Her Husband’s Army Buddy (McLeod Security #1) by Doris O’Connor (@mamad8)

Thanks so much for hosting my new release today. Her Husband’s Army Buddy is out now, and the first in a new series called McLeod Security.

Like so many of my stories, this one started as a flash on my blog. Little did I know then, that it would evolve into a series. When I expanded the flash, it was to be a short story in honor of one of my reader’s birthdays. The Sandy in the story 🙂

As I wrote it took on a life of its own, side characters popped up demanding their story to be told, and hey presto a new series was born. Book two is already completed and the next two are in the planning stages, so watch this space as they.

I should add that all stories will be Standalones, loosely connected through McLeod Security, some darker than others, with different pairings and D/s dynamics, and familiar characters will pop up throughout.

*****

Her Husband's Army BuddyBlurb:

McLeod Security, 1

There should only ever be two people in a marriage…

Sandy McLeod has been perfectly happy in her D/s relationship with her husband Zane for the last ten years. Until his old army buddy re-enters their life.

Sean Manson is altogether too handsome, too virile, far too much of anything. The man oozes dominance, danger, and leashed aggression, and Sandy can’t help but respond to him. Neither can Zane. He walked away from Sean once. Now, he’s back, long suppressed feelings bubble to the surface and cannot be denied. When Sandy agrees to a threesome, happiness seems within their grasp. Sean’s demons, however, threaten to destroy everything they hold dear.

Sean never meant to come between husband and wife, let alone hurt either one of them. Surely, the only solution is to walk away from them both. When you’re the missing piece, however, walking is simply not an option.

Be Warned: menage sex (MMF), anal sex, BDSM, m/m sex, sex toys, double penetration

Available from:

Evernight  Amazon  Amazon UK  Amazon CA  Amazon AU  Nook  Kobo Smashwords I-Tunes  Bookstrand

*****

Excerpt:

Sean’s gaze heated at Zane’s answer, and he wished there wasn’t a damn table between them. Zane couldn’t stand the physical distance between them anymore. He wanted, needed to reconnect with Sean, just him and his Sir.

“I guess we are. I want you, boy.” Sean’s voice dropped on those last few words, and Zane shot to his feet, rounded the table, and got to his knees in front of his Sir. He fixed his gaze on Sean’s bare feet and murmured his answer.

“Then have me, Sir.”

Sean’s sharp intake of breath was music to his ears, as were his Sir’s next words.

“Be careful what you wish for, boy, because if we’re doing this, then know you’ve earned yourself a sore ass for having neglected our girl.”

Sean grasped Zane’s chin and tilted his head up until their gazes met. Silent determination greeted Zane, as well as so much emotion it made Zane swallow hard to get rid of the lump in his throat.

“I know, and I’m sorry, Sir. I won’t let that happen again. I was just…” He couldn’t bring himself to continue, but he should have known his Sir wouldn’t let him get away with that. The hold on his chin grew painful, and Sean positively glared at him.

“You were just what? Say it out loud, boy. If this is going to work, all three of us we need to talk about everything that bothers us. You know that.”

Zane shut his eyes and nodded.

“You hurt my feelings when you cut yourself off.” The hold on his chin turned into a caress as Sean stroked his fingers along Zane’s jaw, and then kissed him. It was the briefest of touches, so gentle, he might have imagined it, had he not heard the whispered words.

“I know, my love, and I’m sorry. It was a dick move on my part. I won’t cut you out like that again.”

Sean opened his eyes and lost himself in his Sir’s gaze all over again.

“Promise?” he asked, not at all ashamed at the tears he was fighting to not give into.

“I promise, and you must promise me something, too.”

“Anything, Sir.”

“If I ever do that again, pull me up on it.”

Zane didn’t even try to hold his emotions in this time, and he knew he didn’t have to. This was his Sir, and he could deal with his tears, just as he could deal with the burdens Sean carried with him.

“I will, if you promise to do the same for me. We need to be our best for our girl.”

Sean nodded, and swiped the tears off Zane’s face with his fingertips.

