A short story set in the world of my novel, Rise of the Church: Zadie's Journey.
This story is a work of fiction.
It is pure fantasy and features
themes of
dubious consent. I condone only safe, consensual sex
in real life.
The characters are over 18.
Please enjoy!
*
Modelling for the Church
Katie was nervous. She was sat alone, waiting for her turn to enter the studio. Her friends had already been in, but they exited another way so they couldn't chat with her about their experience, and they weren't allowed to bring phones, so they couldn't even text. It was her first photo-shoot, and she wasn't entirely sure what to expect. She wished she had practised her sexy poses more, and that she had studied the styles of successful models.
The art department at her university had been invited to provide some volunteers to model the uniform of a new convent of the Secular Church of Acceptance, so there she was in stilettos, a flared miniskirt, and a cropped, zip through hoodie with a soft, lustrous sheen. It barely covered her lower breasts -- a feature that made her very self-conscious thanks to the requirement to forgo underwear for the session.
She knew that the girl who had gone in before her was specialising in photography and portraits, so she probably had some idea what she was doing, but Katie had no interest in that field and had mostly focused on painting -- particularly landscapes. She loved feeling a brush spread thick oil across a canvas, bringing to life a place of beauty in a way that transcended reality. She worried that her ignorance of photography and modelling would impact her currently high grades. She tried to take comfort in the fact that this was only a small part of her course, and the damage could only be minimal, but she took pride in her work and regretted neglecting this area.
The door opened, making her jump, and a handsome man regarded her with keen eyes.
'Hi,' she said, uncomfortable with his silent appraisal.
'Would you like to come through?'
She rose, slightly wobbly on the ridiculous heels, and followed him inside. She took her place in front of a backdrop of white fabric draped from a large frame, and she felt a little intimidated surrounded by the multitude of lights and mirrors. It was a lot of expensive equipment, and he was obviously a serious professional, but she couldn't help thinking it was overkill.
'We'll just start with some relaxed poses to get a feel for you,' he said peering through his tripod-mounted camera.
'Do you want me to do anything?' she asked, feeling silly as he started snapping shots.
'I like to capture the natural essence of my subject before I really get down to it. Just stand as you would if you had no one watching you.'
'Okay,' she said, attempting not to look awkward.
'That's good -- the way you're playing with your hair.'
'Oh, I didn't realise I was doing that!'
'Try pulling your shoulders back for me.'
Katie was aware of the tiny jacket riding up her chest as she reluctantly complied.
'Maybe a little more,' he insisted.
'I feel like my boobs will pop out,' she confided, sheepishly.
'Don't worry about that.'
'But it's reallyโ'
'Play with your hair again. Pretend you're making a ponytail.'
She raised her arms hesitantly, desperate to keep herself concealed, and timidly ran her fingers through her hair. She heard him sigh, and she was sure he tutted too.
'Okay, just relax,' he said, approaching her. 'You need to open up your posture.' He lifted her arms up and push them back. 'There you go -- you look confident and sexy now.' He returned to the tripod.
'Is, err, anything showing?'
He glanced at her chest with a faint smirk. 'Don't worry about it.'
Maintaining her pose, she looked in one of the large mirrors and confirmed her suspicion: her pert nipples were peeking under the hem of the tiny jacket. She immediately dropped her arms to shield her chest, and she glared at the man in disbelief.
'Why didn't you tell me?' she demanded, astonished by his audacity as he continued to take pictures.
'Look, they want
sexy
, and that's what you need to give them.'
'You could get in a lot of trouble forโ'
'You're the only one who's had a problem with this. Do you want to be the only one to fail thisโ'
'You don't decide my grades. You're just the photographer.'
'I think you know you're wrong there. Now... you were making a ponytail.'
Katie stared at him for several moments before returning her hands to her head.
'Open up,' he reminded her. 'Good. And smile.'
Unwillingly flashing for him, she forced a smile, determined not to give him more ammunition against her. She would not let him stain her record. He had her in a multitude of poses, all of which seemed to be designed to expose her to some extent. When her compliance was comfortably established, he removed the camera from its tripod and came close to her, stooping to point it right up her little jacket.
'Are we done?' she asked when he paused to review the images.
'We've barely started!' he laughed.
'You've got loads of pictures -- isn't that enough?'
'Not if you want to pass thisโ'
'Right, shall we get on with it then?'
He chuckled. 'Sure. I want you on all fours now.'
'You know I've got no underwear on, right?'
'Yes, but that won't be an issue.'
'People are going to see these pictures, and I can'tโ'
'People will see no more than what your peers have already shown. Now, please...'
Her face openly expressing her discontent, Katie took her time adopting the position. She was acutely aware of the cool air around her vulva, and she felt totally vulnerable as he moved around snapping shots. She was extremely sensitive to his movements and flinched when he ventured too far to the side of her. He seemed to take pleasure in testing the limits, and she began to suspect that he was teasing her.
'If you could just shift your position so that you're side-on, that'd be great,' he said, taking another pause.
'You'll see my privates!'
'I'll be tasteful.'
'I thought I was modelling the uniform, not doing porn.'
'I can assure you this isn't porn,' he said with a dismissive snigger. 'Come on. I can't go round you because I need the backdrop in the background.'
Katie huffed as she rotated to present her side profile. She knew that he'd easily see her genitals If he didn't stay right where he was. To her astonishment, he leaned forward and shifted her skirt over her back.
'What are you doing?' she yelled, sitting to deny him access.