Episode 4: To be or not to be…
‘Where are we?’ asked Tiffany.
Isabell looked around for a moment choosing to ignore the fact that her friend was dressed in what looked like a green satin basque, frilly black knickers, fishnet stockings, shiny patent leather ankle boots and had a black feather boa around her neck. They were in a room or at least part of a room with a long high curtain along one side; there was a painted scene on the wall opposite that depicted nymphs and dryads and probably a few human maids too cavorting with centaurs and satyrs; most of the woman were naked and most in bondage of some description; some of the female centaurs were bound too and at least one pair bridled and harnessed and being used as mounts by a pair of satyrs. At either end of the room were openings separated by tall panels past which Isabel could see a number of large wooden blocks and ropes running up into the darkness above.
Beneath their feet were dusty boards.
‘It looks like some sort of stage,’ Isabel said, after pausing as she thought.
‘I think you’re right.’ Priya bent down and picked up a colourful sheet. ‘Look, we are performers.’
‘Beats being naked bondage sluts I suppose,’ Tiffany said without much enthusiasm. ‘Though I think Izzy’s got the best costume.’
Isabel made herself look down. ‘Oh!’ She was wearing a sequin covered silver bra and matching knickers; like Tiffany she also wore fishnet stockings; her shoes were strappy sandals with heels that were at least five inches and also in sparkling silver.
‘Izzy Spangle, the Sequinned Stripper,’ Priya read, ‘and Tiffany von Tease, the buxom burlesque singer.’
‘It’s always b… buxom or curvaceous!’ Tiffany huffed. ‘At least that explains the costume.’
Isabel snatched the flyer from Priya. There in one of four circles was a picture of her wearing considerably less than her current outfit.
‘Nipple tassels!’ she said disgustedly.
‘Beats being naked,’ Tiffany said, ‘and if you’ve now got a decent pair of breasts then you’re going to have to learn to use them.’
‘I’m not using them, they’re being exploited,’ Isabel said indignantly. ‘We’re being exploited.’
‘I’m just saying,’ Tiffany said with a shrug. ‘You were more than happy with your new boobs in the first scenario.’ She looked at Isabel. ‘And I think they’ve even got a little bit bigger.’
‘Really?’ Isabel looked down, lifting the cup of her bra forward to peer inside.
‘C-cup at least,’ Tiffany opined. ‘Unless there’s a lot of padding in there.’
‘What am I?’ asked Priya, looking craning to look at the flyer.
‘Sultry Warrior Princess Priya will perform death defying feats…' Isabel read.
‘Well that explains the leopardskin bikini, I suppose,’ said Priya, ‘though it feels a bit racist dressing the dark-skinned girl up in animal skins and calling her the ‘Warrior Princess’.’
‘On a scale of vices, complaining about Kink’s casual racism comes well down my list,’ Tiffany said. ‘Kidnapping, rape, sexual assault and misogyny figure more highly but if you want to count it as another hate crime when we charge him later…’
‘If you were the same colour as me you wouldn’t say that,’ Priya said, ‘and I don’t think we can charge him with rape,’ she added. ‘I am reading law, remember; though sexual assault is a definite.’
‘That’s good to know,’ Tiffany shot back, ‘I’ve had more stuff shoved in my pussy and various other orifices in the last few…however long we’ve been here, than I did in the last three freshers’ weeks. Did any of you wake up to find him fiddling between your legs?’
‘Where’s Charlotte?’ Isabel asked suddenly, interrupting them.
At that moment they heard a thud and all turned to look.
Charlotte rolled onto the stage.
Only the blonde's head was visible, the rest of her body was inside a heavy canvas bag that was wrapped in chains, fastened with padlocks and locked closed around her neck. She was gagged too, a large leather muzzle covering her mouth and buckled tightly behind her head with two heavy straps.
‘Oh my god, Charlotte,’ Isabel gasped in surprise. ‘Are you alright?’
Charlotte looked up at her for a moment then nodded before trying unsuccessfully to shake a long blonde hair from her face..
‘Give it here.’ Tiffany grabbed the flyer from Isabel’s hand. ‘Charlotte the Scarlet Harlot, Escapologist Extraordinaire.’
As they watched Charlotte wriggled and the chains around her body began to come loose, clicking and clanking as she moved.
‘Do you think we should help her?’ asked Priya.
‘She did say she was ok,’ said Tiffany, clearly eager to see how Charlotte would get out of this particular scrape with her dignity intact and without the need to ask for their help.
‘Even so…' Isabel said tactfully.
There was a clunk and they looked back to see Charlotte standing upright. The canvas bag lay around her feet revealing that the blonde was naked; her arms were held behind her back in a single sleeve and she was strapped into a body harness; there were several belts tightened around her long, slim legs pinning them together.
‘How…?’ asked Tiffany.
‘It’s Charlotte,’ Priya said resignedly.
‘She does have a habit of coming up with the goods,’ Isabel said trying to placate Tiffany as Charlotte began to jump around the stage shaking her shoulders and trying to slide her arms out of the single sleeve.
‘So what do we do now?’ Charlotte asked, a few moments later, her face flushed as much with the triumph of the escape as the exertion required to achieve it. They had all watched as the blonde had wriggled an arm free from the single sleeve and then managed to release one of the straps. The rest had been a foregone conclusion and the canvas body bag, chains, single sleeve, belts and muzzle lay on the floor where she had shed them. The harness was still strapped around her body.
‘We escape,’ said Isabel.
‘I was hoping for a little more detail,' Charlotte said, that confident challenge of hers returning.
‘There was something on the flyer,' Isabel said, stung a little by Charlotte’s comment.
‘Doors open thirty minutes before performance’. Tiffany read. ‘The rest of the flyer was torn off.
‘It must have something to do with that,' Isabel said. ‘Perhaps if we can work out what time the doors open we can be there and escape.’
‘Which means we need to know what time it is now,' Tiffany said. ‘Anyone wearing a watch…have a phone…able to see the sun?’
‘This date may be a clue,' Priya said looking at the flyer. ‘It’s a dead ringer for some sort of combination lock. Perhaps there’s a chest or something over there among those boxes.’
‘Rehearsal time’. Kink suddenly appeared on the stage. He was still wearing the leather tail coat with an embroidered waistcoat beneath, black with gold thread; and now he sported a top hat as well. He snapped his fingers and the curtains began to part revealing the darkness of what might have been an auditorium or might simply have been the empty space of the large ‘room’ in which they had found themselves before.
‘Miss Schwarz,' Kink said. ‘Perhaps you would go first.’ He smiled. ‘I little titillation to get the audience in the mood.’
Isabel stepped forward. ‘I’m not doing anything.’
Kink gave her a slightly pitying look. ‘Oh, but, Miss Schwarz. I can assure you that you are.’ He snapped his fingers and bright lights illuminated the stage.
