Approaching a week had passed since Claire's visit. Zia had gotten a bit more settled with help from Miranda, Shelly, Zack, and Randy. Barry was back from his family trip. Her days at the paddock were more or less, normal. Ken had managed to get them a new female tortoise within three days. Zia was starting to realize that there was no limit to the man's resources. She was younger and smaller than Teddy and they had been working on small introductions to both the three raptors and to Teddy himself. Zia had named her Sally, and so far, things were going well.

Her chameleon seemed no different being moved into the paddock office and her cat Croonshanks thought his new abode was the cat's meow. Zia had always liked her spin on Hermione's cat's name better than the original. It made her think of whiskers and purring, something that her cat had and did in spades. Croonshanks and Phil had taken an instant liking to each other, except during their amorous activities and then he conveniently made himself scare. Zia figured that he didn't appreciate the noise or the activity.

Phil had been in her, their, bed every night. He seemed to only be frequenting the room in the upstairs main house to swap out clothes and to take care of personal needs. Phil hadn't admitted it to her, but he had also taken the occasional nap there, worn out from a combination of Ken's training sessions and the honeymoon phase of their relationship. They hadn't screwed every night since, but it had been just about. Zia figured that at some point they needed to tell Miranda that keeping two separate rooms was really kind of silly. She just didn't think either herself or Phil were willing to admit that out loud yet.

The sex had been thoroughly enjoyable, but Zia had also been thinking about what Claire had told her. Despite what Claire had said, she was embarrassed to ask, but she was also not one to shy away from something that made her nervous. She had decided that she would start with Shelly, because the woman was married to Phil's brother, there had to be some similarities between the two men, right?

She had called Shelly that morning, as soon as she had made up her mind, and Shelly had seemed more than eager to meet with her. They had gotten lunch from the kitchens that the chef had put in baskets for them, so that they could go sit by the pool and have some privacy. It was late Spring, and the pool had been cleaned but it was too cool for swimming yet. Still, it made a lovely backdrop. They ate and made small talk. When they had finished eating, Shelly looked at her steadily. "Zia, I super appreciate you reaching out to me because I want to get to know you better, but I have a feeling there is something more that you either want to ask me or tell me. So, if I 'm right, you need to spill it."

"God, is everyone around here this blunt and perceptive?" Zia complained. "Ok, fine," she admitted. "Claire came to see me and, well, she told me that a big part of my responsibility around here is to make sure that Phil is having amazing sex and that if I needed help with that I should ask, and I just thought, who better to ask than his brother's wife?" she rambled out in one breath before she lost her nerve.

Shelly let out a light laugh, and Zia almost stood up to vacate in utter embarrassment. "Oh, Zia, I'm sorry, please sit down. I didn't mean to laugh; it's just that you're obviously so nervous and you don't need to be. I course I will help you. Almost all the new wives and girlfriends need some help at first. I sure did, and you know I'm younger than you, but Sean and I have been doing this for a while now. I also already know; Claire talked to me, to Ken and to Phil after she met with you."

"She did what? Oh, my God! To Ken and Phil? Ok, that's it, I'm out of here! Tell everyone thanks for the fun but I will never be seeing anyone here ever again!"

Shelly grabbed her arm, putting a good amount of force on it for her petite five one frame. "Zia," she spoke sternly, "Sit Down and Relax! The only one that is freaking out about any of this is you. Claire wants you to be comfortable. She was just confirming back to Ken what they already suspected, that you were going to need some help. She was also just letting Phil know what he likely needed to do for his part. There is literally nothing to be embarrassed about." Zia's eyes flashed about like she was searching for an escape but didn't know how to find it. Shelly gave her arm a little tug again, and managed to get her eyes on her, "Sit!" she commanded again. Zia seemed to come back from her self-induced panic attack, and she slid back down into the lounge. Shelly released her arm. "Better," Shelly encouraged. "Now promise me you're going to stop panicking and listen."

"Ok," Zia consented.

"Tell me you promise," Shelly instructed.

"Fine, I promise."

"Good. Now listen and stop freaking out. Remember, we're all here to help and nearly everyone has been there."

"Ok."

"So," Shelly began, "I assume that you haven't had much bondage experience and that you're looking for tips?"

"Um, yeah," Zia admitted. "Claire said that I likely haven't had as strong as an orgasm as I'm capable of, and that it might help."

