House of Temptations

by Yvonne Strickland

  There was no ante-room or short passage, but what appeared to be a well-appointed lounge. It was totally unlike the first two rooms. It fascinated Karen, for though she knew about these first floor rooms, no one discussed them. She had heard them referred to as playrooms or guest rooms, on the very rare occasions when they were mentioned at all.

  In the centre, around a low rectangular table were arranged two chairs and a two-seater, familiar enough in their chrome and black leather. The whole area was softly lit by rose pink cornice lights and its air of modern luxury was accentuated by the deep maroon carpet. To the left there were two doors. One was ajar and the room, lit from within, was a bathroom. On the right a large cupboard with mirrored doors was set into the wall. But what attracted Karen's attention was the wide archway at the far end, and the ominous black curtain which hung directly behind it to hide the chamber beyond.

  Danielle touched Karen's arm and indicated towards the bathroom. 'Your things are in there.'

  Without a word, Karen walked across and entered the smaller room. At least here was familiar, for it was again in all essentials, the same as the bathroom in the beauty parlour with its rich blue tiles and luxurious pink rugs. And there, on the seat next to the shower cubicle were set out the things she was to wear.

  She regarded these for a short time, with some misgivings. Not because of what was there but because of what was not. But it had gone this far. There was no point in being concerned now. This was to be the last show.

  She pulled on the black latex stockings first. They were well powdered and slid over her flesh with a sensual coolness. They fitted up to the tops of her thighs and had discreet little straps around the tops to secure them tightly. She recalled seeing Jackie wear such stockings at the party the previous year. She was not surprised to find the shoes fitted perfectly, nor were the exaggerated stiletto heels any longer a novelty, though she would not have cared to walk any great distance in them. They were of black patent leather and fitted with thin but strong ankle straps. The black latex gloves were a little more difficult but she teased, snapped and stroked them up her arms until they fitted almost to her shoulders. The only item left was a black, patent leather choker which fastened with a small stud at the back of her neck. She looked beneath the seat and to either side of it in case what she sought had slipped on to the floor. She had been left nothing with which to cover her most intimate place.

  As she moved with caution towards the door, she hesitated before the long mirror and saw her body with its limbs encased in smooth black latex, reflecting the warm lights with a dull sheen. The rubber was moulded to her arms and legs; warm, intimate and oddly reassuring. On reaching the door, she was tempted to take the barthrobe down from its hook, to cover her nakedness, but realised

  this to be pointless and left it where it hung.

  ♦ * *

  Two figures awaited her when she entered the main room. Both wore long, belted gowns in deep purple with gold trimmings at the collar and cuffs. As they approached, she could see their black, high-heeled knee boots of gleaming patent leather. Karen, faced with these well-attired and intimidating individuals, instinctively tried to cover her sex and breasts. But they at once seized her arms, pulled them behind her back and, before she could begin to struggle, snapped steel bracelets about her wrists. She gasped loudly and looked at them in turn but said nothing. She twisted about to look at her hands. The bracelets glared hard against the soft latex.

  Danielle picked up a garment from the floor and opened it out. She passed it about Karen's body and fastened it with a small button at the neck. Karen found herself enclosed from neck to ankles in the black satin cloak. When she felt a hand on the back of her head, Karen knew what to expect. The black rubber ball was slipped easily into her mouth and secured firmly in position as the strap was tightened.

  This way now,' said Sophie, though they had already begun to guide her towards the black curtain.

  Danielle pulled the curtain aside and Karen, with Sophie close behind, passed through. She had entered not a room, but an enclosed space surrounded by more black curtains. To her left, against the suspended blackness, stood a high-backed, gothic wooden chair, raised from the floor on a wooden plinth. The chair, with its triangular wooden head embellished with crockets, finials and quatrefoil cut-outs, stood empty. Against the wall beyond it, stood an iron cage and on this wall, as far as the curtains to her right, hung numerous restraints and devices which Karen had not the time nor the inclination to study closely. The curtain to her right obviously closed off the other half of the room, for light could be seen spilling over the top. Against this curtain, facing the high chair at a distance of some six metres, there stood a long table or bench of padded black leather. Karen knew such an item of furniture from the beauty parlour, but this one was not horizontal. Instead, it was propped up on tubular steel supports at an angle of forty-five degrees. Both the high chair, the bench and the area of carpet in between were illuminated by lamps, angled down on ceiling tracks. Karen looked from Danielle to Sophie, willing them to answer the questions she could not ask.

