Acting Dominant

by Tigger

©2008

Chapter 14: As Maitresse Likes It

   

Solange made her way to the dais with the slow, measured elegance the common folks would expect from the Queen of the Nile. She had been very particular about the placement of the small stage in the dungeon's large, second-floor ballroom. She wanted to be able to see and be seen by all of her guests, and clearly, that goal had been achieved. By the time she reached center stage and took up the microphone, all conversation had stopped and every eye was fixed on her.

With a royal flourish, she set aside the cane and flogger she carried in lieu of Pharaoh's crook and flail royal scepters, and raised the handheld microphone as if to speak. For several moments, she simply stood there silently, scanning the assembled guests - her subjects - before beginning her address. "Mistresses and slaves, tops and bottoms, honored guests, it is time to begin what we hope will be the highlight of this year's festivities."

From her position off to the side of the dais, Tina studied the two hundred or so attendees, seeing their attention completely focused on Solange in her personal interpretation of Queen Nefertiti. They were, she thought, a very mixed bag of folks, at least insofar as their varied modes of attire were concerned.

Certainly, all the professional Dominas associated with the dungeon were in some type of costume. Solange would have insisted in any case, but her intervention hadn't been necessary. To a woman, they all enjoyed being the center of attention too much to miss the chance to strut their stuff at a party. If there was a dominant female fantasy figure not represented by these ladies, Tina mused, it must be pretty esoteric - like maybe a dominant bitch-nerd or some such. Certainly all the more common fantasies were in full evidence - everything from a very wicked looking nurse to a dauntingly stern schoolmarm (yardstick at the ready!). Not to mention Queen Nefertiti, up there on the dais, in full makeup, golden headdress and crown. Okay, so maybe the real Egyptian Queen didn't wear black silk or high heeled sandals, but hey, if the fantasy took some liberties with historical accuracy, Solange's costume and presentation were WORTH it.

Most of the males in attendance had eschewed costumes, with the notable exception of those lifestyle submissives who were there to 'escort' to their individual owners/Mistresses. There were a couple of leashed 'dogs' and one really buff Chippendale, but Tina thought the one dressed as Cupid, complete to his tiny wings, even tinier diaper and toy bow and arrow, was particularly cute. The pony-boy in his harness, bit and blinders was pretty impressive. too, but she wondered precisely what kept that tail in place. Never ask a question to which you couldn't be sure you REALLY wanted to learn the answer, up close and very personal. That was now her motto - at least since she'd come to work for Solange.

There were also a couple of cross-dressed slaves in full drag-queen regalia. Their apparently intentional ineptitude gave Tina cause to wonder if anyone in the crowd had read or was reading her? Probably, she mused – but more likely by the genetic women in the crowd than the men. A couple of the unattached males had already hit on her. Her leather equestrienne outfit was pretty hot, if she did say so herself, but it did tend to draw the type who wanted to be on the receiving end of her dressage whip. How, she wondered, were you supposed to 'beat them off with a stick' if being beaten was their whole purpose in being here? Challenges, challenges, she was always dealing with these little challenges.

Most of male guests and clients were dressed in suits and ties, or in formal black-tie evening wear. She wondered what would happen to all those spiffy clothes if the opportunity to play presented itself. Locked up in one of the prep rooms, probably, because good D/s play tended to get a little messy at times.

There were also a few women in attendance who were not costumed - again mostly they were garbed in elegant evening wear - and they were, to a woman, the escort of one of the members of the mundanely dressed male client group. Wives or significant others, she thought, coming to see what hubby or SO really wants in the bedroom? Maybe.

However, if there were a prize for tonight's 'outstanding costume?' Tina decided that she'd have to declare the contest a dead heat between Solange and ShaJuana.

Juana was currently prowling about the ballroom dressed as a sleek, black panther - a hungry sexual predator on the hunt for her favorite prey. The latex body suit she wore blended almost perfectly with her own coffee-colored skin tone, giving the casual observer the first impression she was nude. Tina wondered how anyone could see that magnificent female animal in all her glory and not start howling at the moon? She certainly felt that urge just now.

Juana's hands sported fingerless gloves made to look like cat's paws, and that showed off her off blood red nails, errr. . .claws. A bold tail curled up from her bottom (and Tina thought it unlikely that it was 'connected' in the same manner as the pony's had been) and a pair of alert cat's ears peaked through her wildly teased mane hair. White face paint and lipstick gave the illusion of a sexy feline muzzle that curled into a very scary grin. Just looking at her made Tina's hands sweat and her mouth go dry.

