The Dark Forest: A Collection Of Erotic Fairytales(9)

She’d been instructed to bend over, her arms locked around her legs, her cheek pressed to her knees. Her skin had flushed hot with shame when her Master had lowered her panties to her knees, her arousal evident on the gusset, her scent inhaled with each shaky breath she took knowing that the artist was seated behind her, sketching her… well, the portion of her that was totally bare and lifted high. Master W hadn’t hesitated to crack his favorite rattan cane across her quivering buttocks, chastising her for her slightest deviation from the required, humiliating position. Every time she saw the seal that had been created after that session, she remembered that day. For if one looked very closely at the impression in the black wax, they’d see not a heart as she’d tried to convince herself it resembled, but a heart-shaped bottom with the fine line depicting the wheal his cane stroke had raised on her right cheek. If that weren’t proof enough, the small birthmark at the crest of her left buttock, the one that he claimed meant that she’d never truly had a choice—that it was her fate, her destiny to belong solely to him—was also on the seal. Straightening, her hand reached back, not to rub at a painful welt as that had disappeared long ago, but to rub the spot that if one but lowered her panties the barest fraction of an inch, would show the head of a wolf lifted as if howling its dark depravity to the moon.

The rest of the day passed in a blur. Her mind was empty of all thoughts except the ones trying to anticipate what he had in store for her. She gave a shrill shriek when a weight landed on her shoulder.

“Shit, Reggie, you scared me!”

A hand pressed to her chest, Regina swiveled about in her chair. “I scared you? Glenda, you almost gave me a heart attack!”

Glenda giggled, her face showing absolutely no remorse. “You should thank me. It looked like you were prepared to spend the entire night staring at that computer screen. Since you never called, I came back to see if…”

“Oh my God, what time is it?”

“Five thirty… Hey, where are you going? Aren’t you coming with us?”

“I can’t. I’ve got to get home!” Regina said, grabbing her purse from the bottom drawer and standing. “I’ll talk to you on Monday.”

“If you’re sure? Hey, are you going to that party?”

Regina simply gave a wave over her shoulder and instead of waiting with her fellow coworkers at the elevator, she pushed through the door and tore down the stairs. With each flight, she prayed that traffic would cooperate. If not, if she didn’t arrive home before six… She didn’t need to contemplate the consequences… he’d said any infraction would add more to her atonement.

With a screech of brakes that caused her to jerk forward against the seat belt, she practically ripped the keys from the ignition of her VW Bug and reached for the door handle. With a curse at the lack of freedom, she fumbled with the seat belt catch, yanking it free. Grabbing her purse, she raced down the ramp of the parking garage and around to the front of her building. Her pounding heart leapt in her chest at the sight of a man, standing just inside the glass doors, his hands behind his back, his posture ramrod straight. When their eyes met through the glass, his arm came around and he pointedly looked down at the watch on his wrist. When he looked up, she felt her knees began to shake. His expression matched his name—well, probably his pretend name—but he did look very grim indeed. She never made it into the building as he strode to the doors and pushed through.

“I’m so sorry… there was a jam up on…”

“If you’ll come this way?” he asked, his voice as calm as hers was frantic.

“Wait… I need to run up to my…”

“Miss Redd, you need to come with me,” he countered as his eyes captured hers. “Unless, of course, you aren’t concerned about keeping Mr. Wolffe waiting?”

Oh, she was concerned all right. She was suddenly extremely concerned. Glancing past him, she saw Paul, her doorman watching. “May I please tell Mr. Carter that I won’t be home?”

“No need,” the man said. “As Mr. Wolffe has already informed you, you need not worry. Everything has been taken care of.” He paused and then lifted his hand, gesturing towards the curb where a sleek black sedan waited. “Shall we?”

“Ye… yes, of course,” Regina said, managing to give Paul a shaky smile and a little wave before she turned to step in front of the driver, walk the few steps to the car and when he reached to open the door, managed a soft, “Thanks,” before she bent to step into the vehicle.

“You are welcome, Miss Redd.”

“Um… okay… um… I mean, thank you, Mr. Grimm.”

“Remember to fasten your seat belt.” With that, he closed the door, the sound causing her to give a little jump.

Geeze, just relax, she told herself. It’s not like you are going to your execution. You’ll be back in a couple of days. After fastening her seat belt, she remembered Glenda’s words. No, she wouldn’t be spending the weekend in bed with her tummy aching from food poisoning, but she’d most likely be spending it with her bottom… at the very least… aching from any one of a dozen implements that her love, the man who held her heart in his palm, would be using to exact the atonement he considered due.





Goldie in Chains