Lex's jaw dropped as her eyes caught a hold of the sight in the center of the rug in the living room. She knew nothing was wrong, due to the fact that Karie was just lounging in the sofa, a slight smile of satisfaction on her face. It was obvious to Karie that Lara was not bound against her will; at least, not entirely. But, despite growing quite close to Lara after taking an English class in high school from her, and an English class at college from her while Lara was trying to get her doctorate, Lex had never had a hint of any such activities in Lara's life.

       Nevertheless, there was no denying the fact that Lara's form was lying tightly bound and sparsely dressed in the center of the rug. Lex took in the sight, hardly realizing that she was savoring it. She had always thought of Miss Stevens as being cute, but once the rather plain clothes were stripped away, Lex realized she easily qualified as gorgeous. The purple lace thong and bra Lara wore set off her smooth and pale skin wonderfully, contrasting with her long black hair, which was pulled back in a severe braid, hanging down to about the middle of her back The ropes binding her thighs to her ankles, her ankles together, her wrists to her opposite elbows behind her back, and her arms to her ankles accentuated her slim and shapely form. When Lara turned her head toward the doorway where Lex stood, Lex's amazement increased even more as she noted that the leather straps forming a sort of harness around Lara's head accumulated in such a manner as to hold a red rubber ball securely in her jaw.

       Lara's deep blue eyes widened as she recognized Lex's presence, then her face turned crimson and she began to fight her bonds, though she had been perfectly calm and collected a moment ago. The muscles of her arms and back  flexed visibly as she tried to regain use of her limbs, but the well-tied knots disallowed such attempts. It was clear to Lex that until someone released Lara, she would remain in that position due to the rope between Lara's neck and thighs, which had been obscured until Lex circled her friend's form.

       “How are you, Lex? Lara thought you would be staying out quite a bit longer with your friends. She really didn't intend for you to see her like this.” As Karie spoke, she uncrossed her long, slim, chocolate-colored legs,  recrossing them with her right leg on top.

       “Um. Hardly anyone showed up. The old group is pretty much breaking up.” Lex couldn't take her eyes of Lara. “Why did you tie her up like this? Did Lara ask you to?” Though the relationship between Karie and Lara had never quite been explained to Lex, Lara knew that Karie was much like a very close older sister. She knew that was not the case, however, from the simple fact that Lara was pure Caucasian, and Karie was originally from Africa. Karie's dark skin, and shoulder length black hair  confirmed this to Lex's mind, though her deep-green eyes didn't seem quite so common in those of African stock in Lex's experience.

       “She did. She's always enjoyed this sort of thing. It's all about the sense of restraint and helplessness, about being unable to prevent or stop people from torturing or raping her or such.”

       “She likes being tortured? Raped?!” Lex's voice was incredulous, and she would have entirely disbelieved Karie, except for the fact that Lara was looking downward, ignoring Lex's gaze, and the fact that from her shoulders upward, Lara's normally milky-colored skin was a bright pink with embarrassment.

       “Within limits, of course. Go ahead. Have some fun with her. She's very ticklish.”

       “Mmph! Mmmhh!” Lara shook her head, a small measure of desperation in her eyes. Not without good reason, Lex reflected. Lex had her mischievous moments, and Lara had been the brunt of it more than once.

       Lex shrugged her shoulders, satisfied that Karie was being entirely honest, then bent down and began brushing her fingertips lightly across the bare soles of Lara's feet. Lara began fighting her restraints in earnest now, trying to escape Lex's fingers. Lex grunted in frustration as Lara managed to twist away.

       “Hmm. I really didn't tie those ropes with tickling in mind. Let's try something a little different.” Karie uncrossed her legs and gracefully stood, making her way over to Lara. Despite Lara's attempt to squirm away, Karie grabbed the rope holding Lara bent forward and untied it from her thighs and neck, allowing Lara to straighten her back with a sigh of relief. Lara's relief quickly evaporated as Karie lowered Lara onto her side, then rolled her onto her stomach. Karie tightened the rope between Lara's arms and ankles, forcing her shoulders and breasts up off of the ground a bit and holding her in a tight hogtied.

       Lex spent a few more minutes tickling Lara, until tears rolled down Lara's cheek and all she could do was rock back and forth a little in sheer helplessness, unable even to plead any more through the rubber in her mouth. When Lex stood back, she was a little surprised to realize that not only was she fairly horny, but could feel a bit of dampness between her legs.

       “Have you ever done worse to Lara than this?”

       “Not really. A bit of ice from time to time, which makes her squirm just as much, if used right. She's set pretty strict limits on what I can do, though. For instance, her underwear has to stay on, and I can't stimulate anything under the cloth. Yo u know, now that you ask about it, I don't think it's because she doesn't want more, or doesn't trust me, or anything. I think it's because she desperately afraid of the idea of being considered even partially homosexual. I think if there were a man she trusted and loved, it'd be entirely different. Of course, there's no way she'd ever tell a man that she's interested in this sort of thing.”

       “Umm.” Lex couldn't think of a way to respond. “Are you interested in this sort of thing too?”

       “Bondage? Oh yeah. I can never get enough of it. Unfortunately, I've never  really met any beautiful women that enjoy bondage as much as I do. From the other side, of course. I'm not interested in the least in being in her position.” Karie nudged Lara with her toe, to which Lara simply replied by glaring back.

       “Really? I seem to remember reading that a pretty large number of women fantasized about rape and forced sex and such.”

       “Maybe, though precious few would admit it. Besides, forceful sex is one thing. Bondage is quite another, to most people. Ropes and whips and chains have a cultural stereotype attached pretty firmly here in the US, you know.”

       “I suppose you're right.” Lex finally managed to tear her eyes away from Lara's bound form, glancing at Karie, then quickly looking away as she saw Karie's intense gaze focused at her. “Umm. How long are you going to leave her like that? It looks pretty uncomfortable.”

       “It's reasonably strenuous, the way I tied it. However, I do my best to avoid ever telling people how long I'm going to leave them tied up or what I'm going to do to them. I think it heightens the feeling of helplessness.”

       “What....if you had someone come to you and say they liked bondage as much as you do, what would you do to them?”

       “Are you offering?” This question was accompanied by an arched eyebrow.

       “What, me? No. I don't have any idea whether I'd like it or not. I've never been tied up before.” Lex blushed a little, praying that Karie wouldn't detect her little white lies.

       “Is that so?”

       “Uh, yeah, I think so.”

       “Well, I'd restrain them, of course, in many different ways. I'd expose them, torment and torture them in various ways, humiliate them, you get the idea.” Karie paused, her lips pursed a little. “Tell you what. You've never been tied up before. I'll restrain you so you know what it feels like, at least in part. I'll promise not to do anything besides tying you up.”

       “Umm. I really don't know you all that well. We really only met a couple of days ago at dinner.”

       As Lex spoke, Karie bent down and began untying the knots in the ropes holding Lara, till Lara was able to stand up and unbuckle the straps holding the rubber ball in her mouth, sighing with relief as she pulled the ball out.

       “Lex?” Lara's voice was remarkably musical, considering the fact that just short minutes ago, she had found it difficult to even grunt and whine in protest.

       “Yeah?”

       “Karie always keeps her promises. If she didn't, you would have seen something entirely different when you came in, because I can guarantee that simply tying me up like that was a little boring for her.”

       “Not boring,” Karie countered. “Just not as interesting as I would like.”

       “Whatever. But Lex? She's offering seriously. She won't do anything to injure or harm or offend you.”

       Lex shrugged, thinking for a moment. “Alright. Do I have to....dress in my underwear?”

       Karie chuckled. “I would certainly prefer it. Besides the fact that it is more visually pleasing, it allows me to be a bit more in control of how the ropes are tied, and how tight they are. Clothing can prevent me from being able to see how tight the ropes are.”

       Lex nodded, thinking that what Karie had said made sense. Lex pulled off her shoes and socks, and reached for the button of her jeans, till Karie interrupted.

       “We can do it in here if you really want, but this isn't the most comfortable place. A bed would be ideal. Maybe the spare bedroom?”

       “Okay.”

       “You two have fun. I'm going to go make dinner.”        

       Lex and Karie hardly noticed Lara as they left the room, opening the door to the guest bedroom and turning on the lights. Once Lex had stripped down to her plain white underwear, Karie wasted no time in beginning, pulling Lex's arms behind her back and swiftly binding her wrists together. Lex felt her stomach drop as Karie cinched the ropes and tied them off, her sense of arousal seemingly increasing tenfold as she began twisting her arms behind her back and tugging on the ropes binding her wrists. Karie hardly paused, continuing by tying Lex's wrists to a rope around her waste, then tying coils of rope around her torso and upper arms above and below her bra. Karie helped Lex lay on her stomach on the bed, then bound Lex's ankles together, pulling the tail up and tying it to Lex's wrists in a gentle but secure hogtie.

       “Why don't I just leave you here for a few minutes while I go help Lara make dinner. If you need anything, just yell, hmmm?”

       “Alright.”

       Karie left the room, shutting the door behind her, and Lex began rolling around and pulling against the ropes. She realized very quickly that she would not be getting free any time soon of her own accord, and this served to make her even more horny. Lex continued struggling, enjoying the feeling of restraint more and more as she grew more relaxed. She began bending sideways back and forth at her waist, closing her eyes and biting down on her lip, enjoying the sensation of her breasts in their cloth cocoons rubbing softly against the cover of the bed. She spread her legs, arching her back in an attempt to rub her clitoris against the bed, but the angles were all wrong, and she soon gave up her attempt. Finally, Karie simply closed her eyes and lay there, luxuriating in the feeling of the ropes, firm and comforting, almost, loving the sensation while avoiding admitting it to herself.

       The door opened, and Lara stuck her head in. “Enjoying yourself?”

       “It's kind of relaxing, almost.”

       “Trust me, it's entirely different when the restraints are being utilized by someone else for their...dire....purposes.”

       “It's not that bad, is it? Why don't you let Karie do those sort of things to you?”

       “It's not that I don't trust her, or don't like the idea of those things being done to me. It's just...we feel like sisters. It'd feel wrong, somehow.”

       “But...if it wasn't for that, you'd let her?”

       “Ideally, it'd be a handsome and intelligent male doing it to me, but if it came down to it, I'd probably allow her to, yes.”

       “Oh. Umm.”

       “Yes?”

       “I don't know how to say this.”

       Sensitive to Lex's needs, Lara simply waited.

       “Do you...do you enjoy the other side too? The tying people up and tormenting them?”

       “Actually, yes. As much as I enjoy being tied up. However, Karie dislikes the submissive side entirely, so I never really do a whole lot with my dominant desires.”

       “I really don't know much about...bondage, but it might be fun to try out a bit more. I'm just a bit nervous about telling Karie she could have her way with me. Maybe you and I could do a bit first, without her?”

       Lara's eyebrows raised, though she was really not all that surprised. “Hmm. Let me think about it, alright? I'll get back to you in a bit. In the meantime, let me untie you so you can join us for dinner.”

       Lex's hopes shriveled at Lara's rather lackluster response. Lex really had wanted to go further, but she wasn't sure about doing it with Karie, yet. Besides, though it frightened all of Lex's sensibilities, and though Lex hardly dared to admit it to herself, she found herself repeatedly remembering the sight of Lara's oh so sexy body restrained tightly on the carpet. Indeed, had Lex been self-confident enough, and secure enough in her sexuality, she undoubtedly would have admitted to herself that at the very least, seeing Lara like that had revealed a certain sexual attraction towards her.

