Aren't we having fun (F+/F, F+/F+, F/F) COMPLETE

[NotSeen]

It's a brand new week! Unfortunately, it also means today is Monday... but perhaps a new chapter for you all to read will make it a little bit more bearable.
As I said above, I am very thankful for all the comments I have received. Any and all feedback is still very much welcome. And, without further ado...

[mention]Bandit666[/mention] [mention]Blackfox74077[/mention] [mention]Boundcurious[/mention] [mention]brashieel[/mention] [mention]Caesar73[/mention] [mention]chelseykittyc@t[/mention] [mention]Mikal903[/mention] [mention]slackywacky[/mention] [mention]Switcher1313[/mention] [mention]TayDay95[/mention] [mention]tickletied84[/mention] [mention]Tiedandgagged[/mention] [mention]Trickster[/mention]

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Chapter 4 - ...ye who enter here?

Hannah walked a few steps behind Miss Hana down a black, red-lit corridor. The petite dominatrix walked with an exaggerated swagger to the door at the end of the corridor, opened it and beckoned at Hannah.“Go right in, ma’am. Miss Berenice will be with you shortly.”

Hannah nodded and walked through the door with stiff, reluctant legs. Once she was in, the door swung shut with a resounding clang. She looked around.

The room was just as black as the reception area had been. The walls looked like they’d been made of irregularly-shaped blocks of stone. Here and there, heavy-looking chains hung from eyelets in the wall and ceiling. All around the room were imposing-looking constructions, black frames, black padding, black leather, shiny chains. Here and there hung neat bundles of white rope, alongside whips, canes, paddles and crops of every description. On the back wall was a raised balcony that ran the entire width of the room with stairs descending at one end. The entire room was lit in muted red, creating what was probably intended to be a sexy atmosphere. For Hannah, it felt like she’d stepped into Hell itself. Glancing around her, she felt woozy. She could see no doors beside the one she’d stepped in through, only more of those intimidating constructions, crowding on her, pushing in on her…

...suffocating her…

“Hello… oh shit”, she heard a voice from somewhere far away. There was noise that sounded like running footsteps, followed by the same voice shouting. “Akiko! Elise! In here now!”

Hannah felt someone touching her face. “Ma’am? Ma’am? Can you hear me?” She realised she was lying on her back on a hard surface. Slowly, she opened her eyes. She was looking at the black ceiling of the dungeon. Three women looked down at her, each of them more dramatic-looking than the last. As Hannah was able to focus, she recognized one of them as Miss Hana, the woman who had escorted her into the dungeon.

“Can you hear me”, one of the women asked her.

“Yes”, Hannah managed to reply.

“Hold on a moment”, the same woman said, reached toward Hannah’s neck and unbuckled the collar, handing it to one of the other women.

“Can you sit up? We’ll help.”

The three women carefully helped her sit up, leaning her back against something. One of the women looked at her intently for a moment. “Can you remember where you are?”

Hannah squeezed her eyes shut. The world was starting to spin again, but she managed to hold on this time. “This is… some S/M place… I came here… She brought me here”, she said, gesturing at Miss Hana.

The woman who’d asked her the question turned to the other two and nodded at them. They got up and left the room. Then the woman turned to look at Hannah again. “Can you stand up?”

“I’ll try.”

With the woman’s help, Hannah managed to stand up. Still supporting her, the woman led Hannah through the room to a door that was concealed behind one of the constructions. She opened it and guided Hannah into a small, light-colored room. Sunlight came in through a gauze-curtained window, illuminating a low table with three easy chairs arranged around it. She helped Hannah sit down in one of the chairs and then turned to a small counter in the corner. A few moments later she came back, putting a teacup on the table in front of Hannah before sitting down in another chair across from her.

Hannah looked at her. The woman looked every bit the dominatrix, dressed in black catsuit, boots with high heels, black gloves, a shiny pair of handcuffs and a many-tailed whip hanging from her belt. Her face was made up in dramatic black and dark red, her blonde hair pulled into a tight braid.

“How are you?”

“Better”, Hannah replied.

“Good. Sorry, I haven’t introduced myself. I am Miss Berenice, the owner of this place. Believe it or not, Berenice is my actual name.”

Hannah flinched. Berenice raised a hand to calm her down. “Relax, my dear. I know, you had a session booked with me. That’s obviously not going to take place. I wouldn’t dream of working with someone who just passed out.”

“Look, I’m sorry about that, I didn’t know I’d react like that…”

“You have nothing to apologize for. It’s not the first time something like this has happened, oh no. But that’s not why I invited you here”, Berenice said and leaned forward, elbows on her knees and her chin perched on her hands. “You didn’t come here on your own free will, did you?”

Hannah’s throat ran dry. She leaned back in her chair, as if looking for a way out and glanced reflexively toward the door.

“Calm down. They’re not here. I am. I’m right, am I not?”

“No. I mean, no, I didn’t come here… I didn’t want to come”, Hannah stammered. “How did you know?”

“My dear, if there is one thing this profession teaches you, it’s how to read people. I have to hand it to you, though, you kept your composure admirably. Those women you showed up with, they’re the ones who set you up?”

“Yes. My… coworkers. I had no idea they’d done something like this.”

