by Red Phoenix
Brie’s cell rang. He didn’t miss the unpleasant look when she saw who was calling.
“It’s not Lilly, is it?” he asked in concern.
“No, but it is Mr. Thompson.” Brie took a deep breath before hitting the answer button.
Brad watched her face carefully, looking for any signs of distress. Instead of looking upset, she looked confused. “What kind of delivery?”
She frowned, forcing Brad to demand, “Is everything okay?”
Brie looked up at him, her eyes filling with tears. Brad instantly thought the worst, but hid it with a forced smile.
She nodded as she continued to listen to the lawyer. “Sure, I’m at the apartment now. Go ahead and send it.” She hung up the phone, a tear falling down her cheek. In a hollow voice she told Brad, “Master Gannon is dead.”
“Gannon?”
“The head of the Sanctuary in Montana.”
“The place the Wolf Pup and Mary went to?”
Brie nodded. “He passed away two nights ago. Apparently, he had an aggressive form of cancer and died before he had a chance to fight it.” She slowly sat down on the couch, a far-off look in her eye.
“Pardon me for asking, but what has that got to do with you?”
Her lip trembled. “I was named in his will for some reason.” She looked away to hide the tears that had started to fall.
Brad didn’t dare go near her. Her distress was calling out to his protective nature, and he was struggling hard to keep it in check.
Instead of physically comforting her and possibly crossing that line of friendship, he went straight into the kitchen to start a pot of French onion soup. There were times humor wasn’t called for, but soup could fill the gap.
“I can’t handle this…” she whimpered, suddenly behind him. He felt her arms wrap around his waist as she laid her cheek against his broad back.
Brad closed his eyes to keep his mind focused. “You have to be brave, no matter what the future brings.”
“I’m tired of being brave.”
He turned around slowly, feeling nothing but sympathy for the girl. “We all get to that point, young Brie. That’s why we have to call on our friends. Who do you want me to call for you?”
“Nobody.” She looked up at him in agony. “Just stop the hurt. Please…”
Her plea hit him directly in the chest and he felt his eyes start to water. Damn… Thinking fast on his feet, he stated soothingly, “That’s why I’m making you soup. But the damn onions are doing a number on my eyes. You’d better stand back, young lady.”
He turned around and began chopping the onions with unrestrained zeal.
Damn it, Thane. You need to get your ass back here—pronto. The girl can’t survive much more of this shit.
Brie drifted through the house like a ghost, with Cayenne trailing after her, while she waited for the mysterious package to arrive.
Brie jumped when she heard the knock on the door. Brad washed off his hands and said, “Let me get that, darlin’.”
He opened the door and looked down at the plastic carrier the man held in his hand, a smile creeping across his lips as he invited the courier in.
“Mrs. Brianna Davis?” the man asked when he saw Brie staring out the window.
“Yes,” Brie answered meekly, not turning to face him.
The courier held up a clipboard. “I just need you to sign that you received the animal.”
Brie whipped around. “Animal?”
A low, tortured howl sounded from within the plastic carrier.
Brie ignored the man, falling to her knees as she unlatched the small door. She peeked inside, her voice breaking when she called out softly, “Shadow.”
There was another tortured cry that caused Cayenne to run to Brad for protection, climbing up his arm to settle on his shoulder.
Brie reached in and slowly pulled out a giant black cat.
The courier stared at her in disbelief. “No one has been able to get near that psycho animal.”
Brie ignored his comment as she wrapped her arms around Shadow and cradled him to her chest. Her soulful cry echoed the tormented howl of the animal as the two mourned together.
The courier looked at Brad for help, holding out his clipboard and pen.
“Just give them a moment,” Brad stated, digging out a twenty from his wallet and handing it to the man.
“Oh Shadow, I’m so sorry,” Brie whispered through her tears, stroking the huge beast. “You must miss your Master so…”
The two were lost in shared grief. The sight just about did Brad in, and he had to look away.
