As the train rolled through the countryside, Jen realised that one of the advantages of being unemployed was that you didn't have to travel at the same time as everyone else. Sure, there were all the drawbacks - her rapidly expanding overdraft being the most prominent of those - but for now she could enjoy the fact that the train was almost empty, feeling like a private carriage taking her where she wanted to go. She didn't have to worry about finding a seat or being crammed in with commuters and instead had a whole row to herself. Indeed, except for the couple of people at the other end of the carriage, she was alone, and she was making the most of it. She was petite, so didn't normally take up much space as it was, but now she could spread out on the row of seats, resting her legs out on them as though it were one big couch.

The countryside they were passing through was pretty, but it got boring after a while and she lost herself in her book instead, barely noticing that the train had stopped at a small station and then pulled away again. Jen was only aware of it when she saw that someone else had boarded and sat down on a seat near her. She glanced up from her book, wondering why this person had decided to sit so close to her, when so many other seats were free, hoping it wasn't some guy who was going to try and chat her up. She relaxed inwardly when she saw it was another woman then tensed again, but in a different way, when she saw how attractive the new passenger was.

Jen had always regarded herself as bisexual, but it had been a while since she'd made love with another woman. Indeed, breaking that long empty streak had been part of the reason for this trip up to see Kelly. The two of them had always been friends more than they'd been lovers, even when they were sharing a flat during their final year at University, but they'd both enjoyed scratching the other's itch and providing sexual release when there were no boyfriends around to do it. They'd not seen each other for almost a year since their graduation and Jen had eagerly accepted her Kelly's invitation to come and visit her at the different college where she was studying for a Masters degree, a chance to pretend she was a student again for a few days rather than an unemployed graduate. Neither of them had said it in so many words - they never did - but they'd both lamented their mutual lack of sex lives on the phone when planning Jen's visit and she was sure that this would be rectified for both of them.

Although Jen had been with many more men than women as lovers, she had always preferred female bodies to male ones and the woman sitting opposite her possessed what was easily one of the most beautiful bodies she'd ever seen. Partly because the thought of getting together with Kelly again soon was prominent in her mind, Jen found herself continually looking at the woman, stealing glances up from her book every few moments. The woman was busy looking through papers and talking on a mobile phone to someone, her accent refined and aristocratic, but not disarmingly so.

Her hair caught Jen's attention first - long and a deep shade of red, curling ever so slightly as it flowed over her shoulders. She was in either her late 20s or early 30s, Jen thought, but however old she was she clearly looked after her body and was proud to show it off with its mixture of slim elegance and rounded curves in all the right places. She had a beautifully long, almond-shaped face with high cheekbones rising up from full red lips, her skin just pale enough to offset and accentuate the red of her hair. Her clothes fitted her so well they looked as though they had been made for her and her alone - a perfectly fitting white silk blouse that hugged her stomach and then moved out smoothly to show off her full round breasts and tight leather trousers that seemed to move with her like a tight second skin around long slim legs that tapered down to stiletto boots made of a matching material. Jen was amazed that a woman as beautiful as this was even travelling by train - she looked like the sort of person made to travel everywhere by chauffeured limousine and private jet.

They stopped at another small station. The people at the far end of the carriage got off, leaving the two of them alone as no one else got on board. As the train pulled out of the station and slowly picked up speed again, the woman finished her conversation and put the phone back in her elegant handbag, along with the papers she'd been consulting. Jen turned back to her book.

'Did you like what you saw?' Jen looked up. The woman was staring straight at her, a smile playing at the corner of her mouth, a glint in her grey eyes.

'What do you mean?' Jen asked her, feeling herself blush, embarrassed at being caught out when she thought she'd been subtle. She was expecting the woman to stand up and angrily walk off to the other end of the carriage, but instead she just sat there, her eyes burning into Jen.

'I said, did you like what you saw? You've spent the last half hour looking me up and down, haven't you? Did you think I hadn't noticed?'

'I'm sorry. I -'

'Sorry? Why? Do you think I don't like being looked at by girls? If I didn't like it, I'd have got up and moved.'

Jen was dumbfounded by this and couldn't think of anything to say. She could feel herself blushing furiously under the woman's gaze and part of her wished for the seat to open up and swallow her. Another part of her was intrigued, unsure just what the woman had been implying.

'You are a quiet one, aren't you? What's your name?'

'Jen.'

'Well Jen, as you've had such a good look at me, I think it's only fair that I get a look at you, don't you think? Stand up.'

Jen wanted to protest and refuse, but something in the woman's tone compelled her to obey. She stood carefully, wobbling a little with the movement of the train and the shakiness of her legs and took a couple of steps so she was standing in front of the woman. Jen knew she wasn't dressed anywhere near as glamourously as her, but she was glad she'd made a bit of an effort with her appearance, wanting to let Kelly know she was looking for sex when she arrived. The woman stretched out a hand and placed it on Jen's hip, causing her to gasp involuntarily as she softly moved it up her side lifting her short skirt slightly then letting her fingers slide over the soft wool of her tight sweater. Jen could feel her breathing becoming faster, more ragged as the woman's hand moved towards her breast then was quickly taken away.

'Very nice indeed, my dear Jen. I think I'd like to see more and I think you won't mind showing me more, will you? Sit down and remove your shoes.'

Part of Jen's mind was screaming at her, asking her what she thought she was doing, but she ignored it, feeling intoxicated by this mysterious woman's presence, knowing that to stop, to refuse, would mean she'd leave her and she'd never know any more of her, probably never see her again. Jen knew that she wanted to be with this woman more than anyone else she'd ever met before and would do anything for that. She sat on the seat directly opposite the woman and slid off her shoes.

'Good. Now, you look warm enough, so I think you can remove your tights as well, can't you?' She was still looking directly at Jen, impassive and almost daring her to refuse. Jen reached up under her skirt and hooked her fingers into the waistband of her tights, sliding them down over her smooth legs. As she exposed them, she was aware of how imperfect they seemed compared to the leather-clad ones opposite her. As she slid them off her feet the woman held out her hand, and Jen gave them to her, watching her smile as she put them in her bag. That done, she leant forward and ran her hands down Jen's bare legs, letting the tips of her fingers run along them. Jen watched, seeing the perfect blood red ovals of her nails flow over her skin, a feeling like millions of tiny electric shocks bursting underneath them.

'And finally, for now, your underwear.' She looked up questioningly at Jen, her hands still gently resting just below her knees, as if she wondered whether she'd take this final step. Jen breathed deeply and acted quickly before her courage could dissipate. She put her hands back under her skirt and quickly removed the small pair of lacy panties she was wearing. As she slid them down, the woman sat back in her chair watching intently, then taking the panties from Jen and softly sniffing them before placing them in her bag with the tights. Jen had never been out like this before, naked beneath a skirt she wished were longer, feeling the gentle breeze that moved through the carriage brush against her dampness.

'Now, do you taste as good as you smell, dear Jen?' She said, and moved forward again, sliding on her seat till she was perched on the end, her legs interlaced with Jen's rubbing the tight leather against her bare skin. She placed her right hand on the inner thigh of Jen's right leg and slowly moved it up. Jen could feel her legs parting almost involuntarily as the woman's hand moved towards her wet slit. Their faces were close, so close Jen could feel the softness of the woman's breath on her cheek, see her flawless smooth skin so close, her eyes still staring deep into her, almost completely unblinking, the soft scent of her perfume filling her nostrils. Jen tried to keep her breathing under control as she felt the woman's hand move further up her thigh until it nestled between her legs.

Jen let out a soft contented moan as she felt a solitary finger rub against the soft lips of her pussy, moving slowly up and down and then sliding easily inside her. It moved slightly inside her before the woman slowly pulled it out and carefully removed her hand from under her skirt. Jen kept absolutely still as she watched the woman raise her hand up between their faces. The woman parted her lips and then slowly sucked on her finger, smiling as she tasted Jen's juices in her mouth. After she'd sucked it all off her finger she removed it, licking her lips as she moved back to her seat.

'Very nice. Very nice indeed. Now tell me, dear Jen, how far you're planning on travelling on this train today.'

'To the end of the line. I'm visiting a ... friend.'

'Really? Well, I'm getting off at the next station, so you have a choice to make, my dear.'

'A choice?'

'Yes. You have to decide if you want to stay on this train, carry on to see your 'friend' and leave me with just the souvenirs you've given me, or you can delay seeing your friend for a day and come with me when I get off.' She glanced at her watch. 'You have a couple of minutes before we get there to decide, and I want you to remain silent while you think over your options. I shall get off and leave when we get there, and you must decide whether to follow me or not.'

As she finished speaking, Jen felt the train beginning to slow down as her mind raced through the two choices. Carry on to see Kelly and explain why she was without tights or underwear and how she turned down this beautiful woman for her, or abandon her friend for this unique chance? She knew there wasn't really a choice, and that it had effectively been made as soon as the option was given to her.

The train pulled into another quiet station. Jen watched the woman stand up and walk to the doors, not even glancing at her as she passed through them and stepped onto the platform. Quickly, Jen picked up her bag and followed her, the cool air outside bringing goose pimples to her bare legs and exciting her naked pussy.

Aside from the woman, there was no one else on the station. The train pulled away leaving the two of them on the platform. As it left the woman turned round and smiled as she saw Jen standing there.

'Good. Now we can really begin. Follow me.'

The car sped through the quiet country roads. It was a black Audi, still shiningly new but the woman drove it as though she'd been part of it for her whole life, effortlessly taking it at speed through the twisty corners, gripping the corners like a professional racing driver. They'd driven like this ever since they'd left the railway station, the woman's car waiting for her in the car park there.

Fast driving like this usually scared Jen, ever since a teenaged boyfriend had nearly killed them both when his showing off had almost resulted in a collision with a lorry, but now she felt totally safe sitting in the passenger seat with her hands folded demurely in her lap. Everything about this woman made her feel different to how she had before she'd got on that train, and this was no exception. She looked over at her occasionally and saw how her focus on the road mirrored the total focus she had shown towards Jen on the train, her concentration seeming to bend the road to her will as it had claimed Jen.

'You should call your friend now and tell her you've been delayed.' The woman said, not taking her eyes off the road.

'What should I tell her?' Jen replied, taking her mobile phone out of her bag. She wondered what Kelly's reaction would be to being told that she'd met a beautiful stranger who'd captivated and seduced her on the train and was now taking her back to her place, wherever that may be.

'Tell her you've been delayed, but don't tell her why, and let her know you'll be there tomorrow. That's all she needs to know.'

She made the call and got Kelly's voicemail, her phone obviously turned off. She was glad about that, not sure if she'd have been able to explain it to Kelly in person. unsure of how she'd have answered the inevitable questions. Now, that could wait until tomorrow. She kept her voice as steady as possible when leaving a message. 'Hi Kelly, it's me. Look, I'm really sorry but something's come up and I can't make it up today but I'll be there tomorrow, I promise, OK? See you then.'

'Good.' The woman said. 'Now turn off the phone and put it in the glove compartment. You won't need it for now.' Jen did as she was told, ignoring the part of her mind that tried to protest, and sat back in her demure position. She looked over at the woman next to her and watched her lick her lips slowly as she concentrated on driving.

'I need to taste you again, dear Jen. Wet two fingers for me, please.'

She didn't need to be asked twice. The woman had turned the air conditioning on high when they got in the car and the cool breeze had been playing between her legs, teasing her, reminding her of how open she was underneath her skirt. Jen pulled up her skirt with her right hand, and slowly ran two fingers over her exposed lips, feeling them slide across, sending notes of welcome pleasure through her body as the palm of her hand brushed against her clit. Gently, she pushed the tips of her fingers against her lips, feeling them give way easily, her moistness easily lubricating their way inside her. She felt a growing desire to come within her as she penetrate herself, the fingers slipping easily into her, but she resisted the temptation to bring herself off there and then, knowing that was not what had been asked of her, feeling that she should do exactly what had been requested of her by this gorgeous woman beside her.

She could feel the wetness all over her fingers as she slid them out of her. As she moved her hand away, a thin trail of her juices fell onto her exposed thigh creating another pleasurable sensation for her as they quickly dried and cooled in the fresh conditioned air. Carefully, she moved her hand towards the woman, not wanting to disturb her concentration on the road. As she got closer to her lips, she opened her mouth slowly, her tongue coming out in a slow lapping motion, beckoning her in. Jen closed her eyes as she felt the touch of that tongue on her finger tips, slowly tracing around her nails, sliding all around them, gently coaxing the fingers into her mouth until she'd taken them fully in, her tongue hard against them, moving them around her mouth, almost sucking on them.

Jen could smell the musk of her arousal filling the car, mixing with the woman's sweet perfume to create an intoxicating mix in the cool air. She sighed as the woman finished licking at her fingers, gently pushing them out of her mouth and letting Jen return her hand to her lap. Jen opened her eyes and looked over at the woman as she smiled and licked her lips. Looking down at her fingers, she saw a faint trace of red around the base of them from the woman's rich lipstick marking her like a ring around them. They drove on in silence, the woman concentrating on the road, Jen not wanting to say anything that would break the sultry, sexual mood that filled the car.

'Here we are.' The woman said, as they turned another corner onto a short track through some trees. They emerged from the small copse in front of a large house, something between an old farmhouse and country retreat that looked several hundred years old. There was a modern garage attached to one side of it and the car headed towards there, the door opening automatically as they approached and closing silently behind them as the woman parked.

'Now, before we go in, these are the rules. There are only three, but I expect them to be obeyed at all times. First, once you cross through that doorway there into the house itself, you become totally mine until tomorrow and will obey any orders I give you. You are to do nothing unless I expicitly command you to do it. Second, for you I have only one name and that is 'Mistress'. You shall refer to me as that and that only while you are in my house. Thirdly, you are to remove all your remaining clothes before entering the house to signify that you are my possession. The only clothes you will wear in there will be ones I give you. Do you understand?'

Jen swallowed hard, trying to conquer her nerves, not wanting her voice to waver. 'Yes, Mistress.'

'Good girl.' She smiled again, her face lighting up with delight. 'Now, I am going to go into the house. I want you to remain here and think over those rules before following me. Remember that once you enter I will have your total obedience. If you feel you cannot give me that, remain seated here for half an hour and I will return you to the train station. But, if you choose to come in and give yourself to me freely, I promise to introduce you to a world of pleasure that you have never dreamed existed before. Think carefully, and I will await you inside.'

With that, she swiftly moved out of the car and walked into the house. Jen watched her as she disappeared through the doorway and felt an urge to run after her, stripping off her clothes as she went, to give herself to Mistress as soon as possible. She resisted it, knowing that this was a test she had been set, a last chance to stop this if she wanted to or a chance to show she fully understood what she was letting herself in for.

Mistress. She ran the word through her head, thinking of all its implications. She had heard of people like that, people who took their pleasure from dominating others who submitted to them. Submissive. That was her, what Mistress wanted of her, what she wanted her to be, someone who gave herself to another willingly, someone who put themselves in the hands of a Mistress for greater pleasure. She'd always thought that people like that only existed in fantasy, not in the real world, not in the world she lived in and especially not her. But now she realised that Mistress had merely awoken and discovered a tendency that had been in her always - the helpless girl who always let her lovers, both male and female, take the lead, who had taken the most pleasure from giving up control, from being taken. She just hadn't known the experience could be as pure as this, this total surrender to another. From that moment on the train when Mistress had commanded her to stand up through to now she'd been in a new world of submission, of giving up all pretence of control of the situation, and it had made her feel better than ever before.

She closed her eyes, breathed deeply and centred herself, preparing to take that final step, letting go of her last few fears and worries and letting herself feel on a level beyond mere knowledge that she could do this, could place her trust, her obedience, her life in the hands of Mistress. As she opened her eyes she felt a new sensation of peace and serenity wash over her, knowing that although chance had placed her here, it was fate that had shown her that this was her true path.

Jen stepped out of the car and undressed swiftly, removing her sweater, bra, and skirt, folding them neatly, then placing them on the car seat, laying her shoes on top. She looked down at them as she walked away from the car, her feet slapping on the cold stone floor, as though she was saying goodbye to an old life, then looked towards the doorway and walked into her new life.

Jen felt something change within her as she crossed through the doorway and entered Mistress' house. In part, it was just butterflies in her stomach, anticipation building quickly within her as she knew that all the mysterious promise Mistress offered was now within her grasp, but it was also more than that, an amplified version of the same feeling she'd had leaving her clothes in the car, that feeling that she was shedding an old skin, an old life, and becoming someone new. She knew that if just a couple of hours ago someone had told her that she'd be walking naked into another woman's house she'd have laughed, but now it seemed like the most natural thing to do.

The house was clearly very old but had been well maintained. She walked into a large, spacious, high-ceilinged room, ancient beams supporting the walls around them, smooth warm wood on the floor. The room was sparsely decorated - a few framed stylised pictures of nude women on plain white walls, two large sash windows, an empty fireplace, a couple of leather couches but nothing else. Two closed doors in the far walls obviously led on to the rest of the house.

