by Red Phoenix
Standing on Mr. Gallant’s doorstep a short time later, Brie sighed self-consciously. It wasn’t easy being there alone wearing her mask. It just felt odd without Sir.
All that changed when Ena answered the door wearing a breathtaking mask of gold. “Miss Bennett, don’t you look lovely? Thank you for coming tonight. Please, won’t you come in?”
Brie was greeted by the sound of laughter echoing from deeper within the house.
“We’ve been waiting for you,” Ena explained. “You’re the last of our guests.”
Brie had come fifteen minutes early and was surprised to hear it, but automatically apologized. “Oh, I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be. You came exactly on time.”
Mr. Gallant’s wife escorted her into the main room, where Brie was overjoyed to see some of her favorite people. Not only were Captain, Candy and Mary there, but also Marquis, Celestia, Master Coen, as well as his three female subs. Rounding out the group was a tall, copper-toned man Brie instantly recognized as Nosh, the head of the Dominant Training Center.
Mr. Gallant walked up to Brie wearing a silver mask, which made him look even more distinguished and refined in her eyes. “Welcome, Miss Bennett.”
“It’s wonderful to see you again, Mr. Gallant! Is it okay if I hug you?” Brie asked, fighting the urge to throw her arms around him.
“As I only acted as your teacher, I see no breach in protocol.”
Brie grinned as she hugged her tiny but formidable teacher. To her delight, Mr. Gallant’s two girls came bouncing into the room. “Must we leave, Daddy?” the oldest protested sweetly. “Everyone looks so beautiful.”
“This is an evening for adults, girls,” he gently reminded them.
The youngest pushed out her bottom lip. “Please, Daddy?”
Mr. Gallant tweaked her nose. “If I hear no more complaints, we’ll treat you and your friends to a masked gala of your own.”
The girls squealed and showered him with kisses. Ena came up and told them, “Now girls, your ride is here. Promise me you won’t keep the Hendersons up giggling until all hours of the night.”
“We won’t, Mommy,” the two answered in unison. The youngest turned to Brie and said, “I like your mask best,” before skipping out the door.
“Hurry along,” Mr. Gallant said, picking up their overnight bags. “We don’t want to keep your friends waiting.”
Ena turned to Brie and tsked good-naturedly. “My girls have their father wrapped around their little fingers.”
“It’s quite charming,” Brie confessed. “It’s nice to see serious Doms can still be doting fathers.”
“And devoted husbands,” Ena added, smiling as she shut the door once Mr. Gallant had walked back in.
Her former teacher explained to Brie, “Although we can relax a bit, we keep things relatively vanilla even when the girls are gone. Should one of our children walk through the door unexpectedly or neighbors happen to look through the window, we don’t want them to be shocked by what they see.”
Brie smiled, respecting his wish to protect his family. “Understood, Mr. Gallant.”
She spied Mary kneeling in the corner and excused herself to find out what Blonde Nemesis was up to. As she approached, she couldn’t help admiring Mary’s sparkly emerald mask.
“Nice eye wear, woman,” she complimented, then whispered, “Are you being punished?”
“No, bitch. Vader said I struggle with not being the center of attention. Now go away,” she hissed without looking up. “You’re going to ruin it for me.”
“Whatever…”
Brie scooted in the direction of Candy and Celestia, who were waving her over enthusiastically. Candy wore a sapphire mask that matched Mary’s emerald one, while the art that graced Celestia’s face was of midnight black, accented with pinpoints of crystal around the eyes. It reminded Brie of a night sky, which was poetic, since that was the name Marquis had given her.
Brie asked Candy in a confidential tone, “Is Mary being punished?”
Candy smiled, glancing over at her. “No, what you see there is a woman who wants to impress.”
“Impress Captain?” Brie asked, unable to hide her surprise.
“She’s grown close to my Master, and takes what he says to heart,” Candy explained. “Mary has made significant strides since joining our household.” She added with a laugh, “It almost makes up for everything she put us through the first few days.”
