Sooner than seemed possible, Leslie’s fall classes began. The return to the usual bustle of walking around thousands of other students was a strange and unsettling return to a “normal” that felt ever more distant the more she got involved with her job as a pet.
She found a parking space and walked to her first class, Fundamentals of Ecology—one of the core classes of her Environmental Sciences major—late Tuesday morning. She took her seat at one of the large tables that circled around the room in a theater configuration. She took a notepad out of her backpack and glanced at the large white screen at the front of the room. In front of it stood a middle-aged man with greying hair fiddling with papers behind the podium—clearly the course’s instructor.
“Hey Leslie, how was your summer?” a familiar voice asked. Leslie looked beside her as Olivia, one of her junior classmates in Environmental Sciences, took a seat next to her.
“Oh, hey, Olivia. It was, uh, interesting.” Leslie didn’t honestly know how else to describe it. “Did you enjoy yourself back in North Carolina?”
“Yeah. My parents had me work in their shop in Asheville for most of the summer, but we did take a trip to the beach for a week. I didn’t hear much from you over the summer. You’ll need to tell me all about your ‘interesting’ summer during lunch.”
Before Leslie could respond, the professor tapped something against the podium to get everyone’s attention.
“Hello, everyone, and welcome back. I hope you all enjoyed your summer, and thank you for choosing to take this course.”
Most of the first day was a review of the goals and expectations of the course, as well as giving the students their first reading assignment.
After class, Olivia and Leslie went to the food court in the student center to grab some lunch. There, Leslie gave Olivia the same cover story about getting a hospitality job that she had given to her parents, figuring it would be easier to tell the same story to keep it straight.
“I’ll have to swing by sometime and ask how your trip went. It sounds like a lot of fun!” Olivia gushed while taking bites from a sandwich.
That’s when Leslie’s phone began to ring. She looked at who it was from: Stephanie.
“Uh, just a moment, okay?” Leslie excused herself from the table and walked a few feet away to get some privacy, and picked up.
“Good afternoon, Stephanie,” Leslie greeted over the phone.
“Good afternoon. I hope I am not interrupting one of your classes, Leslie.”
“No, it’s good. I’m just eating lunch right now. What’s up?”
“Mr. Henderson has your next job lined up. Mr. Powell and Mia will arrive and pick up Mr. Henderson and you before driving to Asheville Saturday morning to meet with Mr. Hartwell and his pet, Celeste. They will help tutor you and Mia. Mr. Henderson hopes you will find the experience stimulating.”
“Tutor us? Did I do something wrong? Does he think I need improvement with something?” Leslie asked with some concern.
“No, it’s nothing like that. It is an exploration…of a new direction. Mr. Henderson instructed me not to share too much for now. But rest assured, this is not because you have done anything wrong. Quite the opposite.”
“Of course he won’t say,” Leslie chuckled. “Okay. When do you want me there? Saturday, right?”
“Yes. Saturday. Please try to arrive by six in the morning. Unlike your other car trips, you will not be on duty during the ride, so make sure you grab your work equipment before leaving. You will change once you are on site in North Carolina. I presume the same will be true of your return trip, but that will be up to Mr. Henderson. You are expected to return late, possibly around midnight.”
“Okay, I’ll be there. Thank you.” Leslie hung up the phone before pulling up Google Maps. She looked to see how long the drive was from there to Asheville and saw it was about six hours. She felt that was probably close to the farthest they could go without either staying over or taking another form of transport. The trip was scheduled to last from six in the morning to midnight as it was.
“What was that about?” Olivia asked curiously as Leslie retook her seat.
“Work. I have a job this Saturday. Interestingly enough, it is in Asheville.”
“Oh? Do you know where? I hope it’s at the Biltmore or something,” Olivia excitedly chattered.
“I don’t know. They didn’t say.” Leslie took a sip of her drink.
“Well, you’ll have to let me know how it goes!”
Leslie finished her lunch with Olivia, then the pair split off to go to their separate classes. Leslie walked to her only other class on Tuesday: a course about writing and the environment that fulfilled one of her general writing requirements.
Once she got home, Leslie made sure to complete her assignments for that day’s classes. She knew that, given work, her time on the weekend to do schoolwork might be limited, so she might as well get into the habit of getting it done right away. It was a good habit to get into, anyway, she thought.
Leslie felt more tired than she expected after her first week of classes. Her job as a pet had allowed her to spend most of her time relaxing at home or chilling with friends over the summer, so the daily bustle was a definite change of pace, although she figured she would get used to it soon enough.
********************************************************************
Olivia wanted to go to a party with Leslie Friday night, but Leslie declined, deciding that she should get some rest, given that she was getting up early the next day.
Despite no mention of a pre-hour, Leslie arrived shortly after five and meandered into the makeup room. She wasn’t even sure who else might be awake, although that question was answered when Jacob stepped into the room.
“You’re here early,” he smiled at her. Leslie saw his reflection in the mirror.
“I wasn’t sure if I’d have time to do makeup, so I decided to do it now.”
“How did your first week of classes go?”
Leslie let out a soft sigh. “They went. I’m definitely not used to that routine. But I’m sure I’ll get used to it again soon.”
“I just want to make sure you have time for your classes and work. So, if we ever need to discuss scheduling, let me know.”
Leslie turned to face Jacob directly and gave him a slight smile. “Thank you.”
“If you have time, I’ll see what we can do about fixing a quick breakfast.” With that, Jacob turned to leave, allowing Leslie to finish putting on her makeup.
Once done, Leslie grabbed the shoes and collar out of her locker and put them in a small bag, setting it on a table near the entrance. Wondering about the status of breakfast, she walked into the kitchen, where she saw Jacob standing over the stove, trying to manage a pan of eggs.
“What are you doing?” Leslie asked with amusement.
