The Challenge

Chapter Four Rejection

The Challenge
Chapter Four: Rejection

Part One: That Feeling of Power

February 1983

	Erica Riken sat at her desk, a cup of black coffee in front of her, papers
neatly organized, and the IBM PC humming away.  Trouble was, she just
couldn't concentrate on her work.  In her new job of bookkeeper she was
managing the finances of the liquor distributor, which handled hundreds of
cases of hard liquor every day.  Oddly, all she ever drank was perhaps wine
with dinner or a whiskey sour once in a great while.  

	Under her business suit, she massaged the latest welts that she had
acquired the previous weekend.  She had been used severely by Daniel, who
had beaten her with a riding crop until she had bled.  Crying when she
returned home, she had managed to clean her back off, and bandage her
wounds by herself.  She had decided to wear a business suit all week to
work, just in case the stripes should begin to bleed.

	It had been weeks now that she had to share Daniel with Lauren, who had a
strange effect on him.  Originally, Daniel had used her alone.  But then,
one night, Daniel had handed the riding crop to Lauren.  Her companion in
slavery then took the crop and used it savagely on Erica.

	Erica chewed on a pencil, aware that it was late Friday afternoon. 
Before, she would only see Daniel on Saturday.  Now she had been asked to
begin her period of slavery on Friday night.  It was therefore quite a rush
to do food shopping, laundry, and other domestic errands before the weekend
should arrive.

	She watched as the other employees completed their tasks, and talked about
the dates that they would be having.  Erica wondered just the others would
think if they knew what was going to happen to her.

	In just a few hours, she would be wearing nothing but an apron, cooking
Dinner for Daniel, Lauren, and herself.  Afterwards, she would clean up. 
Finally, she would be used in the playroom.  Sighing, at least she realized
that he had taken no further interest in using her bottom again beyond a
spanking.  She just couldn't bear the thought of going through that again!

	Erica realized that her project was done, so she saved her work, then shut
the PC down.  She locked her papers in her briefcase and desk, checked to
see what the others were working on, then bade them goodbye for the
weekend.

	She would now have to rush to get things done!
	*		*		*		*		*
	Beginning in childhood, she had been urged to help in the kitchen.  While
they had servants and a cook, she had been told that one day she would have
to keep a house.  That cooking was a skill that everyone should learn,
along with the other myriad skills in running a household.  So she had
learned to cook, and her mother had even sent her for cooking lessons at
some school in Manhattan.

	At the time, she would have rather loafed with her rich girlfriends.  Now
that skill was coming handy in her new life!

	Erica had shopped, and she would prepare roast duck.  The problem with
duck was that it contained a lot of fat, and had to be pierced continually
during cooking.  Nor could it be overcooked else it would be dry and tough!

	So Erica had rushed to Daniel's house (he would pick up Lauren) to start
Dinner.  She had cleaned and prepared the birds, and stuck them in the
oven.  So she stood there, watching them cook, piercing them with a fork,
draining off the fat.

	Erica was glad when she heard the door open, and she rushed over to the
foyer.  Daniel & Lauren had entered the house, and Lauren was closing the
door behind her.

	"Sir?" greeted Erica.

	"Good evening, Erica.  Is that dinner cooking?"

	"Yes, Sir." Erica answered.

	"Then you and Lauren had better attend to it.  I'll be changing."

	"Yes, Sir," they both answered in unison.

	Lauren set the table for three.  Erica had chosen a blush wine, since Duck
was dark meat, unlike chicken or turkey.  Erica was removing the two birds
from the oven when they were ready then Lauren intervened.

	"Shouldn't you cook those a bit longer?" asked Lauren.

	"No," pointed out Erica, "now that the fat has drained out, the meat's
done.  Any longer, and it'll be tough and dry.  I took a few cooking
classes."

	"Okay," Lauren answered.

	Of course, Erica didn't say that they had been in one of the most famous
cooking schools in Manhattan!

	Dinner that night went off rather well.  Lauren had set the table
properly, according to Erica's instructions.  They had dined on Duck,
parsley potatoes, asparagus, the red wine, and a cake that Erica had
bought.  The Dinner went off rather well, without any problems, since Erica
had directed Lauren in what to do.

	Daniel had clearly appreciated the meal, which was clearly of restaurant
quality.  Impressed, he had complimented Erica a few times afterwards.  But
it was only after they had cleaned up together, that all the dishes were
drying in the rack, that Erica realized just how jealous that Lauren was.

	"Do you think that by cooking dinner that will get you off?" asked Lauren.

	"What are you talking about?"  Erica replied.

	"Daniel asked you to do something.  You refused."

	"That's none of your affair," said Erica, nervously.

	"Yes it is, girly.  And Daniel is mine, slut!" snapped Lauren.

	"I was his before you came along."

	"Erica, Lauren!" called Daniel from the living room.

	Both of them quickly walked to attend Master Daniel, and knelt before him.
 He surveyed his two slaves quietly.

	"Erica, thank you for dinner this evening.  I had no idea that you were
such a good cook."

	"Yes, sir."

	"Did you go to school for that?"

	"I took a few classes over the years."

	"Had I known about your ability, I would have let you make dinner a long
time ago."

	"Thank you."

	"Tonight, I have something special planned.  Lois, a Dominatrix friend of
mine is going to be bringing over her slave Jasmine.  I had wanted to use
her myself, but since Erica made the fine dinner I think that the two of
you should be given the right to use her."

	Erica and Lauren stared at each other in silence, not replying to Daniel's
statement.

	"Erica, have you ever used the whip or crop on another slave?" Daniel
asked.

	"No, Sir."

	"Good.  It's an essential part of any slave's training to learn how to use
the crop as well as receive it.  So this will be your first time.  Lauren,
how about you?"

	"Not for a long time, Sir."

	"Excellent.  Master Richard and I will remain up here, and the two of you
can entertain Jasmine down in the playroom."

