Vaughn's Awakening [The Black Dahlia Hotel 2] (Siren Publishing Everlasting Classic) Read online

  “I’m going to try that lazy river thing in a few minutes. Is the water warm?”

  “Very warm. I saw some people we know from the club. Devon and Sy Blackthorn and Cassandra and Beau Bainbridge are here. And that Master Dom that I swear has been watching you at the club is here, too. Whoo hoo. You may be getting some action sooner than you thought, girlfriend.” Cyndy looked delighted.

  “You’re nuts. No one has been watching me at the club.”

  “Not true. I’ve seen Master Paul Proffit and a couple of other guys all but drooling—in their I’m so tough and cool Dom ways. You have to stop thinking like that, Vaughn.”

  “Thinking like what?”

  “That you’re unattractive or something. You are gorgeous, girlfriend. All that sun-streaked blonde hair, big boobs, tiny waist, and gorgeous butt. I don’t know what your problem is. You could be a model.”

  Vaughn laughed. “Yeah. In Chubbies R’ Us Magazine.”

  “Stop that right now. I’m not kidding, or I’m going to have a word with one of these Doms and make sure you get that gorgeous butt paddled.”

  “You would not.”

  “Try me.”

  * * * *

  In the dungeon at The Black Dahlia Hotel, Fort Lauderdale Beach, Florida, Saturday afternoon, December 26, 2015

  Vaughn had gone back to the suite, showered, and changed for her Introduction to BDSM for subs class. She took a few minutes to review the course synopsis and instructions. Apparently it was permissible to wear a bra and thong to the first class. They were expected to be nude after that. Yikes! She wasn’t sure if she could do that. Well, one day at a time.

  Vaughn changed into a lacy Hips and Curves black bra and thong set and threw on her beach cover-up before heading upstairs to the top floor where the BDSM facilities were located. Once there she swiped her white identification bracelet. She was nervous. It was one thing to hide out in the uncollared subs corner at the club and observe and another thing to put herself out there in a class. Well, she owed it to herself and the girls to at least try to participate.

  Vaughn stepped into the dungeon theme room to which the dungeon monitor had directed her. She looked around as she stepped inside. She saw that three other women who were apparently also new subs were gathered, waiting for the instructor.

  The door cracked open and they all turned to face the tall, ripped, imposing dark-haired, bare-chested man who walked into the room. It was Master Dom Phillip Paul Proffit. Vaughn had seen his picture in the financial pages of the paper when he had opened a new restaurant in Savannah the year before. Vaughn knew Alexa and Cyndy were mistaken about him watching her. That just couldn’t be true. This man was stunning. He moved like a panther—all sleek and jungle-cat powerful. His slightly long, dark wavy hair fell over his forehead. He had a smattering of dark chest hair arrowing down to disappear inside his tight black leather pants that ended with high, black boots where he had tucked a short riding crop. His blue eyes sparkled when he glanced over the subs.

  “Good afternoon, subs. Let’s start by introducing ourselves. You will call me Master Paul during class. Some of you may have seen me at Le Club Waterfront or one of my restaurants in Savannah. I am a fully qualified Master Dom.” He smiled what seemed to Vaughn a slightly predatory smile.

  He waited while each sub introduced herself. Then he continued. “At our next class I will expect to find you in the slave position on the floor when I arrive. I realize some of you may not know what that is so it will be the first thing we cover.” He looked around and his eyes lit on Vaughn. She felt them skim over her as though he had caressed her with his hands. How strange. The man certainly has presence.

  Vaughn still wore her beach cover-up while the other women were wearing lacy push up bras and thongs in a variety of beautiful colors that looked like a spread from a Victoria’s Secret catalog. They were also all substantially smaller in stature and build than she was. These little dolls made her feel like a Valkyrie—too tall, too big, too heavy. This whole thing might have been a mistake. Alexa and Cyndy had joked about her starting sub training, but she was more than a little nervous. This was an intimidating undertaking, and this Master was an intimidating man. While his eyes skimmed over her, she hesitantly took off her beach cover-up.

