Authors: Unknown
"Has anyone ever made a scene?" I checked a few of the items the bartender was bringing out onto the floor. "What's he doing?"
"There have been scenes, yes. The commotion can cause a lot of tension between the couples, so we try to keep it as minimal as possible. This of course doesn't always work out." Daniel gestured to what appeared to be an old fashioned stockade, only it was taller so that whoever had their hands inside wouldn't have to bend over as much. "That's exactly what it looks like. You've never been in the dungeon during play hours. I made sure of it. That's just one of the play stations we put out for our guests. The only rule we have is that couples need to bring their own toys.
Lube, floggers, canes—that sort of thing."
"But I thought play nights were on Fridays and Saturdays?"
Granted, he'd never actually told me this, but I couldn't see having a dungeon open every day of the week, especially if a Dom had to worry about subdrop. So far, Daniel had made sure to offer aftercare, even when I didn't feel any different. He'd also kept a close eye on me during the day. I'm not sure how he could do that if we were both working all the time.
"Journeys
is
only open to the public on Friday and Saturday for play. However, we have demonstrations during the week for couples who need advice or just a refresher course. We used to do demos on Wednesdays, but it conflicted with some of the local munches, so we changed the day."
I frowned as the bartender brought out another play station. This one looked like a strange wooden horse, but without the head. "What about that?"
"Mostly for support."
"So, there's a demo tonight?"
Daniel smiled at me. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say you're interested in this sort of thing."
I crossed my legs and tried to ignore the warmth radiating from my clit. "I might be a little curious."
He cocked his head.
"Curious enough to give it a try?"
"You're serious?"
"I try to be. I need to be down on the floor anyway. These things can get pretty crowded, and there are usually a lot of questions flying around. It helps to have a few people in the dungeon to answer them as well as to monitor the guests if they want to try the stations out."
Something on the screen caught my eye.
Not something—
someone.
Maddie?
It certainly looked like Maddie, but her hair was pulled back, and her glasses were missing. Not to mention the outfit! Dressed in a suit of leather, she turned and looked right at the camera. I swallowed and averted my eyes.
"She knows we're watching," Daniel whispered against my ear. "She's what we'd call an exhibitionist. She loves it when people watch. She's also one of the best pain sluts I know."
"She's into that?" I glanced back up at the screen expecting to see her eyes looking right at me, but her back was turned toward us instead. "I couldn't even tell."
She'd dressed so professionally at the front desk that I hadn't even pegged her for someone who lived the lifestyle. Dumb of me, I know, but it never crossed my mind.
"Outside the dungeon, we tend to blend in. Inside the dungeon is a different matter entirely."
"So she's subbing in the demo tonight?" I checked her outfit again, but the black leather didn't look very sub-like to me at all.
"Nope."
Daniel laughed when I looked at him. "She might be a pain slut, but she likes both giving and receiving. She and her partner are switches. One night she'll be the Domme, and other nights she'll be his sub."
"What about you?"
"What? Am I a switch?" He shook his head. "I've never subbed to anyone, so I honestly couldn't say. That said
,
the thought of subbing tends to make my skin crawl, so I doubt I'm a switch." He paused,
then
said, "Why do you ask? Does the other side of this lifestyle interest you?"
"Not at all.
I think being a Domme would scare me more than being a sub does."
"Scare?"
"Bad word choice, but you know what I mean.
Uncomfortable."
Daniel nodded knowingly and turned off the television. "So, the demo starts in about thirty minutes. Would you rather stay home and have another session with me when I get back, or would you like to go and see Maddie bring the pain down on her partner?"
I shivered at the way he said it. His voice was hoarse, but in a good way.
He's teasing you.
I swallowed and immediately went into sub mode.
"Is it wrong of me to say I want to go and watch more than I want to scene right now?" I asked, not looking at him.
"I'm glad. See? This lifestyle isn't all about sex. The demos we put on are for educational purposes only. However, after the demo, we like to help the newer couples with their training. Some like having a hand to guide them. Others take to the playrooms to try things in private. One thing we make sure of is to always have medical staff on hand. It's about to get very crowded in there." He lifted my chin so I'd look at him. "Are you sure you want to go?"
I nodded. "Yes."
"These tend to run pretty long, so we might not be able to—"
I waved my hand, dismissing the issue altogether. "Don't worry about it. I'm more interested in the demo to be honest. I mean, I can have private lessons with you anytime I want, right?"
"If you're still interested."
I glared at him and smiled.
"Tease."
"I try." He helped me up from the sofa and grabbed our jackets from behind the door. "Shall we?"
****
Holding my hand, Daniel led me into the main room of the dungeon. Trance music played in the background, but the guests still hadn't arrived. I glanced at the clock behind the bar.
Almost eight.
Daniel let my hand drop to my side. "I'm going to get changed. You can look at the play stations if you like. I'll be right back."
My body trembled when he kissed me on the lips, but before I could retaliate, he broke away, flashing me a devilish grin before disappearing into one of the adjoining rooms.
