The Plume: The Second Anthology (21 page)

“Yes, Mike.”

“How does it make you feel?” he whispered and
she shivered.

“Possessed. Captive.” She turned and met his
gaze. “Owned.”

Mike smiled. “Good.” He showed her the second
clamp and she inhaled sharply. “Beg me for more.”

“Please, Mike, put the other clamp on.
Please, Mike, keep me bound all night long.”

“Where shall I take you?”

“Anywhere,” she breathed. “Any time.” He held
the clamp out and Joanna kissed it. She closed her eyes in rapture
as he slid his strong hand into the other cup and fastened it upon
her.

Joanna shuddered from head to toe, her entire
body alive with need.

“Almost done,” Mike said. He opened the last
box before her eyes and Joanna caught her breath. There was a black
leather chastity belt on the first layer of tissue, although Joanna
could see that it wasn’t the only thing in the box. Mike nodded and
she lifted it out, noting the heavy clasps on it.

It clipped to the back hem of the corset on
either side of her waist. Mike touched her knees with a fingertip
and Joanna took a step to one side. He wrapped the belt beneath her
and across her genitals, the touch of the silicon on the inside of
the strap making her jump when it collided with her humming
clitoris. She thought of the chastity belt at Plume, the one that
had a vibrator in it, and her pulse leapt.

“You’ve worn one of these before.”

“Yes, Mike.”

“And you liked it?”

“I like whatever you like for me, Mike.”

“Tell me what you like about this.”

Joanna swallowed. “I like the idea of you
teasing me in public, while I’m locked up for you alone.”

Mike met her eyes as he locked the front of
the strap in place. “So do I,” he said softly and Joanna’s heart
thumped. The strap was shaped to completed cover her pubis. There
was another wide strap that locked around the widest part of her
hips and clasped in the front. Mike tugged it tight, fastened it
and locked it.

“Walk across the room and back.”

To Joanna’s dismay, the lock dangled against
the smooth leather, bouncing against the leather when she
moved.

A reminder of her captivity.

When she turned at the other side of the room
to walk back, she saw Mike lift the remote control from the box.
Joanna gasped when he turned on the vibrator, her knees weakening
at the steady throb. She walked back to him as steadily as she
could, uncertain how she’d survive an entire evening in such a
state of arousal.

“And what do you say?”

Joanna licked her lips. “Thank you,
Mike.”

He smiled and removed the next layer of
tissue from the box. There was a pair of wide black leather
manacles displayed there as well as something Joanna couldn’t quite
identify. “Got to ensure you don’t get away,” he murmured and she
shuddered in anticipation.

He locked the wide black leather cuffs around
her wrists. They were new and had been made to fit exactly around
her wrists, with only an allowance for the thin leather of the
gloves. They were four inches wide and each one had a d-ring
embedded in it. Joanna’s heart leapt that he could bind her quickly
and easily, thanks to the manacles.

“Take out the last item,” he instructed and
she reached into the box. It was a black leather hood, made of the
same soft soft leather as the gloves. Unlike the other hoods Mike
had bought for her, this one had eyeholes, like a mask. It would
leave her nose and mouth exposed, then enclose her neck.

“Put it on,” he commanded. Joanna slid the
smooth leather over her head and Mike pulled her ponytail through
the gap left for it. The hood closed tightly over her head,
covering her ears and again encasing her in a soft prison.

She was humming with desire and her heart was
racing.

There was a fine leather collar around the
neck of the hood, one lined with fur and carefully shaped so it
wouldn’t interfere with her breathing. Mike secured it and checked
the fit, confirming that it was comfortable. When Joanna looked at
herself in the mirror, she saw that it, too, had stainless d-rings
embedded in it, one at the back and one at the front.

“And the final touch.” Mike showed her the
stainless clips that she hadn’t noticed in the box. They were like
clips for a leash, but the could be linked from both ends. He
walked around her, hanging one on each d-loop on each belt. She
could feel the weight of them dangling and fought a mixed sense of
panic and excitement.

