Citadel - A Kinky Leap of Faith [[Nine of Hartz & Lisbeth]]

[Nine of Hartz]

It all began five weeks ago on Fetlife.​

A post from someone new to the local scene had popped up in a forum utilized by community in the area. The simple introduction had attracted the attention of many within the community, flooding the new addition with many welcoming messages and salutations, including one from the blonde woman currently staring at the screen of her computer. What had started as simple ‘welcome to the area’ post had morphed into a near daily exchange of questions and answers. Each new message brought a twist to her pink lips, her confident voice chuckling occasionally when the words on the screen asked something naïve or ‘green’ in nature. Her responses were fair and kind, passing on the desired information to the newcomer until it grew to the point of a slow grind. Then, it came - the post that would change everything.

“I want to experience this.”

While not easily provoked or taunted, the blonde had bit her lip reading the sentence. It took her several agonizing moments to work a proper reply to the line of text. Eventually, her reply was typed on the screen, fingertips caressing the Enter key before clicking.

“Well, if you genuinely want to experience it in a safe way, we could meet. I can show you Club Night.”

The offer had been extended strictly as a method of education, the mentor dynamic having been fully solidified within the blonde’s mind. The eager acceptance made her smile at the screen before sighing heavily, realizing that there was a whole new problem at hand. She had no idea what the face on the other end of the screen looked like. In an attempt to stave off the incessant random messages from profiles with dick pics for avatars, the blonde had reduced much of her profile to text. The display photo was reduced to a small whip.

Quickly typing at the screen, she instructed her mystery mentee to meet her at the club Saturday evening. She would wait in the lobby until 10pm, giving the newcomer two hours to find her. Her identifying item would be a unique silver pin in her blonde hair, with Fenrir along the sides in a Celtic design. Another would be a pin of Fenrir eating the sun and moon, which would be attached to the dress she wore. With her conditions for the meeting made, all there was left to do was bide time until the weekend.

---

Val stood before her bathroom sink, staring at herself in the mirror. Her blue eyes took in every feature of her face before lifting to her hair. Her long blonde locks fell past her shoulders and would not cooperate with her, regardless of the strokes of her straightening iron. Sighing in frustration, she placed the straightener on the countertop, turning it off. “Fine. You win, again...” Grumbling to her hair, she pulled the top half up, and adjusted the Fenrir pin she had indicated she would wear.

Next, she adjusted the straps of the black dress she wore. Black was the color of the BDSM lifestyle, in her book anyway. It always made her look sexy, causing her skin to look paler than it was. Nodding to her reflection, she turned the light off in the bathroom and made her way to her front door. Sliding on her black boots, she adjusted the skintight leggings she wore so they covered the tops of her boots. Having elected to go with a more comfortable set of heels, only 2 inches in height, Val stood at an even 5’11”. Her Casadei Blade heels would have to wait for another night.

Sliding into her silver Subaru BRZ, she zipped down her private driveway before getting onto the vacant street outside her property. Twenty minutes in the car was all it took to get her into the city, with another 15 to reach Club Night. While not the largest kink club in town, it was more intimate and private, which was made Val love it. Parking her car in the gravel parking lot, she slid out and opened the trunk. Withdrawing a black duffel bag, she locked the car and approached the bouncer guarding the door. Exchanging familiar smiles, she approached the counter where all guests were required to check in, providing her information. Once everything was entered into the computer, Val shifted on her feet.

“I am expecting a guest this evening, someone new to the lifestyle and our community.” Her blue eyes met the attendant’s as she spoke confidently, cutting him off before he could ask his next question. “I told her to identify me by my username, Madame_Qetesh. She knows to give the codework of the week ‘Grog’.”

“You got it, Val.” The man smiled before stamping the inside of her wrist. “Have fun tonight.” Winking playfully, the attendant turned his attention to a couple entering from the parking lot.

“Will do.” Stepping through the curtains separating the check in area from the coat check, Val offered her bag to the volunteer.

“You’re here to play, Valda!?” The older woman’s eyes lit up as she took the bag, immediately looking the blonde over.

“Perhaps.” She spoke firmly, straightening so her height became more imposing. “May I have my number?”

“Oh, certainly.” The woman handed Val the tag with 27 written on it.

“Thank you.” Stuffing the slip into the side of her bra so it would not be lost, Val pushed her way to the interior of the club. Entering a lounge intended for socializing and aftercare, she smiled and shook hands with many leather-clad individuals. Engaging in small conversations, she adjusted herself every now and then, her blue eyes staring at the door she had emerged through. Her eyes drifted to the double doors leading to the playspace, inhaling deeply. Part of her loved the agonizing wait for her mystery mentee, but the other part detested the potential two hours she would have to wait within the lounge.

As time passed within the club, the playspace began to spring to life. The music began to shift and be picked up within the club, taking on a more rock feel as play began. Val smiled appreciatively to the change in atmosphere, taking a seat on a corner of a sofa. Her head moved along with the music as she carried on a casual conversation with two men dressed in puppy hoods. Recognizing the song playing, she hid her lips beneath her hand as she continued with the conversation. Beneath her fingers, her lips whispered along with the chorus of the song by Halestorm.

“I get off on you, getting off on me. I give you what you want, but nothing is for free. It's a give and take kind of life we make.” Continuing to bounce her head along to the song, her blue eyes shifted toward the entrance of the club, noting that an hour had passed on the clock.

 

[Lisbeth]

It All Started with a Simple Post​

She had announced that she was new to the scene, brand new in fact, so new she was still rubbing the green off her horns. Instantly there was an influx of welcome messages...and dick pics...It hadnt mattered that her profile had stated quite clearly that she was a lesbian, it didn't stop them from trying. It had been enough to almost turn her off right then and there. But she chose to ignore them in the end, making contact only with those who had seemed sincere.

Truthfully she wasn't sure what she had been looking for, in the beginning she had only wanted someone to talk to, someone she could vent to and unload the desires she was feeling. So she had turned to writing. Sure there were still the messages that she received, but a lot of them petered out once they realized that she wasn't looking for any sort of one night stand. It began with a short story. Simple in design. A young woman who had practiced tying herself up in her bedroom while she was home alone. The only problem was she did it a little too well and in the darkness of the blindfold she had heard the upstairs door leading from the garage into the kitchen open and the heavy footsteps of either her dad or one of her older brothers.

What felt like an eternity had passed as she struggled to free herself, hoping whoever it was decided not to come down to speak to her for some reason, all the while hearing movement all around in the house causing her heart to speed up. She had freed herself eventually and no one had caught on. She had been hooked after that. The story had met with success and quite a few comments. One in particular had caught her eye. It had been from someone who she had been talking to on and off since arriving. After that day the young woman had posted more short stories and had begun speaking to Madame_Qetesh more frequently.