       

       All three chatted during dinner, but Lex's mind really wasn't on what was being said. She was trying to figure out the best way to explore bondage further, without alerting them to the fact that she was so turned on by it. Frankly, Lex was a little alarmed at how much it appealed to her, especially considering she knew so little about it relatively. Fortunately, she never actually had to say anything. After dinner, Lara brought it up.

       “I've been thinking about your request, Lex.”

       Lex began blushing furiously, but didn't respond.

       “I'm really not willing to take full responsibility. However, if you will allow Karie to run the show, I'll be happy to participate and stay there the whole time. In fact, if the two of you want or prefer, I'd be willing to do all the actual work, and just leave Karie to direct.”

       “I think it would be alright if you were just there,” Lex ventured.

       “Karie?”

       Karie shrugged. “Sounds fine.”

       “You don't want to?” Lara's eyebrows were raised as she asked the question.

       “No, no. I'm just afraid that...never mind. Sure, we can do it. I'll be gone most of tomorrow. We could do it Sunday.”

       “What about tonight?” Lex's voice quavered a little bit as she asked. Karie turned to Lara, her expression forming a question.

       “Sure. Do you need some time to get ready, Lex?”

       “No, I'm good.”

       “Alright, Karie, the show is all your's.”

       Karie frowned for a few moments thoughtfully, her fingers idly tracing patterns on the wood of the table. Can you get the rope we used earlier, Lara, and meet us in the basement? It should be comfortably warm, I think. Thanks. Go ahead and go downstairs, Lex, and get undressed again. I'll be right down.”

       Lex felt her pulse quicken at just the hint of bondage. She attempted to make her way there nonchalantly, and hurriedly stripped down to her bra and panties, then attempted to calm herself before the others got there. It seemed a long time before Karie and Lara came down the stairs together, bundles of rope in Lara's hand, the red rubber gag and a wooden spoon in Karie's hand. Lex had little doubt as to just what the spoon was intended for, and the sight of it increased her anxiety just a little bit, since she knew just how much a wooden spoon could sting, without doing any real damage.

       “Wrists together in front of you. No, not crossed. Good.” Karie's instructions were simple, her tone relatively neutral. She took a length of rope from Lara and doubled it up, forming a coil around Lex's wrists and pulling the ends through the bite. She pulled the rope tight, then formed two more coils, making sure each lay nicely next to the prior coil with the doubled up rope before separating the strands and cinching the coils encircling Lex's wrists, tying it off with a quick square knot.

       Feeling their eyes on her, Lex attempted to pretend like she wasn't really all that interested in what was going on, and was instead more of a simple bystander. Karie grabbed another length of rope, tying it to Lex's wrist restraints then throwing the end over the I-beam running the length of the basement. She pulled, until Lex's elbows were at about the level of her eyes, then tied the rope off, making sure the knots were out of the reach of Lex's fingers. Karie bent, tying a separate rope to each of Lex's ankles.

       “Take this rope and pull it around that support pole,” Karie instructed Lara, pointing to a pole supporting the I-beam on Lex's right. Karie took the other rope, tied to Lex's left ankle, and pulled it around a second support pole, this one to Lex's left. “Alright, now pull until I say stop.”

       Lex tried to keep her legs together, her bare thigh muscles straining, but she was not even close to a match for her two captors, and the ropes securing her ankles were soon tied off, leaving her ankles spread nearly three and a half feet apart. Karie untied the end of the rope she had thrown over the I-beam, pulling it tighter such that Lex's arms were now extended above her head. It wasn't tight or uncomfortable, but between that and the ropes spreading her legs, Lex knew she had very little control over what happened to her body now. She trusted Lara fully, however, even if she didn't know Karie all that well, and so wasn't especially worried.

       Karie selected another rope, wrapping it around Lex's waist several times, tying it off in back, allowing the long tails to drape downward. Karie circled to the front of Lex, reaching back between her legs to grasp the dangling ropes and bringing them forward. She threaded the ends up under the rope around Lex's waist, pulling the rope until Lex could feel it running between her buttocks and legs and over her sex up the front side. Lex gasped as Karie checked the rope's positioning and pulled it tighter, causing the rope to bury itself between Lex's labia in a somewhat uncomfortable and very erotic manner.

       “Why....what's the point to the rope between my legs,” Lex asked nervously, hoping neither of them could detect the signs of her arousal. Both of them ignored her question, however, and Karie simply continued in her methodical and efficient manner, throwing the long ends to Lex's crotch rope over a 2x4 nailed between the joists of the ceiling directly in front of Lex nearly to the cinder block wall. Lex's eyes widened as Karie began pulling the rope, causing Lex's crotch rope to dig in even more uncomfortably and forcing Lex to thrust her hips forward and stand on her tip-toes to prevent it from becoming a good deal more uncomfortable, if not downright painful. Lex realized that now she really couldn't struggle much at all, as any struggles would result in jerking the crotch rope painfully. Lex tried to simply stand there, biting her lip a little, unsure of exactly what Karie was planning, though she was pretty sure there would be a spanking in there somewhere, a thought that both embarrassed and aroused Lex.

       “Alright. I'm going to go upstairs for a while. Lara, I want you to begin spanking her rear and thighs with your hand. It might be best if you bared her rear, however you want to do that. I'll come back down in half an hour or so. By that time, I want her skin to be nice and tender and pink. If I'm not satisfied with how sensitive her rear and thighs are, including the insides of her thighs, I'll finish up with her and you'll be taking her place while she'll be returns the favor.” Lex swallowed nervously, beginning to wonder just what she had gotten herself into.

       Lara chuckled at the threat. “I'm pretty certain that won't be necessary,” she responded as she walked over and began baring Lex's ass, pulling the cloth covering it inward and upward in a wedgie that would undoubtedly have felt a bit uncomfortable, were it not for the even tighter rope between her cheeks. Lex blushed, a little sensitive about her rear, but Lara completely ignored Lex as she cracked her neck and prepared to fulfill her assigned task.

       Lex wasn't quite sure what she expected, but she definitely didn't expect the stinging smack on her right buttocks that surprised her enough that her whole body jerked, a yelp of pain escaping her lips. She hardly had time to register the first blow before a second followed soon after, and a third, and a fourth. Though the blows weren't hard, exactly, they stung badly and left a burning sensation. By the time Lara paused at fifteen spanks, Lex's entire right buttocks felt like a flaming, stinging mass of sensitive nerves. Lara walked around Lex to stand on her left side, then began spanking Lex's left buttocks. By the time Lex had counted to fifteen spanks silently, tears were starting at the corners of her eyes. She had never been spanked so painfully, and the addition of the now-painful crotch rope made it that much worse. Lex wondered how much she could take.

       After a few moments of respite, just long enough for the stinging sensation to calm down into a dull pain, Lara began again, on the backs of Lex's thighs. This time she alternated blows between Lex's thighs, moving up and down and making sure she covered every inch of skin between the backs of Lex's knees and the crease between her thighs and rear. By the time she finished with the backs of Lex's thighs, Lex's skin there was every bit as sensitive as her rear.

       Lara began on the insides of Lex's thighs, and Lex found that though it was still distinctly unpleasant, due to the angle Lara was forced to attempt to use, it was not nearly so bad as the prior smacks had been. Nevertheless, it hurt enough that Lex had to bite down on her lip to keep from whimpering. When Lara stepped back, satisfied with the color of Lex's thighs, Lex breathed a great sigh of relief.

       “Oh, don't get comfortable yet. I'm not done.” There was a slight smile on Lara's face.

       “What?! But...my skin is all tender, and I'm sure it's bright pink, even though I can't see it!”

       “It certainly is pink, and it probably is good and tender, compared to what you are used to. But, let's be honest here. If I want to make you more tender, then I'm going to, and there's not a whole lot you can do about it.”

       “No, please....” Lex looked at Lara pleadingly, her  eyes still a little teary. Lara simply ignored her, however, and began spanking Lex's right buttock again. Lex had thought they had hurt before, but now each stinging blow made her entire body jerk, eliciting slight whimpers. Lex simply closed her eyes, clenching all of her muscles and doing her best to ignore the pain, entirely unsuccessfully. Finally, when Lara was about midway done with the inside of Lex's left thigh, Lex heard footsteps coming down the stairs, and felt almost relieved to see Karie, thinking that it would mean the end of this phase of their plans for her.

       “Please, Karie....It hurts, and I'm very tender! No more! Make Lara stop, please!”

       Karie turned and looked at Lara questioningly. “I'm almost done. I just want to go over her right thigh one more time.” Karie nodded, leaning against the wall and folding her arms, watching Lex squirm with a gleam in her eyes as Lara continued.

       :”No....please....” Lex wasn't quite reduced to demanding, or begging, but she didn't think it would really be long before she reached that point. By the time Lara finally stepped back and nodded at Karie, Lex could hardly see through tears in her eyes.

       “Go ahead and gag her,” Karie instructed. Lara complied, holding the red rubber ball up to Lex's lips until she opened her mouth, then Lara inserted the rubber ball between Lex's teeth, securing it in place with the multitude of leather straps and buckles with a fair degree of proficiency. Lex wasn't sure she liked this addition, since it implied that there was still a reasonable amount in store for her, according to their plans.

       “So, Lara, what do you think? Do you think she is a submissive?”

       “I really haven't checked yet. I'd guess that she is, since she took a rather nasty bare-handed spanking without backing out or asking to be let go. That could be pride, though I rather doubt it.”

       Karie pushed herself away from the wall and walked up to Lex, grasping her chin firmly and lifting it till Karie could gaze intently into Lex's eyes, a slight smirk growing on her face.

       “She likes it. She's a submissive. I don't know that she'd enjoy the full range of...activities...that I personally enjoy, but she definitely likes being restrained and punished, if only mildly. If you really want to be certain, you could always check her panties.”

       Lex averted her gaze, a little embarrassed by Karie's comment, and a little intrigued. Beyond the cliché idea of whips and chains, Lex really had no idea what other activities were involved in “bondage.”

       “Oh my. Now that you mention it, I can smell her arousal, and fairly strongly, at that. I guess I was a little distracted.” Lex turned bright red now, realizing that Lara was right: she was indeed highly aroused, more so than she had ever been in her life.

       “I smelled it as soon as I came over here, but I wasn't sure if it was you or her.”

       “I'm sure that I'm at least a little aroused as well. It's been a while since I've had this much fun.”

       Lex was a little comforted, a little dismayed, and very uncertain as to how she really felt about the fact that Lara was also aroused by the evening's rather unusual activities, but regardless, she didn't have much she could add to the conversation, so she remained silent.

       Lex closed her eyes in resignation as Karie secured a blindfold over her eyes, listening intently as she heard the two of them moving around, trying to figure out what was in store for her. She exhaled softly in relief as she felt the crotch rope loosened, then untied and removed completely, though she could still feel the effect of it between her legs. The next change she didn't take so calmly, however, and she began protesting vehemently into the gag as she felt her bra unfastened and pulled upward over her head, baring her rather average sized but shapely breasts.

       “Aughh! Eeehh ooh! Eeethhh!”