"Have I got your attention?" Solange called out. A few voices yelled out in the affirmative. "Good! When each of you presented your invitation at the door tonight, you might have noticed that we peeled your name off the invitation and put it into hollow plastic balls - much like this one."

She held up a purple colored sphere, about two inches in diameter. "Now, we're going to have a drawing, and the winners of the drawing are going to have a chance to win a free, full day session at the dungeon, without regard to cost. You want my six sexiest dommes taking turns using your butt for spanking practice? You'll have them! You want to run the gauntlet of every playroom in the house, spending an hour in each room as the honored guest of a different Mistress? It'll happen! You want the chance to hone your bound naked wrestling skills and take on a Mistress tag team with one hand - or perhaps both hands - tied behind your back? You'll get it! You want to be one to dominate that special Domina who has driven you to the point of insanity when you were HER submissive? She'll be there and be yours."

She let the buzz of excited chatter build throughout the room before giving them the rest. "Hey, now you all just calm down for a second! I didn't say the drawing winners would get the prizes - I said they'd get the chance to win - there's a big difference!"

"What would we have to do to win?" a voice called from the back of the room.

"Why, escape from my Hall of Horrors within three minutes of entering."

"What is it? A mile long?"

Solange laughed at that, and shook her head. "No, silly - it takes up barely half the dungeon level - no more that a couple hundred feet or so. Each of the four lucky contestants will enter on one side, and if he or she escapes out the other side in under the time limit, then we'll have a winner!"

Skepticism was clear on many of the male clients' faces, Tina saw. They must know Solange pretty well, she thought amused.

"Can't be that easy!" a voice called out finally.

"Easy, who said anything about easy? Who would DARE expect anything easy in MY dungeon? Puuhh-Lease," Solange sniffed, earning an uneasy laugh from the males in the group and a heartier one from the dominant women. "I will say, however, that there are three ways to win and three ways to lose. That's as fair as it gets, right?"

She let that thought hang for a few moments, and then, smiling wickedly, she continued. "Here's the basic premise. The player - that is, the person with the chance to win the free session of a lifetime - he or she isn't going to be in there alone. Oh, no! There will traps set for the unwary intended to slow them down, or to capture them completely. There will also be at least one of my Mistresses in there, too, with the expressed goal of capturing the player, or at the very least, preventing the player from exiting my Hall of Horrors within the three minute time limit. She captures the player if she gets him or her down on the floor and holds them there for a count of ten." Solange grin became wider. "Note, I said a ten-count, not ten seconds. I'll be doing the counting."

That earned more laughter, just as she'd intended - some hearty, some anxious. "If the player is captured," 'Nefertiti' continued, "Or if the player doesn't escape within three minutes, he has already given consent, by agreeing to compete in the first place, to belonging to the victorious Mistress - or Mistresses," she said, put heavy emphasis on the plurality, "For the rest of the evening. Just so you all know? Each of these specially selected huntresses of the night have spent the last week preparing a VERY special challenge play scene for the lucky winner. . .I mean, loser."

"Hey, waitaminute," a female voice demanded. "That sounds like two ways to lose and only one way to win."

"So it is. Okay, if the player manages to capture the Mistress before the three minutes are up the player wins. All a player has to do to capture the Mistress is take HER to the floor and hold her down for a ten-count without her escaping the hold AND without the three minute alarm sounding. In addition to his prize, winning by capture includes getting the losing Mistress as his or her submissive, or as a topped from the bottom Domme, for the rest of the evening. So that's two ways to win and two ways to lose. Everybody got that so far?"

The crowd's vocal response was generally affirmative, so Solange smiled and continued. "The other way to win is to complete the challenge play scene with the victorious Mistress before the stroke of midnight without safewording. Since these Mistresses and scenes will be the result of a completely random drawing, we realize a player may get a scene that might violate personal limits. We will, as we always do, honor anyone's safeword. However, safewording only stops the challenge scene - that player will still lose the challenge, which will entail an additional forfeit."

"That sounds a lot like being punished for safewording, Maitresse," one of the tuxedo-garbed men asked. "That's not fair!"

