Burned (Zodiac Alphas) Read online

Whatever he'd said to Mike made a difference. Mike had blindfolded Lexi over her mask and then head proceeded to flog her with just the right amount of heat and strength until she was sobbing and sagging against the chains that held her arms against the wall, with passion this time, rather than agony. The final blows of the flogger came from an upwards direction rather than swinging down, and had struck her right on her pussy. It threw her over the edge and she came right there.

  Lexi had been ready to thank Mike, and write off the early part of the scene as a learning experience. But when he'd taken the blindfold off and unchained her his eyes had been full of anger. She hadn't known why he was mad, all she'd known was that it had once again soured the scene for her. Made her feel dirty.

  So she didn’t plan to scene with him again. But she couldn’t ignore him since he’d asked her a direct question about why she didn’t have vaginal sex.

  “Anal and oral are just my personal preferences, Sir.” She wasn't about to tell him the real reason. Not to mention she really didn't want to talk to him at all.

  “Why don't we try a scene together again, Alexandra,” Magic Mike said. “Not a flogging scene since Calder had to finish you off last time. But we could do something else.”

  “What?” Jackson had been the one who flogged her and made her come so hard?

  Magic Mike misunderstood her question. “Anything you want. I personally prefer the harder stuff, but I've done some candle wax scenes. Or electrical.”

  “No, I meant I didn't know it was Jackson Calder who took over the flogging scene that night.”

  Mike's eyes narrowed. “Yeah. Hmmm. He said he was in the mood for a beating on a little ass and didn't want to go through all the rest of scene involvement. Asked if he could take over.” Mike shrugged. “Hey, it got me an invitation to his private poker game I've been trying to get into for a year. And got you off screaming.”

  “I had no idea.” It was always part of the excitement of a blindfold, not knowing exactly who was doing what to you. But she'd never dreamed it was Jackson who had brought her such a high. Although it made much more sense than it being Magic Mike.

  “Anyway why don't we try again? Here we are on this beautiful ship, both of us looking for a little fun.”

  She wanted to say no outright, but knew she should consider it. Jackson was nowhere to be found. He was somewhere on the ship but maybe he wasn't planning on attending the masked party tonight. They had no agreements between them, spoken or unspoken. Yeah, things had been building between them, but that didn’t necessarily mean it would come to a head here.

  There were a number of other Doms checking her out from where she sat at the bar, still dressed in her short black overcoat. Once she took that off, being dressed in just the harness would gather even more attention.

  Most of the Doms would not know anything about her, they would only be able to tell her hard and soft limits by the beaded bracelet she, and other submissives, wore. It allowed subs and Doms to know basic compatibility right off the bat.

  With one look at her wrist, an interested Dom would be able to see she liked bondage, moderate pain, and anal and oral sex. The green vaginal sex bead, possibly the most common bead on the submissive bracelet, was missing.

  Lack of traditional sex hadn't stopped her from having a good time for the past year at BDSM clubs. But it had made her sort of a rarity. Piqued a lot of interest.

  And after her time on this ship she planned to add the bead to her bracelet. Although honestly she hoped she wasn’t wearing one any more after this cruise. She hoped she’d just have one Dom. Especially since he already owned her heart anyway.

  But not if he wasn’t here.

  Lexi looked over at Magic Mike who was staring at her expectantly. She couldn’t do it. He wasn’t what she wanted. He ran too hot and cold for her.

  “Think you, Sir, for the offer, but I’m afraid I have to pass.”

  Mikes eyes grew harder, and he grabbed her arm. “I'm not good enough for you to play with, Alexandra?”

  “No, names, please. Not here.” He should know better than to use names on Mask Night, even if he was wrong about who she was anyway. He was a jerk.

  “I know who you are.” Mike didn't let go of her arm. “I know about SilverSystems. So what if you're not behind the programming itself? You're still important.”

  “You've been checking up on me?” She pulled her arm away and he let her.