“I’m trying to cook breakfast,” Jacob chuckled. “I used to be able to do it. But I think my plan for eggs over-easy has now turned more into… something else.”
Leslie walked over and observed the interesting amalgamation of eggs in the pan—half scrambled and half cut up yolks and whites. “I can help you if you’d like.”
“No, no, I insist. I said I’d manage breakfast, and that’s what I’m going to do.”
Leslie stepped back to allow him to do his work with an amused grin on her face.
Jacob eventually grabbed some unknown type of cheese from the fridge and shredded it on top of the eggs, and grabbed some toast from a very expensive-looking toaster before leading Leslie out into the small dining room. “Okay, I think I’ve got it,” he remarked with a smile.
Leslie sat at the table and took a bite of Jacob’s creation.
“It’s certainly… interesting. You picked an, ah, unusual cheese to put on this,” she remarked with a smirk. It wasn’t bad, but the cheese he selected had a nutty and rich taste that wasn’t typically found in something like eggs.
“I try my best,” Jacob shrugged with a chuckle.
Leslie chatted about how her first week of classes went until a man whom Leslie recognized as the doorman arrived in the dining room.
“Mr. Henderson. Mr. Powell has arrived and is waiting,” he remarked in a stately manner.
“Oh, he’s early. I think we’re about done here. Lucas, can you make sure our settings are returned to the kitchen?” Jacob directed as he stood up from the table.
“Certainly, sir,” the man acknowledged.
“Leslie, I’ll be right down. You can go ahead and greet our guests,” Jacob remarked as he headed up a staircase.
Leslie walked down the hallway and out the front door. Waiting for her was a dark green Cadillac Escalade with Mr. Powell and Mia standing next to it. Mr. Powell was dressed in a white dress shirt and maroon tie, while Mia wore a white blouse covered by a brown under-bust waistcoat vest, faded blue jeans, and an oversized punk-style belt that hung on her hips.
“Hey, Leslie!” Mia called out, walking up to greet Leslie.
“Mr. Henderson will be out momentarily,” Leslie remarked to Mr. Powell, before turning to Mia. “I love your outfit.”
“Thanks. I wanted to go for unusual but not crazy,” she chuckled as she walked back to the vehicle with Leslie.
“We’re a bit early, so I’m sure we took you guys a bit by surprise,” Mr. Powell noted.
A few moments later, Jacob popped through the front door and hurried down the steps to the car. “I apologize for making you wait,” he remarked, wearing a cream dress shirt with a blue tie and carrying a black blazer jacket in his arms.
Jacob piled his blazer jacket on top of Mr. Powell’s in the front seat. The two pets then climbed into the third-row seats while the two owners took the bucket seats in the middle.
“How has your time as a pet been?” Leslie asked as the car pulled away.
“I had my first event by myself with a guy pet last week. That was pretty fun.”
“We had an event with Ms. Moore and Elijah,” Mr. Powell elaborated to Jacob.
“Ah, yes, I’ve met her on a couple of occasions, but I haven’t had the pleasure of meeting Elijah. He’s been her pet for, what, four months?” Jacob mused.
“Five months, yes,” Mr. Powell confirmed.
Leslie flashed Mia a grin. “Why don’t you tell me about it?”
“So, Ms. Moore gave us a prompt—like a forbidden romance thing, and we ended up going into this library in her house and acting like we were trying to avoid her as we engaged in a secret rendezvous.”
“That’s funny. I also did some acting for my last job. But we had to come up with our own play. Being given a prompt like that sounds like it could be fun, too.”
“She ended up ‘catching’ us mid-tryst and had us finish on a desk in front of her as ‘punishment.’ It was quite fun!”
Leslie then spent much of the drive relaying to Mia the details of her trip to California. Mia appeared in awe of some of the things Leslie had gotten up to.
“The spin wheel idea sounds fun. Just being thrown into a situation like that sounds exciting,” Mia noted at one point.
“It was definitely interesting,” Leslie chuckled.
After a long drive, during which Leslie took a much-needed nap, the car pulled up to its destination: a gorgeous white house with three large black doors leading inside, with a covered entrance way held up by columns, and a second-floor balcony on top. Leslie felt it had a bit of a European quality to it—a sort of mini-castle, almost.
The driver opened the doors, allowing the group to exit the car. The two owners retrieved their blazer jackets and put them on before walking toward the entrance with their pets.
Waiting for them was an older man in his late fifties, dressed in a dark green blazer, slacks, and a light blue tie. Standing next to him was a woman in her mid-twenties. She was nearly six feet tall with medium-brown skin that had an almost golden undertone, wavy black hair that ran most of the way down her back, and brown eyes. She was, of course, fully naked aside from a dark plum colored choker and sandals.
“Mr. Henderson, nice to meet you again,” the man remarked, shaking Jacob’s hand.
“It’s been a while,” Jacob noted.
“Let me introduce ourselves. I am Markus Hartwell, and this is Celeste. She has been my pet now for four years.” Jacob gave Celeste a slight kiss on the cheek in greeting before stepping back.
“Markus, this is my pet Leslie. She’s been working with me for a little over two months.”
“Ah, yes, I’ve read about you. It’s a pleasure to meet you, finally,” Markus smiled, causing Leslie to blush. He took her hand and kissed it before she and Celeste shook hands and exchanged nods in greeting.
“I’m Lance Powell. I’ve been an owner for about a month, and this is my pet Mia,” Mr. Powell introduced himself.
“Pleased to finally meet you as well, Mr. Powell,” Markus greeted, shaking his hand before kissing Mia’s hand as well. Celeste then shook both of their hands.
“Celeste, can you show our guests to the staff area so they can get ready while I entertain our other guests?” Markus instructed.
“Of course. Leslie, Mia, if you would follow me.” Celeste led the two pets through the house before arriving in an area that reminded Leslie of Jacob’s staff area. “Let me know when you two are ready.”
