by A. C. Melody
“Maybe it’s my ass that makes Master’s marks look so good,” she smarted off.
Surprised by her unexpected playfulness, Felix laughed and swatted her bottom with his palm. More blood rushed to his dick when her eyes widened, her mouth gaping open on a sharp intake of breath. He could see the pain take her over completely for just the barest second, and it was fucking delicious.
“You think so?”
The sadistic side of him that she managed to taunt without even trying was fascinated as he watched her mind squirm for the right answer. Her expression revealed that she wasn’t quite sure if he was playing or not.
“Not really, Master?” she hazarded.
“Yes, you do.” He chuckled, giving up the ruse. “And I’m inclined to agree, my pet. Now get those rosy cheeks into the en-suite for a bath.”
“Yes—oh.” She halted in the process of sitting up. “Oh.”
Something about the way she winced let Felix know it wasn’t her ass causing her problems and he lost the battle with his erection.
“What’s the matter, Tessa?” he asked, even as his gaze landed right on her pussy. “Did Master’s cock make you all sore again?”
“Yes, Master,” she whispered.
“Mmm, good.” He grinned and didn’t even try to hide how pleased that made him.
If she only knew how twisted it was. How much he likened it to getting a little payback for the unbelievable way her pussy made him come too fast, because it felt so fucking good. How much it was like staking a claim on something he never wanted to think about belonging to anyone else. Ever. There was something psychologically fucked up about wanting to know he was ruining her for any other man, yet he couldn’t stop it any more than he could stop all the other irrational thoughts and feelings she invoked. And it made him question himself in ways he’d never felt the need to before. Uncomfortable self-evaluation kind of ways, like wondering when he’d developed these damn insecurities. Had they always been there, just waiting for the right sub to bring them to the surface, or was it something new?
It took some doing to shove those darker thoughts aside, but he managed and continued to give her a smug grin as he helped her from the bed. “Up, up,” he prompted, then groaned when he got the full view of her backside. “That's a beautiful start, little fox.”
His grin widened when she visibly tensed, not that he couldn’t feel it with his hand cuffed around the back of her neck, but the combination was very pleasant, to say the least.
In the en-suite, Felix drew her a lukewarm bath while she relieved herself. He’d been surprised the first time she’d done it with him in the room without even batting an eye, and he’d silently thanked whichever previous Dom had already seen to her potty training. Not that Felix would have shied away from the task, but it fell into that category of little things her past experience helped free up more of their very short time together for bigger, more exciting things. Once she was through, he undid the braid from her hair, then helped her climb into the tub. Despite preferring the leather, he once again appreciated not having to remove her collar.
“Get settled,” he ordered, when she hesitated.
He watched her as she inched down toward the water. The very second her bottom touched the surface, she hissed and shot upright again.
“Master, it’s too hot,” she whimpered.
“No, it’s not,” he countered, knowing for a fact he’d drawn it cooler than any of the previous times he’d bathed her. “Your ass is just sensitive from your spankings, but that’s unavoidable and doesn’t change the fact that you’re going to take a bath.”
She stared at him, gnawing on her bottom lip for a heartbeat, before taking a steadying breath and lowering herself into the water. Tessa hissed and groaned her miserable way down into the tub. Felix knew it would take a day or two for the sensitivity of her skin to ease up, he just wasn’t sure yet if he was going to let it.
“Master, you could take me to the freshwater shower again,” she suggested through gritting teeth.
He laughed and shook his head at her. “I’m sure you’d prefer that, little fox,” he said, as he lay a folded towel over the steps so he could reach her without getting any of his own clothes wet. “I’ll try to make this as quick and painless as possible.”
“Thank you, Master.” Once he started washing her hair, the stiffness in her shoulders seemed to relax. “Did I sleep through the auction?”
“It should be wrapping up now.”
She looked thoughtful for a second, then glanced at him. “Did you go, Master?”
Felix paused and frowned at her. “Why would I do that?”
