The lights of the city faded as Mark made his way north across the Illinois border and into Wisconsin.  His meeting had been set up and he had less than thirty minutes to get there.  He pressed down on the accelerator and the car lurched forward.  The lights of the dashboard were dimmed and he could barely read the speedometer as it topped eighty.  Dead trees raced into the darkness as he passed them.  He was gripping the steering wheel tightly, pondering what he would do when he found her.  How would he make her suffer?

    The past hour had found himself daydreaming of the things he would do to her.  A series of what ifs? What if he broke her legs?  What if he blinded her? What if?  What if?  What if?  Each thought that entered his mind was more evil and satisfying than the last.  He was anxious to fin her and he involuntarily pressed even harder against the accelerator.

    The state line appeared and drifted into the darkness to join the dead trees that lined the highway.  He drove with clenched fists for another twenty minutes before he slowed his car as the blue sign with white lettering appeared: REST AREA 1 MILE.  He signaled and steered into the rest stop, pulling next to a long, black limousine.  He honked his horn once, waited five seconds, and honked again.

    The limousine honked back.

    Mark climbed from his car and entered the back of the limo.  A heavyset man wearing a black suit sat in the vehicle.  He had thin brown hair, disheveled and unruly.    His ears were pierced and adorned with diamond studs.  "Please, sit," the man said in a deep, Latin voice, indicating the seat opposite him.  "How can I help you."

    Mark opened the lapel of his blazer and showed the man a video tape.  "May I?" Mark queried.

    "Of course." 

    Mark popped the tape into the VCR and television combination that hung from the ceiling.  He pressed play and the visage of Collette appeared.  "I want her," he said simply. 

    "Dead?"

    "No.  I want her to suffer and I want to make her suffer.  I want her brought to me alive.  I know she is in Chicago.  I want her."

    The man stared at the picture.  "She's pretty.  You say she is in Chicago?"

    "This video was taken just a few hours ago.  It is possible that she has left the city but it is doubtful.  I don't believe she has any thoughts that she is being pursued and so won't be in a rush to flee the city.  It's late.  If she'd leave it would probably be in the morning."

    Still staring at the picture the man said, "One hundred thousand.  Half now, half upon delivery."

    Mark pulled his blazer apart again and pulled the cash he had collected from Kilandra's safe and handed it to the bald man.  "Here is one hundred thousand," Mark said, "I am paid in full.  I will give you another fifty thousand upon delivery.  I am serious about this."

    Taking the money the bald man said, "yes. I  see you are."

   "We are agreed?"

    "Yes.  I will contact you when I have found her.  I have your number, yes?"

    Mark nodded.  "Yes.  Thank you Carlos."

    Carlos ran his hand through his unkempt hair.  "I will call you.  Count on it."

    Mark shook Carlos' large hands and climbed from the limousine.  He was elated that the first step in finding his enemy had been completed and that she would be his grasp shortly.   I will sleep well tonight, he thought to himself with a nod.  "And dream unpleasant things," he whispered into the dark interior of his car.   He was smiling as he made his way back to the highway, racing towards Chicago. 

* * * * *

    Carlos shook his head in amazement as he watched Mark drive away.  Was it dumb luck that brought Mark to him?  Mark had no clue the ties that Collette and he shared and Carlos would not betray the trust that Collette placed in him.  What ever vengeance Mark wanted would not be so easily had.  He would fine Collette as Mark had requested and would reveal that information to him; only he would let Collette know as well.  He would turn Mark over to Collette and he would keep Mark's payment. 

    Carlos tapped on the glass that separated the back of the limo from the front and the unseen driver placed the limousine in gear and began the drive back into the city.  Carlos grinned at the irony of Mark selling himself into slavery and he could not suppress the laughter that erupted from his lips. 

    The limousine sliced through the darkness.  Carlos picked up his phone and placed a call into Collette's answering system.  He knew it would reach her eventually and that as soon as it did she would call him back.  It had never taken her more than twenty-four hours to return his call if she was in the country and he knew that this time would be no different. 

    He pushed END and hung up the phone.  Now, all he had to do was wait.

* * * * *

   Collette couldn't sleep.  She stared at the ceiling, not seeing anything, the room bathed in darkness.  Graham was sleeping next to her and she took comfort in his presence.  She could feel the heat of his body; his leg pressed against hers.  She was comfortable with him and once again she found herself thinking if it was time to once again change occupations.  Could she retire and simply live off of the fruits of her previous labors?  Of course she could.  But, would she be happy if she did?  Staring into the darkness she couldn't answer that question.

