yes, I am petty enough to like being taller than Girlfriend 2.0.
'A pleasure to meet you at last, Miss Frost,' she said. She was having a far better time than I would, coming face to face with a lover's ex-girlfriend; in fact she seemed to be enjoying herself as she looked at the pair sitting on the throne, then back at me. 'Have fun.'
'So…' Savannah said, shifting uncomfortably on the throne and scowling. 'Now that you've ruined our Friday evening, could you finish telling me why and then get the hell out?'
'Well, uh,' I said, kneading my brow, trying not to look at Doug's crotch. The cage was surprisingly distracting, once you noticed it. 'Uh, I'm-'
'Spill it,' Savannah said.
'I need to go to a werehouse,' I said. 'I'm doing a tattoo for a werewolf, and Jinx needs to consult with another werewolf about it before she can clear the design. But there are vampires running protection for the werewolves, so she sent me to you.'
'And exactly why is your little problem important enough to disrupt my play night?'
'My werewolf client,' I said, 'seemed to think it was urgent that he get this control charm inked before the next full moon, which is a week from Saturday. Did I mention werewolf? Full moon-werewolf. Any more questions?'
'No,' Savannah said, shaking her head with a wry smile. 'Life sure is complicated.'
'Tell me about it,' I said.
'Sooo… ' Savannah said. 'This would be the werehouse… near the Perimeter, out towards Six Flags?'
'Suuure,' I said. 'I don't know, Savannah. I don't keep up with all the people who come running to the vampires for protection. Jinx seemed to think you would.'
'As it so happens, I do. But… should I now add you to that list?' she asked. 'Areyou now running to me for protection?'
'If that's what you want to call it,' I said. 'If that's what it takes to get free passage-'
'Do you want my protection?' she said, firm, almost formal, but still smiling.
'Yes,' I said. 'I want your protection. So, look, what do we have to do? Do you just call them and put me on a list, or do I need some kind of visa or something?'
'Or something,' Savannah said, smiling even more wickedly now. 'Doug,' she said, crooking her hand. He stood, and I turned my head to inspect the sofa, the widescreen TV. I heard ripping of Velcro, his leash rattle to the floor, and then Savannah's stage whisper:
'Fetch the box with the… signs of my house… from the dungeon.'
Doug disappeared through the same side door that Darkrose had first gone through. I looked at Savannah; something about the way she was smiling was making me very uncomfortable, though the crosses were not shimmering, so she meant me no harm. Suddenly I wondered whether that was a myth; but before I could ask, Doug returned.
He had shed his puppy mitts and was carrying a large plastic box filled with metal bands similar to the ones on Savannah's thighs. Savannah ferreted around in it a bit, and withdrew a metal collar and a golden padlock. She held it in her hands, staring at me; I swallowed.
'Doug,' she said. 'If you would be so kind, give Dakota the sign of my house.'
Doug took the collar and lock and padded towards me, and as he turned I got a good eyeful of the cage on his cock. I winced-now I'd gone and named what it was. I'd really been trying not to think of it. In all fairness, it didn't show as much as I first thought it did: it had thick metal bars and you had to think for a second to realize 'he' was in there. But I still ended up with Savannah's caged submissive standing next to me respectfully holding a collar.
I raised an eyebrow and looked at Savannah. 'Is this really necessary?'
'Actually, it is,' she said, smiling. 'Think of this as your visa.'
I sighed. 'Fine,' I said, turning my back to Doug.
He fumbled with the collar a bit, reaching up. 'God, you're tall,' he said, voice muffled by the dog's mask but clearly audible.
'You're not gagged in that thing?' I asked.
'I couldn't go 'ruf, ruf with a gag in my mouth,' he said. 'Could you kneel or-'
'Give me that,' I said, taking the collar. It was curiously heavy in my hands, and I felt all tingly. It was heavy and silvered on the outside, backed with dark rubber on the inside. A dangling ring hung beneath an elaborate engraved S on the front, and there was an odd little post-and-hole contraption on the back where it came apart. Now I was fumbling with it, and I looked over to see Savannah smiling, amused.
Damnit, I could figure this out. I stretched the collar open, pulled it around my neck, and closed it. I felt Doug's fingers reach up, slipping my hair from beneath it, and then pulling the edges together until the post slipped through the hole with a clack; then he pushed something heavy onto the back of the collar… and locked it with a sharp CLICK.
Doug returned to kneel at her side, and I turned to face her, adjusting the collar. It felt oddly… right about my neck, neither too tight nor too loose. I started to wonder if she'd had the collar made for me, and had kept it, waiting, all this time since we split. I caught her wicked grin, and became convinced that she had.
'This collar is the sign of my house,' she said, reaching down to tug at Doug's collar, which I now noticed was identical to my own. 'A sign to any vampire that sees you that you are mine, that you are not to be touched-'
'Wonderful,' I said. 'Is there anything else, or can I go now?' 'Oh, there's just one more thing,' Savannah said. She leaned forward in her chair, looking at me with hungry, hungry eyes, and I swallowed. Surely… surely she didn't think… I was going to actually give her blood? ^
'Now, Dakota,' Savannah said, licking her lips. 'Strip.'
12. Protecting Dakota
'Excuzme, what did you say?' I said, tugging at the steel collar.
'I said, strip,' Savannah said. 'What are you worried about? It's not like you're in any danger,;' she said, lifting her skirt to reveal a set of metal 'panties'-a chastity belt, connected by glittering chains to her thigh bands. 'You've already seen Doug's safe, so relax. So, Dakota, strip-' and for the briefest moment I actually considered doing it '-and pleasure yourself.'
'What?' I said. Had she actually said that with company? 'No way! I mean, good grief, what is wrong with you, Savannah? You two are horny, strapped in and can't play with each other, so you decide to play with me, is that it?' I adjusted the collar. Again. 'Look, I don't care what you and Doug do when Darkrose leaves the two of you alone. Just don't involve me.'
Savannah and Doug looked at each other in shock, then started laughing. 'You think I-I mean, with him-' Savannah laughed. 'Dakota, you're the one who likes boys.'
'And I'm not about to come between two lovers, much less two vampires' Doug said. 'I'm just here for the training, at the request of Sir Charles-'
'Sir Charles?' A whole forgotten world re-opened in my mind- a road not taken, or at least not traveled in a long while. Sir Charles had been a kindly old Santa Claus looking fellow who was just as comfortable chatting your ear off for hours on end as he was with whipping you until you cried and felt warm and goosy inside. It had been Sir Charles who had introduced Savannah to bondage and puppy play. The last I'd seen him, at least a couple of years ago, he was looking about a hundred and quite unwell. 'How is he? Did he ever.. .'
Savannah lowered her head. 'Well… no. He's still on the heart transplant list. He's not doing so bad beyond that, better than before, but he's definitely still on the list.'
'I'm sorry to hear that but… look, I'm on a mission, Savannah,' I said, tugging at the ring on the collar. 'I don't have time for games. Let's just stipulate that you've made me remember that you're hot, that you've put me in my place, and move the fuck on-'
'But,' Doug said, confused, 'if she won't give blood… and she won't, um, you know, how are we going to get a sample?'