Tessa gave him a small shrug, but her eyes said it all. She believed he could or would actually take on another sub while she was there. Stunned, he wasn’t even sure how to respond.
“I was mostly just curious about my friends, Master,” she answered, but it was too late.
Not that she was lying. He could tell her curiosity was sincere, but so was the worry he’d already seen. The more he let it sink it, though, the more he realized her line of thought wasn't that odd. It was, however, very telling.
“First of all, if you mean your redheaded friend, Gema, I assure you she’s just as unlikely to be seen at auction again as you are,” he informed her. “I couldn’t say about Kip, but I’m sure you’ll find out soon enough. I didn’t go to auction, Tessa, nor do I have any plans to attend any of them for the remainder of this week.”
“Oh,” she replied. “Okay, Master.”
Felix took his time rinsing the suds from her hair, applying conditioner and preparing a washcloth for her body before speaking again.
“Are you unused to being an only sub, my pet?” he inquired.
She shrugged again. “Yes and no. I’ve never been a Dom’s only sub, but in a typical dynamic our sub-schedules were never the same or even overlapping. I would get more one-on-one time than shared time. In the Victorian household, there was a lot more interaction, because we each had a different role to play in the house so the whole cast needed to be there, if that makes sense.”
He nodded, still very much intrigued by her Victorian household experience. “It does,” he conceded. “And none of that surprises me, it sounds quite normal.”
“Yeah,” she sighed.
“But we’re not normal, Tessa,” he reminded her. “We’re in a twenty-four-hour dynamic with a schedule that won’t end for another six-and-a-half days. That’s hardly enough time to discover all our own new experiences, let alone worry about another’s, wouldn’t you say?”
“Yes, Master, that’s true.”
Felix didn’t miss the relief in her eyes, but he had to be sure. “Unless, of course, you were hoping for some company?”
“No, Master.”
A mild blush came to her cheeks with just how quick she’d responded, but Felix was delighted by it. He didn’t even bother to hide his smug smirk for her greedy desire to stay an only child. If she wanted to remain at the center of his attention, he was all too happy to keep her there. He didn’t care which part of him that came from; the sadist, the bastard or just him in general. By the end of the week, he planned to have gotten as much out of Tessa as any one Dom could ever get out of a sub, and didn’t need anything taking what little time he had away from that.
“Good,” he accepted. “Now, stand up so Master can wash the pretty marks he left on that pretty little ass.”
Chapter Six
Pleasure Tour
Tessa’s butt cheeks felt raw. Ten times more sensitive after her bath than before. The warm soak had eased most of the tenderness in her sex, however, allowing her to walk without any awkwardness to her gait. After drying her off, Felix dressed her in the last clean bikini. It was navy blue with a strapless top and thin gold chords that crossed like an ‘X’ between her breasts. That pattern was repeated in measured gaps around the waistband of the bottoms like a belt. He surprised her when he pulled the sheer gray cover over her head. Tessa slipped her arms into the l
oose sleeves and tried to adjust it, but it had been designed to hang off one shoulder. The material was so fine and soft, it felt silky against her skin, not at all like the beach covers she was used to.
“It’s getting later,” he remarked. “I don’t want you to get too cold.”
Such a Daddy. Tessa had already picked up on some of his more Daddy-ish tendencies, but she saw no point in bringing it up. Like her, Felix seemed eclectic in his experiences and their various trademarks, leaning on whichever one suited him at the time. Well-balanced might be a more apt way to describe his style of domination. It was getting to her in ways it shouldn’t. In all the ways she’d just that morning fought so hard to verify wasn’t going to threaten her lifelong dream. The realistic part of her still clung to that. Felix just made it difficult to remember the end of the week, by always tempting her to live in the moment.
“Thank you, Master.”
“Mm-hmm,” he accepted, as he braided her hair. Once finished, he prompted her head back and kissed her on the forehead. “On your stool, little fox, we have some things to go over before it’s time to leave.”
