Free Dark Citadel by Cherise Sinclair Page A

Jessica patted her shoulder, whispered, “See you later,” and headed away.
    “Well, everyone has returned for more. I’m pleased.” Master Raoul rested his hip on the back of the couch. “On Monday, we covered safe words, basic restraints, and safety issues. Now you’ve had a chance to practice, does anyone have questions?”

    44 Cherise Sinclair
    As the students shook their heads, Kari took the time to look them over. About half were obviously couples, standing beside each other, holding hands, mostly man-woman sets, with an occasional guy-guy or woman-woman. The singles divided fairly evenly between the two sexes.
    “You came back.” A whisper behind her and she thrilled, thinking Sir had found her. She felt his breath on her neck and glanced over her shoulder. Buck. Oh joy. He stood too close, his thighs brushing against her bottom.
    “Hi, Buck.” She hadn’t returned his message on her answering machine. She tried to edge away without being too blatant.
    “I’ve missed seeing you,” he whispered. He ran his hand down her arm, then turned his attention to the instructor. She let out a relieved sigh.
    Raoul went through the basics of domination and then talked a woman named Linda through a slave posture. Kari winced. Slave didn’t sound as harmless as sub , somehow. He explained the club dress code and about the “private play” rooms upstairs. The penalties for interrupting a scene. Cleaning the equipment.
    And then he started on a tour of the room, explaining the furniture in each of the roped-off areas. He shackled one of the gay men to a big wooden X called a St.
    Andrew’s cross. Then came a spanking bench, a bondage table, an exotic lacing table, a sawhorse, a whipping post, two cages in a corner, a spiderweb thing, a stockade. He used a different sub to demonstrate each piece of equipment.
    “Kari, your turn,” he called, motioning to something called a bondage chair.
    She swallowed and moved forward. At least he didn’t strip anyone, just demonstrated the various restraints and how each piece could be used. She seated herself on the chair. After Master Raoul fastened her ankles to the chair legs, her wrists to the chair arms, she realized the center of the seat was cut out, leaving just her buttocks perched on the edge. With legs shackled open, and the missing chair bottom, a naked person’s private parts would be on display. She shivered, relieved when the instructor unfastened her.
    After two more pieces of equipment, Master Raoul said, “That’s it for the formal lesson. All the equipment down here is duplicated in various upstairs rooms if you prefer private play. Remember that gags are forbidden at this point in your classes.
    DMs will be in the hallways upstairs and down here to answer questions or intervene if there’s a problem.”
    He looked at each sub in turn, his expression serious. “Subs, no matter what safe word you agree on between your partner, the club safe word is red. If you shout that out, a DM will come to see if everything is all right. Remember, ‘safe, sane, and consensual’ are the operative words here. Got that, everyone?”
    People nodded.
    “Remember, you discuss what you will be doing first and reach an agreement.
    Establish trust before you jump in. Class is dismissed. Pair up as you wish.” He Masters of the Shadowlands: Dark Citadel

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    frowned as he counted the single newbies. “Anyone left without a partner talk to me over at the bar.”
    As he walked away, the singles began talking. One couple headed out, then another. Kari saw two men watching her, one with a cruel look in his eyes that made her stomach twist, and the other would probably run if she said boo. She thought about what Master Dan had done to her, tried to imagine letting either of the men do anything with her, and couldn’t.
    “Kari, honey. How about we try using that spiderweb?” An easy smile on his face, Buck approached and set his hand on her shoulder.
    Without thinking, she