by Della Cain
The DM produced a collar and leash, woven cloth embroidered with the club name. “Let’s go, doggie.” He buckled the collar around Ryder’s neck and led him away, only pausing to say, “If you want to bid, you’ll need to register first and get a paddle.”
Danny tipped his head back, a gleam in his eye. “Paddle, Daddy?”
“Not that kind, little one.” I winked. “Not like the one at home for naughty boys who sass their daddies.”
He thrust his lower lip out. “I haven’t been naughty in a long time.” He hadn’t actually...and if past history offered any indication, he was due.
But I patted his back and kissed his forehead. “No, you have not.” I lifted my glass and tipped back the last of my drink then realized he was still watching me intently. “Did you need something? A change? Cookie?”
“No...I want…”
I waited but he didn’t continue. In the background, the ambient music cut out long enough for a feminine voice to announce five minutes until the main event. “Tell me, Danny. I know something is bothering you. Don’t you feel well?”
His sigh was deep and heartfelt, the longing in his eyes more so. “I really want a puppy, Daddy. Can we have it?”
Oh-kay. So it was a serious thing.
“I don’t know, pal.” I ruffled his hair. “A pup is a big responsibility, and you’re not very old.”
He considered. “I could be older. Maybe?” A very serious thing. “Old enough to feed the puppy and brush the puppy and take it out for a walk.”
I could see it now. In our upper-middle-class neighborhood of professionals...most of whom I’d bet were more vanilla than ice cream… Danny in a diaper, walking Ryder, or someone, because I wasn’t going to get attached to him. Anyone could outbid me. If I was going to bid, which I probably was not.
But what could it hurt to watch the auction...and sign up because a low bid or two would be entertaining and amuse my little. A lot of this evening was about just that.
“Welcome, everyone!” The emcee stood on the low stage at the center of the main area, but Lola was present as always, standing a little distance off. The emcee wore high boots, painted-on jeans, and a T-shirt that outlined every muscle with an image of a puppy in the middle of it. “Welcome to Collared by Love Puppy and Kitty Auction. As you make your bids tonight remember Collared by Love isn’t taking a cut of the winning bids. All of the money will be divided between the charities listed on the back of your paddle. Not that I need to suggest you bid up—I’ve had a look at tonight’s offerings, and I think you’ll be more than pleased. But remember your dollars are going to a good cause.”
We weren’t, of course, buying a puppy or even buying him for a night. The rules were clear: you were bidding on a light meal with your pup in their human form to see if you connected or possibly arrange a scene. This was all about the charities, half of which helped homeless cats and dogs and the other half LGBTQ youth.
As the applause died away, I looked around the packed room. Some I recognized as members, others I’d never seen before. I suspected this evening was drawing in from a wide area. Puppy play and the less common kitten-play aficionados were more than passionate about their kink. I hadn’t ever really considered it until meeting Ryder tonight. Danny and I had a good life, a busy life, and we didn’t even have a regular dog.
I finished filling out the form, paid a small fee, and accepted our paddle, #178. There were for sure more than that packed into the room, but maybe the others were merely there to observe. As we likely were. The tables and booths ringing the room were all occupied, but rows of folding chairs were set up around the stage, and I noted only paddle wielders were sitting there, so I was glad to have paid for the privilege of sitting so close. The chairs, a little bigger than typical folding chairs, were padded and had arms, so I was able to settle Danny on my knee where he was comfortable while we waited for the first pup or kitten to arrive on stage.
“If everyone could please take a seat? We have a surprise for you before we parade all the available pets. Master Crete, a renowned trainer and founder of the Sirius Pet Club has come to visit with a few of his best-trained doggies. Can we get a warm Collared by Love welcome for Master Crete and Osiris?”
The lights in the main area dimmed, and a spotlight shone into the back corner, illuminating a tall, bearded red-haired man dressed in black. At his side knelt another man wearing only a leash and an assortment of leather straps resembling a harness I remembered having for my dog as a kid. Of course, my dog’s harness was not nearly this nice. He also had a hood on that covered his nose and mouth and gave him a sort of snout.
