PROLOGUE
The lights in the dungeon were dim, but the acrylic cane She whipped through the air was black light reactive, creating a fearful streak of light through the air an instant before the inside of my right thigh seared with pain. The sound of my sudden gasp could not block out the snap from skilled administration of a punishment stroke. I felt I had been branded. Branded with a
V
.
My outstretched arms, connected by leather cuffs to a spreader bar above me, ached from maintaining the same vertical position for an hour. My rear end sizzled and I knew sitting down would be a delicate task over the next few days. "Take some zinc every day until the bruising goes away. It will help, " Mistress V advised.
"Yes, Mistress," I replied quietly.
We had finished three hours of play in a large, multi-room dungeon Mistress V owns. Located in an industrial park near LA, the dungeon looks like any other commercial establishment from the outside. The soundproofing material could not be seen from either inside or outside the dungeon. Secrets stay inside.
I am not a masochist, Mistress V had once explained. I'm a pleaser. I will endure whatever painful delights Mistress V chooses to inflict upon me because I know doing so will please her. As always, she was correct. I do not enjoy pain.
But as She explained, that's precisely why using pain and humiliation was such a delightfully effective tool for my behavior modification.
I had served Mistress V for five years. In the vanilla world I held a senior level executive position. Evenings and weekends, however, were devoted exclusively to serving Her. Oh how I wish She would permit me to fall in love with Her! I would do anything, I would endure anything, if it meant hearing the magical words that She loved me.
The acrylic cane was a hornet injecting its burning venom into my inner left thigh. My mind jolted back to reality. These last blows were out of character for our dungeon play. It was time to be winding down from three hours of undulating levels of intensity.
Then again, Mistress V told me this session would be a reminder of the far worse punishment I would endure for any future rule violations. It sounded as if a gate was about to open before me and passing through it would not be optional.
My thoughts were confirmed when Mistress V spoke. "Slave, you have disappointed me. You've grown flabby and out of shape. Make certain you are available for a three day weekend next month."
"You are going to a very special fitness camp."
CHAPTER 1: To the Gutbusters Compound
Mistress V decided I would be going to a fitness camp. A "very special fitness camp," to be precise.
She was displeased with my lack of discipline for not following an exercise regimen and She had grown tired of having to point out my increasing flabbiness during each inspection. Her friend and colleague, Mistress Elan, was starting a 72-hour intense training program for submissives, named "Gutbusters." Mistress V wanted me to be the first subject to be put through the program.
After proving the program's success with several subjects, the goal was to offer the service to subs in need of fitness training and who must be referred by their Mistress. The fee will be $5000 for the three-day program, so as Mistress V explained, I had better work extremely hard and succeed at the program or I must pay the $5000 for quitting early and spoiling their test.
As collateral Mistress V required me to give Her a check for $5000 several weeks before my training session. Acting as an escrow agent She would pay the training fee if I failed to complete the program. I'd get the money back upon completing the program.
"Don't fuck it up."
Those were her last words before we departed. I could not speak with her again until I successfully completed the program. Being required to pay the $5000 fee if I failed was an additional motivating factor. More importantly, failure would mean the thought of being dropped from Mistress V's service. That was an option I simply could not allow to happen.
To qualify for this special training I was required to undergo a thorough physical examination by Mistress V's physician friend. A female physician friend. A very attractive female friend. That exam is a story unto itself but suffice it to say that since it was conducted on a weekend, when the practice was closed, the usual rules for modesty and patient rapport did not apply. It was indeed comprehensive and included a 12-lead EKG, a prostate exam and perhaps the most thorough genital examination I have ever experienced.
A key part of the examination included a series of exercises designed to test overall strength and endurance of major muscle groups. Under the doctor's supervision, a team of nurses placed sensor pads on a carefully selected muscle group. I was then required to perform a series of exercises until each muscle group reached exhaustion. I was required to do several exercises to test my abs and one type each to evaluate my thighs, chest and back.
The doctor told me they would use these measurements, which show my maximum muscle contraction ability, to design a fitness program that would be challenging but safe from causing injury.
When I passed the physical exam the date I was to begin training was set. Although I knew it would be a reasonably intense experience I really did want to get into shape and this special camp sounded like the way to get a solid head start.
I was told not to expect weight loss but that the muscle groups in my abdomen would be conditioned and hardened more than they had ever been before. I would then follow a strict diet and exercise plan to lose the fat covering the muscles until, voila, I could show off six pack abs. I liked that idea!
I was given specific instructions to follow beginning two weeks before reporting for training. I had to document anything that went into my mouth and measure the amount of urine each time I emptied my bladder.
Twice daily I had to perform a series of exercises for about 30 minutes per set. These included jumping jacks, sit ups, crunches, squats, high knees and squat thrusts; a fairly standard abs routine with the number of reps in each set increasing over the two week period. Not only did I have to write down the exercises I completed but I was required to make a video of every single workout session.
I was required to upload the compressed video files every day. These as of yet unknown trainers apparently didn't leave anything to chance.
I was required to drink water at regular intervals and my diet was gradually weaned until on Thursday the only food I was allowed to consume was vegetables blended with V-8 juice. I could have all I wanted but I pretty much drank my last meals before reporting for training.
The Friday morning of my training was now just a night's rest ahead. Preparing for the requisite eight hours of sleep I went to bed early on Thursday night. I had no idea what the next day would bring.
ยง
My GPS guided me perfectly during the 90 minute drive out into the country. The wooded scenery in stark contrast to the sights of the city and the waning desert behind me. Playing it safe, I allowed plenty of time to be sure I wasn't late. With 20 minutes to kill I parked in Ralph's parking lot to wait. The scent of bacon wafted into my car from a nearby Denny's, reminding me how much I missed enjoying "real" food. I realized then that I was shaking visibly.
At three minutes before 7 am I drove to the assigned address. It was a single story, beige and rather unremarkable adobe style home. The yard was fairly well maintained but clearly was not the priority to the owner.