Brie finally stood, wiping away the tears. She took the pen the courier offered with one hand while still holding the huge cat. Scribbling her signature, Brie nodded dully to the man and then started walking toward her bedroom.
Brad understood she needed time to process. At least that huge cat and she could do it together. He patted Cayenne on the head before ushering the courier out the door.
Brad went back to his onions. If he shed an actual tear or two during the process, what did it matter?
Boa Meets the Whip
While they were eating a quick breakfast of leftover steak with eggs, Brad casually mentioned, “I’ve been asked by Mistress Lou to do a scene with Boa.”
Brie stopped mid-bite and stared at him. “Boa and you…”
He nodded.
Brie bit her lip, a dreamy look coming over her face. “That is not something I ever imagined you doing, but it’d be really sexy to watch.”
“It is a special favor for the Mistress because Boa expressed an interest.”
“When is it happening?”
“Sunday night at The Haven. It’s less busy and won’t interfere with our work schedules at the Training Center.”
“Wow…”
“I was wondering, Brie, since this will probably be the one and only time I do it, would you like to film the scene?”
She sighed and took another bite of her eggs. “I don’t know, Master Anderson. I don’t think I should leave Sir’s side just to film a scene.”
“It’s only one night, and you can return to the hospital as soon as we’re done.”
Brie sighed more heavily. “It’s not just Sir I’m worried about. Honestly, I don’t know if I could handle being around a bunch of people right now.”
Brad knew she needed to get out among the living again, but he was also familiar with her stubborn ways. Rather than push the issue, he said simply, “Well, give it some thought. Personally, I’d like it to be recorded for posterity’s sake.” He winked at her as he took a bite and slowly chewed.
Brie picked up the last piece of steak from her plate and fed it to Shadow. Ever since the enormous black cat had made his appearance, Brad had noticed a strange connection between the two. Sometimes Brie would talk to the cat as if he were a person, and darn if that cat wouldn’t nod or narrow his eyes as if he understood exactly what Brie had said.
It was uncanny.
In response to Brie’s generosity toward the beast, and not wanting Cayenne to feel left out, Brad fed the orange tabby a piece of steak as well. He patted the top of her head as she demurely munched the morsel. “Now you stay far away from that Shadow character. Last thing I need is you hanging around the likes of him.”
Shadow stared hard at Brad as if he was either offended or silently agreed with Brad’s assessment—the man couldn’t tell which.
He whispered to his little tabby, “Stay far, far away…”
Sunday morning Brie knocked on Brad’s door.
“Come in,” he called out.
She stepped inside, but when she saw he was in bed she suddenly became shy and gazed down at the floor. “I’ve given it a lot of thought, Master Anderson. I agree it’d be a shame not to record your scene with Boa. I am going to put my camera equipment in my car before I leave and will drive down to The Haven to meet you before it starts.”
He smiled, genuinely pleased to hear it. “I’m glad you’ve reconside
red. It would be a shame to miss such a momentous occasion.”
She took a peek at him and smiled. “Are you a little nervous?”
“I’m not nervous…curious is more the word for it.”
“I’m curious too.” She grinned, her eyes twinkling excitedly. Brie left and shut the door behind her.
Brad smiled to himself.
He knew she couldn’t resist a chance to film.
Brad spent the day at his place, playing with his whip in the basement of his new home. His backyard was much too small and open, but the basement of this old home was huge and had uncharacteristically high ceilings—perfect for his brand of play, and the main reason he’d chosen this particular home above all the others in the area.
Practicing in the basement meant he didn’t have to worry about scaring Miss Em or inviting the interest of nosy neighbors wanting to spy on him. This new arrangement proved particularly useful on this day, allowing him to work out his energy without attracting the interest of others.
He hoped Boa was ready for tonight. Brad wasn’t planning on being gentle with the man. His main interest was to see how far he could push the sub’s limits while keeping him in a state of sexual arousal. Naturally, Brad was going to make Boa take the bite of his whip completely naked so the audience could enjoy the sub’s infamous asset.