Leslie found a small locker and put her bag and other belongings into it. She then got undressed and put her clothes away in the locker before putting on her choker and sandals. As she finished, she glanced beside her to see Mia doing the same thing.
“I wanna do a quick check of my makeup,” Leslie remarked, spotting what appeared to be the appropriate room.
Leslie stepped into the room, soon joined by Mia, and quickly touched up a few spots with fresh makeup. Once she and Mia were satisfied, they returned to rejoin Celeste.
“Okay, we’re ready,” Leslie remarked with a bit of a sigh.
“Excellent. Follow me.”
Celeste led the pair down a circular wooden staircase into what Leslie pondered could be a dungeon if she didn’t know better. The room was cool, in contrast with the warmth of the house, and was comparatively dimly lit, with several cabinets lining the walls as well as a couch and a pair of chairs. Markus was already in the room waiting for them, standing next to a table with several items on top of it.
“Lovely to see you again, ladies,” he remarked with a soft grin. “Take a seat for now.” He motioned the pair to a red, very cushy-looking couch nearby. Mia and Leslie took their seats while Celeste returned to his side.
“So,” Markus began, “tell me how much you know about BDSM.” His tone had now shifted to being measured and neutral.
Leslie and Mia flashed each other slight glances.
“Not much beyond what I’ve heard in popular culture, I guess,” Leslie began. “Doms and subs. Restraints. Pain. Whatever. I’m not sure how much of it is accurate.”
“And you, Mia?” he asked.
“Yeah, pretty much the same, I guess.”
“That high-level description isn’t entirely incorrect, but it isn’t entirely correct, either. I will just say that popular culture has taken some… creative liberties with the concept,” he remarked, flashing a glance at Celeste, who reciprocated with a slight grin.
“BDSM stands for Bondage and Discipline, Dominance and Submission, Sadism and Masochism. It’s an umbrella term that covers a lot of different dynamics, from the mild to the extreme. Indeed, the entirety of the owner-pet dynamic can be considered a mild form of BDSM. The motivations for engaging in it can be varied, from psychological, such as control and obedience, to the physical, such as pain and sensory play.”
Markus took a short pause to see if Mia and Leslie had any reaction before continuing. “The most important thing to understand is that BDSM is built on consent. I prefer the RACK model of consent—RACK stands for Risk-Aware, Consensual Kink. It means everyone involved understands the risks, acknowledges them, and consents to the activity anyway. The key here is informed consent. Everyone should be fully aware of what they are getting into.”
Leslie nodded in understanding. This was already much deeper than she had anticipated, so she wanted to make sure she didn’t miss or misunderstand anything.
Celeste then stepped forward and addressed the pair for the first time. “That is why negotiation and communication are vital. Before any scene, you and your partner need to discuss and understand what is going on and what the expectations are. This is especially key if you are new to BDSM or a particular partner. What things are you comfortable trying? What things are off limits? Both the dom and the sub have to be aware of the answers to these questions.”
Markus nodded in approval and stepped forward again. “Safety is of paramount concern, and the cornerstone of that, as you may be aware, is safe words. This is an agreed-upon word or phrase that shouldn’t be used normally during the scene that signals to the dom that whatever is happening needs to immediately halt. I recommend the traffic light system for beginners: green means keep going, yellow means slow down, and red means stop immediately. If you ever feel unsafe, overwhelmed, or something just isn’t working for you, use your safe word.”
Leslie had, of course, heard about safe words in popular culture, but she felt it was good to get confirmation that her understanding of them appeared to be correct. She continued to listen attentively as Markus continued.
“Also, regarding safety. One of the most important rules is to always have a way out. If you are using locked cuffs, the keys should be immediately nearby. If you are using ropes or other tied restraints, scissors or a knife should be within immediate availability to cut binds. Also, always use appropriate materials. Silk has a bad habit of tightening and cutting off circulation, and so should never be used as a weight-bearing binding. And never, under any circumstances, bind someone’s neck. A collar or restraint is fine, as long as it doesn’t restrict, but anything that might restrict around the neck should never be used.”
Markus picked up a pair of cuffs from the nearby table and held them up. “Always be aware of how restraints are feeling on you. They should feel restrictive—indeed, that is the point of them—but if you start feeling sensations such as numbness or tingling, you need to stop what you are doing and check them.”
Celeste then moved to the table, picking up a leather paddle and running her fingers over its smooth surface. “Impact play—spanking, flogging, cropping—can’t just be done wantonly, either. Stick to fleshy areas—the butt, the backs of the thighs. Avoid the lower back. Hit too hard there, and you can damage the kidneys. If an area isn’t fleshy, it doesn’t mean you can’t impact the area, but make sure you measure your impacts with the body’s ability to absorb it in that area of the body.”
Markus then continued. “If there is ever an open wound, you stop and clean and treat it right then. If you are using toys, if you ever intend to use them on more than a single person, make sure you sanitize them between uses. If sanitation is impracticable during a single scene, use a condom to prevent cross-contamination.”
Leslie continued to nod. Proper usage of toys was something Amy had stressed at the retreat, so she was relieved to hear the concept reinforced here as well. She continued to process everything that was being said. There was a lot, but much of it also seemed like common sense, considering the circumstances, which made it easier to digest.
Markus set the cuffs back onto the table and crossed his arms. “And finally, aftercare. When a scene ends, you don’t just walk away like nothing happened. Your body and mind need time to transition back to normal. That might mean holding, talking, eating and drinking, cuddling—whatever people need. Some people need space, some need affection. If you have had some intense sexual encounters, you may have experienced something like this already. And aftercare isn’t just for subs either, tops may need to engage in it as well.”
Markus took a few steps across the room to let everything he and Celeste had just spoken about settle. “Any questions?”
There was a brief silence in the room. Leslie wasn’t sure she had any questions, per se. She was just feeling a bit of anxiousness about actually getting in and trying things.
