by P. Stormcrow
It was not much different from The Playgrounds’ dungeon. At least, that’s what Luna kept trying to tell herself. But standing in the empty dungeon, aware of it being on personal property and alone with Jacob, a Dom she found immensely attractive, made it feel much more private, intimate. Luna flushed and tugged at her dress, finding it warmer and warmer. Everything was surreal, almost like she was having an out-of-body experience.
“Luna?” Jacob’s voice was a little distant and she struggled to focus. Why did the man look worried? “Luna!” His voice was louder, more demanding of her attention. She blinked at him, trying to clear the fog in her head. He waved his hand in front of her and her gaze followed it.
“Shit,” Jacob said.
She couldn’t help but wonder… Why is Jacob swearing?
Chapter Five
“Shit.”
Jacob looked around but it was just the two of them. He had only ever heard of someone entering into subspace by only psychological triggers but he had never seen it himself, nor would he have expected for anyone to dive so deep, so quickly.
“Luna,” he tried again but when his little mouse only stared at him with a blank unfocused look, he sighed. There was no helping it. With a gentle hand, he guided her to sit on the steps then crouched before her. “Luna, can you hear me?”
“Mm-hm-m.”
“Good girl. Now I want you to concentrate on your breathing. In. Out. That’s it.” He kept his voice soft, as lulling as he could make it. “Now keep going, breathe deep. Good. Now focus on your fingers and your hands. Wiggle them.” He kept careful watch as she obeyed with sluggishness. “Focus on how they feel. Focus on what they’re touching. That’s it.”
Bit by bit, Luna began to show signs of returning to herself. When she reached up to rub her eyes, her gaze refocusing, Jacob allowed himself to slump to the ground next to her at last, one leg tucked under the other, bent at the knee to brace his arm against it
“Um…Jacob?”
“Yeah, sweetheart?” The endearment came easy, way too easy. It had just kind of slipped out by accident, but it was too late to take it back.
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw her face redden and he scolded himself. He didn’t want her to feel awkward, but another part of him couldn’t help but wonder whether the rest of her body turned red the same way.
“Ah… Um… What happened? I mean, I know you were talking me through breathing, but everything felt far away, floaty…”
His curiosity piqued now, Jacob shifted so he could study her more closely. “Has this happened to you before?”
“Sometimes, but never this intensely.”
“Tell me what was going through your mind when things began to feel unfocused.”
There was a pause and he read hesitation in every line of her body. But it was important. If she entered into subspace so easily, he needed to understand the triggers, so he could train her to protect herself. If the same thing ever happened in front of another Dom, there were no guarantees that they might not take advantage of her in that state, talk her into doing something she didn’t want. Damn it, she was even more vulnerable than he’d thought at first.
“I…” She faltered then straightened to start again. “I was thinking about this place, how it was like the dungeon at The Playgrounds but that it felt more personal. Then I was thinking about”—she swallowed, as if to steel herself—“about you. And that it was just the two of us here. Then it just felt kind of hot and overwhelming.” Her last words came tumbling out so fast that they almost slurred together.
She was hot, thinking about the two of them alone. She’d gone into subspace just thinking about it.
His cock hardened. Shit.
It didn’t help that the confession was a sign of submission that appealed to every dominant instinct in him, admitting her attraction to him at his command, despite her reluctance. God, she is a treasure.
He breathed and shifted to hide his arousal. The last thing he wanted was to scare off his little mouse or to pressure her in any way. He was still of the firm opinion that she should be observing tonight, and he stuck to that belief, regardless of his own urges. Somehow he felt responsible for her, not because Lani had put her in his hands or because Erica had asked him to keep watch. No, it was because his mere presence had a hand in bringing her to subspace and he was the one who had managed to ground her.