Isabel could feel their heat almost immediately. There were spotlights shining in from the darkness beyond too, highlighting her, rendering her vulnerable and she looked down nervously to see her scantily clad body.
‘No!’ Isabel folded her arms across her chest.
‘Perhaps a little music to get you into the mood.’ Kink snapped his fingers again.
A burlesque sound rose, trumpets and saxophones, drums… ’The Stripper.’
Isabel shook her head.
Kink regarded her like a disappointed parent then shrugged and clicked his fingers a third time.
Isabel couldn’t say exactly what happened, it was a ‘feeling’ that ran up her spine, like a tingle that accompanies goosebumps; it became stronger. She tried to fight it but although it was within her body, there was nothing she could do to prevent it; a little like when the black suit she had worn in Kink’s first escape had taken control of her, forcing her into bondage.
She felt her body move, ripple, felt the sensation move into her legs, force her arms away from her chest, felt herself place her hands on her hips and step forward pushing out her chest, placing one foot in front of the other, swaying her hips, swaggering, strutting and then at the front of the stage stand for a moment before raising her hands above her head and swaying her body in a way that could only be termed ‘seductive’. Even as she turned, was forced to turn, giving the imaginary audience a view of her sequin covered bottom and the back of her legs, her gaze swept past Kink who stood leering at her body. She tried to stop herself, tried to prevent her body bending so that she looked back though the inverted V of her spread legs and winked at the imaginary audience; tried to stop herself turning again and cupping her breasts before leaning forward and shaking them; tried to stop herself smiling and running her tongue across her lip lasciviously as she lifted one arm into the air.
It was worse than being in bondage; at least when she’d been tied up she could struggle, fight against it, strain with all her might against the straps and ropes which confined her. Now she had no choice. No ability to resist and no way to prevent what he was doing to her. The phrase ‘slave to the rhythm’ came into her mind.
Even as she danced she could sense things happening in her body and remembered the rings the suits had forced into her nipples and clit. She was sure they weren’t there now but something was there. Furthermore, those somethings were now making their presence felt, moving, vibrating, teasing her like the rings had teased her before, rewarding her in the previous escape when she’d been ‘getting warmer’. The sensations were gentle at first but were gradually increasing just as they had increased towards the end of her last attempt to escape when she had collapsed in the throws of orgasm, succumbed to her body’s needs and doomed their attempt to escape.
Those sensations made her body want to comply even as her mind tried futilely to resist.
But there was nothing she could do to stop herself ripping off the sequinned knickers to expose her body further and reveal the tiny pink thong that Kink, presumably, had dressed her in. She briefly recalled his hands on her helpless body as he had casually handled her when she’d woken up in the spread in the metal restraining ring, her hands and feet locked in the steel cylinders; remembered the way her had inserted the black rings through the piercings made by the suits in her nipples and between her legs.
If he had handled her so casually when she was awake what else might he have done to her?
She strutted back up the stage flaunting her now bare buttocks with the tiny thong hidden between them. The rings might be gone but she could feel something, implants perhaps or the remains of the rings hidden away in her clitoris and nipples vibrating more strongly, teasing her body, demanding a response just as it responded to the unseen force controlling her, forcing her to move, to dance and flaunt itself turning her into a…a slut, a stripper. Even as the sexual arousal began to cloud her mind, she knew what was coming although could not prevent her hands from going to her breasts and unclipping the bra; even as she leant forward to show her exposed breasts and shake them so the nipple tassels danced making the implants in her nipples begin to tease her more vigorously.
Was this basic Pavlovian conditioning? Would she be forced to do his bidding then understand the pleasure it gave her and just continue enjoying the carrot even after the stick had long since gone?
She’d always wanted larger breasts and now she had them and she knew she liked them even as her hands cupped them and she made the nipple tassels spin. She was behaving like a slut and she knew it; even as she hated what was being done to her she felt the sensual pleasure of it; felt the thrill of the rhythm and her body’s ability to move so perfectly to it; felt the implants rewarding her for becoming such an object of desire. The music pulsed in her ears and the sensations pounded in her body and she lifted her hands to her head, fingers running through her dark curly hair, writhing with lust, her lower lip curling between her teeth.
He was, she knew, going to do it to her again, forcing her to orgasm for his pleasure.
And now, if she was truthful to herself, she wanted it.
She turned, grinding her hips in a frenzy of sexual ecstasy and, as her gaze swept past the side of the stage, she saw Charlotte.
The blonde was standing in the wings of the stage leaning against one of the flats in her black leather harness with one hand between her legs and the other in her tousled hair and a look of dreamy pleasure on her face as she watched Isabel dance. That she was playing with herself was in no doubt and, as Isabel turned again, she was sure she caught the unmistakable scent of the blonde’s arousal.
Or perhaps it was her own.
She realised that in a mirror of the blonde’s stance, one of own hands was still in her hair while the other was between her own legs, stroking her own sex, teasing its slick wetness in a way she had longed to do when restrained before.
‘Oh fuck!’ She thought to herself. ‘I’m going to cum in front of them all again…and I’m going to enjoy it.’
‘Nice show,' Charlotte said, a smile of satisfaction on her face.
‘I…' Isabel paused for a moment at the edge of the stage.
The blonde’s face was flushed with pleasure; her pupils large, those blue eyes slightly unfocussed.
‘I…couldn’t stop myself,' Isabel said breathlessly, feeling the need to give some kind of explanation. She was carrying her discarded bra and knickers, wearing only the nipple tassels and thong and the fishnet stockings and heeled sandals.
‘So I see,' Charlotte said, her eyes wandering across Isabel’s body. The blonde still had her hand inside the black leather harness between her thighs.
‘Your turn, Miss Scarlet,' Kink called out.
Isabel saw Charlotte’s blue eyes snap into focus revealing what might have been a flicker of fear. She reached out a hand and held the blonde's arm.
‘It’s ok,' Charlotte whispered. ‘If you can’t resist none of us can.’ She pushed her way past Isabel and walked out onto the stage.
Isabel watched her go, enjoying the sight of the black straps across her tanned skin, especially the collar around her slim neck where her blonde hair hung parted behind her neck and the one disappearing between her buttocks. Then she looked beyond to see Kink pushing something heavy onto the stage; it was a low wooden platform with two uptight poles on either side; behind him came Priya pushing a heavy trunk.
Kink positioned the platform facing the auditorium and without asking Charlotte climbed onto it reaching out her arms and allowing Kink to cuff her wrists to the poles then spread her legs to let him cuff her ankles.
‘Miss Prince,' Kink gestured to Priya who opened the trunk with a flourish to reveal a plethora of leather restraints, ropes, chains and locks. She selected a heavy leather hood and after displaying it to her imaginary audience stood behind Charlotte and drew the hood over the blonde’s face pulling her hair through the back and then lacing it shut. Once she’d completed this, she took a padlock and, covering the laces in a fold of thick leather, locked the hood in place. Then she began to unbuckle Charlotte’s harness, peeling it away from her body leaving the blonde naked aside from the hood.
