The Land behind the Forest 4
The house wasn’t as old-fashioned as the girls had feared, but it definitely lacked modern standards. There was indeed an outhouse, even with a cut-out heart in the door, but there was a tap at the kitchen sink, and there was electric light, though Aurica had to admit that there wasn’t always electric currency available.
»However, we have a shower! With a little bit of optimism, one could even call it ecological!«
She showed them, and Salome, who came from a privileged Tanzanian family, but had also seen the less developed areas of her home country, was surprised that obviously, poverty seemed to inspire inventiveness.
The shower was an old phone booth whose windows had been plastered with all kinds of stickers, and on top was a large plastic canister. In the ceiling, a shower head with a valve was fixed. Aurica pointed at a solar panel beside the booth.
»Of course, it works better in summer, but even now, it provides enough warmth to heat 50 litres within 12 hours!«
A quick calculation showed that like this, there would be one shower a day. Despondently, Eileen exchanged a look with Salome.
»Shall we draw sticks who may shower first?«
After a day in the van, with just the ability to wash her face and hands at rest stops, Eileen longed for a shower, but she knew that she had no extra rights in this. Aurica stated:
»It’s just between you two! I will just wash at the sink!«
Of course, the others didn’t want to deprive their host of one of the few commodities the house offered, and they indeed drew straws, leaving Aurica as the winner. She collected a few clothes and went for the shower, and Eileen sighed.
»Plus expenses my ass!«
They had a cat wash at the sink and decided that a change of clothes could wait for the next morning. If necessary, they could use the shower together, though the small booth would make this a cozy experience. They had just put some fresh deodorant on when the door was opened, and the aunt entered, again letting her eyes wander disapprovingly over their short dresses. She was carrying a pot and a basket with bread, and the smell from the pot was delicious.
Eileen and Salome helped the aunt who had, a bit grumpily, introduced herself as Elena, to lay the table, and when everything was ready, they thanked the old woman.
»Mulţumesc!«, they said in unison, and, without collusion and yet almost synchronously, dropped a curtsey. Elena grunted, but now, there was a glimpse of a smile on her lips. She left the moment Aurica entered, dressed in a threadbare bathrobe and her blonde bob still damp.
»Feel free to start, I will just get dressed!«
Of course, they waited, and Aurica returned little later, now wearing jeans and a white blouse. Eileen sighed when she had sat down.
»I think your aunt considers us as sluts! Maybe, we should put on long trousers before you show us the village!«
There was an expression of slight panic on Aurica’s face.
»Please, Auntie Elena considers every woman a slut who doesn’t dress like a 19th century matron, including me! But, please, don’t do this to me and hide your assets! After all, I am paying you to look sexy!«
Salome giggled at Eileen’s expression.
»Come on, you knew this when we signed the contract! Now, stop chitchatting, I am starving!«
The meal, similar to a Goulash, indeed compensated for a lot, and Eileen now again considered that the next days would be a funny experience.
The promised walk through the village didn’t last long, as Weißendorf was small. There was a mixture of picturesque beauty and decay, and though they could see people watch them from either their windows or openly, it wasn’t like running the gauntlet. Eileen looked if she could see crazy Andrina, but there was no sign of the girl.
They visited the old church where Aurica held small talk with the priest whilst Eileen and Salome admired the colourful graves on the cemetery, not daring to enter the church in their little dresses, as there were a few old women inside who were praying in front of the altar.
Aurica proposed to show them the village’s viewpoint, and they ascended a hill from which they had indeed a good look at the village and the forests surrounding it. Salome pointed on a flat grey concrete building.
»Without that ugly shoebox, it would look like a scene from a fairytale! Can’t you put it down?«
»That’s my factory!«, Aurica snapped.
Her discontent didn’t last long, and they continued their tour around the village, again seeing how many houses were abandoned. Except for crazy Andrina and a farm boy on a horse-drawn cart, they hadn’t seen a single person at their age.
»Whoever still has plans in life, leaves for the city! My factory is about the only company that offers jobs around here!«
She said hat with a glimpse of pride, as if Aurica considered herself to be the saviour of Weißendorf. Spontaneously, Eileen promised her that she and Salome would do their best to make the campaign a success.