When Mike was behind her, he slid his hands
around her waist, pulling her back against him. He caught her
wrists in his hands and clipped the wrist manacles to the front of
her waist with surprising speed. “Think how easily I can bind you,”
he whispered and Joanna bit her lip. That was exactly what she was
thinking. She rubbed her butt against him and he laughed. “We
should go out to parties like this all the time.”

“We should stay home like this all the time,”
Joanna dared to say.

He swatted her butt for the impertinence. “We
will! But I’m looking forward to letting the world catch a glimpse
of my slave.” He tapped a finger on the tip of her nose. “Don’t
move.”

She watched as Mike dressed. He had prepared
everything in advance and dressed quickly. He wore heavy boots that
laced up to the knee and a leather jerkin that laced over his
chest. He winked at her as he wound a kilt made of dark fabric
around his body and she couldn’t miss the fact that he was wearing
nothing underneath it. He pulled on a hood very similar to her own
- but without d-rings - and long black leather gloves. He looked
dangerous and unpredictable and she knew he intended to have her
multiple times on this night. The remote was on a cord, along with
the key to her chastity belt, and he put that around his neck.
Joanna swallowed, knowing that anyone who knew anything about
chastity belts would see his control over her at one glance.

Her black raincoat was on the bed. Mike
unclipped her wrists and held her coat for her as if they were
leaving a fine restaurant. He knotted the belt around her waist and
smiled down at her. Suddenly, he snapped his fingers in
recollection. He went to the nightstand and got her fur and leather
gag, smiled, then tucked it into her pocket. “Just in case.”

Joanna was having palpitations. “Just in
case,” she agreed.

He kissed her with sweet heat and she kissed
him back, wanting him to taste her excitement and anticipation.
They were breathless when they parted and his eyes were twinkling.
“Like it?” he asked quietly, running his fingertips down the side
of her face.

“I never want to take it off. It’s
wonderful.”

“Tight enough?” He ran his hands over her, as
if he couldn’t resist the urge to touch her.

“Perfect. If you think so, Mike.”

He paused, his hands around her waist, and
looked into her eyes. “There’s one more surprise for you tonight,
but the decision is up to you.”

Joanna was uncertain of his meaning, so she
waited.

“You told me about several of your fantasies
and I’ve tried to make all but one of them come true,” he said
quietly. Joanna nodded agreement that he had done so, her heart
skipping. Mike’s gaze searched hers. “But there’s one left.”

Joanna knew which one it was: her fantasy of
being shared. “You shared me with Rafe in the Plume limo that
night.”

Mike smiled ruefully. “Not really, and you
know it. Maybe that’s enough, or maybe it’s not.” He paused again
and she knew that whatever he was going to suggest wasn’t easy for
him - but he was doing it for her. “An old friend of mine is coming
to the opening. If you want Eric and me to share you tonight, your
dream could come true.” He looked hard into her eyes. “Tonight
only.” He studied her. “Questions?”

“I don’t understand. Why Eric?”

Mike’s lips tightened. “Eric and I have
shared a lot of things over the years, and you can be one more.
I’ve known him a long time and I trust him - because he’s not
Rex.”

“But why now?”

“Because we’ve agreed to get married, and
once we’ve done that, I don’t want to share.” His voice hardened.
“Ever.”

Now or never. With a friend of Mike’s she
didn’t even know. Joanna’s mind went blank at the thought. It was
an exciting suggestion, but she doubted that there would be no
repercussions. On the other hand, the idea being shared was potent
for her and she wanted to know what it would be like. She knew she
wavered on her feet, almost dizzy with the possibility.

“You meet Eric and decide. It’s totally up to
you.”

Joanna felt her lips move but she was
surprised by what she said. “You decide, Mike. You decide for me
and I’ll do whatever you command.”

He smiled and she knew she’d said the right
thing. “Fine,” Mike said, with a finality that sent a shiver
through Joanna. “It’ll be a surprise.”

Before Joanna managed to say anything, Mike
put his hand on the back of her neck. He drove her out of the room
as he always did when she was bound, and urged her to the door to
the garage. Within moments, she was in the passenger seat, her
seatbelt fastened, her bare butt on the leather upholstery, her
hands on her knees and her thighs apart.