Mistress stood in the centre of the room, casually, her hands behind her back as she watched Jen walk towards her. Jen stopped a few paces away from her, waiting for her to say something, give her some command, but she just stood there silently, coolly looking Jen up and down, examining her nude body. Suddenly, Jen realised what was expected of her and crouched down, falling to her knees on the floor, lowering her head folding her hands in her lap as though she was in prayer. Mistress remained silent, but then Jen heard the click of her heels on the floor as she walked towards her and then around her in a wide circle before stopping in front of her. With her head lowered, Jen could still see Mistress' leather boots, shining slightly in the sun that drifted in through the winters, flickering through the leaves of the trees that surrounded the house.

'Excellent, dear Jen, excellent.' She could almost hear the smile in Mistress' voice, the soft purring tones of her voice. 'Now, sit up straight and look at me.'

Jen had been aware before that Mistress was taller than her, but this was a revelation to her as she craned her neck back to look up at the beautiful face staring down at her. Even as she looked she felt as though she were shrinking in her presence, so completely dominant did she appear. She held her hands in front of her now, what looked like a small black leather belt between them.

'While you are with me, I will give you many gifts, but this collar is the first, and all others lead from it. By entering my house, you have already given yourself to me, but this is to serve as a reminder that while you wear it, you are my possession. Take it and put it on, but understand that only I can take it off you.'

She held it out to Jen, who raised her hands to receive it. It was almost two inches wide, with a buckle like a belt, but far too short to fit around anyone's waist. Jen carefully lifted it to her throat and then wrapped it around her neck, careful to avoid trapping any of her dark curly hair between it and her skin as she slid the strap through the buckle and fixed it tightly.

'Is it comfortable, sweet Jen?'

'Yes, Mistress, very comfortable.'

'Good. Now roll your head around to be sure it doesn't chafe you badly, or restrict your breathing.' Jen did as she was commanded, feeling the leather pinch slightly, but not uncomfortably, already bending and moulding to her shape. 'Is it good?'

'Yes, Mistress.'

'Good, now stand up and let me examine my new slave properly.'

Slave. As Mistress said that word, Jen realised that was what she had become in just a short space of time. A willing slave, someone who gave themselves to another completely, totally devoted to their owner's wishes. It was as though she had become an entirely new person - the old Jen would have recoiled from the very concept, but the new Jen revelled in it, feeling pleasure at just being described in that way. She stood up carefully, not wanting to lose her balance and end up embarrassing herself by sprawling on the floor before Mistress, eventually standing straight with her arms hanging by her sides.

Mistress moved close to her as she stood, moving her body so it pressed lightly against Jen's, letting Jen feel the soft warmth of leather against her legs, the cool silk of Mistress' blouse brushing against her chest. She placed her hands under Jen's chin, slowly raising her face to look at her, then moving her slender fingers over her cheeks, running them through her hair, her face so close to Jen's they were almost touching, her soft sweet breath playing over Jen's lips. Jen knew she wanted to kiss those beautiful full lips, taste her Mistress' mouth on hers. Her whole mind seemed focused on doing that, but she resisted, remembering that she had could only follow Mistress' orders, and she had not been told to kiss her. Then, suddenly, Mistress moved back, her hands moving down over Jen's shoulders to her small round breasts, cupping them gently from beneath, her thumbs just below her nipples. She smiled, her mouth opening slightly to reveal perfect white teeth behind the bright red lips.

'You wished to kiss me then, didn't you my dear?'

'Yes, Mistress.' Jen blushed, slightly ashamed at being so obvious in her desire.

'But you resisted and that's good. You knew I hadn't told you to, so you denied your desire as a good slave should. Well done, sweet Jen, you are showing me that I made a good choice in taking you.' As she talked her thumbs moved upwards slightly so they rested on the tips of Jen's nipples, moving slightly, making them harden with arousal. 'When you are with me, you will feel many urges to take your pleasure now, give in to your desires, but I want you to learn to resist them. Do you understand?'

'Yes, Mistress, I think so.'

'Until now, I'm sure that you've just seen sex as a way to get your gratification as quickly as possible, whoever you're with, whether you're making love or just fucking. I offer you more than that, a true discovery of the world of your sensuality, a chance to find pleasures you never knew existed.' Her thumbs were moving even more now, the tips of her fingers stroking the underside of Jen's breasts. Her words filled Jen's soul, the softness of her voice echoing deep within her mind. 'You have given over control of your desires to me, my dear Jen, and in the time we have together, I will show you how to resist them, how you can earn your greatest pleasures. You want to make love to me, don't you Jen, explore my body, taste me, explore me, make me writhe in pleasure, don't you?'

'Yes Mistress, oh yes.' Just the thought of it was filling her with desire, adding extra textures to the waves of pleasure moving through her body from her aroused breasts.

'Well, that is a pleasure you must earn. You are well on the way so far, but you must show me you are worthy of sharing my bed, even as a slave.' She moved closer to Jen again, her hands sliding off her breasts and down across her stomach until they rested on her hips. Then Mistress slowly crouched down, her hands smoothly moving down the outside of Jen's bare thighs, knees, calves until they circled her ankles.

'Move your legs apart for me, my dear.' Jen obeyed, carefully moving one foot across the wooden floor, feeling the air move steadily between her legs, cooling the warmth between them slightly. Mistress moved her hands to the inside of her legs now, her fingers tracing slow circles as she rose, gradually standing up, moving her feet slightly until she was behind Jen, her hands now resting flat on the front of her thighs, slowly pulling herself close up against Jen's back, letting Jen feel the smoothness of silk against it, her rear pressed against the leather. Mistress moved her hands together, her thumbs and fingers forming a heart around Jen's pussy, nestled in the soft hair but just short of touching her intimately.

Jen could feel both of their hearts beating, hers going hard and fast, Mistress' slow and steady as she held them together, her breathing steady as she rested her head on Jen's shoulder, her legs bent at the knees as she leant into her. For what seemed like an eternity to Jen, they remained like that, the room silent, only the faint sounds of the countryside outside disturbing the room. Slowly, almost imperceptibly, Jen felt Mistress' thumbs move, moving through the soft down of her public hair until they were both hovering just above her clit. At the same time, she moved her first fingers up towards them, moving them in until they were resting on the wet lips of her pussy. Mistress moved her hip against Jen, grinding against her and pushing her sensitive areas onto Mistress' fingers which began to rub her, her thumbs making tiny circles on and round her clit, her fingers rubbing up against her lips. Jen could feel herself getting wetter as Mistress did this to her, keeping the same rhythmic movements of her body against hers, Jen doing her best to keep the control of herself that Mistress had demanded, her body filling with sensation as the pleasure from her clit met with the residual waves from her aroused breasts.

She bit her lip, closing her eyes as another wave of joy washed through her and subsided. She realised that Mistress' had been right and that each time she resisted the siren song of the pleasure within her, those calls to give way to the pleasure and surrender to the release of orgasm, she felt better and better, the level of pleasure throughout her body already higher than anything she had every experienced before, her nerves tingling throughout her body, not just in her aroused areas. She felt Mistress slow down the rhythm of her grinding, her fingers and thumbs slowly relenting from the pressure they'd been exerting on her until it finally ceased and they were still and silent again. She could feel their heartbeats again - hers going almost uncontrollably, Mistress' still slow and steady against her back.

'Well done, my sweet.' Mistress murmured into her ear. 'You are already learning quickly and well. Now take your reward.' She raised her hands up from between Jen's legs and presented her with one of the fingers that had been rubbing her pussy. Jen could see that it was glistening slickly with her juices and took it into her mouth eagerly, seeing Mistress take the other finger into her own mouth. Jen sucked hungrily on Mistress' finger, wrapping her tongue around it as it slid deep into her mouth. She'd never tasted herself so purely before, occasionally getting a sense of her own taste from a lover's lips, but now she eagerly accepted her own scent in her mouth, knowing that it belonged to her Mistress.

When she had taken all the flavour from the finger, Mistress slid it out of Jen's mouth and adjusted her position slightly, her left arm reaching around Jen's body to grasp her right breast firmly, her right moving down her back, fingertips tracing her spine all the way down until it reached the soft globes of her rear. She massaged cheek and breast simultaneously for a short while, before moving her hand between the cheeks, tracing up and down the crack with the tip of one of her nails. Jen gasped in shock as she felt this, then again and louder as Mistress caught her right nipple between two nails, holding it just tightly enough for Jen to sense a tiny amount of pain. It only served to heighten the feelings of the pleasure within her.

Mistress stroked her between her cheeks a few times, then paused as she reached the tight hole there. She circled it with her nail then placed her fingertip on it, pushing at it enough for Jen to feel the pressure, but not enough to penetrate inside her.

'Tell me something, dear Jen.' Her mouth was right by Jen's ear and even though her voice was low, it seemed to fill her entire mind again. 'Has anyone gone further than this?' She pushed with her finger again, enough that Jen could feel her hole starting to spread open beneath the pressure.

'No, no, Mistress. No one.'

'Are you sure, my sweet? Most girls resist a lot harder the first time. You wouldn't lie to me, would you? That would upset me, and then you'd have to be punished.'

'I'm sure Mistress. I feel safe with you, Mistress, ready to do whatever you want me to.'

'Mmm.' It was a drawn out noise, almost like a cat purring in her ear, a vibration felt between both of their bodies. 'That's what I like to hear.' She removed her finger, releasing her grip on Jen's nipple at the same time. For a moment, Jen was briefly free of her grip but then came an entirely new sensation as Mistress slapped her on her bare cheek. She heard it as she felt it, a loud slap disturbing the silence of the room as she felt the flesh around her rear sting. The shock made her gasp and cry out a little. As she recovered, Mistress walked round to stand in front of her again.

'That was to let you know that not all of your sensations will be pleasurable while you are with me. But then, as you'll discover, the line between pain and pleasure is thin, even at the best of times.' She smiled again, a mixture of warmth and warning showing on her face. 'As you do what I expect, you will move towards your ultimate reward, but you will make mistakes along the way. These will be punished, in order to ensure you don't repeat that mistake again. Do you understand?'

'Yes, Mistress.' Jen thought she understood what she meant. Already the stinging sensation had disappeared from her cheek to be replaced by a healing warmth that mixed with the pleasure elsewhere in her body.

'Good. Now follow me and we'll proceed to the next stage of your journey.' She turned quickly and headed for one of the doors, opening it and heading through. Walking carefully, the muscles in her legs slightly shaky after what had just transpired, Jen followed, wondering what would come next.

The room through the doorway was smaller and darker than the one Jen had just left. The walls were painted a deep blue with the thick carpet under her feet a similar shade and a single window letting in dappled light from the rear of the house. In the centre of the room there was a bed in a wrought iron frame, the mattress covered with blue sheets only and what looked like ribbons hanging from the frame. From looking round the room, she could see that this was not Mistress' own bed - the room was almost bare, except for a few small shelves with candles on them. Mistress stood on the other side of the room, the bed between her and Jen.

'Come, my dear.' She spoke, her voice warm and inviting. 'Lie down here.' She patted the bed with her hand. Jen obeyed the instruction and climbed onto the bed, noting as she touched it that the sheet covering it was silk, warm to the touch. She lay on her back, arms loosely at her side, legs straight, looking up towards Mistress standing over her.

'Good. Now, my dear, it is time for you to learn of the pleasures of restraint. As this will be the first time this has been done to you, it may be uncomfortable at times because your body is not used to it but the minor discomfort should only serve to heighten your pleasure when you become accustomed to it. It is the role of a slave to accept whatever discomfort her Mistress deems her worthy of, of course, but I am still learning about the limits your body can take. If you reach a point when your body becomes too painful or you are about to incur irreparable damage then you are to say the word 'strawberry' and I will stop and untie you immediately. Do you understand?'

'Yes, Mistress, I understand.'

'Good. Now, hold out your arms for me.' Jen stretched out her arms until she was in a cruciform position. Mistress grabbed her right wrist as it came to close to her and took one of the ribbons from the bed, tying it round Jen's wrist firmly then affixing it to the frame of the bed. As she walked around the bed to do the same to the other, Jen could feel the smooth material rubbing against her wrist, some mix of silk and satin, fixed tight enough to prevent her hands from slipping out but loose enough to not damage her. As Mistress tied her other wrist to the other corner of the bed, Jen could feel the muscles of her shoulder and upper body being stretched and strained slightly, her breasts perking as the muscles pulled upwards.

She could see Mistress walking down to the bottom of the bed, wrapping the silk straps around her ankles and then fixing her legs in an open position, finally leaving Jen in an 'X' on the bed, stretched out but with just enough slack in the straps to move slightly and relieve the strain on her body when it was needed. She could see Mistress standing at the end of the bed, leaning on the iron frame as she looked over her, smiling wickedly.

'Mmm. You look delectable, my sweet Jen. But a few more things first.' She moved away from the bed and walked over to the left of the room. Jen turned her head and could just see her on the periphery of her vision, reaching up to one of the shelves and taking a box of long matches. Her eyes tracked Mistress around the room as best they could from that position, watching her light a series of candles, before she disappeared behind the bed. Jen heard a dragging noise as the room suddenly went darker and surmised that Mistress had drawn the curtains, the room now only lit by the flickering light of the candles.

The sound of Mistress' heels was muffled by the carpet, and Jen was surprised when she saw her head appear directly above hers, upside down as she leant over the head of the bed, her hair, coloured all sorts of shades by the flickering candle light, falling around her face, casting it in shadow.

Her voice came out of that shadowed space, as commanding and irresistible as before. 'One last thing. Raise your head for me.'

Jen pulled on the straps around her wrists to take the strain from her back as she raised her head up from the softness of the bed. As she did, she saw Mistress' hands move swiftly towards her, something between them... and then, nothing as what felt like thick velvet covered her eyes, a blindfold swiftly fitted tightly, blocking out all the light.

'Now lay your had back down slowly.' Jen did as Mistress' voice commanded, sensing that she was moving around the room as she spoke, but unable to pinpoint where. 'Now, I must leave you alone for a few brief moments, but do not fear, for I shall return.' Jen heard one of the doors open and close quickly, and then she was alone.

For a moment, Jen wondered if Mistress had tricked her, merely opening and closing the door while remaining in the room. She tried to remain still, breathing only softly, her heart slowly returning to its normal rate after its exertions in the other room. She tried to listen for sounds of Mistress moving round the room, or merely standing still and breathing, but she couldn't tell. As she lay there trying to sense Mistress, she felt something else, something like an absence, a hollow in the centre of her self. She thought about what she was feeling and realised that Mistress had left her alone, that her body, her soul was telling her that she was alone, however temporarily. She shuddered as she realised what it meant, how close she was already becoming to Mistress, what she had become to Jen in this short time. Already, she had grown used to the collar around her neck, accepted it's grip on her throat, the feel of the bonds around her wrists and ankles already felt natural to her.

She breathed deeply, trying to calm herself again, hoping that she could breathe in what trace of Mistress' sweet scent was left in the room. Instead, she breathed in a new aroma, the heady, sensual smell from the candles as it filled the room. She could recognise some scents from candles she had burned herself, but others were new to her, mixing richly into an aroma that was just enough to distract her senses, just heady enough to relax her and make her happy to wait, knowing that Mistress wouldn't abandon her. She relaxed, thinking of the path that had brought her here, and wondering what delights Mistress would show her next.

She didn't move or speak as heard the door reopen, then close again swiftly afterwards, wanting to show Mistress how calm she was, how accepting she was of her new presence. She could feel that hole within her close as she heard Mistress walk around the room, her senses heightened by the blindfold, able to smell traces of Mistress' scent amidst the aroma of the candles. The mattress to the left of her sank downwards as Mistress moved onto it and Jen was able to hear her shallow breathing as she slid close to her.

The first touch was a hand on her stomach, Mistress' hand laid flat on it then moving around, her fingers tracing the lines of Jen's muscles, making little patterns on her skin, then another hand added there, moving wider over her chest, along her sides and her arms, feeling the tension in her sinews, caressing her softly and warmly. Then, a softness on her belly as Mistress' hair moved across it, Jen vividly seeing the pattern of auburn curls on her pale skin in her mind's eye. Involuntarily she squirmed as Mistress' lips touched her navel, as soft and wet as she had imagined them being, but also cold, the brief chill unexpected to her warm body. Mistress' lips moved up her body, her hands now stroking the sides of Jen's breasts, kissing the little hollow between them before placing them on her left nipple.

Jen could feel her nipple hardening against the cold touch of Mistress' lips, her body starting to pull against her bonds as her pleasure increased. Then she felt Mistress' mouth open, sucking her nipple into her mouth and the cold touch became more intense as her nipple touched the shard of ice in Mistress' mouth. She gasped at the shock of the cold, her body reacting to the strange new feeling as Mistress' cold tongue flicked against the engorged nub, alternating contact with the ice. All her senses seemed to be concentrated on that one tiny point of her body and she could feel the patterns on Mistress' tongue as it rubbed against her, sense the crystals of the ice melting as they came into contact with her body. Soon, all the ice had melted away and she felt Mistress draw away from her and climb off the bed. Jen felt herself about to plead for more but stopped herself, knowing this would displease Mistress.

