Ariadne

"You see, that one comes from a... different background. She isn't currently offered for sale." Richard's eyes gleamed, clearly wanting to tell me how he came into possession of such a piece of property.

"Oh?" I took the bait.

"It's a bit of a unique story, really," he started. "She was picked up in New England when she was fifteen and ended up being his personal piece. The kid who took her says she was the perfect target, sitting in an airport alone at one AM." My gaze drifted back to the slight girl perched in the corner as he continued to talk. "The kid did everything right, and she didn't even fight him," Richard paused, waiting for me to react.

"So she's simple." I cut in. Certainly only a very slow girl would allow herself to be taken by a male stranger without a fight, no matter how attractive he was- that just isn't normal.

"She's actually as smart as a whip," he countered. "She was clearheaded enough to know better than to get in a fistfight with a guy twice her size." I considered that for a moment, and then motioned for him to continue. "So she went with him, and the kid thought it was because she was totally in love. He ended up keeping her, putting her up in his apartment in Vegas and spending all his time with her when he wasn't out snatching more girls for his boss. But then he decided he wanted to train her to be a sub instead of just his girl, and that was where he had a problem."

I interrupted again, skeptically. "Is she not submissive?" The girl was sitting alone with her back pressed into a corner, methodically playing solitaire on the floor in front of her. She hadn't met either of our gazes when we walked in, and hadn't picked her head up since. She appeared to be a textbook submissive.

"She is, very much so, I'm getting to that. Anyways, the kid couldn't figure out how to make her listen to him, and didn't have the time or knowledge to put the work in. So, he shipped her off and had someone else do it for him. Now this was a very reputable facility, and the girl is a natural, an absolutely perfect student and very respectful, so of course, she was trained very correctly. When the kid got her back, he had a much less refined technique and couldn't get what he wanted out of her. He got angry, and she behaved worse as a result. He beat her senseless and turned her over to his boss, and said he didn't want her anymore. Obviously the boss knew that the kid was great at his job and not much else, and said that he would take care of it. Fortunately, he saw potential in the girl the kid hadn't seen, so he patched her up and is boarding her here to be rehabbed and sold."

"Wow," I said, shocked she had gotten so lucky. "So what's she been doing for however long since then?" I was very curious as to how one would even start fixing a mistake like that.

"Well, when she arrived, she had a concussion, broken ribs and fingers and was bruised everywhere, and she had already been healing from it for two weeks. I tried to get some of the gentler males here near her after she healed up, but she's absolutely terrified of them. I contacted the gentleman who trained her the first time, and he said that she needs a firm hand to do anything that she doesn't want to do, which honestly, I don't have right now" He paused. "If it's going to be done, it needs to be done right, and I'd rather she just sit until then, you know?"

"And then she'll be for sale?" I asked.

"Yes, my associate wants her in a good home, so it may be awhile. If the right person wanted her raw, I guess I'd give her up then too..." He drifted off, watching my facial expression carefully.

I laughed, "You know me too well, Richard. I'm here looking for something quiet, but I'll think about it."

"Take all the time you need, of course." He answered. "I don't plan on giving her away to just anyone, and I was hoping you would take interest because I know you'd do a good job with her."

"Well," I ventured. "I'd have to meet her first, obviously anything too extreme would be out of the question..."

"Yes," he agreed. "She needs a gentle hand, and to get back into work slowly, so I can't offer a typical sampling of the purchase like I generally would."

I considered the offer for a moment. "That's fine, why don't you schedule a time for me to meet her, talk to her, maybe see what I'd be working with?" I needed to know I wasn't taking on a hopeless situation, or biting off more than I could chew. My eyes drifted back to the girl, who was shuffling her cards with long, slender fingers. Her straight, red hair fell in her face, and I could see how long her legs were from where they were folded under her slim body. She was absolutely beautiful, but tapping into her mind would be an incredible amount of work. I was weighing risk versus reward when Richard interrupted my thoughts,

"I obviously can't give her away for free, since she's so physically ideal," he started, "But she is very damaged and considered difficult, so I can offer her at a discount you're unlikely to find anywhere else."

My mind was made up. "Grab her and bring her somewhere we can talk, and I'll make a decision then."

Richard smiled, and motioned for one of his attendants. After he relayed the message, we exited the room. Down the hallway, there was a comfortable lounge I took a seat in to wait for the girl to arrive. As he walked out to get her information, Richard said, "I know you said you're looking for something quieter, and you've found it. The whole time I've had her, she hasn't said a word."

