Chapter Ten

His friends

 

The two of them spent the next morning cleaning the cottage. Not that it needed cleaning, but as Sarah’s mother would have said, it wasn’t ‘company clean.’ Phillip’s domain was the kitchen and he prepared several trays of veggies, tucking them away in the fridge till later. Sarah discovered he also was a baker–the cheesecake he created looked wonderful.

“The secret, slave, is letting it stay in the oven with the door ajar until the oven is completely cooled.” She had come in from dusting and vacuuming and now stood peering into the open oven door, the heat warming her naked body. “Then you don’t get cracks in the top.”

“Is that how they do it?” she exclaimed. “I’ve only baked a few in my life and figured the cracks came because I didn’t have a fancy oven like one of the pros.” She shook her head at his talents.

He laughed. “Well, I’m no pro, but my aunt used to bake the best cheesecakes in the city and she passed on her tips to me.”

Sometimes he looked like such a little boy, she wanted to go over and hug him. This was one of those moments. It was a cloudy day outside and the kitchen light was on to dispel the gloom. Maybe it was hearing him talk of his aunt, or maybe it was a reflection of the light, but there was a gleam in his eye that belied the existence of the animal she had experienced last night. She hid her smile. And they said women were complicated.

“While it’s cooling, let’s eat lunch—then we have some furniture to move.”

It didn’t take long to make and consume several tuna fish sandwiches. Since that first weekend together, Sarah had discovered the canned seafood was his favorite lunch. Sometimes he liked it spread over crackers, sometimes on bread—but always tuna fish. Knowing it was better for her than the nachos and hot dog she usually ate at home, she was beginning to favor the plain fare herself.

“How many people will be here tonight?” she asked, munching on a pilfered carrot stick.

“Only eight, including us. A small gathering.”

Part of her was relieved, part panicked. She preferred smaller groups, but that meant nowhere to hide. Nowhere but in her role as his hostess.

He saw the look in her eye and guessed which way her thoughts were headed. Reaching over the table, he took her hand. “You’ll do fine. Especially after I train you this afternoon. There are very specific ‘rules,’ if you will, for a slave in the presence of other masters.”

“Other masters?” Butterflies flew in and settled in her stomach—as if she weren’t already nervous enough.

He nodded, finishing off his lunch. “Yes, slave, other masters. I told you my friends were different from yours.” He pushed his chair back and watched her digest the information along with her tuna.

“I know you did…Master.” She stressed the last word, grinning. Swallowing the last of her drink, she stood to clear the plates. “I think I just put it out of my mind, however.” She stopped and turned around. “But you’ll teach me? So that I know what to do?”

“That’s important to you, isn’t it? Knowing what to do, what to say.”

She nodded and came back for the glasses, clearing the rest of the lunch stuff as well. “It is.” She grimaced and there was no mirth in her eyes. “I don’t play the fool well. That’s probably why I’m not a very good storyteller. Being the center of attention and then messing up is one of my worst nightmares.”

He stood and kissed her on the top of her head. “Well, then, slave. Since tonight you will definitely be the center of attention, we’ll just have to make sure you don’t ‘mess up’.”

Her nerves calmed somewhat at that. Of course she was going to be examined tonight—just as he’d been given a thorough going over the night before. But if he was going to show her the ropes, figuratively speaking, then maybe it wouldn’t be too bad.

In the living room, he began pushing furniture this way and that, and she helped, creating a rather large space against the short side of the room. Finally, he was satisfied and he led her into the bedroom. She now wore the wider collar she actually preferred. Symbolic as they both were, this one’s presence around her neck was a more physical reminder of her status—a status she increasingly enjoyed.

“Time to put you on the shelf, slave.” A thrill ran through her—he was finished with her for now. Of course, as soon as she knew that, desire peeked its head out. But she said nothing, simply holding out her hands and legs in turn so he could attach her wrist and ankle cuffs, locking them into place on her limbs. Locking wrist to wrist and ankle to ankle, he had her lie down on the bed. Taking up the “Y” chain she had worn the weekend before, he fastened her arms to her neck and bid her roll over.

She complied, awkwardly, but with his help, got onto her stomach. He now fastened a length of chain from the headboard to her D-ring—then fastened her ankles with another short length of chain to the footboard.

“Sleep if you can, slave,” he told her on his way out the door. “Tonight will be a long night for you.”

The directions sounded ominous, but he was gone and she did not call him back. She recalled the words he had spoken a while ago—after a particularly erotic evening. Phillip had warned her then that someday she’d meet other masters—apparently ‘someday’ was today. And now he expected her to sleep?

Sarah’s mind tossed from one topic to the next as she lay still, chained to the bed. Wait! He hadn’t trained her at all yet. Was her role as a submissive hostess different from that of a normal hostess? She was sure there must be protocols she should follow. But she was on the shelf and her master did not expect to hear a sound from her.

There was a certain excitement at being thus treated and she had already accepted the fact that her body fell first to his control and then her mind. Every handling of her took her to new places inside herself—a journey of discovery that stretched her boundaries and taught her insights about her personality she never before considered.

Take what he said last night, for example. That her shyness was just another form of submissiveness. That had rankled for a bit, but the more she thought about it, the more she realized he was right. Long ago, she had accepted her nature as being the ‘quiet type’ and had not delved any deeper than that. But Phillip was not satisfied with only surface reflections. His observation made her see that she had always been the observer—she watched people, and when they needed something, she was there. In fact, Beth had commented on it several times—how Sarah always seemed to know what people needed without being told.

Sarah also thought about how she always gave in to Beth’s desires when the two of them planned an evening. Even with her husband, if Sarah wanted one thing, but her partner wanted something different, she usually caved in. Of course, with Tom, it was more equal—he acquiesced to her as often as she gave in to him. But not with Beth.

A sudden thought occurred to her and her jaw dropped open. Could Beth be a Dominatrix? Was it possible? She thought about her friend’s relationship with Paul—he was so easy going, could he be…No. Her mind would not go there.

