We are not here to find a mate.
The bunny ignored her.
Once or twice a loud sound frightened her, but she quickly realized she was safe, even with the mix of shifters and other beings in the room.
Ellis would never be able to hurt her here. They would never allow it.
Somehow, she kept up with Miranda, shoes and all. The influx of guests was a whirlwind of leather, skin and a whole lot of things she had no idea about.
Tray after tray of drinks, and it was getting toward the end of her shift.
“Hey, girl, you want a break?” Miranda called out. “I have Gina coming in a few to take over the last bit of the evening.”
“Are you sure?”
The other woman nodded, sliding a drink to a tall blonde woman in a red bustier and not much else.
Her feet barked at her and she reluctantly agreed. “Okay, but I want to wander around for a minute before I go upstairs, if that’s okay.”
“Please do. Just remember, if you’re going to play, you need to have your medical records on file. The background check came back fine, by the way.”
“Oh.” They really cared about the well-being of their patrons. “I can do that. The agency has a copy in case of emergencies.”
Was BDSM something she wanted to explore? She wasn’t sure, but being that she found herself here, she might as well learn as much about it as she could.
She watched scenes playing out between couples at the benches, the low burning ember sizzling beneath her skin. Glancing up, she again found the mysterious, bearded Dom with his gaze on her.
How would it feel, she wondered, to have his hands on her?
The thought sent little fissions of forbidden pleasure through her and her bunny wriggled her nose in delight.
Clover meandered through the spanking benches and touched the implements on the wall, exploring the feel of the leather and rubber on her skin. She wandered into the gift shop and blushed as she came across a glass case of sex toys.
“Do you see anything you want?” The girl on the counter smiled at her, glancing up from a pile of paperwork.
“I’m just looking.”
“Okay. Let me know if I can help.”
It was then that her eyes lit on a display of books. She scanned the titles and noted two by Master Richard. Selecting one, she opened it and began reading, time just falling away as a new world opened up and enveloped her senses.
Chapter Five
Master Richard observed with interest the new waitress who worked with Miranda at the bar. She was shy and not at all used to life in the club. Her black corset and short micro skirt were tasteful. He would give Miranda that. The girl’s expressions as she took in some of the costumes of the patrons were comical.
His panther thought they were charming.
A couple had come through, the leather clad Domme leading a man dressed in nothing more than a dog collar and a strategically placed genital cage, and he thought she was going to choke on her own tongue. From time to time on his rounds as dungeon monitor, Richard caught her observing the patrons in the spanking room, a curious look on her face as if she were trying to comprehend why a person would do such a thing.
“She’s delightful,” Cage stated, noting the direction his attention traveled. “The people love her and she’s gotten more tips than all the other servers combined.” The hum of the club had picked up over the last couple of nights and he’d been relieved at the influx of people.
Richard shrugged. “Another pretty face.” She seemed like any typical Texas girl when he first saw her. Blonde hair, curves that filled out her jeans nicely, and a pleasant disposition that defied logic. But in the corset and microskirt—his cock stood up and took notice.
“True.” Cage eyed his friend askance. “Did her background check come back okay?”
“It did. She’ll be here about a week, from what Natalia said.” Cage paused, then added, “She’s been abused.”
“How do you know?” But he’d seen the telltale bruising on her face. It wasn’t hard to guess what had happened. No doubt she was on the run from an ex. All the more reason to steer clear.
But his panther wasn’t listening to reason. Every time she entered the room, he stood at attention, sniffing at her scent.
“Natalia told me. Be careful, Hoss.”
“What do you mean be careful?”
“I know that look.”
“I have no intention,” he started to say, and then realized it was a lie. He’d been relieved when he caught her watching his performance during the public exhibition tonight and wondered what her ass would look like stretched across his bench, the rosy pink kiss of his paddle coloring her cheeks.
Her eyes had gone bright, so she was shifter. The question was, what kind?
“I don’t know that she...”
“You wouldn’t know unless you ask. Just keep in mind, she’ll be heading to Houston for that modeling audition as soon as she can get enough money to get her car fixed.”
“She’s a model?” His cock hardened at the thought. He was definitely attracted to her and there was no question his cat was interested. And she was a polar opposite of Sarah.
“She’s fragile.”
“I’m not looking.” Richard gritted his teeth at the lie.
Cage wasn’t falling for it and cut him a pointed look. “I didn’t say you were, but if you do, don’t hurt her. She’s been through enough.”
***
The corset was tight around Clover’s ribs and she sucked in a deep breath, trying to reign in the excitement of the night. Her tables had been more than generous and, during a lull, she caught sight of something happening in the stage area.
The first performance had been none other than Master Richard and a volunteer from the audience. He had paddled the squirming sub to a rosy pink puddle of feminine appreciation.
Her first reaction completely surprised her and she almost dropped a tray of drinks as her heels wobbled. She wanted to be that woman.
Her.
