Sami gulped and nodded, seeming to force a smile on her face. “Okay. I’ll try. It’s just that—Well, anyway, it’s really nice to meet you all.”
“Great.” Allie took the plate of rapidly vanishing brownies, ignoring Crash’s chagrined expression, and put it in front of Sami. “Please, eat. Dinner won’t be until about seven tonight. I don’t want anyone fainting from hunger before then. Daddy Dave, would you like to start your portion now?”
Dave cleared his throat, and his expression suddenly reminded AJ of several of his past coaches, although he didn’t think he’d ever met anyone quite like this before. Allie had implied that the man was gay, which many people would assume meant he wasn’t masculine. This guy, though, looked like he might have played football at one time and could probably still take on most of the Condors without even breaking a sweat.
“Thanks, Allie.” Dave nodded to her and then around at the other three. “I’d like to start by talking very briefly about our origins. The leather community, as a cohesive group, came primarily from World War II veterans. When they got out of the military, many found that they missed the structure, the camaraderie, and the formality of life in the service. They began forming groups with strict guidelines and rules, and often a primary focus was on the care of leather and earning the right to wear it. They were very hierarchical, like the military. Everyone started out in a subordinate position, and to rise in their ranks you had to prove your worth and accept the authority of those above you. Some, of course, were content to remain in submissive roles, and that has never been regarded as evidence of weakness or lack of ambition. Armies need generals, but generals accomplish nothing without the troops. Men have always liked to have the opportunity to prove their toughness, and corporal punishment eventually turned into sadomasochistic play, or SM. There are still many gay leathermen who keep to themselves, but their lifestyle has expanded to include all different forms of gender identity and sexual preference. Ideally BDSM communities are accepting of any legal and reasonably safe lifestyle choices. I’d like to begin by talking about D/s, which stands for dominance and submission.”
He took a swig of his coffee and put a hand on his chest. “I am a Dominant, or a Master. The different words we use—top, Dominant, Master, bottom, submissive, slave—only mean what the people who use them decide they mean, although there are some accepted generalities. You should never argue with someone over how they identify, with the possible exception of new people who expect to be called Master. It has traditionally only been the community that can designate someone a Master, mostly because the name implies a certain amount of experience and knowledge, and new people can be fooled into putting themselves into unnecessarily risky situations by trusting someone they shouldn’t.” He turned a stern gaze onto Sami, who gulped audibly and became extremely interested in the brownie in front of her. “Always ask around before playing with someone you don’t know. That’s what the community is there for. It’s always safer playing in public, at least at first, where more experienced people can keep an eye on you.”
His look became suddenly sheepish, and he glanced at Allie. “Sorry. I got a little off track there. But it’s important they all know that just because it’s sexy and fun you aren’t free from common sense. Back to D/s. I have two submissives, and we have a Daddy/boy relationship. Now, that doesn’t mean that I’m their biological father, or related in any way. Those who identify as ‘boy’—which can be spelled b-o-y or b-o-i—or ‘girl,’ for that matter, are often service-oriented submissives. They usually have a playful side and like to associate with others like themselves. They also like having an affectionate authority-type person watching out for them. It’s not unlike a child-parent relationship in some ways, although obviously there are some major differences. Then there’s the Master/slave, or M/s, dynamic. It tends to be based more on ritual and used for personal and professional growth. Sometimes they will talk about a spiritual connection. But it’s all very individual, and you can’t judge one relationship based on how others do it.”
Crash raised his hand. “So where do all the beatings come in?”
“There are many different uses for sensation play,” Dave said, turning toward him. “Often it intensifies the connection between the players. It can be used in a spiritual way, much like Native Americans used pain. Or it can be used as stress relief, therapeutic release, or just plain fun. Many people are able to transform pain sensations into sexual stimulation. Others like seeing how far they can go. Still others just like getting naked in public and being the center of attention. There are as many different reasons for doing BDSM as there are people who do it.”
“You mean it’s not just punishment?” Sami asked.
“It can be, certainly. But not as often as you might think. The lines can get blurry when you’re trying to inflict pain as a punishment on someone who enjoys it. Although this is something you might want to consider before using the name Sam or Sami in the public BDSM venues, especially while you’re single.” At her confused expression, Dave chuckled and went on. “The term ‘SAM’ is sometimes used as an acronym for ‘Smart-Ass Masochist,’ or someone who misbehaves on purpose in order to provoke punishment. They usually really enjoy pain and feel the need to push their Dominant into hitting them harder than they normally might. Just something to be aware of.”
Sami was bright red again. “Oh, that’s not me,” she protested.
“Probably not. Which is why you wouldn’t want to give other people that idea. Although you never know until you try.” He was obviously teasing her in an effort to make her relax, but Sami looked as if she didn’t quite know how to respond.
AJ felt the need to jump in. “I wouldn’t worry about that. There’s no way either Crash or I would be able to hit you hard enough for you to know if you like it or not.”
She gave him a small, hesitant smile.
