Dark Horse Ch. 01

Her fingers moved down Velvet's side again, but the touch was different this time. Fingertips pinched at her ribcage at intervals. She rubbed at Velvet's flattened breasts with the palm of her hand. Velvet gasped as fingers clamped down on her bicep and knee, and she was roughly flipped over onto her stomach.

"Hmmm," Ms. Winters said, as her fingers slid along the flesh above Velvet's waistband. "We'll have to work some of this off." Indignation flared, and Velvet found a second wind of strength, but it was for nought. The older woman straddled her thighs and planted a hand firmly between her shoulderblades, effectively pinning her. "It occurs to me," she said, leaning forward to whisper past Velvet's shoulder, "that you may not realize how beautiful you are. Or why I chose you. Out of how many thousands of women." She paused, and her free hand raked away the long black hair so she could look the girl in the eye. "This is not a flight of fancy, Velvet. I've never been more sure of anything in my whole life." Velvet flinched lightly as she leaned in closer, laying a gentle kiss upon her cheek.

With a grin, Ms. Winters sat back up. She laid her hands across Velvet's shoulders and spread them as wide as she could, measuring from thumb to pinky for symmetry, and then placed her hand back down firmly between the shoulderblades. She scooped up the shears and deftly sliced through the zip tie holding Velvet's wrists together, only to toss them down again and grab Velvet's right arm. She pushed the arm out to the side until it was level with Velvet's shoulder, and with bated breath, she removed her hand from Velvet's back.

She smiled deeply when Velvet made no move to wriggle out from under her.

She manipulated Velvet's arm in a variety of directions, her eyes watching the turn of Velvet's shoulders, or the symphony of muscles across her back that moderated such things. She twisted the arm backwards, gently, and carefully inspected fingers and fingernails. The couch cushion prevented her from doing the same to the left arm, but Ms. Winters was sufficiently happy with the aesthetics of the arm in prone to allow the detailed inspection to wait until later.

The steel haired woman grabbed a pair of leather cuffs from the table and rebound the girls arms, and then spun around. She lifted one of the girls feet up until the knee bent 90º, untied and removed her boot, and peeled off her sock. Velvet found a brief moment of relief when she remembered she'd just painted her nails a deep shade of purple, but the realization of why that was a relief brought renewed panic.

Ms. Winters, meanwhile, rolled her foot at the ankle this way and that. "Good flexibility..." She pressed her flattened palm against the bottom of the foot. "Beautiful arch..." She flexed the toes up and back, in groups and individually. "And such cute little toes. I adore the polish, sweetling." Her hands cradled the foot and shin as she set it down and scooped up the other.

Velvet's face pinched in embarrassment, and she buried it in the cushion below her. The approval was almost harder to take than the abuse. Almost. The boot was loosened, the sock taken off, and the process repeated from scratch. There were no words this time, but throaty murmurs accompanied each phase of the inspection.

"Poor thing," the older woman said. "You've had a rough day, haven't you?" Velvet whimpered involuntarily as thumbs pressed into the arch of her foot, kneading her tender soles. Her head was spinning. It barely registered when Ms. Winters picked up the first foot and repeated the massage. Or when she attached another pair of leather cuffs to her ankles.

The older woman knelt down beside the couch, and Velvet flinched when she felt the shears press against her lower back. "Remember, girl, don't move too much." Schlick, schlick, schlick. The outer edge of the shears dragged down the back of one leg and then the other. Schlick, schlick, schlick. Her panties shredded in the process.

Ms. Winters peeled away the remains of the mares clothes, pulled them out from under her, and gazed upon her. She reached behind herself to the table, pressed a button on the thin black remote, and Beethoven's Ode to Joy flooded the room, drowning out the rain. "A little 'on the nose'," she said distantly, "but I couldn't help myself..." Her hands hesitated over the bare hind quarters before gliding farther down.

She carefully extended each foot, watching the calf muscle contract and tighten. Her fingers trailed lightly along the backs of tanned thighs, and she delighted in the jolts it sent through her new prize. Velvet's sobbing renewed, but Ms. Winters continued her hind quarters examination without pause. Her fingertips sank into that wonderful mixture of muscle and flesh, cupping together and spreading apart. "Oh, and it's so pink," she exclaimed, spreading the cheeks wide.

