Ruby smiled at her pet. "Ready?"

With a nod, Weiss said "Yes Mistress." There was a light in her eyes that said she was looking forward to going upstairs. So was Ruby.

They'd been at Deviations since it opened, and had been having fun in the bar area talking and laughing with their friends. It was a Wednesday so of course Betty was among those friends, along with Brian and Sam. For a weekday Deviations was pretty crowded. Along with them and their friends Master Zen with two of his slaves was there, and a new guy, Chriss, and his submissive Anne. That was all, but given that most people had jobs and a real life outside of their kink seven was a lot. All of them were downstairs except for Chriss and Anne who had taken to the dungeon area as soon as they had arrived.

Ruby and Weiss had met Chriss and Anne at the last munch two weeks ago. Munches were vanilla social events for the BDSM community. They had the double duty of getting to know new potential members to be sure they would fit in with the rest of the members at Deviations. Chriss seemed like a nice enough guy to Ruby, at least when interacting with the rest of the members. There was an expected undercurrent of Dominance between him and Ann, who also seemed very likable to Ruby. She was smart and funny, but deferential to Chriss. She seemed to have trouble looking him in the eyes which bothered Ruby, but even though this was a vanilla event that just meant they couldn't do anything obviously kinky, like breaking out a favorite flogger. Less obvious kinks, like eye control, still happened. As long as this was something that Ann wanted to do who was she to complain?

Weiss had gravitated towards Ann, which always made Ruby smile. Her pet did seem to enjoy the company of other submissives when with the kinky part of their circle of friends. They helped reassure her that she wasn't mental for even being there. Ruby noted though that she stayed as far away from Chriss as she could, though it probably wasn't obvious to anyone else. With Weiss talking to Ann, and Ann refusing to leave Chriss's side there was only so much separation Weiss could achieve. He wasn't the first Dominant that Weiss was uncomfortable around. The ones that oozed the lifestyle made her uneasy. She still avoided Master Zen as much as she could without being rude about it. Well, rude by her standards at least. Ruby wrote the avoidance as part of this characteristic. Weiss didn't deny that when Ruby asked about it later.

The Dungeon Master, or DM, who came to the munch seemed to like them. He asked them specific questions to judge if they were new or experienced. And he asked some probing ones to be sure they were actually in the lifestyle and not hiding an abusive relationship behind the veil of BDSM. Ruby didn't pay much attention to that as she talked with other friends, but the answers the two newcomers gave must have been good enough. By the time that night was over they had signed the paperwork and paid their member dues.

Once Ruby reached the stairs she cringed as she heard the howl of pain upstairs. The floor of the dungeon was injected with spray foam to act as a noise break. A second howl, louder than the first, followed. That foam is very effective. This could have been going on for hours for all Ruby knew.

A bit worried she hurried up the stairs. Pain was all part of the game, but everyone had limits and to Ruby's ear those howls said Ann had past hers. She felt Weiss right behind her. If Ruby hadn't been in the way she probably would have already been to the top. Scanning the dungeon floor she found the DM on duty. It was Hans, which was reassuring. For safety and security there was always at least one DM on duty whenever any members were on the floor, so intellectually Ruby knew she'd find one but was reassured seeing him none the less.

Looking at the source of the screaming she saw Chriss, fully dressed in a suit and tie, raising a bullwhip in his right hand. With a crack he loosed it on Ann's back as she was tied down to the St. Andrew's Cross in one of the corners. Another scream left her lips and Ruby shuddered in sympathy. Looking across the distance, Ruby could spot small welts and surface cuts all over her back. There were also old scars from what she suspected to be from previous scenes. Those two definitely liked it spicy. It was more than Ruby would ever do, but Chriss had excellent control of the whip. Though it had to hurt like hell, those wounds were only superficial and safe.

Uncomfortable herself at the screams, she knew Weiss would be taking it worse. Looking over her shoulder she saw the shocked look in her pet's eyes. She had seen a lot in this dungeon in the few months she'd been coming here, but this was the worst so far.

