As I was telling him that I wanted him to get better I felt him squeeze my hand. And right about that time a member of his security team came in and found me.
“Hey you there. What are you doing in here? Get away from him.”
His other guard came in next and then some of the hospital staff. As they were pulling me away I shouted for them to stop.
“Please wait. He squeezed my hand. He’s awake.”
There was so much madness and chaos with all the hospital staff running around checking out the machines and his vitals and with his security trying to force me out of the room, they just wouldn’t listen to me.
Devlin found me and dragged me back to my own room with Mistress Sophie and her slave following close behind. I could tell by the look on his face and the strong grip he had on my arm that Devlin was not happy with me.
“What the hell do you think you were doing?”
“I’m sorry Master. I just wanted to make sure the Prince was okay.”
“You could have caused a serious international incident. Do you not realize this? He’s not just any normal person. He’s a Prince. Do you not understand what that means?”
“You are right, I’m sorry. I just wanted to make sure he was okay.”
I began to sob uncontrollably but Devlin wasn’t moved. He was still very angry that I snuck into see the Prince.
“Sophie, damn it. You know how volatile things are with his people. What were you thinking?”
“I couldn’t stop her. She had her little mind set on going to see the Prince. What was I supposed to do sit on her and hold her down until you returned?”
Devlin just rolled his eyes. Mistress Sophie may have denied any involvement in my little stunt but Devlin wasn’t stupid, he knew better.
“Well if the three of you are finished causing trouble we can get out of here now. I have her discharge papers.”
I didn’t see Mistress Sophie for the next few days but then again, I didn’t see much of anything in that time. Whatever medicine the doctors prescribed, made me sleep and sleep and sleep.
When I did finally come to, I made my way to the living room to find Devlin putting another package on the coffee table.
“What are all of these boxes Master?”
It seems that Mistress Sophie has been busy.
“These are all from her?”
“No. I meant that she has been busy telling some of the other members of the club about your police report. They thought it rather amusing and wanted to send you a gift to show their appreciation for your discretion in dealing with the authorities.”
“So all of these gifts are for me, from your friends at the club?”
“It seems so. Feel up to opening them?”
“Oh, Master. I can’t believe it. There are so many of them.”
I sat on the floor next to the coffee table and began opening the packages. There were at least forty of them in all and each box had some expensive designer outfit.
There were dresses from Prada, Ralph Lauren, Gucci, Armani, Burberry, and Zac Posen. Some of the gifts were shoes, all beautiful high heels of various colors from different designers. Some I had never even heard of like Salvatore Ferragamo and Stuart Weitzman. Everything was so elegant and clearly expensive. I felt bad that his friends were lavishing me with so many nice things when I didn’t really do anything.
“Master do you think we could go to Hallmark to buy some blank thank you cards? I would like to hand write some notes of gratitude to everyone who sent me a gift.”
“I think I have some in my office. I’ll dig them out for you later.”
There was one last box for me to open. It was so small I almost missed it in the pile of others. Inside there was a note that said, “A rare gem for a rare gem”. The card was not signed.
The gift was a breathtakingly beautiful, gold and black diamond bracelet. I had never seen anything like it. Devlin helped me put it on my wrist and then we gathered up all the other gifts and brought them to my bedroom so I could put them away.
Chapter 19
Devlin went to find the thank you cards, while I put everything away. I gathered up all the cards so that I could use them for the thank you notes I would be writing up. I noticed several of them made mention of how they looked forward to my presentation.
“Master, what is this presentation everyone is talking about?”
“I was going to wait until you felt better to discuss it, but I suppose now will do.”
Devlin sat down next to me on the bed. I didn’t know what it was he was about to say to me but I could tell by the look on his face that I wasn’t going to like it.
“The presentation is a ritual that dates back to ancient Roman times. Back then when a Master fell in love with his slave they had to be sure that the slave truly loved his Master and would be willing to do anything for him. They wanted to make sure that the slave wasn’t just saying that they did, for money. It’s easy to say you love someone, but they wanted to make sure that the love was true and that the slave would in fact be willing to do anything for their Master which would prove their love was genuine.”
What Devlin said made sense. But still I knew there had to be something more to this. I desperately feared for what he wasn’t saying.
“So for us to be together forever, you must be presented to the members of the club. The ritual will take place once you are fully recovered from the fall.”
“What happens during this ritual Master?”
Devlin pulled me into his arms and held me tightly. “Don’t be scared my slave. If you truly love me then you will be able to make it through the ritual.”
I did love Devlin but would I really put myself through some ancient pagan based ritual that probably included lots of pain and torture from countless people? Did I even have a choice?
“What would I wear?”
“You don’t wear anything.”
“What? I’m to be presented to these people completely naked?”
He continued to hold me tightly but it wasn’t helping to calm me as it normally did. I pulled away from him so I could see his face.
“I don’t think I can do this. I just don’t.”
“You don’t think you can or you don’t want to?”