“That we do, but right here and now I don’t want to talk about her. I want to redden my boy’s ass to wipe the slate clean and then fuck him senseless until neither one of us can move.”

The words hung in the air between them, and Zane gave his consent.

“God, yes, Sir.”

How they made it up the stairs and into the spare room, Zane would never know. They left a trail of his clothes behind, as he frantically pulled them off, in between kisses, which turned ever more passionate. Teeth clashed, mouths devoured, but, finally, mercifully, he was naked, bent over the end of the bed, and ready to take whatever his Sir had in store.

“Always so eager, my boy.”

Sean’s guttural voice pitched his own need higher, and he rubbed his rock-hard dick along the edge of the bed to gain some much-needed relief.

A red-hot strip of pain exploded across his butt cheeks, and Zane grunted. Fuck, that stung. Not that he had much time to process it, because another, just as hard strike happened, followed by several more in quick succession, which left him panting for breath.

“That’s for trying to get yourself off without me, boy.” Sean’s hands dug into the painful welts he’d just laid across Zane’s ass, and Zane hissed through his teeth at the rough sensation.

“That was my belt, and there’s more of that to come if you don’t behave, are we clear?”

“Yes, Sir. I’m sorry.”

“Good, now these are for your treatment of Sandy.”

*****

About Doris

Doris is a writer of sensual, sassy, and sexy tales involving alpha heroes to die for, and heroines who give as good as they get.  From contemporary to paranormal, Sci-fi, BDSM, M/M, and Ménage, haunting love stories are guaranteed.

Stalk her in these places

Website  Twitter  Facebook Pinterest Instagram Evernight Publishing Amazon BookStrand Barnes&Noble

Impossible by Allyson Young

ImpossibleBlurb:

Both being extremely independent and familiar with rejection, Celeste Hill and Elliot Godwin have a short but intense time together, something very special.

She heads off to a coveted job, leaving him to puzzle out how he might pursue a connection he’d never dreamed of having. And, despite pursuing her dream, Celeste can’t stop thinking about Elliot and what might have been.

Returning home before he can follow her, she tells him they are pregnant. Impossible. Believing he’s sterile, the reason his wife left him, Elliot is devastated—and lashes out. Celeste flees his cruel words, putting distance between them, and now determined not to name him as the father of their child.

But miracles do happen and men can come to their senses. Elliot follows his heart and Celeste again opens hers for their happily ever after.

Buy Links: Amazon UK | Amazon US | Evernight Publishing | Kobo | Barnes & Noble  

*****

Excerpt:

Knowing the majority of her response was hormone-fueled did nothing to mitigate the meltdown. How hard had she held herself against the news until now, sharing with no one but him? Forgoing the acceptance and excitement of her friends and family… Doing the right thing, notifying the father first. She sobbed and choked until she thought her throat would tear and her lungs collapse, her cheeks raw with the deluge. Her baby… She pressed a hand against her abdomen, whispering a heartfelt reassurance. Not about you, sweetheart. I love you.

It felt like hours but was, in reality, a few short minutes before she wrestled back her composure, albeit as a soggy wreck of exhaustion.

Impossible. She’d sorted out the reasoning—and ensuing rejection—behind his flat comment in short order. But it wasn’t impossible. He was capable regardless of what he believed. The tiny seed in her belly was living proof.

But it didn’t matter. He thought she’d come to him, pregnant with another man’s child, to cadge… She couldn’t bear to think of what he thought of her. His opinion didn’t matter either. Asshole.

Fumbling for a wad of tissues, she mopped up what remained of her makeup and took a shuddering breath, pushing any thought of Elliot Godwin from her head.

A tap on the window drew a muffled shriek as she started, turning to stare at his unwelcome bulk hunched over her little car, his handsome face only inches away. His silvery eyes were narrowed, cold and impenetrable, not at all like the turbulent wash of emotion when he’d been as deep inside her as any man could be in a woman. Planting their child.

As emotionally drained as she was, she couldn’t help the faint shiver of that arousing memory before dispatching it. Stupid hormones.

