Chapter 8 #2
She jumped at the sound of Bertram’s gruff voice, thankful for his presence. She stood on shaky limbs and went over to hug Cindy, feeling warmer with every step she took away from the pale master with the glowing yellow eyes.
Master Bram turned his scowl on Bertram, who stormed angrily toward them.
“Good afternoon, Master Wolfe. You are interrupting my play time.”
“She is new to the scene and is not ready for your kind of play,” Bertram said, showing more teeth than usual.
“As you wish.” The pale man turned to bow at the two women. “I take my leave, ladies.” Jillian felt sure that his vicious smile would haunt her dreams for nights to come. She looked down at the floor, unable to meet his cold eyes, and when she looked up, he was gone.
As the warmth filled her body again, she met Bertram’s angry glare. “Um, did I do something wrong?” She glanced nervously from Bertram to Cindy.
He ran his hands through his hair, agitated, and turned his angry glare onto Cindy. “Cindy knows the dungeon is not for beginners. She also knows she needs a chaperone when playing.”
Cindy lowered her eyes to the floor, and her bottom lip trembled.
Jillian felt herself wither when he turned his darkened eyes toward her. “Neither one of you should ever be down here unescorted. Do you understand me, ladies?” He strode forward and took both their chins in his palms.
“Yes, sir,” they both squeaked simultaneously.
“Turn around and grab the bench,” he ordered both of them.
Jillian rushed to obey as Cindy tearfully did the same.
She felt the cool air on her bottom as Bertram yanked her skirt up, rolling it into the waistband of her underwear.
Then he grabbed her panties and yanked them in between her cheeks.
He must have done the same to Cindy, because she heard her high pitched squeal.
He picked up the small wooden brush and wasted no time in laying into Cindy’s bottom.
Jillian’s heart went out to the poor girl as she sniffled and whimpered and cried.
But suddenly, it was over, and she was the one receiving the heat of his anger.
Her bottom ached so badly as he swiftly piled one hard stroke on top of the other.
She could feel the heat in her poor backside as he continued to take turns spanking both of them with the hard brush.
“You will not go into the dungeon by yourselves, do you understand, ladies?” He gave them both a flurry of spanks, leaving Jillian shuddering and mewling as Cindy cried.
“Yes, sir! Yes, sir!” they both shouted.
“You do not play with someone who makes you feel uncomfortable.” All of his swats were directed to her this time, and she groaned. She danced on her feet and tried to escape his punishing strokes. “What was your safeword, Jillian?” He paused, and she took a large shaky breath.
“I—I didn’t have one.”
“Wrong answer.”
She cried as he continued his blistering assault back and forth across her sore bottom. “I’m sorry! I’m sorry! It won’t happen again!” she screamed and tried to shimmy away, but he pushed her back into position.
“Damn right it won’t happen again. Stay away from that blood sucking bastard!” He gave her five more hard strokes and released her.
She stood as he grabbed her skirt out of her underwear and roughly dropped it back in place. “Ouch!” She couldn’t help the whimper that escaped her lips.
He took Cindy into a big bear hug and soothed her. “It’s okay. I’m not angry with you. I was just scared.” He kissed her on her forehead and used his shirt sleeve to wipe away the tears. “Don’t play in the dungeon again without checking with me first, okay? And stay away from Master Bram.”
“Yes, Master Wolfe.” Cindy slid to her knees and grabbed his leg.
He massaged her head for a moment and lifted her to her feet. “Okay, Cindy, why don’t you go get your nap in. You’re probably tired from the long day.”
“Yes, sir. Thank you.”
He turned his dark eyes on Jillian, and she caught her shaky breath. “I’m sorry. I’ll be more careful next time.”
“Good girl. Same rules as Cindy, okay?”
She tensed when he leaned in to give her a quick hug. She nodded. “Yes, sir.”
The two women watched him stalk out of the dungeon.
“So that was a real punishment,” Cindy whispered.
“Yep.” Jillian nodded and rubbed her bottom, trying to take away some of the ache.
“I don’t think I liked it very much.” Cindy shook her head.
Jillian laughed and hugged her friend. “Me neither. Let’s go be people pleasers for the rest of the day.”
They walked, arm in arm, out of the dungeon, not seeing the jealous eyes watching them from the shadows.
BERTRAM
Bertram was hanging by a thread, and he knew it. Between his wayward “little” being cooped up with a hungry vampire during a blizzard, his lustful cravings after seeing Jillian’s bare ass again, and worrying about her and Cindy, he felt like he was about to blow a gasket—or someone’s house down.
God, what was the woman thinking? He understood Cindy could be a little flighty at times. That’s why he told her to always have a chaperone. But Jillian? She seemed so desperate to play and investigate, yet wouldn’t come to him.
Why did that thought kick him in the gut?
Probably because he liked the spirited brunette.
More than he should. He felt such a strong need to be with her, as if she were destined to be his mate.
But that was stupid. He growled and pushed a cart of towels out of his way. Matings like that were for fairytales.
He needed to talk to Jillian and clear the air. He saw her round the corner and hug Cindy before coming his way, deep in thought, not even noticing him.
He cleared his throat, startling her. “Sorry, can we talk?”
“Sure.” She swallowed and followed him into an empty play room.
“I need to apologize for my actions. I shouldn’t have spanked you like that. I lost my temper, and honestly it wasn’t my right. You had not given me permission, and you don’t work here. I shouldn’t have done that.”
“You were scared?” She looked at him in confusion.
