stood. “Start breaking camp.” He said. “Lots of ground to cover today.” He brushed off his hands and started over towards their captive.
Kimberley stiffened as she saw the big black leader of the group coming towards her. Was he going to use her again? Now? She met his eyes. He was smiling faintly. He squatted down beside her and began loosening her gag. It wasn’t until it was out that she realized how uncomfortable her jaws felt. She tried to speak, but all that came out was a dry croak.
“Thirsty?” he asked her. He held up a small canteen, and she nodded warily, not sure if he’d actually give her water. But he unscrewed the cap and held the canteen to her mouth, letting a slow trickle flow over her lips. She tried to raise her head to get more, but he moved the canteen so she still only got a little. His other hand was playing with her breasts, but she was so focused on that water that she barely noticed. She swallowed one hard-won mouthful, then another. He let her have a little more before removing the canteen and capping it.
She looked up at him, licked her still-dry lips. “Please…” she said huskily. “Please, just let me go. I don’t want to do this anymore.”
“Let you go?” he raised his eyebrows in a parody of surprise. “Like this? How would you get back to the lodge? No, elf-girl, you’re gonna have to stay with us for a while.”
“You…” Kimberley swallowed “You could call them to come pick me up.” Her face took on a sly, confidential expression. “I’ll do anything you want until they get here.”
He smiled. “You’re gonna do that anyway.” He ran a finger slowly around her lips and she tried to pull away, anger starting to kindle in her eyes. He was glad to see she wasn’t broken yet, although it would have been interesting to see just how far she’d go if they’d pretended to agree to her request. He really wanted to feel those lips around his cock, and the thought was getting him aroused, but there was too much to do right now. He stood up and walked back to the campsite. Behind him, Kimberley bit back the words she wanted to scream at them. It would be pointless, after all, and she’d need her strength.
She could see them breaking camp, and wondered what they had in mind for her. The few possibilities she could think of were all equally unpleasant.
They finally came over to her, backpacks slung, and she realized for the first time that the squat bald one carried a scope-sighted rifle. She didn’t have much time to think about that, though, because they started cutting her wrists free, then sat her up and began tying her hands behind her.
“You don’t have to do that.” She objected, but they ignored her. Once they had her secured, they cut the ropes binding her legs and lifted her roughly to her feet. Her ankles felt weak, watery, and she would have fallen if they hadn’t held her up. Then, to her horror, the leader began tying a rope around her neck He made sure it wouldn’t choke her, and the length of it hanging free made it clear to her what it was: A leash.
“No.” she gritted, struggling. “Dammit, NO!”
“Shut up.” The leader said mildly, cuffing her with one big hand. “You talk, we gag you again. Got it?”
Kimberley glared up at him, but nodded and then had to look away.
“Good.” He said. “Let’s go.” He gave the leash a quick tug.
It was pure Hell. For a while one or the other of her captors walked alongside her, holding her up by an arm because her ankles were still uncertain, but her bare feet felt every tiny hard thing there was to feel. Dry grass blades poked at her soles, pebbles tried to bruise her, and they made very slow progress until they got to a sandy trail that wound into the woods, downhill, headed towards the lake. She felt a bit steadier on her feet now, and when the bald captor went to take her arm she shook him off with a snarl. He only chuckled, and let her walk on her own.
The trail was only a
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