As the man started forward, his companion stayed right at his side on all fours, yet his gait was not at all like a crawl but more like a prance. How he managed to be so graceful in that posture was beyond me, but nobody would have had to explain that he was the embodiment of a dog.
I watched in fascination as his trainer had him sit, lie down, roll over, and rise up on his “hind legs.” Poetry in motion. At my side, Danny bounced in delight. “Look at the puppy!” he crowed. “Can’t we have one, Daddy? Please? I don’t mind being old enough to take care of him.”
Chapter Five
Ryder
Standing “backstage,” which in this case was a small room off a hallway, surrounded by others who seemed to already be in full puppy mind space, I was doubting my decision hard. They all seemed so enthusiastic, frolicking around, chasing a ball one of the dungeon monitors was tossing for them…
They were behaving exactly as I wished I could, not a care in the world. Dogs just want to have fun. Nobody’s life depended on them. Worst case scenario, they ended up swatted by a magazine. My gaze caught on a large cage in the corner and its occupant. A skinny redheaded guy was curled up, head on his arms, to all appearances perfectly content. He wore a red collar with a bone-shaped tag, and nothing else.
Although there was a blanket under him.
Was that a dog’s life? An image of the hospital flew through my mind, the constant tension and noise, the life-or-death decisions. The people looking to me to take away their pain. And then I watched the pup roll over in his crate to lie on his back, junk exposed to the air, eyes closed, arms relaxed at his sides. And what had been an impulse became a yearning.
Still, I didn’t feel comfortable enough to chase that ball, although I admired those who did. And I wanted to… But I honestly had no idea how to do it without looking like a complete ass. None of them did, but I probably would.
A piercing whistle cut through the barking, growling, and general lightheartedness. The dog who had last retrieved the ball, a smallish-tennis ball like orb, froze, and the others also stopped where they were, falling into a sort of sitting crouch. “All right, pups, you’re all such good boys. But if we’re going to find you good masters, you’re going to have to be your very best. First, we’ll bring you all out in a parade, tails out, backs arched, heads held high. Sound good?”
I expected words, but what followed his question was a chorus of barks and yips...some panting, too. But he accepted that as a yes and continued on. “After that, one by one, you’ll be brought to the platform, and we will begin the auction.”
Marion took the floor. “We thank you greatly for giving your time and enthusiasm for tonight’s causes. I know this was pretty last minute, but we have a good crowd. For those of you who are not club members here, we take pride in our screening of members, safety being our utmost priority. That said, if you do not feel comfortable with your master for the evening, you do not need to leave the public space, and a simple standing up with hood removal for those of you who have them will bring someone your way. And, of course, it goes without saying, if you have a master, they are part of the package deal, and you will not be alone.”
Alone.
Her words were meant to comfort, but as I stood there with no puppy gear, no master, and no clue what I was truly getting myself into, her talk hadn’t accomplished its goals. She must’ve
noticed my apprehension because, as the auction began, I found her by my side and not with the auctioneer.
“Little pup, you are so brave.” She petted my head, and I leaned into it. Marion wasn’t someone I’d ever see as my master, but she held this maternal quality that had my submissive side wanting to please her. “Would you like me to go on stage with you?” I nodded profusely. “We’ll make sure you get yourself a good master for tonight. One you can trust.”
“One who knows what they are doing?” Because I certainly did not. I’d watched some videos and read some posts about it, sure, but I’d never played. It just never felt right until tonight. Now? Now I knew it was where I fit in, at least at this point in my life.
“I didn’t say that,” she chuckled, “but one who is a good fit.” I wasn’t sure how she was going to do that, but the little I knew here told me questioning her on it was not the best idea. “Speaking of good fits, I saw you made some new friends.”
