Skylar started to instantly object, but something stopped her. She couldn’t deny the longing she always felt when she watched the pair together. Or the fantasies that leaped unbidden into her mind when she was alone in her bed, her hand between her thighs. Imagine how powerful that kind of all-encompassing 24/7 experience must be?
As if reading her mind, Rhianna continued, “This is your chance. Your amazing chance dropped into your lap by the universe. And what better way to explore your true feelings and nature without worrying that you end up with some poser or wannabe ordering you around without a clue of what they’re doing?”
Rhi put her hand gently on Skylar’s arm, her expression earnest. “What have you got to lose? Take it one step at a time. Fill out the questionnaire and see where things go from there.”
Back in her apartment, Skylar spent several hours answering the detailed questionnaire, determined to be as honest as she could. As she worked through the questions, she grew increasingly excited about the possibility of a total immersion experience.
She heard back from Mistress Ella via email the next morning. They had agreed Mistress Ella would call that evening at eight o’clock. After another long day driving all over the county doing cold calls and being rebuffed by doctors’ office staff and hospital administrators, Skylar was in desperate need of a hot shower and a cold glass of sauvignon blanc. After her shower, she barely had time to scarf down a Lean Cuisine and pour a second glass of white wine when the phone rang, precisely on the dot of eight.
“Hello?” Skylar said a little breathlessly. She reached for her wineglass.
“Hello, this is Mistress Ella. Is this Skylar?” The woman’s voice was low and husky, but totally feminine.
“Yes, this is she,” Skylar said, and then felt stupid for being so formal. “Uh, hi.”
“Hi. It’s nice to meet you. Congrats again on winning the drawing. We received your questionnaire, and we’re really excited and pleased that you chose the full-immersion package. From your responses, we believe you would be an ideal candidate. It’s the rare person who has the courage to explore their deepest held desires.”
Warmth moved through Skylar’s veins at this praise, along with a sudden shiver of fear. Was she really up for this? What if she failed?
Mistress Ella spoke, pulling her back to the moment. “I know a lot about you from the questionnaire. Do you have any questions for me?”
Skylar asked the first one that popped into her mind. “Is one week really long enough for me to learn anything?”
“You bring up a good point. You’re not going to leave the island after only a week as a fully trained submissive. The good news is you aren’t starting from scratch. You’ve been in the scene for many years. You’re comfortable with nudity and erotic pain. The training program will allow you to explore your submissive nature, and get a sense if this is something you want to pursue in a more serious way.”
“That’s the thing,” Skylar replied. “I’ve never really thought of myself as a submissive. I mean, I love the erotic pain and the theater of the Master/sub roleplay thing, but I think I might be too bossy and controlling to actually be a sub.” She laughed a little self-consciously as she admitted this.
“You’d be surprised how many subs are bossy control freaks. I happen to own one myself.” Ella laughed but then continued in a more sober tone. “Seriously, Skylar. That might be how you conduct yourself in the vanilla world—with your colleagues, your family members and friends—but that external behavior isn’t necessarily at odds with a submissive sexual orientation. The questionnaire you completed was designed by mental health professionals who are active in the scene and have an in-depth understanding of what makes those of us hardwired for BDSM tick. Based on your answers, you scored quite highly as what we call a natural submissive. You also scored highly on dissatisfaction with your current place in the scene. You’re longing for something more, Skylar. But it’s something you won’t find until you truly open yourself to the possibilities.
“I believe that what you need to really bring your submission to the forefront is this kind of intensive training experience. If you can fully tap into your submissive nature and desires, then you’ll be ready to find the complement to your submissive heart. You’ll be ready to seek your one true Master.”
Even while Skylar opened her mouth to protest that she wasn’t looking for Master Right, Mistress Ella’s words resonated in a deep, secret part of her psyche.
“You do need to understand that you will be subjected to training that is highly sexual in nature. Such things as orgasm control, impact play involving the breasts and genitals, full-body bondage and oral sex skills are standard aspects of our total immersion packet. If you have an issue with that, we’ll need to look at something at a more intermediate level.”