‘Miss Schwarz, Miss Tease; perhaps you could assist,' Kink called.
Isabel saw Priya glance at Kink with what looked like a flash of annoyance then she felt the compulsion to walk forward followed by the compensatory tingle in her nipples and clitoris.
Tiffany appeared beside her, still in the burlesque costume; and wearing a broad showbiz smile. She looked at Isabel even as she waved to the imaginary crowd.
‘I shink I’ve found shomeshing,’ she managed to say through her forced smile.
‘Goot.’ Isabel’s face was being forced into a rictus too.
As they walked across the stage, Priya held a large ball gag in front of Charlotte’s mouth and then pushed it gently into place between the helpless blonde’s teeth before strapping it and locking it behind her head.
Then, without any prior agreement but perfectly coordinated and still smiling, they picked up a length of chain and, stepping either side of Charlotte draped it over the back of her neck and then round her shoulders then held it for Priya to padlock in place. They then took another chain and crossed it between the blonde’s breasts and round her chest then locked a third around her waist. Charlotte stood stoically, hooded and cuffed as they worked and it was only when Priya attached clover clamps to her nipples that the blonde showed any signs of response.
Still posing as the glamorous assistant, Isabel could do nothing as Tiffany then took up a length of knotted rope with a clip on one end and an adjustable strap in the other and fastened it to the chain between Charlotte’s breasts before running it between the helpless girl’s legs and tightening it around the chain in the small of her back. Isabel thought she heard a gasp around this ball gag as Tiffany pulled the heavily knotted rope tightly between Charlotte’s legs.
Metal cuffs came next, Isabel and Tiffany locking them first around Charlotte’s thighs then her upper arms then they released her wrists and cuffed them before locking them to the thigh cuffs. Priya used a strap to pull the steel cuffs around Charlotte’s upper arms tightly behind her. Then they freed her ankles from the posts and cuffed them together.
Tiffany and Isabel then lowered Charlotte onto her knees before Priya pulled her feet up using her ankle cuffs and chained them to the padlock between her shoulder blades; then she fastened a strap to the top of Charlotte’s hood and the back of the knotted crotch rope and used it to pull the helpless blonde’s head back and drive the crotch rope into her sex.
Finally, all three of them began to clip wires from the upright posts to the chains and cuffs restraining Charlotte’s body so that the blonde was held on her knees with her head drawn back and her spine curved gently, elbows behind her and her wrists at her side and her feet pulled up to her buttocks.
‘Perfect,' Kink said regarding the helpless blonde who was clearly panting hard from the exertion of her bondage. ‘But I think we need a little something to encourage her to escape.’ He picked up a small bucket and hung it on Charlotte’s nipple clamps.
‘Unngh,' Charlotte whimpered slightly as the weight of the bucket stretched her clover clamped nipples.
Kink then took a long metal tube which he slotted into one of the posts holding the blonde upright. Isabel heard it click into place then, a moment later, a metal ball popped out of the end and dropped into the bucket with clank.
Charlotte gasped again.
‘There are a hundred of these but I hope Miss Scarlett manages to escape before we get much beyond sixty,' Kink gestured and Priya stepped forward to lift a screen around the tightly chained girl. ‘Don’t want to give away trade secrets,' Kink said with a chuckle.
Isabel heard another clank as another ball dropped.
‘Run along then…' Kink gestured.
Isabel looked at Charlotte; part of her wanted to stay to be with her but she knew there was nothing she could do. Even if she tried to rescue the blonde, Kink could prevent it and even put her in some kind of bondage that was far worse. Besides, if Tiffany had found some sort of clue that might help them escape they needed to discuss it. She turned and walked away as another clank emanated from behind the curtain.
‘What is it?’ Isabel said as they walked into the wing of the stage and she felt they were far enough away from Kink.
‘I don’t know what this is for but I guess it must be useful.’ Tiffany reached into her bra and pulled out a key. ‘I found this too.’ Tiffany led Isabel further into the wings. ‘Here.’
She drew back a curtain to reveal a fire alarm button with the familiar legend of ‘In case of emergency break glass’.
‘Could this be a panic button?’ Tiffany asked.
‘There hasn't been one in any of the previous scenarios,' Isabel said with a frown. ‘But it might be important.’
Behind them they heard a drum roll.
‘We’d better get back,' Tiffany said. ‘Do you want to take this?’ She held out the key.
Isabel shook her head. ‘I don’t really have anywhere to put it.’
‘Really?’ Tiffany raised an eyebrow sceptically. ‘If you say so.’ She slipped the key back into her bra.
They turned and walked back to the stage in time to see the curtain around Charlotte fall away and there she was standing triumphantly wearing the black leather harness once again. She was also wearing the nipple clamps.
‘Very good, Miss Scarlet.’
Isabel heard Kink’s voice and looked around. He was no longer on the stage but sitting in the auditorium beyond highlighted by a spotlight applauding. She could see chairs in rows upholstered in red velvet around him although the rest of the auditorium was in darkness.
‘Although you have forgotten something.’
Charlotte gave a shimmy and lifted her hands to her breasts, her fingers playing with the nipple clamps. Then she removed them and tossed them towards Kink. They stopped mid arc, bouncing it seemed off nothing although there was a slight flash, then they fell to the floor.
‘Nice addition, Miss Scarlet,' Kink said. ‘The audience will love it later.’ He looked towards Isabel. ‘You’ll have to do the same as you undress Miss Schwarz or should I call you Miss Spangle.’ He said. ‘The audience will be fighting over that lovely outfit. Especially the thong.’
Isabel watched as Charlotte stepped down from the platform with the restraining posts and bent to retrieve the nipple clamps. As she did so, she reached out and Isabel saw the flash again. Charlotte withdrew her hand quickly as if whatever she’d touched, some sort of force-field presumably had hurt her.
‘Nice try, Miss Scarlet,' Kink said. ‘But you’ll have to do better than that. Now, Miss Tease, your turn.’
Tiffany glanced at Isabel and gave a little frightened smile. ‘Wish me luck.’ She whispered.
‘Break a leg,' Isabel said as she found herself stepping forward to help Charlotte clear the stage.
Tiffany as a burlesque singer proved as capable as Isabel had as a stripper and Charlotte as an escape artist, strutting forward to sing in a husky voice showing plenty of leg and plenty of cleavage. Isabel watched from the side of the stage until she was interrupted by a voice behind her.
‘Hi.’
Isabel looked round to see Charlotte standing there. The blonde was still a little flushed from her escape and still only wore the black leather harness; and hair had a wild unkempt look thanks to the hood.
‘Hi,' Isabel said, looking at Charlotte’s beautiful face with its cobalt blue eyes and strong cheekbones and those pale soft pink lips and remembering how it had felt some twenty minutes earlier when she’d been binding that lean, firm, warm body. She could still see the strap marks in the blonde’s skin.
