Cyrus had ended the tour by delivering Prue personally to her door, and they’d shared what she thought was a terribly awkward good night before he’d left. He hadn’t asked to come in, although that didn’t surprise Prue at all since she doubted he’d ask for anything. He’d command. Cyrus King was very definitely the king of this place, sending subs scurrying in all directions as they’d made their way through the club. Very few people made eye contact with him, and most people referred to him as “Sir.” Prue noticed again that he smiled rarely, and he always carried a modicum of Dom with him. It seemed he wasn’t just dominant in the bedroom, rather for him it was a way of life. Prue had shivered thinking about what that meant, his nature inspiring her to feel cared for while she was in his presence.
When they’d reached her door, Cyrus had waited until she’d opened it before raising her hand to his lips, bidding her good night. She had all but melted, the courtly gesture charming her to her toes. She’d wished him good night, a stab of longing zinging through her as he turned and walked away down the hall. She’d sighed as she closed the door, wishing she’d had the nerve to ask him to stay. Oh well, he probably wouldn’t like it if I asked anyway.
Prue leaned against the inside of her door after she’d closed it, letting the events of the day sink in. She yelped as a knock sounded, spinning around and opening the door, hoping against hope that Cyrus had decided to come back.
Prue tried not to be disappointed as Lulu skipped into the room, a bottle of wine and two glasses in her hands.
“Okay, you have to tell me what that was all about.” Lulu’s mischievous grin was infectious, and Prue grinned back at her. Lulu really reminded Prue of her friend Cleo, although the two looked nothing alike. Lulu clearly shared Cleo’s naughty temperament.
“Well, here’s the thing.” Prue had already thought out what she’d say to Lulu since there was no way the woman was about to let her off the hook. “I met Sir…Cyrus once before, and I think he wanted to make sure I wasn’t some crazy stalker.”
Lulu handed Prue a glass of wine, her eyes as big as saucers. “Where on earth did you meet him?”
Prue took a sip of wine, drawing out the moment. “At a dance club.”
Lulu shrieked, choking on her wine. “You danced with him? Forget tearing up the sheets, the two of you must have torn up the dance floor!”
Prue smiled. “We had a lot of fun.”
Lulu swatted her arm. “Did the fun continue later?” She wiggled her eyebrows suggestively, pursing her lips.
Prue laughed outright. Yup, Lulu and Cleo were like peas in a pod. “Nah, I was on vacation with my girlfriends, and we have a strict code about going home with men.”
“Kind of a ‘chicks before dicks’ thing?” Lulu looked like she was having the time of her life, and Prue wondered how often Cyrus got away from the club.
“Exactly.”
Lulu laughed, filling up both their glasses again. “You mean you didn’t exchange information? Or even names, for that matter? Cyrus must have been shocked as hell to see you here!”
Prue grimaced. “Understatement of the century. I thought he was going to throw me out.”
Lulu sobered immediately. “I’m sorry that happened. I know he can be a scary bastard when he wants to, and it’s not like he ever turns the Dom off. That really is him, through and through.”
“I gathered,” Prue said dryly. “Well, the good news is he doesn’t think I’m a stalker anymore, and the other good news is I get to stay. Now”—Prue pointed a finger at Lulu, wanting to change the subject—“if you know who my Dom is for the next two weeks, spill!”
Lulu shook her head, a smug smile on her lips. “Not a word from me. None of the singles find out who their Doms are until the first session.”
“Okay, so how is this going to work? It’s the first course I’ve taken.” Prue felt herself blushing a little, and she was grateful that Lulu was so matter-of-fact about it.
“Well, you’re signed up for a level-two course. That means you’ve had experience in the lifestyle, but you haven’t been trained beyond the basics. Is that fair?” Lulu regarded Prue quizzically.
“Yup, that’s me in a nutshell.” Prue giggled, remembering the last couple of Doms who’d shown her the ropes. Literally and figuratively.
“So the level two is being taught this time by Alejandro. Oh dear, you’re not going to feel awkward seeing him work over Callie, are you? He does a lot of live demonstrations.”
Prue’s curiosity was on fire. “Not at all. Live demonstrations? Now I’m dying to know!”
