Daring Plans

Co-written by: Mel, Jo, and Jodie

Characters: Kyler, Kadyn, Rene, and Cameron (with some Tops dropping by.)

Special Note: A heartfelt thank-you to Chris Dangerfield for accepting the position of Jodie’s Technical Advisor.
 

************************ 

Kyler walked through the back door of the candy store and placed his laptop on the small desk in the corner.

“Hey, you’re a bit early today, Kyler,” Kadyn greeted his friend while wrestling with an empty carton in an attempt to flatten it for the recycle bin.

“Yeah, I finished up faster than usual at bakery this morning.” Kyler sniffed and shook his head. “Man, I still miss the aroma of coffee brewing in here.”

“Rene will be dropping by any minute now and he’s cut way back on drinking anything caffeinated.” 

“You’re a good friend, Kadyn, not wanting to put temptation in his path. Oh, before I forget, I hope my inviting Cameron over is all right. He doesn’t have a shift this morning and is kinda at loose ends.” Kyler abstractedly flipped through the paperwork awaiting his attention.

“No problem at all. He more than welcome here any time. I trust he won’t bothered by there being no coffee on.”

“I don’t think so. It’s hotter than hell out there so he’ll probably prefer something cool.”

“I for one don’t mind the heat,” Kadyn laughed. “We get a lot more customers during these hot summer days. In fact, business is booming as you’ll see when you do up the end of month financial reports.”

A knock on the screen door interrupted their conversation. “Come on in, Cam,” Kadyn called out.

“Hi, Kadyn. Good to see you again.”

“Yeah, it’s been a while. Pull up a chair and make yourself at home.”

Cameron grinned at Kyler. “Isn’t it a bit hot to work? At least I work at night when it’s cooler.”

“The AC is working fine. But if it wasn’t, I could always sit in the cooler,” Kyler joked as he made separate piles for invoices and statements.

As Cameron’s arrival also heralded Rene’s, Kadyn merrily greeted his best friend. “Hi, Rene. We’ve got company today.” Although he and Rene got together regularly, and even met up periodically with Kyler, having Cameron drop by made for a nice change.

“Hi all.” Rene smiled at the sight of his friends. “Hot enough for you?”

“I’ll say,” Kyler answered with a wave in Rene’s direction.

“You gonna join us at the table, Kyler? You have some extra time, don’t you?” Kadyn inquired.

“Be right there.”

“So, guys, what will your poison be this morning?” Pen and paper in hand, Kadyn joking adopted the pose of a waiter about to take an order.

“Soda,” Cameron replied politely, hiding a smile. He loved it when the guys got together and goofed around.

“Make mine a Dr. Pepper, please,” Kyler requested, taking a seat next to Cameron.

“I’ll have a fat free strawberry smoothie.” Rene grinned at the look of shock on Kadyn’s face. “Hey, I gotta start watching my calories. I’ve gained three pounds since I went off coffee and started drinking your shakes.”

“Yeah, right! And it sure is showing, my friend.” Kaydn merrily returned the easygoing banter as he left the room to fill everyone’s request.

Drinks served and a large bowl of chips sitting in the middle of the table, Kadyn joined his guests. “So guys, aside from the heat and our town almost bursting at the seams with tourists, what’s new?”

“Nothing really new with me,” Rene replied. “Zack and I are still basking in the memories of our cruise. I’m hoping that in another couple of years we can take another one; maybe the Alaska cruise or even the Mediterranean.”

“Yeah, that sure sounded like a terrific holiday. I’m still kinda envious even though Logan has agreed that someday we should give it a try.” Kadyn had already heard just about every detail of his friend’s vacation.

“Not sure if Chad’s into cruises,” Cameron admitted. “It sounds like heaps of fun. At least I know how to swim now.” He grinned at Kyler, “thanks to Hugh having super human patience with me.”

Kyler sat back in his chair and contemplated letting the others in on what he’d been investigating off and on over the past few months. He had originally planned to tell Cameron but as yet, hadn’t got around to doing so. ‘Maybe all three of them would be interested,’ he thought and then boldly introduced the subject before he changed his mind. “I guess I kinda got some news. A couple of you may remember a while back when my partners were working a lot of extra hours and leaving me with more time on my hands than I wanted. Well, I joined a couple of groups online and made some new friends. They’re, ah, kinda different.” He smiled and waited to see if anyone would bite.

Cameron just raised his eyebrows slightly in question. He was usually game for anything his friend was up for.

“Online friends, huh? Different how?” Kadyn inquired, his eyes sparkling with curiosity. Although he’d be the last to admit it, he was the most inquisitive of the bunch.

“Zack’s real fussy about online friendships. He’s got a list of dos and don’ts a mile long for anyone I chat with online.” Rene answered.

“Logan says I can go online as much as I like,” Kadyn replied with a crooked grin. “As long as it doesn’t interfere with our relationship, my business, my sleep or my chores; which boils down to me grabbing for my iPhone whenever I get a free moment, which are few and far between. All I can say is, thank God for apps and a fairly reliable wireless service.” He winked at Rene and wondered if the other man remembered the first time they got in trouble together had involved being unable to pick up a signal on their cell-phones.

Cameron grimaced slightly. “I got a bit addicted to Facebook,” he sheepishly disclosed. “Chad put his foot down when I didn’t quite make it to bed one night.”

“Sounds like we’re all kinda in the same boat,” Kadyn commented with a sigh of acceptance. He pulled his chair closer, put his elbows on the table and his chin in one hand. “Okay, Kyler, about these new friends of yours. You gonna tell us about them or not?”

