I relaxed a little. The castle infirmary, I could deal with.
But where was Colin?
Julian was dressed as I always remembered him, as if he’d just been pulled away from
the lab—blue scrubs, sneakers and a lab coat. And he carried a clipboard.
Now I was totally lost.
When he stopped in front of me, Vince released me.
“Why aren’t you in your room, Dr. McBride?” Julian demanded.
I met his penetrating stare with a challenge of my own. “Where’s Colin?”
“I would be more concerned about your own circumstances at the moment, my dear.” His
dire tone gave everything south of my navel hot, wet clenches of dread. “Did you read
your personal conduct agreement?”
Swallowing, I nodded. “Yes, Sir.”
“Do you accept the terms of the agreements you’ve already signed?”
Sanity reared its ugly head and I hesitated for a moment before asking, “Would you
mind if I had a word with Colin before I answer that?”
He stared at me for a long moment. “You’re sure you want to see him?”
Disconcerted by the implication that I might not like what I saw and afraid to imagine
what that might be, I hesitated again. Suddenly the presence of an infirmary seemed
overtly threatening.
I licked my dry lips. “Of course.”
“You don’t sound too sure,” he observed, running a finger along my jaw and making
me shiver with awareness.
“I am!”
He chuckled darkly. “Dear Rachel, that vivid imagination is going to be your one-way
ticket into more delightfully frightening and nasty scenarios than you can conceive.”
Fizzing with excitement and nerves, I stared after him as he turned back to the door.
“Come along, if you’re brave enough. Colin’s in here.”
As I followed him into the mostly dark room, I couldn’t help gasping at the first,
most obvious thing—two Tesla coils, probably three feet tall, occupied a huge stone
shelf built high into the far wall, sending out frantic purplish arcs of electricity
in every direction. Well that explained the ozone smell. When I realized the arcs
didn’t reach past the edge of the shelf, I relaxed just a little bit again.
Until I got a look at the rest of the scene revealed by the flickering light.
“Oh boy, you really go all out for Halloween, don’t you?” I said loudly, staring around
me with wide eyes.
His reply was typical Julian Kilmartin. “Why do anything halfway? Atmosphere is everything,
after all.”
Much larger than the infirmary, the room was like a set from an old-time horror movie,
filled with all the stuff you’d expect to see in a mad scientist’s laboratory. Below
the Tesla shelf, a long lab table was covered with an intricate maze of copper pipe,
rubber tubing, Bunsen burners, racks of test tubes and half-filled beakers bubbling
neon-green, as if the mad scientist had been called away mid-experiment. Shelves of
books and brown chemical bottles filled the wall to the left of me, and similar shelves
on the right were packed with jars of preserved animals, human hands, brains and other
organs—even a few heads—all subtly lit from below.
In the middle of it all was a very naked Colin, his elegant body stretched out almost
upright on an inclined table, his head lolling off to one side as though he were asleep.
Black cuffs secured his spread ankles to the footrest, and similar cuffs on his wrists
were attached to the upper corners by red ropes.
At his side was a rolling cart with an open laptop facing away from me. The shelf
below held some sort of e-stim unit, and I covered my mouth with both hands when I
realized it was attached to Colin’s genitals.
“Good evening, slave.”
I twitched nervously. I hadn’t even noticed the man standing on the other side of
Colin with his arms crossed over his chest, dressed exactly the same as Julian. My
eyes widened again when I recognized him.
“Dirk?” I said in a strangled voice that he probably couldn’t hear over the coils.
Apparently reading my lips, he corrected, “That’s Master Dirk in here, slave.”
“What are you doing to him?” I demanded.
Ignoring me, Julian said, “Say hello to Rachel, Colin.”
Colin opened his eyes and smiled at me like he was drunk. “Hello, Rachel.”
“Are you all right?” I asked anxiously, only half-acting.
“Never better now that you’re here.”
Well he didn’t seem to be in any real pain, and he was definitely sweeter than I remembered.
“Why aren’t you naked, slave girl?” he added. “I’m going to tie you to your bed and
fuck your gorgeous ass again.”
Okay, not sweeter after all.
Breathless and blushing fiercely, I told Julian, “I want to talk to him alone.”