After a few moments, Mia cleared her throat. “How do you know when you’re ready to actually try this? Like… how do you go from understanding it to doing it?”
Markus smirked slightly, glancing toward Celeste before answering. “You start slow. You learn your reactions. You experiment in controlled environments. And most importantly, you work with people who know what they’re doing.”
Celeste met Leslie’s gaze, her brown eyes steady. “That’s why you’re here,” she said simply.
“Now that we’ve discussed the higher-level concepts, I think it is time to split into pairs. Leslie, you’ll follow Celeste to discuss things to be aware of as a bottom or sub, while Mia will stay here with me to discuss things to be aware of as a top or dom.”
“Please follow me, Leslie,” Celeste remarked with a smile, motioning Leslie toward a door at the end of the room. Leslie stood up and followed Celeste. She wasn’t sure what this new meeting with Celeste would entail, but she was intrigued.
Celeste led Leslie through the door and closed it behind them, into a smaller room with wood paneling on the wall as well as a couple of additional cabinets. There, another table sat with items on top of it, as well as a sturdy, leather-padded bench.
Celeste walked to the table before turning to face Leslie, arms crossed lightly over her chest. “Alright,” she said, “before we get into anything physical, let’s start with the basics. What does it mean to be a submissive?”
Leslie pondered for a couple of moments before answering. “Surrendering to and trusting your dom?”
“Within the limits you set, yes. Very good. From what I understand, you have visited Mr. Ashford and his pet Sophie, correct?”
Leslie nodded. “Yes, I have.”
“As you may have gathered by now, that was also a form of BDSM, with you in the submissive role. I’m sure she asked you to relinquish control to her. To trust her.”
“That’s right.”
“Surrender and trust are the key, and of course, you need to trust your partner to do that. A routine with Sophie is a good, base-level introduction. But it is also just one way one can be submissive. Some subs enjoy the experience of being obedient. Others want structure and discipline. It’s really what you are comfortable engaging in with your partner. There is no right or wrong way.”
Leslie nodded in understanding before Celeste continued.
“As Mr. Hartwell mentioned before, communication is key. You have to explore and discuss what makes you excited, what turns you off, and what makes you nervous. Ideally, you and your partner will take pleasure in the same types of activities. The last thing you want is for you to be really into impact play with a dom who is very uncomfortable engaging in it, for example.”
“Yeah, I guess that makes sense. You want to find activities you both want to engage in.”
Celeste smiled. “Yes, exactly. Alright, let’s get a bit hands-on, then.” Celeste picked up something made of leather, but also with what looked like chains on them. Leslie soon recognized it as some type of harness.
“This is simple, but effective,” Celeste said, stepping behind Leslie. “I’m going to put it on you. Just focus on how it feels.”
Leslie let Celeste guide her arms behind her. The harness wrapped around Leslie’s shoulders and under her arms, connecting in the back, with an adjustable section that could be raised and lowered up and down her back. At the bottom was a hoop where wrist restraints could be connected, restricting her arms behind her back. The restraint wasn’t at all painful, but Leslie could tell she only had a few inches of movement with her wrists now.
“How does that feel?”
Leslie shifted slightly, testing the resistance. “Tight, but not uncomfortable.”
“Good,” Celeste murmured. “One thing I have found that helps when you are in restraints is to focus on your breath and stay calm. Don’t fight the restraints. Learn to move and act within them. Some restraints are, well, more restrictive than others, of course. Some restraints can fully immobilize you.”
Leslie was intrigued by that idea. “That sounds kind of interesting.”
Celeste giggled. “One step at a time. For now, just close your eyes and take a few deep breaths.”
Leslie did what she was told. She let her arms settle behind her, feeling her chest rise and fall with several steady and deep breaths.
“Excellent, Leslie. Now, if this was too tight or wrong in any way, what would you do?”
“I’d let my partner know,” Leslie answered knowingly.
“Exactly.” Celeste gave her a small nod before stepping behind her again and unhooking her restraints and slipping the harness off. “Never be afraid to speak up. Even if it’s just, ‘Can you loosen this a little?’”
She set the harness aside and picked up a soft black blindfold. “Given your experience with Sophie, hopefully this lesson will be quick.”
Leslie breathed as she let Celeste tie the blindfold over her eyes.
“Now,” Celeste’s voice was softer, but still steady, “tell me what happens when you lose your sight.”
“I feel like my skin and hearing are heightened. Like they’re becoming more focused to adjust for my lack of sight.”
“Good. This is why sensory deprivation is so effective. When you remove one sense, the others compensate. This is where trust really comes in. When you can’t see, you have to rely on your dominant completely.”
Leslie could hear Celeste walk a circle around her before stopping behind her, and untying the blindfold. “Doing okay so far?”
Leslie sighed and nodded. “Yeah, I think so.”
“Excellent.” Celeste set the blindfold on the table and picked up a paddle. “Now, let’s talk about impact play. Mr. Hartwell already discussed this a bit earlier, but I want to explore it a bit more. The first thing to remember is that impact play isn’t about pain, or at least just about pain. It’s about sensation and anticipation. Some people like sharp, stinging pain. Others prefer deeper impacts that thud. You have to learn what you like.”
Leslie tensed slightly as she felt the smooth wood brush against her skin. A second later, a firm, measured slap landed against the flesh of her backside, causing her to jump.
“Remember, breathe,” Celeste reminded her. Leslie closed her eyes and took a pair of breaths.
Celeste slapped Leslie’s other buttcheek, then the first one again, varying the intensity of each.
“How does that feel?” Celeste asked. “Both physically and psychologically?”
Leslie considered. There was a lingering warmth, a faint sting, but it wasn’t… unpleasant. “I rather like it. It’s like the feeling of the impact shoots signals right to, well, inside of me, increasing my arousal. As far as psychologically, I enjoy the feeling of someone spanking me like that, causing that reaction. It feels kinda dirty but also hot.” Leslie started to blush as she realized exactly what she was admitting to.
