With Strings Attached Ch. 32

I felt the same nervousness backstage at Sideshow as I did when I was a child before a performance. Back then, I was with my ballet company in ballet costumes. Some of the bodices were beautifully crafted with embroidery and embellished with crystals. When paired with a classical tutu with its layers of stiff tulle making it jut out from the hip to showcase our legs, it was a celebration of the female form, all socially acceptable. My present performance however is more risqué and my costume designed to draw attention for a different reason. The artistic storytelling through the human body in ballet was replaced with the much more carnal performance of the strip tease, my old dance company replaced by a stripper named Ruby.

When I first came to Sideshow, I was brought by Nicole, the woman I was blackmailed into dating. Timid and socially awkward, I was uncomfortable being in a place where women exposed their bodies for money. The fact that I was heterosexual and forced into a lesbian lifestyle only added to my nervousness.

It was then that I first met April, aka Ruby, and while we were not identical, she could easily pass as my older sister. Nicole and April saw it too, and when April visited our table she revealed she was a lesbian with an incest fetish, a fact Nicole exploited. Now everyone believed we were sisters and at Nicole's direction secretly intimate. What I didn't know was Nicole pushed this fantasy further and April was also having a sexual relationship with her and an affair with my mother, while pretending to be me.

However, Nicole had much grander plans than watching women strip in a room full of men, with midweek being slow the club was normally closed. Together with April, she convinced the owners they could make money and publicity by having a ladies only theme every Wednesday. April even got a few of the other strippers to agree to work the evening. But, Nicole's true purpose was to have me strip for women without males present. Since April had been training me in the art of erotic dancing, I was easily hired under the stage name Ariel. Making it my first real job.

As the DJ announced Ruby (April) and Ariel (myself) the butterflies lifted. Too ashamed to be dancing, I hid behind the character created for my performances, I was Ariel the lesbian stripper. A woman who felt none of the shame and embarrassment Alice would feel displaying her body to a group of horny women for money.

Like we rehearsed, April and I began our show to the applause of the audience. Once a night where the club would see few male customers, Nicole's ideas went a long way to make ladies night a success. For the first few weeks Nicole made sure her biker friends as well as a number of our former classmates attended making me the star attraction.

Not wanting it to be like the seedy atmosphere for the males, Nicole argued ladies' night needed a dress code equal to an exclusive nightclub. The female clientele's zeal made for a more 'gentlemen's' club atmosphere than a strip joint. The butch customers wore men's suits, while the fem clients went for a more elegant look. The waitress staff even joined in, wearing white shirts with bow ties and classic fitted black tuxedo jackets. A pair of black hot pants over black pantyhose and black high heels completed the sexy formal look.

Nicole even came up with the idea that the customers and servers should also wear masks, adding to the feeling of mystery and excitement. She was even able to get one of the local news stations to send a female reporter to cover the club under the guise of a 'local interest' story. The lovely reporter never returned, but her camerawoman is now a regular. Attendance swelled after that, almost matching the club's Friday and Saturday nights. Filling the club with women all looking to indulge in a little taboo behavior.

As the song progressed, April and I slowly shed our clothes until we were down to our panties and shoes. As the next song sped up the tempo, we began to work the poles. Normally strippers wear as little as allowed on stage, most often g-strings, as males only want to see a woman's body. However, I'm not a normal stripper, I'm a woman stripping for women, hence my performance is more art than raw sex and my outfits chosen to arouse just as much as my naked body. Given the physical performances, I wear control briefs. Looking like conservative bikini bottoms, they are tightly fitted and remain in place no matter how aggressively I move, helping greatly when grasping the stripper pole with my thighs. But this was all a happy accident, as their original purpose was to cover my eye-catching tattoos, conveniently designed to be covered by just such a garment.

As we danced, a number of the female patrons left the security of their tables to take up positions along the stage. These were my true fans, the women who lusted after my body and wanted a closeup and intimate experience, all dressed as if I was still performing ballet, respectable and regal. That was one of the key differences between ladies night and all the times Nicole brought me to the club. Where the men had to conform to a certain code of conduct, no touching, the women took more liberties. Free of societal constraints, they seemed to release all their pent-up carnal desires in a safe male free environment.

