little room,” Chase said. “And you will find out, but not very soon. This is our training room. Once you have passed the first set of tests, we will move to my regular quarters here in Gamma House. Each set of tests will give you a little more space to move around in here, and eventually, you may even be trusted to have free roam in the House. But that is a long way in the future. We must focus on the present, now.”
Chase pointed to the corner of the room. A small bathroom was set up – but to Amber's horror, there were no walls. No privacy. Not to relieve herself, not to shower. She would be utterly exposed.
“I see you are understanding your position a little better,” Chase said, not unkindly, as he removed her bonds. “You are allowed to move about this room for a short time. Take this opportunity to clean yourself thoroughly.”
Amber nodded silently, gingerly standing up and heading to the bathing area. There was no sense in trying to hide what she was doing, and Chase didn't seem to much care at this point. He was sitting on a chair, tapping on what seemed to be a small computer pad.
Amber looked through the items placed for her. Shampoo and conditioner were easy to determine. Scented soap and a washcloth sat on a cubby in the shower wall. Towels were hung on the other wall. She looked around for the controls for the water, then realized they were in a small panel. She fiddled with the sliders on the panel, getting the water hot. She stepped in and for just a little while, forgot where she was. The simple pleasure of hot water running over her aching muscles was pure ecstasy. She shampooed and conditioned her hair before grabbing the sweet-scented soap.
As she started to soap up, she jumped with a little scream. Chase had silently joined her in the shower . He took the soap and cloth from her hands and began washing her thoroughly, running the cloth against her shoulders, her arms, her back, before turning her to face him. He kissed her gently, rubbing the soapy washcloth against her chest before paying particular attention to her breasts. Amber surrendered to the sensation of being completely under his control, her head falling back into the warm shower stream as she moaned softly.
Chase couldn't believe his luck. He'd heard horror stories of prey being difficult, unwilling, even trying to fight back with fingernails and teeth. This one seemed to enjoy his touch, inviting it. He had chosen her time period deliberately. Lots of the Hunters chose women from time periods that were used to being submissive and controlled. It made their jobs easier on this end. But he wanted the challenge. The challenge of a late-period woman, one who had thought of herself as equal to men in most respects. Once you got one of them to surrender, the older Hunters said, their devotion was unending.
His soap-slick hands slid across her bottom, which so recently he had whipped. Amber shuddered under his touch, her hips arching forward as his hands explored her once more. It was like she was no longer in control of her own body, her own responses. Her body betrayed her every desire. And what she desired was to be touched once more.
Chase's hands gripped her bottom tightly, squeezing as he pulled her against him. Water and soap made their skin slick as she shifted her weight slightly. Wrapping one leg around his hip, she pressed her body against him, feeling his hardness against her belly. He held her tightly, not wanting to lose his balance. Gently he lifted her against him and carried her to the bed, her wet hair framing her face. He kissed her hungrily, nearly grunting in desire as she responded the same way. He bit and sucked at her nipples, moving from one to the other ravenously, grinning in satisfaction as she rolled and moaned. As she arched her back against him, he took his moment, gripping her arms and pinning them behind her. Quickly, he bound her wrists together tightly, watching in glee as her eyes widened in shock and, was it need?
He propped her up beside him, stretching out on the bed. Taking her chin firmly in his hands, he held her eyes as he said, “Please me.”
Amber recognized the order for what it was: a command she must obey. With her hands bound behind her, there was only one way she knew to please him.
Bending over, she began to lick and kiss at his neck, her tongue lapping at his skin. She kissed her way down his chest, stretching out as best she could alongside him. Her lips brushed against his stomach as she sidled down, her mouth eager to taste him. He couldn't stop his reaction to her mouth on his cock, his hips rising to meet her as he groaned in pleasure. She'd done this before, no doubt. She licked down his shaft, her wet hair on his thigh a cool contrast to the heat from her mouth. Taking him fully in her mouth, she wrapped her lips around him, sucking him hard. Her own body shook with need as he became even harder in her mouth. Her hips bucked and shook, as she sucked up and down his shaft. She screamed her pleasure into him as his hand reached between her thighs, finding her wet with need again. Sliding his fingers into her wetness, he groaned with desire. Her mouth was doing exquisite things to him, and he wasn't even letting her use her hands.
