My Liege of Dark Haven Read online

  Mitchell, a stocky Dom from Australia, stripped her, and then Xavier used the controls to lower the wooden pony to knee level. As the narrow board swung from heavy chains attached to a low rafter, the short woman moved to straddle it.

  Xavier raised the pony up. When the board reached Harmonie’s groin, Mitchell clipped her wrist cuffs to a horizontal chain running between the heavier front and back ones, giving her a way to balance herself.

  Xavier winched the pony up slowly, until the brunette went up on tiptoes to get her pubes off the board.

  The board wasn’t sharp but was damn narrow, reminding him of his youth when he’d slipped while climbing over a fence. His crotch had slammed onto the one-inch board. His balls had felt as if they’d jammed in his throat, which probably explained his strangled wheezing.

  As long as Harmonie stayed on her tiptoes, the pressure would be off her pussy. Xavier studied her weight and muscle tone. After about fifteen minutes, her calf muscles would give out, and her weight would come down on her crotch…on a narrow board. Riding the wooden pony served as a painful punishment, and one that rarely translated to erotic, especially with no other stimuli.

  “Harmonie, you will remain here for half an hour, thinking about your behavior. If you’re silent, Mitchell will release you, and you can resume play.” Although her cunt would hurt enough that she’d probably go home. “If you make noise or use a safe word, you’ll be barred from the club for a month. Are your choices clear to you?”

  “Yes, my liege,” she whispered.

  He glanced at Mitchell. “Put the sign on her, please.”

  “Be a pleasure.” Mitchell hung the wooden sign on her, BAD SUBMISSIVE, and took a seat at a nearby table. He’d monitor her condition and release her if needed.

  Xavier shook his head. He doubted Harmonie would change her behavior. She was more concerned with getting attention and sex than about serving another.

  In contrast, Abby had an instinctive desire to please. She’d been distressed at his anger. Attention made her uncomfortable.

  After double-checking the punishment scene to ensure everything was safe, he headed down to the dungeon.

  Hair tangled around her face, Abby sat near the center of the room. Elbows on one chair arm, she’d curled sideways so her bare breasts were covered by her arms. Nicely modest. Her big eyes were intent on a Mistress performing cock-ball torture.

  Xavier’s own balls drew up in sympathy. Testicles weren’t meant to be flattened.

  Taking a position in a corner of the room, he noticed Abby’s attention had shifted to a group of older leather men with their subs kneeling properly on the floor. Why would she watch them instead of the scene?

  Well, she wouldn’t be observing anything soon. Xavier reached in his pocket and flicked the remote to a low setting.

  As the pantie vibrator came on, she jumped. Within seconds her spine turned rigid, and her hips squirmed nicely. She looked around but didn’t spot him in the shadows.

  Although she tried to resume watching the nearby scene, her weight shifted over and over. He’d broken her concentration. Excellent. He flipped the remote off.

  She relaxed into the chair with a sigh.

  Then he kicked the controls back on and upped the intensity a notch.

  Face flushing, she surged to her feet. With a stiff-legged gait, she moved to the next scene and pretended to watch it. After a couple of minutes, sweat sheened her skin. Good enough. With a smile he turned the remote off and headed away to make his rounds.

  Upstairs the bartender pointed him toward a member who’d been drinking and tried to take his sub into a theme room. Per club rules, alcohol was for after a scene, not before. The man hadn’t known the locked I had a drink bracelet contained a device similar to those used to prevent shoplifting. After speaking with Xavier, he and his submissive decided to dance instead.

  Xavier checked on Harmonie. She was still able to rise onto tiptoes for a break. Sweating and squirming but silent, she displayed more determination than he’d expected.

  Back downstairs Abigail had settled down to watch Angela’s scene with her submissive, Meggie. Nice choice, since the Mistress was an expert with wax play. Deep into subspace, Meggie sighed and moaned.

  A shame to distract the little fluff, but… Xavier pulled out the remote. As the lights on the remote flickered according to the setting, he selected an alternating rhythm that went well with the music.

