Heat - Freshman

'Are you sure you're ready to test your limits?'

I nodded.

'The safe word?'

'Asbestos.'

Jim looked at me grinning, candlelight bouncing off his chin and giving him a devilish look as he lifted the candles causing hot wax to run down my breast.

'Test your Limit' was a new idea of Jim's. When he started acting as my dom, he had made me fill in a sheet listing my 'hard limits.' I see no attraction in being pissed upon, though others do, so that was one of my limits. Blood was another. For these special sessions Jim had given me a choice of 'flexible limits,' offering to help me find out how far I could go within these extra limits. I chose 'fire' because I had been burnt with candles, as Jim was doing now, and wanted to try new things along the same lines. Jim had promised to stop as soon as I used the safe word. I like to take risks. This was an opportunity to try new things and explore my pain threshold in a safe environment.

The only light in Jim's dungeon at present came from flames: the candles he was moving to a table behind him, sconces on the wall, giving a mediaeval feel, and something behind me which was projecting an orange glow, I could feel some of its heat tickling my back. My arms were tied firmly in place behind a pole set in the floor, so I couldn't turn to find out what it was.

Jim took out a cigarette and put it in his mouth and flicked a large silver lighter into flame. I shifted my feet in horrified excitement. I knew Jim didn't smoke, and he spoiled the effect of the cigarette's glow by coughing as he inhaled. I tried not to laugh, but he noticed my smile and looked a little pissed. I held my breath as he plucked the cigarette from his mouth. Pissing off your dom is never a good idea, even if you trust him as much as I trust Jim.

I felt the heat of the cigarette as he held it close to my right nipple. My body betrayed me and I felt the nipple harden in spite of my dread of what was to follow. Jim took it away and sucked in a long drag before returning it to my nipple, even closer now. He looked me straight in the eye.

'Okay?'

His hand moved. I couldn't take my eyes away from his as I felt him slowly push the heat closer, moving far too slowly, increasing my anticipation until I felt it touch. My pussy flooded as I absorbed the pain. Jim brought over an ashtray and stubbed the butt into it.

'Still okay?'

I nodded, shakily.

'I want to hear it, know you're with me. Do you want to use the safe word?'

I took a deep breath, to collect my thoughts so I could answer his question in words.

'I'm fine. Carry on.'

The evil smile was back.

'Right you are then.' The devilish smile was back on his face as he tried to sound like somebody from an old war film.

He managed to light the second cigarette without coughing, and the whole thing was repeated on my left nipple, leaving me gasping with the pain when he stubbed it out.

Jim untied my arms and took me into his kitchen, sitting me down with a drink of water as he rubbed a cooling cream into my skin. I rested for the next hour, and Jim put no pressure on me, he was too skilled as a dom to rush things. We had all day, and it was only mid-morning. He knew from the past that I react better if he leaves me alone and to give my fear time to build.

'Ready for the next round?'

'Yeah.'

This time he tied me to a frame, placing me in an X shape, my arms and legs spread wide. Jim was lit solely by the flaming torch he held in his hand, there was no other source of light in the dungeon apart from the glow which was still behind me.

'Still okay?'

'Yes, Jim.' Using his name let him know I was thinking straight.

He held up the torch, and I felt the heat on the undersides of my breast. Unlike the cigarettes, it didn't touch me, although I worried it would. The heat was intense but I knew I could stand it. He held it close to one breast then the other. I started to shake as I waited for the flames to touch me, but they didn't. Jim's face was serious now. I tensed in alarm as he knelt between my feet, still holding the torch. Now I knew why he had asked me to ensure I had no hair on my pussy. All I could see was the glow of the torch and Jim's head bent down, but I could feel the heat of the torch increasing as it got closer. The flames flicking close to my pussy caused my pussy to flood. The torch was withdrawn before it got bad. To my surprise Jim untied me immediately.

I was underwhelmed. Jim had promised me pain. Was he failing, or was he giving me a mild scene to prepare me for something worse. When I opened my mouth to ask he put one finger to my mouth, gagging me figuratively. He uncapped a water bottle, and made me drink.