Completing our theatrical performance, we started to move along the stage in what I call the meet and greet. Crawling along at eye level we moved down the line, engaging with each woman soliciting tips. We took the ones holding small bills with a polite thank-you. But those with larger denominations were allowed to bequeath their tip by placing it in our panties.

Moving down the line, I passed a number of anonymous masked faces and recognized a few of my former classmates before encountering one of my regulars. In her late 30s she was dressed for the office, the jacket from her business suit left at her table, wearing a fitted red silk blouse, the top several buttons opened offering a glimpse of her black and red lace bra. Her short dark hair was done in the classic mom bob, the upper part of her face covered in a mask made of black crystals, emphasizing her sultry eyes and her bright red painted lips. I didn't want to admit it, but my body responded to her lustful gaze. From the tidbits I gathered, she was married and tells her husband she and some of her female co-workers go out for drinks after work. She just leaves out the fact that those drinks are at a strip club.

"Hello, my sweet princess," smiled my mystery woman.

"Hello Ms," I purred as I knelt before my benefactor, legs spread wide, giving her full access to my body. But her eyes remained focused on my breasts as I tried to picture her in casual clothes without the mask. Would I recognize her if we passed on the street? Would her smile and eyes be enough to give her identity away?

"Did you enjoy the show?"

"I always enjoy your shows," replied the lady before kissing a twenty dollar bill, leaving a red lipstick imprint on the currency. With a naughty smirk, she then reached out her hand, her bright red nails caressing my thigh as they moved up my leg before pushing the money under the waistband of my panties pressing the bill against my crotch. "Be sure to stop by my table later," requested the woman before I moved on to the next client.

As our set ended, so did my performance as Ariel. Flustered and ashamed, I collected my discarded costume and quickly exited. Practically naked, I moved to the dressing room, my panties overflowing with more than two dozen bills creating a crunching sound as I walked, reminding me of the lewd act I just committed for money.

That was where Maria was waiting for me, an olive skinned stripper going by the stage name La Cuero Rosa. When I first started attending Sideshow, Nicole hired Maria for a private dance. But when we reached the private room, Maria took a seat and made me strip and orally pleasure her. Ever since she had a predatory relationship with April and me. So it was no surprise that when she found out that I would be working ladies night she agreed to dance on the condition that she would be my 'mentor', something the club informally used for new dancers, just not like how Maria used it.

"Excellent job Ariel," complemented Maria.

"Thank you, Vivian," I replied.

I stood motionless as Maria removed the tainted money from my panties before pulling the garment itself off. Standing before a mirror, I scanned my naked body. It looked like an alternate version of me; More provocative, sensual and racy than my cute, shy old persona. My hair was fluffed and dyed a bright red and makeup highlighted my beauty, all professionally done. Round full breasts and curvy hips made me look more sensuous than my former heterosexual schoolgirl days. My once flawless skin now marked with a tattoo of a butterfly whose wings spelled 'girls only' over my crotch and 'Lesbian Sex Slave' over my ass. Proclaiming my adulthood as the lesbian harlet I was made to play.

Maria, or Vivian, as she decided to be called on Wednesdays to complement my stage name Ariel, supervised my costume selection for the floor. The program was similar to a normal night. Strippers would be called on stage to provide general entertainment and work up the audience for individual tips. But the main moneymakers were the individual and private performances. Walking the club floor, strippers would offer lap dances fully clothed or, for a higher price, taken to one of the back rooms for a more personal performance where the dancers were allowed to remove their clothing. The club would keep half and the dancer the other.

Maria tweaked this model by having us work as a team, or more specifically, her being the peddler and me the product. A relationship the club allowed as I pulled in so much money. To emphasize this point, Maria usually paired our costumes; dressing me as a playboy bunny to her Hefner, my harem girl to her sultana. One night she even dressed me as a cowgirl and walked the floor with a harness and a 16-inch dildo, claiming she was hung like a horse.

