Whatever fate Tara had damned them to didn't matter at the moment. Tara shook off the thought, the questions about the decisions she'd made, and opened the bond more fully. She'd been able to feel Faith before. Now…Now Faith's emotions rolled through the conduit like high tide crashing against a beach.
Tara felt and observed – and stayed quiet. She'd challenged Faith. Given her clear commands. She had to trust Faith to obey. To care for Cat, for all of Cat's needs. To be the Dominant that Faith had, Tara suspected, once been.
Faith loomed over Cat, a small smile lightening the scowl she'd worn moments ago. "Ma'am is sitting over there laughing at us. I'm never gonna be more than Faith."
"I'd never laugh, my Slayer." Tara wasn't amused by the scene in front of her. She was proud. So proud of Faith and the leap she was taking. "You don't ever have to be more than Faith to be a good Dominant. The key is to put your girl's, your Cat's, needs first. Watch her. Listen to her. Not what she says, but how she says it."
"Yes, Faith." Cat was so formal. So different than Faith when she was deep in her submission. "My hard limits include watersports, blood play, or humiliation. And nothing that leaves permanent marks."
"Good girl, tiger." They were beautiful together. Faith's hand trembled slightly as she brushed Cat's neck, and Cat leaned trustingly into the touch. "I knew you could do it."
The words settled Cat. Tara saw the girl's muscles slacken. She relaxed into position, no longer fighting her submission.
"What the fuck do I do now?" Faith glanced up and met Tara's gaze. "How do I know what she needs? What if I do something wrong?"
Tara waited Faith out. Faith wasn't going to hurt Cat. Tara suspected that Faith would cut her own arm off rather than truly injure Cat. The moment stretched on, though, and Faith's fears didn't lessen. "Where would I take you, Faith?"
Nodding slightly, Faith bent toward Cat. "Let's take this into the bedroom." Muscles bunched as she lifted Cat off the floor in a Collaring-style carry. Tara wanted to snap a photo as Cat curled further into Faith's hold. All warm, cuddly submissive. "Where to, tiger?"
"Door on the left." Cat wasn't in subspace yet, but Tara thought she was close. The words slid together, lacking crisp enunciation.
Tara slipped past Faith, tiptoeing as quickly and quietly as possible to avoid shattering the mood. She found the bedroom door and opened it as Faith followed her into the bedroom. It was pitch, only the dim light from the living room creating a wedge of illumination in the doorway.
It was enough for Faith to find the bed. Tara hunted for a light switch or lamp as Faith continued to care for Cat. "Someone's got way too many clothes on."
As she stumbled around the room to the sound of belts, buckles, and laces being undone or removed, Tara thanked Fate her boots had steel toes. Otherwise, she'd have a collection of broken toes as she stumbled into the end of the bed and a chair. Finally! Tara turned on the floor lamp and dropped into the recliner next to it.
She blinked in the bright light before focusing on Faith and Cat again. Holy Fate! Nothing would ever be as sweet and sexy as a fully-dressed Faith bending over a soon-to-be-naked Cat.
"See something you like?" Faith teased, even as she kissed Cat. Her hands ripped Cat's pants down and off. Her lips dragged downward as well. Her emotions burned through the bond, threatening to turn Tara to ash in their wake.
They were both lost in the moment. Lost in the feel and taste of Cat through their link. Wrapped together. Sharing everything.
And then Cat moved. Her leg wrapped around Faith's hip.
"Bad tiger." So deeply joined, Tara didn't know which of them had initiated the thought.
Faith drew away. From the bond. From Cat. Lifting her head and punishing the attempt to take control by withholding her touch. "Very good, my Slayer," Tara praised. Faith's instincts were on point.
Cat knew it, too. "Sorry, Faith." Her foot dropped away from Faith and returned to the floor.
Energy swirled through the bond. Tara's skin tingled with it. She closed her eyes, enjoying the inner heat and vitality. Faith's confidence was growing. Growing so much Tara enjoyed the snap and snarl in Faith's husky voice as she called Cat to task for another poor choice. "You sure you want to play tonight, tiger?"
Opening her eyes, Tara caught Cat's strained. "Yes, Faith. I'm sorry."
"Get her out of her head." Tara gave the advice automatically and then did her own apologizing. "Sorry, sweetie. I know you've got this handled."
She wasn't expecting Faith's response. "Maybe. Don't mean you can't join in. Kinda think you and me sharing the tiger sounds hot." Husky laughter indicated Faith had clearly felt Tara's visceral agreement.