Amber shook, pressing her hips against his hand, pushing him deeper inside her as she worked on his cock with her mouth. Her climax rose quickly as she hungrily sucked him harder, bringing him over the edge, exploding into her. When at last they calmed, he brushed the hair from her face. She half-heartedly tried to pull away, but Chase just laughed.
“Ah, little prey. You are mine. You know it in your heart. There's no reason to fight it.”
Amber nodded with a small sob. Part of her knew it, though a part of her brain still kept trying to fight it. Chase smiled.
“I'll prove you are mine.”
He rolled her over to her stomach, roughly spread her legs, and went to work on her. He planned to show her no mercy.
Chapter Five
Amber vaguely heard the door close. Her body was limp from what Chase had just put her through. He hadn't let her move, face down on the bed, hands bound behind her. He simply had his way with her: touching, tasting, thrusting when and how he pleased. Tongue, fingers, cock. It was all a blur to her. She was dimly aware that she had been used. There was no other word for it. Her body, not really hers anymore, was used for his pleasure. She was barely a participant; she was a receptacle for his need. She thought that should make her cry. She thought it should make her upset. And in some part of her, it did. Her body, however, betrayed the truth as she replayed the afternoon in her mind. She had enjoyed it. She enjoyed being used by this man, so unlike any man she knew. His touch made her leap; even as she tried to hide it from herself and from him.
She turned her head and looked around the room. For the first time, she was alone, but it wouldn't do her much good. She was still bound, though she could swing her legs under her and move to a sitting position. The room swam as she righted herself; her thighs and delicate skin sore from Chase's attentions of the last 48 hours. Biting her lower lip, she wondered if sitting up was a bad idea. What if he came back and wanted to find her exactly as he'd left her? Would he be angry if he found her sitting up? Would he whip her again? Would that excite her again if he did?
The door being slammed shut ended her reverie. She stifled a cry as she turned to look at her captor. Chase's eyes flashed as he looked her up and down.
“I'm sorry! I wasn't getting up! I just needed to move a little!” Amber sobbed as he strode towards her.
Chase loomed over her, not saying a word, as she tried to make herself small on the bed.
“Please. I'm sorry! I'm sorry!” Amber fell to her knees before him. He had seemed to like it when she knelt earlier. Maybe that would save her? She bowed her head, afraid to meet his eyes.
Chase stifled a quick grin. He had fully expected to find her at least up in bed, if not exploring the room. But her fear of displeasing him should be encouraged. She should always be wary of angering him.
“Did I give you permission to rise?” he asked sternly.
“No, no.. no, you didn't” she choked out, still afraid to look up at him. Which was good, as he was on the verge of breaking out in full and complete laughter.
“You may address me as Hunter, or Master,” Chase said, managing to keep the stern tone in his voice.
“No, Master. No, Master Hunter,” Amber kept stumbling over her words. “You didn't. I'm.. I'm sorry. Will... will.. will you punish me?”
“I may punish you at any time it pleases me,” Chase reminded her. “And it pleases me to punish you now. Go to the side table and fetch me the whip.”
Amber thought in horror. How could she fetch the whip with her hands tied? With a sudden realization, she ran to the table, and picked up the whip between her teeth. She brought it back to Chase, kneeling once more.
“Five lashes for a disobedient prey seems appropriate,” Chase said. “Go to the wall with the ring embedded in it.”
Amber ran to the ring he meant, attached securely to the wall a foot over her eye level. Chase turned her to face the wall, unbound her hands and swiftly retied them over her head. Her shoulders burned in agony as they were forced from the position they'd held so long.
“You will count the lashes,” he said. “Begin.”
“One”
He cracked the whip against her buttocks, a swift but slight movement. She cried out, still aroused from his attack on her earlier as well as from the feel of the whip on her backside.
“Two”
Again, the whip sliced through the air, leaving a small red mark. She half-cried, half-moaned.
“Three”
“Four”
“Five”
With each crack of the whip against her, she cried and squirmed, but made no attempt to dodge the pain. After the last slap of the whip, he reached between her legs, smiling as he slid through her slippery wetness.
“You're learning to like the whip, little prey, aren't you?”
Amber nodded, tears in her eyes, unable to but whisper. “Please, Master, no more.”