His brows notched up superciliously but he nodded and gestured for Dirk to follow
him—which he did but not before giving me an equally supercilious look.
Once they’d left the room, I scurried over to the table and touched Colin’s bare shoulder
hesitantly.
He groaned at the contact. “Oh fuck, please don’t touch me.”
Simultaneously hurt and concerned, I snatched my hand away, trying not to stare at
his booby-trapped penis. “Are you sure you’re okay?”
“Yeah, I’m fine, I just…need you to not touch me right now. Nothing personal,” he
added.
Right. “I need to talk to you.”
“Is it about me fucking your ass?”
“No!” I hissed. “It’s about Julian and this...this whole thing. Is there really a
fellowship? Really a surgery at the end of the month?”
“Of course there is,” he said immediately. “I wouldn’t ask you to give up the EVI
fellowship if there weren’t, and neither would Julian.”
I sagged with relief. “Thank God.”
“You’re so beautiful, Rachel.”
Struck dumb, I stared at him. “Really?”
“Mmm-hmm. Intensely so.”
“Are you drunk?”
His stomach muscles jumped in a silent chuckle. “No.”
“Okay, then I just want to make sure I’m…” I swallowed. “Colin, am I safe here? With
Julian?”
His grin disappeared and his eyes went sharp. “What do you mean?”
“I don’t know him, Colin,” I said desperately. “It’s been five years since I saw him
last, and even then, I only knew him enough to be afraid of him.”
“And to want him,” Colin pointed out. “And to be aware on some level that he was what
you needed.”
I bit my lip. “Was he? Is he?”
“He definitely is.”
“How can you be so sure?”
“Trust me, Rachel, I spent enough time in your bed to know you need more than vanilla
sex. That’s why you were so drawn to Julian—he was probably born with a keychain flogger
in one hand and a teeny-tiny violet wand in the other.”
Smiling reluctantly, I said, “That would have been a shock for his mother.”
“Literally,” he said, grinning too. “But probably not. His parents were kinky too.”
My eyes bugged. “Really?”
Colin nodded. “A lot of brilliant people are kinky. Look at me. And you,” he added.
“I’m not
kinky
,” I said quickly. “I’m just...”
“A subbie little surgeon-girl who desperately needs to get her freak on with big,
scary Dr. Kilmartin. And me. And whoever else Julian feels like subjecting you to.”
When I opened my mouth, he said, “Don’t deny it, Rachel. I could see right through
you five years ago and I can see through you now. You’re here—not just in Julian’s
castle but in his dungeon. That makes you at least as kinky as the rest of us, and
I’m going to enjoy the hell out of watching you finally give in to it.”
The bottom fell out of my stomach. “Colin…”
“What, slave girl?”
I hesitated and then laid my hand on his bare chest, right over his heart. “You accused
me once of being with you because of Julian.”
“Christ, you’re touching me,” he groaned.
“Sorry, but I need to say this and I can’t do it and not touch you,”
“Then hurry up and spit it out.”
“I wasn’t with you because of Julian,” I said quickly. “You were fascinating in your
own right. I just wanted you to know that.”
Colin’s lips crooked. “Same goes. But can you take your hand off me now, before I
come on your skirt?”
I jumped back and then scowled when he laughed. “You’re not even hard.”
“I don’t have to be, little innocent. Sir!”
His shout made me jump again.
“Yes, Colin?” Julian appeared in the doorway, with Dirk and Vince right behind him.
“I think your new slave should be punished for thinking she wasn’t safe with you,
Sir.”
Outraged, I slapped his ribs. “I didn’t say that, you ass!”
Julian’s eyes narrowed dangerously. “What did you say then, slave?”
“I just wanted to make sure that I
was
safe. I think you’d have done the same in my position.”
“You do, eh?”
“I certainly do.”
“So you accept Colin’s word that I’m not some axe-wielding maniac?”
“Of course!”
“And you accept the terms of all the agreements you signed, including the personal
conduct agreement.”
I swallowed hard. “Yes, Sir.”
“Then you should be properly attired.”
I glanced down at the outfit I’d arrived in. “Obviously I didn’t get the memo about
lab costumes. And I’m pretty sure I didn’t see one in my new
wardrobe
,” I added with a cross look.