Holy carrot sticks.
The more she read his books in the gift shop, the more she wanted to be a part of his world.
“Do you want to watch?”
She turned to find the tall Dom standing next to her.
“What are they doing?” she asked, her rabbit heart beating fast.
Don’t faint. Don’t pop a whisker either.
“Her Dom is issuing a public punishment.”
Clover swallowed. His nearness was both exhilarating and scary all at the same time. She scented the air and caught a whiff of cat and had to stop herself from backpedaling like an idiot.
God. He was a cat. Go figure.
“And she, um, likes that?”
“Why don’t you come and find out?” Master Richard’s lips twisted upward into an inviting smile and she wanted more than anything to take him up on it.
So did her bunny.
Clover sighed and tried to think about granny panties, car repairs, and anything else that would distract her naughty bunny thoughts.
Gah.
Miranda ambled up and greeted them. “I think your shift is over for tonight, girlie girl. Why don’t you go exploring with Master Richard?”
“I don’t want to leave you. My tables...”
“Are just fine. Go. Enjoy.” She winked and gave her a light shove and, in trying to right her footing, Clover found herself encased in Master Richard’s arms.
Her skin felt hot in the places he touched her and she tried to shake off the sensation, wondering if she had lost her mind.
Her bunny hopped up and down, teeth chittering.
Mate
Clover shook her head and tried to recover from whatever it was had just happened. His scent was a heady musk of pine and outdoor places and she wanted to rub up against him, right here in front of everyone.
The mate bond was real. Her mother had spoken about it often enough. Clover hadn’t really believed her. With Ellis, his naughty bo
y coyote had thrilled her, but this...this was something off the charts and she felt it from the top of her head to the tips of her toes–bunny and woman.
Master Richard held her a moment longer than was normal, his eyes locked on hers. The glow of his beast showed through and a flare of his nostrils revealed his interest.
Clover swallowed.
He led her toward the stage, keeping one hand low on her back. Midway through the benches, she paused as a woman to the right of her cried out, her eyes closing as an orgasm ripped through her. Nearly nude, save for the thin pair of panties covering her backside, her ass pink from the paddle, the woman shook as sensations ratcheted through her body.
Speechless, Clover glanced up at the Dom.
“Do you want to try it?”
“No...”
His lips twitched in amusement. “Is it just the public spectacle of it that bothers you?”
“No. I just don’t understand how anyone could find satisfaction by being spanked,” Clover replied.
Master Richard snorted. “You don’t know much about BDSM.”
How dare he laugh at her. Her bunny narrowed her eyes.
“I don’t. It wasn’t something that ever really came up back home,” she replied, wryly thinking of how the folks at the diner would react to a woman being led around by nipple clamps or the guy she saw with a cage around his privates.
Yup.
They would faint dead away into their chicken fried steak.
It was strange, but it also left a curious flutter in parts of her she didn’t know existed, and as she glanced over at the man in front of her, she knew he could teach her to embrace those parts. If she had the nerve. Reading about it was one thing, but to see it in person...wow. That was a whole new perspective and she didn’t know if she had enough courage to dip her toe in the proverbial water.
His eyes were thoughtful. “I could instruct you while you’re here. Just some basics, if you like.”
Panic slid through her. “I’m only here for a few more days. I’m not looking to start a relationship.”
Her bunny chuffed at her and she coughed into her hand.
“Neither am I,” he replied. “But I am looking for a model and I understand you do that kind of work on the side?”
Damn, Miranda. But as soon as the spike of irritation hit, it evaporated. Her new friend was just trying to help her get her car fixed. Nothing more.
“Yes...”
“Good. Maybe we can talk more tomorrow. Come to my class. I’m giving a tour of the theme rooms and you might enjoy it.”
“I’ll consider it.”
“Please, think about the modeling opportunity as well. I want someone on the other side of my lens that I can connect with. Who can make love to the camera with her eyes.”
Heat slid up her neck and into her face. “I don’t know... I’m not doing porn.” She backed away, feeling like a fish out of water. Some of the pictures in the books had been very revealing and she wasn’t sure that was the direction she wanted her career to take.
“Is that what you think? Have you seen the pictures on the walls?” Master Richard’s smile slipped and she immediately regretted her words.
“I have,” she replied, thinking of the sultry brunette. “She’s beautiful.”
“Yes. She is.” He seemed to almost add something, his expression darkening momentarily, then a smile transformed his face.
“Let me teach you about the lifestyle. You won’t regret it. You can attend classes with the others in the evening and I can also give you some basics in my office in the morning before you’re due at the bar.”
He watched her with heavily lidded eyes as she considered.
“What else are you going to do while you wait? And perhaps you can use the funds for some of the pictures toward whatever future it is that you imagine for yourself.”
Good point. She nodded.
“Fine. I’ll be in my office by eight. Or, if you can make it, be here at five-thirty tomorrow afternoon for the class.” He headed off in another direction and she wondered just what she’d gotten herself into.