She eased the window down a notch. “What?”

His gaze took in her face and she knew what he saw. She never cried prettily, but then she rarely cried. Make that never. Tears were for the weak. He would know that.

“Are you all right?”

Like he cared. She was a slut, remember? Well, maybe not—Elliot didn’t judge, at least about consenting adults sexing things up. So, what then? What was a woman called who tried to stick a guy with a kid that wasn’t his? Something far worse in his eyes, for sure.

“I’m fine.” She whirred the window back up and threw the vehicle into gear.

With cautious regard to his proximity, she drove forward and then guided the car back onto the pavement, ignoring his tall form in the mirror.

*****

Author Bio:

Allyson Young lives in cottage country, Manitoba, Canada with her husband and numerous pets. she has always enjoyed the written word, and after reading an erotic romance, quite by mistake, decided to try her hand at penning one.

A best selling Amazon author, a hybrid author, as of December 2017, along with her alter ego and three co-authors, she has published four series and several standalones in contemporary, sci fi, fantasy and suspense genres–50 books in total.

Allyson will write until whatever is inside is satisfied, until the heroes man up and the heroines get what they deserve. Love isn’t always sweet, and she favours the darker side of romance.

Her Sir by Megan Slayer (@MeganSlayer)

Evernight Publishing

Contemporary Erotic Romance

M/F, BDSM, Exhibitionism, Anal Sex, Toys, Spanking

Her SirBlurb:

There’s only one man for Andi—her Sir.

Andi McCarron knew the moment she met Sir’s gaze, he’d change her life forever. Despite other Doms wanting her as their sub, she only submits to him because he knows how to make her skin tingle. The pain delivered from his crop makes her spirit sing. She needs Sir but she wants more—except he’s not interested in taking the relationship outside of the club. What’s a girl to do when the man of her dreams, the one wielding the crop, won’t leave the club?

Dean Meyer craves his sweet sub, Andi. She fills his dreams and fantasies, but she wants a relationship. He’s not sure she can handle both his demons and secrets. Still, he can’t deny the attraction to her. When fate throws them together, he has to make a choice—give his sub what she needs or let her go for good.

Available from these fine retailers:

Evernight Publishing: http://www.evernightpublishing.com/her-sir-by-megan-slayer/

Universal link: https://books2read.com/u/38goyO

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07BY57KMD/

Amazon AU: https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B07BY57KMD/

Amazon FR: https://www.amazon.fr/dp/B07BY57KMD/

Amazon JP: https://www.amazon.co.jp/dp/B07BY57KMD/

Amazon IT: https://www.amazon.it/dp/B07BY57KMD/

Amazon DE: https://www.amazon.de/dp/B07BY57KMD/

Amazon CA: https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B07BY57KMD/

Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07BY57KMD/

*****

Excerpt:

©2018 Megan Slayer, All Rights Reserved

“You control everything,” she blurted. Her cheeks reddened, and she bowed her head. “Sorry. But you do.”

“Actually, you do. When we play, you’re the one in control. You say stop or slow, and I follow. I push you, but you tell me when you’re done. I’ll encourage you to stretch your boundaries, but only because I want to make you fly.” He pushed the cooling coffee to the side. “If you say no, then I respect your decision.”

“You expect me to kneel.” She flattened her palms on the table. “Like that last time.”

“I wanted to show off my beautiful woman. If you’d have said no before we left the private area, I would’ve stayed out of the main room.” He leveled his gaze at her. “I expect a partner. You were my best partner.” He hadn’t taught her very well if she thought she was second rate. When they played again—and they would be—he’d show her what he meant.

“You have one. A partner. I saw the demonstration,” she said. “You replaced me.”

“Slow down.” He hadn’t known she was at the club when he’d done the demonstration or he would’ve plucked her from the audience. “Which demo?”

“There’s more than one?”