Then, the mattress to the right of her sank down and she realised Mistress was about to repeat her actions on the other side. It came again, the soft caress of her hands, the smooth touch of her hair, the cold kisses on her chest and then her right nipple became the centre of her pleasure, as Mistress' icy kiss landed upon it. She remembered what Mistress had told her earlier and focused on her pleasure, trying to control herself and not seek the release that was so close. Her legs pulled at their bonds as she tried to pull them together, feeling the wetness building in her slit, hoping would Mistress would soon pay her attention there.

As the ice melted, she felt Mistress move away again and this time the mattress between her legs sank away from her and she realised that Mistress was kneeling there, feeling the warm leather of her trousers rub against her legs. Again, she saw it in her mind's eye, her pale body stretched out on the dark silk, flickering shadows playing across it while a vision of beauty kneeled between her legs, the leather on her legs flowing in the light like a second skin, colours playing in her hair.

Her thoughts was disrupted by a new sensation from her legs, a point of cold on the top of each of her thighs each a mirror image of the location of the other. She could sense them moving in parallel, Mistress using them to trace patterns on her legs. As each melted, they left a thin trail of water behind, leaving the pattern cool on her leg as it slowly dissipated into her skin. She tried to concentrate on the patterns to see what Mistress was tracing, but her mind was confused, distracted by the mirrored sensations coming from each leg, slowly moving higher. She could sense the shards melting against the warmth of her body, the tips of Mistress' fingers coming closer to her skin, occasionally brushing against her, the spots of rare warmth adding to the crazy sensations moving through her. Then, as the shards became shorter, Mistress quickly traced them up over her chest, quickly circling her still erect nipples, along the cords of her neck and to her lips. Jen opened her mouth eagerly and felt Mistress slowly dangle one of the shards between her lips, gripping it between two fingers as it rubbed on her tongue. Jen let Mistress slide her fingers along her tongue, sucking on them and the ice, feeling it melt as she warmed the cool flesh of Mistress' fingers with her tongue.

As one shard melted on her tongue, Mistress traced the other under Jen's chin, the cool water mixing with the beads of sweat that had begun to form, it's movement paralleling the up and down slide of Mistress' fingers within her mouth. Swiftly, she swapped one set of fingers for the others, her warm fingers now stroking the side of Jen's neck. Despite the effect of the ice, Jen could feel her body on fire, her hips moving up and down in rhythm with Mistress' stroking, feeling the warmth of her body so close to her, but denied the contact she craved.

As the last of the ice in her mouth melted, Mistress withdrew her fingers from Jen's mouth. Jen felt the mattress beneath her head sink as Mistress' hands moved there, her weight shifting forward. Again, she felt the soft caress of Mistress' long hair on her body, first on her stomach with additional delight as a few strands moved, gossamer-light, across her clit. Then, it moved up her body, brushing over her breasts, teasing her aroused nipples, around her neck until she felt it nestling around her face. She could sense it enclosing their faces together, just faint light from the candles breaking through the shadow, Mistress moving her face so close to hers it felt like there were only a few atoms of space between them. Then she felt it, soft breath on her lips, so close they were sharing the same breath, Mistress' lips held just above her. Jen felt her heart beating hard and heavy, the blood running through her veins so warm, her whole body seeming to anticipate contact with Mistress' lips. She remained poised like that for what seemed like an eternity, the sense of her breath driving Jen wild inside, so tempted to move her head just that fraction upwards that would reward her with that first taste of Mistress' lips, but she knew she had to keep control and wait.

Soon, just when Jen thought she could take no more and was about to surrender to her desire, Mistress moved slightly, letting her lips brush against Jen's just so slightly. Then, they moved back, brushing against her once more before finally claiming her, Mistress moving her head down firmly against Jen's, their lips meeting forcefully, Mistress' tongue pushing eagerly against them, Jen willingly opening up and letting her inside. As Mistress kissed her slowly and passionately, it was as though a switch had been flicked within Jen, fire running through her nerves, every nerve ending tingling with sensation as if her whole body was part of her lips. She felt a wave of pleasure within her unlike anything she had felt before, coming to a peak far beyond anything else she had ever known and she was powerless to prevent it. Mistress' kiss continued as she came, her tongue exploring Jen's mouth, their lips eagerly rubbing against each other. It was as though Mistress' lips were the source of all pleasure, filling Jen up with delight. Wave after wave broke within her, her body twitching and straining, pulling at her bonds, the restraint she encountered acting like a mirror, reflecting her pleasure back at her, redoubled and more intense.

Mistress broke the kiss, pushing herself up and away from Jen, but she was already lost in her orgasm and barely noticed the movement of the mattress as Mistress climbed off. Jen felt like her body was exploding from within, gone far away into this new world of joy.

For a moment, as she slowly recovered and returned to normality, Jen wasn't sure of where she was. As though she was waking from a confusing dream, she slowly became aware of her body and it took her a moment to realise that she was spread-eagled on a bed, her immobility caused because of her limbs being tied and bound, the darkness caused by the blindfold wrapped around her head. Then, just when she was beginning to wonder if she had plunged from a blissful dream into a nightmare, the events of the last few hours flooded back into her mind and she remembered exactly where she was - naked, collared, blindfolded and bound before Mistress. She had never known that a simple kiss could deliver such passion, but she knew the kiss had been merely the key that had opened the floodgates, releasing everything that had gathered within her during the previous hours of anticipation.

Her body was still in its post-orgasmic flush, her nerves and muscles still twitching, her heart and breathing equally ragged. She took stock of her senses, her sight still blinded by the soft velvet on her eyes, feeling the warmth in her muscles, the sweetness of Mistress' lips still faintly in her mouth, the heady aroma of the room now mixed with the scent of her arousal, silent except for the sound of her heavy breathing as her body sucked in air.

Had Mistress left her on her own in the room again? It was possible, she knew, for in the intense pleasure she had just experienced she had almost shut out the world beyond her body and she would never have heard the door opening and closing as Mistress left. Jen remembered the feeling she'd had before when Mistress left her, that hollow feeling inside at being out of Mistress' presence. Looking deep inside herself, she didn't feel that sensation and relaxed in the knowledge Mistress was still with her, waiting to see what would come next.

When the voice came, it was from behind her. Mistress' voice, so soft and yet commanding. 'Are you back with me now, sweet Jen?'

'Yes, Mistress.'

'Good. For a moment there, I thought you were about to be lost forever in your pleasure. It was an intoxicating sight, but there is so much more for you yet to experience. Now, do you wish me to remove your blindfold?'

Jen was desperate to see Mistress again, to look on the person who had given her such delight, but she remembered the nature of her submission, her surrender to Mistress' will. 'If you wish it, Mistress, I do.'

'Oh, you learn so well and so quickly, my dear Jen. Yes, I do wish it. Raise your head.'

Jen lifted her head carefully, feeling the blood rush through her head as she moved it, her neck muscles straining slightly. She felt Mistress' fingers move swiftly through her hair, untying the blindfold and carefully moving it away from Jen's eyes. She opened them carefully, but the light in the room was still that of the candles, their flickering casting a warm glow around the room that was sweet to her senses after the darkness of the blindfold. Slowly, she lowered her head back to the silk sheets beneath it, looking up at Mistress as she gazed down upon her.

'I wish I had a mirror in this room, directly above the bed so you could look at yourself and see what I see now. I wonder if you can imagine how you look now, dear Jen. Close your eyes for me Jen. See yourself as I see you. See what you are becoming.'

Mistress' words were hypnotic to her. Jen felt her eyes closing, taking her back into the darkness. She summoned the image of the room she had created before, imagined a mirror above her reflecting her image back to her. She saw a woman who looked like her but she did not recognise, an image more wanton, more full of desire, more open to pleasure, than she had ever thought she could be. The petite woman in the mirror was her, but a way she'd never imagined herself, not just that she was tied down to the bed, but her pale skin flush pink with exertion, her curly hair slick with sweat, the collar proudly round her neck looking like part of her, her sex proudly on display and eager for attention. She knew she was changed forever and even when she left Mistress - though the time of being apart from her seemed so far into the future now that it was only theoretical - she would never be the same again.

'I can tell you like what you see, dear Jen. You should be proud of yourself for you have come so far, so fast. Now, open your eyes.' Jen obeyed and saw Mistress had moved round to be beside her. She sat down to Jen's right and began to stroke her arms softly. They were silent for a minute, Jen looking in adoration at Mistress as the candlelight flickered over her, all he shades of her hair coming to the fore as she had imagined. Her touch was smooth and tender, making Jen feel safe and loved. 'Tell me, my sweet, are you still comfortable in your bonds? Do you wish to be released from them?'

'Only if you wish to release me, Mistress, I feel fine.' That was the truth. Jen knew her muscles should be aching from the strain they had been under, but they still felt warm and comfortable.

'Good. I didn't want to release you yet, not while you still look so fabulous. I just needed to be sure you hadn't damaged you and prevented you from fully experiencing what I have to offer you.' She continued caressing Jen's arm, using both hands now, softly massaging the tender flesh, slowly working down from the wrist to her shoulder. Her touch was gentle yet insistent, leaving Jen's muscles feeling relaxed as they moved on. Her hands caressed along the top of her shoulders, around her neck, stroking all over, leaving Jen's skin tingling. She moved her body closer to Jen's, moving round so she was kneeling fully on the bed beside her, then straddling across her, Jen feeling the warmth of Mistress' leather across her stomach. She massaged her other arm now, leaning forward across Jen so her breasts pushed forward, letting Jen see an outline of white lace beneath the silk blouse. Slowly, Mistress moved up until she reached Jen's wrist then trailed her hands back down her arm until they were resting on the top of Jen's breasts where they began their small curve up from her chest.

Mistress began to massage Jen's breasts expertly, her fingers playing with the soft flesh, rubbing and teasing it before tracing tiny circles round her nipples with the tips of her nails. They were still flushed from her earlier arousal and responded quickly to Mistress's touch, filling with blood and swelling around her touch. Mistress saw them swell and caught the nubs between her nails, bringing a gasp from Jen as she pinched them with the sharp edges, letting her writhe for a brief moment, then releasing them.

Jen watched Mistress' face as she teased and tormented her breasts. Even if she combined the best parts of all her previous lovers, she was sure it wouldn't look as beautiful as the woman who was continuing to drive her wild. Her fingers seemed to know exactly where the most sensitive parts of her breasts were and found them unerringly, placing exactly the right kind of touch on them to send more pleasure through Jen with every moment. Her hands roamed all over Jen's chest, stroking the taut muscles, administering soft, sweet massages of pure luxury.

Mistress moved slightly, twisting herself around a little so only one hand lay on Jen's chest, balancing herself while the other went behind her back, moving straight between Jen's legs. She let out a moan of sheer delight as a finger easily slipped past her slick lips, moving inside her then withdrawing. She watched as Mistress raised it to her lips and licked it. 'I think you're ready now, my dear. Do you want to taste yourself?'

'Yes, Mistress.'

'Good.' She repeated the movement again drawing another moan from Jen as she was penetrated once more then taking the finger to Jen's mouth, letting her suck on it and taste her sweet juices one more time. Jen delighted in the beautiful flavour, knowing that Mistress' would taste even sweeter when she finally got the chance. 'We need just one more thing. Close your eyes, my sweet.'

Jen closed her eyes and felt Mistress move away from her and off the bed. She licked her lips as she awaited her return, mixing her sweet taste with the remaining touch of Mistress' lipstick, letting the two flavours merge in her mouth. She was expecting Mistress to leave the room again and was surprised when she felt the mattress to the left of her move slowly as Mistress inched along the sheets to rejoin her. One hand rested on her belly, stroking her navel then moving softly downwards to her bush, then carrying on until it was fully over her pussy, Mistress' palm barely touching her, her fingers poised on her lips.

'Now, open your eyes.'

Jen looked, and saw that Mistress was kneeling beside and over her, her left arm stretching down between her legs, her right high in the air holding a large black candle over her, its flame burning high, illuminating Mistress' face and hair beautifully.

'You have experienced the ice, my dear, now it is time for the fire.' As she said that, she tilted the candle slightly, letting small droplets of wax fall towards Jen. At the same moment her fingers pushed at Jen's lips, two of them sliding easily and deeply inside her. Jen cried out as the two sensations hit her simultaneously, the pleasure of the penetration mixing intimately with the sudden heat of the wax falling between her breasts. She couldn't tell which was which, both sensations so different and yet so alike, her mind unable to understand what her body was feeling. Mistress began to move her fingers inside her, shifting her hand so her thumb lay on Jen's clit. As she began to rub it softly, tracing circles around and on it she dropped more wax onto Jen's bare skin. Jen could feel the sudden warmth as it landed on her, but she realised that it didn't hurt and she could feel a rush from her skin there, moving swiftly round the rest of her body, meeting with the slow pleasure that emanated from Mistress' hand. The two feelings coalesced within her, bringing on an entirely new sensation as pleasure joined with pain.

She was moaning now, a loud, almost primal, sound coming from deep within her. She felt Mistress' hand withdraw from her slightly, then push back into her, three fingers now pushing deep inside her, each moving separately, caressing her tender flesh. As they entered a droplet of wax fell onto one of her nipples, the sensation intense on the already stimulated flesh there, quickly matched by wax falling on the other one as well. Her body reached a whole new state, a level beyond that she had discovered in Mistress' kiss, a bewildering array of impulses moving through her, the spots of heat mixing with the insistent pleasure from her clit then combining with the waves of joy from the fingers inside her. She was losing herself again, her mind unable to cope, wanting to let go, but trying to hold on, desperately trying to keep control as her body twitched and spasmed in delight, pulling and kicking frantically at her bonds. Then, Mistress drew her hand out again, but rubbed even harder at Jen's swollen clit to compensate before pushing four fingers into her at the same moment as pouring a stream of wax across the tender flesh of her breasts.

She could take no more, the moan in her throat turning into a full blown cry of pleasure, a scream of orgasmic release as her body surrendered to joy. Her clit felt like it was exploding, her pussy spasmed around Mistress' fingers, gripping them tight, almost trying to suck them deeper into her, her breasts on fire with pain and pleasure. All that merged into one overarching feeling, one sensation that filled her entire body, rushing through her blood, along her nerves, across her entire skin, everything on fire at the same time, her eyes closed as it overcame her but still seeing Mistress there, all around her, everywhere at once, in every moment, every atom of her release. Mistress was still there as she came, her fingers still moving within and upon her, still laying droplets of heat on her chest, pushing her on, pushing her deeper into the pleasure. Time stretched around Jen, and every moment of it was filled with joy.

In as much as time had any meaning for her on that plane of joy, Jen spent even longer in the throes of ecstasy than she had just a short time before. Dimly, she had been aware of Mistress withdrawing from her, her fingers sliding out of her soaked slit, her other hand taking away the candle that had dripped pain and pleasure onto her breasts, her body sliding off the bed but she was already so far lost in herself that she needed no more stimulation.

Slowly, she came back down from her high, but her body was so stimulated just a tiny movement was enough to set off another orgasm within her, fire coursing through her body. Soon though, even that subsided and she felt herself regain control of her body though now it seemed that every cell within it had a memory of, and deep craving for, the pleasure she had just experienced. She opened her eyes, looking round the room for Mistress, and saw her leaning on the bars at the bottom of the bed, smiling as she looked at Jen, casually licking her left hand, the one that had been so deep inside her, obviously appreciating her taste.

'So you have finally returned to me, my sweet. I can see that I will have to be careful with you. I fear that I may lose you to pleasure eternally if I'm not wary. Not that that would necessarily be a bad thing, of course. Now, are you ready to be released from your bonds, my dear?'

'If you wish it, Mistress.'

'Yes I do. As pleasurable as it would be to keep you bound here all night, there is one more experience you must go through before I can take you into my bed and you will need to recover yourself before that.' She reached down, her fingers quickly and expertly untying the straps that fixed Jen's legs to the bed, then moved round to the head to repeat the process with the bonds round her wrist. 'Now, I want you to take some time to become used to movement again. Stretch the muscles in your arms and legs. I must go and prepare something for you. I shan't be long, and you are to remain on this bed until I return. Do you understand?'

'Yes, Mistress.'

'Then I shall see you soon, my sweet.' Jen watched her as she left the room. Just watching Mistress' back as she walked was an intensely erotic experience for her, the red curls falling over white silk, her legs lithe and flowing in the tight leather as she walked. After the door closed, Jen began to tentatively move her arms and legs for the first time in what felt like an eternity. She had expected them to hurt after being stretched and bound for so long, but instead they were merely loose and somewhat tired. Moving them freely again was a strange experience, only reluctantly taking control of her own body, preferring it when it had been Mistress' to command and torment as she saw fit.

She could feel the silk sheets beneath her back, cool against her skin and slick with her sweat. It was a good feeling, helping to steady the sensations that still lingered in her body, cooling the intense heat of desire she still felt within. There was another wet patch beneath her legs, but she knew that was more than merely sweat as the size of it matched the intensity the arousal she had felt only recently. She raised herself into a sitting position, arms wrapped around her legs, hugging herself as she stretched the muscles in her back. The room was still full of an intense heady aroma, the candles still flickering around the walls, their scents mixing with her aroused musk and the faint scent of Mistress' sweet perfume as though they had always meant to be combined.

