If Shea had been shy about wearing her revealing corset to the party, Rylee’s outfit had made her look positively overdressed. Rylee, like Shea, had large breasts, but the rest of her body was that of an athlete—her shoulders broad, her hips narrow, her ass small and muscular, her legs long and lean. She looked like a Greek goddess in the white, diaphanous gown she wore, which clung to her curves, widening into a skirt that swirled loosely around her ankles, her feet clad in thin-strapped white sandals. The back of the gown was cut so low that her entire back was bare, and it was evident that, beneath the sheer, nearly translucent fabric of her dress, Rylee was naked.
Though Shea had been initially shy, Taggart and Rylee had both been so welcoming that she had felt instantly at ease. When they all went out back to meet the others, they, too, were friendly and warm, no one batting an eye when Sir Stephen and Master Zach presented Shea as their shared submissive.
All eyes now turned to Taggart, who stood several yards away in a clearing. He held a lit wooden match to the end of a long, white, braided whip. As the fuel-soaked cotton and Kevlar whip ignited, a line of fire whooshed up its length, drawing a collective gasp of appreciation from all seated around the bonfire.
He began to wave the fiery whip in graceful spirals all around his body and over his head. Shea stared, mesmerized by the breathtaking dance of the undulating, coiling snake of fire. The core of the flame was a bright white-yellow, but as it twisted and arced through the air, reds, oranges, golds and even deep blues and greens flashed and sparkled in the dark—a mini Aurora Borealis beneath the dark Oregon sky.
Shea was disappointed when, after a few minutes, the fiery whip died into the darkness. After a moment of silence, everyone began to talk at once, amidst a scatter of appreciative applause.
Taggart moved back near the bonfire and made a little bow. Straightening, he said, “Now I have something really exciting to show you all. Zach, Steve and I have been working on this prototype for a couple of months now, and I think we finally have something we can offer for sale in our catalog.”
He turned to Rylee, who rose and moved toward a large bag set some distance from the bonfire. Returning to Taggart, she handed him what looked like a single tail whip and a flogger, except instead of leather, they appeared to be made of flexible, clear plastic.
Taggart held up the two impact toys and said, “These are light whips. Unlike fire whips, they actually do more than entertain. And here’s the fun part.” He flicked both his wrists and the toys suddenly lit up, like those light bracelets you got at amusement parks.
The effect was beautiful, if less flashy than actual fire. As he cracked the glowing whip and waved the lighted flogger, it looked in the dark as if he were flicking a comet’s tail in one hand, a handle sprouting glow-in-the-dark, undulating sea grass in the other.
“They’re beautiful,” Allie breathed.
“I want one of each,” Matt and Bonnie said at exactly the same time, causing everyone, including them, to laugh.
Taggart announced, “I’m going to demonstrate the beauty of this single tail on my lovely sub girl, Rylee. I need volunteers for the flogger.” As he said this, Taggart looked pointedly at Sir Stephen, who gave a brisk nod.
A jolt of terrified delight hurtled its way through Shea’s gut. She sent a silent plea to the BDSM gods to lend her submissive courage and grace, since at that precise moment, she had neither.
Sir Stephen rose to his feet and extended his hand, the invitation clear. He hadn’t asked her, but then, he didn’t need to. Shea belonged to Sir Stephen and to Master Zach. That, the gods whispered in reminder, was all she needed to hang on to.
Master Zach’s deep, comforting voice sounded in her ear. “You can do this, S. You are our brave, beautiful girl. Make us proud tonight.”
His words melted the lump of anxiety that had risen in her throat. Leaving her shawl with Master Zach, Shea took Sir Stephen’s hand and allowed him to pull her upright.
Sir Stephen and Taggart led Rylee and Shea several feet away from the bonfire, though not as far away as Taggart had stood for his fire whip display. Shea was glad for the partial cover of the darkness.
As she turned to Rylee, the other woman plucked at the thin straps that held up her gown and slid them down her arms. She let the dress puddle in a pool at her feet so she was standing naked, save for small gold hoops that glittered at her nipples.
Naked!