“I don’t have a permanent sub, so I’m expected to do demonstrations for visitors, for the videos … for people who want to play the voyeur. That’s part of my job at the club.” Not his favorite part and he couldn’t wait to pass the torch to someone else, but he’d tell her that later. She managed to aggravate him like no other. He wanted to stretch her ass across his lap and spank the sass out of her. Then he wanted to kiss her until she collapsed. He wasn’t one to settle down, but she made him think twice. In her own way, she’d broken him.

“I thought we had something.” She turned her cup around. “Now I understand I was just another client.”

“I never said that. Never thought it,” he said. She’d been special from the start. He loved the way she felt in his arms, the way she moaned during a scene, the flicker in her eyes just before she came…

“Then why replace me? Why not tell me how you felt?” she asked. “Or have you come to this realization now that we’re not at the club?”

“First, I didn’t replace you. I don’t have any one sub I play with. The girls in the video are one and done. No sex, just demonstration and go. I haven’t found anyone who can fill your place. I’ve had a couple offers, but they aren’t you.” They shouldn’t be having this conversation in public, but she needed reassurance. “Would you like to have dinner with me tonight?”

*****

Author Bio:

Megan Slayer, aka Wendi Zwaduk, is a multi-published, award-winning author of more than one-hundred short stories and novels. She’s been writing since 2008 and published since 2009. Her stories range from the contemporary and paranormal to LGBTQ and BDSM themes. No matter what the length, her works are always hot, but with a lot of heart. She enjoys giving her characters a second chance at love, no matter what the form. She’s been the runner up in the Kink Category at Love Romances Café as well as nominated at the LRC for best author, best contemporary, best ménage and best anthology. Her books have made it to the bestseller lists on Amazon.com.

When she’s not writing, Megan spends time with her husband and son as well as three dogs and three cats. She enjoys art, music and racing, but football is her sport of choice. Find out more about Megan and Wendi at: http://wendizwaduk.com/indexMegan.htm Sign up for the newsletter here: http://ymlp.com/xgjmjumygmgj

Website, Blog, Fan Page, Amazon Author Page, Bookbub, Instagram, Goodreads, and Twitter

Caelan’s Captive (Limani Warriors #1) by Faye Avalon (@Faye_Avalon)

Caelan’s CaptiveCaelan’s Captive (Book #1, Limani Warriors)

Fantasy Romance
April 2, 2018
Evernight Publishing

Cover Art: Jay Aheer

Buy Links: Amazon | Evernight | Smashwords | Kobo | Nook | iBooks |Bookstrand

*****

Blurb

Escaping the king’s harem, Lahna finds herself at the mercy of a warrior prince who holds her captive and makes no secret of his desire to have her. Lahna hasn’t fled from one tyrant only to become the captive of another, and she certainly has no intention of warming the bed of the fearsome prince…even if he does make her body burn and her senses reel.

Caelan suspects his voluptuous captive may have been sent to spy on him and discover his plans to liberate his land from the tyrannical rule of the king. But her arrival provides him with the perfect opportunity to set those plans in motion. First, that means making her his, and in doing so he might just satisfy the craving for her that heats his blood and fires his loins.

But can Caelan really trust her? And can Lahna trust him to keep her safe when it matters most?

*****

Extract

He had markings on his skin, the type that were forbidden by the king. What looked like intricate black ribbons circled his muscled upper left arm. He also had scars along his right arm, the kind made by weapons of battle.

He caught her staring at him and she looked away, sipping at the water again.

“You find something of interest?”

She swallowed before glancing back at him. “You are not what I expected.”

His expression darkened and a tension moved into his big body. “Indeed. And what did you expect?”

At the coldness in his eyes, Lahna reached for her inner strength and all the bravado she could muster. “You wear the marks of battle and your hair is long.”

His gaze held hers, searching for some hidden answer for which she didn’t know the question. Then he leaned closer. “Before anything else, I am a warrior. You would do well to remember that.”

She pushed her head back into the pillow as he leaned farther down. When her stomach pitched again, she wondered at the wisdom of eating too much bread. Except this feeling didn’t feel like over-indulgence.

Only when he straightened did she breathe once more.

“What is the name by which you are known?”