“It sounds like impact play may be one of your big kinks. That’s good to know.” Celeste gave her one last, slightly sharper smack before setting the paddle aside. “And that brings us to our final topic—sub-drop.”
Leslie straightened, rubbing at the spot where the paddle had landed. “Sub-drop?”
Celeste leaned against the bench. “Sub-drop happens after a scene. Your body and mind go through a rush—adrenaline, endorphins, all of that. But afterward, when everything settles, you can crash, emotionally and physically. Some people feel exhausted, sad, or even shaky.”
“And that’s what the aftercare you talked about before comes in?”
“Yes. After an intense session, you are essentially on a drug high, and when those hormones and endorphins stop, you can crash, like coming off of a really bad sugar rush. Depending on the person or situation, it may not hit right away, either. But it is important to communicate with your partner and treat each other in a way that helps you get off that high a bit more gradually, rather than all at once. Whether that’s cuddling or having a bowl of ice cream. Whatever works for you.”
Leslie tried to absorb everything, nodding slowly.
Celeste gave her a small, approving look. “You’re taking this well.”
Leslie let out a quiet laugh. “It’s a lot.”
“It is. But you’ll get used to it. The most important thing is trust. And that goes both ways.”
Leslie met Celeste’s gaze, something settling in her chest. Maybe she wasn’t entirely sure what kind of submissive she was yet, but for the first time, she felt like she was starting to understand.
Celeste smiled slightly. “Come on. Let’s see how Mia’s handling things.”
With that, she walked back to the door and knocked.
“Yes. We’re done here,” Markus’ voice came from the other side of the door.
Celeste opened it and led Leslie through. Mia was standing next to him, looking a bit nervous, Leslie thought.
“Now that you have the basics down, it’s up to you to talk and discuss a routine you’d like to perform for Mr. Powell and Mr. Henderson. We’ll be available here as you talk if you have any questions. You can use anything in this room that you feel comfortable using,” Markus explained as he stepped to the side of the room, joined by Celeste.
Mia slowly walked toward Leslie. “Maybe we should decide on what items we want to use first, and then decide on an order? Was there anything you are particularly interested in, since you’re going to be the one receiving?”
Leslie walked over to one of the cabinets and took out a harness. This one was similar to the one Celeste had put on her, except this one was made out of a more synthetic material, and had a collar as well as a waist belt, but otherwise worked the same, with the wrist restraints hooking into rings going down the length of the harness.
“I think something like this could work to restrict my arms behind my back. I know they said BDSM can kinda be anything, but I feel like being restricted in some way would be the minimum for a, well, real BDSM experience.”
Mia shrugged. “Fair enough, then. Anything else?”
Leslie walked around and soon found a cabinet with several paddles, crops, and other tools for impact play. She selected a medium-dark wood paddle that was perhaps six inches long and ran her fingers along it to get a sense of how it felt. “I think this would be fun to use, too.”
“Hmm. Anything else?”
“I don’t know. I’ll have to look. What about you?” Leslie carried the paddle over to a small table where they were beginning to collect their items.
Mia walked over to a drawer on the other side of the room. “What about these? These look fun, but I’d want to make sure you’re okay with them.” She picked up a trio of latex clamps, all connected with small chains.
“What are those?” Leslie asked curiously.
“Nipple clamps and a clit clamp,” Celeste answered for Mia. “If you aren’t afraid of a little pain or discomfort, they can be quite enjoyable and enhance the experience.”
“If you want to use them, I have some recommendations,” Markus continued. “Clamps should never be worn for more than ten to fifteen minutes. Also, it is good to release the clamps slowly, and once it is completely removed, take a moment before doing anything else. You should also probably test the clamps on a less-intimate area, like your arm, to test out whether you need to adjust their strength. The clamps can be adjusted.”
Once it looked like Celeste and Markus’ explanations were done, Mia looked at Leslie hopefully. Leslie grinned at her. “Those sound like fun, too. Add them in.”
“Also, what about this?” Mia then picked up a Wartenberg Wheel. “I used to see this in one of my doctors’ offices and thought they were fun to play with as a kid. I bet this would be fun to use.”
“Throw it in,” Leslie cheerfully concurred.
“I might suggest you also add something soft to add to your sensory repertoire as well,” Markus then spoke up.
Leslie looked around and saw a feather tickler in another drawer. “I think this will work.”
“Okay, one last thing,” Mia then added. She then pulled something else out of a drawer: a long, leather leash. “I bet you would love this too.”
********************************************************************
Mia glanced back and gave Leslie a wide grin before walking out of the side room and into the room where Markus, Celeste, Jacob, and Mr. Powell were waiting. Leslie waited until she felt a slight tug on the leash clipped to the ring on the front of her choker, prompting her to walk out after Mia.
The pair had talked about their routine for the past hour, and while they agreed on the general outline, they had also agreed to leave a lot of it up to Mia’s whims to give Leslie as much of a feeling of anticipation as possible. As a result, she didn’t know how Mia planned to fill the “gaps” in their routine.
Mia turned around and faced Leslie. “Sit,” she ordered softly but firmly, motioning her hand toward a nearby padded bench. Leslie gave her a slight nod before sitting on it, looking up toward Mia to await her next command or action.
Mia leaned over and softly grabbed Leslie’s chin with her fingers. “You have no idea how much I’ve been looking forward to this,” she remarked with a grin. Leslie could tell this wasn’t just part of the performance either. Mia’s grin and eyes gave away that this was her genuine feeling, and it sent a chill of anticipation through Leslie.
However, before Leslie could dwell on it too much, Mia lowered her head and started kissing her passionately, grabbing both sides of Leslie’s face with her hands. Mia shoved her tongue into Leslie’s mouth, causing them both to moan. Mia then leaned in more, causing Leslie to lie back on the bench, with Mia now largely straddling her.