‘I thought you might want to help me work on my escapes,' Charlotte said in what sounded like an oddly forced tone. ‘Or maybe you want to listen to Tiffany.’
Isabel looked at her in surprise wondering if Charlotte really wanted to give her the choice.
‘I’d like to work with you,' Isabel said slightly awkwardly.
‘I, er…' Charlotte started. ‘I thought that if…well that’s to say…' She looked down.
‘Charlotte are you ok?’
‘Yes, fine.’ Charlotte flashed one of her radiant smiles but her eyes betrayed her nervousness.
‘You don’t seem your usual…' Isabel sought the words. ‘Forthright self.’ She could have used ‘bloody-minded’ or ‘self centred’.
‘It’s just…' Charlotte began. ‘In my trunk I have a lot of bondage gear.’ A smile played on her face that wasn’t there before. ‘And I thought if I tied you up and then taught you some escapology tricks we might find them useful to escape.’ Her eyes flicked away from Isabel’s face as she paused then hurried on. ‘Probably not this time but…you know, if we don’t…. If we don’t make it this time. I’ve just noticed we seem to be tied up a lot and now I know how to get out of it.’ She folded her arms across her breasts in a defensive and very un-Charlotte-like gesture. ‘I mean if you don’t want to…' The blonde looked away again.
Isabel realised Charlotte was blushing. She was pretty sure she was lying too but didn’t understand why. What could the blonde have to hide? She was standing there naked in front of Isabel and, well, they’d shared something. They had an understanding didn't they?
‘Ok,' Isabel said cautiously. ‘I mean, I think that’s a good idea.’ She forced a laugh wondering if she’d got it wrong, unsure whether Charlotte wanted to offer an intimate moment or if it had only been for…pragmatic reasons and she was worried Isabel might misinterpret her intent.
Then she realised that altruism wasn’t part of Charlotte’s vocabulary and that teamwork sometimes seemed to be an alien concept and she gazed in wonder again at this unkempt and nervous side of the blonde that she’d never really seen before.
Charlotte’s vulnerability gave her confidence.
‘Do I take my nipple tassels off or leave them on?’ she asked, blushing at her brazenness.
Charlotte’s face seemed to burst into a grin that reminded Isabel of sunshine after rain and her eyes roamed suddenly over Isabel’s body in a way that almost made the brunette tremble.
‘I’d prefer you naked,’ she said, coolly.
It was Isabel’s turn to look away.
Charlotte started with Isabel’s wrists as the brunette stood naked and so close to trembling that she thought she might shiver. The feeling was, for Isabel, not that different to the effect of the ‘implants’ that she knew were still there and seemed to have replaced the rings in her nipples and sex. Momentarily, he couldn’t help wondering if it was actually them that were making her feel like this which made her wonder if, somehow, that was what was driving Charlotte.
She had been tied up numerous times in the last few days and mostly resented it but then there had been her ‘collapse’ during the escape attempt; she wanted to explain it away by the forced stimulation of the vibrators she had endured. She had after all been ‘plugged’ intimately and teased increasingly and mercilessly as the escape attempt had progressed. She was still angry with herself for giving in, though, and knew that perhaps, if she had not, they might have escaped. She knew she should be repulsed by what Kink was doing to them and, of course, she was but there was this thing with Charlotte whatever it was and, almost as urgently, there was something about this constant stimulation that seemed to be affecting her. It was clearly affecting her judgment; not only that but she was feeling increasing urges to touch herself and to be touched.
These sensations were clearly affecting Charlotte too and the others, especially, it seemed, Priya. Who’d have thought the usually prim Asian law student had a closet bondage fetish?
But she was different; she’d never had any leanings that way; she wasn’t the kind of young woman who thought about sex constantly either. Her logical mind told her that she…that they were being conditioned like one of Pavlov’s dogs, trained to drool when…when…
Charlotte drew her elbows together.
‘Does wonders for those lovely little breasts,' Charlotte whispered in her ear and she cinched Isabel’s elbows. The blonde’s breath came over her cheek and Isabel smelt her familiar scent.
‘Yes.’ Isabel’s mouth went dry and she felt her cheeks, already flushed, colour further.
Charlotte took her shoulders and spun her round. The blonde looked so gorgeous in the black leather body harness which set off her tanned golden skin; her brown nipples were, Isabel noticed, stiff, almost painfully erect and she remembered the clamps on them; if they were sore perhaps she could kiss them better. She tore her gaze away from the blonde’s breasts but when Isabel looked down that slim, toned body she couldn’t miss wetness that glistened on those perfect thighs on either side of the harness’s crotch strap. Isabel was sure she could smell the increasingly familiar scent of Charlotte’s arousal.
At that moment, Charlotte blushed furiously and turned Isabel around.
‘Let’s make this a little more interesting, shall we.’ The blonde took up more rope and began to wind it around Isabel’s chest over and under her breasts and then tying loops between and on either side of her breasts before running lengths of rope over her shoulders so that the brunette’s breasts were squeezed and she soon felt them start to throb.
‘Are you worried that my breasts will escape?' Isabel asked, trying to make light of the situation in which she found herself; she heard the effort in her voice and knew Charlotte would too.
‘I’ll miss them when they’re gone,' Charlotte said, her hands sliding round Isabel’s body to squeeze them gently.
‘Gone,' Isabel exclaimed, more than a little flustered by Charlotte’s groping and her suggestion.
‘I know I just got my place on a gymnastic scholarship, Iz, but you must have worked out we’re in some sort of VR environment.’
‘VR?’ Isabel said. ‘I had considered it but…’
‘It feels so real,' Charlotte cupped Isabel’s breasts. ‘It certainly does. These certainly do.’ She squeezed gently. ‘But, genius as he is, I can’t see how Kink gave you these. He made you dance too. Unless you really have loosened up.’
‘What?’ Isabel was momentarily wrong footed by the comment. ‘What do you mean ‘loosened up’?’
‘Oh, Iz,' Charlotte said, her body firm against Isabel’s back and her fingers closing on the brunette’s nipples in a way that made her grow with pleasure.
‘Iz, you’ve just danced a striptease and from where I was standing it looked as if you were thoroughly enjoying yourself.’
She knew it was true.
‘If this is a VR environment…’ Isabel said, trying to maintain her self control. ‘When do you think it happened?’
‘I don’t know,' Charlotte said, releasing Isabel’s nipples. ‘I’d say it was after the battle in the engineering deck of the base; there was that gas and we were definitely unconscious after that but these were there before then.’ She squeezed again and Isabel moaned with lust. ‘So it must have been before then.’ She paused. ‘I remember waking up locked in one of those metal frames like the one in Kink’s office on the base? He was…doing something to me. I wonder if our real bodies are still in them.’
‘Mmmm,' Isabel mused torn between the intellectual puzzle of their captivity and the desire to ask Charlotte to play with her nipples again. ‘It must have been before if your theory about my breasts is correct. Maybe something happened when we put on the suits.’
