Shadow Haven

by AJ Schippers

  When the dishes were completely done and put away, Julia thanked Alexandra for dinner and excused herself. She desperately wanted some time to herself to gather her thoughts. Alexandra had mentioned once more that if Julia was dead-set on leaving, she would try and arrange transportation. Julia was starting to feel more comfortable, though, and decided to give this place a chance. Besides, wherever Caroline would send her instead, it would not live up to Shadow Haven’s beauty and seclusion.

  Still, she wasn’t completely settled in. Some quiet time reading a book before turning in for the night would help. Perhaps things would be clearer in the morning.

  Sitting down on the couch in her bedroom, she tucked her legs under her chin and looked out the window. Even at night, Shadow Haven was truly gorgeous. From this spot, she had a perfect view of the bay, which shone even more brightly with the moon’s reflection, and the trees that gently swayed in the wind. Scenes like this were rare, she thought. At home, when she looked out the window, she had a perfect view of a brick wall. While that usually didn’t bother her, it seemed quite pathetic when she compared it to this luscious landscape.

  Taking a deep breath, she focused on the pages in her book, but she found it hard to concentrate on the adventure of her protagonist when she was in the middle of an adventure herself. After having read the same sentence over and over, she put the book aside and got ready for bed instead. While brushing her teeth, she looked in the mirror, the day’s events clearly showing on her face. Her blue eyes seemed gray, and the bags under her eyes reminded her of long workdays that never seemed to end. She ran a brush through her hair, put it up in a simple ponytail, and curled up in bed. Whatever was going to happen tomorrow, it would surely be better than today, she thought before drifting off into a deep sleep.

  Chapter 3

  Alexandra had a small chuckle when Julia stopped dead in her tracks.

  “You have a car,” Julia said. “You live on an island, and you have a car.”

  “I do,” Alexandra said. “A Jeep is essential for getting around. Get on in, and you’ll see.” She waited for Julia to sit down before getting behind the wheel herself. With the brush of her hand, she smoothed out the creases in her pants, then started the vehicle. She loved driving around the island. Even though the dirt tracks couldn’t take her everywhere, they got her to places that were not easily reached by foot. “My grandparents bought the island when I was a little girl.” Years back, her grandparents had insisted on clearing some of the brush to create roads, something for which she was eternally grateful.

  “As you can imagine, my family has a lot of money. My grandfather owned a very successful engineering firm. He wasn’t afraid to invest that money and spent some of it by buying this island. I am not trying to show off,” Alexandra said. “I just know it can be a lot to take in.”

  “No shit,” Julia mumbled.

  Alexandra chose to ignore that statement for the time being. She truly wasn’t fond of swearing, but it seemed that with Ms. Quinn around, it was something she was going to have to get used to. “There is a short landing strip for the plane that brings my clients here,” Alexandra said as they drove past it. “Generally, my clients prefer to fly in. We tried the boat route for a while, but many of them get seasick. The island is mostly maintained by me, but sometimes after a heavy storm, I get help from the outside.”

  As they drove further, she pointed out some of the trees and plants to Julia. “That right there is the Pseudophoenix sargentii. It’s more commonly known as the Florida cherry palm, but to me, ‘Pseudophoenix’ just sounds more fun.” She was quiet for a moment. Her grandfather had planted most of these trees, and as such, they were her absolute favorite. He’d died over ten years ago, but she still missed him deeply. Alexandra found solace in his trees; as long as they lived, so would he. “That,” Alexandra continued as she pointed to a bush with red leaves, “is the Berberis bush.”

  “Bieber bush, got it,” Julia teased. “So, uh, are there, like, wild animals here?”

  “No. Not as far as I am aware. Although, my grandparents did once have a pig that escaped, but I imagine it either drowned or died from starvation. Honestly, nobody knows. It may still roam the island. That being said, you will find a lot of birds here. My grandfather once started a list of birds he encountered, and I have tried to add to it. But I have to admit bird-watching is not something I am very fond of.”