Stretching her legs out straight, she moved her feet in slow circles as she looked down at her chest, noting the patterns of black wax upon it. She could see a mild pink tinge in the skin beneath it, a visual representation of the heat each droplet had sent through her. She ran her fingers over it carefully, not wanting to remove the mark of it, knowing it was a representation of Mistress on her body, but wanting to feel it, cool and soft like a carapace over her skin. It was another symbol of just how little she had known before meeting Mistress, how deprived her sensuality had been, how rooted in mundane sexuality she had been. Before today, she would have run away if anyone had suggested to her doing almost any of the things Mistress had done to her, but now she couldn't imagine living the rest of her life without them. Instinctively, her fingers moved to the leather collar around her neck, its presence there now almost unnoticed by her, so integral a part of her body now, the material already curving to fit perfectly around her neck, moving with her.

Almost as though touching the collar was a signal, the door opened and Mistress returned.

'Oh good, you are recovering well, my dear. Do you think you are capable of standing and walking?'

'I think so, Mistress.' Jen swung her legs over the side of the bed, sliding herself to the edge and testing her legs slowly as she stood herself up. They sagged slightly as she put her full weight on them but held. Mistress moved close and held out her hand. Jen took it gratefully, their fingers intertwining as she supported herself on Mistress.

'Now, follow me, sweet Jen.' Mistress led her slowly out of the room. Jen walked carefully behind her, gripping Mistress' hand tightly, drawing strength from her as they left the room.

They walked out into a large hallway, flooded with the warm light of late afternoon. It was clearly the main entrance into the house, ornate yet restrained with wooden floorboards and white walls on which various works of art were displayed. Several vases held fresh flowers alongside statues of naked, erotic figures. On the far side from them the hallway spread out into a large living room while two staircases, one up, one down, were to their right. Mistress led her past the stairs to an open door and into a bathroom, large and well-appointed. The large tub was already full of water and the light that came in through a skylight was added to by a number of candles scattered around the room. Steam rose from the tub, carrying with it a delicious aroma, full of sweet herbal scents.

'For you, my sweet girl. A chance to remove the sweat and marks of earlier and fully recharge yourself for your next experience.' She gestured towards a corner table where a tray of food - fruit, sandwiches, mineral water - had been left out. 'Now, I want you to take all the time you need to relax, eat and prepare yourself. When I leave, I will close the door behind me. When you are ready, you are to signal this to me by opening the door a crack and waiting for me to come and get you. Do you understand?'

'Yes, Mistress.'

'There is one last matter to deal with before I leave. In a moment, I will remove your collar so you can properly wash yourself. However, before I do this, I will place a temporary marker on you to indicate that you remain mine despite the absence of your collar. When you have finished washing and drying yourself, the first thing you will do will be to replace your collar. I will remove the marker myself after I collect you. Do you understand?'

'Yes, Mistress.' She was nervous about losing her collar, but relieved to know she was still under Mistress' protection without it.

'Good. Now raise your right arm for me.' Jen raised it and saw Mistress produce a long, thin leather strap. She wound it loosely around Jen's upper arm, four circles around her bicep before tying it in place. Then, she moved behind Jen and lifted up her hair, exposing the buckle of the collar. She undid it carefully, slowly removing it, her fingers running along the exposed skin of Jen's neck as she peeled it away from her. Jen felt suddenly naked without it, almost worried until she remembered the thin strap around her arm, taking comfort from its presence against her skin. She watched Mistress lay the collar on the table with the food and ached to run there and put it back on herself.

'Now, I must go change and prepare things for your next experience. Remember not to rush yourself in here, my dear, half of all the pleasure lies in the anticipation.' She stood in front of Jen, resting her hands on Jen's hips. 'But before I go, one last kiss with you, my sweet Jen.' She pulled Jen close to her, their bodies rubbing together then leant into her, their lips touching lightly. Mistress ran her tongue over Jen's lips as her hands moved to her back, slipping up to her shoulder blades. Mistress kissed her slowly and tenderly, letting their tongues intertwine softly, their lips rubbing against each other, Jen almost melting at the intimate contact.

Finally, she broke the kiss, Jen letting herself be reluctantly pushed away as Mistress stepped back, smiling. 'I shall see you soon, my dear.' She said, and quickly went out through the door, closing it behind her with a firm click.

Jen stood there dazed for a moment, calming the passions the kiss had raised again within her. The kiss reminded her of the ecstasy Mistress had delivered with her lips before, her body craving it every second. She remembered what Mistress had said about anticipation and not rushing and resolved to hold onto herself as Mistress wished her to. Even though giving herself pleasure would be a matter of simplicity and ease in this private space, she knew that it would be betraying Mistress to give into those urges and take pleasure without her present. Jen knew that she was now owned by Mistress and had to accept what she wanted, her own urges and desires just an extension of Mistress' will.

She got into the bath, noticing that Mistress had prepared it at a perfect heat - warm enough to soothe and caress her body, but not hot enough to hurt. Its aroma filled her nostrils, the sweet herbs relaxing her and soothing her racing her mind. Even though her muscles weren't hurt from the earlier bondage, she still appreciated the sense of relief the heat gave them, relaxing them and returning them to normal.

As she lay back in the bath, she looked up at the sky through the window above her, watching the blue become gradually deeper as the afternoon became evening. She tried to work out how long she had been with Mistress, how few hours it had taken her to become a willing slave to another woman's desires. It seemed far too short a time to have changed so much, but that time before Mistress got on the train now seemed like it was years ago, decades even, some other life, some other person. She was content, happy, joyful even at discovering this new life, this new part of her experiencing in full what only that morning she would probably have thought of as depravity. She closed her eyes, feeling the water surround her, wondering what experiences Mistress had for waiting for her when she emerged from this room.

Jen looked herself over in the bathroom mirror, checking herself before she opened the door to signal to Mistress that she was ready for her next experience. The light outside had almost completely faded away while she was in the bath and the room was now lit mainly by the flickering candles Mistress had set there. Before Mistress, Jen had never appreciated the erotic texture of the light cast by a candle, but now it was something she suspected she would always associate with this time. Of course, she didn't look as beautiful as Mistress in the light - how could anyone? - but it gave her body a new appearance that matched with the new feelings that dominated her. She was sultry now, a wantonly sensual creature, one who lived in that flickering netherworld between light and dark, pain and pleasure.

She checked her collar one more time, making sure it fitted her as snugly as it had before, twisting her head and neck around, it's soft grip already fast becoming part of her again. She could pick out the scattering of pink spots on her chest where the wax had marked her earlier. It had come off her easily in the bath and now the marks were soon to fade away as well. It saddened her to see them go, losing that mark of Mistress upon her, but she knew the memory of that feeling would stay with her and besides, she had her collar to show she was Mistress'. She had washed herself thoroughly, just as Mistress commanded, removed all the sweat and scent of the afternoon and now the only scent on her was that of the soaps and oils in Mistress' bath. Her skin was soft, and seemed to glow in the faint light, as though it was revitalized by the sensual charge within her.

She was calm now, ready for whatever Mistress had planned for her that evening. As commanded, she opened the door to the bathroom just a fraction and then stood back from it. Mistress hadn't said how she should wait for her, but Jen knew what was expected of her from when she had entered Mistress' house that afternoon. She carefully lowered herself to her knees, placed her hands in her lap, bowed her head and waited for Mistress to come and claim her.

She wasn't aware of time passing while she knelt there, though she knew it must have done. Her mind was totally still and calm, fixed only on the prospect of Mistress' arrival in the room with nothing else of any importance to her. She only came alive when she heard the door being pushed open, the cooler air from the hallway rushing onto her skin. She could sense Mistress walking close to her, but with her head bowed she could only see her feet, again clad in leather boots but a different pair this time.

'Oh, my dear Jen, you have learned so well how to wait for me. Now, sit up straight and look at me.'

Slowly, Jen straightened herself, her gaze slowly moving up Mistress' body. The boots carried on up Mistress' legs, past her ankles, then disappeared under a long leather skirt that steadily tapered in to Mistress' slim waist where it was secured by a thick matching belt. Above it she wore a bustier or halter made of a soft satin that gripped Mistress' flat stomach then moved out to cup her full breasts. Jen could see the round tips of Mistress' nipples pushing through the material. It stopped just above the nipples, two thin straps holding it in place, rising up from the centre of it, following the exposed curve of her breasts and round her neck. She wore two pieces of ornate jewellery, matching bands of gold like snakes wrapping round each slender, toned bicep. Her hair was tied back into a loose plait, loose wisps falling about her beautiful face, wearing only a touch of makeup except for her deep red lips. Jen could see that Mistress was carrying something in her hands, each holding what looked like two pieces of black leather adorned with pieces of metal.

'You like how Mistress looks, I see.'

'Yes Mistress, I do. You are beautiful.'

'Thank you, my sweet. You know that I think you are beautiful too, of course. Now, stand up for me.' Jen rose carefully and delicately, the difference in height and Mistress' heels meaning she only came up to her neck. 'I have things for you to wear during your next experience. Hold out your arms.' Jen stretched out her arms and watched Mistress place all but one of the things on the bathroom counter by the sink. The one she held in her hands was a slim tube of leather, she saw, three large golden rings fixed on each side of it, thin laces holding it together. Mistress slipped it over Jen's right arm. It covered the arm from the wrist to just below Jen's elbow, fitting snugly and warmly when Mistress pulled on the laces to tighten it and fix it in place. She took a matching gauntlet from the counter and fixed it around Jen's left arm. Then, she took the other two, which were similar but smaller, each with only one ring on either side and crouched down. Jen looked straight ahead, feeling Mistress' expert hands fix them around her ankles.

'Now my dear, I am going to take you down to my cellar. You have already had some experience of what you will encounter down there when I bound you this afternoon, but the sensations this time will be much more intense. However, the difference this time is that you will not be permitted to have any release when you are down there. You have already learnt how to control and delay your pleasure somewhat, but now you must be able to do it totally and delay any climax until after you leave the cellar. Do you understand?'

'Yes, Mistress.'

'Understand that this is an order from me, my sweet. Disobeying it will mean that I will have to punish you, and that punishment may include not just pain but also you not being allowed to come to my bed. I do not wish to punish you, but I will do it without mercy if you disobey me. Do you understand, my dear Jen?'

'Yes, Mistress.' Jen was scared for the first time, but it was the prospect of not being able to enter Mistress' bed that was terrifying her. She could see a darker side to Mistress when she talked of punishment, a cold look in her eyes that reminded Jen of the absolute power she had given up to her, but it was the possible consequences of that power that scared her, not the power itself. Mistress had talked of pain, but Jen could think of no worse pain than being denied the chance to experience the full pleasure of Mistress' body.

'One last question, and then you shall follow me downstairs. Do you remember the word I told you earlier? The word I said you were to utter if the pain got too great, if you were about to be damaged?'

'Yes, Mistress. It was 'strawberry', Mistress.'

'Good. Remember it, and do not be afraid to use it should it be necessary. Now, follow me downstairs.' As she turned, Jen saw Mistress' bare back for the first time, exposed from the waist upwards, the bustier she wore virtually backless. Mistress' back was covered with an enormous gold and red tattoo of a bird enveloped in flames. It began at the base of the spine, the bird's body flowing along her back, the flames wrapped around it, the wings stretched out across her shoulder blades. It was a beautiful piece of art, but on Mistress' back it seemed alive, the patterns of the ink matching her muscles, moving as she moved, in time with her, almost alive on her skin, a being of power. Jen blinked hard, squeezing her eyes, wanting to be sure she was seeing what was really there and not hallucinating, but as she opened them it was still there.

Mistress spoke without looking back, knowing what Jen had seen. 'You like my phoenix, my dear?'

'Its...it's beautiful, Mistress.' Words didn't seem appropriate, unable to capture the full majestic power Jen could see.

'It is a symbol of power and mystery, my dear. An immortal creature continually reborn in fire. You should know that very few people get to see it, my sweet Jen, I only show it to the most special of within.'

Jen thought on what Mistress said as they descended the stairs towards the cellar. She wondered why Mistress would want to hide something so beautiful away, keep it covered up away from the world, but she knew that displaying it, showing it off would draw attention to her. Even now, walking behind Mistress, it was as though she were looking at a piece of magic on her back, something far beyond the normal world she had known before Mistress had claimed her. Maybe, Jen wondered, it truly was a magical symbol, the source of the intoxicating power Mistress held over her. And how would she feel when the spell ended?

Her thoughts returned to the present as Mistress reached the bottom of the stairs and pushed open the heavy oak door that stood there. There had been no lights on the stairs, and Jen had become accustomed to the gloom as they walked down into the ground below the house, lit only by what filtered in from the house above them. The cellar, though, was lit brightly, and as Mistress opened the door for them, it flooded through the doorway, bleaching out Jen's vision. She followed Mistress' shadow into the cellar, the floor becoming cold stone, slightly damp against her bare feet, the cool underground air chilling her skin slightly.

Jen looked around and saw that the cellar was large, maybe even bigger than the house above, filled with a series of small alcoves and archways. Several of the ones she could see near her looked almost normal, filled with wine bottles, but others held strange equipment, devices she didn't recognize but which seemed to carry a sexual charge to them just in the way they looked. The walls showed some of the purpose of this room too, all sorts of things hanging from them, the sight of them simultaneously chilling and arousing Jen – ropes, chains, bonds, canes, whips, all manner of things that she could imagine Mistress using on her in either love or anger.

She had followed Mistress to a point in the center of the cellar when she stopped and turned to face Jen.

'Now, my dear, I want you to turn around to face that wall and then move your legs apart until they're against the rings in the floor.' Jen turned herself through 90 degrees to face the wall and looked down at the floor seeing two iron rings beside her, each securely bolted into the stones of the floor, looking solid, like they'd been there since the cellar was built. She carefully moved her legs apart until they were by the rings, about two feet apart, keeping her arms by the side.

As she positioned herself, Mistress walked over to the wall behind her and came back. Jen could sense her standing behind her, feel her eyes examining her body, her posture as she stood there waiting. Then, she crouched down by Jen's left ankle and used a short leather strap to bind together the ring on the floor with the gold ring on the outside of the leather cuff round Jen's ankle. Moving over to Jen's right leg, she repeated the process fixing Jen in place before standing in front of her. Jen could she that she was carrying a long cord of fresh, clean, thin white rope.

'Hold out your arms for me, my dear, with the palms facing each other.' Jen did as she was ordered, seeing the rings on the inside of her arms line up in front of her, light glinting off them. She watched as Mistress began threading the rope through the six rings, binding her arms together, allowing just a few inches of movement as the rope traced a pattern through and around them, eventually emerging from the tight nest of knots, running out past her hands and down to the floor.

Mistress took the loose rope in her right hand and moved it up and down, side to side in slow movements, letting Jen see how it now controlled the movements of her arms.

'Now my dear, look up and slowly raise your arms above you.' Jen tilted her head back, slowly raising her arms, making both movements slowly, deliberately, knowing that her bound ankles would make her fall to the hard stone if she lost her balance. She saw another iron ring in the ceiling, smaller than the ones by her feet, hanging down almost directly above her head. Mistress moved closer to her as she looked up, the rope still held in her hand as she walked around and behind Jen. Then, she stood close behind her, Jen feeling the soft satin brushing against her back, reaching up to feed the rope through the ring. Jen watched as Mistress pulled the whole length of the rope through the ring, then felt it pulling at her arms, drawing them up closer towards it. Behind her, she could hear the click of Mistress' footsteps as she walked away from her, then the faint sound of the rope being drawn through another ring, her arms slowly being drawn up till they were directly above her, her body being slowly stretched out from the bonds in the floor to the rope in the ceiling.

She felt Mistress tugging on the rope, more insistent this time, her body straining in response. As her arms were pulled up above her, she tried to lift herself up, push herself onto the balls of her feet, but the straps on her ankles held them in place. The upward pull ceased then, but didn't let her back down, her body remaining fixed in position, legs totally straight, forming a triangle with the stones below, torso stretched out, arms straight and pointing to the sky, head thrown back. She heard Mistress walking back towards her and raised her head so it was between her arms again, looking straight forward at the wall ahead of her. The footsteps got closer and closer, until Mistress was alongside her and then in front, looking her up and down.

'Oh, how wonderful you look, my dear. Now, what shall I do with you next?' She smiled, her lips curling in anticipation, her eyes shining.

As Jen stood there, her body stretched between floor and ceiling, she realised that Mistress' earlier actions had been merely preparation for what she was undergoing now. She had never been bound before this afternoon but now her body was already accustomed to the experience it was going through. She could feel the strain in her muscles, from her splayed legs up to her stretched arms, but her mind was not registering it as pain, merely as another sensation given to her by Mistress, another part of her education as a slave, another experience she underwent willingly.

The passage of time had no meaning for her. She felt as though she was part of the ancient stone she was bound to, its strength flowing into her through the leather bonds tying her ankles, eternal and unyielding. Struggle was pointless, yet also unnecessary - this was her place, her role now, just an extension of Mistress' desire.

