Saving Master Rafael [Prometheus in Chains 11] (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour)

by Clair de Lune

  “Then let’s waste no more time. That’s where we are going.”

  “I was just getting up to go there when you arrived. It will be so much easier with you there though. I just hope he’s not hurt.”

  * * * *

  They left the flat, and Master Rafael settled Heather in the car, ensuring her seat belt was secured. He drove quickly to the club, but parking was not easy in the city centre. Heather fretted and fumed in impatience as he drove up and down the street until eventually he was lucky. He allowed a car to enter the traffic in front of him and took the space by the kerb that the driver had vacated. By this time parking restrictions had been lifted, so they had no need to search for a ticket meter or worry about traffic wardens. They had a five-minute walk to the club. He took her by the hand as they walked. She looked up at him shyly, and he smiled at her. He lifted the back of her hand to his lips and kissed it. Heather blushed and looked down.

  “Your hands are so soft, and I love the fragrance you wear. What is it?

  “Amarige de Givenchy. What’s your cologne Master Rafael?”

  “Armani’s Gio. Do you like it?”

  “Yes, very much. I love perfume.”

  “Good, because I don’t want to have to change it. I am very fond of it.”

  “And you would if I didn’t like it?” She was incredulous.

  “Certainly if we are to be close. I can’t have you wrinkling your pretty, little nose every time you smell my cologne.” He saw realisation dawn in her eyes, but she said nothing, and he wondered if he’d been too precipitate.

  “After all I said to you, you really want to know me better?”

  “My little darling, I do. I have thought of nothing but you and Jess since that night.”

  “Oh, but I thought…”

  “Yes I know, Kitten, but we aren’t going to discuss it now. Jess is part of this, and we owe it to him to wait.”

  “Very well, Master Rafael. I do like being called kitten.”

  “Good, then kitten it is from now on. Here we are. You must keep your eyes lowered and say nothing. Now give me that scarf. It will have to serve as a collar.” He took the scarf she gave him, folded it and wrapped it round her neck. Ensuring it was comfortable for her, he tied it in a loose knot, allowing the ends to hang down her back. She wasn’t really dressed for a club, but he had no intention of staying long. When they reached the club, she saw she’d been right. There was no difficulty about Master Rafael gaining admittance. He was well-known to the staff there as an ex-member. When the formalities were completed, they entered the main room and he looked around. There were several scenes going on, but no sign of Jess that he could see.

  “Can you see Jess anywhere?” he asked Heather. She raised her head and looked around.

  “No, Master Rafael, I can’t.”

  “Okay, then let’s go and look in the basement before we check the private rooms. It won’t be easy if he’s in one of those.”

  Before he could say more, there was a commotion. Two monitors came up the stairs from the basement. One was carrying Jess and the other escorting a scowling Dom. Heather would have run to Jess had Rafael not held tight to her hand.

  “Wait. Let’s go down and hear what’s going on.”

  A large man with long dark hair in a thick plait hanging down his back, dressed in canvas trousers with a bare chest and bare feet, strode purposefully over to the scene. All gave way before him. So Davy Jones was going to sort it out, was he? This was going to be interesting. Rafael led Heather over, and they stood in the crowd.

  “What happened?” Rafael well remembered that deep, bass voice. Davy never raised his voice. He didn’t need to. He had presence. The Dom and the two monitors rushed into speech.

  “Silence! John, tell me.”

  The monitor who had carried Jess up the stairs and placed him on a sofa now spoke up. He didn’t raise his voice either. Davy hated shouting and loud voices.

  “This Dom was flogging Jess. For some reason Jess didn’t say his safe word.”

  “No he didn’t,” the Dom interrupted, but a look from Davy silenced him.

  “You must have been able to see he’d had enough. It’s your duty as a Dom to take care of your sub, and you failed miserably.”

  Davy turned Jess over, and Heather gasped. Jess’s back was a mass of welts over the bruises he’d had from previous sessions. He had some cuts, and blood trickled down his back. He wasn’t moving or saying anything.

  “Get the medic,” Davy said.