“Well I figured the groups I joined might have something in common with our lifestyle. And before you ask, I had my Tops’ permission to join as long as I didn’t give out personal information about us, our families or our friends.” Kyler thought it important to have that clarified before moving on. “I was soon talking with two of the members more than the others. While one of them was in a relationship similar to ours, he and his partner also explore the BDSM lifestyle. He told me about clubs they went to and some of the games they played. The other was a single man who liked experimenting with new a Dom every chance he got. They both have their own preferences when it comes to implements and scenes. I became interested in learning all I could; I just don’t really know why. I have to say that Hugh and Patrick’s response when I mentioned it to them was somewhat less than enthusiastic. In fact, they sort of told me to forget about it. Only I can’t seem to let it go. I’ve even gone so far as to look into a club that I found after painstakingly winding my way through the twists and turns of a cyber-space maze. It’s not a leather bar or a place that normally caters to only those into BDSM. It is a regular bar just off the main highway on the way to Kamloops that closes to the general public once a month in order to provide a play space for a very explicit group of people. They don’t even serve liquor that night. You are allowed to drink within reason but it is strictly BYOB. There will be monitors to watch folks’ intake of the stuff and make sure they don’t overdo it. Although it is not publically advertised, people who hear about the party through the grapevine, so to speak, are welcome to attend provided they follow the rules. Would you guys consider looking into it with me?”

Kadyn stared open-mouth at Kyler, unable to believe what he was hearing. He blinked several times before shaking his head and muttering, “Count me out, man. That stuff is a real turn-off for me.”

Cameron was on the other end of the spectrum. “Sounds cool,” he enthused. “I’ve always wanted to see what happens in one of those clubs.”

Rene was sure his face was giving away his feelings as he felt it heat up. He’d secretly looked at a few fetish sites and found them to be exciting. However, he’d never actually contemplated following up on the idea. But now an opportunity was presenting itself. Did he have the guts to join in? “I…uh,  might be interested in checking it out.”

“See, Kadyn, Rene and Cameron are on board. You don’t want to be odd man out, do you?” Kyler was bent on persuading their friend to join in the adventure. “Besides, you’re the only one who doesn’t drink in public unless his partner is present, so you can be our designated driver.”

Kadyn sat quietly chewing his bottom lip and glancing from one to another of the three men sitting at the table with him. He didn’t want to admit that he found attending such an event alarming, but that the thought of it was actually fear-provoking. Fact was, just being in an unknown situation with strangers where drinking was involved could give him nightmares. ‘Still,’ he thought, ‘it’s not like I’d be going on my own.’

Kyler smiled when he saw the younger man weakening. Now if the other two would support him, Kyler was sure Kadyn would bend under the pressure.

“K, I’ll go if you will. We don’t have to do anything; just have a look,” Rene suggested to his friend.

“Rene’s right, Kadyn There’ll be no pressure to do anything we don’t want to. Promise,” Kyler pleaded in his most persuasive tone.

“Come on, Kadyn,” Cameron joined in. “It’s not as if you’ll be alone. There are four of us. We can watch each other’s back.”

“Hmm, maybe if you gave me some examples of what we might see.” Kadyn was really hoping they’d be able to set his mind at ease and convince him it wasn’t something he had to be so leery off.

“Well, I can only guess that we’ll probably see people being spanked and maybe a bit of light bondage. Although there is not dress-code to speak of, we might get to see some neat costumes and such. The play party is being hosted in a nightclub, so that’s likely the extent of what will take place. Just the light side of BDSM,” Kyler explained, emphasizing what he trusted would be the least off-putting activities.

Cameron smiled to himself. “Heck,” he jokingly scoffed. “It won’t be as frightening as a Top on a rampage. We deal with that kind of thing weekly.” His comment generated agreeing nods and amused snickers from the others sitting around the table.

Kadyn glanced from one of his friends to the other and slowly nodded his head. “I suppose I can be your driver. Of course, I’d have to talk it over with Logan first.”

“I’m glad you’re coming with us, Kadyn,” Kyler enthused. “It will be so much more fun with all of us going.”

“Do you have a specific date in mind for visiting this club?” Rene asked.

“Well as luck would have it, there’s a party this coming Sunday evening that I’d like to attend if it’s all right with you guys,” Kyler informed them. “Aah…. I’ve just one suggestion to make. If at all possible, I think it would be best if we didn’t mention the word ‘fetish’ when running our plans by our partners. There are certain words that seem to raise red flags for Tops that don’t much bother most folks, and I am pretty sure that’s one of them. What do you say? Do you see that as a problem?” He really wanted to go and hopefully learn something new that would make it possible for him to re-introduce the topic of mild BDSM activities with Hugh and Patrick.

Kadyn shrugged. “Okay by me….I guess.” He wasn’t exactly one hundred percent on board as yet, but couldn’t figure a way out without sounding like a wimp. Not as long in his relationship with Logan as the others were with their partners, he was unsure of how he’d even bring up the ‘fetish’ subject.

Rene felt uncomfortable with the idea of keeping the nature of the evening from Zack, but then again he also felt uncomfortable discussing it with him. He and Zack had a great love life. Zack was a passionate and considerate lover. Certainly the man was all top. Rene knew right from the get-go that his husband did not switch roles in bed, but that didn’t mean things were boring, far from it. However, he’d always had a secret interest in trying things that might be considered a little kinky; if only he had the courage to suggest it to Zack. Maybe if he went and saw some of the things at this club, he might have a better feel for the whole idea and know if it was something he wanted to really try or just leave to fantasy. “Yeah, I’m sure I can skirt the whole fetish thing when I discuss it with Zack.”