"Wanna go back down?" Ruby asked, not wanting to push Weiss. She wasn't entirely certain she wanted to stay herself.

Weiss thought about it for a second then shook her head. "Its something I'll need to get used to eventually. Just don't think I will ever allow you to do that to me!" Weiss still looked a bit uncomfortable with what was happening, but there was humor in that last statement.

"Never say never when it comes to kink, but I think I agree with you here." She let a bit of her discomfort show with a slight shiver. "Follow me pet."

Ruby walked over to a reinforced masseuse chair that was modified to include extra tiedown points. "Sit down," she ordered, indicating the chair. Weiss didn't try hiding the smile. Of all the stations, the masseuse chair was her favorite. It gave Ruby full access to her back, which could take a surprising amount of pain, while keeping both her face and sensitive breasts out of the line of fire. It was also amazingly comfortable once adjusted to Weiss's frame. Ruby quickly made those adjustments knowing all the settings by heart. After that she started tying her pet down.

The screams didn't stop, but she allowed Hans to do his job and kept her nose out of it. By the time she finished the last knot she had managed to tune them out for the most part. Her concentration more directed towards her pet's bare back.

Reaching into her toy bag she pulled out a few paraffin candles. Her and Weiss hadn't done wax play a lot, but that was more about a lack of opportunity and other forms of kink that usually took precedence. They had done it enough though that Ruby knew Weiss's tolerances. She lit a red candle, then waited for the wax to start to melt. When it was ready she raised her arm as high as she could and tipped the candle, watching the wax drip off and onto her pet's shoulder. Cooling as it fell it was only warm by the time it reached Weiss's skin. That didn't stop her from jumping from the unexpected sensation.

"Mmmmm," Weiss moaned quietly, now knowing the game and sounding her approval.

Randomly Ruby started to drip the wax, lowering her arm slowly so the temp would increase. She switched to a white candle when the red became too short to handle. In her mind Ruby was using the two colors to draw Weiss's Emblem. Of course, candle wax isn't exactly a precise art medium and Ruby herself lacked any real artistic skill, but it was fun none the less.

She visibly watched Weiss relax, her muscles melting like the wax that was hitting her skin. It was beautiful.

That beauty was ruined when the screams she had mostly tuned out was interrupted by a single word, louder than anything before it. "RED!"

Concerned Ruby blew out the candle as she spun to see what the problem was. Then angry bloomed as she heard the whip land again. She heard the chair creak as Weiss tried to get up, her relaxed muscles now taught with her own anger as yet another lash of the whip was heard landing.

No matter how much Ruby wanted to go to Ann's aid she wouldn't leave Weiss alone when tied down.

Hans was there for a reason though and had already started running, yelling at Chriss to stop. Red was a safeword at Deviations and no matter what you were doing you stopped when it was used. That was written right into the agreement they all signed when they joined the club so there was no way to claim someone "didn't know."

The mood ruined and not expecting to be able to go back after the commotion was over, Ruby started to untie Weiss. Her lover was spitting out several curse words in her anger.

"She's my slave, I know her limits better than she does!" Chriss screamed on the other side of the dungeon, both indignant and angry that his scene had been interrupted. "She can take more."

Ruby fought for control as she felt the adrenaline kick in wanting to rush the man fists first. With shaking hands she got the last couple of knots untied. Weiss jumped into a standing position in an instant, her pusture at a slight crouch ready for a fight.

There was nothing for them to do though as Hans was already taking care of it. Grabbing Chriss by the hair Hans pulled the man's head down to waist level and angrily said: "Consider your membership revoked."

Hans was larger than Chriss and more solidly built. Wisely Chriss didn't fight back. "Fine. I'll leave. Let me untie my pet and I'll go."

"No, you're leaving alone tonight." Pulling violently upwards with his handful of hair Hans looked directly into the man's eyes. "Understood?"

Chriss's face reddened with anger. "She's mine asshole."

"Ruby, would you mind untying Ann for me?" Hans said over his shoulder, ignoring the retort.