As I dressed in the clothing Maria had chosen, I once again escaped into my Ariel persona as I dressed in my costume. Consisting of a pair of leopard print pull away panties, with a 3-foot tail, a front zipper leopard print vest, stilettos and a pair of cat ears, I was to be a jungle cat. To compliment my outfit, Maria was dressed in a long khaki button up shirt with a black leather belt, a pair of knee-high black leather boots and a safari hat.

"You make a lovely pussy," purred Maria as she stood to add the final item to my costume, a collar. "Let's go my little princess," ordered Maria as she clipped a leash and gave it a tug.

"Yes Vivian," I responded as I obediently followed. As much as I loathed being collared and tethered, it did offer a perverted sense of comfort. As with Nicole, the leash was a symbol of possession, so in my mind I was not responsible for my actions. I was under Maria's control, a puppet on the string.

As we entered the club proper, there was a general cheer and applause from the female audience. Maria led me around the club like a great hunter parading her catch, the extra fanfare of having me led by another stripper only added to my fame. My tattoos were an open secret, and the fact I wore control panties meant the only way to see them was to buy a private dance. An option most of the patrons willingly paid for.

"There is our little princess," cried Sam as we approached her table. Sam and her partner Di were both butch lesbians and dressed in men's suits complete with fedora hats. I knew the drill and took a seat on Sam's lap as Maria talked. I was simply a prop, an object to be looked at and played with.

"So your keeper decided you should be a sexy kitty tonight," commented Sam.

"Yes," responded Maria. I was in a safari mood.

"I like that I can grab our little cat by the tail," laughed Sam, gripping the tail.

"Would you like to take her to a back room and see it in action?" offered Maria, "She has choreographed a dance just for tonight.

"No," stated Di, "we are in a more raunchy mood and plan to take Crystal.

"Well then how about a lap dance?" countered Maria.

"That sounds good," stated Di

"Yes, it would be fun to watch our little kitten play," added Sam.

With that, Sam handed $20 to Maria. $10 of which went to the club, Maria kept $5 leaving me with $5 for making a spectacle of myself. However, I made up for it in volume, earning about $100 a night from lap dances and $700 from the back room and stage tips. Together with my prostitution clients I was earning over $1,600 per week, all for my mistress Nicole.

Each lap dance lasted one song and April spent the last week teaching me to dance so the tail seemed part of me. When the song started, both Sam and Di's eyes were on me as I gyrated to the music. With the tail, my moves were more in line with a slow belly dance than the traditional bump and grind, and piqued the interest of several other patrons. As we continued making our rounds I froze in my tacks, causing the leash to pull tight.

"What is it!" growled Maria.

"I know them," I gasped. Sitting ahead of us were Susan and Kim. Kim, who used to be my best and only friend. The only person I told the secret of my parents breaking into the university where my father worked, exposing illegal research. Information that could put them in jail. And Susan, the woman Kim revealed my secret to and who used that information to blackmail me into dating her cousin Nicole.

"Then we should say hello," purred Maria as she gave my leash a pull.

As we approached Susan gave me that smile of confidence she carried so well. Dressed in a blue sequined party dress, I noticed she was wearing a garter belt from the exposed flesh of her crossed legs. Her mask was embellished with long blue feathers made to draw attention to the wearer. Kim had the same look I had when I first came to Sideshow, shame, nervousness and general uncomfortableness from being in a strip club. Like Susan, she too was wearing a garter belt but was in full gothic Lolita character, her black lace skirt was paired with a red corset with black lace that matched the lace that made up her mask.

"Welcome to Sideshow ladies," announced Maria, "I hope you are enjoying yourselves."

"We hope to," responded Susan with a smirk. Reaching out, she caressed my thigh and gave me a sadistic grin, making it clear she was enjoying my predicament. Taking the leash, Susan pulled me onto her lap and started to caress my back.

"The night is still young," purred Maria. "So many possibilities. My name is Vivian and this pretty kitty is Ariel." Continued Maria giving our stage names.

"Ariel, a very fitting name," replied Susan as she brushed aside my hair, giving her a clear view of my neck. Her finger traced along the edge of my collar from the back of my neck to the ring in front.

"Ariel, tell's me your friends," continued Maria.