    She exhaled sharply, the thoughts of Kilandra seeping into her mind.  If she did retire and try to make a life with Graham, she knew that it would have to be after she found out what it was that Kilandra had wanted with her.  That mystery vexed her and she did not like unanswered mysteries.  Every puzzle had a solution, every riddle and answer and she would resolve this one before she made any plans to retire.

    She turned to look at Graham sleeping peacefully next to her.  He was unaware of her past and oblivious to her occupation and she knew she would have to keep her secrets.  Her whole life was about secrets, finding the secrets that other's would never willingly reveal and keeping her own.  Harold had not known her occupation and to his credit, if he ever suspected, he never pried.  He had always accepted her stories at face value.  And she had loved him for that.  Could Graham mimic that level of trust? 

    That was the question that was keeping her awake.  The fact that she was losing sleep over that question spoke volumes as to where her unconscious mind was leaning.  She was seriously considering retiring and living a life of luxury with a slave at her beck and call.  Life, she knew, could be good, but only if you let it.  The miserable usually contributed to their misery with their thoughts.  The converse was equally as true; if you thought happy thoughts you would be happy.  One's thoughts, either consciously or unconsciously, had a way of changing our actions to reflect the outcome that was anticipated.  Expect the worst and you typically found it.

    She shut her eyes and listened to Graham breathing.  It was a gentle sound, calm and relaxed and to Collette it was melodic.  It was the sound of rain striking glass in a lazy afternoon Summer shower and the gentle cooing of an infant.  And it was the sound of trust.  That sound of deep sleep was unattainable if you did not trust the person you were sleeping next to.  Could one fall asleep and rest so deeply if one thought the person next to you would cause you harm?  Of course not; you only slept lightly if you did not trust where it was you were sleeping. 

    The animal kingdom was like that, including the human animal.

    Could she be happy in retirement?   She had time to ponder that question as she sought the answers to the puzzles that Kilandra had delivered to her.  She would have to go back to Kilandra's home, to search the house thoroughly when there wasn't the concern of being hunted by her guards.  With the house empty she could search for any clue as to what Kilandra had wanted her for. 

    She exhaled sharply and struggled to fall asleep. 

    And when sleep did come, she did not dream.

* * * * *

    The mechanical voice announced, "press one to replay the current message again.  Press two to save and hear the next message.  Or press three to exit."

    Collette shook her head; had she heard correctly?  She pressed the one key and listened to the Latin voice again.

    "You won't believe this, but a guy named Mark has hired me to look for you.  He wants me to turn you over to him for some sort of vengeance scheme; he wasn't real clear on that and, of course, I did not ask. It was quite hard for me not to laugh in his face when he showed my your face on a surveillance video.  

    "You know how to reach me.  Call me and we will discuss where you would like to have me deliver Mark to.  Talk to you soon."

    Collette hung up the receiver and stared open-mouthed at the phone.  Mark?  Was it possible?  And if so, how?

    Of course it was possible, she reasoned.  Kilandra had sent Mark to her in the first place and obviously had connections of her own and would no doubt have the means to arrange for his release.  It was an interesting turn of events, though she knew Mark had no idea why Kilandra had sent for her; she had already proven that when last he was in her clutches.

    Now, however, she would enslave him and find out information about Kilandra's operation and from that knowledge she could ascertain what it was that Kilandra asked.  Sometimes it was the least obvious questions that led to the most probable answers.  She licked her lips and once again picked up the phone. 

    She left a message for Carlos and asked that Mark be instructed that she was staying at Graham's and that she would take things from there.  She had preparations to make.  Graham had an excellent collection of toys, from crops to clamps to dildos and rope but she needed something stronger.  She needed chains and locks, items that would bind Mark and guarantee that he would be unable to free himself from the bondage she would place him in. 

* * * * *

    I'll have her tonight, Mark thought to himself, wringing his hands in joyous pleasure.    She and my vengeance will be mine.  He was sitting at his desk, jotting notes down on a quad-ruled piece of paper on things he needed to accomplish before he surprised her at the home she was staying at.  His informant had not said who he was staying with, but it did not matter.  He or she would be dead and Collette would be his.

    He picked up his pen again and continued outlining the few things he would need to accomplish.  He had always been the kind of man that needed to organize his thoughts or he would lose track of what he needed to do.  He found that by writing notes to himself and keeping check lists that he was able to keep his thoughts straight and it helped him to not forget important things that he needed to accomplish. 

    And it was fun to ponder her demise.

    He looked into space, not seeing the wall opposite his desk. He looked through it, into the future as he imagined it, with Collette lying naked, beaten, broken and abused on his bed as she was used over and over by anybody willing to pay the three dollars he would charge.  He would make her his whore and he would make sure she was kept well-used.  He found his cock growing hard as he pondered the fate he had chosen for her.

