Chapter 3

Willow turned to look at the speaker, and felt an instant chill all through her body despite the warmth in the room. As strange as it may sound, Willow felt like the man’s ice-blue eyes were staring right through her eyes and into her mind. He was the epitome of tall, dark, and handsome, with an extra emphasis on dark. Willow hadn’t met many people who immediately scared her, but this man was one of the few.

“Potentially,” Piper answered Tall, Dark, and Scary. “Her name’s Willow. She’s the mall Easter Bunny.”

Another of the men put his arm around Willow. “Watch this one, gorgeous,” he told Willow. “Unlike the rest of us, Malachi’s not allowed to actually fuck anyone this evening.”

Malachi sighed and rolled his eyes. “Really, Atticus? Your protective instincts are so tiring.”

“Why not?” Willow asked. She felt grateful for the information but couldn’t say why.

“He has a magic cock,” the leather-clad woman said. “If he fucks you, you’ll never enjoy sex with anyone else.”

Willow laughed. “That’s funny.”

Malachi shrugged. “If you want to see how funny it is, we can arrange something for after the event.”

Willow swallowed hard. “I’m good, thanks.”

“Well,” said Atticus, his arm still around her, “despite the danger that Malachi presents, I hope you’ll stay. The turnout for our little educational event here has been somewhat... disappointing.”

“Piper was telling me about your little... educational event,” Willow said.

Atticus nodded. “Our organization seeks to help prospective submissives explore the lifestyle in a safe, instructive atmosphere.”

Willow pulled away from Atticus’s embrace and said, “You’re having an explicit, adults-only event where you perform actual sexual acts on women--”

“Not just women,” the woman in the fetish outfit said. “We just haven’t had any boys show up yet.”

“On people,” Willow continued, “at a mall during a big family holiday. What kind of turnout could you possibly expect?”

“Oooh,” another of the men said, suddenly looking at Willow very intently. “Major brat vibes from this one.”

“Brat vibes?” Willow said.

The man nodded. “It’s when you’re a submissive and, while your primary goal is to please your Dom like other subs, you like to make him or her work for it a bit. Push some buttons, break some rules, that sort of thing. Does that sound like you?”

Willow felt her face flush again. “Maybe...”

“I thought so,” the man said. “The name’s Tripp, and brats are my favorite. I also love to tie my subs up and watch them squirm.”

Tripp’s words made Willow shiver. She hoped it wasn’t noticeable. Or did she?

“I think this one’s done,” the woman in leather said, switching off the wand. “She’s about to pass out, and that’s no fun.”

“Says you,” Malachi said.

Ignoring Malachi, the woman went on, “Piper, can you please help Rue out of her restraints and get her some water?” As Piper moved to do that, the woman extended her hand to Willow and nodded toward the last unnamed man in the room. “I’m Cash, and this is Hart. He’s a Primal Dom.”

Willow shook Cash’s hand and nodded toward Hart. “Primal?” she asked.

“I like to hunt,” Hart said. “Would you like me to hunt you, Willow?”

“I don’t know,” Willow said, uncomfortable with the way Hart eyed her hungrily. Almost like an animal.

“Are you into being scratched, bitten, and sniffed at all day?” Malachi asked. “If not, you won’t like primal play.”

Hart sighed. “I don’t do much sniffing, you know.”

The rest of the Doms laughed as if to call into question the amount of sniffing Hart liked to do. Willow looked at Rue, who was now covered in a blanket and being led away by Piper. Rue was shivering but had a huge smile on her pretty face.

“Another satisfied student,” Cash said. “So, tell us, Willow, what kind of submissive are you?”

“I don’t really know,” Willow said. “I haven’t thought much about it. I’m not sure I ever considered myself all that submissive.”

The assembled Doms laughed at that.

“What’s so funny?” Willow asked, furrowing her brow.

“You’re definitely a submissive,” Atticus said. “We can see it in your

eyes, hear it in your responses to us. Maybe you didn’t know it until right now, but this is something for which you’ve yearned for quite some time.”

“You’re a bratty rope bunny,” Tripp said. “At least, I hope you are.” “I’ve never been tied up in my life,” Willow said.

Tripp raised an eyebrow. “Yet. Are you telling me you wouldn’t like to try it?”

Willow turned to look back at the moveable X-cross she’d seen earlier.

“I think I might.”

“I knew it!” Tripp exclaimed. “Come on, let’s get you strapped in.” Tripp led her toward the X-cross. The rest of the Doms followed,

standing silently as Willow examined the X-cross in more detail. More complex than the simple X-crosses she’d seen before in p**n, it was more machine than anything else. It was mounted to a large ball that looked like it would allow the cross--and anyone strapped to it--to be in virtually any position. If she let herself be restrained to this thing, they could do whatever they wanted to her.

And here Willow thought she couldn’t possibly get any wetter.

“If you’re not comfortable being naked, you can leave your clothes on,” Atticus said.

Willow grinned. “Thanks, ‘Daddy’--did I do that right?”

Atticus visibly shivered. “Oh, yes. You did that right. Maybe DDlg-- Daddy Dom/little girl--is your thing?”

“Doubtful,” Willow said. “Sorry. And also, I’m fine with getting the... full experience here.”

With that, Willow quickly took off her clothes. The assembled Doms muttered their approval.

“I think I’d like to wear one thing, though,” she said, walking to the table with the costume pieces. She picked up the leather bunny mask and put it on. “What do you think?” she asked when she turned back to the group.

Cash sauntered over to her and stroked Willow’s cheek with a leather- enclosed finger. Willow shivered at the other woman’s touch. She had never been overly attracted to women before, but there was something about Cash’s bright red hair and intense green eyes that did it for her. “I think it’s time... for the Easter Bunny to come.”

The rest of the Doms cheered.