PART ONE: NEGOTIATION
"Well, this is awkward." I heard a voice behind me.
I was sitting by a table at a local BDSM club, where Mistress Anne had arranged for us to meet. It was months in the making. We had met online on a forum dedicated to all things BDSM, and as we started chatting, it soon became clear to both of us that we had some real chemistry going on. She seemed perfect for me - an older woman with years of experience as a dominatrix; mature, intelligent... and sexy as hell. She even knew the owners of this place, and arranged for them to contact me with their details so that I could gain access for the evening even though I wasn't a member.
Me, a guy in my early twenties, a neophyte with little to no experience with this kind of scene ... I could hardly imagine how lucky I was to be mentored by a woman like her. But she was willing. She had talked to me for hours online, telling me about her philosophies and giving advice on all sorts of things - from dating people in the scene to which clubs I should visit. We had talked about our interests, our dos and don'ts, how we felt about current events and lots more. She seemed to know everything about everything, and was so open-minded that she really got me to open up to her about the things that got me curious and excited. Just a few weeks in, I had told her all about my deepest desires and even my most embarrassing fantasies.
She was attractive too. Her profile page didn't really show much of her face, but her body, her posture, her BDSM-related outfits... she was hot as all hell. Not to mention the fact that she seemed to be involved with several other people. There were photos of her having sessions with both girls and guys - I assumed she probably had people running down her doors. She was so above my league that when I humbly asked whether she would consider taking me on as a submissive, I knew it was a long shot. An extremely long shot. When she then said 'yes', I almost fell off my chair.
So we set up a meeting and here I was, at the club where she apparently felt right at home. A place where like-minded people wandered around in BDSM/fetish gear, laughing and chatting before retiring to the private play rooms with their partners. I'd heard a lot about places like this. I'd even been to one once, for a munch, just to meet some people with similar interests.
This one was pretty nice; a sort of cafeteria in the front, BDSM club in the back. To get your waffles, coffees or other beverages, or to simply sit and talk, spend some time in the front section. To get your kink on, head on in to the back and visit the various rooms full of special furniture and 'tools' appropriate for whatever your heart desires.
I sat in the front section, nursing a glass of Coke while waiting anxiously for Mistress Anne to arrive. The owner was behind the bar, handing out non-alcoholic drinks. He seemed really nice; when I arrived, he took a minute to talk to me and also directed me to a free table in a corner, slightly hidden away so that the new guy didn't have to sit all exposed in the middle of the room.
I had butterflies in my stomach. I'd been on blind dates before, but this was special. She was so awesome, I felt like I was scheduled to meet a movie star. She'd be sure to find me, as the owner knew who I was and where I was sitting. I was also wearing a normal white shirt like she'd told me to, and most other people here were wearing elaborate outfits of leather or latex. I was getting more and more nervous as the hour of our rendezvous approached. Then I heard steps coming up to the table, followed by the sound of that awfully familiar voice.
I was in shock. I couldn't believe what was happening. Mistress Anne sat down at the other side of the table, looking at me with a pair of beautiful blue eyes that I knew only too well.
"Mom?"
"Hello, Michael."
"Mom?!"
"Lower your voice, please. The music isn't that loud."
"
You're
Mistress Anne?"
"Yes..." she sighed. "And you're that nice young man I've been talking to. Like I said: awkward."
We sat still for a few moments, having a quiet drink without talking, just letting everything sink in. Okay... so my mom was a dominatrix. To say I was surprised would have been the understatement of the year. She had divorced my dad years ago, and after I started college, I didn't see my family more than a few times a year, but I still had no idea she was into anything like this. And that she was such a big part of the community - apparently had been for years? I was just shell-shocked.
"So... you've found your way into the lifestyle." she said, finally. "I guess the apple doesn't fall too far from the tree."
"No... yeah... sorry, I'm just..."
"Surprised, yes. Me too. I must say this isn't who I expected to meet. You said your name was Mike and that you lived here in New York, but I didn't imagine ... honestly, I had no idea you were interested in BDSM."
"Yeah, same here... And you're, like, a big part of this!"
"I am somewhat well known around here, yes. I've been in the lifestyle for years."
She took a sip from her glass. I looked at her. She was wearing a black leather corset, black gloves, knee-high boots and a tight leather skirt. Her blouse was red, classy and suited her perfectly. She also carried a riding crop, which she had placed on the table when she sat down. Her whole attire was a perfect blend of assertive and sexy.
"Wow, that outfit is..."
"Different from what I normally wear?"
"I was going to say 'awesome', but..."
"Thank you." she said with a slight smile. "I do try to make an effort."
We sat and talked for a while. It was clear that we had a lot of catching up to do. She wanted to know more about what experiences I'd had, I wanted to know more about how she managed to juggle this lifestyle with her job and family life.
"It's not easy..." she said, "... but most people here are discreet. You've already seen the 'no cameras' signs in the club, and we're pretty protective of each other in terms of members getting outed. That's just not acceptable. Some people are public, but with my job... well, you just know there'd be people looking to make a fuss. And I just find it easier to fly under the radar. That means people don't suspect anything. After all, you didn't."
"No, not at all."
"So tell me more about you." she said. "How did you get into this?"
"It just developed over time, I think. Reading about stuff online, stuff like that."
"Experiences?"
"Not much. A couple of girls who liked handcuffs and stuff like that, but..."
"What made you think you're a sub? It wasn't that girl Chrissy, was it...?"
"What? No, she was... bossy. Not sexually or anything. She was just a... well, a bitch, if you'll excuse my French."
"I will. Because I agree. She wasn't very nice. So...?"
"I'm not sure. I think it's just ... the things I like. They're ... more in that direction than the other one. My fantasies, I mean. But you already know about those, I guess."
"Oh yes, they were ... exciting reading. But you said you'd been with one domina already, isn't that right? How did that go?"
"Oh, uh... well, like I said in the chat... not too bad, I think. She did mostly bondage stuff, and that was pretty hot... But it was mostly about the sex part. You know, just expanding on the sex, adding on ropes and paddles... I'd like to explore more of the non-sexual kinks as well. Also, she lives far away and we're both pretty busy... that's why I'm looking for someone closer to home. Someone I can see more often. Someone with experience who can show me things I've only ever read about. I mean... someone like you."
For a second, I thought I could see a smile in the corner of her mouth. As we sat there and talked some more about each other's interests and experiences, I started to feel like this was how the date was supposed to have gone. These were the kind of things we were supposed to be talking about; we were supposed to talk about bondage, leather outfits and different types of whips, not how we were hiding these things from our family members. The more we talked, the more I felt like I wanted to return to plan A.
"So... do you want me to show you around the place? Maybe you should consider becoming a member?" she eventually said, starting to round off the conversation.
"Look..."
"Yes?"
I decided not to beat around the bush. We were both adults. I was just going to be honest and tell her what I wanted. I figured the worst that could happen was that she said no.
"Mistress Anne..."
She gave me a stern look, but I continued:
"Is there any way we can make this work?"
Her face changed into one of pure surprise. She seemed completely taken aback and said nothing in response - she just looked at me as if I'd told her I was an alien or something. I went on, trying not to sound like I was rambling.
"I value the talks we've had very highly and I felt honored that you agreed to meet with me... that you'd even
consider
taking an inexperienced guy like me as your submissive was ... wild. I still feel that way. It doesn't have to be sexual, so our relation doesn't have to get in the way ... With your wealth of experience, knowledge about the community... types of play, what to do and what
