The Gala Ch. 01

I could hear the coarse gravel beneath the wheels of the van that carried me through the night, and I could feel we were moving along at a fair rate of speed. I had no real sense of direction or location because the back of the van had no windows to let me see where I had been or where I was going. Of course, I knew the ultimate purpose of my trip down this country road -- after all, it was the reason I had agreed to take this ride in the first place. Yet even once I arrived at my destination, I would be clueless about my actual location, and there would be no easy way for me to find my way back home. My ultimate safety and future well-being were completely up to my hosts.

I kept telling myself, "You volunteered for this, Dude." But the more I repeated the thought in my head, the greater my sense of doubt about whether I had made a prudent decision. I remembered thinking this trip would be exciting and fun -- an adventure unlike anything I'd experienced before. However, now that I was in the moment, my perspective had changed. While there was certainly a whole lot of excitement (which gradually felt more and more like fear), the fun was conspicuously absent. I was still hopeful that would change. However, those hopes really didn't matter much, because now the situation was out of my control.

As the road bumped beneath me, I rested comfortably on the padded seat in the back of the van. We'd been driving for about an hour, but I was still feeling very self-conscious about the fact that I was completely naked. Well,... almost naked. The leather collar fastened around my neck and the steel chastity cage that imprisoned my cock really didn't qualify as 'clothing.' I was thankful it was dark, which gave me some sense of privacy. Nevertheless, it was disconcerting to see the eyes of the female driver occasionally glancing back at me in the rear-view mirror. I imagined I could see a glimmer of humor and mischief in her eyes as she considered my predicament. The driver was a petite blonde, dressed smartly in a tailored men's suit. She had a commanding presence, despite her size, and had made it clear from the start she was calling the shots while I was under her supervision. Despite her display of power and control, she had been invariably polite since taking me under her care.

"Are the restraints too tight cutie pie?" I heard her say as she glanced back at me yet again.

"No," I said, as I instinctively flexed my wrists and hands. "They're comfortable. Thanks for asking. Besides, you probably guessed by now that I'm kind of partial to having my body tied up."

"Yes, I had my suspicions you might like those leather straps," she said, chuckling, "but don't enjoy yourself too much back there slugger. You need to conserve your energy for where you're headed." Her attention went back to the road.

My seat had been designed for both safety and comfort. Its shape was contoured to my body with good support and a well-placed headrest. Both my wrists and elbows were securely strapped to the arms of the seat by thick leather straps. The seat was mounted on two padded pylons extending upward from the van floor, and similar straps held my thighs and ankles snugly against each pylon. The seat bucket was shaped like a horseshoe and nicely cradled my ass, but also allowed my cock to dangle in its cage between my legs. As we continued to bounce down the country road, I was very aware of the chain that was clipped to my collar. The cool metal rubbed against the skin of my chest and ran down my body where it was clipped again to the cock cage. From the cage, its weight dangled to the floor, making a pile of links that rattled with the road. I could see the end of the chain padlocked to a metal ring. Each bump magnified the weight of the chain, giving a pleasantly arousing downward pull on my cock and balls. The entire set-up in the back of the van had been designed to constantly remind me of my subservient status and the role I anticipated I would play in upcoming events.

If anyone had bothered to ask, I would have admitted that, despite my nervousness, I was more than a little turned on. I could feel my cock straining against its metal cage, trying in futility to get hard, but very much trapped. As I looked down, I could see its head pressed tightly against the end of the cage, purple and engorged, squeezing like Play-Doh between the gaps of the cage bars. As my mind lingered on what I saw, I felt my cock swell a bit more. The slight discomfort was part of the game, and I enjoyed how it felt. I smiled to myself as I thought back to how my night had begun, and how I came to be riding, strapped, chained and naked, in the back of this van.

Claire was the person responsible for persuading me to undertake this little adventure. I'd known Claire for quite a few years through mutual acquaintances. We'd served on several committees together and often ran into one another at social functions. I'd always admired her confidence and drive, and it didn't hurt that I also found her to be quite attractive. She had been single for as long as I'd known her and always seemed to have no shortage of male suitors. While our interactions had been consistently pleasant and friendly, I'd never seriously considered pursuing anything sexual or romantic with her. I figured that someone with her qualities easily could have formed a serious relationship had she chosen to, and since she'd stayed single, I assumed she preferred to stay that way.

