Scavenger

by A. C. Melody

  “Yes, Master,” she replied, deciding it fit either way.

  “Do you know the kind of position you’ve put me in?” he asked. “You threatened to go back to auction over a simple misunderstanding.”

  Fuck, and now he worried she’d do it again if he punished her. Tessa had never meant it as a threat, though, just a reluctant choice between two undesirable options. Even so, the idea of going back to auction had never sat well with her, filling her with just as much dread as her concerns. The fear of getting stuck with a Domme or a really cruel sadist had damn near tied her into knots.

  “Master,” she replied. “I never wanted to return to the auction, I hated the whole idea of it. I just hated it less than being a replacement for someone else.”

  “But you’re not a replacement for someone else,” he reiterated.

  “I know that now,” she pleaded with him to believe her.

  It felt like she was on a seesaw with Felix balanced right in the center. She just wasn’t sure if he was trying to talk himself into punishing her like he wanted to, or talk them both out of it.

  “Do you, Tessa?”

  “Yes. Please, Master, I do.”

  It was the truth. Believing him wasn’t the problem. If anything, it was just the opposite. She believed him too much. The hours he’d spent gluing her wax piece back together again; the story behind the scar on his ribs; his willingness to help her get an internship in Paris; the hot and erotic confession he’d made about seeing her bound and completely his. No matter if he was speaking or acting, he did so with an honesty that worried her. And perhaps it was her own hang-up, an unnecessary concern, but she couldn’t help wanting some kind of guarantee that their dynamic would remain temporary. She’d much rather stay there and be worried than get returned to auction.

  Felix stared off into the distance as the seconds ticked by. When he looked to her again, it was with the expression she recognized above all others; the unyielding stare of her Master.

  “Two very important things are going to happen when I touch you, Tessa,” he warned. “One, I’m going to give you your punishment, and two, you will never mention the auction again. It will no longer be an option, do you understand?”

  Tessa opened her mouth and was surprised when the desire to argue failed to appear. She never would’ve thought she’d want the option of returning to auction taken away from her, yet his words brought about relief, rather than anxiety or irritation. She looked him in the eye and nodded.

  “Yes, Master, I understand.”

  Felix leaned forward, grabbed her under the arms and lifted her into his lap. It was the first time they’d touched since before their argument, and it stirred unexpected emotions, shaking all of her tense muscles. Relief played the biggest role, hitting her strong enough to sting her eyes. Felix adjusted her, until he cradled her with a hand palming her bare bottom.

  “Oh, my little fox,” he sighed, unable to miss her trembling. “You really do need your punishment, don’t you?”

  “Yes, Master.”

  Silence stretched between them for a moment, but it wasn’t uncomfortable. In a strange way, it seemed like Felix was waiting for her to stop shaking and relax in his arms, before he’d get on with it. The gentle way he continued to knead her ass cheek made it next to impossible, though. Tessa was right back on the seesaw again, her body wanting to relax into the arousing sensation, even while her muscles remained tensed in anticipation of punishment.

  “Every afternoon, starting today, there’s to be a poolside luncheon. It’s a social for all of us,” he spoke at last. “A time for everyone to get a little break from their roles and enjoy the company of our peers. For the dominants to mingle, as well as the subs to visit with one another. You will not be joining today.”

  Tessa looked at him with an audible gasp. The excitement she’d begun feeling about seeing Kip and Gema again took an immediate nosedive. “Master–” She knew she had no right to argue, but it was so disappointing.

  “Would you rather get spankings, Tessa?” he asked.

  His tone revealed well enough that he already knew the answer to that. It didn’t save her from having to answer.

  “Please, Master?”

  “No,” he answered firmly. “You will not be attending the luncheon. I think it’s a far more suitable punishment for your crimes. I want you to remember your lesson, Tessa, so we never have a repeat of this morning.”

  Every part of her wanted to protest, bargain, bribe—anything to be allowed to attend the luncheon. There were so many other ways he could punish her, taking the luncheon away was the worst. Of course, those thoughts only drove home how apt her punishment was, even to her own pouting mind. And that just sucked.

  “Do you understand, Tessa?”

  Being forced to admit she knew he was right was worse, and he undoubtedly knew that.

  “Yes, Master,” she sulked.

  “Good, then let’s go over some of your rules,” he replied, unaffected by her continued pouting. “One, you do not lie to your Master. Two, you do not disrespect your Master. Three...”

  Tessa tried not to moan when his grip tightened on her ass as he adjusted her into a more upright position in his lap.

  “Absolutely no going back to auction,” he continued, his tone firmer than before. “Four, no keeping secrets. If something is bothering you, for any reason, you will speak up immediately. I don’t care if we’re here for seven minutes or seven days, there must be open and honest communication. Wouldn’t you agree?”

  “Yes, Master.” She sighed, the guilt still present, yet no longer as heavy now that her punishment had been issued.

  “Then be honest with me right now, little fox. Do you dislike the cage?”

  It wasn’t surprising that he was still worried about it, when he seemed to like it so much. “I don’t dislike it, Master,” she replied honestly. “It’s just hard to sleep without being able to stretch my legs out all the way.”

