La Contessa Ch. 21

Chapter 21: Discovery

Julia takes my arm to aid me as I walk unsteadily out of the hall.

"That looked ghastly. Are you alright Roberto?" she asks, concern etched over her face.

"I'm fine, just a bit woozy. It wasn't as bad as it looked."

"She roasted you! And she's burnt your flesh. I'll get some ointment to put on it."

"Well, I suppose so. But she knew what she was doing. And besides I'm rather proud of the mark."

"You're a masochist! You actually enjoy this stuff, don't you? I don't know what to do with you."

"I guess so. It's hard to explain. I'm sore and knackered, and my skin is like it's on fire, but I feel alive."

Julia takes me to her room; brings a jug of water to quench my thirst, which I guzzle down in seconds, and a supper of bread, cheese, and grapes with red wine. I'm ravenous as I've had nothing to eat since breakfast. When I've finished eating Julia puts a cooling herbal unction on the burn.

"It's oil from the aloe vera plant. It's good for burns," she explains, carefully rubbing the soothing ointment onto the mark and the surrounding flesh. "It will leave a scar. Is it painful?"

"It throbs a bit, but the burn is only on the surface."

Julia traces the 'N' with her finger, "She's put her initial on you to mark that she owns you."

I can't argue with her observation!

I'm too tired for sex but we curl up together on her bed and embrace, Julia caressing my throbbing, glowing flesh.

Julia's room adjoins La Contessa's so her maid is available to her at all times.

I don't know, maybe we've got too complacent. During the journey and whilst waiting for our mistress's arrival, we've got used to sleeping together. We're too tired and lazy to move from the comfort of Julia's bed so we doze off there.

When I wake up in the early hours of the morning, I have a massive erection, which desperately requires attention. Julia looks so peaceful laying there, her luscious, ruby lips curled into a beatific smile. It seems a shame to disturb her, but my need is urgent. Her chestnut hair is tousled around her shoulders. I prefer to see it loose like this than when it's neatly brushed and pulled up into place by ivory combs. I can't resist reaching out and curling strands of it around my fingers. It feels full and lush and has the aroma of her perfume and fresh bed linen. My gentle touch is enough to rouse her. Her eyelashes flicker and she looks at me adoringly through narrow eyes, encouraging me to pursue my attentions. Her eyes close again. She's sleepy, but pliable and willing. I caress her cheek with a finger and she emits the slightest of moans. I put my hands under the coverlet and run them over the warm flesh of her breasts down to her sex. She groans and her eyes flicker open again.

"I want you inside me Roberto," she whispers.

I roll on top of her. My finger searches for her slit and parts the fleshy folds. I scoop up the moisture in her cunt and use it to rub her clit. Her groans are louder now. I put my hand over her lips.

"Sh," I whisper.

Maybe she's forgotten where she is, but I'm mindful La Contessa is sleeping in the adjoining chamber. In the morning, I'll have to smuggle out of Julia's room without being seen, but that's a problem for later. Right now my attentions are focused on Julia. I part her legs and probe her entrance with my hardness. She offers no resistance. Her back arches, inviting me to enter her. I'm gentle as I know she's still half asleep. I slide the stiffness of my cock into her slippery hole, she gasps through my fingers, my hand still over her mouth to muffle the sounds of her pleasure. I start slowly. This will be one of those leisurely, early morning screws. Besides, I can't fuck Julia too energetically as I daren't risk the noise of squeaking bed springs rousing La Contessa. It's a slow, luxurious fuck. My hand has moved away from Julia's lips but, as her moans get louder, I realise the only way to stifle them is to kiss her. So I put my lips to hers and my tongue seeks hers out. In this position my movements get stronger as I work myself up to my climax. I want her so much. I want to come inside her.

The sound of footsteps distracts me and I glance to one side. Shit. Oh shit!

In front of me there's an expanse of vividly coloured silk and the patterns of two fire-spewing dragons, clinging to voluptuous, feminine curves. It's La Contessa's dressing gown. I stop my fucking motion. My cock instantly loses its erection.

"So, my maid and my slave; finally caught in the act." Her tone is disdainful. "Get out of bed."

Julia's eyes spring open. She's wide awake now.

