Queen of the Ball

Disclaimer: The people and incidents in this story are purely fictional: any resemblance to real life is strictly coincidental. As to the places, everyone knows that San Francisco is a myth, and we want to keep it that way!

Katie kept looking at herself in the mirror, she couldn't quite believe what she was wearing. When James had told her that they were going out to buy her an outfit for the New Year's Ball, she hadn't expected anything like this. In the ten months that they had been together they had been to several of the monthly D/s parties held in San Francisco. As a Master, his attire was always formal, I.E. black tie and coat, but as his sub she wore whatever he wanted her to. Of course, being a sub, her attire always included a collar with her Master's name on it, as well as wrist cuffs. So far, she had gone to parties wearing as much as a robe that covered her from the top of her head to her feet, (which ended up completely open by the end of the night); to as little as her Halloween costume where she had gone as a tiger, wearing just body paint.

In this case James had taken her to the nicest store in town and literally dressed her from the skin out. He had started with black silk (not nylon!) stockings, and a black lace garter belt. Then to her surprise, a pair of white French cut silk panties. Normally she was never allowed to wear panties, unless, of course he had a reason. It took quite a while to decide on the rest of her outfit, but he finally picked out a floor length strapless black dress. The bodice had slender, almost invisible stays, which held up the dress and molded it to her body, and the front was cut into a deep "V" to show off most of the insides of her breasts. One side of the slightly flared skirt was slit most of the way up her thigh. On the front of the dress, starting from her crotch and fanning up and out was a burst of silver and diamond-like sparkles. The whole thing was topped off with a short-waisted jacket, also black, as were the low-heeled pumps he had selected to complete her outfit.

As Katie studied her reflection, she appreciated the other accessories James had chosen. Tonight she was wearing her stainless steel collar. The highly polished metal offset the black of the dress and complemented the sparkles on it. Her cuffs for tonight were also stainless steel but looked like ordinary bracelets. You had to look closely at them to see that they were locked around her wrists and not about to slip off.

She had carefully applied makeup and her hair was pulled up and back so her collar showed to it's best advantage. Looking in the mirror one last time she noticed James standing behind her looking too. "Beautiful. That is the perfect outfit for tonight. You couldn't look prettier."

Katie spun around once for his inspection, then stepped close to him. Putting her arms around his waist, she snuggled against him and gave him a tight hug. "If anyone had told me that I would ever wear anything as nice as this I would have told them that they were crazy! Thank you so much sweetheart!"

James gave her a long close hug before stepping back and giving her a swat on the ass. "Come wench, or we shall be late for the ball. Your coach awaits."

It was a beautiful night to be driving to the city: Cold but cloudless, and a full moon to light their way along the highway. The drive to San Francisco was a good two hours, and after exiting the highway it was another fifteen minutes before they reached the party site. James carefully threaded his way though the narrow streets of the SOMA district to what looked like nothing more than an old warehouse. Pulling up into the driveway, James stopped in front of a large roll-up door. Getting out of the car he walked up to and knocked on a smaller door set to the side. A small panel opened and James showed their invitation. The panel snapped shut, and as James got back into the car, the large door started moving up. Driving into the building, James parked the car. He got out and walked around to the trunk where he removed a few things that Katie couldn't see. Then he rounded the car to open her door.

As Katie moved to get out he stopped her. "I need your feet first, pet." When she swung her feet out of the car towards him, she found out what one of the items from the trunk was. James pushed her dress up out of the way and fastened a narrow padded leather cuff around each ankle. A chain, about three feet long, connected the two cuffs together. She realized then that she was to be hobbled this night. Helping her from the car, he spoke again, "Hold your hands out." As she complied, she looked down to see him attach a short length of chain between her wrist cuffs. As a final touch James clipped a stainless steel lead chain to her collar. "You are dressed so finely that we can't have you mistaken for a Domme tonight."