Chapter Six
Her day began in Master Richard’s office as he explained some of the intricacies of the BDSM lifestyle.
“Safe, sane, and consensual are three key points about anything you do or see here at Inferno. We’ve spent many years weeding out the bad to provide a place that is safe to let down your hair and be comfortable.”
“But not too comfortable, right?” She eyed the two, now familiar books on his desk and noticed that the same woman was featured in both. She’d only had time to read part of one. Curious, she reached for them and he nodded.
“Help yourself. There’s a contract oftentimes, stating what each party agrees to. The do’s and don’ts, if you will.”
“A contract?”
“Yes.” He fished one out of a filing cabinet and laid it out on the desk.
She scanned it, her flesh heating up with every line. Anal sex. Pony play. Nipple clamps. Rope bondage. Orgasm denial. Violet wand. Figging. And a whole lot more things she’d never even heard of, let alone considered letting someone do to her.
A Wartenburg Wheel? It looked like something from her mother’s quilting table.
Wax play? And where, pray tell, did that candle go?
She decided she didn’t want to know.
A flush crept up her face as she considered some of the other activities listed.
It was embarrassing and exhilarating all at the same time.
“What are hard limits?”
“Hard limits are the things you will not do. It’s a firm no stance. Soft limits are something you are not comfortable with, but would consider given the correct situation and partner. All of these things are written down and understood before anything ever happens. It is protection for the sub and for the Dominant. At the very least, a conversation must happen before play happens to alert the Top or Dominant if there are any health requirements, anxiety triggers, or things of that nature.”
“Why would a Dominant need protection? Aren’t they the one in charge?”
He shook his head, a slow smile tilting his lips up. “No. While the Dominant’s job is to keep testing and pushing the submissive forward to help reach his or her goals, the submissive in many ways is the driving force of the couple. The Dominant’s world is made up of his or her desires and that is a heady mixture of power, but one that has to be wielded properly.”
Her mouth went dry.
“So, you couldn’t touch me until I agreed? I mean...if we had an agreement.”
Mortification spread through her. Had she really just said that?
Her bunny wiggled her whiskers at her and she felt the heat slide up her cheeks.
A smile played on the corners of his mouth and he pulled the blank contract across the desk and slid it back into the file cabinet. “Yes, that’s absolutely true. If a Dominant pushes a sub into an arrangement without one, he or she can create needless problems that could have been best solved by clear communication at the onset.”
She wished the regular world worked more like that. It would have totally helped her with Ellis.
“What do people do if they have a grievance?”
“Most of the time it’s resolved with a sit-down discussion. Others may involve a dungeon monitor or even the owner of a club, depending on the situation.”
“The girl in the pictures. The one from the bar...she looked so happy.”
His expression closed and she immediately regretted bringing up the subject.
“She was, but she never learned how to property submit. You’ll find her inside of both books and in many photographs around the club.”
“Are you still seeing her?”
“No.”
“Oh.” Clover paused, her gaze scanning the books in front of her, trying to find the right words.
“I don’t know if I could do that.”
“Do what?”
“Surrender. To anot
her human being.”
“It takes courage.”
“More than I have right now, I think,” she replied wryly, her body still sore from her encounter with Ellis. Just thinking his name in a place like this felt wrong somehow, and she knew with certainty he could never survive in this environment. The thought made her smile.
“If you’re interested, don’t forget, I have classes every day from five-thirty to six-thirty in BDSM basics. It’s the premise for my new book.”
“I might just do that.”
She retreated to the bar, all the while feeling his eyes on her heavy and searching, and part of her wondered what it would be like to have his fingers bring her to the heights she saw in the photographs. A spring in her step, Clover went about her day, eager for the first class to start.
Five-thirty came quickly. She ran up to her room to make sure Sylvester was okay and gave him a quick walk in the back field. She took him back to their room and then hurried back downstairs. She found Master Richard in the stage area, and this time it appeared as if he was getting ready to move the class. Cursing her tardiness, she tried to seamlessly join the others before he noticed.
***
She was late.
“Today we’re taking a trip down our themed room hall.” Master Richard observed Clover join with the group and had to suppress a smile. Oh, what he wouldn’t give to have her alone in the school room right at that moment so he could introduce her lush backside to his ruler.
The class followed as he led them down the hallway.
“Can anyone tell me what some of the themed rooms might be used for?”
A young woman with dark hair raised her hand. “You can have lots of different settings. Like the Victorian Suite can be for people who like romantic assignations or even a schoolroom for, like...you know, paddling?”
“Very good.”
“Thank you, Sir.”
“That’s exactly it. Can anyone else tell me what other kinds of rooms there might be?”
A middle-aged woman he’d had in class before raised her hand. “Well, you can have medical suites for the people who like doctor play. Or maybe, you could have a St. Andrew’s cross and dungeon style implements for folks who are into that scene.”
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