At the evening, they had the leftovers of the Goulash for dinner, and Aurica then produced a bottle of wine that was a bit sweet and heavy, and they sat in the garden, helping Salome with her good intentions. The Black wanted to quit or at least reduce smoking and therefore had only taken two packs with her for the one week trip. Both Eileen and Aurica scrounged one, and so, the three girls sat on the garden bench, sipping from their glasses and smoking. Knowing it might ruin this leisurely moment, but dying from curiosity, Eileen asked:
»Who is crazy Andrina?«
Aurica remained calm, but her eyes narrowed as she answered:
»Just a girl with a tendency to put her nose into other people’s business! Oh, where do I have my mind? You must taste my Uncle Dorinel’s home-made Schnapps!«
She left, and Eileen knew that this was her way of telling them she didn’t want to further discuss the crazy Andrina subject. So, when Aurica returned with three shot glasses filled with an amber fluid, they toasted and decided to leave the matter rest.
***
»So, she didn’t have the testament?«
Ligeia stood in the shadow of a bus stop beside the hotel where she could talk to Sabrina and Milena who had taken off their masks, but still wore the black trousers and pullovers from the heist at Lioba’s room.
Having arrived at Hermannstadt, Ligeia had given the girls enough money to check in at some hotel where a little extra money would keep the clerk from wanting to see their passports. Also, she had equipped them with guns, a bag filled with zip ties and tape, and a prepaid cell phone.
»I will call you as soon as I know more!«
Ligeia and Marvin had checked in at the best hotel in the city, and since she knew that it was the only hotel that more or less befitted Western European standards, she had asked the clerk whether there were other foreign guests around, as she was about to attend an international meeting.
Ligeia could be charming, and she was showing that she was loaded, so, the clerk willingly told her about the guests from elsewhere, even opening the book where he noted the latest check-ins. Before he could name the foreign guests, Ligeia asked:
»Speaking of guests – there might be an old friend of mine among them – a good friend!«
She lowered her voice, and she then added:
»Would it be possible to get a second key for my room, please?«
The banknote she had discreetly placed on the desk disappeared, and the young man withdrew to the adjacent room, where the extra keys were kept. Actually, it was forbidden to hand extra keys, but this wealthy German sure wasn’t about to rob the hotel; she was more one of those who risked getting robbed.
Two minutes later, Ligeia had the key and a photo of the last page of the check-in book. She enlarged the latter, searched and found the name of Lioba Karnstein and encircled it before sending it to Sabrina and Milena. Then, she went to Marvin’s room that was at another floor and less luxurious than her own, and handed him the extra key, so the chauffeur could hide it under the frame of the car, where the girls could pick it up.
The key gave access to the hotel’s entrances, too, and like that, Sabrina and Milena could get in easily. Since the hotel wasn’t too modern, opening the door of Lioba’s room had been piece of cake for Sabrina, and they had already searched her belongings before the redhead had returned.
Hermann had been a bit cryptic in what he had told Ligeia: obviously, an important part of the properties she had to buy for the company no longer was property of the municipality, for the late owner had had an heiress. Some stupid employee of the notary on Hermann’s payroll had sent this woman the information, and some twelve hours ago, the crooked notary had found out that the testament confirming her legal rights he had let disappear had been forged.
He had informed Hermann who immediately had called Ligeia that the stupid employee must have sent the original to the heiress. At least, he had had a name – Dr. Lioba Karnstein, living in France, but who had been born in Romania. Also, according to the fact she wanted to meet him on Monday, it was likely that she was already in town. And so, Ligeia had decided that Milena and Sabrina could need some practice before they were trying to get Salome and Eileen into their clutches.
»As long as she hasn’t rolled the testament up and shoved it up her rear, she didn’t have it, neither on herself nor in her room!«
Ligeia nodded.
»So, if she shows up at the notary, there will be no testament, and Miss, sorry, Dr. Karnstein will have to return back to France!«
Sabrina now showed a sardonic smile.
