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Department Store Romance (Loneiy x Alan)

loneiysong

loneiysong

Pulsar
Joined
Apr 13, 2012
Location
Someplace where depression always finds me.
"Alright ladies, listen up." The manager of the Roma and Brasch paced back and forth. She was, as other girls called her, a man eater. She would chew them up and spit him out. Her name was Isabelle Brasch and the department store was given to her because the Roma family line was very untrustworthy and she was the only Brasch still living. Even though she talked to a group of mixed gender, Isabelle preferred to call them all ladies. Probably from her dreams of once becoming a dominatrix. "Shea C Ryner is coming. He is a great author and it is all of you girls jobs to make him feel welcome. Welcome and comfortable. First girl I see flirting or being a shameful peon around him will be forthwith terminated." She smiled and turned looking at the girls. "Understood? Great, go sell."

Elena barely heard anything that went on. The girls were walking past her. Elena only got that Mr. Ryner was coming. She had read all of his books. She loved it. Adored them. He gave her a release to an otherwise hohum life. She was so excited. But the girls chattered and they would probably be drooling over him, bringing him coffee, lunch, everything. There was no way she could compete. Nor would she. This job was all she had. She was awesome at it.

After getting her morning dose of caffeine, she stood up adn walked out to the make up counters. She was a high seller. But she was quiet. Her long brown hair was pulled up off her back. Her blue eyes looked around and she began to sell. She was dressed in a black top and tights and skirt. She looked professional, but the other girls called her fat. She was curvy and had breasts that compared to teh girls around her. But compared to the other girls, she looked overweight.

When lunch came around, she stood in line. Grabbing Mr. Ryners newest book, she bit her lip and waited impatiently for him to sign her book and bounced on her toes in excitement. Finally she was going to meat Ryner!
 
Shea Ryner's feet hurt, and his back ached. He was fit enough, but book signings always took it out of him. It was really the very worst part of authorship. Bad critical reviews he could take in his stride. Writer's block he regarded as a minor occupational hazard. Interviews he'd tolerate. But these signings - if one more person tried to get him to read their novel, asked him "where do you get your ideas from", asked for an interview on a scrap of paper "but I promise I'll buy your book next week"... he thought he'd probably throw up!

Still, it needed to be done. And after all, a book wasn't a book until it was read. There wasn't any doubt these affairs helped sales. he remembered how it had been at the start. When the first book in the "Smog City" series had come out - in those days, he'd have given his left foot for a queue like this. But over the past four years sales had grown so much he was now one of the most famous authors in his field. "Steampunk Shea" the magazines called him. And if this was the price...

He signed the tenth of a series pf his books (and one by another author) that an elderly lady had thrust before him and turned to the next person in line. This time he vaguely recognized the face. When that fierce looking store manager had showed him around, and introduced him to the staff, he'd found the girl rather attractive. Ellen something, he recalled. Helen? Helana? Elena, that was it. He remember she'd seemed harassed, and that the other girls on her counter had teased her a bit. That she'd looked shy, and flustered to meet him.

He remembered he'd been impressed by her looks, though. The long, naturally curled dark hair with the touch of auburn. The large, pretty eyes. Slim calves. Since the split with the torch singer that had been so much publicized, they'd been a lot of girls throwing themselves at him, and he hadn't taken the bait. But he remembered thinking, if this one was free, he might have been tempted to consider it.

Well, she was at the front of the queue now. Looking shyly down as if he was going to bite her. Hmm - he might have done, if they'd been alone, he mused.

He smiled at her. "Hey, I remember you," he laughed. "The pretty girl from cosmetics, who was selling the mauve gloss lipstick to that fat lady, right?"
 
She bit her lip. She was close. So close. She could see Shea's hair. Her heart began to race. She gripped the book close to her chest. She trembled in sweet sweet excitement. When the old lady before her stepped forward, she gasped. There he was. Out of her dreams and right smack dab in the middle of the book department of her store. She smiled and and stepped forward when it was her turn. She looked up into his eyes and grinned. He saw his lips moving, but, wait...what.

"Um, sorry." She said and looked down and blushed and felt her whole body shift and clench. Shit she had to go to the bathroom. She didn't want to run off like a spaz. She was not a spaz. No spazing out Elena. Trying to take a deep breath, she looked at him. "I am sorry, I didn't hea--uh---underst---no---I didn't catch what you said." She said. Tripping over her words and stuttering like a complete fool. She looked at him and smiled.

