Her Darkest Desires

by Kallista Dane

  Kyle moved on ahead, telling her interesting tidbits about several of the other people she’d seen at the resort. Claire wanted to ask so many questions, but the trail rose steadily, and she was soon out of breath, struggling just to keep up. Gradually she became aware of the sound of rushing water growing louder as they climbed. Claire was so busy watching her footing on the narrow path that when Kyle stopped abruptly in front of her, she nearly bumped into him. He reached for her hand, drawing her close. “Look,” he said.

  Claire gasped. Laid out before her was a scene straight from a storybook. A magical clearing, bathed in sunlight. The tiny stream led them back to its source—a waterfall that sprang from the cliff face far above them. It wound down from high on the mountain, spilling over moss-covered rocks and ledges, splintering here and there into streams that trailed off like narrow fingers as it fell. They stepped onto a wide grassy ledge where miles of unbroken forest stretched out around and below them.

  “Oh, Kyle, I’ve never seen anything so beautiful. Thank you so much for bringing me here.”

  “This is one of my favorite places,” he replied. “I come here when I need to get some perspective on my life.” Kyle led her to a seat on a flat boulder warmed by the sun. “Claire, we need to talk.”

  Her heart sank. The last time she’d heard those words, her husband went on to announce that he was leaving her. Was Kyle going to say goodbye? Had the time come to hand her over to some other companion for her final day?

  “What I did last night…” he began.

  Claire nodded. “It’s okay. I understand. We lived out my fantasy, and now it’s time for you to move on to another guest. After all, this is your job.”

  “Now would be a good time for you to shut up, Claire.” Kyle’s voice held the stern tone she’d come to love, the one that sent delicious shivers up her spine.

  He waited a moment to make sure she complied, then went on. “What I did last night—it wasn’t part of The Dark Side package. Those of us who work here play elaborate erotic games with our guests. We spank, we tease, we role play a whole array of forbidden fantasies. We use sex toys to bring them to orgasm, and if our guest requests a dom scenario, we may even force a patron to touch us, just to make it more realistic. We allow, even arrange, for our guests to have sex with each other under any circumstances they willingly choose, as Lady Aidin did last night. But we aren’t prostitutes. We don’t fuck our paying guests. We don’t make them give us blow jobs, and we do not kiss them.”

  Claire just stared at him, her eyes filled with confusion and hurt. What was he saying?

  “I got carried away, Claire. I wanted it to be real—for both of us. I wanted to be your dom. I wanted to take you soaring over the edge and seduce you with a combination of pleasure and pain you’d never felt before. What I did was wrong. I took advantage of your vulnerable state.”

  “But… but you were only doing what I wanted, what I requested,” she stammered.

  “You’re right. At least in the beginning. But I felt a connection with you in a way I’ve never connected with anyone before—not here, not anywhere. The other night when we stayed up talking for hours… well, all I can say is over the last few days I discovered an amazing woman, one who I believe has never come in contact with her true self. As time went on, I found myself wanting to be the one who awakened you. I wanted to bring you into my world, introduce you to the thrill, the addictive power of submission.”

  He saw the disbelief in her eyes and went on. “I know. Power of submission? It sounds crazy. But the sub is really the one in control. Her dark fantasies and desires guide their play. A good dom learns to read his sub, to instinctively know how to punish or please in order to heighten her desire. We make you do things you secretly yearn to do deep inside but dare not admit, even to yourself. And then, when we uncover those wicked cravings, we whet your appetite and feed off your hunger. Our satisfaction comes from making you go places you’ve never gone before. When you start out refusing, unwilling to go there, it only excites us more.”

  “But beneath it all lies trust. In a good dom/sub relationship, the sub knows she can let go completely, do whatever she is told to do—because her dom will never hurt her. I may blindfold you, tie you up, paddle your ass into submission, even make you feel humiliated by the things I force you to do. But I will never harm you. And because you believe that, you can surrender your will to me—and in pleasing me, you will experience your greatest satisfaction.”

  Kyle reached for her hand. “Last night, you were to have a fantasy initiation as a sub. But when the time came, I couldn’t go through with it. It would have been unfair to you, to both of us. I don’t want fantasy with you, Claire. When—or if—it happens, I want it to be real. I want you to come to me willingly, after you’ve had time to process all of this. I want you to go out and experience life now that you’ve been awakened to these exciting new aspects of your sexuality. Then, if you decide you’d like to have an exclusive dom/sub relationship with me, that’s when I’ll initiate you. But it will be a private ceremony, with only those who matter to both of us in attendance, not some make-believe ritual to put on a titillating show for paying customers.”

  He fell silent. Claire’s mind was whirling. He really cares about me. It isn’t just a game to him, or even worse, just a job. She stared out at the vista before her, unseeing.

  “I don’t know what to say,” she finally admitted. “You’re right. This place is a fantasy land. It’s hard to know what’s real and what isn’t. Will I still crave these naughty, nasty things when I’m back in the outside world? Or will I look at myself in the mirror and decide it was all fun to experience once, but that’s not who I am?”

