Chapter 9
"I think I've created a monster," J said, chuckling as he tightened his arms around me.
We were lying like pretzels, basking in post-coital bliss as I let my fingers do the walking down his six-pack and playfully stroked his dick.
"That's a definite possibility," I confirmed, attempting to sound as though I was earnestly considering the validity of his comment before giving him a flirtatious wink.
"You little minx," he chastised, throwing the blankets off both of us and getting out of bed. "We really do need to get up and be on our way. There was nothing on the news this morning about our favorite kidnapping, but that could mean anything. My senses are telling me they're traveling by water now. And he does have a yacht on the Arabian Sea, docked in Dubai."
"Well that's a break for us, then," I said, getting up and following him to the bathroom. "Wanna take a shower with me?"
"Why is it a break?" he questioned, then added, "Yes, by all means, let's shower - and I do mean just that - shower. Enough playtime for now."
"Yes, Master," I whined sarcastically, sighed, and rolled my eyes. "Your submissive-monster will obey."
Before I even noticed him moving, I felt a stinging smack on my backside.
"Ouch," I protested, rubbing my ass and checking in the mirror to confirm his bright pink handprint on one cheek.
"Your sarcasm is annoying, and that gesture you do with your eyes is most irritating. Please refrain from using either of them, unless you don't mind the consequences."
"Sorry," I mumbled, stepping under the warm spray.
"Apology accepted. Now, explain why Emmett and Ellen-Emily traveling by water is a break," he requested as he poured a handful of gel and soaped up my back. "I'm not following your thought process."
"Water is one of the Five Elements," I reminded him with a smug grin. "And I communicate with them very well. Once we get to the Arabian Sea, Water will help us find them."
After our shower, we alerted the pilots we would be heading for Dubai, checked out of the hotel, and took a taxi to the private hangar at the airport. Diplomatic privilege being what it is, we were in the air without a hitch. I had been to Dubai several times, and apparently so had J. His take and mine were completely different, however. What I described as intriguing and romantic, he viewed as overstated and glitzy. Having been born and brought up in the country, I loved the big city atmosphere. J was from a completely different world, and placed a high value on his space and privacy. A vampire wizard would do that, wouldn't he?
"I would be most appreciative if you would share exactly how you control the elements," J suggested as soon as we were at cruising altitude, sipping a glass of mimosa. "I did try to observe you calling a circle together once, many years ago. I believe Toots was instructing you on how to bring them all to you. She gave a warning glance in my direction, completely blowing away my delusion of being cleverly hidden and undetected. Needless to say, I made a hasty departure."
"An ancient wizard was afraid of my little Indian grandmother?" I teased. "I would think even a plain ole generic vampire wouldn't have been scared off by a mere glance in their direction."
"Ah, but that's because you knew her only as your loving grandmother. I knew her as a very powerful spiritualist, and believe me when I tell you she made even the most formidable of opponents think twice before challenging her." J was wide-eyed, doing the bobble-head-on-your-dash.
I found his expression entirely too hilarious and broke out in peals of laughter.
"Excuse me, love, but would you enlighten me as to what is so outrageously humorous?" he demanded, causing me to snort in a most unladylike fashion, which in turn had both me and Spirit Girl laughing all the harder. "Oh, for the love of… Cam….stop it this instant!"
Biting my lower lip, I managed to calm down, at least enough to nod in the affirmative. After swallowing a couple times, clearing my throat, and mentally ordering my spirit guide to stifle it, I was finally able to speak.
"Sorry, Sweet Love, but the visual on that was just too funny: you, hiding in the bushes, then running at warp speed ng in the bushes then taking off for the adow, the moon full and the sky alive with stars. We had drawn the circle and for the hills when the old Indian shaman puts the mojo-eye on you. It was just so…I thought it was…. Oh forget it!" I said, giving up on my futile attempt to explain my outburst. "But really, J, you need to lighten up a little. Besides, technically we're not in the bedroom now."
"Of course, you're right. Now it's my turn to apologize. But please continue – tell me about your lesson. Do you recall that experience?"