She followed a short way behind him as he held her leash lightly in his hand and led her to the admission table where two members of the guiding body of the group sat. James again produced his invitation and handed it to them. Even though the man behind the table knew James well, he still followed the procedure.

"Names!" he snapped out.

"James and Katie Wilson, Orangevale," James replied.

"Since?"

"Me, nineteen ninety three, her two thousand one." The woman who was also behind the table looked quickly at her records then nodded.

With a smile the man looked up at both of them and spoke again. "Great that you could make it tonight James, Katie." Then looking mostly at Katie he continued, "I'm sure that this will be a very interesting night for you."

As they walked to the freight elevator behind the admission table, Katie leaned close to James and questioned in a whisper, "What did he mean by that?"

Lifting the gate to the elevator, James just smiled and replied, "Don't worry about it. You'll find out."

When the elevator rose to the third floor of the building, the noise of the party washed over the couple. The crowd was larger than Katie ever had seen here, but the building was so big that it was far from crowded. At each end of the long hall was a stage with a very large screen over it. Similar screens were positioned in the middle of each of the sidewalls. She knew these were for the projection TV system, but right now they were currently showing just a light show. On either side of and below the screens on the sidewalls were an array of suspension frames, 4x4 frame-works hung with chains and leather straps for holding the sub, ladder like sets of horizontal bars and the large "X"s of St. Andrew's crosses. At this early hour of the evening most were still empty, but here and there, small groups clustered showing that an apparatus was in use. One thing Katie had never seen before. In the center of the hall another stage had been set up. This one was round, about twenty feet across, and about five feet off the floor. On it were two upright 4x4's about eight feet tall which were topped by a cross beam. As she and James passed this stage, Katie looked up into the rafters and saw spotlights that could be trained down on the stage, but for now it was dark and empty.

Moving into the hall, James and Katie were greeted by several of their friends. Many of the women "ooh'ed" and "ah'ed", complementing Katie on her dress. Katie was careful to remember the conversation rules. Doms could speak to other Doms and to subs, and subs could then reply to them. Subs could talk to other subs as they wished, unless one was gagged. While most Dominants didn't really stand too fast on these rules, it was always better to remember them, as there were some stuffy enough to insist on it.

James led her over to the bar and buffet table. At the bar he got them each a drink, then, as she held the cups, he made a heaping plate of snacks from the buffet table. Motioning Katie to a table near by, they sat down and enjoyed the food and drink. As they nibbled on their snacks, several friends stopped at their table to chat and catch up on all the things that had happened in the last months.

After finishing their food, James and Katie began to wander around the edge of the room looking in on the scenes taking place. At one of the suspension frames a Mistress had her sub tied and hanging horizontally, face up. The Mistress was working her sub over with hot wax. Holding two lit candles, one in each hand, she was covering the female sub from neck to toe with the wax. The sub's twitches and mews of pleasure left no doubt how she felt about it. As a drop of wax to her clit pushed her over the edge, she moaned out her orgasm. Katie gave a slight shudder of her own knowing just what the woman was feeling.

In a corner of the room was a piercing booth. They watched as a woman got both of her inner labia pierced. Katie kept her eyes on the woman's face watching closely, trying to see how painful it was. She knew that James wanted her to have this done but wouldn't push her to do it until she was ready. Next to the woman was a male sub getting his nipples pierced. He was wearing a rubber ball gag, and from the look of his jaw muscles, the ball was going to bear deep impressions of his teeth when it was over.

After about an hour and a half, Katie was beginning to wonder just what was going on. They had stopped and watched several scenes and had talked to many of their friends, but other than the occasional rub and pat to the ass and a few pinches to the nipples, James hadn't done anything to her. Usually by now she could expect him to have done something. If not an out and out scene, at least her breasts exposed or her dress pulled up in back to expose her ass. When one of the other members came up to them and whispered in James's ear, she definitely knew something was up. Leading her to a relatively quiet corner James sat them both down.

