"Will you accept punishment?"
A mental picture of the yin yang symbol flashed into her head, bringing an epiphany. Each side, equal in size and shape, held a tiny bit of the other in its heart in a visual demonstration of the interconnection between opposing forces. What had Seth told her on their first night? He'd said the master needed a slave as much as a slave needed the master. Each side was autonomous, but together they were something greater.
She and Seth together were something greater.
She needed him the way she needed air, a dynamic equilibrium that transcended the simple meaning of sexual labels. Her answer arrived on a whisper. "I can no more refuse your wishes, Master, than I can refuse air. I accept your punishment."
He gazed at her for a few moments, appearing lost in thought, before hanging his jacket in the closet. He set off toward her bedroom, calling instructions over his shoulder. "Follow, girl, but with a cup of water. I'll need a cup of water."
She snorted. "Waterboarding isn't necessary, Master."
He laughed.
Her hackles rose at the sound, causing her to clunk the cup in the sink as she filled it with tap water. Thought this was funny, did he? Well, he was in for a surprise. She'd not let a bully trample her in her life. If he expected her to wail and cry, he would be in for disappointment.
She plunked a cup of water on the nightstand and planted her hands on her hips. Lifting her chin, she glared into his eyes. By God, she was not afraid of him.
"Remove your clothes," he said.
She complied and when done didn't have as much bravado as what she'd started out with. Stripped naked had a way to taking a person's confidence. Nonetheless, she kept her chin up and held eye contact. Naked or not, she wouldn't be cowed.
"Get on the bed and on your hands and knees." Seth ordered. "Face away from me."
"Fine," she snapped. Filled with indignation, she obeyed.
Bullies were all the same, she noted. But she would not let him have the satisfaction of her tears. Her bravado didn't last long, however, especially when he began to stroke her buttocks with a gentle hand. He dipped his fingers into the cup of water and smoothed the moisture onto her skin, bringing shivers. Turning her head this way and that, she watched him over her shoulders, striving to keep him in her sight.
"This won't work," she warned him. "My stepfather also tried beatings as a way to enforce his will over me. He failed."
The cool water kissed her skin, contrasting with the warm hand that traced her, mapping the mountains and valleys of her behind and the backs of her thighs. Arousal curled through her womb. Would this be more play session than punishment? The first crack of his hand answered that question.
"Hey! That hurt!"
"The water makes it sting worse." He dipped his fingers into the cup and spread more water onto her buttocks.
For fuck's sake, he meant to continue!
I'm not coward, she reminded herself. Evil Stepfather had tried everything: belts, fists, and unspeakable torments. She'd endured him and she could endure Seth's spanking. She would not grovel, cry, or beg. She would take her punishment in gasps and curses, if not in silence.
She did neither. He started a tempo of open-handed slaps moving from buttock to buttock. In little time, her bottom was on fire and she was scrambling for the other side of the bed. Seth pursued. He lunged after her, catching her before she could make her escape, sliding an arm around her waist.
His weight bore her down onto the covers, chance pinning her right arm beneath her and leaving only her left hand to slap at him. Ineffective, since Abby wasn't left-handed. Seth, however, was. The spanking continued, blows of increasing force and frequency.
She kicked and squealed, using her legs like an infuriated five-year-old. He merely dropped his heavy one across hers and continued until he was done, when he pulled her into his embrace.
Shaking and shivering, battered and bruised--her pride, not her body--she snuggled against Seth until her body stopped quaking. She gave a woeful sniff. "You're supposed to say 'That hurt me more than it hurt you.'"
"It'd be a lie." So saying, he slid off the bed and stood. Grabbing her ankles, he yanked her to the edge and flipped her onto her stomach. He grabbed her flailing fists and secured them at the small of her back with an unyielding fist.
She squealed her outrage. "Let me go!"
Instead, he leaned onto her back and wrists, pinning her in place. Her kicking feet tangled with his feet and ankles; her heels bounced off his shins and shoes. Seth growled, wedged against her ass. He yanked down his zipper and freed himself, his engorged cock landing hot and hard on her ass.
Abby froze, shocked. Had he lost his mind? "What are you doing?"