“That’s because you’re a
slave
,” he growled. “If you’ve read your personal conduct agreement, you’ll know slaves
go naked in the dungeon unless I specify something for you something to wear.”
Oh hell. I’d conveniently forgotten that little detail.
“You may fold your clothing and give it to Master Vincent for safekeeping. Once you’re
properly attired, Master Dirk will restrain so you may observe Colin’s forfeit until
it’s time to address yours.”
Staring into his uncompromising eyes, I pressed my cold, damp palms against my skirt,
completely at war with myself.
“Forfeit for what?” I asked, stalling for time.
“He lost a bet with me,” Julian replied with finality. “Now, if you’re having trouble
following directions, slave, I’m sure Master Vincent and Master Dirk will be happy
to assist you out of your clothes—although bear in mind that there may not be much
left to fold when they’re done. I’d do it myself, but then the fun would be over entirely
too soon.”
I closed my eyes, sucking in an unsteady breath. Oh God, why did the idea of being
forced to do things turn me on so much?
“Rachel, I realize this is all new to you so open your eyes and tell me your safe
words.”
Safe words. Right. I’d done this much once before. “Yellow and red.”
“You know what they mean?”
Another shuddery breath. “Yes, Sir.”
“All right then,” he said. “Unless one of us hears a safe word, you’d best be undressed
in ten seconds or Master Vincent and Master Dirk
will
strip you completely naked, no matter how much you scream and cry and fight. Understood?”
Relaxing even as my choices were taken away, I said, “Yes, Sir.”
His arched brow sent a tremor of adrenaline through me, and operating on instinct,
I slowly reached for the top button of my black cardigan…and just fiddled with it.
Part of me—surely not the good girl?—screamed at me to hurry up and get undressed
before I got into trouble. The bad girl just smiled, knowing I was in trouble no matter
what I did.
Julian’s lips curled. “Gentlemen, I believe my little cock-tease needs a helping hand…or
four.”
It was almost a letdown when Dirk turned on his heel and disappeared through the infirmary
door.
But I held my breath as Vince prowled toward me with the unblinking intensity of a
predator. “Thank you, slave, for failing to cooperate,” he purred. “I do enjoy helping
strip a reluctant little sub.”
When he moved behind me, I let out the breath I’d been holding. Then I jumped when
he gave the scarf holding back my hair a sharp tug.
“Such pretty dark hair,” he said, winding the navy and hunter green silk around his
hand as he came back into view.
Dirk reappeared all too soon, flipping a switch by the door as he walked by. Lights
came up on the back wall—two heavy wrought-iron sconces with flame-shaped incandescent
bulbs. Between them, four chains were bolted to the stone, two long ones up high and
two short ones at ankle height. An adjustable black cuff dangled at the end of each.
I put my hands behind me and glanced around for another avenue of escape. There actually
was another door cut into the corner, directly in line with the one we’d entered through,
but the next room was completely dark. God only knew what might await me that way.
“Are you wearing anything of personal value?” Dirk asked.
“No.” He raised his brow and just stood there until I added, “Sir?”
“Excellent.” When he nodded at Vince, they grabbed my arms and propelled me backward
to the wall, completely unaffected by my instinctive struggles. The instant I was
spread-eagled in the nicely padded cuffs, something in me…settled. My pulse throbbed
slowly, and my chest rose and fell visibly as my breathing deepened. Whatever happened
next was no longer up to me. It was scary but at the same time a relief. This was
rather what I’d hoped to feel during my one aborted foray into the world of BDSM two
years ago, only more so.
While I pondered the feeling, Julian set the clipboard on the lab table and touched
something behind Colin that lowered his arms to his sides but didn’t release him.
Colin rolled his shoulders and flexed his arms in a mesmerizing display of lean muscle.
I forgot all about everything but Dirk when he held up a scalpel with an evil smile.
The settled feeling vanished like it had never been. “Julian?” I said nervously, unable
to take my eyes off the gleaming surgical instrument.
“You asked for this, slave, remember?”
With the cold stone wall behind me and the scalpel in front of me, I drew in another
breath and held it, cringing back as Dirk reached out and neatly sliced the top button
off my sweater, and then the next one down. Both landed with small
tic
sounds on the cold stone floor.