Free Roses and Chains by Delphine Dryden Page A

have
    gestured Delia over, because the next thing Mara knew was the feel of small, cool hands at her ankles, fastening her to the bench. And then at her wrists, shackling her firmly into place.
    Mara turned her head in time to see Master Daniel pointing to the couch, obviously
    asking Delia to bring him something. But then he spotted her looking and smiled,
    palming her head with his long-fingered hand and gently turning it back to face the
    corner.
    “No peeking. So yesterday, my sub reminded me that I had been horribly remiss. I
    owe you an apology.”
    “I don’t understand, Master.”
    “You will. But there’s also the matter of you sneaking in some activities that weren’t authorized, isn’t there?”
    “Oh. Y-yes. I’m sorry, Sir. I just got carried—”
    “No excuses. You knew you were over the line, didn’t you?”
    “Yes, Sir.”
    But she had not been able to resist.
    64
    Roses and Chains
    “So today there will be some overdue rewards, but there will be some punishment
    first. You’ve told me your hard limits. But I also talked with Dru a little, and she says you’re something of a pain slut. So I thought this might be a good time to explore that.”
    Mara took a deep breath, trying not to let it out with an audible tremor. She
    nodded, and then just let her silence speak volumes.
    “You cool with brussels sprouts?”
    “As a food or a safe word?”
    “Smartass. That’s just going to earn you more time on the horse.”
    She smiled. “And this is bad because…? I’m fine with brussels sprouts. As a safe
    word. If I forget, I’ll use red light.”
    “Fair enough.”
    She had seen him with the tawse, so she felt fairly comfortable with his ability not to do her butt any lasting damage. Though she thought she might have to stop him
    before he got to the cane.
    But it was soon clear that stopping him wouldn’t be necessary. He began with a
    flogger, and he started so slowly she would have been concerned about falling asleep if she hadn’t seen him leave stripes on Delia’s ass the night before. But he was a fast learner; she was starting to get that about him. And he paid attention. Every moan,
    every flex and strain of her body against the leather, resulted in a little correction, until there was a whole silent conversation taking place between him and her, between the
    whip and her body. Give and take, give and take. Lulling her down, lulling her deep.
    And then, the unexpected.
    “Favorite movie?”
    It took her a second, during which the tails of the flogger smacked sharply against
    her haunch again. She tried, and failed, to think of something that sounded impressive.
    Cool, hip, modern. Nothing.
    “ Princess Bride .”
    65
    Delphine Dryden
    Whack.
    Not her intent, not hip, probably. But at least it was the truth, so what the hell.
    “Favorite class you ever took?”
    Favorites, what the hell?
    Whack!
    “Astronomy of the Plains Indians.”
    “Seriously?” This from Delia. “Cool.”
    “Yeah, it really was. I was surprised.”
    Daniel shushed them, and Mara stifled a giggle that bubbled up from the depths of
    her soul. A conversation about astronomy class?
    Whack! The flogger reminded her where she was.
    Oh yeah, we were in the middle of doing that .
    “Last significant other?”
    Not quite sure I want to go there.
    Whack.
    “Amie. It’s been over for months. Ouch! She’s a Domme. Scenes were good but real
    life didn’t work for us.”
    Mara’s eyes had drifted shut and she was taken by surprise to feel fingers drifting
    through her hair, almost as if she were being petted. She snuck her eyes open a crack then shut them again. She was being petted.
    Whack.
    Delia was standing at her head, stroking her hair. While Daniel whipped her ass.
    Okay.
    Whack.
    “Not seeing anybody else right now then?” This was Delia, her voice soft and
    musical, a melodic counterpoint to the whip’s percussion.
    66
    Roses and Chains
    “No.” Did she mean to sound so plaintive?
    Poor little Mara,