Becoming His, Learning to Breathe: Part Two - The Collective - Season 1, Episode 8

by Ellie Masters

  “When do you need to get back to work?” he asked.

  She glanced up at him. “I’m not sure. It depends on how long it takes the detectives to clear my office as a crime scene.”

  “Will you need to go back to work before then?”

  “We share facilities with other jurisdictions. I was actually thinking of asking for a few days off. I’m not on call until Wednesday, and we’re pretty good about covering each other’s shifts.”

  “I think that’s a great idea. I’ve already booked a cabin.”

  “You don’t need to get back to the city?”

  “My work isn’t dependent on location, and I assumed you’d want to stay close to George for the time being.”

  “I do. I really do. But I’m more concerned about staying away from work. Whoever that freak was who killed Bruce, he’s got me scared. I really don’t want to go back at all.”

  “Let’s cross that bridge when we come to it.”

  Respite

  Sally and Derek spent the next few days in South Lake Tahoe. He rented a spacious cabin which they turned into a boot camp of sorts. She loved having his undivided attention but wasn’t sure her backside could handle much more of his pain and pleasure, or the few times she’d met his discipline.

  Their days began with languid hours in bed, taking pleasure in their new roles, and in each other. As lunch rolled around, he would take her to a favorite restaurant of his, and then they would visit George in the hospital.

  George was making surprising progress and had been moved out of intensive care into the step-down unit. Once he was removed from the ventilator, she introduced him to Derek, where she found herself promptly excused while the men had a talk.

  It was several days later, and the men were still talking, joking even. All hell hadn’t broken loose, which she assumed meant the men had come to some sort of agreement. George had always been a bit overprotective. He agreed he wouldn’t kick Derek in the ass, but left that threat firmly on the table if Derek ever hurt her, then snickered and gave her a wink. He asked about Tank and had been both surprised and incredibly proud of his pup for escaping the avalanche and then coming back to dig him out. She told him Tank was healing well, and having fun with Dr. Andreti who had taken him home until George was released.

  By mid-week, George forced them out. Dr. Levine stated it would still be a couple weeks before he felt comfortable transferring George to a hospital in the Bay area, and George said he was a ‘big boy’ who could take care of himself. He also mentioned his partner, Charles, was flying back into town. She kissed him gently on his cheek and told him to behave.

  A few hour’s drive brought Derek and her back to her office. The crime scene had been cleared, and Mac insisted the interior be cleaned. Nevertheless, her stomach felt unsettled heading in. For the next few weeks, she would be working without the benefit of an assistant. The thought of having to interview people for Bruce’s job tied her stomach in knots, but it would need to happen. Life continued.

  “Hey,” Derek said, tugging on her sleeve. “I asked you a question.”

  “I’m sorry, Sir,” she replied, adding the honorific without thought.

  Their days in Tahoe had done much to cement her role as his submissive. They’d made great progress, exploring dreams and philosophies about the lifestyle. He still hadn’t restrained her, stating they would cross that bridge after they’d had more time to develop trust.

  “I’m nervous,” she admitted.

  “Understandably,” he said, “but you need to conquer this fear. If you don’t, it’ll consume you.”

  “I know, and thank you for coming with me. I feel horrible keeping you from…well, whatever it is you do.”

  He kissed her cheek. “You’re my life. Don’t worry about me. If I needed to be somewhere else, I would be there. For now and always, you’re my priority.”

  They’d spent their evenings curled in front of the fire discussing not only what it meant for her to submit, but how he saw his role as her protector, mentor, and dominant. Thinking about those long talks had her nerves lighting up. He’d fucked her in the limo on the long drive down from the mountains, but she needed more of his touch. In fact, she didn’t think she’d ever get enough of him.

  “Besides,” he continued. “I believe Mac wanted you to take another look at that Jane Doe.”

  “I know,” she said. “And I’m rolling my eyes at Mac and not you, so don’t think about putting me over your knee again.”

