Limits Ch. 02

"Hello. Who have we got here? I haven't seen you before."

Karen looked up and her heart seemed to skip a beat; there, standing before the group, was the most extraordinary woman she had ever seen. Whether it was the wine, the heat or something else, she immediately felt that there was something about this woman that was special, very special. Whilst not classically beautiful she exuded a sense of power that was certainly striking; the way she held herself, along with her dark blue slacks and crisp white blouse, were reminiscent of something military and Karen didn't need to look to check that there was no collar. There was no way this woman could be a sub. Their eyes met and it was as if she were a rabbit trapped in a car's headlights; she couldn't turn away if she tried.

"Hello, Jude," Karen vaguely heard Mel say. "This is Karen, a friend of Lucy's. This is her first time at the club."

For a moment or two longer the two women just stared at each other until, unable to hold her gaze any longer, Karen dropped her eyes.

"A first timer, eh? Does she know what she's letting herself in for? I assume that her lack of collar means she's up for grabs, unless anyone has any objections," Jude said with a laugh. "I mean, she's a pretty little thing and it makes a change to have a newbie around." She turned her attention back to Karen and once again looked her up and down.

"Yes, very pretty and a sub if ever I met one but I can't see you properly, tucked away like that. Now stand up and let me have a proper look at you," Jude commanded, totally assured that her words would be instantly obeyed.

It had been many years since anyone had described Karen as pretty. Indeed no one had done so since she was a child, and Jude's attentions were making her feel uncomfortably self-conscious. She'd always hated being the centre of attention and now Jude's interest meant that everyone was focussed her. On top of this was Jude's assumption that she was a sub, that she was willing, indeed expecting, to be ordered about. She bowed her head and shrunk further back into the seat, as if trying to hide away.

"Now, now," Jude said, half mockingly. "I'll let you off as it's your first time here but you'll need to learn that you shouldn't keep a Domme waiting. Come along and do as you're told. Stand up; I can't see you properly whilst you're all tucked away like that." Again there was the self-assurance that she would be obeyed.

Completely overawed by the sheer certainty of this woman, the way she just assumed control, her rock-hard confidence, Karen glanced around for support but all she saw was amused smiles; no one seemed to find Jude's demands outrageous or even abnormal but even so she felt she had to protest.

"But... But..." she stammered.

"I shouldn't have to ask twice, let alone three times," Jude said, an edge of steel in her voice. "Now why don't you just be a good little girl? do as you're told and stand up and let me have a proper look at you?"

Somehow this authoritarian approach had far more effect and she looked up and, once again, their gazes locked. As if drawn by hawsers of steel she felt herself drawn up out her seat until she was standing shyly, her hands clasped together in front of her.

"Very nice, very nice indeed," Jude commented once Karen was standing "but I can't see your legs properly behind the table like that. Come over here and lift up your skirt."

Horrified at what she was being asked to do, Karen stared back and started to protest but, with her eyes still locked on Jude's, her remonstrations died away before they had even started. Here in the club other rules seemed to apply and, for all that her demands were crazy, there was something about Jude that made them acceptable. Her bluff, outspoken manner might seem forthright but she wasn't being a bully. It was as if, having assumed Karen was a sub and a sub that she found attractive to boot, it was only natural that she should want to see her legs and only natural that Karen would obey her orders and display them. Within this strange arena it would be almost churlish to disobey; to do so would be to make a scene. Feeling as if she were some sort of puppet and this strange woman were pulling the strings, she shuffled out from behind the table until she was standing in front of Jude. Then, like an automaton, she felt her arms reach down, her fingers grasp the hem of her dress and slowly lift until it was mid thigh.

"There, that wasn't so hard, was it? It's so much better when you just do as you're told." Jude took a step back and looked Karen up and down. "You've got a beautiful body; it's a crime to keep it hidden away under those frumpy clothes."

A little bit of Karen rebelled at having her clothes called frumpy but this was completely overridden by being told she had a beautiful body. Still, she had been pushed far, far outside her comfort zone and she was beginning to panic.

