The Land behind the Forest 3

»The last time I woke up that early was when I had to catch my flight to Germany!«, Salome yawned and blew on the plastic mug with insta coffee in her hand. It tasted bad, but there hadn’t been much choice at the petrol station they had just left.

»Would you have preferred to stay?«, Eileen replied, trying to cuddle against the side wall, so she could perhaps find some sleep. Aurica, who sat behind the wheel, commented:

»At least, we were still in Hungary! So, this hasn’t been your first impression of Romania!«

Of course, she had no idea about the nationality of the  men that had caused them to leave the parking lot at 4 am. The girls had stopped there when Aurica had become too tired to drive on, and they had improvised a bed in the load. They had thought it would be a bit inconvenient and frugal, but tolerable.

However, some time later, three trucks had stopped at the same parking lot, and the drivers, who had shared a few beers with their sandwiches had tried to invite them over when they had seen the van contained three pretty women. They didn’t do anything that would have justified calling the Police, but even without knowing the words, Salome and Eileen knew that the men’s comments were lewd.

Since none of them had been sure what would happen if the three continued drinking, Aurica had decided to sleep in the driver’s seat, the key in the ignition. At first, it had seemed that the men had given up, and the girls had dozed off, but in the middle of the night, when Salome had needed to leave the van to relieve herself, a flashlight had suddenly pointed at the squatting girl, and there had been whistles and hooting. She had speeded back into the car, and they had left the parking lot some 30 seconds later.

»At least, we will now be at Weißendorf quite early, so I can show you the village! According to my Navi, we will be there at 11 am!«

»Wake me up when my bath is ready!«, Eileen mumbled, and Aurica oppressed a scoff. The girls would have to make a few concessions when it came to such luxuries like a hot bath once they were in Weißendorf.

***

 At a small house in Budapest, the day also started quite early, albeit not as early as that of the girls in their van. Marvin had fetched some breakfast from a nearby bakery, and though they were still tired, to Milena and Sabrina, it felt like the start of a new life.

After their symbolic surrender, by climaxing under Ligeia’s hands, she had freed the still panting girls completely, and then, still in her role as Mistress, had ordered them to put on fresh bed sheets whilst she had taken a shower. After that, however, the changes had started.

Both girls had been allowed to shower, too, unchaperoned and as long as they wanted, and when they had returned, there had not only been water and some fruits, but also a white silk camisoles for them, like the one Ligeia had put on. These were almost transparent and had spaghetti straps, and they ended a few inches below their crotches, but for the first time, being dressed and being in the same bed as Ligeia happened synchronously. They had to share the bed with Ligeia, and she had caressed them a little, but either had she taken a cold shower or she was indeed showing them some respect, for she didn’t try to go further, or to demand any services from them.

Now, they still wore just those camisoles whilst Ligeia had put on a pair of panties and her bathrobe, too. It was almost like an ordinary breakfast, though the subject of their conversation could not be described that way.

»We have to be careful! Salome and Eileen know who you are, and they also shall not know that you and I are related – until it is too late!«

She smiled with anticipation, and Sabrina also had some very pleasant thoughts. She didn’t hold a grudge against Eileen and Salome, but it would be an interesting fact that this time, they knew about their victims’ weaknesses, fears – and also some of their kinks.

Milena, however, was silent, trying to hide that she was in a bit of a turmoil. The last night had not been the first time Ligeia had forced her to climax against her will – but somehow, it had been the first time since their capture when she had had a choice and succumbed nevertheless. Sabrina seemed to have shrugged it off; perhaps, she could separate her body from her mind; perhaps, her phantasies about what to do with Eileen and Salome were enough of a compensation. Milena, however, was haunted by three emotions: hatred for Ligeia, self-contempt – and the desire to repeat the experience from the night.