  “Me neither. Shadow Haven is absolutely gorgeous, though. I had no idea that it was like this when I first arrived. I mean, I enjoyed the walk from the dock to your house. But this…” she said, “this is just beautiful.”

  Alexandra smiled at Julia. She was glad Julia was enjoying herself, rather than being the stressed and exhausted person she’d been yesterday. Not that Alexandra had helped with that. In her defense, she was naturally inclined to be guarded when strangers stepped on her island, mostly because that shouldn’t be possible. Not without her permission, anyway. Not after what had happened.

  She willed those thoughts to the back of her mind. “If you go slowly, you can enjoy about an hour’s drive around the island. Some of the dirt roads are not as accessible as others, though, so it takes a while to figure out how to best get from one place to another. Personally, I’d suggest going by foot. There’s a lot more to see that way.” She stopped the car for a moment, and she licked her lips that had dried from the wind coming through the window. “I have said before that you are free to roam around, but I cannot stress the importance of safety enough. Wandering around the island is amazing, and you’ll come across views even I probably haven’t seen yet. But please let me know when you are going to explore and in which direction you are headed in case the weather turns, okay?”

  Julia nodded. “Absolutely. Safety first.”

  Pleased with that answer, Alexandra started the car, and they drove in silence for a while. She took a turn and knowingly smiled at the small gasp she heard beside her. Julia had the exact same reaction as everybody else upon first seeing the cove.

  “Wow.”

  “This is my favorite spot on the island,” Alexandra said softly. She got out of the car and motioned for Julia to do the same. “It must sound strange, but I enjoy the peace and solitude when I come here. This cove is the perfect place to clear your thoughts and reflect on life.”

  “Yeah, I imagine so. This is really pretty,” Julia said, her voice hushed and full of wonder.

  Alexandra enjoyed watching Julia’s facial expression change. At first, it was impressed, but eventually it changed to utter astonishment. Somehow, it was important to her that Julia approve of the cove, and to see Julia’s stunned expression upon looking at it made her heart flutter. Julia’s hair had come loose from the hair tie, and so Alexandra took a step forward and reached out to tuck it behind Julia’s ear.

  Julia’s hand was quicker than hers, and Alexandra took a step back. The kind gesture had gone unnoticed by Julia, and Alexandra breathed a sigh of relief. She had absolutely no business whatsoever touching Julia’s hair.

  “Do you get lonely here?” Julia asked. “I mean, it’s so big, and you’re alone here. I think I would be scared to death.”

  “Not really. I practically grew up here. I know every nook and cranny. I guess I like the solitude.” Alexandra’s lips curled up as she winked. “Besides, with all the clients flying in and out, I am never alone for long unless I choose to be. Come on… I want to show you the best part.”

  She climbed down a few rocks to get down to the sandy part of the cove and held out a hand for Julia. “The rocks can be slippery,” Alexandra said when Julia raised an eyebrow. “Besides,” she said, pointing to Julia’s feet, “flip flops and rocks don’t really go together.” Her face lit up when Julia playfully rolled her eyes but took Alexandra’s hand anyway.

  “Thanks,” Julia said.

  Alexandra kicked off her shoes, digging her toes into the near-white sand. Her eyes closed for a brief moment as the bright sun shone on her face, the soles of h
er feet slowly warming up from the heat of the sand. The water here was so calm and clear that she could see the coral and the fishes that swam near it. With the wind in her hair and the taste of the salt ocean on her tongue, Alexandra felt absolutely at peace. But that feeling of peace disappeared when Julia spoke; for a brief moment, she had forgotten she wasn’t alone.

  “I know it’s none of my business, but this whole thing you’ve got going on, it’s almost surreal. I mean… I know it happens, but I’ve never heard of anything like this. Isn’t it dangerous to let people come to your house?”