Leslie closed her eyes as she took in the feeling of Mia’s aggressive kissing. She felt her remove one of her hands from her face before feeling fingers start to run up and down her clit and labia. Leslie let out a slight gasp, which made Mia giggle.
“Good girl. You know your place,” Mia breathed between kisses. Her fingers dug deeper and deeper into Leslie’s folds, increasing Leslie’s wetness as she worked, before finally plunging two fingers inside, eliciting another gasp from Leslie.
“Surprised I’m attacking you this early? The fun’s just starting,” Mia remarked with another grin before attacking Leslie’s lips again with her own. Leslie could feel the pressure start to build, and her breathing started to hitch. But this appeared to be the cue for Mia, who then stood back up over her, breaking off her kiss, and holding her sopping fingers up in front of her.
“Stand up,” she ordered, again softly but firmly. Leslie tried to take a moment to collect herself before sitting up on the bench and then standing up in front of Mia.
“I think you should taste my work so far,” Mia remarked. She then held up her wet fingers and moved them toward Leslie’s lips.
Leslie didn’t have to be told anything else. She took a soft hold of Mia’s wrist and closed her lips at the base of Mia’s fingers, tasting her own sweetness and wetness on them. She made sure to sweep her fingers with her tongue while they were in her mouth and kept her lips tight around them as she slowly pulled off, leaving the only wetness on Mia’s fingers from her saliva and not her pussy. Once her mouth was off, Leslie made sure to make an additional show of licking her lips in enjoyment.
“Excellent.” Mia began the next portion of the performance. “Now, turn around.”
This was the first part of the routine that Leslie did know was coming: the arm restraints. She turned around and put her arms around her back. Mia adeptly attached the harness to Leslie, cuffing her wrists in padded leather restraints behind her back, and connecting them to a soft belt also attached around her. Not only had Mia had practice doing this in her training with Markus, but the pair had also practiced during their preparation hour, and it was clear that Mia had a pretty good idea of what she was doing with the harness now.
After the harness was attached, Mia softly asked, “Green?” This was her way of asking if everything felt fine and they could proceed as planned.
“Yeah,” Leslie softly replied, as this conversation was meant to be between them and not the watching audience. Mia then helped Leslie demonstrate that her arm mobility was limited by the harness.
“Stay here,” Mia commanded as she walked over to a table that had been set up with various equipment near the door they had entered through. Leslie also knew what was coming next, and this was the part she was perhaps feeling the most trepidation over, as she didn’t fully know what to expect.
Mia picked up an item that included some small chains and walked back over. Leslie’s chest was pushed up and out more than normal due to her posture of having her arms restrained behind her, and her nipples were pointed straight out.
“You have some cute nipples,” Mia remarked, quickly rubbing her thumb over each of them, giving Leslie a slight shiver. “Let’s see how they like this.”
Mia then clipped a clamp on each of Leslie’s nipples. “Still green?” Mia asked, and Leslie responded with a slight nod. Leslie wasn’t sure exactly what feeling would warrant a yellow or red, but she figured she would know when she felt it. She had a habit of squeezing her nipples when she was excited to give her some relief, and this, perhaps not surprisingly, just felt like an extended version of doing that. But this was just the beginning.
Mia knelt and ran her fingers through Leslie’s folds again several times, causing Leslie to slightly shudder. Then she attached a final clamp to Leslie’s clit, causing Leslie to slightly jump. She had done the same thing during their quick testing, so Mia didn’t appear initially concerned. All three clamps were connected by a thin, silver chain that was merely decorative.
Leslie closed her eyes to take in the sensation. She had worn them for a couple of minutes during their planning period, but this was going to be more for 10 or so minutes. They had opted for a clamp strength that was just enough to keep them attached but still enough to apply noticeable pressure. To Leslie, the clit clamp especially gave her a strange feeling, almost like she needed to pee.
Meanwhile, Mia had returned to the table of props and retrieved a blindfold. She gently slipped it onto Leslie, cutting off all visual stimuli.
Leslie could tell the difference, even compared with her having her eyes closed. There was a certain sensation that came with not being able to see anything, even if you wanted to. She thought she felt some small goosebumps rise on her skin almost immediately. She tried to listen to where Mia was, but Mia was making sure to keep her footsteps light, and soon Leslie lost any indication of where, exactly, she was, which just increased her anticipation.
Leslie then suddenly felt fingertips brush ever so gently over her skin on either side of her waist, seemingly from behind. Leslie thought she could feel more goosebumps rise where Mia was touching her. Mia gently ran her fingers toward Leslie’s stomach, and then back toward her back, turning her fingers in so that her nails were very gently scraping against her skin.
Then, just as gently as she had started, Mia pulled her fingers back, and again Leslie tried to listen to her footsteps or shuffling, but again, Mia was adept at being as quiet as possible, and the floor betrayed no creaking or other sounds to give away her position.
Leslie worked to keep her breathing under control under all the stimuli and anticipation. Mia was away for some amount of time—it was hard to tell without being able to see anything. Leslie figured perhaps she had gone back to the table. She then heard a soft voice and breath against her right ear.
“Still green, Leslie?”
Leslie gave a slight nod to keep proceeding.
She then felt a feather brush against the top of her back, once again eliciting some goosebumps. The feather flicked from here to there down her back and against the side of her arms. Mia then traced it along the curve of her back on the side where her arms weren’t in the way, before flicking them again against her buttocks and then between her legs, teasing her labia again.
Leslie kept breathing, all the sensations seeming to work together to give her a unique experience. The pressure on her nipples and clit, now after having worn the clamps for perhaps five minutes, seemed to be getting more pronounced, although not to the point of painful yet. But it seemed like the feeling they were generating was starting to penetrate deeper.