‘I don’t remember anything,' Charlotte released her.
‘What about that last escape,' Isabel said, barely able to think of anything else but the desire to have Charlotte’s hands back on her body. ‘That felt real.’
‘So does this,' Charlotte said passing a strand of rope between Isabel’s legs
‘Does it have to go through there?’ Isabel asked. ‘I mean…' She stopped. ‘No, do what you need to do.’ She shuddered.
‘I’ve got to make sure the ropes are secure,' Charlotte said, her voice playful, confident once again, the Charlotte everyone knew. ‘It wouldn’t be much of a challenge if they weren’t.’ She jerked the rope tight. ‘And the three of you were very thorough when you bound me.’ She leaned in. ‘Very thorough.’ She gave the crotch rope another tug then looped the rope around the ones outside Isabel’s breasts and passed it back between her legs pulling it tight again.
Isabel felt it press against the tops of her thighs parting her labia and realising with shame that the ropes would come away wet.
‘Was you that gave me a crotch rope too.’
Isabel looked at her sharply.
‘You can be a very naughty girl sometimes, Iz,' Charlotte whispered.
Isabel held herself back from saying it had been Tiffany wishing it had been her.
‘Very naughty indeed,' Charlotte stood in front of Isabel, so close that their breasts were almost touching, then her hand slid between Isabel’s legs, her fingers instantly finding her clitoris, framed by the two strands of rope.
‘Can you imagine a rope like this but with all those knots tight against yourself.’ Charlotte pressed gently with her finger. ‘Pressing and rubbing.’ The finger slid further back. ‘Rubbing and pressing… teasing…' The bottom of her finger rested against Isabel’s clitoris while the tip slid back and forth between the ropes in her sex. ‘And the more you squirm, the more it rubs and teases…' Her face was no more than an inch away from Isabel’s now, those lips so close, her breath hot, her breasts touching Isabel’s.
‘Shut up and kiss me,' Isabel wanted to shout.
‘You really are a hard nut to crack,' Charlotte said, stepping back with a smile and then lifting her finger to Isabel’s face, rubbing it on the brunette’s lips.
Isabel looked at her, horrified and strangely fascinated by her…her need.
‘The body doesn’t lie,' Charlotte said. ‘You know you want it…I know you want it.’
Isabel began to blush.
‘But if you really want it, I want you to tell me.’ Charlotte's face took on a shrewd expression. ‘I want you to beg.’
Whatever vulnerabilities the blonde had shown before, they were gone now and Isabel felt trapped, cornered; terrified suddenly that the blonde was toying with her.
‘You’ve never been with a girl before have you?’
Isabel felt her blush heighten and Charlotte tugged down in the ropes entwining her breasts.
‘On your knees, virgin,’ she said firmly.
Isabel’s mouth dropped open, her body trembling as she lowered herself to her knees suddenly aware that her face was now level with Charlotte’s crotch; just the thin black leather strap of the body harness barely covering the glistening pink folds of her sex. There was no mistaking the scent.
‘Tell me you want it,' Charlotte had said, a hard edge to her voice.
This was Charlotte through and through, exploiting, dominating everyone.
‘I want it,' Isabel said, the words slipping out of her mouth along with her breath.
‘What?’ Charlotte said. ‘I didn’t hear you.’
Isabel looked up, eyes wide, still terrified that the blonde was mocking her trying to read the expression on Charlotte’s face. She licked her lips, her mouth suddenly dry. ’I want it.’
‘Then you’ll have to wait your turn,' Charlotte purred.
Isabel felt her face burn red and bowed her head forward to hide it but then Charlotte was there squatting beside her, running ropes from between Isabel’s breasts to her thighs and back up to her throat, tying a strand around her neck.
Isabel gasped, frightened, vulnerable. ‘Please be gentle with me.’
‘You do trust me, don’t you Isabel? You do trust Mistress Charlotte.’
‘What?’ Isabel’s head snapped up.
‘I asked if you trusted me.’
‘What? Yes, of course.’
‘Yes what?’ The blonde’s gaze was intense and Isabel floundered.
‘Yes, Mistress,' Charlotte mouthed.
‘But…’
‘Say it!’ Charlotte’s hand slipped into Isabel’s hair forcing her to look at her.
‘Yes, Mistress,' Isabel whispered.
‘Then trust me on this.’ She released her grip and stroked Isabel’s hair standing beside her. ‘I know what I’m doing.’
Isabel looked at her; looked up at the blonde certain now that she was being manipulated just as Kink had manipulated her before.
‘I love you, Mistress.’ She whispered it.
‘What was that?’
Isabel turned away, her face reddening, burning again. It had just slipped out.
‘Mistress asked you a question.’ Charlotte rolled Isabel over onto her back where she lay helplessly on her bound arms, her legs drawn up by the ropes around her thighs and spread , exposing her but it wasn’t the fact that her pussy was open, gaping and wet that shocked Isabel but the blush that burned through her. She thrashed her head from side to side, struggling to roll but Charlotte held her ankles until she looked up at her.
The blonde’s cobalt blue eyes were fixed on hers and Isabel tried her best to hold her gaze.
She swallowed.
‘I said ‘I trust you, Mistress’,' Isabel said as confidently as she could.
Charlotte’s lips curled into a smile, her blue eyes flashing.
‘Well.’ The blonde said. ‘Now we know where we stand.’
Isabel closed her eyes, distraught at her lapse, barely aware that Charlotte was crossing and binding her ankles then relieved to be rolled back onto her knees where she was forced by her bondage to kneel with her bottom in the air.
‘Now that’s a pretty sight.’ Charlotte slapped Isabel’s bottom. ‘I like this too.’ The blonde ran a finger over Isabel’s pussy.
‘I thought I was supposed to be learning to escape,' Isabel said. She felt tears in her eyes, this wasn’t how she wanted it to be.
‘You know you’re right.’ Charlotte walked round the helpless brunette to stand in front of her.
Isabel looked down at the blonde’s feet, her toenails a glossy red, realising that even Charlotte’s feet were beautiful.
‘I’m going to leave you so you can try to escape.’ The blonde squatted down and, crouched forward on her knees, Isabel came face to face with her pussy again and her scent and that thin black leather strap. Charlotte’s fingers stroked her hair. ‘But first I’m going to gag you.’
‘Do you have to?’ Isabel looked at the pink pussy gaping in front of her face knowing suddenly what she wanted to do.
‘Don’t you want Mistress to gag you?’
‘I…' Isabel sighed. As usual Charlotte was getting what she wanted.
‘Open wide.’
Isabel complied and was hit by the scent of leather as the large muzzle that Charlotte had worn when she first appeared was held in front of her face. It had a huge rubber plug that the blonde pushed firmly between Isabel’s teeth.
‘Nnggg.’
‘Yes,’ said Charlotte, buckling it behind Isabel’s head. ‘It is big isn’t it.’ The blonde stood and slapped Isabel’s bottom. ‘But not as big as this.’