Lisbeth, as she had chosen to call herself had begun asking all kinds of questions. All relating to BDSM and Madame had been willing to answer, in descriptive detail. It had left the young woman tossing and turning more than once at night until finally she had gotten up the nerve to write a simple message. I want to experience this.



Rowan felt like she was going to throw up, it was happening, she was meeting her mentor. She paced in her small bedroom, nervously biting her thumbnail as she moaned loudly. How could she have been so stupid. This hadn't been what she had intended. Yeah sure, keep telling yourself that, maybe someday you’ll actually believe it, her inner voice mocked her as she stopped pacing and pushed her glasses back up into place.

She had been instructed to meet her mentor at Club Night, Rowan had googled it. The place seemed safe enough, the few comments she had been able to find had been complimentary, but that didn't change the fact she would be putting herself into the hands of a total stranger. Looking up she caught a look at her reflection in the mirror. Her red hair fell to just below her shoulders and her petite frame was trembling slightly with nerves. The room's light caught on the three piercings in her right ear as she tucked a strand of hair behind it before she licked her lips in a nervous habit.

The truth was Rowan didn't want to spend the rest of her life hiding behind her computer screen, this was her out, a chance to experience something that had always pulled at her. She nodded at her reflection. “Im going.” Quickly she got dressed. A short black skirt and a dark green button up blouse along with her western boots were her nicest items of clothing. She put those on as well as a triskelion pendant.

Outside she hopped into her old beat up white corolla, a wreck when she was younger had seen the white hood replaced with a black one, thankfully it still ran well though and she made her way into the city. It took her longer to get there than she had thought it would and by the time she got past the bouncer there were only thirty minutes left.

The counter attendant looked her up and down. “ID?” he asked.

Rolling her eyes in annoyance Rowan pulled out her drivers license. At 5’2” she wasn't exactly the tallest person in the world and that got her carded for pretty much everything.

The attendant gave it a cursory glance. “Password?”

“Grog.”

He nodded before stamping the inside of her wrist. “Have fun.”

“Uhm...I'm meeting someone here...Madame_Qetesh.”

Suddenly the attendants' eyes lit up. “Oh you’re the one, yes the Madam is waiting inside the lounge for you.” He glanced down at his phone. “Cutting it kind of close aren't you?”

“Bite me,” she replied, but she paused as she started to walk in. “And thank you.”

Rowan stepped into club night. The sounds she could hear past the lounge were almost overwhelming. The closest she had heard to the muffled noises had been in porn videos she had watched. Still the black and red aesthetic and the general demeanour of the lounge helped keep her from being too overwhelmed. Taking a few deep breaths she stepped down onto the main floor of the lounge and began to look, her desperation growing with every passing second.

Had the Madame given up and left, no surely the attendant would have mentioned that, she was in there. Thankfully there weren't many people in this room. After only five minutes Rowan stopped in front of a tall blonde. Her hair ornament and the pendant on her dress looked like what had been described to her. “M-Madame_Qetesh?” She asked quietly.

 

[Nine of Hartz]

Hearing her username being spoken, Val’s back stiffened as the unfamiliar voice addressed her. Passing on a polite smile to the group she was speaking with, she held her hand up apologetically. “Excuse me.” Bowing her head to the other Dominants in the cluster, she turned on her heel. Her eyes drifted straight out before dropping to the short woman behind her. She noticed the attire the girl wore, the color drawing her gaze momentarily. Then, she saw it, the triskelion pendant hanging above the woman’s breasts. Her lips curled up into a smile, knowing that this was the young woman she had been speaking with over the past few weeks. Lifting her gaze from the pendant, Val stared into the woman’s eyes for a few moments, taking in her features and studying her.

In the weeks that had passed, she had created various images of what the woman may look like. She immediately found herself pleased with the woman’s short stature, the grin across her lips becoming bigger. “Lisbeth?” Val immediately lifted her hand from her side, pressing across her heart and exposing the glittered nail polish on her short nails. “It is a pleasure to meet you, finally.” Bowing her head toward the redhead, Val turned to look at the clock above the door. Noticing the time, her eyes became harder briefly before softening. “I see...you made it just in time.” Turning her head back to look down at the woman beside her, Val removed her hand from her heart, pointing at a sofa that was empty.

“Join me?” Leading the way to the sofa, Val shot a threatening glare at a man who attempted to approach them. Her hand instinctively reached out before freezing just before she touched Lisbeth’s arm. Stepping backward, Val pivoted on her heels so she walked along the redhead’s other side, leaning in toward her protectively. “Forgive me, I almost touched you without consent.” Speaking with a soft tone, Val motioned for Lisbeth to sit. Taking a spot beside her, she ensured that there was a good gap of space between them. Shooting the man another glare, Val’s brows furrowed together, her blue orbs almost icy as he eventually slinked off. Once the ‘danger’ was no longer present, Val’s body relaxed and she turned to look at Lisbeth’s face, observing the detail along the side of her glasses.

“I apologize. I did not want you to be solicited. That...individual...is not my cup of tea.” Her words were soft but her face hardened again slightly as she spoke. Inhaling slowly, she forced herself to relax before smiling at the redhead. “I was thinking you were not going to show up. Did you have a difficult time finding the club? Or did your nerves get the best of you?”

 

[Lisbeth]

It's her, it's actually her! Oh fuck, of fuck, Rowan was screaming inside her head. What did she do now? What did she say? Was the other woman bowing? Should she bow too? Quick, think of something intelligent, or funny! She thought furiously to herself “Y-Yes...I...I'm Lisbeth,” She responded to Madame_Qetesh. Better than that! She bit her lip nervously, her brain was going a million miles a minute. The tall blonde was so self assured and so confident. Rowan couldn't even get out of her own head. Haltingly she placed her own hand to her heart and bowed as well, going lower than Madame_Qetesh had gone.

What was she doing? The woman must think that she was an idiot or something. Straightening up she grinned shyly at the woman. “It's nice to finally meet you too.” She saw the glance to the clock and her eyes flicked there as well. There had only been minutes to spare. She swallowed hard as her face turned the exact same shade of red as her hair. But Madame_Qetesh said nothing to her on the subject.

Instead the older woman gestured toward a sofa and Rowan followed her toward it. Out of the corner of her eyes she saw the Madame stiffen and a hand seemed to shoot towards Rowan’s upper arm but it faltered before it was pulled back. Looking up into the Madame’s eyes she saw a stern, somewhat angry look flash in them, but it wasn't at her. Rowan spun and saw a man a short way off, he had paused from the glare he was receiving, but still watching them. Without thinking Rowan stepped closer to Madame_Qetesh.