Leslie then felt another feather flick against her stomach, which almost caused her to let out a giggle. The feather then slowly circled the edge of one breast, then the other, joining forces with the feeling from the clamps. This time, Leslie did let out a small gasp.
Next, Leslie felt something wet, which she quickly deduced was the tip of Mia’s tongue, running the same route around her breasts that the feather just took, circling in, but not quite reaching her nipples on each breast. The feeling of evaporating saliva off her breasts just added to the sensations.
Then, once again, Mia was absent for a minute, maybe two. Leslie felt she knew what part of the program they were now entering. This was soon confirmed when Mia tapped her fingers against the side of the leather paddle she was in possession of.
From her past experience, Leslie had advised Mia not to worry about going all out here if she wanted to—that she’d let her know if she was near her limit. But given her past spanking experiences, she wasn’t sure where that even was.
Leslie felt a soft pat on each of her butt cheeks—enough to make them slightly jiggle but little more.
“Harder or softer?” Mia asked softly, but loud enough for everyone in the room to hear.
“Harder,” Leslie replied firmly.
Leslie then felt another smack. This one actually had some power behind it and was likely audible to everyone to some extent, but it was still pretty light.
“Harder or softer?” Mia asked again.
“Harder,” Leslie once again answered.
Leslie then felt an even harder smack on one cheek and then the other. There was no doubt that everyone could hear that smack. But it was still, to Leslie, barely medium strength.
“Harder,” she answered before Mia could even ask this time.
“Oh? Not even waiting for my question? I think that deserves double harder,” Mia replied. Leslie could almost hear the grin on her face.
The next smacks rang out loudly through the room, and Leslie could tell Mia was finally putting some serious arm swing behind them. It was probably hard enough to at least make someone’s hand sting a little bit, had they been doing it skin-on-skin. Leslie was able to keep from making any sounds, though. The strength was getting up there, but not as hard as she had felt before.
“You’re a hard one to break. Harder or softer?” Mia remarked. Leslie could tell she was circling her by how the direction of her voice changed.
“Harder!” Leslie then asserted strongly.
There was a bit of hesitation before the next paddles. Leslie was wondering if Mia was second-guessing just how hard of a wind-up she was preparing, but Leslie hoped she remembered her comment about not holding back.
SMACK. This time, Leslie let out a bit of a yelp. SMACK. Another yelp as Mia spanked both cheeks again. Leslie wondered if people could almost start feeling the reverberations through the room at this point, as this pair of paddles finally started to really sting, shooting streams of excitement through Leslie.
“A-again!” Leslie called out.
SMACK. SMACK. Two similar-strength paddles once again struck, causing another pair of gasps from Leslie. She could feel the tingling on her butt cheeks linger now.
“Again?” Mia then asked.
“Yes, again,” Leslie let out between a few breaths.
SMACK. SMACK. This time, Mia aimed at a slightly different angle, aiming more up from the bottom rather than straight on, once again eliciting a pair of gasps from Leslie.
She then felt a set of fingertips lightly brush up from the bottom of each of her butt cheeks to the top.
“You are bright red now, do you know that?” Mia remarked, almost with a bit of a chuckle. “Here, let’s show everyone.”
Mia then gently took hold of one of Leslie’s arms and had her turn and slightly bend over, apparently to give the audience a full look at her bright red posterior.
“Still green?” Mia softly asked, after having moved back around to Leslie’s front.
“Yeah,” Leslie gently responded.
“Okay, let’s take these clamps off, then,” Mia added.
Leslie then felt the clamp on her left nipple gently lift off, then her right nipple, giving them both a sudden feeling of arousal as blood flow started to return to them. Then Mia unclamped her clit clamp, and Leslie nearly had to brace herself as the feeling of blood rushing back to her clit made her feel slightly wobbly and caused her to slightly gasp again.
A couple of minutes later, Mia returned after having gone back to the prop table again.
“Here, let’s lie you down again,” she remarked, and she helped lead Leslie back to the bench, where Leslie straddled it, face down, her arms up above her behind her back, and her hips up.
Leslie then heard the faint buzz of a vibrator before feeling it gently rub against her folds. She felt like she wouldn’t take very long to explode given all of the stimulation.
The pair had picked a vibrator during their planning, which should hit Leslie’s G-spot in this position, and soon, this was confirmed when Mia slipped it inside. Leslie started letting out a series of moans and gasps, the side of her face pressed against the end of the padded bench she was on. The vibrator felt like it was sending shocks of electricity through her, activating all of the spots that had been stimulated before. She reflexively tried to move her arms to do something—anything—with them, but the harness prevented her from doing so
Leslie then felt one of Mia’s hands grasp and squeeze one of her breasts as she continued working the vibrator, gently shifting around what angle and position it was at to hit different spots. Leslie’s breathing got heavier, and she started feeling hot. She knew she was getting close.
“Oh god! Oh god!” Leslie finally belted out as her body shook. She felt a giant release and soon knew why as she heard something wet impact the paneled floor of the room.
“Holy—” she heard Mia remark as she continued to spray her squirt during the length of the orgasm. Finally, it let up, and Leslie was left catching her breath, her face still pressed against the bench. She could feel her legs drenched from the experience.
“Here, let’s get you sitting up,” Mia then said softly, and helped Leslie readjust herself so she was merely sitting on the bench. Mia then gently removed the blindfold, giving Leslie just enough time to prepare for the sudden intrusion of light. She then walked behind Leslie and unhooked and removed the harness, finally allowing Leslie to move her arms for the first time in fifteen or twenty minutes.
Mia returned the items to the prop table before returning to take a seat next to Leslie on the bench.
“You made a mess,” Mia gently giggled toward Leslie before giving her a gentle kiss, slightly caressing her hair in the process.
“Sorry,” Leslie replied with a bit of a blush.
“No, you did good. I could tell you enjoyed it.” Mia gently caressed her fingers over Leslie, helping her to wind down from the experience.