"You remember that every time we have been here, there has been a demonstration of some sort." James's voice was soft as he looked at her. With a sinking feeling inside her, Katie just nodded. "And you know I wouldn't ask you to do anything I didn't think you could do." Again she just nodded. "My precious pet, when they first asked me, my thought was to tell them no. But you have come so far so quickly, and I am so proud of you, I couldn't resist showing you off. Tonight we, you, are going to be on the main stage. The only reason I didn't tell you earlier is because I knew you would worry yourself into a complete tizzy about it if you knew beforehand."

Everything was falling into place for Katie now. The comments at the entry desk, comments she had heard from others, the dress. James watched her face closely reading the thoughts as they ran though her head.

"I can't do this!" she thought. "How could he do this to me. Put me on the spot this way. Damn, what does he expect from me anyway?

"My pet," James's voice cut though her thoughts. "You know I wouldn't have accepted if I didn't think you were ready. You have come much further than you give yourself credit for. We are not going to do anything that we haven't done before, we are just going to do it up there." He pointed to the circular stage.

Katie's thoughts calmed and slowed as she considered his words. She did know he had never asked more of her than she was ready to give. She remembered the time she had been strapped to one of the crosses. How quickly the crowd had faded from her perception as he worked his magic on her. And this was something that He wanted. She knew that she could never say no to this man, this man who held her heart and soul in his hands.

Taking a long look at the stage, Katie inhaled deeply then spoke. " My Master, my Lord, my love, I am ready for whatever you have in store for me. When do we start?"

James reached over and pulled her out of her chair and into his lap, holding her close to him and hugging her tightly. Bending his head, he gave her a kiss that took her breath away with its passion. "That's my sweet pet. I promise you that this will be a night to remember, even if it's not one you could tell your grandchildren about!"

Breaking off the kiss and glancing at his watch, James spoke again. "And now is as good a time to start as any. Can't have you getting second thoughts and backing out at this late date. Come my pet!"

Katie expected them to take one of the elevators to the second floor so she could undress and maybe slip into a robe or something of the like, so she was quite surprised when James led her to the side of the dark stage and guided her up a set of steps to the main platform. Since most of the light in the room was concentrated around the edges where things were currently happening, the stage was very dark and they attracted no attention. James led her between the uprights and unhooked her leash. Unhooking the chain between her wrists, he reached up and pulled down a pair of wide, well padded leather cuffs, which were attached to ropes that went over pulleys at the tops of the uprights. James tenderly wrapped a cuff around each of her wrists and carefully tightened the straps that held them in place. Then he knelt and removed the chain from her ankles. In its place he hooked ropes that ran to the base of each upright. Standing again, he adjusted the wrist cuffs so the ropes ran up the insides of Katie's wrists where she could grab and hold the ropes in her hands.

Leaning close to her, James whispered, "Remember my pet, my love, we won't be doing anything that we haven't before, and you can and should use your safe word if you need to. Oh, and just to help you feel a little more comfortable with this, we will be using our own toys." James nodded toward a table set to one side of the stage. On it were floggers, a crop, clips, and other "toys". Their toys!

"Oh, so that's what else was in the trunk," Katie thought.

"One last chance. Are you ready my pet?"

Not trusting her voice Katie nodded. James moved around the frame pulling the ropes tight. Katie's hands were pulled up and out over her head while her legs were pulled apart. Her stocking-clad leg pulled though the slit of her dress exposing it almost up to the top of the stocking. James tied the ropes off (slip knots she noted) and checked that nothing was binding or pinching her. Then he walked to the table and removed his jacket, preparing himself for what was to come.

"Close your eyes and relax my pet, it will be a few more minutes before we start."

Katie had already noticed that the lights around the room had been getting dimmer, the signal that something was going to happen. The background music had changed also, letting all know it was time to wrap up any scenes in progress. The room was completely dark, the music quiet when a light came up on the end stage that Katie was facing. Charles, the president of the society, was standing there holding a microphone.