What about Phillip’s friends tonight? If there were masters coming, would there also be slaves? What would they look like? Her mind conjured Hollywood images of slave harems. No, she decided. Phillip’s living room didn’t look any more like the stereotypical harem than his dungeon looked like the stereotypical dungeon. Try as she might, she had no idea what his friends would be like.

In spite of herself, she knew that her thoughts, along with her helpless position, were working their magic on her. Her thoughts continued to swirl as desire ached between her legs. Like an itch she could not scratch, it remained just under the surface as finally, she fell asleep.

* * * * *

His gentle kiss woke her. Breathing deeply, she smelled soap on him and her eyes flew open, momentarily confused—was it morning? No, the light was wrong. The party! He was releasing her, removing first her ankle cuffs, then the bindings on her wrist. She rolled over and he undid the chain from her collar.

“I checked on you several times, and you were sound asleep,” he told her. “I even took my shower and dressed—you never moved.”

“Cleaning is tiring work, Sir!”

He sniffed the air. “And sweaty—go take your shower and be sure to run the razor over all important parts. Your clothes will be on the bed for you,” he called after her as she hurried into the bathroom.

In short order she had freshened up and taken her shower, returning to the bedroom to dress. Her black garter belt and stockings waited for her—and a black bra. Quickly she donned them, slipping into the heels he set out for her. Usually these were her church shoes, but she had to admit, they added to the overall sexy look.

She fastened the bra in place, then turned it around to pull the cups up over her breasts. Except there seemed to be something wrong with the undergarment. A huge hole was cut in each cup. Well, maybe the hole wasn’t huge, but certainly as big as a quarter. Upon closer examination, she realized they had been designed that way; the hole was neatly finished off. Blushing, she understood what must go there. With another twist, she seated her nipples in the center of each hole. The exposure to the air when the surrounding breast was covered caused the nipples to stand straight out. His intention, no doubt, she thought.

But there were no more clothes on the bed. Surely he did not mean to make her greet his guests looking so wanton. Hearing his step, she called out to him, “Master, I don’t see the rest of my clothes—what else did you want me to wear?”

His hands on her waist made her jump. She hadn’t realized he had entered the room. “No need to shout,” he murmured into her hair as he put his arms around her and ran his fingertips over her exposed nipples. While such a fondling usually caused her to grow weak in the knees, tonight she was too nervous to settle. When she didn’t relax, he turned her to face him.

“You are my property and I wish to show you off. I told you I would. Last week you said you would be willing to be naked in front of people. Are you saying now you aren’t?”

She opened her mouth with the intention of saying exactly that. The sane and rational side of her raged against appearing in public like this—even if it were only for six people other than themselves. Yes, she said last week that she wanted to do this—someday. Not now! How could she? But even as the rational side railed inside her head, the wanton side of her wanted this—and not only wanted it, but was pleased that he was proud of her and wanted to show her off. The wanton got the words out first: “I can do this, Master—for you.”

“Good.” He bent down and kissed her. “Let me fasten your collar.” She obediently lifted her hair and raised her neck, lowering her shoulders as he wrapped it around and fastened it, the snick of the lock sending shivers through her for an entirely different reason than normal. This was no game tonight; this was for real and she was scared.

He attached the heavy chain leash to the D-ring and had just finished putting on her ankle cuffs when there was a knocking at the door. He checked his watch. “Figures. That’ll be Aleshia and Anton—she’s always early.” He stood and started for the door. “Finish putting on your cuffs, then sit there till I come for you.”

She suddenly wanted to sit here all night. With trembling fingers, she attached the cuffs, having to make several attempts in her nervousness to close the locks. By the time she was done, she was sure everyone was here. Still, she sat on the edge of the bed, balefully watching the door as if her doom were about to enter.

 But it was only Phillip. His manner was brusque. “Stand, slave.” She did so, her hands at her side, opening and closing, clenching the air in her fear.

“Sir…you didn’t, I mean, there wasn’t time for training this afternoon. I don’t know what to do—or say to them.”

He nodded. “You do what I tell you to do—and nothing more, slave. Understood?”

Her lip trembling, she nodded.

“And as to what to say, I’ve given that some thought and have come up with a way to calm your anxieties.” He turned her by the shoulders and she felt his hand press something against her mouth. The bit! Automatically, her mouth opened and he seated it quickly, drawing her hair back and letting the straps hold her mane away from her face. She heard the snick of a lock close and realized her mouth was bound. He had indeed taken care of the problem: she could not speak to the guests tonight.

He pulled her arms back and fastened her wrist cuffs to one another. With her shoulders now pulled back a bit, the bra cut into her breasts slightly and pushed her nipples out for all to see. In spite of her fear, or maybe because of it, she felt a gush of fluid between her legs.

Turning her to face him, he gave her one last instruction, “Just do what I tell you to do, slave. I will not let you come to harm.”

She nodded, her butterflies showing in the whites of her eyes. With pride, he pulled on her leash and she followed him out the door.

 

This whole evening was so out of her purview, she had given up trying to imagine it earlier. There were just too many unknowns. But now reality spread itself before her as she entered the brightly-lit living room.

Three couples sat ranged around the room. Two men sat in the chairs she and Phillip had put against the front wall earlier. She was struck, not so much by their appearance as their bearing. Both sat with the same ease and grace she’d seen in Phillip—a natural grace that emanated power. A woman sat on the floor beside each of them.

On the couch opposite, reclined a beautiful woman, her black hair pulled away from her face in a soft bun that accentuated her rather sharp features. She also had that aura of power. Beside her, a man knelt on the floor. Sarah’s eyes grew wide at that. She was just beginning to understand her own need for submission—why on earth would a man want to submit to a woman?