‘Eh?’
Something pressed against Isabel’s bottom, forcing its way between the strains of rope that were already deep between her buttocks.
‘Nnggh.’ She squirmed frantically as Charlotte pushed something large through her anal ring. ‘Nnnggghhh.’ It seemed to be getting bigger. ‘Uggh.’ The sphincter closed behind it, or at least behind the largest part of it; she could feel whatever it was filling her and the rest of it stretching her anal ring.
‘Not bad, Izzy. I don’t think I’d have managed anything that big when I was starting out.’
‘Mnngh.’
‘Oh, Izzy,' Charlotte chided. ‘It was enough of the struggle to put it in; I’m not going to pull it out now. Besides…' She leant forward across Isabel’s back and whispered in her ear. ‘If this is a VR environment we can do all sorts of naughty and probably quite dangerous things to each other while we’re here…wherever ‘here’ is.’ Her teeth closed around Isabel’s earlobe and she tugged.
‘Iggh.’
Charlotte slid her arms round Isabel’s body in an embrace that drew them together, the pressure of her belly on Isabel’s bottom pushing the anal plug on deeper; then the blonde’s fingers closed on Isabel's nipples.
‘Eeegh.’
‘We may as well make the most of it.’
Charlotte’s fingers pinched and her lips caressed Isabel’s neck making the brunette’s body sing with pleasure.
‘Mmmm…’
‘I’m so glad you agree.’ Charlotte’s fingers gently rolled Isabel’s nipples and her tongue played across Isabel’s ear then she pulled gently and Isabel felt the loop around her neck tighten.
‘Mmmnngg.’
‘You can’t imagine how hot I’m feeling right now, Izzy,' Charlotte said. ‘Having you here as my submissive plaything.’
Isabel whimpered into her gag.
‘Priya’s not the only one who enjoys a little kinky sex and you won’t believe how long I’ve fantasised about getting you involved. There have been nights when I’ve wanked myself silly thinking about you grovelling at my feet as you lick those shiny black thigh boots of mine that I know you like.’
Isabel stiffened.
‘And now you’re all mine.’
‘Miss Schwarz, or should I say, Miss Tease,' Kink’s voice rang out. ‘We need you on stage.’
‘Nnnghh.’ Isabel felt a compulsion to try to stand, to obey but her bonds prevented it and when she tried even to kneel up the rope tightened around her neck.
‘Just when we were getting somewhere,' Charlotte said, more than a hint of irritation in her voice. ‘I guess I’ll have to go in your place.’ The blonde stood and Isabel felt something that she thought might be Charlotte’s toe brush her sex then she walked away leaving Isabel to squirm on her knees in frustration as she watched those perfect buttocks sway.
>From where she knelt at the side of the stage, Isabel could now see Priya standing on the stage in her leopardskin bikini holding something that looked like a fan spread in her left hand. The dark skinned girl stood in front of what appeared to be one of Kink’s large round frames, the ones with the cylinders that Isabel had allowed herself to be locked in during their first escape attempt; the ‘red herring’ he’d called it; the devices it seemed Kink used to confine them between escape attempts and perhaps during if they were connected to some sort of VR interface. This one had a coloured board with a spiral pattern on the back of it.
‘Miss Scarlet?’ Kink said from his place in the auditorium. ‘My programme says this is a role for Miss Schwarz.’
‘She’s a little tied up,' Charlotte said and Isabel could sense the smile in her voice. ‘I’ve come as her understudy.’
‘Very well,' Kink responded. ‘It’s not a taxing role and I think you know what you have to do.’
Isabel watched as Charlotte stepped up onto the frame then turned to face Priya before reaching up to slide her left hand into the cylinder above her left shoulder. The mechanism closed, pinning her hand in place. She repeated the process with her right hand and then lifted her legs before spreading them and sliding her feet into the cylinders at the bottom of the wheel leaving her spread eagle and completely helpless.
‘Excellent,' Kink said from beyond Isabel’s field of vision. ‘You’re a natural.’
Charlotte turned, presumably looking at Kink, arching her back and clearly flaunting her perfect body then she glanced at Isabel and winked.
‘Miss Prince, if you please.’
Priya looked at Kink then down at her hands.
Isabel saw her take hold of what she was holding in her right hand.
A knife, she realised, one of five that she held by the blade.
She saw Charlotte’s eyes widen and then the blonde looked up at the bonds around her hands, pulling at them, not violently but subtly. The movement made her body tense and her little breasts heave.
‘Professor, I’m not sure…' Priya said.
‘Miss Illangovan, surely you of all people wouldn’t want to disappoint me.’
She turned to Kink. ‘If I may say so, Mr Kink. I’d prefer to be the one in bondage,’ she said. ‘If we are required to do this again, do you think that is a possibility?’
‘Your request is duly noted, Miss Illangovan but for now, please proceed.’
‘I really…' Priya began.
‘I think I’d prefer if she didn’t too,' Charlotte said, squirming a little more obviously now.
‘Miss Illangovan,' Kink’s voice was stern and Isabel watched helplessly as Priya drew back her hand and then hurled the knife at Charlotte. It embedded in the wood to the right of Charlotte’s head and Isabel saw the blonde turn to look at it, her blue eyes wide.
‘Again,' Kink commanded.
Priya threw again, her knife landing to the left of Charlotte’s head.
‘You see what we can accomplish when we put our minds to it,' Kink said.
‘Yes, Professor,' Priya sounded more confident now and threw again, the knife thudding into the wood between Charlotte’s legs.
Charlotte looked down.
Isabel thought she might be sick.
The practice continued until Priya had thrown all five knives twice at which point Isabel bowed her head and let out a sigh of relief.
Kink applauded. ‘Excellent. Curtain up in ninety minutes.’ There was a pause then he said. ‘Miss Illangovan. Would you join me?’
Priya looked around then nodded.
‘This way then.’
Isabel watched Priya step out of her field of vision towards the front of the stage and her gaze returned to Charlotte still suspended spreadeagle in the metal ring, the knives embedded in the wooden backing mere inches from her helpless body.
The blonde was watching Priya.
Then Isabel recalled her own plight. She should be trying to escape, not that Charlotte had given away any useful tips even if she had revealed a streak that was apparently as kinky as Priya’s. How had Isabel not known about it? The pair had lived side by side for a year. Isabel had been aware of the steady stream of visitors to Charlotte’s room and, sometimes, the noises that these visits produced. She had, she recalled, thought Charlotte a slut for a while but, apparently like everyone else on the campus, she had gradually fallen under the blonde’s spell and after that had just accepted it as ‘Charlotte’. She recalled at that moment the first time she’d seen the blonde in those shiny black thigh boots; she’d gone in to borrow a book and found the blonde there in a bathrobe and the boots; she pushed the thoughts she’d had afterwards from her mind and looked up to see Tiffany appear on the stage. The redhead stood in front of Charlotte, looking up past her then she began to pull the knives from the wood beginning with the one between Charlotte’s spread legs. There was a brief exchange between them which involved Tiffany touching the flat of the knife to Charlotte’s belly then the redhead produced something from her bra and the next thing Isabel knew, Charlotte was falling onto the stage having been released from the restraint.