What kind of game was he playing? Of course he knew her name. “Lahna,” she sneered, lifting her chin.

He said nothing, but narrowed his blue gaze directly at her.

She wouldn’t be intimidated. “How long am I to remain here?”

“As long as you wish.”

“As I wish?”

Pointedly, he looked around him. “Do you see locks on the doors? Bars on the windows?”

No, she didn’t, come to think of it. At least, none that were visible. But was it a ploy? Was he trying to lull her into feeling secure and then he would pounce? She didn’t trust him. Couldn’t afford to trust him.

“There are more ways to imprison a woman than with locks and bars.”

“Why would I want to imprison you?”

Was he genuinely trying to provoke her?  “That’s why I’m here, isn’t it? I’m little more than your prisoner, your captive. I appreciate you letting me regain my strength before I face my fate, but I would prefer to have an indication of what to expect when I am back to full health. What is to be done with me?”

“Now why would you expect that I intend to do anything with you?”

Infuriating man. He was toying with her like an animal trapped in a snare.

“I am in your quarters, am I not? Why am I here if not to be punished in some way?”

“May I remind you that you sailed into my waters uninvited? Had I not plucked you out of the reef, you would now be food for the fish.”

Sailed into his waters? Uninvited?

Everything inside her grew warm. Had she truly made it out beyond the horizon to where she had heard people lived freely? Unencumbered by the king’s tyrannical rule?

Her heart began pounding with joyful relief at the thought she might be free. But if that were so, where was she? This man spoke the same language, ate the same foods.

Maybe it was a trick and the king had meant to test her, find out why she had tried to escape. Had he tasked her guard to ingratiate himself with her, to learn of her plans, her reasoning? To pretend that he didn’t know who she was?

Yet, if this man really didn’t know her identity, and had no idea from where she’d come, maybe she had sailed far from the king’s clutches, to another land.

Regardless, she had to play things very carefully. It didn’t matter where she was. The king’s reach was vast. This man could be in the king’s employ whoever he was, and wherever he lived. The islands that were now under Zomotian rule would never dare go against their new ruler, the king.

She had to think. Had to remain vigilant.

The man surveyed her closely, suspicion heavy in his hypnotic gaze. “When your health is recovered, I will arrange for you to be sent back home.”

Grasping for courage she didn’t feel, she angled her chin into the air. “S…sent back?” Everything inside her went to ice.

*****

Amazon | Evernight | Smashwords | Kobo | Nook | iBooks | Bookstrand

*****

About the Author:

Faye Avalon enjoys writing sexy stories about strong men and the savvy women who rock their world. She has taken a roundabout journey toward her writing career, working as cabin crew, detouring into property development, public relations and education, before finally finding her passion: writing spicy romantic fiction. Faye lives with her super-ace husband and one beloved, ridiculously spoiled dog.

Find Faye at:

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest

Her Dom’s Secret Past by Suzy Shearer (@SuzyShearer)

Blurb:

When Anabelle Rowley, fifty-five, takes a two-week break at an exclusive beach-front villa, she meets a man—but not just any man. Instead, this one ticks every box on her imaginary boyfriend list.

For fifty-two-year-old John Ethan, going on a short vacation to recover from injury and moving to Australia comes rather fast. Imagine his surprise when he meets a woman who arouses his every desire.

Their holiday romance ignites fires in them both and this is something real, something long-lasting. But when Anabelle has to leave suddenly, neither has a way of finding the other again.

Will they ever be able to locate each other? And if they do, then John must reveal a secret, a secret that he fears Anabelle will never understand.

NOTE: This is told in 1st person POV from both the Hero and Heroine.

This is an erotic romance. There are explicit sexual descriptions and explicit language used throughout. It may offend some readers.

Available from: Evernight Publishing | Amazon UK | Amazon US | Barnes & Noble

*****

Excerpt:

Somehow, I’d managed to keep on my feet when the big wave crashed over Anabelle and me. She surfaced, spluttering, and I held out a hand. She let me help her up and I held her hand a little longer than necessary.

“Thank you, John.”

