by Anthology
Marley couldn’t help but notice the woman had tears running down her cheeks, and yet she looked blissfully happy in her man’s arms. Her research supplied the logical answer that the woman had reached subspace or, at the very least, she had received immense pleasure from the scene, but she wondered what it actually felt like. In her mind’s eye she pictured herself spread out naked on the bench, pleading with a man to punish her. Would she truly be able to let go of control long enough to come? The Dominant gave her an assessing look as he passed and then winked, making her blush from forehead to toenails and scurry farther down the hallway.
In her haste to escape his knowing look, she ran headlong into another person, and stumbled nearly falling on her ass. The body under her hands was covered in a brocade corset, and it had curves underneath not edges. Lifting her eyes, she found herself staring into the green eyed gaze of a Domme.
When the stranger narrowed her eyes on Marley, it caught her off guard and she blushed again. It was so tempting to turn around and walk back out the front door to her car, but she had promised Killian that she would attend tonight if he put her on the guest list, and she kept her promises. Thank God I didn’t promise to participate. Her eyes were locked on a wicked looking whip that dangled from the woman’s belt. A cold shiver of mixed desire and fear crawled up her spine.
The woman was no taller than Marley herself, but there was no doubt she dominated those around her. Her blonde hair was pulled back in a sleek French braid that hung over her shoulder and almost to her hip mimicking the length of the leather whip she wore. Her small breasts were pushed up by her corset above a pair of slim fitting leather leggings. The pants hugged her full hips and thighs like a second skin, and dangerous looking spiked black ankle boots finished the badass image. Even with her average build, the confidence with which she carried herself left no doubt in Marley’s mind that this woman was a force to be reckoned with.
“You’re new to this aren’t you, sweetheart?” Marley flicked her eyes up to meet the woman’s assessing gaze again, and nodded. “And you have no Master or Mistress, I presume?
“No ma’am.” She had to force the words out of her dry throat, and she swallowed hard trying to control her own nerves.
“Don’t worry, no one will bite unless you ask nicely first. We were all new to this world once. Just be careful, and watch where you’re going. You don’t want to interrupt a scene in progress, or you’ll have to accept the consequences.” With that, the beautiful woman was gone, leaving Marley staring after her.
“Whoa,” she whispered, feeling her stomach relax a little now that she wasn’t caught in the woman’s hypnotic stare.
She ran her hands over her thighs, rubbing her sweaty palms against the black knit fabric. It had taken her hours to settle on the soft black camisole, and mid-thigh length skirt, and even longer to select the sterling silver bracelets she wore on her wrists, and the slave sandals on her feet. She knew it wasn’t traditional fetish gear, but she couldn’t bring herself to squeeze her curvy form into latex or leather yet.
By no means did she think she was ugly, just not built for fabrics with no give. Short in stature at five foot three, she might have been called petite if it weren’t for her wide hips and thighs that, in her opinion, made her hourglass figure look bottom-heavy. She wore her mahogany brown hair up off her neck, twisted and clipped so that a few strands curled gently around her face. With pale skin, and large brown eyes, she had a unique look that some would call beautiful. Tonight, she just felt exceptionally vulnerable, and she couldn’t imagine walking around less clothed like many of the other attendees.
Forcing herself to stand tall, she accepted a bottle of water from a catering waiter passing by, and pushed forward. The next doorway led into an enormous lounge room, where people sat about chatting and relaxing as they might at any other event. The biggest difference being that many of them were mostly nude. A DJ in the corner near a raised platform played slow, sensual music, as a handful of couples swayed along to the beat.
There was a peaceful serenity in this room. Almost as though it was the low spot in the house created specifically for meditation and seduction. The Dom and submissive she’d seen earlier occupied a chaise lounge to her right, and she noted that the woman was now wrapped in a soft blanket and sipping a bottle of water as her man rested his chin on the crown of her head and played with her hair. They were clearly not just play partners. She could feel the love the man had for his woman, and it eased her discomfort at the sub’s earlier pain. The entire room seemed to be full of comfort, and she assured herself that she would come back here when things got overwhelming.
Out the corner of her eye, Marley spotted a man who seemed to be watching her from across the room. He was slouched in a leather smoking chair half hidden beside an oversized fireplace in the corner of the room, but he still managed to ooze power from the shadows. Her heart thumped a little faster matching the beat of the music, and her knees wobbled slightly.
Dressed in what looked to be slacks and a black button-down shirt that was open a few buttons, he was drool-worthy, and she struggled to draw her focus away from him. With his ebony hair and a whisker-shadowed jaw, he reminded her of a pirate. Her pussy wept as she imagined what that scruff would feel like against her skin.
Who he was or why he might be interested in her specifically, wasn’t on her mind. All she could think about was the sense of control that spilled out of him. He sat like a king surveying his court, one leg crossed over the other, his arms spread wide across the arms of the chair. One hand subtly tapped the rhythm of the music on the leather arm, while the other held a glass with amber-colored liquid in it. The intimidating Domme she’d plowed into just moments ago sought him out, and he smiled warmly as he rose and gave her a hug. Marley wondered at the balls it would take to hug a woman such as that, carrying a whip longer than she was tall, but the pair seemed to be old friends.