»…vampires?«

»Hm?«

Milena was startled when she realized Sabrina had spoken to her. Ligeia giggled, and Sabrina repeated her sentences:

»I said we could play vampires. Whilst the Mistress has to do her official business, we can hide in some old ruin, appear at night and haunt the village!«

»Ligeia!«

Sabrina turned her head, seeing a friendly smile on Ligeia’s face.

»Since you are now my assistants, you no longer have to call me ›Mistress‹! From now on, I am Ligeia! Oh, a crumb!«

Ligeia reached out and plucked a little piece of croissant from Milena’s cleavage. She then fed the crumb to Milena, and somehow, she didn’t feel embarrassed by the gesture. After she had leaned back again, she said:

»Since we can’t meet officially, you will have to be on your own until we will be ready to leave. How long this will take depends on the Romanians and their position in the negotiations. I think you will have time until Friday!«

Both girls nodded, Milena now also back in her professional role. Five days should be enough, even if they had to take care their targets didn’t recognize them before time.

»If you have an opportunity to capture the girls on, let’s say, Tuesday, but I will be forced to stay until the end of the week – well, never let a good opportunity slip! I think you will find a way to keep them stowed, and also pass the waiting time!«

This time, Milena joined in Sabrina’s grin. Before Ligeia could say something, her phone rang. The ringtone was the famous intro of Beethoven’s Fifth, indicating it was a call from her boss. She left the room, and Marvin looked at Sabrina.

»Congratulations! I am serving her for seven years, and I still have to call her ›Ma’am‹ or Mrs. von Marwitz!«

Sabrina brushed over his hand, and though her »Aww!« sounded mockingly, the gesture was tender, and she arched her back to allow the chauffeur a better look at her dark aureoles shining through the flimsy camisole.

Ligeia returned, a strange expression on her face.

»Hermann just informed me that there might be some problems concerning the Weißendorf deal – problems he expects me to take care of – or rather us, for the job could require the special qualities of my new assistants!«

***

Romania was still a poor country where quite often, things just weren’t available and though Lioba’s hotel was the best in Hermannstadt (according to booking.com, at least), there had only been lukewarm water in the shower, and the breakfast had been just tolerable. Anyway, she now had to decide what to wear for her meeting with Vlad Heisenberg.

»What a name! Sounds almost like a stage name!«

Lioba doubted that he had anything to do with »Breaking Bad«, and in Transylvania, a German last name wasn’t uncommon. However, since Vlad the Impaler (the real one, not the vampire) had committed many cruelties against the Saxons, it was unlikely that one of their offspring would call their son Vlad.

A part of her mind also tried to imagine how Vlad might look like. The typical notary had grey hair, wore glasses, and had a slightly boring attitude, at least when they were portrayed in films.

»Maybe, he’s handsome!«, she thought and reflexively put on black silk panties with lace trimming and a matching bra. Then, she shook her head about her thinking.

»I am inheriting a house, not selling myself! In addition, it’s only April!«

So, she put on a black transparent pantyhose before she rummaged through the small collection of clothes she had brought with her. Lioba didn’t have the usual business outfit; at her job, she wore a lab coat over her clothes, and during festivities or in private, she preferred a more feminine attire, like dresses.

She chose a beige linen dress, held by a broad leather belt around her slender waist. It looked fancy without being pretentious, and the skirt was long enough to not look slutty, but short enough to emphasize her shapely legs. In addition, the colour of the belt matched her high heels and the only handbag she had brought with her.

Having put on some decent jewellery, and having applied some equally decent perfume and makeup, she left the hotel room, looking at her appearance in the elevator’s mirror.

»The sad damsel’s still a sight!«, she decided. Then, she ordered a taxi and left in front of the building where the notary was. In front of it, a man in jeans and T-Shirt was waiting.

»Dr. Karnstein?«

The man looked about her age, and when he approached her, she noticed that he wasn’t taller than her, at least not now when her high heels gave her two inches to her 5’8’’. Though the T-Shirt wasn’t tight, she could see that he obviously went to the gym regularly.

