Free Only Human by Candace Blevins

today he took me to the screened-in porch on the back, tossed a rope over a support beam, and connected it to my wrist cuffs so I had no choice but to stand with my arms over my head. He put a blindfold on me and reminded me our agreement allowed for him to invite spectators so long as they were in the lifestyle.
    One never knows if Master James is mindfucking you or serious, and he had me believing he’d invited people to watch. I’m not a huge exhibitionist, but I’ve been his submissive on stage enough for shows and demonstrations, and had enough orgasms doing so that it’s becoming a little of my kink. Not something I need in order to be fulfilled, but certainly an idea that spices things up a bit in my mind.
    He flogged me for a while, then stopped to put a butt plug in before resuming with the flogger. At some point he added nipple clamps and a butterfly vibe, and every time I asked for permission to come, he allowed it.
    He let my arms down a few times and tied me bent over a table, but then would string me from the rafters again for a while. He occasionally added earplugs as well, though never more than probably ten minutes at a time. Over the course of about three hours, Master James layered pleasure, agony, bliss, and torment over the top of sensory deprivation, and I managed several dozen orgasms.
    Master James didn’t have any orgasms — he never does in my presence. I’ve never seen him in any stage of undress, and yet I feel completely comfortable around him when I’m nude. It took me a while to be okay with it, but I am now.
    He held me until I came around, wrapped in a blanket, safe and secure in his arms. When I sat up, he fed me some grapes and then walked me to the Jacuzzi, his arm around me for extra security.
    As I soaked, he sat in a chair wearing jeans and a dress shirt, with his legs stretched out in front of him, and we talked about the scene and how various things made me feel. I relaxed in the warm water, my head back and eyes closed, and answered his questions about what turned me on, what I liked, and what I wasn’t thrilled about. This used to be so hard for me, but now it’s just part of the scene. If I hide what I feel and I’m not honest with him, he can’t help me deal with it. He needs to know everything if he is to train me properly.
    Once I was out of the tub, our conversation turned to mundane topics as I fixed my hair and reapplied my makeup. He handed my clothes to me, I put them back on, and he took me by the hand and walked me to my car with instructions to email him tomorrow morning to tell him how badly I was bruised and marked, and to let him know what hurt and what didn’t. We hugged one last time, a long one where he held me and I knew I was special to him, and I hoped he understood what he meant to me. I don’t love him romantically, but I do love him — it would be impossible to have the level of trust we have without affection and caring.
    I called the house phone on the drive home and discovered Xiaolan was preparing dinner, they’d both finished their homework, and Lauren was going over her lines for Alice .
    Dinner was nearly ready when I walked in the door, and I set the table and took my seat. We had a nice family dinner, and as Lauren and I were finishing the dishes, my cell phone rang. I recognized Kieran’s number and headed up the steps towards my room as I answered.
    Xiaolan was in the shower, so she wouldn’t be able to hear my side of the conversation, thank goodness.
    “Do you know someone named Abbott?” I asked Kieran as I answered the phone.
    “Yes”
    “He tried to trick me into admitting I know vampires exist.”
    “I do not believe this was his intention.”
    “ Right .”
    “He spoke with me Saturday night after you took your leave. He’s hoping to hear from you again, once you’ve verified his identity with me.”
    “He’s your friend?”
    “He is more than my friend. He is... kind of my boss. He’s the Master Vampire of this