They moved more quickly to the sofa and once they sat Madame shot another venomous look at the man who finally backed off. The older Domme’s face softened as she looked down at Rowan and apologized, not just for the man but for almost touching her. “Its ok,” Rowan responded. “Having you touch me was...you know...one of the big reasons I came here, but for what it's worth...you have my permission.” There was an evident need in Rowan’s voice, she was craving being taken by this woman, and had been dreaming about it often. But at the mention of the time the heat in Rowan’s voice faded and she seemed to shrink as she said. “It...It was a little of both. I want to do this but working up the nerve to actually come and do it was kind of hard. I also live further away than I thought. But I'm glad I came. I’m glad to see you.”

 

[Nine of Hartz]

As Lisbeth explained her nervousness of coming that evening, Val smiled softly. She knew exactly what the redhead meant, having felt a similar sense of nervousness when she had dived into the BDSM lifestyle in her college days. Of course, things were a little different for both women, given that Val was a Dominant. Shifting on the cushion of the sofa, Val turned her head to look at Lisbeth more directly. She continued to study the younger woman’s features, smiling lightly as she saw her shrinking slightly in her seat.

"I am glad you were able to overcome your nerves, and that you came to meet me. As we previously discussed, I will ensure you are protected in this space so you may explore to your heart’s desire." Her hand lifted from her lap, slowly moving toward Lisbeth. “Thank you for giving your consent for touch. You may also touch me, if you wish.” The motion was clearly controlled, Val’s hand reaching out with an agonizing slowness. Finally, her fingers slid across Lisbeth’s arm, letting the weight of her palm rest against the woman’s arm. “I want to remind you that it is perfectly normal to feel nervous, excited, fearful and titillated within this space. As I told you, during our conversations, tonight I am here to facilitate a pleasurable experience for you within the club.”

Keeping her eyes locked onto Lisbeth’s for several moments, Val gradually removed her fingers from the redhead’s arm. “Yes, the drive can be...quite a bit of a stretch depending on where you live.” Crossing her legs, Val's food bounced lightly to the music of the club as she stared at the woman beside her. Her refined composure may have led some to believe she was a fan of softer music, but in reality? She was as big of a metal-head as a heavily tattooed rock groupie. “My home is quite some distance away. But I find the drive...worth it.” Motioning her hand at the lounge, Val smiled proudly.

“As you can see, this is where we socialize. Cell phones are allowed within this space, but not on the main floor where the play takes place. Some of the members are...well...in careers that could be ended should they be outed, myself included.” Motioning at herself, Val idly played with the pendant fastened to her dress. “Discretion is essential, in this life.” Her eyes popped for a moment, realizing that the redhead was still addressing her by her screen name. She smirked a bit, tossing a bit of her blonde hair behind her shoulder before pointing at the set of double doors. “That leads out to the play space. That’s where the cries and screams are coming from, if you hear it over the music.” Chuckling softly, Val paused to hear a shriek hidden beneath the music, her lips immediately twisting in a satisfied grin.

“Also, since you did come, you have earned my name.” Looking back to Lisbeth, Val reached her hand out again with an agonizing slowness. Her fingers curled around Lisbeth’s, squeezing softly as she shook her hand. “My name is Val. You do not need to use my screenname here, or honorifics since you are unowned...” Pausing for a moment, Val lightly bit her inner lip as her eyes darted in thought. “Unless, you chose to indicate your place within the hierarchy. You have no protection collar on, after all, so people may approach and try to socialize with you.” Shifting her legs again, Val re-crossed them. “While I am not yours, and you are not Mine, you are beneath My hand for the night. You may use Miss or Ma’am if you feel such an inclination for an honorific for Me.”

Looking over Lisbeth a few times, Val noticed that she did not seem to have brought anything with her. “I see you do not have gear with you. Did you check it at the coat check? Or, would you like to see what I brought for the evening?”

 

[Lisbeth]

It was a lot to take in but she did her best to listen to Madam_Qetesh as she spoke. It was fascinating as well, watching the Domme soften visibly once the man had moved on, realizing that there was nothing for him with the two women. Rowan had sat maybe a bit closer that she would have next to the Domme, watching the man out of the corner of her eye, but she tried to maintain a neutral look on her face, she already felt like such a noob and even though Madam_Qetesh knew she was new to this particular scene Rowan didn't want her thinking she was too inexperienced.

The power radiating from the older woman was something Rowan had no trouble feeling, it made it hard to look the Domme in the eyes, her own constantly flicking everywhere else until the Madam locked eyes with her and seemed to hold her gaze, wordlessly demanding that Rowan focus. “You’re welcome Madame_Qetesh,” She responded quietly upon being thanked for giving permission to be touched. “A-And thank you, I…” Rowan’s heart was hammering away in her chest as she saw the hand move toward her arm, her skin felt feverish.

She wasnt quite sure why she felt this way, no one that Rowan had even been with had ever made her feel like this. It confused her, but also aroused her and strangely enough she did feel completely safe with the Domme. When the hand rested on her arm she let out a soft sigh and her whole body seemed to relax. For the first time she was able to hear the music blasting in the background. It sounded like Motorhead’s “Ace of Spades”. She smiled when she saw the Domme’s foot tapping. “I like this song too....truthfully I almost wore my Motorhead shirt…but I wasnt sure how seriously you would take me if I did.” That had bothered her, they had been speaking for over a month, it seemed on an academic level they would know each other well, but meeting in person like this...it suddenly felt like she barely knew a thing.

Still she was here with the Domme and that was the important part. When Madam_Qetesh’s hand slid awa it felt like some sort of hold was broken and Rowan let out a visible shudder before looking around the room. There was a casual atmosphere in the room and though there were several naked people within the room most seemed to have collars, she didn't see many people presenting themselves as dominants who were naked in the room and even the vast majority of the subs were clothed to some degree, it probably had to do with helping people maintain their anonymity.

Pulled back to her Domme for the night she blushed and grinned when she was treated with the privilege of hearing the older woman’s name. “My name is Rowan,” she said in response, not tripping over herself once. “Thank you for trusting me with your name Ma’am.” Rowan was happy to know Val’s name but with everything Val had done for her Rowan wanted to honor her with the title that she could give her. “So...whats next Ma’am?” Rowan asked, her voice unsure.