	"Thank you," they both said in unison, "Sir."
	*			*		*		*
 	About an hour later, Erica and Lauren were called out of the playroom to
attend the arrival of their guests.  In order to pass the time, Daniel had
ordered them to clean the playroom and the instruments of their torment. 
Daniel had not wanted to bother to supervise their every move, and had left
it up to the two of them to divide the tasks between them.

	Lauren had chosen to sweep the floor, and clean the X cross and wooden
cage that Daniel used to confine them during a session.  Erica had taken
the more careful task of cleaning and oiling the leather instruments of
discipline.  Naked, they both worked in silence, even though Daniel had not
ordered them to be silent.

	For weeks now, Erica had watched in silence, not saying anything as she
watched Lauren slowly manipulate her into Daniel's favorite.  No demand of
his was too humiliating, and Erica knew that she was there almost every
day.  One Friday night, she had entered the house, only to see Daniel
taking Lauren up her bottom in the living room.

	True, Daniel had respected her wishes and had not asked to use her there
again.  But she wondered just when the idea might again occur to Daniel. 
Or even if Lauren might suggest it, as a way of demeaning Erica still
further.

	Erica surveyed the instruments of her torment, laid out on the table in
front of her.  With a shock, she realized that they all had been used on
her at one time or another.  The whips, the crops, and the paddles that had
made her into a slave.  The gags, and the dildos all had been used to
introduce her to being Daniel's possession.  Which she was, at least until
Lauren had arrived.

	'How do I react in a love triangle when I'm a slave?' Erica asked herself
in silence.

	Since Lauren's arrival, Erica had slowly and inevitably felt herself being
pushed out of the way.  She had been confined in the wooden cage when
Daniel had used Lauren, then taken her up to the bedroom.  Or she had been
chained at the foot of the bed and ignored all night as Daniel used Lauren
sexually. 

	Just as she had finished oiling a leather paddle that was the last
instrument, Daniel had called to them to finish up.  Lauren had scurried to
put away her cleaning tools, and Erica had carefully replaced everything
back in its proper place in the cabinet.  Daniel would be down later to
make an inspection to pronounce the playroom suitable before use that
evening, and no doubt to show to his friend.

	Erica took one final glance inside the cabinet to make certain that
everything was correct and closed the doors.  The pushed the table back
there it had been and gathered the cloths and jars of polish that she had
used on the wood and leather instruments.

	"I'll be right along," said Lauren.

	"Okay," said Erica.

	Upstairs, Erica stowed the oils beneath the kitchen sink, and Lauren
joined her a few moments later.  They toweled off the dirt and oil that had
accomeulated on their naked bodies as they had worked.  Erica wished that
they had given an apron to work in, instead of being kept nude all the
time.

	"Girls!" called Daniel from the living room.

	They both scurried out to the living room, and quickly stood at attention,
though with their eyes downcast as they had been instructed.  Erica nearest
the door, since she was his primary slave, with Lauren next to her.  Daniel
had opened the front door to admit 2 women guests, and had embraced the
first to enter, which would have been the Dominatrix Lois.  Following
behind was another woman, which would have been Jasmine, her slave.

	Lois was an attractive woman in her early 30s, wearing an attractive red
dress.  She was tall, well built, and pretty.  She was wearing a knockoff
of a designer dress, carried a Coach handbag, and was wearing a set of
modest heels on her feet.

	Jasmine must have been in her late twenties, and was quite pretty as well.
 She was wearing a blouse and skirt, and Erica guessed that she wasn't
wearing anything underneath.  Her breasts were free under the fabric of the
print blouse, and her hips didn't betray a panty line.  Nor was she wearing
hose either.  She was perched on what Erica guessed was a set of five in
high heels, which must have been uncomfortable to walk in.  To complete her
outfit was a leather collar that was locked around her neck.

	"Daniel, how nice to see you again," said Lois as she held onto Daniel and
kissed him passionately on the lips.

	"You're looking well, darling," said Daniel in return as he held her
tightly and kissed her roughly.

	"Mmmmm, plenty of time for that later dear.  You already know Jasmine,
here.  So are these two yours?"

	"Yes," said Daniel as he closed the door behind Jasmine, "this is Erica,
who has been my slave for some time now, and this is Lauren, who is new."

	When they heard their names mentioned, they each curtsied to Mistress
Lois.

	"I see that you've trained them quite well," complimented Lois.

	"Yes, they know what would happen if I become displeased."

	"Excellent, there's nothing better than a well trained slave."

	"I'm only sorry that I didn't plan to have you over for Dinner.  Erica
made the most wonderful meal, I had no idea that she was such a good cook.
So I thought that if it was alright with you that we might let Erica and
Lauren use Jasmine for this evening."

	"Fine, but what does that leave for us to do?" asked Lois.

	"I think that we can find something that we can do together," answered
Daniel.

	"Yes," beamed Lois, "I agree."

	"Erica, why don't you prepare Jasmine in the bedroom?  I've laid out a few
things on the bed to get her ready.  Meantime, I can show Lois the house
and Lauren."

	"Yes, Sir.  This way," indicated Erica.

	Erica conducted her charge into one of the bedrooms.  Jasmine showed no
surprise at being greeted at the door by two naked girls, and followed
Erica in silence.  Laid out on the bed were a set of wrist and ankle cuffs,
red ballgag, and a leash.

	Jasmine said nothing, but merely unzipped her skirt and passed it to
Erica, who folded it and placed it on the bed.  Then she opened the buttons
on her blouse, and handed the garment to Erica, who placed it on a hanger
and hung it inside the closet.

	Just as Erica had assumed, Jasmine wore nothing underneath her clothes. 
She had been naked, without bra or panties.  Her white skin was well marked
with evidence both of the riding crop and whip, with welts both fresh and
fading from past use.