Isabel watched as Charlotte climbed slightly unsteadily to her feet.
Another exchange followed which Isabel couldn’t catch and then the blonde was striding towards her.
‘Someone hasn’t made much progress,' Charlotte said as she loomed over Isabel.
The blonde was, Isabel could see, sweating.
‘Mnngh,' Isabel said into her gag.
‘Slaves who disobey their mistress get punished,' Charlotte said.
‘Nnngh.’ Isabel shook her head.
‘Yes, they do,' Charlotte said. ‘I’ve just put myself out there for you. The least you can do is submit that cute little body of yours to Mistress Charlotte’s discipline.’
Isabel tried to rise again but the rope around her neck tightened.
‘I’m sure I can find something in here,' Charlotte said, peering into the chest that seemed to contain her escapology equipment and a few other things besides.
A moment later she reappeared in front of Isabel with a cane in her hand and a smile on her lips.
‘I don’t think you’ve even been trying to escape,’ she said, flexing the cane.
‘Chnggh,' Isabel said.
The first strike of the cane to Isabel’s bottom made her jump in her bonds.
The second made her gasp.
After the third, Charlotte crouched beside her and yanked back her head. ‘Priya is outside the forcefield.’ The blonde said quietly.
Isabel turned to look at her.
‘I think that’s the key.’ The blonde whispered. ‘We need to get to the auditorium as the doors open. Curtain up in ninety minutes which gives us sixty.’
Isabel glared at the blonde. She’d already worked that out and whatever she’d like Charlotte to do to her, she needed to be released to concentrate on the escape. In fact it was probably fifty five minutes now.
‘Cn ugh ug em o?’ Isabel said. The anticipation and excitement she had felt before was fading although there was still something exciting about being Charlotte’s prisoner. What had she said? ‘There have been nights when I’ve wanked myself silly thinking about you…’
Whether for good or ill, at that moment Tiffany came to her rescue.
‘I hate to break up this kinky little sex party,’ the buxom redhead said. ‘But we have fifty two minutes to escape. Shall we get to it?’
Charlotte stood abruptly, turning towards the girl and clutching the cane.
‘Charlotte,’ the other girl said. ‘I may not like you but we really need to work together to get out of here so please untie this hot little slut that used to be our leader and let her use her brain. I for one really don’t want to endure more high heels, stockings and tight bustiers.’
Isabel saw Charlotte tense and take a tiny step forward as if she was about to use the cane as a weapon.
‘Nggh!’ she said into her gag.
Charlotte turned to look at her. The blonde’s expression was feral, her blue eyes blazing.
‘Alright,’ the blonde said coldly. ‘And if it helps, I don’t like you either.’
‘Shggh,' Isabel repeated through her gag.
In the ensuing time they searched the backstage area.
‘Here.’ Charlotte held a book out to Isabel. She and Tiffany had been bringing her items that must surely have been red herrings seemingly in an effort to prove themselves superior to the other. ‘I don’t know what this is but it’s all I can find.’
Isabel opened it with little enthusiasm and saw a page of ballet moves, the flow of a dance she didn’t recognise. Flipping it over she saw there was only one page and the moves seemed to stop in the middle of the stage. The positions and steps were familiar to her. She took the book and, standing at the right hand side of the stage began to dance the moves, stepping pirouetting and leaping until she stopped a little away from the centre of the stage. She repeated the move and ended up in the same spot. Bending down, she rubbed away the dust and saw faint lines in the boards of the stage.
‘You should start a trend,' Tiffany said as Isabel stood. ‘Ballet in nipple tassels.’
Isabel looked down at the little discs she’d fastened back onto her nipples when Charlotte had released her.
‘The thong looks good too.’
‘It’s a trapdoor,’ she said, ignoring Tiffany’s comments.
‘There must be a lever to open it at the side of the stage,' Tiffany said. ‘It might lead out into the auditorium.’ She walked to the side of the stage and looked at the various levels and controls. ‘I’ve no idea which one it is.’
Isabel watched as she reached out and pulled a lever at random.
‘Tiff, no!’
It was too late.
A sandbag crashed to the floor beside Isabel just as Charlotte appeared at the side of the stage.
‘Will you fucking well be careful,' Charlotte said.
‘We’ve got just over half an hour, Blondie!’ Tiffany said. ‘I haven’t seen you do anything useful yet.’
‘I found the book,' Charlotte hissed. The blonde still held the cane she’d used on Isabel. She’d been carrying it around with her.
‘Get over it you fucking sporting Barbie doll!’ Tiffany retorted. ‘You’re only here because we needed a fourth.’
‘Ladies!’ Isabel held up her hand. ‘Can we save this for later?’
Tiffany pulled another lever and a section of scenery rolled up from the back of the stage.
‘Look, let me.’ Charlotte strode forward, clearly intending to cross the stage.
‘Charlie.’ Isabel stopped her. ‘It might be better if I looked. I’ve been on stage a few times before.’
The look Charlotte gave her was almost murderous. ‘Fine!’ the blonde snapped. ‘Take her side like you always do. I know you all think I’m thick because I’m on a gym scholarship.’
‘It’s…' Isabel began but Charlotte had already stormed off to the other side of the stage. Isabel watched her go, finding tears pricking at her eyes. She blinked them back and turned to Tiffany.
‘That’s not helping.’ She snapped.
‘She had it coming,' Tiffany said, stepping aside to allow Isabel to look at the scenery controls.
Isabel studied them for a moment then flicked a switch. Behind them, the trapdoor swung open.
‘Where do you think Priya’s gone?’ Isabel asked.
‘Search me,' Tiffany said. ‘Kink helped her off the front of the stage then led her off towards the back.’
‘I assume she’s coming back,' Isabel said. ‘Do you think we should wait for her?’
Tiffany shrugged. ‘Maybe we should let her decide what she wants to do. Maybe she’s quite happy being in thrall to Kink. You know she can be just as manipulative as our little blonde cheerleader.’
‘That’s harsh,' Isabel said.
Tiffany looked at her.
‘Well, maybe she is a little,' Isabel conceded. ‘I’ve always thought it was cultural. You know, Asian girls know what they want and aren’t afraid to ask for it.’
‘So what's with you and Barbie?’ Tiffany asked a little stiffly. ‘Are you finally getting it together?’
‘Finally?’
‘Oh come on, you share clothes, you share underwear for god’s sake. You’re always in each others’ rooms. How you didn’t end up in bed together after that prom I’ll never know.’
‘What?’ Isabel felt herself reeling at this argument.