“Okay. All right.” He gave her a gentle pat on the knee. It was nothing sexual, just something meant to be reassuring. “What happened was that you slipped into subspace. It’s a feeling of detachment, kind of like a high that can be caused by both physiological and psychological triggers. It usually happens because of endorphins, but it seems like you go into it more easily than most. It can get dangerous. You’re highly susceptible to suggestions in that state. So, the next time you feel it starting to happen, I want you to remember the exercise I just led you through. Focus on your breathing and slowly increase awareness of your own body. It’ll ground you and help you come back. Okay?”
His little mouse looked startled at first, then pensive, considering his words. “Can you recommend any site or book on the topic? I’d like to read up more on it.”
Ah-ha! As he suspected, there was a large brain behind that submissive nature. It was damn sexy. “Yeah, sure.” He pulled out his phone and handed it to her. “Give me your email and I’ll send you some links.”
Once they’d exchanged contact information, he got up and offered his hand. “Come on. The party’ll probably move down here soon. Do you want to stay upstairs for the rest of the night?”
“No, I’ll come down later.” She slipped her hand into his, hers cool to touch compared to his heat. “Even if I end up in subspace again, it’ll be a chance to practice. Better here than The Playgrounds, right?” She didn’t wait for him to answer her rhetorical question. “Besides, I have you here to keep me safe.”
The trust she’d placed in him was incredible. In part, it was because he was the main dungeon monitor tonight, but somehow, her comment had felt more private, like it was something only they shared. He liked that.
With a small tug, he helped her to her feet and wondered if it was obvious that he couldn’t quite stop grinning.
They had just gotten to the top of the stairs when a squeal made them both jump. But it was Luna who nearly got tackled. Jacob took a step back.
“Oh my God, I can’t believe you’re here!” Cassie beamed as she pulled back to regard Luna, who was once more blushing in embarrassment.
“Yeah, Mistress Lani invited me.” She was back to being that little shy mouse again and somehow, Jacob didn’t mind. He shifted, positioning himself to stand behind her, even before he realized what he was doing. Cassie was a switch, and bi, and Jacob had to wonder if Luna was bi as well. Again the Neanderthal urge to stake his claim rose once more and he had to shake his head at himself.
“What?” Cassie must have caught that small movement then gasped. “Luna, have you already been spoken for? Has Jacob claimed you for the night?”
“What?”
Interesting. Luna was turning beet red, even as she looked at Cassie with her jaw dropping.
“What? No, I mean…”
A part of him also wanted to say yes, just to see what Luna’s reaction would be like. Instead, he chose the gentlemanly route. “Cassie, I’m full-time monitoring tonight,” he chided instead, saving the little mouse from her stammering.
“Oh goodie. Maybe we can play later, Luna.” Cassie winked.
If Luna had been flustered before, the ways her eyes widened and her mouth gaped with no words coming out, took her display of embarrassment to a whole new level. Jacob found himself torn between amusement at her reaction and wanting to whisk her away from any other offers she may get that night.
“Cassie, leave the poor girl alone.” August approached from behind, as prim and proper as ever.
In return, Cassie pouted. “Well, fine then.” She blew a kiss to Luna then bobbed her h
ead toward Jacob. “I’m going to go find Darryl. See you guys later.”
August sighed, watching the girl flounce away before rubbing his temple with his index and third fingers, as if trying to stave off a headache. “I’m terribly sorry, Master Jacob, Luna.”
Chuckling once more, Jacob shook his head. “No apologies necessary, August. Just because you and Cassie play on a regular basis, it doesn’t mean you’re responsible for her.”
The other man only sighed and eyed him with doubt evident on his face before giving a slight shrug. “Would anyone know by chance where Mistress Lani is?”
“She was in the kitchen—but that was a while ago.”
“Ah, thank you, Master Jacob. If you’ll excuse me.” August inclined his head then directed his next words to Luna. “If you have any questions later, come find me. I’d be happy to chat, from one submissive to another.” Then he, too, walked away, leaving the two of them alone once more, despite the number of people milling around and trickling downstairs.