	"Aren't you going to get me ready?" Jasmine asked.

	"Yes," Erica answered, "I'm sorry, I was just looking at your marks."

	"That's OK," Jasmine answered, "I see that you've been well used
yourself."

	"When were you last used?" Erica asked.

	"Yesterday.  I was late returning from work, so Mistress punished me. 
You?"

	"Last week."

	"Do you live with Master Daniel?"

	"No."

	"Living with my Mistress makes me available for her constant use," Jasmine
stated.

	"I had better get you ready," said Erica.

	"Yes."

	Jasmine stood impassively as Erica locked the cuffs around her wrists and
ankles, then locking her wrists behind her back.  Erica then picked up the
ballgag, and stood behind Jasmine as she placed it inside her mouth. 
Jasmine opened her mouth wide to accommodate the red rubber ball, then
Erica tightened the roller buckle at the back of her neck.  Lastly, she
attached a leash to the collar of the bound slave.

	"Mmmmph!" grunted Jasmine from behind her gag.

	With her wrists bound behind her back, Jasmine's breasts jutted outwards
from her chest.  Erica noted that they had been used recently also, having
been marked.  Jasmine was evidently a slave that was used to being used
quite frequently. 

	Pulling on the loop at the end of the leash, Erica led Jasmine out of the
bedroom back into the living room.  Lauren had been pressed into service to
offer drinks to Daniel and Lois, who were both seated on the couch
together.

	"Ah, excellent," Daniel observed when Erica pulled Jasmine into the room.

	"Thank you, Sir," said Erica.

	Daniel rose, and inspected Jasmine.  He placed his fingers under her chin,
and looked at her face.  Then her fondled her erect breasts, and pinched
her nipples.  Tracing the outlines of her female curves with both of his
hands, he massaged her naked behind.  Then, finally, he pushed two of the
fingers of his right hand into her wet slit, making her moan in response.

	"She's well trained," Daniel commented.

	"Yes, I like to keep her on the edge of climax at all times, and used
constantly.  This way she only associates a sexual climax with the crop,
mixing together pain and pleasure."

	"Is she wet all the time?"

	"Mostly." 

	"I see then that you've trained her quite well."

	"Thank you.  You haven't done badly with Lauren," Lois replied, seated on
the couch.

	Erica then noticed that there was a riding crop on the table and that
Lauren had several fresh stripes on her bottom.  Evidently when Erica had
been preparing Jasmine, Lois had been allowed to use Lauren for her own
pleasure.

	"You have each been granted the use of Jasmine for thirty minutes only. 
You may mark or use her in any way you wish.  After that, you shall draw a
card.  The winner will get to spend the night with Jasmine, the loser will
have to service the two of us in the bedroom.  Do you understand?" Daniel
asked.

	"Yes, Sir," answered both Erica and Lauren.

	"Sir, may I ask a question?" asked Lauren.

	"Go ahead."

	"Mistress Lois, how severely may I use your slave?"

	Lois sat back in the couch, and twirled around the drink in her glass. 
She stared at the ice cubes, then took a sip.

	"You may use her until she calls her safeword, Mercy."

	Erica's interest was suddenly piqued.  Safeword?  She had never heard the
term before, and she was determined to ask about it, but only when the time
was right.

	"Mmmmmph!"  Jasmine cried from behind her gag, shaking her head from side
to side.

	"Behave Jasmine, or else you know what will happen when you return home!"
Lois cautioned in a harsh tone of voice.

	"Thank you, Mistress," Lauren replied.

	"Lois and I are going to change, then we'll be down to the playroom. 
Don't begin until we arrive," Daniel ordered.

	"Yes, Sir."  

	Lauren joined Erica, and they pulled Jasmine along by her leash.  Wearing
the high heels and without the use of her hands made going down the steps
to the playroom difficult.  Erica held onto her change, helping Jasmine
maintain her balance as she walked down the steps.

	Once inside, they locked Jasmine's leash to a bolt on the wall.  Erica
turned around, only to see Lauren already holding a riding crop.

	"We were told to wait," Erica told her companion.

	"So I'm waiting," Lauren answered.

	"Who shall use her first?"

	"You, since you've never used the crop on anyone before.  Then it will be
my turn," Lauren answered.

	"Okay," Erica agreed.

	A few minutes later, Daniel & Lois joined them.  Daniel had changed into a
pair of leather pants & vest, and Lois was now wearing a leather bra and
skirt.  Erica was reminded of Mistress Martine, and missed her terribly.

	Because they both had been granted the use of another slave, neither Erica
or Lauren was naked.
Clothes had been left for them in the playroom, and they had dressed
together.  Erica wore a leather top, skirt, and heels.  Lauren wore a
leather bodysuit, and boots.  They still wore Daniel's collar around their
necks, but they were each going to be using a slave for discipline. 

	"Erica, since you've never used a woman before, I think that you should
have the honor of using Jasmine first," ordered Daniel.

	"Thank you, Sir," Erica said in response.

	Erica was handed the set of keys by Lois, and a riding crop.  She held the
leather and bamboo object in her hands gingerly.  Some two years now, she
had felt the sting of the crop on her own naked body.  Her flesh had been
decorated by the marks that the crop had left behind, and she had screamed
in both pain and pleasure from it's application.  Prior to her slavery, the
only time before that when she had handled a crop had been when she had
learned horseback riding in Europe.  But that was long ago, and in another
life.

	Walking on the heels over to Jasmine, the shoes clicked on the surface. 
Soon Erica stood in front of the bound slave that she had locked to the
ringbolt.  Jasmine was truly beautiful!  A magnificent mane of black hair,
wide shoulders and high breasts, a narrow waist, and a delicious looking
pussy all made her something to look at.

