So what? she told herself. Odds are, once you’re back in the Portland BDSM scene, you’re going to run into the guy. It will be a good thing—a chance to hold him accountable for what he did. And if he’s still doing it to someone else, a chance to expose him to the community once and for all.
Still, the possible sighting of the man who had haunted her nightmares for the past year left her on edge. Adam must have noticed, because as they were packing up his booth, he said, “You seem a little distracted tonight. Is everything okay?”
“Yeah,” she said quickly, determined not to let Brandon spend one more second rent-free in her head. “Everything’s great,” she said, perhaps a little too brightly. “I was hoping we’d get to use that cool bondage wheel they have in the back corner. It looks incredibly hot.”
“Absolutely,” Adam agreed. He ducked his head so his mouth was close to her ear. “I can’t wait to strap you in and set the wheel in motion,” he murmured in a low, sexy voice. “I think I’ll blindfold you first, so you can’t anticipate the kiss of my whip as you slowly turn, bound and at my mercy…”
Lightly palming the back of her head, he kissed her neck. As he slid his lips along her skin, a shiver of pleasure moved through her body, stiffening her nipples and moistening her cunt.
When he let her go, she sighed, heat coursing through her veins. “Oh,” she breathed. “That sounds wonderful, Sir.” Her eyes traveled from his face down his strong body to the erection rising visibly in his leather pants. She looked back at his face, flashing a knowing smile.
He grinned back and shrugged. “What can I say? You have that effect on me.” He picked up his cash box from the table. “I think there’s a signup sheet for the wheel because it’s so popular. How about you go sign us up while I take the cash box back to the office for safe keeping?”
“Okay,” Shani agreed, eager for the scene to begin. “I’ll meet you over there. I just have to use the restroom first.”
When Shani reentered the main area after using the bathroom, she looked around at the scenes already in progress at various stations set up in the large dungeon space. She loved the energy of the place, which reminded her of Desire Island. Here, too, was an enclave of like-minded, dedicated participants in the BDSM community. Though she’d only just discovered it, it already felt like home.
While heading toward the bondage wheel, she stopped suddenly, her blood running cold. Her heart began to pound, her lungs constricting at the sight of that curly blond head.
Stop it, she ordered herself. He has no power over you. Not anymore.
The words from her dream the night before returned to her, Adam’s voice echoing in her head. “All you need to do is remember who you are. It’s always been there in your heart, waiting for you to reclaim it, Princess. Take back your name. Take back your power from the coyote.”
Her racing heart slowed, her lungs expanding as she drew in a deep breath. She was Shani, one of the five noble warrior princesses, and no bully boy would ever take that from her again.
She moved closer, trying to determine if it was really him. What she saw didn’t make any sense. The man in question was kneeling on the ground away from Shani, so she couldn’t see his face. He was at the feet of a tall, striking forty-something brunette dressed in a sleek black latex catsuit, a leash in her hand. The leash was attached to the man’s collar, which was all he wore, save for a bright pink leather bondage harness.
Shocked and confused, Shani moved closer, certain she had to be mistaken. Then she saw it. Brandon had a small tattoo on his left shoulder of a pair of metal handcuffs. This man had the identical tattoo. Shani stared, her mouth dry, her heart beating high in her throat.
As if feeling her eyes on him, the man twisted his head back and looked up at her. His unmistakable round blue eyes were ringed in eyeliner, dark mascara on his thick blond lashes. His mouth was smeared with bright pink lipstick.
Shocked, Shani gasped, taking an involuntary step back. She bumped into someone and jumped, gasping reflexively.
“Hey, Princess,” Adam said from behind her as he wrapped his arms comfortingly around her shoulders. “Sorry I startled you.”
Shani remained frozen, unable to tear her eyes away from the confounding sight in front of her.
“Shani?” Adam queried, his voice now tinged with concern. “What is it? Are you okay?”
“Shani?” Brandon echoed—for it was definitely Brandon, as hard as that was for Shani to fathom. His mouth hung open, his eyes wide with surprise. “Is that really you?”