“That’s what it looked like, too. I’ll let you in on a little secret: the reservation they made in your name sent up every red flag I can think of. For one, they asked for the whole nine yards and then some. They wanted some psychotic sadist in black leather to beat you to a pulp and make you lick shit off the floor - and yet you’d never visited us before. I would never, ever do anything like that with a first-time visitor. Another thing, the pre-session questionnaire was filled out online, but when we asked for a face-to-face meeting prior to the session, there was never a suitable time for that. Furthermore, they wanted to come and watch - and even take photos and video. The arrogance. As if I’d allow anyone but my staff to take a single frame or a second of video in my premises. To top it all off, at first they didn’t provide a safeword. When I finally told them that either they pick one or the whole thing is called off, they picked one that was way too long and complicated”, Berenice said, becoming visibly angry as she rattled off her points. “Obviously they chose something like that so you wouldn’t be able to guess it.”

Hannah curled up in her chair. Berenice looked at her with a smile. “Calm down. Nothing will happen to you. You are safe here.”

“But… what happens when they find out?”

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Here you go. A bit 'chatty', yeah - but there are things one must do to move the story along... or at least that's what I tell myself You tell me whether it is good or... well, not so good. Chapter 5 is due on Wednesday... and oh no, even then we're nowhere near the end of the story. Stick around.

Have a good one, everyone.

[TayDay95]

There is something seriously wrong with Linda, like, holy shit...

So glad Hannah seems to be in safe hands with Miss Berenice, hopefully there's some revenge on the way! Gotta say [mention]NotSeen[/mention] you've really knocked it out of the park with this story, I'm seriously invested now!

And I wouldn't worry about including "chatty" chapters, like you said, they're necessary for pushing the story along can't wait for Wednesday!

[Caesar73]

[mention]NotSeen[/mention] : Very interessting chapter. And I'm glad that the Scheme of Hannah's "friends" did not work out. I agree with [mention]TayDay95[/mention] there must be something seriously wrong with Linda.

Plotwise also great: I'm a great Fan of the Unpredicted

[wolfman]

[mention]NotSeen[/mention] this a great story. Al of the characters have been pitched perfectly and the atmosphere you have established is outstanding. I look forward to reading more of this tale.

[Blackfox74077]

Another great chapter

[brashieel]

I appreciate the realistic plot twist. Like... you can't actually get a psycho dom at a reputable SM place because that would be crazy. And liability issues are a thing.

Now I'm hoping Hannah manages to get some payback.

[NotSeen]

Thank you for the comments, everyone! I am very happy to hear (read?) that you like the story - and, apparently, I have managed to surprise at least some of you (I was worried I was becoming a bit predictable... apparently not.)

There is something seriously wrong with Linda, like, holy shit...

I agree with [mention]TayDay95[/mention] there must be something seriously wrong with Linda.

She's a bully. A bully with A) audience (her hangers-on), B) a soft target that can't fight back and C) she's been 'getting away with murder' for far too long.

I appreciate the realistic plot twist. Like... you can't actually get a psycho dom at a reputable SM place because that would be crazy. And liability issues are a thing.

Thank you. I try to stay somewhat realistic - but there are obviously times when I have to stretch that for story purposes.

Chapter 5 should drop tomorrow. Until then, once again thank you - and I hope the rest of the story will be up to your expectations.

[NotSeen]

According to my calendar, it is Wednesday and that can only mean one thing - yes, Chapter 5 of this tale. Aaand here it is, without any further yammering from me:

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Chapter 5 - Said the spider to the fly

In the reception area, Linda took her phone out and looked at the time. “What’s the hold-up? She’s been there, like, minutes and we’re still sitting on our asses here”, she said, got up and walked to the receptionist. “Excuse me?”

“Yes? How may I help you?”

“Hi. Yeah, you see, our friend just went in there and we’re supposed to get to go and watch. How long do we have to wait”, Linda asked, trying to keep her irritation in check.

The receptionist smiled at her. “You will be invited to join your friend when Miss Berenice is ready for you. Now, please sit down and wait. I will inform you when it is time.”

Linda glared at her and walked back to the sofas. She took out her phone and selected a number.

A phone rang underneath the table. Berenice picked it up, looked at the screen and answered. “Yes? Yes, I know who you are. I am aware of the arrangements. Yes, I am aware that you have paid me… Listen to me. Yes, you’re paying me, but as long as you are within my premises, I am the one who makes the decisions. Well, I guess you’ll just have to wait a little longer. My receptionist will inform you when you are invited in. Good day”, she said and hung up. “That was one of… your friends. Acting like she owned the place.”

“Sounds like Linda”, Hannah mused, but the fear in her eyes didn’t recede. “Look, I appreciate what you’ve done, but pretty soon you’ll either have to let them in or…”

“Oh, I will invite them in”,Berenice said with a predatory smile that would have put Linda’s best effort to shame. “I will invite them in - and then they will find out exactly what I think about their little stunt. Would you like to come and watch?”

Hannah was horrified at the mere thought. She shook her head violently. “No, I don’t want to be anywhere near them!”

“Well, the least I can do is let you see what happens. Here”, Berenice said, handing Hannah a small tablet computer. “Here you can watch what happens in the dungeon. Unfortunately there’s no audio.”