"My name is Elena Cross, I am a huge fan. I have loved all of your books. And...I am sorry that that woman left you...but you can do bett---I mean---there are plenty other--" She panted hard as she looked at him and felt warmth trickle down her leg and knew in a moment, that her spastic bladder had just released. Blushing violently she prayed he didn't notice. "Um, but...yess..." She bit her lip harder and shifted from leg to leg hoping he would sign the book and then let her go. Praying that she didn't piss herself too much. Too much here meaning making a puddle. SHe rolled her eyes up and felt teh world shift to teh side. Damn was she going to faint too.
 
Shea grinned, taking no offense at her words about there being plenty of other women. The press had made his private life a spectacle, and he'd long ago become used to it. He knew that people meant well, when they commiserated with him about the break up. He had noticed her blush, and sympathized. The poor girl was obviously searching her mind for the right thing to say, fearful at giving offense. He opened his mouth to reply, and then whatever he had been planning to say was shut off. His eyes widened, as Elena Cross' face suddenly changed expression.

She was panting. Yes, panting. And she'd suddenly looked down at the floor, quickly, then looked up again. She was stammering, too, and shifting from foot to foot. He was used to admiring girls being shy, but he'd never quite experienced this reaction before. Rather than disliking it, he found it flattering.

"Ms Cross, are you OK?" he asked, genuinely concerned.

From the corner of his eyes, he saw other people behind her in the queue looking down, at her legs. A few people were giggling. The girl called Elena started to say something, then her eyes rolled, and glazed, as if someone had suddenly fired a tranquilizer dart into her curvaceous buttocks. Her legs looked as if they were about to buckle, any second.

Shea moved quickly. In a single leap, he had pushed back his chair, leaped over the desk, scattering books and pens everywhere, ignoring the cry of surprise that came from the people in the queue. As Elena fell, he caught her, bending his knees slightly to take her weight and soften the impact, holding her tight.

"Gangway," he said, and such was the authority in his voice - so different from the urbane, friendly whisper he'd been using during the signing session - that the tightly serried crowd immediately drew back, automatically making room. "Quickly. Is there a first aid room?" he snapped, and one of the girls from jewellery walked in front and began to lead the way. "Sandi - get the first aid officer," she shouted to one of her colleagues. "This way, Mr Ryner."

Shea followed, holding Elena's body easily. Though she was curvier than the average supermodel, her weight presented no challenge. Her head was lolled back, and her eyes focused upwards, obviously in a faint. Surprisingly, he felt a dampness on his hands, as if her inner thighs were wet, and pushed that information to the back of his mind. Right now, he needed to concentrate on getting her to safety.

A minute later, he laid her down on the stretcher-bed in a small room set aside for medical emergencies. "Mr Rayner," said the girl who had led the way, "I got Sandi to call Karin, our first aid officer, but she's been delayed. I'll get someone to help as soon as I can."

Shea thanked her, and began chafing Elena's wrists, trying to bring her round.
 
Elena swallowed softly. The whispers behind her let her know that she ahd been found out. They knew she pissed herself. That was when her legs started to tremble and buckle as if suddenly the muscles in her legs could not hold up her body. She bit her lip. From what seemed like miles away, Shea was asking her if she was alright. And that was the last thing she remembered.

Her legs gave out, her world went black, and people behind her, instead of reaching out to grab her, stepped back. Elena was not aware she was being caught, nor of him holding her close. She was limp as a rag doll adn whatever her bladder may have been holding, totally released.

Elena was awaare of some pain in her wrists. Groaning, she rolled her head from side to side. Praying, it was all just a terrible dream in which she made a fool of herself, only to wake up and realize it was her subconscious calling her an idiot. She opened her eyes and saw Shea and groaned raising her free hand to her forehead as her whole body erupted into one giant blush. Elena had a history of several maladies, but the one that chose to raise its head today, was her asthma.

Wheezing gasps filled the room in no time.

Right around that time, the first aid officer came in and handed her the emergency inhaler she had given and she began to take long cleansing breaths with the inhaler. The first aid officer began to over look her and ask Shea what had happened. When the storry was retold, the first aid officer looked at Elena and checked her pupils making sure she didn't suffer a stroke, he also ruled out epilepsy since she didn't seize.