Mistress had watched her impassively for a while, standing in front of Jen, her eyes moving up and down slowly, looking carefully over her body, studying it almost as an artist would, taking in every detail of the model in front of her. Slowly, in silence, she circled round Jen, studying her from all angles, taking in the full perspective of what she had created. Then, her study completed, she began to touch Jen, her fingers on her skin lightly, almost like silk, tracing the pattern of her muscles from her thigh to her hip. Unable to move or react to the touch, Jen had sensed every moment of the touch, each fingertip a separate event on her skin. Mistress kept her touch far away from anywhere Jen had previously considered erogenous, but her entire body had become attuned to Mistress, responding to her touch like it was a drug pushed into her system through the skin.

She could feel Mistress behind her, sense the look on her face as she touched Jen's spine, starting just below her collar, one solitary finger moving down it, each touch on her vertebrae echoing through her body. Slowly, it traced a downward path, reaching the base where it was joined by another, the two then taking separate courses around the curve of Jen's rear, others gradually joining them in their slow circuit until they were underneath the soft flesh, both of Mistress' hands now held against the skin, beginning to grip it firmly. The grip loosened, then returned, becoming a massage, each hold sending warm waves of pleasure flowing through Jen. Her breathing became heavier and she felt herself move slightly, involuntarily, her hips swaying in time with Mistress touch, their movement shaking the rest of Jen's body, the rings in the ceiling creaking slightly as her arms transferred the movement to the rope securing her there.

As her muscles moved, she felt the strain in them increase, resisting the inexorable movement of her body. Still, though, her mind didn't register it as pain, each message from her nerves filtered through the blissful sensation of Mistress. The massage became more insistent, harder, the tips of Mistress' nails digging into the flesh beneath them, sharply contrasting with the warmth of her skin. Jen gasped, trying to control herself, remembering Mistress' talk of punishment if she found release in this room. The touch moved now, still massaging the flesh, but two fingers also rubbing at the entrance of the tight hole between Jen's cheeks, hard nails rubbing the edge as an insistent fingertip pushed at the entrance. She could remember Mistress pressing there earlier, along with her questioning and wondered if now would be the time that she took her virginity there. Part of her mind craved it, trying to push down on the fingers there, wanting to give everything of herself to Mistress, but part held back, fearing that Mistress taking her there would be too much to resist, that her body would succumb to forbidden release and the inevitable punishment that would follow.

As her mind concentrated on this dilemma, Jen realised she was losing concentration, and control of herself with it. She forced her mind away from the feeling of that one touch and let her attention take in her whole body, sensing the warm flow of sensation from each muscle, trying to take control and rise on top of the feelings, not letting them drag her under as they rose. Her heart steadied its frantic beat, and she could feel Mistress slowing down the rate of her massage, the pressure from her finger gradually relenting until it disappeared entirely.

She heard Mistress walking away from her, footsteps echoing off the stone, then returning, a soft clang against the stone as something was set down behind her, slight scraping movements as Mistress positioned it carefully.

'Now, my dear, I am going to untie the rope that holds your arms to the wall. When it is undone, I want you to slowly lower yourself into a sitting position until you feel the chair behind you. Do you understand?'

'Yes, Mistress.'

The footsteps clicked away again. Soon, Jen had a sense of a slight tugging on the rope, then its pull slackened slightly, Mistress carefully letting it run out. Keeping her arms straight above her, still feeling the gentle pull, Jen bent her knees, lowering herself down until her rear touched a small soft cushion. As Mistress let out more rope, Jen lent backwards, pivoting on the stool until her back touched a thin, straight cushion that ran along her spine until it ended at her shoulders. At its tip, like the top of a T, she felt a bar running out at both sides, also cushioned.

'Good.' Came Mistress' voice from the far wall. 'Now, lower your arms until they rest on you.' Jen did as she was commanded, feeling the strain disappear from them, her body slowly relaxing as the contours of the chair supported her. She could feel the soft cushions pushing against her, metal bars dimly perceivable behind them, her back at forty-five degrees to the ground, her legs still spread open, bound to the rings in the floor. Mistress walked round to stand in front of her, then crouched between Jen's legs, swiftly untying the rope between her arms then letting them fall, untied, by Jen's side.

'Relax for a moment, my sweet Jen. Then when you are ready, lift your arms over the bar so they rest behind your back.' As she stretched her arms out, Jen watched Mistress remove the rope from the rings and coil it slowly, carefully. Jen could feel the strain in her arms and shoulders, but it wasn't pain, more just an awareness of exertion and the lingering sense of excitement and arousal that suffused her entire body. She was aware of her whole body as an instrument of pleasure, what should have been pain just a sense of the sweet touch of Mistress. Jen watched Mistress hang the rope on a hook on the wall, then select three slender gold chains from nearby. Jen raised her arms up, moving them around the bar and behind her back, feeling the cushioned metal slot in warmly beneath her armpits as she sank into the chair.

Mistress walked behind her, crouching down and using the chains to link the rings on Jen's gauntlets together. They were bound only loosely, but enough to stop Jen moving her arms from behind her. Her posture meant she was pushing herself out, her breasts rising from her chest, her sex displayed, spread legs holding it apart. Mistress returned to the wall and took two long pieces of cloth from a shelf then turned back to Jen. As she walked towards her, Jen saw that they were long black gloves, Mistress putting them on as she walked, each stretching up past her elbow, stopping just short of the gold bands around her arm. She stood between Jen's legs, then slowly knelt between them, lifting her skirt slightly as she lowered herself to the ground.

Jen felt the touch of warm satin on her skin as Mistress rested her hands on her legs, leaning slowly towards Jen's exposed sex. Her lips moved tantalisingly close, Jen bracing herself for the contact of Mistress' lips on her sex, but they paused just before Mistress reached it, holding her head there as she breathed in deeply, then softly blew on it. Her breath was cool on Jen's wet lips, flowing around them, over her swollen clit, making Jen tremble with pleasure. Her hands began to move as her head remained still, the soft gloves roaming over Jen's thighs, down her outstretched calves as Mistress's breath played on her sex.

Jen felt her eyes close as her head fell back, her neck unsupported by the chair. Her arms pulled at the chains between them as she felt the forbidden urge to grasp Mistress' head and pull it into her tempting her with its impossibility. Her hips began to move, lifting herself off the small cushion below her, her back digging deep into the cushion behind it, but Mistress' mouth always remained tantalisingly out of reach, her hands moving back to Jen's hips. A fire was building within her, starting in her feet then racing through her legs, her muscles taut as she strained against the hold of the chair. Her heart was beating hard, her breath ragged as she fought to keep herself under control, feeling as though Mistress' breath was flowing into her, filling Jen with her presence.

Mistress' hands moved up the exposed length of her torso, spread flat across her stomach, then to her breasts, slowly moving all over the soft mounds then gently stroking the nipples with her fingers. The tide of pleasure rose within her again as her nipples responded to Mistress' touch, the fire becoming intense, sweat pouring off her, each soft caress sending her body through wild desire. Jen fought for control of herself as the touch became more insistent, the breath harder against her sex, no longer cooling her but adding to the heat within. She tried to concentrate, fix her mind on the task of riding out these waves, but it was betraying her, flooded with sensation, the sweet torment of her bound limbs mixing with the delicious sensations flowing from Mistress, her touch and breath seeming too much to resist.

Then, a sharp pain came from her nipples, Mistress gripping them tightly between her fingers. Jen half-moaned, half-cried as the sensation came to her, the pain bright against the soft colours of her pleasure. It took her higher, her body responding to it as it did to all sensations from Mistress, but she found she could focus on it, keep herself centred, use it as an anchor against the release she craved but dare not take. As Mistress gripped tighter, pulling at the hard nub, stretching it, Jen heard herself moan again, louder, the reaction instinctive and uncontrolled, but she still had control.

She could feel Mistress' head moving closer to her sex, the breath becoming closer. Jen braced herself, focusing on her breasts and the feeling there, trying to prepare herself. When it came, it was like electricity on her sex, the touch of Mistress' tongue like a series of electric shocks running through her. Jen felt her hips rocking, her stomach spinning as Mistress' tongue ran along the outside of her lips, tasting her, drawing in her scent. Desperately, Jen bit into her lower lip as she sucked in air deeply, feeling her legs beginning to tremble, her fingers stretching out, her arms pulling at the bonds, all crying out and ready to give way, wanting her to lose herself. She could feel herself about to surrender, the last dam in her mind about to fall to the rising tide when Mistress' touch suddenly stopped, her fingers releasing Jen's nipples from her grip, sliding down her stomach as she moved her head slowly backwards, breaking the electric contact as she carefully stood herself up.

Jen almost relaxed, but realised that would be a mistake, would lead to her giving way to the tension that still burnt strong in her. Carefully, she raised her head, feeling the sweat from her face slide down and rub against her collar. Opening her eyes, she saw Mistress standing between her legs, carefully removing the gloves as she licked Jen's taste from her lips. Jen breathed deeply as she watched her, her body still held in delicious agony, the fire only slowly burning down, her body returning to her control.

'Well done, my sweet Jen. Very well done.' She smiled. 'So close to release, yet still you did not succumb to it. I had not dreamt you could learn so quickly.' She finished taking off the gloves and returned them to the shelf, Jen watching the patterns of fire across her back as she walked. 'You are almost assured of joining me in my bed tonight, my sweet. Almost. You have one last ordeal in this cellar, but I have faith in your ability to triumph, my dear.' She walked around behind Jen, crouching again to undo the chains and remove them, then lifting Jen's arms slowly over the bar and freeing them.

She moved back round to the front, crouching at Jen's feet and undoing the straps there as she spoke. 'Now, I shall give you a few moments alone to relax and prepare yourself for the final test. Take the chance to relax yourself and ease the strain of your muscles. I shall bolt the door as I leave and you will hear it unbolt as I return. Be ready for me when you hear that. Do you understand?'

'Yes, Mistress.'

'Good. I shall see you again soon, my sweet Jen.' With that, she undid the last strap and stood up, quickly walking away from Jen and out of the door. Jen heard the heavy bolt slam into place, sealing her in the room. Carefully, she began to move, already wondering what Mistress would put her through when she returned.

After Mistress left, it took Jen a while before she was confident enough in her body to attempt movement. She could feel herself trembling, even shivering slightly as she came down from her high, streams of sweat cooling her body, the cool air of the cellar running over her. Waves of pleasure still roamed through her body, looking for somewhere to break, and she knew she had to be careful with her movements, careful not to arouse herself and give herself release. Mistress wasn't there to see her, but Jen knew that she would know when she returned if Jen had taken forbidden pleasure, taken the release that wasn't allowed in this cellar.

She rose carefully from the chair, noting now just how precarious her position on it had been, how slim the cushions and bars that supported her had been, how much she'd relied on Mistress' bonds to keep her on it. She could see her sweat covering it, steadily dripping down to the floor below, reminding her of the flow she could feel between her legs. She walked in unsteady circles, her legs barely supporting her, still strained and exhausted from her ordeals before. The rest of her body had the same feeling - the muscles stretched and strained from her hoisting, the nerves still tingling from the pleasure Mistress had delivered in the chair. The combination of strain and delight mixed within her body, each reinforcing the other as she walked, trying to centre her mind and return herself to some semblance of normality.

She concentrated on her clothes, what little they were, feeling how closely they fitted her, how much a part of her they had become. She almost failed to register that she wore Mistress' collar now, the band of leather round her neck merely registering as thick skin to her senses, its touch, like Mistress, feeling part of her soul. The gauntlets around her arms were warm and tight, fitting her perfectly. When Mistress had bound them with rope and chains, it had felt to Jen as though the bonds were part of her arms, tied directly into her, her skin not slipping at all within the tight leather. The ankle cuffs were the same, snug against her skin, just an extension of her, letting her be bound to the hard stone below as though it was entirely natural.

She found that concentrating on that helped to control her, reminded of her subservient place beneath Mistress, that her body was merely Mistress' tool, nothing more. As she thought on this, she heard the noise from the door, the rough slide of the bolt, then a metallic echo as it was dragged open. Quickly, instinctively, she turned to face the door and dropped carefully to her knees, lowering her head and resting her hands in her lap as the door swung open. She heard Mistress walk towards and around her, then stand behind Jen.

'Sit up, my dear.' Jen stretched up slowly, feeling the back of her head touch Mistress' hands as she raised it. Before she knew what was happening, Mistress' hands moved quickly, around her face, Jen feeling something soft against her skin and then blackness as she went beneath the blindfold again.

'Now stand up.' Jen brought herself to her feet, carefully, gradually, manoeuvring herself by sense rather than sight, her strained body quivering slightly as she forced herself up, desperate to not slip and embarrass herself before Mistress. Soon she managed it, standing straight, sensing Mistress watching from behind her. As she stood there, Mistress moved around her, taking her hand and leading her silently across the room. As before, Jen's other senses heightened to compensate for her current blindness, hearing the slap of her feet against the bare stone, feeling its contours beneath her feet as she walked.

Mistress stopped her, twisting her around to face in a certain direction. 'Spread your legs for me, dear Jen, as far as they were before.' Jen followed the command, moving her feet steadily across the stone until she felt the iron rings in the floor against them. As her feet stopped, she sensed Mistress crouching, again binding her feet to the rings. She heard movement then, Mistress walking around the room, gathering things, positioning something in front of her, the sound of a rope being threaded through a ceiling ring before her. Mistress walked behind her and spoke.

'Now, my dear, I'm going to hold your shoulders. When I do that, I want you to slowly fall forward, keeping your body straight until it comes to a rest. Do you understand?'

'Yes, Mistress.' She couldn't prevent her voice from wavering a little, unsure of what she was falling into. She felt Mistress' hands on her shoulders, holding them firmly, and Jen began to move herself forward feeling Mistress holding her back as she began feeling gravity pull at her dragging her down. Slowly, she moved forward until she felt something, a soft cushion gradually touching her chest, round and firm against her belly, tapering up to a point between her breasts. As she settled onto it, she felt Mistress hand loosen their grip on her shoulders letting her settle onto it.

'Take a moment to become used to it, then hold out your arms in front of you.' Jen felt the cushion pushing into her, supporting her, getting used to breathing with the pressure on her chest, feeling the strain in her calves and hamstrings as she leant. Slowly she raised her arms from their hanging position next to her until they were straight in front of her, a new strain across her shoulders as they moved.

Mistress' footsteps moved round until she was standing in front of her then Jen felt her grip the gauntlet on her left arm, wrapping a rope around it and through the hoops. The rope was loose as Mistress let go and took her right arm, then taut again as Mistress began tying the same pattern around that arm. She realised that it was a single rope binding both arms, looping through a ring in the ceiling above her. In her mind's eye she saw herself, lying forward, resting on the cushion that was raised from the ground on steel bars like the chair, her arms bound in front of her. She was completely hopeless before Mistress, bound and prone, her sex exposed between her outstretched legs, her small breasts hanging over the cushion. Movement was impossible, even the slight swinging allowed to her arms sending waves of sensation across her muscles.

Her bondage complete, she heard Mistress step away from her, then circle slowly around her, again studying her from all angles. She left her for longer this time, taking her time as she circled Jen again and again, not stepping close to her. Jen could feel the strain in her muscles as they held her there, slight twitches shaking her entire body as she waited for Mistress' touch, wondering where it would fall, how it would feel. What she felt in her muscles was not pain, even though she could sense them straining to hold her. The anticipation of Mistress turned it into something sweeter, her body still filled with the warmth of the pleasure Mistress had given her in the chair.

Mistress' footsteps moved away from her, their echo against the stone floor almost the only sound in the room. Jen calmed herself, breathing slowly as she anticipated Mistress's touch on her return, wondering if it would be the smooth touch of the satin gloves or something new. The footsteps came back, then, when she though Mistress was still standing away from her, she felt it, cold and hard on her back, just below her collar. Jen concentrated her attention on it, four points of rounded metal in a close line at the top of her spine, moving slowly up and down. They felt like the tines of a long fork or a back scratcher, moving just enough for Jen to notice them, slowly warming as they drew heat from her skin, then moving down the length of her spine, an oscillating movement up and down the vertebrae as they travelled. Reaching the bottom of her spine, they moved back up, Mistress pulling them across the expanse of Jen's back, Jen feeling her muscles contract and release as they moved over her.

Then, she felt them lift away, a brief pause and then a thin cold metal bar was laid along her spine, the device turned upside down so the full length of it now touched her, Jen's back recoiling from the cold, but the cushion restricting her movement, Mistress rolling the bar against her, moving it up and down along the curve of her back, slowly letting it warm from Jen's skin. That too was removed, and the four points returned, Mistress running them over all of Jen's body, up and down her legs, along her shoulders, across the curve of her biceps. The touch was faint, but distinct, each point of contact a separate moment in Jen's mind, desire building within her with each touch.