  Derek had issues when she rolled her eyes, saying it was disrespectful. She was trying to conform to his rules, but still found some of his commands a bit over the top. He said it wasn’t about what she thought. If he ordered her to do something, she was bound to obey. She tried and wound up over his knees more often than not when she failed.

  Her partner had been taking care of the calls in her absence, working at one of their sister facilities. She would need to pay back that favor down the road. Which meant she had no new cases waiting, and had all day to pour over the desiccated remains of Jane Doe.

  After that, she and Derek had plans to reattempt their aborted plans in wine country. Derek couldn’t stop talking about The Cellar or his plans once he got her inside.

  She unlocked the outer door. Derek had Dan sweep the building. It was a small place, an outer lobby, locker rooms, the examination room with its tables, and a back breakroom. She didn’t even technically have an office.

  When Dan pronounced the building clear, Derek led her inside. The exam room looked so clean it sparkled, it also reeked of industrial bleach. She didn’t relish those whose job it had been to clean.

  “It’s this one,” she said, pulling open one of the cold storage bins. Jane Doe lay inside.

  “Do you need help?”

  “Yes, thank you, Sir.” She pulled out the tray, unlocked the wheels on one of the exam tables, then rolled it beside the tray with the body. “If you could help me transfer? Just grip the bag and lift.”

  With Derek’s strength, she hardly had to lift. He even helped her wheel the table back into place.

  The next few hours she went back over the body. For some odd reason, Mac wanted her to see if there was any evidence of food products inside the woman. She doubted it and didn’t understand his thought process. This body was much older than the others. The skull had been crushed after the woman had fallen. There was no other evidence of any other injuries. She even pried open the mouth, cracking the leathery skin, but nothing had been shoved down the woman’s throat. Being thorough, she cut open the abdomen and found the husk of what had once been the stomach. Her exam revealed no new information.

  She called it into Mac. “Hey there,” she said when he answered.

  “What’s up?”

  “I took another look at my Jane Doe. There’s nothing to add. Just seems like a tragic fall.”

  “Could be,” he said, not sounding convinced. “Look, this is good timing. We have another body.”

  “Of course you do.”

  There was always another body.

  Mac accompanied the body and hovered while she did the initial intake and photos, jobs Bruce would have usually assisted with. Bruce’s absence was keenly felt, and she regretted all the negative things she’d ever thought about him. But death was permanent, and there was no way to tell him she was sorry.

  Her friend, Mac, hovered over her, his interest particularly odd in regards to this body. According to him, the girl’s name was Valerie. At least they had a positive ID on this one, but like so many, no next of kin. Finally, she kicked both Derek and Mac out, because their incessant questions interfered with her stringent exam protocols.

  Whoever had killed this girl had no hesitation in the killing. A sharp knife had cut deep across her throat. The edges, like Bruce’s wound, were precise. However, whoever killed Valerie sliced right through skin, muscles, and her airway in one stroke.

  Sally changed her gloves and picked up the camera, wanting to get some close-ups o
f the wound. With that task complete, she cut into the body, ready to remove the organs. When she opened the stomach, her scream brought the men running.

  “What’s wrong?” Derek was first to her side.

  When he went to hug her, she backed away. “Trust me; you don’t want to touch this.” She pointed to the front of the apron covering her scrubs. As fastidious as she could be, there were still bits and pieces of blood and body fluids on the plastic gown.

  Mac skidded behind Derek. “What’s wrong?”

  She pointed at the stomach contents, to the broken egg shells and runny contents. Then she picked up a whole egg. “This was done post-mortem. Mac, you need to call this in.”

  Mac tugged his phone out of his pocket.

  She turned to Derek. “You can’t breathe a word of this to anyone.”

  Completing her exam took another hour. Mac called whoever it was a detective called about a potential serial killer.

  He came to her once he was done. “Hey, Sally?”

  “Yes?”

  “I kind of have an odd favor.”

  She cocked her head. “Sure. Whatever you need.”