He, however, would be barefoot and bare-chested, but donning loose yoga pants and tight briefs. Brad did not want his own asset to become a distraction tonight. He wanted all of the focus to be on his bullwhip and the sub experiencing its unique bite for the first time.
Brad chuckled to himself after a particularly powerful stroke hit the wooden pole. Boa had no idea what he was in for, but Brad was determined that the sub would tremble at his feet when he was done—begging for more.
The Haven was beginning to fill up before Brie even showed up. Brad had no idea so many people in the community had been hungry to observe a scene between the two men.
He was afraid Brie might cut and run when she saw the crowd, so he had Marquis keep an eye out for her. No way was Brad going to allow Brie to continue hiding away. She was still young and full of life, even if her circumstances were intensely difficult.
Marquis brought Brie directly to him. The girl looked like a scared rabbit, glancing around nervously as she stood before him. This was not the confident girl Brad knew, but tonight he would help her reconnect with that girl again.
“Mrs. Davis had second thoughts, but I’ve convinced her this is exactly where she needs to be,” Marquis informed him.
“I couldn’t agree more, Gray.” Brad shook his hand, sincerely grateful Marquis had persuaded Brie to stay—the only one who could.
Brad took the camera equipment from Brie’s hands, ignoring the panicked look on her face. Once he got her settled behind the lens of her camera she would be fine, he was sure of it.
“Normally I’d be doing this scene in the alcove, but due to the high interest in tonight’s event and the fact you’ll be filming, I’ve been given a temporary stage to work on.” He walked her around it, showing Brie where he thought her best shots might be. “I’ve got the areas marked off so you won’t have to worry about being crowded by the spectators.”
“Okay,” she answered meekly, a tone uncharacteristic of her.
“You need to be aware that Boa will be completely naked for this scene.”
All of a sudden Brie seemed to perk up, and she smiled for the first time that night. “Oh my…”
“You’ll have to be creative how you shoot this. I’m assuming that naked buttocks are acceptable, but we both know that he will be protruding a bit up front.”
Brie giggled. “Quite a bit actually… That should make it a challenge.” She stared at the stage with new appreciation for the difficulty of the shoot.
“Let me walk you through the scene so you can get a better idea how to handle this bugger.” Brad gave her a wink. “By the way, that flower looks nice in your hair.”
She touched the white petals lightly. “I wear it whenever I film. It’s a gift from Tono.”
“Tell me more,” Brad encouraged, keeping Brie’s attention focused so she would not dwell on the growing number of people gathering around them. Unbeknownst to Brie, he had invited several people from The Submissive Training Center specifically to be with her tonight—after her filming was complete.
Mistress Lou came up to Brad with Boa by her side.
“Headmaster, I would like to give my sub over to you formally just before you begin the scene.”
“Certainly,” Brad answered.
“Mistress Lou, do you mind if I film the exchange?” Brie piped in, a timid look on her face.
“Not at all, Mrs. Davis.”
The Domme held her hand out to take Brie’s and squeezed it firmly. “I am glad to see you in person. Boa and I have been distraught about Mr. Davis’s condition, but equally concerned about you. Your strength is inspiring, but know we are here for you should you need us.”
Brie blushed. “Thank you, I’ll keep that in mind.”
“I can bring a few meals to the hospital,” Boa offered, giving her a hug after asking permission from his Mistress.
Brad noticed that Brie seemed to gain confidence from their exchange, and he was encouraged. He knew from personal experience that it was easy to forget the power of caring friends in the shadows of despair.
Thane had taught him that.
Brie gave Boa a genuine smile when she said, “That won’t be necessary, Boa. Master Anderson has all my cooking needs covered.”
“Still, if you should require a meal at any point, the offer remains open.”