"You might well take it that way, and if you truly DO feel that way, I suggest you decline to participate if I select your name out of the basket. These will not be normal play sessions, my friends. These are challenge sessions. For a prize of this magnitude, there has to be a comparable price," Solange said seriously.

"Does the player win the Mistress if he just escapes?" Someone called out.

"Of course not," Solange's tones were caustically dismissive. "You want to own a Mistress, even for a night? You have to capture her, but she wins the contestant by either method."

"NOT FAIR!" someone in the back yelled out.

"And your point is?" Solange asked, her voice all saccharine-sweet, earning a mostly feminine laugh and a deep flush from her accuser. "My game - my rules. Play or don't play, it makes no difference to me! Any other questions?"

One of the Dominas that Tina did not recognize stepped forward, pulling a leashed male costumed as a very ugly dog behind her. "Before I'd order Muffy here take that kind of challenge, Solange, I need specifics on the forfeit. I don't mind another Mistress putting him through his paces, but I normally insist on being the one to evaluate his use of his safeword - after a little time for emotions to cool, and in the privacy of our home."

"Fair enough. First, let me tell you that I have personally screened all proposed scenes to ensure that physical injury is NOT an issue. Sitting down comfortably afterwards may be, but not injury. All right?" A general murmur answered that question but Tina couldn't tell if it was positive nor negative when Solange pressed on, "If a player accepts the challenge, enters the Hall of Horrors and then safewords at any point before they've completed the challenge, we will lock the player in a gender appropriate chastity device and return their clothing to him or her. The key to the chastity device lock will ONLY be given to the player when he or she decides to leave the party for the evening. Once they have the key, he or she won't be allowed to return to the dungeon until Thanksgiving, when all the contestants, and their significant others, will be the guests of the dungeon for our holiday dinner and other festivities."

"So the forfeiture means no sexual release for the losing player until after leaving here?" the Mistress holding 'Muffy's' leash asked, sounding almost hopeful to Tina's ears.

"That's the plan. Once all four contestants have made their attempts, the other playrooms will be open and monitored for safety, as we always do for one of our parties. Challenge losers will be allowed to stay as long as they want, and they, like any other guest, will be able to watch the fun, but participating might be frustrating and uncomfortable for them."

Cupid raised his hand, and Solange acknowledged his Mistress, who gave him permission to speak. "Maitresse, any clues as to what the challenge scenes will entail?"

"An excellent question, dear. Not to give you too much information, but we will have a scene involving a truly whole-body massage, guaranteed by the Mistress in charge to send the loser out of body. There will also be a corporal punishment challenge, one involving an extended teasing and denial session, and last but not least, a very special slave scavenger hunt. That's all I will say for now. If that's not enough information for you, again, I must suggest that you decline to participate."

"As if I'd let him wimp out like that," the Mistress standing beside him retorted before giving him a fierce look.

"If there are no other questions," Solange said, "Shall we get on with the drawing?"

"Sounds fair enough."

"Okay with me."

"When do we start?"

"Ought to be fun!"

"Can't wait to see what happens!"

"Hope you get selected, Muffy!"

"Arf, arf, arf!"

"All right, then. Mistress ShaJuana, would you do the honors and pick the first name, please?" Solange called, picking up a large bag from the floor beside her.

ShaJuana skulked up to the dais, every sensuous step emulating the great cat she portrayed. Once there, she snarled at the audience, and then proceeded to pull a single ball from the bag. She handed Solange the ball, and stepped back to watch the rest of the selections play out. Solange set it down on the table, and opened it up. "Oh, my," she breathed, and then called out, "James Harris, will you accept the challenge?"

Tina almost giggled at the goggle-eyed young man. Then he swallowed hard. "Ummm, yes, I guess. ummm, Maitresse."

"Come, come, James - yes or no. This is no time to be wishy-washy. Do you accept my challenge or not?"

There wasn't a man in the room, submissive or otherwise, who could have ignored the nearly derisive tone in Solange's voice. "Yes, Ma'am, I accept.

Harris was then ordered to approach the dais and select the next ball. Solange grimaced extravagantly as she read the slip of paper she held up after opening the ball. "Hmmmm, I'm not sure I want to offer this one, since he's MY slave, and it would annoy me greatly for HIM to dictate his next scene with me, or to dare to attempt top me." She made a show of crumpling up the paper and looking around for a trash basket, then grinned. "Oh well, fair is fair. Walter Evans, do you wish to accept the challenge?"