Lulu raised an eyebrow. “I’m not going to give away Alejandro’s secrets, but suffice it to say that he’s very, very good. And he’s an excellent teacher. The way he normally works is he introduces a concept and gives a demonstration every other day, so the subs can practice with their Doms on the off days.”
Prue felt herself getting excited about this course. It sounded awesome! “Okay, that’s enough to keep me going for now.”
Lulu held out the bottle of wine questioningly, and Prue nodded as Lulu shared the remainder of its contents between their glasses.
“Once we realized that you were our dance teacher, and that you were also going to be taking Alejandro’s course, we coordinated your schedule so that you’ll teach twice a week on the same days he does. That way you’ll have your class to teach in the morning, you’ll attend your own course in the afternoon, and you’ll still have the off days completely free to work with your Dom.” Lulu drained her glass.
“Thanks for doing that. I appreciate having the days free to work with my Dom. You know what they say about practice making perfect.” Prue laughed along with Lulu, finishing off her wine.
Lulu stood to go. “I’ve kept you long enough. Thanks for indulging my curiosity about Cyrus!”
Prue giggled. “No problem. I wish there was more to tell.” Her ears burned at the white lie, and Lulu eyed her speculatively.
“Hmm. Well, I’m sure you’ll have stories for me throughout your time here. Do you mind if I visit you every once in a while? I really feel a connection to you, and we subs need to find strength in numbers!”
Prue was delighted. “Absolutely! I’ll look forward to seeing you over the next weeks.”
Lulu made her way to the door, and Prue hugged her impulsively. She felt an alarming twinge of guilt that she couldn’t tell Lulu about her ulterior reason for being here, and she hoped fervently that things would end well. She already felt close to the petite sub, and it would upset her if things went awry between them.
Once they broke apart, Lulu was heading out when she turned back to Prue. “Oh, tomorrow morning someone will be by to take you to see Viktor, our head of security. Because you’re temporary staff, you’ll need to have an ID badge made up, and he’ll make sure you have everything you need to have constant access to the dance studio. G’night!”
Prue echoed Lulu’s “good night,” closing her door and locking it before going to her phone. She pulled a tiny device out of her purse and set it up on the night table, switching it on before dialing a number. The jammer would ensure no one could listen in on her conversation, and she really needed this part of her life to stay private.
As the call connected and Prue heard the answering voice on the other end of the phone, she couldn’t help but feel another twinge of guilt. She crossed her fingers that the reports about Cuero were false, and that there was nothing going on besides some really kinky fun. She sighed and uncrossed her fingers, rattling off her first debrief with her unit chief back in Boston.
Chapter 7
Cyrus was in a shitty mood. He hadn’t slept well, and nothing seemed to be going his way this morning. First he’d cut himself shaving, something he hadn’t done since he was a teenager, and then he’d received word that a dance club he owned in Miami had been closed for some sort of investigation. When he tried to get to the bottom of it he kept wading through a sea of red tape, and he’d finally gotten so frustrated he’d
handed the whole mess to Cruz. Thank goodness for Cruz since the man was a whiz when it came to business.
He’d had a phone call from Viktor asking if the new girl could have an ID badge that would grant her twenty-four-seven access to the dance studio, and he’d had a perverse desire to say no. It was tempting to have Prue dependent on him every time she needed into the studio since it would alert him to when she’d be in there. And if she was in there, he could watch. Ultimately he’d sighed and told Viktor yes.
Prue. That was really the problem. Cyrus hadn’t been able to stop thinking about her since he’d met her in Honolulu, and her presence meant he thought about her pretty much all the time. He’d been thinking about her when he cut himself shaving, actually. He’d been remembering the way he’d fucked his cock to the back of her throat and the dainty way she’d wiped his seed off her lips, and he’d nicked himself right below his ear.
Cyrus rubbed his face pensively. He was really going about this the wrong way. Why was he trying to get Prue out of his head when she was already in his home? Prue was a sub he was interested in mastering, and she’d already proven herself to be interested in being dominated by him. He had her at his disposal for the next six weeks, which was ample time for him to explore her limits, and the two of them could play together during that time.