Soon, it felt like every spot on the back of Jen's body had been touched by one of the points and Mistress took the device away from her, Jen hearing a soft chime echo as it was placed on the floor beside her. The footsteps moved again, Mistress walking around in front of her, Jen feeling her hair brush against Mistress' chest as she stood close and crouched before her. She sucked in breath quickly as she felt Mistress touch her breasts, her fingers warm and slow on the exposed flesh, quickly finding their way to her nipples. Tiny spots of pleasure began there as she began to rub them, Jen feeling herself eagerly swell at Mistress' touch. As they grew, Mistress' touch became more insistent, more urgent, Jen gasping as she felt Mistress so close to her but so out of reach.

The feeling suddenly changed, the warmth of Mistress's fingers quickly replaced by cold metal around the outstretched nubs, tiny clamps fixed tightly onto each nipple in little more than a moment. The cold numbed them for a moment, then slow waves of torment began emanating from them, each pulse of blood through the nipples echoing the tight grip of the clamp through her body. Jen's head drooped, her eyes watering behind the blindfold as she adjusted to the new feeling, breathing through it, feeling the ache in her mind, letting it mix with the feeling of the rest of her body, transmuting pain into sensation, sensation into pleasure.

Mistress had moved again after the clamping, and Jen could feel her standing between her leg, the faint touch of her leather skirt as it brushed against her legs. Then her hands were suddenly on Jen's back, moving up and down, softly stroking and caressing the muscles, the strain melting away beneath her touch, before Mistress lifted her hands up, keeping just the tips of her nails on Jen's back, raking them softly down her back. Jen moaned at the sharp sensation they made, each leaving a line of fire on her back, down her spine, along the side of her torso as Mistress repeated the movement again and again. Then, Mistress' hands were on her rear, alternately massaging and pinching at the soft flesh.

Jen's body felt like nothing it had ever been before. She could dimly sense that parts of her were in what should have been pain, the tightness of her muscles matched by the clamps around her nipples, but that was just an accompaniment to the slow warmth moving through her, like discordant notes merely accentuating the beautiful music she felt within her. Pain and pleasure amplified each other, and she knew each was needed to show the other for what it truly was, two parts of a whole rather than opposites. She was moaning and crying out with every touch now, but still desperately keeping control of herself.

Again, Mistress stepped away from her, but it was no real respite as all the sensations still remained within her, waiting on a high plateau for the next addition to their chorus, Jen uncaring if it was pain or pleasure. Dimly, she was aware of Mistress now standing to her right, then one hand on her back, sweeping down, brushing off the tiny baubles of sweat that had gathered there. Her hand carried on down her back, nails playing briefly with the tight hole of Jen's rear, before continuing to her the swollen lips of her sex, rubbing them gently before pushing two fingers slowly inside Jen. She moaned deeply as Mistress entered her, the memory of her earlier climax shuddering to the fore, demanding to be repeated, but she resisted, even when they began to move inside her.

Then, from her back, sudden intense pain. She recognised it almost immediately, the shocking warmth of candle wax hitting her skin, pushing its warmth into her as it cooled and flowed across her. Throwing her head back, she cried out, the sudden movement making her whole body rock in its bonds, sharp tones of pain moving through her flesh, her body betraying her as it demanded release, hips trying to force themselves own on Mistress' hand, muscles about to spasm, desperate for her to give way. And above all this, her back on fire, tiny stream of wax following the same downward path Mistress' nails had taken earlier, repeating and intensifying their sensation.

It was a desperate battle, but for a moment she thought she had triumphed. She felt Mistress' fingers slip out of her, the sensation in her sex dimming just enough for her to control herself. The sensation from her back lessened as well, Mistress ceasing the flow of wax onto it. It seemed like ti was over, but then she felt Mistress' fingers back on her, but this time rubbing between her rear cheeks, carefully spreading Jen's juices there, beginning to push at the tight pucker of her hole. Jen could feel the pressure against it, then it suddenly ceased, replaced by an entirely new sensation as Mistress' finger plunged into her, its passage lubricated by Jen's own fluids. Pain mixed with pleasure as the tight muscles moved around Mistress' finger, letting it move deep into her, moving and twisting within.

Finally, it was too much for Jen to resist. She cried out, a scream of delight and agony combined, tinged with her despair at failing Mistress and giving in to her release. It was like a white light in her mind, shining brightly blocking out everything else there. She was feral, primal, her body thrashing in her bonds, each movement causing more sensation to be added into the mix, pushing her to a level beyond consciousness, beyond anything she had even imagined existed. It was pure ecstasy, nirvana for her flesh, but even as she lost herself in it, unable to resist it once it began, it was tinged with the dark light of shame. Unable to control her traitorous body, she had failed Mistress, and now she would face punishment.

Jen was lost in ecstasy, unimagined delight coursing through her body, every part of her burning with a fire like the sun, white light in her mind, almost all consciousness extinguished by the intensity of the sensation, but she wasn't enjoying it. She knew that this was what Mistress had promised her, experience and pleasure beyond anything she had ever dreamed, but she also remembered Mistress' other promise. She had given way to her pleasure down in this cellar, taken the release Mistress had expressly forbidden her, disobeyed her explicit command and Mistress had promised that she would be punished if she did that.

Mistress had shown Jen that her body was capable of more than she had thought possible before, both in experiencing pleasure and enduring what should have been pain but it was not what her punishment could do to her body that Jen feared. Mistress had shown her the depths of her soul as well, that core of subservience and willing slavery she had eagerly accepted as an integral part of her, changing her entire life in the space of these last few hours. Jen had not just experienced her pleasures for herself, but for her watching Mistress, just as she had willingly accepted the pain of servitude to please her. She had sustained herself with the prospect Mistress had tantalised her with from the start - the chance to enter Mistress' bed and show her the height of Jen's devotion to her. Only now, when there was a possibility of that being taken from her, that Mistress would dismiss her tomorrow without having taken her into her bed, did Jen truly realise what it had meant to her.

Slowly, her body returned to the mundane world, feeling the bonds that held her in place, the cushion pushed into her chest, the tight grip of the velvet blindfold around her head. She could sense Mistress standing near her and she took hope from that, knowing that connection was still there, but she could also imagine the look on Mistress face, disappointment mixed with anger.

She heard Mistress move around her, the familiar click of her heels on the stone floor as she moved around her. Jen felt her bonds being released, first the straps that fixed her ankles to the floor, then the complex pattern of ropes around her arms, the clamps taken off her nipples and finally the blindfold taken from round her eyes. Jen kept her head pointing down, looking at the pattern of bars that held the cushion off the ground, resting her hands on them lightly as she tried to support her body.

'You may remove yourself to a more comfortable position.' Mistress said. Jen noticed the new tone in her voice - harsher, more dispassionate, no 'my sweet' or 'my dear' in either her words or her tone. Carefully, Jen lifted herself off the cushion, feeling the ache in her legs as she moved them, the strain across her back and shoulders from supporting herself. For a moment, she stood, but then the weakness of her legs was too much and she fell to her knees in a combination of exhaustion and desire to show her continued willingness to serve despite her transgression. She wanted to look up at Mistress, remind herself of her beauty, but the combination of shame and exhaustion kept her head down. She heard Mistress moving round the room, replacing the rope and the straps to their places on the wall, pulling the cushion away to one of the alcoves in the wall. Finally, Mistress returned to stand in front of her.

'Good. At least you remember the position to wait for me in. Do you remember my command to you before we came into this cellar?'

'Yes, Mistress.' How could she have forgotten? Her body burned with her shame at breaking it.

'And what was that command?'

'That I should not take any release when in this room, Mistress.'

'Yes. And what did you do?'

'I disobeyed your command, Mistress.'

'Yes you did, my slave. And now, you will be punished for disobeying me. Do you have anything to say in your defence before I punish you?'

'No, Mistress.' Jen knew there was nothing that could justify her failure to obey Mistress. The demands of pleasure had been great, but she knew she could have resisted them, controlled herself better, done what Mistress expected of her.

'Good. Before I commence your punishment, you can choose not to take it. If you request it of me, I will remove your collar and your other clothing and return your freedom to you. You will then be free to leave my presence and my service, but you will never be allowed to come back. Do you understand? Do you wish me to free you?'

'I understand, Mistress.' Jen knew that the choice she was being offered was not one really, not to her. From the moment she had first followed Mistress' commands on the train, she had totally surrendered herself to her. Even then, she had known deep down that only Mistress, not herself, could free her. 'I wish to take my punishment as you command.'

'Good. Stand up.' Jen obeyed as quickly as she could, her legs still shaky as she rose, still looking down at the ground. 'Look at me.' Carefully, Jen raised her head, seeing Mistress' face, not as she had imagined it, but completely impassive, almost looking through her. 'Now, walk over to that far wall and stand facing it.'

Jen walked slowly, still becoming accustomed to moving her body again, her body still recovering from its earlier experiences. For a moment, she thought she would fall as she walked, but just managed to keep her balance, finally reaching the wall. She stood as close as she could while still standing straight, her toes touching it, her face close to the cool stone. She tried to keep herself as calm as she could while she waited, unsure if this was the punishment in itself, or if more was to come.

Behind her, she could hear Mistress moving again, the click of her heels moving towards one of the walls, then a sound of clinking metal, then the heels coming towards her again, now accompanied by the sound of metal. Jen braced herself as Mistress approached, hearing her close in behind her.

This time, there was no warning of her bondage, but Jen didn't resist. Mistress grabbed her left leg, pulling it out from her, then swiftly bound it to a ring in the wall with a chain she had carried over from the wall, repeating the process with her other leg and her arms, leaving Jen's body in a loose 'X' against the wall, still standing on the soles of her feet, but with little room to move, every slight twitch of her arms and legs accompanied by the soft scrape of the metal chains that held her there. Then, Mistress' hand were on her head, tilting it back, something moving in front of her face. For a moment, Jen thought it was the blindfold again, but this moved down past her eyes, a rubber strap forcing itself against her lips, her mouth opening to take it in, then tied tightly behind her head, gagging her.

'Bite on it. It will help you survive the pain.' Mistress' voice was cold, but Jen gripped the invader between her teeth, trying to calm herself, wondering what the pain would be as Mistress stepped back from her.

She felt something being drawn across her rear, a slim wooden cylinder with an uneven texture. A cane, she realised, putting the shape and feel together in her mind. She closed her eyes and bit down hard, pushing herself against the wall as if to get away from it, something in just its feel upon her skin communicating dread, an anticipation of the pain it could inflict. Mistress ran it over her skin, using it to trace the curve of her soft buttocks, letting Jen feel its entire length as it coasted slowly over her, letting her become aware of every curve and bump in the cane's surface, feeling it bend as Mistress pushed it against her, touching the hard point of the end against her skin. Mistress pulled it away from her slowly, the sense of it remaining against Jen's flesh. Her body shivering slightly as beads of sweat ran down her back

Then, a sudden swish followed by sudden intense pain across the soft mounds of her rear as it stung into her, a high-pitched slap as it connected with her skin. She tried to cry out, but her noise was stifled by the gag as she felt the red stripe of pain across her, marking her. She could feel it in slow motion in her mind, her skin sinking beneath it, swelling and stinging in response as the pain bit. Before, she'd been able to endure the pain, translate the strain of her muscles into sensation, their slow ache matching her body's desire for pleasure, but this was too much, too harsh, too sudden, too sharp to feel as anything but pain.

Another stroke came, and another, each landing just below the one before it, making the stripe grow, the pain intensify. Jen counted the blows in her head as they landed, a fourth, fifth and sixth, coming quickly, thick tears forming in her closed eyes, biting deep into the rubber gag, each blow doubling the pain she felt, making it sharper, like a razor in her mind. Seven, eight, nine came, and now her entire rear was glowing with pain, the harsh sting massive cutting deep in her mind, as dominant in her senses as pleasure had been so recently. Ten, hitting on the bottom of the curve, pulling on the chains, the pain reminding her of her shame at failing Mistress. As her body had filled with joy and desire earlier, now it filled with the mixture of pain and shame, engulfing her, swallowing her.

Then, a pause. Had it ended? She knew that this was real pain, far beyond anything else she had endured, sharp against her skin, lingering and spreading, her cries of anguish lost in the gag. Then one more, well below the last one, landing in the middle of her thighs, somehow feeling worse than all the others, two separate sensations, one on each leg, her knees buckling, the chains on her arms tugging harshly at her as she sank. She could feel herself sobbing, tears flowing down her face, gulps of air sucked past the gag into her heaving chest. She remembered what Mistress had said earlier, that one word could end this, even spoken through the restriction of the gag, but she couldn't even bring herself to think of it, let alone say it. She knew she deserved this pain, this humiliation by and before Mistress, reminding her of her failing. Even as it tossed in the maelstrom of agony, her mind accepted that this was what Mistress desired of her, that by enduring it she could show she was still worthy of Mistress.

She was pressed into the wall, trying to brace herself for another stroke, waiting for the slow eternities to pass before it came, but then Mistress was close by her again, her hands on her head, untying the gag and pulling it away. Jen gasped for breath between sobs, wanting to compose herself for Mistress. She felt Mistress brushing against her as she sobbed, rubbing lightly against her as she moved, her presence easing the pain, reminding Jen she was still part of her. Carefully, her fingers stroked through Jen's hair as she leaned into her, her voice soft again as she whispered in her ear.

'Well done, my dear. You endured that part of your punishment well. Now, I must leave you here to reflect on the lesson you have learned, but I shall return for you when I judge you have endured sufficient time here.' With that, she turned and walked away, the click of her heels quick on the floor as she went. Jen heard the door swing open, then was plunged into blackness as Mistress extinguished the lights in the cellar before closing the door and leaving Jen behind.

Still sobbing, but feeling herself recover after hearing the love in Mistress' voice again, Jen leant against the wall, hearing her chains scrape against the wall. She could still feel the pain burning across her thighs and rear, knowing that a bright scarlet stripe was there, a physical representation of the shame she felt within her. In the darkness, she felt alone, acutely aware of the absence of Mistress, more than ever before, but she could feel a hope burning within her, keeping her strong. Mistress would return for her and maybe then she would take her into her bed. Jen had survived her punishment and now she could wait in hope for whatever came next.

Jen had no way of knowing how much time was passing as she hung there in her chains in the darkness of the cellar. To begin with, she was hopeful as she hung there, holding herself close to the wall, feeling it's coolness become hers, restoring balance to her raging body, the pain from her caning steadily dissipating, everything going back to normal. She hung onto Mistress' words before she left, that promise that she would return for Jen, knowing that she hadn't been abandoned, that Mistress still wanted her. Each moment that passed was merely one more moment gone until she was back with Mistress.

But after she had hung there for a while, doubts crept into her mind. Mistress had promised to return for her, that was true, but she had not said when she would return. It could be in a matter of minutes or seconds, that heavy door behind her could swing open and she'd enter, or it could be hours, she could leave Jen hanging there all night, wait until morning then free her from bonds but also free her from her service, cast her back to the world she'd plucked her out of yesterday without so much as a parting glance. Now, the passing of each moment was a thing of dread to her, each second taking her closer to the morning, the time when Mistress had said she would free her, a countdown to a freedom Jen was sure she could endure if she hadn't had the opportunity to show Mistress how devoted to her she was.

It took a while, but she managed to centre herself again, readopting the mindset she'd found earlier, taking on her subservient role, accepting that whatever happened or didn't happen was purely decided by Mistress, not her, and whatever Mistress decided for her, she would accept as she had taken everything else from her. The collar around her neck reminded Jen of who she was, that she had entered this slavery willingly of everything she had taken from Mistress so far, both pain and pleasure. No matter what happened next, Mistress had shown her something new, shown Jen her true self, new desires she hadn't even dreamed she possessed, and even if she never saw Mistress again, Jen would always be thankful to her.

It was after she had reached this state of calm acceptance of her fate that she heard the door to the cellar open. Jen listened, attentive, her ears attuned to the click of Mistress' heels on the stone floor but this time the sound didn't come. She could sense Mistress, feel her in the room, feel the patterns of air in the room change as a breeze moved through the open doorway, but she couldn't hear her. Was she just standing in the doorway watching her? Jen stood still against the wall, trying to keep herself calm, listening for something, anything above the sound of her own breathing.

Then, she felt it. Mistress' fingers on the backs of her thighs, resting gently on the place where the cane had fallen last, softly rubbing some sort of lotion into there, easing the few lingering sparks of pain that remained there. Then, her hands were on Jen's rear, massaging the same lotion into them, cooling and soothing them. Silently, Jen accepted Mistress' healing touch, feeling the tenderness, the love in the movement of her hands as they eased away the last remnants of Jen's pain. Everything melted away under that gentle touch, every last scintilla of torment disappeared from Jen's body pushed away by the feeling of Mistress' love back within her.

Mistress' hands stopped massaging and moved around to Jen's hips holding her lightly and then she felt something soft and wet touching the base of her spine. Mistress' lips, kissing her gently, then slowly working their way up her body, millimetres at a time, a trail of tender attention marking her. Jen could feel a warmth rising within her as Mistress' hands followed up her sides at the same rate, the fingertips lingering on her skin, enough to know that she was held in Mistress touch as the kiss inexorably progressed up her.