Shea glanced toward Sir Stephen, but he was conferring with Taggart, their heads bent close and turned away from Shea. She looked to Master Zach for direction and support. He smiled at her and lifted one thumb in encouragement.
Aware all eyes were on her, Shea girded her courage as she reached for the sash that held her skirt in place. As Rylee had done, she let the skirt fall away. She glanced anxiously toward Sir Stephen, hoping he would somehow indicate she had done enough.
No such luck.
He whirled his index finger in a circle at her, the gesture indicating she was to continue.
Shea began to unhook her corset with trembling fingers. When she got to the bottom hook, the corset sprang open and fell away from her body, her large, heavy breasts tumbling out for everyone to see. Her heart was beating so loudly she was sure everyone could hear it as she slipped her fingers beneath the elastic straps that held her panties in place, and pushed them down her legs.
Resisting the impulse to cover her body with her arms, Shea glanced once more at Rylee, who was standing with her shoulders back, her expression serene. Shea, who had unconsciously hunched forward, tried to copy both her posture and her demeanor, though she couldn’t stop the scorching heat that moved over her cheeks.
Taggart and Sir Stephen approached the two naked women, each moving to stand beside his girl. “You’re beautiful,” Sir Stephen whispered in Shea’s ear. Though she remained nervous, his words warmed her and brought a smile to her lips.
“For this demonstration,” Taggart said, addressing Rylee and Shea, “We want you to face each other so you’re in profile to the bonfire. Stand about three feet apart and take each other’s hands.”
Rylee and Shea turned to each other as instructed. Rylee held out her hands for Shea to take. As she looked up into the face of the taller girl, she was surprised to see Rylee’s cheeks were as pink as hers felt, her smile shy. For the first time, it occurred to Shea that this might be hard for Rylee too, however gracefully she presented herself. The thought gave her courage, and she gave Rylee’s hands a friendly squeeze. Rylee’s smile broadened, and she squeezed back.
Sir Stephen moved behind Shea as Taggart took his place behind Rylee. Sir Stephen leaned in close from behind, his mouth near Shea’s ear. “I want you to exult in your erotic suffering tonight, S. Offer it as your gift to our friends.” As he spoke, he lifted her hair and gently pushed it over her shoulders, baring her back for the flogger.
Though she remained nervous, his touch and his words had the effect of a soothing balm, and the worst of her jitteriness eased away. “Yes, Sir Stephen. Thank you, Sir.”
“We begin,” Taggart said in his gruff, gravelly voice. He snapped his wrist and the single tail in his hand once again lit up like something out of a Star Wars movie. Though Shea couldn’t see, she assumed Sir Stephen had also activated the flogger.
Without preamble, Taggart flicked the tip of the single tail behind Rylee, the punctuation of its lighted tip against flesh unmistakable. Rylee barely registered the impact, save for the slight press of her lips.
At the same time, the flogger brushed against her back. It wasn’t the soft, suede caress she was used to, but more of a stingy slap.
Holding hands with Rylee as they faced each other, Shea felt the kinship, as if she and Rylee were sister subs. The idea appealed to her. Here was a potential new girlfriend, a kindred soul who not only understood and accepted her deep-seated submissive longings but embraced them as her own.
Sir Stephen’s stroke was light against her shoulders and back, a pleasant stinging sens
ation that warmed her skin. Taggart expertly flicked his whip in a flowing arc behind Rylee, the light moving in graceful curves, the tip snapping upon impact with Rylee’s flesh.
Rylee’s lips had compressed into a thin line. She blinked rapidly in an effort to maintain her composure, holding tightly to Shea’s hands. Shea squeezed back in sympathy, aware Rylee was taking a much more intense whipping than she was.
The first hard stroke came against Shea’s ass, landing with a resounding crash against both ass cheeks like a dozen hard palms. Shea, who had been focused on Rylee, gave a startled cry of pain and surprise. Sir Stephen began to flog her in earnest, the hard plastic tresses smashing relentlessly against her ass, the tips sometimes curling painfully around her hips like strokes of pure fire.