  He shrugged. “I do a little research about everybody. Like I said, I know you're the beauty, not the brains, and I think that's great. Do a scene with me. Let me make you feel good. Make us both feel good.” He put his arm on the back of her barstool. “Don't force me to make it an order.”

  Lexi could feel tension rising through her body. A scene — any scene — with Master Mike was not what she wanted. Despite his statement, he couldn't force her to do anything with him. But as an unattached submissive who'd been talking to him, he could make it awkward and difficult for her to get away from him without drawing a lot of unwanted attention.

  “Master Magic, I appreciate the offer, but—”

  His eyes narrowed to slits. “On your knees right now.”

  Damn it. Lexi slid off the barstool. All she had to do was refuse, get the attention of one of the bartenders or roaming monitors and they would make sure Mike didn't bother her. But what could she really say he was doing wrong? Discussing scening with a potentially interested party? That's what they were all here for.

  If a sub was frightened or uncomfortable, they always had the option of calling for a monitor. Consent and safety was the number one priority in any good BDSM club. It was the reason that many people chose to play publicly: knowing there were stop-gap measures in place to keep things from getting out of hand.

  But what would she say about Mike if she called a club monitor over? He hadn't done anything against the rules or inappropriate. Somehow she didn't think calling for help just because Mike wasn't Jackson Calder wasn't going to go over very well.

  She slid onto her knees on the floor. Could see Mike's shoes as he got off his barstool to stand in front of her. She had no doubt he was going to force her to remove her thigh-length shiny vinyl coat so that she'd be reduced to only her harness. Fine. There had been plenty of times when she'd had on less in front of a lot more people. And she'd planned to eventually be dressed in just the harness anyway.

  She'd just hoped it would be for Jackson.

  “Strip,” Mike said. “You don't want to do a scene, that's fine. But that coat is covering too much for an available submissive.”

  Lexi unbelted the lightweight coat and shrugged it from her shoulders, so it fell to the ground. She heard a voice from behind her.

  “Now there's a sight to behold.”

  Jackson.

  Chapter Five

  Jackson very much liked seeing Alexandra on her knees, but not in front of another man. Particularly not in front of Mike Smallman.

  Smallman ran a midsize web and data analysis company. He did some work for Calder Enterprises, but mostly Jackson had been phasing him out. And if he had to be honest it had started with that botched flogging scene with Alexandra six months ago. It had only taken a moment of studying Alexandra to see that the scene hadn't been working for her. The opposite. She's been in pain and nowhere near aroused.

  A lot of people in BDSM clubs got off on pain. The pain in itself was enough of a pleasure. But Alexandra wasn't one of those. Jackson didn't know if Mike didn't have the perception to notice Alexandra's tense state, or if he just didn't care.

  Since it had only cost him the entrance into a poker game – although Jackson would have given a lot more – Jackson had taken over the scene from Mike.

  It looked like he was going to need to do that again right now. Nothing about Alexandra's posture or body language in the last few minutes that he'd been watching her and Mike from across the room had indicated desire or a natural inclination to submit to this man. She wanted to get away from him but had
n't known how without causing a scene.

  Jackson was about to cause a very literal scene.

  Mike's face was hard just for a moment at the interruption before he smoothed his features. “Jackson! How the hell are you? Quite a ship you have here. I wasn't aware you were on board.”

  Jackson shook the other man's hand. “I'm not here very often. Definitely not as often as I would like to be. But I thought I would spend a few days on board.”

  Jackson was still standing behind Alexandra. Couldn't help but admire the view of her trim back, and naked except for the leather wrapped around her neck, waist, and thighs. Her naked ass was creamy and pale. No residual marks from spankings today or recently.

  He smiled. A blank canvas.

  He walked around so that he was standing next to Magic Mike‬ — Jackson barely resisted rolling his eyes at the other man’s self-proclaimed title — and could see Alexandra's naked form from the front. ‬‬

  Jackson instantly became rock hard.