  “All right then, subs. Please kneel down in a semi-circle around me. If you know the slave position, assume it.” He watched them as they all sank to the floor, and then he continued. “For those of you who are very new, the slave position is the position to be assumed while waiting to serve your Master. It indicates your submission to your Master. Your Master may have another position that he prefers. If so, he will instruct you. For this class please sit on your heels with your knees spread wide. Your hands should be relaxed on your thighs, palms up. Keep your eyes down and do not speak unless asked a question. If asked a question you will respond with ‘Yes, Master’ or ‘No, Master.’” Master Paul proceeded to inspect the subs, correct their positions, and pat their butts reassuringly.

  “You were all instructed to read the class synopsis and The Black Dahlia Club Rules and Regulations that are to be found in your rooms. Have you all done that?”

  “Yes, Master,” they chorused.

  “Good. The most important tenant of the lifestyle is the concept of ‘safe, sane, and consensual.’ The sub is a willing participant and partner in any scene. Doms do not just do things to subs. They carefully negotiate what the scene will entail and how far the sub is willing to go. Once a Dom and sub or slave are in a relationship, hard limits are known to both parties and may not be discussed daily, but the s-type’s agreement to submission is reaffirmed by the sub or slave daily. We will go over hard limits today, and you will all be expected to be nude during class tomorrow and to be wearing your colored bracelets. We will go over the various pieces of equipment in the dungeon. The universal ‘safe word’ at The Black Dahlia is ‘red.’ You and your Master may have your own safe words, and that is okay. For class you will use red to avoid confusion. You will use the safe word in the event you need your Master to stop what he is doing. Do not use it indiscriminately as all activity will stop as soon as you say it. If you need a moment to process or a short reprieve say ‘yellow.’ ‘Green’ means you are good to go or are getting bored and want to up the action a little.” Vaughn shivered as he made eye contact with each of them, seeming to linger on her. “Please repeat the safe words.”

  * * * *

  Paul was smiling to himself. The beautiful woman with the head of streaked blonde hair and the opulent body looked very nervous. He had seen her at the club and was more than a little interested in getting to know her. His cock was beginning to twitch. This was his chance. She had been surrounded by her posse of uncollared subs at the club, and he had hesitated to approach her since she was so obviously a newbie. If she was in this class she was here to learn, and learn she would, or he wasn’t a Master Dom with years of experience.

  “Okay, ladies. We’ll start by discussing ‘hard limits.’” Paul looked around at the four subs kneeling patiently in the slave position. He really did love to have a beautiful, eager woman kneeling at his feet. He thought he would use Vaughn Rawlston as his class model. It would give him an opportunity to become acquainted with her body and for her to become comfortable with him touching that body intimately. He really didn’t think she knew what was in store for her, but he intended to make sure she found out.

  “Please review the Pleasure Club Rules to determine your personal ‘hard limits,’ and to be sure to wear your rubber bracelets tomorrow. As you were advised when you checked into the hotel, the half-inch rubber bracelets signify the following: red for non-participation, green for subs who wish to play, and black for Doms or Dommes. The thinner-colored bracelets signify different hard limits. The narrow rubber bracelets signify the following: green bands mean no anal play, red bands mean no extreme whipping, purple bands mean no extreme bondage, orange bands mean no fire play, yellow bands mean no blood or knife play, et
cetera. There is a complete set of bands and a list explaining all the colors in your rule book. You may switch out any bracelets at any time as you gain experience and your status changes. Review the list in the pamphlet and choose accordingly. If you are wearing green bracelets, I don’t want to see a whole fruit salad of colored ones. Newbies sometimes tend to want to wear all of the bracelets at once. That’s a lot of hard limits. Please do not do that. If you have that many hard limits, just wear the wide red band for the time being until you are more comfortable. You are working to expand your sexual horizons, not to close them off entirely.”