 

[Nine of Hartz]

Val couldn’t help but grin hearing Lisbeth mention enjoying the music in the space. Her face lit up with a wide grin, her teeth peeking out from between her lips. “Yes, they usually play this type of music. I find it helps me get more into the swing of things.” Pushing her hair back over shoulder again, she laughed lightly at the remark of the Motorhead shirt. “It would have been unique, should you have chosen to wear the shirt. But I wanted you to wear what you were comfortable with. After all, this is your first time and it should all be pleasurable.”

Sliding her hand back to the hand of the young woman beside her, Val rose from her seat and pulled her along. “Well, Rowan, I think I should give you a proper tour of what’s to come.” Slowing her stride so Rowan could walk beside her without falling behind, Val kept their hands clasped as she led her to the coat check. Nodding as they passed people she knew, Val smiled at a man running past in a feathered pink boa.

“As you can see, there are people of all kinds here.” Smiling down at Rowan, Val pulled her closer as they reached the coat check. Withdrawing the paper that was tucked into her bra, Val extended the slip with 27 written on it. “My bag, please.”

“You got it, Valda.” The woman smiled as she stared at Rowan, before procuring the black bag. “Here you go. Have fun out there.”

“We will.” Smiling lightly, Val took her gear bag, leading Rowan back to the lounge. Placing her bag on an empty sofa, she released Rowan’s hand and unzipped the bag, beginning to pull items out. “I remembered your request for sensory deprivation. I hope that this is an appropriate hood.” Placing the leather hood on the sofa, Val looked at Rowan's face to see her reaction. "I was thinking of tying your hands up so you will feel restrained, but be able to signal me with your hands. With your mouth covered, you will not be able to speak your safe word." Lifting her hand, Val gently gripped Rowan's chin, lifting it so they looked into one another's eyes. "Does that sound appropriate to you? To move your hands to signal, or snap possibly?" Once she would have Rowan's answer, Val returned to her bag of toys, releasing Rowan's chin.

"So, once I have your hands tied, I was thinking I would place the hood upon you. Then, perhaps give you some light impact with my whip and riding crop. I also brought my paddle, should you want to be spanked. My floggers are good and don't typically leave marks. Then there, are my canes." Val squeezed the set of canes in her hands, smirking deviously. "These tend to leave marks... Which we need to discuss." Her blue eyes locked onto Rowan's, Val's face becoming more serious. "I will be gentle with you, and give you a proper tasting. However, should you wish to have some souvenirs of the evening, I will need to know where to leave them."

 

[Lisbeth]

It was certainly understandable how this music could get someone in the right mood for what they were about to do and considering the number of people wearing leather that she could see just in the lounge, Metal seemed to be a good choice of music to go with. "I...I'm comfortable in this Ma'am," Rowan lied. Truthfully she would have preferred to come in something that fit in more, but she just didn't have anything like that, her job allowed her to survive on her own, maybe even allowed her to have a bit of fun from time to time, but affording a kinky outfit like she saw on the online stores or in the videos she watched, that was out of her price range.

As they stood and Val took her hand Rowan smiled up at her, feeling the firm grip, it seemed like...maybe Val didn't want to let go and Rowan found she was ok with that. The taller Domme was making her feel more and more at ease, sure their knowledge of each other might have been clinical, but at the same time, they did know each other, it was liberating to have come here already knowing who she was going to meet. “A tour sounds gr-” Her response was cut off seeing the man with the pink boa run past, her mouth hanging open as she stared after him for a moment until she felt the tug on her hand that urged her to move again. “I don't think any of the videos I've seen showed that...I don't even think I saw that at any of my old school ball games...course I never went to many of those to begin with.”

When they made their way to the coat check and Val retrieved her bag Rowan pulled out her cell phone and placed it on the desk. “I didn't know phones weren't allowed in the main areas,” she said by way of excuse. The woman smiled at her and took the phone placing it in a numbered box on a shelf before retrieving a ticket. She was halfway handing it to Rowan when she paused. Giving the young redhead a wink she instead handed it to Val. “Here you go Valda, she's your guest so I'm making it your responsibility.”

Leaving the coat check they went back to their sofa, looking around the man who had approached them earlier didn't appear to be around and Rowan relaxed a bit more. Her breath caught in her throat though as she saw the hood. She had indeed made a request for sensory dep and this would work perfectly, she was almost afraid to touch the hood as she listened to what Val had planned for them, more items coming out of the bag, making the redhead squirm, excitement shining in her eyes for the first time. “I can snap, if it gets too intense, maybe like three snaps?” Once more Val locked her gaze with Rowan’s and the young woman shivered, unable to pull away. “Umm...sou-souvenirs are fine Ma’am,” she almost whispered. “Anywhere that I can conceal them. My-My ass...legs...m-my b-breasts.” She swallowed hard, but the excitement didn't leave her eyes.

 

[Nine of Hartz]

“Perfect. I will keep my strikes restricted to those areas, your ass, legs, and breasts.” Val’s eyes immediately roamed across Rowan’s body, assessing her curves. She leaned to the side, looking at her hips and ass from behind, smiling approvingly. “I apologize if my stare is making you...uncomfortable. I always feel nervous Service Topping someone the first time. I wanted to make sure you had a good amount of...squishy assets for me.” Chuckling lightly, Val pulled back and tucked her hair behind her ear.

“That sounds like an excellent idea, actually, snapping three times.” Val smiled approvingly down at Rowan, her fingertips gently touching the shirt she wore. “I will take things slow and gentle to start. If you need me to slow down because it becomes too intense, I want you to snap once. Can you do that for me, Rowan?” Keeping her blue eyes on Rowan for a few moments, Val eventually tugged at her shirt.

“There is one other thing we must discuss. Your clothes.” Motioning her hand up and down, Val tilted her head to the side. “Most people, when they play, desire to remove their garments. Clearly, you can see that from the people in the lounge.” Motioning her hand at the group of people around them, Val placed her gear back into the bag so she could carry it. “When we go out onto the floor, I want you to be comfortable. If that is remaining in your clothes, I can work with that. Or, if you prefer to dress down to your undergarments, that is also sufficient.”

Val stepped closer to Rowan, leaning down so her lips were against the girl’s ear. “I need you to be comfortable. Otherwise, you will not be able to enjoy yourself with me. Do you understand?” Her hand reached for Rowan's again, her fingers intertwining with the shorter woman's. "If there's nothing else, I will take you out onto the floor and get started."

 

[Lisbeth]

Far from making her feel uncomfortable Val’s appraising stare actually made Rowan feel...well, desirable. She didn't have much squishiness to her but she liked to think she had about as much as was possible with her build, but that didn't matter much to her, she just sat there enjoying the attention she was getting from the older woman. It was safe to say that on her end there was a fair bit of attraction and she found herself wanting to please the older woman.