The woman holding his leash gave it a savage jerk, forcing him to whip his head back in her direction. “Stop gawking at your betters, Sissy Brandi,” she said in a stern voice. “I’ll have to punish you for that.”
“Yes, Mistress,” he said at once, hanging his head.
Adam had moved to stand beside Shani, his arm around her shoulders. “What is it? Who is that guy? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”
“He’s… I… It’s Sir. Brandon. Except it can’t be him… I don’t understand.”
“That’s Brandon Parker? The bastard who terrorized you?” Adam exclaimed, his face creasing with disbelief.
“You’re the one, aren’t you?” the woman said slowly, tilting her head to regard Shani with a critical gaze.
“Sorry?” Shani replied, still trying to make sense of Sir as a sissy boy.
“You’re Shani Youngblood. The one he abused before Rachel. The one who got away.”
“This little prick is Sir?” Adam demanded through clenched teeth. He glanced from Shani back to Brandon. He was fairly vibrating with rage, his hands clenched into fists.
Sir, or rather Brandon—no, Brandi—looked up at Adam with a sad smile of resignation. “I don’t blame you for being angry, Sir,” he said in a small, sad voice. “I deserve whatever you need to do. I won’t stop you.” He lifted his makeup-covered face, as if inviting a blow.
All at once, the rage went out of Adam, his body relaxing, his hands unclenching. “No,” he said, shaking his head. “Shani is right. Hitting you won’t change anything. Violence begets violence.” He took Shani’s hand and she gripped it gratefully, so proud of her man.
Adam looked at Brandi’s Mistress. “This isn’t the guy I was expecting. Apparently, there’s been a… metamorphosis of sorts here. Why don’t we four go find a quiet space to discuss what the hell is going on?” He turned to Shani. “That work for you?”
Chapter 14
Adam led the way to the back room by the office, Shani’s hand in his. She was clearly very shaken up, and obviously as confused as he was. The woman followed them, tugging her crawling sub boy behind her.
They entered the small room where only the night before, Shani and Rylee had lovingly thanked their Doms for the scene. The room contained a loveseat and two chairs grouped around a coffee table. Adam led Shani to the couch and sat down with her. She was trembling, and he put his arm around her shoulders, pulling her close. She reached for his hand, gripping it tightly.
He forced himself to remain calm, for Shani’s sake. As weird as this all was for him, it had to be a hundred times weirder for her. “I guess introductions are in order,” he began, addressing the Domme. “I’m Adam Hawk and you already know this is Shani Youngblood.”
The woman sat in one of the chairs, keeping her sub boy on his knees beside her, his leash coiled loosely in her hand. “I’m Mistress Marlena and this is Sissy Brandi, my slave.” She looked at Shani. “And, yes, he was once Brandon Parker, but he lost the right to use that name. He’s very, very sorry for what he did to you, and to my good friend, Rachel. He is being punished daily for his past sins.” She jerked hard at the guy’s chain. “Isn’t that right, sissy pants?”
“Yes, Mistress,” he replied, his cheeks flushing to a dull red.
“I don’t understand,” Shani said, shaking her head. She looked from Mistress Marlena to the sub boy. “I’ve fantasized over and over about what I would do when I saw you again, but I
never imagined it would be like this.”
“Excuse me, Mistress,” Brandi said, his deep, raspy voice at odds with his feminized appearance. “Permission to speak directly to Miss Shani?”
“Granted,” Mistress Marlena said. “Apologize to this poor girl and then tell her what’s happened to you since she got away from you. Tell her about Rachel and about your epiphany.”
“Yes, Mistress. Thank you, Mistress.”
Brandi swallowed hard and then took a deep breath. “First, Shani—I mean Miss Shani,” he corrected quickly at a glare from his Mistress. “I truly am so, so sorry for what I did to you. Mistress Marlena has helped me to understand that I wasn’t being a Master. I was a savage, brutal bastard. I was so terrified of confronting my true nature as a sissy boy that I went totally the other direction. I took advantage of your submissive nature. I thought being a bully made me a man.” His voice cracked. Tears filled his heavily made-up eyes and one spilled down his cheek, tinged gray with running mascara. I’m so, so sorry,” he added in a whisper.