"Well Elena," Karin said chuckling. "Looks like you can add fainting spells on your list of maladies that make you one of the clutziest, dramatic, saleswomen on this floor." Karin meant well, but Elena just looked down and handed Karin the now resealed inhaler and put her hadns on her lap. "But good thing you have that pair of extra clothes, because you seem to have released your bladder." Elena wished that the earth would open up and swallow her whole. But she never let manners get away.

"Thank you Karin." She whispered all to aware of Sheas presence. She bit her lip and looked at him with her blue eyes. They looked sad. "Thanks for catching me." She said as she moved to stand up and then groaned holding her head leaning forward.
 
"Hey, no problem," laughed Shea. "Made me feel like one of those knights in the old medieval romances, carrying some pretty maiden to safety," In fact, similar incidents had happened in his novels, and he'd often wondered what it might be like to do it for real, so he was telling the truth. He was leaning forward, cradling her head in the crook of his arm, making it easy for her to use the inhaler. "Don't worry," he said to Karin. "My brother's a bad asthmatic - I'm used to this. OK, Elena, just breathe nice and easy. Everything's OK, now."

Looking down, he realized the truth of what Karin had said about Elena's bladder. Her skirt was stained, sodden wet. An anger flared in him at Karin's remark. This poor girl had suffered an unfortunate accident, and he guessed the last she needed was for someone to draw attention to it. Though she was standing, he felt that she might be about to collapse any moment - she seemed wobbly on her legs - and he shifted his grip slightly, so that he was supporting her fully, yet making it appear she was standing under her own steam.

"Yeah, just about every other person who faints tends to void their bladder," he said, to Karin. "Though I'd guess you'd know about that, being a qualified nurse." Cleverly, he'd managed to slip just enough of a nuance into his voice that he could, just, have meant "And what sort of a nurse are you if you *didn't* know it?" It wasn't entirely a lie, since he'd seen plenty of people faint, and a bladder release was not entirely uncommon. The fact that she'd wet herself before fainting was a thing that a confident bluff on her behalf could easily over-ride.

He turned back to Elena. "OK, now, only stand if you're ready. Don't worry - I'll grab you if you fall. Now, another puff, just a light one. Ready? Good girl." He smiled, and turned to Karin. "Urm, nurse - er, Karin, is it? Would you mind going back to the signing area and letting the people know I'll be a while. Apologize, and tell them I'll be out as soon as I can. Thanks. I appreciate it."

Karin opened her mouth to protest, but despite his mild language there was a tone in his voice that made it clear he wouldn't accept any arguments. Meekly, she shut her mouth, and with a mumbled "of course," immediately scurried from the sickbay to obey his request.

"Now," Shea said to Elena, "Are you sure you're really OK?"
 
Oh Lord. Was he saying that he was happy to be her knight in shining armor? Elena blushed as he was. She shut her eyes and breathed. He was coaching her through a process that she usually went through alone. Leaning her head against his chest, she shut her eyes and swallowed as she held the inhaler. She saw Shea looking down at her crotch of her skirt and shifted feeling all to aware again. She felt so embarrassed. Her skin was hot and she panted and shut her eyes trembling.

When he held her close, she leaned against him. But she was thankful for the way that he held her. She looked at him and then to Karin as they played intellectual chess. She felt so light headed just from that. But knew that Karin would punish her for Shea and her getting into a fight. Sitting down, she held her head and groaned taking another puff of her inhaler. She swallowed and took one last puff.

Standing up again, she moved forward into his arms and then looked down and groaned pressing her hand against his wall. She sighed and leaned on Shea.

"I will be fine. If I still have a job. But embarassing myself is something I do on a daily basis." She said. The inhaler calming her down considerably to talk to one of her idols. She blushed and then looked down and shook her head. "I pissed myself before I passed out." She whispered and bit her lip harder.
 
"Well, yes, but no-one needs to know that, do they?" Shea replied. He could see how embarrassed the poor girl was. "Especially that bitch of a nurse. I guess that's an occupational hazard you have to put up with, jealousy from your workmates... you being so pretty and everything." He stroked his chin, thinking. "Now, what we need to do is get you some new clothes. That Karin mentioned you had another outfit you keep at work. Or maybe you can call your boyfriend or girlfriend, to bring you a change of outfit. Don't worry about anyone hassling you to hurry up. The manager here just about worships me - much as I dislike it - so I can make sure you don't get into trouble.

