Stray (16 page)

I opened my muzzle, then bowed my head, knowing my words would come out in a garbled mess.

“We can work on your speech later,” Dylan promised, circling me in his wolf skin. “I don’t know what the hell you were talking about. You’re gorgeous.”

I turned my head, straining to look at the ruff of fur on the back of my neck. My red coat was hard to see from this angle. I shook my mane. Craned my head, but I still couldn’t see.

Dylan shifted back into human form and dug his hands into my neck fur. “Don’t shift just yet. I have a mirror around here somewhere.”

I sat back on my haunches and tried to ignore how much my skin itched. I brushed a paw behind my ear, carefully watching Dylan as he moved walls out of his way, digging through mountains of debris for what I could only assume was the mirror he’d mentioned.

My eyes grew wide when he moved a crate into the room. He looked at me. I whimpered and backed up against a wall. He was beside me in an instant, cradling my head between his arms. My skin rippled, and as I fought my flashback, I let go of my wolf skin, shifting back into human form.

Dylan took me in his arms, hugging me to his chest. Rocking me back and forth.

“I’m sorry,” Dylan began, making soft cooing noises between breaths. “Shh. It’s okay, baby. I’m here. It’s okay. Good girl. Good girl. Breathe. Just breathe.”

I focused on his eyes, human eyes. My Master’s eyes. And I suddenly felt stupid for shifting out of my wolf skin.

He caressed my cheek, pressed his forehead to mine. “I’ve had past subs who were into pet play. The crate was for them.” He furrowed his brow. “Is that what he kept you in?”

I shook my head, fighting down the nausea that had climbed into my throat. “Smaller. Older.”
Rusted.
The crate Anthony used on me had been too small for me to turn around inside. There had been no plush bed, no food, no water. Just cold bars and a hard, unforgiving floor.

The crate Dylan had pulled out had a soft pillow in the bottom and was more than three times the size of the one Anthony’d had. Drawing in a deep breath, I crawled out of Dylan’s lap, staring at the crate.

“I’m not going to use it on you,” Dylan said, petting me. “It was just in the way. I can get the mirror out if—”

“No.” The word came out in a snap, and I bowed my head. “Don’t put it away.”

Dylan canted his head so he was looking at my face. “Alyssa?”

“You said I have to take back my control, right?”

“I did, but I don’t think—”

“I’m tired of him controlling me. I still have nightmares about him and the things he did to me. I just… I want all of this to be over.”

“Alyssa, pushing boundaries is one thing. Breaking through them? I just don’t know. Sitting inside that crate over there isn’t going to change things overnight.”

“No, but it’s a damned good start.”

Chapter Sixteen

After I’d sat inside the crate and had shifted a few more times during the week, Dylan was happy enough with my progress to take Marnie and me to a local dungeon. I hadn’t been out in the scene since our second night at the club, so to say I was a little nervous was an understatement.

Marnie, on the other hand… If she’d wiggled anymore in her seat, she probably would’ve got butt-burn. I sat in the front seat beside Dylan, my vision jumping from his hands on the wheel, to his eyes, then finally, to the road—packed with cars. We’d left an hour early, knowing how congested the roads usually were on a Friday night.

Stuck on the interstate, Dylan drummed his fingers on the wheel, brushing a hand through his hair every now and again when the traffic stopped. He gripped the wheel. Released it. I tried to hide my smile.

“What?” Dylan growled, glancing over at me.

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen you lose control. What’s this? Does Dylan Roik suffer from a little road rage?” I laughed. So did Marnie.

“Fucking construction. I can’t stand it.”

I peered back at Marnie. “Is he always like this?”

She flashed me a smile. “When he has a new pet he wants to show off? All the time.”

Heat rushed to my cheeks, and I turned around in my seat. “Is that really why we’re going?”

Dylan reached over to squeeze my hand. “Only if you want to. I know a few Doms who might be interested in a sub like you. That is, if you’re still interested.”

Oh, I don’t know if I’d say that.

A few minutes later, Dylan pulled into a packed parking lot. Marnie and I were dressed for just a simple night out—a blouse and skirt for me, and a corset with slacks for her. As for Dylan, he’d taken on a complete transformation since earlier this morning. Instead of a pressed suit and dark tie, Dylan was decked out in leather. Leather pants. Leather boots. The only thing that wasn’t leather was his button-down shirt, but that too would be gone by the time we entered the dungeon.

