By Invitation Only Read online

  So many questions. I decided not to make a move on him. Yet. Besides, I wanted to see what the night—tonight—would bring. Maybe after my night of pleasure, my mystery admirer would remove his mask and all my questions would be answered.

  The one good thing going for me was that when I returned from lunch, I found the verdict in my favor. So I wouldn’t have that worry hanging over my head for the night.

  I also found a large vase of pink roses on my desk with a card simply signed Looking forward to tonight. Your Admirer. I smiled, wondering if Martin had simply lured me to lunch so these could be delivered.

  The roses clinched it. I decided to leap right in and go for it. When I was in undergrad school, I’d let a guy who was a year ahead of me tie me to his bed, and I’d loved the sensation of being at his mercy. I loved how he’d touched me when I allowed him that kind of control. Our relationship lasted almost a year. When the year was over, he’d graduated and moved back to his home in California. Although we’d enjoyed all sorts of kinky sex that had included ropes and blindfolds, dildos, and even a few butt plugs, he hadn’t asked me to move back home with him. And the one time I’d tried to call him during the summer, a female voice answered his phone.

  While I’d enjoyed the sex and my time with him, I also learned that sex didn’t mean a relationship to some. In law school, I had been simply too busy for either sex or a relationship. Then after I graduated, I had been afraid to pursue that lifestyle. I also hadn’t really met anyone I thought would be eager or interested in joining me in that kind of play. What if word got out when I was trying to get my law career going that I enjoyed all things kink? So I kind of let it go.

  Until now. Now the idea of a little kink thoroughly turned me on.

  Chapter Two

  Raven

  The day has finally arrived. I know Alexandria went to the appointment made for her physical, as I received confirmation. My heart races at the idea of finally having her close instead of watching her from afar. I hope she likes and appreciates the flowers I sent her. I wish for the day when I can give her so much more. The hours tick by so slowly. It has taken nearly all my willpower and concentration to not give myself away. My cock has been rock hard all day. I arrived at the Castle early. I’m not sure why. Watching my friends enjoy each other isn’t helping ease my anxiety. What if she doesn’t show at the last moment? I’ll issue another invitation, that’s what. I know it would be easier for me to just come right out and invite her to dinner with the hope of getting to touch her. But I’ve watched her turn down way too many others. She isn’t swayed by looks or money or even nice lunches. I’d be wasting my time. Time I cannot afford to waste when I need her like I need my next breath.

  I’ve wanted her for a long time. I’m not sure why or how needing her had come to me, it just did. One day she walked past me, and I smelled her special, unique scent. Like an animal who recognized its mate, I knew I had to have her. Although I thoroughly enjoyed all the activity provided at the Castle, I was pretty much done with participating or taking part in much of the sexual liaisons after that. I only wanted her; no one else could compare. True, I joined in with my fellow members, using a paddle when it was necessary or holding a limb in the air. But I hadn’t shagged anyone in over a year, hadn’t shared my cock with anyone. My friend Henry had been the first to notice. And although I received many invitations to partake, I declined them all. I was biding my time, enjoying watching others while I waited for the woman who somehow had slipped under my skin and taken possession of my soul. What if she wasn’t interested in the activity at the Castle? What if she wasn’t interested in me? What if I didn’t turn her on? Questions tore through me like a hot-and-cold tornado. I tried to quench it with the tall glass of ice water I held, but that didn’t help. Someone slapped me on the shoulder. It was Henry the Eighth. I was certain he and I could be good friends outside these walls. Perhaps we already were and just didn’t know it. His royal purple mask covered part of the top of his head. Within these walls, we were all strangers to each other, no matter sometimes how close we might feel.

  “Still not joining in?”

  “I’ve issued an invite. She should be here tonight.”

  “That explains a lot.” He leaned closer. “Mary’s been worried about you. Said tonight you have to take us up on our invitation. So if your invite shows—but she’s not enough or if you’re left high and dry—you have to join us and let off some steam. Mary said you’ve watched long enough.”

  I grinned, hoping he didn’t see how anxious I was at the thought Alexandria might not show. “Do you always do what Mary says?” He grinned back, and I had the feeling he saw right through my facade.

  “Always, plus some. That’s why we make each other feel so good. We’ll be watching for your invite too.”

  He moved on. I watched as he searched the room, most likely looking for his partner.

  I glanced at the clock. Five minutes until nine. My mouth went dry, but my cock was hard and ready. If she didn’t show, I wouldn’t have to worry about joining Henry and Mary. I would just simply die.

  Alexandria

  To say I had second thoughts as I approached the Midnight Castle gate would be an understatement. My insides were literally quivering with anticipation and something close to trepidation, even though I wanted to do this. I wanted something new, something completely different and off-the-wall. I wanted something to contradict my hectic, business-suit life. I’d spent nearly all the time after leaving work searching for the right outfit that constituted sexy. My new matching bra and panties were deep pink. Although pink was my favorite color, I now wondered if my admirer would think them too girlish. I rolled down my window and reached out and pressed the hidden button at the gate as per instructions. The thought struck me that my underthings were nearly the same shade of pink as the roses I’d received at work that now graced my kitchen table.