  Something moved in the corner of her vision. Karen turned her gaze to the high chair. To the side of it nearest to them, a figure emerged and glided silently from between the curtains. It was a sinister figure, robed and masked in the manner of a medieval inquisitor or the officiator of some nameless, dark ritual. The figure stepped upon the plinth and turned slowly to seat itself in the chair as one enthroned for the passing of dire judgement. It remained still and silent, its masked face pointing directly ahead. Karen was aware of hands upon her, moving her forward towards the dark form, before she could even attempt to resist. She let out a stifled cry through the gag and pushed back with her body. It made no difference. She was moved inexorably onward until she found herself shivering beneath its gaze.

  No sound was made, but the seated figure raised its right hand in the parody of a greeting. At this gesture, the cloak was pulled away from Karen's body to reveal her nakedness and she was pushed forward until she stood before the throne. She knew the figure was feasting its eyes upon her and she desired nothing more than to shout at it, to make it answer her unspoken question: 'Who are you?'

  Karen was pushed downward. She resisted for a time but found her knees giving way until she sank to the floor. Her manacled wrists were grasped from both sides and her arms were pulled over in an arc, forcing her lower until her forehead touched the carpet.

  There was no warning of what was to come. The swish, crack and biting sting of the leather strap against her behind brought a sharp cry of surprise. The next stroke followed immediately, from the other side. Despite her muffled cries of protest and her frantic squirming, the punishment continued, each stroke finding its mark, biting and burning her flesh long after she had lost count of their number and her eyes had filled with tears.

  When, eventually, they stopped she was lifted to her feet and found her eyes being dabbed to dry up the tears, and the area about her gagged mouth being wiped clean of saliva. She stood, breathing hard and bent forward before the masked figure. For a second time, the hand was raised. Karen was turned around and forcibly walked towards the angled bench, as the dull throbbing heat in her behind spread throughout her loins.

  Once before the bench, her wrists were grasped and her arms held tightly. There was a metallic click and she felt her right arm freed of the steel bracelet. But at once she was pulled around and, though struggling to prevent it, found her wrists manacled again, but at the front. She had no time to think, for her arms were held aloft and at the same instant, she was forced against the lower edge of the bench so that she fell back against its inclined surface. Her arms were pulled up hard above her head, as far as they would go. A strap was passed quickly between her wrists and looped around the short chain joining the bracelets. She heard it rasping through the buckle above, felt her rubber-gloved arms being pulled tighter and knew the strap was secured.

  Danielle and Sophie did not look at h
er, and did not speak as they knelt at each side of the bench. Hands took each of Karen's black sheathed legs. Pulling them outward, they then forced them back in underneath until her thighs were held wide apart by the bench's width. The cool embrace of leather took her ankles and secured them firmly to the underside, holding her spread and immobile. Karen watched them raise up slowly. They moved away from the bench and stood to face the seated figure. Karen, splayed out and helpless before it, watched, giving out a quiet moan, as it arose with deliberate but menacing slowness, stepped down from the plinth and moved towards them. It passed between her and a cluster of spotlights and she part-closed her eyes against the glare. She could see the figure as a sinister drifting form, getting ever closer, and moving in ominous silence.

  Danielle, at her right, stepped aside and the figure passed as a shadow between them. Karen could make nothing of its identity but knew it had moved around and now stood above her at the head of the bench. Danielle and Sophie had turned and stood facing each other like sentinels across the prostrate form. Above her head, something swished like a breeze stirring dead leaves. At first, Karen could see nothing, then a glint caught her eye. She stared upward in dread, seeing clearly what the hands grasped and held poised above her chest.