"Ladies, gentleman, Dominants and subs, Masters, Mistresses and slaves." His voice rang and echoed though the room. "Tonight is a special night, and we have a special treat for you. It took a bit of persuading, but we managed to talk one of our premier Doms into sharing with us tonight. Let's see what we can all learn from Master James and his beautiful wife and submissive, Katharine!"

The light on the end stage dimmed to blackness as the ones on the main stage slowly came up, and at the same time the stage started rotating! The start was gentle and the rotation slow, about one turn per minute, it was so smooth that Katie couldn't feel the movement at all. But she very quickly had other things to think about.

James stepped in front of her and gave the command, "Pet, attend!" "Heck, You've got my full attention, and you know it," she thought to herself, but realized why he had done it. His voice came echoing back to them out of the sound system. This was his way of letting her know that he was mic'd so it wouldn't startle her later. What did startle her a bit was when she replied; "Yes my Master!" and her own voice came flowing out of the sound system too. She knew that she didn't have a mic on her, but didn't have any time to wonder how they were picking her up.

James asked her the question he always asked before starting a scene, "Pet, what is your safe word?"

"Master, my safe word is red!" The answer had to be given even though she knew full well that tonight there was no way she would use it!

When James stepped back from her, she noticed the hunting knife in his hand for the first time. She knew now how her clothes were coming off. If she had had the time, she would have shed a tear for the wonderful dress that was about to be ruined.

James pulled on the lapel of the jacket and asked, "Whose jacket is this?"

Katie knew this part of the game. "Yours Master!" she replied in a clear voice.

The knife slipped between her skin and the cloth of the jacket, effortlessly slicing from shoulder to wrist, up one arm then the other. James pulled it free of her and threw it into the crowd.

"Whose dress is this?"

"Yours Master!"

The knife was slipped into the neckline of the dress and slowly pulled down, its razor sharp edge sliding through the material as if it wasn't there. Being low cut and strapless the dress fell behind her as it was cut. First exposing her breasts, then her smooth belly and finally, as it slid to the floor, her lace garter belt, stockings and white panties.

As James walked behind her to remove the dress (it wouldn't do to trip on it!) a movement off the stage caught Katie's eye. Looking up at one of the large screens mounted around the room she saw herself. Arms high, legs wide, her breasts moving with her breathing, nipples hard.

From behind her she heard, "Whose stockings are these?"

Without even thinking she answered, "Yours Master!"

This time the edge of the knife wasn't turned outward. James carefully pressed it hard enough against her legs to cut though the fine silk but not break her skin. Katie held very still, knowing how sharp that knife was and how hard James must be concentrating right now. She closed her eyes and focused on breathing slowly and smoothly. She felt the knife move several times across each calf then progress higher up her legs. The edge of the knife stroked slowly across her thighs, moving from the outsides and working inward. She could feel the slight burn of the knife's edge against her skin, then the coolness of the air as the silk parted.

When she felt the knife move further up her leg to press between her nether lips, she held her breath. She knew she was wide open down there now, and could feel the sharp edge of the knife through the silk of her panties as it traveled though her crease, pressing not quite hard enough to cut the silk there. The knife then passed slowly up her body, across her belly, then ribs to come to rest under her right breast. His control of the pressure was such that the sharp edge left a reddened welt, but didn't cut her soft skin.

"Whose body is this?" His voice echoed loudly in the room as all watched and waited for what would happen

"Yours Master!" she replied taking a quick breath.

The knife moved from under the right breast to the left, around each in turn, circling with its trail of fire. It then slid up between her breasts, across her collarbones and stopped, the sharp edge of the blade now pressing against her neck.

The room was deathly silent as his amplified whisper rolled across the crowd, "And whose life is this?"

The game had never gone this far before, but she knew just how to answer. "It is yours my Lord, my Master!"

She felt the knife draw slowly across her neck, leaving a hot burning trail in its wake. The pain brought forth a rush of juices between her legs, as she felt the slow trickle of blood from her neck where he had very carefully just broken the skin.