  The well-oiled gate opened, and I drove in. I looked in my rearview mirror and saw the gate swing shut.

  I was inside the grounds of Midnight Castle and had no idea how to get out. There had been no instructions on how to open the gate from this side. What if I never got out again? What if no one ever left? My heart thudded, my hands felt clammy on the wheel, and my clothes, despite my care to find the perfect bit of sexy, felt too tight. My chest also felt tight. I forced in a breath.

  “Just breathe.” Hearing my own voice calmed me a little.

  I could do this.

  I would do this.

  I wanted to do this.

  After all, my mysterious admirer waited for me. Who wouldn’t want a mysterious admirer? I should at least look into his eyes, see his face when he looks at me, so I know how much he wants me, if there was a spark, any type of a physical reaction between us. A spark of attraction would help me decide if I really wanted him to touch me. I was really hoping there would be a chemical reaction of lust between us, so that we could go on and do some sexual exploring and play some games. Otherwise, the boringness of my life would slowly kill me.

  The gatehouse was lit up ahead. I placed the mask on my face before I drove under the archway connected to it and stopped at the window.

  Alistair wore a purple Mardi Gras mask that hid his face around his eyes and went up to points in front, sort of like cat-eye glasses, from which fuzzy purple balls hung down with ribbons. The fuzzy balls moved and swung as he moved. I almost giggled as I watched them jostle around. That constant motion would drive me insane.

  “Your name?”

  “Alex—Alexandria.”

  He smiled. One of the fuzzy balls was attached to a ribbon long enough to bounce against his lips when he smiled. Yes, that would definitely drive me insane.

  “You need to follow the drive to lot number one. Go in the front door. Mavis will be wearing a red dress and red mask. She’ll be waiting for you to direct you the rest of the way.”

  I found the lot, parked, and within moments was standing inside the foyer of Midnight Castle. Mavi
s was a tall woman with brown skin and dark hair. She surveyed me for a long moment. The red dress she wore was nothing more than a filmy, extremely short, hot-red nightie made with layer upon layer of sheer material that left pretty much nothing to the imagination. Her breasts were high, pointy. Her legs were…

  Well, let’s just say they were much longer than mine. If she hadn’t closed the door behind me, I might have turned tail and run. I mean, how could I begin to compete with a woman like her? I might be a cougar in the courtroom, but I was dressed in a suit there. My heels gave me some height, but even in heels I was still looking up to her. She appeared sure and confident, despite her near nakedness. She was a woman who knew how to move, speak, and use her body to get what she wanted.

  I started. Wait a minute.

  I did that too. In the courtroom. I dressed the part and tapped my way around the room and said the right things to get the judge and/or jurors to see my point. In my own environment, I was sure and confident myself.

  So why did I feel like a new, gangly teenager who’d just felt the first dose of hormones and didn’t know what to do with them?

  Well, for one thing, I never wore sexy in the courtroom—not even my lingerie. But neither did I want anyone in the courtroom to touch me. I gave myself a mental shake. That was neither here nor there and shouldn’t matter. I wasn’t there, in the courtroom, but rather here, at Midnight Castle. Obviously some mystery man found me attractive. I wouldn’t have been invited otherwise. Just knowing some guy found me attractive sent a little zing of awareness shooting right through me. I stood up straighter.

  Mavis handed me a clipboard. I glanced down and saw she had handed me a waiver to sign that listed all the rules. There was a dress code. No jeans accepted; no sneakers or running shoes. No talking about the Midnight Castle outside the castle walls—ever. Members had to show proof of contraception. Condom use was recommended to prevent STDs. Members were required to be tested for STDs once a year. No animals. No fire burning, cutting, knife play, piercing, or sharp objects. No bodily waste. All action stopped upon the use of a safe word. Everything was spelled out in a bit more detail than had been on the invite I received.

  “Your doctor appointment labs show no sign of STDs,” Mavis stated. “And it says here”—she checked another clipboard she held—“that you are on birth control.”

  I nodded. I already knew I was clean.

  “These are for you to peruse.”

  I took the papers she handed me. A quick glance showed they were lab reports for a male stating he was STD free dated—I looked for a date—two months ago. The name at the top was blacked out with a marker except for one initial—R.

  “Please sign this, acknowledging you’ve received and looked at your sponsor’s test results.”

  “How can I be sure these lab results are that of my sponsor?”

  Mavis smiled. “You have to trust me that they are. Understand, also, that everyone here is tested clean.”

  I signed it as well as the list of rules and the waiver. The next paper she handed me asked for personal information, my address, phone number, and an emergency contact. “I thought no one here knows who I am.”

  Mavis smiled. “And no one will, except me and the person who invited you. Don’t worry. I’m sworn to secrecy, but if something happens to you like you slip and fall and hit your head in the shower, someone—like me—needs to know your name so I can get you to a hospital.”

  It made sense. I filled in the blanks, then handed all the papers back. I didn’t know what to do with the other paper I held that contained a list of all sorts of sexual play items. Mavis must have seen the uncertainty and confusion on my face.

  “You take that paper with you and fill it out with your partner. That way, you each understand what you wish and what your limits are,” Mavis explained.