  Kyle nodded. “Exactly. If I’m to have you, Claire, I want all of you. Your body, your mind—your heart. I won’t settle for anything less. And I don’t want you to wake up one morning and realize you’ve settled for less either. You gave yourself to one man. But he didn’t respect and treasure that gift.”

  “I know this place,” he went on. “It’s easy to be seduced and soothed by forbidden pleasures. It’s easy to confuse lust with love. You’ve been hurt deeply. You came here looking for a way to ease that pain. I want you to embrace the rest of your stay here, Claire. I want you to choose another companion—even several at once if that idea intrigues you. Explore, experiment. Spread your wings. If you come back to me, I want you to be sure that it’s what you truly want.”

  She turned to him and captured his face in her hands. “You’ve already given me more than any other man I’ve ever met. You’ve given me permission to discover who I am, and you’ve made me feel that whoever I find inside me will be accepted.” She leaned forward and gently kissed his lips.

  “I’m heading back to the lodge,” Kyle said. “Why don’t you stay here for a while? When you’re ready to come back, just follow the path. I’ll let Lady Gwen know that you’ll be coming to see her later. Together, you can plan the rest of your stay.”

  Claire nodded, her throat tight with unshed tears. She turned her back, unwilling to watch him walk away. She felt lost again. But he’s telling me I can have him all to myself—if that’s what I truly want. Can I believe him? He’s younger than I am. He’s smart. He’s sexy. He can have any woman he wants. What if he changes his mind later? Do I dare risk being hurt again?

  She sat there alone, allowing the peace of the sunlit clearing to flow into her, while Kyle’s melody from the other night played over and over in her head. Phrases popped unbidden into her mind, and she found herself honing and shaping the words, fitting them to his music. Finally, she jumped up and raced back down the path. Somehow it seemed important to get all those fragile thoughts down on paper before they disappeared.

  Back at the lodge, Claire headed for her room to rummage in her purse for a pen. She couldn’t find so much as a scrap of paper, so she used the back of Kyle’s note to jot down phrases.

  I feel within the breeze

  The ancient songs of
trees

  The storms of life may rage

  But sundown sets the stage

  My restless soul finds peace

  This mountain night

  Claire had no idea how much time had passed when she was suddenly roused by a knock at the door.

  “Come in,” she called out absently.

  The young woman who accompanied Melody that first night stepped into the room. Today she wore a French maid’s uniform straight out of a porn flick—frilly black and white apron tied around her neck, barely covering her tits. It was short enough for Claire to see the garters holding up her black stockings. When she came closer, Claire saw the back of her outfit reflected in the mirror. The apron was scarcely wide enough to cover her in front, and a wide sash held it snugly at her waist. Below the saucy bow, she had on only a sheer black garter belt, leaving the rest of her ass bare. Long black gloves and a pair of shiny black platform heels completed her attire.

  “Good afternoon, Madame. My name is Collette. I have been instructed to escort you to see Lady Gwen. There is no hurry. Would Madame like me to turn down the bed first?”

  She bent over to straighten the comforter, and Claire found herself staring at shapely twin cheeks that still bore the faint red marks of a recent spanking. A stab of pure lust ran through her as she remembered the heady thrill of being yanked across Kyle’s lap, helpless to resist as his hand cracked down over and over on her bare bottom.

  Collette saw her staring. “I have been instructed to obey Madame’s every wish,” she murmured softly. “Is there anything you desire before we go?”

  Chapter Eight

  “Yes,” Claire answered boldly. “Come here. Sit down and talk to me. If I ask you questions, will you answer them honestly?”

  “Yes. I must do as you wish. If I do not please Madame in every way, Mistress Jade will discipline me,” Collette replied, her eyes downcast. “She has already given me a maintenance spanking, just to assure my complete obedience to you.”

  “Maintenance spanking? What is that?”

  “I have the honor of serving Mistress Jade.” Collette fingered a narrow black band around her neck. “I am bound to her. She sometimes spanks me purely as a reminder that I am to do her bidding without question or complaint at all times, whatever she may ask of me. It is but a taste of the punishment I will receive if I displease her—and the reward I get when she is happy with me.”

  “So, this isn’t just a game you play for the amusement of the guests?”

  “Many of us who serve here are bound to Mistress Jade. She is our domme. We… we love her.” Collette went on, words pouring out as she struggled to explain. “A game, you ask? This is my life. Mistress Jade rescued me. I was a runaway living on the streets of Atlanta. I had a pimp who beat me regularly, then sent me out to whore and took every dime I made. If I was lucky, he tossed me a few pills every now and then, just enough to keep me craving more. Gwen and the boys showed up one night in an alley, where he was kicking me as I lay on the ground. He was unhappy because I hadn’t made enough money that night. She flew at him like an avenging angel and proceeded to beat the crap out of him, while Theo and Aaron stood there calmly watching with their arms folded. When she was through, Gwen took every dime that creep had on him. She turned to me and handed me the money. Then she gave me a choice. They’d drive me to the bus station and buy me a ticket home—or I could come with them, get clean, and start a new life.”

  “I had nothing to go home to, except more abuse from my mother’s current live-in boyfriend. So I got in the car. They took me to Mistress Jade. Now Gwen and Jade and the others are my family. They take care of me—and it is my duty and my pleasure to do her bidding. I’m happy here, and I enjoy my work.”