       Lex bit down on her gag reflexively as she felt cool fingers grasp her two nipples gently and begin rubbing and twisting them. Lex had never had anyone play with her breasts or nipples before, and she found the sensation so pleasurable that she found herself rather unable to think. She arched her back, trying to increase the stimulation to her nipples

       She was brought rather sharply back to her predicament as one of her captors brought the wooden spoon sharply upward between her legs, creating the sensation of a painful jolt and causing Lex to see a few stars. The other set of hands simply continued to massage her breasts and nipples, and Lex felt her need for sexual relief grow in a way it had never grown.

       The slow smacks and spanks continued with the spoon, each evoking a yelp of pain and shock from Lex. She tried to brace herself for them, but they came too randomly for that to really work effectively, the space between them varying anywhere from a split second to ten or fifteen seconds. All the while, Lex felt the pressure and the need in her sex growing, fueled by her helplessness, her exposure, and the soft erotic manipulation of her breasts and nipples.

       Lex hardly noticed the distant humming sound when it began, though she noticed it rather dramatically when the vibrator was pressed up against her sex, sending powerful vibrations deep into her most sensitive places. She groaned softly, twisting in her bonds and tugging at her restraints, trying to push her hips harder against the vibrator.

       The spanks continued, even growing more painful, but somehow, they served to accentuate the vibrator and the hands playing with her breasts, till finally the mounting pressure exploded in a violent orgasm, wave after wave racking Lex's body as she thrashed against her restraints. Lex could hardly breath, her nostrils flaring with each inhaled breath and each breath out accompanied by nasal whines.

       Finally, the vibrator was pulled away and the waves of pleasure died down, allowing Lex to sag in her restraints, entirely wasted by the whole ordeal. It was only then that Lex comprehended that the hands were gone from her breasts, the vibrator had been turned off, and her 'punishment' was done for the night. She breathed a great sigh of relief and even a little disappointment as she felt hands untie the knots and gently lower her to the floor. After what was at least a full two minutes, she reached up and remove the blindfold, fumbling with the gag for a few moments before giving up and lowering her hands. She looked downward, her eyes widening as she noticed that her panties now had a dark stain, and that visible quantities of fluid had managed to escape the cloth and run down the insides of her thighs, a fact that quite embarrassed her.

       When she looked up again, she saw Lara and Karie sitting side by side in front of her with their backs against the wall and their arms crossed, secretive smiles on their faces, and no small expression of satisfaction. Lara got up and helped remove the now soaking gag, setting it down on top of the shirt Lex had discarded so long ago.

       “So. What do you think, Lex?” Lara's tone was filled with curiosity.

       “It was...different. Kind-of fun, in a way. Amazing, in some ways.”

       “Oh, like the orgasm? I was afraid for a minute or two that you'd bring down the house around my ears.” A slight smirk flitted across Karie's features as she said this.

       “I...I guess so.” Lex was once again profoundly embarrassed by her blatant display of sexuality, though she was trying very hard to assure herself she wasn't responsible for it, that it was only because of what her teacher turned friend turned roommate had done to her.

       “Well. Did you enjoy it enough to do it again?” Karie's question was genuine, and though Lex was tempted to give a flippant answer, she decided to answer honestly. At least, as honestly and straightforwardly as her sensibilities would allow.

       “I suppose.”

       Karie and Lara chuckled in unison, Karie standing up and making her way upstairs. Lara and Lex simply looked at each other for a couple moments, till Lex remembered that her bra had been taken off and she was naked except for her panties, whereupon she gasped and attempted to cover her breasts with her hands. Lara chuckled again wordlessly before standing up and leaving Lex alone.

       Lex quickly dressed, setting the gag carefully on the ground, then walked up the stairs and sneaked to her room, hoping to avoid the two of them, and any questions they might have. She quickly changed out of her now sopping panties, drying the nameless fluid off of her sex and hips and legs, then pulled a clean pair of panties on, the feel of the clean and dry cloth somehow very comforting. She climbed into bed, wincing softly as she realized her rear and thighs were too sensitive to allow her to comfortably lie on her back, then she rolled onto her stomach and drifted off into a dreamless sleep.

       Lex's eyes parted, the soft summer morning sun waking her kindly. She sat up and stretched, wincing as the dull burning pain in the skin of her bottom reminded her of her 'ordeal' of the night before. She quickly stood up out of bed to take her weight off of her sensitive skin, rubbing it gently to soothe it before making her way to the bathroom attached to her bedroom. She slowly relieved herself, then showered, luxuriating in the feeling of lightness and freedom. She had been a bit worried about feeling homesick, but on the contrary, she felt a great deal lighter since moving out of her parents home one days prior.

       She climbed out of the shower, examining herself in the full-length mirror set in the door. She was not at all displeased with what she saw. She was healthy, her slender frame trim and well maintained by means of extensive swimming and gymnastics. Her light skin was smooth and unmarred by scars or moles or freckles, which was most pleasing to her, though she was often dismayed by her inability to get a tan. Her hair, black and glossy, hung down just past the top of her shoulders, a little longer than she generally allowed it to get.. Her eyes, a blue-green color were framed perfectly by her high cheekbones and perfectly-shaped nose with their small nostrils. Her breasts, she reflected, were not large enough to satisfy many men who seemed to like immense bosoms, but they accented her slender and shapely body, her curves the envy of many of her peers, though she never partook in their sexual excess over the years.

       Lex smiled slightly as she turned around and looked over her shoulder, happily surprised that aside from a slight pink flush, her rear and thighs betrayed no visible sign of the spanking she had received the night before. Satisfied with her self examination, she returned to her bedroom, a large smile on her face, quickly dressing for the day.

       For the first time in years, she did not have a job to worry about, and since she was between semesters at college, she had no obligations or responsibilities. As her roommate Lara was also between semesters, she had no firm commitments either, so Lex was hoping to find Lara and begin to explore the remainder of the property that Lara had purchased extraordinarily inexpensively from a government auction using money left to her by the passing of her grandparents. They had not had time to examine the older cellar attached to the basement, nor the large barn and attached structures in the back, due to the time-consuming ordeal of moving.

       Reflecting, Lex was very curious as to what would be in the barn and attached buildings, since there had been no fields planted in the attached land for at least a couple years, and there were not fences that could contain horses or cattle or sheep, excepting the long, high brick fence that ran the length of the property.

       Finding herself in the kitchen, Lex grabbed a box of cereal, pouring it along with some milk into a large bowl. She pulled a chair out from the table and sat down, then abruptly stood up again as she remembered too late her tender backside. She began to eat her breakfast standing then, a clumsy but more pleasant alternative to the discomfort of sitting down.

       Lara walked in looking fresh and groomed, dressed in jeans and a simple tee-shirt, her black hair in a simple ponytail. She looked at Lex with a twinkle in her eye. “Is there some reason you aren't eating your breakfast sitting down, as is traditional around most places around the world?”

       Lex only emitted a mock growl in response. “You just wait! I'll get you back!”

       “Oh, is that so? If I really wanted to be spanked, I would have asked Karie long ago.”

       “Who said I wanted to be spanked?” Lex's tone was mock innocent.

       “I think that was attested to by certain bodily reactions. I didn't really check, though. I'd be happy to repeat the incident of last night but take the time to make certain as to my conclusions, if you wish. Though,” she continued with a soft frown, “I think Karie would be better suited for that. Upon reflection, I enjoy taking a part in such things, but she has far more experience. I'd rather not be required to furnish any of the creativity required, or the responsibility.”

       “I don't even really know her.”

       “Oh, don't let that stop you. I'll vouch for the quality of her character.”

       “Don't let that stop me?” There was an expression of mock indignation on Lex's face. “She's the one who instigated the whole thing! I was just a passive subject!”

       “Uh-huh.”

       “But now I'm curious. You're an English teacher. Well, student now...whatever. What do you mean by 'don't let that stop you?' You seem to be implying that I should be doing something active, if I wanted you to be certain as to whether I actually enjoyed the spanking.”

       “Let's be clear here. I don't think you really care about whether I am certain you enjoyed the spanking and have evidence to back it up, or if I just believe it to be the case. This is really all about what happens next.”

       Lex disagreed, but only because she was still a little embarrassed about her sexual response to the whole thing.

       “So if I want something to happen next, you're saying I have to take the active role.”

       Lara rolled her eyes as Lex again emphasized the 'if', a bit exasperated at Lex's unwillingness to admit outright that she did enjoy it, and wanted more of it. “Drop the 'if', Lex. We both know it doesn't have any real place in this conversation.”

       Lex swallowed a bit. “So if...um...when...I want something to happen next, you're saying I have to take the active role?” Exchanging the 'if' for a 'when' was a major leap of faith for Lex, and would not have been possible, were it not for the fact that she trusted Lara far more than anyone else she had ever interacted with.

       “Yes. Karie is not likely to pursue it. She is not interested in bondage with submissives who have to be coerced or convinced that they want to participate.”

       “So if I...I mean...how would I....” Lex's voice trailed off, unable to complete the idea.

       “I thought I taught you better than that. Besides starting with some rather confused and jumbled grammar, it's not even a complete sentence or thought.”

       “Never mind. It's not important.” Lex refused to meet Lara's eyes, glaring at her bowl of milk in frustration, stirring it madly and pointlessly with her spoon.

       Lara sighed, choosing her words carefully before responding. “There are three real choices here that I can see. The first is for you to do nothing. It's possible that Karie will make the advance and ask if you were willing to take part again. I'd not bet on this, though. It's even possible that I might ask you. This is almost more likely, but again, I wouldn't rely on it. Second, you ask Karie in a more circumspect manner, so that you and she can choose to play your games on an individual basis, whenever you both feel like it.” Lara took a bit bite of her toast, gazing downward at the floor, deep in thought.

       “And the third....?”

       Lara looked up, a startled expression crossing her face. “What? Oh, right. The third is a way that I think some choose to do it, but I consider the least likely alternative. You write and sign a formal letter to Karie, telling her how much you enjoyed the bondage the other night, and telling her you want to explore it deeper. Tell her you are nervous about the whole thing, but that you trust my opinion of her, and to a lesser degree, you trust her. Tell her what you consider your limits to be, then tell her that you will leave it up to her, that if she is willing and desirous, you would be honored if she would help you to explore bondage as a submissive. Leave her the letter, or send it to her, or have someone deliver it, or maybe even have a nice gesture of submission and trust.”        

       “A nice gesture? Like what?”

       “Oh, I don't know. Put yourself into self-bondage such that you can't get free of your own accord.”

       “Self-bondage? Like tying yourself up? I really don't know how to do that.” Lex swallowed nervously, blurting out her next words “Would you maybe be willing to help me?” Lex wanted to sink into the floor as Lara gazed at her, amazement filling her expression.

       “Of course, but you would need to write the letter first.”

       Karie winced as her cell-phone rang, not at all happy with whomever dared to interrupt the last-minute negotiations over a large business merger. She excused herself from the meeting before even looking at the phone, rolling her eyes as she answered it.

       “Karie here.”

       “Karie, this is Lara. I'm sorry I'm calling you at this number, but I don't think I have much time.”

       “Is something wrong?”

       “No, no. Nothing like that. It's just....I think Lex is about to step off the edge. She came to me and we started discussing the 'what next' question with no small amount of clumsiness, as I'm sure you can imagine.”

       “I'm sure. I wonder if that girl has ever had sex or even masturbated.”