Chase didn't stop his fingers from their exploration of her until her hips bucked against him, but he stopped before he allowed her to climax. He removed his fingers from her body, lifting them to her lips. After coating her lips with her own juices, he forced his finger into her mouth. She sucked hungrily, licking him clean. Untying her from the ring, he pointed to the rug beside the bed.
“Go, kneel there. It is time to eat.”
She ran to obey, her own taste and smell on her tongue and lips. Dropping to her knees, she waited for him.
The serving cart was again by the bed. Chase admired the girl, kneeling before him. How did men in her time not tear the clothes off their women and keep them naked and bound? How did they keep their needs in check? And why would they? In the short time since he'd captured Amber, he'd had her any number of ways, with an audience and without. Twenty years of videos and training, of pictures on the computer screen and other men's women; those 20 years of waiting were now over. He supposed there might be a time when he could look at Amber without the aching need to possess her immediately. But that time was not now, even so soon after each of their other sessions. Years of training, of waiting, of anticipation. And she was everything he'd hoped she'd be.
Chase sat on the bed, lifting Amber's chin to gaze at her face.
“You are a beauty, my little prey,” he said.
He softly caressed her cheek as he brought the mug to her lips. Amber was getting less awkward at being fed and watered, and drank the water eagerly. Meat and cheeses were cut into easy-to-eat squares that Chase took one by one from the plate, and placed into Amber's mouth. There was something somehow decadent – and at the same time arousing – about being fed like this. Her lips grazed Chase's fingers, her tongue soft against him as she ate from his hand. Next was a hearty stew that Chase spooned into her mouth.
Through the whole process, Chase told her about his life, growing up in Gamma House with the rest of the Hunters-in-Training. Once out of the nursery, the 10 boys in his group grew up in dormitory-style bedrooms. The cleaning and cooking was always done by women, older prey that were no longer useful for breeding. The boys would often get a glimpse of them, sometimes in the kitchen, other times when they came back early from school. Their life was filled with schoolwork, exercises, and training.
They knew from a young age they were being trained to travel back in time to bring forward more women. It was a sacred duty that they took seriously from the beginning. They learned history, math, psychology. Everything they'd need to be successful Hunters. The first prey a Hunter captured was his, by law. Though a Hunter could always sell or trade his prey, he usually spent more time on his first capture.
Amber listened with horror and fascination. While the camaraderie he shared with his dorm-mates was clear, she wondered if it wasn't a lonely existence. No parents, just teachers and headmasters. And they clearly were taught from the cradle to expect to own women. While he might treasure her, it was as a possession, not as an equal. How had she gotten herself into this?
Dinner finished, Chase gently wiped her face clean and softly kissed her on the lips. She smiled at his tenderness, leaning into his hand. He was such a contradiction: equal parts excited little boy and harsh master, with a dash of lover thrown in just to keep her off-kilter.
Chase marveled at how easy it was. The trainers had told them just to follow the steps: discipline, then tenderness. Chase thought it would be harder or at least take a little more time. But Amber had been ready practically from the moment she woke up. So, he just kept following the steps: Hard, then soft, then feed them. You'd have them literally eating out of your hands, the older Hunters had said, then they'd be begging you to bed them. He had his doubts about that.
“Master?” Amber broke into his reverie, looking up at him from her knees. Chase looked down at her and had to stifle a smile. She'd subconsciously angled her body, showing off her pert breasts. She hadn't had any real training, yet there she was, displaying herself to him. Practically begging him to bed her.
“Yes, little one?”
“Um, can I... I mean, may I, um,” Amber trailed off in embarrassment. “I need to use the bathroom.” she finally whispered.
Chase nodded, releasing her bonds and sending her off with a teasing swat of her bottom. She squealed as she scampered off. He did laugh at that, the smile staying on his face as he watched the sway of her backside.
Amber was a mix of emotions. This man – her Master, she supposed – was young, smart, handsome and strong. The kind of man she'd been looking for. But, she'd been kidnapped and taken away from all she'd known. She'd been brought to a place and time that was foreign to her. She'd been whipped and used. And yet, she craved this man's touch. Wanted nothing but to please him. Was it Stockholm Syndrome? Was she completely delusional? Or was she trying to make the best of a bad situation? All she knew is that, as battered and sore as she was, she wanted him.