He went to the door, checked no-one was listening, and returned. "Don't worry - we'll get you out of this. I guess this asthma problem can be pretty inconvenient. Does it happen a lot?"

To be honest, he was feeling a reaction that was quite surprising him. He was a cynical type, and tended to move in fairly affluent circles. Most of the women he met were confident, sassy, in control. Elena's weaknesses - her problems with asthma, and her other issue - for, from what she'd said, this wasn't the first time it had happened - was a fresh thing for him. He found he had an urge to look after her, save her from humiliation if he could. To be honest with himself, the situation was turning him on in a way he'd never imagined it could.

Another thought struck him.

"Er, that nurse. She's not likely to spread it all around the store is she? That you... had an accident?"
 
"They will know. That bit of news has already..." SHe blushed and looked down. "They will know." She looked at him and then blushed. "I-I am not...p-pr..." She swallowed trying to get a grip. "Beautiful." She sighed and looked at him and nodded. "I do have clothes." She then began to laugh so hard. Sitting down she held her sides as she laughed. "No...I am single." SHe shivered as her chin quivered. Looking down, she shivered and shook her head. "No, the only ones that are frequent company is Eloise the engineer and her robot Seamus." SHe sighed and looked up at him. Eloise was the awkward girl that was always trying to fix things but somehow ruining it only to to make it better in the end.

"Yes...I pass out, I break into hives, I....I have a lot of maladies." SHe looked down and rubbed her forehead and bit her lip. She looked up and then swallowed.

"The rumor of what has happened has probably reached Mens Wear right now." She smiled and looked at him.
 
"Well, I guess we should just let them talk, then," laughed Shea. "Eloise and Seamus, eh? Almost like Elena and Shea. I like that!" He was impressed by her ability to laugh off her recent humiliation, though he guessed that maybe much of it was an act. He sat down beside her, and draped his arm companionably across her shoulders.

"But really, Elena, you've hot to stop denying that you're beautiful. I think you're stunning, and I don't like having my taste criticized. So listen, here's the plan. This city, right now, is swarming with gossip columnists. And, much as I hate to sound arrogant, they're snooping around because they know I'm here. I've already had three reporters approach me for interviews. So, listen. In a few minutes, we're going to walk out arm in arm, and walk through the store. Those reporters are going to flock round us like wasps round a jam pot. They're going to be wondering who this mysterious, curvy, dark-haired beauty is on my arm. And neither of us are going to say a word. Let them speculate."

His lean face broke into a wicked grin. "And when your colleagues see you in 'Who Weekly' as Shea C Ryner's new love interest, they're going to forget totally that you're a store clerk who suffers from hives and fainting spells and whose bladder lets her down at awkward moments. They're going to think of you as that girl who hooked Shea Ryner. Now, let's get this plan into action."

He pulled out his phone, put in a call to the store's Womens' Wear section. "OK, I'll need a top. Silk. And a skirt. Both black." He looked Elena up and down, and whispered a question as to some of her measurements. When he spoke back into the phone, she heard him mention various fashion houses known for their exclusivity and expense. Stuff she could never have afforded in a month of Sundays. Brief underwear, pantyhose. A new pair of Jimmy Choo shoes.

And he gave the delivery address as the store's very own sick room!

"OK, how do you like that," he laughed, breaking the connection. "That's if you don't mind being my girl, for a short time?"
 
"No your characters. Eloise and Seamus. It is not romantic. Simply more like brother and sister relationship." She swallowed and bit her lip feeling his arm around her and leand her head against him and smiled wider. "Well...of course..." She looked down and then looked up at him and swallowed.

She listened to his idea. She knew that she could loose her job. Also she knew thta she would probably do something to embarrass him. "As much fun as that sounds fun, Shea, I don't think that would be best for you. I am not the most...graceful woman on earth. But if you wish it, then I will do what you want." SHe sighed and looked at him and then bit her lip adn nodded. "Yes, that will be my job." She began to scratch her arm as a bit of hives began to present themselves just from the thought. Shivering, she looked down and blushed.

When he asked her measurements, she told him and then bit her lip. Looking down, she looked at him and smiled. "I do like that. I bet it comes in handy." She folded her hands on ehr lap and giggled softly and then let herself imagine what it would be like to be with him.
 