The older woman's hand slid under the girls arm, but found a rigid tensing where she expected compliance. Velvet, still sobbing, held her whole body as tightly in position as she could. Deciding to meet strength for strength, Ms. Winters grabbed a handful of thigh and rib, and tossed her against the back cushions. Velvet cried out as she spun backwards, and immediately tried to wriggle back onto her stomach, but...

Ms. Winters grunted and stumbled backwards. The back of her knee caught against the coffee table, scattering the loose items on top of it. "What was..." She bounced back to her feet and stepped over to the couch. Once more, she flipped Velvet onto her side, and although the bawling girl tried to tuck her knees in to cover herself, she was unsuccessful in hiding her penis.

"No! What?" Ms. Winters ran her fingers through her bangs, palm resting against her forehead. There was no denying what she had seen. What she had not counted on. All her careful planning, all her hopes, all her designs, ruined. "I... I don't-" Velvet... Isabella... Whateve-

The intercom squawked loudly, shocking them both into a silence. "Hey Liz?"

Ms. Winters punched the giant white button on the wall behind her. "I'll be right out," she yelled, and released the button. The thing on her couch mewled terribly. Ode to Joy felt ironic on multiple levels as she stormed onto her porch and into the rain.

***

"Oh man, she looks pissed," Mutch said. Paulo struck a match against the side of the box and lit his cigarette casually. He arched an eyebrow at the approaching woman and shrugged. "Just be cool and let me do the talking, ok man? I need this job." Paulo shrugged again, and they turned to wait for her.

"What?" Her voice was like iron.

"uhh... Hey... uh... Just wanted to, uh," Mutch stammered, "to let you know, uh, that the horses are all put away. We've got 'em... uh... fed and set up for today, and we'll be back on m- uh... Monday."

"... You brought me out here to tell me that?"

"Y-y-you said... You said you wanted us to touch base with you before w-w-we left..." He turned to Paulo for support, but Paulo merely shrugged.

Elizabeth took a deep breath, sighed, and pinched the bridge of her nose. "I'm sorry, guys. That was rude. I just found out I have a uh... a plumbing problem up in the house."

"D'ya want Paulo to take a look at it for ya?" Paulo raised his arms to the sides, as if to say 'what the hell', but Mutch kept right on going. "He's handier at that stuff than me."

"No, no. It's... Actually, it's not that big a deal. I just was surprised is all." For the first time, Elizabeth turned and looked around the inside of the barn. Several fans were keeping the air moving, and Pronto and Stiletto were comfortably situated in their stalls.

"We got the feed 'n the hay all set up over there, so you'll just need to dole it out."

Elizabeth nodded and smiled. "Okay, good. Did they give you any trouble once you got 'em here?"

"Naw, you got em both good 'n trained. They were fine. 'Specially Stiletto." Mutch grinned at the gray mare. "She's just about the sweetest thing on four legs."

"We'll see about that," Elizabeth said with a smile. Mutch turned back to her with a hint of confusion, but she continued on. "Thank you, fellas. Thanks for stayin' late tonight. I know you've both got families to get to, so you can go on home now."

"Thankya, Liz. Have a good weekend!"

"Stay dry," she said, smiling.

Mutch waved as he jogged out into the rain and leapt up into the cab of the big dualie. "Thanks for the backup out there, man," he said once he was inside. Paulo shrugged at him as he buckled himself in. "It's a good thing I like you." He waited for the glow plug light to shut off before turning the key the rest of the way, and the massive diesel engine rumbled to life. Elizabeth was still standing in the door to the barn, waving, as they turned onto the gravel driveway.

***

Ms. Winters paused inside the door, looking slightly puzzled. The couch was unoccupied. Her ears, however, were quick to notice the muffled grunting coming from the kitchen. She couldn't help but laugh as she rounded the corner and saw Velvet wriggling across the tile floor. "Oh, now that is adorable. Does my silly pony think she's an inch worm?"

She chuckled as she knelt down next to the girl, and twined her fingers in the mare's hair. "Velvet, if you help me stand you up, I'll carry you back. Or, I can drag you." The ghost of a soft smile on her lips said which one she would have preferred, and Velvet sobbed reluctantly as she allowed herself to be helped up onto her knees. It took seconds to be carried on Ms. Winters shoulder back over the distance she'd fought for five minutes to cross.