Hannah watched Berenice get up. She walked to the other door - not the one that led directly to the dungeon - and turned to look at Hannah. “You’re safe here. Nobody comes into this room without my express permission. Take a few deep breaths, drink your tea and watch the show”, she said.

The receptionist looked up. “Ladies? You may go in”, she said and gestured toward the door Hannah had gone in through. “Just walk all the way through the hallway, the door is at the other end. You can’t miss it.”

“About fucking time”, Linda grumbled as she led her coven through the door. They made their way through the short corridor. The door to the dungeon opened with a simple push. “Aren’t we having fun...”, Linda called as she stepped into the room - and stopped dead when she realised the dungeon was empty.

The five women stood in the doorway, looking around in puzzlement. The door clanged shut behind them, startling them. Before any of them managed to even try to open it, the lights went out, plunging the room into near-total darkness.

“What the fuck is going on? Where’s that dumb slut”, Linda screamed. Without conscious thought, the fivesome crowded closer together, as if searching for safety in one another.

“What’s going on? Who killed the lights?”

“Hey? Somebody? What the fuck is this?”

“Where’s Hannah?”

Their panicked cries were cut off when a row of blindingly white lights came on along the back wall. Squinting at the sudden brightness, the five women could see a woman standing on the balcony in front of the lights, silhouetted against them. She stood with her legs spread apart, one hand on her hip and the other holding a coiled single-tail whip.

“Silence!” The voice rang out loud enough to feel almost painful. The fivesome stood there, staring at the woman.

“Where’s that slut we brought here”, Linda asked.

“Silence! You will speak only when spoken to.”

The woman on the balcony turned and walked down the balcony toward the stairs, passing in front of one light after another on the way. Her steps were slow, deliberate and methodical, every movement exuding authority.

The five women stood in silence as the woman walked down the stairs and approached them. She came to a halt a few meters from them.

“What’s going on? Where’s Hannah”, Linda tried again. The woman flicked her hand, the single-tail whip uncoiling from her hand and striking toward them. The crack rang out in the room like a small explosion, making the five flinch.

“Where she is is none of your concern.”

“What the fuck is this? We paid you to do something! If you even think about pulling some dumb stunt on us…”

Linda recoiled as the whip cracked less than a meter in front of her face. She stared open-mouthed as the woman pointed at her with the whip handle.

“You are within my premises. Within these walls I make the rules. Within these walls I make the threats. Within these walls I am goddess.”

The lights returned to normal. The five women screamed in surprise when they saw four more dominatrixes standing in a circle around them, all staring at them and each of them holding some kind of whip or cane.

“You asked for ‘that slut you brought here’”, Berenice said, stepping closer. “You really thought you’d be able to pull something like that on us? That you could just bring someone here against their will and we’d beat her up for you? Exactly how fucking stupid do you think we are?”

In the small room, Hannah’s open-mouthed surprise was slowly giving way to a smirking schadenfreude. Despite the video feed being silent it was clear enough what was happening. A part of her wished she’d taken Berenice’s offer of going in to watch in person, but this was almost as good. After all the abuse both her and others at the office had been forced to endure from Linda and her hangers-on, it was hard not to feel a thrill at seeing the bullies get their comeuppance.

Berenice walked closer, one… slow… step… at… a… time, until she was face-to-face with Linda. The cocky bully’s veneer of arrogance crumbled in front of her eyes.

“Linda”, Berenice said, raising the whip handle underneath Linda’s chin. “That is your name, isn’t it?”

Linda nodded.

“When Miss Berenice asks you a question, bitch, you answer it”, one of the other dominatrixes snapped at her.

“Yes… Yes, I am Linda.”

“Yes... what?”

“Look, I don’t do that stuff. Okay, we went a…”

The look on Berenice’s face made Linda shut up. The stare carried an explicit promise of pain and violence.

“You tried to fool me into doing your bidding. I am nobody’s fool - and I do not appreciate being treated as such”, Berenice said, her face almost touching Linda’s.

“I’m… sorry”, Linda stammered.

Berenice shook her head. “Not yet, you’re not. But you will be.” She stepped back and nodded at the other dominatrixes.

Hannah clamped her hands to her mouth to stop her from yelling as Miss Berenice’s four dominatrixes grabbed Linda’s hangers-on and pulled them away. Tonya and Mary tried to fight, but they were no match to their opponents. One by one the women were dragged toward the several constructions in the room. Hannah wasn’t able to hear what was spoken in the dungeon, but the dominatrixes’ intention was clear - whether they wanted it or not, they were going to get to experience for themselves what they’d intended for Hannah to suffer.

Linda fell on her ass on the floor. Berenice towered over her. “I’m sure you remember the things you wrote in the questionnaire you passed off as hers. Now, you get to see for yourself what it will be like.”

Screaming, Linda jumped to her feet and bolted toward the door they’d come in through. It wouldn’t budge. Berenice’s whip cracked beside her head, the tip striking the wall beside her head, taking tiny chips off the fake stone wall. Linda recoiled away from the impact and spun around. Berenice had her right arm cocked back, ready to deliver another strike while her left held the collar she’d taken off Hannah. Linda’s gaze jumped back and forth between the whip and the collar.