"OK, that's enough for now," Jude said gently, evidently picking up on Karen's mood. "Why don't you come and sit down next to me and tell me all about yourself."

Once again Jude spoke with this total conviction that she would be obeyed. She took Karen by the hand and led her towards the back of the horseshoe where, after a certain amount of shuffling, she sat down and Karen squeezed in beside her. She felt shaken, as if she had just endured a session with her headmistress back in her school days.

"Here, let me take this," Jude said, as, reaching across, she took Karen's cardigan from her shoulders. "It's far too warm in here for you to be wearing something like that." And, as the cardigan disappeared somewhere behind her Jude used this manoeuvre to leave her arm draped across Karen's shoulders. Again Karen nearly baulked at the way Jude took such liberties but it did feel nice to be held, and she found herself responding by snuggling closer.

And then it was back to normality again but this time, as the party chatted away, Karen found herself getting Jude's full attention. Not far behind the bluster was a really warm and caring individual and Karen found her really easy to talk to. Indeed, Jude seemed genuinely interested and wanted to know all about her and, in return she told Karen a little about herself. Karen hadn't been that wrong when she had thought that Jude looked military, it turned out that Jude was a policewoman and had rushed to the club at the end of her shift, hence the rather ordinary clothing. But it wasn't just the conversation that was putting Karen at her ease; Jude's arm around her shoulders helped her to feel safe, cared for, protected and, almost without thinking Karen found herself leaning into her new-found friend.

"So, why did slave Lucy decide to bring you along to the club on this night, of all nights?" Jude asked.

"Slave Lucy?" Karen queried. "Why do you call her that?"

Jude gave Karen a long hard look.

"Didn't she explain?" Jude asked. "Didn't she tell you that this is Domme's and sub's night? Why do you think the girls are all dressed up like this? What did you think was going on?"

Karen just looked blank, she was too confused to confess her guesses and suppositions, so she listened quietly as Jude patiently explained about the D/s lifestyle; what it meant to be a Domme or a sub and why these monthly meetings were so important, explaining that the last Friday in the month was set-aside especially for Dommes and their subs, a night when even couples who weren't normally into D/s relationships would play along and join in; a night when their alternative lifestyle could come a little way out of the closet. It didn't take much, she explained, to separate the part-timers from those who took it seriously. It wasn't just a measure of how daring the outfits or whether the sub was knelt on the floor or not, it was more a matter of attitude. A true Domme and her sub complemented each other, really understood each other's wants and needs, and their partnership was far more than just a collar and leash.

"So, are you a full time Domme?" Karen asked.

"What do you think?" Jude laughed.

"And your sub, where is she tonight?"

"You ask a lot of questions," Jude replied but as she saw Karen's face fall she relented a bit. "I'm on my own at the moment, have been for a few months now. Sharon and I, well, that's a story for another time. What about you? Do you have a girlfriend?"

"A girlfriend?... I'm not... I've never...."

"You've never what?" Jude prompted.

"I've never been with a woman," Karen said but, somehow, this needed more explanation. "That sounds... well, I've never been with a man either when it comes down to it. I just never seemed to...." Karen faltered.

"You just never seemed to meet the right one?" Jude suggested.

"I don't know, I just don't know." Karen found herself nearly in tears. Jude's suggestion had touched a sore spot, which would have difficult to explain at the best of times. She was now well into her second glass of wine and her head was reeling; but it was far more complicated than that. She wanted to say that, of course she hadn't been with a woman but, here in this club, to say so would have been gauche and uncalled for. But even that certainty was crumbling. Every sense seemed to be overloaded, the touch of Jude's body where they were squeezed together on the seating, the weight of her arm around her shoulders, the warm musk of her body, all these were awakening feelings deep inside her that were crying for release, feelings she'd never known she had, feelings she'd never experienced before, feelings she certainly didn't understand.

"Please, excuse me, I have to go to the loo," she said squirming out from under Jude's arm and pushing herself up out of the seat. Maybe if she got away for a minute or two, maybe if she could clear her head.