“Oh, my,” Celestia exclaimed.
Brie snorted. “I can only imagine.”
Candy looked over at Mary with pride. “Surprisingly, she has a deep philosophical side to her, and a gentleness few see.”
“Gentle? Mary?!” Brie scoffed. “That is not a word I would ever use to describe her.”
Candy smiled in Captain’s direction. “My Master sees right through walls. You’d be surprised what he discovers when he tears them down.”
“Well, I for one never imagined Mary would try so hard,” Brie said, giving Candy a grateful squeeze. “Thank you for letting her invade your home. My friend really needed you.”
“It’s been our pleasure, Brie. You helped me, and we’ve been able to help someone else. That’s how it’s supposed to work, right?”
“Yes, but let’s face it, I had it a lot easier than you.” Brie turned to Celestia, not wanting her to feel left out of the conversation. “So tell me, how has life been treating you lately?”
“I’ve been doing well, and would love to tell you all about it over a cup of coffee sometime.”
“We should all get together more often,” Candy suggested.
“Sounds great, but I can’t make any plans until after the wedding. Once the raw footage is shot and the wedding is behind me, then I’ll have a more open calendar.”
Candy nudged her playfully. “Sure you will…”
Brie grinned. “It’s been freaking crazy lately, but thankfully it’ll all be over in a few months.”
“Yes, it will, Miss Bennett,” Marquis said, strolling up to join them. His mask was like Celestia’s, but all black, perfectly framing the dangerous glint in his eyes. “If you have any reservations about the upcoming nuptials, now would be the time to state them.”
She felt heat rush to her cheeks. “No, Marquis Gray. The wedding, I’m looking forward to. It’s everything before the wedding that’s getting to me.”
“Like Sir Davis’s dying mother?”
Brie gasped. Leave it to Marquis to hit the tenderest mark without warning or mercy.
“We’re working through it, Marquis Gray.”
“And his sister?” he pressed.
“He’s coming to know her.”
“I’m curious, Miss Bennett. What were your first impressions of the girl?”
Brie knew she needed to step carefully with Marquis, or she would invite a cascade of difficult questions she didn’t want to address. “It’s really too soon to make judgments.”
Marquis raised his eyebrow. “I asked for your first impression.”
“To be fair, I find that she looks too similar to Sir’s mother for me to judge.”
“So if you were to make a judgment, it would not be favorable at this point?”
Brie shook her head. “No, that’s not what I meant…”
Master Nosh walked up to the group. The chiseled, masculine mask he wore hinted at his Native American heritage, but it was the long, painted black tears on the mask that drew Brie’s attention. She was startled to find he was staring intently at her from under the mask.
Mr. Gallant moved in to formally introduce them. “I don’t believe you’ve been properly introduced, Miss Bennett. This is Master Nosh, Head of Dominant Training. Master Nosh, this is Brie Bennett, former student of our school and resident film director.”
Brie bowed. “It is an honor, Master Nosh.”
She remembered the Master from her training days, when she and the other submissives had been given the unique opportunity to critique training Doms at the Cent
er. That had been the same day Faelan had impressed her with the power of a simple feather.
The intimidating Dom only nodded to Brie, saying nothing.
“Master Nosh is a man of few words,” Master Coen announced, joining them with his arms draped around two of his submissives. His smile was barely visible underneath the metal mask that covered three-quarters of his face. It gave him a distinctive gladiator vibe.
His girls each wore the same style of mask, made of colorful cock-feathers which contrasted nicely with the cold metal of his mask.
“I was told you never had a chance to discuss your film with Nosh, Miss Bennett, but he is a wealth of knowledge.”
Brie appreciated Master Coen’s lead-in, and took the opportunity to address the Master personally. “I hope you will consider sharing some of that knowledge with me, Master Nosh. I know many fans of the original documentary hoped for a peek at the Dominant Training Center.”
After an extended pause, the man spoke in a voice so deep it made Brie’s insides tremble. “I will consider it.”
