The room is extremely spacious and has a dark, cozy atmosphere. The walls are painted a deep burgundy color, and the room is lit with soft, ambient lighting . The floors are made of old varnished wooden planks. Hanging from the ceiling is a large, shiny mahogany cross with restraints attached, as well as an iron grid with ropes, chains, and shackles. There are also polished carved poles with banister spindles holding various paddles, whips, and riding crops.
Upon closer inspection ,I notice a large mahogany chest of drawers near the door that holds many unknown objects, possibly toys. There is a leather padded bench tucked in the corner next to a cue holder holding a selection of canes of different sizes. Across from that, there is a six-foot polished wooden table with intricately carved legs, accompanied by two matching stools neatly tucked underneath.
The main feature of the dungeon seems to be a lavish four-poster king-sized bed with a flat top and a canopy adorned with chains and cuffs. Surprisingly, there is no bedding on the mattress, just red leather with satin cushions. It appears this bed is used for activities other than sleeping. What strikes me as unusual is the presence of a large, plush couch with black arms positioned across from the bed, creating a bizarre layout.
I have only come across descriptions of rooms like this in literature, particularly in some erotica novels recommended by Bonnie that I'm embarrassed to admit I've read. However, I must confess that it's overwhelming to be confronted with such a situation. The soft lighting, dark walls, and wooden textures give the room an oddly erotic feel, which I assume is Klaus's idea of romance, though I know it is anything but.
I am left speechless and stunned by what I am seeing. My subconscious is shutting down, but my inner curiosity is piquedby certain elements of the room. I find myself drawn to a small suede cat-o'-nine-tails with plastic beads on the end, hesitantly reaching out to touch it.
"It's a flogger," he murmurs softly, his gaze fixed on me as I quickly pull my hand back from the unfamiliar object, as though I've been stung. I feel completely numb ; unable to find the right words to express my confusion. The realization that a potential lover who i have some sort of feelings may be a monster is deeply unsettling. However, strangely enough, I don't think he'd hurt me, well, not without my consent.
"Say something," he commands, his voice deceptively soft.
"Do you do this to people or do they do it to you?" His mouth quirks up, either amused or relieved.
"People?" He blinks a couple of times as he considers his answer. " I do this to women. With women . Women who want me to."
I shake my head in disbelief, " If you've willing , consenting women , then why am I here?"
"Because I want to do this with you Caroline, very much."
"Oh," I gasp.
But ,Why?
I stroll over to the distant corner of the room, gently patting the low, cushioned bench and tracing my fingers along the smooth leather material. The fact that he enjoys causingpain to women weighs heavily on my mind, leaving me feeling disheartened.
The bed intrigues me, pulling me in closer. As I run my hand over the mattress, I can't help but imagine how it would feel beneath me, against my bare skin as I'm restrained while Klaus indulges in his desires. The idea is both frightening and thrilling, as I've never seen myself in this light before. Suddenly, I snap out of my thoughts, remembering Bonnie's warning to be cautious before my date. Was she aware of his dangerous nature? Does she know something about him that I don't? Despite the danger I sense, I know that my feelings for him will lead me down a dangerous path.
"So, you're a sadist?" I ask, observing him carefully.
"I'm a Dominant." he replies, his eyes a fiery shade of blue.
"What's the difference ?" , I inquire, raising my eyebrows.
"It's not the same thing love."
"Enlighten me then." Freak!
"A sadist derives pleasure from one's suffering, whether through physical pain or humiliation," he explains skillfully.
"Isn't that what you're into?"
"No, not at all . A dominant finds pleasure when their partner willingly submits themselves unconditionally through sexual acts or activities within a formal set of rules and rituals."
"Wow! That doesn't sound so bad, everyone should try it, right?!" I retort sarcastically, still in disbelief that I have found myself in this situation.
"Caroline I'm not a monster , but this is big part of who I am. And I want you to willingly surrender yourself to me, in all things."
I scoff at the idea , "Then explain it to me ... why would someone like me , would want to do this?"
"To please me," he whispers as he cocks his head to one side , a faint smile on his lips while mine parts with bewilderment.
Seriously?!
"Sweetheart, this is completely consensual. In simplest terms , I want you to want to please me."
Why the thought doesn't repulse me? Oh ! yes because that's exactly what I want to do. I want to please him and I want him to be elated with me. Or why would I even be here?
"Tell me more."
"I have rules, and I want you to comply with them. They are for your benefit and for my pleasure. If you follow these rules to my satisfaction, I shall reward you . If you don't , then I shall punish you."