"I remember that lesson well: Toots and I in the meadow, the moon was full and the sky alive with stars. It was a summer night: really warm and sort of humid. We had drawn the circle and placed the symbols representing the elements on the five points of the star. Toots and I stepped into the center of the circle and joined hands. And, come to think of it, I do remember her wrinkling up her nose and giving a serious look at something that had distracted her. I seem too remember wondering what she was getting sideways about."
J gave me a will-you-just-get-on-with-it-already look, prompting me to get back to the original request. "We joined hands facing each other, closed our eyes, and just sort of zoned out, I guess you could say. Kind of out-of-body-ish, if you get my drift. Anyway, we recited an incantation to call each element to join our circle, and they did. I remember Toots being so pleased that I had an affinity for all five. She said most exceptionally gifted ones are able to call maybe two, three tops. Having just called all five of them on my very first try, I was ecstatic. Of course."
"Of course," J echoed. "So the incantation gets their attention, but they only respond to special invocation, or I guess I should say, to specific invocators."
"Very specific invocators," I clarified. "There's a sort of bloodline connection in my lineage that skips a generation then resumes. Toots said her grandmother was gifted but her mother wasn't, just like my mom wasn't but I am. So I guess if the tradition holds, my daughter wouldn't have any special talents but my granddaughter would. Interesting, don't you think?"
"Yes, quite," J said, sounding rather distraught. "So any hope I had for you teaching me the art of controlling with the elements is tenuous. It's an affinity you are either born with or you're not. It's part of your basic nature."
"I think so. And it's not really controlling the elements as much as communicating with them. There's no way I could stop a hurricane or part the sea, although I guess that has been done before. I can only call them to me and ask favors of them."
"I suppose it wouldn't do me a bit of good to learn the invocation," J surmised. "They wouldn't recognize my voice, so to speak."
"I would have absolutely no idea how to teach you anyway. There were tribal elders who could call the elements to them, but they had their own methods. Mine just came to me naturally. It just happened. I somehow knew what to say and how to say it," I admitted with a shrug.
"I supposed I can rely on you to work your talents without my help," J commented, without even the slightest trace of any happy-happy-joy-joy in his voice.
"So tell me," I said, turning to face him and changing the subject entirely before he could go all poor, poor, pitiful me, "were you born with a Dominant's nature? You said you had extensive training, but that just perfected the inborn aptitude, didn't it? You wouldn't have done training if you hadn't already had a predisposition, right? Or is that just a course in Vampire one-o-one?"
"You certainly have a knack for asking questions," he said, chuckling. "Let me answer them in order: yes I was, yes it did, no I wouldn't have, and no."
"Very funny," I muttered sarcastically, rolling my eyes.
And didn't that just get me a would-you-really-like-another-spanking-little-girl ? look.
"As it is with humans," J continued, happy that his warning look had been duly noted, "that compulsion is rare. Although human males tend to be somewhat controlling by nature, they lack that specific trait that a Dominant inherently has. In vampires, it is almost nonexistent, for obvious reasons."
"Obvious?" I questioned, my interest in full tell-me-more mode.
"Remember most vampires are created. We inherit traits from those who contribute to our transition. In my case, as I told you, I was very powerful in my human form so most all of my intrinsic characteristics stayed intact. Including my innate Dominant personality. Given that as a vampire I was much stronger physically, and more intimidating, I had to be taught how to use both those strengths without causing real harm to a submissive. As you know firsthand, discipline by its very nature is supposed to be painful when administered, and it affects both the physical and mental state of the recipient. Training is essential to even those with the strongest Dominant gene."
"You certainly must have been the ideal student. And I'm sure you were the valedictorian of your class," I complimented him.
"Thank you, but we are just beginning. You cannot yet even fathom what is in your future with me," he said, eyes glowing and the electric current humming softly all around us.
"Before you give me a sample of what that might be, I'd love to hear about your training. If you were already a Dominant by nature, your teacher only needed to fine-tune your performance – right? Just like Toots did with me. And I assume your instructor was a vampire…." I left the question suspended in the air between us.
"Yes, as a matter of fact, Master Alex is a vampire. So is Mistress Jayne. His sister, before you ask."
