Full Circle Ch. 05 - Into the Darkness

Syl turned to the shorter, attractive dark-haired woman wearing a flowing long black dress that was slit up the side to the top of her thigh. It was Julia. She was watching Elaine and Syl from the moment they arrived at the party and noted that Syl was a tasty morsel, young and extremely beautiful -- a piece of arm candy for Elaine. Julia had already decided to steal her away from Elaine. She set the bait on her hook with her question.

"Hi darling. I'm Julia. I couldn't help but notice you came in with Elaine. Are you one of her subs?"

Sylvia looked perplexed. "A sub?" She had no idea what Julia was talking about.

Julia raised her eyebrows when she realized Elaine had never told Sylvia of her past as a Domme. She had a juicy piece of information and wondered how she could exploit it. Julia had initially reestablished contact with Elaine to discuss her possible investment in Julia's club, which was struggling. But with Syl's appearance, Julia was more focused on sex than money.

"I'm so sorry. You just had that look, if you know what I mean."

"I don't," said Sylvia. "What do you mean?"

"Elaine usually... uh... owns women."

"Well she doesn't own me," Syl said indignantly (though she wondered if what Julia said was true).

Julia backed off. "I didn't mean to imply that Elaine owned you."

"Well she doesn't."

After getting over her indignation curiosity got the better of Syl though she sensed Julia was someone not to be trifled with.

"So how well do you know Elaine?"

"Quite well. We used to do a lot more things together but not recently."

Syl knew what she wanted to ask but didn't know exactly how to do it. Julia was amused by Syl's transparency.

"Did you... you know... get together?"

Julia laughed. "Do you mean did we have sex? That's a pretty personal question."

It was precisely what Syl was trying to ask. But having hit a bullseye (and great embarrassment on Syl's part) she tried to back off.

"Well... uh... I didn't mean to..." Syl stammered.

"Sure you did," said Julia. "And the answer to your question is yes."

"So you were girlfriends?" Syl asked.

"Not exactly."

"What do you mean?"

Julia's eyes went to Elaine, who was standing on the other side of the room watching them talk. Syl's eyes followed. Out of Elaine's sight, Julia slipped her card into Syl's hand.

"I think Elaine has taken a great interest in our conversation. It would be better if we discussed this personal matter some other time, when we're alone. Here's my card. Give me a call."

Julia moved away to engage someone else she knew. Sylvia pondered the meaning of Julia's cryptic comment and came up empty, but there was something significant about Elaine that Elaine had elected not to share. The man Julia was speaking with must have said something funny because Julia threw her head back and laughed. Her wavy dark hair flipped back and her lithe frame in her black dress rippled like the smooth coat of a panther. Sylvia sensed danger, but couldn't help being drawn to it.

* * *

Sylvia found an empty bar top table and rested her flute of expensive champagne on it. She admired the fine bubbles in it before tipping it up against her lips and letting it flow down her throat, temporarily allaying the anxiety she felt after her meeting with Julia. Before she knew it she'd emptied the glass, and as if right on cue Elaine showed up holding an extra champagne flute for Syl.

"Looks like I came just in time," Elaine said, moving the empty glass away from Syl and giving her a fresh one. She bent across the table and gave Syl a peck on the cheek.

"Having fun?" Elaine asked.

"Yeah, just talking to a couple folks," Syl said in disinterested tone. Syl didn't want to talk about Julia.

Elaine's face became much more alert and Syl noticed it.

"I saw you talking to Julia."

"Uh huh. It was just for a minute."

Elaine immediately became suspicious. Julia talking to Syl without adult supervision was not a good idea.

"Oh? What did you guys talk about?" Elaine asked, as if the question meant nothing. But Elaine had a long history with Julia, including inviting her to her country estate, and Elaine had determined that Julia's jealousy of Elaine's success, and of course the incident with Julia's sub, would always stand in the way between them. It would also make them more dangerous rivals.

Syl sensed Elaine's mistrust of Julia and felt forced to give a vague answer. Julia's tantalizing comments weren't ready for Elaine's ears. If anything, Elaine's suspicions encouraged Syl to reach out to Julia.

"Not much. She gave me advice on oysters and then said she knew you and that was about it."

Syl wasn't a particularly good liar. On the other hand, Elaine, being an ultra-successful woman, was an expert at visual cues and had impeccable lie-dar. Elaine figured that Syl was lying for a reason, and had an inkling it had something to do with her past, but before she could ask her next question Julia breezed over to welcome Elaine.