Wait ...what?!
Punishment?
My eyes widen in shock as I glance at the rack of canes on the wall, If I were to guess this so-called Red Room of Pain, seems to be a part of some kind of reward and punishment incentive package.
"So, let me get this straight. You'll get pleasure from exerting your will over me." Raising my eyebrows at him , I add "Seriously ! you've got the wrong girl dude , because I'm so not the submissive type."
"Caroline, it's not just about domination. It's about trust and respect. By submitting to me, you will find pleasure in your surrender, and the more you give in, the more joy I feel."
"Oh really ! and what do I get out of it while you're having your fun?"
"You get to have me." He says simply.
And the smug ass has returned.
"C'mon let's get out of here .It's very distracting having you in this room."
With hesitation, I let him take my hand and lead me out the door and into an adjacent room on the same level, it's an all white bedroom with a double bed.
"If you accept, this will be your room." He says, matter-of-factly.
"Seriously!?" He chuckles at my comment. "You expect me to move in?"
"No...not full time, just Friday evening through Sunday." Oh...that's all?
"So, let me understand this. When we spend the weekends together I'm supposed to sleep here, and not with you?"
"I already told you love, I don't sleep with anyone."
"Oh ! And where do you sleep?"
"My room is downstairs."
God ! this is really messed up .
"Come, you must be hungry...let's get some dinner." He says, bringing me downstairs to the kitchen.
Pulling out a platter of assorted fruits and cheeses from a large sub-zero fridge, He says "My housekeeper prepared this for us. Please help yourself."
"You know what?! I seem to have lost my appetite and since I've already signed my NDA, I can ask you some questions."
Smirking he says, "Of course Sweetheart."
"You mentioned there was other paperwork." I decide to bring up, ignoring his wolfish grin.
"Yes, besides the NDA, there's a contract indicating rules and acts we will and won't do.We need to know each other's limits."
"And if I say no to this?"
"That's fine, but, we won't have any sort of relationship."
"Why is that?"
"Because this is the only relationship I'm interested in."
"Why?"
He shrugs,"It's the way I am."
"And how did you become this way?"
"Why is anyone the way they are? That's kind of hard to answer, don't you think love?" He says giving his stupid smirk.
Looking into his intense eyes, I respond, "Okay...I'm not saying yes or no, but I'm willing to keep an open mind so, I'd like to know more. Tell me about these rules."
"We'll go over the contract later,but first ,you need to eat Caroline." His commanding tone is evident as he hands me a glass of wine, which I welcome as I could use some liquid courage , because this situation is really messed up.
And seriously! , What is this guy's obsession with food? Ugh... It's so annoying! I roll my eyes at him as I snatch a grape from the platter. He narrows his eyes at me.
"Have you been like this for a while ?" I ask, popping a grape into my mouth.
"Yes."
"And is it easy to find women who want to do this?"
He raises an eyebrow at me, "You'd be amazed." He says dryly.
"Then why me? I'm nothing special. I'm just an insecure ,neurotic, and a typical blonde girl who comes from a small town. With your power and wealth, you could have anyone." I say , feeling a bit emotional ."Why am I even here Klaus?"
"Because I fancy you." He responds quietly.
I scoff at his words.
"Is that so hard to believe? " He ask me .
"Yes."
"Why?, You're strong, beautiful, you're full of light ,I enjoy you Caroline, and like I've told you before, there's something about you I can't resist. You're not like the others and you don't give a damn about my status or money. I don't know what it is but I can't stay away from you and I want you badly, especially when you bite that lip of yours."
His confession leaves me breathless , causing me to flush. Wow! Did he really say that? My stomach somersaults- he wants me.
I find it strangely flattering that this gorgeous kinky bastard desires me in this way, when everyone else sees me as a shallow girl who just can't keep her mouth shut. I'm so drawn to him that he's all I've thought about since that awkward interview, but with my limited experience I'm not entirely sure what I'm supposed to do or what to expect.
"Eat " He demands. His abrupt tone ,snapping me out of my thoughts.
"No, I'll eat when I'm ready to eat. I haven't signed anything yet, and if you don't mind I think I'll hang on to my free will a little bit longer." The defensive tone of my voice surprises me.
His eyes soften, and his lips turn up in a smile. "As you wish, Miss Forbes." He seems amused by my insolence.
"How many women?" I blurt out the question.
"Fifteen."
Oh ! ... that's not as many as I thought.
"For long periods of time?"
"Some of them, yes."
"Have you ever hurt anyone?"
"Yes."
Holy shit!
"Badly?"
"No."