  Abby jumped to her feet, walking fast as though she could escape. She stopped a minute later, and he saw her muscles tightening as she neared an orgasm.

  He turned the vibrator off and watched to see what she’d do.

  She lowered her head and hugged her waist in a self-comforting movement. Huddled in on herself, she appeared more shaken than aroused, and that certainly wasn’t the point of this exercise. He walked up behind her and wrapped his arms over hers.

  She stiffened, trying to pull away from him. Angry and upset. Rather than releasing her, he backed to a couch and pulled her down onto his lap.

  “Abby, take a breath.” He added enough edge of command to see it done. “Now lift your middle toes on your left foot up. Down.”

  As she concentrated on the movement, her ability to remain rigid failed, and she sagged against him.

  “That’s a good girl.”

  Holding and warming her with his body heat, he waited until her color had returned. “You didn’t like the vibrator.” He made it a statement. “Why?”

  “It was okay.”

  “No. Think about your answer for a minute. Then make it an honest one—not one intended to pacify me.”

  Startled, she looked up at him. After a pause, a dimple appeared in her cheek, reassuring him that her sense of humor had returned. She said, “In the BDSM books, I read about honesty and thought, of course you need to be truthful. I didn’t realize it was so difficult.”

  For many submissives, emotional transparency was more painful than getting flogged. “Difficult for both Dom and sub.” Pleased with her, he ran his knuckles over her cheek. “I’ll go first and show you how.” He thought for a second. “I liked how you jumped, and how arousal lights up your skin and eyes. I enjoy having the power to do that right in my hand. Seeing you wiggle made me hard.”

  “Oh my,” she said under her breath, and he chuckled at her appalled tone. How long had it been since a submissive made him laugh?

  “Your turn, Abigail.” He gave her a question to hang her answer on. “Did the vibrator hurt you?”

  Her tiny sigh at his persistence made him smile again. “Um. No. But I didn’t like the jump or surprise. Or being aroused.”

  What? “You didn’t mind last week. What’s different tonight?” He thought he knew. Did she?

  Silence. “Maybe because you were with me then. It felt…safer?”

  And perhaps more intimate with my hands on you. “Fair enough. You should know, though, I was always close and watching you whenever the vibrator was on.”

  “Oh.” The last bit of tension drained out of her body.

  Yes, he’d erred, damaging some of her trust in him. Regret weighted his shoulders. Not all scenes went as desired, but since the control belonged to him, the blame for failure was his as well.

  He laid his cheek on her silky hair, inhaling the light fragrance. “I’m sorry, Abby. The remote wasn’t a good choice for you. I thought it would teach you to listen to your body without putting you on display. I never intended that you should feel abandoned.”

  ABANDONED. DIDN’T THAT make her sound like a five-year-old on her first day of kindergarten? Yet Abby knew he wasn’t wrong. She’d felt alone. But the way he held her close and rubbed his face in her hair was shrinking the hollow place inside her.

  Discussing what had happened was oddly intimate. Unfamiliar. Sure, she’d had boyfriends, but even in bed, they preferred the wasn’t that great sex sort of discussion.

  Unfortunately, with Xavier, the pendulum had swung too far in the other direction. H
is probing questions and intent study were intimidating.

  “Well, pet, since remote play is out, I’ll have to do this up close and personal.” His chuckle had a wicked edge to it.

  Arousal shot through her at the thought of receiving more personal attention, but she wasn’t here for that. Yeah, explain to him that you’re just here for the research. “Uh. There’s no need to worry about it. I mean—”

  “It’s a Dominant’s prerogative to worry.” He ran a finger over her lips, and the simple touch started her on the upward path to arousal. “Since you’re right here in my lap—not far away—we might as well use this toy. I’d like to know if there’s anything else you dislike about it. No need to count, and you can come if you want.”

  Before she could stop him, he’d flicked it on again. Her protest came out in a low “Nooo” as the vibrations hammered lightly against her clit. The sensitive ball of nerves, already teased, flared to life and tightened.

  When a tiny moan escaped her, the laugh lines bracketing his mouth deepened. “What do you think of this vibrator? Sales reps for sex-toy companies are always asking me for feedback.”