  “Wow.” Claire was speechless. She struggled to make sense of what she’d just heard. “So, this isn’t an act for our benefit? You are a fulltime sub?”

  Collette nodded proudly.

  “I’m a little scared of Mistress Jade,” Claire admitted. “What’s it like—having her as a domme? What does she make you do?”

  Collette laughed. “It’s not all about sex all the time. We’re like any other family,” she answered. “We do household chores, and we go grocery shopping together. Sometimes we head into town and see a movie. But beneath it all, Mistress Jade is in charge. She loves me, and she both pampers me and disciplines me for my own good. I did a lousy job of running my life when it was all up to me. Frankly, it’s a relief not to be the one in control all the time.”

  “So this is it? You’ll stay here for the rest of your life?”

  “Mistress Jade has other plans for me,” Collette replied. “She’s seeking the perfect fit for me… a man or woman to take over her role as my domme. Someone I can love and care for, who will cherish and respect my gift of submissiveness. Jade has taught me that being a sub does not mean being beaten into obedience, as I was before. I choose to kneel before her, and I accept being paddled and caned and all the rest for two reasons. First, in all honesty—it’s a huge turn-on for me. Second, I know Jade loves me. She wants what’s best for me. Yes, she’s stern and she demands obedience, but she’s never selfish or mean. The person she chooses for me will be like that as well.”

  Claire was incredulous. “And you’ll accept whoever she chooses? Go and live with a stranger, allow that person to run your life, and carry on as you do here?”

  “Why not? People in other cultures have had arranged marriages for thousands of years. They grow to love each other, raise families, and spend the rest of their lives together. If you ask me, our society would be much better off if there was one clear head of the household in every marriage, one person who both parties agree has the final say-so. We’d have fewer divorces if so many relationships didn’t suffer from constant discord—arguments over everything from finances to what time the kids go to bed.”

  Collette sat placidly, hands folded in her lap, awaiting the next question, but for the life of her, Claire didn’t know what to ask. Everything she’d heard was so far outside of her experiences in life. Did people actually live this way? Allowing someone else to choose their spouse, willingly giving up control over so many aspects of their lives? Yet, Collette seemed content, even happy.

  “What if I said I wanted to spank you right now?” she finally blurted out.

  “What position would Madame like me to assume? Over your lap? Bent over the bed?”

  “And if I wanted you to spank me instead?”

  Collette smiled. “I deliver a very good spanking, Madame. It’s one of my specialties. You see, being a sub myself, I know just how hard to strike, how long to continue. I am a sub to Mistress Jade—but I have often played the role of a domme for other guests.” Collette’s smile disappeared, and her voice changed.

  “You, Madame, appear hesitant and confused about what role you are to play here. I understand your feelings. Right now, you’d like nothing more than to have someone else tell you what to do next. This I am prepared to do.”

  Collette stood up suddenly. “Get over here. Bend over this chair, and pull down your jeans.”

  Claire stared at her. “You’re kidding.”

  Collette grabbed her arm and dragged her over. “I said, bend over this chair. Lay your head on the seat. Now unzip those jeans and pull them down with both hands. I want to see your ass sticking up high in the air.”

  Claire was embarrassed, but at the same time, she felt a shudder of arousal. Unzipping her jeans, she hesitantly pulled them down below her hips, leaving her ass covered only by thin panties. Collette grabbed the drumstick hanging on the side of the rustic table. Taking hold of the head, she delivered a sharp whack to Claire’s backside with the long wooden handle. Claire cried out, shocked at the sudden pain.

  “Yes, this will do nicely,” Collette remarked. “It’s similar to the cane Mistress Jade uses on me when I’ve been especially naughty. And you’ve been naughty too, haven’t you, Claire? Tell me the naughtiest thing you’ve done since you arrived
here.”

  When Claire didn’t answer immediately, Collette delivered two more harsh strokes. Claire jerked upright, covering her burning bottom with both hands. “No! Stop it!”

  Collette moved swiftly. Grabbing both of Claire’s hands in one of hers, she simply held them immobile and began whaling on Claire’s ass with the stout stick as she stood there with her pants down around her thighs. To her surprise, Claire found herself getting wet. Pain fed pleasure, blending into a spicy mix of intense sensations.

  Collette stopped. “Now, Miss Claire, answer me. Tell me the naughtiest thing you’ve done since you arrived.”

  “I… I played with myself after Kyle said it was forbidden.”

  The long stick cracked down again. “Tell me where you were, what you did.”

  Claire clenched her teeth, stifling a cry. “It was last night, during the show. I was wearing the apparatus with the dual vibrators. Kyle had my ass spanked twice by other people, and then he kept playing with the remote controls of the vibrators, turning them off and on. My clit was throbbing, my ass was being tormented. But my pussy was so hot and so wet and so empty.”

  Another harsh whack. Claire cried out in agony, trying to twist away. But Collette was surprisingly strong for one so slender. She held Claire’s wrists in an iron grip, pulling them up behind her back. The movement sent sharp stabs of pain through Claire’s arm sockets.