by Van ©2014
		Chapter 2

The Hodges sisters' shared transportation was a late model blue Vespa.  Truth be told, it was Jodi who used it most of the time, zipping around town to her various temporary waitress and store clerk gigs.  If Candy needed to get someplace, she either took the bus or bummed a ride from one of the members of the Folk/Rock band of which she was the sometimes singer and/or flutist.

At the moment, and for the next two days, Candy was out of town with the band, and Jodi was puttering down the highway looking for Eleanor de Vries' ranch.  The custom armbinder had arrived, and as she'd promised Libby, she was making the delivery.  Unfortunately, the weather had not decided to cooperate.  The skies had been threatening as she left the city, but now Jodi found herself driving through light rain.  The armbinder was snug and dry inside its shipping carton, which in turn was inside a plastic trash bag and strapped to the back of the Vespa.  On the other hand, Jodi's cotton jacket and jeans were rapidly becoming soaked.

She passed empty pastures defined by barbed wire fences, side roads, and stands of trees.  Street signs were few and far between, and most of them were concerned with moderating her speed or warning of approaching twists and turns, not telling her where she was.

Finally, she saw a mailbox with the appropriate number and pulled off onto the side road.  There was also an open gate bearing a sign with "de Vries" lettered in a decorative font.  Obviously, this was the place.  She puttered through the gate and continued down the narrow road.  At first, she found herself passing through nothing but forest.  Then, the trees thinned and opened into a broad pasture, and ahead she could see a large house, perhaps best characterized as a mansion, together with a barn and other outbuildings.

Jodi didn't think it was a working farm.  For one thing, the house was too nice and too modern, meaning it didn't have the look of generations of occupancy.  The barn and outbuildings might be the genuine article, but whatever dwelling had been here before had been replaced by the present Arts and Crafts style structure.  At least, Jodi thought it was Arts and Crafts.  It might have been a Frank Lloyd what's-his-name's house.  Jodi's architectural expertise was limited.  Anyway, it was big, beautiful, and like the outbuildings, well maintained.

As she motored the final 100 yards to the de Vries residence, the bottom fell out of the sky.  By the time Jodi reached the standalone garage to the side of the main house, she was absolutely soaked to the skin.  She eased the Vespa to a stop under the overhang protecting the closed garage doors, pulled off her helmet and set it on the Vespa's seat, then released the bungee cords securing the armbinder carton.  As she turned and prepared to make the dash to the main house, the front door opened and Eleanor de Vries appeared.

"You poor thing!" Eleanor shouted.  "Let me bring you an umbrella!"

"Don't bother!" Jodi shouted back.  "I'm already wet!"  Holding the package over her head, she hurried to the front porch.

Eleanor smiled as she led Jodi inside the house.  "Let's get you out of those wet things and into a hot shower."

"I'm dripping on your floor," Jodi objected as she was led down a hallway to what was obviously a guest room.

"Don't trouble yourself," Eleanor chuckled.  "It's only water.  Speaking of which..."  She indicated the guest room's small bath.  "Take a nice hot shower and I'll get you something to wear.  Do you drink coffee or tea?"

"Uh, some tea would be good," Jodi answered, then managed a shy smile.  "This is really nice of you."

Eleanor smiled.  "Simple hospitality."  The guest room had a small trashcan, and Eleanor placed it on the floor just outside the bathroom.  "Leave your clothes in here and I'll take them to the laundry.  I'll be right back," she added, then turned and left.

"Thank you," Jodi called after her.  Eleanor was beautiful, just as beautiful as she remembered from "The Night of the Armbinder" at Leatherocity.  And this time, she was wearing a pair of designer jeans, sandals, and a very pretty cotton blouse, and there was no leather coat to disguise her figure.  And a stunning figure it was.

Jodi sighed, then started peeling off her sopping wet clothing and dropping them in the trashcan.

Jodi's short hair was dry.  It had been protected first by her helmet and then by the armbinder package during her dash to the house.  And it was just about the only part of her that was dry.  Fortunately, Eleanor's guest bathroom came equipped with a clear plastic shower cap, so it could stay that way.  Jodi took a quick shower, using the cap and a dash of body-wash, then dried herself with a fluffy towel.

When she opened the bathroom door, the trashcan containing her clothes was gone.  No surprise there.  Draped across the guestroom bed was a long robe in a heather-gray microfiber fabric.  Next to the robe was a pair of fuzzy pink slippers, and nothing else.  So... other than wrapping the towel around her body or using a sheet from the bed as a toga, Jodi didn't have any options.  She padded to the bed and donned the robe.  It had a shawl collar and wide sleeves that came to her mid forearms, and the bottom hem was just a few inches off the floor.  It was a tad big, but it would work.  She closed the robe and cinched the sash, dropped the slippers on the floor and stepped into them, then went in search of her hostess.