    He unbuckled his pants and dropped his trousers to the ground.  He masturbated furiously, his hand a blur as he imagined Collette spread out and naked before his gaze.  He had seen her just that once, her beautiful face and soft body, and with her in his mind he stroked his cock to completion, spitting his sperm across the carpeted floor.  He grunted as he came and his eyes squinted shut so hard that he saw stars floating in the air above his head.  he felt queasy, his body shaking with waning pleasure.

    He climbed  to his feet on unsteady legs and pulled his pants up and rebuckled his belt.  He made his way to the bathroom and grabbed a small wad of toilet paper.  He returned to his den and quickly picked up the evidence of his ire.  He had masturbated out of hatred, not pleasure, and he knew it.  And flushing the evidence down the commode, he didn't care.

    Mark returned to his desk and reviewed his notes.  He was happy with his preparations and knew that baring any unforeseen circumstances, he would easily surprise and capture his nemesis.  He was still shaking, his body poised to strike in anticipation of Collette's capture.  He almost couldn't wait for the sun to set so that he could strike out and have his vengeance. 

    Almost.

* * * * *

   Graham slept fitfully.  Next to him was the woman that had haunted his dreams on more nights than he could count.  He had dreamt of having her by his side more times than not and the reality of the situation had him sleeping like a newborn infant at her mother's breast.  It was the sleep of trust and completion and he was happy. 

    Unlike Collette, he did dream.  He dreamt of a rolling field with he and Collette walking with fingers intertwined, listening to the music of the morning mist as it sat heavily on the flowers and grass.  He could hear the wind as it sang through the leaves of the many trees that spread a comfortable early-morning shadow across the land.  In the distance a bird sang out, greeting the couple with its breath.  Insects buzzed about, bees flying, crickets crying and katydids pounding out a symphony; each of the sounds mingling into a harmonious melody. 

    The wind that sang through the trees caressed their skin and whispered tender words in their ears.  It was a lover's kiss that pushed lazy clouds through the sky and behind Graham's sleeping eyes it was perfection.  He slept with the hope that when he awoke the dream would be reality and she would still be at his side. 

    * * * * *

    Collette made her some coffee as Graham slept.  She glanced at the phone lying unused on the counter where she had set it after checking her voice mail system.  The message that had been left by Carlos had her nerves on edge.  Her hands were shaking as she took the first sip of the steaming liquid.  She had to get Graham out of his house for his safety while she took care of Mark.

    And what then?  What would happen when Mark was once again her captive?  How could she explain to Graham why she had Mark captured and how she had known he was coming.  She couldn't just ask him to vacate his home, leaving her behind to await Mark's arrival.   He would be curious as to what she was thinking and why she wanted him to leave.  The confrontation with Graham over asking him to leave could be more difficult than her impending conflict with Mark. 

   But she knew she had to get him out of his house.  She would not risk his life.  She knew Mark would be armed and that thought did not concern her. It would, however, become a concern if Graham was present.  She had to get him to leave his house.  It was not an option.  The question was how?  How could she get Graham to leave her side when it was obvious that was the last thing he wanted to do.  She smiled softly at that thought, his feelings for her as evident as the sun on a cloudless afternoon.  He was sweet and kind and obviously enamored.  She glanced towards the stairs that led into the basement, towards the sleeping form of Graham and shook her head slowly from side to side.  How am I going to get you to leave? she wondered.

    It needed to be innocuous yet at the same time guarantee his absence for a few hours.  No ideas came to her; perhaps it was better to just ask him to leave for his safety and leave it at that.  He would leave then, he would trust her judgment.  But would the questions that it would pose be worth the simplicity of the truth?  She exhaled a hot breath of uncertainty. 

    Collette finished her coffee and poured herself a second cup.  The liquid was hot and the smell enflamed her senses, wiping the lethargy from her behind her eyes.  She sat at the dining room table, sipping her coffee and pondering her future with Graham and Mark.  What would she do with Mark? Return him to his captivity overseas knowing Kilandra wasn't around to retrieve him this time? Or, perhaps, she could keep him for herself.  Would Graham accept that if she opted to retire and stay with him? 

    Questions she didn't know the answer to.

    Too many questions with too many variables.  Time would have to pass before she was able to answer her own queries.  Until then, she would just accept the future for the unwritten path it was and see how it unfolded.  And she would start with her confrontation with Mark this evening. 

    Until then she would simply enjoy her day with Graham and he with her.  She slowly sipped her coffee, savoring the taste and the smell of the flavorful liquid.  She tilted her head back and shut her eyes.  She held the warm coffee cup between her hands, resting her mind, wiping the questions from her thoughts.  She would see how the night played out.  Things always seemed to have a way of working out as they were meant to be.  