 And then her gaze fell on the space that had been empty when Phillip had put her “on the shelf.” It was empty no longer. At the far end of the room, lit with all the spotlights from the track lighting above, was the tall cage. Black iron bars gleamed in the soft light, its open door just waiting for someone to cross its threshold. She almost cried as she realized who that someone would be and what her master had meant when he had told her she would be on display.

“May I present my new slave, Sarah Jackson-Parker,” he announced and a shock went through her being—he told them her name. How could he expose her like that? But then rational thought took hold. What else did she expect him to say? Didn’t she introduce him the night before by his whole name? It was what normal people did. Except she did not feel normal. Not at all.

She trembled and he knew it. Moving his hand up her leash, he pulled her forward. While he stood in the center of the room, he guided her so that she was forced to make a full circle around the room.

“Meet my fellow Masters and Mistress, slave.” He knew this was hard for her, yet she was enduring it beautifully. Her steps were tentative and slow, but he was patient. Once she had made a full circuit, he pulled her into a second one, this time pulling up on her chain and making her stop before the first master.

“This is Master William, slave. Bow to him.” He had not warned her of this, wanting to test her resolve. In future meetings with his friends, he would test her much more severely. But tonight it would be enough just for her to acknowledge their presence.

She didn’t want to meet them. It was hard enough being displayed so wantonly, her nipples standing out straight, her freshly-shaven mound glimmering in its nakedness. She wished he would just put her in the blasted cage and be done with it. Her mind could slink off then, pretend she wasn’t really here, wasn’t really mostly naked before so many strange eyes.

But he had given her a command—and she didn’t want to embarrass him by not obeying. So she turned, keeping her eyes downcast so she wouldn’t have to see Master William looking at her, and bowed from the waist, her legs pressed tightly together.

“Look at me, slave Sarah.” Master William’s voice held the same raw power as Phillip’s. She didn’t want to look, but found her gaze drifting upward until her eyes met his. His eyes looked at her kindly, with no trace of the lewdness she expected to find. He smiled at her and her face softened.

“This is my slave.” He gestured to the woman beside him who knelt in a very familiar position. She was clothed, Sarah noted, in comfortable jeans and a pullover sweater, a pretty leather collar around her neck. Short, wavy hair neatly framed her pert face. “Her name is Jillean.” His hand brushed the top of his slave’s head. “Jill, say hello to slave Sarah.”

The woman stood with the practiced ease of one who had been rising from such a low level for years. Sarah watched her face and saw a welcoming calmness in the woman’s deep brown eyes. The slave put her hands on Sarah’s shoulders and leaned forward to kiss her on the cheek.

The tender understanding in the gesture touched her and tears formed in Sarah’s eyes. As Jill pulled away and returned to her former position, Sarah wished she could thank her, except the bit prevented her. But a nod from the now-kneeling slave made her realize the slave understood.

Phillip was also touched by Master William’s gesture with his slave. Will and he had been friends for over a decade—in fact, the other master had been Phillip’s mentor when he first admitted his need to dominate in a relationship. As Phillip pulled on Sarah’s chain to take her to the next master, Will winked at him and he knew he had his mentor’s approval.

“This is Master Dominic, slave. Bow to him.”

Master William and Jill had done a great deal to ease her mind, so this time Sarah was able to turn and bow without hesitation. She looked up into Master Dominic’s eyes, but did not find the same kindness Master William had shown her. His eyes flashed when she looked at him—was it anger? Had she done something wrong?

With a curt gesture, Master Dominic waved his hand in the general direction of the woman at his side. “This is Cora.”

Sarah looked down at the slave-woman kneeling rigidly beside her master. She was dressed more provocatively than the others in the room; a short skirt barely covered her ass, the neckline of the sweater plunged about as deep as it could go and still remain fastened in the front. She also wore a collar, but one of steel. A leash attached to it, the other end held casually in Master Dominic’s hand. As Cora stood, she teetered just a bit, then straightened. She did not look at Sarah—in fact, she looked at no one, just kept her gaze straight down. So Sarah saw what Cora did not—a slight narrowing of Master Dominic’s eyes at her ever-so-slight lack of grace. Now Sarah was glad for the bit, or she would have had a few words for the man who slouched in the chair.

Sarah was not in a position to initiate anything, but if she had been, she would have given Cora a hug for being beside such a lout. First impressions were important, she knew—for her first impression of this man was not a good one. Cora barely came to her shoulder, her shoulder-length black hair hanging loosely about her face. Executing a simple bow to Sarah, Cora returned to her position.

As Phillip tugged on her leash again, she tried to catch his glance to signal a question to him, but he studiously avoided her eye. Master Dominic and he had had several disagreements on both how to train a slave and how to keep one—and that was the reason he had invited him tonight. Part of him was vain enough to want Sarah to see what life could be like if he wasn’t such a nice guy.

“Lady Aleshia, this is my new slave.”

Sarah stopped before the woman and bowed as she had to each of the men. Like the Masters, she was simply dressed in jeans and a casual shirt, but Sarah could easily imagine her in latex, thigh high boots and all. Red nail polish gleamed on the tips of her fingers as she idly played with her slave’s hair.

“And this is my slave, Anton.”

Anton stood…and stood…and stood. Sarah’s eyes traveled up and up as the slave towered over her. The man must stand at least six foot six! She had no idea how tall the other masters were, as they had remained seated. Gazing back and forth between Phillip and the slave, she realized he had several inches on her own master. She saw he also wore a simple leather collar that looked quite attractive on him.

The male slave bent down and kissed the opposite cheek that Jill had welcomed. Like the other slaves, he did not speak, but as he pulled away, he grinned and dimples graced his cheeks. In spite of the bit in her mouth, Sarah found herself answering his smile with one of her own.

Some of her tension melted away as Phillip pulled again on her leash, taking her to the cage. Lightly she stepped inside, turning to face the front. Phillip swung the door shut and turned the key.