»I could have done worse!«, the naughty little voice in her head whispered before she said:

»Yeah, that’s me! Mr. Heisenberg?«

He shook her hand, and she felt his firm handshake. Then, he looked around, as if he was expecting to be watched by someone.

»Dr. Karnstein – would you mind a little walk?«

Lioba frowned.

»Isn’t that your office?«

Heisenberg bent slightly forward and lowered his voice.

»It’s up there, and I gave you this address for otherwise, you most likely wouldn’t have come – but I am only an employee, and only my boss has got the key!«

Lioba shied back a bit, and she looked if her taxi was still there. Heisenberg smiled and raised his hand, as if to show he was unarmed.

»This is not an assault! However, the whole situation is a bit – tricky! So, would you mind following me? Not to some dark hideout, just to the park over there! It’s a public place – and it’s also quite nice once the sun shows up!«

Lioba now became curious. The street could not be populated, but there were people who would hear her scream, including a Policeman some 100 yards away. And if the park would turn out to be some creepy wilderness, she still could run.

So, she followed Heisenberg who made some small talk about her trip and her hotel, but refused to tell her what this was all about before they had reached their destiny. He spoke fluent German with the accent typical for Transylvanian Saxons, and Lioba, who had lived in Germany for eleven years and still spoke it when she visited her parents could easily understand him.

The park looked indeed nice, and, what Lioba appreciated even more, there were some people, and Heisenberg chose a bench the sun had already reached that was a bit apart from the main path, but still clearly visible. When they had sat down, Heisenberg took his backpack and opened it, revealing a folder that would better have fit into a briefcase.

»Dr. Karnstein – when did our letter reach you?«

A bit confused, Lioba calculated back.

»Three days ago!«

Heisenberg scoffed.

»Romanian Mail Service! We are in the EC now, but they still seem to rely on horse carriages! I sent the letter three weeks ago!«

Lioba wanted to tell him that the French Mail wasn’t much better, but then, another thought came up in her mind.

»So, some time between you sending the letter and me receiving it, something happened – something that justifies this slightly conspiratory meeting!«

Now, his eyes showed admiration for her deduction. Heisenberg began:

»It all started six months ago, when I was sent to a retirement home here in Hermannstadt. An old Lady had called for a notary to confirm her last will, and by sheer coincidence, this was me!«

»My great-aunt!«, Lioba concluded. Somehow, she was hooked, and she rummaged for her cigarettes. She had lit one before it came to her that she should have asked Heisenberg whether he did mind, but the notary continued his story:

»Well, as you already know, she inherited all her properties to you, her youngest living relative that has still been born on this soil!«

So, that was the explanation why she had gotten the letter, instead of her younger cousin, or one of her nephews.

»The orderlies confirmed that she had no closer relatives, and so, inheriting everything to you was a legal act! I prepared the testament, and because she could no longer sign it, two of the nurses acted as witnesses.«

He opened the folder and handed her a single sheet. Since Romanian was related to French, Lioba could read that it was titled »Last Will and Testament«.

»So far, a routine job, though I was wondering why this woman was owning one third of a village. Anyway, when I reached the information from the retirement home that your aunt had passed away, I sent the letter to you.«

He paused, obviously waiting for a reaction. Lioba had no feelings for the aunt she had never met, and who her parents had rarely ever mentioned. However, there had to be a reason why they were having this meeting.

»Was she-«

Heisenberg shook his head.

»She was 96 and ailing when I met her. I doubt that someone else had his fingers in her passing away. However, and that’s what the nurses confirmed to me, she was clear in her head until the very end!«

»You sound as if someone’s trying to doubt that!«

He told her that two days after he had sent the letter to Lioba, his superior had reprimanded him for doing so, for the old Lady had been mentally ill, and the testament therefore invalid.