My smile and wink served as a "thank you," as well as an unspoken promise to curb the questions.
"I had been a vampire for about fourteen years when I met Master Alex. He knew Leelan and took a liking to me. At that time, I had no idea what he was. We became friends and after he felt comfortable with me, he asked if I had ever given any thought to the whole Dominant – Submissive lifestyle. I hadn't. It was not a subject that was ever the topic of conversation around the dinner table." J was obviously pleased at this having made a joke.
"That was good," I complimented his attempt to be funny. "Actually, it was very good. So he got you thinking about it."
"Yes. He planted the seed, but it fell on very fertile ground. I had always been much more into being in charge of getting something done than being the one actually performing the task. I also enjoyed the ability to make someone desire to do as I asked. It wasn't a power thing. I had plenty of physical strength as well as mental abilities. It was more of a need to be all things to a person who wanted and needed to serve to someone."
"So, people are actually born with these character traits. You were born a Dom, and I was born a submissive. Interesting," I commented, fully meaning it was, indeed, fascinating. "I can honestly say I never thought of myself as needing to serve someone… anyone."
"But you are happy and feel fulfilled when you know you have pleased me," J interjected.
"Yes. Surprisingly enough, I am," I confessed, causing Spirit Girl to give herself a V-8 slap.
"Anyway, when my training began, I was still a virgin, and my first slave was as well. We learned together to embrace our true nature and how to interact with each other, both sexually and as Master and slave. I was taught to see everything I did as a Dom through the eyes of my slave. Learn to feel what she felt. To be firm, but not unfeeling. Loving and kind while at the same time completely in charge."
"Sounds intense," I said, shaking my head.
"It took three years," J advised, sounding as if the memory was fresh in his mind. "Three years of perfecting the art of Domination and becoming the proper protector and owner of slaves."
"You keep using the term 'slave.' Can't say I like that much. Sounds too, I don't know, mean. Cruel. The North and The South. I'm glad I am your submissive. That has a much more sensual connotation. In fact, I seriously like the sound of the word. I don't think I could ever be called your slave."
"It's semantics, really. But submissive is fine, love. I think of you that way, not as a slave in the context you're using. As you know, in order for it to be true submission, it must be voluntary. The slavery you refer to wasn't voluntary in the least."
"So although one is born a submissive, they must voluntarily act upon their nature by finding and hooking up with a Dom."
"You certainly have a way with words, but essentially, yes. You could have gone your entire life without ever becoming a Dominant's sub, but your life would have been lacking. You would have missed your true happiness."
I took J's hand and gave it a squeeze. "You might just be right. I have to admit, I've never been happier. But I want to hear about your first sub. What was she like? What was her name?"
"She was a lovely young girl named Jenay. She was human," J stated, and immediately held up his hand to hold off any further questions from me. "Master Alex and Mistress Jayne both recruited perspective slaves. Some would be turned over to a training master and others would become blood slaves – used strictly for giving blood for feeding purposes. Jenay was given to me as my slave during my training."
"As I said, we were both virgins. Master Alex put us together and literally ordered us to have sex with each other, which we did. It was awkward, exciting, terrifying, intense, a whole myriad of emotions, but we got through it and began our training in earnest. First, I learned how to discipline: how to give a proper spanking, how to use a whip, a riding crop, and canes. All forms of punishment. After that, I was instructed in the sexual side of the BDSM relationship. I learned how and when to make love, to have sex, or to fuck hard - three very different aspects of the same basic act."
"No wonder it took you three years," I threw in my two cent worth, shaking my head in awe of what I was hearing. "That's a lot to master – pardon the pun. So what happened to Jenay after you graduated?"
"She was never mine to keep; she was 'on loan,' so to speak. I was her Training Master, so my collar was removed when she was given back to Master Alex, her Permanent Master. I'm not sure where she ended up – I never saw her again."
"Okay, wait a minute," I verbally threw on the brakes as Spirit Girl began shaking her head in the negative. "Training Master, Permanent Master, what the hell does that mean? You are so not training me to hand me off to some other Dom…no way. Right? Because I won't do it."