“One or the other. Either you kneel in front of me or I will make you do it. Your choice”, Berenice said.

Linda felt like a cornered animal. All around her, her henchwomen were being dragged to whatever fate the dominatrixes had decided to inflict upon them. To a person, each of the intended victims screamed and pleaded for help. In the middle of all this noise, Berenice stood a couple of meters away, looking like some kind of avenging angel.

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...and as to what happened next, I'm afraid you will have to wait until Friday. Yes, I am doing this on purpose.

I'm starting to run out of words to express my gratitude for the comments this story (alongside my previous efforts) has received. Given that I am, in the end, writing these to primarily 'scratch my own itches', so to speak, it is humbling to see that so many of you are reading these - and on top of it all, apparently enjoying them. Thank you to each and every one of you, whether you have commented or 'merely' read and enjoyed them (and in the latter case, please do drop a line or two to say what you've thought about this story).

Until Friday - have a good one, everyone.

[Caesar73]

Devious Cliffhanger [mention]NotSeen[/mention] But it makes perfect sense at this point of the story! Well done. You created such a lively image. You captured the atmosphere in the dungeon and the emotions of the persons involved perfectly.

Berenice? Just wow! The way she handles Linda? Outstanding.

[Bandit666]

I’ve been away working on a couple of my own projects for only a few days and I return to find not one but two intriguing. Fascinating and enjoyable updates. Such a great tale and web you weave. Long may it all last.

[NotSeen]

Devious Cliffhanger @NotSeen But it makes perfect sense at this point of the story! Well done. You created such a lively image. You captured the atmosphere in the dungeon and the emotions of the persons involved perfectly.

Berenice? Just wow! The way she handles Linda? Outstanding.

Such praise... Thank you! As usual, I hope that you will find the rest of the story as 'like-able' as you've liked it thus far.

I’ve been away working on a couple of my own projects for only a few days and I return to find not one but two intriguing. Fascinating and enjoyable updates. Such a great tale and web you weave. Long may it all last.

Many thanks. Do drop by over the weekend, you should find the next chapter awaiting you.

[Caesar73]

Devious Cliffhanger @NotSeen But it makes perfect sense at this point of the story! Well done. You created such a lively image. You captured the atmosphere in the dungeon and the emotions of the persons involved perfectly.

Berenice? Just wow! The way she handles Linda? Outstanding.

Such praise... Thank you! As usual, I hope that you will find the rest of the story as 'like-able' as you've liked it thus far.

The praise is well earned @Notseen

[Caesar73]

Devious Cliffhanger @NotSeen But it makes perfect sense at this point of the story! Well done. You created such a lively image. You captured the atmosphere in the dungeon and the emotions of the persons involved perfectly.

Berenice? Just wow! The way she handles Linda? Outstanding.

Such praise... Thank you! As usual, I hope that you will find the rest of the story as 'like-able' as you've liked it thus far.

The praise is well earned [mention]NotSeen[/mention]

[TayDay95]

...and as to what happened next, I'm afraid you will have to wait until Friday. Yes, I am doing this on purpose.

You're so mean that being said...

YESSS!!! Finally that bitch is getting what's coming to her hahaha! Make her feel it Berenice!

Yeah I really don't like bullies lol. Great job as always [mention]NotSeen[/mention], you're a natural my friend

[NotSeen]

It's Friday and here's chapters six and seven of the story. I honestly didn't remember these two were so short, so I decided to post both of them in one go.
[mention]TayDay95[/mention] [mention]Caesar73[/mention] [mention]Bandit666[/mention] [mention]brashieel[/mention] [mention]Blackfox74077[/mention] [mention]wolfman[/mention] [mention]Mikal903[/mention] [mention]slackywacky[/mention] [mention]Tiedandgagged[/mention] [mention]tickletied84[/mention] [mention]Boundcurious[/mention] [mention]chelseykittyc@t[/mention] [mention]Trickster[/mention]

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Chapter 6 - Problem no more

Hannah watched her former tormentors run out of the dungeon, stumbling over each other in abject terror. She saw Berenice look up at the camera and wink at her. Grinning at each other, the dominatrixes filed out of the room. Miss Hana waved at the camera as she left the room. Berenice walked to the hidden door and stepped into the small room. Hannah stood up and clapped her hands. Smiling, Berenice spread her arms and performed an exaggerated bow. “Thank you.” She looked up at Hannah. “I hope you enjoyed the show.”

Hannah sat back on the chair. “I can’t even begin to describe how good it felt to see that happen.”

“Oh, I think I can imagine. There are few things I enjoy more than knocking a bully down a few pegs.”

Hannah nodded, but her expression grew serious. “But… won’t they go to the police about this?”

“They won’t. If they do, their own shenanigans will be exposed - and as you saw, nothing really happened. Oh, we played at a whole bunch of stuff, but aside from dragging them along a bit, nobody did anything to them. Nothing physical, that is. There was no need. Those five are classic bullies. All too eager and proficient at dishing out pain and misery, but they fold like an accordion when it’s them in the receiving end. We gave them a lesson they won’t forget in a hurry.”