Cyrus stilled as a truly genius idea came to him. He smiled a wicked smile as he turned on his laptop, pulling up the document he wanted. He grabbed his phone and dialed for one of the club Doms, relaxing when the man answered on the first ring. He was feeling better already.
* * * *
Prue was nervous as she sat down in one of the dungeon’s antechambers, smoothing her skirt over her legs. She looked around at the other subs and Doms in the room, and she cringed mentally. She really wasn’t dressed for this.
One woman wore a skintight red dress that had to be made of latex, and she sported a matching red dog collar complete with spikes. Attached to the collar was a leather leash. The man holding the leash was covered in tattoos. He had one arm done in a tattoo sleeve, and Prue could see a blend of skulls, barbed wire, and crosses in the design. His other arm had a winding vine covered in roses, and it wrapped around and around his arm from his wrist to his shoulder where it disappeared beneath the black leather of his vest. Prue could see what she thought was a continuation of the tattoo where his vest didn’t quite meet his leather pants, and she wondered exactly how far that vine meandered on his body.
The woman, seated on the floor leaning against her Dom’s legs, caught Prue looking. “Do you like it? It took ages to get it done.” Her voice was pleasant and raspy, making Prue wonder if she could sing.
“It’s beautiful.” Prue was sincere in her compliment. She wasn’t permitted to modify her body beyond pierced ears since it would make her too easy to identify while she was on jobs for Homeland Security, but she loved body art.
The Dom looked over at Prue, massaging the back of his sub’s neck and making her melt against him. “When I collared my Rosie, she wanted to leave her mark on me, too.”
Prue smiled. What an awesome way to show off their D/s bond. As she looked at another couple across the room, she was totally charmed. The Dom, a big guy with skin the color of mocha, cradled a tiny Latina woman on his lap. The woman was wearing a soft black catsuit that had strategic cutouts over her breasts and butt, and she was wearing a pair of furry boots. Prue was tickled to see the sub also wore long furry gloves and a set of cat ears. She nuzzled her Dom’s face enthusiastically, and he stroked her affectionately as he paused every once in a while to fondle her bare skin.
None of the other occupants of the room were dressed quite so appropriately to the dungeon, but Prue was conscious that she was dressed more conservatively than everyone else combined. She wore a simple pink sundress that made her feel pretty, but even the single subs were wearing short tight skirts and push-up bras. Prue was starting to feel decidedly out of place.
The subs chatted amongst themselves, leaving the couples to make friends, and Prue couldn’t seem to get involved with either conversation. She was getting crazy nervous, and her mind kept drifting to Cyrus. She pretended that he was in the room with her since his presence always seemed to make her feel safe.
The conversations died down as the door opened, and all eyes turned expectantly as a group of Doms trooped in, led by Alejandro and his sub, Callie.
Callie grinned as she passed by Prue, pausing for a moment. “Hi! I’m so excited for your dance classes. When do they start?”
Prue smiled back, feeling much better now that she saw a friendly face. “Tomorrow morning. Thanks again for the recommendation!”
Callie blew her a kiss, then was nudged forward by an indulgent Alejandro who smiled curiously at Prue. Prue blushed, feeling her gaze slide down to the floor. She lifted her eyes once Alejandro’s attention was again focused on his sub, and she scanned the Doms who had just walked in, wondering which one was here for her. She almost drooled looking at them. These men look delicious! A couple of them smiled at her warmly, their eyes exploring her face, and she smiled back. She found herself breathless under their perusal, and she squashed the fleeting disappointment that none of them had dark hair and ice-blue eyes.
“Hola, bienvenido. Hello and welcome.” Alejandro called their attention to himself, and Prue was again staggered by his sheer size as he lounged against a table at the front of the room.
“I’m very pleased to welcome you to our level-two class at Cuero. This class is designed for male Doms who have a female sub. If you want to attend a bisexual class or a class for ménage, I’ll be happy to set you up with another one of our instructors. I’m sure that no matter which class you take, you’ll all find the experience very pleasant.” Alejandro smiled wickedly at them before continuing. “Before I get any further, I’d like to introduce my lovely sub, Callie.”