  “Would you be willing to give it another try?”

  She would and knew most of her determination stemmed from wanting to please him, but that was inescapable. The other part of her determination was to see just how far she could really take her role as his pet. Like Felix had claimed, this week was about new experiences for both of them, and she’d never explored pet play as deeply as he seemed interested in trying. She might even discover that it was her preferred kind of kink.

  “Yes, Master.”

  “Good girl. Hand me your new collar.” He gestured to the jewelry case on the desk.

  After she handed it to him, she lifted her hair out of the way and waited. The metal was cold against her skin when he fit it around her neck, and it didn’t embrace her the way the leather one did. Yet, a shiver traveled down the center of her body when the lock clicked shut. The air charged, as always, but it seemed different. Perhaps it was more significant in the wake of their upsetting morning.

  “On your feet,” he directed, helping her to stand and following right behind her. He moved around the side of her and fingered the single ring, examining the overall appearance of the collar. He couldn’t hide that predatory edge, but his response was expected. “It’s not quite the same, is it, little fox?”

  “No, Master.”

  “Mm,” he remarked. “Still, it keeps you collared even in water, and that’s all that matters. Come.”

  She didn’t hesitate to follow him across the suite toward the main door, where he stopped and pointed to the front corner of the giant rug in the sitting area.

  “Whenever we arrive back to our room, unless directed otherwise, you will immediately kneel here and wait for further instruction, do you understand?”

  “Yes, Master.”

  “Show me.”

  Tessa turned to face the interior of the suite and knelt exactly the way he preferred.

  “Good girl,” he approved. “Up.”

  Once she was on her feet again, he gestured to the room at large. “You are never to sit on
any of the furniture, except your stool,” he said, continuing with her rules. The more he outlined, the more relief she felt. “Pets are not allowed on the furniture, unless they’re snuggling with their Masters, understood?”

  His words warmed her insides with the pesky arousal that was always right there to join in at a moment’s notice, and she had to bite the inside of her cheek to keep from smiling.

  “Yes, Master.”

  Felix turned into her and cupped the side of her face, using his thumb to tilt her chin upward.

  “And you’re to always, always keep your eyes open,” he ordered on a quiet growl, just before dipping his mouth to hers and reminding her of just how dangerously skilled it was.

  He moved her as he kissed the breath right out of her, until they were near the side of the bed. It was more of a struggle than before to keep her eyes open, giving him full access to her feelings and thoughts while trying not to squirm under what she saw in his. He licked the seam of her parted lips, before licking his own and tilting her a wolfish smirk that intensified the erotic heat.

  “Are you ready for your surprise, little fox?”

  “What?” she asked in confusion, her eyes sliding to the wax piece in the sitting room.

  Felix glanced at it with a chuckle. “No, that wasn’t it.”

  “But, Master, what about what happened?” she hazarded, her voice small with shame. “I thought I was in trouble.”

  “I already told you what your punishment was going to be for that, Tessa. It has nothing to do with the rest of our plans for today. Besides,” he added, crowding her into the side of the bed further as his expression grew hungrier. “It’s a treat for both of us; a game designed to put you right in all that inescapable suffering you crave so much and keep you there, for as long as I see fit.”

  The whimper was out of her mouth before she could stop it, and his responding grin was pure predator. God, had she ever met a man more primal? Her Master was the sophisticated wolf. Proud, carnal, inviting, and dangerous all wrapped up in one delicious package. Tessa just wasn’t sure what that made her, because she didn’t feel like a helpless lamb in his presence. His hunger ignited her own. His predatory edge adrenalized her. And when he bared his teeth, she longed to feel them sinking into her flesh.

  Without giving her an inch to breathe, Felix reached around her and dug a smaller clear case from the abandoned shopping bag. He opened it and held the item up for her to see. It looked like a beetle. That was the first thing that sprang to her mind. Shaped like a guitar pick, it had two curved arms that stuck out of the sides from the pointed tip and they looked like beetle legs.

  “Do you know what this is?”

  She shook her head. “No, Master.”

  He smiled, appearing pleased that she didn't. “It’s a variation of the Eve. Only, this particular model is controlled by remote.”

  He held the small, button filled device up to show her, and Tessa’s stomach jittered with nervous anticipation.

  “Lie on the bed exactly how I instructed last night.”

  Tessa lifted herself up onto the mattress and scooted backward, blindly moving things out of her way in the process. Her hand landed on a piece of paper, the scrunch of it drawing her attention. It was a computer printout that read Receipt of Purchase along the top. She was about to dismiss it as belonging to the items Remy had delivered, until she saw her own name. She picked it up and read the whole thing.

  Master/Owner: Felix Debré

  sub/slave: Tessa Fauns

  Auction Price: €10,000 x 7 Days/Nights

  Total Purchase: €70,000 - Paid in full

  It was dated and time-stamped for that morning, which meant it had been one of the ‘important’ things he’d taken care of while he’d allowed her to sleep in. Even if she’d been right about her concerns, Tessa never would’ve been able to go back to auction. Felix had already purchased her submission for the entire week. And it was worse than she’d originally believed, because he’d paid in euros, rather than dollars. She couldn’t even begin to calculate the exchange difference, she only knew it was a lot more.

