Leopard Girl

Chapter 4

Jill realized that she had been sitting in her office by herself for over an hour as she thought back on her recent life. But she had students who needed her help so she couldn't stay locked inside her memories and regrets forever. She got up from her desk and unlocked and opened the door to the hallway. And then she had an almost steady stream of students visiting her.

At times, it was almost comical to her. Some of the students had specific issues that they wanted to discuss or well formulated questions that they were seeking answers to. Others, however, seemed to be there just to be there. They would step into her office and stammer and sometimes blush. They always looked at her face and sometimes their eyes would furtively glance at her chest. She knew that she should be offended but she found it entertaining and comical.

Finally, the flow of students ended and she was able to get back to her research. She was still reviewing and cataloguing her notes from a recent field expedition when Charity poked her head into the office.

"Hi, sis," said Charity. "How's your neck?"

Jill would have rebuked any other student who called her sis. She had earned the title of Professor through hard work and she preferred to be called that. But Charity was different. She really was like a sister.

Jill reached up and pulled the collar of the turtleneck away, showing Charity the spot where she had been shot. "It's almost faded," she said.

"Yeah, it looks a lot better. Can you talk for a bit?"

"For you, always," smiled Jill. "What's on your mind?"

"Not much, really," said Charity as she plopped down into a chair. "I just wanted to talk to you and see how Saturday went." They had not spoken since Jill had been chased off the ledge by the hunter who had bagged Charity.

"Saturday actually turned out to be a lot of fun," replied Jill. "I loved spending the day with you. And you have a wonderful mistress. I loved being able to get to know her."

"Yeah, she loved owning you," said Charity. "She said you're bright and fun and so, so sexy. But I already knew that."

"How did your time go?"

"Not as well as yours," responded Charity. "That guy sure likes his pain."

"Yes, I know," offered Jill. "He got me one time too."

"I've never had a guy fist me before. I never realized how much bigger their hands are. But he managed to get it in."

"Ouch," said Jill.

"Exactly," agreed Charity.

"So what's on your mind, Char?" asked Jill, pronouncing Char as Chair. "Or are you just here to let me see that cute little slave body of yours?"

Charity hemmed and hawed for a bit before responding. "Well, there is something that I wanted to ask you. I wanted to ask you on Saturday when we were together on the ledge but I never know how long we are going to have during those hunts before we'll be shot. And I didn't want to distract you from what we had to do that day."

Jill listened. She was tempted to close her office door but that would look odd. She always kept it open when she met with students. "Yes?" she asked.

"Well," Charity started, "how do you feel about being a slave? I mean what goes through your mind on a day like Saturday?"

"Hmm," replied Jill as she leaned back in her chair, thinking. "Let's start about how I feel about being a slave. At first, I hated it. I never grew up aspiring to be owned. I became a slave through my own foolishness, which I would prefer not to get into. At first, it was the worst thing imaginable. And finally, I told myself that I could keep feeling miserable and sorry for myself or I could resign myself to what I am. And that's how I feel about being a slave. I have resigned myself to it. I accept the fact that my body does not belong to me. I accept the fact that I must do as I am told. And I accept the fact that I have no control over my private life.

Charity leaned forward, resting her arms on Jill's desk as she listened.

"I feel quite differently about Saturday," Jill continued. "In fact, I feel differently about almost all of the group's events. I love them."

"Really?" asked a surprised Charity. "If you are only resigned to being a slave, I would have thought that things like Saturday would be a chore for you."

"Well, what is a chore is when I am summoned at the end of a work day to serve that night. Or on a Saturday afternoon when I am in the middle of something. I go, but it always feels like something is being yanked out of my heart."

Jill went on. "But for the scheduled events like Saturday, I have a chance to get prepared. Even if I don't know what the event will be about, I can get myself into the proper mindset. I think like I am an actress who is getting ready to perform. The adrenalin is rushing and I am just focused on myself and making sure that I give the best performance ever."

"That way, even if the event is awful, I can focus inward and enjoy my role in it. And every once in awhile, I get a pleasant surprise, like the first time you and I were paired together. I remember you being strapped to the table and me being able to take my time devouring your precious body and making love to you."

"Mmmm" cooed Charity. "I liked that. But we made love to each other as I remember it."

Jill chuckled and got up from her chair. "Maybe I should shut my door." She locked it and then returned to her chair. "And I loved the time that you and I were bought together by that couple. Being sold can be horrifying. But I had prepared my mind to perform and then you were thrown into the mix. I had a lot of fun at the event and during our week of captivity together."

"Mmmmm," cooed Charity again. "Yes, I loved that too. We didn't get much of a chance to be together during the week, but I loved being near you."

"So in answer to your question, finally," Jill started up again. "I loved Saturday. I had a ball. I knew that it was going to be a hunt and I knew that I would be shot. So I was able to get myself into thinking of myself as prey. And then you were thrown in on top of it and we got to make love again. Plus, I was finally able to get to know your beautiful mistress. I had the time of my life on Saturday."

Charity smiled. "I'm glad that you had fun. I always love being with you. You are always so beautiful and so proud. But in a way, we are almost complete opposites in how we view slavery and the events."

"Oh?" asked Jill. "How so?"

"Hmmm. Let me see. Well, I love being a slave. And I did grow up dreaming of being owned. Well I didn't dream of that my whole life. But for the past few years, I have fantasized about it. I even used to write stories about it because it was the only way to express myself as a slave until recently."

"Yes, your mistress shared some of your stories with me," interjected Jill. "They are quite good."

Charity blushed. "Thank you. I don't write much any more, though, now that I get to experience it in real life."

"That's a shame," Jill said. "I would love to read the story that included last Saturday's activities."

"Maybe I'll try one like that," responded Charity. "But there's a difference between us about those events. You just accept slavery and I love it. You love the events and I dread them."

"Oh, I'm sorry," replied Jill. "I had no idea. Why do you dread them?"

"I'm not sure," continued Charity. "Maybe it's because I feel like there's such a big audience and I will fail them? And maybe it's because I will end up with someone like that jerk who bagged me on Saturday. I always love being with you at the events but that has only happened three times. An we never know if we will be able to be together until the event starts. So I go into each one filled with dread and live in terror through most of them."

"I'm so sorry, sweetie," said Jill sympathetically. "You certainly hide your feelings well. I had no idea."

"It's okay. I just have to get better."

"Maybe you could try doing what I do. Prepare your mind for what is coming. Create a role. Get ready to be thrilled. And I'll try to help by getting paired up with you more often."

Charity smiled weakly. "I'll try it. It's better than going into them filled with dread. Let me ask you something. Do you think that Professor Bascomb would ever loan you to my mistress? Maybe for a week or so? Your husband could come too if you'd like."

"Oh, love, I'm sure he would," replied Jill. "But be careful what you ask for. He can be such a pig. I'm sure there would be a very steep price for that."

"Well, I'm sure that the price would be worth it," said Charity. "What do you think that he would demand for that?"

"You," replied Jill. "I'm sure he would want you in exchange. He goes into every hunt with only you in mind. He has been dying to lay his hands on you. And I expect that he would demand your aunt also. He keeps talking about what a beautiful slave your mistress would be.

"Oh," said Charity. "Well I wouldn't mind being the price. But I can't risk Aunt Janice." The two of them chatted for a bit longer and then Charity left. Jill had a departmental dinner meeting scheduled for seven o'clock so she decided to just stay in her office and work until then.