  Alexandra laughed quietly and sat down near the edge of the water. Julia quickly followed her lead. She was quite the inquisitive one, and it wasn’t hard to indulge her with answers. “Just because you have not heard about it does not mean it does not happen. There are many people like me out there in the world, but it stays private.” She gestured around her. “I feel safe here, and so do my clients. They are thoroughly screened, and they sign a contract. It would only hurt them if the information got out that this place is more than just a home. I used to have male clients as well, because there is more money to be made with them, but I had a bad experience, and that’s when I switched to women only.”

  “What happened?”

  The corners of Alexandra’s mouth curled up for a brief moment. “Caroline told me that you are a curious one, Ms. Quinn.” For a moment, she hesitated. It was hard to be open and honest about what had happened. It wasn’t a situation she liked to recall. Still, Alexandra had promised herself that she would try harder to actually befriend the woman, and that meant opening herself up to conversations that were hard. Her fingers dug a small rock out of the sand, and she brushed off the grains as she spoke.

  “One of my clients fell for me and could not deal with the fact that I had other clients. He demanded that I start a relationship with him. I refused.” Alexandra looked at Julia to make sure she was paying attention before flinging the rock into the ocean, smirking as it skipped on the water four times, then sank. “My relationships with my clients are purely professional. I accept that some of them harbor some feelings, but they know this is strictly business for me. Some of them get jealous, which can be a fun aspect to use in a play session, but if their feelings get out of control, I end all contact with them.”

  She watched as Julia pulled her knees up to her chest, her head resting on her arms.

  “So you’ve never fallen for a client?”

  “Never. I have my favorites, of course, and I have clients that I cannot stand. Luckily, the good ones outweigh the bad ones.” She looked sideways at Julia. “You can ask me.” The small flush that appeared on Julia’s neck amused her.

  “I guess I don’t really understand how it all works. I mean, how can you be happy with nothing but a professional relationship? Don’t you ever long for more?”

  Alexandra was quiet for a moment. “I think that for me there is a clear line between my profession and my private life. My clients are exactly that: clients. As much as I enjoy practicing BDSM, I, too, look forward to the end of my working day.”

  “That makes sense, I guess,” Julia said. “So, uh, this whole dominating thing, how does it work? I mean, I know what it means and stuff, but I take it it’s a world of difference from the porn version of BDSM?”

  “You regularly watch BDSM porn, Ms. Quinn? I never would have guessed.”

  “I don’t,” Julia said. “I’m just wondering.”

  “It differs per client. The male clients with whom I used to work were often into hardcore domination. The higher up they were in power, the more they were looking for a situation in which they had no control at all. That’s a bit of generalization, though. Most of my female clients enjoy the simpler things like bondage or worshiping. Some just want to feel loved and wanted.”

  “Do you love them?”

  “No. It’s work for me.” She looked at Julia as her voice dropped lower. “I am very good at my job, though. If they want to feel loved, I make them feel loved. To a certain degree, that is.”

  “So they pay you to feel loved? Wouldn’t it be easier to just find a partner who would actually love them?”

  “Perhaps,” Alexandra said. “But they are not just looking for love. Some want to be tied up, gagged, and whipped. Others want to worship leather or latex boots. Others just want to forget, and I am good at making people forget.” Alexandra smirked when she noticed Julia’s grimace.

  “I don’t understand why people would pay tons of money to be flown into a private island just to worship your boots. That makes no sense whatsoever.”

  Alexandra got onto her feet and offered Julia a hand before pulling her up. “Close your eyes.”

  “W-what? Why?”

  “Indulge me.”

  Julia huffed. “I don’t even know you.”

  Alexandra had to suppress another chuckle. It would be so easy to see this as a cat-and-mouse game. “I know. Which is exactly why I want to show you something. So put some faith in me and close your eyes.” She stepped closer to Julia. “The thing is, Ms. Quinn”—Alexandra’s voice dropped to a husky whisper—“worshiping my boots is only part of what attracts people to me. Imagine yourself in a demanding job. Perhaps you are an actor or a senator.” Alexandra grinned. “Or maybe you’re just a hardworking PR employee.”

