by Alta Hensley
“We have strict rules,” he added, with a slight lift to his mouth. “You’ll be expected to do as you’re asked by me, my house staff, my security, and my choreographers. In return, you’ll get cast in better exhibits and attend all the shows. If you disobey or act out, you’ll be punished accordingly.”
My heart skipped. “Punished? Like prison?”
Victor gave a slight smile. “No, not prison. The girls of The Dollhouse are no strangers to discipline when deserved.” He paused, examining my face. I did everything I could to not appear shocked by his statement. I wanted to appear sexually sophisticated and open to all kinks, even though I had no idea how to achieve it. Did he mean discipline as in BDSM-type discipline? I had played with some of that as part of Spiked Roses and the Tastings, but this seemed different. It seemed… real.
“When you say discipline, do you mean…” I swallowed and then barely whispered, “like a spanking, flogging or something?”
He nodded simply as if the conversation and question weren’t out of the ordinary. Victor continued on. “There are other versions of punishments, but all with the purpose to keep my dolls submissive. Being part of The Dollhouse demands submission.”
“Submission?” The image of being disciplined by Victor sent a shiver down my spine. Was it the idea of the punishment? Or was it the fact that my experience with discipline usually involved sexual activity as well?
“Yes. This will be part of the training. To truly achieve the element of being a doll, it’s important to get in the right mindset. You have to not only become a natural with submission, but also comfortable with your body, your sexual energy, and your comfort with the true surrender to convention required to be a doll. I have no doubt you’ll truly understand the meaning of what a Drayton Doll is soon enough.”
“I see.” I took another bite of the pastry and struggled to swallow against the formed lump in the back of my throat. Victor’s eyes watched intently as I chewed. “I’m a quick learner, and I promise you I won’t let you down.” I had to say something, and that was all I could come up with. I wanted him to know how serious I was even though I was terrified as well.
Victor crossed his arms against his broad chest. “What other jobs have you had besides working at Spiked Roses?” His dark eyes glinted with interest.
“Waitressing in other bars or restaurants. Some I left by choice, and others by life circumstances.” I glanced at my armrest at a carved warrior engaged in a brutal death scene. I couldn’t help but wonder if I would someday regret being part of Drayton’s Dolls and his galleries. My gaze snapped back to Victor.
Victor nodded. “Do you have any family?” His ability to jump from one topic to the next overwhelmed me. It was hard to keep my composure. Maybe that was his intent.
“Yes. A sister and a father.” I looked down at the ground, praying he wouldn’t press any further, or want more of an answer.
“Are you close with them?”
“I guess so. I don’t see them often though.”
Victor studied my every move. His glare pierced through me. “Tell me why you worked at Spiked Roses.”
“The money. Why does anyone?” My gaze went to another brutal carving in the wood.
“Money for what? You lived in a boarding house. Where was all your money going?”
A prickle of annoyance sizzled through me. Did I have to answer such a personal question? How did my family life have anything to do with whether I could be a doll or not? Though I also could see that Victor wasn’t a man who had his questions ignored or fought with. Getting defensive right now could just land me straight back to where I came from.
“For my family. My father is a very sick man who requires around the clock care. My sister provides the care, but neither one of them have any source of income. So, my part of the caretaking for my father is via monthly checks. To say my father didn’t plan for his future would be an understatement. No insurance or savings means it all lands on me.”
“Why don’t you use the State? Won’t they pay for him?”
I swallowed back my fury. I hated that question and assumption more than anything. “Would you?” I snapped, not meaning to sound as harsh as I did. “Allow the State to take care of someone in your family?”
He didn’t respond, but tilted his head, appearing as if he was processing what I just said.
“My father was a proud man and never asked for a handout.” I felt as if I needed to clarify and not sound so harsh in talking about my situation. “Even when we could have really used one when I was young. So, I feel like the least I can do is try to honor my dad’s dignity at the end. He would have hated knowing I took a handout from the State. I worked at Spiked Roses so that I could afford everything he needed.”
“Why did you risk losing it by doing drugs then?” His stare burned, but his words were even worse.
“I’m a masochist and clearly like putting myself through pain and misery.” I hadn’t intended on sounding sarcastic, but couldn’t resist.
Victor chuckled. “Fair enough.” He paused, and the short-lived smile melted away, leaving his serious, unyielding expression in its place. “But sarcasm is not the way to answer my questions. So, let’s try again. Why did you risk your job at Spiked Roses for drugs? Did you think you wouldn’t get caught?”
“I had hoped I wouldn’t get caught. I thought if I drank the tea I bought at a head shop, that I would get away with it.”
“Why take the drugs to begin with? Do you consider yourself addicted?”
I swallowed hard. I knew Victor was the kind of man who demanded full disclosure. I also had already seen he was good at seeing right through me. “I’m not addicted. Not at all. It’s just that…” I took a deep breath. “Sometimes I feel like everything inside my body is loud. Really loud. Ear piercing loud. So, though it isn’t right, the pills help silence the noise.”