  A sub went running off to return with a tall, slim Dom, who examined Jess and said, “Get him to the medical room and I will deal with him there. Who did this?” He turned to Davy as he spoke, and Davy indicated the surly Dom.

  “You should be ashamed of yourself! Call yourself a Dom?”

  “I’ll deal with him, Doc. You see to Jess please.”

  At Doc’s suggestion the monitor lifted Jess and carried him away. Heather tugged at Rafael’s hand, and they followed. When they got to the door of the medical room, Doc was just closing it. When he saw Rafael, he smiled.

  “Rafa, what are you doing here?”

  “Heather is Jess’s sub. Jess is going to be my sub soon, and we need to know how he is.”

  “Come inside then and close the door behind you.”

  By this time Jess had been laid face-down on the table, and the Doc was washing his hands. Heather ran to the table and took Jess’s hand. He raised his head a little and looked at her.

  “Jess, why did you do this?”

  “Yes, Jess, why did you?” Rafael asked, and Jess looked at him.

  “Am I dreaming? What are you doing here?”

  “I wanted to talk to you both, so I went to your home. I found Heather in distress and on the point of setting off to come here and get you. I decided it would be easier if I came with her.”

  “What happened to me?” Jess asked.

  “You didn’t use your safe word,” Doc said.

  “But I did. I said it several times, but that Dom took no notice.”

  “Why did you choose to do a scene with him? Do you know him?” Doc asked.

  “No, I don’t, but Mordor wasn’t here tonight and I needed …” Jess’s voice trailed off.

  “You certainly got more than you were looking for. He’s well known for his enjoyment of inflicting pain. I’ve never known him to disregard a safe word before. Are you sure he knew what yours was?”

  “Yes, he made a point of asking me. I told him.”

  “Well, in that case Davy needs to know about this. I’ve done with you now. You’ll be fine, but no flogging for a week or two or those wounds will open again,” Doc said.

  “He isn’t going to need a flogging for a long while if ever again.” The voice was low but authoritative. Master Rafael looked at Jess. “You, Heather, and I have a lot to talk about. Do you feel up to it now, or would you rather wait until tomorrow?”

  “I don’t want to wait any longer. I really do want to know what you have to say.”

  “I’ll leave you alone and go and find Davy,” Doc said, smiling as he left the room and closed the door behind him.

  “I need to tell you a little about my previous subs, Johann and Thyme,” Rafael said and told him the whole story.

  “I see,” Jess said. “Now I understand why you were so reluctant to take on other permanent subs. What I still don’t understand is why you buggered off and left us with no word. That wasn’t kind. Heather was suffering, and I caused it.”

  “No, Jess, you didn’t. I’ve been selfish and blind. I was hurting and didn’t think of anyone but myself. You fulfilled all my needs, but I didn’t see that you had needs that went unfulfilled. It’s not your fault. It’s mine,” Heather said.

  Rafael smiled. “Let’s say we were all somewhat to blame and leave it at that, shall we? Let’s see if we can’t sort this out to our mutual satisfaction.”

  “Okay,” Jess said. “That sounds good to me. What about you, Heather?”


  “That’s fine by me. What are we going to do?”

  Both of them looked at Rafael as if they expected him to have all the answers. That was a very good sign. He was fond of both of them, more than fond if he was honest with himself. He wanted to go slowly and get it right. Rushing into this now would solve nothing at all and might just make matters worse. However, Jess and Heather needed someone to take charge of them. Jess was blaming himself for Heather’s hurt, and that had led him to risk himself tonight. Plainly he needed guidance, more than that he needed a Dom. He has tried to be one for Heather but it’s not in his true nature. It’s time I took the responsibility off his shoulders. They think that Dom is me and so do I, so what am I waiting for? I need to stop Jess from ever doing anything so destructive again. He might not be so lucky next time. It’s past time I took charge of them. They are not Johann and Thyme. They won’t let me down, and I vow never to let them down. This isn’t rushing, this is just moving forward and it feels like the right thing to do.

  “Well, I’d like to explore what we have together and see where that takes us. I propose that we meet in the club every night for the next week, and then we discuss it again after that.”

  “That seems a good idea to me,” Jess said. “What do you think, Heather, love?”

