“Yes, Sir,” she said again. “I understand.”
He stepped away from her, again addressing the audience. “Aim the handle at the point where you want the whip to land. You want to create a rolling wave along the length of the whip as it unwinds, like so.”
The whip cracked in the air, making Kendra flinch in spite of herself, her body tensing with anticipation. Several people in the room gasped audibly at the sound. But he’d only hit the air, and she blew out the breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding.
“We’ll start slowly since Kendra and I have never shared a whipping scene before. It’s super important to pay attention to your sub’s reactions and check in often. As with any impact play, communication is paramount. Now. Enough lecturing. Are you ready, Kendra?”
Kendra gripped the straps and leaned in to the whipping post. She’d been on the receiving end of a single tail whipping many times, but never in this kind of setting, with all eyes on her, her now less-than-perfect body on full display. But she was with Dylan. And in spite of how recently they’d connected, she trusted him completely.
“Yes, Sir,” she said, her voice slightly hoarse. Praying that it was true, she added, “I’m ready.”
Chapter 5
Kendra’s heart was booming even before the whip touched her skin. She gripped the straps on the whipping post, her body tensing, anticipatory adrenaline shooting through her bloodstream. Despite knowing Dylan was skilled and thoughtful, a part of her brain remained anxious and unsure. What if he drew blood? What if she freaked out in front of all these people?
At the same time, she needed this. Beyond the simple craving for erotic pain, it was a testament to her return to the scene. She hadn’t let that bastard take it all away. If she could do this, she could do anything…
Then came the sharp crack, followed a fraction of a second later by the light, stinging pop of the cracker against her skin. Yes, her body whispered. I need this. It’s been too long…
Another crack was followed instantly by another burning kiss. He gave her a moment to absorb the impact. “More,” she wanted to demand, her entire body tingling with need.
As if hearing her unspoken plea, there was another snapping flick of the whip, its tip sending a jolt of erotic pain through her nerve endings. The stroke was just slightly stronger than the one that preceded it.
This guy was good.
She relaxed, feet she hadn’t realized were on tiptoe lowered to the ground, her white-knuckled grip on the straps easing. While her heart still raced, a kind of calm began to radiate from her core.
The tempo and intensity slowly increased, creating ebbing and flowing waves of sensation. The room was completely silent, save for the terrifyingly delicious crack of the whip and her answering gasps. Her heart pounded in her ears, her chest heaving as she struggled to take in air. Dylan seemed to instinctively know that precise moment when the pain was nearly too much to bear, because the stinging flicks of the cracker would ease to a teasing whisper of leather.
Then slowly, inexorably, the intensity would increase again until she was mewling and dancing on her toes, her safeword forming in her throat. He understood just how far he could take her, better than she knew herself. She stopped trying to anticipate, instead just accepting what he gave her, truly submitting to his will. It was exhilarating to be in the hands of a true Master at last.
Time ceased, the world falling away. Nothing existed, save for the raw pleasure and erotic pain that arced between them, the braided leather whip their conduit. Like the ocean waves, the sensations built, crested and receded. After a while, her breathing slowed, her staccato cries easing to low, primal moans as her body melted beneath the onslaught.
Then, as if she’d been hanging onto the edge of a cliff with her fingers, she gave up the last bit of resistance. She let go, plummeting downward into the dark eddies of pleasure and pain, only to be swooped up again and carried along on a wave of pure, bright, perfect peace…
“Kendra. Kendra, come back to me.”
Kendra opened her eyes, for a moment unsure where she was or what was happening.
Dylan was just behind her, his chest touching her back. He slipped his fingers under hers, gently prying her hands away from the straps she was still gripping. He brought her arms down to her sides and placed his hands on her shoulders, turning her toward him.
She’d been flying somewhere high and bright, skimming over a vast ocean, her heart soaring, her soul at peace. As she stared into those midnight blue eyes, the world slowly clicked back on. The room was silent. She glanced toward the grouping of chairs, startled to see they were empty.