When she first entered the house, Jodi had been more concerned about dripping on the floor than examining her surroundings, but now she had her chance.  It was quite obvious that Eleanor de Vries had really good taste as a decorator.  Also, she was loaded.  Eleanor had a lot of nice stuff, and it was an eclectic mix that seemed to have come from just about everywhere—China, India, Mexico, Europe, Africa—everywhere.  And as Jodi passed room after room, somehow, the paintings, photographs, prints, sculptures, and nicknacks came together without clutter or clash.

As for the furniture, Jodi supposed she would characterize it as... Scandinavian?  Her knowledge of interior design matched her knowledge of architecture, but if Ikea had a luxury line, she thought this would be it.  It was all clean lines, minimal detail, and... nice.  The miracle was that everything worked.  Nothing matched, but everything worked.

Jodi found her hostess in a large living room, common room, parlor, or whatever she called it.  It had a window wall that overlooked a very pretty and very wet garden.  The rain was still coming down in buckets.  Eleanor was sitting in one of a pair of easy chairs and was pouring a cup of tea.

"There you are," Eleanor said, then indicated the other chair.  "Please, make yourself at home.  What do you take with your tea?"

"Uh, a little sugar," Jodi answered as she settled.  "You have a really nice place."

"Thank you, my dear," Eleanor purred, then poised a tiny spoon full of sugar above the cup.  "Say when."  The tea service was rustic stoneware, with a blue and brown glaze.

After two spoons of sugar were dispensed, Jodi accepted the cup and saucer and took a careful sip.  "Yum," she sighed.

"Thank you."  Eleanor poured herself a second cup, added milk and sugar, and took a sip.

Jodi looked around the room as she drank.  The armbinder carton was out of its trash bag rain cover and resting on a side table some distance away.  She nodded in its direction.  "Uh, would you like me to open the box for you?"

Eleanor smiled.  "Not right now, dear.  Let's talk.  I'm afraid it looks like you're going to be here a while."

Jodi gazed through the windows at the garden.  The rain was showing no sign of letting up.  "I guess."  Jodi smiled at her hostess.  "I hope that's okay."

"Of course."  Eleanor smiled at her guest.  "Libby tells me you live with your sister."

"Yeah," Jodi nodded.  Over the next several minutes she told her story—their story—how the Hodges sisters were orphans, making their living with waitress, store clerk, fast food, and any other employment opportunities they could land, and how kid sister Candy was a talented singer and musician who played with a local band.  Somewhat to her surprise, Jodi found herself opening up to Eleanor, even telling her how she didn't mind in the least that she, Jodi, was the one bringing in most of the money.  Music-wise, Candy was good, really good, and Jodi would do whatever she could to help Candy follow her dream.

Eleanor then told her story, how she came from old money, had married a wonderful and also very wealthy man, and they'd built this house together.  Unfortunately, he'd died in a private plane crash a few years ago.  Eleanor now lived alone.  She wrote a little fiction to pass the time, as well as working in her garden and traveling now and then.

"I'm sorry about your husband," Jodi said.  It was the expected thing to say.  Obviously Eleanor had dealt with her loss a long time ago, just as Jodi and Candy had with respect to their parents.

Eleanor smiled.  "Thank you, my dear.  Now, tell me about your hobby."

Jodi blinked in surprise, then blushed.  "Oh, uh, you mean..."

"Libby told me about your interest in recreational bondage," Eleanor explained, "an interest you share with your sister."

"Oh," Jodi sighed as she sipped her tea.  "Bless her big fat mouth."  She wasn't really upset, and in the wake of the armbinder demo back at Leatherocity, it wasn't exactly a secret, but she was still embarrassed, although she had no idea why.

"Now, now," Eleanor chuckled.  "Libby is a good person."

"Yeah, she is," Jodi sighed.  "Anyway...  yes, we play...  a little."

"When did you start?  As children?"

Jodi's blush had returned.  "Uh, yes."

"I'm sorry to be such a nosy-parker," Eleanor chuckled, "it's just that my husband and I also used to play."

"Yeah, uh, Libby said you had a collection."  Jodi managed a weak smile.  "You used to tie up your husband?"

Eleanor had been sipping her tea and very nearly did a spit-take.  "Oh, darling!" she laughed.  "My Terry would absolutely spin in his grave if he heard you say that."