       “Who knows? Regardless, I told her the different ways I could see things turning out, depending on what she did.”

       “Did that scare her off?”

       “Actually, no. I think she's in her bedroom writing a letter in which she offers herself as a complete submissive to you. I wanted to let you know that so you wouldn't be surprised. And...”

       Karie was astonished beyond belief. “Yes?”

       “I think she wants me to tie her up or such for you to find as a gesture of submission. I was wondering what you thought.”

       Karie could only stand in stunned silence for a few moments. “Um. Well. How soon do you think she'll ask you to do it? Later today? A couple days? A week or two?”

       “From the way she asked? Fifteen or twenty minutes. I don't think she knows that you're going to be in meetings all day. I think she figured you just went home last night or something.”

       “Damn. Give me a moment to figure this out and I'll call you back and let you know what I'd like you to do.”

       “Alright.”

       Lex quickly signed and folded the papers, knowing it'd be wise to re-read them and possibly even rewrite them, but realizing that if she spent too much time thinking about the whole thing, she'd probably dislike the way she had said things, or even get too afraid to go through with it at all. Besides, she could hardly bear being embarrassed by the whole thing by Lara and Karie. She didn't think she should embarrass herself as well.

       She went searching for Lara, quickly finding her in her study. She pressed the papers into Lara's hand without a word, too nervous to say anything.

       “Are you certain about this, Lex? Not doing this won't decrease our estimation of you in any way, shape, or form.” Lara gazed critically at Lex.

       “Yes, I'm...I'm sure. Can you....like....restrain me somehow and call her at home or something and get her to come back? She doesn't live too far away, does she?”

       “No, no. She lives about fifteen minutes away, if you go a little faster than the speed limit. And yes, I'd be glad to help you out. Give me a moment to finish this quickly. Meet me...hmm...meet me in the kitchen, and we'll sort things out from there.”

       Lex quickly retreated to the kitchen, standing and fidgeting in anxiety. She was glad when Lara entered sooner rather than later.

       “Alright. There's a lot of ways we can do this, but this is what I was thinking. You don't want to pressure her for time, so putting you in any position that can't be maintained for any period of time is very, very unkind. In fact, I'd recommend the opposite, so that she has as much time to think about it as she wants, before being forced to do anything. You could opt for just a pair of handcuffs or something so that you are still able to do whatever you need to while she thinks about it, or you could go the opposite extreme with complete restraints and helplessness. Did you have any ideas yourself?”

       “I...uh...not really. I mean, I was thinking about doing it somewhere a bit out of the way so she didn't have to see me every other second. And I was thinking about doing it in such a way that once I'm restrained, it's not in my hands any more.”

       “Alright. Why don't we do it in the basement?”

       Lex nodded eagerly.

       “Alright. I'll grab what I want to use. You go ahead and drink a decent amount of water so we don't have to worry about dehydration, then meet me in there.”

       Lex swiftly complied, downing two glasses of water and rushing down the steps. She was expecting that Lara would tie her much as the night before, or to one of the poles, and so was a little surprised when Lara was on the other side of the basement, closer to the padlocked door into the cellar, dragging the boxes from the prior occupants of the house off of the large, heavy wooden table and onto the floor.

       “Go ahead an strip down to your underwear again. It should be warm enough down here.”

       Lex did so, revealing a set of undergarments nearly exactly like those she had been wearing yesterday: white, cotton, and very plain and simple. Lara raised her eyebrows slightly, but made no comment, instead indicating with a gesture that Lex should climb on the table and lay on her back.

       When Lex had done so, Lara picked up four lengths of rope, tying one to each of Lex's four limbs. She took great care as she did so, laying each wrap carefully and tying each knot so that they would be firm but not uncomfortable. Two of the ropes she pulled toward the corners at the head of the table, forcing Lex to lift her hands above her head and outward as Lara tied them off the two corresponding legs of the table. The other two, which were attached to Lex's ankles, she tied to the two legs at the foot of the bed. Lex was a little surprised that they were not pulled tight, forcing her into a secure spread-eagle position, but she did not comment.

       Lara tied another two ropes to the middle of Lex's thighs, clucking in sympathy as Lex winced when the wraps came in contact with the pink skin that was the effect of the spanking. These ropes Lara pulled outward before crawling under the table and tying to each other, pulling Lex's knees apart until they were flat on the table, her legs forming a sort of an open pentagon. Lara took the time to tighten all of the ropes now, and Lex realized that the only part of her body she could lift off of the table was her head. She realized also that for many women, having their legs splayed and twisted sideways so their knees were pointing directly away from each other might be painful, but due to all of the years Lex had spent stretching, it was not unduly uncomfortable.

       Lara blindfolded Lex then and placed earplugs in her ears, immersing herself deep into a dark and silent world, highlighting every sensation Lex felt, from the brush of air across Lex's mostly bare skin to the ropes holding her immobile against the smooth wood of the table.

       “I'm just going to pull a stocking over your head to keep the earplugs from coming out or the blindfold from slipping off,” Lex heard distantly. When she felt Lara's hands under her head, she lifted her head obligingly, not struggling as she felt Lara pull some stretchy stockings over her head and neck. “Oh, and Karie is consulting two fairly large and powerful companies in a merger today, which could be done anywhere from an hour to eight hours, so she might not be home for a bit. I sincerely hope you are comfortable. I'll check in on you from time to time. I'll ask you one more time, though. Are you sure about this?

       “Yes.”

       Lex expected a response, but none came. She attempted to relax, till she had felt and heard nothing for a time aside from her pulse in her ears, so she allowed herself to begin testing her bonds. She had deliberately ignored Lara's restraints as much as possible, afraid that paying attention to them would cause her to become aroused, and afraid that Lara would be able to tell. Now that Lex guessed she was alone, she began testing her bonds, exulting in the sense of complete helplessness. She could hardly breath, she was so excited by her present situation. Though she had fantasized a bit about such things before, never had she come even close to feeling this securely restrained. She knew full well that there was nothing she could do to get away, and that Karie, when she arrived (or for that matter, Lara or any other guest) would be able to do practically anything they wished.

       Lex began imagining then just what Karie might do, or Lara if Lara felt so inclined. She imagined her clothing being cut off so that she was completely naked, having her thighs and abdomen and breasts spanked and whipped till they were bright red and Lex was begging for mercy. She tried to imagine being raped, which was a little difficult since she had never really had sex before, and forced to lick and suck Karie's and Lara's clitoris' and labia. Though she had never participated in this sort of activity before either, she could remember some girls mentioning it in high school, and the thought of being forced to give head to Karie or Lara aroused her. She fantasized about being found by her old high school swim team and taken advantage of, then by various individuals, male and female, that she had briefly met at college. Finally, she could come up with no new ideas to fantasize about, so she began to run over some of them, the ones she more particularly like, again and again, altering minor details from time to time.

       Her mind grew weary, and her body began to get a bit uncomfortable from being forced to hold the same position continuously, so she allowed herself to begin drifting off, letting her thoughts grow more and more incoherent until a light sleep overtook her.

       She awoke, distinctly uncomfortable now, all of her joints beginning to complain a little from their static state. The two glasses of water she had drunk began to make their presence known as well, though she thought she'd be able to hold it for a while. When she woke, her arousal had died down, but it flamed up again swiftly as she remembered again just how helpless she was. She realized that unless someone released her, she would be forced to urinate all over herself and the table, a thought that at once humiliated her, and increased her sense of helplessness. She began squirming, trying to find some relief for her joints, but as much as she squirmed, she couldn't find any. She tried to will the aches in her shoulders, hips, and knees away, but that wasn't particularly successful either. She distracted herself by trying to imagine what Karie might do, but soon she grew bored of this game, and her attention was brought back to her inability to grant any relief to her body. Despite the increasing physical and mental discomfort, her sexual arousal seemed to increase as much as the discomfort did, thriving on them.

       She began to question how long she could stand it, then began guessing at how long she had been lying on the table. More than forty minutes, she was certain, and it certainly seemed like it had been at least three or four hours, but Lex knew full well that time seemed to warp in circumstances like this. She was inwardly afraid that it might only have been an hour or so, and that Karie might not be home for another eight hours. Lex began to question her wisdom, and her resolve.

       She forced herself to relax for a short time, then began struggling again, growing more and more distressed. What if they had forgotten about her? What if they decided they were going to leave her like this overnight or, heaven forbid, even longer? Though the logical side of Lex's brain tried to assure her that such scenarios were impossible, the logical side of Lex's brain was fighting a losing battle.

       Lex began struggling in earnest, calling out for Lara or Karie. There was no response, of course, fueling her fear and discomfort, and she began pleading desperately.

       “Please, don't leave me here any more! I can't take it much longer! I need to pee, and it's very uncomfortable! Please?! Lara! Karie!” Her cries died off into whimpers, and her useless struggles died down to tremblings, but her distress wasn't at all decreased. Periodically she called out for help and attention, seeking anything but the silence, but of course there was nothing. She began crying softly, for the first time a little afraid. It wasn't that she thought anything really nasty or bad was going to happen, like being kidnapped and tortured and raped by evil men. Though those might make wonderful fantasies, she knew reality would be very different than fantasy. Still, she was certain that none of those sort of things were going to happen. Instead, she was afraid that she had gotten herself in far deeper than she could take, that she was too weak and might break. She was afraid of what Lara and Karie might think if she tried to back out. Self-doubt and self-accusations abounded, but these of course did nothing to grant any physical relief either. Her physical need to urinate began to demand immediate attention, distracting from her other discomforts, and Lex began calling out anew.

       “I really need to pee! I don't think I can hold it very much longer, especially with my legs tied apart like this! Please!! Untie me so I can go to the bathroom! Lara?! You're around here somewhere, aren't  you? Can you please call Karie and tell her I really need to use the bathroom? Please, don't ignore me any more! I can't take it much longer!!”

       The responding silence echoed in her ears, and she began straining to hold the urine within her bladder, her hips wriggling as much as her rigid limbs allowed with the effort. She began weeping in earnest as a tiny stream of urine escaped in a moment of weakness, then another. Soon, her entire body was trembling from the effort, spurts of urine spurting out at semi-random intervals, her panties preventing the fluid from going far, leaving her feeling more wet and helpless and ashamed with each such spurt. Finally, she lost all control of her bladder and the remaining fluid streamed out, soaking her underpants and puddling under her rear. She continued weeping, helpless, humiliated, a little angry with herself for her naive foolishness and mis-placed self-confidence, trying to lift her hips up out of the urine but entirely failing. Her weeping and the fight against the need to relieve herself had drained her, and her sobs soon diminished into a tearful silence.

       Minutes passed, or hours. She entirely lost track of time in the darkness and silence. She knew only her humiliation, reminded constantly of her inability to hold her urine by the cold sopping cloth of her panties, the puddle underneath of her, and the acrid scent of the urine. She twitched now and again, but the discomfort enforced by her rigidity seemed blessedly to have been reduced, for which she was grateful.

       When she heard a muffled voice, she nearly began weeping again.

       “Shh. Just listen to me for a moment, Lex. I want to read something to you.” Lex calmed herself, comforted by the nearness of the person speaking.