Cameron was pretty sure Chad didn’t have any views on fetish clubs, neither positive nor negative. It was not a conversation they’d ever had. He was excited at the thought of witnessing a way of life he knew little about. He wondered if there was any way he could talk Kyler into participating a little bit more than his friend was planning. He grinned to himself; Kyler couldn’t resist a dare.

“I don’t work Sundays and I know Chad and Kipper have something going on at the mine, so I’m in,” he announced. “As for keeping it quiet, I wouldn’t have it any other way. What Chad doesn’t know can’t hurt me.”

“Great! We’ll finalize our plans after we’ve had a chance to talk to our partners,” Kyler merrily proposed just as a door noisily closed, followed by loud laughter and conversation erupting from the candy store. It was a sign that Kadyn’s presence was required out front.

Kyler pushed back from the table. “I better get back to updating Kadyn’s books before he fires me,” he joked.

Time had run out for this particular impromptu meeting of the minds as the group separated with each man going about their day while thinking over the best way to approach their partners about their Sunday evening scheme.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

They arrived in good time on Sunday evening and were rather impressed by how well organized it all was. Next to no line-up so everything moved smoothly through the registration process, with first-timers having to fill in questionnaires. Liquor quantities were checked and there were no problems with Cameron carrying a cooler containing a dozen beer and a few cans of pop.

The organizers had gone to a lot of work setting up a makeshift dungeon which set the mood for those wanting to participate. There were several monitors making their presence known through ‘don’t mess with us’ body language and an intimidating stance to back it up. 

Kyler glanced over the printout he was holding at arm’s length. It was a list of rules governing the behaviour of those attending the party. They were handed out to everyone entering the bar and upon paying their ‘membership’ fee of ten dollars. Several stood out for him.

‘First and foremost: No means NO! There are several Dungeon Monitors present at all times and their decisions are final. The list went on with: Use of cameras is strictly forbidden. Drunken, lewd and/or obnoxious behaviour are grounds for expulsion. Unwanted and/or unrequested touching is also prohibited by anyone in the Dungeon. No solo play permitted and Doms are responsible for caring for the Subs they play with. No intercourse or oral sex is permitted in the Dungeon. Safewords, either visual or spoken, are a must. Feel free to ask for information or advice, but first request permission to converse with the person to whom you wish to speak. Do not interrupt anyone presently in a conversation.’ Kyler read quietly to himself.

“Keep your cells phones turned off and hidden, guys,” he whispered to his friends as they made their way over to an empty booth in the corner.  

The ‘Dungeon’ was surprisingly large and appeared to house all the equipment any player could possibly wish for. Aside from the main stage area, there were half a dozen smaller play stations for those who wanted a little more privacy. Booths ran along two long walls with plenty of tables and chairs set up with great views of any action taking place. 

Kadyn sat against the back wall. Not because he wanted a good view of the rest of the room, but because he hoped he’d be less conspicuous while unobtrusively checking out anything that caught his eye. Many of the patrons were clad in attention-grabbing apparel designed for the occasion, but it was the equipment that troubled him. “There’s a lot of racks and stuff, Kyler,” he muttered to his friend as Kyler slid in beside him.

“Don’t worry, Kadyn. Nothing is gonna happen that’s not consensual. It would be against the rules,” Kyler tried to reassure the younger man. He glanced over at Rene who was sitting on Kadyn’s other side with Cameron settling next to Rene. He grinned when he realized the three of them had unconsciously surrounded the most uneasy one of their group.

It was after catching sight of a large man in leather leading another man by a leash attached to what looked like a dog collar, that Kadyn nervously kept his eyes averted from the area where most the action was taking place. It never crossed his mind to wonder what any of these folks did in their normal day-to-day lives and that this was for many a chance to play at something they enjoyed.

Cameron looked around and was somewhat stunned by the variety of people around him. There was lots of flesh being shown and in one corner there was body painting being done.  He couldn’t believe where one woman being painted was holding big peacock feathers. He appreciated the bare chested men; a lot of them in leather harnesses and often wearing skin tight trousers. He saw quite a bit of woman-on-woman action; men-on-men encounters were a bit rarer but easily noticeable if you knew what to look for. And of course there were het couples with either gender seeming dominant, some even switching roles. It was pretty obvious who was paired-up and who was trolling.

Rene was fascinated with the sights and sound in the room. He saw a man dressed only in black leather chaps. His build reminded him a great deal of Zack; the same broad shoulders, muscular chest and narrow waist. Even his hair was close in colour to his husband’s. Rene was sure the man was all Dom until a tiny woman dressed in a full bodysuit of gleaming red leather approached him and the man fell to his knees in front of her and bowed his head. The woman stroked his head like a beloved pet, then drew the man to his feet and attached a chain to a nipple ring Rene hadn’t noticed until now, and led the man over to a wide padded bench. The man bent over the bench and she began to paddle his exposed buttocks. Rene was left laughing to himself at the very idea of his Zack behaving in such a manner. 

Cameron passed each of his friends their drink of choice and they all settled back to experience an environment filled with goings-on that were so new to them.