She half-turned toward him, though her gaze remained forward, and Luna mumbled something beneath her breath. He bent forward, his head placed closer toward her. “Hm-m? What’s that?”
“Do I have ‘sub’ written on my forehead?” Luna sounded grumpy.
Jacob chuckled and straightened. “No, but I have to admit that everything about you does scream submissive.”
She spun around, a slight frown on her lips. No, more a pout. Normally, pouts annoyed him, but on her, it was sinful.
“Well, for one, you chose to address any Dominant you meet as ‘Master’ or ‘Mistress’ or ‘Sir’ or ‘Ma’am’. And most people here are experienced in the lifestyle, meaning they can read body language well enough to distinguish between the two.”
“Oh.”
It was adorable that she didn’t realize she was being that obvious—which meant none of her actions were an act to try to entice or entrap. The innocence was refreshing.
“It looks like submissiveness comes to you naturally,” he told her.
“That’s what Mistress Lani said to Mistress Erica. I don’t get it. I’m not like this normally. I mean, I don’t just cave to people in my regular life. Hell, the other day at work, I volunteered to take the lead on an internal project.”
He watched as she struggled to reconcile the conflict she perceived in her head. Placing a hand on her shoulder, he turned her around until she faced him in full. “Hey, take it easy. Those are deep questions and you have lots of time to sort through them. I’ll help you. Okay?”
The offer slipped out before he had time to consider it. He was saying a lot of things before he gave them much thought. What was it about her that loosened his control? But, if he asked himself honestly, he realized that he didn’t mind helping her work through her doubts. She was a delight to talk to.
“Okay.”
“Good girl.” Jacob winced. The first time he had used the term, he had been acting as her Dom to bring her back from subspace, but this time there was no excuse. “Sorry.”
“For what?” Curiosity made her tilt her head.
“The phrasing. It’s what I usually use with my sub or the partner I’m scening with.”
“I don’t mind.” Her eyes didn’t meet his but she gave him a small smile nonetheless, blushing. “I…like it.”
God, does she have any idea of the effect she is having on me?
“Jacob…” Darryl poked his head up from the stairs. It looked like he had already been downstairs. “I think the first scene is starting.”
He sighed, reaching to push his hair back, noting in the back of his mind that he was due for a haircut. For the first time, he was regretting not taking up Erica’s offer to have someone relieve him for a shift or two. Not so that he could scene but just so they could talk more. She intrigued him, even more so than before, when she was just a gorgeous face.
“Duty calls. I’ll see you later?” He hoped that was a yes.
“For sure”—the smallest of pauses—“Jacob.”
He liked the sound of his name on her lips.
With greater reluctance than he’d expected, he made his way downstairs, already planning in his head all the ways that he could entice his little mouse to spend more time with him. Then he stopped himself short. He knew that once he was interested in a sub, he would become hyper-focused on her, like he was tonight, but the speed with which this was happening felt almost out of control. No, if he wanted to figure out the potential of whatever was growing between them, he needed to find some semblance of balance. Maybe he would have to speak with Lani after all.
Great, just great.
Chapter Six
At first, Luna hung back upstairs, sipping a glass of punch, but soon, curiosity got the better of her. As she took one step at a time, she could hear low murmurs mingled with occasional moans and squeals.
Midway down the flight of stairs, she paused and took a few steadying breaths, reminding herself of Jacob’s instructions should the whole thing overwhelm her too much. One hand on the wall, she closed her eyes then opened them once more, and with determined steps, she made the rest of her way down before her imagination ran too far away and she lost her nerve.
In a lot of ways, Luna was glad she had prepared herself earlier by visiting The Playgrounds before the party. The scene that unfolded before she reached the last steps was not that different. Many of the stations were in use, but to Luna, it was more like a blur as she struggled to focus on any specific scene. Rather than smelling like sex, however, the room had the same vanilla scent as before, thanks to many of the flickering candles that dotted the place.