"Not might, like almost assuredly will." Shelly corrected. "Most of the guys around here are contained aggressive alpha males, they nearly all have a dominant streak. Most of us girls are type A perfectionists or control freaks. You combine the two and there's a high level of bondage practice within the compound. Nearly every couple does it on some level. From what I've seen already of you and Phil, I don't think the two of you are too much different and honestly, I think Phil is just waiting for the green light from you and I think he'd be all over it. I assume you've discovered the drawer in your bedroom?"

"You mean the drawer that looks like someone bought out the local sex shop? So, everyone has one?"

"Yes and depending on needs, some are even more stocked than that. So, I'm going to make some suggestions and I really think you should follow them. I think you're curious and want to give things a try or you wouldn't be asking."

"Alright, yes, and if I want your help, I agree, I think I need to take your advice. I am as apprehensive as all get out about this, but I am going to try."

"Ok, so hear me out, I have a plan of attack. You have a full bed restraint kit with your supplies. I can help you lift the mattress to put it on. It's one of the easiest and most comfortable ways to give him full control over you. Meet him tonight at the door when he comes back from training. Be showered, shaved and naked, have the collar in your hands and kneel in front of him."

"The collar? I am supposed be like his dog?"

"No, but it is somewhat animalistic. Its symbolic. You offer him your throat and you're offering you. Understand?"

"Yeah, vet, remember, I get animal behavior."

"Ok, so then obviously you know we're animals too. Sometimes it's good to remember that. Tell him what you do and don't want. Have him bind you and go get clean himself, and then trust him completely and allow yourself to relax and let go, but you have to trust him. If you do, trust me, it will likely be the best sex you've ever had."

"I don't want him to hurt me."

"So, tell him that, but I don't think Phil would do that to you anyway. But you should allow him a little leeway. Sean never hurts me more than a little, but our bodies pain and pleasure pathways are closely connected. Its like the edge of a knife, just a touch can be very rewarding, too much can take away the pleasure, at least for most people. Some people do get into the S&M side of things, but most of us don't. We're all fairly certain, for example, that Tumult gets off on pain and that his wife is usually the dominant one, but they're in general the exception around here. Cin sometimes ups the impact play on Collins, too. Generally, when he's overly annoyed her and she feels like he needs it. But really the bondage allows for trust, centering, and release, especially for us girls that are a little wound too tight to begin with."

"What about safe words?" Zia asked, working off what research she had done.

"If pain is part of your goal, then they're a necessity. For Tumult and his wife, they'd be essential. Cin and Collins use them when she's delving out punishments. For what I'm guessing you and Phil will be up to, you may not need them, but that is a decision as a couple. Sean and I have never felt the need. He is so in tune to me that anytime I've needed to tell him something wasn't ok, whether or not I could speak, I could get my point across, be it a finger tap, a grunt, a shift in my moan. He knows when I'm pleasured and the difference when I'm having a problem. I have a feeling that Phil will be just as in tune, but if you're worried then talk to him beforehand. And again, unless you have pain as a goal, he is not going to harm you and you have to trust in that. You do often have to learn how to absorb some discomfort in order for your body to get to the next level of release. You know how sometimes you can feel so overly sensitive that you want that stimulation to cease?'

"Yes, totally."

"Well, that's the exact moment you want him to keep going, not stop, and sometimes you have to learn how to move past that point several times during one love making session. But, when you learn to do it, and a huge part of it comes from learning to trust your partner, the resulting pleasure is so much more unbelievably intense and rewarding."

"Claire said about the same."

"Its true, and you can learn how to get there, too."

"Are the guys ever the ones being bound?" Zia asked. "You know, other than Tumult and Collins?"

"You mean is there switching?" Shelly clarified.

Zia nodded.

"Sometimes. Most of us girls prefer to be in the submissive role, but we all do generally play around a bit. It is fun on occasional to see your big muscularly guy bound, begging and at your mercy. So yeah, if you want to try it as a couple go for it. But you have to remember in general the guys around here are all at our mercy anyway. People that don't understand think that bondage is about not respecting women. The women around here are all smart, strong feminists. Submission when its done correctly, takes strength, and a extremely high level of trust and intimacy. The submissive is really the one in control and our men treasure us. All of the men here would literally do anything for their girls. The couples all watch out for each other as well. It's a very supportive environment."