	Erica reached out with her right hand, and touched and fondled Jasmine's
right breast.  Excited from being bound and naked in the playroom, the
nipple was hard and erect.  Tracing a path downwards on her flat stomach,
Erica's hand reached the slave's sopping wet sex.  It had taken her descent
into slavery to discover that she was attracted to both men and women, that
she wanted ever so much to suck at Jasmine's cunt.

	"Mmmmmph!" grunted Jasmine, her mouth filled by the gag as Erica massaged
and inserted her fingers inside of the slave's wet slit.

	Conscious of the fact that she only had a limited amount of time to use
Jasmine, Erica removed her fingers from the slave's cunt, and unlocked her
collar chain from the ringbolt.  Holding Jasmine by the elbow, she walked
her over to the whipping post.  Erica unlocked Jasmine's cuffs from behind
her back and then locked them to hooks above Jasmine's head.  Then she
unlocked the ball gag and removed it from the slave's mouth.

	"Thank you, Mistress," said Jasmine.

	"You're welcome, slave," answered Erica.

	Erica then presented the crop to Jasmine's lips, and she did not even have
to be ordered to kiss the instrument of her torment.  Jasmine quickly began
to kiss the crop, her wet lips touching the leather.

	"Prepare to be used, slave," stated Erica.

	"Yes, Mistress."

	Erica stepped back, and delivered her first stroke of the crop on a
person.  Done without any force or power behind it, it made no sound as it
struck Jasmine's flesh.  Erica swallowed conscious of the fact that three
people were watching her.  So she began to strike Jasmine ever harder, with
each stroke now leaving a mark behind.

	Bound to the post, all that Jasmine could do was to rub her naked sweating
body up against the wood.  Erica struck at Jasmine's back, behind, thighs,
and her underarms and breasts.  It took little time for Jasmine to begin to
sweat from punishment that she was taking.

	After a few minutes, Erica stopped.  Jasmine's body was now covered by a
series of red welts, which covered the parts that Erica had been able to
reach.  Erica then looked at her Master, who beckoned her to continue.

	"Kiss the crop," Erica ordered.

	For the first time since the accident that had nearly claimed her life,
Erica had felt a strange surge of power surging though her.  Before, she
had enjoyed being under the lash, being used by her Master.  But now,
suddenly, she was thrust into a new plane of existence.  Erica gasped when
she realized that after two years of being a slave, she had entered the
Domme space.

	"Are you all right, Erica?" Daniel asked.

	"Yes, Sir!"

	Erica then unlocked Jasmine's hands from the post.  There wasn't much time
left, so she pulled Jasmine over to the Bondage cross.  She secured
Jasmine's wrist cuffs to the sides, then her ankle cuffs down below.  The
front of Jasmine's body was now available to Erica for her to use.

	She displayed again the crop to Jasmine, then began to strike her breasts
and between her legs with a series of stokes that made Jasmine moan and
shake within her bonds.  Erica knew that what Jasmine was now experiencing
was a series of sexual orgasms and pain at the same time that was driving
her to ecstasy.  The slave moaned and bucked under the crop.

	"Ooooh!" cried Jasmine.

	Finally, sensing that her time was just about up, Erica stopped and found
a dildo in the toy cabinet.  She held it firmly in her hand, and pushed it
deep into Jasmine's wet slit.  Jasmine moaned, then came in rush of moans
and screams.

	"Time's up, Erica," said Lois, "that was very good."

	"Thank you, Mistress," answered Erica, as she bowed to her audience.

	"Erica, go clean Jasmine up before her use by Lauren," ordered Daniel.

	"Yes, Sir!" Erica answered.

	Erica placed the crop back in the cabinet, then released Jasmine from her
confinement.  Jasmine was used to being a slave, and was able to accompany
Erica upstairs to the bathroom.  Erica filled the bathroom sink with water,
and washed off Jasmine with a wash cloth.

	She ran the cloth over her shoulders, breasts, but hesitated when she
reached Jasmine's mons.

	"It's all right," laughed Jasmine, "my cunt won't bite."

	"I've never washed another woman before," said Erica.

	"Are you attracted to men or women?" Jasmine asked.

	"I'm not sure," Erica answered.

	Jasmine grabbed the cloth from Erica and proceeded to clean her sex and
the inside of her thighs.  Erica watched in silence.

	"After I get used by Lauren, I get the distinct feeling that Daniel and
Lois are going to take her to bed.  So that leaves us," hinted Jasmine.

	"I've never been to bed with a woman before," said Erica.

	"Well, there's always a first time."

	Erica then returned to the playroom with Jasmine.  After her brief wash,
she had combed her hair and tied it behind her head.  Jasmine seemed
totally free with her naked body, holding it like a proud object on
display.  For a brief moment in the bathroom, Erica had brushed against
Jasmine, and their breasts had touched.  Jasmine smiled, and Erica had seen
that look of lust before.

	"Are we ready to proceed?" asked Lois.

	"Yes, Mistress," answered both Erica and Jasmine.

	"Then you belong to me," said Lauren.

	Suddenly, Erica feared for Jasmine.  She had seen that look, that sadistic
leer in Lauren's face before.  Whenever Daniel had allowed Lauren to use
Erica, a different Lauren emerged.  Not the submissive slave or even the
caring Domme that she had seen in the City clubs.  But someone else,
someone vicious and perhaps dangerous.

	Lauren took Jasmine from Erica, and led her over to a chain hanging from
the ceiling.  She locked Jasmine's cuffs to the chain, and ordered Erica to
get her a spreader bar.  Jasmine's ankles were locked to the back, opening
her legs about two feet.  Jasmine was now totally available for whatever
that Lauren had in store for her.

	"Erica, please bring me the whip?"

	"Yes, Lauren."

	Doing as she was told, Erica then found the whip, neatly coiled from when
she had cleaned and oiled it before.  The leather reflected back the
playroom's lights, showing that Erica had done a good job in cleaning it. 
Erica then passed the fearsome device to Lauren.