* * * * *

    Graham stirred, stretched, yawned, and opened his eyes.  The room was dimly lit, very little light streaming in beyond the dark curtains that adorned the wall opposite the bed.  He looked over to the empty side of the bed where Collette had been sleeping.  He remembered his dream of his reality with her and it forced a smile to decorate his face.  Stretching again he sat up and crawled from the bed. 

    He crossed the room and made his way to the master bathroom.  He relieved his bladder and quickly brushed his teeth and washed his face.  He was still smiling as he made his way upstairs.  He smiled again when he saw Collette sitting at the dining room table sipping coffee and watching him approach with a wan little smile on her face.  "Good morning," he said. 

    "Morningback," Collette said. 

    Graham made himself a cup of coffee and seeing Collette foist her cup into the air he refilled her cup as well.  He sat opposite her, peering into the dark orbs of her eyes and said, "I'm glad you're here."

     "I know," Collette said nodding her head.  I'm glad I'm here too, she thought to herself.  But what will tomorrow bring?  She shook the question away and swallowed another sip of coffee.  Smiling softly she asked, "what do you want to do today?"

    "Whatever your heart desires," he said.  To Collette is sounded almost trite but she could read the honesty of his words in his green eyes.  He was being truthful and he would give her whatever she requested.  She melted at the thought.

    Collettepushed her coffee cup away and climbed to her feet.  "Come," she said as she held her hand to Graham, "pleasure me."

    Graham took Collette's hand and she pulled him to his feet.  She led the way, her hand draping over her shoulder with Graham's hand in hers.  She led him down the stairs and into the bedroom.  She climbed into bed and spread her legs.  "Eat me, Graham," Collette purred. 

    Graham said nothing.  He merely walked to the foot of the bed and climbed between Collette's thighs.  He wasted not time. He buried his face against her pussy, his tongue probing the velvety softness of her pussy with rapid-fire bursts.  In and out his tongue darted, massaging the moistness of her sex.  He licked her pussy, nodding his head with his tongue extended.  He pleasured the entire outer folds of her pussy with his extended tongue, her soft moans music to his ears.

    Collette lay there and savored the exquisite feelings that raced through her body.  Her fingers curled into fists as Graham lapped her pussy forcefully.   She moaned in delight.

    Collette gripped his head and pulled him into her.  His extended tongue pierced the magic folds of her pussy as his nose rubbed against the mound of her sex.  He swirled his tongue like a conductor's baton; up and down and left and right, large circles and small. 

    And Collette savored it all.

    Graham pleasured her pussy as she held him against her sex.  Collette bucked as she came, lifting her hips from the bed and carrying Graham with her. She screamed loudly, an incoherent babbling of sounds that, to Graham, were magical. It was the sound of her pleasure that caused his heart to race in bliss.  Collette was breathing heavily as she pulled Graham's hair.  She pulled him up her body and breathed, "fuck me."

    He needed no further encouragement.  His cock was turgid and strong and it slipped easily into Collette's sopping sex.  He pulled his cock from her pussy and slammed it back in.  Faster and faster his pace climbed until both he and Collette came together in a combined moment of heavenly bliss.  Breathing heavily Graham pulled his waning cock from Collette and fell over onto his back next to her.  "Wow," was all he could say.

    Collette giggled at him. 

    Graham joined her in laughter, their act of intimacy continuing into fits of merriment.  Slowly the laughs faded and Graham reached over and took Collette's hand in his.  He rubbed her knuckles with his thumb tenderly, expressing what he was feeling with that gentle caress.

    The sun was climbing higher in the sky and outside a dog barked and birds sang a greeting to the day. 

    "Don't leave," Graham said. 

    A pause, "no promises."

    "Okay."

    "I need you to do something for me tonight," Collette said, pulling her hand free of Graham's embrace and sitting upright on the bed.

    "Anything."

    "I need for you to leave the house around four and to call me at midnight.  If I answer the phone, you can come home.  If I don't then get a hotel room and call back the next morning.  Can you do that?"

    "Why?"

    "I can't tell you.  I just need you to trust me."

    "I wouldn't let you tie me up if I didn't trust you.  To me bondage is the ultimate in trust.  I do trust you."  He paused, looking into her dark eyes.  He could read the seriousness of her request in her eyes and with a nod he relented, "okay.  I trust you and I will do as you ask."

    Collette breathed a soft sigh of relief and simply said, "thank you."

    He kissed her softly and said, "you're welcome."

    And together they snuggled.