***

"First, and foremost," Ms Winters said as she sat down in an armchair, "I apologize for my reaction." Velvet laid flat on her back, and fought the urge to tuck her knees up and in to cover herself again. The older woman had straightened her out by force once already. "It was... reprehensible... of me to react like that, and... This may sound ironic, or hilarious, but I've been told I have control issues." An out-of-cadence bleat in the middle of her constant sobbing brought a smile to the gray haired woman's face, as she leaned back slightly and crossed her legs. "I know, right?"

"Anyway, I feel compelled to express how little this changes. I worry that you think something will be different, or harder, now. You are in no more danger than you were an hour ago, which is to say none. This is a safe place. You are safe here."

"Now, I want to remind you that Mutch and Paulo are gone. There is no one else to hear you for miles around. When I remove that gag, you will keep a civil tongue." Ms. Winters raised her eyebrows and paused until the mare managed a weak nod. "Good girl," she said with a smile. She got up sat back down on the edge of the couch. Velvet flinched and recoiled, but it was halfhearted. "Awww, look how puffy you are," she said as her hands slipped back behind the girls head.

"P-p-p-please," Velvet stammered, as soon as she was able. "My n-name is Isabella!" Ms. Winters made soft shushing sounds as she ran her fingers through the mare's thick black hair. "Elizabeth, please!"

"Calm down, girl. Calm down."

"No! Please, I-" Velvet choked off her words at a sudden glare. When she started again, she tried much harder to keep her voice down. "I don't want to be your doll or what-" Again she was cut off; this time at a finger placed over her lips.

"Hush little one. It's already been decided. Whoever you were, you're my Velvet now. My cherished pet. In time, you will come to see that this is for the best. For now, all you need to know is that this is happening."

"Now, I'm about to go into the other room for a few minutes. One of two things is going to happen. If, when I come back, you are still right here where I left you, you will get a treat. You've had a very trying day, and I'd be some kind of monster if I didn't acknowledge that. If, however, you take to dragging yourself across my floor again... well..." She gripped Velvet's head in both hands and placed another soft kiss on the mare's forehead before getting up and stalking off.

Velvet immediately began crying again, and looked fearfully around the room.

***

Ms. Winters hummed softly to herself as she carried her bundle down to the basement. She could still hear Velvet; the poor mare hadn't stopped crying, but she wasn't hysterical anymore either. Right on schedule.

She reached over to the wall, turned the red handle, and let the water run. She cocked her head at the stairs and listened while she waited, but gave up after a minute; the water was too loud. Once a healthy cloud of steam formed, she shut off the water, took a deep breath, and climbed back up the stairs with a small smile.

There, draped across her champagne-colored couch, was her Velvet. Ms. Winters heart leapt, but she carefully controlled her face. Velvet had even stopped crying. "Wonderful," she said. She beamed at Velvet as she slid her arms underneath, and scooped up, the diminutive girl. She had to stop herself from laughing as the mare tried to cover her penis with her hands.

Velvet's eyes had trouble adjusting to the dim light of the basement. On any other day, she would have noticed that her fear of the dark was driving her into her captors arms. Such was her exhaustion that it happened unconsciously. In one corner, a wide showerhead extended out from the wall directly over a drain hole in the floor. Ms. Winters had laid out a bucket beside it, and a thin cloud of steam hung in the air. In the other corner, three full length mirrors angled slightly toward each other and a wardrobe marked a dressing area. Between them was a heavy door.

Ms. Winters gently lowered Velvet's legs, and the mare stood on her own for the first time. She huddled in place while the older woman took her wrist cuffs and lifted them to a hook descending from the ceiling. She barely twitched while her ankle cuffs were removed. Ms. Winters reached over and turned the red knob. A stream of hot water and mist washed over Velvet. Her tired muscles cried out, and she leaned into the stream. The world melted away.

She felt something press against her side. She half opened one eye to see a now-naked Ms. Winters had stepped into the steam with her, gently rubbing a large yellow sponge along her flank. Suds raced down her leg. Velvet shuddered lightly. "P-please... let me go..."