There was no rest this time; I was immediately led back to the post I had been tied to before. This time the bonds were tighter, my elbows bound together, and my back arched until my boobs were sticking out as far as they could. I gave a shiver of anticipation, knowing what part of my body was going to feel the heat next.

'Shall I carry on? It'll only get worse.'

'Yes.'

'You're sure?'

'I'm sure.'

'Good.' The devilish grin had been replaced by one of pure menace, enhanced by the reflection in his face from the glowing behind me. Jim always was a great actor. He turned from me, towards the glowing light. I had ignored it so far, now I wondered what it was.

There was a long pause as he stood behind me, I could hear clinking and feel his movements for several minutes before he stood in front of me again, and twisted my right nipple painfully, watching it swell. Jim brought his hands in front of me and I gasped. He held a pointed needle in a holder. Worse, it was glowing with its heat.

'Safe word?'

I couldn't take my eyes of the needle he was holding so ominously in front of me.

'No master.'

Master? I wasn't sure where that had come from. I had never called Jim 'master' before and it wasn't part of our relationship, but the sight of the hovering glow had done something to my mind.

Mercifully Jim didn't leave me to wallow in my fear. I screamed as the needle pushed into the hole in the centre of my nipple, but managed not to pass out. It didn't go deep, but the pain paralysed my whole body for a few seconds.

As I recovered enough to open my eyes Jim was back in front of me, holding another needle.

'Can I do it again?'

I gritted my teeth while I forced myself to understand what he had said.

'Yesss' I managed to utter.

'Yes what?' his voice was stern. I considered what I had said.

'Yes Master' I managed.

Immediately he plunged the needle forward.

The feeling was beyond pain. I zoned out into subspace. The pain and pleasure intermixed in my brain, and I spent several minutes soaring away from my body before I passed out.

When I woke my breast hurt, but less than I expected. Warily I examined them with my fingers, finding something creamy on them, probably the salve Jim had used before. When I opened my eyes the first thing I saw was Jim's eyes smiling at me. He was sipping at a mug, coffee I assumed.

'Well done. You have passed my 'Testing your Limits' exam with flying colours.'

'Thanks, Jim. That was intense.'

'I liked you calling me 'Master.' You haven't done it before.'

'Mm' I was non-committal, hoping he wouldn't expect me to do it every time.

'I don't expect you to repeat it next time.'

Not for the first time I wondered if the man could read my mind.

'Is it over?'

'Yes. I told you it was a pass.' He paused for a long beat 'Unless of course you want a certificate of participation.'

'A what?' I was puzzled.

Jim handed me some sort of utensil. Puzzled, I inspected it carefully. It had a long wooden handle which was joined to a metal design. I had no idea what it was. The only thing it reminded me of was the devices used in the past to affix wax seals.

I looked at him.

'What is it?'

'You're not concentrating. What is today's lesson about?' He was amused by my confusion.

The lesson was about heat and fire. I took in a sharp breath as the thought crashed into my brain.

'A brand?'

'It's an extra. You have to beg me for it. Only people who have done the course will get one of these.' He took it from me. 'Picture it in reverse - 'TYL.' I think they did a good job of making it look stylish. Bum, inner thigh and bottom of one breast, okay?'

Oh God! Did I want to do this? More pain. More of Jim's menace.

He drained his coffee and walked away.

'I'll need your decision in an hour' he called over his shoulder as the door closed.

I sat still, frozen with indecision. How much pain did I want to suffer? How much would I regret refusing the chance to try it? How long would Jim string it out, knowing the effect it would have on me? Did I want to do it?

Yes I did.

No I didn't.

Yes I did.

What I needed was a daisy! Looking around the room I found an embroidered picture on the wall, of a bunch of flowers. Mentally I pulled off the petals, until I finished at 'Yes I did.'

It wasn't the most logical way to reach a decision, but after the torments I'd suffered for most of the day, my brain wasn't functioning too well after my trip to sub-space.

I sat back down, resting, considering my decision.

It seemed like well over an hour before the door opened again, but with no clock in sight and the windows shuttered I had no way to mark the passing of time.

'Well?'

'I want your certificate, Master.'

'Come on, I'll give you the marks.'