»Oh, there’s a small chance she won’t show up at all, even if the chamber maid frees her in time!«
When she told her what else they had done, Ligeia showed a similar smile and opened her handbag, producing a credit card she handed to the black-haired villainess.
»The credit frame’s 10.000, which should be enough to get you a car and some more equipment! I didn’t sign it, so you can do so, and your signature will fit! We will stay in contact, but you will have to operate more or less on your own! However, I am sure you can handle that!«
Sabrina withdrew from their meeting point, but Milena still stood there.
»Is there something, Millie – sorry, Milena?«
Milena shook her head, and Ligeia stepped closer.
»I think I chose the right women for the job – but I already miss you, girls!«, she sighed, brushing over the blonde’s cheek and throat. Milena let out a fluttering breath; then, she turned and followed Sabrina down the road.
She balled her fists, trying to control her breath before she had caught up with her comrade. The tender touch, and Ligeia’s confession, had caused some confusion within Milena. Obviously, nine months as Ligeia’s sex slave had left other marks than a solid hatred and contempt for her former Mistress. Milena sighed, more or less sufficiently disguising it as a cough, and then managed to casually ask Sabrina whether they should have a late dinner before they would check out their prey from Lioba’s room.
***
It wasn’t by far the worst bondage Lioba had ever experienced. She was still having her underwear, there was no agonizing rope bisecting her crotch, and the panties in her mouth were her own, though she had to admit that after a strenuous day, they didn’t taste like candy. Also, there was no threat to kill her, or to abduct her to some place where countless men could have their way with her.
However, that didn’t mean she was comfortable. The elbow tie made her shoulders ache, and she was forced to thrust her breasts against the smooth surface of the bathtub. Being forced to lie upon her hairbrush with her pubic mound was painful and irritating and being gagged and blindfolded was always a terrifying experience.
Lioba wasn’t one to panic easily, and so, she had only screamed through her gag when she had heard noises from the corridor, but to no avail. A quick inspection of her bonds had brought her to the conclusion that there was no chance of breaking the zip ties without a knife or something similar; she could pick on those encircling her wrists, but her fingernails were not enough to break the tight plastic ties.
»At least, the tape underneath provides some padding!«
Groaning, she shifted her position. Not that she had much choice: hogtied, and with her wrists and ankles fixed to the tap, she could either put the majority of her weight on her breasts, squeezing them and making breathing a bit difficult – or she could press harder against the bristles of the brush, giving herself an intimate acupuncture from hell.
She forced herself to analyse the worst case scenario: if she wouldn’t be able to free herself, she would be found by the chamber maid the next morning – with aching limbs, and most likely having wet her panties. Though not a life-threatening scenario, it made Lioba pull angrily at her bonds.
»Mhhrrmm!«
The water hit her like a slap, and she realized that by her struggling, she had touched the lever of the tap. For a few moments, she screamed through her gag and frantically pulled on her bonds, caught by the atavistic fear of drowning. Then, she felt that the water didn’t rise, as the bathtub’s drain wasn’t plugged. She panted with relief as the cold water pattered on her butt, and then, her fear turned into slight anger and embarrassment: since she had pushed the lever upwards, she couldn’t stop the water, and now, whoever would find her would see her in an even more humiliating state, but the splashing would also drown her muffled cries for help.
The night promised to be very long and uncomfortable.
***
The girl Aurica had called crazy Andrina watched the lit window of the house. The curtain was closed, but she could see the silhouette of a voluptuous woman take off her bra. Andrina could not tell whether it was the Blonde or the Black, and she giggled: as different as these foreign girls might be, their shadows looked almost the same.
She more or less knew about Aurica’s plans, since her brother worked at her small factory. Andrina despised both the sweet drink and the development of her home country for which it stood. Sure, Aurica was trying to bring some wealth to the village, but at the same time, she was killing their traditions and values, at least in the eyes of Andrina’s grandmother who had raised the orphaned child since her death three years ago. Now, she was alone, except for her brother who tried to adapt to the modern times, working for Aurica and trying to ignore the mockery about his Gypsy origins. Sometimes, she also feared that he was also trying to ignore her, as he had moved to one of the abandoned houses where he had renovated two of the rooms for himself, leaving the old caravan completely to his younger sister.