"You were directed to reach out to Liz and get informed on sub drop. You chose not to. As your final punishment, you'll handle tonight's sub drop alone."
"What?" The spanking wasn't enough? Her heart froze as she heard the unmistakable sound of a condom being extracted from its packaging. "You're not-- I don't think so, mister. Get off me."
Seth stilled. "Are you telling me 'no'?"
"You're kidding, right?"
"Are you telling me to stop?" he repeated, his voice as hard as winter rocks.
End time with Seth?
"N-no, but isn't this date rape?"
"Only if you tell me to stop and I don't."
"You jerk." She spat and pulled against his hands in a futile effort to be free.
"This is called consensual non-consent. It's designed to be unpleasant. My goal is to make you regret your rebellion. Do you accept this punishment?"
As if his dick in her twat was punishment. What world was he from? "Fine."
With of a twist of his hips, he moved his cock to the slit between her legs. She shivered. God, he felt so good. He guided himself into her pussy, pushing with a long, determined thrust.
"Ow, take it easy."
* * * *
Seth shoved hard, hilting himself with one thrust. His forceful entry drew a yelp of protest. Around him, her muscles tensed and quivered. Well, he had warned her that this wasn't supposed to be pleasant--at least not for her. He, on the other hand, reveled in her helpless compliance to his forceful penetration.
He set a vigorous tempo and rocked into her body, his balls slapping her plump pussy with each thrust. The slut bucked on the bed, her body tight around his cock. She was hot and slippery and totally under his control.
Fuck, yes.
He pounded into her, feeling her tense body ease, then shimmer around him as she went into that submissive mental place, the feel of her surrendering to him was a feeling like nothing else in the world. He came with a hard grunt. His cock pulsed and his spine locked, his eyes actually rolling back into his head as his reality splintered into light and satisfaction.
She shivered and undulated beneath him, her body primed for pleasure and the muscles of her cunt contracting along his shaft. A sound of hunger came from her throat. He knew the pitch and the tone of that sound. The little slave was reaching orgasm.
"Not this time," he said and pulled himself from the clenching heaven of her pussy.
Removing the condom, he shoved it into the palm of one of her hands before releasing them. After tugging up his jeans, he fastened the buttons, then secured his belt. The slut crumbled onto the floor, dragging the blanket down with her. She moaned and shivered, her body doubtlessly rebelling from the sudden termination of the fuck.
She sobbed as he stepped away.
"Master?"
Her voice sounded in a plaintive wail, but he refused to respond. Punishment was punishment, after all. He caught up the comforter from the bed's bottom edge and tossed it over her shaking body before walking out of the house.
The car gave a satisfying growl as it came alive and soon he'd left behind the tempting trainee. His hands clenched hard around the steering wheel, his knuckles white from the strain.
Behind him lay a girl in sub drop. Alone. Hell, he'd deliberately put her there. Guilt bit at him.
Fuck.
That meant that he liked her.
Hell of a complication.
"Tonight you've learned a valuable lesson," he said to the girl who remained in her home, fast disappearing in his rearview mirror. "You've learned I can be a total asshole."
But hopefully, she'd not disappoint him again.
The next day, she called Liz. They agreed to meet for coffee after work. Another local bistro hosted them as they chatted, surrounded by armchair literati and local families. The two gossiped for a while, easing into the sensitive discussion. Liz brushed off Abby's attempts to apologize.
"Bah, I'm not upset," she said, "but I'm sure Seth's tighty-whities got into twist."
Abby snorted her amusement at Liz's description. That he didn't wear nut-hugger underwear didn't seem relevant at this moment, so she let it pass. "Too right," she said. "In fact, I received my first punishment that night."
"You seem remarkably happy about it." Liz licked chocolate syrup from her spoon.
"Oh, it wasn't a big deal. Sure, it sucked, but it was more of an interesting experience than anything else. Well, except the end part. I hated the end part."
"Oh?"
She stirred her cappuccino with vigor, her spoon ringing against the sides of the cup. "He left me alone during sub drop. Totally alone, like he drove away."
Liz gasped, raising her hand to her mouth as if horrified. "He left you alone? That ass!"
