At five feet six, Kelly was of average height, and her figure was pretty average, too. Her mouth was just too damn big, both it and her square manly jaw. When she smiled with her big mouth and orange hair she felt like a jack-o-lantern.

  I should have been a man, she thought. Prince Harry looks great and he has orange hair and freckles. Kelly figured she wasn't really pretty, but neither was she ugly – at least she had a great ass! Lots of people had told her that. She could be considered striking she supposed, when she was her animated, happy self.

  Girlish sounds of laughter and giggling came to her ears and then the restroom door burst open and two women came in. "Kelly!" They chorused.

  "Hey girls, what's up?"

  Gina and Rosslyn were Kelly's friends, also subs - Gina ten years older than she was, and Rosslyn fifteen years older. They had both been out checking over the landscape, and filled Kelly in.

  "You won't believe it," Gina said. "Father John is already pretty busy."

  A delicious curl of anticipation and desire thrilled through Kelly. "Really?" she said. "I didn't know he was doing a scene tonight." Kelly's heart sped. She would be able to spend a portion of her evening staring at the guy she had a huge crush on, and he would have no idea that she was watching. It didn’t get better than that. John Taylor. Firm lips, commanding presence, best ever male eye candy. Yum. Too bad he never smiled. Kelly, in her secret heart of hearts, would love to be the one to make him smile.

  "Oh, I think this scene was impromptu," Rosslyn said.

  "Woo hoo!" Kelly yipped, tossing her lip gloss back in her bag. "Well, finish up here girls. We don't want to miss that do we?"

  4. Kelly's Crush

  Why oh why, Kelly thought, do I have to be so fascinated by such an unattainable guy? A dangerous man who just wouldn't be good for me? She sighed, and supposed it was the 'bad-boy' allure. As relationships went, hooking up with John was pretty well about as impractical and impossible as could be.

  John Taylor, also known as "Father John" was a bit of a celebrity in the Basement and he was also seriously HOT. Word had it that his membership fees were free because of the crowds he drew, and the lessons he sometimes gave to wannabe Dom's. Once every two weeks or so, he put on a public show. The man was not much older than Kelly, but the rumors spread about him were endless.

  He had "lost his true love," he was "gay," "he really had once been a priest." John Taylor had gotten the strange nickname of Father John because his subs always seemed to confess to him when he skillfully tormented them into a blissful state of euphoria. Then, just like a priest, John forgave them.

  No one called him Father John to his face of course, that was just the gossip's nickname, although sometimes his sub's used the title. He didn't like the appellations "master" or "sir," insisting that he simply be called John. Other than the fact that everything about the man from his voice to entire persona screamed "Dominant," John also had a flawless, sculpted body. It was so unfair! Broad shouldered, cut abs, thin hipped, great ass, and movie-star good looking – the man was perfect.

  But the really interesting and well established truth was that Father John never ever had sex with either his male or female subs, and neither did he even let them go down on him. Was he gay, hetero or bi? No one knew anything about him. In fact no one had seen the man's penis, although the outline of a long thick budge could be observed virtually whenever he was in the club.

  Clean shaven, no tattoos, no piercings, no sex - Father John seemed as pure as fresh fallen snow. And the man didn't even kiss! Chaste pecks on the forehead or cheek was all he ever gave, and these only to encourage or coax some poor suffering sub to accept even more pain.

  Kelly sighed. She fantasized about the sexy Dom all the time, but wouldn't have the nerve to go with him. It was unfortunate, but John Taylor liked dispensing pain, and other than a sexually inflaming spanking, Kelly wasn't into that.

  "He's working over two subs at the same time tonight, a man and a woman."

  "No shit? With his bullwhip?"

  "He hasn't gotten to that yet, but he will. Man I am sooo never going to go there."

  Both Kelly and Gina looked questioningly at Rosslyn, the oldest and most experienced of the group. "C'mon Rosslyn, you went there with Father John. He topped you. What was it like?"

  Rosslyn's thin shapely blonde brows drew down, making a serious little crease in her forehead as she frowned. "You two have asked me that before and I still can't explain it."

  "Did it hurt?"

  "Fuck yes! Like the fires of hell. I told you that already."