For a moment, Sarah relaxed. She made it. She had crossed the room and gotten into the cage where she expected she would remain for the rest of the evening. Nothing to do, and with the bit in her mouth, nothing to say. No way to mess things up. Quietly, she sighed.

Her relief was short-lived. Phillip was not quite done with her. He wanted her on display—all of her. Stooping down beside the cage, he reached in and took hold of her ankle, gently tugging it. She shifted her weight in confusion—what was he doing? Her ankle touched the cold iron of the bars and sent a shiver through her as she heard the familiar “snick.” Locked in place, her legs were spread a bit and suddenly she realized his intention.

There was no way to tell him no, to beg him not to show her to all these people. His hands were at her other leg now and she moved it out of a habit of obeisance rather than out of a desire to do so. Her ankles, locked in place, spread her and the scent of her sex drifted up and filled her nose. They would all know!

Desperately she tried to see him to let him know with her eyes, but he had disappeared behind her. She felt his hands around her wrists as he pulled them back to fasten against the bars at the rear of the cage. Ever so slightly, she was pulled off balance, her arms forcing her breasts into the confines of her open bra. In spite of herself, she knew her nipples had hardened even as more juices gathered in the folds between her legs. No! She didn’t want to show herself to all these strangers!

Coming around front now, he reached in and took her leash. “You’re doing well, slave,” he murmured so only she could hear. Draping the leash over one of the crossbars, he let it dangle outside the cage. Stepping to the wall, his hand slid over the light switch, plunging the room into darkness. Except for the lights focused on her cage.

Tears formed in her eyes at her humiliation. How could he do this to her? How did he have the heart to display her so openly, so wantonly? Every part of her wanted to slam her legs shut and she squirmed in her bindings, her eyes pleading for release.

He did not give it to her. In the soft light from above, her beauty was incredible. It was a beauty she did not even realize she had, but he would teach her. He wanted to teach her so much about herself that she had yet to discover. Patiently, he waited, as did all the others. They all knew that, if she were a true submissive, it would be only a matter of time.

She wanted to see him—she wanted to look into his eyes and know he took pity on her. But he stayed in the darkness while the glare of the lights shone down upon her. Her nipples stood out in the light, bright against the darkness of the fabric that surrounded them. Down below, her mound glistened with sweat; the black stockings focused their attention on her sex. No one spoke, but she could not ignore their presence—a shift here, a small noise there. She knew they watched her. A moan escaped her and she writhed in the bindings. Wanting to hide, she strained to get loose so they could not see her. If only he would turn the lights off.

Her struggles grew wilder as her emotions bordered on panic; she tried to convince herself she didn’t really want this, even as evidence mounted that her body did. She couldn’t want this. To want to be naked in front of people said all sorts of things about her. Things she didn’t want to admit. Things that she should be ashamed of. So why did being put on such display make her so excited?

The leash fell from the door and its sudden weight on her collar brought her up short. The collar. It was his collar. It anchored her mind and the struggles slowed. He had called her his slut once before. Not “a” slut—”his” slut. His slave. His to do with as he wanted. To be put on display before his friends, if he so desired. She had given him that right when she’d accepted the collar this evening. She had given him control.

Sarah’s struggles stopped. Drool had fallen onto her breasts, leaving darker black streaks against the black fabric. Several wisps of hair had come loose and had fallen in her eyes. Tears streaked her face, but no more fell as she came to accept her place. Slowly, with great effort at first, then with more assurance, she raised her head and held her chin high.

Phillip grinned and his heart soared. Bending, he lit a candle and passed the light from candle to candle around the room as the others joined him to spread the brightness. The masters all expressed their congratulations to him.

He spoke quietly to Master William and Sarah saw Jill rise and leave the room. She returned a moment later with a small towel and approached the cage. Deftly she reached between the bars and wiped the drool from Sarah’s chin, neck and breasts. Smiling her thanks, Sarah watched her hand the towel to Phillip and return to her seat.

Having the candles lit made it a little easier to be in the spotlight. She was still the brightest thing in the room by far, but no longer the only point of attention. Phillip now brought out the vegetable trays he’d earlier prepared and Sarah watched them, behaving as if it were a perfectly normal get together between perfectly normal people who just happened to have a semi-nude woman chained in a cage as their decoration.

After a while, her muscles began to grow tired, but she could not move to give them rest. She thought about moaning to get Phillip’s attention, but that would put the attention on her again, and she wasn’t quite ready for that. So far, she was just the object of some glances now and again as they talked of normal things one talks of at a gathering of friends.

Except for Cora. The slave’s eyes never looked up, never strayed from the floor. The other two slaves, Jill and Anton took part in the conversation, although Sarah noticed they always deferred to their respective “owners.” In fact the more she watched, the more she learned about how slaves behave—and how each master apparently had different expectations.

Anton’s attention focused on his Mistress. She never had to request a refill of her drink, never had to ask for the vegetables or cheese and crackers to be passed to her. Anton anticipated her needs flawlessly and always had them ready before Sarah had even known the Mistress would want them. Each time he served her, his eyes lit up with a merry look and Sarah understood there was a great deal of respect and love in that relationship.

Master William and Jill also showed love to one another, but it was louder and more boisterous than Lady Aleshia’s and Anton’s. “Will and Jill,” as Phillip had called them, laughed frequently and Sarah noticed Master William usually had to tell his slave what he wanted. She would tease him and he’d playfully pinch her arm, at which she’d squeal an obviously fake cry of pain. Then they both laughed as if it had been hilariously funny. Several times Sarah grinned around the gag. A gag that was beginning to irritate her.

Cora and Master Dominic did not seem to enjoy each other at all. Most of the time he did not participate in the discussion, instead sitting off to the side, a permanent scowl on his face. When he wanted a drink, he pulled on Cora’s chain and thrust the glass at her. She would dutifully perform her task, returning again to kneel stiffly at his side. Neither cracked a smile the entire evening.