"Is it time for the activity already, Master?" she asked, excited by the prospect.
"The first part, yes," he answered. "But the main event won't begin until sunset."
That was good enough for her. The suspense over what kind of activity it would be was driving her insatiable curiosity bonkers. Tessa was cautious when she knelt on the ottoman in the sitting room. But it didn’t hurt her bottom as much as she’d feared, thanks to the padding of her clothing. She’d just about gotten settled when Felix joined her after grabbing something off the desk in the office area. It was a sheet of paper, which he handed to her while sinking down into his armchair.
“These are your rules. I’ve made a couple of adjustments from earlier. Read them out loud.”
There weren’t very many. Not nearly as long as the lists she was used to getting, which was due to their situation, she was sure. She began reading them out loud, unsurprised by which ones made the top of the list.
1. No lying, evading, omitting or pretending.
2. No returning to or mentioning returning to the auction.
3. No disrespecting Master at any time, for any reason.
4. No disrespecting any of the other dominants at any time, for any reason; this includes staring
rudely or any other acts of deliberate impoliteness.
Tessa felt the guilt warm her cheeks from the reminder of how she’d stared after the Mistress earlier on the beach and got caught. Felix noticed her pause, but didn’t say anything, so she continued.
5. All socializing rules apply at all times outside of our suite, which includes all of the above, plus:
a) No speaking to, touching or being touched by any other dominant without Master’s express approval.
b) No touching or being touched by any of the male submissives without Master’s express approval.
c) No gossiping or partaking in gossip that concern private, personal matters between us or anyone else.
6. No playing during meal times.
7. No negative secrets that impact our dynamic.
a) Concerns, desires and triggers will be openly discussed as soon as they arise, or at the soonest opportunity following, and not kept hidden.
8. All rules are in affect at all times, unless otherwise instructed by Master.
Finished, she lowered the page to her lap and Felix nodded. “Good,” he approved. “Do you find those fair, little fox? Anything you think we should add?”
“No, they’re fair, Master,” she replied. “I can’t think of anything else. I mean, I’m used to getting way more than this, but I suppose the majority of them would be rather silly to list under our circumstances.”
“That was my thought, too.” He smiled. “And you’re far from needing to be micromanaged, Tessa. You’re sensible and naturally mindful. As far as your in-house rules go, what can you tell me?”
“I’m to kneel there,” she said, twisting to point at the location behind her. “Whenever we enter the room, unless you direct me otherwise. I’m not allowed on the furniture, unless you say so and...that’s all we covered, I think.”
“Yes, now let me add a few more,” he said. “Every breakfast will be spent at the table with me on the balcony so we can discuss our plans for the day. Every other mealtime we have here, you will kneel on your cushion beside me and either eat out of your pet dishes like a good little fox or Master will feed you, depending on how I feel. If for any reason I’m in the office working, you will go to your place near the door and kneel to wait for my instructions. Do those sound fair?”
“Yes, Master.” She nodded.
“Will you be able to remember them, or should I add them to your paper?”
“No, Master, I’ll remember.”
“And how do all these rules make you feel, pet?”
Tessa couldn’t keep the smile from her face. “Happy, Master.”
“Good, me too,” he reciprocated. “Now, there’s another, but it’s more of a task than a rule. I’ve already expressed that this week is meant to be fun and filled with new experiences for both of us, haven’t I?”
Tessa nodded. “Yes, Master.”
“At least once a day, you’re going to confess one of your secret desires or fantasies to me,” he stated, causing her heart to flip with nerves. It took willpower not to groan. She’d never been good at that request and every damn dominant on the planet asked for those things. “Something you’ve never tried before, but would really like to. Do you think you can do that, little fox?”
“It won’t be easy, Master.”
“Oh, I know, baby, that’s one of the reasons why I’m asking you to do it.” He winked. “If it’s easier, I’ll give you five minutes to write it down on paper.”
“That might make it a little easier. Thank you, Master.”