"Mr. Carter, this is Ari, an eighteen year old redheaded female, weighing one hundred and twenty four pounds, standing five feet eight inches tall." Richard continued to list her various measurements as I appraised the figure in front of me. She was tall and incredibly slender, with beautifully long legs. Everything about her was long and thin except her face, which was modelesque, with a defined jaw, small nose dusted with freckles, and ice blue eyes. Those eyes examined me in a similar way, but her face betrayed no emotion. She wore her sleek red hair effortlessly behind her shoulders, where it streamed all the way down her back. She was exquisite. I could see her nipples hardening with the cool air in the room through her grey t-shirt, and I smiled. Physically, she was perfect. Now, all I needed to worry about was harnessing her mind. "Ari, could you please say hello to Mr. Carter?" Richard inquired.

The girl looked at me with round eyes, and waved once with her left hand.

I smiled as warmly as I could at her. "Hello, Ari," I said. "You're a very pretty girl, would you like to come a little closer?" At my compliment, some of the tension in her face disappeared, but she shook her head no to my question and dropped her gaze to the floor. Richard and I exchanged glances, and he shrugged. I tried again, "Ari, come to me please, now." I purposely dropped my voice, and used a more commanding tone, since being gentle didn't seem to work. To my surprise, she took three steps closer, where she was just out of arm's reach. Over her shoulder, Richard smiled. "Good girl," I murmured to her, and watched her shoulders relax a little at the reward. I stood up slowly, (I thought I would appear less intimidating to the terrified girl if I was seated when she entered) and tilted her head up with a finger, leveling her blue gaze with mine. She flinched as I touched her, but held an unwavering eye contact with me until I dropped my hand. "That's a good girl," I said again, trying to put her at ease. Her eyes softened, and the corners of her mouth curved up in the beginning of a smile. I returned it, and knew I was sold on her.

Richard expedited the paperwork so I could take my new purchase home that day, and by five o'clock we were having a drink to celebrate a new beginning for Ari and for me. He handed me a bag with her belongings, uncommon for a slave. I was surprised to see a passport, driver's license, and an iPhone among them. In addition, there were a pair of silver rings, a pair of earrings, and a pair of expensive looking sunglasses. I raised my eyebrows at Richard, and he laughed heartily. "I told you she was different, remember? I've never seen a girl like this before." I raised an eyebrow at him. "I haven't even told you the best part yet! She self ships, no questions asked." He leaned back in his chair, and let what he just told me sink in. I was in awe... moving slaves was a tiresome inconvenience, often expensive and hard to arrange for something that is so mundane for a normal person.

"You've got to be kidding me," I started. "How does one even begin to train that? The amount of risk..." I trailed off, imagining what could potentially happen with bringing a captive girl into an airport.

Richard grinned and answered, "you have to start with a workable mind, and this girl has it. She flew here, on her own."

Had I been a cartoon character, this would be when my jaw would be on the floor. A teenaged girl, brutalized and disposed of by her owner had made this trip entirely on her own? I couldn't even begin to understand it. I was about to ask more questions, but a quiet ring from the phone on Richard's desk interrupted. It was the out processing office, I could now leave with my new purchase.

Richard thanked me sincerely for taking on such a challenge, and reminded me to be gentle with her. "She's been trained very well," he said, "and she'll give it to you, but only if you ask correctly. You have to give it time." I took these words very seriously, as there's a reason that Richard has been successful in this business so long. I left the office and walked down the short hallway that led to the driveway, eager to return to my hotel and start creating a plan to fix this girl.

I pushed the heavy door open just in time to see Ari spin powerfully and smash her elbow into a guard's face. As he fell backwards to his knees holding his bleeding nose, she kicked him flat on his back, and looked to the other one to challenge her. It was evident he had tried to force her into the SUV, and she wasn't having it. There was fire in her eyes I hadn't seen before, and clearly some self defense training that I hadn't been told about. She held her arms in a protective stance, waiting for the next assailant to take her on. I glanced over to the other guard, but he was already looking to me for direction.

"Ari," I called. Her fierce eyes flashed to me. Knowing she had lost the element of surprise and I outweighed her by quite a bit, I started to walk slowly towards her. "It's time to get in the car now, because we're leaving." I pointed to the door, which was still open. She balked, and I reiterated, "In the car, now." After narrowing her eyes in displeasure, she dropped her stance and climbed in quietly, disappearing into the dark interior. After nodding to the guard that was still on his feet, I climbed in after her and shut the door.