Hannah thought back to what she’d just seen. Every last one of the fivesome had clearly been completely convinced they’d been about to be punished for what they’d done.

“What they tried to do to you would probably constitute some kind of crime in and of itself. I’m no lawyer, but I don’t think trying to incite an assault is exactly a minor thing. No, they’ll keep their mouths shut about what happened here - and about what they tried to do to you”, Berenice said

Hannah nodded, but she still wasn’t relaxing. “That’s good… but I have to go to work on Monday and they’re there… and…”

Berenice shook her head. “I’m not sure if you noticed, but I had a little chat with Linda there. Actually, I was the one doing the chatting and she was supposed to just listen and nod. Eventually, she got the message. I am certain I convinced her to leave you - and everyone else there - alone. She won’t bother you any longer. I am certain of it. We’re too good with the mind games. Goes with the job”, she said, handing Hannah a refilled teacup.

Hannah nodded thanks. She was still unsure about whether to trust what she’d been told, but something about the way Berenice spoke gave her reason to, if not believe, then at least hope that her words would come true.

“If they thought they had something they could use against you, I promise you they’re busy trying to get rid of it and forget it ever existed”, Berenice added, sitting across from Hannah with a cup of her own.

“So, what happens now”, Hannah asked.

“In an hour and a half or so, I have another appointment. You can stay here for as long as you wish. Once I leave, I can get Akiko - Miss Hana - or one of my other employees to come here and keep you company. On the other hand, if you wish to leave, you are naturally free to do so whenever you wish. If you need a ride somewhere, Lena - my receptionist - ends her shift in about an hour. If you ask her nicely, I’m sure she can help with that. I would, however, ask for something.”

“Yes?”

“Say, a month from now, I would like to invite you over again. For tea. I’d like to know if those bitches have stayed in line - and hear how your life is going.”

“If you don’t mind me asking… why?”

Berenice smiled over her teacup. “Oh, call it curiosity. Would that be okay?”

“Yes.”

“Thank you. Is there still something on your mind?”

Hannah looked down at her blouse and skirt. “Well, actually, there is one thing…”

Chapter 7 - New normal

Monday arrived far too soon for Hannah. On Friday, she’d gotten a ride home from Lena, who had volunteered to first buy Hannah a new set of underwear and then chauffeured her to her workplace so she could collect her purse and coat. Once she’d brought Hannah home, she had even offered to stay with her in case she needed someone to talk to. Hannah had declined the offer, but only a couple of hours later she’d regretted doing so. With no-one to talk to - it wasn’t exactly the kind of thing any of her friends would understand - she’d had far too much time on her hands for her imagination to run amok.

The walk from the bus stop to the office felt a lot longer than it really was. More than once Hannah was tempted to turn around, walk away and call in sick. But, being as dutiful as she was, she nonetheless made her way to the building, bracing herself for whatever awaited her there.

“Morning”, she called out as she stepped into the office. There were scattered replies. As Hannah walked to her desk, she kept looking around, trying to spot if either Linda or any of her hangers-on had shown up. She didn’t really expect to see them - not because they wouldn’t be in, but because they rarely showed up on time.

Which made her all the more surprised when, at ten minutes to nine, she saw Sandy walk through the door - although she didn’t recognize her at first. The ‘Linda-lookalike” -look with a bit too tight clothes and a bit too much makeup was gone. Instead she was dressed in a very plain and visibly cheap blazer and knee-length skirt - both in nondescript gray - and low heels instead of the ever-present stilettos. As she spotted Hannah, Sandy stopped dead in her tracks. For a few seconds, she was clearly undecided whether she should come in or run for the hills.

“Good morning”, Hannah said, trying to sound civil. In her heart, she wanted to be anything but. Sandy stared at her for a moment more before replying. “...Morning”, she muttered and nearly ran to the changeroom, leaving the people in the room looking puzzled at one another, wondering exactly what just happened. Hannah made a few non-committal shrugs to those around her and walked to her desk.

By the time the clock had struck nine, not only Sandy, but Linda and all her other henchwomen had shown up - a first, by anyone’s recollection. Sandy wasn’t the only one to look radically different. To a woman, the entire quintet looked almost unrecognizable in comparison to what everyone had gotten to expect of them. To a woman, they’d also shown up with the kind of harried look they’d used to inspire in those around her. The only exception - which only Hannah noticed - was that Linda was still wearing the collar Berenice had put on her on Friday. Seeing that reminded Hannah of something Berenice had said: ‘We’re too good with the mind games’. That you indeed are, she admitted to herself.

That morning, the office didn’t seem to get anything done. The confusion only grew when, less than an hour after they’d arrived, first Linda and soon after Veronica and Tonya walked out with a closed cardboard box in their arms. A little bit later the department head, a man in his fifties by the name of Eric, had gotten out of his office and gathered the staff. “Sorry to interrupt, but I was just informed that our HR manager just quit. Not as in ‘gave his notice’ or ‘announced he was leaving on this date’ - he quit. As of 10am today. If you want to know why, you’ll have to ask someone else”, he concluded, looking just as surprised as the rest of them.