Phillip kept an eye on Sarah, without being obvious about it. He kept his face mostly in the shadows as the conversation became increasingly sexual in nature. That was the usual course for these evenings. First they spent time catching up, then reminiscing, then playing. He had already talked to Will and Lady Aleshia about what type of play he wanted for the evening—he counted on Master Dominic to leave early.

And he was not disappointed. Sarah was tiring in her cage and Phillip needed to take her out soon. But he was loathe to do so while Dominic remained. After a few words of parting, the disliked master pulled on his slave’s leash and departed.

Sarah could feel the collective sigh in the room. No one commented on him, there was no gossip about him from either the remaining slaves or their owners. She wondered at that, because if her mouth had been free, she was sure she would have had a comment or two to make.

She did see, however, some very wicked grins among them all. With a long stretch, Master William stood. “Slave, what are you still doing in your clothes?” His grin belied the sternness of his voice.

“Many pardons, Master,” Jill replied, pulling off her sweater with one move. She was amply endowed and Sarah tried not to stare as the woman, with absolutely no shyness whatsoever, stood and stripped off her pants, panties and all. A quick twist and her bra lay with the rest of her clothes and Jill stood before them all, naked and completely at ease.

“Got any rope?” Master William asked Phillip.

“Some,” Sarah’s master grinned. He jerked his head toward the dungeon. “If you’ll follow me…”

Will turned to his slave. “Stay.” There was a twinkle in his eye and Sarah saw the laughter in Jill’s face as she dropped to the floor in a position of servitude that lasted till her master turned the corner.

Lady Aleshia stretched and Anton was right there to tend to her. “It seems my slave is the only slave left in the room still clothed,” she purred.

He smiled, his dimples dark shadows in the candlelight. “With your permission, my lady…” His voice was like deep velvet and Sarah smiled behind the gag.

His Mistress nodded and Sarah watched, fixated, as the tall slave slowly peeled off his shirt revealing the fine, muscled chest it had hidden. His muscles rippled in the candle’s light as he turned for them to see, though his own attention remained focused on his Mistress.

Facing her again, he undid the clasp on his belt, letting it remain in the loops of his pants. He now flicked his thumb against the snap at the top of his pants and it sprung open. Never looking anywhere but at his mistress, he unzipped his pants and let them fall.

Sarah forgot herself and strained to see him, but her bindings brought her up short and reminded her of her position as the display. With Anton facing Lady Aleshia, Sarah could only see his ass—and what a magnificent ass it was. Only once before had she seen a rear end so beautifully formed, and it had been made of marble. Even her own master’s, wonderful as it was, did not compare to the masterpiece that stood before her now.

“Turn.”

Anton pivoted and Sarah held her breath. The candles cast their beams softly upon his beauty. With a wisp of black hair that curled around his ear, the hard muscles of his chest and thighs, his perfect ass and his thick cock now resting at ease, he was a DaVinci model come to life. A soft moan escaped from Sarah’s gag and Lady Aleshia smiled.

Phillip and Master William entered precisely at that moment and Sarah almost jumped, her breath coming back to her in a rush. Could her master see the guilt in her eyes?

But he didn’t seem to be paying attention to her as he cleared the coffee table of its contents. If she had known Phillip had watched every move of hers, she would have been shocked and dismayed.

Phillip had to turn his back to her momentarily as he cleared the trays from the short table. Indeed, all this had been carefully orchestrated between and among the dominant members of the group long before any of his guests had arrived this evening. Because of the lights that were focused on the cage, Phillip knew she could not see much beyond the center of the room. Going for the rope had been a ruse to get the two of them out of the room so Anton could perform. Phillip had watched her from the other end of the room and had seen the lust forming in her eyes.

He now touched the wall switch that controlled her lights, slowly dimming them until they only gleamed, making her skin glow against the blackness of her bra and stockings, the iron bars of the cage casting dim shadows on her figure. Grasping one end of the coffee table, he motioned to Will to take the other end and they moved it to the center of the room, right in front of the cage where Sarah would have a clear view of what was about to happen.

It was a sturdy piece of furniture. Phillip had purchased it when heavy pine furniture in a faux colonial style was all the rage. Except this one was oak—much better suited to his temperament. Pine was too soft a wood and would gouge easily. He wanted something sturdier, something that could take a little beating. His taste in furniture was similar to his taste in women, he realized with a grin. With a solid oak top and four solid oak pillars for legs, joined underneath by another solid level of oak for a shelf, this table was the epitome of sturdy.

The table properly positioned, Phillip nodded to Will, who held several lengths of rope in his hand. “On the table, slave, hands over your head.” His voice was a bit gruff and Sarah realized with a start that he wasn’t joking around now. There was a seriousness to his manner that would brook no disobedience.

Jill sat on the table at once, her bottom near one end. She lay the length of the table and stretched her arms over her head without a shred of embarrassment. Master William spent several minutes tying first one wrist, then the other to the thick oaken legs at one end of the table.

Her knees were bent over the end—the table wasn’t long enough to take her entire prostrate form. Sarah saw the woman’s nipples were hard and round in the candlelight as she obeyed her master’s commands. Master William passed between the cage and the table, but ignored Sarah, giving his attention to his own slave instead.

Holding her by her buttocks, Master William pulled Jill down the table until her arms were stretched as far as they could go. Her body stopped with her pussy poised just at the edge of the table. Folding her legs under the table, he tied them to the two thick table legs, taking time to spread her knees apart so her most private parts were bared to the room.

Sarah’s intake of breath was quiet, but Phillip heard it. Stepping back into the shadows, he watched his slave as the others put on their show for her. Many times he would join these four as they simply got together to do mundane things—go to dinner, see a movie, go bowling. But many more times they would get together as they were now: two Masters, a Mistress and their slaves. It had been quite a while since Phillip had a slave of his own…

Jill was thoroughly tied down now and could do little more than squirm on the tabletop. Will finished the knots on her ankles and now knelt at her side—the side away from Sarah, who could not take her eyes from the sight before her. Heedlessly, her own juices flowed freely, filling the space between her labia, and spilling over to run along her thigh.