‘Charlotte is so hot for you it’s amazing she doesn’t explode. Why do you think she’s here with us?’ The redhead cast a glare over her shoulder. ‘I mean she’s hardly MENSA material.’
‘But…’
‘But she spread her legs for every quarterback?’ Tiffany said with a sly smile.
Isabel gave her what she hoped was a withering look.
‘It’s the truth and you know it,' Tiffany continued, ‘She’s as much in denial as you.’
‘Detail of what?’ Isabel asked.
Tiffany gave her a pitiable look. ‘You really are so naive sometimes, Isabel.’
‘Hello everyone.’
Isabel turned to see Priya stepping onto the stage.
‘Where have you been,' Tiffany asked.
‘I’ve been talking to Professor Kink,' Priya said.
‘Just talking?’ Tiffany asked with a suggestive undercurrent to her voice.
‘Yes, just talking,' Priya said primly. ‘He’s quite a gentleman.’
‘Are you quite sure about that?’ Tiffany regarded Priya suspiciously.
‘Why would we be doing anything else?’ Priya asked fiddling with the shoulder strap of her leopardskin bikini.
‘I don’t know,' Tiffany said. ‘Maybe because he’s a kinky bastard and you’re a submissive little slut.’
‘That is very rude,' Priya said with a theatrical toss of her head which was enough to make her lustrous dark hair dance and her heavy breasts bounce in the bikini.
‘We’ve found a tunnel,' Isabel said, trying to head off another conflict in her team. ‘I’m guessing it leads out there.’ She gestured to the auditorium which was now in darkness.
‘I am thinking that is where we need to be,' Priya said. ‘I think we now have twenty seven minutes.’ She looked around. ‘Where is Charlotte?’
Isabel glanced at Tiffany. ‘I don’t think she’s far away. Probably looking for clues.’
Tiffany glanced back at her with a sour expression.
‘I’ll go and find her,' Isabel said. ‘Tiff has a key which hopefully will get us out but I don’t understand what the Emergency Button is.’
‘Perhaps it is a red herring too,' Priya suggested. ‘Or maybe it deactivates the forcefield.’
‘Didn’t you get anything out of Kink?’ Tiffany challenged.
‘I got a promise that I would enjoy more bondage in the next scenario,’ she said.
‘We plan to escape this one,' Isabel said. ‘Unless you know something different.’
‘And if we don’t I will get lots of bondage,' Priya said with a smile.
Isabel rolled her eyes.
‘You seem to be enjoying your own submissive fantasies,' Priya said regarding her cooly. ‘It wasn’t me that had such an intense orgasm in the last room that we didn’t get out.’
‘It didn’t end there,' Tiffany said, raising an eyebrow. ‘You should have seen what she and the bimbo were up to when you were preparing for your knife throwing act.’
Isabel glared at her. ‘I’ll go and find Charlotte,’ she said as coolly as she could. ‘We should get out together.’
Priya nodded.
‘Don’t be too long,' Tiffany cautioned.
Isabel found Charlotte sitting, leaning against the back wall of the stage, her knees drawn up and her arms wrapped around her shins.
‘Charlie?’ Isabel said cautiously.
Charlotte looked up. The blonde had clearly been crying, her eyes were red and her lower eyelids swollen, there were tear tracks on her cheeks.
‘What?’ Charlotte snapped.
Isabel was taken aback. She’d never seen Charlotte like this. ’We’ve found a trapdoor,’ she said. ‘I think it’s the way out.’
‘Really?’
‘Charlie!’ Isabel bent towards her but the blonde turned away.
‘I know where I stand.’ She looked back at Isabel. ‘You just picked me in case there were physical challenges.’
‘Charlotte, I picked you because…' Isabel paused wondering why she’d picked the athletic blonde. There had been a dozen other hopefuls all with ER experience and better qualified than Charlotte to take the fourth place. Had it been loyalty to her neighbour? They’d been billeted next door to each other in their first years and Charlotte had guided Isabel through the social whirl of her freshman year despite her best efforts to misstep at every turn.
Then there had been the prom, the prom when Charlotte and more or less marched into Isabel’s room and told the retiring, socially inept brunette that she’d bought her a ticket for the prom, and Isabel was going to the prom and was going to wear one of Charlotte’s old dresses.
It had been quite an event. Isabel had been more than surprised how much she’d enjoyed it and how much interest her presence had generated. There had been a string of admirers drawn no doubt by the silver sequinned dress with its ludicrously flirty split and the stockings and the heels. She had been bombarded by requests to dance, to come ‘home’ for the summer, to leave early and by extension, have her brains shagged out.
And Charlotte had been at her side throughout nodding approval or dispersing time wasters or stepping in when it had all become too overwhelming.
Despite every endeavour of every red blooded male on the campus and a few of the girls, the pair of them had wound up back in Charlotte’s room in the small hours giggling together as Isabel did her best to extricate herself from the dress and the stockings and the heels. Isabel recalled looking up to find Charlotte already naked and lying on her bed watching her with those cobalt blue eyes.
And yet, somehow, IQ of 182, Isabel Schwarz, A* grade student and escape room genius had not even realised, not even suspected why her friend had done it all. She’d simply thanked Charlotte, said her good nights and gone back to her room.
Isabel looked at Charlotte. There had been hints of her vulnerability before, especially during Escape Room scenarios when the blonde had taken twice as long as any of the others would have to solve a puzzle; there had been friction too, particularly with Tiffany who was a girl that spoke her mind, but nothing like this.
‘Oh Charlie.’ Isabel crouched before her then dropped forward onto her knees. Suddenly escaping didn’t matter to her anymore, suddenly all that mattered was Charlotte. ‘I…' She didn’t even know how to start. ‘I…’
Charlotte was beautiful and funny and just so…so…
Isabel knew she was no good at this stuff; she could motivate her team but this was different, Charlotte was always the one who rescued her from the depths of despair when she’d only scored an A- for a paper or embarrassed herself in class by giving the answers too quickly or fully.
‘Can we do some more escapology practice?’ Isabel asked finally.
The blonde raised her eyes, sullen and tearful.
‘The truth is, Charlie…' What could she say? ‘The truth is I really need to be tied up right now and if you could find the time to spank me that would be awesome.’
Charlotte looked at her.
‘It’s probably better if I’m naked,’ she said, ‘and quite frankly these nipple tassels are bloody uncomfortable.’ She stood and slipped them off her nipples then stood and slid out of her thong. ‘Never dance in one of these,’ she said, tossing it away.
‘But the escape?’ Charlotte said.
‘There’s always next time,’ Isabel assured her, ‘I don’t think we’re going to make it out of here so we may as well start practicing for the next one. Besides, we have all those toys in your trunk to play with.’
‘But Priya…’ Charlotte looked up at her. ‘Tiffany…' The blonde frowned.
‘They’ll understand,’ Isabel said, ‘and if they make it out, it will just be the two of us.’ She smiled. ‘I’d like that.’
Charlotte smiled back. ‘I’d like that too.’