It was bad enough that I had to sit next to him in the car, staring at the chains hanging from his belt loops. I wasn’t sure how long we could contain ourselves before either Marnie or I jumped him.

“Come along, you two,” Dylan commanded as he turned off the ignition, taking on his role of our Master even before he stepped out of the car.

Marnie got out first, filing in a few steps after him. I followed shortly after her, keeping my head bowed and my gaze down at my feet, just as Marnie had instructed earlier in the day. I hadn’t ever been to the club we were heading into now.

When we reached the door, Marnie held it for Dylan and me, tiptoeing in behind me a couple of seconds later. She almost bumped into me when Dylan had us stop at the front desk.

“Nervous?” she whispered in my ear. Dylan glared back at her. “Sorry, Master.”

I looked at her and forced a smile. I was nervous, but seeing as they were my ride home, there was no way I could leave without them. Dylan guided us to a set of locker rooms, and while he went into one to change, Marnie and I leaned against one of the walls.

“Ever been here?” I asked, looking down at my feet whenever someone passed us in the hall.

“A few times.” She wiggled. “Dylan must be very happy with your progress.” When I looked up at her, she explained. “He doesn’t usually bring any of us to a dungeon unless it’s a treat.”

I nodded but didn’t say a word as I heard the locker room door open, followed by heavy footsteps in front of us.

“Come with me,” Dylan said, taking the lead.

We walked down a long hall with a door at the end of it. It reminded me of
Alice in Wonderland
, complete with people dressed in fetish outfits and a door that was so big I wondered if we’d all shrunk. The door in front of us opened, and a Dom walked through, pulling a male sub behind him with a leash hooked to the collar around his neck. I stiffened.

“Pet play,” Dylan said, nodding to me. “I won’t be doing that here.”

He pushed through the door, and the music from the main room thumped beneath our feet. We’d have to scream to hear one another over the noise. Then again, the main room wasn’t the reason we were here. Dylan had already mentioned a play date he’d set up for Marnie, about which she’d been very excited.

It was surprising, though. What with her being Dylan’s slave, I hadn’t thought he’d want to share her at all. Lights flashed above us, and Dylan stopped in front of a station. I looked up, blushing when I saw a Domme and her sub playing with a set of floggers.

“We’ll watch for a little bit,” Dylan said, his lips brushing against my ear. “And if you want, when the station opens up, we can play.”

I glanced at him. “I thought we were here for Marnie’s play date, Master.”

He smiled. “Her play date is just for her and the Dom I’ve picked out for her. We have the rest of the night to ourselves.” His attention swept around the room. He made a gesture at someone who then walked over to meet us. Dylan shook his hand as soon as the other Dom was within range. “Patrick, you remember Marnie, don’t you?”

Patrick grinned. Marnie’s cheeks darkened.
That must be her date,
I realised, reading her body language. She was already clamping her legs shut as if to ward off her arousal.

As a Dom, Patrick certainly fitted the part. He was dressed for the occasion, clad in leather pants much like Dylan’s along with a leather harness over his chest. His eyes homed in on me, perfectly accented by his gentle tan and almost-silver hair, which he’d pulled back into a very short ponytail.

He rubbed at the trimmed whiskers along his cheeks. “And who’s this little treat?” Patrick lifted my chin with his hand.

I stood perfectly still.

“Alyssa, say hello,” Dylan commanded.

“Hello,” I croaked, clearing my throat before trying again. “Hello, Sir.”

“Sir?” Patrick laughed. “Please. Sir makes it sound like I’m old, and I’ll have you know I’m only in my forties.”

My eyes widened, and I blinked at Marnie. We’d never discussed age, but I could’ve sworn she wasn’t older than twenty-six. Dylan was in his thirties—same as me. Marnie smiled when I caught her eye and offered a shrug.
To each their own, I suppose.

“Back by morning?” Patrick called over the dance music.

“Please.” Dylan grabbed Marnie’s chin and leaned in close to her. He said something I couldn’t hear. He’d probably told her to play nice before releasing her and swatting her on the ass. Then to me, he said, “Don’t worry. She can take care of herself. Patrick’s an old friend of hers. She’ll have a great time.”