When the silhouette bent forward, obviously because the girl was lowering her panties, Andrina left. She wanted to find some answers to her questions, but she would not get them from Aurica.
She returned to her caravan, put on the old-fashioned oil lamp and began to shuffle her Tarot cards, hoping that they would give her some advice what to do next.
***
»I am making a complete fool out of myself!«
Vlad Heisenberg entered the lobby of the hotel that desperately tried to look better than it was. He had texted Lioba twice, and she hadn’t answered his calls yet. In fact, it looked as if she hadn’t even read them, but Vlad knew that some people had turned off the function that allowed senders to check whether they had read their messages. So, though this was a more than lame excuse, he had decided to follow his plan and ask Lioba if she would have a drink with him.
He didn’t expect this to be more than a drink, even if she accepted, but the beautiful redhead hadn’t gone out of his head. He could still see the image of her shapely legs in the short dress, still feel where her lips had touched his cheek. Sure, she had just been grateful, but on the other hand – what was the worst thing to happen? She could politely refuse his offer, and he would return home, mourning his single life.
To not look as if he was trying to walk her down the aisle, Vlad had put on good, but casual clothes, a white shirt to his black leather jacket, and he was not carrying flowers or a Champaign bottle with him. He was just a grown up man, asking a woman whether she would join him for a glass of wine at a local bar.
The clerk informed him that Lioba Karnstein resided at room number 133, and, considering his intentions, did not ask whether she should make a call. Taking his courage together, Vlad walked up the stairs and down the corridor, where number 133 was the last room in the row.
He was about to knock when he heard the sound of running water. It meant that Lioba was at home, but if she was just having a shower, she perhaps was about to go to bed and would not accept his invitation. Vlad couldn’t help imagining Lioba with damp hair and in a bathrobe (or wrapped in a towel), and he lowered his head to regain his cool face. His eyes fell on the doorknob, and he frowned.
Dangling from it was something small, and it didn’t take Vlad long to identify it as a thong with a black and orange tiger stripe design. He reached for it, touching the smooth and flimsy material, and he felt a little confused.
Had Lioba lost it when she had checked in, and a kind chamber maid had draped it over the doorknob? Perhaps, Lioba kept a reserve pair of panties in her handbag, and it had fallen to the floor when she had searched for her key. Anyway, it would be embarrassing if it would dangle from the door if Lioba opened, or if he handed it to her.
So, Vlad took the thong and stuffed it into his jacket. If Lioba opened the door and invited him in, he would discreetly place it in a corner where she could find it. If not – well, she wouldn’t suspect him, and he then would at least have a souvenir. Vlad felt the flimsy cloth between his fingers, and he had to fight down the urge to put it to his nose, to see whether it carried her scent.
The water still was running, and he sighed. If Lioba was washing her hair, she would most likely not go out afterwards. To not hang around on her doormat like a creepy idiot, Vlad went back to the staircase and walked up to the fifth floor, counted to 1000 and then returned. Now, some 20 minutes had passed, allowing her to finish the shower, dry her hair and put on some clothes.
To his surprise, the water was still running. Vlad took a deep breath, and he had the image of Lioba having slipped and knocked herself out on the wet tiles. Sure, such things rarely happened outside of comedies, but rarely didn’t mean never. Of course, if he burst in, or called the hotel clerk, and Lioba was just enjoying a prolonged shower, he would look like a complete idiot.
»However, if something di happen and I am doing nothing, I will feel even worse!«
During his Law studies, before he had decided to become a notary instead, Vlad had intended to become a lawyer, and he had done a six months internship at a prison in Bucharest. Here, he had not dealt with murderers and rapists, but petty criminals; most of them impoverished youngsters who had just made a mistake. He had gotten on well with some of them, and one of them had, in exchange for three packs of cigarettes and the latest »Playboy« magazine, taught him how to open a door with his credit card, like they did in the movies. Id didn’t work with modern doors, but this hotel couldn’t be called modern.