“Yes Ma’am, three snaps to stop and one if I need to slow down and take a break.” She so did not want to screw this up. Honestly she had no delusions about convincing Val to become her Domme, the thought hadnt even entered into Rowan’s mind, she just found slowly that her mind was shifting ever so slowly to a state where pleasing Val made her happy.

When it got to the subject of her clothes Rowan visibly blushed and looked down. “I...I had thought that I would just be...you know...naked...I guess I can leave my underwear on if you want me to, but..” she wrung her hands. “I'd been sort of psyching myself up to do this all night. If...If I'm going to be here, if I'm going to do this, then I want to DO it, not half ass it Ma’am.” She was unsure how Val would respond, Rowan appreciated the older woman wanting to look out for her but she did not want the kid gloves on. She needed to know if this was something she really wanted.

She looked up, her eyes not quite meeting Val’s as the older woman leaned in to whisper to her. “You said you would keep me safe while I was here with you, so I trust you and...and I want you to...to see me.” Rowan took the other woman’s hand and stood up, hoping she had not just ruined everything.

 

[Nine of Hartz]

“Do not fret, Rowan. I do see you.” Smiling reassuringly, Val watched Rowan stand. Her gaze upon the redhead was soft and proud hearing her words. “I think it is very bold, for you to want to go all the way.” Keeping their hands joined, Val stepped away from the sofa and pulled Rowan with her. “Come along, little one. Time for you to taste this life.” Guiding Rowan from the lounge, Val smiled uncontrollably as they approached the double doors. Pushing it open with the hand holding her gear bag, they emerged out onto the play space floor.

Walking forward with a proud stride, Val’s eyes immediately assessed the space. She wanted to tie Rowan’s hands up, and would need access to rigging of some type. Her gaze slid over to a tripod designed for such an activity. Widening her stride so she could walk faster, Val placed the bag down in the middle of the space, scanning the area to verify that no one else was using it. Her fingers reached up to grasp the metal rings hanging down, tugging on them to verify they were steady.

“Go ahead and strip down. I will place your clothes in my bag.” Withdrawing a bundle of rope from her bag, Val placed it on a small stand meant for gear, adding the leather hood. Her eyes shifted toward Rowan before returning to her bag, sliding the limited amount of gear over to the side to make room for her clothes. Val’s eyes lit up seeing a small bag inside the gear bag, immediately pulling it out and adding it to the table. “Rowan, are you adverse to my fingers and...claws...touching your bare skin? Or would you prefer I only touch you with the toys as we play?”

 

[Lisbeth]

Rowan smiled at Val’s reassurance and had to fight back the urge to hug her. It seemed that at this point Val wanted to stay in control of the physical contact, still it was hard to fight the impulse as she was pulled toward the double doors. Her heart was hammering inside her chest and her whole body trembled with nerves. Fuck, this is happening, its going to happen! She was so excited and nervous and...maybe she was going to throw up after all, NO! She was doing this, she wanted to do this, with Val.

The doors open and all the sounds that had been muffled in the lounge greeted her full force and for a moment she was overwhelmed, but not just with the sounds, the sights to. The different outfits, the modes of play going on. There was a girl on an actual medieval wooden rack, stretched to just the right point where she was in agony but no permanent injury was being done, having hot wax dripped all over her body. A man in a full dog costume with a cage around his cock was being led on all fours by his Mistress. There was even an exhibition up front.

Rowan froze, rooted to the spot until a tug from Val broke her trance and she moved forward almost automatically until they stool in front of a device that looked like a large camera stand. Rowan jumped when Val turned to her telling her to strip down. It took a moment from Rowan to register what was said but then she nodded, taking several large breaths. Ok, this is it, no backing out now. The boots were hard and Rowan actually had to sit on the floor to pull them off. But once they were off the rest came easy. Closing her eyes the redhead hooked her thumbs in the hem of her panties and skirt and pulled down, feeling a cool breeze on her now exposed ass and cunt.

When no hoots or cat calls could be heard Rowan cracked open her eyes, barely anyone was paying attention, it surprised her for a moment, until she remembered what was going on around her, she was just another body in the crowd. Strangely that helped, for all that it mattered she was here only with Val, she was only showing herself to Val. She grinned and undid her blouse before pulling it off and finally she unclasped her bra, letting it fall to the ground with her other clothes. Bending over she picked them up and placed them next to Val’s bag, grinning up at the older woman as she did, the strobe lights showing quite clearly the arousal already beginning on Rowan’s folds. Straightening up she cocked her head and looked confused. "Claws Mis-Ma'am?" She said catching herself. "If you want to do it Mis-Ma'am please do, I want you to...to enjoy my body."

 

[Nine of Hartz]

She had placed the bag on the table, listening to Rowan addressing her as she took out a few bundles of rope. “My claws are metal. I will show you in a moment.” With her back turned to Rowan, Val uncoiled her rope, throwing the bundle expertly to the side. It unfolded automatically with the bite still hooked on her thumb. The tall blonde was attempting to control the wide grin spread across her lips, knowing she had to remain calm, collected and controlled. Here she was, with a pretty girl offering up her body, knowing full well that she ached to touch skin on skin. It had been quite some time since she’d had a girl, and her fingers itched for the warmth of another. Rowan slipping up with the honorific, wasn’t helping, it tickling her more than it should have. She was supposed to be offering a service tonight, not stalking a girl to make her own. Regardless, she felt the prickles of excitement shooting through her spine. Inhaling deeply, she made her face grow firmer, turning around as she maintained her ‘cool’ persona.

Her blue eyes immediately locked onto Rowan’s exposed body, keeping her gaze up toward the woman’s face to not make her overly self-conscious. She seemed to be in good spirits so far. “Hold this for a moment, dear.” Val hooked the bite of the rope on Rowan’s finger, kneeling to place her clothes in the bag. The last thing she needed was to accidently damage them with her heels as she circled the girl once they began to play. Rising again, Val gripped the rope and began to tie Rowan’s wrists together.

“It is important to keep enough slack in the tie to slide a finger or two inside. Your circulation is important, so you will need to snap three times if your hands become numb at any point.” As she spoke, Val’s hands moved automatically to tie her hands together, doing a basic double column tie. Guiding the rope to the ring above them, Val laced the ends through and hoisted Rowan’s hands up. Securing it in place with a quick tie, Val looked down at Rowan’s face.

“Does this feel good?” Her words left her lips as she reached for the table behind her. Opening the bag she had set aside, she withdrew the metallic claws one at a time, sliding them over her fingers one at a time. “One unfortunate side effect of being a dyke is that I cannot have long nails...well...without consequences.” Holding her hand out so Rowan could see the claws on all five digits. “These are my surrogates.” Walking the sharp claws along Rowan’s ribs, a sadistic grin slowly crept across Val’s face. “I will be careful, due to their sharp nature.”