I craned my neck and watched them go until they disappeared into the crowd. I suddenly felt terribly alone without Marnie there to support me. To be honest, I hadn’t realised how much I had depended on her over the last few weeks until now. It wasn’t that I didn’t trust Dylan—we’d just done so much together that not having her here now felt out of place. Wrong.

“Looks like a station is opening up,” Dylan said against my ear. “Want to try it?”

I winced at the music and shook my head.

“Too loud?”

I nodded, figuring he wouldn’t be able to hear me if I tried to speak. Smiling, he took my hand and guided me over to a smaller room. Doms and their subs lined the walls, taking up couches, chairs and large pillows. Some subs were lying with their Masters while others sat at their feet.

I glanced up at Dylan for guidance. But either because he wasn’t concerned or because he’d been watching one of the other Doms, my silent question went unanswered. We walked over to a vacant slab of wall, leaning against it as we watched the other couples come and go. I studied my outfit, comparing it to the other subs I saw. Most of them had very little clothing to speak of. Many of them had nothing on at all.

I tried not to stare. I tried not to lick my lips at a sub who was close by, sucking her Master’s cock. Dylan squeezed my neck, and I squirmed from his touch.

“You like watching, don’t you?” he growled in my ear, his lips curling against my neck when he went to kiss it.

“Yes, Master.” I moaned, surprised when none of the other couples looked at me.

“Being a little self-conscious, aren’t you?”

“Yes, Master.” My heart skipped a few beats. My stomach turned.

Dylan unbuckled his pants. Pulled them down to his knees. I swallowed at the sight of his erection. I forgot about everyone else in the room. Reached out to touch it. I stopped myself before I did, lowering my head. Waiting for permission. Needing to feel him. Wanting to taste him on my lips.

Dylan moaned. I glanced up at him. He ran his hand from the base of his cock all the way up to the head. He pressed his back against the wall, groaning with every stroke.

“Does my pet want to touch?” He didn’t look at me, his eyes rolling into the back of his head.

Please, Master. Please.
“Please…”
I wanted to feel him. Taste him. Fuck him.

“Please what?”

“Please, may I…” I licked my lips. “May I suck you, Master?”

He glared at me. “No.”

My heart sank. My throat tightened.

“You may lick me.”

My body shook as I dropped to my knees, doing my best to ignore the cold floor and the soreness I’d probably have later on. I reached out to touch him. He stopped me midair.

“What did I say?” he snapped.

“That I could…” I relaxed my arms and placed them behind my back. “That I could lick you, Master.”

“Good girl.” He leaned his head back. “Continue.”

My mouth watered at just the thought of tasting him. Of taking him in my mouth.
You can lick him.
Nothing else. It was a start.

Bowing my head, I traced the vein beneath his cock with my tongue. I licked at the side of his hard-on, letting his erection brush against my cheek before doing the same thing on the other side. He placed a hand on my head, preparing to guide me.
Please, Master. Please let me taste…

His hand didn’t move. It was barely there. A small reminder of what I was to him. A reminder of whom I was with. We were going at his pace, not mine. And if I hadn’t known any better, I’d have thought he was going make the evening agonisingly slow for us both.

I salivated. I swallowed, licking up and down his length. His shaft twitched each time I brushed my tongue over his head. I whimpered, parting the slit I found there with my tongue, rewarded by a pearl of pre-cum. I paused, delighting in its sweet flavour. I wanted him even more.

“That’s a good girl,” Dylan slurred, the weight of his hand getting heavier. “I want you to suck my balls.”

With pleasure.
Adjusting my stance on the hard floor, I bowed forward, taking one ball in my mouth. Dylan sucked in a breath of air. I released one ball and went for the other.

He wrapped my hair around his hand, yanking upwards until it hurt. I stopped. Straightened my back. Waited for further instructions.

Dylan returned his hand to his cock, stroking up and down. “You want this, don’t you?”

“Yes, Master.”
Now more than ever before.

“What would you do if I told you I didn’t want you to have it?”

I whimpered. “I would want it even more, Master.”

He smiled. “Then you can sit there and watch.”