»All right, I will just peek inside, and if I am sure she’s just having a shower, I will withdraw without her even noticing!«
He checked if he was alone and then, he opened the door, just a gap. Frowning, he noticed that the light was out, and it seemed that the bathroom wasn’t lit either. Frowning, Vlad listened inside the room. It would be not only embarrassing, but downright creepy if Lioba had just forgotten to turn off the water before she had gone to bed and would now wake up, only to see a man standing in her bedroom.
He now could hear another sound, almost drowned by the splashing: a faint high-pitched humming, and it was coming from where he guessed the bathroom was.
»Lioba?«, he whispered, then again calling her name in a louder voice. There was no answer, and Vlad took a deep breath, slipped inside the room and closed the door behind him. Then, he felt beside the door for the light switch.
»Oh!«
The room was in a mess, every drawer had been opened, and it was evident it had been thoroughly searched. Then, he noticed something strange about the whole scenery: some panties, bras and pantyhose were not just lying around, they looked as if they had been draped over the furniture.
»Lioba?«
»Mmhhmmm! Uuuhmmm!«
Vlad opened the bathroom door and switched on the light. His eyes fell on the bathtub, where the water was pouring down on a woman half lying on her belly, half dangling from her wrists and ankles tied to the tap. She tried to look up, and he could see little of her face, as both her mouth and her eyes were covered by silver duct tape. However, he had little doubt that the trenched red tresses belonged to Lioba. Vlad turned off the water, and when doing so, he noticed that she had been stripped down to her bra, panties and pantyhose, but still sported her high heels.
»One moment, I will cut you loose!«
Rummaging through her toiletries, he found a pair of nail scissors and cut the zip tie fixing her to the tap. With a groan, the girl sank down into the tub and squirmed.
»Hold still, I don’t want to cut you!«
Vlad removed the hogtied, and with a sigh of relief, Lioba lowered her legs. He saw that it was more than inconvenient for both if he had to bend over the bathtub’s edge all the time, and so, he grabbed her under her armpits, trying not to touch her breasts, and lifted her up, until he could cradle her in his arms and heave her from the tub, placing the dripping girl on the bathmat. Now, he could see the handle protrude from her panties, and for a moment, he thought it was a vibrator. When he noticed how she uncomfortably wriggled her hips, he decided to help.
»Allow me?«
When he pulled the hairbrush from her panties, he got a short glimpse of her pubic area, though he wasn’t actually staring. Again, Lioba sighed, and now, Vlad quickly cut her arm and leg ties. Lioba weakly tried to peel on the tape sealing her lips, and Vlad looked at her blindfold. Picking an edge wasn’t the problem, but the sticky tape also went over her hair.
»This might hurt a bit now!«
»Mhm!«
Lioba nodded, and he removed the tape, noticing how she frowned when he tore out a few hairs. However, she managed to remain calm, except for some panting. Vlad then removed the tape from her mouth and cut the cloth tied between her lips. Her mouth was stuffed with some dense turquoise wadding, and he carefully helped her to work it out of her oral cavity. Blinking and panting, Lioba looked up to him, whilst he noticed in the corner of his eye that her gag had been a pair of panties.
»Th-thank you!«, she croaked, and when he, a bit clumsily, put his arm around her, she cuddled against his chest, only to withdraw a few seconds later.
»Sorry, I am dripping wet!«
Under normal circumstances, Vlad would have been some 20 years to old to find such ambiguities funny, but now, he couldn’t oppress a chuckle, and Lioba slightly reddened when she realized she had expressed her current plight a bit unfortunately.
»Men!«, she groaned, rolling her eyes, but she also had to chuckle a bit. In a way, Vlad reminded her of Mike; not only because he had just saved her, but because of the sense of humour.
»Are you hurt?«
Lioba shook her head.
