GPS led me to the old house in Providence, Rhode Island. I had arrived late to work this morning and was now running late for my first appointment. My assigned work truck’s engine sputtered to a stop before I could turn the key off. I knew I had to focus on the job, be quick and accurate. Don't dwell on the boss's unhappiness about my being late again. I was also worried about my longtime girlfriend, Sue, who was driving north on I-95 toward Boston, where her mother lived. Sue was vague about whether she would return.     

My job was a yearly service on a fuel oil-fired hot water heating system. I changed the fuel filter, replaced the burner tip, adjusted the igniter gap, and swept the interior to remove soot. Everything went well; my boss would be happy. I texted the dispatcher to say I was heading to the next job.

While picking up my tool bag, a spanner wrench slipped out. It bounced twice and came to rest behind some old cardboard boxes against the wall—another delay. I had to move some boxes to find where the tool had landed. After some effort, I found it. Reaching the tool required moving one last large box. Turning around, I noticed an old wooden door set into the wall. The door looked as if it hadn't been opened in a very long time. I knew I shouldn't try to open this ancient door, but something compelled me. I turned the doorknob with great effort. The rusty hinges squeaked loudly; a spray of WD-40 silenced the squeak. I opened the door just enough to fit through.

A long, dark staircase disappeared into the darkness. I turned on my Mag Light and shone it down the stairs. No end was in sight; the air smelled foul. Regaining my composure, I began to shut the door. These old New England homes sometimes had odd places for long-forgotten purposes. Just as the door was almost shut, I heard a woman's voice.

“Please come on down, Paul; you’ve done the hard part. I’m expecting you. It’s been a long time since we’ve had a visitor.” Her voice carried a strange accent.

I was sure this was unreal. My imagination was taking over.

“No, your hearing is correct; I am waiting for you. Be careful; the steps are old.” Her voice was soothing.

‘Could this disembodied voice read my mind?’ I wondered to myself.

The urge to obey sent me down the old steps. About five steps down, I lost my footing, landed on my butt, and slid down many more. My descent seemed to go on forever. Finally, I almost regained my footing at the bottom of the stairs. I stumbled out onto a grassy area beneath a patio cover. Embarrassed by my less-than-perfect entry, I looked about, hoping no one had seen me. Standing up I glanced around and saw buildings, streets, trees, and everything that makes up a city. The sky was a cloudless blue. I rubbed my eyes to focus. My brain could not accept what I saw. Was this how Dorothy felt when she arrived in Oz?

“Are you hurt, Paul?” The same voice I heard at the top of the stairs.

“No, but a little sore,” I replied.

I turned to see the being who had set me on this unscheduled journey. Clearly human-like, no doubt female. A pretty female. Petite build. Long earlobes. Her most striking feature was her blue hair. Not dyed or sprayed on. A natural blue, cut short, just above her tunic collar. She wore dark pants that reached just above her ankles.

“Glad you’re not hurt; father would be most upset.” She held her hand out to me.

“Where am I? Who are you? Why am I here?” I blurted. “How do you know my name?” I grasped her hand in return.

“You’re many meters below Providence. My name is Zoe, officially known as the 'Daughter of the 15th Leader.' Just call me Zoe or Mistress Z. You’re here because I summoned you.”

“Wow, really? Why do you want me?” I must have hit my head on the way down, I thought.

“What is this place called? Is your father the mayor or the governor?” I asked.

“It’s just the city, with no special name.  My father is our leader, the 15th since my people’s arrival.

“No more questions for now. Let’s get you cleaned up and find you something better to wear.” Zoe took my hand, and we walked a short distance to a four-story building. Her hand in mine felt warm. It felt like I was her longtime boyfriend, even though I had met her only a few minutes ago.

Everyone we passed smiled and recognized her as the leader’s daughter. We entered a ground-floor room—something like a 2-bedroom apartment. Zoe gave a brief tour and laid out clean clothes. Light refreshments sat on a side table. Mistress Z poured coffee. She assured me she would explain everything in due course. Looking over her coffee cup, she seemed to be sizing me up. I was to bathe and dress. She had business to attend to and would be back in an hour or so. She advised me to rest until she returned. 

“Oh yes, for your safety, the door will be guarded and locked from the outside,” Zoe stated on her way out.

Not knowing what else to do, I did as I was told. After a hot shower, I put on the underwear and the tan coverall set out for me; a pair of sandals completed my new look. I had left my work uniform, wallet, boots, and cell phone outside the bathroom, but someone had taken them while I was showering. A cold shiver overcame me. What would happen to me? Looking out the sealed window, I feared I would never see what I had left behind again. A long period of time passed. Whatever light this underground world had, it had begun to dim. Evening time was at hand.        

Zoe knocked, then entered. “You’re looking better. I hope everything fits well; sorry for taking so long.”

“Yes, everything fits. Thank you. Where are my work clothes, phone, and wallet?” I asked Zoe.

“Oh, you will not need them anytime soon,” Zoe replied. 

Holding my hand, Zoe led me out into the street. A driverless car waited at the curb. I got in first, then Zoe. The door closed, and the car started moving without prompting. For what felt like half an hour, I gazed out the window, amazed by the city passing by. The citizens went about their business, much like those in Providence. Our trip ended at a large, flat, two-story building. I guessed it was the Leader's Official Residence.