	"Prepare to be whipped, slave," threatened Lauren.

	"Yes, Mistress."

	Lauren began without even offering the whip's handle to Jasmine, but
instead merely began to administer a series of light strokes.  Every time
that the whip would strike Jasmine's body the girl would shudder in her
chains and moan both from pain and pleasure.  Steadily Lauren increased the
power behind each stroke, and the whip molded itself to the female curves
that it was being applied to.

	Each stroke of the whip ended with a crack against Jasmine's naked flesh.
Tears fell from her eyes and moans of pain escaped her lips, but she did
not call the safeword that Erica had wondered about so much before. 
Instead, Erica knew that Jasmine was riding the pain, divorcing her body
from her mind so that she could endure the ordeal of being whipped.

	Sweat fell from her armpits, and ran down her flanks.   It seemed as if
the only thing that measured the passage of time was the regular crack of
the whip against Jasmine's skin.  Lauren would deliver a series of ten
strokes, pause, and then begin again.  After all, she had been having
plenty of practice.  On Erica's flesh.

	"Times up," said Lois.

	Lauren then drew her arm back to strike Jasmine once again, only to have
Lois rush over and grab onto her hand, stopping her.

	"I said, time's up.  You forget yourself, slave!" 

	"I'm sorry, Mistress, I beg your forgiveness," replied Lauren, bowing to
Lois.

	Lois then slapped Lauren strongly across her cheeks, and her hands left a
red mark on her face.  She continued holding Lauren, and then pressed
against her.  She forced her mouth against Lauren's then planted a savage
kiss on her lips, and forced her tongue inside Lauren's mouth, making her
moan.

	"Daniel, I think that for this slave's insolent behavior this evening we
should take her to bed with us for a little session, don't you agree?"
asked Lois when she had released Lauren.

	"Yes, I think that would be a very good idea.  I think that it would do
Lauren good to be sucking on your pussy when I'm going up her cunt, or
maybe her bottom."

	"Don't forget the riding crop.  I'm sure that a few strokes will do her
good as well," Lois observed.

	"Of course, you're my guest."

	"That leaves Erica & Jasmine, doesn't it?" asked Lois.

	"Let them spend the night together," Daniel offered.

	"Excellent idea!"
	*		*		*		*		*
	From the next room, Erica and Jasmine could hear the sounds of Lauren
being used.  After the session in the playroom, Erica had watched as
Jasmine took a quick shower, followed by Erica and finally Lauren.  Then
they had all adjourned to the bedrooms, and being used.

	On the dresser was a riding crop, cat, and dildo.  Both Erica and Jasmine
wore collars, but their bracelets from their wrists and ankles had been
removed, and neither had been secured to the wall.  Erica felt strange
being naked in a bedroom with Jasmine.

	She had not felt this way with Mistress Martine in the city, but that was
because Martine had not taken her to bed.  When she had been young in her
early twenties, she had worked at Gucci, interning there for a summer job.
She had been taken to bed by an older woman in her thirties, and had
enjoyed the experience.  In the years since, she had gone to bed with both
men and women, leading her into sexual confusion.  What sex was she
attracted to? 
  
	"Scared?" asked Jasmine, a smile on her lips.

	"No……no," stammered Erica.

	"I can guarantee that it won't hurt at all, unlike a session," said
Jasmine as she embraced Erica.

	Jasmine began by tenderly kissing Erica on her cheeks and lips, while her
hands roamed over Erica's body.  Her washed body smelled of Jean Nate,
which she had sprayed on herself in the bathroom.  Erica responded to her
slowly, by holding the other woman to her.

	When Jasmine began to suck and playfully bite her erect nipples was when
Erica finally became aroused by her partner's attentions.  They were
rolling around on the bed, not even bothering to get under the covers.

	Then Jasmine's hand cupped Erica's mons and slit, and inserted two of her
fingers inside Erica's sex.  Erica didn't flinch or stop, but instead
opened her legs to accommodate the other woman's attentions to her sex.

	"That's good, Erica," breathed Jasmine.

	Erica didn't reply, but instead held Jasmine closer to herself, their
breasts pressed tightly against one another.  She loved the scent of
another woman, and the feel of her companion against her.

	Jasmine disengaged her arms from Erica, then made Erica lay back on the
bed.  She planted a trail of kisses on her stomach as she made her way down
to Erica's wet sex.

	"I'm now going to make you scream with pleasure," Jasmine said softly.

	Erica felt her pussy sucked and tongued by Jasmine, and when the woman's
tongue entered her lips and played with the bud of her clit she moaned with
excitement.  Erica opened her legs still further, and played with Jasmine's
long hair as the woman sucked and lightly bit Erica's sex.  Sweat broke out
on Erica's body as she pulsed with new found erotic feelings, then she
finally came with a rush that left her panting and breathless.  Erica
moaned with the greatest pleasure that she had ever known in her life.

	"Thank you," said Erica as they snuggled up against one another
afterwards.

	"You're welcome."

	"Jasmine, can I ask you something?"

	"Well, we're naked and in bed, you've used me with a riding crop and your
fellow slave has whipped me, so I guess that there are no secrets between
us," laughed Jasmine, "what do you want to know?"

	"What's a safeword?"

	"You mean that you're a slave and you don't know what a safeword is?"
asked Jasmine.

	"No."

	"You must be joking!"

	"No, really," Erica answered.

	"A safeword is something that you as a slave agree to with your Master or
Mistress beforehand.  When you've reached the limit of your pain or
endurance, you call mercy or something else, and that stops the action. 
Period."

	"I have never heard that before," said Erica.

	"How long have you been a slave?"

	Erica related how she had met Daniel and been attracted to him, how he had
run her life and prevented her from reading anything about Dominance and
submission.

	"Hmmm," Jasmine answered, "I've never heard of anything like that, but
being a slave doesn't mean having to turn your mind off."

