Stranger Than Truth Ch. 05a

"I see. It's your call, in the end. I won't force it. I'm giving you a prescription, just in case you change your mind."

Sally started to protest, "Please…"

"No Sally," Valerie interrupted. "If you're my slave, then this is my call. I want them available so that I can put you on them if I decide you need them."

"Yes, Mistress."

"I also want to see the two of you in here every month, for as long as you are in this no safe word situation. It's best if we can catch any problems before they become serious."

Valerie heard the buzzing of her phone on vibrate. She made a mental note to check it after they were out of the office. After they had made another appointment and were walking through the parking structure, she checked her calls. Milton had just rung her. Val accessed her voice mail.

"Val, this is Milton. Can you meet with the director tonight? I want you working closely with Barry. It's his job to bring this vision to life and I want you two to make sure that he knows what the vision is."

Valerie took Sally home and then returned to the office. The proofs from the Whips'n'More shoot were in her inbox. The shots were fantastic. She spent some time putting the photos together with the copy and soon had what she was looking for. She saved it and sent a copy to the company for final approval. That finished, she called Milton back.

"Milton, this is Valerie."

"Val, honey," Milton's familiarity had finally stopped grating on Valerie's nerves. Once she realized that he treated everyone that way, there seemed little point in being put out by it. "Barry Gastin is our director. I've set up a meeting with you two and him at The Crystal Match. Can you make 7:00 tonight?"

Valerie realized that she would have to change first, the member's only club requiring a much more dignified outfit, but knew she could make it. "I think I can make it. Sally might not be there though." Valerie suspected that Sally's emotional state would not be up to such a meeting.

"That's fine, as long as one of you can be there. I'll let him know. You're a doll, Val."

Valerie left the office at 5:00. At the house, she found Sally lying on the floor, trying to find a position that did not aggravate her bruises. Sally quickly rose to her knees as she realized her Mistress was home. Valerie could see her wince as she rose.

"Sally. How has your day been?"

Valerie saw a look of worry cross Sally's face before the submissive answered. "It was fine, Mistress."

"Sally. You know we can't lie to one another. We're too close. What's wrong?"

Sally sighed. "My boss wants me back in the office. He said my work is suffering."

"Do you want to go back to the office?"

"I…No Mistress, I don't. In fact…" Sally could not finish the thought. Valerie could see the tension in her shoulders as she fought off tears and guilt.

"In fact, you wish you didn't have to work at all, do you?"

"Yes, Mistress. I want to be your slave full time. I can't do that when I have to spend so much time thinking about work."

Valerie knelt down next to her friend and lover. Reaching out, she brushed a hand against Sally's face, feeling her lean into the contact. "You don't have to, Sally. With the house paid for, I make enough to support us all by myself. I know how much you love your job and it never occurred to me that that had changed."

"Oh, it hasn't changed. I just can't do it and be yours at the same time right now. Maybe later, when we know what is happening with me, but not right now. Would you…"

"Say no more. Sally, I am ordering you to quit your job. From now on, you are my house slave. It is your responsibility to take care of all the household chores. I'm warning you though, I expect a superb job. If they're not up to my standards, you will be punished."

"I understand, Mistress. Thank you, Mistress. Mistress, will you use me tonight?"

"I may not have time. Milton wants us to meet with Barry Gastin, the director. Are you up to it?"

"If you need me to be there, yes."

"But, you'd rather not?"

"No Mistress. I'm so tired of being the one to tell others what they need to do."

"Then you stay here. I want the front room spotless when I get back."

"Yes, Mistress. Do you need help changing?"

"Yes. Dinner is at The Crystal Match. Find something appropriate from my clothes while I get out of these things."

Valerie stripped off her work clothes. Looking at herself, she could not help but admire the markings from Saturday. Running her hand over the welts and bruises brought back memories of where they came from. The time with Fred and Daphne had truly been refreshing for her.

Sally had picked out an elegant floor length evening dress with long sleeves. The modest gown covered her marks from prying eyes while showing off her figure. The dark blue color kept anything from showing through. Laying the dress aside for a moment, she turned to Sally.

"Bend over the edge of the bed."

"Yes, Mistress." Sally's smile was broad as she anticipated being used by her Mistress.