  “Yes, I agree with you. You need time for your back to heal, Jess, so we’d better start next Monday.” Both men looked at her in astonishment.

  “What on earth are you talking about? Why should we wait the better part of a week? You wanted this more than anyone. Why not start tomorrow?” Jess asked, incredulity in his tone.

  “But I want you to be better before we begin,” Heather said sulkily.

  “Children,” Rafael said chuckling. “Enough! How do you feel now, Jess?”

  “I feel fine, Master Rafael.”

  “Pffft.” Heather made a rude noise.

  “I feel fine,” Jess repeated in a firmer tone.

  “I don’t intend to flog you, Jess, but do you feel up to being fucked?” Rafael asked.

  “Always, Master Rafael. I can’t wait.” Jess chuckled.

  “Don’t I get any say in the matter?” Heather asked in annoyance.

  “No!” both men said at the same time.

  “You are the sub, Jess is a switch, and I’m the Dom. That means…”

  “That means you two get to decide everything.” Heather said grumpily.

  “What is it with you? Want me to warm your backside, do you?” Jess asked, clearly getting annoyed.

  “Humph, chance would be a fine thing,” Heather said saucily.

  “Heather!” Master Rafael’s voice cut into the conversation. “You forget yourself. Don’t be disrespectful to Jess. He tops you.”

  “Sorry, Master Rafael. I just want him to be okay.”

  “And you think I don’t? You think I’d risk his health and safety? What sort of Dom would that make me? No better than the one who injured him.”

  He saw by the panicked look in her eyes that the warning had gone home.

  “Come here, pet.” She walked over to him, her head lowered and with slow reluctant steps. “Look me in the eyes, Heather!”

  She raised her head and looked at him. For a few moments he could say nothing, as her beautiful eyes held him mesmerised.

  “I may not have given you cause to think me much of a caring Dom in the past, but I do assure you that I am. I will have obedience, and I will care for you. Is that clear?” He didn’t raise his voice, but there was steel in his tone. He had to regain the respect he’d lost by abandoning them, and he intended to start tonight. There was no time like the present.

  “Well? I’m waiting.”

  “Yes, Master Rafael,” Heather said in a small low voice.

  “Very well. We all start with a clean slate and see where it takes us. Okay?

  Jess and Heather nodded. Rafael breathed a sigh of relief. It looked as if it was going to be all right after all.

  The door opened, and Doc came in. “Davy has sorted it out. The Dom is saying he didn’t hear your safe word, but Davy is having none of that. Safe word or not, he went too far and he knows it. You are perfectly within your rights if you want to bring an assault charge against him.”

  “No, I really don’t want to,” Jess said at once.

  “And why not pray? He hurt you, and he’d no right to,” Heather said.

  “Hush, love. It would do no good, and I don’t need that sort of notoriety,” Jess said quietly. Heather looked at him and subsided at once. Whatever had brought on the rebellion seemed to be fizzling out.

  “Right, let’s get you home now,” Rafael suggested.

  “Take these dressings to change those on his back. Don’t get those wounds on his shoulders wet for at least a week. He can have baths if he’s careful but no showers.”

  “He will be careful,” Heather said. Doc laughed in amusement at her tone of voice.

  They left the club with Heather holding onto Jess’s hand for dear life. Rafael stopped to have a word with Davy on the way out. He soon caught up with them and helped Jess into the back-seat. He helped Heather into the front passenger seat and drove them home. Parking in front of their block of flats, he escorted them upstairs and would have left without entering the flat if Jess hadn’t said, “Please come in for a while, Master Rafael. We do have things to discuss.”

  Realising that Jess was correct and that nothing was to be gained by procrastination, Rafael followed then into the flat. Soon they were all seated with a mug of hot tea each. Heather provided caramel shortbread, and it was a peaceful little party that nibbled the sweet treat and drank the tea. Rafael had developed a taste for tea, and he appreciated the flavour of the lavender Earl Grey that Heather poured for him.

  “Right,” said Jess. “We will be in the club tomorrow night at 8:00 p.m. Will that suit you?” Heather opened her mouth to disagree, but at a stern look from Rafael, she shut it again having said nothing. He was pleased with her instant obedience. Jess’s tone had been respectful, too. It seemed it wouldn’t take much to train them to his ways.