He turned to Master Coen and put his hand on his shoulder, silently gesturing to the rest of the group.
“Yes, I suppose now is as good a time as any,” Master Coen conceded, speaking to the entire room. “Master Nosh and the Gallants already know the news I’m about to share.”
Mr. Gallant kissed Ena lightly on the back of her hand and nodded to Master Coen in encouragement.
He stunned the room with his next pronouncement. “I am stepping down as Headmaster.”
Silence settled over the room.
“Don’t look so glum. I’ve been recruited to head the first sister school in Australia.”
“Oh, now that is interesting…” Marquis Gray remarked.
Mr. Gallant gave Master Coen a congratulatory pat on the back. “Reason enough for celebration tonight.”
Ena disappeared into the kitchen, returning with a small but decadent-looking chocolate cake. “Who would like a piece?”
It seemed to break the dazed spell Master Coen had caused, and Captain requested a large slice. He proceeded to sit down on the couch, placing the plate on the coffee table. “Pet, lief, come.”
Brie watched Mary stand up and walk over to him, gracefully kneeling on one side of Captain while Candy knelt on the other. He waited until the entire party had been served before he cut a small piece for Candy and then another bite for Mary. Darned if Blonde Nemesis didn’t demurely eat from the fork Captain offered with a slight blush on her cheeks.
Mr. Gallant told everyone, “Although this is a vanilla affair, try to have a little fun tonight.”
Master Coen wanted nothing to do with the cake, but for personal entertainment he insisted his submissives share a piece without using utensils. He watched with obvious pleasure as they seductively licked the frosting off each other’s fingers.
Mr. Gallant watched with amusement and swiped his finger over the top of Ena’s cake, spreading the rich chocolate over her lip. “Charming,” he praised. “You look good enough to eat.” He leaned over and removed the offending chocolate with a sensuous lick. “Delicious…”
Brie smiled to herself, nibbling at her cake.
“Oh, Brie, do you remember when you brought over the custard?” Celestia asked, giggling.
Brie whimpered, “Must we bring that up?”
Celestia leaned in and whispered, “You’ll never know how much that endeared you to Marquis. He enjoys seeing his students humbled. He believes everyone needs a little grounding now and then.” She nodded discreetly at Mary, who was looking up at Captain with adoration as she accepted another bite. “Whenever one of their students overcomes an obstacle, it is a victory for the entire staff.”
Brie smiled. “I agree with that sentiment. Seeing Mary dig herself out from her violent past is truly inspiring.”
Celestia mused aloud, “You can’t help but wonder what Faelan would have thought…”
Mr. Gallant cleared his throat, making both Brie and Celestia jump. Brie was sure she was about to be reprimanded for gossiping when he took her to the side to speak to her alone.
“Captain and I believe you and Mary should talk.”
“I would love to, Mr. Gallant.”
“Please use our bedroom upstairs for privacy’s sake. It’s the last door down the hall.”
Brie walked over to Mary to ask her to join her upstairs, and was pleasantly startled when Mary deferred to Captain. “May I leave the room, Vader?”
He placed his hand on her head. “Yes, lief. Enjoy your time with your friend.”
“Thank you, Vader.” Brie was stunned that Mary seemed genuinely content under Captain’s rule. She turned to Brie and smiled. “Lead on, Stinky Cheese.”
“Mr. Gallant said we could use his bedroom upstairs,” Brie informed her as they walked out of the room.
“His bedroom? Now that sounds naughty, doesn’t it?” Mary murmured, placing her hand on the railing as she headed up the stairs.
“You’re not going to do anything weird, are you?”
Mary tossed her hair back and shrugged. “We’re just going to talk. Right?”
Mr. Gallant’s bedroom had impressive double doors that opened into a large room complete with an oversized bed, a reading nook and a wet bar. Mary looked around, running her hands over the oak counters of the bar and the red leather of a chair next to a bookcase. “Talk about a Master suite.”
“We’re not here to snoop in Mr. Gallant’s room,” Brie warned. “We’re supposed to be talking.”