"Huh?"  Jodi blinked in surprise.  "I just assumed you were, uh, that you..."

"That I topped my husband?"

Jodi sipped her tea.  "Well... yeah."

Eleanor smiled and shook her head.  "No, dear.  Terry topped me, always.  But within our circle of close, like-minded friends, I did, on occasion, release my inner dominatrix.  But never with Terry."

"I see."  Jodi sipped the last of her tea.

"Libby also mentioned you might be interested in seeing my collection," Eleanor continued.

Casual, Jodi cautioned herself.  Act casual.  "Uh, if you don't mind."

"Not at all, my dear," Eleanor chuckled, then gazed out at the garden.  If anything, the rain was getting worse.  She smiled at Jodi.  "It's been a very long time since I've been able to play games of this sort," she confided.  "Do you mind if I give you your tour... in style?"

"In style?"

"I'll show you how Terry used to control me in this sort of circumstance," Eleanor said, then laughed.  "Forgive me, darling, if I'm being purposely vague.  I'm sure you can see how an element of surprise might add spice to the occasion."

"Uh... yeah, I suppose." 

"Adorable," Eleanor chuckled, then her expression grew serious and she leaned forward to gently take Jodi's right hand.  "It's entirely up to you, dear," she said.  "We'll do this only if you want to."

Jodi gazed into her hostess' beautiful eyes for a few seconds.  Eleanor's hand was strong and warm, and Jodi realized her heart was pounding.  She still didn't know what the "this" Eleanor was referring to might be, but she'd already made her decision.  "Okay.  Surprise me."

"Excellent," Eleanor gushed, squeezing Jodi's hand.  "Come with me."  She pulled Jodi to her fuzzy slipper-clad feet, led her to the center of the room, and pointed at the carpet.  "Stand right here," she said, then walked to a nearby cabinet.

Jodi watched as Eleanor returned.  A rather coy smile curling her full lips, she was hiding something behind her back.  She stepped behind Jodi, and—"Snap"—something cool and hard closed around her neck with a metallic click.  "Hey!"  Jodi's hands flew to her neck, and found she was now wearing a steel collar.  She assumed it was steel, anyway.  It was definitely metal, and was also heavy, not too heavy, but it had weight.  Its edges were rounded and smooth, and rings or something similar dangled from the front and back.

"Quiet, darling," Eleanor said, "and keep your hands at your sides."

"But—"

"Silence, little one," Eleanor purred.  "You've given me permission, remember?"

"But I—"

"I said silence."

This time there was steel in Eleanor's voice.  She was still smiling, but it was clear who was in charge of the situation... and Jodi.

Jodi watched as Eleanor strolled back to the cabinet and returned with something new, still hiding it behind her back.  She gathered Jodi's hands behind her back and there was another click—two clicks, actually—and Jodi found herself tugging on a pair of cuffs, rigid steel cuffs!  She swung her hands to the left, looked down, and found her wrists were locked in rounded steel bands joined together without a connecting chain, a style of handcuff she believed was called... figure eight?  She turned to Eleanor and opened her mouth to protest; but she found her hostess (meaning her captor) looking up.  A small remote control was in her hand.

Jodi followed Eleanor's gaze and watched as a metal clip on the end of a thin steel cable lowered from a steel-lined opening in the ceiling.  As soon as enough cable had played out, Eleanor tapped the remote and snapped the clip to the ring in the back of Jodi's collar.  She then tapped the remote again and the cable began to shorten, and it kept shortening until Jodi found herself tethered by the collar to the ceiling!

Jodi found her voice as the last of the slack left the cable.  "Hey!  There's no need to—Mrrrpfh!"  Eleanor had pulled something from her hip pocket and popped it into Jodi's mouth!  If she hadn't been caught in mid-protest, Jodi might have been able to at least try and prevent the intrusion, but it was too late now.  The something was a ball-gag, a big ball-gag.  The mouth-plugging ball was medium density foam over a hard core with some sort of breathing hole in the center.  As the strap tightened and Eleanor secured its buckle at the nape of her neck, Jodi found she could breathe through the ball, if she had to—"M'mpfh!"—but it was still a pretty good damsel silencer.

"There," Eleanor chuckled.  "You might as well stop struggling, my dear.  It's far too late, and I know how to handle a squirmy little nymph like you."

Jodi's eyes popped wide as she felt Eleanor reach around her body from behind, release the sash of her borrowed robe, and lift the garment from her shoulders.  It fell from her upper body, and but for the cuffs binding her wrists, would have fallen to the floor.  She was naked!  "Urrr?"