	"What can I do?" Erica asked.

	"Well, there's plenty of books available.  Why don't you look around in
Manhattan and you'll find a whole group of shops that sell clothing and
whips, and they all have books on the subject too.  That was how I started,
by reading, going to clubs, then I met Mistress Lois."

	"Oh," answered Erica.

	When Erica was between Jasmine's thighs and exploring her sex and tasting
another woman for the first time, Erica resolved that her period of
ignorance was over.  She was going to learn more about D/s no matter the
cost, which she was prepared to pay.  She had been under Daniel's spell
long enough, kept in ignorance, and only having to say "Yes, sir."

	Just as she had crossed one divide by having her appearance changed and
becoming Erica Riken, she would now recreate herself again.
	*		*		*		*		*
	"Good evening," said Lauren.

	Erica awakened to find herself on a bed, lying face down.  The last thing
that she remembered had been Lauren using her with a cane, then she had
passed out from the beating.

	"How do you feel?"

	"Hurt," Erica answered.

	"You took the cane very well, before you passed out," complimented Lauren.

	"Why?" asked Erica.

	"Because Daniel said that you were disobedient, which was why I punished
you."

	"Why are you so vicious, Lauren?"

	"What do you mean, vicious?"

	"Why are you so anxious to hurt someone?" cried Erica.

	"Because all my life I've been taking it from others.  I was raped and
abused by a family member when I was young.  An athlete in school beat me
when I wouldn't put out for him.  Now I have the chance for a little power,
and I'm going to use it," explained Lauren.

	By then, Erica had ceased to care about, Lauren, Daniel, or much of
anything else.
	*		*		*		*		*
	Erica's chance for knowledge had arrived just three weeks and six beatings
later.  One Wednesday morning the phone rang just as she had been dressing
to go to work.  Her boss had called to tell her not to come in, since a
power transformer had exploded near work.  Power had been knocked out to
the entire block, and the police had cordoned the area off.  So there was
going to be no work today!

	Erica quickly stripped off her work clothes, and looked at herself in the
mirror.  Daniel, in a violent episode, had punched her in the eye.  Erica
had covered up the bruise with makeup, and it was finally beginning to
heal.  However, she had been subject to a series of very severe beatings
that had left her sore and stiff.

	One night, Daniel had used her, then handed the whip to Lauren.  Lauren
didn't stop until Erica had hung limply in her chains, and her back had
bled.  Erica had wanted to scream mercy, but had managed to keep silent.

	In the last three weeks, Erica had planned her city trip carefully.  She
had bought the paper again, and found that fetish shops did indeed exist. 
So she had called all of them, had noted their locations in the city, and
had resolved to visit as soon as possible.

	Now she had her chance, and Erica decided to take it!  She dressed in an
old blouse and jeans, sneakers, and would drive into the city.  She had
resolved to buy every book that she could lay her hands on, to finally
learn.

	Regardless of what her Master had told her!	

	The drive in to Manhattan was done after rush hour.  Erica parked her car
at a lot closest to the fetish shops that she could manage.  Walking down
the streets, she realized just how long it had been since she had last set
foot in the city.  How she missed it's excitement, and pulse!

	Entering the first shop, she was immediately turned on by the aroma of
leather, rubber & PVC.  She had seen the outfits that Martine had worn, and
wondered where the Dominatrix had bought them.  Now she knew.  But it was
the bookrack that had been her reason for coming here, not clothing.

	Feeling like the first time that she had set foot into the famed library
at Harvard, she walked with purpose to the large display of paperbacks and
hardcover books.  Swallowing, she selected one at random, leafed through
it, and started reading.  Here was something that was not coming from her
Master.

	One by one, she looked over a copy of each book, then placed in on the
counter.  Soon, she had a pile of books on proper D/s practice; D/s
devices; books written by Doms & Subs about the D/s experience; and
fiction.

	"Starting a library?" asked the store clerk.

	"Kind of," Erica answered.

	After selecting the pile of books, Erica took some time to satisfy her
curiosity to try on some of the fetish garments.  She enjoyed the feel and
smell of their materials, and how sexy that they made her look.  The woman
helping her noticed the marks on her body, but said nothing, instead
helping Erica select garments that fit her perfectly.

	Erica left the shop with a big bag of books, plus some clothing after all.
 She realized that she couldn't get this sort of stuff in Connecticut! 
Stowing the goods in the car trunk, she walked to the next shop.  She
wasn't surprised to find that there were only a few publishers of D/s
books, nor of fetish clothing.

 	How often had she gone from Macy's to Stern's and then finally Gimbel's
and seen the same dresses?  So it was no shock that her choices were
limited.

	She ate a late lunch at a restaurant, and read a book about D/s while
eating.  While her choice of reading material raised the eyebrows of the
waitress, Erica didn't care.  The drive back was uneventful, and Erica half
wished that she could have taken the train.  But then she would have been
limited to the amount that she could carry, not keep in the car.

	Bringing the bags back to her apartment was a chore, but one that she did
gladly.  Finally, she opened each bag and emptied the contents on the bed.
Having brought a few cans of Coke with her already, Erica took a notebook
and pen, and opened a book that looked good.  She began to read, and learn.

	Erica Riken would no longer be a slave to ignorance any longer, no longer
blindly accept whatever Master Daniel had told her.  Her belated education
had begun. 
	*		*		*		*		*
	"Deep throat me," Daniel ordered one evening.

	Still dazed from the punishment session with the whip that she had
endured, Erica wasn't sure if she had heard Daniel's order correctly.  She
had been made to hang from the ceiling chain for what had seemed like an
eternity before first Daniel and then Lauren had consented to use the whip
on her.  Her shoulders ached, and her arms felt like they were going to rip
themselves from their sockets for hanging so long.