"Then I'll come with you," Jude said firmly. She grabbed her handbag and followed Karen as she set off for the restrooms. When they got there Jude held the door open for Karen and then followed her in but, as soon as they were through the door, Jude put down her handbag, grabbed Karen by the elbow, spun her round and pinned her against the washstand. Grabbing Karen by both arms she held her tight and, like a lioness taking her prey, kissed her hard on the mouth.

At first Karen was too shocked to react and then, as the shock subsided, a deep, deep need from within her welled up and she surrendered, letting Jude hold her, take her, ravish her. Her normal reserve crumbled as the tangle of emotions that had been building ever since Jude had first spoken to her came to a crisis and she wanted, needed, ached to be touched all over, to drown herself in these new sensations, to feel the growing fire within her consume her completely. The way that Jude was forcing her against the washstand crushed their bodies together and for the life of her Karen couldn't help but push back, her body's natural instincts trying to feed the desires within. Jude shifted slightly so that her right leg slipped between Karen's knees and, pushing it forward, she gave Karen something to rub against; an invitation Karen took with abandon. If she could just push a little harder, just ride this wave a little further....

Without warning Jude pulled back from the kiss and, for a moment, the two women just stared at each other.

"Why... why did you stop?" Karen asked, her voice breathless.

"So, you want more, do you?" Jude looked Karen straight in the eye.

"I... I... I don't know." There was no way Karen was going to admit to the power of the forces within her.

"Yes you do," Jude said, quite softly. "You want more, quite a lot more, and you know it."

"Please, Jude...." Karen started but her voice just faltered, confused over what she wanted, what she should say.

"I know what you want and, in your heart, you know what you want. I know you're scared, I know this is all a bit new to you but the sooner you admit what you want, the sooner you stop fighting it, the sooner you'll find exactly what it is that you're looking for."

"I don't know, I really don't know...." Karen said and, beginning to panic, she started to twist away from Jude's grip.

"Yes you do; let's see if this helps," Jude said and, letting go of Karen for a moment, she reached for her handbag, pulled something out and, with one simple and well-practised movement, caught Karen as she tried to leave, spun her around, bent her over the washstand, swept her arms behind her back and handcuffed her wrists together. As with many a Saturday night drunk Jude had taken Karen from freedom to handcuffs in moments.

"What on earth are you doing to me!" Karen started to exclaim but her cry was cut short as Jude clamped her hand over her mouth.

"Shh!" she ordered. "Now listen carefully. Because you're too scared to admit what it is that you want, because you're in danger of spending the whole night dithering and wasting my time as well as yours I've decided to take control, to make the decisions for you. For the rest of this evening you're going to be my sub. A Mistress doesn't ask, she takes and tonight I'm going to take you; tonight you're mine. Now, do I hear any objections?"

Jude removed her hand but Karen was far too overwhelmed to speak, let alone object, so she just stood there, bent over the washstand with her mouth open, appalled at the liberties this madwoman was taking.

"That's better," Jude went on taking her silence as acceptance. "However, just to make sure things stay this way...." Again she reached for her handbag and, after a moment or two of rummaging around, she pulled out an arrangement of leather straps attached to a rubber ball. "You've had your chance to speak, you've had your get-out. From now on speech is a privilege you're not entitled to. The handcuffs are standard police issue, this, on the other hand...." She reached for the sink and quickly rinsed the ball under the tap. "This is something I keep handy just for moments like this and it is definitely not police issue, although there are plenty of nights when I wish it was. Open wide."

Events had moved far too far, far too fast for Karen and she stood open mouthed and amazed as Jude reached around her and placed the ball in her mouth, forcing her jaws even further apart. Within moments the straps had been fastened behind her head and she was gagged, her mouth completely filled by the ball wedged between her teeth. Jude reached back into her handbag and this time brought out a small metal bell. This she placed in Karen's hands before standing back, and gently turning her around so, once again, they were face to face.

"The bell is for safety, in case things go wrong. If you have to, if you really have to, if you find you can't breathe or something, then just let it drop and I'll let you free, but, trust me, don't do it unless you have to. I have little time for subs who use safety signals just because they're a little uncomfortable. You don't have to worry; whilst you're handcuffed you're my property and I look after what is mine. I'll take care of you; I'll make sure you don't come to any harm. Do you understand?"