“You’re welcome. That was one big wave.”

“Sure was, but it’s fun.”

She was still grinning and I couldn’t help myself. I leaned toward her and our lips touched.

It was all I’d dreamed of and more. It was electrifying.

Our kiss was soft, tender, and a little unsure until I felt her press toward me. I put a hand behind her head and deepened the kiss. Oh yeah, I could get used to this.

We finally separated and gazed at each other. Her eyes had dilated slightly and her lips parted as she stared into my eyes.

“I couldn’t resist.”

“I … neither could I, John.”

“I’d certainly like to do it again.”

“Then maybe you should.”

We stood there, the waves crashing around us, as I kissed her again. This time I took my time reveling in the taste of her, mixed with the salty water. Her hands pressed against my chest.

When we stopped, I whispered, “I’ve wanted to kiss you since I first saw you reading.”

“You have?”

I nodded and traced her lips. Her eyes seemed to shut of their own accord as my fingers explored her gorgeous, full mouth. When she opened her eyes, I decided I should kiss her again.

It was wild.

The surf pounding against us, the sound of the ocean, and Anabelle in my arms. Another big wave hit us and sent us both under. I grabbed her hand as we fought our way back up to the surface.

“Sadly I have to accept that kissing and big waves don’t mix very well.”

She gave another of her lovely carefree laughs.

*****

BIO:

Author Suzy Shearer writes contemporary and paranormal erotic romances filled with mature and interesting characters. Her book Build A Love was runner-up in the Ménage category in the Easy Chair Bookshop’s Fiction competition 2015 and A Hunter’s Heart was runner-up in the Series Category. Perfect Three reached #20 on Amazon’s Top Paid 100 Bestsellers in the erotic/interracial category while Build A Love was #8 on Amazon’s list in the erotic/ménage category.

In 2017 Suzy was nominated for the Best Established Author in the Australian Romance Today Readers’ Choice Award. She made it through all the rounds to reach the finals. She came 8th in that final round against some extremely talented and well-known Australian Romance Authors.

A Buddhist, Suzy is single and lives in the Western Suburbs of Sydney, Australia with one very spoilt dog and two equally spoilt cats keeping her company.

Her books always feature older heroes and heroines; ranging from mid 40s to 60s. The heroines are usually confident plus-sized women who are proud of their curves. Suzy feels it’s important for readers to connect.  When she discovered many romance books seemed to cater for younger readers with their heroines and heroes in the 20s she decided to write about characters who were older but maybe not always wiser.  As she is in her 60s Suzy feels she can relate to her characters desires, fears and hopes and hopes her readers can as well.

Suzy also wants her readers to understand just because people are older doesn’t mean they aren’t intriguing, desirable, open to challenges and willing to experiment.  Sexy isn’t just for the under 30s.

When Suzy is not writing, she is usually painting – an accomplished watercolour Artist her subjects range from portraits and animals to nudes and landscapes.

Website :  http://suzyshearer.wix.com/suzy

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SuzyS

Blog:  http://suzyshearer.blogspot.com.au

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/SuzyShearer

Twitter : https://twitter.com/SuzyShearer

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/sooziiis

Linkedin: http://au.linkedin.com/in/suzyshearer

Publisher: http://www.evernightpublishing.com/suzy-shearer/

Publisher: http://www.bookstrand.com/suzy-shearer

Black Cat Security by Katerina Ross

Black Cat SecurityBlurb:

Dragomir, a magician with PTSD and a very inconvenient curse upon him, struggles to make a living, taking part in illegal boxing matches. Fighting is the only thing he’s good at now. But how long can he keep it up? The fights are dangerous, and he’s untrained.

A pretty witch he meets one night says she might change his life for the better. Is she really willing to help, or does she have her own wicked plans about him? And can she succeed where all the magicians of Scholomance have failed?

