Chapter 14

Zoe

Now, looking back, it's like watching one of those movies where you want to reach into the screen, grab the collar of the girl or the guy, shake them and shout at them, "for chrissake go and talk to him/her! Don't you see it's all a terrible misunderstanding? Don't you realize he/she loves you and you two are destined to live together happily for the rest of your lives? C'mon, how blind and stupid can you possibly be?"

Of course if they did talk to each other the movie would be cut rather short. However, drama cut short is bad for a movie, but good in real life. But everything's easier with hindsight. Now I know that instead of running I should have just waited for Ann's answer, told myself "take it easy, Zoe. Relax. Trust your Mistress." Except the last time I had trusted someone he had stabbed me with a long, serrated and rusty knife and when the knife had been firmly stuck in my heart he had twisted it around.

But now's now and then was then. Also, even if someone had reached into the screen in those few seconds when I was poised for flight, grabbed my collar to shake me and shouted at me, I wouldn't have heard. And if I had heard them I probably wouldn't have understood what they said. All I know is that in those few seconds I experienced the same as I did with Eric, all over again, but this time with an audience and without tears. Yet. Those would come later. No, that's not true. I didn't experience the same as I did with Eric, I only thought I was experiencing the same. Dunno even why, since I'm usually not one to jump to conclusions quickly. But I did and I can't make it undone, as much as I want to.

What happened in the few minutes after I started to run I only know from Ann's bruises and because Dee told me later. Apparently Mistress came dashing after me as I struggled with the heels and saved me from falling down an awful long flight of stairs. "John Woo style, you know. Charlie's Angels would have turned green with envy," as Dee put it.

I only know what happened after Veronica snapped her fingers in front of my face a couple of times. But even then I didn't really get what was happening. The only thing I knew for sure was that Ann held me in her arms. I didn't know because I saw her but because, well, I just knew. Her scent, probably. Her touch, maybe. Anyway, I just knew it was her and that had to be good, no?

I remember that I looked at Erin, heard her say something, some apology, but to whom did she apologize? Then Veronica talked again, interrogation style, answered by Erin, but the words still didn't make too much sense to me.

Finally Veronica looked past me at Ann. Asked her about Erin. Ann's answers made sense. Put the world together again. Pulled the knife from my heart.

"Now do you understand... ?" Veronica asked, holding my eyes, a different woman than two seconds ago. No more stern Mistress, just a woman who cared about another woman.

No, honestly, I didn't really understand. Not what it had all been about. But I did understand that I had had it all wrong. She loved me, no one else. I did understand that I should have trusted my Mistress. Oh right, I also understood that I had just screwed up big time. Made a mess of everything, spoiled Mistress', mine, our great day. Leave it up to me to trust the people I shouldn't, but not those I should.

Ann's arms around me I buried my face in the crook of her neck, finally letting the tears flow, except that now they were tears of happiness. Mostly, at least. They were also tears of embarrassment and disappointment for having let my Mistress down, spoiled her day, spoiled Dee's day too. And mine.

At long last I pulled back, our eyes locked once again. I hoped she saw in mine what I felt, well, at least the important part. "I love you, Mistress. I love you so very much." My voice still frail and shaky. "And I am so very sorry I've let you down. I'm so sorry, Mistress."

"I love you too, my sweet slave," Mistress whispered in my ear, then I felt the soft touch of her lips on my face as she kissed the tears away. ""Now, as for letting me down, don't apologise. Prove you're mine, show everyone, show that," she went on, looking past me now, presumably at Erin who still knelt in front of the sofa, her collar still in Veronica's firm grip, "show that you are mine, prove it!"

"Thank you, Mistress," I answered and slowly slid off of her to kneel at her feet, waiting for her command. My position maybe not as perfect as Erin's, but then again, my arms were restrained and I had only had a few days to practice. I shot a glance at Erin who looked rather miserable and felt sorry for her.

Luckily I didn't realize then, as I waited for my Mistress to make a move, looking up at her, intent to make her proud and be the best slave I could be, that I had reason to feel with Erin. After all, I could find myself easily in the same position, torn between my love for Ann and my want to have a career. I realized that only much later, the next day during lunch, to be exact, when I thought about everything that had happened at that brunch.

And that was just as well, for the thought of having eventually to decide, even if that moment was still far in the future, certainly wouldn't have helped me to be the best possible slave.

Ann

"Thank you, Mistress"

My girl's voice still shaky, but her eyes, those emerald depths once again open to me, full of love. Now that I could see into her soul once again there was nothing more to be said. I sat up, my head still a little fuzzy, the ache growing, then stood, a little woozy, taking my time, taking my place besides my slave, her leash once more in my hand.