  The long blade came fully into view; its bright steel surface glinted with deadly harshness. It started to move down, slowly and deliberately, until the needle tip hovered between her breasts. Her eyes widened in terror as she watched the leather-gloved hands adjust themselves and tighten about the hilt. An electric tide flooded through her loins. She heaved and tried to cry out but the rubber ball only embedded itself deeper into her mouth, allowing no more than a plaintive, subdued moan to pass forth. The point of the blade touched her flesh, the searing anguish of its caress passing instantly through every fibre of her body. All of her senses were concentrated in that tiny spot. She closed her eyes and felt herself slip into a turmoil of chaos. Lights flashed about and meaningless forms darted by.

  Her eyes were still closed tightly when she became aware of her breath rasping about the gag, and the coolness of her own saliva trickling down her neck. She allowed her eyes to open.

  The purple-gowned figures were gone. Only the dark figure remained, standing at her side and looking down at her. She could see the light reflected in the eyes behind the mask and see, too, that the hands were empty.

  The figure moved to the lower end of the bench and stood for a moment. It appeared smaller, less threatening than before, and moved in a more natural manner. She sensed that they were alone in the room and that the theatre had ended. The harsh glare of the lights was gone and the enclosed area was bathed only in the pink warmth of the cornice lights. The figure leant forward, resting its hands on the sides of the bench above her thighs; it moved closer until Karen could see the eyes staring at her intently. The leather cloak brushed against her body, settling cool and sensual against her sex. i believe you were truly afraid, my dear,' came the voice. fcOr perhaps you are a born actress."

  Karen closed her eyes and gave a long sigh. She was again aware of the burning within, as well as without, her body where the straps had played their game of torment. The warmth of Sonia's breath, and then her lips, touched between her chest where the point of the sword had been set to pierce her. The lips moved about, closing in turn upon the teats of her breasts and aroused them to full firmness. Karen sighed again as the masked face zig-zagged, slowly down her stomach, as softly as a butterfly upon a flower, to the flesh above her vulva.

  After the ordeal of fear, the pendulum was swinging the other way, and swinging quickly, for it had gone altogether too far into the deep shadows and the balance had to be redressed. She relaxed against her unyielding bonds, feeling the warmth flood over her body, only tensing a little and exclaiming a soft, *Aaah!' as the tongue breached her temple of pleasure and found the pearl nestled within.

  For a while the tongue teased and tormented, leading her towards the void of sensuality; it had her spread her wings ready for flight but at the last moment left her to stumble in despair. But Sonia knew how far to taunt her before final release. When the tongue invaded her fully and the mouth enclosed her, Karen's body tensed like a spring and it was not a moan but a long, loud cry which burst forth from her helpless form. Sonia felt her quiver in lustful submission and tasted the nectar of her orgasm.

  1 thought I I thought I was going to die.' kNo harm will come to you in this house.' They lay in the darkness with the moonlight filtering through the blinds.

  i didn't know what was going to happen,' sighed Karen, i didn't want to know." 'Cheryl should have told you, or those two girls, then you wouldn't have been upset.'

  Then I wouldn't have been so convincing. I couldn't have, not if I didn't believe it.'

  'Well,' said Sonia, squeezing her hand, 'it's over and done with now. Forget about it. Go to sleep and think of your trip to Paris next week.'

  'Yes, I'll think of Paris.'

  They turned to each other and kissed, and after kissing, lay back in silence. But Karen did not sleep at first. The events of the day passed through her mind until she relived that final drama of fear and carnality, spread naked and helpless before her tormentor.

  It had seemed so very real.

  Pleasures and Penalties

  'And how is our new star this morning?'

  Cheryl, wearing a mauve and white beach dress, slipped into the chair beneath the sunshade. Karen looked up, adjusting her sunglasses and lowering the magazine, i don't regard myself as a star at all,' she answered, i was the only one able to help out and that's all there is to it.'

  if you say so.' Cheryl smiled. Someone jumped into the swimming pool with a resounding splash. A cascade of water arched up against the blue sky, hung glittering in the air for a moment, then collapsed. Cheryl glanced at the water and at Kim rolling over on to her back with the sun catching her naked breasts, i know where I'm going in a minute and that's for a nice cool swim. How about you?'