»He ordered me to send you another letter, apologizing for our error about the testament! Well, I can’t tell you why, but I somehow got suspicious, and so, I went to the retirement home again, and there, I managed to speak with one of the nurses. She told me that your aunt was absolutely clear in her head, until the very end! So, I sent the letter, as I had been told – but I forgot to put the correct stamps on it!«

He smiled shortly, and Lioba now tried to get a sense in all this. The whole story literally cried that someone was trying to get the heritage instead of her.

»Cui bono«, she breathed, putting out her cigarette and resisting the urge to light the next one. Heisenberg, who knew Latin from school, explained:

»If a person dies without known relatives, the property goes to the state, or rather the municipality. So, everyone living in Weißendorf or in any of the adjacent villages is suspicious, most likely the authorities. Or whoever has influence on the Mayor!«

35 years ago, Romania had ended the dictatorship of Ceausescu, but the collapse of order following his demise had left traces, as had the collapse of the already rotten economy. In general, the country had recovered quite well, but especially in rural areas, the people were more than eager to bend a few laws if someone with money and a few promises appeared.

»Is there a hidden goldmine under the outhouse? I mean, I googled the area, and we are speaking of a market value of 50.000 to 100.000!«

Heisenberg nodded, as if he had considered that by himself, too.

»It’s quite a sum here, but still, not enough, given the fact you have to bribe so many people!«

With a scoff, he added:

»Most likely, including my own superior!«

Then, again looking around if no one was close to them, he told her that the talk with the nurse had made him suspicious, and so, he had produced a copy of the testament and placed it in the safe, instead of the original.

»And when I checked a few days later, it was gone. And technically, you are only the legal heiress when you possess the original testament!«

He patted at the sheet on her lap, touching her knee in the progress, but Lioba didn’t mind.

»But what shall I do now?«

Heisenberg smiled.

»Tomorrow morning, you will go to the notary, hand him over this document that has an official seal and the signature of two witnesses, and he will have no chance but put your name in the land register! Then, you are the official owner of your heritage, and no one can do anything about it!«

Lioba looked at him.

»You – you will be fired!«

The man shrugged.

»He will have difficulties in proving it – after all, it would be my word plus that of the witnesses against his! Nah, I think he will grudgingly accept his defeat, and I am thinking of moving to a bigger city anyway! Maybe, I will make him an offer he can’t refuse: a good reference for my work in exchange for my silence!«

Lioba still couldn’t believe it.

»Why are you doing this for me? I mean, I am a foreigner you never met before!«

»Because«, Heisenberg replied, »I am getting 5% out of this deal, and my own boss wants to rob me of my gratification!«

His smile indicated that he had perhaps other, more ethical motives, but didn’t want to boast around. Lioba bent towards him and kissed his cheek.

»Thank you!«

»I hope this wasn’t an attempt to haggle, Dr. Karnstein«, he joked, obviously surprised, but not appalled by her kiss.

»Lioba.«

»My pleasure, Lioba«, he said and took her hand, leading it to his lips as he rose from the bench. Lioba felt her cheeks redden, and she tried to hide it by folding the testament to get it into her handbag. Vlad handed her the folder and then, he told her he had to leave. They quickly exchanged their numbers, and when Lioba parted from him, she swayed her hips a little more than usual, just in case he was looking after her.

***

 »Wow, that’s really – traditional!«

Since they had passed the last small city, the road had turned into a variety of potholes of all sizes, and though she knew the area, Aurica could only drive some 10 km/h. Now, they reached what had to be the centre of Weißendorf, and Eileen and Salome felt as if they had travelled through time. The houses looked like they were hundreds of years old, and the few cars and occasional satellite dishes seemed like anachronisms. Also, they could see that the village was in decay, and many of the houses looked as if they were no longer inhabited.

Weißendorf wasn’t completely unpopulated, however: a few old people who had sat on a bench now looked at them, and a group of small children approached, staring at the girls with big eyes. They were whispering, and one of them quite blatantly pointed at Salome with his finger.