“Any other questions about D/s dynamics?” Dave asked after a moment. When no one said anything, he went on. “So, on to other kinds of play. My boys are also puppies.” He gave Sami a smile. “You saw them playing the other day when you stopped by. Puppies are an interesting breed, if you’ll pardon the expression. It’s almost like objectification. They seem to push their human selves to the side and allow another aspect of their personalities to emerge for a while. They tell me that there’s still an awareness of thought and human-style reasoning, but many of them are able to ignore it and just play. There are also ponies, who dress up in elaborate gear and prance around. Some people like to engage in age play, where they either allow themselves to become a certain age, or they take care of others who are doing so. There is a set of people who dress up in animal costumes and are known as furries. That is distantly related to puppy or pony play, but tends to be more connected to the costumes than puppies are, at least from what I’ve seen.”
“I would agree with that,” said Allie. “You won’t be doing classes in those things this week. They are fetishes that either don’t require specific training or there are much more qualified places to get it. We’re going to concentrate on sensation play here, so you can see what the safety considerations are, some beginning techniques, and, especially for those of you who are going to top, the chance for you to experience them. That, as Daddy Dave explained, has always been a big part of the leather community, and why everyone started out in a submissive role. You should always be willing to experience for yourself any kind of play that you intend to do to someone else.”
She pulled out the schedule from before. “You can see that tomorrow morning is the meet and greet with the class attending this week. Please remember our talk about privacy, even though it can make small talk much harder. Breakfast will be served every morning from eight until nine, then we’ll move to the barn for classes from nine until noon. Afternoon classes will be from two until five, then dinner will be served at seven precisely. There will be plenty of long breaks throughout the week when you can go hiking, read, take naps, or go for drives along the
coast—whatever you want to do. During the classes we’ll cover the different kinds of bondage, body art, including wax, fire, and cupping, mental play, knives and scratching, mummification, sensory deprivation, and impact play. You are welcome to play in your rooms, but please be safe, and don’t do any wax or fire play in the house. Tomorrow night is a Gateway night at The Keep, our local club, and we will be taking a field trip so you all can see what a public dungeon is like. Saturday afternoon there will be a class where a couple of members of the local club will come and demonstrate things like needle play and violet wands for those who are interested in trying them this week. We will also have a rope master doing demos, but suspension will not be taught here, and we will not tolerate anyone attempting it on their own. It’s way too dangerous to try to learn in a few classes.” She narrowed her eyes at Crash and AJ, and AJ held up his hands in a gesture of innocence. Crash tried to as well, but first had to cram the brownie he was holding into his mouth, which ruined the effect.
“We wouldn’t dream of it,” AJ said, rolling his eyes as Crash mumbled something around his mouthful.
“I certainly hope not. On Sunday we’ll have a couple of special sessions. For the ladies there will be a session on the different kinds of popular costuming, like steampunk, latex, and chain mail, while the guys learn leather care. We also have a couple of our local craftsmen scheduled to come and answer questions. We’ll also have an excursion to a local hardware store and talk about ‘pervertables,’ or how to make your own toys on a budget. There will be discussions throughout the week, and maybe even a demo or two, of some of the edgier types of play, and we’ll be having more in-depth classes on the different relationship styles practiced in the community. Any questions?”
Sami’s eyes were wide, and her face was drained of blood. “You mean there are edgier types of play than knives and fire?”
“Sure. Knives and fire are relatively painless ways to play, usually.” Allie smiled. “Scenes range from sweet and gentle to intensely painful and bloody. It just depends on the needs and desires of the players. You name it, somebody’s probably tried it. Now, I need to go and start dinner. Please feel free to explore the grounds, go for a walk, watch television, or stay in your rooms. I’ll ring the bell outside when it’s time to eat. Dave, thank you so much for coming and chatting with us today. As always, you’re welcome to stay for dinner.” She gave him a hug.
“No, thanks,” Dave said. “I think Tony’s got something special planned. I don’t want to miss it.” He waved at everyone and left.
“Dave will bring his pups by on Saturday night so you can get an idea of how they play,” Allie told them as the boys and Sami began helping to clear the table. “It can be pretty funny to watch sometimes. Remind me later and I’ll tell you about how they helped with a lady that caused us some problems when we first opened the place. It was hysterical. I thought I would wet myself laughing.”
“Sounds good but I have a more pressing question about those very interesting chips,” Crash said, balancing four plates on his arm. “What were they?”
“Oh, just fried kohlrabi.” Allie led the way into the kitchen. “With a tahini dip. I’m glad you liked them.”
Crash’s face went as white as Sami’s had been earlier. “Did I mention my vegetable allergy?”
Allie stopped in the act of piling dishes in the sink to look at him. “If you were allergic to vegetables, you’d be dead by now. During our talk you ate black beans, tofu, cauliflower, and sweet potato, as well as the kohlrabi. I watched. You especially seemed to enjoy the tofu.”
“What was that in?” He sounded as if she’d just informed him he’d eaten spiders.
“I’m not going to tell you.” She smirked at him. “You do know that regular chips are made with potatoes, right? They’re a vegetable, too. Now run along and play while I start dinner. You should have about two hours.”
“Two hours? I don’t know if I can wait that long.” Crash looked longingly at the dishes he’d emptied during the meeting. Then he eyed the fridge and seemed to be considering what odd things it might contain.
