by Ivy Nelson
Darci grinned when Michael rolled his eyes and threw up his hands. “Fine. You're right. I'll stop giving you grief.”
She leaned up on her tip toes and planted a kiss on his cheek. “You could always come with me sometime.”
“Nope. No way. You're like a little sister to me. No way in hell I'm going to a kinky sex party with you.”
“Geeze Michael. It's not like I'm asking you to have sex with me. Who knows, you might meet a nice girl. Oh! Come to Kink Unlimited with me next weekend. It’s not too late to buy tickets.” She rummaged around in the bag she carried, looking for a flyer.
Michael scowled when she handed him the piece of paper. “Get out of here. I have to get ready for my interview.”
“Oh right. Good luck with that!”
“Thanks. Call me when you get home tonight please.”
Darci rolled her eyes and saluted. Michael narrowed his eyes at her but said nothing. A wise choice on his part. He tried to hand her the advertisement for Kink Unlimited, but she waved him off. “Keep it. You might change your mind.”
Darci left his apartment and walked the short distance to the metro station. Michael was overprotective of her. She didn’t mind, it was sweet. But sometimes, it was overwhelming. If they were to remain close friends, he needed to be a bit more understanding of her lifestyle. The fact that he rescued her when she needed it most, didn’t give him a pass to be judgmental. Darci suspected that he just didn’t understand, and she had no problem educating the ignorant as long as they were open minded enough to learn. That’s why she had applied to work for the American Coalition for Sexual Freedom, so she would get paid to educate people. She hoped the flyer she left would prompt him to do some research and maybe even do a little exploring of his own. She had a feeling he had a kinky streak of his own. After his interview, she would try to touch base with him again. He was trying to get a job with the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department, and she couldn’t be prouder of him.
As she rode the train to the outskirts of D.C., she scrolled through her e-mail one more time. Disappointment stabbed at her again. Still no responses to any of her job applications. Graduation was less than two months away. She needed to find a job soon, or she was going to be in trouble. The campus job she had only lasted until the semester ended.
When she got off the train, she hailed a cab and had it take her a short distance to a residential area. When they reached her destination, she handed the driver some cash and headed to the front porch of a large house. Breathing in the evening air, she smiled. It was going to be a good night. She had no plans to do anything at this party; she was just there to hang out with her dear friends Peter and Carrie. Though Peter usually had something new and interesting for her to try. The couple were fast becoming like family to her since they had taken her under their wing and were showing her the ropes of the BDSM lifestyle. So far, the journey had been a blast.
Knocking on the door, she inhaled the night air deeply once more while waiting for someone to answer.
The door flew open and a large older woman greeted her.
“Darci, you made it sweetie. Come in.” The woman pulled her into the house and wrapped her in a hug. The cleavage that was spilling out of a tight leather corset nearly swallowed her as the woman hugged her.
“Mistress Edith. It’s good to see you,” she said when the hug was over. “I wouldn’t miss one of your parties.”
“Go on back, dear. Peter and Carrie are already here, and Gary is doing a bull whip demo in the backyard. If you hurry, I’m sure he’ll let you try it out.”
“Ooh. Sounds fun,” Darci said rubbing her hands together excitedly.
She made her way through the kitchen and into the common area where people were lounging in various stages of undress. A couple occupied a cross in the corner, and they were playing out a spanking scene. She could hear cries of pleasure coming from the bedroom down the hall. The party was in full swing.
A loud crack made her jump, and she turned in the noise’s direction. Gary had just flicked his large bull whip in the backyard, where a crowd had gathered to watch him show off.
She spotted Peter near the backyard door and made a beeline for him.
“Hi Peter, where’s Carrie?”
The tall man turned and grinned down at her. “Hey there kitten. No love for me?”
“She’s prettier than you are,” Darci said with a grin.
“Ha! That’s certainly true. She’s over there with Gary, being his demo bottom.” He turned her toward the show Gary was putting on. Sure enough, the tiny sub standing obediently still as he flicked his whip across her back was indeed Carrie Mercer.
“Aww, she’s just so darn cute. I want to gobble her up.”
Peter chuckled. “Do I need to worry about you stealing my wife from me, Kitten?”
“Never. She’s much too in love with you for that. But I wouldn’t mind borrowing her sometimes.”
“I already gave you guys permission to play together sometime.”
Darci blushed. Exploring her sexuality was new, and though she was attracted to the pretty blonde, she wasn’t sure how far she wanted to take that. Plus, there was the fact that Carrie was Peter’s submissive, and they had an intense power exchange relationship. She didn’t want to do anything to jeopardize what they had, though both of them kept telling her to stop worrying about that.
Carrie was spunky and sassy and got in trouble a lot, but Darci suspected she did it on purpose because she enjoyed it when Peter exerted his will over her. Her punishments usually led to several orgasms. Though her ass also generally sported bright red spots and the occasional bruise when Peter finished with her.
“Earth to Darci.”
“Huh? Shit. Sorry.”
“Where did your head go, Kitten?”
Darci’s blush increased. “Just thinking about you and Carrie together.”