»They have never seen a black woman in real life«, Aurica explained with an apologetic smile, and Salome sighed, but forced herself to wave towards the children who shyly waved back. Suddenly, the smile on Aurica’s lips froze, and she stared to another corner of the place. Eileen saw a young woman, rather a girl, and now, she felt even more as if this was a different time.

She had of course learned that these people preferred to be called Roma, but this girl looked like the embodiment of every Gypsy cliché she had ever heard of: big golden earrings, a white blouse with red embroideries and a wide neckline, a long coloured skirt and a red hairband holding her mane of black hair from her forehead. Eileen almost expected her to produce a crystal ball and to offer her a look at her future.

» Curvă ţigancă!«, Aurica hissed and opened the load to get her bag. Eileen frowned as she quickly googled the words. Though she sure had misspelled them, the answer was clear:

»Gypsy slut!«

Now, Eileen felt concerned. If Aurica was racist, she had not shown it when she had spoken to Salome. Sure, she had casted her because a Black would make her campaign look more diverse, but during the trip, it had not seemed that she treated her different than Eileen.

The girl looked at them, and even over the distance, she could see her eyes sparkle, though she didn’t do or say anything. Aurica touched her arm.

»Don’t mind her, it’s just crazy Andrina!«

She seemed to have regained her self-control, and without another look at the girl, she now carried her bag towards the next house. Salome and Eileen had no other choice than to follow her, just in time to see how Aurica, now smiling friendly, kissed the cheek of an old woman who held a broom in her hand.

»My aunt says that she didn’t expect us so early! She also says that the house is clean, but we will have to wait a bit until we can eat!«

Eileen and Salome greeted the old woman who seemed a bit reserved; since she made no difference, Eileen guessed it had to do with their short dresses.

The house was small, and it looked as if they would have to say Goodbye to luxuries like electricity or running water, but it also looked cozy, and as the old woman had promised, the rooms and the beds were very clean.

When they fetched the remaining baggage, the mysterious girl had disappeared.

***

Heisenberg’s – Vlad’s – story hadn’t left Lioba indifferent, and she felt as if everyone was looking at her as she was walking through the streets with the folder in her hand. She could see no taxi nearby, and so, she decided to just walk to the nearby station where she would most likely find one.

Approaching there, she had an idea, and she entered the station. As she had hoped, there were rows of lockers for rent, and a few minutes later, the folder rested in one of them whilst the key was hidden in her handbag.

As she left the station, Lioba felt much better. She had a disappointing coffee and a piece of Romanian pastry at a nearby café, and then, she strolled through the historic parts of Hermannstadt, even visiting a medieval church, before she went back for her hotel. Lioba caught herself by checking her phone repeatedly, but Vlad hadn’t contacted her.

»Relax! You will see him tomorrow, and as far as I know my luck, he was just nice and honest, and he is now having dinner with his wife!«

At the hotel, she realized that the combination of high heels and the paved streets of Hermannstadt hadn’t her best idea, and she decided to have a shower and a nap before she would have some late dinner. Yawning, she entered her room, and when she had closed the door, she suddenly frowned as she looked at the floor in front of her bed.

The room had been cleaned, and the bed was made, but there was something protruding from under the bed. It was her turquoise cotton panties, the one she had worn the day before. They looked as if they had been draped there, and Lioba was sure that she had thrown them into the cupboard.

»Is this some prank from the room maids? Geez, if Vlad had been with me, he would think that I am a little messy!«

She wanted to pick up the panties, but when she had just bent down, she felt something push against her buttock, under her skirt, and there was the characteristic sound of a cocked gun. Lioba slowly turned her head, and she looked at two persons wearing black masks. One was aiming at her with a gun whilst the other still was standing behind her, pushing the barrel against her butt.

»No sound, bitch!«, a female voice hissed. She had a strong accent, and Lioba shuddered, for it reminded her of the Russians who had abducted her on her trip to Norway. Lioba wanted to rise when the woman ordered:

»Pick up panties – and put in mouth!«

Lioba’s eyes widened, for her captors had also preferred that peculiar gag. She looked at the door, but between the corridor and her were the two armed women. When she wanted to tell them to just get her money and leave, the left one again ordered her to put the panties in her mouth.