	Her feet were inches from the floor, but they may have been miles away for
all the good that it did her.  Every muscle in her body was strained from
having been kept in suspension for so long, and she felt like she had been
placed on a rack.

	But it was the lash that had hurt her.  Used by both Daniel and Lauren, it
had been applied without mercy.  In recent weeks, it had been made plain to
Erica that while both she and Lauren were slaves, Lauren had taken her
place.  So Lauren was allowed the freedom to use Erica, which she took at
every opportunity.

	After this session, Erica had slumped to the floor after being released,
not even having the strength to stand.  She felt like crying, since this
was not the way that she had been treated before Lauren had arrived.

	Daniel had then walked over to her, and unzipped the leather outfit that
he had been wearing and exposed his hard erect cock.  His shaft was long
and hard, and Erica had not minded taking him in her mouth before.  But not
after she had been beaten into submission first.

	"Deep throat me."

	"Please Sir, I don't feel well!" Erica protested.

	"You'll feel a lot worse if you don't do as I say!"

	Reluctantly, Erica got to her knees and with her right hand, guided his
organ into her mouth.  She licked and sucked, and Daniel remained hard. 
But without warning, he plunged his shaft deep into her throat, making her
gag.

	"Take my cock, slave!"

	It took all of Erica's concentration to avoid pulling her mouth away from
his shaft, and he came quickly.  Erica tasted the salty pre-come before his
shaft came alive and began to pulse with orgasm.  His hot come shot into
her throat, and Erica swallowed the salty fluid, hoping that it would be
over soon.

	Once he had finished, Erica slumped again to the floor.  The floor cooled
her heated flesh, and Erica wished that this nightmare of abuse and
punishment would end.  But she had no idea how she might leave Daniel.

	Later that night, both Daniel and Lauren had taken her to bed.  She had
been made to suck Lauren's pussy as Daniel had used both of her bottom
holes.  First, she had liked the feel of his cock in her sex, and she had
been driven to orgasm.  But Lauren, in her desire to show that she was a
better slave, had always let Daniel use her anus without complaint.

	The next day, Daniel had informed her that they were all going to attend a
D/s play party next week, and that he was going to have Erica perform her
submission in public.  The following weekend, Erica knew, was going to be
very difficult on her. 

Part Two: Rejection

March 1983

	The party was held the following weekend at a house in Westport, just up
from Greenwich.  Daniel had worn a black outfit and was carrying the
toybag, in which he had brought a short whip, a crop, and a few other
things.

	Erica had worn a black dress, with nothing underneath, leaving her feeling
strange not be wearing at least a bra and panties.  Lauren had worn a
blouse and skirt, also without any underwear either.  Daniel had been
acting even more strange than normal, and had asked Erica over to his house
during the week.  The sole purpose of her coming over on Wednesday had been
to lubricate her bottom and make her wear a large butt plug for several
hours.

	It was one thing, Erica thought, to be used in a consensual manner in
public, as she had been in NYC before she had met Daniel.  But now, in
spite of the face that she had politely asked him how she was going to be
used, he had refused to tell her.  In fact, he had belted her in the jaw,
leaving her in pain and shock.

	The house was a large one, and several cars were already in the driveway.
Daniel parked the car, and he escorted his two slaves to the door and rang
the bell.  A woman wearing a halter-top, skirt, and leather collar around
her neck admitted them inside.  

	Their hosts were Keith and Beth Simon, a married couple.  He was her
Master, and she the slave.  He was a doctor at a local hospital, she was a
teacher at a local school.  They were quite an attractive looking couple
together.  

	Several others had arrived before them, a mixed group of Masters,
Mistresses, slaves both male and female, some in various states of undress.
 The Dom(mes) were the only ones talking, unless given permission to by
their owners.

	Shortly after their arrival, Daniel had placed collars on them both.  That
way, anyone would know that they were both slaves.  He had gotten them both
drinks, and they circulated amongst the other guests.  One female slave had
undressed, and was displaying her marks.  Her nipples were ringed, and her
Master had said that he wanted to have her sex pierced as well.

	After everyone had arrived, everyone went downstairs to the playroom. 
There, Erica noted a X frame, a bondage cross, chains hanging from the
ceiling for suspension purposes, a wooden cage (which Keith had said that
he had built by himself) stocks, and plenty of other things.

	The first person to be used was a female slave named Daphne by her Master,
Jason.  He undressed her, then locked her wrists to one of the ceiling
chains.  He had a long coiled whip in his bag, and used that on her.

	Daphne had been well trained, for she took fifteen strokes with only moans
escaping her lips.  Once the series was over, she kissed the whip and
Jason's hands, then bowed at his feet.  Everyone applauded the performance.

	Next was a Dominatrix named Regina, who had brought her slave William.  He
was tied to the X frame, and cropped for twenty strokes, which he counted
off perfectly.  Again, everyone applauded.

	As each Dom(me) used their slave, Daniel had gone to the bar and taken
another drink.  Erica knew that Lauren had been giving alcohol to Daniel as
a gift (since she had refused to steal it from her firm) and that he was
perhaps becoming dependent upon it.

	Finally, their turn came.  Erica stripped, and was braceleted as usual. 
She was made to lie down on a wooden platform, and her arms and legs were
stretched apart.  Daniel used a riding crop, and used her bottom and the
back of her thighs, and finally between her legs.

	Much to her surprise, she was released after her use.  Puzzled, Erica
wondered why her anus wasn't going to be used.  She rose from the platform,
only to be pushed down again by Lauren.

	"Now then," Daniel said, "you've all seen just how submissive my slave
Erica is.  Just to prove how good a slave she is, I'm now going to take her
up the ass with my cock."

	"No," said Erica.

	"What did you say?" Daniel asked.

	"No, Sir, please don't use my ass in public, please!" Erica begged.

	Daniel unzipped his black jeans, and everyone watched in silence, waiting
to see what happened next.

	"No, please, mercy," cried Erica.