Victor nodded slowly, his eyes narrowing. “Well, then,” he said slowly. “That is one of the things we’ll work on with your doll training. I think you’ll find that developing the skills to become a doll is going to help you calm that inner beast screaming at you—without the help of medication or substances. Demons are inside of us all. No changing that. But there are ways to keep them at bay.”
For some reason, his words made me want to cry. Not out of sadness, but because it seemed as if he truly understood what I meant when I spoke of the chaos that happened inside of me. He didn’t judge me. He didn’t even want to fix me by giving advice that I had heard a million times before. He simply understood.
“So, I’m going to ask you straight out,” he said. “Do you feel you’re going to go through withdrawal or have cravings now that you’re here and can’t have any?”
I shook my head—maybe more forcefully than I had intended. “No, not at all. I really didn’t take them often. I’m not saying I’m a saint in regards to my usage, but I am about as far from a junkie as you could get. To be honest, I never really had the money or even the means to get hold of pills or other drugs easily. I didn’t exactly have a hook up or anything.”
“Good to hear. No more talk of that then.” He slapped the table top softly. “After you’re done eating, we’ll get you inspected. Training starts right after that. Do you have any questions?”
I shook my head.
Victor sat in silence while I finished my tea. He never took his eyes off of me. His face was stern as he studied my every move. “When you’re through, please stand in front of me.”
I wiped my mouth with the cloth napkin and did as he asked. I padded my way until I stood only inches from him.
“Do you think you are going to be comfortable being naked in front of others?” he asked.
“I think so.” I swallowed, looking down at my fingers in front of me. “I mean, I have before. For Tastings. Working at Spiked Roses got me to be a lot more comfortable with my body and sexuality than I ever used to be.”
“You won’t always be expected to be naked as a doll. In f
act, rarely. But you will be expected to engage in sexual acts as part of the live performance, and you may have to be naked. You’ll also be touched, and often without permission or warning. I don’t want you to see it as a sign of disrespect but more a matter of possession. To get you in the mindset that you are a Drayton Doll. You now belong to me.”
“I understand that.” I offered a weak smile. “I knew when I accepted this job that it wouldn’t be conventional. Much like working at Spiked Roses.”
“Take off your nightgown.”
The sharp command startled me, but I quickly did as he asked, trying to prove that I was completely on board and understanding of the intricacies of becoming a doll. I unbuttoned the top buttons, lifted the soft fabric above my head, and let the garment drop to the floor. I stood before him in nothing but white cotton panties. He rewarded me with a small smile. “I like that you didn’t pause or question. Very good.”
I smiled in return. I had too much counting on my new job here not to please him now. My future rested in the hands of this man.
He stood and took hold of the elastic on the panties and lowered them down to my knees. He ran his fingers through the small patch of hair on my mound. “After the medical inspection, we’ll send you to grooming. Body hair is not acceptable to becoming a doll.” He ran his index finger all the way down to my clit and pressed firmly. “I’m proud of you, Ivy. You haven’t flinched or pulled away from my touch. Most do until they are trained.”
I swallowed the gasp threatening to escape, watching below hooded lids as he fondled my sex. His touch burned, tempting me to moan in desire. But I stood silent, obediently allowing him to touch as he saw fit. I knew this was a test. My first of many. I knew he was seeing how controlled I could be, and how far I would go.
He removed his hand and stared directly into my eyes. “I can tell you’re going to be a very good doll.” He walked toward the door and turned around. “Remove your panties completely and follow me. It’s time we make you part of The Dollhouse.”
Chapter Five
Ivy
I followed Victor down the hallway completely naked. I tried to keep pace with his long strides. The pattering of my bare feet against the marble floor reminded me of my full exposure with every step. Would anyone see me like this? Did it really matter? Did other dolls walk around naked?
Victor looked over his shoulder and slowed his walk. His eyes scanned my unclothed body. “You’ll learn to be comfortable eventually. As part of your training, you’ll discover the beauty of your bare skin. It truly is art.” His firm, rumbling, baritone voice fired sparks in my core. A drop of arousal trickled down the inside of my leg. I pressed my thighs together to try to conceal what his voice alone had the power to do.
I knew what Victor was doing by making me walk naked. It was all about the control.
Yes, he had the control.
And it was working.
Now that we slowly walked down the hallway, I could fully take in my surroundings. I noticed that every piece of art and statue featured portrayals of people engaged in various forms of sex. Tapestries hung from ceiling to floor, all with people in the most intimate positions.
He followed my gaze to a painting on the wall. “Sex is beauty. Sex is art. You’ll be trained on how sex can also be twisted, dark, and taboo. You’ll soon be taught there is no shame in desire, but there is shame in denial of pure and animalistic thoughts and actions.” The way he spoke mesmerized me, like a siren’s song. “You’ll learn to not only expose your body freely, but your soul when you are performing my art. You’ll be trained in how to make your body look stiff like a doll, controlled by a make-believe puppet master, delicate and dainty, but also extremely haunting and eerie.”
“Will you be doing the training?” I realized the hopeful undertones in my question. The thought of his tutoring caused tingling in my breasts. I glanced down at my nipples, hoping my thoughts weren’t evident.