“A daddy and his little.” A hot daddy and his playful and, I had a feeling, mischievous little. I’d never been into little play enough to even explore it online, but with Danny and his daddy, that had changed. There was something about seeing the two of them together that—I wasn’t sure what, but it stirred something inside me in addition to my cock. I’d had to will that sucker down more than once around them.
Which wasn’t good.
They were married, at least based on the ring on Daddy’s hand. I probably shouldn’t think of him as Daddy. He was Danny’s daddy, not mine, and I didn’t want a daddy. I wanted a master—I thought—I wasn’t quite sure. It was all happening so quickly yet somehow not.
“Stop.” It was a command, and I looked up, not sure if I should meet her eyes. We weren’t playing. She wasn’t my domme. Yet her commanding presence had me wanting to comply regardless. “You need to get out of whatever headspace you are in. It is making you jittery.”
Jittery? Crap, I hadn’t even noticed.
“Yes, ma’am.” I let my gaze fall.
“Good pup. Now let’s find you a master for the night.” She took me by the hand and led me out. I was the only pup not in pup persona, and fear that no one would want me hit hard. “Out.” She was referring to my headspace, I knew that, but the way she said it sounded like a command you might give a pup, and it brought me into better focus. “There are masters who love new pups. You will be prized tonight.” She spoke softly as we left the waiting area.
I had no notion of just how right she was.
Chapter Six
Danny
I sucked on my binky, my eyes glued to the pups who one after another were “sold” to the highest bidder. As fascinating as they were, I didn’t care about them. I’d already picked out my pup. I wanted Ryder, or Beau as I already named him. Was that how it worked? Boys name their pups, right?
“No, Danny. Now be patient.” I looked up at Daddy quizzically. “You forget sweet boy,” he tapped my nose. “You mumble when you are thinking too hard and, even around that binky, a daddy understands his boy.”
I popped out my binky. “Are you mad?” He didn’t seem at all mad, but I had sprung the notion of bringing in a third for the night on him. It hadn’t even been intentional. There was just something about Ryder. I couldn’t even begin to pinpoint it—it just was.
“Mad? Of course not. A daddy needs to know what his boy wants.” He ruffled my hair. “And dear sweet Ryder seemed a bit lost when we got here, don’t you think?” I hadn’t noticed, my brain far too low that evening, but in hindsight he had been. “He needs some friends here, and we could be that for him and, if friends leads to more, and it’s something we all agree on?”
I nestled in close. “But you will always be my daddy.”
“Always,” he reassured me. “You will always be my little boy.”
“And we can still get a puppy?”
“Yes, Danny, we can still get a puppy.”
I lay there with Daddy as a few more pups came out. They were magnificent. The hoods were everything from very basic to fancy, including one in teal. I wasn’t sure why she wanted to be a teal puppy, but she looked amazing, a combination of glam and pup. It was no wonder she sold for the highest bid of the evening so far. And in the end, it was her master who purchased her, which I found interesting on many levels and wanted to talk to Daddy about later.
I teetered between little headspace and my own, which was not the norm for me while I was Danny. Normally it would’ve upset me, had me feeling like I was being naughty, not obeying. Tonight? Tonight it was just what it was.
“Where is Beau?” Because apparently he was going to be Beau now.
“Don’t get attached, little one. We don’t even know if Beau wants to be adopted.” Did his voice just falter? Was Daddy unsure? Daddy was always sure, always in control.
“Daddy?” He looked down at me lovingly. “I’m being a good boy?” It came out as a question.
“You are the best boy.” He kissed the top of my head. “Let’s see if we can get you a puppy.” He held up his paddle, and I glanced out to see Beau front and center holding Aunt Marion’s hand. He was still wearing the same outfit as earlier...no hood, no mitts...no tail...no knee pads, but somehow he looked more—more puppy.
“Thank you, Daddy.” I watched as paddles went up and the bids rose and then my eyes fell to Aunt Marion who gave a stern look to our left and then our right. Was she telling people not to bid? Please don’t let her tell Daddy not to bid.