For the rest of the day, Hannah was probably the sole person in the entire department who managed to do anything productive. Her coworkers were far too busy talking about what had taken place. She could see Mary and Sandy slinking around the room, both trying their damndest to avoid being noticed - and failing. On several occasions Hannah could see one of them being cornered by other employees, apparently either being interrogated on what had happened… or, on at least one occasion, getting to experience first-hand what they’d just a few days ago been far too happy to dish out on others.

A few minutes before five Hannah had gone to get her things from her locker. She couldn’t remember when she’d last been able to do that without the ever-present fear of being targeted. In any case it had been so long that the feeling was completely foreign. She put her coat on, picked up her purse - and turned around to see Sandy standing in front of her. There was nothing left of the cocky bully she’d been on Friday - in its place was something Hannah thought she’d probably looked like herself back then. Clasping her hands, Sandy barely managed to look Hannah in the eye. “I’m… I’m sorry, Hannah”, she mumbled, looking like she was about to run for the door.

For a few seconds, Hannah stood there and looked at her. She wanted - oh, so very, very much - to push her former tormentor into the corner, to make her feel the fear she’d participated in causing… Oh. So. Very. Much. But… as she stood there, she could see Sandy starting to visibly tremble and a tear appeared on her cheek. Seeing that, it was ultimately very easy for Hannah to decide that whatever she was, she neither was nor wanted to become Linda. So, in the end Hannah took a step closer. “You’re in my way”, she said. Sandy almost leaped to the side. Hannah nodded at her and walked toward the door. Opening it, she turned to look at the still-trembling woman standing there. “I forgive you”, she said and stepped out of the room.

--- ---

There you go.

Now, if you feel like I didn't deliver as promised with regard to the end of Chapter 5... I understand. I did give a pretty strong hint that what would follow was going to be Miss Berenice and her employees 'going to town' on Linda and her friends... and yet I didn't give you that scene. I want to explain why.

One reason was that I simply didn't think I could write five simultaneous D/s scenes very well - even if I had focused primarily on Miss Berenice and Linda. There would simply have been too much going on in the dungeon to keep track and keep in order for the end result to be readable. Another reason... as I stated on another story of mine, there is a limit on how much non-consensual stuff I want to write in a given story. While, from a storyline standpoint, it might well have been justified here, I just... wasn't feeling it.

But perhaps the biggest reason is an in-universe one. As I stated in one of my comments earlier, I try to stick to some degree of realism - at least most of the time and had Miss Berenice subjected Linda and her friends to a non-consensual BDSM scene, there would have been consequences. (To be honest, even the stuff that did happen would probably land them in some pretty hot water in real life, but I am going to stretch reality that much)

Also, I think that the seventh chapter does imply sufficiently that quite a lot did, in fact, happen, even though I chose not to (or was too lazy to ) describe it.

In any case, I hope you enjoyed what I've written. I intend to post the eighth and final chapter on Monday. Have a good weekend, everyone.

[TayDay95]

On the one hand I am a little disappointed we didn't get to see Berenice and her staff go to town on Linda and her posse, I agree this is the more realistic outcome

Never apologise for writing your stories how you want, at the end of the day it's your project and as such, you can do what you feel is best

[Caesar73]

@Not seen

Now, if you feel like I didn't deliver as promised with regard to the end of Chapter 5... I understand. I did give a pretty strong hint that what would follow was going to be Miss Berenice and her employees 'going to town' on Linda and her friends... and yet I didn't give you that scene. I want to explain why.

One reason was that I simply didn't think I could write five simultaneous D/s scenes very well - even if I had focused primarily on Miss Berenice and Linda. There would simply have been too much going on in the dungeon to keep track and keep in order for the end result to be readable. Another reason... as I stated on another story of mine, there is a limit on how much non-consensual stuff I want to write in a given story. While, from a storyline standpoint, it might well have been justified here, I just... wasn't feeling it.

My first reaction was similar to that of [mention]TayDay95[/mention] - but to be honest I find the story perfect this way: Since you do not tell us what happened to Linda and her Gang you leave it to the imagination of your readers, and I think to spur on the fantasy of the reader is much more effective than any detailed description at times. At times, less is more and vice versa.

[wolfman]

Whilst it may have been fun to see the Domme's go wild on the girl's, this is a much more powerful ending, showing that a powerful dominatrix doesn't need whips or chain, she just need the right words to cause a person to crumble.

Excellent writing, curious to see what happens in the last chapter.

[NotSeen]

[mention]TayDay95[/mention] [mention]Caesar73[/mention] [mention]wolfman[/mention]
Many thanks to you. I was starting to feel a little crappy about the way I'd written that part, so your words really hit the spot.

Excellent writing, curious to see what happens in the last chapter.

Funny you should use that word, 'curious'... I'll give you a hint: there was something Miss Berenice was also curious about...

Yes, I am being a tease. Hey, I have a reputation to maintain!

[slackywacky]

I think [mention]Caesar73[/mention] and [mention]wolfman[/mention] already mentioned it. Sometimes the strength of a writer is to leave stuff out. There are times when details are wanted and needed and times when hinting at something is enough.

Great chapters.