“I don’t want to stand in front of all of those people naked. The initiation was hard on me. I had nightmares about it for weeks after.”
“The initiation and presentation aren’t the same. The initiation is something all the Masters do for fun. It’s not organization or structured. The presentation is more ritualistic and dates back to ancient Roman times.”
“Will I be naked in front of people I don’t know?”
“Yes.”
“Will these strangers be spanking me?”
“Yes.”
“Then to me it’s exactly like the initiation. I don’t see a difference.”
I expected Devlin to be angry with me, but surprisingly he wasn’t. He remained calm the entire time.
“It’s sort of like the difference between going to your high school prom and having a wedding. While it’s true they both have similarities, they aren’t exactly the same and in the end, if you miss your high school prom it’s no big deal but if you don’t have a wedding, then you miss out on an important part of the bonding process between you and another person, the person that supposed to mean the world to you.”
Devlin put his hand on my chin, forcing me to look up at him.
“I love you Mary Elizabeth and I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I thought you felt the same way about me. But if you don’t feel like you are ready to make that kind of commitment to me, then I need to know now.”
I started to cry. Was this his way of saying he wanted to marry me? Or is this just some sort of ritualistic beating. It’s all just so overwhelming. I didn’t know what to do or think or say.
“I want to be with someone who wants to be with me. I thought that’s what I had with you, but clearly I was mistaken.�
�
As I sat there crying I remembered my talk with Mistress Sophie. It was then I knew this was not a test for my love of Devlin. Obviously I loved him. It didn’t matter what those people said or thought. I knew that I loved him. The test was of my ability to let go. I needed to fully trust Devlin if we were going to spend the rest of our lives together.
It is easy to say I love you, but to mean it you have to let go. You have to trust that the other person truly will take care of you and have that blind faith in them. I keep saying that I trust Devlin but at the first chance to prove it, I back away. I know now that I have to go through with this presentation. I have to let go of my fears and trust in Devlin. I have to trust in our love and know that no matter what, he will always be there for me.
“You are right. I have to believe in you and us. I will walk on broken glass or put hot coals on my body if that’s what I have to do to prove my devotion to your friends at the club.”
Devlin pulled me up off of the bed and held me tightly in his arms again.
“What made you change your mind?”
“Because I don’t ever want you to question my love for you Devlin. If this is what it takes to make you see that I truly love you with all of my heart, then that is what I will do. I love you and I will spend the rest of my life showing you just how much.”
He leaned in to kiss me and then ran his hands slowly over my breasts. My hands fell to my side and he trailed kisses along my neck. I let out a gasp as his hand found its way between my legs. He was running his fingers between my legs, searching, exploring.
As he continued, I let out a soft moan, reached down and grabbed his shaft. His hardness tightened again my fingers.
He pushed my hands away. “Not yet.”
Leaning down he ran tiny kisses along my jawline, then down my arm to the tip of my middle finger. His touch was unusually gentle. He moved slowly, his strokes were like loving caresses.
I laid down and wrapped my legs around his back as he slid deep inside of me. I was willing and wet and thrust my hips upwards, wanting more of him.
“You feel incredible inside of me,” I breathed. “I could stay like this forever.”
He smiled and began to slowly roll his hips. Soon he picked up speed, jarring my body with each stroke. I cried out as I felt my grip on reality slipping. I could feel pleasure rising up to take me away. I moaned and held on to him tightly and my climax took over me. My fingernails digging into his chest.
I held on to him tightly and then felt his cock jerk hard inside of me, following by the warm spray of his seed.
After, I closed my eyes and locked my legs around his waist, wanting to keep him inside me forever.
His body relaxed on top of me. His weight felt safe and comforting as it pressed me into the bed. We laid like that for several minutes without speaking.
I let me nails lightly trail down his spine and then I kissed him passionately.
“Is this your way of saying you are ready to go for another round my sweet?”
I giggled. “Oh goodness no. I’m worn out.”
Devlin rolled off of my and held me tightly in his arms as I fell asleep.
Chapter 20
I may have committed to going through with the presentation but I was scared to death. I had no idea what they were going to do to me however if the initiation was any indication, I was most assuredly going to be beaten and bruised from head to toe and it’s hard to psych yourself up for that.
The day before the ritual I was taken away. I wasn’t allowed to have any contact with Devlin a full twenty four hours beforehand. Luckily I had Mistress Sophie who was by my side the entire time. I don’t know where her slave was but she stayed the night with me in the special room they had set up for me at the club.
The next morning we enjoyed a long and soothing body massage and then relaxed in the steam room. After lunch Mistress Sophie had some things to take care of so I decided to take a nap.
When I woke up several females from the club gave me what they called a ceremonial bath. I was taken to a room with glass walls and in the middle there was a round pool. It was filled with special water taken from the source of the Tiber River in Rome, two natural springs on Mount Fumaiolo. In the pool hundreds and hundreds of rose petals floated all about.