Master William took a nipple in his fingers, pinching it slowly, letting the pressure build until he forced a moan from the helpless slave woman before him. Rolling it in his fingers, he made sure it was good and hard before he turned to Lady Aleshia and nodded.

Receiving her signal, Lady Aleshia knelt between Sarah and Jill, but subtly angled herself so Sarah’s view was not blocked. Now the mistress leaned forward and licked Jill’s other nipple, sucking it softly into her mouth. Master William leaned down and did the same on the other side.

Sarah’s breathing had become shallow and fast. She could imagine herself on that table and the two of them working on her in such a manner. The sane, rational side of her shouted to be heard, but came through her desire as only a tiny voice: “No, this is wrong, you shouldn’t want to be on display, you shouldn’t want to have others touch you.” Jill’s moans became louder as Lady Aleshia took her nipple in her teeth and pulled it up, stretching the buxom breast until the slave cried out. Caught up in the scene before her, Sarah’s little voice was drowned out. In the darkness, she did not see Phillip’s smile.

“You are mine, slave,” said Master William roughly kneading Jill’s breast. “Your body is mine to play with—and if I chose to let others play with you, then that is my choice, is it not, slave?”

“Yes, Master,” Jill breathed, “yes, it is your choice.”

Sarah could hear the desire in her voice. The woman wanted them to play with her, and she found herself wanting to watch them play with her. If Phillip had tried to take her away now, she would have fought as hard to remain as earlier she had fought to be released.

“My slave is particularly good with the flogger,” Lady Aleshia said casually.

“So you have mentioned before, Lady,” Will said, as if they were discussing a friend’s bread recipe. “I would very much like to see it demonstrated, if you wouldn’t mind?”

“Of course not.” The Lady leaned back on her heels and gestured to her slave. “Phillip? May we borrow a flogger from you?”

Her master moved back into the light and Sarah’s heart beat hard. Oh, how handsome he looked in the soft light—how handsome he looked in any light for that matter. But just now, the candle threw a shadow over his features as he took another step in and, for an instant, his face changed; she saw the animal that lurked within. Hungry it looked, lustful. She knew what it was like to be on the receiving end of that animal and she wanted to see it again.

“Of course, Lady Aleshia. Have your slave follow me.”

“Slave—Master Phillip has many toys from which to choose. Go with him now and return with the flogger you think best to use on this needy slave.”

 

Although the two of them sat on either side of the table, with the woman stretched between them, they chose now to ignore her while they waited. They discussed small things and Sarah wanted to scream in frustration. How could they do that to her? Take that woman so far and then just leave her there as if she were…as if she were…her mind completed the sentence:  as if she were a toy for their pleasure. As if her body were just a plaything. Would she never learn?

Phillip led the way back into the room and Anton held a rather long flogger in his hand. It was one her own master had yet to use on her—the tails were thin and Phillip had told her it could pack quite a sting.

Master William’s eyes glinted wickedly when he saw Anton’s choice. Moving back, he leaned up against the couch and out of the way. Lady Aleshia joined him and the two watched Anton go to work.

First the slave just walked around the bound woman, letting the tails of the flogger run over her body. No one had as yet touched her between her legs, but now as he pulled the flogger up through her pussy lips, the ends glimmered with her juices. Sarah was mesmerized by the path of liquid left as the flogger trailed its cargo up the woman’s body.

With a snap that made Sarah jump and the slave woman cry out, Anton flicked the flogger to land its first blow on her breasts. Then dragging the tails for a bit, he flicked it again and landed its snap in the center of Jill’s sensitive nipples. She arched her back, her breasts reddening under the flogger’s stings.

And now he started a rhythm, over and over, landing the flogger on her breasts, on her stomach, her thighs—everywhere but her pussy. Unceasingly he raised and lowered the instrument of her torture until her entire body was pink. Tears flowed from Jill’s eyes at the sweet torment and she moaned over and over.

Anton stopped and looked to Master William, who held up his hand. Anton’s arm rested at his side and Phillip stepped forward now, holding a glass of ice. Kneeling beside the sniffling woman, he took an ice cube and ran it around her lips. Jill’s tongue flicked out, licking the water and Phillip let her suck on the cube a moment while he held it.

Satisfied that her mouth was no longer dry, he removed the cube, trailing it down along her chin to her neck, letting it rest a moment in the hollow of her throat before continuing to trail it to her sore breasts. Around and around he moved the ice cube, making a figure eight between her breasts as the ice brought relief, and pain of a different sort.

The ice cube all but gone, he left the small piece that remained in the dip created by Jill’s navel. Standing, he gave a small bow to Master William who motioned to Anton to continue.

Sarah knew what was coming, she was prepared for it. And yet the sudden cry from the slave and the way she arched her back took Sarah by surprise. Anton’s gentle blow had fallen directly on the slave’s pussy and obviously sent a wave of pleasure coursing through the woman’s body.

Again he let the flogger fall, and Phillip could see Sarah’s pussy lips, engorged with desire, rise to meet the blow. And when the slave on the table squirmed, Sarah unconsciously repeated the motion.

“Oh, please, Master,” Jill whimpered. “Please let me come.” And Sarah pleaded for the same release with her eyes.

Master William signaled to Anton for one more blow—one harder than he had yet given that delicate part of the body. He landed it and Jill screamed.

“Now, slave, take her.”

Anton looked to his Mistress for permission and received it. Kneeling between Jill’s legs, he poised his cock before her opening. Sarah hadn’t realized how hard the beating had made him, but his thick cock was certainly ready. She could almost see it pulsating in the candlelight. Steadying himself by holding the hips of his fellow slave, he drove into her in one mighty thrust.