"Will you hurt me, physically?"
"I will punish you when you require it, and yes... it will be painful."
I think I'm going to faint.
"Have you ever been beaten?" I ask.
"Yes."
Oh wow! That's a surprise.
Before I can question him on this revelation further, he interrupts my train of thought.
"Let's discuss this in my study. I want to show you something."
He grasps my hand and leads me into his expansive library, filled with thousands of books covering every inch of wall space. There's a tall ladder on rails for easy access to any book. He guides me to a seat across from him at a large, dark mahogany desk and gives me a contract detailing negotiable rules.
RULES
Obedience:
The Submissive will obey any instructions given by the Dominant immediately without hesitation or reservation and in an expeditious manner. The Submissive will agree to any sexual activity deemed fit and pleasurable by the Dominant excepting those activities which are outlined in hard limits (Appendix 2). She will do so eagerly and without hesitation.
Sleep:
The Submissive will ensure she achieves a minimum of seven hours sleep a night when she is not with the Dominant.
Food:
The Submissive will eat regularly to maintain her health and wellbeing from a prescribed list of foods (Appendix 4). The Submissive will not snack between meals, with the exception of fruit.
Clothes:
During the Term, the Submissive will wear clothing only approved by the Dominant. The Dominant will provide a clothing budget for the Submissive, which the Submissive shall utilize. The Dominant shall accompany the Submissive to purchase clothing on an ad hoc basis. If the Dominant so requires, the Submissive shall during the Term any adornments the Dominant shall require, in the presence of the Dominant and any other time the Dominant deems fit.
Exercise:
The Dominant shall provide the Submissive with a personal trainer four times a week in hour-long sessions at times to be mutually agreed between the personal trainer and the Submissive. The personal trainer will report to the Dominant on the Submissive's progress.
Personal Hygiene/Beauty:
The Submissive will keep herself clean and shaved and/or waxed at all times. The Submissive will visit a beauty salon of the Dominant's choosing at times to be decided by the Dominant and undergo whatever treatments the Dominant sees fit.
Personal Safety:
The Submissive will not drink to excess, smoke, take recreational drugs, or put herself in any unnecessary danger.
Personal Qualities:
The Submissive will not enter into any sexual relations with anyone other than the Dominant. The Submissive will conduct herself in a respectful and modest manner at all times. She must recognize that her behavior is a direct reflection on the Dominant. She shall be held accountable for any misdeeds, wrongdoings, and misbehavior committed when not in the presence of the Dominant.
Failure to comply with any of the above will result in immediate punishment, the nature of which will be determined by the Dominant.
God! That's a lot. I'm floored by the detail of this document.
"And what are hard limits?" I inquire, uncertain whether out of sheer curiosity or fear.
"Hard limits are basically what we won't do and are specified in the agreement for our protection sweetheart."
That's it?
"Clothing? What's wrong with my clothes?" I ask, as I glance down at my outfit, unintentionally sounding more defensive than I meant to.
"Nothing love, But I may need you to join me at events, and I'd prefer you to dress appropriately. You can wear whatever you like when you're on your own."
Huh! Fair enough.
"I'm not keen on working out four times a week."
"Caroline, I need you to be flexible, strong, and have endurance. Trust me, exercise is necessary for you ."
"But do I really have to do it four times a week? How about three?"
"I want you to do four."
"I thought we were negotiating here," I reply, raising my eyebrows at him.
He purses his lips at me. "Okay, Miss Forbes, you make a good point. How about one hour on three days and half an hour on the fourth day?"
"Three days, three hours. And I get the impression you're going to keep me exercised when I'm here." I say with a smirk, taking a sip of my wine.
"Yeah , you're right." He says with a wicked grin "Alright, three days it is." Shaking his head , he adds, "You drive a hard bargain Miss Forbes , are you sure you I can't persuade you to work for one of my companies?"
"With all the money you have Mr. Mikaelson , you still can't buy me." I give him a knowing look.
Klaus lets out a deep sigh and stares at me with newfound appreciation. "I know. And you have no idea the effect your actions have on me."
My inner goddess cheers at his words.
In an effort to refocus, I clear my throat and hold up the sheet of rules in front of him.
"So...let's get back to these hard limits." I bring it up again because I really need to know what this is all about.
"This is what I have." He says, as he removes the first document from my grip and hands me another, which I review immediately.
HARD LIMITS
No acts involving fire play.
No acts involving urination or defacation and the products therof.
No acts involving needles, knives, piercings, or blood.
No acts involving gynecological medical instruments.
No acts involving children or animals.
