The auction had been going full swing for at least a full hour before Noriko Shibuya made her first bid, the procession of lovely young women paraded before the crowd in bondage not so much as drawing a single raised finger from the Japanese woman. Instead, she was content to wait patiently, observing it all from behind her white kitsune mask and knowing that her money would soon be spent upon the best slave of all.

And that time was not long in coming.

“For our next piece on offer,” boomed the auctioneer, his voice carrying above the excited murmurs of the attendees as the curtain was pulled back to reveal the gorgeous redhead straining against her bonds, “we have Lot 167, one Andrea Katherine Maurer. At 26 years old, this is a fit and healthy slave you’ll be able to make use of for a long time, and has been well-trained by her previous owner in the erotic arts.”

“Mmmmppggghhh!” the redhead’s scream was made pitiful by the ball gag filling the space between soft crimson lips, and leather creaked as she strained against the straps holding her fast to the St. Andrew’s cross at the wrists, ankles and waist. To help minimize the risk of discovery and ensure the merchandise was sold and delivered before anyone realized something was amiss, all the slaves were kidnapped and then auctioned off within the space of a day, no more than two. As such, Andrea was still glad in her usual office garb of a white satin blouse, a pleated skirt of black leather and knee-high stiletto-heeled black leather boots, while someone at the auction house had helpfully unbuttoned the top of the blouse to reveal her black silk bra and the hint of heaving breasts. Long crimson hair cascaded down to the small of her back, while pale features went red with embarrassment as the auctioneer casually rattled off her measurements and dating history, much to the amusement of the crowd. “Mmmmpppghhh, mmmppppgggghhh!”

“She’s being sold off to raise some capital for a business venture, so you’ll be able to fulfill all your fantasies with this lovely young lady for a discount,” the auctioneer continued, unperturbed by the captive’s gagged protests. “Shall we start the bidding at one million dollars?”

For half a heartbeat, there was silence, then the crowd went mad, a hundred voices shouting out bids over one another, leaping from their seats and gesticulating wildly in hopes of seizing the auctioneer’s attention. Still seated in the front row, Noriko’s attentions remained firmly fixed on Andrea, and a cruel smile blossomed at the fear in those beautiful blue eyes. Cameras took in the redhead’s futile struggles, livestreaming the auction for those bidding from home, and within half a minute, the price displayed on the auction house’s main screen had risen to the double digits with no signs of slowing down.

“Twenty million!” a man cried from the second row, tensed forward as if to leap over the barrier separating the crowd from the prisoner on stage. “I have to have her!”

“Like hell, she’s mine!” a woman in a long dress of black silk snapped pettishly, the two hulking bodyguards at her flanks shielding her from any reprisal. “Twenty-five!”

“Thirty! Oh, the things I could do to her…” another man echoed from out in the back.

And on and on it went, the bids rising higher, the suggestions becoming more obscene, and through it all, Noriko basked in the delicious terror emanating from the stage. How often had she fantasized about this? About the opportunity to have Andrea all to herself, to finally claim her in totality? She wanted the redhead with a passion that bordered on madness, and so it was that she calmly stood up and raised her hand, cultured voice cutting through the clamour like a fine blade. “One hundred and fifty million dollars.”

That brought silence, not to mention more than a few hostile stares. One bold voice even dared to accuse Noriko of auction sniping, only for a glare from her sharp brown eyes to halt that objection in its tracks. The Japanese woman barely heard the auctioneer’s gavel slam down as her proclaimed her Andrea’s new owner, for she was already walking onto the stage. “Good evening, my dear.”

Recognition stirred at the sound of her voice, Andrea’s eyes widened yet further, and she offered a small moan of pleasure as a gloved hand caressed her cheek. “Are you not glad I was here to purchase you?”

“Mmmmpppgghhh?” Warm breath tickled the redhead’s ear, provoking another moan. “Mmmppgghhh…”

“Oh, there is no need at pretend otherwise, Andrea. I know how you have fantasized about being sold into slavery, and now, that fantasy has come true. You belong to me utterly. Every inch, every moment…” Hands shifted, and Andrea threw her head back with a cry as Noriko cupped her perfect breasts. “Every part of you…”  

The ball gag was unbuckled, and Andrea spent a moment catching her breath before trying to speak. “Mistress, I—mmmppggghh!”

Noriko’s lips clamped tight over her own in a passionate kiss, leaving both women flushed and breathless when it was done. Noriko spoke first. “Who do you belong to?”

“You, Mistress,” Andrea replied with an undisguised eagerness. “Only you. But remember you have a 3:00 meeting with Mr. Peterson about the Riversong house.”

“What?”

**********************

“You have a 3:00 meeting with Mr. Peterson about the Riversong house,” Hannah Kwon repeated evenly, giving a small start as Noriko jolted upright. “Umm… are you all right, Mrs. Shibuya?”

“I… I am fine, Hannah,” Noriko reassured the younger woman, long years of concealing her nighttime activities from the world helpfully enabling her to hide her embarrassment from her new secretary. “Everything is prepared?”

“Yes, I’ve made up the information package for him, and all the details have been forwarded to you as well, in case you need to refer to anything,” the beautiful Korean woman explained, handing over a datasheet to her employer. “And here’s the statement from the bank telling us his mortgage has been approved, I don’t think he’ll have any trouble affording the place.”

“Thank you, Hannah.” A quick glance at the clock on the wall, and Noriko felt her shame deepen. It was only 2:00 on a Friday, and she’d allowed herself to drift off into a fantasy when there was so much work to be done. It was a point of pride for the Japanese woman that she kept the two halves of her life separate. She was more than happy to tutor her students and indulge in her kinky fantasies in her off-hours, but when she was on the clock, she was working hard and doing her utmost to help others achieve their dreams of homeownership, all without distraction.

At least, that was the ideal. But lately, however, the former had begun to bleed into the latter, time that should have been spent running her real estate business disrupted by fantasies of ropes and gags… and of the beautiful redhead at the centre of them. Andrea Maurer. The name lingered in her thoughts like the taste of fine wine upon her tongue, and Noriko knew this fascination was a problem. She was Andrea’s tutor in the erotic arts, her Mistress in bondage, but deep down, she knew she could not be more. Andrea and Mariam were in love, passionately and truly, and she had no right to interfere in their happiness. Besides, if a dominatrix could not control herself, then by what right did she have to control others?

“Mrs. Shibuya?” Hannah inquired again, observing the other woman with genuine concern. “Are you sure you’re all right? I can call Mr. Peterson and cancel if you’re not feeling well.”

“There will be no need for that, my dear, I am quite well,” Noriko assured her, privately pleased at her assistant’s concern. Hannah Kwon had only been working for her for the past three months, long enough for Noriko to become impressed with her dedication, efficiency and reliability. She was also rather pretty, with long dark hair, elegant features, and a slender body flattered by her red silk blouse and black leather pencil skirt. Indeed, she was the sort of woman Noriko would have happily taken on as a student if she wasn’t both her employee, and as far as she could tell, completely disinterested in bondage. She certainly won’t fall prey to erotic fantasies on the job, Noriko admitted to herself ruefully. “We have a client to attend to, after all. Thank you, Hannah.”

Nodding, Hannah returned to the front desk, and Noriko let out a sigh. Just a few hours more, and then she could fantasize about buying Andrea at auction all she wished. And perhaps, the next time she saw Andrea and Mariam in the flesh, they might act out that fantasy for real?