Mistress Veronica smiled, then turned to look down at Erin, her expression chilling down to icy contempt, still she had three fingers hooked into Erin's collar, twisting, forcing the girl to kneel, head twisted to face us, her breathing light, her face a study in misery. Veronica made her wait before speaking, drawing out her fate like a rapier from it's sheath. "I think you should be banished, you will never again make contact with this club or it's members." Erin's face folded up, her body contracting in desolation as Veronica pronounced her fate, effectively denying her access to the BDSM community in the city and it's surrounds.

Between Dominants there is an etiquette, an acceptable form of address, a recognisable way of doing 'business'. Between Dominants and submissives there are other codes, as varied as the preference of each Dominant. When in public, especially when conducting 'business', or during formal occasions, there is yet another code, no submissive would dare to speak uninvited, much less contradict a Dominant openly. My slave was not yet aware, not yet trained, guided only by good manners, yet conscious of justice and full of the spirit that made her emerald eyes sparkle, made her face every challenge, the spirit that had committed her to attend the brunch naked.

Erin's face had folded up, her body had contracted in desolation. Her mouth opened to speak, but it was my slave who spoke, her body rigid once more, her voice shaky but now with an edge, her face turned toward Veronica who towered over her, "Please." My girl paused, aware that she had our full attention, everyone waiting to hear her words. "Please, Mistress Veronica, not that." As she spoke my girl's voice strengthened, sure of her convictions, her sense of justice demanding to be heard. "She has been punished enough, I know, I nearly lost what she never had, never will have, please Mistress, let her memory punish her."

My girl knelt poised, her body rigid, her demeanour respectful, emerald eyes diamond hard.

Mistress Veronica studied my girl a moment more, then looked away, her eyes caressing her pet whilst she spoke, "Mistress Ann, I envy you your slave." Then she released her grip on Erin's collar, when she spoke her voice was still icy, but lacked the contempt of her earlier address. "You are dismissed. Go. Be thankful your sister is as brave as she is honourable." Erin stood, her eyes locked upon Zoe for a long moment, then she fled.

It was Dee who broke the mood. "Is that the end of the cabaret? Or is there an encore?"

"Oh yes." I answered her. "There is indeed an encore, you irreverent strumpet." Turning my back in her giggles I focused my entire attention on my slave.

The monthly brunches are more than they appear to many of those who attend, for as the Master of Ceremonies announces the end of the brunch and invites everyone to take their leave, the event is only just getting started. The brunch format is perfect for socialising, meeting new members and old friends. What comes after is more what you would expect of a large group of BDSM devotees gathered together in a private venue with excellent facilities.

Whilst the 'cabaret' as Dee termed it was being concluded, the general members had made their exit, leaving only the club members and certain trusted guests, like Dee. Now the atmosphere changed subtly, members were no longer purely socialising, now it was 'playtime'.

Facing my slave I reached out and took a firm hold on her ponytail, then looking into her eyes I smiled, "I'm proud of you." I pulled her head up, forcing her to her feet, firmly forward, forcing her lips to compress against my own as I kissed her, a kiss of ownership, of lust and passion. Long moments passed as I devoured my slave, finally I relaxed my grip, letting her stand upright and proud, just as I'd taught her, body erect, eyes downcast. "Now you can prove it." My girl's lips formed a smile so warm I could feel the heat of her. "Now for the finale." I released the clasp that secured her cloak to her collar, then opened it, deftly folding it before putting it aside. "Now you may prove yourself, to me, to the members," I paused, my eyes piercing deeper into my girl's soul. "But mostly to yourself." Then I wrapped her in my arms and pulling her naked body to me I kissed her once again, kissed her deeply, lovingly, sharing desire and love, as we shared breath.

Stepping back I turned to our friends, my slave's leash safe in my hand. "Let's go see what perversions await us."

Zoe

I've never ridden on a roller coaster. The small funfair at the annual livestock market in fall, when all the animals came back down from the mountain pastures where they had spent the summer getting fat was the height of entertainment in the village I grew up in. Tiny, but still wonderfully exotic. As long as I was five years, old, that is. At best there was a merry-go-round at those fairs, but never a roller coaster. And by the time I got to see the first one I was already past the age where I enjoyed being hurled around, trying to keep my breakfast in my stomach. But even if I had ever been on one I'm sure it would have been a walk in the park compared to what I had just experienced.

One moment I was following my Mistress around Dee's exhibition, feeling people's eyes on me and not overly comfortable, but still better than I had expected. The next I thought I was in free fall, had lost everything, my mind virtually shutting off, followed by the elation when I realized that I had been completely wrong. I had been expecting strong feelings when Mistress had led me into the venue, but nothing like that. Eyes locked with Ann's, concentrating on her, drowning out everything around us I slowly calmed down again.