"Easy, girl," she said softly, just barely audible over the crash of the water.. "Easy." The sponge traveled in wide circles over the small of her back. The older woman stepped up behind her. Velvet shuddered again, feeling Ms. Winters breasts press against her shoulder blades. One hand slid underneath each of her arms. The sponge started over her stomach, but each swirl strayed lower. The empty hand, however, gently cupped her breast. Velvet looked down to see her hardened nipple peeking out from between two knuckles. It was her erection, however, that truly made her tremble. Ms. Winters face peeked into her peripheral vision. She was so close when she spoke that Velvet could feel her lips move.

"You'll come to find that I am a very, very attentive owner."

The sponge had long since stopped roaming. Ms Winters had folded it in half and bent it around her rigid betrayal. She wanted to deny her, to deny that the hand stroking her was welcome or enjoyable. To deny that which her body screamed was true. She wanted that desperately. A soft moan broke free in her throat, and Velvet's resolve slipped. She felt her head fall back against the taller woman's shoulder.

"Good girl," she whispered, nuzzling the mare's neck. She ran her hand down Velvet's side, over her hips. She cupped a cheek, squeezing and parting. While one hand stroked out, the other, with just a finger, pushed in. "Very good girl..."

Velvet gasped as her erection throbbed to it's full length. Her hips tried to squirm away from the sponge, but Ms. Winters pushed right back, pressing her groin against the mare's ass. "Oh my," she said, as she peeked over Velvet's shoulder. "If only my husband were this well endowed..."

Velvet's knees buckled slightly, but the arm around her tightened and held her fast. Her lips trembled as she half turned and whimpered "...please..."

"Not tonight."

Velvet shook her head. "No... no, please let me go, Elizabeth... I wouldn't tell!" Her voice trembled with barely restrained emotions.

Ms. Winters sighed in disappointment. "Now, now. None of that talk. We both know that won't happen." She gave Velvet's length a gentle squeeze, drawing a throaty gasp from her pet. "You belong here with me. In time, you'll see it too."

"Noo," she murmured, but Ms. Winters was already pulling away and to the side. She heard the sponge slosh in the soap bucket, and her wash down resumed. Velvet whimpered pathetically, having been brought so easily to near-climax and left without the means to finish.

The older woman stepped in beside her and ran two fingers down the back of her leg. Velvet flushed in embarrassment, recognizing the technique she had once upon a time taught to Elizabeth for training horses to raise their hooves to be cleaned. She lifted her leg, and immediately felt herself braced against the steel haired woman.

Every inch of her body was scrubbed. Her long black hair was given extra attention in the form of a shampoo that left her nose and scalp tingling and a conditioner that smelled like a wild field. By the time she'd regained her breath, Ms. Winters had stepped out of the stream and was toweling herself off. The taller woman shut off the water, scooped up another towel, and tenderly dried her pet with the soft fabric. The towel lingered at her erection as she gave Velvet a coy smile.

"Yes. That was lovely. Just what we needed." Velvet felt her arms raised up as the taller woman removed her cuffs from the hook, and she was led across the room to the three standing mirrors. Briefly, over her shoulder, she gazed at the door at the top of the stairs. A wooden stool sat, reflected in the center of each of the mirrors, and Ms. Winters guided her onto it. She produced a brush from the wardrobe, and stood behind the girl. In all three mirrors, Velvet was confronted with the sight of a proud woman standing over a small, defeated girl.

"It may seem trivial," she said with a far away smile, "or silly, but this is the part I was looking forward to the most..." Her fingers wrapped around a length of hair. Velvet closed her eyes, just wanting it to be over. She didn't even realize she'd started crying again until she felt Ms. Winters wrap her arms around her shoulders.

"Why me?"

"First of all," she said, straightening up and resuming the brushing, "You are Velvet. You are my pet. There is no 'I' or 'me'. You aren't a person. You are Velvet."

"I don-"

The backside of the brush crashing into her hind cheek produced a squeak and gasp in rapid succession. "Perhaps," the older woman whispered in her ear, "you should consider being quiet for the remainder of this while what I am saying sinks in." Velvet closed her eyes, trying not to focus on the throbbing sensation in her ass.

"Second of all..." She trailed off for a minute, considering where to start. "Did you know that, for most of my first year at Blue Skies, I thought you were Betsy's employee? You were there all the time. I didn't question it, it simply was. I knew you didn't live there, and I was pretty sure you weren't related to Betsy... I'll never forget the look on her face when she started telling me about your mother. About how she used to dread having to call your house, even just to say Snickers needed new shoes."