Cameron was really enjoying people watching. For a moment he thought he might be dressed too flashy in his leather pants and a blue silk shirt that matched his eyes, but he quickly learned by looking around that he was on the demure side. He nudged Kyler with his foot under the table as another bare-chested man walked passed who was attached securely to chain held by a Dom fully clad in black. “How about we strip down,” he teasingly suggested with a wink.

“Not in this lifetime,” Kyler immediately responded, biting back a grin at the groan escaping from Kadyn. “If Hugh ever got wind of my being naked in a public place, my ass would be grass.”

“I’m with you, Kyler. After our adventure with body painting and streaking, I keep my clothes on in public thank you,” Rene added with a grimace.

Several scenes involving a spanking bench and assorted paddles had taken place, when a sturdy portable St. Andrews Cross was moved to center stage. A rack of implements, including a wide selection of floggers, was set up nearby. 

“Hey,” Kyler whispered loud enough for his companions to hear. “This is what I’ve been waiting to see.”

“Kinky,” Cameron whispered back. “But I’ve been on the receiving end of Chad’s hand too often to want to encourage him to move to an implement. You’re nuts, man.”

“But there must be something here that interests you, Cam. You know, on a personal level,” Kyler insisted.

Cameron took a long look around. “Nothing really jumps out,” he said finally, “Honestly, Chad gives me all I need and I don’t think he’d be into anything left of center so to speak.”

Having gotten his answer and not wanting to push his friend, Kyler turned to the other two. “Isn’t there a single thing either of you guys might be willing to try?”

“I find it really interesting to watch, but nothing I’d be willing to do here with a stranger.” Though Rene secretly thought it would be fun to try some of these things out with his husband.

“How about what’s going on over there, Kadyn?” Kyler pointed to a sling suspended from a rack in the far corner that was presently occupied by a young woman. A tall man stood nearby keeping an eye on her. The couple had been there since the four men from Jade Heights had entered the room.

“No way!” Kadyn stated adamantly as a shudder ran through his body. “I’d probably throw up if I had to stay still for that long.” He calmed slightly when he felt Rene’s sympathetic hand resting on his left shoulder. Any peace of mind he’d acquired quickly faded at the sight of an older gentleman of undetermined age approaching their table. He shrank back when the man addressed them. 

“Hello, my name is Jonathan and as well as being one of this evening’s guardians, I am also the chairperson of our organizing committee. I meant to come over sooner but got waylaid. I like to personally welcome first-timers such as yourselves.” He extended his hand to shake each of theirs, and then squeezed in beside Kyler when introductions had been made. “So what brings you folks to our party?”

Kadyn, Rene and Cameron all looked at Kyler, obviously expecting him to be the spokesperson for their little group. It seemed only fair as it had been his idea for them to come here in the first place.

“I heard about parties like this from someone on the internet and since I’ve kinda developed inquisitiveness for flogging, I talked my friends here into coming with me,” Kyler explained. “But I think I’ve decided to reconsider giving it a try at this time.”

Before Kadyn could voice his happiness in his friend’s decision, Cameron spoke up in hope of overturning this change of heart. “Come on, Kyler. Don’t be such a wuss!” he exclaimed. “You can’t bring us here and then chicken out.”

“I don’t know.” Although stung by his friend’s taunting, Kyler still hesitated. “Hugh says a scene can have sexual overtones, so I doubt he’d be pleased if I let another man near me.” Kyler felt even as he spoke the truth, he was still trying to back out.

“Oh, I’m sure Jonathan could find a female match for you if you aren’t too scared.” Cameron smiled winningly at the chaperone. “You can find a good player for my friend, can’t you?”

“Actually, if you really are interested in venturing into the unknown, Kyler, one of our ladies is an artist with the flogger and excellent with newbies. I’ll locate her and introduce you. Be right back.” With that, Jonathan got up and walked off in search of the member he was referring to.

“So, Cameron, you think I’m too scared to do it, right?” Kyler leaned across the table and hissed to his friend. “Are you making it a dare?” Getting nothing more than a mocking face-splitting grin as a response, goaded him into doing exactly what his challenger wanted. “Fine then, I’ll do it!”

Cameron smirked at his friend. “Hugh can’t worry about carnal connotations if it’s a Domme. Unless you’ve changed orientation while I wasn’t looking.”

Kyler just rolled his eyes. Jonathan returned before he had a chance to make a smart-alecky comeback.

“I’d like you to meet Madame Sophie, boys. Sophie, this is Kyler, Kadyn, Rene and Cameron. Kyler is the one who might be interested in a scene.”

Kyler gazed up at the woman. She was not at all what he was expecting, but then again he hadn’t had an exact image in mind to begin with. She was a little plump and barely over five foot two, of which four inches of that height was due to the black high-heeled boots. She had a mass of red curls wildly encompassing her pretty face and looked to be in her mid-forties. She was dressed in only block net stockings that didn’t quite reach the top of her thighs, a pair of skimpy leather panties and matching bra.

Cameron wanted the boots, but wisely kept that thought to himself.

Rene felt slightly uncomfortable with being so close to the scantily clad woman. This reminded him of attending his brother-in-law’s bachelor party when he was only nineteen and very closeted. A stripper teased him by dancing only inches from him and all the guys at the party egged him on to put money in her G-string. 

“Hello, boys,” Sophie greeted with a smile as she sat down next to Kyler and placed her hand on his.

Its’ surprising softness immediately set him at ease and for some unfathomable reason, Kyler instinctively felt safe with this woman.

“Do you realize, Kyler, that the flogger is possibly the most popular implement in a power exchange such as those we have here? Its’ use offers sensations ranging from a gentle massage to overwhelming pain.” Sophia lightly patted his hand as he stared wide-eyed at her description of the activity he was considering.