She didn’t and, when all was said and done, Daddy won.
“You need to calm down, little man.” Daddy smiled at me, sliding me from his lap onto the seat beside him. “Let me see if I can find someone you can stay with while I figure out all the details.”
“I wanna come, too,” I whined. He gave me the look, the one that said behave or else. Normally I liked the or else. Tonight? Tonight I wanted to do other things. “Sorry, Daddy. I’ll be a good boy. I can wait here alone. I promise to not move.”
He side-eyed me, called over the waitress, and had some hush-hush grown-up talk while I waited patiently—patiently-ish anyways. I tried not to pout. Really, I did.
I pouted.
“Three.” I knew exactly what he meant, three swats later, and just as it always did, it settled me—grounded me. He went back to his hush-hush conversation, and next thing I knew I had a babysitter named Camille. At least she was nice, and she told me my favorite story, the one about the elves and the shoes, and she even held Theodore when I offered. She was nice.
I didn’t have babysitters often, and never at home, but when I did I was always on my best behavior. Jimmy had babysitters all the time at home, and he was naughty for them. I think that was the point.
When Daddy came back, he had Beau with him, only this time he had a little dog collar on with a leash. Still no hood, and he was walking not crawling. And the collar wasn’t a collar, even if it looked amazing on him.
I bound from my seat wrapping my arms around Daddy, “You got me a puppy!”
“No. I brought a puppy to visit us. He’s not ours. Just a visitor.” He resumed his seat as I held onto him and awkwardly climbed onto his lap as soon as he sat down, just staring at my puppy.
“Danny was a very good boy, Sir.” Camille handed me back Theodore. “Maybe he deserves five.” She smirked.
Daddy barked out in laughter. “Caught that, did you?” He handed her some money folded up and thanked her for her service.
“Are you going to stay with us tonight?” I asked Beau who was now sitting by Daddy’s feet, his head leaning against his thigh.
He tilted his head in response.
“I’m going to call him Beau, Daddy,” I announced, more for the pup’s sake since Daddy knew that, and held my hand in front of his face waiting for his approval so I could pet him. I didn’t know much about pups, but I knew getting bitten was never a good plan.
“I think he should have something to say about that.” Daddy spoke firmly, and he was right. I’d
been too exuberant and was going to scare him away.
“Sor—”
He licked my hand. Beau licked my hand, barely, but it was still a lick. Weird thing was, I didn’t hate it. To the contrary, it held an intimacy I didn’t quite understand. “Silly dog. Can I call you Beau?” I asked, and he nodded and licked me again.
“Pup, you don’t need to indulge my boy. I do quite enough of that for both of us.”
“Daddy spoils me.” And I loved it.
“I like Beau, sir.” He spoke, his voice soft, as if he were unsure if he should speak. I wasn’t sure either.
“Then, Beau it shall be. Do you want to chat or just be a pup now?” Daddy asked, and Beau just gazed at him as if he was given the world’s hardest question. I knew that look. It was the one I gave when I needed to let Daddy take complete control. Poor pup was lost.
Good thing we found him.
“How about you curl up next to us for a bit and then we can chat?” He ruffled Beau’s hair and took off the leash, setting it on the couch arm, then patted the seat beside us. Beau practically bounded up into the spot then curled up with his head pressed against Daddy’s thigh.
“Daddy and I chatted about things not puppy related including a new boat he saw that he thought I might like as Daddy petted Beau in long strokes and I watched his eyes close and his breath even out.
“Puppy fell asleep,” I whispered.
“Then we must be doing something right.” His lips brushed the top of my head. “Now back to the business at hand. If Daddy were to get you the new boat, would you want it to be red or blue?” And just like that we went back to our conversation as if we didn’t have a gorgeous sleeping pup at our side.
I imagined him with a hood, one with soft leather and that still allowed him to lick me. Possibly in other places than just my hand. I pushed that thought down. That wasn’t for me to decide. My lower bits belonged to Daddy. He would take care of everything. He always did.