Shea bit down hard on her lower lip and squeezed Rylee’s hands in her effort to maintain her grace and silence. It took every ounce of her will not to twist away from the relentless onslaught. Not for the first time, Shea wondered why she had such a need for the erotic pain her Masters gave her. Why did she crave this suffering? What was it about it that ultimately filled the emptiness she had always felt deep in her soul?
While Sir Stephen was hitting her just as hard as a moment before, she found she was able to tolerate it better. Somehow, she had harnessed the fear and the pain. She could handle whatever he meted out. More than that, she wanted it.
She focused again on Rylee, who was trembling, her grip tight on Shea’s fingers as her Master’s lighted whip crisscrossed her back and thighs. She had risen on her toes and she was trembling, beads of perspiration visible on her upper lip.
Then, the most amazing thing began to happen. All at once, Rylee’s bone-crushing grip eased. Her shoulders, which had risen in her effort to handle the pain, relaxed, her feet settling flat against the ground. Her eyes closed, and her head fell slowly back, her chin lifting so she was facing the star-studded sky.
“Yes,” Taggart breathed from behind her. “Yes.”
Shea watched with awe, more than just a witness to Rylee’s submissive journey, but a part of it.
Gradually she became aware that the flogging behind her had slowed, the intensity decreased as the crashing plastic eased into a swish against her stinging skin.
Taggart, too, was easing his stroke. Rylee remained still as a statue, her face lifted to the sky, her lips parted as if in silent prayer. When Shea let go of Rylee’s hands, Rylee’s arms fell limply to her sides.
Sir Stephen’s arms encircled Shea from behind, his strong body pressed against her back as he held her. She leaned into him, though she was unable to tear her eyes away from the scene. She understood Rylee was flying, a term she’d come across in her research but hadn’t really comprehended, until now.
Finally Taggart lowered his whip and set it, still glowing, on the ground. Bending his tall frame slightly, he placed one hand behind Rylee’s back, the other behind her knees, and lifted the naked girl into his arms.
Rylee startled, as if awakening from an enchanted sleep, and then smiled dreamily up at her master. He lowered his head to kiss her and everyone around the campfire broke into spontaneous, joyous laughter and applause.
Master Zach appeared beside Shea, and Sir Stephen stepped back to allow him to wrap a shawl around Shea’s shoulder. Together, they led Shea back to the bonfire.
As she settled between them on the blanket, Bonnie leaned over to her with a warm smile. “You were fantastic, Shea. I was so jealous watching you. I’m so glad Sir Stephen and Master Zach have found such a wonderful woman.”
Warmth suffused Shea at Bonnie’s kind words. She smiled shyly, an enormous happiness filling her with such lightness she might have floated away, save for the anchoring touch of the men on either side of her.
Her eyes fell on Taggart and Rylee, who now sat on the other side of the fire, Rylee still cradled in Taggart’s lap, her face still suffused with a kind of inner light.
“That was amazing, watching her transform like that,” Shea said.
“It’s called flying,” Sir Stephen said, affirming what Shea had surmised. “It’s a kind of altered state of being it’s possible to achieve through intense erotic pain.”
“Bonnie calls it Nirvana,” Matt, who had obviously overhead, said.
“That’s right,” Bonnie agreed. “A state characterized by freedom from or oblivion to pain, worry, and the external world.”
“Can anyone fly?” Shea asked, deeply intrigued. “Even me?”
Master Zach’s arm came around Shea’s shoulder. “Absolutely you,” he said. “That’s a promise.”
~*~
It was well after midnight when Steve pulled the Audi into their driveway alongside Shea’s car. Zach and Shea, who had fallen asleep in the backseat with their heads touching, both opened their eyes as he turned off the engine.
As they climbed out of the car, Zach said, “One of us should follow you home to make sure you get there safely.”
“No, that’s okay,” Shea replied with a shake of her head. “I’m fine, really. I can text you when I get there. I’m a big girl.” She flashed a smile.
“You sure?” Zach said. “It’s no trouble.”
“Absolutely certain,” she assured him.
“Okay, you text us the second you pull into the parking lot,” Zach said.
“And again once you’re safely in your apartment,” Steve added.
“I will, I will,” Shea promised with a laugh.