 

[Lisbeth]

It was intoxicating. Rowan had never felt a rush like this, her self bondage experiments paled in comparison to this, she wanted more, needed more, even just standing there naked, knowing that very few people actually in the room cared, sure she caught some curious glances but thats all they were curious, some new spectacle or an unknown girl with a woman maybe a few of them knew. Rowan figured Val had to be relatively well known here.

It didn't escape Rowan’s notice either that Val had not called her out on her slip ups, had she not noticed them? Rowan doubted that. Maybe she had just decided to ignore them since Rowan had ended up calling her the correct title anyway. Snapped out of her thoughts as Val spoke explaining the claws Rowan nodded her head. “Feel free to use them or whatever else you want to on me Ma’am,” Rowan was careful to apply the correct honorific this time. “If anything gets to be too much I can just snap.” She didn't want to snap though, she wanted to prove herself and not just to the gorgeous blonde in front of her but to herself. She needed this.

Extending her hand she took the rope that was offered as Val bent down and tucked her clothes in the bag. Then it was beginning in earnest. The rope was soft and while it might leave marks, it wouldn't chafe, it was clear it was treated and well cared for. She watched silently but paying close attention none-the-less as Val explained the importance of keeping space so that Rowan’s hands wouldn't go numb. “I will,” she promised, in response to Val telling her to snap if her hands went numb.

Slowly Val tugged on the rope, keeping the slack between them to a minimum. Rowan followed her hands tied together in front of her, the young woman’s breathing was shallow, excited, her eyes already dilated from arousal. “Y-Yes Ma’am, it...it feels great,” her voice was low, trembling with desire. The rope was passed through the rings and Rowan’s hands were hoisted into the air and pulled until the petite woman’s tip toes were barely touching the floor.

“Oh fuck me,” she whispered, a wide smile on her face. When Val spoke again Rowan looked down to see the metal claws as Val slipped them on one by one and walked, almost stalking in a cat like manner back to her. Her breath caught in her throat as the claws ran along her ribs, four needle like stinging sensations passed along her skin, leaving red lines, but they hadn't broken the skin at all. Rowan had jerked in the ropes but the sharp intake of breath at the initial touch had turned into a drawn out moan at the end.

 

[Nine of Hartz]

"Good girl." Val wanted to praise Rowan for communicating and being vocal. So many new submissives did not want to communicate, which was something she was very displeased with. She smiled down at Rowan, nodding her head lightly as she tugged on the rope line to feel how taunt it is. "I may loosen the rope later, to give your feet more ability to roam." Speaking softly, Val smirked as Rowan cursed to the claws along her ribs. It fueled Val's urge to torment the girl with them more, but she refrained from doing so. Instead, she stepped in front of Rowan and tapped her nose, looking down at her sternly.

"Tonight I am your mentor, so I will tolerate such a demand as you 'enjoying' the sensation." Smirking at Rowan more, Val gently dragged the metallic claws against her cheek. "However, you should know that some Dominants would find that a punishable offense." Stepping to the side, Val looked down at Rowan's exposed ass, grinning widely. "An example of said punishment could be something like this..." Sinking the claws into the soft flesh of Rowan's ass, Val gave it a squeeze so the metallic points bit into her. "This is a corrective punishment...just...so...you...know." She purposely slowed her words as her fingers held the grip, the claws not leaving a mark or breaking skin due to the angle. Even so, she loved watching people jump in shock to the sensation.

Releasing Rowan's ass from her grip, Val chuckled as she began to remove the claws and placed them back into their secure bag. "Are you ready for your hood now, Rowan?" She grasped the hood in her hands, approaching Rowan with a curious glint in her eye.

 

[Lisbeth]

A flush of color rose into Rowan’s face at the joy from the praise. It was much more than what she should have felt with someone who was only mentoring her for the night. That praise...it meant so much to her and she found herself trying to find more ways to earn it. She moaned sensually, squirming in her dangling position and nodded her head in response. “Yes Ma’am, I understand.” And she did, it made sense to from a circulation standpoint that her arms get relief, but she was fine for now.

Opening her eyes as Val spoke she saw the claws reach toward her face and once more they scraped along her skin, stinging her cheek slightly but doing no real damage. Rowan shuddered again, her cunt drooling its pleasure juices, a fire being slowly stoked in her nether regions.

As the claws traveled near her ear Val circled out of her sight. Then the metal withdrew from her face. There was a pause, only a few heartbeats fast before the claws found her ass and Rowan cried out, bucking,, It hurt, but...not as bad as it should have. Her heart was racing, her breathing fast as the claws groped her exposed ass, making her twitch and buck. Then almost as quickly they were gone as was the pain in her ass. She saw Val move out from behind her on the other side, slipping the claws off and into their bag before the older woman picked up the hood and walked over to her. “Yes please Ma’am, Im ready,” she breathed out.

 

[Nine of Hartz]

The moan that left Rowan's lips made Val grin with delight. She could tell that the redhead was enjoying the praise by her squirming and the smile on her face. She continued to watch the young woman, observing each Buck and twitch of her hips before the claws left her ass. It was exactly the reaction she had wanted, to have that control, to have that power, to have that dominance. She craved it on an instinctive level. She always had. It was what drew her to this lifestyle, to know that she was in full control of the person looking up at her adoringly. Rowan was giving her just that in this moment. This…painfully…exquisite moment.

“Alright. I will give you your hood now.” Unsnapping the cover over the mouth, Val shifted her gaze to Rowan. She loosened the straps on the back of the hood, sliding it over the young woman’s face. Adjusting it so it fit correctly, Val began to tighten the strings at the back. Tying a small bow, she gently ran her hands across the leather so Rowan could feel her fingers. With rowan's mouth exposed, Val gently traced her fingertip against the woman's lower lip. She knew that she wouldn't be heard in this moment, so all communication had to be done through touch.

Lowering her fingertips, Val traced Rowan’s ribs slowly period now that she was no longer being watched, she let her eyes take in the young woman's body fully. It was clear that she was young and still very vibrant with youth. She enjoyed looking at each plump curve on her body. Even though she wasn’t as curvy as some of the women in the club, Val didn’t care. Rowan was still quite cute, and very eager to begin.

