Chapter 7 Two Surprises
Two Surprises
The Debriefing
I feel as if I’m floating on a comfortable bed of snowflakes suspended in the clouds. Only the whisper of the wind and the rocking motion as Matisse carries me back to the vehicle slowly returns me to my senses.
Once he sets me inside, I’m enveloped in the warmth of the car as he gently lays my head onto his lap and instructs me to rest. I snuggle against him, surprised to find that I am fully clothed.
I don’t even remember getting dressed…
I smile as I bask in the incredible high created by our encounter.
On the drive back, as I listen to the two men talk, I feel like I did when I was a child on a long ride home at night. I was content listening to my parents chatting as I drifted in and out of sleep.
“Matisse…” I murmur.
He strokes my cheek. “Oui?”
“I was afraid I might get lost trying to find you.”
He chuckles softly as he tucks a lock of hair behind my ear. “You were never alone, mon trésor.”
I look up at him questioningly.
“Valentin was with you.”
It takes a moment for my brain to register what he means, and I turn my head toward the man in the driver’s seat. But from my vantage point, I can only see the ragged scar on his cheek.
“Valentin?”
The man turns his head, momentarily pulling his attention away from the road to give me a tender look. “Every step of your journey, mademoiselle.”
I lift my head from Matisse’s lap in disbelief. “But I never saw you.”
Staring ahead at the road, Valentin explains, “You were intent on your mission. And I am…” He pauses for a moment. “…stealthy.”
Lying my head back down on Matisse’s lap, I feel a bit disconcerted because I was completely oblivious to his presence.
He smiles at me in the rearview mirror. “It was charming when you caught the snowflake in your mouth.”
I find that incredibly sweet and I am comforted by the fact that I was never in any danger. Grateful to finally know his name, I murmur, “Thank you, Valentin.”
“Of course.”
Matisse strokes my cheek lightly. In the hauntingly gruff voice of Kaelith, he tells me, “I would never allow anything to hurt you, Sophie.”
The smile returns to my face and I close my eyes, my soul content.
By the time the car pulls up to the jet on the tarmac, I’m feeling fully rested, though a part of me is still flying from the lingering high of our scene.
When Matisse insists on escorting me to the plane, I take his hand and look up into his midnight eyes. “I will never be able to express how much I love the scene you created for me.”
“It was my sincere pleasure, Miss Lane.”
I chuckle lightly when I confess, “Nothing can compare to this…I think you may have ruined me for all future auctions.”
He gazes deep into my eyes. “I enjoyed fulfilling your fantasy, mon trésor.”
I stand on tiptoe to kiss him one last time, sad that my fantasy has come to an end.
“Mr. Beaumont,” I hear Headmaster Wallace call out as he descends the stairs of the jet. “I’m looking forward to hearing how the scene played out.”
He then looks at me, studying my face briefly, before stating, “Miss Lane, please join the others for refreshments while we wait for the last two students to join us.”
Matisse squeezes my hand before letting it go, and I slowly walk up the stairway, listening to the two talk in low voices. I would give anything to hear what they are saying!
Glancing back at the red car, I wave at Valentine even though I can’t see him.
The atmosphere when I enter the plane is relaxed and congenial.
It appears that all of us are still experiencing the pleasant buzz caused by our fantasy scenes.
My stomach growls as I walk up to the beautiful arrangement on the bar, and my eyes immediately travel to the charcuterie board.
I had no idea how hungry I was until now.
I fill my plate with tasty bites and sit down in the chair next to Amethyst. “So, how was your scene?”
“Incredible,” she answers with an impish grin, taking a sip of her tea. “And yours?”
I sigh in contentment. “Mine exceeded my wildest expectations…” I nibble absently at the food, reflecting on the entire experience as we wait for the others to arrive.
When the jet finally takes off, Dono Marcelo stands up and begins the debriefing by explaining, “Anytime you have an extended BDSM scene, it’s important to discuss it afterwards. This allows you to reflect on what worked well and dissect those elements that were hindrances.”
He turns to address the girl I nicknamed Velvet Eyes on the first day of class. She’s been the quietest one in our group, so I perk up.
“We’ll begin tonight with Miss Robinson. How would you rate your experience today?”
She stares briefly at her lap before answering the panel of trainers. “It was an eight out of ten.”
Mistress Kim raises her eyebrows. “That is a high score. What would you say is the main aspect of your encounter that made it a success for you?”
Her eyes soften when she explains, “All my life, I’ve been the caregiver. This is the first time I’ve felt completely cared for and…free. Even though the feeling was fleeting, it was…glorious.”
“Excellent,” Mistress Kim replies curtly.
Lord Murray asks in a solemn tone, “Was there ever a point when you were scared or distrustful of your Dominant during the scene?”
Robinson initially shakes her head, then stops, frowns, and corrects herself. “Actually, I was highly distrustful in the beginning. But he spent time building my trust before he buckled the collar around my neck. Even then, he took control only in small increments.”
She then burst out laughing. “I never thought my silly fantasy of being someone’s pet would end up being so freeing.”
I shudder involuntarily. Although I understand everyone has their own kink, and I admire her courage for embracing it, wearing a leash hints at bondage, and that is something I would never enjoy.