J looked at me with frustration written all over his face. "Cam, I have already told you that you are my chosen one. I am your Master, even if only in the bedroom, and you are mine. My property. I own you. I am training you, yes, but rest assured you are mine. I am your Permanent Master. Never question that again."
And there was absolutely no doubt in my mind he meant every word he had just said. Especially the warning about bringing it up again. Something I would never do again. Ever.
"Okay then, thank you," I mumbled, then spoke up. "Explain the 'collar' thing. I know what they are and what they look like. I did read "The Submissive Trilogy," after all."
"You told me in a human relationship a man asks a woman to marry him and presents her with a ring, which tells everyone of their commitment to each other. In a D/s relationship, it goes miles deeper than that. A collar signifies ownership for the Dom who offers it and a confirmation of surrender for the submissive who accepts it. It also means they accept that the relationship is forever, which is more meaningful than a wedding ring to the average human. More than half of human marriages end in divorce. A D/s relationship is far deeper and more committed than a regular marriage. A collar is almost never removed."
"Vampires are all about forever, aren't they?" I asked rhetorically.
"It has nothing to do with my being a vampire," J clarified. "A D/s relationship is the same regardless of what you are. It would be exactly the same if I were human or you were a vampire. But yes, the vampire mating is forever. And, I guess, coupled with the D/s element, it's very permanent."
"Sounds like we'll be doubly locked together for all eternity," I mused. "Or at least for as long as I live anyway. So how many collars have you given out?"
"Only one, and that was a completely different relationship than ours. Please don't ask for details right now. I'll explain all that later. Right now, I believe we're ready to land. Let's switch our focus back to the matter at hand – namely finding one missing heiress and one renegade vampire."
"I trust you slept well," Emmett greeted Ellen, as she joined him on the aft deck. "There's something about the sound and movement of the ocean that most people find very relaxing."
"Yes, they're very relaxing. I slept like the dead, actually," Ellen said, flashing a warm smile.
"And they also seem to stimulate the appetite," Emmett said with a grin, as Ellen's stomach growled loudly. "We'll start our tour in the dining room."
Too embarrassed to speak, Ellen gave her host a red-faced nod and crooked smile. He took her hand, laced their fingers together, flashed his dimples, and started toward the dining room. Ellen grinned and blushed again. She hadn't held hands with a man for years. Such a simple gesture, yet it felt so sensual. Again her body responded on its own, flooding her panties without even engaging her brain in the process.
"It's those damned dimples," she told herself, then added, "and the fact that I desperately need to get laid good and proper."
There was a luscious buffet set up on the sideboard, complete with every breakfast food known to man. Ellen took dainty portions of eggs, sausage, fruit, and a poppy seed muffin.
"You aren't eating?" she questioned, noting that Emmett once again joined her at the table without a plate in front of him.
"I've been up for hours," he offered, hoping she would assume that meant he had already eaten. And what d'ya know? She did exactly that.
"Are we going somewhere in particular, or just cruising in general?" she asked, before putting the bite of melon in her mouth.
"Cruising for a day or two, I think," Emmett said thoughtfully. "I kind of like just being at sea. It's peaceful. Time doesn't matter. No pressure. Is that okay with you?"
"I'm along for the ride. Personally, I could live on a boat… er, yacht….and be quite happy. Not dealing with what time or even what day it is suits me just fine. I find it extremely peaceful. Besides, given that my lack of contact with anyone is sure to have set off red flags, it's no doubt much safer for us to just be off the grid, so to speak."
Emmett's mouth turned up at the corners, but his smile didn't quite reach his eyes. Ellen had the right idea, but he knew they weren't quite far enough off the grid. And the people who were looking for Ellen couldn't hold a candle to those who were looking for him.
He had gone against the code on occasion in the past. Nothing too drastic. But this time? He knew he was going to be getting more than a slap on the hand.
Much more.
But, in the end, it was going to be so worth it.
At the moment, she had no clue whatsoever, but Ellen would make sure of that.
Yes, she would.
Once again, he flashed his killer dimples at her.
And this time his eyes lit up.