Shani blew out a tremulous breath. “I forgive you,” she said in a low, clear voice.
Adam would never forgive the pathetic son of a bitch for what he’d done, but he admired Shani’s grace in doing so. He fell even more in love with her at that moment.
“Tell her the rest,” Mistress Marlena prodded, giving Brandi’s chain a jerk.
“After you left,” Brandi continued, his eyes downcast, “I found another girl I was going to take home with me and force to serve me like I did to you. Her name was Rachel and she was as sweet and trusting as you were. But she had this roommate, also in the scene.” He glanced up at Mistress Marlena, shame etching his features, and looked down again at the ground. “I didn’t realize the roommate was home and I guess I got a little rough with Rachel when she wasn’t properly obeying me.”
“Don’t clean it up, sissy brat,” Mistress Marlena snapped, jerking his chain so hard he nearly toppled over. “You literally scared the piss out of her. Made her pee in her pants she was so afraid of you, you cocksucker.”
“Yes, Mistress” Brandi gasped, righting himself, his shoulders hunching. “I was a brute.”
Adam found himself both horrified and fascinated by the dynamic between these two.
“And what did we do about it, hmm, sissy boy?” Mistress Marlena prompted.
“You gave me a choice,” he said, not meeting his Mistress’s eye. “You said you would call the police and Rachel would file assault charges, or I would agree to submit to a punishment of your choosing.”
“And…?”
“And I chose the punishment, Mistress.”
“That’s right.” She looked from her slave to Adam and Shani. “And his punishment was to be our personal property for as long as it suited me. He was kept naked and in chains, and only allowed to sleep in a cage in the laundry room. It was supposed to be a punishment, but it turns out our little sissy loved what was happening to him. When I caught him masturbating, I locked his nasty little wee wee in a cock cage and gave him forty lashes with the whip. It was Rachel’s idea to force him to wear makeup, a French maid outfit and high heels while cleaning the house from top to bottom. But you loved that, too, didn’t you, Brandi girl?”
“Yes, Mistress,” Brandi admitted, his face beet red but his cock fully erect. “Thank you, Mistress.”
Shani pulled away from Adam and rose to her feet. Adam looked up at her. She was no longer trembling. Her face was calm, even stern, her chin lifted, her posture ramrod straight. “I’ve heard enough,” she said in a quiet but firm voice. “Thank you, Mistress Marlena, for taking this boy in hand. It’s clear he has found his place in the world. I’m glad he’s no longer out there pretending to be a Dom and hurting women. But now, if you’ll excuse us…”
Pausing, she looked directly at Brandi. The sternness fell away, replaced by a sad smile. “I thought you had stolen my spirit, but I’ve learned since that it was always with me. I just needed to remember who I am. I hope you’ve found yourself, too, and are as happy as you’re capable of being.”
She turned to Adam and held out her hand. “Coming?”
~*~
Once they left the room, Shani stopped and reached for Adam, standing on tiptoe to press her lips to his. He wrapped his strong arms comfortingly around her. As they kissed, the last lingering traces of anger and residual fear slipped finally and completely away.
When they parted, Adam said, “You were awesome in there, Princess. You okay with all this?”
Shani shrugged. “I’m still not entirely sure how I feel. Shocked, relieved, elated, furious, amused… All of the above?“
“Who can blame you? It’s a lot to take in. We expected to confront a rabid coyote and instead we found a trained kitten.”
“Exactly,” Shani agreed with a laugh. “That’s not something I ever saw coming, that’s for sure.”
“Still want to play?” Adam asked, placing his hand lightly on the back of her neck. His touch made her shiver with pleasure.
“Yes, please,” she said fervently.
Though she hadn’t had a chance to sign up for the wheel, miraculously, when they got to the scene station, it was unoccupied. The time slot for thirty minutes later was filled out, but no one was signed up for the moment. She stripped out of her things as a dungeon spotter approached them. “Need some help getting her strapped in?” he asked Adam.
“That would be great,” Adam agreed.