"You're doing it again, aren't you," he growled, and through there was a laugh in his voice, his eyes had taken on a hardness that hadn't been there before. "Putting yourself down. Has it occurred to you that you're beautiful, and that beauty transcends the fact that you faint now and again, or that your skin gives you trouble?" (He wisely left out mention of her wetting herself - she was obviously mortified enough). "I'll be the judge of what's best for me, thank you very much. Hey, I've carried you around once before, if I have to get used to that, I will."

His name was called outside, and he went to the door. One of the assistants from Womenswear, a rapt, come-hither look on her vapid face, passed over the clothes he'd bought, and asked for an autograph! She diplomatically didn't ask why he'd been buying a female outfit, though if what Elena had said was true, she probably already knew.

He handed Elena the outfit, and politely turned away so that she could dress. "So," he said, deliberately picking a neutral subject. "You really think a robot like Seamus could work? I've been thinking of giving him a bigger role, in the next one. I'm going to have Prince Lark in it a lot more, and I think I could do some great dialogue between the two. But the plot line's been giving me some hassles... it's a real ice-pack job!"
 
"Yes, I am sorry." SHe admitted and looked down and bit her lip. She listened to him tell her once again that her beauty was trenscendant. She wanted to tell him just how much he was full of shit, but decided to keep her lip bit. She blushed when he mentioned carrying her around and then swallowed hard. Watching him walk to the door, she canted her head. He had a nice ass, and the way he carried himself was strong and confident.

When he came back, she blushed taking the high quality clothes and set them to the side. She listened to him as she took off her clothes very carefully adn deliberately. As she did, she slowly became aware that the room was becoming made of liquid and turning at a high rate. She was naked in the room with the man she sent several letters to. She licked her lips. "Seamus is a steam powered locomotive with heart, don't stray too much from that." She blushed and then pulled on the new panties which fit her like a dream. She pulled on the rest of the clothes. "If you ever need help, I think I have memorized your books by heart. I would be happy to help."

She moved to him in the comfortable Jimmy CHoos and touched his shoulder and smiled. "Thank you."
 
At the very moment that Elena touched him, Karin poked her head into the room. "Hey, Elena, Miss Brasch did an inspection tour, and passed your section. She wondered where you'd gone. I told her you'd fainted again. I have to tell you, she didn't seem any too pleased. She sent me to get you, and said to get back to your counter right now, or she wants to know the reason why! Honestly, she's furious. I can't keep covering up for you, you know. What with your rashes, and your fainting fits, and your constantly pissing yourself. It really isn't - "

"Karin," Shea said, his voice steady, "I'm afraid that's my fault. Would you mind getting in touch with Ms Brasch and telling her as much. I asked Ms Cross to get some stuff for me, as part of my signing session, and didn't realize she was rushed off her feet. Obviously she's been told to put everything else on hold if I asked for anything, and she did her best to comply. And then, I'm afraid I got her in conversation, and she's been most helpful. I hope Ms Brasch will see fit to reward her for all the help she's been, as I'm certainly going to tell my publishers how efficiently this part of the tour went off."

"Mr Ryner, I don't think you understand," Karin protested. "This isn't the first time she's been absent from her position. Elena's always wetting herself, or having some other reason to be off the floor. Ms Brasch can't be expected to tolerate - "

"It's my guess that Ms Brasch will tolerate," snapped Shea, "whatever she's told to tolerate. Particularly when this store's exclusive contract for sale of my latest hasn't been ratified yet. And I think I recall asking you to pass on a message to her. Do I take it you're refusing?"

Karin went white, and stalked out, her shoes clacking. Shea turned to Elena.

"Thank you for your offer," he said, totally making no reference to the conversation he'd just concluded. "I'd really appreciate that. Sometimes, an external consultant really helps. I'll give you a credit in the book, of course." He checked his Cartier watch. "And now, I think it's about time for a coffee break. IS there somewhere around here you can recommend, because we need to discuss this more fully."

He offered her his arm.
 
Elena bit her lip and jumped back. "Yes, o-o-of course..." She ran a hand through her hair and then looekd down at her watch and winced. Her lunch ended a good 10 minutes ago. Trying to take a cleansing breath, she moved to go forward her head down. She never asked Karin to cover for her, and she knew Karin probably didn't. Karin was in it to get what she could. She stopped when Shea began to talk looking at him.