It was the damn control he had over me. Everything changed the minute he made me walk naked beside him. My senses were heightened once again, but this time, they gave me pleasure rather than the need to push them all away.
“Sometimes. I’ll oversee it, but we also have the best choreographers highly skilled in the art of seduction and submission to provide the lessons.”
“I see.” My cheeks grew warm.
He chuckled quietly. The quick act surprised me. I had only seen this side of him briefly and found it odd how much it contrasted with the authoritative demeanor he possessed.
The house was so much larger than I had anticipated. The Dollhouse was practically a palace in its size and grandeur. After walking down several more hallways, he held out his hand, ushering me through another corridor. I walked past him, still embarrassed that I was fully nude, yet my body hummed with every step I took. I caught an alluring trace of his spicy scent—dangerous, and so very masculine. Another bead of arousal formed between my legs. I hoped I wouldn’t be this wet during the inspection. The lack of control of my body’s reactions confused me. Was it Victor? Was it the nudity? Was it the graphic décor cascading down every tapestry covering every inch of wall space? Was it the fact I knew this was one of many things that would push my boundaries while becoming a doll?
We walked until we reached a large double door. Intricate designs of samurai warriors were sculpted into the wood just like the furniture that had been in my room. The majestic door handle appeared to be etched from elephant tusk with tiny emeralds around the keyhole.
“Was the door imported from Japan too?”
He nodded. “I lived there for many years on a base as a child. Out of all the many places I lived as a child due to my father being in the military, Japan was always one of my favorites.”
I swallowed back my anxiety as I stared at the door.
As if reading my mind, Victor added, “No need to be afraid.”
I stared at him for a moment, taking in his assertive expression. I stood with anticipation of what came next.
“Ivy?”
His deep voice jarred me from my paralyzing thoughts.
“Shall we?”
My body trembled as I walked ahead of him when he opened the door. I held my hands together in front of me and entered the room. The scent of flowers drifted through the air. One of the windows was open to allow for the breeze. White curtains framed the scenery outside of a large cherry blossom tree swaying in the wind. The tree wasn’t something you would normally see in New Orleans, so I knew that Victor must have also imported it.
I could feel Victor’s breath against my neck as he approached. “You look scared. You don’t need to be,” he whispered.
I noticed a petite woman dressed in a white dress with ruffles. Her eyelashes were massive like the women I had seen before at the Tasting and the one who came into my room this morning. Although small, she exuded a superiority and confidence that I had only seen in men. “You must be Ivy.” She motioned to a table I had seen once in a doctor’s office.
I stood in place, embarrassed that I was naked in front of another person beside Victor. For some reason, nudity with Victor heightened my sexual senses, but being completely naked in front of the doll made me want to conceal every part of myself. Female or not.
Victor placed his hand on my lower back and guided my to the exam table. “This is Lin. She’ll be assisting me as we perform your examination.”
My heart raced as I was led to the table. I had expected a doctor in a doctor’s office or clinic. Though the room had an examination table and many other medical-looking devices, it was as far from a clinic as one could get.
Victor gently assisted me up, until I sat on the edge with my bare feet dangling free. On both sides of the table were metal foot holders. I almost gasped out loud when I realized I would be expected to put my feet in them. My legs would be spread so wide. There was a small, metal tray, but I couldn’t see what was on it. A white cloth covered the entire tray and its contents.
Lin approac
hed the table and smiled. “Please put your feet in the stirrups, push your bottom to the edge of the table, and lie back.” The gentle tone of her voice soothed my bundle of nerves. She had a thick accent of some sort. I hadn’t traveled enough of the world to know where hers originated from.
I quickly did as I was told, noticing that Victor stood behind the doll so he could observe all that was being done. This was clearly another test. If he did this to all of his dolls, I’m sure I wasn’t the first woman who fought the urge to demand privacy or to even ask for a real doctor. But again…
I would pass his test no matter what.
Everything depended on it.
I tried to control the flush of heat spreading across my face as I spread my legs wide and stared at the ceiling. The sound of latex gloves being donned by both Victor and the doll sent a shiver through my core. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath.
I could do this.
I could do this.
“You are going to feel something cold and then some pressure. Be a good girl and relax your legs. If you do as you’re told, this inspection will be over in no time.” The doll’s gentle voice took on a bit more firmness this time around.
Before I could take my next breath, something cold and metal entered my pussy.
“Just relax. The pressure will let up in a second,” Lin soothed. “Lift your bottom up a little bit.”
I did as she asked, trying my best not to picture Victor watching me do all of this. My legs were completely spread, and now my pussy was just as open. I wasn’t sure what Lin was exactly doing between my legs, but it seemed similar in actions to what any normal gynecologist—not dressed like a doll—would do.
“Her cunt is tight and shaped perfectly,” Victor said as he ran his gloved hand over the surface of my pussy lips in approval.
Lin nodded her agreement as she pulled out the metal device as Victor made the declaration. “I’m going to take your temperature now. Keep your legs wide.”