Sarah’s moan into her gag echoed that of Jill’s. Oh, how she wanted to be the one on that table! Over and over, her hips moved in time with Anton’s thrusts as he repeatedly took Jill’s helpless body. And when Jill cried out in her orgasm, Sarah moaned with her, her own body crying out its need.

Anton came soon after, tearing his cock from her pussy, letting his warm liquid spread itself on Jill’s stomach. The two of them grinned at one another as the afterglow settled down on them.

Phillip helped Master William to remove Jill’s bindings while Lady Aleshia got a warm cloth and cleaned both her own slave, and Jill. Anton gave Jill a hand off the table and the two slaves went to kneel before their respective Master and Mistress.

“You have done well, my little slave,” Sarah heard Master William tell Jill. “You shall serve me later when we go home. For now, I heard there was cheesecake!”

The sexual tension in the room vanished as they all laughed and turned to Phillip, who smiled and came over to the cage. For the first time since he put her in there, he addressed her.

“Ready to come out of there, slave?”

She nodded, her mind still whirling with the incredible scene she had just witnessed. Her own juices flowed freely, sticking to the sides of her thighs.

Jill approached with the towel once more and again dried Sarah’s chin and breasts. Sarah knew she should be embarrassed to have the other woman touch her there, but after what she had just seen, she had little room left for embarrassment.

 

Lady Aleshia now approached and, reaching around behind Sarah’s head, unlocked and removed the bit. Jill offered her a drink of water, and Sarah accepted it eagerly.

The two women moved away and Master William circled around to unlock an ankle. Sarah was acutely aware that from such a kneeling position, he had a clear view of her over-excited pussy. A tug at her other ankle drove the thought from her mind as she looked down to see Anton smiling up from her other side.

She flexed each ankle as Master William moved behind her to release her wrists from the cage, then released them from each other. For the first time since they had arrived, she had complete freedom of movement. Well, almost complete, she was still in the cage.

Then Phillip was before her, the others off to the side, watching. Sarah swallowed hard as she suddenly realized she was once again the center of attention. After what she had just witnessed, the cage was suddenly a safe place to be and she wasn’t sure she wanted to leave it.

Phillip saw the uncertainty in her eyes and took his time with the lock. She had done beautifully all night and his heart beat hard, knowing that he had fallen the rest of the way in love with her tonight. So helpless she had looked, so frightened—and yet, she let the wanton side of her be exposed as Anton took Jill before her eyes. He knew then that she was the one he had searched for.

Opening the door, he put his hand out, expecting her to put her hand in his. But instead, she lifted her leash and set it in his hand instead. Their eyes met, and he could not speak. Did she realize what she had just done?

She did. As he had fussed over the lock, giving her time, Sarah watched him, finally understanding what he wanted of her. She had seen it tonight in the way the other slaves served and with all her heart, she wanted to give her servitude to him. His hand came out to her in a gesture of peace and, without hesitation, she placed her leash, her symbol of subservience and slavery, into his palm.

Sarah stepped out of the cage, her eyes locked on Phillip’s as he gently held her leash in his hand. She felt so strong, so confident, so comfortable with him, her semi-nude state was no longer an issue. He motioned to the others and she turned to face them, unbound for the first time that evening.

“Sarah, I would like you to meet my friends.” He nodded and the Mistress stepped forward, a smile of welcome on her face. “Lady Aleshia,” announced Phillip as if Sarah was meeting her for the first time.

And in a sense she was, Sarah realized as the Mistress took her hands and kissed each cheek. She was not the same Sarah Jackson-Parker standing here now that she was when she walked out of the bedroom earlier tonight. There had definitely been a change inside her. She felt bigger, expanded—as if all the world could just barely contain her being.

As Master, it was Will’s turn next and he also took the new slave by the hands, squeezing them in welcome as he kissed her cheeks. Sarah’s eyes were radiant, newborn. He remembered the moment when he had seen the change occur for Jill. At that moment Jill had become the love of his life. Phillip had just found his.

Jill and Anton came forward together, putting their arms around her and giving her a huge hug. Laughter welled up inside her; her joy was too big to be contained. She had passed an important test tonight, and a major barrier had fallen. She could not help but laugh in the embrace of the other two as the three hugged each other, all of them wearing little or no clothing whatsoever.

Now Phillip turned to Sarah, his own joy spilling over into a grin that split across his face, deepening his dimples. “I love you, Sarah-my-slave.” His eyes grew more serious at his public admission. “I will love you forever.”

Her heart caught in her throat. Her tears of laughter threatened to spill as tears of pure joy. “I love you, Phillip-my-Master. I will love you forever.”

Their kiss was deep and passionate. The room faded and Sarah knew only the taste of Phillip’s lips, knew only the warmth of his arms as they encircled her. Sarah’s scent filled Phillip’s mind as his tongue eagerly entwined with hers and he forgot his guests as he reveled in the embrace of the woman he loved.

A cleared throat eventually brought the two of them back to a wider reality. Phillip’s voice was husky with emotion as his hand reached up to grasp Sarah’s leash where it connected to her collar. Possessively, he gripped it and growled at her, “My guests are hungry, slave. Feed them the cheesecake.”

She burst out laughing and the passion of the moment calmed to a general feeling of well-being. He led her into the kitchen with the others following in their own fashion. It was short, but careful work to cut the cheesecake and serve it. Phillip took quite a bit of ribbing from the others about the fact that he used tooth floss to cut it with. But he showed Sarah how easily the floss slid through the cake and made clean pieces with neat edges.

The pieces cut, she picked up two plates and took them to the table where the others already had pulled up chairs. Biting her lip, she wasn’t sure of the protocol for serving them. But Jill rescued her. “Mostly you serve Master William and Lady Aleshia first, because they’re above us. Sometimes you can serve the slave, who will then, in turn, serve his or her own master. But we’re an informal group—give those two pieces to the Master and Mistress.”