Sharing. Tara hadn't considered that. Had thought…
"You think too much," Faith commented. Tara wondered if Faith meant her or Cat.
Mind working overtime to make sense of everything that had happened in the last few days, Tara stopped monitoring the scene on the bed so closely. Faith had not only proven surprisingly adept at controlling Cat, but also at reaching out for advice when she needed it.
What would happen when Faith remembered her previous bond? When she came fully into her Dominance? Already, Tara could see Faith's cocky grin and easy mastery of her submissive as she tortured Cat's nipples. Something Cat obviously enjoyed if the flush on her skin and the pulse pounding in her throat were any indication.
The current scene faded into a memory that Tara cherished. The day she'd struggled to prove her talents as an insecure Dominant with a beautiful, strong-willed submissive.
Tara retracted enough of the delicate yet sturdy chain until Faith's arms were raised. She did not attempt to pull Faith onto her toes. Nylon wasn't designed for that and might damage Faith's skin. And the knot was more for show than function.
It still presented a pretty picture. And it was enough like "real" bondage to have created a red flush from just above Faith's breasts to her hairline.
Tara felt a bit flushed herself. "Red or green, my Slayer?"
"Green, Tara." Mmm, submissive Faith was in the room. Tara shuddered at the soft, slightly fuzzy answer.
"Do you know what it's like to know someone as powerful as you granted me control?" Tara slowly circled Faith, hand trailing over every inch of her back and stomach. Faith's muscles twitched delightfully at the touch. Touch, twitch, step, touch, twitch. A little more of the world faded as Tara completed a second circuit. "It's like drinking a dozen double-shot espressos at one sitting." The air around Tara felt electric with energy.
That day had been both the best and the worst of her early relationship with Faith. She couldn't deny Faith this chance to recover her past and to grow into the Dominant she'd been destined to be.
Faith's surge of fear and self-loathing tore Tara from her memories. "Easy, tiger." She held Cat close, hands running a rhythmic path over shoulders and arms. "I did something. She fucking panicked!"
Taking care of Faith was second nature. Examining Cat, Tara didn't see any obvious injury, but Faith had cuffed Cat. "The cuffs, being immobilized, might be a trigger." Although, Cat hadn't mentioned that was a hard limit.
Faith had the same thought. "Easy, tiger. You didn't mention bondage was a trigger."
Cat apparently wasn't too frightened. She retained all of her sass as she replied, "I'm fine."
"Don't lie," Faith snarled. Anger was her go-to method of disguising fear or pain. Tara winced in sympathy as she once again held Cat accountable for her behavior with a sharp slap to the thigh.
The punishment and Faith's upset had an immediate effect on Cat. Explanations tumbled from her lips. "I'm not. I mean I won't. Cuffs don't bother me. I like them."
"Then what the fuck happened?" Faith stepped away from Cat, hands opening and closing. Violence radiated from her pores – all of it directed inward.
Tara stared at Cat. The girl was so connected to Faith that she turned her head to follow Faith's movements, even with a pony blinder cutting off her sight. It was the only time Cat moved. She lay on the bed in willing submission. Cat hadn't lied. She hadn't been reacting to the mild bondage. "I think you hit a trigger Cat wasn't aware she had, my Slayer. She's fine. You're fine."
But Faith remained at the foot of the bed, expression haunted. The specter of losing control had its claws deep in Faith's psyche.
"You didn't hurt me, Faith." Cat touched Faith's weak spot on the first try – and worked to soothe it. "I didn't…I couldn't…"
"Go to her!" Tara ordered. Whatever had set Cat off, Tara suspected Faith's retreat was worse emotionally for the girl.
Faith took a reluctant step toward Cat as Cat continued talking. "You stopped talking, and I didn't know where you were. I need to hear you, Faith. Please just talk to me. Please, Faith." Cat's pleas drew Faith back to her side. "I know you won't hurt me, Faith. I trust you to take care of me."
Tara knew Faith didn't trust herself. Not since Allan Finch and a dark alley. Not since Faith had believed the honeyed promises of Richard Wilkins III. "I'm a Slayer," Faith mumbled. "I wouldn't mean to hurt you…"
"Shh, my Slayer. You would never harm Cat." Tara made sure to distinguish between hurt and harm.