When Amber returned to the main part of the room, Chase motioned to the bed. “Lie down on your belly,” he said.
Amber obeyed swiftly, automatically crossing her wrists behind her back for binding. Chase moved her hands to her side, pouring a scented oil into his hands, warming it. He gently massaged her shoulders and back with the oil, kneading it into her soft skin. Amber moaned softly, the warm scent of vanilla as soothing as the massage. Chase continued his massage down her back, slowly caressing her backside and moving down her thighs. Amber relaxed under his touch, nearly forgetting where she was.
“Tomorrow, you begin formal training,” Chase said softly. “You will have many classes. Some of them you will take alone, but most will be with other prey.”
Amber started. “Other prey?”
“Of course. I'm not the only Hunter. All 10 of us went out, though only five returned with prey. And that's just in our group. I'm not sure where the other Hunters from Gamma House stand. But, as the 10 of us had our training together, so will our women.”
Amber didn't know how to take that. She was so unused to her position as simply a possession. What would the others be like? Would they hate her? Would they have given into their captors as easily as she did? Would they even be from her time?
Chase rolled her over, his oil-slick hands moving to her belly, then up to her breasts. Rubbing her nipples, he watched them harden between his fingers. A squeeze and a pull left Amber breathless again, arching her back to him. She hated how he made her respond, and she loved how his touch made her feel. He bent down to one nipple, sucking it into his mouth, rolling it between his teeth. His moan mingled with hers as she surrendered again, her thighs parting without her even noticing. His hand delved back into her soft pussy, already wet to his touch.
“Oh, you want it, don't you, little prey?”
Amber only moaned in response. Chase looked up from her breast, his lips still on her nipple.
“You need to say it. You need to tell me.” His hand caressed her slick skin, teasing her. “Tell me you want it.”
“Oh, Master. I want it,” Amber shuddered at his touch.
“What do you want, little prey?”
“I want you... “
“How much do you want me?”
“So much... please, I want you so much.”
“Say it again.” He teased her more, sucking the nipple into his mouth once more.
“Please. Please, Master, I want you.”
With that, Chase could hold back no longer. Spreading her thighs wide, he admired the view of her wet pussy for just a moment, before pushing his hard cock deep inside her. Amber screamed and bucked against him, the sudden filling of her taking her well past climax. Chase struggled to keep control as he found a rhythm, pushing into her, feeling her contract against him, each thrust pushing her, and him, closer to the edge. Finally, he could take no more, one final push bringing him to come. She shook against him as he emptied into her, her moans nearly lost in his own cries of pleasure.
He fell asleep on her chest, one hand possessively curled around her breast. He knew he didn't need to bind her physically tonight; she was already his.
Chapter Six
Morning came again; Amber assumed it was morning, at any rate. She could not see the sun in the windowless room, but the smell from the food cart was definitely breakfast. Eggs, bacon. She turned and stretched, perhaps a little more particularly than she might have if she had been alone. She felt Chase's eyes on her, watching her every movement.
“Breakfast, then shower. Then, you get to meet the other prey and begin your real training.”
He pointed to the floor, and she complied swiftly, kneeling prettily. He kissed her lips softly before beginning the feeding ritual. Food, a caress, some water, a warm touch. His touch must bring the memories of pleasure as well as pain for her. How, he wondered, did the first Hunters tame their women? Did they follow these steps instinctively, or did they learn through trial and error? Her first day of training would be difficult, he knew. Is that why the plan for the day was to start with tenderness, not force? He figured it made him a safe place to come back to, when the trainer's whip stung hardest. The plan had worked for him amazingly so far, he was not about to deviate from it.
Amber was nervous about the training, like any first day of school, she supposed. Though this was so far beyond anything she could have imagined, she wasn't sure what to expect. All she knew is that pretty much her entire existence at this point depended on this man. So, she planned to figure out how to please him, well and often. She thought she'd been doing well so far; he kept coming back to her. But he seemed to think she needed to learn more. So, she resigned herself to whatever might face her on this terrifying day.
After her shower, Chase motioned for her to kneel once more. First, he bound her hands behind her back. He then brushed out her hair, leaving it long against her shoulders. Pulling a piece of fabric from his pocket, he blindfolded her swiftly. Amber gasped with surprise.
