Ann Mayburn - Sodom and the Phoenix

Their murmurs washed over her in waves of sound as she strained to control her panic. Bryan said not to talk unless she was spoken to, but her fear was a tiny rodent gnawing away at her self-control. Her body felt numb, tingly, and her breath came out in harsh pants that further robbed her of any feeling of safety. He leaned in, his lips brushing her ear and sending sparks racing through her blood as he whispered, “You’re doing great. I’m very proud of you. Now, deep breath in, hold it, and let it out. Again. You’re doing so well, and I’m right here with you. I will never be more than a step or two away. You are not alone, my beautiful flame.”

Damned if she couldn’t help smiling at his compliment, warmed from the inside out. She’d always been eager to please, doing whatever she could to win the approval of her teachers when she was younger and her bosses as she grew older. Bryan had taken on that authoritarian role now as her master, and she couldn’t help the ball of warmth that expanded in her chest as he stroked her cheek, turning her face into his palm and placing a kiss there. Her heart still raced, but her breathing had returned to a normal pace and her body no longer felt numb.

He moved away but stood close enough that she could still smell his cologne. His deep voice rang out over the quiet of the room, and she realized at some point he’d been given a microphone. “I’d first like to thank you all for making this convention such a success. Your enthusiasm, imagination, and acceptance of each other is an amazing thing, and I’m honored to have the chance to share one of my passions with you today.”

He traced a hand over her throat, playing with the straps holding her halter top up as he continued. “The foundation of any Master/slave relationship is trust. Trust that as a master or mistress, we will take care of our sub. Trust that we will see to their every need, that they can let go of everything and fly, and trust that we are there to catch them when they fall.”

His words seemed to weave a spell, capturing her mind and silencing all rational arguments against trusting him. Yes, she didn’t know him. Yes, he was a playboy, but none of that mattered because right now she trusted him to make her fly. If nothing else, he had proven he could make her feel things no other man could, and she knew deep in her gut that he wouldn’t disappoint her.

A few of the straps holding her top up loosened, and the silk began to slowly slide down her breasts. She tensed and squirmed, but Bryan placed his hand over the center of her chest and pressed gently. “Part of the responsibility, the sacred duty of a dom is to look after their subs emotional and physical welfare. Any master will tell you that while they may enjoy inflicting all kinds of delicious pain on a willing submissive, seeing their slave sick or truly injured kills them.” A murmur of agreement came from the crowd, and Tanwen shivered as her top pooled around her waist, exposing her strapless bra. “When my late wife developed breast cancer, I would have done anything, anything to make her better.”

Tanwen wished with all her heart that she wasn’t bound to the cross, not because of her discomfort, but because she wanted to hold Bryan and comfort him. Though his voice still held steady, she couldn’t miss the deep sorrow it held. “A thousand thoughts went through my mind during the dark days before she succumbed to the illness. What could I have done to prevent it? If we had caught it sooner, would she have been saved? Why her, why me?” He pulled in a deep breath, and her heart ached for him. “I was the one that found the lump during one of our play sessions. Katie, my wife, assured me it was nothing, just a hormonal reaction to her upcoming period.”

He paused for a moment, stroking her shoulders, her chest, and finally cradling her breasts in his hands. “By the time she finally went to the doctor, the cancer had spread. Nineteen months later, she lost her battle to breast cancer.”

With gentle fingers, he unhooked the front clasp of her bra and removed it. To her surprise she felt the warmth of his breath as he bent and kissed the top of each breast. “I think it’s fair to say that we handle our sub’s bodies almost more than they do. We are finely attuned to notice any changes.”

He weighed her breasts in his hands, and a delicious warmth roused through her, battling the flush of embarrassment at being topless before so many people. “Today I’m going to show you how to give a breast exam to your sub, mistress, or master. First you want to apply a light layer of oil or lotion to the breasts. Not so much that your fingertips become too slick to feel any lumps but enough so that you can move easily over their body. Take a moment to appreciate the delicacy of their skin, the subtle weight of their breasts. Become aware of their heart beating beneath your hand. Open yourself to them until they become the center of your world, until you can feel the pound of their heart moving the blood through your veins.”

She rested her head against her upraised arm, melting into his touch, and swore she could feel an amazing energy moving between them, as strong and steady as the ocean tides. A hush had fallen over the crowd, but that didn’t matter; the only thing that mattered was Bryan, her master, exerting his control over her body. She relaxed further as desire uncoiled in her lower belly and brought a flood of warmth to the soft flesh between her legs.

His tone deepened until it held the edge of a growl, and goose bumps ran across her body. “I chose a vanilla oil that is also edible for the exam. Feel free to use whatever type of lubrication you want. For those that enjoy grooming their sub or being pampered by them, this can also be done in a shower or bath while using soap or bath oils.”

He cupped her breasts and ran his thumbs in slow, sensual circles around her nipples until she was fairly begging him with her body to touch the nipple itself, leaning into his touch as much as the restraints allowed. He gave her breasts a gentle squeeze, and her pussy clenched, her whole body hot with arousal. The knowledge that there was a roomful of people watching them faded as his thumbs brushed over the tips of her nipples, and she couldn’t help the groan that worked itself from her throat.

“I would suggest that every time you bathe, you pay attention to your body as you wash your breasts. Just become familiar with how they feel, the texture of the tissue within.” He gave her breast a squeeze that elicited another groan. “The better you know your body, the sooner you’ll notice when something is amiss.” Something moved through the energy between them, and she heard the slightest hint of tension in his voice. She had a moment of clarity as his touch hesitated, then continued. This had to be extremely hard for him to do, and she wished she could see him, could let him know with her gaze that she was here for him. His lips stroked against her cheek. She turned her head so she could try to reach his mouth, to kiss him and offer him comfort. To let him know he wasn’t alone.

His mouth brushed against hers, and he whispered, “Are you okay?”

She took a deep breath and nodded. “Yes, I trust you.”

He made a pleased sound deep in his throat. “Most doctors recommend that you do the exam six days after the last day of your period. Using the pads of three fingers, begin to gently feel the breast for lumps.”

The sensation of his fingertips tenderly rubbing along her skin made her want to purr like a well-loved cat. His touch was so soft and yet firm, small circular patterns that left no inch of her breast untouched. He started with the sensitive skin of her armpit and worked his way around her collarbone in concentric circles, then up and down strokes. She found herself leaning into his touch as her breasts became full and heavy with arousal.