As the woman helped me into the pool, one of the ladies explained what was going on. They walked me down the steps and stopped when the water came up to just past my waist. They laid me on my back and I was floating on the water with all of the women surrounding me, helping me to stay afloat.
“The purpose of the ritual bath is to cleanse you, both inside and out. We want to cleanse your body, mind and soul of impurities and negative energies. Relax and enjoy the warmth of the water, the scent in the air and the feeling of being purified.”
Blessed be your mind so that you may understand your Master’s wisdom.
Blessed be your eyes so that you may see the love your Master has for you.
Blessed be your heart, so that your love for your Master is pure and kind.
Blessed be your hands that have touched your Master.
Blessed be your feet that have taken you to your Master.
Blessed be your lips, as they have kept your Masters secrets.
They walked me out of the pool and as we stood on the last step the main lady spoke up again.
“From this moment on you have been cleansed of your past deeds. You are free from your previous mistakes. You will step forward not letting your past guide your actions or choices. Let love touch you, and set your heart free.”
It’s strange really how something as simple as a bath or a swim in a pool can be so dramatic and life changing. But being here now with all of these ladies, I really do feel different.
I was taken from the pool back to my bedroom and told to wait, that someone would come to gather me soon.
A doctor came into my room and gave me a thorough examination. She said I had to be certified medically fit before they could proceed. She check my body for open sores and gave me a vaginal exam as well, to ensure I wasn’t with child.
Just as she finished up with me Mistress Sophie returned to help me get dressed. I was to wear a flowing gown that was sheer and really did nothing to actually cover my body. I felt completely naked in the dress. You could see everything. To make matters worse, I was not allowed to wear panties or a bra, so I felt even more exposed.
Mistress Sophie stayed with me until the men came to get me. There were three of them and they were all bald and wore nothing but a white loincloth. They didn’t speak to me at all as they escorted downstairs to the basement of the building and down a long dimly lit hallway. My first thought was that I was going to be taken to a dingy dungeon and beaten half to death.
But as we arrived at our destination I found that wasn’t the case at all. The room was huge, and well decorated. It looked like it might have been a royal throne room in a medieval castle. In the middle of the large room was a raised circle that looked to be made of marble and in the middle of that was a wheel of death, like you would see a knife thrower use.
The second I laid eyes on that wheel I knew I was in trouble. I took a step back, but there was nowhere to run. The three totally shaven men in loincloths nudged me forward to the center circle and then removed my gown. I stood there, frozen in place, too scared to move a single muscle or say a word.
As they slipped the dress off I realized for the first time we weren’t alone in the room. A hundred men, maybe more stood in the dimly lit archways staring at the men removing my clothes.
A large man wearing a black hooded cloak stepped onto the platform.
“Step forward my child.”
His voice was loud and deep and scared the shit out of me when he spoke, but I did as I was told and took a step closer to him.
“Today we have the presentation of Master D’s slave, Mary Elizabeth. Those who wish to participate, please step forward.”
As the man said that, ab
out thirty men and women stepped forward, each of them also wore long, black hooded cloaks. They were all squeezed together in a circle, and I knew these were going to be the men and women that were going to beat me. All I could do now was hope and pray that it wouldn’t be as bad as what the initiation was.
“In my hand I hold a jar of freshly pressed oil that has been made from olives that come from a branch that has been preserved from tree’s that were grown by Augustus Caesar himself.”
The three bald men picked me up, holding my body length wise, like I was a plank of wood. The master of ceremonies then poured the oil on me and the first hooded member of the crowd stepped forward to rub it in. The oil continued to be poured on my body as one by one every hooded person standing in the circle had their chanced to rub it into my body. Some focused on my stomach, while others rubbed it into my breasts and others my thighs. Half way through I was turned over and my backside was covered and rubbed. By the time it was over there wasn’t a single inch of my body that wasn’t thoroughly covered in the olive oil.
Next the three bald men took me over to the wheel of death, securing my wrists and ankles in the attached cuffs.
The three bald men started chanting, “Amor est vitae essentia. Amor Vincit Omnia.” I don’t know what it meant, but I tried to focus on their words to help push back the fear.
Then one by one each person came and hit me with a flogger three times, while chanting “ut amore et ostenditis”. As they hit me the wheel would begin to spin. When the person was finished and began to walk away, the three bald chanting men stopped it from spinning and I had just enough time to regain my wits before the next person came up to do it all over again. This went on until all thirty of the men and women had their turn with me. The pain was excruciating. There was no part of my body that didn’t scream out in agony.
When Devlin first told me about the presentation I couldn’t understand how going through some ritual could prove your love to your Master. But now I totally get it. Any slave willing to put themselves through this kind of pain and suffering for their Master in front of people no less, must truly love him.
Dark Romance Novel - Submission + Taken + 1 Mystery books Bundle Set (A Dark Romance Series Novel) Page 17