Then this past February I ran into her at an annual fundraiser for the local children's hospital. The big draw for the night was a special bourbon tasting for a small group of VIPs and required a sizeable donation for admission. Honestly, I think Claire was surprised to see me there, since most of the group in attendance was somewhat above my pay grade. What Claire didn't know was that I am a complete sucker for rare and unique bourbon. There was absolutely no way I was going to miss the opportunity to sample extremely upscale and expensive bourbons, especially when I could simultaneously claim it as a charitable deduction. I'm still not sure whether we discovered an actual chemistry between us or whether it was the bourbon we consumed, but before the night was over, we were both fighting a strong mutual attraction, and there was little doubt that we were going home together.

We shared her bed that night, but the encounter was nothing like what I expected. In the short distance from Claire's front door to her bedroom, she managed to remove most of my clothes and had my hands securely bound together with my necktie before I even knew what was happening. Claire left little doubt that she was in charge and that we would not be having sex -- at least not in the traditional sense of the word. Claire explained that her preferred role was to act as a Dominant and invited me to explore my submissive side. My raging hard-on made it extremely obvious to Claire that I had no problem with what she was suggesting, and I enthusiastically accepted.

Serving Claire that night changed my life. Over the next six months, we gradually spent more time together as Dominant and submissive. We got familiar with one another's little idiosyncrasies. Both of us soon recognized our extreme compatibility as Dominant and sub, and that rapidly caused a wonderful foundation of trust and security to form between us. I felt very safe and protected as Claire's sub during all the subsequent play sessions that we shared, and she seemed to greatly value my devotion to her dominance.

It was typical for her to initiate our time together, so I was not surprised last Friday when she asked me to meet her for a drink after work. We hadn't seen one another in more than two weeks, which was unusual. At the time, I didn't hesitate to accept her invitation. I was anxious to see her. If only I'd known what was in store.

As I entered our favorite bar, I saw her sitting in a corner booth, two tumblers of bourbon sitting on the table in front of her. Her eyes met mine, and we greeted one another from across the room with an exchange of genuine smiles. I reached the booth and her hand rose deliberately from her lap. I grasped it and leaned forward giving the top of her hand a delicate and deferential kiss hello.

"Great to see you, Scott. Thanks for being so punctual." I noticed a teasing tone in her voice and a look of playfulness in her eyes. She knew I was never late and that one of my greatest pet peeves was people that never seem able to show up on time for an appointment. Besides, my proper role as a sub was to never keep her waiting.

I slid into the booth across from her, "Hordes of barbarians couldn't have kept me away. It's good to see you too, Claire. I've missed you."

"Yes, I'm sorry about that," she said, the sympathy very apparent in her tone, "I've been extremely busy with a project that always comes around this time of year. It takes a tremendous amount of my time getting all the preparations in order. But, I managed to finish up this morning, which is why I sent you the invitation to meet me tonight. I'm glad you could make it. You didn't have any other plans, did you?"

"Absolutely not. I've had a busy week myself." I picked up the tumbler of bourbon in front of me and let my nose fill with the wonderful oaky smell of the liquor. The large cube of ice in the glass made a pleasant clink as I took my first swallow. "I'm definitely ready to put all that stress behind me and spend some quality time with you. Sharing this drink is the perfect start."

Her gaze at me from across the table intensified noticeably, as she picked up her own glass. "It makes me happy to hear you say that, but I'm afraid I'm already fully booked for the weekend because of this big project." She swirled the bourbon in her glass, her eyes shifting from me to the golden liquid, and she seductively brought the drink to her mouth. I watched as her full, red, lips parted, sipping the drink, her face passive and without emotion.

"Well, crap!" I said forcefully. "Claire, that's not at all what I wanted or expected to hear."

My emotional and somewhat whiney protest was met with silence. Her gaze continued to be focused on the glass in her hand. I was puzzled by her passivity, and the level of my annoyance grew. As I took a deep breath intended to fuel the verbal rant that was forming in my mind, I noticed a subtle shift in her demeanor. The corners of her mouth began to curl into the shape of a smile -- a smile that contained a healthy dose of orneriness. That look stopped me dead in my tracks. I had learned there was often more going on in Claire's mind than she wanted to share, so I quickly decided to hold my irritation in check and see if she would reveal the thoughts that had led to that sly smile.

"I suppose since you claim to have no other plans, I might be able to arrange for you to help me with this event." She then looked up and stared directly into my eyes, "But, it might not be exactly what you had in mind for your weekend. There will be significant work, including some physical labor, to the extent you are willing and able to assist, and we may not be able to spend much private time together. This event involves multiple group activities that I'm required to plan and orchestrate. You won't always be by my side, but I promise to see you stay busy and occupied."