[Boundcurious]

Thanks for all the updates since I last posted

[NotSeen]

Hello, everyone. Here is the conclusion of the story. Thank you for reading this, whether you followed it as I've been posting or came across this at a later date.
[mention]Boundcurious[/mention] [mention]slackywacky[/mention] [mention]Caesar73[/mention] [mention]wolfman[/mention] [mention]TayDay95[/mention] [mention]Bandit666[/mention] [mention]brashieel[/mention] [mention]Blackfox74077[/mention] [mention]Mikal903[/mention] [mention]Tiedandgagged[/mention] [mention]tickletied84[/mention] [mention]chelseykittyc@t[/mention] [mention]Trickster[/mention] [mention]GreyLord[/mention]

--- ---

Chapter 8 - Curiosity

Berenice handed a steaming cup of tea to Hannah. They were once again seated in the small room Berenice had taken her to on her first visit. Hannah nodded her thanks and sipped as Berenice took a seat across the table. The dominatrix looked like anything but - instead of skintight black leather she wore a peach sweater and floral-patterned tights. A brightly colored scarf was loosely wrapped around her neck. Her hair was pulled into a hasty ponytail, a few errant wisps hanging on the sides of her face.

“So nice that you came over”, Berenice said.

Hannah raised her cup as if in a toast. “Thank you for inviting me.”

“How did it feel coming here?”

“To be honest, I did consider asking that we’d meet somewhere else. Walking through that door was… unnerving, to say the least. But once I got in, your receptionist really made me feel at ease.”

“I’ll have to tell that to Lena. She is great with people, but the poor thing doesn’t seem to believe it no matter how many times she hears it. Tell you the truth, I kind of expected you’d feel that way, and that was precisely why I wanted to invite you here. I wanted to give you at least some pleasant memories to associate with this place.”

Hannah nodded. “Mission accomplished.”

“Thank you. How has life treated you since the last time we spoke?”

Hannah gave Berenice the short version of what had taken place at work. “To be honest, I was surprised to see Linda still wearing that collar”, she concluded.

“Oh, she knows not to take that off for good while yet. Good news, then”, Berenice said with a smile on her face.

“Very good news. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome. I hate it when someone does something like that, so I’m happy I could help you”, Berenice said and set her empty cup on the table. “In all honesty, though, there was one other reason why I wanted to invite you to come here instead of meeting somewhere else. I wanted to ask you something. Is that okay?”

“Yes”, Hannah replied again, looking a little wary.

Berenice waved her hands to try and calm her down. “Relax. You don’t have to answer if you don’t want to, but I’d appreciate it if you did.”

“Okay…”

“What was it that they had on you that gave them such power over you?”

Hannah looked down. “Over the years, Linda got several people fired simply because she didn’t like them. Everyone lived in fear of crossing her.”

“I can understand that - but it seemed to me that there was something that had made them choose specifically you as their target. What was it that gave them such power over specifically you?”

Hannah seemed to curl into a ball in the chair. “They… I don’t even remember exactly how it happened, but one of Linda’s… friends found out I was interested in BDSM. Not a lot, but a bit more than just reading Fifty Shades. Which was not something I wanted them to advertise to whoever happened to listen.”

“So that is why they brought you here. Their idea of a joke.”

“I wasn’t laughing”, Hannah said. “And of course, it would have given them all sorts of stuff they could have used against me.”

“Naturally.”

Hannah finished her tea, set the cup on the table and looked up at Berenice. “You knew, didn’t you?”

“I suspected. Like I said in our first meeting, if there is one thing this job teaches you, it’s reading people. There wasn’t any single thing or even a certain number of things that made me think so. Call it a hunch.”

Hannah nodded. “On the way here… they even told me they wanted me to ‘have a taste of what it’s like for real’”, she said, looking down at her lap.

For a moment, they just sat there in silence. Then Berenice spoke:”Would you like to?”

“Pardon?”

“Would you like to? Have a taste?”

Hannah flinched. “Look… I… I appreciate the offer, but…” she stammered, looking at the door that led to the dungeon.

“I’m not suggesting we’re going there. I’m not even suggesting that anything needs to happen. You’re perfectly welcome to say no. But, if you wish, I am offering you a chance to see what it really is like”, Berenice said. “It doesn’t even have to be here and now. If you want, you can take all the time you need to think about it and get back to me if you so choose.”

In truth, Hannah had briefly thought something like this could happen, but had discarded the thought. Surely not. But here she was - and Berenice had just made the offer, without any pressure or coercion on her part. Here it is. Not what you expected, but here it is. A chance to see what it is like. Butterflies in her stomach, she turned to look up at Berenice. “Yes. I’d like to. Now.”

Smiling warmly, Berenice bowed her head in an expression of gratitude. “Thank you. I apologize for blindsiding you with the question, but like I said, I wanted to give you some positive memories about this place. Now, is there something specific you’d like to try?”

Hannah could feel herself starting to tremble - with excitement, anticipation, something else, she had no idea. “I guess… could you… tie me up?”

“I’d be honored to.”

Berenice left the room for a few seconds and returned holding a few neat bundles of rope. She handed one to Hannah. “Here you are. You can see for yourself what it is like.”

Hannah took the rope. Merely touching it made the butterflies in her stomach go crazy. She looked up at Berenice. “What… what should I do? Do I take my clothes off?”

Berenice shook her head. “No need. Just get up and give me that rope.”

