Chapter 3

... It does take a while, to give back the energy you’ve taken from a sub.

The crowd had thinned, by the time I started paying attention to those around me, again.

Quite a few had left, and a few new faces had arrived.

After Crystal decided to slip off my lap, and assume her position on my left side, I rose to speak to the gentleman who’d stood protection for us.

‘Sir,” I said, getting his attention. “My name is Sion, Master of House Morse.”

He bowed his respect, and replied, “Master, I am Tyrone. I am a Dominant, though I belong to no House.” He extended his hand.

“Dominant, you say,” I commented. “Where, pray tell, then, is your sub?”

“Don’t have one,” Tyrone grimaced. “You know, probably better than I, that this town sucks for those of us in Society.”

I nodded, and suggested we retire to the patio. I needed a smoke.

Tyrone offered drinks, and, upon my acceptance, said he’d meet us outside.

Settling to a corner table where we had some modicum of privacy, I tossed a cushion down for Crystal to kneel upon, and then, Tyrone and I got down to the serious business, of discovering each other. In the end, he petitioned to ally himself, to my House, and I accepted.

“So,” I asked, “You hang out, here. Is there someone you think might fit our lifestyle?”

“Yeah,” he said. “Tiffany. But Jay has her all fucked up, in the head, now, with the booze, and drugs.”

“And,” I said, “the on again off again games he plays with her, aren’t helping, I’m sure.”

“That too.”

Tyrone had a few inches on me, but he was still shorter than Crystal, but Tiff had at least two inches on her. It always amuses me, that the power exchange so often flows literally down hill, with the Dominant being the tallest. Both of us were looking at topping much taller women.

“Well, you know you have my support,” I stated.

Reaching down to my side, and petting Crystal, I said, “I think I’ll give this silly girl a try at convincing Tiffany that you might be better for her, than Jay.” Crystal preened under my hand.

Tyrone snorted. “Yeah, they know each other. Lot of guys been hitting on your girl. She never gave any indication she was taken, but she never gave any indication she was looking, either. Lot of guys, are confused by her. Some of ‘em think she’s gay.”

Tyrone turned serious. “I see why Jay hates you, though.”

“Why’s that?”

“Because, you, Sir, are a Master. He’s just a punk, acting out what he thinks a Dom should be. Like he heard about that Fifty Shades, book, but never read it. He’s a damned poseur.

“He wants to live the lifestyle, but...”

Yeah, but,” I said. “But he hates women. He abuses them. We all saw that, at the other shop. Ciara, too. That’s why I really don’t understand why Ciara went for him.”

Tyrone thought a moment, then said, “I don’t know why, as I don’t know her. Has she ever given any indication she wants to be controlled?”

I sat back, brooding, thinking about the past year and a half.

There had been a few times...

Like the time I’d said I’d keep Ciara tied up, in my basement, and she’d replied that would be okay, as long as there was coffee...

Or the time I pulled out a dog whip, and she said, “Maybe you SHOULD whip my ass.”

Fuck.

Tyrone saw it in my face. “Yeah,” he said. “But, now, Jay’s got her with the Coke. Tiffany, too.”

“No, Sir,” Crystal spoke up.

When she looked to me, I nodded for her to continue.

“Sir, Tiffany Doesn’t use Coke. When he gives it to her, she mixes it into a shot of rum, then fakes drinking it. She spits it into a beer bottle, just like in that movie, Coyote Ugly.

“Sir, it’s the booze that gets her. She gets so drunk, she is damn near unconscious, when he carries her out.

“But, Sir,” She turned to me, “that Ciara. There’s something just ... Wrong, with her. I don’t know, but I think she WANTS to be stoned and drunk and high. All the time.”

I said, “Yeah, it always did seem that way. I’m sure she smoked up, before work, and I know she smoked AT work. She usually started drinking, by noon, too.”

“Her dad died a few years ago. Her Mom is not long for this world, either...”

FUCK!

“And I tried to get her to face the world, and all that pain, sober.”

“She hates you, Dude,” said Tyrone. “And that’s why. She knows you’re right. But she likes the numbness.”

“Fuck.”

I sighed.

“Fuck it. I just don’t have the energy to fight against what she wants.”

“Master, she might not be saveable, but I can try...”

“Dear girl, do you think Jay is a stupid man?”

“No Sir.”

“Do you think he is going to forget that you are my property?”

Crystal hung her head. “No Sir.”

“Is Ciara here, at this bar, very often?”

“Every other Friday and Saturday night, at least, Sir”

“The nights Her ex-husband has her kids,” I stated. “Do you think, that Jay is going to let you see anything he is doing, regarding me, ever again?”

“After 11 at night, Sir. After he gets drunk.”

“True,” Tyrone interjected. “He’s usually more than a bit wasted after about 11, and he doesn’t seem to care who sees what, as long as they’re laughing with him.

“I know this, Jay won’t tell me, or Crystal, to stay out of here. And I can’t see Tanya telling us that, either. I doubt they’d even tell you to leave”

Tanya ... I’d forgotten Tanya.

“Crystal, go get Tanya. Bring her to me.”

She fled. “And pull down your skirt,” I yelled after her.

Tyrone looked his question at me.

“Crystal is Tanya’s Aunt,” I informed him. “They may be of a similar nature.”

“Ah,” he replied. “That explains a lot.” Smirking, he continued, “And here they are.” He settled back in his chair, to watch the show.

Crystal resumed kneeling on the pad I’d supplied her, while Tanya approached like a frightened rabbit, stalking a Wolf.

I smiled. An apt metaphor, to be sure.

The power exchange was all but complete. I only had to take control, and Tanya was mine.

Not yet, though. I might not be the right Master for this girl.

After suffering a moment of her silence, I spoke. “Tanya, you don’t need to be afraid of me. I’m not going to take you, unless you WANT me to.”

She slumped, and I could feel Crystal, holding back her own comments.

“You scare me, Sir, because I can see what I want. But, I’ve been hurt so...” She dissolved into tears, and Crystal caught her up in a hug, as she curled into herself.

Tyrone climbed to his feet. “This could take a while. I’ll just go make sure the bar is covered. That will piss off Jay, real good.” He strolled away.

It took Crystal a good five minutes, to calm Tanya down, and get her into a chair.

“Tanya,” I said. “Look. You are in an emotional turmoil, right now. There is no way, that you and I can have a rational sober discussion, about your wants and needs.

“Talk to your Aunt. There’s a good chance you don’t really want what this lifestyle offers. Nor would you want to pay the costs.

“Even if you do, without knowing your limits, I have nothing to offer you, other than the protection of my House name.