Warnings (or an incentive to read): BDSM, FemDom, bondage, whipping, spanking, pegging… and some magic, too 🙂

Buy links: Amazon UK | Amazon US | Evernight Publishing

*****

Excerpt

When he came to, the first thing he understood: he couldn’t see. A moment of panic—and then another realization: there was a blindfold of some kind over his eyes. He was standing with his arms up above him … and wait, were his hands bound? What the hell? He tried to reach up, rotating his wrists, and clutched at the chains he was hanging from. Yes, fucking chains. And leather handcuffs, buckled very tight. And he couldn’t feel any clothes upon himself, just something around his neck in addition to his dog tag.

Then he remembered. Ida. Her apartment. Talking about his curse. She said they had to negotiate…

And after that—nothing.

He jerked at the chains, hard. And again, and a few times more. They didn’t give. There was some slack, so at least his arms weren’t pulled up too tautly, but he couldn’t break free.

“You must be wondering what happened to you,” Ida said somewhere to his left. “You agreed to an experiment, remember? And here you are. A fine specimen for a very interesting test.”

Her hand touched his chest lightly, out of nowhere, and he jolted at the contact as if she prodded him with a stun baton.

She chuckled quietly. “So skittish. But it’s understandable. Everyone would be jumpy in your place.” Her hand wandered across his pecs, brushed his nipple, and disappeared. “I’ll let you adjust. Try tugging at the chains again if you want to check whether they will break or not. I allow you. But here’s a spoiler: they won’t. It’s not some rusty old shackles. They are good and new, very sturdy, and secured to an eyehook in the ceiling. There had been a large chandelier hanging from it once, so it’s quite reliable. I redecorated the room long ago, but I always thought the hook would come in handy one day. It’s a mild nuisance the handcuffs have to be hanging so high—I’m not that tall. But a bit of hypnosis, and you helped me to restrain you most eagerly.”

What the hell was going on?

As if through a fog, Dragomir remembered saying yes to some kind of experiment and even filling and signing a yes/no negotiation form, but it was a vague memory, distant and dream-like. Everything else—a boxing match, a fight before that—seemed even more surreal.

Ida’s hand slipped along his flank, ticklishly, up to his neck, and tugged at what he realized was a collar.

“And this is to ensure you wouldn’t break free using magic. Quite a special thing. Leather, silver, and a security spell. Meant especially for wayward mages, something of the kind they use in prisons when incarcerating a person with enhanced abilities.” She slipped a finger under the band around his throat, making it too tight, almost choking him. “So you will behave, no matter whether you want it or not. A bad boy will be a good boy for a change.”

“What are you doing?” he rasped out.

“Just making you harmless. Wasn’t it what you wanted, to cause no harm to me?”

Was she mocking him?

He stood there, wearing nothing but a collar, a dog tag, and a blindfold. It was ridiculous. Laughable. Humiliating.

And scary.

Rationally, he knew he probably had nothing to worry about. Or did he? But anyway, all rational thoughts gave way to a primitive bodily reaction—discomfort at being tied up, helpless. It felt like he was itching all over under his skin with uneasiness bordering on unwanted panic, too exposed, deprived of sight. He tried to wriggle his wrists out of the handcuffs instead of jerking at the chains, but to no avail.

“Nope, the handcuffs will hold, too,” Ida warned him. “I checked, and not just once. As I might have said, I do a bit of coaching now and then, but of an unusual kind. I call it expanding boundaries. Experiencing new sensations. It doesn’t normally include sex, but for you, I might make an exception.”

A peck of a kiss between his shoulder blades. Hands running up and down his sides, in a comforting manner, but at the same time, it was unnerving. He tried to twist away from her touch, stubbornly, but she squeezed his hips, adding a hint of nails.

“Sshh, don’t twitch, hold still,” she said, “or I’ll pull up the chains. They say it’s extremely painful to hang from your wrists. Excruciating.”

“Oh yeah?” he managed. “Someone else complained?”

“And very loudly. Good thing this room is soundproof. As I said, it had been redecorated.”

Her arms went ‘round him. She was still clothed, but he could feel her little perky breasts pressing against his back. His cock, already half-hard, immediately went into a very interested mode. It didn’t seem to mind the strangeness of the situation.