“I dance because it’s literally in my blood. My mom was a stripper.” Prue paused as the women went totally silent. “My mom was incredible onstage, and it was impossible to tear your eyes off of her when she danced. I dance because I aspire to be as amazing a dancer as her.”
Prue was thrilled to see the big grins from all the women in the room, and she smiled back at them. She turned to her right, where Callie was sitting.
“I’m Callie, and I want to dance because it makes me feel pretty.” Callie looked sideways at Prue. “And the last time I took a dance class from Prue and showed my Dom what I learned, I could barely walk for a week. This time I’m hoping it’s a month.”
Prue laughed along with Callie, loving the squeals and catcalls the other women made.
“I’m Lulu. I want to dance because I grew up watching Cyrus.” Prue stared at Lulu as the little woman made her statement, looking more serious than Prue had ever seen her. “I love watching him dance, not because of any kind of sexy thing—ew, he’s like my brother—but I just love how cool it is to see. I’d love to learn to move across a stage like that.”
One of the other subs laughed. “Are you planning a whip routine as well?”
The other women laughed, Lulu the hardest of all of them. “Can you imagine me with a whip? I don’t think so.”
Prue was struck by the woman sitting next to Lulu. It was the raven-haired beauty who’d come in along with the kitten sub, and she was the only one who hadn’t cracked a smile since she’d entered.
“I am Olenka.” The woman spoke with a thick Russian accent. “I take class because there is no dance here. I was ballerina in Russia, and I miss beauty and discipline.” She nodded at Prue, finished with her statement.
Prue smiled warmly, a little intimidated by the beautiful Russian. She didn’t really act like a sub, but Prue wasn’t about to ask. If the woman wanted to dance, she wasn’t about to turn her away.
The introductions continued for another few minutes, and by the end all the women seemed relaxed as they smiled at one another. All, that is, but Olenka. Prue wasn’t about to let it bother her, so she grinned at all of them and hopped to her feet.
“Okay, girls, let’s do some warming up. Don’t take anything further than what’s comfortable for you, and have fun with it! I want to see attitude!” Prue hollered the last bit, and all the women cheered. Prue grabbed the remote and pressed play, and the room instantly filled with a pop song about some girl comparing the guy she missed to candy.
Prue loved pop music for these classes, the more upbeat the better. She tried to incorporate all the popular Pop-Tarts in her classes. She was always current with her music, and she knew from experience that the more sugary the song, the bouncier the women would be.
Facing the mirror so that the women behind her could see what she was doing, front and back, Prue began leading them in a warm-up designed to energize and make them feel like a million dollars. That was really what Prue’s classes were about, making these women feel good about themselves.
She watched them in the mirror, noting happily that all of them were keeping up. No one with two left feet in this class. She narrowed her eyes as she watched Olenka, the woman’s innate grace and perfect control backing up her story about having been a ballet dancer. Prue would have to speak with her at some point. The woman was way beyond what Prue would be teaching in this class, and Prue didn’t want her to be bored as she moved at a slower pace with the other women who had less experience. She made a mental note to speak with Olenka one-on-one at her earliest opportunity.
The warm-up complete, Prue called back to the women following her. “Okay, girls, time to work that pelvis! Let’s open it up, work it out, and discover the true meaning of rocking our hips!” As she went to a wall and rose to her toes, rocking her pelvis back and forth, Prue bent her knees and lowered herself down a little with each rock. She looked around to see all the women following her, and she smiled as one of her favorite tunes came on.
“Okay, girls, rock those hips with attitude!” Prue talked the women through the exercise, praising them and calling out encouragement as a few of them groaned. She kept the pace peppy, knowing they’d be tired afterward but wanting them to really get a feel for the sensuality of dance. She looked at the women, pleased with their progress, and found she was really looking forward to their next class.