"Such a pretty little body," Eleanor sighed, smiling at Jodi's semi-naked form.

Jodi tugged on her cuffs and twisted her shoulders, her embarrassingly bare shoulders.  Her breasts were modest, but still big enough to sway and bob a little as she struggled.

Meanwhile, Eleanor had gone back to the cabinet and returned with another pair of cuffs, this time attached to a curved steel rod.  She clamped one end of the rod to the ring in the back of Jodi's collar, then closed the cuffs around her upper arms, just above the elbows.

Jodi continued trying to fight, but she didn't stand a chance.  "Mrrrrrf!"  She felt Eleanor unlock her right wrist cuff, pull the robe from her arm, then re-lock the cuff.  The left cuff and robe sleeve were next, and the robe was finally able to fall to the floor.  Eleanor re-locked the left cuff, then locked both cuffs to the bottom of the curved rod.  Jodi's arms were now clamped behind her back.  The rod followed the shape of her spine, more or less, and there was sufficient space between the elbow cuffs so her arms were still a few inches apart.  Overall, the arrangement was similar to the restraint imposed by the leather armbinder that had started this entire debacle—but in steel!  "M'rrm'ffh!"

Eleanor made one more trip to the cabinet and returned with another load of steel.  This time it was a pair of cuffs separated by two feet of chain with an additional chain attached to a ring in the center.

"Nrrrf!"  Eleanor knelt and closed the cuffs around Jodi's ankles.  She then lifted the end of the center chain and locked it to the bottom of the collar-to-elbows-to-wrists rod.  The ankle-cuff chains now formed an upside down "Y" that hobbled Jodi's steps without the chains dragging on the floor.  Belatedly, it occurred to Jodi she might have been able to kick her hostess/captor and thus prevent the application of the final stage of her bondage, or at least slow down the process a little.  "Mffh!"  It was too late now.

Eleanor plucked the slippers from Jodi's shuffling feet and picked up the robe, then headed for a doorway.  "I should check on the laundry," she called back over one shoulder.  "Your things are probably ready for the dryer."

Jodi squirmed in her bonds, tugging on the cuffs, rolling her shoulders, and trying to kick her fettered feet.  As she twisted and fought, the end of the semi-taut cable linking her to the ceiling quivered and shook.  She was naked, gagged, tethered, and chained!  "M'rrrm!"

And then, Eleanor was gone.

"Mfffh?"

Jodi's heart was pounding and she was panting through her ball-gag.  She wasn't in distress—nothing that even remotely approached a requirement for medical attention, anyway—but she wasn't happy.  That said, she was of two minds, metaphorically.  Her pussy didn't have a mind; however, the traitorous thing was tingling, slightly, and was a little damp, if not actually wet.  It, apparently, was happy.  As for the rest of her naked, helpless, captive-for-real self, Jodi was embarrassed... and a little scared.

Meanwhile, the rain continued to drench the garden.  It was really coming down.  Unless Jodi was willing to get soaked from the neck down before she even got back to the main road, she was stuck.  Also, there was the bondage.  And the fact that she didn't have any clothes.

Jodi squirmed weakly in her bonds, the only result of which was to impart a slight quiver in the vertical cable.  She wasn't up on her toes, or anything, but the cable wasn't going to let her wander away.  So, might as well hang out for a while.

Minutes passed.

As she explored her condition, Jodi made at least one comforting discovery.  She was now ninety-nine percent sure the clip linking her collar to the ceiling cable was actually attached to the top of the vertical "armbinder rod," not the collar itself.  Apparently, as Eleanor clipped the top of the rod to the back of the collar, she'd also released the cable clip and reattached it to the rod.  Jodi hadn't noticed at the time because she was too busy being naked and freaked out.  Anyway, if, in a feat of highly improbable clumsiness, Jodi somehow tripped on her fettered feet and started to fall, she wouldn't hang herself.  That is, she'd hang by her arm bonds until she regained her footing, not snap her neck.  That was good, of course, and one of the few good things about her current situation.

Again, her pussy had a different perspective.  Jodi's brain—embarrassed, scared, worried, etc.  Jodi's pussy—happy as a clam... so to speak.

More minutes passed.  Then, Jodi noticed movement in the doorway and her eyes popped wide.  Holy moley!

Eleanor had returned.