"So happy you could make it," Julia said, her eyes sparkling.

"I see you've already met Sylvia," Elaine replied, pasting on a fake smile. "What were you talking about?"

Julia wasn't going to give Elaine the time of day, let alone the details of their conversation.

"I was just giving her advice on the oysters. The Kumamoto's are particularly good," Julia said glibly.

Elaine knew Julia was lying but wasn't going to pry out the information she was seeking in casual cocktail conversation.

"I'll make sure to try them," Elaine said.

Julia gave Syl a wink. "Enjoy the party."

* * *

The conversations at Julia's party unsettled both Syl and Elaine. They each suspected the other of being untruthful, but neither wanted to confront the other. After returning from the party they both lacked interest in sex and went into separate bedrooms to sleep. Syl of course couldn't sleep, her mind turning over once again her conversation with Julia. She was convinced Julia knew what Elaine was hiding. She thought it made sense to talk to Julia and have her tell her at least her version of the truth. Armed with that knowledge, she could then confront Elaine.

Syl retrieved Julia's card from her purse and put in on her nightstand, the card beckoning her to call as if it was a flashing neon sign. It was almost midnight and Syl figured Julia's phone would be turned off and she'd leave a voicemail. Instead, to her complete surprise, Julia answered on the first ring.

"Hello?"

There was a momentary pause as Syl composed herself. "It's Sylvia. Sylvia Bianchi." Syl could feel her temples pounding. She wasn't prepared for Julia to answer and had no idea what to say next.

"Ah yes," said Julia feigning ignorance. "We met at the party. You came with Elaine, is that right?"

"That's right," said Syl nervously. Julia sensed weakness and vulnerability and she was right.

"So you're calling... you're calling about what I said."

"Of course. Is this a good time to talk?"

"It is Sylvia. I'm a night owl. I was just reading a book. Should I call you Sylvia?"

"Sylvia is fine but my friends call me Syl."

"Syl it is."

Then Julia spoke in a more hushed tone that made Syl's heart drop.

"I sense that you and Elaine are close but that Elaine hasn't been completely forthcoming with you."

Syl could sense something bad was coming, but she had to know what Julia knew, good or bad.

"Yes, I'd say we were." Syl was tired of dancing around the issue. "So what is it you're going to tell me something about Elaine?"

"I'm sorry Syl. I may have spoken out of turn. Maybe it's best Elaine that tells you."

Julia waited. She only said that so she could claim later to Elaine that she tried to push Syl away. She knew Syl wouldn't let it go. After all, she had the courage to call a stranger at midnight. It must have really been eating at her.

Syl obliged by saying exactly what Julia was expecting.

"No, I want to know."

"Syl, as I've said to you, after further reflection I don't I should be the one to be telling you."

Julia knew that what she said would just stiffen Syl's resolve.

"Julia, look, I don't know if you're playing games with me, but are you going to tell me or not?"

Julia let Syl hear the faint buzz on the line while she stewed.

"Do you know anything about domination and submission?" she finally asked.

Sylvia's mind raced, trying to process the question. After her conversation with Julia, Syl had searched "sub" on the internet and had just read a couple articles about BDSM. "Is it a sex game or something?" she asked tentatively.

"No. It's anything but a game. It's a way to accentuate human emotion."

"In what way?" Syl asked innocently.

"Pleasure, pain, exhilaration, humiliation, fear... they're pushed to the limits."

All the gears clicked into place for Syl. Of course. Just listening to Julia say out loud what she'd been feeling and wanting made her heart race.

"So Elaine does this?"

"She did. For many years. Though I know it wasn't that way with Rae."

"It's sex?"

"Some of it is. But more of it is between the ears. And Elaine was good at it."

That didn't surprise Syl. Elaine was good at everything she did and the sex was fantastic. Now she knew why and also what she was becoming. It was a lot to take on for Syl, who had never had an emotional awakening like this one.

"So... so Elaine was... was..."

"A Domme."

"Domme?"

"That's right. She was in control of her submissives."

"So that's what you meant when you asked me if I was her sub?"

"That's right. It was an honest mistake," Julia said, although it wasn't true. It was purely intentional.

"How many did she have?"

"Before she met Rae? I don't know exactly, but it was more than a handful."

"More than five?"

"No doubt, probably many more."