Get changed?
What was it he had to get changed into anyway? We'd just come from the apartment. Why not get changed there?
The click of heels on the wooden floor caught my attention, and I smiled when I saw Maddie heading in my direction.
"Hey, you," she said, giving me a hug. "Daniel
leave
you here to fend off the sharks on your own?"
I glanced around the room, but he had yet to reappear. "Said he had to get changed?"
She laughed. "That'd be Daniel all right. He has a certain way he likes to look for these things. I swear, he's as bad as a woman on her first date, but don't worry. He doesn't play. It's mostly just for appearances."
"Speaking of appearances."
I gestured to her outfit. I hadn't noticed it back at the apartment, but the leather suit she wore had openings near her cleavage as well as along the outsides of her legs. "Is that supposed to be a tease, or what?"
She batted her eyes.
"Or what?"
Taking my hand, she led me over to the odd wooden horse I'd seen earlier. She held on to it and leaned over, probably to stretch her back. "So, you
ever been
to a demo before?"
"Nope."
"Ever been flogged?"
I shook my head. "Not unless you count the stings I gave to myself almost a week ago."
"Let me guess, Daniel, right?"
"Sort of.
He sent me a flogger in a box so I could get used to it."
"Get used to it," she echoed, using her fingers to draw pretend quotation marks around it.
"Riiight.
So, does that mean he hasn't used it on you yet?"
"Not yet."
"Well, tonight's as good a time as any. I bet you he planned this entire thing."
"Training me before a demo?"
"I wouldn't put it past him, that's for sure. He's a great Dom, and he's pretty creative when it comes to getting a sub comfortable enough to try something new."
I nodded and thought back to the fetish shop from the other night.
He's creative, all right.
Taking me into a store to buy a butt plug I probably wouldn't even use.
Maddie arched her back. "Speak of the devil." She leaned over and spoke so only I could hear her. "Don't let him play too hard. We still need him in working condition."
I smirked. "I'll do my best."
Maddie excused herself, and I watched her go until she disappeared into the same room I'd seen Daniel walk into. He smiled at me when I met his gaze, and I quickly averted mine upon seeing the rest of him.
Oh. My.
God.
I caught myself before my knees buckled, using the wooden horse for support.
Daniel wasn't wearing a suit like I'd expected, not unless they came in leather and chains. And just about every inch of skin was covered in it, with the exception of his neck, head and hands.
That must be a bitch to get into.
Or get out of. All I could imagine was wearing a latex suit that zipped in the front like the fuzzy jammies I used to wear as a kid.
At least those weren't tight fighting.
By the look of it, his skin probably couldn't breathe at all!
Daniel held a hand under my one arm. "Easy there." The gold flecks around his irises became even more apparent as I stared at them. I'd been so used to seeing him in a suit, which was arousing enough, that I never thought he'd have a full leather suit. He caressed the side of my face. "You okay?"
I swallowed. My breath caught. The English language was lost to me. I couldn't speak. Hell, I could barely think.
"Too much?"
He gestured to his outfit.
I coughed. "A warning would've been nice."
"You don't like it?" He tried to look hurt.
I didn't buy it for a second. "It's..." I waved at him. "Different."
"If I'd known you'd react this way, I would've just walked in naked." He laughed at me when my cheeks darkened.
"My dear, sweet, innocent Julia."
Daniel cupped my face and drew me in for a kiss.
"All right, you two,"
came
Maddie's voice. "Unless you want to do this demo yourselves, get away from the damned horse."
Daniel smiled against my lips.
"Looks like we're about to get punished."
Breaking away from one another, Daniel led me over to the bar so we were out of the way. I hadn't noticed it before, but a few people had walked in since I'd started eye-humping Daniel's outfit.
Men who looked a lot like bouncers stood in front of every door, including the ones leading to private playrooms. One of them nodded to Daniel when they exchanged glances.
Some silent morose code no doubt.
In addition to the bouncer-monitors, there was the kid standing behind the bar from earlier, Maddie, what looked to be her partner and a handful of paramedics.
"The medical staff," I began, pointing to one of the paramedics as she rifled through a duffle bag. "They're on scene the whole time?"
Daniel nodded. "They're off duty, but they came here because they're part of the lifestyle."
"What's in the bags?"
"The usual.
Bandages, gauze, scissors epi-pens, bottles of water and a few protein bars in case a sub crashes during a demo. They're also here on the weekends. So long as they have the time to spare, you can find them here or at any of the other fetish clubs in
Seattle
."
"I'm not used to seeing so many people who are just at an event to keep the guests safe."
"It comes with the territory. The more preventive we become, the better the experience. Of course this doesn't mean nothing happens, but it lessens the likelihood of something going wrong."
Turning to face the floor, I leaned back against the bar. Maddie was busy tending to her sub, who wore nothing more than a collar and cuffs. I chewed at my bottom lip and forced myself not to stare. From where Daniel and I were standing, it looked as if they were having a very intense conversation. Maddie's partner bowed his head and placed his arms behind his back.