Chapter 12
Prue took a long pull from her water bottle, calling good-bye to the last of the women as they trickled out of the dance studio. They’d all seemed tired but happy, and many of them had thanked her for her efforts. Olenka was still the only one who seemed aloof, and Prue reminded herself to ask Cyrus how best to get in touch with the stunning Russian.
Callie and Lulu had had to scurry away directly after the class, Callie to prepare for her demonstration with Alejandro in the afternoon and Lulu to handle a few things for the club. Prue set her bottle down and mopped her face with her towel, moving to the barre in order to do a bit of her own thing before leaving the studio and grabbing her second shower of the day. Idly she wondered if she could persuade Cyrus to join her this time, if he was still at home.
Prue gave herself a mental shake, reminding herself that Cyrus’s house wasn’t “home,” rather it was simply where she was staying with her Dom. She shivered as she thought of Cyrus in Dom mode, remembering all the wicked things he’d done to her last night. Her muscles had complained a little while she was teaching, small twinges that reminded her quite pleasurably of her nocturnal pursuits, and she looked forward to the next time they played with barely contained excitement.
Finishing her own exercises, Prue decided there was no time like the present for her to start nosing around Cuero. She grabbed her bottle and towel, retrieving her iPod from the sound system and switching off the lights before leaving the studio. She made her way back to Cyrus’s house, the key he’d given her the day before letting her enter as she pleased.
After a too-quick shower, she dumped her dance gear into the hamper, ignoring the little flutter she felt at seeing her clothes all bundled up with Cyrus’s, and donned a butter-yellow sundress similar in cut to the one she’d worn yesterday. Cyrus had liked the garment so much she wanted to please him by wearing another one, and she recalled what he’d said about her hair, this time making the effort to blow dry it into tousled waves. She reapplied her makeup, slipped into a pair of strappy sandals, and was ready to go.
Prue checked her watch, seeing that she had a couple of hours before she had to attend her session with Alejandro. She thought Lulu might be a good place to start, and she pushed away the twinge of guilt that she was using the woman to get information. She really liked Lulu and didn’t want to see her as a means to an end, but as the front of house, Lulu had to know about the comings and goings of the club, and Prue had to start somewhere.
Conscious that her stomach was rumbling, Prue checked her watch again and saw that it was indeed time for lunch. Inspiration struck as she passed by the club’s café, and she ordered two wraps with side salads, thanking the staff for packing everything up for her along with utensils. She tried to remember the layout of the club as she went looking for Lulu’s office, breathing a sigh of relief when she made it there with no wrong turns.
Prue knocked on the door, hearing Lulu’s voice call out a moment later, inviting her in. She peeked inside the door, smiling to see Lulu looking even tinier than usual as she sat behind an enormous desk piled high with papers.
“Hey! This is a pleasant surprise!” Lulu was clearly thrilled to see her, beaming at Prue and gesturing for her to have a seat.
Prue smiled back. “I realized I was hungry, and I’m willing to bet you haven’t had a break for lunch.” She held up the bag she carried, waving it back and forth.
Lulu’s eyes rolled comically. “It’s like you’re some kind of angel. I’m freaking starving!” With that, Lulu jumped up and began clearing space on the massive desk while Prue started unloading the bag of food.
“I didn’t know what you like, so I got mango lime salads and chicken fajita wraps.”
Lulu practically dove into the food, tearing the wrapping off. “This is exactly what I would have ordered for myself. You’re such a doll.” Lulu dug into her wrap with gusto.
Prue grinned, happy her gesture was so well received. She bit into her own wrap, and they chewed companionably for a few minutes before Prue spoke again.
“So do you have much turnover in staff here?” She tried to make the question casual, as if she was merely curious.
Lulu shook her head vehemently. “Nah. For the most part the people who are hired here tend to be a good fit, and a lot of them like it so much they stay. Most of our staff has been here for the past five years or so.”
Prue’s heart sank. That meant that if there was something illegal going on, whoever was involved would have had ample time to set it up and keep it going. “You certainly have people from all over the globe here. I know Alejandro’s Spanish, and Olenka from my dance class and Viktor from security are Russian. Did they know each other before they came to work here?”