There was a long pause on the phone as Sylvia digested this information. "Oh my God."

"So what did they do... Elaine and her subs?"

Instead of answering Syl's question, she asked one of her own, although she already knew the answer.

"Did Elaine ever tell you about the Red Room at her country house?"

"No... no, she never mentioned anything like that."

Julia couldn't suppress a laugh.

"What? What? What is it?" Syl demanded.

"Elaine will have to show you. It's where she had playtime with her subs."

"Like a dungeon?" Syl asked, thinking about whips and chains.

"Not quite... but it's well thought out and elaborate."

"You've seen it?"

"Oh yes. A number of times."

Sylvia asked the question that was foremost on her mind and held her breath. "What did they do in it?"

Julia sensed this was her opportunity to drive a wedge between Sylvia and Elaine and maybe steal Sylvia. The thought of laying her hands on Elaine's prize made Julia's skin tingle.

"Why don't I just show you?"

Show me? Syl had seen Fifty Shades of Gray, and that was the extent of the exposure she'd had to Elaine's world. The thought of seeing it in person made her heart leap. She was shocked at her own reaction and what she said next.

"I'd like that," Syl said to both of their surprise. Julia thought her suggestion was just for the shock value. She didn't think that Syl would take her up on her offer. Her mind went into overdrive and she had to compose herself to answer.

"Tomorrow then, or is that too soon?" Julia suggested. She couldn't believe she actually hooked her prey on the first try.

The emotions violently swirling in Syl's head made rational thought difficult. Julia's offer for Syl to watch people having sex - the way she wanted it - was irresistible. The appointments she'd made for the following day would be cancelled.

"Not at all. What time and where?"

Syl tried to say it calmly to hide her excitement. Julia was too practiced in reading innocent young women like Sylvia to be fooled. This was going so much better than she expected. Maybe she could steal this lovely creature away from Elaine. Payback's a bitch.

"Why don't we say five o'clock tomorrow? Then we can end at a civilized hour. Why don't I send around my driver to pick you up say around 4:30 at Elaine's apartment?" Julia too was ecstatic at getting Syl to her club, but she knew how to hide her emotions. Syl had no idea she'd fallen into Julia's carefully laid trap.

* * *

Syl was already fretting about her visit to Julia's club. She had lied to Elaine at breakfast, telling her she was meeting an old high school friend for drinks and dinner and would be home late. She had never lied to Elaine before. It was mid-afternoon, and Elaine was away at some boring business meeting and Sylvia was going through her closet for the umpteenth time trying to decide what to wear. She finally decided upon a mid-length skirt and plain blouse, classic and understated, but nevertheless looking stunning on the brunette. Syl told herself she was going to visit Julia for the sole purpose of understanding Elaine better, and not for her own sexual pleasure. To think otherwise would be cheating on Elaine. She chose a set of sexy underwear, telling herself that she wasn't going to take off her clothes so there was no reason not to look pretty underneath. She took a long time fixing her hair and make-up until it was perfect. The black swan was turning into the beautiful woman.

She admired herself in the bathroom mirror before practicing walking in her four-inch heels into the main living area not expecting anyone to be there. But someone was there. Elaine.

"Elaine," Syl said, finding herself at a loss for words.

"So you're home early," she finally said.

"Meeting wrapped up early. I got lucky with traffic so here I am. You're looking good," Elaine said, admiring Syl's polished look of understated elegance and then noticed the sexy heels.

"So you've decided to go for it again," Elaine said, referring to Syl's wearing heels for a second straight night. As a busy auto mechanic, Syl had little reason or opportunity to wear heels and Elaine thought Syl hated them.

"You're changing me Elaine. Isn't it for the better?" Syl turned one hip to the side to strike a sexy pose. She did look spectacular in her designer pumps. But before Elaine could say anything Syl said "I've got to run," pointing to her watch. The car was to arrive in ten minutes.

Elaine looked surprised. "I thought we might get drinks and catch dinner someplace."

"You didn't remember? I told you I was having dinner with a high school friend tonight." Syl's heart was starting to sink to the floor. She was repeating the lie that Elaine didn't remember.

Elaine stood up straighter. "Oh shit. You're right. You told me this morning. I'm sorry."

Syl was relieved, but only momentarily.

"You wouldn't mind if I tagged along, you know to meet..." Elaine said, forgetting the name of the person because Syl never mentioned it.