»Except for some aches in my limbs and a stale taste in my mouth, I am okay! I could, however, need a little help in getting to my feet!«
Though he only touched her arms when assisting her, There was some sensual subtext, and Lioba noticed that he liked what he saw. When she stood on wobbly legs, she staggered, and he prevented her from falling. Leaning against his shoulder, Lioba apologized:
»Sorry, seems I am still a bit dizzy from my three hour enema!«
His hand still on her bare back, Vlad remarked:
»You are remarkably cool for a woman that has just been assaulted!«
Lioba turned his head to him and showed him a weak smile.
»Well, I could tell you it is my extraordinary self-control, but I have to admit that I have some experience with such situations! Long story!«
Vlad escorted her to her room.
»Shall I call the Police? I mean, after you have put on something dry?«
Lioba didn’t answer, as she looked at the mess in her room. Then, after she had looked inside the open cupboard and under the bed, she let out a curse in French.
»These bastards took my clothes! So much for putting on something dry!«
She still didn’t answer him; instead, she picked up a few garments and withdrew to the bathroom. Before closing the door, she said:
»Give me a few minutes! I just want to get dry!«
Lioba quickly took off and towelled herself; then, she used the hairdryer, forcing her comb through her damp hair, as she didn’t want to use her hairbrush after it had been in her panties. When she put on her garments, she noticed she had at least picked matching bra and panties, quite modest bikini briefs with a thin lace trimming and an equally white bra. The black transparent pantyhose built a nice contrast, and Lioba quickly refreshed her lipstick and used her deodorant before she opened the bathroom door.
For a moment, Vlad thought she was aiming at him with some futuristic gun, but it was just the hairdryer. He had to admit that a dry Lioba in underwear looked equally hot as a trenched one, and she asked:
»You want to dry your shirt and trousers?«
Since he really looked quite soaked, he did so, and over the sound of the hairdryer, he asked:
»Have you got any idea who did this to you?«
She shook her head, telling him that all she could say was that it had been two women. Then, however, she stared at him, and Vlad switched off the hairdryer.
»Their accent!«
Vlad frowned, and she explained:
»Only one of them spoke – with a strong Russian accent! But then, after they had – stowed me, I could hear them speak! They were – discussing a piece of my underwear! Anyway, on this occasion, they spoke German – like people from Germany do!«
She had lived long enough in Germany to differ foreigners from native speakers. Vlad rubbed over his chin.
»German criminals faking Russian criminals in a Romanian hotel! And they are attacking someone from France!«
Lioba had meanwhile spotted her handbag on the desk where it had been emptied and searched. Her purse and cell phone were missing, as were her cigarettes and lighter – but her key ring was still there. She held it to Vlad.
»If they were after the testament, we still have it!«
She told him that she had deposited the folder in the locker at the station, and as a further precaution, she had removed the number plate from the key and fixed it to her key ring. So, the criminals, considering it the keys to her home in Marseille, had left it behind. Vlad couldn’t hide he was impressed of her cunning.
»Well, we could still call the Police – or we could get the testament and then go to my place first! Maybe, this will go for the few steps through the lobby!«
He held a white silk camisole to her the burglars had overlooked in a corner of the cupboard. Lioba slipped inside; it had spaghetti straps and barely covered her butt, and with the lace, it looked like underwear. She put on a pair of bootees and put on her handbag, critically looking at herself in the mirror.
»I look like a hooker!«
»Wait a minute!«
Vlad headed for the bathroom, and Lioba, thinking he wanted to relieve himself, wanted to tell him that the door was still open. However, she heard him rummage through something, and then, he returned. He had put his sunglasses up his hair, and his shirt was buttoned up almost to his belly button. Around his neck he wore a thick golden chain she recognized as the brass handle of her toiletry bag. Grinning at Lioba, he stated.
»Now, I look like someone who hangs around with a hooker! So, the clerk won’t dare to talk to us – he will just be happy we are leaving the hotel!«
Lioba giggled and shook her head.
»I am not sure whether it was a good or a bad thing that it was you who rescued me!«
He offered her his arm, and she took it. In the lobby, Vlad walked like a movie cowboy, and Lioba swayed her hips, and as Vlad had predicted, no one said a word until they had left the hotel. Now, Lioba could have said something else that would have confused Vlad, either in a good or a bad way:
He reminded her of Mike.
***