       “Dear Karie.” As soon as Karie began reading, Lex recognized immediately the letter she had written earlier. “ I don't know you very well. You seem like a very generous and trustworthy person, but frankly, I more than a little embarrassed about the idea of getting involved in bondage, at any level. I don't think I could tell you this to your face, and the only reason I can even write it is because of how much Lara trusts you. I really enjoyed being restrained and punished the other night. I loved the feeling of the rope and of the helplessness. I really want to do it again, and do more, but I don't know very much at all about such things. I don't even know if you are really interested in restraining and tormenting me and such. I hope you are, because I very much want it, and aside from you and Lara, there is no one else I would even come close to trusting enough and being close enough with to mention such things. It's kind of strange, because I really don't know what exactly I like about it, or what I want specifically. I've never really been exposed to such things, or thought about them. But I do want to go further. I'm going to ask Lara to completely restrain me and give this letter to you. I'm a little scared because of what you might think or how you might respond, but I'm still going to do it. When you find me, you can do whatever you want to me. Even if I don't like it or I hate it, I won't place the responsibility on you, since I am asking for it. Sincerely, Lexie Strasbourg.”

       “In a moment I am going to allow you to ask one question, or make one request. There are two requests you can make that I will grant without question. The first is a request to free you completely. I will return your letter to you, and we can pretend this never happened. The second request I will grant without question is a request for me to keep the letter, and do what I want with you. Do you understand the choice? Completely free immediately, or completely in my power. Give it as long as you need to think about it. Though, if you choose the latter, I am likely to leave you here for a good while longer. I'm home for my lunch break, but need to return reasonably soon to negotiations for the merger.”

       Lex felt the voice withdraw a little, leaving her to contemplate her choice. The fact that she had a choice seemed almost like being entirely free. She felt suddenly a little giddy, the weeping and discomfort and humiliation suddenly not quite so dire. Her body urged her to choose freedom, yearning to be able to move, knowing that if she chose otherwise, it could easily get a good deal more uncomfortable. Her mind urged this too, and all of her sensibilities. But now...the feeling of being in Karie's control, at her mercy, unable to prevent Karie from doing whatever she wished to Lex...

       Lex shifted slightly, a different need beginning to make itself known, a hunger to be restrained and tormented, unsure of the future and all that it held, a desire to be helpless. Had she answered immediately, Lex would have asked for freedom. But the longer she delayed answering, the more she remembered this longing, this need that she had never before dared to admit or address. Finally, she could prevent herself from answering no longer.

       “You...you can do what you want to me Karie,” Lex said hesitantly.

       “Not good enough. I want to know very clearly what you want.”

       “I want...I want you to do what you want,” Lex replied a little more confidently.

       “Ah.” Karie's voice was droll.

       “But...can I ask a question, please?”

       “Certainly, though I may choose not to answer you.”

       “I'm...a little afraid. What if I don't like what you like? What if you do something to me, and I hate it?”

       “We'll cross that bridge when we reach it. But I promise you, I will never do anything that will cause permanent damage, physically, emotionally, or mentally. There is always a chance that there may be an accident, but I will do everything that is in my power to prevent it.”

       Lex didn't respond for a moment.

       “And Lex? Just like you said you wanted me to do what I wanted, I really don't enjoy doing things to people that they don't enjoy, at one level or another. That is why I have never done more to Lara; not because I don't like the thought of doing more, but because she would very much dislike what was being done.”

       “Thank you, Karie.” For some reason, Lex felt immensely reassured, all of her earlier fears and doubts assuaged. Silence met her thanks, and Lex sensed that she was once again alone. For some reason, though physically she was no more comfortable or better off than before, emotionally she felt a great deal better. Sexually, however, she began to experience frustration. Never before had she been unable to find a bit of privacy, then reach down the front of her underpants and grant herself a bit of satisfaction. She had spent several hours highly aroused, now, and it was only getting worse. She began banging her head softly against the table below, attempting to distract her body from its need, but every movement only reaffirmed her complete helplessness, feeding the fire of her sexuality.

       Lex gasped as she felt a soft, cool fingertip brush her abdomen, moving slowly downward till the hand cupped Lex's moist sex through the still-soggy panties. Lex tried to arch her back, lifting her hips upward, but with a soft chuckle, the hand withdrew. Lex groaned softly in frustration and desire. She felt someone gingerly grasp the cloth of her panties, moving it to the side and baring her womanhood to the cool air of the basement. Her eyes widened beneath the blindfold, her breasts rising sharply beneath her bra when she felt something firm and rounded pressed between her labia. She groaned in pleasure as that something was slowly inserted into her well-lubricated vagina, that small bit of pleasure making her forget all of her discomfort momentarily. The intruder twisted slightly, then Lex jerked in surprise as it began vibrating. Her panties were replaced, again covering her private parts, now also serving the purpose of holding the vibrator inside of Lex's vagina. Lex moaned audibly, tensing her muscles as the vibrations continued, the once large world reduced to the table, ropes, the brush of the soft air, and the vibrator deep inside of her.

       Lex grunted in frustration as the vibrator suddenly stopped, her mind trying to come to terms with this change. Perhaps, she thought, the batteries were low. Maybe there was some sort of remote. Or, and this was the most fearful to Lex, it was on some sort of timer. Just when Lex began to despair of it ever starting again, the vibrations began at full force, just as before. She held her breath, waiting for it to stop, but as it continued, she relaxed, moaning softly again at the shear pleasure.

       Naturally, it turned off again, to Lex's great frustration. Lex lost completely her sense of time in the ensuing torment. When it was off, she prayed that it would stay off so that she wouldn't be tormented any more. When it was on, she prayed that it would stay on so that she could achieve the orgasm she so desperately wanted. She began jerking against her bonds helplessly, her hips and shoulders twisting back and forth. She was moaning and whimpering almost constantly now, either from the desire for more or the desire for an end.

       “Please,” she whispered, “no more. I can't take this any longer! Make it stop!” There was no response, and Lex attempted to distract herself by counting the intervals. Each period of vibration lasted anywhere between five and twenty seconds, each period of silence lasting between fifteen seconds and two minutes, as accurately as Lex could tell. She counted through three cycles, then four, then ten, each cycle making the torment worse. She began to come un-hinged at around the thirteenth cycle, beginning to groan and jerk randomly. At the fifteenth cycle, she began to loose count, and was unsure if it was the fifteenth time or the sixteenth or the fourteenth. She began pleading again softly, hoping someone was there to hear her.

       “This is horrible! Please make it stop! I'll do almost anything you want! Please, please, please, please!!” Her voice grew in intensity, finally cracking into a tortured sob of dismay as the vibrator again stopped. She rocked silently in her bonds, forced to await the onset of the tortuous pleasure again. When it did begin again, she began trying to flex her vaginal muscles to increase the stimulation, also grinding her bottom against the wood of the table and straining against the ropes holding her nearly entirely immobile in a desperate bid to reach the orgasm she could feel just out of her reach, as if through a bulletproof glass wall. None of her straining made any difference, however, and she wailed loudly as the vibrations again ceased. She felt hands at her neck, pulling the nylons covering her head and neck upward.

       “Please, no more, I can't take it any longer! It's horrible! Please, I promise I'll be mrrph! Oohn, eeeth!” Her pleas were suddenly interrupted by the now-familiar red rubber ball as it was shoved into her mouth forcefully. She shook her head desperately, trying to dislodge the hands securing the straps of the gag at the same moment as she tried to push the ball out with her tongue, but she simply didn't have the range of motion to be able to escape her fate, and the ball was soon buckled securely in her mouth.

       As the same hands began replacing the nylons over her head and neck, the vibrations began again, causing her back to arch, all the muscles of her body taught. The vibrations stopped, and she collapsed sobbing, again reduced to laying anticipating the continuation of the horrible torment.

       Never in her life had she been so frustrated, and it was obvious from her reactions. She tried pleading wordlessly around the ball in her mouth, she tried yelling through it, she tried weeping and screaming and whimpering; none of it mattered. She began counting the cycles over again, gaining some measure of control over her reactions.

       Slowly as she counted upward, her mind began to drift dully off into space, losing its attachment to reality and her situation, distancing her from her torment. She became dully silent, no longer thinking or really feeling.

       Just as she managed to begin to distance herself, she felt hands cupping her breasts, bringing her suddenly back. The hands began to gently, erotically massage her breasts through her bra in time with the vibrator, starting and stopping together. Lex began moaning and whimpering again, banging her head against the hard wood until it hurt.

       “Stop!” Lara's voice was sharp, and Lex obeyed reflexively. “If you keep that up, I'm going to have to tie your head down. If you make me do that, then I am going to make things that much worse for you.” Lex whimpered but obeyed.

       For several more cycles the hands continued massaging her breasts, until she began to drift off into oblivion again, whereupon she felt cool air brush against her nipples as her breasts were bared quickly and forcefully.

       How long the torment continued, Lex could not tell. She marveled at the patience of the person facilitating her torment. Every time it began to get easier, they would do something to bring her suddenly back to reality, whether that be pinching her nipples painfully, or tickling her sides for a few moments, or sucking on one of her nipples. It seemed to go on for an eternity, and Lex could hardly imagine any existence other than this.

       Finally, in desperation, she attempted to give herself completely to her restraints and torment. Rather than trying to ignore them, she began fantasizing about it. She imagined the situation just as it was, but that if she didn't orgasm, and soon, an automated bomb would go off, obliviating her. She could almost hear the slow ticking, knowing she had perhaps one or two cycles left before the bomb went off, desperation driving her to even greater heights sexually.

       Her fantasies and the vibrator and the hands rubbing her nipples combined, brining her swiftly toward an orgasm. She could feel it coming, knew that it was coming, regardless of whether the vibrator stopped at five seconds or twenty. She arched her back, whining as the climax approached, all of her muscles tense.

       Her world seemed to stop as her cheek was slapped sharply, stars appearing in the blackness, combining with the shock of the slap to snatch the orgasm away. She fought her bonds more wildly than ever, mmphing madly into the gag. She bucked and twisted her hips as she felt the panties pulled away, gripping the vibrator with her vagina as hard as possible to prevent it from being pulled out. Her attempts were useless though, and she collapsed with a sob as it came out with a sucking sound, leaving her empty and forlorn. She had been so close, so very very close. Split seconds, even, would have made all the difference.

       “Tsk tsk tsk. Very naughty.” Lara's distant voice was reproving. “Trying to orgasm without permission, hmmm?”

       Lex groaned with frustration, praying for an end, any end. Silence again met her prayer, silence and darkness. The frustration of her pleasure gone, she again remembered the discomfort of her immobility, and as her attention was returned to it, the discomfort seemed to become almost desperate to her. She pleaded into the gag, unable to do anything else, but soon she stopped even this, lying completely still, as if almost she was in a coma.

       “This, pet, is bondage. Frustration, restraint, torments, whatever I want to do to you. I have only been here the past thirty minutes or so, and have quite enjoyed watching Lara helping the vibrator drive you mad. It has been, in many ways, every bit as frustrating for me as it has been for you. You have no idea how alluring you are laying there, almost driven mad sexually by your torments. Ah, you are a truly beautiful sight.”

       Lex just gave off a soft moan in response, not even bothering any more with trying to beg through the gag.

       “I am going to take out the gag. Your next two sentences will determine your fate. If Lara here tells me that your two sentences are run-one sentences, though, then I'll gag you again and put the vibrator back in with even longer intervals of silence and shorter intervals of vibration. Savvy?”