Peter raised an eyebrow. “What do you like about it?”
The whip cracked in the background and Carrie yelped, causing Darci to jump and turn in her direction.
“She’s fine. Answer my question.” He was using his dominant tone of voice.
“I just like the energy you two have. It’s intense. Some people might think you’re mean to her, but I can see the chemistry and how much both of you love what you do.”
A grin spread across Peters face. “Sometimes I’m mean. But only because she loves it.”
The surrounding crowd applauded and Darci and Peter looked up in time to see Carrie bow. While Gary took questions, Carrie pranced over to them.
“Darci, honey. I’m glad you’re here. Look at my pretty marks, Master,” Carrie said turning her back towards them.
“I see them, little one. Gorgeous. We’ll have fun with them later.” He ran his finger across one of the bright red stripes before wrapping his arms around her waist. Carrie clapped her hands and looked up at him as she leaned into his chest. “Oh goody. I can’t wait.”
Peter turned her in his arms and kissed her hard. Then, he tucked her close to his side keeping one arm around her. He snaked his other arm around Darci.
“Let’s go back inside ladies. I see a couch that just opened up.”
The three made their way inside and settled onto a couch to watch others move about the party and play. They chatted with others who sat nearby but mostly they talked amongst themselves.
Gary stopped by. “Thanks for letting Carrie demo bottom for me tonight.”
“No problem. I like the marks on her back. I just never have taken the time to learn how to throw a whip myself. I’d love it if you’d give me some pointers sometime.”
Gary’s eyes lit up at that. “Hey yes absolutely. Anytime. You know you’re welcome at the house anytime.” He shoved his hands in his pockets.
“What’s up? You look like you have something else on your mind.”
Darci watched the two men closely. She knew they had been friends for a long time and could read each other pretty well.
; “I do. But it feels rude to talk about it here at Edith’s house.”
“Color me intrigued. Can you at least give me a hint?” Peter asked, leaning closer to his friend.
“I want to open a club. A private BDSM club.”
“Oh. You shouldn’t feel uncomfortable about that. Edith loves having the house parties, but she’s been keen on the idea of a club for years. She hates Midnight Diamond and so do I. Their security is shit and I know I’ve seen minors playing in there before.”
Gary settled on the ottoman in front of the couch. “That’s actually why I want to talk to you. Since you just opened your firm, I wanted to see if you would come on board as my security consultant. I could pay you.”
“You got it brother. I love the idea. D.C. needs a secure, private place for our kind to gather.”
Darci slid to the edge of the couch and said, “I might have a job with the ACSL in a couple months. You know what great advocates for BDSM they are. Even if I don’t get the job, I can get some support from them. They would back a club. They hate Midnight Diamond as much as the rest of us.”
Gary’s eyes lit up. “Yeah? That sounds great, Darci. Good luck with the job by the way.”
“Thanks, Gary.”
“Let’s plan to get together with Edith and talk more about this, Gary,” Peter said. “Maybe after Unlimited is over.”
Gary excused himself and Peter pulled both girls close to him again. “Speaking of Unlimited, Darci you are still coming right?”
“You know it. I agreed to write up some blog posts for my blog and cross post them on Fet since I’m getting a lot of traffic. Should help hype the event for next year too.”
“Excellent. We’re excited to be teaching this year.”
Just then, someone came out of one of the play rooms and Peter stood. “That’s our cue, we’re next on the list for that room, little one.”
Carrie stood and raised up on her tip toes to kiss her husband. “Ooh. What are you going to do to me, Sir?” He grinned at her, a wicked grin, and winked at Darci.
“You’ll just have to go in the bedroom so you can find out.” Turning to Darci he said, “Are you going to watch, Kitten?”
“I wouldn’t miss it.”
Chapter Two
Darci sat behind a long table greeting people who showed up to register for Kink Unlimited. Her secret to talking to people at big events was to volunteer at them, otherwise she was a wallflower.
Now, she sat checking IDs against the list of registered attendees before handing each person their badge and a welcome packet. The line was dwindling, and she was going to get a break soon so she could go exploring. It was her first major convention like this, and she was itching to see what there was to learn. As she was closing the lid on the box of badges, she knocked her phone off the table, so she bent to pick it up. When she sat back up, she nearly screamed.
“Michael! What the hell are you doing here?”
“Um. Hi. I’m here to register.”
“Oh, my god I’m so excited. Why didn’t you tell me you bought a ticket?”
He shrugged and blushed. “I wasn’t sure I would actually come.”
“I’m so excited.” She jumped up and threw her arms around him.
“Yeah, yeah. Don’t get any crazy ideas about setting me up with anyone.”
She sat back down and grinned up at him, feeling so happy that her friend had decided to check this place out.
After a moment of silence, Michael jammed his hands into his pockets. “So. Um. You gonna register me or something?”
“Oh. Shit. Right. Sorry. I need your ID please.”
“Really? You know who I am.”
“Sorry. Rules are rules. I have to compare it to the name on the list.”
He rolled his eyes and pulled out his wallet, handing her his license. Darci checked his name on the list. Highlighted it to show that he had arrived and then dug through the box for his badge.