This was the one, Tina realized, the one Solange wanted to challenge. She saw the hesitancy in his eyes, but she also saw the hunger. Empathy, along with a well-honed instinct for the right line delivered for best effect took hold of her. "Looks like he's either too happy with your current attentions, Solange, or too afraid of your wrath," Tina said lightly, but loudly enough to be clearly heard throughout the crowded room. "Perhaps you should select another in his stead?"

Her jibe struck home, for Solange's sub flushed bright red, and then blurted out, "I accept, Maitresse."

"Oh, very well." Solange accepted with apparent disappointment, before offering the bag to Evans for him to select the next candidate. " And our next contestant is," she hesitated for effect, "Victor Davis. Mr. Davis, do you accept the challenge?"

There was an uncomfortably long silence answering Solange's challenge. Tina thought he was going to say 'no' because the look he gave Solange revealed none of the fear and/or excitement she'd sensed from first two winners. Then he shrugged, squared his shoulders and said in a very steady voice. "Yes, I'll accept the challenge."

Only Tina caught Solange's quick shiver of relief at his acceptance because she quickly turned to three Mistresses who had been waiting in the wings. "Please escort the players to the waiting room and help them prepare."

'HEY, WAIT," an attractively plump Mistress yelled. "You said there would be FOUR contestants! You only drew three names!"

Solange made a show of hitting herself in the head with her palm. "You, know? You're right! I almost forgot that I had already decided that two of my Dommes were going to go into the Hall, just to prove that everything's fair. Because, as we all know, no TRUE Domina would willingly submit - especially to someone she competes with for subbies on a daily basis. And I knew, immediately, just who those two Mistresses would be. You see, Mistress Antinelli over there," and Tina stood stock still as Solange waived the microphone in her direction, "Owes me a forfeit for - can you believe it? - being LATE to pick me up for lunch just the other day."

There was a collective gasp from most of the male contingent, and more than few feminine snickers from the many Dommes.

Solange brought the microphone back to her lips. "Mistress Antinea, do you dare to take up the same challenge as our three guests? Or are you going to wimp out in front of all your colleagues and our clients, and refuse this challenge?" There was a bite in those words, even though Tina had been prepared for them, that got her ego juices flowing.

ShaJuana jumped up on the dais and grabbed the microphone from Solange. Her grin was diabolical. "Oh, YEAH! Go ahead and take it, cutie," she growled low in her throat at Tina, "I won't be . . . TOO. . . rough. Not unless you beg real nice."

Tina slowly crossed her arms beneath her breasts, and stared hard at the feline-garbed Mistress. "Really? What makes you think I'd be paired against you?"

Solange snatched the microphone back before ShaJuana could respond. "Because," she said in very heavy tones, "In contrast to you, you naughty girl, Mistress ShaJuana has actually far exceeded my demanding expectations of her recently, and so I promised her a little reward. She chose you. I'm giving you to her, or rather, I'm giving her a chance to win you."

"Same thing, Solange," Juana interjected, leaning over so she spoke into the open microphone.

"Safely, sanely and consenually, of course, dear," Solange replied, casting a sardonic grin to the tall black girl.

"Oh, of course - wouldn't do it any other way," ShaJuana purred, for she'd been waiting days for another chance to get her paws on her diminutive friend, again.

"You did say, Maitresse," Tina asked, "That I could win HER by taking down Mistress ShaJuana in the Hall of Horrors, and then it will be me who gets to dominate HER?"

"Exactly, Mistress Antinea," Solange agreed. "The same challenge, the same rules, the same prizes and penalties."

A ripple of disbelief and laughter floated through the guests, for Juana's intense style of play was well known by client and colleague alike. Not many of the Mistresses in attendance would willingly give the tall, dark and lovely amazon carte blanche over their bodies - no negotiation, no yellow code, and a forfeit for safewording - even those who would privately admit to some submissive urges.

"Then, of course I accept the challenge." Tina said, her voice carrying over the continuing buzz from the crowd, "And Juana? You just keep enjoying those girlish little fantasies of topping me in that special challenge scene because that's all they'll be - fantasies. I'm taking you down, Tall-Booty! I have wanted that long, gorgeous bod of yours dancing to my tune for simply ages. Trust me on this! You're gonna be the one who'll need the safeword, not me!"