The blonde woman settled into the seat at his side, and began to speak quietly. The pirate, though, turned and glanced back towards Marley, catching her staring. To her surprise, his lips curled up in a sardonic grin, and he lifted the glass, tipping it to her, and raising his eyebrow. Whether in invitation or question, she didn’t know, but she didn’t wait to find out either.
Startled to be caught ogling the man, Marley hurried off down the hallway and away from his interested stare, hoping that distance would break the power he had over her libido after just that simple acknowledgement of her presence.
* * *
“Alexander? Are you listening to me?”
Lex absorbed the sight of the particularly sweet morsel. She’d never been at a Lusty Fantasies party before, because he would have remembered her. He had no idea who she was, but that didn’t stop his cock from twitching in response to the soft beauty she possessed. Her body was deliciously curvy, and he wondered if, as she stood under the chandelier in the hallway, she realized how sheer her clothing was. Even with the lights dimmed for ambiance, the dark shadows of her bra and G-string were clear from this angle. Was she here to play? There was no collar around her slender throat, but that didn’t discount the possibility that she was already claimed for the evening.
He tipped his glass, acknowledging that he knew she was looking back and felt a jolt of disappointment when she hurried off down the hallway and disappeared from view. Damn.
“Damn it, Lex, stop ignoring me. I don’t have time for this.” Analise’s frustrated tone drew his attention back to her, and he frowned.
“What’s the problem, Ana? You’re never this touchy.”
His sister’s brow was furrowed with tension, and he pushed the sexy stranger from his mind to focus on the situation at hand. Analise was a strong woman who was well-respected in the community. She carried herself with a confident aura that people envied. She was, without exception, one of the best Dommes Lex had ever known. The fact that they were siblings had no bearing on his judgment. In the BDSM community you weren’t judged by your f
amilial connections; you were judged by your conduct and skill.
It was particularly unsettling that Ana seemed off her game tonight. In general, nothing ruffled her feathers, so something out of the ordinary had to be amiss.
“I need your advice, and this is serious. I’ve been approached by another submissive about training him,” she said. Lex narrowed his gaze on her, taking in the stiff set to her spine and the elegant way she perched on the edge of the chair. With her legs crossed, the first thing anyone would see on approach would be her black leather, spiked boots. She had masterfully created an air of intimidation, control and sexual potency around herself, but Lex knew she carried a soft soul under all of the armor and spikes.
“What else is new, Ana? Don’t you get a dozen requests a month or so? I swear there are more wannabe submissives seeking a Master to paddle their ass than there are politicians at the BDSM clubs nowadays, and that’s quite a feat.” He snorted at his own joke and sipped his drink watching her steadily. When she just nodded a distracted agreement, he sighed and set his glass down to steeple his fingers in front of him. “All right, I give. Who asked, and why does he matter?”
“Wyatt Marks.” She responded without any further explanation. There wasn’t much else to say. Wyatt was a long time member of their community, but he was notoriously single. He’d tested out any number of Dommes and found none to his liking. He claimed to be a straight submissive, but his recent behavior left Lex doubting it. He was a switch, and maybe experimenting with Ana and Foster was the perfect opportunity for him to learn that fact about himself.
Lex knew that Wyatt had approached Ana in the past and the interaction had gone badly, so he wasn’t sure what made this occasion special, and he said as much.
“He said he’s done some soul-searching, and he would be willing to join me, with my pet, and become our third.” Ana said softly. Lex knew that her hesitancy wasn’t out of shame for her desire to add the new man to her relationship; it stemmed more from her desire to protect her partner than anything. Ana and Foster had a good thing going, and he would expect her to be cautious about jeopardizing that. The last time they’d entertained the notion of letting Wyatt into their pairing, he’d hurt them both. They’d become distant and awkward, and it took weeks for them to get back to normal. He didn’t want to see either of them go through that again.
“I see. I thought he was straight,” Lex said, cocking his head and lifting an eyebrow.
Ana covered a quick laugh, “Everyone is straight at these events until they aren’t. He apologized, and said he made a mistake before. I think it was genuine, but…” She chewed her lip for a moment, and Lex just let her quietly think. “He says he knows how important Foster is to me, and if accepting a sexual relationship with my pet is what it takes to get under my boot heel, he’s willing to do so.”
“It’s certainly an intriguing opportunity. In essence, you can have your cock and eat it too, so to speak.” He laughed at his own joke again, pleased when she actually snorted a chuckle this time. “You’ve told me that Foster wants him, Ana. That’s why you were willing to accept him before. I don’t know exactly what he said to you guys that night, but I know how much he hurt you both. Are you sure you can handle it if he changes his mind again?”
The confusion in her eyes was disconcerting, “I know, and that’s my concern. If this goes bad, and Wyatt can’t go through with it…well it could be ugly.”