  Julia scoffed, “I’m not—”

  “Ssh,” Alexandra whispered. “I did not tell you to speak. You asked a legitimate question, and I am answering it.” She smiled to herself as she watched Julia swallow. “So, for argument’s sake, let’s pretend you are an A-list actress. You’re a movie star, and people worship the very ground you walk on. You enjoy it to a certain degree. You do the job that you love, but when the job is done, you just want to be you again. But it’s hard to get out of that mindset because everywhere you turn, people look up to you. You get followed by the paparazzi, who want that one shot of you that will make them rich. It’s hard to get away from that lifestyle. Perhaps you have secret desires. Perhaps, for a fleeting moment, you want someone to take away all control from you so that, just for a moment, you can be the woman no one knows. The person no one will judge. So you talk to Caroline. She is your agent, after all, and she knows everything about you. Caroline makes the arrangements, and before you know what’s happening, you meet me.”

  “If you meet all your clients the way you met me, they must be in for a hell of a trip,” Julia murmured.

  Alexandra laughed. “I will not indulge you with a response. So here you are, an A-list actress, and here I am, Alexandra Ortega, and I do not give a flying fuck what your status is in the real world.” She let out a slow and deliberate breath. It was all about control. “Because when you are at my house, I am in charge. So we talk. You tell me what you crave, and if I think you deserve it, I will give it to you. It’s a cat-and-mouse game. I pull you in and draw you close. When you are ready to submit to me, I start the game all over until you cannot take it anymore or until you use your safe word. I attack your senses until you cry out, and I revel in the feeling of making someone feel utterly vulnerable. I love peeling away all the protective layers until there is nothing but bare skin, nowhere left to hide.”

  She burrowed a hand into Julia’s hair, which now hung loosely over her shoulders. The blonde curls were soft to the touch, and she delighted in the small gasp that came from Julia. “The thing is, Ms. Quinn,” Alexandra said, “I am intoxicating. I will undress you until there is nowhere to hide. I can seduce you with nothing but my voice, and I can hurt you with nothing but a scolding glare when you do not do exactly as I say. Disappointing me is something you really do not want to do. Do you want to hear something funny?”

  “S-sure,” Julia stammered.

  Alexandra moved in closer and brushed her mouth against Julia’s ear. “I have no idea what your sexual orientation is. I have no idea what you like, need, or desire. But I know without a doubt that if my hand were to disappear under the waistband of your pants and inside y
our panties, I would find nothing but wetness, because I am just that good at what I do.”

  Julia’s eyes snapped open, and a flush crept up her neck.

  Alexandra raised her eyebrows and smiled. “Ready for the rest of your tour, Ms. Quinn?”

  Julia slouched down on the car seat, absolutely mortified. She wanted to scream at Alexandra that she was wrong…but she would be lying, and since most of Julia’s work consisted of twisting truths, she refused to do the same in her personal life. So instead, she gave Alexandra the silent treatment and kept a firm gaze on the scenery.

  “Are you okay?” Alexandra shifted gears. “I hope I did not embarrass you. I certainly did not mean to.”

  “Right,” Julia murmured and rolled her eyes. Embarrassment didn’t even come close to what she was feeling. The last thing she had expected was to stand on a beach on a private island with her panties soaked because some woman was whispering in her ear. Yet that was exactly what had happened. Alexandra’s words had slipped under her skin. The promise of peeling away layers had seemed so…seductive and enticing. But as soon as Julia’s eyes opened and she stared straight into black specks in brown eyes, she snapped back to reality and felt nothing but embarrassment.

  “I just wanted to demonstrate since you seemed so curious,” Alexandra said. “I promise I will not do it again. Heaven forbid that I make you uncomfortable for the duration of your stay here. I would not be much of a hostess if you felt like that, now would I?”

  “I suppose.”

  “Relax, Ms. Quinn. You are fine. Answer my question.”

  “What’s the magic word?” She groaned when Alexandra’s laughter came from deep within her…and it felt electrifying. Was she fine? Who knew? Certainly not Julia. Alexandra’s “demonstration” had thrown her completely off course.