Lulu nodded enthusiastically, her mouth full of salad. She chewed before answering, waving her fork for emphasis. “Yeah, Viktor started working for Cyrus seven or eight years ago, right when Cyrus opened this place. He recommended Cyrus hire Olenka when he heard Cyrus was looking for a Domme in charge, you know, the equivalent of Alejandro.”
“I wondered about that actually.” Prue chewed thoughtfully. “She didn’t really seem like the other subs in my class this morning.”
Lulu smiled wryly. “I’d be surprised if she did. She’s scary as hell, but she’s crazy awesome at keeping the male subs happy. And she teaches courses as well.”
Prue frowned. “I hope she’ll be okay in the class I’m teaching. She’s a tad more advanced than everyone else, me included.”
Lulu laughed. “Olenka wasn’t kidding when she said there’s no dance for her here. She uses the studio on her own, but this is probably the closest she’s going to get to a real dance class if she doesn’t want to drive into one of the bigger cities.”
“Well, maybe I’ll see if she wants to do something one-on-one while I’m here.” Prue had the strangest feeling that there was more to the gorgeous Russian than just being a Domme at Cuero. How did a former Russian ballerina wind up in New Mexico, especially on the recommendation of another Russian? Prue felt like the whole thing was a little fishy, and she determined to get to the bottom of it.
Lulu had finished her wrap and was looking mournfully at one of her hands. “Man, I have got to make time for a manicure. My hands are a damn mess.”
Prue’s interest was piqued immediately. “Is there a spa close by?” She blushed, wondering what Lulu would think if she told her about all the services she was going to need over the coming weeks.
“We have one onsite.” Lulu laughed. “Most of our members use it, and so do lots of our guests. Why?” Lulu smiled. “Do you want to come for a mani with me?”
Prue grimaced, looking at one of her hands. “Nah, it’s not that.” She blushed harder. “I had my nails done right before I came here. Let’s just say Cyrus is particular about the way his subs maintain their grooming.”
“Ooh.” Lulu’s eyes rounded. “I should have known. Well, feel free to give them a call anytime. Chances are when they find out you’re Cyrus’s sub, they’ll move heaven and earth to keep you happy.”
“Good to know.” Prue was thrilled, thinking that maybe subbing for Cyrus would have perks outside the bedroom. “Is there anyone in particular you’d recommend I see?”
Lulu cocked her head to one side, obviously considering Prue’s question. “Actually, it’s funny you should ask.” Lulu frowned. “When you asked about turnover, I was really only thinking about the dungeon staff, but now that you mention it I don’t think I’ve ever seen the same girl twice at the spa.” Lulu’s face brightened, and she started to giggle. “It’s probably because they have no idea what they’re signing on for when they start working here. Can you imagine the shock for someone vanilla, fresh out of school, to think she was working in an upscale boutique spa and wind up here?”
Prue laughed politely, but her mind was racing. “Have you ever asked any of them why they leave? BDSM club or not, it must be a good job with lots of regulars.”
“Nah, most of the girls we get are young immigrants who come here to find better jobs, and a lot of them don’t speak much English.” Lulu shrugged. “I’ve tried to chat with them, but they’re so efficient I don’t have much time. I like to think they refine their skills here before moving on to bigger and better things, maybe trophy wives and bridal parties.”
Prue’s head was spinning, and that sick-to-her-stomach feeling was back. She’d have to check out the spa if women came and went that quickly, especially if the vast majority of them were foreign. Where did they come from, and where did they go?
Prue gave her head a shake, remembering she wasn’t alone. “You know, I think I’ll go head over to the spa now, make an appointment.” She sighed dramatically. “I wouldn’t want to make Cyrus unhappy.” She winked at Lulu. “Can you tell me how to get there from here?”