	"What was that, slave?" Daniel demanded.

	"Mercy, Master, mercy!" Erica cried.

	Erica felt his hard cock at the entrance to her bottom and jumped away. 
When she turned to face Daniel, she was punched in the stomach, and then in
the jaw.

	"Disloyal slave!" Daniel roared.

	"Now that's enough," said Keith, as he placed his body between Erica, who
was cowering on the floor, and Daniel.

	"Go away!  She's mine."

	"She's called Mercy, and has indicated that she doesn't want to be used up
the ass," said Keith.

	"She's mine, and mind your own business, damn you," screamed Daniel.

	Just as Erica was rising from the floor, Daniel maneuvered around Keith
and struck a blow with his fists that left Erica staggering.

	"Stop!" screamed Keith, "or I'll put you in the hospital!"

	"If you want this worthless slave so much, then you can have her," said
Daniel.

	It was then that Erica passed out, and slumped to the floor, unconscious.
She had taken a severe blow to the head, and it finally had knocked her
out.
	*		*		*		*		*
	Erica awoke to the feeling of a cold compress on her forehead.  Keith was
standing over her, and his wife Beth was holding her hand.

	"Are you all right?" asked Keith.

	"Where am I?"

	"In one of our bedrooms."

	"Where's Daniel?"

	"After he gave you to me, which was witnessed in public with everyone
there, he took Lauren and left right away.  How do you feel?"

	"My head's ringing."

	"Not unusual after the blow that you took.  Have you ever had a concussion
before?"

	"Yes."

	Erica thought to herself that Alana Peters had a great fall and all the
king's horses and all the king's men couldn't put Alana back together
again.

	"Well, get some sleep, and we'll talk in the morning.  One of us will be
with you all night."

	Keith pulled a sheet and a winter quilt over her naked form, and Erica
quickly drifted off into a deep and dreamless sleep.
	*		*		*		*		*
	Erica awoke to the wonderful aroma of tea.  Beth had placed a tray with a
teapot, and cup and saucer on the bed next to her.

	"Good Morning," greeted Beth, "how do you feel?"

	"Okay, I guess."

	"Sit up then and drink something."

	Erica sat up, and Beth arranged the pillows behind her back.  She was
naked, and bruised from the session the night before, but that didn't
matter.  Erica and Beth were both slaves, after all.

	"Thanks," said Erica.

	Erica drank a few sips of tea after Beth had filled the cup for her.  It
warmed her, and felt so good going down.

	"Can I have something to eat, I'm starved?" asked Erica.

	"Not yet," answered Keith as he entered the room and sat on the bed, "no
solid food since you might have a concussion.  I want you to have x-rays
first."

	"You're a doctor?" asked Erica.

	"Yes.  It's Sunday morning, and the hospital will be quiet now.  I've
arranged a private x-ray for you all on my account.  So drink up, and let's
get going," ordered Keith.

	"All I have is my evening dress," answered Erica.

	"I'm sure that Beth can find something for you to wear, can't you,
darling?" asked Keith.

	Thirty minutes later, Keith. Beth and Erica were on their way to the
hospital.  Beth had found a top, and jeans and sneakers for Erica to wear.
Erica and Beth sat in silence in the back, and when they pulled onto the
hospital grounds, Erica felt like she was having a panic attack.

	The Hospital.  Not the same one that she had been in before, but they all
looked the same.  All smelled the same.  They drove to the doctor's private
lot, and went in a side entrance.  Outside of security, maintenance and a
few visitors, the place was empty.

	It took all of Erica's will not to break down and cry in remembered pain
from her accident and recovery.  She lay on the x-ray table as she was
scanned from head to toe.  The technician developed the film, and handed
the pictures to Keith in an envelope.  They then walked to his office, and
Keith placed the pictures on a light box, and said nothing as Erica and
Beth waited in silence.

	"Beth, could you leave us for a few minutes, please?" asked Keith.

	"Yes, Sir."

	Once she had left, and they were alone, Erica waited for Keith to begin.

	"Daniel has been using you in more than just a D/s manner, hasn't he? 
You've covered up a black eye in makeup, you have evidence of being kicked
and punched, and a few hairline fractures.  Is that the way he's been using
you?"

	"Yes, sir," Erica answered softly.

	"I've never liked him, he's an embarrassment to us all in the scene.  One
day, he's likely to kill someone.  At least that won't be you, since
everyone heard him give you to me.  Do you want a new Master, Erica?  Do
you want to continue?"

	"Yes, Master."

	"I'm not your Master yet.  First, I want to interview you, see why you're
a submissive, your sexual orientation, and so on.  Being a slave means more
than being on the floor and saying Master."

	Erica sat in silence, and swallowed.

	"Your x-rays showed something more than just his abuse.  You've had some
pretty severe injuries lately.  A car accident?"

	"I fell off a ladder," lied Erica.

	Keith sat back in his chair, the leather squeaking as he shifted his
weight.  Erica could see that he was considering his next words.

	"I've been a doctor here for a long time, Erica.  There are the rich, the
old and new money, and everyone else.  Families going back to colonial
times.  There's a strange story running around the country clubs lately,
Erica.  About the daughter of a prominent family who survived a car
accident, who quit her Wall Street job and was seen going in a sex club in
Manhattan, then vanishing."

	"What does that have to do with me?  I'm a bookkeeper at a liquor
distributor in Darien," protested Erica.

	"You must have fallen off some ladder then, to sustain those kind of
injuries."

	"Yes, and it hurt like hell."

	"Do you know anything about a woman named Alana Peters?" bluntly asked
Keith.

	"No," Erica lied.

	"Good, then let's go out for brunch.  You must be hungry."

	"I'm starved."

	"I'm going to train you Erica.  In posture, in submission.  In using the
lash also.  It's time you had a proper Master."

	"Thank you, Sir," answered Erica.