Sarah nodded her thanks and noted that Will’s face beamed with pride at Jill’s instructions. She felt an answering smile as she recognized the bond between them. It was the same bond she now felt between her and Phillip.

Going back out to get more plates, Sarah glanced at the clock, then stopped in astonishment. She had figured she had been in the cage about four hours—but by the clock, it had been a little over two. Her eyes squinted at the timepiece as if her stare could make it reflect her reality instead of everyone else’s. When Phillip handed her two more plates, she added a third, taking out his plate as well as the plates for the other two slaves before returning to the kitchen one last time for her own. Glaring at the traitor clock, she picked up her own piece of the dessert and took the last chair at the table. The conversation ebbed and flowed, much as it had with her own friends the night before.

But she had to stifle a giggle at the comparison. If those friends could see her now, sitting here, mostly nude, with a naked man and a naked woman also sitting at the table, conversing as if it were the most normal thing in the world…well, they just wouldn’t believe it. A brief image of Beth in Lady Aleshia’s chair with Paul taking Anton’s place flashed through her mind and again she dismissed it as being just too silly.

She ate her cheesecake in very small bites. Her jaw was quite sore from wearing the bit for such a long time and each mouthful reminded her of her position. She found it a soreness she wanted to savor.

The night grew late and at last it was time for the others to take their leave. Will and a now-dressed Anton helped Phillip to move the heavy cage back into the dungeon while Jill, Sarah, and Lady Aleshia moved the furniture back into place. Finished, the three of them surveyed the room and Sarah ventured a question.

“Is it permitted for me to ask questions of you?” she began tentatively.

Lady Aleshia looked puzzled. “Of course. I expect you have many questions.”

Sarah smiled shyly. “Too many to even put into words, I think. But only one for right now.”

The two women smiled at her and Sarah took courage. “What happened here tonight…does this happen every time you get together?”

Lady Aleshia laughed, a deep, rich laugh that did not mock, but rather, understood. “We usually plan something of the sort about once a month. Other times we do more mundane activities. Phillip has not joined us for about a month, since his attentions were elsewhere.”

Sarah blushed as she understood the woman’s meaning. “I did not mean to keep him from you,” she stammered.

The Lady’s laugh softened into a smile. “Perhaps you did not mean it, but I see it was well worth the time spent.” The mirth faded from her eyes and she held Sarah in her gaze. “You will make him a fine slave, Sarah. He does not love easily. In all the years I’ve known him, and that has been many, he has never given his heart. Not once. Not until tonight. You treat him well.”

There was a warning implicit in the Lady’s words and Sarah nodded, her heart suddenly in her throat. The men’s return saved her from having to respond.

“Well, you take care of your Master, slave,” Will told her with a wink to let her know he approved of her. “The man needs someone to keep him honest!”

“We’ll get together some time this week, just us slaves,” Jill told her. “I know you’re going to have loads of questions in a day or two when what happened here tonight sinks in. Master Phillip has my number.”

Hugs and pecks were distributed around and the foursome took their leave. The house suddenly grew quiet in their absence. Sarah helped Phillip extinguish all the candles but one. Picking it up, he came to her and again held out his hand. A small thrill ran through him when she placed her leash in his. Silently he led them to the bedroom where he set the candle on the nightstand.

“Come here, my slave,” he said softly and Sarah glided into his arms. She breathed deeply, filling her lungs with his scent as he held her close. He nestled his nose into her hair, never wanting to let go. They stood entwined in their own world for many heartbeats before Sarah broke the spell by yawning.

They both laughed, the tired laugh one has after a long, successful evening. He undid the clasp on her bra and removed it. She started to take off the stockings, but he put his hand on hers. “Let me,” he murmured. “Let me service my slave tonight.”

She sat on the edge of the bed as he rolled down her stockings, caressing her legs and rubbing her sore feet. The heels of her shoes weren’t very high, but after being in them all night long, her toes were tired.

Her garter belt, too, he slipped off, then took her legs and gently raised them to the bed. She watched as he undressed, blew out the candle, and came to join her.

“Phillip…” she began.

“Shhh.” He put a finger to her lips. “Not tonight. Tomorrow will be time enough to question. Tonight there is only our love.” He kissed her then, his mouth covering hers in the darkness. His arm wrapped around her and she melted into him, letting him carry her down, wrapping her leg over his as the kiss deepened.

He would take her with tenderness tonight, the animal had gone to sleep. Slowly his hands drifted over her body, relishing her softness, her curves. Every part of her belonged to him and he wanted to touch each part, own it again, and give thanks for it. She held his head and her fingers entwined in his hair as he bent to kiss her breasts, leaving a wonderful trail of warmth behind his movements.

His hand parted her legs and she rolled onto her back, letting his fingers caress the folds hidden there. Her sex was potent from the night’s activities, but he breathed it in deeply and her heart soared. It was the final goodbye to her deceased husband, who never liked her aroused odor. For a moment, she thought she saw him standing in the doorway, but she blinked and he was gone. Completely gone, she realized. Instead, she belonged to Phillip.

The realization heightened her desire—she belonged to him now. Before those had been just words, but now they were reality. She arched her back as he entered her, spreading her legs wider to take all of him inside.

Inside where it was warm and comfortable. Inside her body as he was inside her heart. Phillip bent down and kissed her as she came, much as he had the first night they made love. Her arms wrapped around him and he held her in his own, never wanting to let go. Together they rode the gentle waves of their orgasms, their bodies locked in love’s embrace.

* * * * *

Several hours later Phillip awoke, chilled in the night air. He had fallen asleep on top of her, his cock still buried deep inside. But now goose bumps crawled over his arms and he shifted, reaching down to find the blankets and cover them. She barely stirred and he realized her exhaustion had been just as much mental as it had been physical. He stretched out beside her and smiled as she snuggled in next to him, not even awake enough to realize she had done so. He wrapped his arm protectively around her and went back to sleep.