"You got that right." But she paused when honesty prodded her. "Well, it was punishment."
"Cruelty," Liz snapped, red flags riding her cheeks.
"Seth did warn me his punishments were not pleasant. They're geared to ensure I think twice before doing the same again." Abby rubbed her palms across her face. Her face warmed and a knot lodged in her throat. Her eyes stung a warming and she blinked hard to offset the threatening tears. "It's very effective. I'm not feeling too defiant today."
"Oh, sweetie," Liz cooed and reached out to catch her hand. "I'm so sorry."
She held tight to Liz's hand. After a few moments, she felt strong enough to let go.
Liz sat back in her chair and watched her struggle not to cry. "Hell of an experience," she pronounced.
"Yes." She strove hard to sound unaffected.
Liz firmed her chin. She adjusted her seat to make herself more comfortable and began. "Now, keep in mind I'm no doctor, merely that I've handled the situation a time or two"--she rolled her eyes and chuckled--"so all I have to tell you is what works for me.
"First, the biggest mistake is to use chocolate. I know," she cut off Abby's automatic interruption, "however, that advice is out there. Anyway, cheese works best. It maintains a good sugar level and lets your body handle the excess dopamine and stuff naturally. A sugar rush is a bad thing. Avoid starches. Pamper yourself with a bubble bath and scented candles, that sort of stuff. Oh, and keep warm. That's very important."
"He did toss a blanked over me before he left."
"How kind," Liz snapped.
Abby pushed aside the remembered shocked of abandonment. She'd cried enough yesterday. In fact, she'd wanted to die. It had been so horrible. "His displeasure was the worst part." The admittance arrived on a whisper.
"I know," Liz soothed. "However, discipline is part of training. It's inevitable. We all fail, masters and slaves alike. It might help to know Seth has had nothing but praise for you."
"Really?"
Liz gave a playful smile, "Well, using Seth-speak, of course."
"Seth-speak?" she parroted.
They both dissolved into laughter as everything became clear.
"All that Scottish stiffness," said Liz on a chuckle.
Abby laughed harder. Finally, she wound down enough to ask, "Well, what did he say?"
Liz winked. "He said you were a tolerable slave."
She blinked. "Tolerable? That's praiseworthy?"
"For Seth, yes." Liz nodded. She used both hands to raise her coffee mug to her mouth and sip. "Normally, he states, 'good for the occasional blowjob' or 'I wouldn't collar it.' He's said to Mike once or twice, 'I wouldn't fuck it with your dick.' I don't think he graduated those cases."
"Not a very stellar report card."
"Not one I'd want to take home."
More giggles arrived, filling their corner of the bistro. Patrons passed by their table, smiling at the overflowing good humor. Kids hustled cheerfully between the tables, laughing and carrying drinks capped with whipped cream and decorated with rainbow-colored sparkles. Liz and Abby huddled closer, their voices dropping with their shared secret.
"If they only knew," said Abby.
"Their mothers would run screaming," Liz agreed. She set her mug down and sat back, eyeing Abby with an impish gaze. "So, have you and Seth had any more sex?"
"Yes, every time he's over. Why do you ask?"
The spoon Liz used to stir her coffee came to a sudden stop against the side of the mug. She stared at Abby, eyes wide and mouth gaping. "You're telling me that you and Seth have been sexually active
together
since your training began?"
"Is that wrong? That's what masters and slaves do together, right?"
"Abby that's...that's incredible."
"I don't understand."
"As a rule, Seth keeps his dick out of the training pens. He says it keeps things from getting complicated."
"Complicated?"
"Seth is not looking for a slave and doesn't get attached to those he trains." Liz hesitated before continuing. "That's why I tried to warn you off. Usually, that's a road to heartbreak."
"Because getting emotional with someone who isn't likewise interested in me would be hurtful."
"Yes. You know"--a pause where Liz shrugged one shoulder--"complicated."
They sat in silence for a moment, each deep in her own thoughts. In time Abby found the courage to ask the question uppermost in her mind.
"Why doesn't he own a slave?"
"For the same reason that he keeps himself protected these days--Mara."