Stunned silence answered this unknown, not particularly physically impressive Mistress who'd just thrown down the gauntlet to one of the largest, strongest Dominas in the city. For her part, ShaJuana simply grinned, looking like a jungle cat who had just found a very confused, particularly juicy wildebeest stuck in mud.

"Very well, the challenge is accepted," Solange called out. "Then, let us begin again. These Mistresses will escort you to the prep room we've set up for to get you ready for your challenges."

The three Mistresses, Isolde, Betina, and Vanessa, stepped forward to link arms with the four contestants. As they began to lead them away, Solange added loudly, "Bring their locker keys to me for safe keeping once they've locked up their clothes and you have them all kitted out."

Harris spun on his heel and stared at the Maitresse. "Clothes? kitted out?"

"Of course there are some. . .little preparations. Just to make things fair."

"Fair? Like what?" he demanded, his eyes narrowing. "That wasn't part of your description earlier."

Solange gave an exaggerated shrug. "Well, since you ask, we thought that since we're giving you three minutes to escape, and since you are going to be challenged by mere women, Mistresses though they may be, we've added a few items to make the challenge more. . . challenging. Nothing too restrictive - just trying to ensure that any physical contest a bit more even. As for taking your clothes, well, it IS a Hall of Horrors. If you don't mind having that lovely tux get slimed in KY-Jelly, or some other such indignity, we won't insist you go in wearing the, ah, somewhat skimpy attire we've selected for you. Seems a waste to ruin such a fine suit though, when a shower after you . . . win?" and there was a questioning challenge in her voice, "will put things to rights. It is, however, entirely your choice."

"You didn't tell anyone about that before hand," he repeated, his tone rebellious. "You call THAT fair?"

"Oh, very well. if you feel that bit of non-disclosure was unfair, I suppose I MUST let you just quit now." She didn't say 'wimp' but the word was still 'heard' by everyone present - particularly Harris. "I won't even make you pay the forfeit if you quit on us now. Anything unfair about that, Mr. Harris?"

Tina walked up to Harris and put her hand in the crook of his elbow. "Shall we go, Mr. Harris? We don't want to miss out on the fun, do we? Surely you intend to win in any case, don't you?" For a moment, she thought he might still back out, but then he shrugged. Turning, they followed the others toward the preparation rooms on the other side of the large hall. A sense of anticipation hovered over guests as they settled themselves in front of the recently installed big-screen televisions, ready to be entertained.

~-~

The blond Valkyrie (Isolde) and Natasha Fatale (Betina) escorted the three men into one prep room while Venus, Goddess of Tough Love, (Vanessa) took Tina to another. Tina had not yet had occasion to work with or be trained by the voluptuous red-head, but knew her casually through other members of the dungeon staff.

Vanessa's specialty was age-play. She was highly skilled at turning her clients into 'little boys or girls', subject to the whim of a stern mother, teacher or baby sitter played by Vanessa. She always claimed that this was something that growing up in her Italian, mother-dominated home had well prepared her.

"Don't think I'd have taken that challenge, Tina," she said as she closed the door of the prep room behind them. I mean, ShaJuana is sexy as they come, and her clients worship her, but damn, she's BIG!" Vanessa was even shorter than Tina, and it would have been no trouble at all for the powerful black Amazon to diaper HER. "I KNOW I wouldn't have had the brass tubes to taunt her that way! How in god's name do you think you're going to take her down?"

"Well, I admit it's a daunting proposition," Tina said, as she shed her costume's riding boots, coat, blouse and jodhpurs, "But you know what they say, 'the bigger they are,' et cetera, et cetera, et cetera. Besides, if that bit of trash-talk pisses her off, even just a bit? She might get a little careless."

"And she might damn-well get YOU, Tina, and then where will you be? Either in her clutches or wandering around the dungeon in one of Solange's wicked chastity devices." The petite Domme gave an exaggerated shudder as she carried over the box containing Tina's 'kit' for the game. "Here's the latex bra and thong," she said offering international orange-colored garments to Tina. "Cripes, you're gonna glow in the dark in those things."

"Well, guess Solange isn't THAT concerned about making things fair," and then giggled at the goggle-eyed look from her helper.

~-~

  

  

  

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