Taking the small whip from her bag, Val rubbed the braided leather against rowan's body to give her a tease of what was to come. She stepped away from the woman, extending her arm and doing a practice swing to make sure she was going to make her mark. Stepping forward one more step, she flicked the tasseled end against Rowan’s back and ass. The strikes were gentle, not causing much pain at all but more of a sample of what the sensation was like. Stepping around Rowan, Val grinned as she struck at the woman’s hips, moving the tasseled end up her belly before smacking at her nipples.

It was then that she eyed the hood, and the open mouth flap. She stepped close to Rowan, pressing her body against her as her arm wrapped tightly around her. Taking the flap, she pressed it shut to completely restrict Rowan, forcing her to breath through the nose holes that were punched through the hood. Stepping away again, Val let her fingertips dance across Rowan’s skin until she broke away, resuming the gentle strikes with the whip across her breasts, hips and ass.

 

[Lisbeth]

Rowan’s eyes moved down to the hood as it was brought closer, she watched silently as Val opened it wider to allow it to pass over the top of her head. Her eyes traveled up, keeping the hood insight until it was over her and she could so longer keep sight of it. She felt the leather press against her head as it began to slip down over her. It fought her skin pulling at it, causing small gasps and whimpers to escape Rowan’s lips.

Then it was over her eyes plunging her world into darkness, except for just a brief second of light coming from what seemed to be a panel for her mouth. With a final jerk the hood was over her head and she felt string jerks behind her as Val tightened the strings keeping it on, there were other small movements she felt back there from Val’s fingers but after a few seconds they were gone.

A finger tip pressed against her lower lip, rubbing against it, instinctively Rowan wrapped her lips around the fingertip, sucking on it until all to soon it was pulled away. She was left there hanging in the dark, she didn't know how long it may have just been a minute of two or it could have been a few hours. The hood blocked out most of the noise, it was all muffled through the leather.

Something touched her skin again and she jumped. Was it made of leather as well? It was so hard to tell. It pulled away and there was another pause. Then something struck her ass, it didn't really hurt, just stung a little, but it had surprised her and she let out a squeal, jerking as her body swung. She moved her head, turning it, trying to hear anything, she couldn't see, there was no point in thinking she could.

Thats when the second strike came leaving a light stinging sensation strailing from Rowan’s hip to her belly button, she didn't squeal this time but her breath did catch, she could feel her juices running down her legs. A third strike hit her nipples and Rowan did squeal this time. They were rock hard nubs, super sensitive at this point and the sensations shot through them and straight into her cunt.

An arm wrapped around her, pulling her into a warm embrace. She felt something hard press against her teeth and she opened her mouth, some sort of rubber rod was pushed into her mouth, pressing her tongue down and she knew that Val had closed off the mouth section of the mask, leaving her gagged. This time the strike that hit her nipples was harder and Rowan screamed while her cunt continued to drip.

 

[Nine of Hartz]

The initial squeal leaving Rowan’s lips made Val chuckle, her eyes watching the girl squirm as she continued to hit her with the whip. She gradually increased the force of her strikes, watching the red scratch-like marks appearing across the woman’s soft skin. Val bit her lip in joy, repeatedly hitting Rowan’s ass chicks in steady succession to make two visible red spots appear on her skin. Then, she shifted once again, assaulting the hard nipples on the woman’s breasts. She continued to grin, watching the girl squirm. It was sublime.

Stepping to the side again, Val continued assault Rowan, looking up at her hands to check their color. She stepped close to the restrained woman, wrapping her arm around her belly to hold her in place. Her hand rose, touching Rowan’s hands and verifying the didn’t feel cold, sliding her fingers between Rowan’s so she could squeeze them. Verifying everything was fine, she pulled away just as fast as she had come, approaching the table and bag of gear. Her eyes assessed each item, but she felt drawn back to Rowan.

Approaching the woman, Val gently placed her hands on the woman’s shoulders, trailing them down her back. She touched the red marks upon her body, feeling how hot they were. Thusfar, she had been going very ‘gentle’ to ensure that Rowan was thoroughly able to enjoy what they were doing without being overwhelmed, but she still wanted to check in on her. She was delicate, after all. A new submissive diving into this lifestyle. Pulling her hands away, Val went back to her bag of gear. She took the small black bag. Adding the metallic claws to each digit, she grinned as she admired her fingertips. These were by far one of her favorite things, fueling the primal urge buried deep within the blonde.

Approaching Rowan, Val raked her claws across the woman’s skin with a light pressure. She did not want to cut the girl up, but they would provoke a unique sensation, surely. Walking the tips up from Rowan’s hips, up her belly, then across her breasts, Val used the metallic tip to poke at the woman’s firm nipples. Then, she raised them higher, raking the clawed tips up the undersides of both arms to see if Rowan was ticklish.

 

[Lisbeth]

The strikes to her ass were not hard but after enough of them it left Rowan feeling every hit, squirming and moaning. She could feel the heat radiating off of her ass as she twisted in the binds, moaning around the plastic in her mouth. The hood only heightened things more, she couldn't see or hear anything and there were so many smells in the club that it was too overpowering, all that left was her sense of touch. Within the dark, sweaty void of the hood, every strike from the whip was both the purest agony and greatest bliss, the juices rolling down her thighs made her twitch from the overstimulation to her touch.

The first strike to her nipples tore a scream from her. It wasnt particularly hard but her hardened buds were already super sensitive to begin with and after only a few strikes she was moaning loudly, jerking in her restraints, drool flowing out from around the [plastic held in her mouth and causing the leather to cling to her even more.

After what felt like an eternity the assault to the various parts of her body paused. She felt an arm wrap around her and she let out a questioning moan. Feeling the hand reach up to hers she panicked for a moment, thinking that it was already over and she shook her head, making desperate pleading noises around the gag, it was only after another moment that she realized Val was checking her hands, making sure they hadnt gone numb. She felt Val’s fingers slide between hers and Rowan cooed loudly, resting her hooded head against Val’s body, nuzzling her lightly.

The hand slid from hers but didn't break contact, instead it traveled down Rowan’s body, poking, squeezing, as though Val we’re examining her, as the hand reached her hip Rowan’s body jerked forward, as though begging the older woman to touch her, play with her, instead the hands moved away. Rowan hung there wondering what was going on, what would happen next. She screamed as the metal claws sliced up her hip, along her abdomen and to her breasts, scraping across her nipples as they did. Rowan jerked in the ropes again swaying as the metal claws continued to torture her while not actually cutting her. The touch began lightening as Val moved up her sides. Once more Rowan shook her head, realizing what Val meant to do as the claws met her armpits. Rowan snorted and shook in the ropes, a giggle escaping her throat.