Once inside, Zoe showed me around. The ground floor housed official offices, conference rooms, and a kitchen. With the late hour, few people were in the building. Upstairs were many private apartments and a large common area. Zoe and I entered one of the apartments. The dining area was set for two. A male servant stood ready to serve us, pouring wine into crystal glasses.

“A toast to your new life!” Zoe announced.

Not wanting to offend my host, I tapped my glass against hers and then drank.

“Not sure what you have planned for me, Mistress Z, but I have a life and a job in Providence,” I said.

“You'll find life here with me far more fulfilling.” She smiled brightly at me. “Let's eat before the food gets cold. We can talk afterward.”

Our food was of the finest quality. The soup, meat, and vegetables were cooked to perfection! Ice cream was served for dessert. After dinner, Zoe led me to the large living room. Our server closed the dining room door behind us. We stood on the balcony and looked out over the city. Zoe put her arms around me. For a moment, unsure of myself, I returned her embrace. We held each other for several minutes. Zoe excused herself, then went into the bedroom and shut the door. I briefly considered running away, but how would I get back to my life in Providence?

Zoe opened the door and called me in to join her. My mind raced in many directions; was this real, or a dream? Was I lying unconscious on the stairs of the old house? It all seemed real enough. I obeyed her call.

Zoe wore a long, flowing dressing gown. Her neckline dipped low at her breasts. Her nipples were visible through the thin fabric. As she approached, I saw her gown was split along her left leg. With each step, the fabric parted to her thigh. What have I gotten myself into? I forced back the urge to run.

We embraced. Zoe kissed me, forcing her tongue into my mouth. I reached down to her buttocks and squeezed them firmly. I felt as if I were watching us from afar. I lifted her gown and took in her nude beauty. Even the patch of hair between her legs was blue. We made our way to the king-size bed. Mistress Z lay on the bed, her legs slightly apart. I stood there, unable to believe what was expected of me.

“Undress and join me, Paul.” Her words were spoken like a command.

I obeyed her. I fondled and kissed her breasts. Zoe held my head in her hands, rocking me back and forth between her firm nipples.

“Please, a little kiss down below,” she asked between moans of pleasure.

Zoe moved up against the headboard, opening her legs for me to pleasure her vulva. She was very aroused. I gave her a few quick licks. Kisses on her swollen clit made her cry out in lust.

“Mount me, please. I want your hardness inside me now. I am so ready,” Zoe cried!

I was erect and ready. My cock slid easily into her warm, wet tunnel. Her legs were up on my shoulders. I thrust long and hard into her. With each inward push, Zoe cried out with pleasure. I knew I was getting close to the point of no return. She sensed it too, clenching down on my thrusting organ. With one final push deep into her, I pumped my semen till I was exhausted.

Finished, we lay side by side in bed. Zoe thanked me for a wonderful experience. I feared I'd just gotten the 15th Leader’s daughter pregnant. Zoe curled up against me and fell asleep. I stared at the ceiling for a long time before sleep finally came.

When I awoke, I was alone in bed. After I bathed and dressed in the clean clothes laid out for me, I found a hot plate of breakfast waiting in the dining room. I poured myself a cup of coffee. What must my boss be thinking? I was fired for sure. What if my girlfriend returned? After breakfast, I tried to leave the apartment to look around until Zoe returned. The door was locked from the outside. I knocked and shouted, but no one answered. Fear gripped me. The balcony was too high to jump from. I paced like a caged animal until I thought it was noon.

A bell rang in the dining room. I noticed a dumbwaiter door set into the wall. Lunch was served. A note instructed me to place the breakfast and lunch dishes inside when finished, then press the return button to send the dumbwaiter back to the kitchen. This became my routine for the next four days. No one visited me or answered my calls for help. Finally, someone knocked on my door. I jumped up to answer it. A woman who looked a lot like Zoe stood before me. Two male guards behind her blocked any attempt to escape.

“Hello, Paul. My name is Zinnia, Zoe's cousin. Our fathers have a thing for naming girls whose names start with Z.” She stepped inside. The guard to her left handed me a bundle of clothes.

Zinnia was maybe an inch taller than Zoe. Her full breasts showed through a low-cut blouse. She wore her blue hair in a ponytail.

“Sorry for leaving you alone for so long. We had to confirm the test results to be sure.” Zinnia even sounded like Zoe.

“What test? I wasn't told about any test. I want answers to why I am even here in the first place!” My voice was rising with anger.

“Easy, please. I guess my cousin didn’t explain things fully to you?” Zinnia held my hand.

“No. Why am I locked in?” I shouted.

“For your safety, you can go out later, escorted,” she answered.

Zinnia's voice rose several octaves. “Tests confirm that our two species can have children together! Zoe is pregnant! It is too early to determine the baby’s sex. She is very happy and will see you soon.”

“Wait, no, I'm not ready to support a pregnant girl. Why me? Many of your men would be happy to father her child,” I cried.

“She will be well taken care of. No worries. Hopefully, you will impregnate me.” Zinnia began to undress.  

“I don’t understand this need for me to have babies here!” I wailed.

“It’s really simple,” Zinnia explained. “For reasons our scientists don’t understand, most of our men have become sterile, and birth rates are declining. Your purpose is to have intercourse with selected women and father children to keep our population stable. We are, of course, seeking others from above to assist in this effort.”

“You, Paul, are the first in our captive-breeding program. Congratulations!”