Valerie turned to their toy drawer and pulled out a butt plug and lube. She lubed the plug and added more to Sally's puckered hole. Sally gasped at the sensation and the knowledge of what was to come. Valerie forced the plug against her ass, using one hand to spread Sally's cheeks. Sally's groans were quite audible as she tried to relax and minimize the pain of penetration. Val, using a constant pressure with a twisting and turning motion, forced the plastic plug into Sally's ass. When the plug finally penetrated with a "plop" sound, Sally let lose the breath she had been holding. The pain faded as her ass let the plug settle into place, leaving a full sensation that Sally always had trouble deciding whether it was unpleasant or erotic.

"That stays in until I return."

"Yes, Mistress."

Valerie reached down and stroked Sally's pussy lips. They were already damp with desire as Val's fingers rubbed the swollen lips. Sally leaned back against Val's hand, trying to maximize her pleasure. Valerie's other hand pressed Sally's back, stopping her.

"Mistress, may I cum?"

"No, not tonight."

Sally bit her lip and whimpered. Valerie had been teasing her for over a week with no release. She feared she would give in and bring herself off. In a matter of minutes, Val had Sally on the edge of orgasm, only to stop. Sally was crying by then, her need practically unbearable.

"I know it's hard, baby. But, I love seeing you like this."

"Then I like it when you do, Mistress. I want whatever makes you happy."

"Bring yourself to the edge three times while I'm gone, okay?"

"Yes, Mistress, it's so hard Mistress."

"I know. But remember, you're doing it for me."

"I'll remember Mistress."

Valerie washed her hands of the lube and Sally's fluids, dressed and left for the club. The first time she had been to The Crystal Match, Charles had made her wear a leather dog collar. Looking back, she found it amusing and reassuring that the staff of the club did not bat an eye at the accoutrements she had been forced to wear. That wasn't to say that she was not ogled when Charles bound her in the car afterwards. Men are men, after all. Valerie had no worries about her treatment tonight.

The valet opened the door for her as she brought the car to a stop. "Ms. Burbon. it's nice to see you again." Val smiled at his remembering her name after a total of three visits to the club. "Will Mr. Vanquil be joining you tonight?"

"No, I'm meeting someone else here. Thank you for asking."

Valerie moved clear so that he could seat himself and drive her car to its parking place. Inside, she let the concierge know who she was meeting and was escorted to a private dining area. A tall, thin man was already sitting at the cozy table. His suit matched the elegance of the club's décor. He stood and offered his hand.

"Ms. Burbon, I presume. It's nice to meet you. I'm sorry that Ms. Thatcher was unable to make it."

The words, while polite and formal were delivered in a condescending tone. Valerie was immediately put off, not liking the man. His next words reinforced that feeling.

"I, of course, ordered for you. While we wait, what can I do for you?"

"I beg your pardon?"

"You asked for a meeting. What did you need to meet for?"

"I didn't ask for this meeting Mr. Gaskin. Milton Freeman did. He has asked for me to meet every significant member of the production team; writers, actors and now the director."

"I don't see why I need to meet with you. I don't need to know anything about this BDSM stuff."

Valerie's eyebrows rose as she felt a rock forming in the pit of her stomach. "How, pray tell, are you going to direct scenes of BDSM play is you don't know anything about it?"

"There are enough movies that feature this perversion that I can draw from. I don't need experts to tell me how to do my job."

Valerie bristled at the word 'perversion.' "Mr. Gaskin, one of the reasons Milton wants to make this movie is to do something outside the stereotypes that Hollywood has put out in the past. I think that relying on those stereotypes to guide you will defeat that purpose. In addition, I take offence at your use of the word perversion. It's a lifestyle, not a perversion."

"Ms. Burbon," the venom dripping from his voice was practically visible. "I have no intention of putting out a propaganda piece for a bunch of sexual deviants. If you want to let others beat you into a pulp to get your thrills, fine, but don't expect me to help you brainwash America that what you do is normal."

Valerie's mouth hung open in shock. After the enthusiasm and support she had received from Milton, Sampson and the actors, to find the director so blatantly hostile was unbelievable. She wondered just what Mr. Freeman was thinking to have hired such an ass as his director. The food arrived at that time, giving her precious minutes to gather her thoughts. She tried to reason in a last ditch effort to salvage the movie.