  Her breasts jutted out from where they were encased by the leather crossing her chest. Her pussy was completely exposed in the harness she chosen to wear.

  “Quite a specimen, eh?” Jackson asked. Alexandra was looking at the floor, but her nipples hardened at his words. Jackson chuckled. At least this overwhelming desire he had for her wasn't just one sided.

  “Seemed to me like she had on too many clothes. Thought I would help her with that,” Mike said.

  Jackson reached down and stroked her nipple gently, barely a caress. She still jerked as if he had shocked her.

  Easy there, sweetheart.

  “Donovan and I are going to scene with her in just a few minutes, did she mention that?”

  Of course she hadn't mentioned it, because Jackson hadn't talked to her about it. And of course if she didn't want to, they would never attempt to force her.

  But the way wetness glistened her pussy at his words, he didn't think consent was going to be a problem.

  “No, she didn't mention that.” Mike sounded annoyed. Good.

  “Naughty sub. You've been a bad girl.” Her nipples got even tighter at his mention of the latest story she’d just sent him. God, he'd read that thing again just an hour ago and had almost jacked off. “I guess I’ll have to punish you before Donovan and I both take you at the same time on the main stage. But since you look so pretty in your harness, maybe I'll let you choose your punishment. Nipple clamps during the scene or a spanking with my hand over my lap before we get started.”

  Although Alexandra's eyes remained on the ground, her breath hissed out and body jerked at his words. She wanted it. All of it.

  Jackson clapped Mike on the shoulder. “Thanks for getting her started, Magic. I hope you catch the show later.”

  Jackson thought for a second that Mike might argue with him, not that it was going to make any difference in the outcome of this evening, but the other man wisely held his tongue.

  “Yeah, sure. I'll look forward to it.” He walked away.

  Jackson reached out and grabbed Alexandra's coat then offered her a hand to help her stand.

  And damn near swallowed his tongue at the picture of her standing in just her thigh high boots and harness.

  “You're the fucking sexiest thing I've ever seen.”

  “Thank you, sir.” Her voice was a husky whisper.

  He dipped a finger under her chin so he could look into what he could see of her eyes under the concealing mask. “I hope you'll make an honest man out of me, by agreeing to the scene. But certainly there is no pressure.”

  “Yes, sir. I would like that.”

  What was it about this woman that drew him so deeply? It was time, past time, for getting the mask off and seeing what was really between them. He would play with her tonight publicly, but she would also be showing herself to him – all of herself, without the mask – tonight also.

  Her only choice was whether she wanted the mask to come off publicly or privately. He understood her need to keep it on while in a club. The vulnerability of a sub in a scene was astounding, particularly one who did not have a regular Dom.

  But Alexandra was about to have a regular Dom. If she still chose to wear the mask when they were out in public, he would allow it, at least for a while. But definitely not in private.

  “So what do you choose for your punishment? Nipple clamps or a private spanking from my hand?”

  Her eyes widened. “But—”

  He raised an eyebrow, fully aware of the unfairness of punishing her for something she'd had no idea about and therefore couldn't tell Mike. But he didn't care. “Choose, Little Sub.”

  Her choice would tell him a lot.

  Nipple clamps were sexy as hell and would definitely add a dimension to their scene, not only for her but for the people watching. Jackson would be more than happy to clamp those pretty, rosy nipples. Looked forward to it a great deal.

  But, her allowing him to spank her with his bare hand, in relative privacy, would be a different type of submission all together. A much more personal one. She may not be ready for something like that.

  “I–I...”

  She couldn't seem to get the words out. He trailed a finger across her lips and the lower part of her cheeks not covered by the mask.

  “Hard choice?”

  “Yes, Sir.”

  “Because you don't know which one you want?” He steeled himself not to be disappointed in her answer, no matter what it was.

  She shook her head. “No. Because I really want both.”

  This was possibly the best answer even available.