“There you go. Enjoy the con, Mr. Silas.”
“Actually, it’s officer Silas to you,” he said with a grin.
“Oh my god you got the job.” Turning toward a door behind her she shouted. “Edith, I’m going to take a break nobody else is in line.”
The older woman stuck her head out the door. “That’s fine, dear. I’ve got it covered. Thanks for your help.”
Darci grabbed her bag and came around the table where she hugged Michael again. “Come on. I want to introduce you to some friends of mine. Don’t worry, they’re married, I’m not trying to set you up with anyone.”
Michael laughed and slung an arm around her. Darci knew Peter and Carrie were in one of the event play spaces making sure the equipment was ready to go for the first play party later that night.
“Carrie come meet my friend Michael,” she said when they found her hanging a strand of LED lights along a wall.
“A new recruit huh? She’s told us a lot about you, Michael. Welcome.” Michael shifted uncomfortably but shook the blonde’s hand. Actually, Carrie had put purple streaks in her hair for the occasion.
Carrie laughed at the handshake and wrapped her arms around Michael’s waist. He grew even more uncomfortable and gingerly patted Carrie on the back.
“Little one, what have I told you about hugging strange men.” Peter leaned in the doorway with a smirk on his face.
“Oh, he’s not a strange man. He’s Darci’s friend.”
Michael turned and offered his hand.
“Michael. You must be Peter. Darci talks about you guys a lot.”
Peter accepted the handshake but pulled Michael into a one-armed bro hug. “Good to meet you. Welcome to Kink Unlimited. This your first con?”
“Yeah. I’m totally lost here.”
Peter laughed. “Well, Darci’s a good friend to have and don’t hesitate to ask questions. In fact, Carrie and I are sitting on a power exchange panel in about an hour. The two of you should come.”
Michael shrugged. “I have no idea what that means but I like the idea of familiar faces. Count me in.”
“I was planning to go to that anyway,” Darci said. “Come on, Michael, let’s keep exploring. I’ll see you guys in the panel.”
For the next forty-five minutes, Darci and Michael wondered around the convention space. Periodically, Darci would refer to the program that was in the welcome packet. Michael stayed quiet and seemed to just be soaking everything in.
When it was close to time for the Power Exchange panel, Darci looked up the room it was in and together they made their way to ballroom C. The room had already filled with a variety of people. The diversity of it all made Darci giddy. Peter and Carrie sat at a long table in the front of the room along with several other people all wearing presenter badges.
Darci found them a seat near the front on the side of the room Peter and Carrie were on. She waived at them and they both grinned and blew her kisses.
When it was five minutes past the start time, someone shut the doors and one of the other people at the table introduced the people on the panel.
Darci was excited to soak up everything the panel had to share. She had spent months observing Carrie and Peter in a power exchange relationship and she wanted to experience something like what they had some day. Still, the idea of giving control of any kind to someone else was scary. Just a few short months ago someone had assaulted her, and that loss of control still plagued her thoughts. Darci shook her head. Now wasn’t the time to be dwelling on that. This lifestyle differed from what her attacker had done to her.
Peters booming voice pulled her out of that line of thinking and she focused her attention on him.
“Carrie and I have been in a power exchange relationship for over four years. We met after I had her arrested.”
“Turns out locking me up got him all hot for me,” Carrie interrupted, causing the audience to laugh.
“It’s true. I found her annoying, exasperating, and downright stubborn and yet, I was hooked the day we met. It just took us a
little while to realize it. Once it came out that we were both kinky though we were able to negotiate a relationship that worked for us.”
Michael leaned over and whispered, “I didn’t know Peter was a cop.”
Darci shook her head and whispered back, “He isn’t. Former secret service. He had her arrested when she tried to break into the CIA building for a story she was writing. Or something like that.”
Michael raised an eyebrow. “That’s insane. You know that, right?”
Darci shrugged. “They work really well together.”
Someone in the audience was asking a question. Darci turned to listen.
“You and Carrie seem really different. She seems kind of… bratty. No offense. And Peter, you seem very serious most of the time. How do you make those differences work for power exchange?”
Carrie grinned. “You mean how am I not constantly being punished for not being submissive?”
The man asking shrugged and said, “something like that.”
“Well, to be fair, I do sometimes have days where I get in trouble more than others but ultimately, we’re playing a game. It’s a very serious game that defines our relationship, but it’s a game, nonetheless. And we figured out a long time ago that if we don’t play by the rules of our game—the rules that work for us—it’s no fun. So, Peter pulls me back into line when I stray and get too bratty, and I help him remember that life isn’t all serious all the time. Not to mention, I happen to be fond of him turning my ass red so really, it’s a win-win.”
The audience chuckled, and the panel continued taking questions. When the session ended, Darci’s longing for that kind of relationship had grown. Michael wasn’t sure what to think but thought it was all very interesting. As the audience drifted out into the hallways, Michael excused himself to check into his hotel room and Darci sat near the back of the room waiting for Peter and Carrie to finish talking to class participants.
The couple approached her a few minutes later and settled into chairs in the row ahead of her.