“You make it sound almost appealing,” Cameron commented. “Stress on the ‘almost’. And I can tell you, Kyler is right into it.” He gave his friend another shit-eating grin.

Rene shook his head with a small smile and directed his words unswervingly to Kyler. “It’s what you came here for. But you should only do it if you really want to.”

“But there is no need to fear it, Kyler,” Jonathan spoke up. “Madame Sophie excels at all aspects of flogging. She knows how to choose a flogger; how to negotiate a scene; how to select patterns and strokes to get the anticipated results; and more importantly, how to interpret a sub's emotional and physical status throughout the scene. You are in perfect hands for your first foray into our world.”

“Come with me, my dear boy. You have some choices to make.” Sophie got to her feet and tugged on Kyler’s hand until he did likewise; then she led him over to where a number of floggers were hanging on a rack.

Kadyn made a grab for his friend but wasn’t quick enough. His anxiety grew as he watched Kyler walk away and he hurriedly got up and went out to the entryway of the club. Not wanting to be outside on his own, he headed for a small alcove that presently served as a clock room of sorts, and began nervously circling it. 

Jonathan frowned in puzzlement when Kadyn bolted from the room. He’d easily picked up on the young man’s apprehension and had wondered about the cause when he’d noticed the gold collar around Kadyn’s neck and had assumed the boy was a sub immersed in the lifestyle. ‘Maybe he’s here without his Dom’s permission and is worried about courting trouble,’ the guardian thought as he followed the object of his concern.

When he caught up with him, Jonathan found Kadyn agitatedly pacing and muttering to himself. “Kadyn!” he called out to get his attention. “Where is your Dom?”

Kadyn stopped in his tracks and stared opened-mouth at the other man. “Huh?”

“Your Dom? You do have one, don’t you?”

“No,” Kadyn denied with a shake of his head while looking at Jonathan as if he’d grown a second one.

“Then why are you wearing a collar?”

“Because I belong to Logan and he belongs to me,” Kadyn softly answered while slowly running his fingers over the band of gold that encircled his neck.

“And does Logan wear a collar as well?” Get another negative signal, Jonathan continued his interrogative. “Who exactly is Logan to you?”

“He’s my partner.”

“And….,” Jonathan prompted. Not getting a response, he bluntly asked what he intuitively suspected. “He’s your Top, isn’t he?”

“Yes,” Kadyn replied with a nod.

“Does he know where you are?” Receiving another adamant nod, Jonathan ran his fingers through his thinning hair and sighed out his frustration at how much work was involved in getting information out of this young man. “Then why isn’t he here with you?”

“Cause I didn’t ask him,” Kadyn shrugged. “I guess none of us thought to ask our partners to come along. But I sure wish he was here,” he added somewhat forlornly.

Jonathan’s brow creased as he took a moment to think about what was being said…or in this case, not being said. “Tell me, Kadyn; do your three friends also have Tops?”

“Uh-huh.”

“Tops who know where their Brats are but weren’t invited to accompany them, right?”

“Uh-huh.”

Jonathan barely managed to stop himself from groaning out loud. “May I have your cellphone?” He held out his hand and was pleased when the requested item was placed in his palm. He flipped it opened, scrolled through the directory, hit the name he was searching for and patiently waited. “Hello, is this Logan? My name is Jonathan Delaney and I am calling on behalf on your very skittish partner. I don’t believe a fetish party is a place of comfort for him, especially without his Top. I was hoping you’d be available to join him.”

To say Logan was surprised would be an understatement. He was sure the word ‘fetish’ had never been part of the conversation when Kadyn had mentioned attending a party with a few friends. He readily agreed to get to the club as soon as possible.

“I strongly encourage you to persuade three other Tops to accompany you,” Jonathan firmly suggested.

Logan assured Jonathan he would not be arriving solo and that he should expect to see four, if not five, unhappy men within half an hour.

“Thank you. I look forward to meeting you all.” With that he hung up and handed the phone back to its’ owner. “Logan is on his way.” He took Kadyn by the arm and firmly steered him back to the dungeon area. “No harm is going to come to your friend, Kadyn. He is in safe hands, so there is no reason for you to be so uneasy.”

“Where have you been?” Cameron asked. He was only now cluing into Kadyn’s strange behaviour and was beginning to worry about him. “How the hell can we watch your back if you disappear like that?” 

“You had me worried,” Rene mildly admonished. “We said we’d stick together tonight.”

“Sorry, guys. I was just out in the hallway talking to Jonathan. He called Logan and convinced him to come get me. I think your partners may also be on their way.” Kadyn answered somewhat distractedly as he searched the room for Kyler’s location.

Cameron paled slightly. “You are kidding, right?” He had some sort of idea as to how Chad would act in response to his Brat being at a fetish party; especially with the clothes he was wearing which almost screamed, ‘I’m available!’ He’d once jokingly called his leather pants ‘take me, I’m yours’ clothes, and Chad had not reacted well.

Rene’s stomach tightened. Although he hadn’t directly lied to Zack about where he’d be, he certainly hadn’t said it would be a fetish party. What had his words been again?  Oh yeah, ‘Zack, Kadyn, Kyler, and Cameron have asked me to go to a bar with them in Kelowna on Sunday. Kadyn is going to be the D.D. Do you mind if I join them? We won’t be too late given it’s a Sunday.’ Zack had replied that he was fine with Rene going out with his friends and that he should have fun and be safe. Now he was on his way here after getting a phone call from Logan. Crap, how was he going to explain this? 