  Karen regarded her cool Nordic beauty and clear blue eyes. 'No, not yet. I have work to do.'

  Cheryl pushed back the chair and smiled. 'Perhaps I'll see you later.'

  Karen rolled up the magazine and clutched it nervously. 'Cheryl!'

  Cheryl turned. 'Yes?'

  'How much was recorded yesterday?'

  Cheryl looked into her eyes for a moment. 'All of it, of course.'

  'All of it? How far - I mean, when did it end?'

  'At the sacrificial scene, as soon as the lights went off. Why?'

  'Nothing, I just wondered.'

  'We don't spy on people you know,' said Cheryl. 'When the show's over, it's over.'

  She turned again to leave but hesitated, looking across the pool. 'Oh dear, there's trouble!'

  Karen followed her gaze. Along the driveway walked Rose, her little blue lurex skirt stretched tightly across her behind, her sleeveless white T-shirt moulded over her nipples and breasts. She cut off the driveway and on to the path, crossing some distance beyond the end of the pool until her progress was obscured by the intervening bushes.

  i hope she hasn't borrowed those high heels from the store room,' remarked Cheryl, shading her eyes from the sun.

  'Well, they won't be hers,' replied Karen. 'She didn't have anything when she came here that was worth keeping."

  'We do pay her,' said Cheryl, 'and she has been given a wardrobe.'

  'Oh, 1 know,' continued Karen, 'but I don't suppose she's going to spoil them.'

  'She will if she's going where 1 think she's going.'

  'Oh? W'here?'

  Cheryl looked at Karen with amused concern. 'She's off to the chalet to find Mike. I know he's not in because Sonia asked him to smarten up those seats between here and the main road.'

  'Does it matter if she has something going with Mike?' asked Karen.

  'I'm not sure she has,' replied Cheryl. 'She's an opportunist just like the other one. But it can cause problems if we're not careful and that is something we cannot h
ave. There are ways of dealing with Jackie but our Rose is a little more independent and stronger willed.'

  'Where is Jackie?' asked Karen, wondering at the same instant if the question was not an imprudent one.

  'Domestic duties,' replied Cheryl, nonchalantly, it seems to suit her as much now as it did when Pauline was in charge of things. And it keeps her out of trouble.'

  In her mind's eye, Karen could see Jackie in the black latex maid's uniform, going about her duties, possibly manacled and hobbled, knowing that if her duties were not carried out properly, Cheryl had ways of expressing her disapproval; ways which were more disagreeable to some than they were to others.

  'Anyone care for refreshments?' cut in a voice.

  'Not for me thanks, Angie,' responded Cheryl, 'I have other things to do.'

  'Hi, Angie!' greeted Karen. 'Are you on bar duty?'

  'Yes,' she sighed, 'but there's nobody around; I'm bored.'

  'Come and sit here for a while. They can help themselves if anyone wants a drink. I'm OK for the moment.'

  'You're not working today?' queried Angela, taking Cheryl's place.

  'Sonia said not to bother but I have a few things to sort out. Maybe I'll go in fifteen minutes or so.'

  'Oh, don't, if she's given you the time off. She probably thinks you deserve it after yesterday.'

  'Yes, well ...'

  'Well what?' asked Angela with a grin. 'You've obviously come through it in one piece. Are you glad you agreed to it or just plain disgusted? I'm bursting to know, sweetie!'

  Karen rummaged around in her shoulder bag and pulled out a packet of cigarettes. 'Want one?' she asked.

  'Yes, OK.' Angela drew out the cigarette without taking her eyes off Karen.

  'I think I'm going to need one before I answer your question.' She flicked the cigarette lighter and offered it to Angela. 'Look, Angie,' she said, leaning forward and resting her chin on the palm of her hand, 'I've always felt I could confide in you; you've always been a real friend to me. You know more about me than almost anyone else.'