  “Limits? What I wish?” I suddenly felt incredibly stupid.

  “If you want spanked, you check that. If you want tied up, you check that. If there’s something you never, ever want, that’s a hard limit and you list it as such. If there’s something you enjoy that’s not listed, you can write it in the space provided on the bottom. It’s so your partner or partners know how to bring you pleasure.”

  “Oh.”

  “Your costume for tonight.”

  She handed me something sealed in plastic. I opened it and held up a filmy nightie a lot like the one Mavis wore, only mine was pink. Hot pink.

  “You’re welcome to leave on your lingerie and your heels if you’d like. You can change in here.” She led me to a door that said WOMEN. The other one said MEN. There was another one on the far end of the hall that said TOGETHER.

  I noticed for the first time she wore an earpiece of sorts. Was someone else able to hear my replies to her? “Together?” I asked, gesturing.

  “It’s coed. For the first time, you should probably use the women’s.”

  Yes. That sounded like the safest thing for me to do, given I had no clue what I was doing. I entered into a shower room like I’d see at the gym. Spacious, bright, with white tile walls.

  “You are assigned locker number twenty-four. The combination is set to be programmed. Whatever you punch in right now will be your combination. No one else will use this locker.” She turned to leave.

  “Mavis?” Surely, she wasn’t leaving me alone. What was it I was feeling—fear? Anxiety? Whatever it was, it felt like two hundred and twenty volts of it. I wasn’t certain what was zinging through me, and I didn’t know what to say. “My partner?”

  “Is waiting for you. Right out through that door.” She left me alone then, leaving through the door we’d come in.

  I stood for a long moment, staring at the woman who stared back at me from the full-length mirror. Pink cheeks, bright eyes. She looked a little anxious but determined. In a short little bit, just a few more steps, I would be meeting my mysterious admirer.

  A heavy sigh left me. I knew once I stepped through the door that led into the castle’s interior, there was no turning back. My lower belly quivered. Pleasure. Pure pleasure, I reminded myself. I was about to step out and receive it. If I didn’t know better, I’d think an earthquake of anticipation was shaking throughout my pussy and nether regions. What scared me most was thinking maybe my poor neglected pussy wouldn’t be able to handle what was to come.

  I changed, leaving on my pink lingerie and shoes. I folded my clothes and put them in the locker. I worked to calm myself, but my hands shook as I programmed the combination for today’s date—a date I would likely never forget.

  The door handle was cool beneath my palm. I paused and drew in a deep breath. Despite my mask, my partner would know me. He knew me, but I didn’t know him. Would I recognize him? Did it matter if I didn’t? I bit my lower lip. Could I let him touch me if I didn’t know him? What if I simply looked at him and still didn’t want him to touch me—whether I recognized him or not?

  I’d never done anything like this before and was discovering that the mystery in all this, the not knowing, was the greatest thrill of all. It was turning me on big-time. And he hadn’t even touched me yet.

  Without further hesitation, I pulled open the door and came face-to-face with…

  “Alexandria.”

  Oh my God. The way he said my name almost made my legs buckle. His voice was deep. I thought perhaps he might be forcing his words deeper than what would be his usual voice so I wouldn’t recognize him. It didn’t matter. He could easily be the phantom of my dreams. The question of whether I could let him touch me disappeared like a wisp of smoke. Because oh, yes, he could. My nipples were suddenly hard and needed to be free of my now not so comfortable bra. My mouth turned dry. My chest grew tight. He was tall. His dark hair was long, slightly wavy. And a bit wild. The mask he wore covered the top half of his face and down the left side, leaving little more than his lips exposed. It was deep blue, reminding me of the sky around the full moon just after sunset. His eyes were also blue, but not as dark. His gaze took me i
n as if I was a beautiful meal he wanted to admire for a few moments before digging in and devouring me. His lips were full, nicely shaped. A slow smile curled his lips, and my stomach clenched in wonderful anticipation. He was going to kiss me with those perfect lips.

  His clothes were also of the same deep blue color as his mask. Soft, crepe-cotton lounging pants hugged his legs. The shirt, made of the same gauzy fabric, was a tunic-looking garment that buttoned down the front and had flowing sleeves. Comfortable and yet classy-looking, like rich pajamas.

  I looked at his hands. Strong. Capable. He would touch me with them to bring me pleasure. I forced in a breath. “Yes?” It took a lot for me to manage that single word. He held out a hand, like a gentlemen assisting a lady from a carriage.

  “Welcome.”

  I slipped my hand into his. His touch was warm, enticing. It sent my heart racing. He pulled me from the doorway of the ladies’ room. The door closed behind me, and the bright lights of the restroom disappeared.

  I wasn’t sure where to look. At him? Around the room? I tried to take it all in at once as my eyes adjusted to the dim light and found it impossible. I wanted to stare at him, study him, see if there was anything I recognized. I was almost certain he wasn’t Agnew Winslow. Hell, with a wig of sorts, I suppose it could be him. I certainly hoped not. Why had I never before studied Winslow? Were his eyes even blue? Were his shoulders as broad as the man who stood before me? Agnew Winslow had never even said the word welcome.