Brie smiled and leaned towards him, asking quietly, “Boa, how are you feeling about this scene tonight?”
He rubbed his hands together, a large grin on his face. “I can’t wait to start.”
“Good. I must leave you three so I can finish setting up,” Brie informed them, heading back to her camera equipment.
“How is she really, Headmaster?” Mistress Lou asked.
“Better, now that she’s here,” he answered, purposely vague to honor Brie’s desire for privacy concerning the situation. “Thane has made small improvements, which gives us all hope. I’m just trying to keep Brie’s head above water in the interim.”
Mistress Lou put her hand on his arm and said solemnly, “You are a fine man, Headmaster.”
“Just trying to live up to the standards Thane set,” he replied. He glanced at the sea of people, shocked that the place was packed on a Sunday night. For a moment he felt a twinge of nerves, but he shook them off. The one thing he was good at was focusing on the moment at hand. He had the ability to ignore everyone around him, concentrating solely on the sub and the whip in his hand.
Tonight would be no different—other than the large crowd, the camera, and the fact he was scening with a man.
No different at all…
“Are we almost ready to begin?” Mistress Lou asked.
Brad looked at the time and nodded. In a loud voice, he announced to the people gathered, “We have a unique circumstance because this is being filmed, so I will need everyone’s cooperation. The doors will be locked and remain locked until the scene is over. No one will be allowed to enter or exit until I am finished.”
There was excited chatter amongst the attendees.
He spoke up again, “Since we are filming, you are not allowed to cross the yellow line taped to the floor. Also, I ask that you take on the role of silent observers. You will be given permission to speak after the scene is complete and I have given the signal.”
“Yes, Master!” a bunch of subbies cried together.
“Way to go, Master Anderson!” a deep voice called out from the back.
Brad could feel the rising excitement in the building—it was even giving him a bit of a rush.
Taking a deep breath, he turned to Brie. “Ready, Mrs. Davis?”
She raised her thumb up in answer.
Brad faced Mistress Lou, and she began, “Headmaster Anderson, I am presenting to you my sub, Boa. He is yours for the duration of the scene. You are free to use him as you see fit under the parameters we have set prior to tonight.”
Mistress Lou then turned to Boa, placing her hand over his heart. “Boa, serve the Headmaster well. Make your Mistress proud tonight.”
“Yes, Mistress,” Boa said humbly, bowing to her and then to Brad.
When Mistress Lou stepped back, Brad commanded in an authoritative voice, “Boa, look me in the eye.”
The sub obediently gazed into Brad’s eyes.
“You will strip here, then walk up onto the stage and stand on the x in the center.”
“Yes, Headmaster Anderson.”
Brad grasped the man’s strong jaw and shook his head slowly. “Tonight, you call me Master.”
There were a few audible gasps from the audience.
Brad stared at the crowd sternly with a raised eyebrow. When they quieted, he looked back at Boa and commanded, “Strip.”
The sub immediately answered, “Yes, Master.”
The sound of that title coming from a decidedly baritone voice was different for Brad. He watched with interest as the sub rid himself of his clothes, exposing a muscular body and a shaft that rivaled his own.
“Ready yourself,” Brad ordered.
Boa made his way onto the stage, all eyes glued on his incredibly toned body with muscles that rippled as he ascended the steps.
Brad removed his own shirt and handed it to an eager sub in the crowd. “Guard it with your life,” he ordered with a wink.
She only nodded, obeying his request to keep silent.
Brad grabbed his whip and began climbing the stairs, giving Brie and her camera lens a sultry smirk on his way up.
The lights were dimmed so that now only he and Boa were the center of focus. The huge place was unnaturally quiet, his steps echoing loudly on the wooden floor of the stage.
He smiled to himself, imagining how good his whip would sound tonight.
Brad walked up to Boa, his eyes locked on the sub as he placed his hand on the man’s naked shoulder. “I will ask a lot of you tonight but, as always, you can call your safeword.”