Mistress' fingers rested on the outside of Jen's breasts as her kisses passed between her shoulder blades. She could smell Mistress now, that soft sweetness of her perfume surrounding her, the simple fact of her presence making Jen feel whole again. The kisses reached her neck, that point where her skin disappeared under her collar, but Jen could feel them continuing across the leather. She could sense Mistress' lips upon it, the warmth from them following the circle that bound her neck, the collar like a gateway to her soul, Mistress' kisses going deep within her.

Then, Mistress stood against her, pressing her body into Jen's. Jen could feel it there, realizing that Mistress was now nude, for the first time she could feel the soft expanse of Mistress' skin fully against hers. She luxuriated in the intimate touch, feeling the warmth of their bodies combining together, the soft curves of Mistress' breasts against her back. She could feel Mistress' nipples against her skin, round and full, beginning to swell with pleasure as they rubbed against her. Mistress was close against her, as if she was trying to meld them together, the curves of their bodies matching together. Jen could feel all of Mistress against her, those long, slender legs against hers, even those soft wisps of hair between her legs rubbing against the base of Jen's back, a faint sense of wetness just below.

Mistress hands began to stroke over Jen's arms, her touch like it had been before, caring and gentle. They moved up, over her elbows, touching the leather that covered her lower arms, running over the rings and chains that bound her until her hands were on the back of Jen's, Mistress interlacing her fingers with Jen's gripping her hands tightly. Instinctively, Jen gripped back and Mistress responded by pushing herself even closer against her, moving her body slowly against Jen.

For a moment, Jen almost forgot where she was. Feeling Mistress so close against her, finally having that contact she had desired for so long upon her body was enough to send a surge of pleasure through her. She and Mistress were linked, in parallel from their hands to their feet, their bodies as one, and Jen couldn't help but respond. She sighed, moaning softly, feeling blood rushing automatically to her nipples and clitoris, eager to help her find release in Mistress' touch. She came close to allowing it, letting her body sink back into Mistress and her love, her mind already anticipating the tender orgasm that awaited, but the stone under her feet reminded her of where she was. She was bound to this wall because she had found release here in the cellar and to do so again, when she was surely so close to being released, would no doubt anger Mistress even more than it had before.

Jen breathed deeply, calming and controlling herself, letting herself enjoy the feeling of Mistress so close to her, but realizing that this was likely another test, another way in which she had to prove herself worthy of Mistress. She satisfied herself with merely being content at Mistress' touch, eagerly accepting the warmth of her skin against her, feeling the union of their fingers intertwined together. Soon, Mistress was moving again, her body sliding down until her head was next to Jen's, her lips close to Jen's ear, brushing against it before whispering into it.

'Well done, my sweet Jen. You have learned from your punishment.' Her fingers unlocked from Jen's hand, sliding down onto the leather gauntlets around her arms, starting to pull gently at the laces that held them tight around her skin, slowly untying them.

'Now, I'm going to remove you from these bonds, free you from the chains. When you are free, I want you to remain facing the wall and to count slowly to fifty. Then, you are to turn around and follow the light to your destiny. Do you understand?'

'Yes, Mistress.'

'Good. Now hold still while I free you.' Slowly, carefully she undid the gauntlets from Jen's arms, moving Jen's arms down to her sides when they were free, letting the chains fall straight, the leather bonds still attached to their ends. She moved away from Jen, breaking the beautiful contact of her skin, crouching between her legs as she undid the cuffs from round her ankles, casting them off to the side with a heavy clanking sound. Then she was standing back against Jen, leaning into her, her hands resting on Jen's.

'Now my sweet, to fifty, slowly, then follow the light.' With that, she was gone, Jen feeling the cool air of the cellar replacing her against her back. She tried to listen to the sound of Mistress walking away, but her footsteps were too soft on the stone for Jen to hear, Jen still partially listening for the click of her heels on the floor instead of bare feet.

She started to count slowly, trying to stop herself from rushing through the numbers, fighting the urge to step away from the wall and run after Mistress. She whispered the numbers under her breath, taking the time to breathe in and out fully between each one. The anticipation rose in her as she got closer and closer to fifty, feeling butterflies in her stomach as the moment when she could move away from the wall got closer and closer. She was past forty now, and was starting to feel nervous, even worried, at what would be there when she turned round. Mistress had only told her that she should follow the light to her destiny, but what was that destiny? What was waiting for her when she turned around?

Forty-nine. She breathed in deeply, held it, then exhaled slowly, letting all the breath flow out of her body. Fifty. She breathed in again, steadied herself, took a small step back from the wall and turned around. The cellar was empty, still dark, the only illumination coming from the open doorway, a flickering light coming in through it, breaking the complete darkness Jen had become accustomed to. Remembering what Mistress had said, she walked to the doorway, carefully, her body still getting used to moving freely again, the hard stone beneath her feet a reminder of what unwanted pain would come if she slipped.

As she reached the doorway, she saw the source of the light. A row of candles ran up the long stairs that led down to the cellar, the house in darkness except for the faint light they cast on the stairs. She followed them, slowly ascending, already hoping where they might lead her to, but not wanting to assume it, tempt fate, still knowing that they could lead so many ways when they reached the top of these stairs. She reached the hallway and stood there, her eyes following the curve of the candles as they reached out into the open then curved back round to rise up the main stairway, leading her upstairs, towards the place she hoped for. She wanted to run up the stairs, sprint even, but she took them carefully, one at a time, inhaling deeply as she walked, letting the scent of the candles fill her senses, calming her down. The staircase turned as it took her upwards then reached a wide landing, the candles taking a path to the left, Jen following them.

She could see where they led now, the path they made in the darkness leading to the only open door on the landing, warm golden light pouring out of it, the light and scent from the candles drawing Jen into it. She crossed through the doorway and entered into a large room filled with the flickering light of what seemed like hundreds of burning candles, scattered all over the room. Their scents mingled, their warmth filled the room and Jen felt safe an relaxed as soon as she entered there. Once she had become accustomed to the light, her eyes were drawn to the bed in the centre of the room. It was giant, an oversized four poster bed, created from a combination of wood and iron, covered in white sheeting, but it was what was on the bed that attracted Jen's attention.

Mistress lay there. She was lying on her side, facing Jen, her body stretched out on the bed, letting Jen see her nude for the first time. Jen was transfixed as she looked at the vision of beauty ahead of her, beckoning to her to join her there, her long slender legs moving slightly, a thatch of auburn hair visible between them, fading away into her slim, flat stomach. As Mistress's arms moved, her fingers waving to Jen as though she were drawing her in to her, her full breasts moved with them, smooth and round, the skin like alabaster flowing to her large, round nipples. Her hair was loose, the light from the candles playing with it, drawing out colour upon colour, infinite shades of red seeming to play in the long strands.

Jen felt herself walking instinctively towards her, feeling herself drawn to the open space beside her on those cool white sheets. She felt almost unworthy of being there, that there was no way she could be fit to share a bed with someone as beautiful as Mistress, but Mistress' eager beckoning, the desire in her eyes, the movement of her body left her in no doubt that she was wanted. She reached the edge of the bed, climbed upon it and slowly moved towards Mistress, realizing now that this was her destiny, that this was what everything had been leading up to.

Slowly, carefully, Jen moved across the bed towards Mistress. She'd shared beds with women before, but none this beautiful, none that had put her through the array of feelings Mistress had during those few hours since they'd met on the train. The only sound in the room came from the candles, an occasional hiss as flame met wax, their light still flickering intoxicatingly over Mistress' body as Jen closed in towards it. She was on all fours, pulling herself towards Mistress, her right hand touching Mistress outstretched left arm, their hands closing on each other, Mistress gripping her tight.

They were each looking intently at one another, Jen almost seeing herself reflected in the flickering depths of Mistress' eyes as she laid herself down beside her, their faces just inches apart, matching movements placing their free hands on each other's hip, their joined hands resting on the bed between them. Slowly, Jen stroked Mistress' skin, feeling its smoothness against her hand, tracing the curve of it as Mistress pulled them closer together. Slowly, their lips came together, brushing against each other, the soft cushion of their breath between them, then closer and closer, their open mouths joining together, Mistress running her tongue over Jen's lips as they kissed, then Jen responding, their tongues intertwining, Jen tasting the sweetness of Mistress' lips as she ran her tongue over them.

As they kissed, their bodies moved closer, pushing tightly into each other, Jen feeling their legs tangle together and rub against each other, Mistress pulling her closer until they were in total contact, breasts rubbing together gently as they came close. The kiss was becoming more passionate now, more urgent, their hands coming apart, their arms wrapping around each other as they held each other close, Jen feeling the warmth of Mistress' skin against her body, sensing the vague pulse of her heart beating in her chest.

Mistress gripped Jen harder then rolled over onto her back, pulling Jen with her so she was now lying on top. Mistress moved her hands down to cup Jen's rear, gently stroking and massaging there, all pain now gone from there, replaced with the warmth of her touch. Jen moved her hands up to Mistress' neck, stroking it as she kissed, letting her hands run over Mistress' shoulders, wanting to touch and kiss every part of the beautiful body that now lay beneath her. She lifted her head slightly, still just holding the kiss, her tongue brushing Mistress lips, looking down at Mistress' face as they kissed. Her eyes were open too, looking at Jen with passion and desire, silently urging her on.

Using her hands to hold Mistress' face, Jen started to kiss her all over it, slowly laying tiny kisses over her cheeks, her forehead, down the bridge of her nose, over her chin and then down to her neck, slowly moving her body down, feeling Mistress move her hands up her back, flowing over it and round to her breasts, gently running over them, teasing her nipples as Jen showered her neck and shoulders with kisses. Jen felt herself responding to Mistress' touch, her hips pushing down and grinding against Mistress. Mistress arched her body up in response, grinding back against her. Jen moved her hands downwards, touching Mistress' breasts for the first time, letting her fingers explore their curve, their shape, their smoothness, rubbing the flesh, then slowly touching the nipples, circling them with her fingertips, feeling them swell at her touch.

She moved her body again, tearing herself away from the delicious pressure of their grinding hips, moving slowly downwards, letting her lips trail over Mistress' chest, slowly covering every part of Mistress skin with the attention of her kisses. She could still feel Mistress' hands on her breasts, her fingers stroking slowly underneath them, the nipples cupped in her palms, rubbing them softly, sending a slow warmth through Jen's body from her touch. Jen's mouth reached Mistress' left breast and she started kissing it all over, then let her tongue trace a soft line down to Mistress nipple, using the tip with her fingers to make it swell before taking it into her mouth, sucking on the engorged nub, catching it gently between her teeth. She felt Mistress move in response, the slow rumble of a moan deep in her throat, her hands moving up to stroke Jen's hair, holding her at her breast as she sucked on it, playing it on her tongue.

Finally having the taste of Mistress on her tongue was slowly intoxicating Jen. She was savouring every inch of her skin, tasting Mistress' essence with every kiss, feeling the blood rushing through her nipple as it rubbed on Jen's tongue. She could smell the sweet scent of Mistress' arousal, too, slowly emanating from between her legs, its smell urging Jen to rush there and take her fill of it, but she resisted wanting to worship all of Mistress' body she could before succumbing to the ultimate pleasure of her. Carefully, she let the nipple fall out of her mouth, giving it one last delicate kiss before moving to the other side and repeating the process with Mistress' other breast, loving and worshipping it, feeling Mistress move in response, her fingers caressing Jen's head in a matching rhythm.

She felt Mistress move her legs beneath her, moving Jen's legs apart, sliding between them, rubbing her thigh against Jen's sex, applying subtle pressures to her clit. Jen ground back, loving the feeling of Mistress against her like that, slowly moving her hand over Mistress' bare stomach, stroking her hip, moving inward, running her fingers through the soft mat of auburn hair between Mistress' legs, feeling them rise and part as she touched her there. Still sucking on Mistress' nipple she began to stroke her sex, feeling its outline with her fingers, taking her time to explore its patterns, feeling the swollen lips pushing at her fingers, their eager wetness calling her inside.

Mistress was alternately moaning and sighing now, and Jen looked up from her breast to see that her head was tilted back, pushing hard into the bed beneath it as Jen's exploring fingers and tongue sent little sparks of pleasure through her. Her leg was still rubbing between Jen's, steadily pushing her upwards. Jen let the nipple slide out and started to kiss back up Mistress' body, the pressure on her sex reminding her of the feelings Mistress had given her earlier, she eager to give the same and more back to Mistress to show how thankful she was. Slowly, she kissed up Mistress' outstretched neck, under her chin, her fingers still exploring between her legs, running over Mistress' clit, feeling ti swell and throb as she began to softly stroke it.

Then, her lips were on Mistress again, mashing together, her tongue pushing against Mistress' lips, feeling them open easily and welcome it into her mouth. As she did that she slipped one finger, two into Mistress, her actions rewarded with a deep moan and Mistress arching her back, forcing her body into Jen's, her skin now flush with warmth, tiny beads of sweat from both of them mixing together as their bodies started to move against each other, Jen feeling herself slide over the sleek skin of Mistress. She pushed her fingers deeper inside her, using her thumb to rub Mistress' clit, starting to forget the sensations of her own body, concentrating her attention on Mistress' pleasure alone, giving herself solely to her desire, her pleasure.

Slowly, Jen pulled back from the kiss, moving her legs so they were both between Mistress' then carefully pushed herself up onto her knees between them, keeping her fingers inside Mistress while she moved. She looked down at Mistress, seeing the pink tinge to her skin as her arousal spread, looking at the beautiful body below in her, rejoicing that the pleasure it was enjoying was coming from her. She watched Mistress start to rub her own breasts, then look up towards Jen, smiling widely, licking her lips. Jen slid a third finger inside Mistress, felt it being gripped tightly as she pushed deeper into her, running a hand down her own body then onto Mistress' chest, letting her fingers interlace with Mistress on her breast, increasing her rhythm, pushing her body forward, closer, leaning over her.

She kept leaning, moving forward, kissing Mistress between her breasts, feeling her body move up towards her lips, her sex clenching against her fingers, waves of pressure tight against them, releasing, returning. She could feel the muscles inside Mistress contract as she kissed down her stomach, letting her tongue trace a circle round the navel, seeing it undulate as she glided over it, the scent of Mistress' sex becoming stronger and stronger in Jen's nose as she came closer and closer to it, sweet and strong, beckoning her down to it, her eagerness to taste it rising higher and higher within her.

Mistress was moaning louder now, the motion of her hands on her breasts becoming frantic as Jen ran her tongue over her mound, feeling the hairs, now slick with sweat, tickling her tongue as it flowed through them. She increased the pace at which her fingers moved, rubbing Mistress' clit hard as her tongue came down to it, moving her fourth finger inside her, feeling it eagerly accepted, almost sucked in. Her tongue reached Mistress' clit, eagerly teasing it out from under its hood, twisting it round, kissing it, sucking it, hearing Mistress' moans become louder, her body moving more. Jen could taste her now, Mistress' aroma filling her nose, the taste of her in her mouth, seeming to permeate her entire body. All Jen's attention became focused on this one point, all her senses centred on her hand and her mouth, seeing herself as purely those, her only role to pleasure Mistress, her only desire to receive more of her scent, more of her taste, filling her soul like a perfect drug.

She could sense now that Mistress was close to her peak, close to giving Jen the reward she sought for her devotion, the chance to see Mistress in ecstasy, knowing that she had delivered her there. She intensified her efforts, fingers pushed deep inside Mistress, moving them, feeling the slick velvet of her sex, running her tongue up and down from the lips to the clit then licking it, sucking it, running it over her teeth.

Then she felt it, as though it was happening in her mind not Mistress' body. She knew that Mistress had released, given way. She could feel what Mistress was feeling, sense the waves of pleasure transmitted from Mistress' body into hers. Still she continued, keeping Mistress in her ecstasy, even though she could feel her own body weakening in the wake of the shared orgasm, Mistress bringing her thighs together, gripping Jen's head in place, wrapping her legs around her as though she was trying to pull Jen inside her. She cried out now, a feral roar from deep within her and Jen felt the same surge inside her, like electricity running up her arm and into her body, firing into every cell. Mistress' body bucked again, her motion pushing Jen into the bed, the friction setting her off into her own climax, one that started from nowhere and everywhere at once, freezing her body and melting it a million times every second.

Jen felt Mistress' grip on her loosen, Mistress fighting her way through the spasms that wracked her body to reach down to Jen, pull her up the bed to lie alongside her. They felt into a tight embrace, bodies as close as possible, moving together through their joint release, holding each other tight, kissing heavily, passionately, the taste of Mistress' sex passed back and forth between their mouths like a sacrament. Jen could feel everything she had been before this moment disappear, swallowed in the crush of her passion, her entire body and soul feeling like it was totally, irrevocably linked to Mistress.

Jen woke and was immediately lost, unsure of where she was. She'd always been a slow riser, someone who took a while to go from ending sleep to being fully awake and her normal morning confusion was added to by waking in an unfamiliar bed. She was in a large bed, under white sheets in an unfamiliar room, the bright light of the day outside filtered in through white net curtains over the solitary window in the room. She could feel that she was naked between the sheets, the soft cotton wrapped round her body, holding the sheet to her chest as she sat up, feeling a stiffness in her muscles as she moved.