  “Well, it has to do with the disposition of the remains.”

  “You said she had no family. She’ll be cremated and placed in a common grave. That’s our standing protocol.”

  He rubbed the back of his neck. “Well, about that…” He rattled off a request. “It’s complicated, and definitely not procedure, but rather than some common grave, my friend has an idea. This woman left behind a daughter, and my friend wanted to do something special and give the little girl a place to visit her mom.”

  “Oh, that’s incredible. What a moving gesture. Don’t worry. That is something I can most definitely help with.”

  “You’re the best,” Mac said. “I’ve gotta run. I’ll be in touch.”

  “See ya,” she said as he left her to finish up and forward her report.

  After another horrific food item discovery, she decided on taking a much longer break from work. Derek wanted to take her back to Damien’s place, and she was ready for an insanely long vacation. Whatever it took to get away from serial killers on the loose.

  No one had any idea what ‘We all fall down’ meant, except it was related to other freaky business happening around town. Mac confided that the girls from Shadow and Flame had a run in with someone whistling Ring around the Rosy who had left a similar calling card.

  People were on the case, Mac said. Well, that was great. Until they sorted whatever it was out, she didn’t want to be anywhere near her work, especially knowing a killer had been there. Had that message been a revenge note against Bruce? Or had it been meant for her?

  She wasn’t willing to take chances and hopped on Derek’s suggestion. He’d been listening to Mac’s odd request and had his head tilted to the side, assessing her.

  “Is that going to get you in trouble?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Mac’s request. Will that put you at risk for violating procedures?”

  “Oh, no. Not at all. He said the woman had no family, but then said she had a daughter. Thank you for looking out for me, but this happens often enough.” She gave a soft laugh. “There’s even specific protocols for it.”

  “Good,” he said, slanting his chin. “I don’t care how good of a friend Mac is; he’s not going to have you risking your professional integrity.”

  Lowering to her knees, she reached for his hands, kissing the backs of his knuckles. “I love how you look out for me.”

  He stroked her hair. “Every piece of you is my responsibility.” Leaning down, he kissed her forehead, then gave her a wink. “Are you almost finished here?”

  “I’m done, and ready to get out of here,” she admitted.

  “Ah, perfect,” he said. “If it weren’t for all the dead people, I’d put that perfect mouth to use, but why don’t we head to Napa?”

  “It’s a long drive,” she said, arching a brow.

  “And I intend on making good use of that time.” He grasped under her arms and stood, pulling her to her feet with him. Then he helped her gather her things.

  A few minutes later and they were back in the town car. Dan drove them to Damien’s winery while Derek made use of her mouth during the two-hour ride. When they finally climbed out of the car, a dark sky looked down on them. Faint stars could be seen scattered across the sky, but with San Francisco and Oakland so close, light pollution hid most of the stars.

  “You okay?” Derek asked.

  “Some days, my job kind of drags me down, but it’s different with you by my side.”

  “How so?”

  “I don’t know,” she said, clasping his arm and leaning against him. “I feel like I don’t have to face it alone.”

  “How do you feel about tonight?” he asked. “Do you want to hang out in the gardens or head down to The Cellar?”

  “Hmm,” she said. “Now that sounds delicious. I suppose my answer should be whatever Sir desires.”

  “Yes, this is true, but I need to know your state of mind. When I ask you direct questions, there’s a reason behind it. Are you ready to engage in play?”

  “I think so.” Then she corrected herself when he arched a brow. “Yes, Sir.”

  “Well, let’s head down and see if anyone is there.”

  “That sounds perfect,” she said.

  He led her inside and to the door leading beneath the stairs. This time, she walked down on her own and held his hand with rising excitement and anticipation.

  The Cellar

  The walk down those stairs, stepping from one pool of light into another, while the lights dimmed out behind her, gave Sally a surreal sense of leaving the real world behind. In The Cellar, there was no doubt about what she was, or who Derek was to her. Down there, she was Derek’s submissive, subject to his rule, and there by her choice, not his.