“Oh my God, she’s tying Kyler to that large x-type stand,” Kadyn declared when activity on stage attracted his attention and he almost choked at his friend’s predicament.

Cameron jerked his mind back to the present. “What? You expected him to stand still under a flogging?” he asked. “It’s often standard operating procedure.”

 “I sure hope he’s not doing something he’ll regret,” Kadyn earnestly voiced his concerns.

“I’m sure he’s fine, K. They seem to know what they’re doing here and it is what he wanted to try.” Rene gave Kadyn’s hand a reassuring squeeze.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

While Kadyn had been wandering the hall, Sophie had taken Kyler to choose a flogger and prepare him for a scene. She loved the excitement of playing with a novice; the challenge it presented in keeping him safe, in helping him make the right choices, in encouraging him to open up about himself, and in just plain doing what was right by him.

All good Doms and Dommes recognized the value of new players. Young, good-looking ones like Kyler and his friends were the ones who kept the club alive, but they sometimes had to be handled with kid gloves.

Sophie patiently watched as Kyler toyed with a couple of the lightest suede floggers by letting the thin strands of leather slip through his fingers. His final choices met with her approval and a smile of pride almost split his handsome face in two.

“Let’s sit down and chat while we’re waiting for our turn to use the cross,” she suggested, sitting down at a table nearest the stage so Kyler could get a good view of what was transpiring. “I’d like you to tell me a bit about yourself. Actually, truth be known, I’d like you to tell me a lot about yourself.” She smiled cordially and patted the chair next to her own.

“What do you want to know?” Kyler asked a little warily as he took his seat.

“Preferably something I can’t discern on my own. For instance; and you can tell me if I am right or wrong; I put your age to be in the early twenties.”

“Close enough,” Kyler confirmed with a grin, keeping an eye on the action taking place in front of them.

“And you’ve never tried anything that even remotely resembles a BDSM scene.”

“Right again!”

“You’re also Gay.”

“You got it!” He cringed at what he thought was a considerably hard landing of the implement being laid across the sub’s back that elicited a painful moan.

“Don’t let that unnerve you, my pet,” Sophie crooned while gently caressing her novice’s arm. “Those two men are very much in love and play every chance they get. The Dom is perfectly in tune with his sub’s needs and limits.” She waited for the words to sink in before continuing. “The way they play is a turn on for both of them. Is the sub’s position something you think you’d be comfortable with?”

“You mean the bondage?” Kyler gave it some thought and slowly nodded. “Yeah, I think I’d prefer it that way.”

“Okay, on to something new. How much have you had to drink this evening? Alcohol and playtime are not a good mix.”

“Only a few sips of beer. I was too caught up in what was going on to drink much.”

“Good boy,” she praised. “Any chance you happen to have a life-partner?”

“Two!” Kyler couldn’t help but chuckle at the surprised expression on her face even though it vanished almost immediately.

“Have your partners ever spanked you as part of your sex play?”

“Aah, not really,” Kyler responded with some hesitancy, a flush of embarrassment warming his cheeks.

Picking up on the young man’s awkwardness, Sophie leaned closer and calmly asked, “Then have they spanked you for real? I don’t care one way or the other, Kyler. As a Domme, I get my pleasure from pleasing you as a sub. I only want to give you what you seem to be in search of. Knowing all I can helps me reach that goal.”

“Do I have to tell you everything?”

“Yes! For safety sake, it’s best that you do. I understand how hard it might be for you as a grown man to admit to being disciplined. Unfortunately, I need you to be embarrassingly honest with me.”

Kyler shifted uncomfortably and murmured, “Yeah, both my partners are Tops. But I don’t get punished because they’re older or smarter or more experienced…even though they are. It’s just something I need, and even want on some level. I went from one safety net in the home I grew up in, to another in the home of my partners where I now have two men who love me and care enough to keep me safe. Come to think of it, they’ve had to make a lot more adjustments to their daily routines than I’ve had to.”

Sophie didn’t comment, she merely nodded her head. “Are they presently aware of you whereabouts?”

“Of course! I’d never have come here without asking them first.” Kyler deliberately omitted his deliberate failure to inform them he was attending ‘fetish’ party with plans to participate if the opportunity presented itself.

“All right then, implements have been chosen. Now all you need is a safe word. What will it be?”

“Hmm…how about ‘jade’?”

“Good, ‘jade’ it is.” She got to her feet. “It’s time to find out just what you’re made of, my sweet and handsome lad. What clothing do you feel comfortable removing?”

“Just my shirt,” Kyler stated as he began to undo the buttons. Within minutes he was stripped to the waist with his hands and feet securely strapped spread-eagled on the St. Andrews cross. Last minutes jitters caused him to think about his partners and speculate what their reactions would be if they could see him now. For a moment, he panicked until he remembered he was in a safe place with a Domme he truly trusted in spite of only being introduced to her half an hour ago. It briefly crossed his mind to wonder if his companions were watching and if so, what were they thinking. He briefly looked over his shoulder to where Rene, Cameron and Kadyn were sitting and threw them an ‘eat-your-heart-out’ smirk. It would really be icing on the cake if they ended up being a bit envious, especially if he really spaced out.  