Zach took her into his arms, wrapping her in a big bear hug. When he let her go, Steve hugged her, suddenly aware he had yet to kiss this girl on the lips. Had she been any other trainee, that wouldn’t have been remarkable at all. Both Zach and he were careful about keeping anything that smacked of romance out of their relationships with their trainees, but Shea wasn’t any other trainee—not by a long shot.
Especially after tonight, Steve could no longer pretend to himself that he wasn’t falling hard for this girl. Instead of freaking out over it, he had to admit he was happy. Since the debacle with Sandra, he’d been holding himself back, keeping his heart firmly under wraps. Yet, somehow, Shea had slipped in when he wasn’t looking, and there was no denying it.
As he let Shea go, he glanced at Zach, wondering if he, too, were falling for Shea. And if he was, would he admit it? It was interesting that both Shea and Zach claimed to share the same horror of the drama that relationships entailed, and yet both of them continued to move forward in this triad of exploration with as much eagerness as he.
Shea stepped back and pulled her purse from her shoulder. Reaching in, she took out her keys. As she opened her car door and slipped into the driver’s seat, she looked up at them with a radiant smile. “Tonight was one of the most amazing nights of my life,” she said with sweet sincerity. “Thank you for introducing me to your friends.”
“You were wonderful,” Zach said as Steve nodded his agreement.
“Don’t forget to text,” Steve reminded her.
“Yes, Sir, I promise I won’t forget,” Shea replied, still smiling. She left the car door ajar as she turned the key in the ignition.
Nothing happened.
She knitted her brows and turned the key again.
Still nothing.
“Shit,” she swore softly.
Steve placed his hand on the door and leaned down. “What is it?”
“My stupid car won’t start.” She blew out a breath and then closed her eyes, her lips moving as if she were saying a prayer. She turned the key again, to no avail.
“It’s late,” Zach said, stepping forward. “One of us can give you a ride home. I’ll have a look at the car in the morning. Hopefully it’s something simple like the battery.”
“That’s crazy,” Steve interjected. “Why don’t you just stay here tonight? We have an extra bedroom. Or even better,” he added before he could stop himself, “we could all three sleep in my bed.”
Zach shot him a look, and Steve offered an answering shrug, aware he was pushing fo
rward his new internal agenda of bringing their as yet unacknowledged relationship more into the open. The words had sprung from his lips before he could stop himself, but really, it only made sense. It wasn’t like the three of them hadn’t spent plenty of hours in his bedroom already.
“Oh, I couldn’t,” Shea began.
Steve was ready to assure her that she could, but to his pleased surprise, Zach got there first. “Sure you could. That’s a great idea. We’ll all pile into Steve’s bed. It’s not like we haven’t been there before.”
Shea looked from Steve to Zach and then back to Steve. “Well, if you’re sure…”
Steve reached for Shea’s hand and helped her out of her car. “We’re sure.”
They went directly upstairs to get ready for bed, Zach stopping at his room while Steve and Shea headed down the hall to the master bedroom. Steve found a spare toothbrush for Shea to use, and he stole sidelong glances at her as they washed up side-by-side at the double sinks in his bathroom.
Both naked, Shea and he climbed into bed. Steve sensed Shea’s nervousness, her movements a little stiff, uncertainty in her face. To calm her, he pulled her into his arms and kissed the top of her head as they settled beneath the covers. Despite his fatigue, his cock hardened at the presence of the naked girl beside him.
The rest of him, however, began to sink at once into the mattress, as if leaden weights had been attached to his limbs. It was a struggle just to keep his eyes open.
Zach appeared in the doorway, still in his boxer shorts. “Mind if I join you?” Without waiting for a reply, he stripped off his boxers and quickly slipped beneath the sheets.
He scooted toward them, spooning Shea from the back, his arm flung loosely over her body.
Steve, lying on his back with Shea snuggled against him, reached with his free hand for the bedside lamp and clicked off the light.
~*~
Zach opened his eyes, uncertain for a moment where he was. He was on his back, his left arm pinned beneath something. Turning his head, he saw the bright red tumble of Shea’s hair and smelled the lingering, warm vanilla scent of her perfume. He extricated his arm carefully from beneath her body and lifted himself on one elbow.