He said nothing of my use of 'master' again, but his smile deepened, for once showing his dimples.

'Master?'

'Yes, slave' his teasing words taunted me.

'I don't require a safe word for this.'

'That I am not happy about.' He frowned.

'I trust you, master. You know me well enough to know when I have reached my limits. I want to put myself at your mercy.'

For the first time in the years I had known him, Jim lost his air of complete confidence.

'Your safety is important to me. I don't want the responsibility.'

For once, I felt I had control of the situation with Jim.

'If you want me to call you master, you need to take charge. Your slave wants to surrender to you.'

Even to me it sounded a weak argument, but I meant every word, and Jim must have been aware of my sincerity. He did not look happy, but he nodded solemnly.

'Okay, just this once. But I want you to sign a disclaimer, to cover me.'

Of course I did this, and a few minutes later I was tied to a table, my bum pointing in the air, due to the padding underneath it. Jim had tied me down firmly to ensure I wouldn't blur the brand by moving when he applied it.

Jim had turned off all the lights now, all I could see was the brand heating over what looked like a Bunsen-burner flame. Jim's hand was resting on my right bum cheek as he waited for the brand to reach the right temperature. At long last he moved.

'Ready for this slave?'

'Yes master.' I tried to be firm, and hide my apprehension. I had no doubt this was going to hurt.

My scream was long and loud. Jim reached out to loosen my bonds and I wriggled, trying unsuccessfully to ease the pain. When he had me completely free, Jim helped me to slide from the table and led me to a chair. Then he thought better of it, and led me to lean against the wall as he applied cream and a padding to the brand.

Minutes later he had me lying on my front on a bed.

'Stay!'

I started to protest before remembering I was his slave until this session ended. The adrenaline pulsing through me prevented sleep as much as the pain did. I kept shifting in discomfort until he returned.

'Time for your next mark slave.'

He helped me up, and I followed him.

'You still okay with this?'

He was still unhappy about doing it without a safe word, so I told him I was fine. It was true, now I knew exactly what he had in store for me, and in a strange way was welcoming the upcoming pain.

A bar had been placed over the table, and a pile of ropes was ready beside it.

Jim did not explain, in fact he said nothing as he lifted me onto the table. One leg was tied to the table's leg, and he bent the other over the bar. A rope passed over my abdomen, and was tied tightly to the table and the looped leg was tied securely in place to keep it still. The lights were turned out, and Jim's body obscured the glow from the burner he was using. As he turned all I could see was the glow from the brand before it hit my thigh. I tensed in a violent orgasm which seemed to last forever, and heard Jim chuckle as I passed out, pleased with the effect he had produced.

I woke in Jim's bed, feeling rested and exhausted at the same time. Jim was watching me as I opened my eyes.

'Did I say you could come?' I knew Jim's sternness was faked by the smile on his face as he said it.

'No master, sorry master.' Oh God, my voice sounded hoarse and shaky.

'I'm putting back your safe word slave. I know you trust me, but after seeing that orgasm I don't trust myself.'

'Please, master.' I begged him.

'No, we both need it to keep you safe.'

As he stood beside me I could see the size of his erection, it looked painful.

'I wasn't protesting about that, I was pleading. Please fuck me.'

'Who is giving orders around here today?'

I dropped my eyes.

'Sorry master. You are.'

'Spread your legs.'

'Yes sir.'

He spent little time in preparation, and I winced as he entered my dry pussy, and he pulled out, giving my pussy time to dampen for him before he slammed into me hard and fast. We both came on his third thrust. I was glad that he took care not to touch the patch on my thigh, which must have matched the one I couldn't see on my buttock.

I don't know how long we both slept for. A tickling of my armpits woke me.

Jim glanced at his watch, but I couldn't see the face from my position.

'Time for your final mark.'

'Yes my master.'

I frowned as the title left my lips. Somewhere deep in my psyche I now knew he was my master. Unlike my previous uses of the expression I was neither surprised nor being ironic.

I leapt out of the bed, eager to fill his every desire. If it meant taking another brand I was glad to do it.