Soft hands began to gently caress his back as a low voice purred close to his ear. “Relax, my precious boy. It takes a lot to get that endorphin high you’re hoping for, and if you’re nervous or if you tighten up on me, you’ll never get there. Remember, the flogger is marvelous in the right hands. They can be soft and sensual while lightly warming your flesh or they can hurt a lot and leave your back burning. You are so manly and everything a Domme could possibly desire in a novice sub, my pet.”

The rhythmic petting and quiet droning enabled Kyler to let go to the point that he was barely aware of her moving away from him. Seconds later, the first stroke of the flogger landed on his right shoulder and slithered down his back. It felt like a light kiss and had him relaxing even more as he waited for the next one.

Lack of air caused Kadyn to loudly exhale. He hadn’t even realized he’d been holding his breath. “She-she just hit him!” Kadyn was outraged. He hoped Logan wouldn't be too much longer.

“Kadyn, relax,” Cameron instructed, his voice soothing. “She’s not doing anything he hasn’t consented to. He’ll have a safe word he can use at any time. Besides, she’s not hitting him hard. But that may come later when he’s flying.” Cameron was surprised that Kadyn was so unnerved in the club. He always associated the word ‘wild’ with Kadyn, and he wondered if what had happened well over a year ago had really affected his friend more than he thought. He was really torn. On one hand he wanted to watch Kyler but felt Kadyn needed him more.

“Cameron’s right, K. Remember, this is something Kyler wanted.” Rene put his hand on Kadyn’s shoulder. “Would you feel better if we went outside and waited for Logan?” As much as he wanted to stay and support Kyler, Rene felt it might be wise to get Kadyn away from the whole scene.

Knowing his friends had been looking forward to this evening and not wanting to ruin it for them, Kadyn bend his head, put his elbows on the table and covered his ears. “No thanks, Rene. We’ll stay in here where you two can keep an eye on Kyler. I’ll be okay if I don’t look. I’ll just concentrate on hoping our partners get here as soon as possible.”

“I’ll be happy if they don’t arrive at all,” Cameron retorted. “Why Jonathan felt the need to include Chad in the call I’ll never know. If he wasn’t one of the Guardians ....” he let his voice trail off as his attention was caught by what was happening in front of them.

The flogger continued to land; the increasing strength and tempo of the strokes barely discernible. Kyler slowly began to relax as the heat built and his mind began to wander. He didn’t realize the lashing had ceased until he felt soft fingers lightly fluttering along his arms, across his shoulders and down his back.

“Hugh,” he dreamily murmured. “Don’t stop yet.”

Sophie smiled and whispered in his ear. “As you wish, my sweet.” She picked up the second flogger Kyler had chosen and retook her position to pick up where she’d left off.

Another few moments and Kyler was flying high, thanks to the endorphin induced sub-space he entered.

Rene watched each stroke as it landed on Kyler. Although he couldn’t imagine letting some strange woman flog him, he did think it would be interesting to feel such a thing at the hands of his lover. If only he could find the courage to make such a suggestion. However, he was too nervous that Zack would think he was weird for having such fantasies. 

“Wow,” Cameron breathed. “Maybe Kyler’s onto something here.” He turned to Rene and smiled wickedly. “Is it hot in here or what?” he asked as he started to undo the buttons on his shirt. He pulled it out of his pants and just left it to hang open. He was fully aware that although he hadn’t modeled in a while, he still had the looks.

Rene grinned and fanned himself with exaggerated movements. “Yeah, it’s hot alright.”

Meanwhile, Jonathan was standing in the archway between the temporary dungeon and the hall. He was simultaneously keeping watch over the action on the stage and looking out for the expected arrivals. Eventually the men he’d been waiting for entered the establishment and he quickly made his way over to greet them.

He immediately recognized he was facing a group of alpha males in full protection mode searching for their mates. Being a Dom himself, he didn’t find this in any way intimidating; he intuitively knew this was not posturing. This was who they were; this was how they lived. These men were not to be messed with when it came to their Brats.

Some hardly heard sound from the lobby drew Kadyn’s attention. He was up and running as soon as the four men appeared. Once close enough, he threw himself into Logan’s arms.

“What took you so long?” Kadyn all but wailed the accusation.

“It’s been all of thirty minutes since I got Jonathan’s call, honey,” Logan soothed as he tightened his hold in an attempt to quell the shaking of the slender man in his arms. “I’m taking Kadyn outside to get his car,” he explained to the others. “Jonathan will accompany you to wherever your partners are.”

Cameron turned to look towards the lobby, wondering why Kadyn had suddenly bolted. His eyes locked with Chad’s.  “Fuck!” was all he muttered under his breath.

Rene felt his face heat up with a flush of embarrassment as Zack approached. He really did not want to explain this to his husband.

Chad and Zack slid into the booth next to their respective partners. Two older men stared questioningly at the two younger ones for a moment or two.

Then Zack wrapped his arm around Rene’s shoulders and pulled him in close for a hug. “It looks like we’re in for an interesting conversation when we get home, huh?”

“Are you very angry with me?”  Rene asked quietly.

“No, love, I’m not angry. Was I worried? Yes. Am I surprised? Most definitely, but we’ll touch on this issue once we get home,” Zack assured his husband, gently drawing circles on his back to calm him.

Chad embraced his antsy Brat and whispered in Cameron’s ear, “I trust you have a good explanation for why you are attending this kind of event?” He began to do up the buttons on the opened shirt.

“Not really,” Cameron answered honestly. “Although in my defense, I did say I was going to a club with Kyler. I just didn’t add ‘oh by the way, it’s a fetish event’. I didn’t do anything,” he hurried to explain. “I was just people watching. My shirt’s open because I suddenly felt hot.”

