“So you still refuse to cooperate,” Killen said, his hand leaving her hair as annoyance entered his tone. “And the way you just straightened says you don’t believe I can make you into a real slave. I think it’s time you learned I don’t bluff. The experience should do you a world of good.”

Tain watched him walk over to the large table to put the paddle down, wondering what he was up to. If he was going to try forcing her to do something, shouldn’t he—

“Now then,” he said as he came back to take her face in both of his hands. “Listen well and obey me, slave. You aren’t a woman of experience and ability, you’re a girl who’s only just been made a slave. In your innocence you’re eager to become a good slave and serve your owner in every way you can, but that very innocence causes you to commit small disobediences every now and then. The punishment you’re given will intimidate you and make you even more eager to behave properly, but you won’t actually feel fear. You’ll continue to be like this until I tell you that it’s all right for you to come back to yourself, and once you do return to yourself you’ll remember everything you did. Obey me now.”

Tain was suddenly very confused, feeling as if she’d been fighting against something she couldn’t see or remember, but that was silly. Girls like her didn’t fight things, they did as they were told. And her new owner was holding her face, certainly wanting his slave to do something for him. Tain very much wanted to please the man in every way she could, but that confusion wasn’t letting her remember what he’d told her to do.

“I’m sorry, my master, but your slave is a fool for not hearing what you told her,” Tain said hesitantly, hoping he didn’t get very angry. “If you’ll just say it again I’ll take care of the matter right away.”

“How nice to see a slave eager to please,” he said with the loveliest smile, making Tain’s heart beat just a little faster. “Come with me now and we’ll finish up all the necessary arrangements.”

Tain had no idea what he was talking about, but when he turned and walked away she lost no time in following him. First he went to the saddlebags that stood on a small table, got something from one of them, then went to the uncomfortable-looking chair rather than the soft one. When he turned and sat down he found her right behind him, and that seemed to make him smile again.

“I really do enjoy seeing an obedient slave,” he said, gesturing her even closer. “Put yourself face down across my lap and then relax your muscles.”

“Certainly, my master,” Tain said at once as she did as she’d been told. “Is this right, my master?”

“Exactly right,” he approved, and Tain could now hear his smile. “Keep your hands right where they are and don’t try to resist what’s being done.”

For a moment Tain didn’t understand what he meant, but then the back panel of her skirt was lifted out of the way and his hands were at her bottom. The next moment her eyes went really wide and she couldn’t keep from squirming in protest.

“Oh, that feels terrible!” she exclaimed, wishing she could reach back and remove what had been put inside her. “Please take it out again, my master, please!”

“But putting that in you will increase my pleasure later when I use you,” he said, his hand now stroking her bottom and making her feel worse. “Your asking me to take it out again means you’re trying to deny me pleasure, not to mention that you’re also trying to be disobedient. I’m afraid either of those things would call for punishment, and both together certainly do. Stand up and fetch me the paddle from that table.”

Tain didn’t hesitate to obey him about standing up, but she couldn’t keep from squeaking as she moved slowly to obey his orders. What he’d put inside her made her feel terrible, but even worse was the punishment she was about to get. She certainly didn’t want to be paddled, but there was no way to stop it from happening. Oh, why hadn’t she been a good slave and kept silent?

“I’m sorry, my master, I really am,” Tain said when she finally got back to him clutching the paddle. “I want to be the best slave there is, so I promise that I’ll never do those things again.”

“I’m sure you won’t do those things again,” he said as he took the paddle out of her hands. “But in order to be absolutely certain I’m going to give you a very good reason to remember your resolve. Put yourself back across my knees, keep your hands out of the way, and don’t let yourself make a lot of noise.”

Tain couldn’t move as quickly as she might have wanted to, but it was still much too soon before she was face down again. She felt the skirt panel being moved aside a second time, felt the hand that stroked her bottom gently, and then she nearly choked trying not to cry out. Not only was that paddle hard when it struck her bottom, but the stroke was even worse with whatever had been put inside her. She mewled when the second stroke added more of an ache and more agitation, wishing she could protect herself with her hands, wishing she could keep from squirming.

The third smack was followed by the fourth and fifth, each stroke slow enough to let the previous one turn into a flaming ache before the next one landed. Tain bounced and kicked as the throb in her bottom grew higher and higher, finding it impossible to stop the soft whining coming from her throat. The paddling hurt even more than she’d thought it would, and on top of that she was being turned frantic by whatever had been put in her. She also cringed on the inside waiting for the next smack, but a knock at the door came first.

“Come in,” her master said at once, something Tain hadn’t expected him to do. Heavy embarrassment made her want to jump to her feet, but of course doing something like that was impossible.

“This is a drink and a snack from the meal that was ordered, master,” an amused female voice said once the door had been opened. “I’ll bring the rest as soon as it’s ready, which shouldn’t be much longer.”

“Put it down on the table over there,” her master directed, probably pointing to the table he meant. “I’ll help myself as soon as I’m done with this chore.”

“Certainly, master,” the female said as Tain heard her moving, and then she was able to see the other slave out of the corner of her eye. Even that tiny glance showed the other slave fighting not to laugh out loud, but before Tain could feel more than a little outraged the paddling was continued.

The need to howl turned into mewling as Tain jumped and bounced and kicked and squirmed, but even the smack of the paddle didn’t completely erase her awareness of how slowly the other slave was leaving the room. Tain had never been paddled in front of anyone before even as a child, and having her seat heated to sizzling was made even worse by the presence of an audience. Her master couldn’t help but know that the slave was taking her time leaving, so his not saying anything to hurry the slave out had to be an addition to the already-painful punishment.

The paddling didn’t go on much beyond the eventual departure of the slave, but Tain was already intimidated by the time the last smack landed. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she was made to stand up, and she didn’t have to be told that she couldn’t rub at her hot and aching seat. All she could do was stand and try not to bounce, or at least not bounce too hard. Moving that way made her feel so much worse, but not moving was completely beyond her.

“Don’t worry, you won’t have to suffer for long,” her master said as he also stood up, then raised her tear-stained face to touch her lips with his own. “You’ll serve my meal when it comes, and after we eat you’ll serve me in a different way. You do know what I mean by that, don’t you?”

Tain shook her head to show she didn’t know, but her master didn’t get angry as she half expected him to. He smiled and touched her lips with his a second time, then used one finger to wipe at the tears on her cheek.