  "But did you enjoy it? Was it good? Was it worth it?"

  "Yes."

  "Would you do it again?"

  "Yes, if he asked me to. It's impossible to say no to John Taylor."

  "How about marks? Did you get scars from that whip of his?"

  "Nope, not a one. The man is a professional."

  "Do you know," Gina said. "I haven't met a sub yet who didn't rave about their time spent with Father John. How does he do it? He hurts people and they love him for it."

  Rosslyn sighed. "The man doesn't kiss, he doesn't fuck, and he won't even let a poor desperate sub go down on him. He says very little, and that deep seductive, well-educated voice of his on its own is more than enough to make a girl orgasm I swear. Oh, speaking of swearing, he never swears either. Can you believe that?

  "Really?" Kelly said, astonished by the hypnotic magnetism the man seemed to have over the entire male and female population of the Basement. Even older, more experienced Dom's were in awe of his skills.

  "Oh, for sure. The guy is a perfect gentleman, too. Unattainably reserved, formal and polite throughout an entire scene. He isn't mean ever, and isn't into humiliation. I think he has a high opinion of his subs. To John Taylor pain isn't about punishment – it's a reward."

  Rosslyn pulled a compact out of her clutch, and began to apply it in front of the mirror. "He made me feel cherished." She looked meaningfully into the mirror at them both. "It was as if I was the only person in the entire world to him. Father John's touch - his few heartfelt words of praise or appreciation - it was like nothing I've ever experienced. He treated my submission like a priceless gift."

  Shutting her compact, Rosslyn turned back to Gina and Kelly. "It was all about me - the entire scene, every part of it. I've been topped thousands of times, but I honestly have never had anyone so aware and focused entirely upon me. I think his goal was to bring me to sexual release and spiritual bliss." Rosslyn swallowed and it sounded loud in the hushed, empty bathroom. "He did it too," she added.

  Kelly remained quiet, silenced by Rosslyn's devotion to the Dom. Gina didn't seem to have anything to say either.

  Rosslyn stared at a wall for a long moment, and Kelly could see her thoughts were far away. "I flew somewhere with him," Rosslyn said, and her voice took on a transcendental, dream-like quality. "To a place I've never been before. The entire experience was incredible. Life changing."

  Kelly shook her head and gave a snort, breaking the charged atmosphere. "Yeah, well. I don't think I want to go anywhere that involves enduring that bullwhip of his."

  Rosslyn smiled. "Father John can also read minds. Honestly. He knows exactly what a sub is thinking."

  "Really? So did you confess to him too?"

  Both girls stared at their friend and Rosslyn's cheeks reddened. Finally she drew in a deep breath. "Yes. I told that man more about myself than anyone on this earth knows. He is a magnet for secrets, it's impossible to hide anything. But he makes you glad to tell. He's probably fifteen years younger than I am, but I feel shy and seriously horny around him even now, weeks after our session. Go figure. John Taylor is the ultimate Dom. I had the most amazing orgasms I've ever had in my entire life with that man…"

  "But?" Kelly asked. "I'm sensing a 'but' in there somewhere."

  Rosslyn shrugged and gave them both an ironic, crooked grin. "But I just wish he had fucked me."

  5. The Basement

&nbs
p; Kelly loved the Dungeon atmosphere in the Basement. The sounds of murmuring voices, laughter, whips and orgasmic shrieks. The pulse pounding electric music and the amazing clothes. Kelly could spend the entire night just watching from the sub's gallery, and in fact she often had. Enjoying the shows and marveling at the outfits people wore was all part of the fun.

  Mary had a Dom, and she returned to him, but Rosslyn and Kelly went to the sub gallery together. The sub area was pretty cool. It was kind of a "time out" sort of safe place, a little raised up from the ground floor, where Doms and Subs could check each other out.

  Nearby coffee tables, wrought iron sconces with realistic flickering electric lights and numerous places to sit were scattered carelessly, but in fact with artistic flare. The bar usually had a few people around, and both male and female bartenders kept everyone happy. Subs sat at Dom's feet, Mistresses paraded their half naked male subs, and Masters did too. It was all yum to Kelly. Mistresses paraded female subs too, but while everyone was fun to watch, Kelly preferred watching the men.