Karen nodded. The handcuffs and the gag, working along with swirl of alcohol and the tangle of confused emotions within, stifled any further protests. She knew she should fight it but it had all gone so fast, she had been swept away and now didn't know how to reassert herself. She felt tears welling in her eyes.

"Shh, shh, shh," Jude said gathering her in and calming her as if soothing a child. "Come here, come to Mistress. I know, I know, it's all a bit much at the moment but let me look after you, let me take care of you; Mistress knows what's best."

This sudden switch from abuser to protector only confused Karen more. She truly didn't know what to do but it did feel so good to be held, so good to be comforted, so good to be cared for, that she felt she could stay there in Jude's arms forever. It seemed in this bizarre world that such comfort only came at the cost of being bound, being owned and, now, held and comforted it was a price she would gladly pay. She felt herself relax again as she snuggled into Jude's body, exchanging freedom for safety, exchanging control for comfort.

"That's better." Jude said, gently stroking Karen's hair. "Now, I could hold you like this all night but the others will be wondering where we've got to. Didn't you need to go to the toilet?"

Karen nodded.

"Well, we'd best get a move on but, before anything else, we need to get you more suitably dressed. You'd be the only sub out there wearing a bra and panties and we can't have that, can we?" Jude, suddenly businesslike, stood back, reached down and lifted the hem of Karen's dress, this time all the way to her waist. "Bloody tights." She swore. "I know they're practical but really..." She reached up for the waistband and started to tug them down, catching Karen's panties with her thumbs on the way past and taking them down as well. As she did this Karen leant back against the washstand, now completely compliant and acquiescent. Having accepted the handcuffs and gag, this further indignity just seemed par for the course. Karen felt her tights and panties pushed to around her ankles and then her shoes being taken off and replaced as the panties were removed altogether. Jude stood up and bundled the panties and tights into her handbag.

"OK, turn and face the wall," Jude ordered, backing up her words by actively guiding Karen around. Then Karen felt the zipper at the back of her dress being pulled down, her dress pushed off her shoulders and Jude's fingers tugging at the fastener of her bra. The shoulder straps were unclipped and Jude soon had them loosened so that she could completely remove the bra without unfastening Karen's wrists. With the bra hanging loose and the top of her dress still unfastened Jude spun her back round again and removed the bra adding it to the rest of Karen's underwear in her hand bag. Then she turned back to Karen pushed the material aside completely exposing her breasts. Gently she cupped them and rubbed her thumbs across the tips of Karen's nipples causing little sparks to fly through her body, sparks which centred on her core.

"You've got beautiful breasts," Jude said with a purr. "It's a shame to keep them hidden and they're lovely and firm; you surely don't need a bra." She bent down and kissed one of the nipples, ending with a little bite, just hard enough to make Karen squeak behind the gag. "Yes, indeed. I'm going to have so much fun playing with these. Still, we'd best be getting on. Now, come along." She led the still half naked Karen into one of the stalls, turned her around and pushed her gently backwards until she was sitting down. As she did so she bunched up the dress so that it was effectively a roll of material around her waist, completely exposing Karen who to all intents and purposes was now naked. "That will stop any unfortunate splashing, now, come along, we haven't got all night."

Karen stared back in amazement. Somehow this was far, far worse than what had gone before. Having her bra and panties removed had been, in some way, all part of the process but now she was being asked to do her personal private ablutions all but naked and with Jude looking on. Indeed the door to the stall had been left wide open and, worse still, she could hear someone coming into the restroom. Once again she felt her panic rising but she couldn't see much behind Jude and, whomever it was soon disappeared into one of the other stalls. Despite her fears, despite her deep concerns as to what she was getting into, she wasn't tempted to use the bell, not for this; somehow that would seem like cheating. She pleaded with her eyes but Jude's face just hardened.

"Subs don't get privacy," Jude said firmly. "The sooner you learn that the better. You also need to learn not to keep me waiting."