"Mr. Gaskin. my understanding of how things work is, that you, the director, bring the vision of the writers and producer to the screen. It isn't your movie."

"That's where you're wrong. Have you ever read the credits at the beginning of the movie? These credits will say, 'A Barry Gaskin Film.' My film, Ms. Burbon. It will be what I want it to be. What I want is a cautionary tale. The world will know that this BDSM sex 'play'," the sarcasm in the word 'play' was palpable, "is the stuff of nightmares. That you can, as a matter of course, stay in this lifestyle after what happened, is evidence of your poor mental health. It's no wonder you're seeing a shrink."

The sound of Valerie's hand on the table was like a thunderclap. Barry looked up from his steak. "How dare you? What gives you the right to pry into my private life? What gives you the right to pass judgment on me?"

"Why, you did, Valerie." His voice continued to express his contempt for her. "When you agree to let someone make a movie about your private life, you agree to let them judge you. When this movie comes out, you will be an object of pity or ridicule to everyone. Surely you knew this?"

Valerie stood, her chef's salad untouched. "Over my dead body."

"You can't stop it, my dear. Your part in this movie is done. We start shooting in two days, on a closed set. You won't even be allowed to see the production before it is released into the theaters."

"We'll see about that."

Valerie stormed out of the room and the club. If the staff was surprised at her early departure, they did not show it. Her car was retrieved in short order and Valerie soon found herself on the road, hungry and angry. She hit the Kentucky Fried Chicken drive through on her way home. When she walked in the door, she found Sally kneeling on the floor, a vibrator against her clit, whimpering. The toy dropped to the floor as Sally pulled herself up.

"Mistress! I didn't expect you back so soon. I'm only on my first teasing."

Valerie walked over to the dining room table. "I expected to be gone longer as well."

"Mistress, have I angered you?"

"No, not you, the director, Barry Gaskin, is going to ruin the movie. God! I wanted to strap him down and beat some sense into him." She took a bite of chicken and threw it back into the bucket. "Fuck! I'm so mad I can't even eat."

Sally looked up at her Mistress. Valerie noticed, in the back of her mind, fear and longing in her face. "Mistress, perhaps you could release some of that anger on me. It might help to settle you down."

"Sally! I would…" Valerie's indignant voice stopped cold. Her mind reached back to lunch. Calvin had said, "Every slave needs to feel that they are being of service to their owner." Was this one of those times when Sally needed to be of service? Valerie knelt down to see eye to eye with her lover. "Are you sure, Sally? There won't be any pleasure in it for you."

Sally reached out and grasped Valerie tight. "It scares me, that's true. But you're hurting and I want to help. Let me help, please."

"Very well, go and kneel by the whipping post."

Valerie watched her slave leap to her feet and run downstairs. Her haste belied the pain she must have been feeling from the bruises covering her body. Valerie's anger was still running hot. She suspected that whipping Sally would not put a dent into it and might even make it worse. Yet, the need that was so plain in Sally's voice would not let her turn away from what she was going to do.

Valerie stripped out of her dress, choosing to enter the play room that was their basement as naked as her friend. As she sealed the soundproof door, she made her choice of tool. Most of what they used would pose too great a danger of aggravating Sally's current injuries. The solid wooden paddle, while more painful than several of the other toys, left the least of markings.

Valerie joined Sally at the post, motioning for her to stand. She clipped Sally's wrist cuffs to a high ring, forcing her on to the tips of her toes. Then she pulled her legs around the post, clipping the ankle cuffs to opposite sides of it. A leather strap pulled Sally tight against the post, taking a little of the strain off her arms. The final touches were a gag and blindfold, rendering Sally totally helpless, unable to even ask for mercy in the face of what was to come.

Valerie spent a few minutes stroking Sally's hair and back, basking in the love that would offer itself up for her in this way. Sally was shivering, though Val could not tell if it was in fear or from the coolness of the room. Reaching down to her ass, Val pulled the butt plug out of Sally, causing a long groan. Once she had pulled the paddle down off the peg board it was stored on, she lined up behind Sally and reared back. Val was aware of a knot forming in her stomach and knew that this might be as hard on her as it was on Sally.