  "I'm glad I'm a sub," Kelly said to Rosslyn, sitting down on a comfortable couch. "I think being a sub is much more fun. And I don’t get why people think it's demeaning at all. I mean, everything is all geared to the sub's side in my opinion."

  "Is that so?" Rosslyn asked, her blonde bob haircut bounced skeptically, and she leaned against the balcony railing.

  "No seriously," Kelly said, speaking loudly to be heard over the sound of music and people laughing. Typical Saturday, the place was packed. "The Dom comes to me, and I get to say yes or no. I have a safe word and I don’t have to do anything I don’t want to. If the Dom doesn't please me, I can say seeyalaterbye. As far as I can tell I have all the power in the relationship."

  Rosslyn laughed. "Out of the mouths of babes. So true, yet so not true. You won't sing that tune when you fall for someone. There's nothing you won't do for your Dom then. You'll want to surrender any power you have completely, and let him do anything - just to see him smile." She gave a rueful snort. "I hope I'm there to see it. You'll have no control in that scary rollercoaster ride. Haven't you ever been in love?"

  "You mean that stupid, insane, sickly infatuation one gets when they can't eat and can't sleep because they only think of him?"

  Rosslyn laughed. "That's the one."

  Kelly looked away, and felt her traitorous cheeks heat. Her stupid pale completion couldn't hide anything. No one had to have Father John's impressive intuitive skills to catch Kelly out.

  "OMG!" Rosslyn laughed. "Are you in love?"

  "No," Kelly said irritably.

  Rosslyn sat next to her on the couch. "C'mon, give. Something made that bright scarlet blush. Lord girl, your face and neck and even your breasts are red. Does that blush go all the way down, covering your entire body? I've never seen anything like it."

  Kelly sighed. "Yes, it does. It is soooo embarrassing when I get embarrassed! It's like one of those feedback-loops you know? The more embarrassed I am, the redder I get, and the more I blush. Then I become even more embarrassed, and so on. It is truly tragic."

  "Well I like it," Rosslyn snickered. "It's kind of cute. But don't think you're going to distract me, girl. Give. Who's the lucky guy?"

  It's nothing," Kelly assured her. "It's just that I have a silly crush on Father John." Rosslyn exclaimed loudly with a rude word and a snicker, and then she really started laughing it up.

  Kelly ignored her and kept talking. "There's just something about him. Actually it's everything about him just makes me giddy thinking of sex - hot, sheet ripping, back scratching, bed biting, sex. I'll never act on it, because I just don't like pain. And he's probably gay anyway, so it's all a joke really, but I swear I can't get him out of my mind."

  Rosslyn patted her arm and tisked pityingly. "You and every other sub in this place, honey. You have all my sympathy, Kelly. I'm completely in love with him, too. Why? Who can say? It's just not fair because Father John just oozes the Triple 'F' factor, crushing and breaking the heart of every woman who comes near him. The man is beyond reach, but utterly captivating, you know what I mean?"

  "Triple F?" she said.

  "Yeah. You know, the "Fatal Female Flaw." It's when ordinarily sensible women fall madly in love with an unattainable man who can't, or won't love them back. I also call it the Triple Fucked Factor.

  Kelly gave a bark of laughter. Yep, that's me, she thought. I've got an incurable case of Triple F for Father John. It's madness. I simply can't seem to think of anyone else.

  A couple of Dom's climbed the few stairs, coming up into the sub area together. Master Ron was a thirty something, happy sort of Dom, who was really good fun. Kelly had played with him before. With him was Master T who was an older, salt and pepper haired man, solidly muscular, and a very experienced Dom.

  Master T had his deep blue eyes on Rosslyn - they radiated pure male power, as well as a rather disconcerting heat. Rosslyn immediately looked down. Kelly watched in amazement as it was Rosslyn's turn to display a tinge of red in her cheeks. Not a word was said but Rosslyn held her hands out in front of her, wrists together, palms up, in instant submissive obedience. Kelly saw that her hands trembled slightly.

  Master T secured her wrists with the colorful tie the Club provided, capturing her, and indicating that she was taken. Easily the big man pulled her to her feet, and without a sound Rosslyn stood up. Then both Master T and Rosslyn left together, her bound wrists firmly grasped in one large hand. Rosslyn's eyes remained meekly looking down.