Slowly, as she looked around the room, her memories of the day before came back to her. The train journey, Mistress, the tormented pleasures she had experienced and finally the blissful lovemaking they had shared in this bed. She smiled as the memories came back to her, her presence in this room a physical reminder that all she had experienced had not been a dream. Almost unconsciously her fingers moved to her neck as she thought of Mistress, looking for the collar she wore, that permanent reminder of how she had willingly chosen to bind herself to Mistress and all she represented.

It wasn't there. Her neck was as bare as the rest of her body. She looked around the bed, around the room, desperately hoping to see it there, thinking that maybe Mistress had removed it to let her sleep safely without it pinching her neck, but it was nowhere to be seen. Neither was Mistress, the room totally empty, the candles that had lit it so enchantingly the night before all burnt away, the door closed.

Jen knew that this was the bed she had shared with Mistress. She could still sense her presence there, see the indentation beside her where Mistress had lain as they feel into sleep, Mistress' armed wrapped around her, holding them together close and tight. Her scent was still lingering there beside Jen, a few auburn strands of her hair left behind, vivid against the white of the bed. As her fingers ran across the skin of her neck, Jen could still feel some faint marks there, a lingering trace of the collar, already fading into memory. She remembered Mistress' promise to her yesterday, that she would set Jen free this morning, allow her to go back to the journey she had been on when chance had thrown them together. When Mistress had first made that promise to her, Jen had accepted it happily, not knowing the heights to which Mistress would take her, not knowing what she would experience in that house. At that time, she thought she'd just leave this house after a passionate few hours with an interesting tale of an exotic one-night stand, a uniques excuse to give Kelly for her lateness, but she had discovered something more, desires she hadn't thought existed within her, a part of her that could not be silenced with mere memory and fantasy.

She was fully awake now, rubbing her eyes to remove the last of the murk of sleep and saw something she hadn't noticed before in her frantic look around the room. Something was hanging on the back of the door, long and white, with what looked like a piece of paper fixed to it. She climbed out of the bed and walked towards the door, almost oblivious now to her body's nudity, totally used to being like that in this place. As she approached, she saw that it was a silk robe hanging from the door, and the paper, fixed to it with a matching white ribbon, had writing on it, ornately curved handwriting in deep red, almost black, ink. She took it and read:

'Sweet Jen,

'I trust you have slept well. I would have woken you when I rose, but you were sleeping so peacefully, looking so beautiful, that I thought it best to let you continue resting and to allow your body to recover from yesterday.

'As I promised, I have removed your collar to give you back your freedom this morning and you are now free to leave at any time you wish. If you want to go now, you may. You will find your possessions outside this room and a ride to wherever you wish to go will be arranged for you. However, if you wish to see me again, you may dress in this robe and come to see me. I shall be waiting in the garden at the rear of the house.

'Choose carefully, my dear Jen.

'Kate'

At the bottom of the page, there was a faint pattern in red, the soft outline of Mistress' lips where she had clearly kissed the paper before leaving it for Jen. She looked at the name - Kate - whispering it to herself, almost silently, as though she were testing it out. It had never occurred to her that the woman who had done so much for her, to her, had a name other than Mistress, but as she thought on the name, she realised that Mistress had shown her a deeper intimacy, a brief revelation of the true self that was encapsulated within her. It reminded Jen that Mistress wasn't merely the beautiful creature that had taken her on such an intoxicating journey during those few hours yesterday, but also the real woman who she had made love with on such an intimate level in the room she was now standing in, whose essence still lingered there. More than that, though, Jen felt it revealed something deeper. There had been no sense of revelation to her when she read that name on the paper as though, even though she had not been told it, she already knew that Mistress was also Kate, that this was something she had already learned on a deeper, subconscious, level.

Realising that made the choice easy, even though she had been almost certain as to what she was going to do before. Jen knew that everything about her time in this house felt right, as though she was meant to be there, and she knew she didn't want to leave and even if she had to, she would not go without seeing Mistress - Kate - one last time. She slipped into the robe, feeling it fit almost perfectly around her as it went on, and opened the door.

Walking out of the room, she saw her bag sitting there, the clothes she had been wearing yesterday neatly folded on top of it, another note beside it along with a phone. She ignored them, their presence not tempting her to reconsider for even a moment, and headed across the landing and down the stairs.

The stairway was empty as she descended it, but she could still easily recall how it had looked the night before, remembering the glow of the candles as they guided her from the cellar to the bliss of Mistress' bed. There were no directions for her now, but she didn't need them, some pat of her knew exactly where she was going, even though so much of this house was unfamiliar to her. That presence of Mistress she had felt within her before was still there, but different now, Jen not feeling the acute pain of her absence, but knowing where she was, feeling her calling to her, her position marked like a beacon, letting Jen find her way to her.

She turned right at the bottom of the stairs, away from the room where Mistress had first bound her, past the stairs that led down to the cellar, past the bathroom where she had rested before entering the cellar, and into the living room she had glimpsed earlier. It was a large, long room, sumptuously decorated like the rest of the house, a perfect mixture of antique and modern but Jen's attention was focused on the full length windows that ran down the back of it. Through them she could see out into the garden behind, a large expanse of perfectly kept grass that slowly merged into the woods that surrounded the house. The windows at the end were a set of sliding doors, left open, the cool breeze from outside sweeping in through them. Jen headed through them, onto the wide stone patio. Looking around, she saw Mistress sitting alone at a wooden table in the deep shade at the end of it, looking away from Jen and over the garden.

Walking towards her, Jen saw that she dressed simply, wearing loose black Indian-style cotton trousers and a matching top. Her hair was loose, deep red strands falling down her back, brushing the back of her chair. She turned, smiling, as Jen approached her.

'So, you do not wish to leave me just yet? I'm glad to see you again, my dear Jen. Please, take a seat.'

'Yes, Mistress.' Jen sat down at the other chair by the table, sitting just around from Mistress.

'No, my dear. There is no need to call me Mistress now. I have returned your freedom to you, so you can call me Kate while we're out here. After all, I did only tell you to call me Mistress within the house, didn't I?' Her smile was warm and friendly, her tone reminding Jen politely of the subtle change in their roles removing the collar had made.

'Yes, Mis- ... Kate.'

'Good. Now, you obviously slept well, my dear, and your presence here must mean that you enjoyed what occurred yesterday, otherwise you'd be busily leaving right now, yes?'

'I did, yes. It was amazing. I hadn't imagined it was possible to feel like that. Thank you, Kate.'

She smiled again, her hand reaching out to rest on Jen's arm, holding it lightly. They sat like that for a while, in silence, watching the wind move the trees, listening to the sounds of the countryside around them. There was so much Jen wanted to say, so many things she wanted to declare to Kate, so much she wanted to ask for, but she wasn't sure if this was the place, if her requests would be brushed off, leaving her desolate and alone.

Kate's hand began to stroke the underside of Jen's arm, the soft touch reminding her of how it had felt yesterday, the strange magic she had felt when her skin was touched by Mistress. She knew she wanted that touch again, wanted that feeling, wanted to give herself to Mistress completely, totally, eternally. That thought fired her courage, telling her she had to speak, had to ask for it herself.

'Kate?'

'Yes, my dear?'

'I- I don't want to go. I don't want to leave you. At all.' She rushed through her statement, her heart beating hard, her stomach filling with butterflies as she spoke, hoping she hadn't gone too far, praying that her plea wouldn't be rejected.

Kate turned to look at her, still smiling but with an intensity in her eyes. 'I knew that from the moment you came out here, my sweet. But what's important is not what you don't want, but what you want. Tell me that. Tell me what you desire.'

The words came from Jen in a rush. 'To be yours, to be your slave. I want to give myself totally to you. I want to surrender everything I am and give it willingly to you.'

'And why do you wish to do this?'

The answer came almost instinctively to Jen. 'Because I know this is where I am meant to be. With you. Always.' That was it. She didn't think it, or feel it. She knew it. From somewhere deep within her she knew that this was where she should be, had to be.

'I know it too, my sweet. From when I first laid my eyes on you, and even before then, I knew you were destined to be mine, as though fate had brought us together.' She reached down by the side of the chair and lifted something from the floor. Jen saw it was her collar and her body ached to wear it again, to never remove it once she had fixed it on again. 'You would willingly take this and wear it again?'

'Yes, I would.'

'I had hoped you would say that. But before you can make that decision, your final decision, you must be aware of all that has led you here. It was not chance that brought you here, my dear. Almost chance, perhaps, but fate had a helping hand.' She turned away, looking to the corner of the house. 'I think you should come out now.'

What? Jen thought. She was confused now, her mind trying to work out what Kate - Mistress - had just said to her. What she had said about knowing before they had met that they would be together had triggered something like a memory, some reminder of something deep within her that had told her she would be here, as though they had met before elsewhere. But what now? Who was she talking to?

From around the corner of the house, someone came. She was in the darkest part of the shade, hard to pinpoint and identify, but Jen could tell from her silhouette who it was. A tall figure, short bobbed blonde hair now becoming clear as she came into the light, those familiar curves, that lazy walk.

Kelly.

Jen had already felt her view of the world change several times over the last day. Just twenty four hours ago, she'd been a shy, reserved, girl off to visit a friend and now she was a submissive, a woman ready, eager, to willingly give herself to another woman, to proudly accept her slavery. Realising that she and Mistress shared a connection beyond what she had already thought had been something she'd accepted, just a natural realisation from all that had gone before, but this was something she had not been expecting.

She blinked hard, twice, making sure this was Kelly she was seeing before, not just some other woman that looked a bit like her. It was undoubtedly her, pulling up a chair to sit at the table opposite her and Mistress. Jen could still feel her touch, Mistress' - Kate's - hand still resting on her arm, calming her slightly, keeping her grounded. Jen looked between the two other women, seeing a knowing glance and smile pass between them.

'Hi babe.' Kelly said. 'Surprised to see me, I bet.'

Jen couldn't think of a response. Surprise didn't even begin to cover the emotions she was feeling. It was more like shock, a sense that everything she had thought she had known was wrong. Now she understood what Kate had meant when she said their meeting had been almost chance. Was this all just a game? Was the prospect of her servitude just a fantasy?

'I think we should explain.' Kate said, her hand still gripping Jen's arm, leaning towards her with a reassuring smile. 'Do not worry, my sweet. Everything that has happened here, everything that has been said, is true. You just need to know how it came to be before you can make your decision.'

'OK,' Kelly said, 'I think the first thing you need to know is that me and Kate aren't lovers. We're friends, and we've had sex a few times, but this isn't about the two of us. It's about you and Kate.'

Jen relaxed a little. In her mind, the darkest prospect had been the idea that she'd give herself to Mistress, only to find that Kelly had got there first and had a higher place in her affections than Jen could achieve.

Kate was speaking now, her voice as calm and relaxing as ever. 'As you've seen, my dear, this is a house of pleasure. I often hold parties here, inviting women I know and women they know to come here and... have fun for an evening.'

'That was where chance came in, if anywhere.' Kelly said. 'I've been seeing Tania - she's a lecturer at the University - and she knows Kate, so she asked me if I wanted to come to a sex party one night. Well, I could hardly say no to that, could I? So, we come here and have a very good time.' She was grinning salaciously now, clearly remembering what had happened that night.

Kate picked up the story now. 'I like to get to know any women who come here who I haven't met before, so I was talking to Kelly and showing her the house. We followed a couple of girls down to the cellar and then...'

'That was the strangest thing. As soon as I walked in there and saw what was going on - girls tied up, all that sort of thing - I thought of you, Jen.' Kelly said.

'Me?' Jen asked, finally finding her voice. 'Why me? I'd never done anything like that before I came here.'

'Never even though of it, I bet, right?' Kelly smiled, already knowing the answer. 'And that was why it was so strange. It was like I knew that you'd enjoy it down there. Maybe it's because you were always pretty passive whenever we were together, but I just knew that down there was a place you should be. So, I mentioned you to Kate, she wanted to know more and -'

'That's how I came to get on the train to meet you. Kelly told me when you were going to visit, so I arranged to get on the same train and see what happened. The rest you know, of course.'

'So have you been here all this time?' Jen asked Kelly.

'Oh no. I just got here this morning. Kate called me yesterday to let me know you'd come with her, and she thought I should be here to explain what brought all this about. So, are you angry with me?'

Jen was silent for a moment, thinking it over. For a while there, she thought she had been angry with Kelly, thought that all this has been an unintentionally cruel trick, showing her a life she knew she now wanted then snatching it away, saying it all had never been real. But now she realised that there was something more at work. Kelly had confirmed what she had already been thinking, that she was somehow meant to be here.

'No. Of course I'm not angry with you. I'm happy.'

'Happy?' Kelly asked.

'Happy that my best friend can be here to see me giving myself to Mistress.'

She could feel Mistress gripping her arm tighter as she said that and didn't need to look at her to know that she was smiling broadly at Jen's declaration. Part of her had expected Kelly to be shocked by it, had thought that her friend would be shocked to see her give herself like this to another woman, but she wasn't. Jen saw that she was smiling too.

'Wow.' Kelly said. 'To think I had a hand in bringing the two of you together. I thought - I knew that you would enjoy meeting Kate, but I never expected it to end like this.'

'You think she shouldn't go through with it?' Kate asked.

'Oh no, I definitely think she should. I think you two were meant to be together.'

'Maybe we were.' Kate said.

'You think so?' asked Kelly.

'I know so. But that's a story for another time, I think. For now, will you stay and witness Jen's surrender to me?'

'I wouldn't miss it for the world.'

****

Jen looked at herself in the mirror as she dried herself off after her bath. It had been less than twenty-four hours since she had first encountered Mistress on the train, yet now she was give herself entirely to her almost without a second thought. Yet she felt no worries about what she was about to do, even those concerns the sight of Kelly had caused within her had gone almost as quickly as they arrived. Indeed, Kelly's tale had only helped to confirm her belief that this was where she was meant to be, that she had been destined to give herself to Mistress.

Looking at her body now, she felt no shame at her nudity and wasn't viewing it with the critical eye she had looked at herself with before all this. Then, she had concerned herself with worries about how she looked, whether she was gaining weight, if her breasts were too small, but now she knew that her body was owned by Mistress, was part of Mistress and thus had to be beautiful if it was part of her. It was only through some sense of nostalgia that she looked at herself now, knowing that this would be the last time she would see herself without a collar. Mistress and Kelly were waiting for her, back in the room where she had first taken Mistress' collar the day before, waiting for her to cleanse herself before she took that final decision. Jen had been ready to go through with it straightaway, but Mistress had insisted she take time to bathe first. Jen had been unsure as to why she had insisted on it, but now she could see why. The bath had been like a baptism, washing away what remained of her old self, her old life, giving Jen the chance to see her old self one last time and say goodbye to that life.

She was ready now. Carefully, she opened the door and then slowly walked across the hallway. The door to the room was open and she walked into it, seeing Mistress and Kelly standing there waiting for her, Mistress standing in front of the window, silhouetted by the light, Kelly standing to one side of the room, her position showing her role as an observer, not a participant in what was to come. Both had changed their clothes while Jen was in the bath, Kelly now wearing a long, almost formal red dress but Mistress' outfit was what caught Jen's attention, reminding her again of the sheer beauty of the woman she was about to give herself to. For a moment as she first saw her in the light, Jen thought she was nude, but as her eyes adjusted to the light she saw that thought had come merely from the fact that Mistress' clothes fitted her like a second skin. She was clad in lather again, black this time, only her arms left bare in an outfit like a catsuit that flowed over her from her neck down to the matching stiletto boots on her feet. The gold bands she had worn the night before were again on her arms, her hair loose, brushed back so it fell behind her shoulders, her lips coloured a deep blood red, an enigmatic smile playing on them as she watched Jen approach.

Jen lowered herself to her knees in front of Mistress, lowering her head and placing her hands in her lap. She was utterly calm, even relaxed, sure in who she was and what she was doing. The room was silent, but she could feel both Mistress looking at her, Kelly looking at both of them, witness to this moment of truth. Then Mistress spoke.

'Look up, my sweet.'

Jen raised her head and saw that Mistress was holding her collar in front of her, resting it on her outstretched hands. Their eyes locked, Jen feeling Mistress gaze burn deep into her, showing her everything the collar represented with no need for words, their communication on a higher level already. Slowly, Jen lifted her hands up, carefully taking the collar from Mistress, reverently lowering it down as Mistress returned her hands to her side, watching impassively.

Jen looked at the collar carefully, searching within herself for any last doubts, anything that might prevent her from wearing the collar. There was nothing. Every part of her was prepared for it, every cell in her body felt as though it belonged to Mistress already. Putting on the collar was just an outward symbol of a change that had already occurred within her. Slowly, she placed the collar round her neck, feeling it slide into place around it as though it was made to be there. Even in that short time she had been without it that morning, she had missed the feel of it there, as if a part of her was missing. As she fixed it into place, tying the strap, she felt complete again, like everything was right in her life for the first time. The last of her old self had fled, replaced by the slave she had willingly become, on her knees before the woman she had given herself to.

Her destiny had finally found her. Fate, not chance, had brought her here. She was home.