Unlike the last time, he had not had time to prepare for me, so I leaned against a wall, watching the preparations, as he removed the ropes and the bar, replacing it with one with two small holes in it.

'Table!'

Meekly I hoisted myself up to sit there, a little intimidated by the force of his order.

I was firmly in his control, and he knew it. His next order was also a short bark, which I obeyed instantly.

'Lie!'

He raised his eyebrows and held a gag up in front of my mouth. Jim knew I hated ball gags, but he was my master. I let him insert it, lifting my head so he could buckle the strap behind my head.

'Good girl.' He patted my head condescendingly, but my answering of joy at pleasing him was hard to control. I had my wish, now I couldn't use the safe word; the responsibility was his, not mine.

Jim was clearly aware of it.

'You are getting into this slave thing, aren't you?'

I nodded, cheerfully.

'I've put the brand back on to heat up. It should take about twenty minutes. Wait here while I get myself a coffee, slave.'

What choice did I have? I was excited when he left, eager for the pain, but this gradually died down and I became impatient. As I continued to wait, my impatience turned into resignation until I was completely calm. This had probably been Jim's plan. He had left me untied, so I could have left the table at any time and walked around the room, but it wasn't what he wanted me to do - it was a test of my willingness to submit. I stayed still and waited, and waited some more.

'Ready? No don't answer me.'

Barstard! He knew I couldn't with the gag in place. At last he was back and ready to start the torture. He took the rope which he had placed around my waist before, and tied it back in place holding me so I couldn't move, following this by tying both of my legs to table legs.

'I don't want you incurring punishment for kicking me' he explained.

I winced as he tightly took hold of my recently burnt nipples.

'Did that hurt slave?'

I nodded.

'Good. It was supposed to.' Devilish Jim was back in charge. He took two thin strings and tied them tightly around my nipples. When he pulled them through the two holes in the bar above me I grunted with pain. Jim said nothing, but he lightly ran his finger across their undersides, causing me to tense with a mixture of dread and desire.

Jim again switched off the lights. This time he turned off the burner as well. The only light now came from the brand. As he moved to the foot of the table I was in darkness as the glow was hidden by my suspended breasts. This time there was no indication of which side he was going to mark. Jim stood still for several unbearable minutes. I could feel his trousers brushing the inside of my legs. I grunted in impatience, only to have him stroke my unmarked thigh.

'Patience, slave. Be calm.'

I was trying, I really was, but Jim wasn't making it easy.

My only warning was the friction as his trousers brushed my legs again.

I crashed through the door of sub-space in a way I never had before. Reality ceased to exist as my mind dealt with the pain, the pleasure and intense apprehension Jim had held me in for most of the day.

I was lying on his sofa when I woke. I could feel the additional pad rubbing against my stomach where my breast rested. He had chosen the right one, and it still throbbed a little.

Jim looked worried.

'How do you feel?'

'Actually, to my surprise, good. It hurts, but it's a good hurt.'

'You were out a long time; I was beginning to be concerned.'

'I think I needed the recovery time.'

'You were magnificent, all day. I kept expecting you to call a halt, but you kept taking more.'

'I can't say I enjoyed every minute, but you made the good points great.'

'Are you still my slave?'

I looked at him for a minute, not sure if he was serious. He grinned at me full of mischief.

'No way! But maybe in the future I could be persuaded.'

He sobered.

'I'm not too sure. I liked it but it could go to my head. I didn't like leaving you without a safe word. Rest as long as you need, talk if you want to, don't if you don't. I'll give you space if you need it.'

He really was a good dom, whether he was my Master or not.

'Come back on Wednesday and I'll check those burns and marks. Keep the evening free, because we both need to debrief this session calmly, and sort out which parts were good, what we liked, what we didn't.

'Yes master' I laughed.

I don't know what he expected me to say at a debrief. The whole experience had kept me on a high for ... I looked at my watch ... It was eight o'clock in the evening. I had spent more than ten hours being tortured. No wonder I hurt all over. Walking home I wondered if anybody wondered about the huge smile I was wearing.

**********

This story is a fantasy. I haven't tried any of these things, and do not intend to outside of my mind.

If you are stupid enough to try any of them don't blame me for any consequences.