  Kelly looked up at Master Ron, the man who had stayed behind. Their gaze met, and they exchanged wide eyes, head shakes, and knowing smiles.

  "My, oh, my," Kelly said, making a show of fanning herself. "That was a hot little interlude. I swear I could see steam rising off that man."

  "You got that right," Ron said. "You could cut the sexual heat with a knife. Looks like Rosslyn has a big night ahead of her."

  "Tell me about it."

  "Hey Kelly," Master Ron said. "Are you wanting to be topped?"

  She grinned and then put her index finger to her lips in a pensive manner, teasing him. "I don’t know, Master Ron," she said archly, her voice a sultry purr. "Do you think if I hang around up here I might get a better offer?"

  He laughed out loud, apparently not surprised or even disturbed by her comment. "Jesus Kelly, you're such fun. Why don't we just stay together for awhile? We could explore the scene and have so many laughs. I swear, I honestly think I could fall in love with you."

  Kelly tapped her lips again. "You do give a good spanking," she said, pretending to be undecided, yet considering the matter.

  "Yeah?" Ron asked. He bent closer and his voice lowered. "That's good, because I feel like giving someone a good spanking tonight. And I'm expecting that whoever I discipline will climax from it hard and fast as an oncoming train."

  Kelly giggled. "Like a train?"

  "Don't laugh," he said. "That's what it seemed like to me when you did it before. Christ it was amazing."

  "It was amazing," she said. Her eyes met his with a smile as they both remembered the last time they played together. She sighed, well aware that the sweet slightly older Dom had a little bit of a crush on her. "I really don’t know, Master Ron. I guess I'm fickle. You are perfect you know," she added looking him up and down.

  Ron was big, blond, and seriously cute. Unlike her white skin, Ron could actually get a tan. He was a cheerful Dom who was a great lover with a toothpaste ad smile. Ron was a lot of fun, and he wasn't one of those Dom's who made her look down all the time. Kelly preferred to look at a man. For a moment she imagined how well he would fit in with her family, how much they would love him. Marriage, children, and a life together rolled out in front of her. It wasn't a bad vision of one possible future.

  So where was that thing – that euphoric rush of "wow factor" that was so elemental in a real love affair? Because that was what she was looking for, idiot that she was. Ron was the perfect match for her; they laughed a
t the same jokes, chatted together happily, had compatible tastes sexually, and very similar personalities. So why couldn’t her stupid heart just be practical and fall in love with him?

  "Never mind," Ron said. "I'll grow on you. Want to play tonight though? I think you've been through everyone else around here."

  She laughed. "Not everyone. And anyway, you're one to talk." She put her hands out for him to bind her wrists and stood up. "Sure. Let's go see what you got, big boy," she said with a sexy lilt to her voice, part jest, part genuine sexual interest. "Oh, but hey, can we go by and check out Father John first? He's apparently beating the crap out of a couple of subs tonight, and I want to watch for a bit. The man is really creative in his tortures."

  "Would you want anyone to get that creative with you?"

  "Hell no!"

  Utterly in tune with each other, they both laughed and wandered off to watch Father John at work.

  6. The Scene

  Kelly strode side by side with Master Ron, he holding her wrists in one firm hand. When she passed a woman who had an intricate scarification of the Virgin Mary that covered her entire, fully exposed back, Kelly paused, stunned. Ron perforce paused too, and they both stared at the woman's receding figure as she continued walking.

  "Wow," she said.

  "Yep," Master Ron added. "That's some serious artwork right there.

  "Quite beautiful, but soooo not for me," Kelly added and Ron agreed wholeheartedly.

  They sped up trying to watch Father John's scene, but the crowd was too thick behind the roped off area. Ron jumped up on to a coffee table and pulled Kelly up after him. It was solidly built like something from a peasant's hut in the twelve-hundreds, six inches thick with six inch thick table ends rather than legs.

  "Man, they have to do something about this," Kelly said. "Everyone likes to watch that man during a scene."

  But then they saw the wide wall screen right over past the bar, where a number of others had collected, all drinking up while watching the event. Father John's efforts were being projected upon the big screen.