Wow, Shea really was a knight in shining armor. She felt her legs begin to buckle under her as she literally began to swoon. But she moved her legs a bit so as not to faint again. Then Karin began to speak again-

Looking down, Elena blushed furiously as Karin began to recount her less than graceful crimes. Tears began to glisten in her eyes. Elena found herself wishing that the groudn would open up and swallow her whole. Moving her hands to her face, she began to tremble and sat down. Why was it that the whole world seemed against her more often than not.

Looking up, she looked at Shea and swallowed. She wiped her tears from her face and cleared her throat. "I am not sure what good I would actually be. As you heard, I am not at all trustworthy." She looked down and to the side. Her chin quivered and she looked down. She ran a hand through her hair and looekd totally crest fallen. Tears rolled down her face and she bit her lilp trying to stop herself.
 
Shea could see how difficult is was for Elena to hold herself together. It would be bad enough, he thought, to have the problems this poor girl suffered. And to have her colleagues constantly berate her for them would be even worse. And for them to deliberately set out to humiliate her in front of him must have been totally mortifying for her. He didn't blame her for bursting into tears. He knew that what she needed right now was reassurance that she was still a woman to be taken seriously.

And then, suddenly, a thought came into his mind. Shea received many fan letters and emails, and always tried to answer as many as he could. And when he searched his mind, he remembered the name Elena Cross. She'd sent him, he remembered, quite a few letters. And all of them had been highly articulate and intelligent, yet giving an obvious hint of the scared, frightened girl underneath. Now that he'd met her, he was finding her even more attractive than he had from just her writing.

He walked towards her confidently, and put his arms around her. Gently and protectively at first, but very diplomatically he deliberately arranged it so that if her legs let her down again he could catch her.

"I think you're pretty trustworthy, Elena," he said, softly. "And I think you had some great ideas, and you really know my work. Not to mention that you're so beautiful." He tilted her face up to his, and wiped away some of her tears. "Wherever do you get the idea no guy could want you. I can think of one that does."

And then he kissed her, hard and strong, so that whether or not she was inclined to resist, she had no choice. Holding her was like holding a small, frightened bird, yet underneath he could sense virtues others would have missed.
 
Elena swallowed and looked down. Leaning against his arm, she shut her eyes and sighed softly. Looking up at him, into those kind eyes,s he smiled softly and then blushed as he said what he did. Her heart fluttered. Leaning closer, she opened her lips and let him kiss her. She groaned softly. Her foot softly raised as her knee popped like an old timy movie. She held him tightly her fingers digging into his back like she was a drowning woman and he was her life raft. She was holding him like her life depended on it. She moaned softly to him and groaned.

She felt a whole new wetness between her legs. But it was a warmth in the pit of her stomach much akin to what she felt when he wrote. She blushed harder feeling her hives break out all over her skin as she panted blushing.

When the kiss ended, she pulled back and groaned. "Thank you, so very much." She whispered watching him.
 
Holding Elena in his arms, Shea was conscious of many things. The first was that he desired her, totally and unambiguously. This was partly her looks, for she was certainly attractive. However, there was more. Her failure to recognize her own beauty, her desperate need to be cherished and protected, her neediness and helplessness. It came to him that, just as characters did in the created world of his novels, he could own this woman, brand her as his, enslave her, whether she agreed or not. In some ways, there was even an ethical argument for saying that he should, maybe even must, take her as his.

Elena was too weak to defend herself, to face the world alone. Sooner or later, she would be a slave, in some form or another. Either to an unfeeling husband or boyfriend who took her for granted, or a stronger person that would delight in humiliating her and breaking her, or some low-life rapist or other scum. Being loved and owned by a brave, strong yet compassionate man was possibly the best thing that could happen in her life. Her panting, her blushing, suggested that she had made, sexually, a virtue out of her own limitations.

"You remember Kotu and Miss T'mewi, in 'Darkest of Suns', right? You know, the mercenary and his slave-wife? Well, I can see why he'd want to own her." He gently stroked her hair. "Owning a pretty girl like her - or you - I think that would be the greatest thing a true man could do." He kissed her gently. "I'm sure you couldn't agree to that, in our real, boring world. But if you'd like to pretend, it could be fun. What do you think - lovely girl?"

He ran his hands over her arms, showing that the outbreak of hives wasn't off-putting to him. He wondered if she'd get the message.
 