"Frank Marino," Syl said in a panic. She hadn't anticipated she'd have to defend what she thought was a little white lie. Frank's name was the first one to pop into her mind. He was sweet on her in high school before she decided to be exclusively with women. She had no idea where Frank was living. She kicked herself for not saying Suzie Taylor, who lived in a small town about a half hour from White Feather Lake. Syl couldn't stand Suzie and refused the few times Suzie asked her out for drinks. Suzie got the message.

"Frank Marino, who's he?" Elaine asked, assuming she'd be invited along. She wanted a briefing on who she'd be having dinner with.

Shit, Syl thought to herself. She was getting deeper into the lie and it was time to fish or cut bait. She'd either have to embellish her lie or fess up. Syl thought she was stronger than she really was. The offer from Julia was too enticing and her resolve to be truthful weakened.

"Oh, a guy I knew in high school. We were in math class together," Syl said, her mind working in overdrive to remember what she knew of Frank. She wasn't going to tell Elaine he was the first person, man or woman, to put a finger in her pussy. It was a detail not necessary to share, and besides the dinner wasn't happening anyway.

"Sounds exciting," said Elaine, chuckling, "what's he doing now?"

"Doing now?" Sylvia had no fucking idea what Frank was doing. The last time she talked to him was in high school. "Uh, he's a management consultant," Sylvia said on the spur of the moment. She kicked herself immediately. She remembered Elaine was the managing partner of a consulting firm at one time before she struck out on her own.

"What firm?" Elaine asked, as expected.

Syl only knew the name of one management consultant firm, McKinsey. McKinsey was Elaine's chief competitor at the time.

"McKinsey," she said, and then held her breath.

Elaine laughed again, and that wasn't good for Sylvia. "I know a lot of folks at McKinsey. I'll have to ask him at dinner."

Now Syl was going to have to break the bad news or sink even deeper.

"Elaine, you're not... "

Elaine's phone dinged, cutting off Sylvia before she could finish. Elaine's eyes immediately went from Syl to her phone.

"Oh shit," said Elaine. "I'm late for a meeting at the office. I totally fucking forgot. I'm sorry, what were you saying?"

"Oh nothing. I'm sorry you won't be able to meet Frank." Elaine was too busy texting back on her phone to notice the relief on Syl's face.

Elaine looked up. "Sorry honey, raincheck? Say hi to... Frank is it?"

"Yes Frank."

"So say hi to Frank for me. I'll catch him next time he's in town." Elaine scurried out of the room, tucking her phone in her purse and making haste for the front door.

Sylvia checked her watch. The car was to be there in two minutes. She either had to share an elevator with Elaine or wait for the next elevator and be late. She ran for the elevator in her heels, turning her ankle. "Fuck!" she shouted at the shot of pain. She limped to the elevator door and caught it with her hand as it was about to close. Elaine was the only person in the cab.

"You swear goowd," Elaine said, drawing out the last word in a fake Jersey accent.

Sylvia blushed. "I'll be slumming it and you'll be meeting with some bigwigs on an expense account," Syl joked as a defensive measure. The elevator was taking forever to get to the ground floor. It stopped on the 38^th and a couple with a small dog got on.

"Yeah. Well, have fun at whatever meeting you're going to," Syl said out of the side of her mouth, praying Elaine wouldn't ask for more details about her fictional dinner.

Elaine turned her head to answer. "It's a board meeting of the firm. It's a formality, and I don't really have to be there because I'm not on the board anymore, but I do want to say goodbye, so I'm going. I can't believe I forgot your dinner and mine as well."

The cab reached the ground floor and the door opened. Syl took a deep breath and then exhaled. She didn't move and let Elaine leave first. Elaine turned around as she exited the elevator.

"Have fun tonight," Elaine said, admiring her beautiful lover.

"I will," Syl said nervously. It didn't feel good to lie to Elaine, but it was clear Elaine was also lying to her and not telling her about her significant past. Syl knew the Elaine was a skilled lover, doing things to her that no one else had done and making her orgasms more intense and more frequent. The pain, the pleasure, the withholding of orgasms. It was starting to make sense.

Syl reached out before the elevator doors could close on her. She spotted the black car idling by the curb. As she approached the luxury coach a tall handsome young man in a black suit got out and opened the back passenger door for Syl. Syl looked up at the man's clean-shaven face, got into the plush leather interior of the limo and wondered what the fuck she was getting into.