       Lex nodded, gratefully working her jaw as she thought about what to say once the ball came out. She thought about asking for release, either physical release from her restraints or sexual release, but she was pretty certain that asking for those would not be rewarded by Karie. She thought about what Karie wanted her to say, but completely drew a blank. Finally, she decided on courtesy.

       “Thank you, Karie, for this whole thing, since I very much enjoyed it in a wonderfully horrible sort of way.” Lex waited, her breath held in fearful anticipation for Lara's verdict.

       “Cutting that one a bit close, Lex, but I'll let it pass,” was Lara's verdict, which was met but relief by Lex.

       “One more sentence, Lex,” Karie instructed, the tone of her voice giving little indication as to what should be said. Lex thought, however, that she detected a very, very slight pleased note to Karie's words.

       “Um. I...what do you want from me, Karie? Is there anything I can do for you?” Lex bit suddenly down on her lower lip as she realized that she had spoken three sentences, sensing that Karie would not be pleased, not a little fearful that she would again be gagged and tormented.

       “I'll let that pass this time. Next time I will not be so merciful.”

       “Thank you, Karie,” Lex responded with no small amount of gratitude.

       “You are welcome. I will not answer your question quite yet. We can discuss it later. For now...Lara?”

       “Yes?”

       “Go ahead and bring her to orgasm.”

       Lex nearly sobbed with relief as she felt her womanhood again exposed and the vibrator again inserted. It was turned on again, though the pattern of vibrations was markedly difference this time. It started very gently, slowly growing in intensity until it seemed to shake Lex's body with waves of pleasure, then dropping suddenly back to low and beginning to crescendo again. Lex unconsciously ground her hips against the wood below, tugging on her restraints as she strained in tandem with the vibrator.

       She felt Lara again grasp her breasts, cupping and massaging them, intensifying the pleasure, leaving Lex gasping for breath at the end of that crescendo. She arched her back, straining all of her weary muscles at once as the crescendo began anew, the coming orgasm encouraged onward by Lara's lips closing on her left nipple and sucking gently, her fingers rubbing Lex's right nipple. Lex could feel the orgasm building, far beyond anything she could imagine. She was afraid almost of it, that the tidal orgasm would roll over her, leaving her shattered and broken in its wake. Lex shrieked as it hit, a long, intense, inarticulate wail that seemed to echo around the basement and in her head. She shrieked until she had no more air in her lungs, though the shriek still continued silently as her entire body shook from the force of the orgasm. She was conscious this time of the fluid squirting out of her vagina and into her panties, the flow of liquid dying down in time with the waves of pleasure. Finally, the orgasm receded, leaving her gasping for breath.

       “I think she enjoys bondage. What do you think, Lara?”

       “If her orgasms are any indication, she enjoys it far more than any activity I have ever participated in.”

       The two of them chuckled softly at Lara's joke, and Lex felt hands gently begin to untie the knots restraining her. She could only lay there afterward, still unable to move, to open her eyes, even to speak.  After perhaps a minute or two of hushed silence, she wet her lips and attempted to speak.

       “Th....Thank you, Karie and Lara. That was...” Lex's voice just trailed off, her mind and voice unable to complete the thought or sentence.

       “You are welcome,” they responded in unison.

       

       Lara and Karie unbound Lex, allowing her to get up from the table and stretch gratefully, her joints creaking from her long restraint. She simply sat on the edge of the table for a bit, collecting herself, gazing at her discarded clothes and thinking she should probably put them back on.

       After a few moments of gathering her energy, she pushed herself off the edge of the table and began mechanically putting her clothes back on.

       “I'm hungry. And thirsty,” she commented.

       “I can't be bothered to make dinner tonight,” Lara replied. “Karie?”

       “Nope. I'll order pizza, though.”

       “Sounds good.” Lex slowly climbed the stairs, using the handrail as a support, then made her way into the kitchen where she filled a glass with water and gulped it down. Karie ordered pizza, and the three wandered into different parts of the house to wait and recover. When the pizza came, they ate in silence, each either afraid or unwilling to broach the subject until all were comfortable.

       Finally, after Karie and Lara had finished, and after Lex had stared at the half-piece on her plate for almost five minutes, Lex mustered her courage to speak.

       “Well, what now?”

       Lara's eyes widened in surprise, not quite understanding Lex's questions. “You want more? Tonight?!”

       “No! I mean, not necessarily. I mean, it's up to you two. I was just wondering when Karie was going to answer my question.”

       Lara's jaw dropped at the knowledge that after all she had endured, Lex was willing to endure more, and perhaps more than willing. Lara doubted that she herself was capable of such.

       “I'm afraid I have some paperwork to do,” Karie responded dryly. “You'll have to survive the rest of the night without any more bondage.”

       “Tomorrow morning, then?” As hard as she tried to hide her enthusiasm for the idea, it was obvious to the other two.

       Karie turned to Lara. “I really don't want to drive all of the way home, and then back here tomorrow. Do you think I could infringe on your hospitality and stay in one of the spare rooms?”

       “Of course.”

       “Good. I'm off to get started on the work I've been procrastinating. You two have a good night.”

       “Good night,” Lex and Lara chorused.

       Lara started doing the day's crossword puzzle. Lex propped her head on her hands, and her elbows on the tables, gazing out the French doors over the balcony, watching the sunset. She woke abruptly, a split second before her head hit the table after her elbows slipped off the edge of the table. Lara smirked but didn't say anything, and Lex realized it was probably past time for her to go to bed. She made her way to her bedroom, barely managing to change into her flannel pajamas before collapsing into her bed and falling into a deep sleep.

       She awoke to Lara shaking her awake, her room still dark, though the sky through the window had begun to lighten a few shades of blue.

       “Come on, Karie is waiting for you in the basement. She wanted to get an early start.”

       Lex rubbed her bleary eyes and looked at the clock. She often had gotten up as early as half-past five while she was  attending college, and for swim-team practice during high school, but she avoided it as much as possible during her summer vacations. She stumbled after Lara, nearly tripping twice before she stood in the basement looking at a freshly-showered and groomed Karie, her expression bright and cheerful.

       “Lara,” Karie said exasperatedly “I didn't mean right this second. Give her time for a shower and a bit of food.”

       Lara apologized sheepishly to Lex, who took it in good stride. By the time Lex had showered, braided her hair, gotten dressed, and eaten a bowl of cereal, the sun was peeking over the horizon, and she felt awake and alert. She returned to the basement. Lara and Karie abruptly ended their conversation when she entered.

       “Go ahead and strip down to your underwear again, then take a seat,” Karie instructed, pointing to the high-backed kitchen chair placed between the two poles. Lex complied, feeling no more comfortable so exposed in front of the two of them than she had the day prior. Karie handed Lex an object made of glass with two wires, red and black, dangling from the end of it. Lex handled it gingerly, afraid she knew where it was intended to go. “Put that inside your vagina, please. I've already lubricated it.”

       Lex blushed as she stuck her hand down her panties and pushed the well-greased shaft into her vagina until she felt the base come in contact with her labia. Already she felt her arousal growing at the feeling of the hard intruder, her exposure, and the uncertainty of their intentions for her.

       Karie and Lara selected some lengths of rope from beside the chair and began to bind Lex to the chair. Her arms they bound to the respective sides of the back of the chair, multiple coils around her wrists and upper arms also serving to hold her torso against the back of the chair. They finished by binding her ankles to the front legs of the chair, forcing her knees apart slightly to accommodate the shift in position.

       Lex watched as Lara and Karie dragged two chairs into place facing her five feet or so away, a small card table set between them. Karie set a box on the card table, one Lex noticed had several small dials and a switch or two, and was plugged into a wall socket. Lex felt her pulse quicken as the wires trailing from the glass intruder buried in her sex were plugged into the box on the table.

       “What...” she began to ask, before Karie motioned for her silence.

       “First- you may only speak to answer a question, and only to answer that question. If we ask a yes or no question, answer yes or no. Do not explain unless we request it. Second- answer truthfully, as soon as we ask. Do you understand?”

       Lex was confused. This was not at all what she had expected. “I uh...what are you do-owe! Owwwe, that hurts! Stop, please! I understand! Yes! Yes!” Lex was amazed at how quickly the needle-like pains across her sex stopped once she had given her answer to their question, and grateful as well. The sensation was not a pleasant one, by any account. Lex nearly opened her mouth to ask what they wanted, but Lara shot her a look and she thought better of it, instead trying to wriggle into a slightly more comfortable position.

       Karie fiddled with the dials on the box for a few moments, causing Lex to tense up at the notion that the pain might return. Finally, she set it on her lap, then simply gazed at Lex in silence. Lex fidgeted and looked down, not at all comfortable with the gazes directed at her. When Karie finally spoke, Lex exhaled with relief.

       “Are you a virgin?”

       “I uh...owe! I don't know what you mean by virgin!” Lex was grateful that there was only the single quick stab of pain.

       “Have you ever had sex?”

       “No.”

       “Have you ever masturbated?”

       “I...please, don't make me answer that? Owe owe owe....please...” Lex's voice trailed off into a whimper as the pain escalated, the sharper needles dulling and accompanied now by a deeper throbbing pain. Finally, she capitulated. “Yes!” She was crimson, looking down at the floor and afraid to meet their gaze in embarrassment.

       “How many times, or how often?”

       “Once!”

       “Once? You have only masturbated once in your life?”

       “Yes!”

       “When?”

       “I..uh...owe! Alright, I'll answer! Owe! I was eighteen! It was a few months before I graduated!”

       “Elaborate.”

       “I was surfing the net, and ran into a site with pictures of tied-up women. One of them reminded me a little of Lara. I didn't think about what I was doing. I just stuck my hands down my pants and started massaging myself.”

       “Did you orgasm?”

       “No. My..ahh! Ouch! I'm sorry!” Lex gasped, tears starting at the corners of her eyes. The shocks were definitely getting worse, whether because of Karie or because Lex was getting more sensitive, she didn't know.

       “Explain.”

       “My friend walked in on me. I tried to pretend like nothing had been happening.”

       “Did you ever think about it after that?”

       “Yes.”

       “How often?”

       “Sometimes several times a day, sometimes not for several weeks.”

       “Did it always arouse you to think about it?”        

       “Yes.”

       “And you never masturbated? Why not?”

       “I never had time.”

       “Explain.”

       “I was busy from 5:30 in the morning when I woke up till 10:00 at night almost every day with school and studying and sports and dance.”

       “What about the summer between your senior year of high school and your freshman year of college?”

       “I...uh...” Lex averted her gaze again.

       “You never masturbated again?”

       “I...uh...no.” Lex was not nearly so certain this time as she had been before.

       “You're lying to me, aren't you?”

       “Please, I didn't mean to...ahhh! Owe! Owe owe owwwe! Please, I'm sorry, no more! Stop it, please! I won't lie to you again! I masturbated at least twice a week, sometimes even more than once a day! Please, no more! I can't take it!” Lex's pleading grew into gibberish, her limbs jerking against the rope, the entire chair actually hopping a little bit with her struggles, pain spasming through her most sensitive parts, pain unlike anything she had ever felt.

       When it finally stopped, she sobbed with relief.

       “Thank you, Karie.”

       Karie ignored her thanks, instead asking her next question.

       “Did you always masturbate manually, or did you ever use anything?”