“Of course,” Chad wryly intoned, not swallowing a word of it.

“Either of you know the whereabouts of my partner?” Hugh wasn’t too pleased to see that Kyler was not with his friends. He turned to look over his shoulder in the direction that two fingers were pointing and growled when he saw his Brat hanging on a compact moveable cross.

Sophia saw the big man’s approach and stepped forward to intercept him. “I trust this young man belongs to you.” She smiled when he merely nodded, possibly too surprised to trust himself to speak. “He wanted you here. He’s been pretending it was you instead of me.” She was pleased to see a softening of his expression.

“Thank you for taking care of him,” Hugh sincerely voiced his appreciation.

Kyler had briefly lost all awareness of what was going on around him and to him until he imagined a large hand gently rubbing over his back moments before tenderly caressing the side of his face. He glanced up through squinting eyes and gave a lop-sided smile to the person who’d move to stand in front of him.

“I must be dreaming,” he mused. “But that’s okay, ‘cause it’s always good to see my main Top anytime.”

The hand sharply patted his cheek and Kyler heard an accompanying growl. He blinked in surprise and tried to focus both his thoughts and his vision. His goofy grin widened. “Hugh? You’re for real, aren’t ya?” he sought clarification and received a second growl in reply. Making more of an effort to concentrate through the haziness still muddling his brain, he looked around and merrily inquired, “Is Patrick here too?” This time the response was a negative shake of the head.

“Am I in trouble?” Kyler’s brow puckered in bewilderment.

“We’ll discuss that when we get home, my lad.” Having already freed his Brat’s feet, Hugh set about undoing the leather cuffs that held Kyler’s hands in place.

“Okay by me.” A nonchalant shrug of Kyler’s shoulders seemed to remove any concerns trying to surface as he staggered forward and fell against his lover. Wrapping his arms around Hugh’s neck, he announced in a loud whisper, “Man, I’m feeling real randy, Hugh. Wanna take care of it for me?”

“Hmm, something else we’ll take care of when we get home,” Hugh assured his Brat with a soft chuckle and he landed a sharp swat on the seat of Kyler’s pants. “Now get this done up.” He tugged on the shirt he’d just helped the other man put on.

“Yeah…home’s good. Patrick will be there too.” Kyler giggled as he struggled to get a button to go through the proper buttonhole. His hands were slapped away as bigger ones took over the chore.

“Thank Madame Sophie for taking such good care of you,” Hugh directed, turning his Brat towards the woman who was obviously more than self-satisfied with her handiwork.

“Oh yeah, you bet! Thanks a whole bunch, my lady.” Kyler kissed her hand and would have fallen flat on his face had Hugh not grabbed him in time.

“Man, this sub-space stuff is real heady, huh? But I kinda like it even though my back feels very hot and as if thousands of bees are trying to make it their new home. I’m pretty sure I wanna do it again, Hugh, but only if you’re willing to be my Dom. That’s important, you know.” Kyler babbled to the man who was firmly guiding him off stage and across the room to where their friends were patiently waiting for them.

Despite the seriousness of the situation, Cameron laughed aloud when he saw how goofed up his friend was.

Once at their table, Kyler dropped down on the bench beside Chad and sent him a silly grin. He leaned forward in order to get a better view of Cameron. “I owe you big time, buddy. This was such a blast and I never would have had the balls to do it had you not dared me to.”

Chad’s expression clearly indicated the man was adding yet another infraction to the growing list of misdeeds his Brat had to make amends for.

Cameron just dropped his head on the table and groaned. “Thanks, man,” were the only words discernible.

 “Yep, I’m really indebted to you, Cam; you too, Rene, for coming here with me tonight.”

“I’m glad you enjoyed yourself.” Rene gave Kyler a weak smile.

Kyler suddenly realized someone was missing. “Where the hell is Kadyn?”

“He ran over to Logan the second he came in the door. I think they went outside together.”

“Yeah, and he’s probably still wrapped around Logan,” Cameron added. He lifted his head and quickly grasped that Hugh’s demeanor was far from welcoming, and it caused him to shift uneasily.

“Actually, I wouldn’t be at all surprised to discover they’ve already left for home,” Zack interjected. “And I think it would be best if we all followed suit.”

“I second that!” Kyler loudly declared, trying to get to his feet. “Oh yeah, home! Any place where we can indulge in some wild, passionate, and hopefully kinky sex works fine for us. Ain’t that right, Hugh?  God I am so damn horny!” He worked at adjusting the front of his jeans. While some might have found him outrageously uninhibited, Hugh merely rolled his eyes at his young partner’s antics and steadied him.

“Home sounds good to me too,” Chad agreed, sliding out of the booth. “Hugh was kind enough to give me a lift earlier and so we’ll be driving back with him and Kyler,” he informed Cameron.

Cameron screwed up his handsome face. “Oh joy,” he jokingly grumbled, “as long as I don’t have to sit next to ‘randy’ boy here.” His voice might have been acerbic, but his eyes were dancing with mirth as he watched Kyler clowning around. “Man, you are so high,” he told his friend.

“Although Logan rode with me on the way here, my love, you and I will be making the return trip on our own,” Zack whispered for Rene’s ear only. “Not that we have to discuss this evening’s events during the drive. That can wait until we are in the comfort of our own home. Hmm, maybe even our bed.”

Rene nodded. “Yeah, sounds good to me.”

Three Tops left the club; each with a partner tucked safely under their arm.

The End