Together, the men helped Shani position herself against leather-padded vertical bar that served as a backrest, her feet resting comfortably in the anti-gravity inversion boots. She stretched out her arms along the leather webbing of the wheel, allowing the guys to strap her wrists into place. They adjusted the boots so her legs were spread wide, her limbs creating a human X on the wheel.
For the first time since she’d fled Portland over a year ago, Shani’s heart felt as light as a feather. The evil Sir no longer existed. Brandon had found his place in the scene, though it wasn’t one she ever would have imagined. And Shani was back—fully inhabiting her fearless warrior spirit and her sexually submissive nature.
Catching Adam’s eye, she laughed from sheer happiness. He smiled back, nodding slightly, as if he could read her thoughts and intuit her soul.
As he took out various whips and floggers from his gear bag, the spotter adjusted the wheel so it tilted slightly back. Then he gave it a light spin. It was well balanced, and rotated smoothly. Shani rested her spine along the narrow, padded backrest with a deeply contented sigh, her entire body tingling with anticipation.
As promised, Adam placed a wide, satin blindfold over her eyes, which added to her sense of erotic helplessness. He started with the flogger, warming her skin with the soft, thuddy leather as the wheel slowly turned. She loved the disorienting sensation of being bound and spun as Adam walked in a slow circle around the wheel, flogging her entire body. After a while, he switched from the flogger to a crop, slapping it against her breasts and shaven mons. He walked behind the wheel to crop her ass, thighs and shoulders. The sting of leather brought tears to her eyes and stiffened her nipples to hard points.
Her skin burned pleasantly, her cunt aching with need when he finally halted the wheel’s spin. He brought it to a standstill with her in an upright position, arms and legs still spread wide. He removed her blindfold and kissed her gently on the mouth. “Ready for more, sexy girl?”
“Yes, Sir,” she affirmed breathlessly.
This time he selected his sexy mini dragon whip. Facing her, he remained far enough back so he could cup her hot, throbbing sex with one hand while still able to flick the dragon against her breasts.
As he slid a finger inside her wet heat, he snapped the pointed tail of the little whip against her right nipple while staring down into her eyes. She gasped at the delicious juxtaposition of pleasure and pain that skittered along her nerve endings. He rubbed his palm against her clit as he smacked the underside of her breasts with the bitin
g leather.
Adam’s fingers sent shudders of lovely sensation through her core while his whip took her breath away with its fiery kiss. “Yes,” she heard herself breathe. “Yes, yes, yes, yes!”
His eyes, as clear and green as the most perfect crystalline emerald, locked with hers again as he continued to tease her sex while torturing her breasts. “Let go,” he urged in a low, sexy growl. “Give yourself completely to me, Shani. Hold nothing back.”
With a guttural cry, she obeyed. A powerful orgasm ripped through her with such force she left the planet for several long, perfect moments. She sailed high over the world until she reached the five princess warrior stars that winked like diamonds in the perfect night sky.
When she came slowly back to earth, Adam was there, ready to take her into his arms.
Epilogue – One Year Later
Butterflies of excitement fluttered in Shani’s stomach on this, her wedding day. Ben Rainwater, a tall, dignified man in his eighties and head of the tribe, would be officiating. He wore a shiny black suit, a bolo around his neck, a traditional feather headdress framing his lined face. His expression was impassive, though his eyes were twinkling.
As if sensing her nervousness, Adam, standing beside her, reached for Shani’s hand.
She glanced gratefully at her betrothed. He looked so handsome, dressed in deerskin leather pants, Shani’s father’s woven wedding vest over a crisp white shirt. The beautiful silver conch belt her mother had given him as a wedding gift was around his slim waist, moccasins on his feet.
Shani was wearing the dress her married sisters, her mother, her grandmother and even her great grandmother had worn. It was a full-length, high-necked gown made of strips of calico woven in simple, colorful geometric patterns, intricate embroidery and beading lining the hem and bodice. She, too, wore soft moccasins on her feet. Her hair had grown out and she wore it loose, a beautiful crown of wildflowers her youngest sister, Chenoa, had made for her perched atop it.
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