  Paul gave the four subs his stern Dom look. “Next, we are going to demonstrate how some of the dungeon equipment is used. Ms. Rawlston, will you please come here and help me with these demonstrations? We will cover the St. Andrew’s cross and wrist and ankle cuffs first. Subs, please put on your wrist and ankle cuffs so you can get used to wearing them. Vaughn, if you will stand on the step facing the St. Andrew’s cross, I’ll demonstrate the bindings and the elevation mechanism.” He looked her straight in the eye, encouraging her to comply. He could see the nerves quivering under her smooth-as-satin skin and the effort it took for her to rise and come to the front of the room.

  “Yes, Master.” When she had put the cuffs on her wrists and ankles and was positioned on the step, he adjusted it until her very fine butt was even with the now very hard cock that was straining against the buttons of his leathers. The thong she wore did nothing to hide her round, plump ass with dimples at the base of her spine. She was far from skinny. Her body was full and curved and perfect, and he was anxious to get his hands on her. He was not a man who admired women who were skinny. The saying “you can’t be too rich or too thin” was only partially true as far as he was concerned. He loved to hold a soft, curvy woman in his arms. The softer the cushion, the better the pushin’. That saying of his grandmother’s always made him laugh, and he really did love a big butt.

  He turned to the other subs and demonstrated as he said, “Your Master will adjust the step with the hydraulic controls until it is suited to both your heights. The hydraulic step is a new innovation you will not find at other clubs. Your Master will then check your cuffs to be sure that they fit properly and that they do not chafe your skin. Your safety and pleasure should be his main concern.” He proceeded to check Vaughn’s bindings as he carefully ran his finger under the cuffs on both her wrists before he skimmed his hand up her arm, over her back and butt, and down her legs, where he did the same with the cuffs on her ankles. He could feel the tension in her muscles as he touched her. When he straightened he gave her ass a friendly smack. The loud sound cracked in the quiet room. He knew it stung, and her hands were now bound to the cross. When she looked over her shoulder at him with a questioning look on her face, he grinned. So the dance begins. He reached down and soothed the pink skin with his hand and then reached in to lightly trace a path from the base of her ear to the curve of her shoulder with his tongue before he said, “This is all about pleasure, occasionally seasoned to taste with the spice of a little pain. The line between pleasure and pain is different for every person. That is part of what you will be exploring with your partner. Communication is everything between partners. When your Master asks for your color or if you like something, answer truthfully. We Doms are not mind readers, and everyone likes different things. It’s a learning process for both partners.”

  He went through the use of spreader bars, the spanking bench, the hanging chains, handcuffs, nipple clamps, and various other pieces of equipment found in the dungeon before ending the afternoon’s session. All the while he could feel that Vaughn was uncomfortable being displayed in front of the class, but he could also feel the excitement buzzing beneath her surface. Once she had begun to relax, she had enjoying his touch, and he could feel the intimate connection growing between them. He turned to the rest of the class. “I hope to see all of you at the mixer in the lounge tonight. Class dismissed.”

  While the other subs stood and filed out of the dungeon, he came up behind Vaughn and let her feel his heat against her back and bottom before whispering for her ears only, “I’m very happy to have this opportunity to get to know you better, subbie. I’ve seen you at the club a few times, but you didn’t look like you were ready to play. I hope you have changed your mind about that. I would like to scene with you outside of class.” When she didn’t respond, he continued. “What do you have to say, Vaughn? Do you want to play with me?”

  He could see the indecision on her face. “Well, think about it. You’ll be my model in class again tomorrow, and we will have the opportunity to get to know each other much better.”

  “Yes, Master. Thank you, Master.”

  “Very good, sub.” As he began to unfasten her bindings, he again leaned in close to her ear and whispered, “Today was just the beginning. I think we are both going to enjoy this class and this trip. I know I am.”

  * * * *

  Vaughn shivered as he removed her bindings. His voice was as low and dark as aged whisky, and his touch was warm, firm, and without hesitation. This was a man who knew his way around a woman’s body. Could she agree to scene with him outside of class? She had to think about this. That would definitely be jumping in at the deep end of the pool without her water wings. But, if a person was going to learn something, it was better to learn from a Master rather than to have two inexperienced people stumbling along just hoping to get it right. Right? She was trying to convince herself here. Cooperate, self. I think I really want to do this. She was still nervous. She needed to talk to Alexa and Cyndy. Of course, they would be delighted and encourage her to go for it. Sometimes those two were a little too enthusiastic for her own good. Conflicted much?