She was his possession and the whole world
would see it.

Mike would decide whether she would be
shared.

Joanna’s heart thundered. Everything was out
of her hands - and she was glad.

* * *

Four

The music was loud even a block away from the
gallery. Mike found a parking spot and helped Joanna out of the
car. She held on to his elbow, leaning against his side, her
unsteadiness in the high heels making him feel fiercely protective.
He was glad she’d left the decision up to him, although he couldn’t
guess what choice he’d make. He loved to see Joanna really excited
and he was sure that fulfilling this fantasy would drive her wild.
It was easy to remember how insatiable she’d been in the limo, when
he’d pretended to share her with Rafe. She’d known it was a game
and played along, but even knowing that, she’d been so hot.

What if it wasn’t a game and she knew it? The
idea of her being even more horny made it hard for him to think
about anything else.

He wasn’t thrilled about sharing her, though.
Anytime or anyplace. The knowledge that she was his possession
delivered to his own fantasies, and he loved having her both
powerless and dependent upon him. In fact, he’d like to be more in
control of her universe than he was. Binding her into a corset or a
chastity belt before she went to work was a compromise, but Mike
was always aware of its limitations. He wanted her locked down and
captive all the time, ready and waiting for him.

Marriage took them a step closer to that
choice, but not close enough for Mike. He still hadn’t thought of a
way to push her slavery farther in terms of captivity. To his
surprise, having the decision of whether or not she’d be shared
with Eric was really working for him. He could give her away. He
could share her. And Joanna, the perfect submissive, would do
exactly as he commanded her to do.

His only worry was that she might really like
being shared. He might satisfy her fantasy only to leave her hungry
for more.

They entered the gallery and he was struck by
how much it resembled the Plume itself. So many guests had already
arrived that they crowded the foyer and spilled out into the
street. Photographers from the media were taking pictures in rapid
succession and he heard Joanna’s breath hitch. He spied one of the
photographers from their own paper and hurried her out of that
man’s view.

He felt her take a breath in relief when they
stepped inside the gallery foyer. He stroked her back, feeling her
agitation fade. “Now we’re among friends,” he murmured to her and
she smiled.

“Or strangers. There’s no real way to
tell.”

The guests who had arrived already were
dressed in fetish gear and masked. Mike had always loved the visual
feast of the Plume and had a good look at the crowd. There were
people encased in latex, others chained and shackled, still others
in corsets of leather and velvet. They wore fancy masks and plain
ones, hoods and even helmets. There was a delicious sense of
revelry and abandon, one that made Mike wonder how many people in
attendance he knew.

And how many he’d had before. There was no
telling who was a stranger and who was a former lover, not with the
masks and costumes - and the passage of time. There was laughter
and music, as well as champagne being served. He couldn’t see Rex,
but expected the star of the show to be surrounded by fans.

He removed Joanna’s coat and checked it, then
put his hand on the back of her neck and guided her into the main
gallery. They each took a glass of champagne and toasted each
other, then considered a sculpture that looked eerily like
Athena.

“Is she alive?” Joanna asked.

“I think she’s a sculpture,” Mike said,
wondering whether her smile had moved just a bit.

“Her eyes look real.”

It was true. There was no way to tell whether
it was a sculpture or a model. Mike reached out and touched her,
and was surprised that her arm was hard and cold. “Not real,” he
said and Joanna shrugged.

“I didn’t realize Louise was so good.”

They moved into the show then, past a great
sculpture of a gorgeous woman being held captive and eaten. Mike
could almost smell her wet sex. He glanced across the floor to
discover that there were about a dozen clusters of sculptures, all
of people engaged in sexual acts. On the walls around the perimeter
were Rex’s photographs. He’d seen many of Rex’s photographs before,
but never blown up like this and framed so artfully.

He and Joanna exchanged a glance then made a
circuit of the room, ensuring that Rex had kept his word. Only when
they had studied every image did the tension ease from Joanna’s
shoulders.