Her mental pep talk wasn't as effective as Cat's quiet, "You wouldn't hurt me unless that's what I needed." More of Faith's tension eased and she stepped back into position next to Cat. "I trust you to take care of me," Cat repeated and held out her right wrist.
The tenor of Faith's emotions in the bond still hummed with unease. However, Tara smiled her approval when Faith took Cat's wrist and clipped it to the cuff on her other arm. "You're beautiful, tiger."
Was there anything more erotic than Faith's throaty rumble? Tara longed to enter the scene. To shove Faith onto the bed next to Cat and enjoy two of the most beautiful subs in Boston. She'd put Faith on top, facing Cat's feet.
Faith would ride Cat's face as the girl brought her to climax. And Tara? She'd show Cat her softer side at first. She'd worship every inch of Cat's skin, starting at her feet before making a torturously slow path upward.
Cat's wonton cry mixed seamlessly with Tara's musings. Unable to remain an observer, Tara abandoned the recliner and put her fantasies into motion. She massaged Cat's feet and calves, leaving the rest of the girl for Faith to play with.
Faith's voice was stern. Authority sounded good on her, Tara thought. "New rules, tiger." Faith straddled Cat's stomach and leaned forward. Tara wanted to abandon Cat's extremities and grip Faith's ass. Brush her thumbs over the tight ring of muscle protecting Faith's anus.
"Fuck, T!" Faith's mental outburst added to Tara's longing. And she heard a similar craving in Faith's whisper to Cat. "You want me to talk to you, I got you covered. But I want you to give up something in return. My price? Your voice. Not one sound unless you safeword. Nod if you understand."
Tara felt, rather than witnessed, Cat's nod. She worked with a will on the tight muscles in Cat's calves.
A warm chuckle filled the silence. "You get all tense like that when you go to the bar?"
Ah, the tension was in response to Faith. Tara grinned. The trap had been set.
"No, Faith." Cat walked right into the snare. And she knew it. The muscles beneath Tara's hands resembled cement.
Disappointment oozed from Faith's voice. "Still not following orders." Without leaving her spot across Cat's torso, Faith rummaged in the Bag.
"You still need to get her out of her head," Tara told Faith.
"Kid's got issues." Faith pulled out a pair of nipple clamps. "These fuckers hurt like a bitch. Bet Cat won't be thinkin' too hard once I slap these on." She grabbed a leather strap from the bag as well, tossing it to one side.
Tara didn't stifle her pleasure and pride at Faith's choices.
The clamps jingled as Faith shook them. "Tonight's goal was to help you feel, tiger. Feel instead of think. Stop thinking." Cat's body arched suddenly. "From now on, you're going to feel."
Cat sounded like a runner who'd completed a marathon at a full sprint. Tara gave up on relaxing the girl's calves.
"There you go. Now you got the idea." Cat writhed under Faith for a long minute. "Long as you keep following the rules, all the 'feeling' will be good." Faith picked up a discarded Wartenberg wheel. "Mmm, much better, tiger."
Tara enjoyed Faith's whispers of encouragement as she dropped the wheel and picked up the strap. The first thud-slap only the beginning of the symphony of sound as Faith worked on Cat.
"She's droppin'. Can you…" Faith didn't finish the mental request. Tara smiled, enjoying the heady combination of Dominance and submission as Faith grappled with her role in the scene now that Tara was participating.
Leaving Cat's calves for another day, Tara stroked through Cat's labia. Slim hips rose in response. Tara did her best to match the rhythm Faith set with the strap: soft, soft, HARD, soft, HARD, HARD, HARD, moving her fingers to Cat's clit softly before rubbing the swollen nub in tight, hard strokes as Faith increased the force of the blows.
Cat's legs shook – but she never made a sound. She had given herself up completely to Faith's command.
"Now!" Faith told Tara.
Two fingers slipped easily into Cat's cunt, and Tara set her thumb right on top of Cat's clit. Another slap of leather and Cat's cry echoed through the room. She didn't let up until Cat dropped to the bed, spent.
"Beautiful, tiger. So fucking beautiful." Tara and Faith didn't need the bond to keep them in sync as they unbuckled wrist and ankle cuffs and removed the pony blinder. "Grab the comforter, T." Faith lifted Cat in a display of Slayer might.
Tara enjoyed the way Faith cuddled Cat protectively close as she got the bed clothes ready. She wrapped her own arms around the already sleeping sub as Faith draped herself over Cat's back. The peace of this moment wouldn't last. But they'd all earned some rest. Tara would handle whatever fallout happened in the morning