  Her clit hardened, thickened. A coil of pressure built inside her, and she tried to ignore it, even as her thoughts went foggy.

  “You’re still fighting what you feel, pet. Perhaps my hands need to be on you.” His deep voice said words, and she heard them, but they didn’t make sense.

  He slid his right hand under her skirt and skimmed it up her bare thigh.

  “No. Don’t.” She struggled, pushing at his arm. He’d touch her in front of everyone?

  “Abby, you did a scene with me last week.”

  “I wasn’t thinking then.”

  “Ah. Of course. But you know, I don’t want you to think.” To her relief he removed his hand—and captured her wrist. Then the other.

  His left arm remained curved under her shoulders, and he pushed both her wrists into that hand, trapping her arms off to one side. “Lucky for you, I like holding down unwilling submissives.” To her horror, he picked up the remote, upped the setting on the vibe, then put his right hand back under her skirt.

  As harder vibrations hammered against her clit, need washed over her. “Di te perdant!”

  He laughed. “The gods won’t destroy me for playing with a pretty little fluff.”

  Great. His fancy education had included Latin. The vibrator hummed, increased, then stopped. Hummed, increased, stopped. Cycling up and slowing before she could come. She inched closer to a climax, shuddering with the feeling of inevitability.

  But she couldn’t get there. She was stuck. Teetering between No, I won’t come and More.

  He pulled her closer to him, and she pushed her forehead against his chest, panting for air. Just come, she told herself. Only, her brain wouldn’t stop, and her body wouldn’t obey.

  She felt him kiss the top of her head. “Thinking again, Abby? Look at me now.” His grip on her wrists tightened.

  She looked up.

  “Do you realize I can do anything with you, touch you anywhere…and you can’t get away?” The ominous glint in his eyes demanded that she try.

  She futilely struggled and couldn’t escape. Couldn’t even make him exert himself. The knowledge shook her, cracked the container holding her thoughts, and they drained away.

  Under her skirt his hand moved up. His thumb pressed on top of the vibrator, adding more pressure, even as he slid his fingers through the right panties’ leg hole. He circled her entrance with a slick finger, then firmly pushed inside.

  Like a kite ripping free in a high wind, the ruthless penetration spiraled everything out of her control.

  He thrust into her harder, pulled back, thrust again, and she shuddered, clenching around him. As unyielding as his grip, his black gaze trapped hers.

  Another finger joined the first, and the slight stretch, the determined invasion, was too much. Her body went rigid as everything coalesced and dragged each nerve into one bright, bright moment of sheer sensation. And then it all fireballed, rolling outward, searing her veins, her nerves, and her skin with wrenching pleasure.

  His fingers twisted inside her, stretching her, while his thumb pulsed the vibrator on her clit, and another wave of pleasure hit, and another, until she was shaking and gasping for air.

  After easing out, he licked his fingers with a pleased sound. “You’re as sweet as I thought.”

  Although he turned the remote off, the hum lingered in her bones. A tremor shook her.

  “Shhh.” He released her wrists, cuddling her like an unhappy kitten.

  She stared at him, knowing if he let her go, she’d fall. Only she was already falling, pulled off balance by his eyes.

  A scream from nearby broke her paralysis. As she wrenched her attention away, the room came into focus. Music and moans and sounds of blows. People talking quietly. Some walking past, glancing at her and Xavier.

  Her spine straightened. He’d made her come, right out in front of everyone. Again. Feeling furious, she tried to wiggle upright.

  “I want to hold you now, Abigail.” His voice was low, his faint accent adding an exotic element. “However, if you’re that energetic, I’d be happy to test every variation the remote has. I believe there are ten.”

  Oh, absolutely not! She gave him an appalled look.

  And he burst out laughing, full and open and surprising.

  In the periphery of her vision, she saw people turn to stare at him.

  His focus on her didn’t waver. He petted her, stroked her hair, traced his finger over her collarbone and down between her bare breasts. When he curved his hand around her left breast, his gaze was intent on her face, making her feel more naked than if she’d stripped completely. He watched her as his thumb brushed over her nipple.