       “I don't understand.”

       “Did you always use your hands,” Lara supplied.

       “Yes, except once when I was climbing a tree.”

       “Explain.”

       “I...was sitting astride a branch, and I discovered that if I shifted my weight slightly, it rubbed my...clitoris...in a pleasurable way.”

       “You came?”

       “Yes.”

       “Did you ever fantasize about tying anyone up, or being tied up?”

       “No, and yes.” Lex had decided to be very careful, and follow Karie's earlier instructions exactly.

       “Who did you fantasize about tying you up?”

       “Miss...Lara. Miss Stevens. She...” Lex cut herself off, fearing she might say too much.

       “Yes?”

       “She was my English teacher.”

       “And you fantasized about her tying you up?”

       “Yes.”

       “Anyone else?”

       “No.”

       “Did you ever attempt to tie yourself up?”

       “Once.”

       “Describe.”

       “I was out camping with my family. They all went for a hike together. I used some rope to tie my ankles together while I masturbated.”

       “Are you a lesbian?”

       “I don't know.”

       “Explain.”

       “I...I never fantasized about Lara doing anything sexual to me when I was tied up. It was just the experience that was sexual for me.”

       “She never stripped you naked?”

       “Almost always, but...yes.”

       “But what?”

       “But that was just to facilitate my helplessness.”

       “Was that all she did? Tie you up?”

       “No.” Lex was crimson, afraid she knew what was coming.

       “What else did she do?”

       “She...tortured me.”

       “How?”

       “Tickling, spanking, stretching on the rack, needles, pinchers.”

       “Why did she do it?”

       “She liked to make me squirm and hear me beg.”

       “Was that all she did?”

       “No,” Lex said fearfully.

       “Explain. Completely.”

       “She...gave me enemas and forced me to hold them. She kept me prisoner for long periods of time, and made me wear...diapers. She put catheters in me.”

       “Why?”

       “She liked humiliating me and making me squirm.” Lex peeked up to see Lara's reaction, afraid that she would see revulsion. She was amazed, and afraid, when she saw Lara's raised eyebrows and intrigued expression.

       “I see. Lara, did you have any questions for her?”

       “Did you ever fantasize about boys?”

       “No. I...owe!” Lex jerked in surprise and pain, but quickly recovered herself.

       “Does the thought of sex with a boy turn you on, or inspire only revulsion?”

       “I...don't know. I've never thought of it.”

       “Guess.”

       Lex tried to imagine, but failed. “I suppose it could be nice.”

       “Sex with a woman? Does it turn you on?”

       Lex felt her blush turning even deeper. “Maybe.”

       “Explain.”

       Lex hesitated, and this hesitation was her undoing. Sudden pain, worse than anything yet shot through her sex. It was only a moment before the pain stopped, but already Lex was whimpering.

       “Some women. One woman. No, two.”

       Lara and Karie looked at each other, their eyebrows raised.

       “Who?” they asked in unison.

       “You,” Lex sobbed.

       The two looked at her, nearly identical thoughtful frowns on their faces. Finally, Lara turned to Karie. “I'm done asking questions.”

       “Lex.”

       “Yes?”

       “Were your fantasies limited to those...games...with Lara because anything else horrified you, or because you couldn't think of anything else?”

       “Both, a little. Mostly the latter.”

       “What horrified you.”

       “Bestiality.”

       “That's all?”

       “That's all I could think of that horrified me. Oh, and anything with actual blood.”

       “Thank you, Lex. Lara?”

       “Yes?”

       “Stand with your back against that pole and handcuff your wrists behind your back.” As she said this, Karie produced a pair of shiny handcuffs and tossed them at Lara.

       “You can't torture me like you did Lex, you know. That would be breaking your promises.”

       “Of course,” Karie responded. “I am fully aware of that, and have no intention of breaking them. Now do as I asked.”

       Lara complied, albeit hesitantly. It was clear to Lex that Lara had not been appraised about this turn of events. Once Lara had complied, Karie stood and made her way in Lex's direction. Lex breathed a sigh of relief that she was getting freed, but closed her eyes in dismay when Karie picked up another longer length of rope, doubled it up, and looped it around Lex's waist so that the byte rested in the small of Lex's back. It was a bit clumsy for her, but Karie soon succeeded in pulling the long tails forward between Lex's legs, then upward and under the loop around Lex's waist, forming a crotch rope much like the night before last.

       Karie positioned the rope carefully before pulling it, till it rested firmly but not painfully between the mounds of Lex's sex on either side of the glass intruder, whereupon Karie tossed it over the I-beam above Lex's head. Karie turned Lex's chair sideways to face the pole Lara was bound to, then began pulling the crotch rope tighter and tighter over the I-beam. To prevent it from becoming painful, Lex was forced to lift her hips up off of the chair, a position which she found almost immediately difficult to maintain. She bit down on her lower lip as Karie continued pulling the rope tighter, till it was painful even when Lex was arching her hips off of the chair as far as she possibly could. She gasped for breath with the effort, her muscles softly delineated in the now-morning sun coming in through the few windows of the basement and the soft light of the light bulbs.

       It was evident from the expression of consignment on Lara's face that she understood exactly what Karie was doing, but she did not protest as Karie continued, gagging Lex with the same red ball gag and ensuring that it was held quite securely in her mouth by the straps.

       Lex whimpered, her eyes pleading with Karie, but Karie didn't even look at her, instead returning to her seat. Lex could feel herself beginning to perspire, and she knew that if she relaxed her muscles even slightly, it would mean a dramatic increase in the pain her womanhood was experiencing.

       “Lara. Answer honestly, and immediately. Answer only the questions I ask. Do you understand?”

       “Yes,” Lara said, resignation apparent in her voice as she looked at Lex sympathetically, then made a silent apology with her lips.

       “Have you ever had sex?”

       “Yes.”

       “With who?”

       “A...man I met at a club once.”

       “You told me about him. You only had sex once with him?”

       “Yes.”

       “Have you ever had sex with anyone else?”

       Lara closed her eyes, hesitating. Lex's eyes widened and she shrieked as a painful bolt of electricity shot through her vagina, causing the muscles of her vagina to involuntarily contract forcefully around the invader. Lara's eyes flew open in alarm as she realized what hat happened.

       “Yes.”

       “Who?”

       “Another...faculty member at the college.”

       “Did you form a relationship with him?”

       “No. I formed a relationship with her.”

       “Explain.”

       “We became friends, and spent some time together. We used to make dinner for each other. One night we were watching a movie together on her couch, and I...lay my head in her lap. She bent down and kissed me on the forehead. Things went from there. We probably slept together fifteen or twenty times.”

       “Are you a lesbian?”

       “I'm...yes.”

       Lex was in shock, though she was far to busy straining to keep her hips elevated and the pressure off of her sex to possibly do anything about it, or even really think about it.

       “Men do not interest you?” A queer tone began to enter Karie's voice. Lara heard it, from her expression, but did not understand it.

       “Not sexually, no.”

       “I see. Tell me about your feelings about bondage.”

       “I love it, and often fantasize about it, both being restrained and restraining.”

       “With who?”

       “The faculty member at college. Fantasized dominants or submissives.”

       “Never me?” Karie's tone was almost accusing.

       Lara was afraid she understood, now.

       “Never!”

       “Why?!”

       “Because you're like...my sister! You're my half-sister!”

       Karie's face filled with astonishment, and she began laughing, deep laughs that made her chest shake. Lex, afraid they had forgotten about her plight whimpered into the gag, but Karie only waved dismissively at her, and Lara only looked sympathetically at her for a moment before returning her gaze to Karie.

       “You...thought...we were half-sisters?”

       “You're the right age, considering when my father was in Africa, and you have his green eyes! And that explains why he paid for you to come to America and live with us when you turned four and your mother died! My father was never a generous man!”

       Karie continued laughing, tears starting to roll down her cheeks.

       “Your father did not get my mother pregnant. He never even knew her. My father abandoned her when I was still an infant. Your father thought of me as his child when he met me at my aunt's house, but no more than that!”

       “Ah..I'm...sorry.”

       “Does that change anything?”

       “I think...probably...it will. I'm still too stunned.”

       Karie shook her head, her laughter dying down to a chuckle as she untied Lex's crotch rope, to Lex's immense relief. Lara was silent, looking down at her feet, her arms still handcuffed behind her back to the pole as Karie went about untying Lex's restraints. Finally, when Lex was able to stand shakily, turning her back on the others and withdrawing the glass shaft from her vagina, Karie broke the silence.

       “Lara?”

       “Yes?”

       “That was why you imposed those limits?”

       “Yes.”

       “If it was not for that, would those limits have been there?”

       “No.”

       “Ah. Lex, she's all yours today. Have fun with her. Torture her, pleasure her, punish her for the pain she made you endure, whatever. Be safe, of course. And if you can't come up with anything else to do to her, you could always let her return the favor. At any rate, I need to go to work to finish of this paperwork for the merger. I'm not sure when I'll be back down this way. I've got some thinking to do.”

       Lara and Lex were left gazing at each other.

       “Is that alright with you?” Lex was almost a little worried at how the more mature woman felt, and wasn't sure how she herself felt about playing the dominant role with this woman, who had always before been her teacher.

       “Of course,” Lara responded, a slight smile on her face.

       “Alright. I want you to strip down to your underwear and lay on your back on the table,” Lex said as she unlocked the handcuffs securing Lara to the pole.

       Lara unashamedly stripped off her jeans and tee-shirt, revealing the lacy blue fabric of her thong and bra beneath. She stretched, causing Lex to marvel anew at how sexy she was. She climbed on the dark wood of the table, lying on her back, her arms at her side as she waited for Lex.

       Lex picked up one of the ropes that had been used on her, coiling it around Lara's left wrist, then tying it securely before pulling it toward the head of the table, to the left, where she tied it tightly to the leg. Lex repeated this process with Lara's right arm, then her legs, tying each to their respective table legs. When Lex had restrained all for limbs, she made her way around the table again, tightening them all until the ropes were stretching Lara into a tight spread-eagle. Lara flexed and twisted her wrists experimentally, her muscles flexing softly, but she realized she was quite secure.

       Lex looked at Lara lying there, frowning slightly as she tried to figure out what to do next. Finally, she rushed upstairs, returning shortly with a long strip of black fabric, which she wrapped around Lara's head twice, finally tying the two ends over the bridge of Lara's nose, a method she had discovered to prevent the blindfold from riding up or down in her own few attempts at restraining herself.

       “Open your mouth,” Lex ordered. Lara complied, her breathing visibly quickening, and Lex inserted the ball gag, still wet with her saliva, into Lara's mouth. She fumbled with the straps as she tried to figure them all out, but eventually she was satisfied the gag would say in place. She stepped back, examining her work.

       Blindfolded, gagged, undressed, and restrained as she was, Lara was almost unrecognizable physically as the demure and practical Miss Stevens. Somehow, despite Lex's friendship with the older woman, remnants of the sense of the teacher-student relationship remained. Lex found these remnants actually served to heighten her sense of eroticism. She was forced to herself that she was definitely aroused by the sight of Lara's bound and restrained form, a thought that was both exciting and scary at the same time. She had always been disgusted by the 'butch' stereotype, and as a result, had never even contemplated the possibility that she could be sexually attracted to another woman. This began to change things for her.