  “What is this?” she asked, unable to stop herself, holding the paper up for him to see.

  His expression fell into a passive mask again. “You’re not going back to auction, we’ve already had this discussion.”

  And she didn’t want to, by any stretch of the imagination, but he’d taken that choice away from her long before their confrontation. Before even making it a rule. There was something inside of her claiming she should be very upset about that, yet it couldn’t seem to matter more than the money.

  “I know, but seventy thousand euros?” She jabbed the paper with her finger. “Scratch that, eighty thousand, because you already paid that ridiculous bid last night.”

  “And if you’d gone back to auction this morning, Tessa, it would be triple that, because I would never let anyone outbid me for you,” he countered, his tone ringing with finality.

  Oh, sweet mother of pearl.

  “So, what? You would’ve made me stay with Sir Louis the whole week?” She balked. “Would I have been forbidden from joining any of the activities, as well?”

  “You think I’d voluntarily watch you submit to another Dom?”

  Taken aback by that response, she was inundated with her own prior thoughts about him being in that same suite with other submissives before her. She’d never considered that if she’d gone back to auction, she might have been forced to watch him bid on another sub to spend the rest of the week with, rather than her. It made her extremely glad that her concerns had been wrong, but it fueled her anxiety about him wanting more than just a temporary situation.

  “This is only temporary,” she stated, her voice trembling despite how much she meant it.

  “I’m well aware of that, Tessa,” he replied, his smile melting right back into predatory. “But I told you last night that you would be wearing my collar for the entire week and I damn well meant it.”

  Could it really be as simple as that? His mind was already set on being her Dom for the week, so there was no changing it? Tessa’s fears ebbed, as she accepted that with the hope he was being just as honest as before. Unfortunately, there was still the money issue. It was uncomfortable knowing her own price, and that he’d be willing to pay more just to keep her away from the other dominants. It was borderline possessive for one, and she wasn’t that fucking special, for two. Not enough to warrant an eighty-grand price tag.

  “This is way too much money, Master,” she said, unable to express the depth of that fact.

  Felix smirked in disagreement and plucked the paper from her hand. “No, it’s not, little fox,” he argued, his tone amused, yet edged with warning. “Now, lay down and spread your legs before I decide to show my pet why it’s not in her best interest to question her Master’s spending habits.”

  Tessa wasn’t immune to the threat, even if she still felt the amount of money was beyond ridiculous. To argue any further wouldn’t change it, though, and could potentially cost her another day of socializing privileges.

  She lay down on her back, bent her knees and set her feet apart just like he wanted. Her eyes locked onto the beetle toy again, and she wondered where in the hell he planned on putting it. Felix grabbed her ankles to pull her closer, then retrieved the bottle of lubricant from the nightstand drawer. The sight of it brought back all the hot, erotic memories she’d been trying to ignore since waking and the rest of her nerves gave way to desire. After applying lube to the toy, he put more on his fingers and the fleeting thought of him sticking that thing in her ass raced through her mind.

  Felix didn’t give her time to worry, sliding his fingers over her pussy with a slow tease. Tessa's moan was quiet, her entire sex heating with anticipation. She fought to hold still when he worked his slick fingers under her folds and over her clit. Her nipples hardened from the pleasure, her skin shivering to life with goosebumps. She winced when he stroked over her slit, because it was still
tender.

  He paused and leaned over her, until their noses were nearly touching. Staring right into her, he deliberately stroked her opening again.

  “Is my poor little fox sore from her Master’s pleasure?”

  “Just a little, Master.”

  “Mmm, good,” he purred, taking a sensual nibble from her bottom lip. “That just gives me all the more reason to use your ass tonight.”

  Heat flared through her entire system with that promise. More evidence of her arousal coated his fingers, and he continued stroking her while erotic images played through both their minds. His next kiss was hungry, proving he was just as turned on as she was. Then, he moved back between her legs and started fitting the beetle into place. Tessa gasped through another moan when he situated the thing under her labia, the rounded tip pressing right against her clit. The second his fingers released the legs, they spread her wide open and she groaned from the combination of soreness and pleasure.

  It was an odd sensation, having the silicon arms holding her lips apart, keeping her core exposed to the air. Felix’s mouth spread into a devious smile just before he turned it on. Tessa yelped, jerking backward in a reflexive attempt to get away from the intense vibrations, but there was no getting away from it. The blasted thing held itself right against her, nice and snug. Just like that damn pillow of his, the toy was designed to use her own body against itself.

  Just when you think your Dom isn’t a sadist...

  “Now, now, my pet, you’re going to have to be a lot quieter than that,” Felix grinned. “Because you’ll be wearing that when we leave the room.”

  What?! Horror must have been a neon sign on her face, because he laughed with absolute delight.

  “Master,” she pleaded, but the look he gave her had the rest of her words dying off.

  “You will wear it, Tessa,” he reiterated firmly. “And I will be the one in control over how often it gets turned on, at which speed, and for how long. You will not act or reveal in any way that you’re wearing it, and you will not come.”