»Well, at least, I already know how bad it is!«

She folded her panties into a ball as small as possible and then, she shoved them into her mouth. The taste was vile, but she tried to console herself with the fact that at least, it was her own body she had to taste.

The silent intruder now put her gun in her belt and approached her, pushing the panties even deeper into her mouth. Then, she tied a cloth between her lips, pulling the ends tight before knotting them at her nape, and finally sealed her mouth with a few strips of duct tape.

»Now, strip!«

Slowly, still hoping that by some coincidence, an armed Policeman would show up, the gagged woman opened her belt and then the zipper of her dress, letting it slide to the floor. When she had stepped out of it, the silent one took the duct tape and grabbed Lioba’s left wrist, then her right. When she tied her hands behind her back, Lioba thought with relief that at least, she was left her panties, bra and pantyhose.

Her relief was short-lived as the woman also taped her elbows, making them touch, and then secured both the elbow and the ankle tie with a zip tie she pulled so tight Lioba mewed. The same way, she tied her legs at the ankles and above and below the knees, taping around them before tying them with cable binders.

»Now, go bathroom, bitch!«

Following that order meant hopping, and hopping meant that her breasts bounced. She guessed that this was the reason her captors demanded it from her. Once she stood in front of the sink, panting from the short, but straining trip, the silent criminal wrapped three rounds of tape over her eyes, blindfolding her. Then, a hard slap landed on her buttocks, and the woman laughed as the surprised Lioba mewed at the attack.

Quite unceremoniously, they now placed her in the bathtub, and again, Lioba had a flashback, and she had to oppress the urge to scream and flail. Back in Marseille, she had also been tied in her bathtub, and she had nearly been killed on that occasion. The man who had saved her by then was now in Britain, enjoying his marriage, a few thousand miles away.

Lioba was put in a hogtie with the help of another zip tie threaded through her wrist and ankle ties. Then, her connected hands and feet were pulled upwards, and Lioba felt how her breasts pressed against the smooth, chilly surface. Using another zip tie, they fixed her to the tap, making any thoughts of maybe wriggling out of the bathtub once the thugs had gone impossible.

Now, Lioba could hear them rummage through her toiletries, and the faint giggling of the two intruders told her that they were not just considering to test her lipstick or to see which Lady shaver she was using.

She let out a gasp when a hand was pushed under her belly, and she moaned when the hand was pushed into her pantyhose, finding its way inside her panties.

»Ah, landing strip, bitch!«

»Mph!«

She cringed when something else was pushed under her; it was hard, and its size made her think whether she really had left her vibrator at home. When the thing was turned around its axis, she realized it wasn’t the toy, but this was hardly a reason to be happy. It was her hairbrush, and now, her pubic mound rested on the bristles. Lioba raised her pelvis the little her bonds allowed, grinding her breast against the bathtub.

»Now, can comb pussy hair!«, the woman laughed, and Lioba couldn’t help squealing when she once again spanked her buttocks, so she was pushed against the bristles with her pubic mound, sending painful tingles through her loins.

»You sexy fakir!«

The woman seemed to be an endless source of bad jokes.

They now left the bathroom, but Lioba could hear them searching her room. There was much more rummaging and rustling than her little luggage would have justified, and also, she could hear an occasional chuckle. Once, she could even hear one of them say:

»Aww, look, she’s a tiger!«

Lioba knew that they were referring to her bright orange thong with the black tiger stripes, and she felt her cheeks burn with embarrassment.

There was another whispered discussion, more angry this time, but Lioba couldn’t understand what the women were talking about. Then, she could only hear some more rustling, followed by the sound of the door falling shut.

Lioba was alone, once again bound, blindfolded and gagged with her own panties. Forcing herself to remain calm, she began to test her bonds.

***