"Do what you need to do Hans. I'll take care of her," Ruby replied, her anger not the least bit mollified. It was better that Hans was taking care of him or she might end up in jail before the night was over.

Nodding his understanding he literally dragged Chriss on his back out of the dungeon by his hair. "Don't ever let me see you in public again if you know what's best for you," was the last words Ruby heard Hans say before they were down the stairs."

"Get the first aid," Ruby said to Weiss as she ran to the cross, her fingers working quickly on the knots holding Ann to it. A quick look showed there were no serious injuries, which relieved Ruby. The majority of the marks on her back were welts. There were also some surface scratches that barely broke the skin and didn't bleed, but there were a couple of cuts that were deeper. Antibiotic ointment and a couple of small bandages would be needed for those.

Mentally though Ruby could see deeper wounds that had started long before this scene. She was drifting through a kind of subspace, though it wasn't the pleasant fog Ruby liked to see in Weiss's eyes after a good scene. She was crying, and repeatedly whispered: "I'm sorry Master."

If she had to guess Ruby suspected that Ann had been ready to drop into subspace at any moment, but the abuse of that whip was hard enough to keep her out. The apologies only kept Ruby's anger on the surface.

Her "Master" not here to do it himself Ruby took the lead and performed some basic aftercare because this woman most certainly needed it. All of the open wounds were treated by Weiss. Water was put to her lips for her to drink. Finally a warm blanket placed on her as Ruby and Weiss put Ann between them, whispering words of encouragement and safety.

Several minutes later Hans came back up and looked things over to be sure Ann was okay and didn't need more urgent care than a first aid kit could provide.

"He's gone. He's threatening to call the cops so he got his membership fee back," Hans said by way of explanation. That was a pretty weak threat. The agreement they all signed covered situations like this, but Ruby knew the owner well enough to know he wouldn't want that man's money. "How is she?"

"Not bad physically. I've seen worse from a normal scene around here. But mentally..." Ruby shook her head. "I can pretty much guarantee she'll go back to him tomorrow and beg for his forgiveness."

Hans nodded. "I can kick him out of here, but if she doesn't want this to stop there isn't much anyone, even the cops, can do."

Looking over from her side of the cuddle pile Weiss said "Fuck." Weiss rarely cursed unless she was in a submissive mindset. In this case she wasn't in that mindset though. She was so angry she didn't know what else to do to express it. "Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck!"


Chriss stood across the street from Deviations, waiting for his slave to leave. She had to eventually and then they could go back home where he would show her where her actual limits were.

Fuming, he remembered that prick of a trumped-up bouncer throwing him out. He knew according to that paper he signed he was supposed to stop, but he kinda thought it was just a formality that no one really listened to. Well it was the first, and last, time he'd socialized with other people doing BDSM. He'd read the stories and practiced in private until today. The stories always had the fine print of "This is a work of fantasy. Don't do this at home," but that's just to cover the writer's ass. What was the point of being a Master if you didn't have total control? Safewords just gave your slave a way to undermine you.

He looked up when he saw the door open, but it was only the guy from downstairs with his two slaves. He ignored them as they walked to their car, the slaves climbing into the back seat.

He stopped ignoring them when the guy went to the trunk and pulled out a tire iron.


Zen wasn't really a violent man, but he heard enough from this man and Hans when they went through the bar area to know the general idea of what had happened in the Dungeon. He may have slaves, and he was hard on them. He always pushed their limits and made sure that any and all mistakes were properly trained out of them. But he was also a Master. He treated his slaves with respect. He made sure his training was for their benefit, not his enjoyment. And most of all, he respected their limits and their safe words.

He was their Master. That meant he was also their protector.

Even if Ann was not "His" Zen was going to be her protector that night as well. She deserved the same level of respect and he was going to be sure her supposed Master was going to understand that tonight, and understand it was in his own self-interest to stay as far away from her as he can. Zen was self-employed. A couple of nights in jail wasn't going to hurt him much.