Lex nodded, “Let me play devil’s advocate here. What if it turns out to be just what you all need? Aren’t you the one always telling me to be open to whatever’s around the corner? It appears you’ve just been presented with your own corner. Are you willing to take a chance? If Wyatt says he can handle it, and Foster wants it…are you willing to stand in the way because you’re scared of what could happen?”
Her temper flashed in her brilliant green eyes, a nod to her father’s genes, just as his blue eyes were from his paternal side. They shared their mother’s intelligence and controlling nature, but they were complete opposites physically.
“I’m not afraid of taking on a new toy, damn it. I’m concerned about damaging the one I’ve got,” she snapped, stomping her booted heel down and rising to her feet to stand in front of him. “I’m not even sure why I came to you. I should have known you wouldn’t take this seriously.”
“You came to me because you know I’d never lie to you to protect your feelings and because I’m the best,” he quipped smugly.
“Yeah, sure, better than all the rest, right?” She rolled her eyes, and shook her head. “You haven’t even had a sub in forever, perhaps you should turn in your Dom card, Lex, along with your balls—if you can find them.”
He grinned at her, and she held her ground glaring back as if they were children playing a game of Face Off. For several moments, they remained at an impasse until her anger cracked and she puckered her lips in a pout. “You’re a pain in my ass, you know?”
“I know, but you’re my sister, so there’s nothing you can do about it. And for the record, I know exactly where my balls are, thank you very much. When I’m ready for someone to play with them, I’ll find someone. Until then, let’s get back to your situation. You have a sub who’s in love with you—truly, madly, and deeply—but you’ve been putting off a more permanent commitment, choosing to keep him on a leash, but distant. He wants Wyatt even though the man hurt him, because he’s curious about his own sexuality. You want him happy. He wants you happy. Wyatt wants you happy. I’m really not seeing the issue. Give the pup a trial run and see how it goes. If the boy can’t get it up and keep it up with your pet, then you know there’s no future in it.”
Ana groaned and shook her head. “You have such an eloquent way of putting things, brother-mine. I’m not sure Foster will see it so black and white. Wyatt made him doubt himself, and our relationship the last time I…well…it’s in the past now, so it doesn’t matter. He says he’s sorry and he wants to make it up to both of us. Perhaps a surprise scene for Foster is in order. One with plenty of groveling and witnesses in case Wyatt backs out.”
“Make it clear that safewording negates his chances of re-engaging you in the future, or he’ll play you like a yo-yo on a string, Ana. Despite your current look, you and I both know you’ve got a soft spot for the men in your life.” Lex picked up his glass once again and winked at her.
“I need to finish rounds. Thanks for listening. I’ll consider what you said and decide later. Are you sticking around or leaving early again?” She reached out and snatched his glass from his hand, sipping his whiskey as if he’d offered it up.
“Give me that!” he snapped, tugging it back, “I don’t know how long I’ll stay. Kaia is with Mom until Monday, and you know how much she loves being at Grandma’s. But what’s the point of me being here? It’s not fun anymore,” he said, glaring at the glass as though it held all of the pain he’d been chewing on for a decade.
“You have to try, Lex. Take a sub tonight, and see how it feels to be back in the saddle. Maybe it will change everything.” Ana said, reaching out to pat his shoulder as she began to move away.
“Bah, not likely. Get your ass in gear woman. There are heathens to watch over, and I’d hate to have to report your lax supervision to Killian.” He teased, trying to give her a menacing look that turned into an affectionate smile when she just laughed and wandered away.
He watched her leave, wondering at her good fortune. Perhaps there was such a thing as happily ever after, but it certainly had never found him. No, he wasn’t meant for fairytales.
* * *
Marley’s attention was quickly back on the tour after she left the pirate behind. She was flabbergasted at the amount of space in the building, and the number of people finding some way to debauch it. The entire main floor of the house was decorated in a modern style with Mediterranean accents here and there, and she counted six separate rooms that were occupied by couples or groups engaged in one fetish or another.
In one, a wom
an hung suspended in the air, woven into a decorative harness of ropes, while a man meticulously created a braid around the curves of her body. The look on her face was utterly beautiful, and Marley shivered as a wave of desire washed over her. Ropes intrigued her and terrified her simultaneously. What if she had a panic attack while tied up? She turned and pushed away from the room assuring herself that ropes weren’t suitable for her.
She passed by an alcove where two men, clothed only in boxer briefs, knelt with their heads lowered. She studied their unmoving forms for a moment, wondering why they would be there, when another man approached and called to them. The two reacted instantly, rising to their feet, and following their Dominant down the hallway like well-trained pets. An unusual dynamic. Were they put in the corner as a punishment, or were they merely resting there until their Master wanted them?
A rather large curvaceous woman bumped into her, startling her from her reverie, and apologizing. They exchanged a smile and each went their own way, but Marley did a double take when she realized that the large woman was in fact a man dressed in drag. He was gorgeous, far lovelier than she would ever have believed a man in a dress could be, and he fascinated her. Making a mental note to search out the stranger at some point in the near future for makeup tips, she forced her attention back to the hallway. It was becoming more crowded by the minute, but that didn’t slow the attendees in their perverted pursuits.