She leaned her head on his chest and shut her eyes and finally, for the first time in here adult life, she felt safe. Protected. It was in that moment, that Elena was sure that she would do whatever Shea asked of her. Leaning in, she shut her eyes and listened to his heart beat. She swallowed and just felt like time or anything else, it didn't matter. She knew in the next minute, Shea would be pushing her back and telling her to get back to work that she was silly and very stupid. She blushed looking down. She wasn't sure she could leave him now, even if he told her to. That was the one thing that she couldn't.

What he said, she looked up at him and blushed.

"Yes, I remember Kotu and Miss T'mewi, They made me believe in true love. Everyone called me stupid for thinking that Kotu truly loved T'mewi. But I believe it." She looked at him and swallowed. "A-a-are you say..saying." She swallowed tripping over her words. "Are you saying that you...want to own me?" She whispered and looked down and bit her lip. But he kissed her and the thoughts rolled out of her head. Blushing, she looked at him and smiled. "I would...I would agree to anythign you asked of me Shea."

Just agreeing to him, was proof she was an easy target for anyone that wanted her. But she looked into his eyes and blushed.
 
"Well, of course I want to own you, beautiful one," laughed Shea. "What man wouldn't want to own someone as pretty as you." He punctuated his sentence with small, soft kisses. The softness of a man totally sure of his strength, with no need to posture and display. "To be like Koto and own the most beautiful woman in the whole nation. To have you as mine, at my disposal, to protect you, physically and mentally."

He thought back over the novel - one of the most recent in the series - in which the characters appeared. The brave Captain Koto had seen the girl imprisoned and in chains, and because of her physical weakness was reviled and bullied even by the other slaves. The plot of the book had been that Koto had stolen her and had fled across the series' alternate Africa, escaping and defeating the hordes commanded by the slave owner. It struck him that Elena resembled T'mewi in many ways. The same inability to function in the world despite high intelligence and almost unearthly beauty, the same commitment once she had found someone to protect her. T'mewi had saved the Captain's life in the climax of the novel - well, he doubted Elena would be called on to do that, but jaded and cynical as he was, she had the potential, in a strange way, to save his innocence.

He remembered, too, the ceremony, by Lake Tanzania, by which Koto had claimed her for his own, in the sight of the Fae folk who did duty, in his imagined world, for deities.

He moved his head downwards, seeking her exposed neck. Running his tongue down along her ear, lingering, finding the neck at last, and then -

Suddenly, with no warning, though as a devotee of the books she must surely have known what he'd do, he bit her, hard, his teeth not quite meeting, yet nipping the skin, drawing out blood, which (for he was no vampire) he allowed to trickle down her neck. He held her head rigid, pulling back the hair so that her scalp must surely be tingling, and kicked her legs from under her (yet in such a way he could catch her as she fell, for there was no hatred in this dominance whatever it might have looked to an outsider) so that she fell onto her knees. Elena's lack of physical strength meant that just about anyone could have done this to her anyway, and he guessed the ease with which he brought her to all fours must have been mortifying to her.

He tilted her neck upwards, looked into her scared eyes.

"I claim this woman as mine," he said, softly, "In the sight of the Folk. All between her scalp and the soles of her feet, her possessions, her mind, her heat. This one is mine."

He stepped back, leaned against the wall. She made no motion to look up until he ordered her to.
 
She blushed and looked at him. Elena's heart was racing. His tongue along her ear and neck was so heaven. She didn't remember it from the book, until he bit her neck and she gasped. The warmth of the blood rolling down her neck and down her shoulder seeking its way to her breast. She shut her eyes and shivered. This was the Ye'vi ceremony. It could not be undone. Even in death, he was dedicating his life to her as much as she was to him. It was a mutual partnership. Like the way a lion feeds on the prey, but then the prey feasts on the grass fertilized by the lion.

Her body was trembling, and she blushed. But she was not afraid. For the first time in her life, she knew that the sacrifice they both were giving was great. They would be bound. She shivered feeling the pull at her hair. She screamed in shock feeling her legs kicked out, and she moved to her hands and knees. She shivered harder. This was the point where he could kill her to keep her spirit to protect him and do odd jobs. She shivered looking at him. Not sure if he would keep her alive or not. In her mind, they were on Lake Tanzania, Fae surrounding them, witnessing their union. She trembled and watched him.

Her part was silent. She would only speak or rise when he told her to do so. Shutting her eyes, she looked down and trembled on her hands and knees.