       With Lara safely out of the way for the time, and with Karie out of the house, Lex dashed upstairs to Lara's room. Ever since she had seen Lara bound in her underwear that first time, Lex had hungered to try on some of Lara's underwear. It was so much more...sexy...than her plain white underpants and bras, and just the thought of possessing such clothing turned Lex on. The thought of wearing Miss Steven's underwear turned her on even more. She had fantasized about it for several days, but this was the first chance she had to actually do anything about it.

       She opened the top drawer of Miss Steven's dresser, her eyes almost immediately widening at the wide variety of content found within. She quickly selected some items almost completely at random, stripping as quickly as she could. She slowly pulled the black satin bikini up her legs, marveling at the feel of the silky-smooth cloth on the sensitive skin of the insides of her thighs. When it was all the way on, she reflected that it felt a little small, but she loved the way the cool cloth gently pressured her private parts. Her heart pounded harder and her arousal grew as she picked up the matching bra and put that on, her now-stiff nipples just barely noticeable as little nubs through the shiny black of the bikini bra.

       Lex closed her eyes and began massaging her breasts softly, loving the feel of the restraining cloth. She opened her eyes and examined her body in the full-length mirror on the door to Lara's bathroom, almost drooling at the sight. For the first time in her life, she felt sexy as she looked at herself. Lex returned to Lara's dresser drawer and began browsing through it more carefully, examining different items. She nearly yelped in surprise as she pulled a pair of lacy panties aside and found a bit of cold, shiny steel chain beneath. She pulled the chain out, trying to decipher what the two pincher-like things on the ends of the short chain were for. Peering back inside the drawer, and searching even more carefully, she discovered other items that would have been taboo to even think about as little as two weeks ago. Vibrators she recognized, three of them with slightly different designs. One rubber thing obviously designed to be inserted into the body, though it tapered just before the base in a manner unlike the other insertables she saw and had heard about.

       She turned on of them on, a pink semi-translucent rubber one with various knobs and studs on it, gripping her hand around it and trying to imagine it pulsing inside of her vagina. She lowered it between her legs, running it over the black satin of the bikini, gasping in delight as it came in contact with her erect clitoris. She held it there for a few moments, then abruptly jerked the obstructing cloth downward and pressed the tip of the vibrator up to her vagina, slowly inserting it into her well-lubricated vagina, till the base was only just visible. She shuddered softly, a soft moan of pleasure escaping her lips. She sat on the edge of Lara's queen-sized bed, reaching down and massaging her clitoris with her fingertips as she gently pressed the base of the vibrator repeatedly with her other hand. It was not long before she came, the panting of her sexual climax hoarse and a little ragged. She turned of the vibrator and fell back on the bed to catch her breath, luxuriating in the post-climactic glow. Though the orgasm had been nowhere near as explosive as the two she had enjoyed at the hands of Lara and Karie, it was nonetheless far, far better than any time she had masturbated before.

       When she had gathered herself, she decided to try to figure out what the pincher things and the insertables were all about, so she made her way to her computer, turned it on, and waited for it to load an internet browser. Figuring that pretty much anything could be found on the internet, she started by searching just for 'kinky toys.' Her eyes widened at the volume of sites listed. She selected the first one, some store specializing in bondage equipment, and began browsing. Her eyes got wider and wider as she continued looking at the various categories. She had also thought she was strange and very abnormal for her fantasies, but she began to wonder now if that was indeed the case.

       It did not take her long to discover that the items on the end of the chains were nipple clamps of the Japanese clover variety, which according to the description, tightened when they were pulled. She bared one of her breasts, massaging her nipple for long enough for it to again stiffen, then she opened the jaws of the clamp and positioned it over her nipple. She bit her lip in anxiety, then let it begin closing upon her nipple. It quickly became uncomfortable, then painful, but she forced herself to release it completely, letting the weight of the clamp fall.

       She yelped in surprise and pain, her fingers scrabbling for the clamp and removing it from her sensitive nipple as soon as possible. She looked at the things with newfound respect and caution. She continued browsing, discovering that not only did Lara possess dildos and vibrators, but that the strangely-shaped black rubber insertable was a butt plug, designed such that once inserted, the 'victim' would be unable to push it out without a pair of hands to assist.

       Lex pondered for a bit on her finds, then started to grin evilly as she decided to use them on Lara. She returned to Lara's bedroom and searched for lubricant. Finally she found some petroleum jelly in Lara's bathroom which was about half-full. She grabbed it, and the butt-plug and clover nipple-clamps, then made her way back to the basement.

       Somehow, Lara had managed almost to free one wrist, having managed to loosen the knots a bit, and was in the process of pulling her wrist free. Lex's heart pounded, not wanting to be discovered wearing Lara's lingerie, with a butt-plug and nipple clamps in her hands. Lex quickly retied the knots securing Lara's wrists, checking three times to make sure they weren't going to listen, her efforts accompanied by grunts of frustration on the part of Lara.

       Lex breathed a sigh of relief when Lara was again helpless, then stood back and contemplated how exactly she was going to accomplish her purposes. She untied one of Lara's ankles, pulling Lara's legs closed then kneeling astride Lara's legs to prevent her from opening them as she grasped Lara's panties and pulled them downward.

       Lara began fighting, flexing her thighs in an attempt to part them, her hips twisting and bucking uselessly. When Lex had pulled Lara's panties down far enough that they hung around one of Lara's ankles, Lex picked up the butt-plug and the lubricant and began smearing the jelly on the black rubber of the plug. When she was satisfied, she grabbed Lara's unbound leg and lifted it, then pressed it down till Lara's thigh was flat against her torso. Lex placed a knee on Lara's thigh to keep it securely up, then pressed the butt-plug up to Lara's anus.

       Lex began pushing the plug inward, rotating it every so often when she met some resistance, pushing harder as Lara fought. Lara protested through her gag, but Lex simply ignored her, continuing to force the plug slowly inward, till finally it slid the last two inches or so of its own accord, accompanied by a whine of dismay on the part of Lara. Lex pulled Lara's leg back down, then pulled Lara's lacy blue panties back upward until they were again in place, then retied Lara's ankle tightly, leaving her again in a tight spread-eagle.

       “Hmmph! Mmm mphmm,” Lara complained.

       Lex simply smirked, undoing the clasp at the front of Lara's bra and pulling the lacy fabric aside to reveal Lara's breasts. Lex's eyes drank in the sight of Lara's breasts and erect nipples, and her hand reached forward of its own accord, nearly cupping Lara's breast before Lex caught herself and instead picked up the nipple clamps. Ignoring Lara's repeated questioning and protesting grunts and whines, Lex opened the first clamp, then allowed it to close on Lara's right nipple.

       Lara jerked, her protests rising nearly an octave and several decibels. She tried to shake the clamp off, but when she realized that all she was accomplishing was increasing the pain by making the clamp flop around, she stopped fighting and attempted to lie as still as possible, though she still whined a little into the gag. Lex clamped Lara's other nipple, then climbed off the table and simply gazed at Lara's immobile form. Lara's jaws were clenched on the ball of the gag in response to the pain, and her arm and stomach muscles were tensed, but aside from that and the slow rise and fall of her breasts, she hardly moved, her soft whimpers eventually dying out.

       As Lex examined Lara's bound form, her eyes slowly moving up and down her nearly-nude body, Lex noted that Lara's panties were dark with dampness. Thinking it was perhaps urine, Lex lowered her head toward Lara's hips and inhaled deeply through her nose, discovering that the rich and earthy scent was not at all like that of urine. Lex didn't particularly like the scent, but she had a pretty good idea of what it was, and she like the thought that Lara was so aroused that her panties showed it.

       Lex hardly realized what she was doing as she lowered her hand and began massaging her sex again, simply enjoying the sight of Lara's soft breasts rising and falling with each breath. Eventually, Lex got another idea, and she reached forward and began running the tips of her fingers across Lara's bare soles. Lara began jerking slightly, twisting her feet and ankles in an attempt to escape Lex's fingers, but now that Lex had again discovered the joys of making Lara squirm, she began tickling her in earnest.

       Lara began mmphing madly into her gag, her entire body twisting and flexing and jerking as Lex began tickling her knees, then her thighs, then her armpits and stomach. Lex continued, discovering that the undersides of Lara's breasts were more ticklish then anywhere else on her body and began devoting great attention to them. Lara began sobbing in helplessness, her entire torso convulsing, causing her breasts to shake and the nipple clamps joined by the chain to fly seemingly randomly around. On an impulse, Lex grasped the middle of the chain with one hand and pulled it upward, forcing Lara to arch her back in an attempt to raise her shoulders and breasts further off of the table. Lex held the chain up as she began tickling Lara again with her other hand, watching as Lara squirmed uncontrollably, causing her nipples to be pulled and jerked even more painfully.

       Finally Lex released the clamps, allowing Lara to lower her chest with a groan of relief, though Lex did not stop tickling her, instead reaching down with her other hand and turning the vibrator buried inside her vagina on low, then massaging her clitoris as she continued tormenting Lara. She came not long after, fighting to not make any noise lest Lara have some idea of what she was doing, biting down on her lip and straining not to shake. The orgasm was a long one for her, taking many long moments for the last embers of it to die out, and it was another few moments before Lex shakily turned of the muted vibrator and sat down on the floor at the edge of the table.

       She relaxed there with her eyes closed for a minute or two, till Lara began mmphing wildly into the gag. Afraid something was desperately wrong, Lex quickly stood up and unbuckled the gag, lifting the dripping ball out of Lara's mouth.

       “Thank you, Lex. Can you please let me go now? My nipples really hurt, and I need to use the bathroom!”

       Lex had already begun to free Lara, but when she realized it wasn't really an emergency, she stepped back. “I don't know. I kind-of like you like this. Besides, I seem to remember being in a very similar situation, and having to wet my pants because someone wouldn't let me use the bathroom.”

       “What do you want? I'll let you tie me up later if you really want! I'll buy you dinner!”

       “Hmm. No, there's no real benefit in the first since I can just keep you tied up, and I'm not that interested in dinner yet. Plenty of time before I'm ready for that. In fact, I still need to eat lunch.”

       “Please! Anything! What do you want?”

       Lex almost stuck the ball gag back in Lara's mouth, until she had an idea.

       “You could...ummm....”

       “What?”

       “I'm a little curious as to what that butt-plug and the clamps are like. If I let you go, will you try them on me?”

       Lara's expression turned a little dour. “Yes, but I'm warning you...if you let me tie you up, I'm going to torture you till you are so tired you can hardly breath because you went digging around in my stuff without asking, and then I'm still not going to let you go. Actually, I might never let you go again. Maybe I'll just make you my pet or slave.”

       Lex hesitated at the warning tone in Lara's voice, but eventually agreed. “Alright,” she said warily as she began untying Lara. When Lara was freed, she sat and stretched, her joins popping. She turned and looked at Lex, a feral gleam in her eyes that unsettled Lex. Lara abruptly climbed off the table and grabbed Lex's wrist, pulling her toward one of the support poles, then forcefully pulling Lex against it and handcuffing her wrists behind her back around the pole, as she had been only an hour or two before. Lara stood in front of Lex, the dangerous gleam still in her eyes and simply looked at Lex, a slight smile on her lips until Lex started blushing and looked away, whereupon Lara left the basement, shutting the door at the top of the stairs, leaving Lex alone.