“The dungeon isn’t the best place to learn how to be submissive. You need to take it slowly. Learn what you can handle. Gain trust with your dominant partner. Playing is fine, but you have to be safe about it.”
“And the blood sucking bastard?” She rolled her eyes and smirked.
He wanted to turn her over his knee again, but pulled every ounce of patience from his reserve and settled with his “look”.
Satisfied with her reaction, he sat down on a stool. “Master Bram is a different kind of dominant. He needs special subs who can cater to his… special needs and… tastes.”
“Okay.” She nodded.
“Will you forgive me for spanking you without your consent, Jillian? It won’t happen again. You have my word.”
She wrapped her arms around her body and looked down at the floor, whispering something he couldn’t quite make out.
“Speak up please, Jillian. I can’t understand you.”
She met his gaze, her green eyes wide and vulnerable. “What if I don’t always want to give you my consent?”
“Then I won’t spank you.”
She paced the floor and exhaled loudly. “No. That’s not what I mean!
I mean, what if you could…” She fidgeted in obvious discomfort.
“What if you turned me over your knee, even without me giving you my consent? And what if I still didn’t want you to, um,” her face flushed, “spank me, but you did anyway?”
He had to make her understand that he wouldn’t hurt her or force her into something she did not want. “I won’t do that. No more nonconsensual spankings. I promise.”
Instead of looking relieved, her eyes flashed in anger. “What if that is what I want? Or need?” she said more quietly.
Oh. He finally understood. He walked to her, took her small hand into his, and kissed it. “Jillian, that’s not what this lodge is based on. It’s based on consensual fetish. You are asking for nonconsensual spankings, and I can’t do that to you.”
Her lower lip trembled. “But if I say it’s okay for the whole time we are here, then you would have my blanket consent. You could spank me whenever you felt like it and whenever I needed it. Even if I didn’t want it.” She looked at him, wide-eyed and embarrassed, but hopeful.
He shook his head and backed a step away from her.
His fiancée had left him because she didn’t like the disciplinary aspect of their relationship.
But this was what Bertram needed, a well-rounded spanking relationship, with sexual and not-so-sexual spankings.
He needed to be in charge. It wasn’t even his wolf side that called for this. His dominant character called for it.
And Jillian had asked to try this, even though she was new to the scene and had just met him. But as much as it called to him, as much as it felt right, he needed to protect her before she got in over her head. Maybe they could try this later, after they had gotten to know each other better.
He sighed. “You’re asking for a special kind of relationship that I don’t think either of us is ready for. Not yet.”
“Fine.” Her eyes narrowed. “I’ll take care of my own needs, thank you. I’ll go find Master Bram.” She looked at him petulantly.
He growled and grabbed her shoulders roughly. “If you go to Master Bram, so help me I’ll—”
“You’ll what?” She shook herself from his grasp and gave him a piercing look. “Spank me?” She rolled her eyes and huffed and started toward the door.
“Jillian. I don’t want to blur the lines and confuse you. Um, it’s bad for business.” He realized that had been the worst thing to say when she turned her cool gaze to his.
“I am sorry my presence is interfering with your business dealings. Good afternoon, Mr. Wolfe.” She walked stiffly out the door and closed it behind her.
Shit.
He paced a long trail in the outer hallway, barking out orders at harried maids, especially the one who kept falling asleep on the job.
After thirty minutes of pacing and fuming, he still did not feel grounded.
In fact, he yelled so much, he scared poor Pino, who left a trail of towels behind him as he scurried away.
“Okay, enough scaring the workers, Daddy-o.” Redd jumped onto his back and squeezed his neck playfully.
He carried her to the sitting room and tossed her onto a couch, growling as he leaned over her body. He yanked her arm up and dug his fingers into her armpit, tickling her mercilessly.
“Stop, Daddy!” Her shrieks and laughter echoed through the room.
“Let’s try your ribs, little girl.” He tickled her until she choked out happy screams for mercy. “Do you yield, little slayer?” he smirked evilly down at her cherub face. “We can try your tummy next.”
“No! Nooooo!” she giggled and batted his hands away. “I yield. I yield!”
He scooped her up into his arms and placed the disheveled “little” onto his lap and ran his rough, scratchy cheek against hers.
“Not the beard, Daddy. No,” she pouted and giggled at him.
They caught their breaths for a few moments and snuggled.
“Thanks. I needed that. Now, what were you saying, Redd?”
She pushed off his lap and gave him a firm look.
“You’re getting that crazy look again. Like when you feel trapped and are about to go wolfy on everyone around you.
You told me to call you on it.” She put her hands on her hips.
“Some fresh air would do you some good. Why don’t you do your thing and go hunt for a while. ”
He shook his head, “It’s snowing pretty hard out there. I probably won’t have any luck finding anything.”
“But the change of ‘atmosphere’,” she over pronounced the last word, “would do you some good. Maybe you’ll get lucky.” She shrugged.
“Okay, thanks for looking out for me.” He stood and tousled her hair.
“It’s not only you I’m looking after. You made Rory cry again.”
“Well, she should stop falling asleep on the job,” he muttered. “Okay, okay, I’m heading out. Keep an eye on the front desk, please.”
“Yes, Daddy.” She gave him a mischievous look. “And this time please dry off before you come near me. Wet dog smell is so nasty.” She squealed and jumped out of the way of his approaching swat.
“Women,” he mumbled and headed toward the back door. “A hunting we will go…” he sang under his breath and slipped outside into the frigid temperatures.