Just then one of the workers came in. It was Liza. She snarled seeing Elena on her hands and knees. "For the love of Christ you worthless bitch, get on your feet!" SHe stormed passt and tried to pull Elena to her feet but Elena kept firmly on her hands and knees bound by a law of a fictional book. "ELENA YOU GET OFF YOUR WORTHLESS ASS RIGHT NOW OR SO HELP ME!" She slapped Elena hard and Elena continued to remain motionless. Liza did not see Shea in the corner.
 
"Stay right where you are, creature mine," whispered Shea, softly, using the title properly given to slaves by their Masters and Mistresses in his imagined world. Liza, who had not fully realized Elena was alone in the room, broke off her efforts to pull Elena to her feet, and spun around, her hands flying to her mouth. Her eyes were open in shock. Liza was a large girl, though not especially strong for her size (Elena was probably the only one of her colleagues she could have beaten in a catfight, which was why she never missed a chance to bully her), and she looked quite funny, with her bulk wobbling.

"I - I - I - !" she goggled. "M-Mr Ryner, I didn't s-s-see you there. I thought I - " He face was white. The Manageress had been quite clear. Getting Shea Ryner here for this session had been a coup that could put the store well and truly on the map of the world. He was to be given everything he desired, not offended in any way. Should anything upset him, it wouldn't only be her job on the line. The store would make sure she was blacklisted, to the extent she'd be lucky to get work sweeping up in the slaughterhouse.

"I - I - i bet that looked weird," she said, putting on a sickly grin. "See, it's a kind of running joke Elena and I have. Us being the best of friends, and everything. Aren't we, El?" She looked down at Elena, who was still crouching, and whispered dangerously. "Aren't we, El?"

She looked back up at Shea. "Y-You see, we... sometimes we pretend we... like don't like each other. A sort of joke, you know h-how it is. Urm, thing is, I - "

"Get out," said Shea, softly, in the kind of voice that knows it is going to be obeyed. Liza scuttled away, as fast as her short, chubby legs could carry her, still protesting as how she and Elena were the best of friends.

"Up," said Shea, to Elena. "By the Fae, girl - do all of your colleagues treat you like this?"
 
Elena didn't move a bone as Shea told her not to move. She shut her eyes as the pain from the slap turned her cheek red. She did not look up and did not see Liza's face. But she heard her fear in her voice. Elena's face became unreadable. She breathed slowly still on her hands and knees. Listening. A joke?! How the fuck did anyone think that slapping another girl in the face was a joke. She didn't respond. She couldn't even if she wanted to. She was only to speak when her master told her to or asked her a question. Not even the threat that Liza breathed made Elena quake. She belonged to Shea now and nothing happened to her without Shea allowing it to do so.

Standing up, she looked down. A slave was never allowed to look or touch her master unless he told her or gave her permission. She swallowed and blushed. "Compared to the way others treat me, master, she would think she was my friend." She whispered and reached up and touched her face where it was turning red and shut her eyes. She was not sure why, but tears filled her eyes and she began to shiver. She swallowed and her chin trembled against the flood of sobs that threatened to overwhelm her and crush her. She wouldn't cry out loud, unless given permission.
 
"Stand up," Shea said, angrily. "Creature mine, I don't like the way other women humiliate and belittle you. It isn't your fault you aren't very strong, and you have some problems. I'm proud to own you, and the quicker you come to realize that, the more I like it. You're the most beautiful slave a man could own. I don't care about your hives, and you being weak, and having an incontinence problem. The fact that you need someone to protect you makes you all the more desirable to me. And in the future, even if I have to punish you, I want you to remember that!"

He walked towards the door.

"Now, I have to carry on with the signing session, then I have to go and meet some friends of mine. You're to kneel at my feet. And if any of those girls try to bully you, you;re to defend yourself. Think you can do that?"
 
She was standing by the time he ordered her to stand. Looking down, she bit her lip and then swallowed. "Yes, master, I will strive to remember it." Looking down, she then watched him movee to the door. She canted her head. Ruabbing her neck, she felt the itchiness begin to well in her throat. But when he began to talk to her, she nodded.

"Master, I will do so." She whispered and then moved with him. She swallowed. Her heart was racing. Was this really happening. When he got to the table, she kneeled under the table and sat waiting for his feet and settled around him and then rested her cheek on his knee and shut her eyes gently.
 
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