She'd also changed clothes, and was now wearing a pair of black leather thigh boots, smoky black pantyhose, and a strapless and very French-cut, bustier-style body-suit, also in black leather.  Her full breasts threatened to spill out of the suit's cups, and the thing hugged her narrow waist like a tightly-laced corset, its grip enforced by a myriad of narrow, tight, horizontal straps.  A leather collar with blunt steel spikes encircled her throat, black leather opera gloves clad her fingers, hands, and arms, nearly to her armpits, and cuff-like bracers similar in style to her collar were buckled around her wrists.  Her dark brown hair was pulled back in a tight ponytail, and the smile curling her full lips brought goosebumps to Jodi's skin and sent a quivering ripple of excitement through her traitorous pussy.  Finally, a black leather riding crop—Gulp!—was in her right hand.

Eleanor walked a slow, leisurely circle around Jodi... then settled back into the chair she'd occupied before, when they had tea.

Jodi smiled back, or rather, she grimaced.  The ball-gag didn't give her much choice.  Her eyes were still wide, drinking in the spectacle of Mistress Eleanor, Terrifying Dominatrix, as she crossed her booted legs and rested the riding crop still in her right hand across her lap.

"You're very beautiful, Jodi," Eleanor said.  "What are you, five-foot four?

Jodi was five-foot five, but she wasn't in a position to correct the beautiful, leather-clad goddess holding her captive, nor was she so inclined.  She nodded.

"Perhaps you might be a little taller," Eleanor purred.  "Anyway, I simply love your figure.  Firm, athletic, yet, with just a hint of girlish baby-fat...  Narrow waist, excellent shoulders to hips to height ratio...  Yes, a charming gamine, yet, very feminine specimen.  Modest breasts, but they suit you, and I like the way you trim your pubic bush, defining the margins, yet keeping it nice and luxuriant.  Mine is the same," she confided.  "Terry liked it that way."  Her smile broadened.  "I suspect it was so that now and then he could shave it all off.  He also enjoyed tugging on my short and curlies with his teeth."

Jodi had the feeling she ought to be angry or outraged and staring daggers at her hostess, captor, and... Mistress?  Anyway, she was too frightened to be angry... sort of.  She wasn't terrified, but she was definitely frightened... or excited.  Anyway, all she could do was stare at Eleanor with wide eyes, and feel her pulse pound, and try and ignore her tingling pussy.

"I like your short hair," Eleanor continued.  "And the blond highlights are very attractive.  Unnecessary, but attractive.  You should consider letting it grow into a Lulu bob.  I think it would suit you."

Jodi continued to stare, and slowly twisted and tugged on her wrist cuffs.  They remained inescapable.

"I'm going to ask you a few simple yes or no questions, Jodi," Eleanor said.  "Nod if you understand."

Jodi nodded.

"Very well," Eleanor said.  "Your sister is out of town for a few days, correct?"

Jodi nodded before it occurred to her that she might have just done the stupidest thing she'd done in months, if not years.

"Excellent," Eleanor purred.  "Libby said as much.  You're being truthful."

Jodi shifted her gaze to the riding crop, then back to Eleanor's smiling face.  Maybe not so stupid after all, she decided.

"Do you and your sister practice self-bondage?" Eleanor asked.

Jodi nodded.  Yes, on occasion, especially when a helpful sibling was unavailable, they'd both tied themselves up.

"I see," Eleanor sighed, "and you always arrange for a friend, like Libby, to check in on you, just in case something goes wrong, correct?"

Jodi blinked in surprise.  What could go wrong?  We're always careful.  She shook her head.

Eleanor shook her head, as well.  "The young," she sighed.  "You all think you're invincible."  Her smile returned.  "One last question.  Does anyone but Libby know where you are today?"

Jodi stared at her hostess in dismay.  Oops.

"No matter," Eleanor chuckled, then gracefully climbed to her booted feet, strolled behind Jodi, and released the ceiling cable clip from the armbinder rod.  She then walked to the cabinet.

Jodi shuffled in a half-circle and watched Eleanor open the cabinet door, pick up the cable's remote control, thumb the switch, then return it to the shelf.  A winch somewhere overhead whined quietly—Jodi could just hear it—and the cable retracted into the ceiling.  Meanwhile, Eleanor had returned to her captive and was clipping a stainless steel chain with a black leather wrist loop to the front ring of her collar.  It was exactly the kind of leash a pet owner would use to take a large canine for walkies.

"And now for that tour," Eleanor purred, then turned and walked away.  The leash went taut—"Nrrk?"—and Jodi stumbled in her wake.

Outside, the rain had slackened a little, but it was still coming down and showed no sign of stopping.  Low-lying farmland was probably in danger of flooding.