  “Yes, that will be fine. I’ll take a room for us. It won’t be the BDSM playroom with all its memories. You will face that room again, but not yet. Be in the club by eight sharp and wait in the entrance hall. I will come and collect you. Be prompt. I don’t like lateness amongst other things.”

  Chapter Seven

  The next evening at 7:30 Jess was in the club with Heather. They changed in the locker rooms then sat and waited in the entrance hall as they’d been told to do. At 8:00 p.m. the door to the main room opened and he appeared. Clad in the tight dark-gray, high-waisted trousers with the short waistcoat and frilled white shirt, which suited his olive complexion, he looked magnificent.

  Jess looked at Heather. Her eyes were shining, and her skin glowed. She’s so happy, and what about me? He looked at Master Rafael as he followed Heather across the room to him. When she was a foot away from him, she stopped. Jess wasn’t paying attention and collided with her.

  “What a pair of clumsy subs you have there,” a jovial Welsh voice said. “I can see they need some training. Want any help, Rafa?”

  “Yes, Llewellyn, and that starts tonight. Now, you two, when I beckon to you, you come to me. Your eyes must always be on mine, Jess. You stop a foot from me and drop gracefully to your knees, heads lowered. Then I will inspect what’s mine. Do it now.”

  Jess was a little stiff, so he wasn’t as quick as Heather. Master Rafael said nothing however. He walked round them.

  “Very nice. You may stand. I have booked a room. We will go through the main room and up the stairs. Here are my training collars. Jess, take Heather’s hand and follow me closely. Keep your eyes down.”

  He clasped the collars round Jess’s neck and then Heather’s. Jess took her hand and squeezed it. She returned the gesture and then followed Master Rafael. He was stopped by a tall man.

  “Rafa, here you are. I need to speak to you tomorrow. There’s a party in
the club, and I need your advice on the menus.”

  “Call me tomorrow morning, Prometheus.” Jess heard the name and looked at the man out of the corner of his eye. He saw a tall man in his fifties with long muscular legs and a broad chest with a narrow waist and hips. His light-brown hair was long and wavy but confined in a lace. His eyes were green and long-lashed ,wide set under arching brows. His nose was long and aquiline, and his sensual mouth topped a determined chin with a cleft. He knew that Heather would have sneaked a look, too, so they would be able to compare notes later.

  Soon they were mounting the stairs in their Dom’s wake.The last time they’d turned left, but he led them down the corridor to the right, and into one of the rooms.They followed him inside as he held the door for them and then shut it behind them. The room they were in was the seventeenth-century French one, in shades of blue and gold. Delicate furniture and damask curtains all to match the deep-pile carpet in Wedgewood blue. Jess heard Heather sigh in appreciation. Master Rafael had chosen well. He caught a glimpse of a bathroom with pale-blue tiles and fancy fluted washbasins with gold fittings and taps on basins and bath. They stood bare-footed on the luxurious carpet, and Jess wriggled his toes in appreciation.

  “Take off your clothes and place them neatly on those two chairs. When you have done that, come back and undress me.” They complied, and having placed his suit on a coat-hanger in the wardrobe and his shirt on another one, they stood and waited for his next order. Master Rafael went into the bathroom and turned on the taps.

  “Let me see your back, Jess.” Jess turned round, and Master Rafael took a good look. “A good, neat job, Heather. Did you bring fresh dressings?”

  “Yes, Master Rafael. They are in my bag.”

  “Where is your bag, little one?”

  “In the locker room. Oh!”

  “Yes, not much use to us there, is it? Never mind, for tonight there are supplies on the shelves in the medical playroom, so you can change them later. Tomorrow, remember to bring the dressings upstairs with you. Now we are going to bathe.”

  Master Rafael led them into the bathroom and filled the huge tub with hot water. He added some sort of crystals that produced foam and a spicy pine odour. Jess rather liked it although he was not fond of the scent of pine usually. Master Rafael held Heather’s hand and helped her to sit in the bath. Then he turned to Jess.