Callie batted her eyes at the group, blowing kisses and making everyone laugh, Alejandro included.
“As you can see, she loves the limelight, so she’s going to be helping me demonstrate the skills we’ll be discussing over the next two weeks.”
Before Alejandro could continue, Prue jumped as the door banged open. She wasn’t the only one startled as a couple of the subs gasped and the kitten sub clung to her Dom, and all eyes turned to the door. Prue felt a riot of sensations swamp her, because Cyrus King had just walked into the room, closing the door behind him and glowering ferociously.
* * * *
Cyrus scowled. He hated being late for anything, and he was most definitely late for Alejandro’s introduction. He swore under his breath, sitting down and gesturing for Alejandro to continue.
“Uh…where was I?” Alejandro seemed surprised to see him, and Cyrus thought belatedly he ought to have warned him of his intention to attend.
“Oh yes. So this is Callie.” Alejandro kept sneaking glances at him, and Cyrus stared impassively back. “Boss? Did you need something?”
Cyrus gritted his teeth as he felt all eyes on him. This was not going as he’d planned. “Not at all, Master Alejandro. Please, continue.”
“Uh, all right.” Alejandro recovered himself after casting a last questioning glance at Cyrus. “This course is intended to deepen the understanding of D/s partnerships through guidance and hands-on practice.” Alejandro grinned at the group. “I bet you’re all looking forward to that part.” He laughed along with everyone else. “I’ll be introducing a skill each session, and I’ll explain both the Dom and sub roles. I will demonstrate each skill with Callie before sending you on your way, and you will all have time in between sessions to practice the skills I teach.”
Cyrus tuned out the rest of Alejandro’s explanation as he honed in on Prue. She was nervous. He could tell immediately just by looking at her. She was wringing her hands a little in her lap, and she kept smoothing the skirt of her dress. Cyrus was struck once more by just how submissive the woman was, and he doubted she even realized it. He felt his cock grow as h
e pictured all the ways he was going to teach her to accept her naturally submissive nature.
His eyes roamed freely over her sweet form, and Cyrus could feel his mouth practically watering as he took in her dress. The pink made her look innocent, and the full skirt rode high on her thighs, displaying about a mile of her gorgeous legs. Her feet were bound in sandals with wedge heels, making her legs look even longer.
As Prue smoothed her skirt yet again, Cyrus was willing to bet she didn’t realize how tempting she looked. He glanced around the room, and his jaded eyes took in the standard dungeon wear sported by the other subs and their Doms. Cyrus’s Doms who had been paired with the visiting subs all wore jeans and T-shirts. He insisted on street clothing in settings like this one, preferring to limit the hardcore stuff to the dungeon proper, so that no one—his Doms included—forgot that they were all people first, Doms second. He couldn’t stand any kind of objectification in his club unless it was consensual and for pleasure, and he didn’t want his Doms or his subs to be viewed by visitors as playthings. Sure they might love to play or be played with, but their kinky preferences didn’t take away from their humanity.
His eyes returned to Prue, and he decided then and there that his next order of business would be to send her shopping for as many of those sweet dresses as she wanted. And several pairs of fuck-me heels.
Cyrus tuned back in as Alejandro was discussing the finer points of how the week would work.
“Each sub will accompany her Dom to his room after this meeting. Each Dom will have a contract for you to sign, subs, for the duration of this class, with an option to extend at the end of two weeks should you wish to do so. Each contract will contain some of the same elements, but subs will work with their Doms to individualize their contracts based on mutual personal preference for hard and soft limits.
“Important things to note, and this is for non-resident subs and Doms. Here at Cuero we do not indulge in blood play, fire play, or scat play. Should you wish to experiment with any of those, you’ll have to do so elsewhere. You will have access to the dungeon every night should you wish to play in public, but each Dom has been outfitted with a private playroom for your use for the next two weeks. Toys and other equipment will be cleaned by our staff each day, although you are strongly encouraged to maintain your own high standards of hygiene.” Alejandro grinned at the crowd. “Play safe, everyone. Now, does anyone have questions?”
Prue's Promises [Submissive Sirens 3] (Siren Publishing Allure) Page 6