No acts that will leave any permanent marks on the skin.
No acts involving breathing control.
No activity that involves the direct contact of electric current, fire or flames to the body.
Whoa! Do people really do this shit? This makes me feel little queasy
"Is there anything you would like to add?" He ask softly.
"I don't know."
He gazes at me intently and furrows his brow.
"Umm, I've never done anything like this." I say honestly, squirming a little in my seat.
"Well, when you've had sex, what did you not like to do?"
Oh crap...here we go. My face turns red as I say nothing.
"Caroline, for this to work, we need to be honest with each other."
Still squirming in my seat, I close my eyes and take a deep breath.
"Okay, Umm...I've never had sex, so I really don't know what I would or wouldn't do." He's shocked by my confession.
"Never?" He whispers .
I shake my head.
"You're a virgin?" He exclaims, with his mouth gaping open.
I nod yes .
He shuts his eyes and appears to be counting to ten. Upon reopening them, his expression is filled with anger as he glares at me. "Why the fuck didn't you tell me?" he growls.
Did he just growl at me?!
"Seriously?! This is very personal and I don't usually disclose my sexual status to just anyone. I mean, we hardly know each other, and why the hell are you so angry"
"I'm not angry at you Caroline, I'm angry at myself. I knew you were inexperienced, but a virgin?" He says it as if it's a dirty secret. Running his fingers through his hair, "Bloody Hell,I just showed you …" he groans. "May God forgive me. And you're seriously discussing what I want to do, when you have no experience." His brows furrow in frustration.
Why do I feel so ashamed? My sexual status shouldn't be this big of an issue.
"You're twenty-two, and so damn beautiful... guys must throw themselves at you." He says , his eyes fixed on me.
"Never one I've wanted," I confess, shrugging nonchalantly.
He lets out a deep breath, closing the gap between us and gently cradling my face in his hands. "Where have you been?" he asks, his fingers tracing my features.
"Waiting," I reply, lost in the intensity of his piercing blue gaze.
"Do you want to go?" He asks, his voice soft and gentle .
"No, unless you want me too." I reply in a whisper, secretly hoping he doesn't.
"Of course not love. I enjoy having you here." He says gazing at me intently. "You're biting your lip." his voice taking on a husky tone as he watches me with fascination .
"Umm, sorry," I mumble.
"Don't be. It's just that I want to bite it, too, hard."
Gasping at his words, I look at him and see he's full of unbridled lust. Without warning he takes my hand and leads me out of the study.
"C'mon, we're going to rectify the situation right now."
"What? What do you mean?"
"Your situation Caroline, I'm going to make love to you." He pauses. "That is if you want me to."
I'm a situation?
Stopping us in the hall, I make him look at me. "I thought you didn't make love, I thought you only fucked hard." I swallow, my mouth suddenly dry.
He gives me a wicked grin, the effects of which travels all the way down there. "I think I can make an exception or maybe combine the two." He says, smiling. "All I know is that I really want to do this and I want our arrangement to work, but you need to know what to expect, so forget the rules and all those details for tonight. I've wanted you since you fell into my office, and I know you want me too, otherwise you wouldn't be here. You wouldn't be sitting here calmly discussing punishment and hard limits...Please Caroline spend the night with me." His gaze is unwavering and intense.
"Klaus.. " I gasp, my mind spinning with endless possibilities.
Still holding my hand, he brings me into his arms letting me feel the length of his body against mine. His fingers delicately caress the back of my neck as he softly tugs at my hair, urging me to gaze into his eyes. Despite the uncertainty in my mind, my heart is overflowing with desire and a willingness to love and be loved by this flawed exquisitely gorgeous man who I believe harbors a profound depth within him. My eyes must betray me because even though I find his dark side disturbing, every part of my being is still craving his touch as I place my hand on his cheek.
"You are one brave young woman," he whispers. "I am in awe of you." He whispers and kisses me tenderly, sucking on my lower lip, then tugging it gently. His lips are soft and mold perfectly with mine. Unable to hold back any longer, I let out moans of pleasure and wrap my arms around his neck, deepening our kiss. When we finally pull away, we are left breathless.
"Please Caroline , let me make love to you." He whispers brushing his lips against mine. In my twenty-two years of existence, I've never wanted anything more.
"Yes," I whisper back.
Because this is why I'm here...
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A/N: The contract rules and list of hard limits were taken directly from the book Fifty Shades of Grey. For accuracy purposes, I did not alter either of these.
The next chapter should be up in a couple of days.
Comments/reviews are always appreciated!
Thank you for reading.