  As they descended, the weight of her job slowly lifted from her shoulders, as if she were leaving that piece of herself behind. She sank into the feeling, embracing her role, and needing very much to not be Doctor Levenson, County Coroner and Medical Examiner, but rather Derek LeMark’s submissive.

  It had been a long, trying couple of weeks. A string of bodies combined with the stress of George’s injuries had her tied up in knots. She needed an escape from life.

  Derek’s dominating presence, to possess and fill her with himself, was the anesthetic she needed. He was her guide. Yin and Yang. Top and bottom. Teacher and pupil. Master and maybe one day slave. They were not equals, but they were equally invested in what they wanted to become.

  No one had ever spanked her, not even her father. When Derek did, it hurt like hell, but there was so much more to it than pain. Just thinking about the few times he’d punished her had her clit throbbing. If the wetness between her legs wasn’t proof enough, she was turned on as hell and had two rock hard nipples to prove it. She didn’t know if it was the spanking, the pain, the complete surrender, or what, but she needed more of that. She wanted more.

  The bar was empty, but several glasses rested on the counter. Moans lifted through the air, accompanied by sharp thwacking sounds and cries of pain. Derek led her past the other couples in play. Karl and Justine were in a space far to the left. He had her tied to some wooden contraption and stood behind her with a flogger. Warren had Ellen bound to a spanking bench. It was too dark to really see, and they were too far away, but he was clearly fucking her from behind.

  Derek led her past them, heading to the room where they’d aborted their first scene, but he stopped at one of the open play places just before that door, and pulled the thick curtains, closing them in.

  “Strip,” he ordered.

  His command fluttered through her belly. “Yes, Sir.”

  As soon as she kicked her pants off her feet, he reached out to explore between her legs. “You’re very wet. Tell me how you feel.”

  “Excited. Nervous. A little scared. Part of me wants to run, the
other is desperate to stay.”

  Derek swirled his finger over her clit. “This is the essence of your submission. You’re experiencing what it means to give someone power over yourself.” He plunged two fingers into her pussy, forcing a gasp out of her mouth. “Do you feel it?”

  His fingers teased her. “I asked a question. My questions are commands, and you will answer.” He withdrew his hand, and she groaned.

  “I do.”

  “Describe it to me, just start talking, even if it doesn’t make sense to you.” He cupped his palm over her pussy but didn’t give her the stimulation she needed.

  Sally sighed with frustration, then stated the first thing that came to mind. “I want to understand why I like this. The more you show me, the more I want this. It’s intoxicating. I’ve never felt like this…ever. Not with my husband. I loved him, but this? This surrendering? I’m speechless.” As she spoke, Derek played with her pussy, stoking her desire, but keeping her far from an orgasm.

  “You’re a natural submissive. This is something you need in your life.” His thumb swirled over her clit. “It’s something I want to give you.”

  “I never knew this could exist. I’ve known love and infatuation. This is neither. You’re stirring up feelings and emotions I’ve never felt.” She gulped, afraid of her admission but knowing she would say it. Had to say it. “I don’t want to just be your submissive anymore.”

  “What do you want?” he said softly, expectantly.

  “I want you,” she whispered. “Oh God, Derek,” she begged. “You’re teasing me with your fingers.”

  “I’m torturing you with my fingers.”

  “I want to be yours. To belong to you. I want to be ripped from my world and placed at your feet. I want to serve you. Give you pleasure. I want to feel like this, small and vulnerable, all the time,” she begged.

  “And the spanking?” he prodded. “Tell me how that makes you feel when I discipline you.” His slow assault on her clit resumed.

  “Angry at first,” she blurted out. “Very angry that first time. I struggled and fought, and you didn’t stop. In fact, you made it hurt more. Fighting only made it worse. Then something snapped inside. Like a rubber band popped, freeing something deep within me. I felt at peace. It was like I felt myself sinking beneath you. I was settling into a new place. I have a deep respect and admiration for that.”