Headmaster Wallace glances at me, and I quickly lower my gaze, wiping away the frown on my face that I wasn’t even aware of.
Turning to her, he states, “Miss Robinson, it is important not to label your fantasies as ‘silly’. They are simply desires that deserve to be explored.”
She smiles. “Thank you. I’m starting to realize that now.”
Once the trainers finish the discussion with Robinson, the Headmaster turns his attention to me. “How would you rate your experience today, Miss Lane?”
I can’t contain myself when I answer, “It was amazing!”
“Go on…”
“It was everything I hoped for and more,” I gush.
“Being literally lost in a forest, drinking warm mead, and being wrapped in his cloak…” I shiver in remembrance just talking about it.
“Every detail of my fantasy of being rescued by the forest spirit came true, and I fully gave into the experience. It released a whole new side of me, and then…”
Headmaster Wallace raises an eyebrow, “Yes?”
I glance at my classmates and blush when I tell him in a quieter voice, “Having someone watch us took it to a whole other level.” I smile at all the trainers. “It wasn’t even in my fantasy, but it brought something new to the experience and…I totally lost myself in it.”
“Explain what you mean,” Lord Murray commands.
I struggle to describe the experience, “It’s like the feelings got so intense that I felt like I lost myself in them. It was wild and I…” I shake my head, unsure how to explain it. “It was like I was floating on a cloud.”
I look back at Lord Murray and shrug. “I don’t know a better way to describe it.”
Dono Marcelo states, “It’s called subspace, Miss Lane.”
I stare at him in shock. “No!”
“Why do you seem surprised?” Headmaster Wallace asks with a look of amusement.
“It’s…not something I wanted to experience,” I confess to him. “I don’t like losing control.”
“And now that you’ve experienced it, how do you feel?” Mistress Kim probes.
I’m unsettled. After learning that I experienced subspace, I realize how vulnerable I was. “I’m not sure…”
Lord Murray asks in a gentle tone, “Did you enjoy yourself, lass?”
I look down at my lap, still shell-shocked by the realization, then answer meekly, “I did.”
Headmaster Wallace asks in a firm tone, “Was there ever a point when you were frightened or distrustful of your Dominant during the scene?”
I look up, answering honestly. “No.”
Mistress Kim asks, “What about the encounter made it successful for you?”
I smile hesitantly when I answer. “He captured every element I described in my journal. I truly felt I was living my fantasy.”
“Anything you would change?” Headmaster Wallace presses.
Thinking back on the entire scene, I shake my head. “Everything about the scene was perfect. I think because of that, I was able to fully embrace our encounter. But I wonder…is it possible that having an unexpected “watcher” caused me to experience subspace?”
“While that may have played a part, I believe there is something more,” he answers.
“I agree with the Headmaster,” Dono Marcelo states. “I want you to contemplate on that, Miss Lane. There may be something deeper involved.”
I nod while fidgeting nervously with the ring on my finger. But I have no clue what he means by that.
“You can ponder that later, Miss Lane,” Headmaster Wallace advises. “For now, tell us on a scale of one to ten, how you would rate the scene?”
I take a moment to think before answering. “While I wouldn’t want to change anything, I suppose I’d have to rate it a nine because of the subspace.”
Headmaster Wallace looks at me thoughtfully before moving on to Russo next. By the end of the debriefing, I’ve learned two interesting things: My fantasy was way more complicated than everyone else’s, and I’m not the only one who experienced subspace today.
After we’re dismissed, I have to cover my yawn as I head back to the cabins with the others. I can’t remember the last time I’ve felt this tired…but it’s a satisfying kind of exhaustion, and I fall asleep with a smile on my lips thinking about Kaelith.
I hurry to the coffee shop, stressing because I’m a few minutes late. I can’t wait to see Gwen and tell her everything that happened on my trip.
When I get there, I realize she must be running late, too. So, I go ahead and order off the menu for both of us. Picking a secluded spot on the outside patio so we can have a little more privacy, I sit down to people watch.
As I sit there sipping my latte, I study the people scurrying about. It dawns on me that we never really slow down here in New York. Everyone moves at a fast pace, keeping their eyes locked straight ahead as they rush to get to the next place they need to be.
I chuckle to myself, realizing how different life is here compared to France. Taking another sip of my latte, I set it down and sigh heavily.
Paris has ruined American coffee for me.
When the waitress comes to my table and sets down the croissant I always order, I stare down at it forlornly.
“Is there a problem?” she asks, sounding slightly annoyed.
“Yes. Paris happened to me.”
She rolls her eyes and heads back into the coffee shop.
Worried Gwen may have forgotten about our morning date, I grab my phone to text her.
You coming?
I watch the dot-dot-dot-bubble as she types her reply.
Almost there…order me the usual
Already did!
I smile when I spot Gwen in the crowd and wave to her, but she doesn’t immediately see me.
Just as I’m about to call out her name, she suddenly stops in the middle of the sidewalk.
Taking off her sunglasses, she quickly wipes her red-rimmed eyes before slipping them back on and plants a big smile on her face.
My heart aches as I watch her head toward the outside cafe, unaware that I’ve been watching her the whole time.
What the hell happened, G?