“You will be walked through the hallways of Gamma House today to get to the training room. You are not permitted yet to be taught the ways through the corridors. You have not yet earned the right to see anyone but me and the training session. Do you understand?”
“Yes, Master.”
Chase smiled. Oh, he picked the right girl, indeed. One last precaution: he snapped a leash around her collar. Opening the door, a bell sounded. An automated voice echoed through the corridor.
“New prey in the hall. New prey in the hall.”
Amber stiffened as she realized exactly what was happening. She was leashed, naked, hands bound behind her, exposed to everyone she passed. And the announcement ensured that every door in the hallway opened. She was being paraded, exhibited, shown off to what sounded like any number of people.
No, not people. Men. She could hear their voices as they congratulated Chase. As they openly discussed her body, what she might be like in bed. She wanted to run, to hide, but not only was Chase holding her tightly by the leash, she couldn't see where she was running anyway. There was no escape from the shame, from the catcalls. Her cheeks flamed red in embarrassment, tears filling her eyes behind the blindfold. Perhaps it was better that she could not see the faces of the men as she passed. That would be even worse, she thought.
“Hey, Chase! Doc says you got a ripe one! Sounds like she's a screamer, too!”
Chase turned to look at his buddy Donovan. A grin spread across Chase's face; he didn't even need to answer in words. Besides, he didn't want to distract the girl during the long walk; she seemed mortified enough. When he would watch Hunters bring home their prey, sometimes the catcalls and banter was not so complimentary. Gossip moved quickly in Gamma House. Hunters knew when the catch was good – or bad. He was proud of his catch – she was young, beautiful, smart, and oh so willing. Sometimes, Hunters would stop during the walk to put unwilling prey through their paces for all to see. He knew he didn't need to take that step yet. Besides, it was so much better when they'd “earned” the right to walk un-blindfolded. Knowing they were being watched was very different from seeing the open desire on men's faces.
He took the deliberately labyrinthine path to the training room, proudly walking his prey. Knocking once on the training room door, he pushed it open. With a short tug on the leash, he brought Amber into the room, pushing her gently to her knees next to the four other girls. It was his first time seeing the catch his dorm-mates brought. They all knelt, naked and blindfolded, in a row. God, women were beautiful. He tried –only partially successfully – to suppress his desire at all the naked flesh in front of him.
The Training Master cleared his throat; it was time to begin. Chase stood in his place, behind the kneeling Amber. With a nod from the Training Master, the men removed the blindfolds from their women. Amber shook her head slightly, blinking at the bright light in the training room. The Training Master stood before them, an older man with a whip in one hand and a long, thin rod in the other. The end of the rod seemed to glow slightly.
“Hunters! Well done,” the Training Master proclaimed. “You have brought five new women to Gamma House. The prey you have selected will be reviewed and trained. Each will then be given a suggested path. Some may be suited for kitchen work, while others may be best suited for your bed. As this is your first prey, you will have the right of first refusal. If she trains well, you may choose to keep yours. If you wish, you may sell or trade her at your preference.”
The girls noticeably blanched. It was the first time they'd heard their fate spelled out as such. The speech was for their benefit. The Hunters already knew the routine; they'd been trained since birth. The steps the Training Master was taking was to ensure the girls did their very best under his tutelage.
For the first time, he addressed the girls.
“You are Hunter's Prey. You are to be completely pleasing at all times. You can be replaced, easily, with another. When you are not pleasing here under my control, I have a number of ways to correct you. You all have felt the whip.”
It was not a question, but a statement. As he cracked the whip in the air, each of the girls trembled, making the Hunters smile.
“But what you have not felt is the prey cane.” And with this, he lifted the rod in his hand, thrusting it quickly, but not cruelly, at each girl's arm. Each cried out as the jolt of electricity gave her a quick zap.
“This will be used when it is needed. What you have felt is a very small sample of what it can do. A longer connection will increase the pain. And if it is used on more delicate flesh, the results are even more satisfying.”
Amber choked back a sob, but the girl next to her was not as composed. She began weeping openly. The Training Master cracked the whip in the air once more.
“It is not the allowed time for crying,” he said sternly.
The girl, with a deep breath, managed to control her sobs.
“Good,” said the Master. “Now, let us begin.”