As she let the first blow swing out, Valerie rejected controlling her anger. The purpose was to let Val vent, and she allowed her anger at Barry flow into the stroke. A muffled wail escaped Sally's gagged mouth as her tender ass exploded in pain. The paddle fell again and again, with a force that Sally had never suspected Valerie would ever be able to use on her. Each blow, in addition to the direct pain on her ass, forced her pussy against the post. Part way through, Sally desperately wanted the paddling to stop, to be able to plead for it to end. She could not get the words out past the gag. Deep wracking sobs shook her body as she tried to grasp onto the fact that she was serving her Mistress.

When Valerie stopped, she realized that she was breathing hard and was holding the paddle in both hands. She looked at Sally's ass and saw deep purple bruises, almost black in color. She gasped in horror at the pain she had caused. Her anger, however, was now manageable, though still there. Sally was still heaving with sobs and she flinched at Valerie's touch when she went to release the gag. "This was not worth it," she thought to herself, "I can't do this. There has to be another way."

"Mistress, please, no more. It hurts so much. Please don't, Mistress, no more."

Valerie put on a brave front, not letting Sally see how much it cost Val to spank her with such force. "Sally, I'm so proud of you. It did help, it really did."

"Is it over, Mistress?"

"Yes, no more spanking today. I need to check your ass. It may hurt some when I do."

"Okay, Mistress."

Valerie inspected the results of her paddling. Relief flooded her as she saw that the black appearance was from the shadow she had cast onto Sally's back. The bruises were a deep purple, but not dangerous in and of themselves. There was also no sign of welts opening up and bleeding. Val breathed a silent prayer of thanks that the infamous "gluteus maximus" was as tough and resilient as it was.

She took Sally down and helped her to the bed they kept in the basement. Her front side had suffered little, thanks tom the tightness of the binding to the post. Val had decided that Sally had earned a reward tonight. She tied Sally to the bed, face down, in a tight spread eagle. When her hand slipped beneath Sally's hips to brush against her pussy, Sally gasped and began to cry.

"Sally?"

"Yes Mistress?"

"Do you want to cum?"

"Oh, yes Mistress. May I, please?"

"Yes. Cum as many times as you can in the next 30 minutes."

With that, Valerie plunged her fingers into Sally's cunt and fucked her with a hand for 30 solid minutes. Her other hand reach under from the side and found Sally's engorged clit to play with. Six times a scream of ecstasy filled the basement as Sally's week long build up of need burst loose under her Mistress' ministrations.

"Thank you, thank you so much Mistress."

"It was my pleasure, slave. Are you hungry?"

"Starved, Mistress. I'm not going to be able to sit for a while though."

"You won't have to. Wait here," she said with a chuckle.

Valerie returned with the bucket of cooling chicken and fed both herself and Sally. As they ate, Valerie shared what had happened with Barry. As they talked, the knot in Valerie's belly faded. Sally was appalled that someone like that was the director on the movie.

"Mistress, you need to call Milton, tell him what is going on."

"I know. Now that I'm not spitting mad, I can see that. He won't put up with this, I'm sure. Finding a new director will set the project back. I know from past experience that these kind of setbacks can derail a production." Valerie had worked on TV spots before and had had more than one spot ruined by the need to find a new actor or director. Of course, ads were more time sensitive than movies, but cost overruns were still cost overruns. Once hired, film crews were paid whether they were working or not.

The ladies spent the rest of the night snuggling together. Sally spent the night sleeping on her stomach, bound, as much for her peace of mind as it was to emphasize her submission. Her ass was incredibly sensitive to any touch and an inadvertent roll onto it would have brought her to a moaning wakefulness.

The next morning, after instructing Sally to clean the house and set the meat for dinner to marinate, Valerie stopped by Calvin's office before going to her own.

"Mary, does he have a few minutes?"

"Let me check, Ms. Burbon. He's in there with Susan right now." Mary peeked in and mentioned Valerie's name. Turning back she responded, "Go right in."

Valerie walked in, closing the door behind her. Calvin was at the closet, binding Susan into a taut arm suspension. Her arms were raised above her head, bound by rope that was tied to a ring hanging from the ceiling. Her legs, bound tightly together, were able to barely stand flat.

"Good morning Valerie. What can I help you with?"

"I have a question about ownership."