 

[Nine of Hartz]

Rowan’s squirms to the various touches continued to feed the grin spread across Val’s lips, her blue eyes roaming across the woman’s skin as her claws continued to dance across it. She could see that Rowan was indeed ticklish, the girl shaking against the rope that held her in place. Val continued to walk her claws up the inside of her arms before switching the exterior side. Letting her hands move downward slowly, she allowed the claws to drag across Rowan’s arms deliberately. She was standing closer to the girl, being sure to step back as she squirmed so their bodies would not touch.

Her blue eyes deliciously flicked to the hood, her grin curling up more. She had purchased it for this specific night, Rowan being the first and only to use it. Her clawed hands removed from Rowan’s arms, pressing her palms against the sides of the woman’s head where her ears would be. Keeping the pressure gentle yet firm, she grinned as she forced Rowan to spin around ninety degrees to the left, then 180 degrees to the right to disorient her. Removing her palms from the hood, Val grinned as her teeth sank into her lower lip. Raking her claws against the leather protecting Rowan’s face, Val growled lightly as she felt the metal tugging at the leather, leaving little cuts along the surface of the dyed leather. She moved her hands further back, allowing the claws to rake from the front of Rowan’s face to the back of her head. Tugging at the strings securing it in place, she exhaled powerfully so her breath danced against Rowan’s shoulder before releasing her.

Val’s eyes went to the table again, approaching it with a swift step. She removed the claws anxiously, stuffing them into the protective black bag. Taking the small whip again, she flew her hand out and began to whip at Rowan’s thighs. Building up the speed and force within her strikes, Val kept herself well within a ‘tasting’ with each flick of her wrist, but she watched Rowan like a predatory with their prey. Landing an especially loud crack against the woman’s left ass cheek, Val stepped forward immediately, caressing it with her off hand to soothe the pain. Her gaze went to Rowan’s hands to look for any motion of a snap.

 

[Lisbeth]

As the tickling continued Rowan continued to squirm and jerk on the rope, letting out gasping snorts and choked giggles as drool escaped past the gag, she could feel her hair twist around in the hood, getting plastered to her face and neck by the sweat and saliva but that didn't matter, all that did was the sensation of the claws on her skin. It was clear Val was an expert with them and could control how painful they actually were with ease.

As the claws pulled away Rowan hung there limply, gasping for breath, letting out wet rasping sounds around the gag, but her fingers remained motionless. Her whole body was covered in a sheen of sweat and her cunt was dripping like a faucet, it almost burned with need but there was no way Rowan could see to ask...no beg for that relief she needed.

Hands clamped down on the side of her head and suddenly Rowan was spinning, twisting turning in the air, it didn't go on for long but it was enough that Rowan was completely disoriented when it stopped. She felt something scrape along the leather of the hood, felt it through the hood as it pulled her head forward so that her chin hit her chest. Then it was pulling the opposite way, jerking Rowan’s head back, her chest thrust out, putting her pert nipples in display.

One more sharp jerk and then the pressure was gone and Rowan’s head flopped forward. Once more she was met with stillness, with almost complete silence. Just as she began to relax the sting of the whip was back, it was a bit harder, causing Rowan to grunt with each strike but it still didn't seem to be leaving anything more than a stinging sensation. Pain exploded across her ass and Rowan screamed as her back arched. It had far and away been the most painful hit and it had Rowan’s cunt convulsing with need. After a minute of two the pain turned into a dull ache and she hung there, her fingers silent, not moving. She was so fucking horny.

 

[Nine of Hartz]

Val's hand could feel the heat of the sting on Rowan's left ass cheek against her palm, as well as the sweat built up on the younger woman's skin. She could see the strobe lights reflecting across her fair skin, the sweat making her skin change colors as the lights changed. Smiling a confident smile, Val draped the whip over her shoulder so it stayed in place. Her hands lifted to the hood, gripping the snaps that held the mouth guard in place. Unsnapping eat piece with a firm tug, Val pressed her fingertip to Rowan's lower lip to force her jaws to spread. Removing the gag slowly, her eyes widened seeing the saliva and drool streaming from it and down the woman's chin.

Her hand slid to the back of Rowan's head, tugging on the delicate strings that kept the hood in place. Once they were loose enough, Val lifted the edge of the hood just enough to allow sound to be carried to Rowan's left ear. "Are you still good to go, my dear? Or do you wish to lay down and have your aftercare?" Her words were spoke sincerely and firmly, her fingers pressed at the base of Rowan's head as her ear pressed to the young woman's lips to hear what she said.

 

[Lisbeth]

Rowan felt Val’s palm rest on her ass and she flinched as the pain flared up again from the last whip strike, still her fingers didn't move. Her breathing was ragged, but not from exhaustion. It was plain she was incredibly turned on and the way her hips and legs jerked it was clear how badly she wanted something between them. Once more she felt hands touching the hood and with a few firm tugs the mouth piece was removed, a finger to her chin convinced her to open her mouth and the gag fell out followed by a flood of drool.

She felt more tugging on the hood and thought Val meant to take it off. “No,” she whimpered, her voice so quiet she was unsure if Val had heard it. But the hood wasnt removed all the way, only pulled up enough to expose one of her ears, the sound in the club came back full force and Rowan took a a sharp intake of breath, wincing at how loud everything seemed. Even Val sounded like she was shouting but with how close it felt like she was Rowan wasnt sure if she actually was or not.

Taking a few deep breaths, trying to compose herself Rowan cleared her throat, she sounded hoarse but still full of energy. “I...I havent snapped my fingers yet Ma’am, please...please don't stop.” She couldn't stop, not after this. Rowan needed more, who knew if she would ever get to do this again. “Please, I want to keep going.”

 

[Nine of Hartz]

"Alright, we will keep going. But first, you need some water and a short rest. When you are ready to continue, give me a thumbs up." Without waiting for a response, Val tugged on the strings at the back of the hood, tying them shut with a loose bow. Her hands slid up Rowan's arms, her fingertips gliding against her sweaty skin. Reaching for the rope, Val removed the knot that secured it to the ring, pulling it down slowly so Rowan's arms would not fall atop her head. Her free hand gripped the woman's hands, guiding them down so she could be led. Stepping backward, Val watched Rowan as she pulled her to the bag. Stopping in place, she released Rowan's hands to kneel briefly. Her hand pushed the contents of her bag round, grasping the bottle of water hidden within.

Standing back up, she touched Rowan's hand to show her that she had returned, guiding her fingers to her forearm. Using both hands now that they were free, she removed the plastic cap from the bottle of water. Gripping the hood with her hand, Val pulled Rowan closer, pressing the top of the plastic bottle to her lips. Gently leaning it backward, Val watched the young woman, ensuring that she drank the liquid as she slowly poured it past her lips.