“Sure!” Lulu walked Prue to the door, pointing her in the right direction. Prue thanked the petite blonde, hugging her impulsively before heading out. She was glad that was over, and hoped fervently she wouldn’t need to involve Lulu in her investigation anymore. The woman had given her lots of food for thought, and now she had to start putting puzzle pieces together. Prue steeled herself for puzzle piece number one as she reached a set of French doors. Puzzle piece number one. The spa.
* * * *
Ten minutes later, Prue couldn’t believe how right Lulu had been about the effect Cyrus’s name had on the spa staff. Word had gotten around that he’d taken the new dance teacher as his sub, and once Prue had shown her ID badge to the spa receptionist, she’d been whisked right back into a treatment room complete with candles, soft music and a fountain. She’d opted to have a pedicure, knowing her dancing could be hard on her feet. What she hadn’t expected was that she’d been signed up for the pedicure she wanted, as well as something the spa staff referred to as the “Cyrus Special.”
Now, as Prue sighed in bliss as the pedicurist massaged her calves and feet with a fragrant oil, she blushed a little at what she’d been put through. The spa staff had worked with crazy efficiency, knowing Prue had somewhere to be, and in the short time she’d been there she’d been exfoliated, moisturized…and she’d had her very first enema. She’d almost had a heart attack when she’d been told it was part of the Cyrus Special, and she hadn’t exactly enjoyed it. It hadn’t been awful or anything, but really, why on earth would her Dom insist she have an enema?
Prue banished the thought as the pedicurist dug clever fingers into her feet. “You’re very good at this,” Prue said, smiling at the young Asian woman rubbing her arches.
“Thank you,” the woman responded softly.
Introduced to Prue as Violet, she’d barely said a word, struggling to respond in English as Prue attempted to draw her out. Prue had asked question after question, but for the most part Violet had simply shrugged her shoulders, unable to understand what Prue was saying.
Prue sighed. She hadn’t been able to learn much from Violet, but judging by her age, there was no way she’d have had time to complete any kind of course in esthetics before starting to work at Cuero. There was definitely something up with the spa, and Prue decided to come back as often as she legitimately could, wondering if she could persuade Cyrus to let her go for more treatments than just the ones he insisted on.
“All done,” Violet said in the same soft voice, screwing the cap back on the bottle of bright pink polish she’d just finished applying to Prue’s toenails.
Prue waggled her toes. “Perfect! I love it.” She was genuinely appreciative, knowing her feet looked like a million bucks. “Thanks, Violet!” She beamed at the young wom
an.
Violet smiled slowly at Prue. “Welcome.” She ushered Prue back to the receptionist’s desk, where Prue thanked her once more before turning to the receptionist.
“She was amazing!” Prue knew she was gushing, but she wanted to see what kind of reaction the receptionist would have. “I can’t wait to come back and see her again. Should I book in advance?” Prue knew she was pushing it, but something told her she was right on the edge of a piece to add to the puzzle.
The receptionist smiled. “Not to worry, Miss, we’ll clear Violet’s schedule next time you’re in. No need to book in advance. You just come back when you’re ready.”
Far from satisfied, Prue tried once more. “Are you sure? I wouldn’t want to put anyone else out if they’re already booked with her. Wouldn’t it just be easier if I made an appointment with Violet now in, say, two weeks?”
The receptionist’s smile grew slightly frosty, a fact not lost on Prue. “As I said, Miss, we’ll make any necessary arrangements the day of your appointment. Please leave the scheduling to us.”
Prue shrugged, smiling at the receptionist with way more warmth than she was feeling. She had the distinct impression that the receptionist was trying to prevent her from seeing Violet again, but she couldn’t very well do anything about it.
“Okay, I trust you.” Prue giggled, hoping she seemed airheaded. “What can I say, I use my feet hard! When I find someone as good as Violet, I don’t like to share!” She smiled winningly, gratified to see the receptionist relax and smile back.
Prue's Promises [Submissive Sirens 3] (Siren Publishing Allure) Page 10