“You can thank me right here.” He pointed to his mouth. “Without leaving your stool.”
He was settled all the way back in his armchair, with no indication of moving. Tessa leaned forward and gripped his knees to better balance herself, before walking her hands further up his thighs. They were so firm and strong with muscle, even while he was sitting, but the fabric of his slacks didn’t make for good traction at all. She had to scoot her knees forward, right to the edge of her ottoman and stretch her body to get her mouth close enough to his for the kiss. She kept her eyes open as she pressed her lips to his and saw the sparkle of pride in his.
“Good girl,” he praised, before kissing her back.
His finger hooked on the dangling neckline of her cover-up to pull the gap wider, right as his teeth scraped her bottom lip and sank in. She watched his eyes steal glances of her cleavage as he continued to kiss her. Then his hand slipped inside of the cover, palm to her chest, so he could glide his index and middle finger right into the valley between her breasts. Tessa sucked in a small breath when the sensation rippled all the way down to her clit to heat up her lust in a way she’d never experienced before. A new longing born from the feel of his strong fingers stroking right over her breastbone and teasing the swell of her cleavage.
“Maybe we can count this as your first confession,” he purred, his voice growing husky with that hunger she knew and craved so much. “Would you like Master to fuck your tits, Tessa? Then feel me come all over them while you suck on my balls?”
The heat expanded, curving up her neck and into her face, spurred on just as much by the imagery as his dirty mouth.
“Yes, Master,” she whispered, already aroused by the idea.
The feel of his fingers sliding in and out of her cleavage in that suggestive motion was enough to get her fluids pumping again, but he stopped. His hand slid further up her chest, fingertips trailing up her throat to just under her chin. For a second, he feasted at her mouth in that dangerous, heady way that was sheer predator against prey. Tessa’s right hand started to slip, so she spread her fingers wid
er to get a better grip and her thumb brushed over the base of his hardening cock. He grunted in surprise and moaned into her mouth.
“Mmm, fuck, we have to go,” he swore.
“Are you sure, Master?” Tessa asked, trying for playful, but the breathy need in her voice ruined it.
Felix chuckled and kissed her square on the mouth, before helping her back onto the stool in her proper position. “Yes, I’m sure, my little vixen,” he replied. “I don’t like being late and I really want us to partake in tonight’s activity. Besides, if a man got to come every time his dick got hard, he’d be dead within forty-eight hours.”
Tessa laughed, almost certain that was an exaggeration. The arch of Felix’s brow disputed her doubt as he attached her leash to lead her from the room.
It was surprising how empty the main commons were when they made it downstairs, though a staff member was there and waiting just for them, it seemed.
“Sir Louis would like you to bring your sub to the rear lawns, sir.”
“Thank you,” Felix accepted.
They crossed the large pattern in the floor toward the pool terrace, but Felix took the set of stairs to the right which descended to a whole new level of the resort. Two sets of double doors stood in the exterior wall beyond a decent stretch of marble, rather than teak. Tessa could tell the space opened up more behind them, but she didn’t dare try to look, because it would cause the leash to pull tight and get her into trouble.
Once outside, the sound of quiet conversation greeted them from a much smaller group of dominants and subs than she’d seen attending the luncheon. They stepped out onto a wide, shaded veranda with a high ceiling and the quiet whirl of more fat-bladed ceiling fans. Support columns bordered large square tiles engraved with designs. Then it was nothing but lush green lawns under the late afternoon sun and what might be some kind of covered picnic area off to the right. If only her peeking range wasn't so limited due to all of the people there, she'd know for sure.
“Sir Felix, you’re just in time. Do I have all of our D/s pairs now?” Sir Louis asked, unknowingly answering the mystery behind the smaller group size for Tessa. After he got a confirmation from one of the attendants, he continued. “This evening’s activity will require that our contestants know how to get to certain areas of the resort. So, ladies and gentlemen dominants, please allow your subs the ability to look around freely for the tour.”