Leslie breathed in, letting her breaths and Mia’s reassuring touches help calm her down and lower her heart rate. She still felt a bit hot, but even that was starting to dissipate. She glanced over and saw the considerable puddle on the floor that she had made. This was a new part of her that she was happy to explore. Before her trip to the retreat, she’d never been able to squirt, but now it seemed like she had unlocked some things to help her to.
“We can stand up when you’re ready,” Mia added soon after.
Leslie evaluated herself. Her heartbeat seemed under control. Her legs didn’t feel too wobbly. She felt like she was good.
“Okay, I think I’m good,” Leslie acknowledged.
Mia took her hand, and then the pair stood up together and presented themselves to the audience. The audience stood up and applauded their performance. Leslie first looked at Celeste and Markus, whose expressions appeared to show satisfaction with what they had seen. She then glanced over at Jacob, who was vigorously applauding and had a big grin on his face.
“I’ll clean this up. You can go clean up,” Mia remarked, after the applause started to die down.
“No, it’s my mess, I’ll—” Leslie started to protest.
“Yes, and you just went through a roller coaster to make it. Go relax. I can take care of it,” Mia insisted.
Leslie walked back into the staff room and soon found herself staring into a mirror. She put a finger up against her choker and pondered. She had come so far, and now she was delving into parts of herself she hadn’t even considered existed before she had started this job. She wouldn’t go so far as to say that this day had been a revelation—she knew she had sub tendencies from some past events, and clearly Jacob had picked up on that as well—but preparing a routine centered around that was new. She also knew she was looking forward to doing more of it in the future.
She walked to her locker and removed her collar and sandals before going into one of the showers. She turned on the hot water and let it run over her. She ran her hands over her buttocks. She wondered how red they still were, and she wondered just what her limit was. She felt Mia may have swung as hard as she comfortably could and still didn’t reach it. She yearned for an experience where she felt utterly out of control. She knew Jacob would never put her into a position where she was ever in any true danger, but she was still intrigued by the thrill of unpredictability.
She finished her shower just as Mia showed up for hers.
“You’ve been thinking about something, haven’t you. I can tell by your grin,” Mia smirked as she walked by.
“You know me too well. I guess that makes you a good dom for me,” Leslie chuckled.
“You’ll need to text me some ideas for next time. Today felt like just an appetizer. I want to give you a five-course meal next time,” Mia replied with a wide smile.
“I will!” Leslie acknowledged. Mia then proceeded to the showers while Leslie put her clothes back on and packed her pet materials back into their bag.
The group ate an early dinner with Markus and Celeste, discussing elements of their performance and ideas for future performances, among other topics. Leslie intently took in their critiques and suggestions, both on the performance planning and presentation, although they both noted it was one of the best performances they had seen after an initial training. Leslie understood no performance was perfect, though, and was eager to listen to ways to improve.
However, soon it was time for the two owner-pet pairs to head back home. Leslie bid Markus and Celeste farewell before piling into the backseat of the car with Mia once again.
“I’ve been meaning to ask, were you ever able to, you know… orgasm?” Leslie asked once they got going.
“Oh. Yeah. I ended up fingering myself in front of everyone after you left to clean up. I knew you would feel obligated to help if you were still around, so I thought I would wait.”
“Mia. You should have let me help. It’s the least I could do.” Leslie wasn’t sure what to feel. She knew why Mia did what she did, but she also felt bad for not returning the favor.
“And thus you prove my point,” Mia replied with a chuckle. “Relax, Leslie. You didn’t owe me anything. You already gave me enough enjoyment letting me control you like that.” Mia then flashed her a wide grin.
“I hope it won’t be the last time.”
“I’m sure it won’t,” Jacob then chimed in from his seat in the middle row, glancing back with a grin of his own.
Leslie then dozed off for much of the return trip, the rest of the adrenaline that had pumped through her having worn off.
It was just after midnight when the car finally rolled into the driveway of Jacob’s estate. Leslie slowly roused as Mia nudged her.
“Wake up, sleepyhead. We’re back.”
Leslie let out a yawn. “Already? I feel like we just left.”
“Yeah, you were asleep almost the whole trip back. I must have worn you out more than I realized.”
“And I loved every minute of it,” Leslie giggled.
Leslie exited the car after Jacob, with Mia moving to the bucket seat in the middle row that Jacob vacated next to Mr. Powell.
“I’m sure we will plan another event sometime in the future. Hopefully not too long in the future, but we will have to see how our schedules work out,” Jacob remarked as he grabbed his jacket from the front seat.
“Always a pleasure, Mr. Henderson,” Mr. Powell nodded.
“Have a safe trip home!” Leslie answered before Mia pulled the door, and the car drove off.
“You seemed to enjoy yourself today,” Jacob smiled at Leslie as the pair walked inside.
“Yeah. It made me think. Remember the time when you said thrill and terror can be two sides of the same coin?”
“I do.” Jacob nodded. “As I recall, you remarked you were eager to experience a situation where you were out of control.”
Leslie nodded. “Yes. I felt like this tapped into it. It was sort of planned, but Mia had a lot of leeway. But it also made me realize that I yearned for an experience that was truly out of my hands. Where I had no idea what would happen, or had any control over what would happen.”
“I haven’t forgotten. This was part of setting up to see how comfortable you might be with that, beyond just the aptitude for being a submissive that I’ve already noticed. If you feel you are ready for such an experience, I can try to plan an event in more earnest.”
Leslie nervously laughed. “Thanks. It makes me nervous, but also excited. I know you wouldn’t do anything to put me in danger.”
“Okay. I’ll see what I can do, then. In the meantime, why don’t you put your things away and go home. It’s already late.”
Leslie nodded before going to the locker room and putting her collar and sandals away. She then exited and walked to her car. Today was enjoyable, but she also looked forward to the future.