  “Oh, I think both can very definitely be arranged. But right now I want your bare ass over my lap.” He couldn't go another minute without touching her. Would prefer to take her back to his cabin, rip off that mask and fuck her senseless. But he would take great enjoyment in the scene with Donovan first.

  “I want to find a couch in a dark corner. I'm going to fire every fucking designer involved with the ship if there's not a couch in a dark corner where I can spank your ass.” He didn't want an audience for this, but neither did he want to go get a private room. He didn't trust himself.

  Alexandra gave a soft giggle, a lovely sound. “I know there are some on the other side of the main stage.”

  The main stage allowed for theater-in-the-round style viewing from all sides. right now it was being set up for Jackson and Donovan's scene with Alexandra. A large table that could be angled and raised or lowered at either end, for the Doms' pleasure. At the center of the table was a wide padded bench. Jackson pointed to it as they walked by. “You're going to be over that bench, strapped to it, unable to move, while I fuck you in the ass and Donovan comes in your mouth.”

  He smiled as he saw her breathing hitch and those little nipples get pointy again. She wanted it just as much as he did.

  As she said, there were groups of chairs and couches on this side of the stage. It was relatively empty, most people were playing or watching something else. Good. A little privacy — but not too much — was exactly what he wanted.

  He sat in the middle of the couch, placing her coat over the arm. She stood in front of him, waiting, as a good submissive should, for him to direct her.

  “Spread your legs,” he said softly. She didn't hesitate. He ran a finger through those swollen lower lips. “So wet. You don't let Doms fuck or touch you here, and I'll respect that, while we're here at the club. But eventually when we’re in private,” – and he had no doubt they would be together alone in private soon – “I'm going to want some answers about that.”

  “Yes, Sir.”

  “I would like to play with your clit as I ask you a few questions, is that okay with you?”

  Her hips were already gently thrusting themselves towards his fingers, so obviously whatever reason she had for not allowing any sort of vaginal play was not because of trauma. Thank God. He still thought it probably had to do with her dead husband.

  “Yes, Master.”

  He ru
bbed the little nub gently, with just the slightest bit of pressure. “The stories you write for me. Do you touch yourself while you write them? Because I sure as hell touch myself while I read them.”

  He added a little more pressure to her clit.

  “Yes, Sir.” She blew out a shaky breath, her hips still gently moving towards his hand.

  “You'll keep writing me the stories. And you keep touching yourself, and thinking of me, as you write them.”

  He pressed his thumb harder against her and felt her shudder and gasp. Caught up in what she was feeling, she didn't answer, so he moved his hand away. She moaned in disappointment.

  “Do you understand?”

  “Yes Sir. I will keep writing them and I will touch myself when I do it.”

  “And afterwards you will take your juices from your finger and wipe them along the edges of the paper so I can smell it. Smell your arousal when I read it.”

  Her hips sought out his fingers again and he put his thumb back on her clit.

  “Yes, Sir” she moaned louder. “Please, may I come, Sir?” Her hips were now moving at a more jerky motion.

  “Yes, come.” He shifted his thumb around her clit one more time before pressing on it and giving her the pressure she needed. He watched her masked face, that sexy mouth, as she came, grinding herself against his hand, breathing in short, frantic pants.

  He didn’t give her a chance to recuperate. She was barely coming down from the high before he pulled her over his lap, feeling her wetness against his leg. He brought his hand down against the naked flesh of her ass.

  This was purely for pleasure — his and hers — not to test her limits in any way. That could come much later. This was just for the opportunity of seeing her fair skin turn pink under his blows, to watch as the flesh under his hand flattened with each spank.

  It wasn’t difficult to tell the spanking was turning her on. Revving her up again towards orgasm.

  “No coming this time.” He chuckled when he heard her disappointed moan through the soft grunts each time his hand slapped her skin. “I want you primed and ready to go when Donovan and I take you together in a few minutes.”