  Deep inside, her body responded to his touch as if he’d picked up the string and was reeling her kite in.

  He smiled; then his thumbnail scraped the peak lightly. Her back arched as heat blossomed low in her belly.

  She heard a tiny sound and realized the watch on his wrist was vibrating. He frowned, then kissed her forehead. “I need to check on something upstairs.”

  “That’s fine.” Coldness swept through her. Emptiness. “I’m ready to head home.”

  He studied her before shaking his head. “I don’t think so.”

  “What?” With him steadying her, she managed to stand. Her breasts wobbled as she staggered a step. She was slick between the legs, and the sadistically designed panties kept the hard vibrator pressed against her very sensitive clit. “I’m leaving.”

  “You’re not functioning on all burners yet, Abby.” He enfolded her in a soft, laundry-scented blanket from the service pedestal. When he pulled her closer and kissed her gently, her willpower flowed away like ashes in a strong wind. “You’ll remain with me until I know you’ve recovered.”

  As they walked toward the stairs, she realized he might be right. The floor seemed to be moving up and down, and only his arm around her kept her going in a straight line. The books said submissives might have an altered mental state after painful scenes like spanking or whipping. “We didn’t do anything intense. You didn’t hurt me, so I should be fine.”

  “You had no pain, but you went through some nasty emotional shifts, little fluff. And then—did you know you’re beautiful when you come?” He smiled down at her and traced a line over the heat in her cheeks. “Look at you blush.”

  Upstairs he guided her around the tables to the center of the room, where a woman straddled a wooden board. The width of the board was so narrow that the top edges disappeared between her outer labia. She wore a big sign proclaiming BAD SUBMISSIVE.

  Tears streamed down the brunette’s face, and she choked on sobs, obviously trying to stay quiet. People detoured around the area, some commenting loudly about “brats” and disrespectful submissives, their voices filled with disapproval.

  Anger flared in Abby. “What are you doing? You let—”

&n
bsp; “Sit here, Abby.” Xavier pulled a chair out at an empty table and set down a bottled water. When he withdrew his arm, her knees buckled, dropping her onto the chair.

  After speaking to a man sitting at a nearby table, Xavier strode over to the tortured woman.

  Abby managed to get halfway to her feet before dizziness knocked her back down. Head spinning, she gripped the table. But Xavier was standing in front of the brunette, so maybe he would do something.

  If he didn’t help the poor woman, he’d find out what a scene really was. Everything in Abby cringed at the thought, but her mouth pressed together. She’d do what she had to do.

  “Harmonie.” Xavier had crossed his arms over his chest. “Tell me what you did wrong. And why.”

  “I tried to get the Doms to fight over me.” The submissive shook with her sobs. “Because I wanted more attention. I’m sorry.” She bowed her head; the tears never stopped.

  Xavier stayed silent as seconds ticked by, and Abby’s anger grew. “Accepted. If you see the Doms and if they permit you to speak, you may apologize and tell them I handled your punishment.”

  Relief spread across her face. “Thank you, my liege.”

  Xavier nodded to the man who at the table. “Mitchell, if you would…”

  Mitchell walked over to a control box. The board lowered. With an arm around the woman’s waist, Xavier released her arms and lifted her off the device. She turned her head into his chest, sobbing frantically, and he held her, letting her cry.

  Abby sighed at the sight. A man who wasn’t afraid of a woman’s tears. Then her fury rekindled. That poor, poor woman. What kind of a horrible torture was that? And Xavier had obviously ordered it.

  Carrying a blanket and bottle of water, Mitchell spoke to Xavier. “I’ll take her to the quiet room and get her stabilized.”

  “Thank you.” Xavier passed her over, saying, “You may return anytime after tonight, pet.”

  As he headed back to Abby, she heard the woman ask Mitchell, “Was I quiet?”

  “Hardly.” The Dom snorted as he guided her away. “But you tried. He let you off easy, love.”

  Easy? Abby couldn’t believe he’d said that. Tears still ran down the woman’s cheeks, and she staggered as Mitchell assisted her across the room.