Most in the room were engaged in conversation or play. Luna kept her hand against the wall to steady herself and scanned across the room until she glimpsed Jacob. And just like that, the butterflies in her stomach settled and the world snapped back into focus.
Swallowing each breath of air then exhaling, she walked up to stand beside Jacob, shifting her weight from one foot to another. Now that she was there, she wasn’t sure what to say or if she should say anything at all. The man next to her threw her off in so many ways.
Luckily, it took only a few seconds before he tilted his head toward her and flashed a quick smile, though he kept his gaze forward. That was understandable, since he had a job to do.
“How’re you doing?” he asked her softly.
“I’m okay.” The answer was automatic, but she soon realized it wasn’t the most truthful, and she sensed Jacob as someone that valued honesty. “It’s a little overwhelming, but I think I just need time to adjust.”
A loud cry distracted both of them and Luna shivered when she realized it was from a woman in the throes of a climax. Then she did a double-take. It wasn’t just any woman. Cassie was bent backward in half as her body twisted in a heightened mix of pain and pleasure, judging by the bright red marks blossoming all over her body. Heat rushed to Luna’s cheeks.
A chuckle drew her attention and her blush only deepened as she wondered if Jacob was laughing at her. She wasn’t a prude. Really.
“Glad to be of entertainment,” she muttered beneath her breath as she fixed her gaze at the floor before she blinked as a hand touched her shoulder.
When she didn’t look up, Jacob gave her shoulder a gentle squeeze. “I’m not laughing at you, sweetheart. I’m just remembering when I was in your shoes. You get used to it.”
His words held enough compassion that she dared a peek up at him. The amusement was still there, but behind it was a warmth that made her let her guard down, just a little.
“If you want, I wouldn’t mind if you stayed here for a bit and kept me company,” he said.
Okay, a lot. “I’d like that.”
She watched on, shifting closer. It wasn’t until her arm brushed his that she realized what she was doing. If he’d noticed, he gave no sign of it.
But questions had formed in her head. As she stood next to Jacob, she judged herself grounded enough to study each act, noti
ng her own physiological reactions in an almost-clinical manner. She flinched at the sound of a paddle nearby and tensed when she heard the yelp that followed. When an actual whip cracked in the air, she jumped and paled, grabbing Jacob’s arm on instinct.
“Are you okay?” The earlier humor that had been there was gone, replaced with concern as he knitted his brows together.
She swallowed hard and nodded. Suddenly realizing her hand was on him, she started to move away. “Oh God, I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean…”
He shook his head and took her hand in his, tucking it instead in the crook of his arm. “It’s okay. I don’t mind.”
For the next half-hour, they kept their eyes on the room—Luna, to desensitize herself, forcing herself to study each scene. Steadied by Jacob’s reassuring presence and support, it didn’t feel so bad, more like to each their own. But it was the control play that evoked a different reaction. Watching a Mistress edge her submissive repeatedly until he was begging to come quickened her heart and made her stomach clench with arousal so much that she worried Jacob could smell her.
But there was also something strange happening in every scene, and over time, she worked up her courage to ask. “Jacob, how come no one is having sex?” Damn it, I sound so naïve.
“Ah, that’s a good question. It’s a pretty common rule, but it also depends on the venue. Sometimes no penetration of any sort is allowed, in order to meet certain legal or insurance requirements. Because this is a private party, Erica and Dominique can push a little further, so toys and other ways of stimulation are allowed. But they draw the line at genital-to-genital contact.”
Is he always so clinical? Somehow Luna doubted it, but the way he explained things so matter-of-factly helped her process and understand without feeling embarrassed or pressured, even if he was…well…him. She appreciated that a lot.
After a little while longer, many of the scenes began to wind down and people trickled out of the dungeon in pairs or groups. However, Jacob would have to stay until the last scene, so the next thought came as naturally to her as breathing. “Are you thirsty or hungry? Want me to bring you something from upstairs?” It was the least she could do.