All of this struck me as very odd. "Claire, you know I'm not one to shy away from hard work, and if what you're saying is that I can be a help to you, then by all means, count me in. But I've got to say that you're being a little weird and mysterious in how you're asking for my help. What kind of a project is this anyway?"

Claire sat down her glass and leaned toward me across the table. "Scott, by now my role as a Dominant is no secret to you. What I have never shared is that I am a member of a select group of other female dominants from this region. In fact, I'm the founder and leader of this group. Over the years, we have all become close friends and seek one another's advice from time to time. The main perk in belonging to this group is the event that I organize and host each year. We call it 'The Gala.' We all come together at an undisclosed, secluded location for a weekend of sexual release and relaxation. Within our group, I choose a few Dominants that are tasked with selecting special male and female submissives to attend and provide us with a focus for our fun and games. Based upon my relationship with you, as well as my knowledge of your sexual preferences and tendencies, I am asking you to be one of our submissives for the weekend."

Any irritation I'd been feeling toward Claire immediately vanished, and I'm sure my face clearly showed my surprise at what I'd just heard. "Wow!" I said, smiling. But then hesitated, feeling suddenly uncertain. "I'm not sure, Claire. That's not at all what I was expecting you to say."

"Well, I know what I'm expecting you to say. I'm expecting you to say yes," said Claire, still holding my gaze. She was obviously asking in earnest, and she leaned even closer to me. "I can't and won't go into great detail about what will be involved with this experience. But what I will say is that you will be completely safe. I will ensure that. These Dominants are all friends of mine, some of them very close friends. All know to be respectful of the submissives that participate. Each and every person is valued. As an added measure, all submissives are given a safe word and other less obvious protections. Arrangements for transportation and everything else you'll need for the weekend will be taken care of. Beyond that, I will not share any more details. Should you choose to accept my invitation, you must do it now. The Gala begins tonight at 8:00."

With hindsight, I know the nature of Claire's invitation was purposefully crafted to catch me off guard. She'd covered all the important points, and she was relying upon my solid trust in her. I wasn't meant to have time to reflect and debate the pros and cons. I was sharp enough to realize this was a now-or-never decision. So, I let my gut decide -- or more truthfully, my libido -- and said, "Claire, I'd be honored to accept your invitation."

"You just made me very happy, Scott," Claire said, smiling. "Now I've got a short list of additional instructions for you, which you must follow precisely." She reached into her purse and removed a small, velvet bag the color of scarlet and laid it on the table. I already knew that it contained my personal steel chastity cage. "You know what's in this bag, Scott. I don't want you getting all hot and bothered as you think about what's in store this weekend and be tempted to 'take matters into your own hands.' I don't want a drop of that cum stored in your balls to be wasted. All of it must be saved for me and for my fellow Dominants to use as we see fit. Take this cage to the men's room, put it on, and bring me the key. Then you will go home immediately, groom yourself thoroughly just as you would for a session with me. You will then wait for a driver who will arrive precisely at 6:00 and transport you to the Gala." Claire pushed the small bag across the table toward me, and I reached for it as I stood.

I immediately headed to the men's room and did as I'd been told. I was actually surprised I didn't have issues locking up my cock. I thought my excitement might pose a problem and cause an erection as I fiddled with the cage. But my nervousness actually had the opposite effect. My hands were cold and shaky as I locked the cage into place. When I returned to the booth a few minutes later, Claire was finishing her bourbon, and I began to sit. "Oh no, don't waste any more time here with me," she said somewhat sternly. She obviously meant business and her demeanor had shifted to a clearly dominant one. "Please hand me the key to the cage. Now, you need to head home and do as I said. And one more thing. When the driver arrives to retrieve you, you must answer your door wearing nothing except your leather collar and your chastity cage."

I felt the blood rush to my face as I flushed with premature embarrassment. I was struggling to process what I'd just heard. My mouth began to open in protest, but Claire quickly cut me off. "Look, don't even start. You agreed to this, and that is that. I am your Dominant, and you trust me. That should be enough. Go. Quit wasting precious time." And with that she stood, kissed my cheek, and walked away. As I watched her leave, I felt my cock start to stiffen in the cage. For the first of what would be many times that night, I thought to myself: "What have I gotten myself into?"