  Chapter Three

  In the lounge at The Black Dahlia Hotel, Fort Lauderdale Beach, Florida, Saturday evening, December 26, 2015

  Vaughn, Alexa and Cyndy had ordered dinner from room service and had eaten on the large balcony of their suite overlooking the pool area and beach. They wanted to take their time primping and getting ready for the evening mixer in the lounge. The girls had demanded Chapter and verse on her sub class that afternoon. By the time she was done relaying all that had happened, their eyes were as wide as saucers. Apparently Master Dom Phillip Paul Proffit had a rep at the club for being not only eye candy but also being a very, very good Dom. He was also very choosy and didn’t take just any sub for a spin. This information only made Vaughn more nervous. What did he want from her? And why did he seem to be interested in her? She knew her insecurities were showing, and she hated that, but it was a fact of life. She was a big girl by current fashion standards, and she’d had years to gather those insecurities. They couldn’t be jettisoned in a minute. Well, it would be interesting to see what happened tonight and in the class tomorrow, but she was preparing herself for a disappointment.

  Vaughn had decided to wear a black camisole dress trimmed in lace that skimmed her figure in a flattering way with a pair of moderately high heels. She didn’t need to tower over everyone she met if she could help it, but she sure wasn’t going to the mixer in flats. She had curled her blonde-streaked hair, and it cascaded over her shoulders. Alexa chose a very short, tight red dress that had a good deal of spandex and clung to her curves like glue with high black heels that had sexy red soles. Cyndy wore a sub-wear dress of purple silicone that had crisscrossed straps across her back and matching high heels. All in all, they looked pretty fabulous if she did say so herself.

  When the girls entered the lounge they were greeted by several friends from the club, including Devon Blackthorn and Cassie Bainbridge and their husbands. Devon, who was ready to bounce off the walls with excitement as usual, was petite, with a pleasingly curvy figure and short red hair cut in a pixie style. She had definitely toned it down since her marriage to Symon Blackthorn. Apparently she no longer had a need to seek attention. It looked like he gave her plenty. When Vaughn had first seen her at the club her hair was spiked with industrial-s
trength hair gel, and her fingernails and toenails were painted a vibrant purple which matched the streaks in her hair.

  Cassandra Bainbridge, also recently married to a Dom who had moved to Savannah from Atlanta, was a well-known jewelry designer and had turquoise-blue eyes and a mass of golden, blonde-streaked ringlets that stood out around her head like a lion’s mane. She usually tamed it into a French braid. Both couples had apparently met the year before on a Golden Dolphin singles cruise. The whole story about that cruise was not generally known, although many were curious.

  Vaughn had snagged a mojito from the tray of a passing waiter and had just taken a sip when she felt a thickly muscled arm curve around her waist and a slightly scratchy five o’clock shadow tickle her skin as a pair of soft lips grazed down her neck. The man’s aftershave was familiar. A tingle of goose bumps shot up her spine in response. She turned to see Paul Proffit standing at her side with a grin on his face. “Hello, beautiful. I’ve been waiting for you.” Vaughn saw the smiles light Alexa and Cyndy’s faces. Oh, God. They were going to be impossible.

  “Hi. Nice to see you again.”

  “Likewise. I’m looking forward to seeing a lot more of you.” The double entendre did not escape her.

  “You are just a tad sure of yourself, Master Paul.”

  He grinned down at her. “Just Paul when we’re not in the dungeon or in a scene. Yes, Vaughn, I am. Let’s dance.” He pulled her along toward the small dance floor and firmly into his arms. He began swaying to the slow song that was currently playing as he gathered her closer to his chest. He fit her like a glove. He was tall enough to still be almost a head taller than her five foot ten inches, and he was big enough to engulf her in his arms and make her feel small and dainty—no small accomplishment. “Relax, Vaughn. I’m not going to strip you naked and take you on the dance floor.”