I slide my cock out, roll off Julia and scramble out of the bed. Julia looks mortified. She follows me, too stunned to utter a word. We both stand there, naked and guilty.

La Contessa's imposing presence towers over us. She has Lucio with her, looking smug and triumphant. It wouldn't surprise me if he'd been spying on us all along, reporting our activities back to mistress, as he's always possessed a disliking for me. There are a couple of other servants who look sheepish. The staff may or may not know what Julia and I have been up to since I arrived at the palazzo, but we are both popular and they don't appear to be taking any pleasure in our exposure.

La Contessa moves into the armchair. She beckons us both over and, with one imperious movement of her hand, gestures to us to get down on our knees before her. She nestles herself in the chair making herself comfortable, preparing for an interrogation of her two hapless victims.

"So is this what you call servitude? You repay the generosity of your mistress with a flagrant disregard for my rules and standards?"

There's silence. Julia looks shell-shocked at having been caught in the act, her brain calculating the terrible implications for her. There's nothing we can say. Denials are useless and false. We've been caught red handed.

"Have you nothing to say for yourselves?"

Her tone is forceful but calm, which is actually scarier. She never loses her temper, never loses control. I can sense her calculating what terrifying punishments she will inflict for such a gross betrayal of her trust.

"Did you really believe I never knew what was going on? Do you take me for a fool? You think I didn't know what was happening in my own household, under my very nose?"

Her words sink in.

My curiosity overcomes me, "You mean you knew all along?"

"Why, you fool. It is my business to know. I know everything. I am La Contessa di Nemesia. I am the strictest dominatrix in Venice. Do you think I can't rule my own household?"

"But when? When did you know?" I pursue.

"From the start. From the first time you had one another on the gondola when my maid picked you up from the streets. Her flushed cheeks, the enigmatic glow; I know when my maid has been fucked. Do you think the pair of you has been discreet?!"

A disdainful sneer spreads across her lips.

"The creeping into her room at night, the going out into the alleyways of Venice to find a hidden corner where you can make love, fucking her on the kitchen table; I know all of this. Some has been reported to me, the rest is instinct. I could give a list of the times you've been together. But in my bed... in my own hunting lodge? Do you think you can make a fool out of me? Well, believe me, you are mistaken. Lucio, show him."

Lucio presents the cover off La Contessa's bed from the night Julia wore the wolf skin coat and we made love in mistress's bed. She thrusts it under my nose triumphantly. It's still there, the stain from the other night.

"Spunk stains. You leave your disgusting mark on an antique tapestry cover." She turns to Julia, "You wear my fur coat. You try on my undergarments. What were you thinking of girl? I bring you into my household, I give you a home, a job, feed you, look after you. Is this how you repay me? With disrespect and deception."

Julia cracks. Her face is in her hands and she's sobbing.

"I'm sorry," she wails through the tears. "I'm sorry... so, so sorry. I'm sorry, madam. I didn't mean it. Really, I never meant it like that. I'm truly sorry."

"Sorry is not enough. I want punishment and retribution."

I can't help myself. I have to ask this question. I'm in so deep causing further offence to mistress will make no difference now.

"But why? If you knew all along why didn't you stop it? Why didn't you summon us before you and punish us, rather than let us continue?"

"Because it amused me, my slave. The thought of you scurrying around imagining you were being secretive and clever when I knew what you were up to all the time. This is a test of loyalty and discipline for you both, and you've been found wanting. I've been waiting to see how far you would go, merely waiting to choose the right moment to expose you. Do you really have nothing to say for yourselves?"

"Nothing mistress. What you say is true. Only that I'm prepared to submit myself to your judgement."

She narrows her eyes and her stare bores right through me, "And so you shall slave... so you shall."

Julia is in a pitiful state, collapsed on the floor sobbing. I feel sorry for her, I truly do. She has far more to lose than I. But we both knew the risks we were taking for our sexual pleasure, and for consummating our love.

"Stop your snivelling, and get up girl," La Contessa snarls.

Julia heaves her naked body up from the floor her head bowed, unable to look either La Contessa or me in the eye.

"The question now," La Contessa muses, "is what to do with the pair of you. Now there's an interesting quandary... let me see. I know, I have the perfect place to inflict my punishment for your disobedience. Lucio, take them to the olive press."