"I wouldn't say we're friends" replied Susan. "I introduced her to my cousin and they hit it off spactulally."

"Nicole," stated Maria. "I'm very jealous of your cousin."

"Yes, Ariel is very popular with the ladies," laughed Susan. "Aren't you going to say hello to our Kim?"

"Hello Kim," I stated, my voice sounding forced.

"Ariel," responded Kim with a little sarcastic tone at my stage name. It was obvious Susan made her come tonight, as she looked very uncomfortable sitting in a strip club.

"They used to be besties," explained Susan playfully. "But had a bit of a falling out over a boy and Alice's lifestyle change".

"That shouldn't be a reason to stop talking to someone," stated Maria. "After all, she's still the same person."

"Oh I disagree," laughed Susan. "Ariel is a very different person than when they were friends. I think they both have grown into who they should be. I just felt it was appropriate that they see each other one last time before going off to college. Kim's parents and her boyfriend are very insistent she not talk to Alice.

"That is very nice of you," replied Maria. "But we have to work, so unless you want to buy a dance you can talk some other time."

"We'll buy her time," stated Susan, "and take a five pack. It should be fun seeing Ariel in her new environment."

"You will definitely see that," smiled Maria as she took the money.

With a saunter that oozed the self-confidence needed to lead another by a leash, Susan led me across the club to the private rooms. The entrance was normally monitored by a male security guard to make sure patrons didn't get out of hand, but was seen as unnecessary with the female clients. The secluded space allowed for more personal shows where the performer removed all of her clothes and allowed more intimate contact with the client. However, the club rules still applied, the strippers could touch but the clients needed to be mindful. Still, strippers were not allowed to go too far and I had a few undercover officers try and catch me doing more than was legal for the publicity of busting the lesbian strip club.

But I knew these rules didn't apply and I would be at the mercy of my blackmailer as Susan led us to the furthest room. Normally for private parties, the room was the largest with a sofa and a set of chairs, two stripper poles and a mirrored wall. I have performed in the room many times for bachelorette parties and other groups of women, the kinker ones having me perform with my pretend sister or as Maria's slave. With Susan in charge, I stood nervously as she elegantly sat on the sofa while Kim simply flopped down in passive protest.

"Alright, let's see if you are really as good as my cousin says," stated Susan as she leaned back and crossed her legs exposing the tops of her stockings.

Like Susan said, I was paid to perform, but I didn't want to give her the satisfaction of seeing me suffer. Pushing my emotions aside, I fell into full Ariel mode. I was Ariel the lesbian stripper, and that is who they were going to see dance. Stepping before my clients I took a deep breath and reached up to unclip my leash.

"No leave the chain on," ordered Susan. "It suits you. As you know neither of us have any lesbian desires, but I convinced Kim to come here tonight at the risk of angering her parents and boyfriend. Isn't that right Kim?"

"Absolutely," replied Kim with a sarcastic tone.

Kim's characterization hurt me. She was my friend and when David started expressing interest in her, she was excited to finally have a boyfriend and put up with his gothic rich boy iteocrencies. Back then her parents hated him and I tried to convince her to break up. An effort that led Susan to trap me in her blackmail and bind me to her dominant lesbian cousin. Prevented from talking to my old friend, Susan used my situation to help link Kim to David. She made sure David remained the rock in Kim's life and convinced her parents that David was the key to keeping their daughter from falling into a deviant lesbian lifestyle.

With no obstacles, Kim became David's little gothic doll. Her skin was now a pale white and her hair dyed a deep blood-red while her clothing changed from colorful to black. Like me, she even wore a collar; made of black lace showing she was owned.

"Now, I told you to behave," scolded Susan. This is the last time you will see each other and I wanted both of you to know how life worked out. Our sweet innocent little Alice is now a lesbian slut and as we are about to see, a very specialized stripper. While our heterosexual Kim has grown closer to David. In fact, they decided to live together in college; David studying fashion and Kim gothic literature."

"Not pre-med," I asked, stunned. For the longest time Kim talked about becoming a doctor and worked very hard to ace her math and science classes, even taking Latin to help understand the medical terms. Now she was throwing away all that hard work to study a subset of literature."