Hannah did. Berenice gently guided her to stand in the middle of the circular rug on the floor. As Hannah watched, she uncoiled the bundle of rope and ran it through her hands. “If you are ready, we can begin. I would ask you to do one thing, though. Consider it something Miss Berenice would ask you to do.”

“Yes, Miss”, Hannah replied, unable to tear her eyes away from the length of rope Berenice was holding in her hands.

“I want to hear you asking me to tie you up.”

Hannah almost smiled. She crossed her wrists and offered them to Berenice. “Please, tie me up, Miss Berenice.”

“Good girl”, Berenice said. She walked behind Hannah, gently took a hold of her forearms and guided them behind her back, setting them parallel across her lower back. “If, at any point, for whatever reason, you want to stop, or take a moment, or want me to take everything off right there and then, say so.”

“Yes, Miss”, Hannah replied. She could feel the rope wrap around her forearms, binding them together. As Berenice kept winding the cords, first around her forearms and then around her entire upper body, she could feel herself sinking into… something. She didn’t have words for what it was - but it wasn’t unpleasant. Far from it. Her eyelids grew heavy, her thoughts were going all warm and fuzzy, her head started to tip forward ever… so… slowly…

“Are you here?” Berenice’s question startled Hannah from her daze. She could see the dominatrix standing beside her, holding her up by the upper arms. Hannah nodded, feeling herself blush.

“No need to be ashamed. You don’t always get to choose what you feel. You just do. That’s all you can do”, Berenice said, smiling the most understanding smile Hannah had ever seen. “How about we take a moment here? You can get used to how it feels.”

Hannah nodded. She tried to shift her upper body and pull against the ropes… but it was mostly for show - something she felt she was supposed to do, not something she felt she had to do. She stood still, losing herself in the sensation of the rope wrapped around her. When she looked up at Berenice, she was smiling. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome. I take it that you enjoy the feeling.”

Speechless, Hannah managed to nod.

“Would you like to continue?”

Another nod.

Berenice picked up another bundle of rope and let it uncoil to the floor. “You know what you need to say.”

Hannah closed her eyes. “Please, Miss Berenice… please continue tying me up.”

“I’ll be glad to.”

Hannah lay on the rug on her side. In addition to the boxtie and chest harness Berenice had tied on her, her legs were now bound at her ankles, shins and thighs. She was barely aware of Berenice standing up after she’d tied the last knot.

Berenice touched Hannah on the shoulder. “Can you hear me?”

Her eyes closed, Hannah managed a whisper. “Yes.”

“You can lay there and explore your feelings. I’m going to go over there, sit down and be quiet so I don’t disturb you. If you, for whatever reason, need help or just want to talk to me, just call for me. Okay?”

“Yes, Miss. May I… ask for something?”

“Of course.”

Hannah swallowed. “Could you… blindfold me?”

“If you wish, yes.”

Hannah nodded. She saw Berenice pull the scarf off her neck and nimbly fold it into a band. Hannah raised her head to let Berenice tie the folded scarf over her eyes. The dominatrix arranged the scarf expertly in place, blocking all little trickles of light from reaching Hannah’s eyes. She then laid a hand on Hannah’s shoulder.

“There. Remember - I am right here. If you feel like you need something - anything - tell me. Okay?”

Hannah nodded. She barely heard Berenice stand up and walk away. She was lying on her side on the floor, her entire body completely relaxed in the embrace of the ropes Berenice had woven around her body. A month ago, when she’d first set foot inside the dungeon, she’d never have thought she’d end up finding something like this. Not in a million years. Not something this pleasant… this pleasurable. Without conscious thought, she shifted ever so slightly just to feel the ropes against her body.
Definitely not anything this pleasurable, she thought, the world around her fading into insignificance.

A few feet away, seated in the chair, Berenice looked at Hannah and couldn’t help smiling. Seeing someone find something like this within themselves never got old. It was precisely for moments like this that she loved doing what she did. All the better that it was at the end of something that had begun on such an unpleasant note.

The end.



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Once again, thank you for reading and commenting. I seem to have found an audience for my writing - for which I am very grateful.

I'm sure some of you may have noticed, but I'd still like to point out that this isn't the first time we've met Miss Berenice. Won't necessarily be the last, either. I have intended to start tying my stories together by having the characters interact with one another in future stories, this merely happened to be the first such occurrence.

This story concluded, but it doesn't mean I have to take a break from posting. I have not one but two shorter stories in the pipeline, so to speak... so, probably on Wednesday, you'll get to read the first part to the sequel to Shopping for shoes. Until then, have a good one.

[TayDay95]

That was such a wholesome and sweet ending, good for Hannah! I couldn't help but smile just like Berenice haha.

I can't believe I didn't put two and two together but it's great that you're connecting your stories, the idea of a domme who protects and helps abused or unwilling subs is a wonderful concept and I'd definitely love to see more of that, you've got such a talent for writing my friend.

If I'm honest, I'd love to see more of this session between Hannah and Berenice, but maybe there'll be chances for that in another story? Either way great work you should be proud!

[Boundcurious]

Lovely end, thank you

[wolfman]

I have to say, that for me this is a pitch perfect ending to this wonderful tale.

Thank you for posting this.