“You’re such a wet blanket, Brie” she pouted, flopping onto the king-sized bed and looking up at Brie. “So talk.”
“I’m not saying a word until you sit on the edge of the bed. Show Mr. Gallant and Ena a little respect, damn it.”
Mary spread her hands over the comforter as if she were making a snow angel. “Just think, Brie. Our illustrious teacher fucks his submissive on this very bed.”
Although it was an alluring thought, Brie didn’t want to start down that path with Mary. “That’s it,” she snapped. “We’re sitting on the floor—a place you’re used to.”
Mary rolled her eyes, but flopped onto the floor, crossing her legs. She kept looking around the room, fascinated by it. “I bet we’re the first students ever to see this hallowed place. Why do you think he has a bar in his bedroom? Don’t you think that’s a bit strange?”
“I don’t care, Mary. Talk to me about you. How have things been going with Captain?”
Mary let out a long sigh. “Getting all serious on me, huh? You’re no fun.”
“Well?”
She looked away when she answered. “It’s fine. No, actually it’s better than fine.”
“So what’s been going on since we last talked? Did he stop making you watch them kiss and snuggle?”
“No,” Mary said with a slight grin. “I’m…getting used to that.”
Brie nudged her shoulder. “I knew it! You’re an old softie inside. I couldn’t believe that you let him feed you in front of us tonight. It looked like you actually enjoyed the attention.”
“Shut the fuck up.”
“Deny it all you want, but it was obvious to everyone in the room and I found it sweet.”
“Now I know you’re just trying to piss me off.”
“No.” Brie put her arm around Mary. “I’m not. There’s a real change in you. Why can’t you just admit it?”
Mary paused, suddenly getting serious on Brie. “I don’t want to jinx it.”
“Jinx what?”
“At first, being around them was nauseating. But the more I saw how Captain was with Candy, how he genuinely cared for her, the more…”
“The more you wanted it for yourself?”
Mary snarled, “I’m not lusting over Candy’s man, if that’s what you’re implying.”
“No, you twit. I meant you want to be treated that way by another man.”
Mary rolled her eyes again. “You totally don’t get it.”
>
Brie growled in frustration. “Then explain it to me.”
“I…” Mary seemed to struggle with the words. “I feel accepted for the first time in my life… I’ve never felt that way before, and I don’t want to lose it.”
“Accepted you how? Because Todd accepted you, fangs and all. What’s different?”
“They accept me for me, damn it,” she said, pointing to herself. “Just me. Not for my looks or how great I can give a blow job…and I’m far better than you—just saying.”
Brie ignored the jab, realizing the importance of what Mary was sharing. “So they accept you as a person, not as a sex object?”
“No, you idiot! What I’m trying to tell you is that they accept me as…” She could hardly say the word, and just whispered, “….family.”
Brie felt a chill go through her and goosebumps rose on her skin. It took everything not to cry, but she knew how much Mary hated tears and valiantly fought them off. “That’s profound, Mary.”
“I know. A few times at their home, when we were just hanging out there, not doing anything special, I felt whole.” Mary’s lips trembled. “I’ve never felt that before, Brie. Ever.”
“You deserve to feel that way, my friend.”
She shook her head. “I was afraid Captain might be a mental-case making me call him Vader. I was sure he was planning to act out some Daddy fantasy on me, but fuck it, he really means it. He’s been respectful to me this entire time—no wandering touches, no flirtations or sexual glances. You know what I mean. Those stolen glances that let you know where their mind’s really at.”
“Sure.”
“In the past I would have been offended that he was ignoring me. Hell, that’s how I relate to all men. But staying with Captain has been different. I really feel a connection to him that has nothing to do with sex.”
“Like a father figure.”
“Exactly.”
“What about Candy?”
Mary smiled. “My relationship with Candy is just the icing on the cake. I see every woman as competition, but she’s the first one who doesn’t bring out my cutthroat nature, and it’s not because she isn’t hot. It’s just that…I don’t feel the need to compete with her.”