Each of the Hunters removed the bonds from their prey, allowing their arms to fall loose at their sides. Amber silently rolled her head, stretching her tired neck muscles. A sudden crack of the whip at her ear made her stop.
“Have you been given permission to move?” The Training Master stood, glowering, over her.
“No, Master,” Amber squeaked.
“Then why are you moving?”
“I'm sorry, Master, it won't happen again.” Amber quickly looked down at the floor, fearful of the strength of the Training Master and the whip in his hand.
“Now, there is much for you to learn,” the Training Master said. “We are going to begin with the basics. The first rule for prey is this: you must always be pleasing to men. Now, what is the first rule?”
“Always be pleasing to men,” the girls parroted.
“You were brought here for a reason,” he continued. “You were brought here to continue life as we know it. The Hunters here picked each of you to fulfill that destiny. You are treasured possessions. But never forget that you are that, you are possessions. And your first rule is to always be pleasing to men. What is the first rule?”
“Always be pleasing to men,” the girls answered.
The Training Master stood next to one girl on the end. “It is time to learn how to present yourselves properly. In the first position, you kneel like so.”
He straightened the girl's back and thrust her thighs open. “And then you cross your wrists behind your back, like so.” As he pulled the girl's arms behind her, she sobbed in dismay.
“I can't! I can't!” She sobbed. “It's... it's obscene!”
Amber cringed. She wasn't so keen on what the Master wanted either; but she was far more afraid of the whip and cane. The girl's accent was odd, though, to Amber. She sounded like a Southern Belle straight off the plantation. Like Scarlett O'Hara, Amber thought. It suddenly occurred to Amber that she might very well have just been pulled out of the Antebellum South.
The Training Master brought the whip down across the girl's thighs, three times, quickly in succession. “What is the first rule?”
“Always be pleasing to men,” the girl sobbed.
“Then please me.” He whipped the girl again across her thighs. She quickly arranged herself as he had shown her, still crying.
“And the rest of you, be pleasing!”
Amber straightened her back and spread her thighs widely. As she crossed her wrists behind her back, she realized why this position was the first they learned. She felt so exposed, her breasts lifted by the motion. She was now completely open, no part of her body hidden from the Training Master, or by anyone else who would see her. As the Training Master inspected her positioning, she discovered she was excited by his gaze.
“Chase!”
“Yes, sir?”
“This is a fine specimen,” the Training Master said. “Look how she already pushes her breasts forward, how her nipples harden.”
Amber blushed, as embarrassed as she was when the doctor inspected her. But she did not move, too afraid to break position, even as Chase came around to study her.
“Her responsiveness is fantastic for so early in the training. Did you see responses like this earlier?”
Chase nodded. “Yes, sir. She has been very receptive to all my advances.”
The Training Master nodded. “Has she been put through her paces? Did you display her on your walk?”
“Just with me, sir. Not on the walk here. And the doctor didn't require a full display.”
“Well, son. Let's see what she can do.”
Chase moved behind Amber once more, kneeling closely behind her, pressing his chest against her back. “Keep the position as long as you can,” he said softly in her ear.
Reaching around her, he began to toy with her breasts, pulling gently on her pert nipples, feeling them harden and lengthen under his fingertips. She sucked in her breath between her teeth, trying not to moan aloud with the pleasure. She was mortified that the room full of people were watching, watching her be fondled. Watching her move with pleasure.
Chase pressed closer against her; she could feel him become hard against her back. His hand caressed down her stomach, rubbing against her thigh. His fingers brushed against her clit, exposed by her spread thighs. She did moan aloud at his touch, her head falling back against his shoulder. His fingers probed deeper, finding her wet core. She shuddered, waves of pleasure running through her body.
“Slowly now, Chase. Let her simmer.”
Chase lightly ran his finger back through her softness, resting at her clit once more. His other hand cupped her breast, his thumb grazing her nipple softly.
“Open your eyes,” he whispered to her. “Look around you.”
She opened her eyes as he continued his soft touch on her clit. The other Hunters were watching with open desire, while the other prey's faces were a mix of hatred, sympathy and embarrassment. She couldn't stop her reaction, though, as Chase's touch became more insistent.
“So, little one, you like to be touched?” The Training Master asked as Amber rocked gently against Chase's hand.”
“Y- Yes, Master.”
“What is the first rule?”
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