“You won’t starve before then,” AJ told him, grabbing his arm and pulling him toward the back door. “Come on, let’s go look around. Would you like to come with us, Sami?”
Chapter 3
“I don’t think so,” Sami mumbled, feeling awkward and clumsy. The two gorgeous guys were just being polite, she knew. “Can I help with the dishes, Allie?”
“Oh, no, thanks. I’m fine. Go have fun with them. You guys should try to get to know each other a little before the classes start.” Allie waved her off with a smile.
She obviously likes to have her kitchen to herself, Sami thought. I’d only be in the way. She could go and read in her room, but that seemed very antisocial. There was the television in the living room, but it just seemed stupid to come to a kinky resort and watch television. So she gave a very small sigh and nodded at AJ. “Okay. Where are you going?”
“Just out to look at the grounds and admire the view. I think we can see the ocean from here,” he said, opening the screen door for her. He was so big there wasn’t much room left in the doorway, and as she edged past, she got a good whiff of his aftershave. Nice.
Crash followed them, calling good-bye to Allie over his shoulder. As soon as they were off the back porch and heading across the yard, he grabbed AJ’s arm. “Was she serious?”
“Was who serious?”
“Allie. Do you think she really put all that horrible stuff in our food? Why would she do that?”
AJ shook his head at Sami. “Don’t mind him. He thinks the four food groups are beer, tequila, nachos, and pizza.”
“I do not!” Crash’s voice was indignant. “I know the four food groups. There’s beef, cheese, burritos, and beer. You know, the three Bs and a C. Every school kid knows that. Sheesh.”
“Mm-hmm.” AJ gave him a playful shove. “You’re digging yourself in deeper there, sport. Just let it go before you expose the depths of your ignorance.”
Crash was silent for a moment, then he said, “Did she say we couldn’t go in the barn?”
“I don’t think so.” AJ stopped at the head of a trail that led from the yard into the valley in front of them. The ground sloped downward, allowing a distant view of the Pacific Ocean over the tops of the trees.
“It’s beautiful!” Sami whispered, pointing to the sunset colors that were just beginning to show themselves as the sun descended toward the horizon.
“It is,” AJ agreed. “I don’t think it’ll actually get dark for an hour or so. In another month this time of day will officially be evening, but for now it’s still light out. If anyone wants to go explore the woods, I think we’re safe. We can check out the barn later.”
Sami refrained from saying that she wasn’t feeling very safe at all. Having two very large guys escorting her into the seclusion of a wooded valley wasn’t something she was particularly comfortable with. She fervently wished Carly was with them. All eyes would be on her beautiful blond friend, and she would be able to fade into the woodwork. How could Carly have put her into a situation like this? She was in danger here. Tomorrow she’d have to let these two giants actually tie her up—
“What’s wrong?” AJ’s voice cut into her anxious thoughts, and she realized she had shuddered.
“Nothing.” She laughed lightly, trying to pass it off. “Just somebody walking over my grave, I guess. I think I’ll pass on the hike for today, if you don’t mind. You guys go ahead.”
“That’s okay. We’ll just go now instead of later to see the barn,” Crash said, turning and leading the way.
He held the door this time. Sami and AJ went through, and AJ found a light switch.
The main room was the size she’d expect in a large, empty barn. It may not have ever been used for its intended purpose, though. The floor was a beautiful hardwood, there was a kitchen area in one corner, and some very large and odd-looking furniture lined the walls. In the middle of
the room there was a table with seven chairs, a podium, a whiteboard, and a long table.
“Guess they’re all set up for tomorrow,” AJ said, wandering over to a complicated wooden structure. He ran his hand over it. “You can kind of see what these are for. There are tie points here.” He pointed to large rings mounted at intervals in the frame. “And a seat there.” A cushioned horizontal board stuck out in the middle. He squinted upward at various things poking out of the wood. “Not sure what those are for, though. Any idea?”
Sami stared at the contraption, but the only thing that came to mind was Vincent Price chuckling evilly as he prepared to murder someone.
“Look at this one,” Crash called from a little way down. Sami and AJ wandered over to where he was staring at a cage in the corner. “I thought she was joking about the cages, but look at this!”
“Apparently not,” AJ agreed. “At least she said it was voluntary—I think.”
There was a noise behind them, and they all turned around to see Brad coming in the door with someone they hadn’t met before. He was a short, sallow toad of a man with an unkempt moustache and a cigar dangling out of thick lips.
Brad was saying as they entered, “This is where we hold private parties and educational events—and we usually don’t allow smoking inside.” The expression on his visitor’s face alerted him to the presence of the others, and he stopped. “Hey, guys. I didn’t realize you were here. This is Lou—I’m sorry. I can’t remember your last name.”
The man’s lip curled into an unpleasant expression. “Maggiano.”
“Oh, right. Sorry. This is Lou Maggiano. He’s Grandpointe’s new business compliance liaison. He just popped by to do a surprise inspection.” Brad’s voice and face were carefully neutral, but his eyes darted around nervously as if he was wondering whether there was anything illegal lying around the floor. “These are some of our guests.”
Double Dom Fantasies Page 3
