Harem House - Selene Pt. 35

Kelly awoke on Wednesday morning to her alarm clock ringing beside her. The tiny hammer ricocheted between its two bells atop the round clock face, blurring into an invisible cacophony. She clamped her hand over her nightstand three times before she found the clock and flicked the lever to silence the alarm. The hammer stilled, and the silence hung heavy over her blankets.

Her bedroom was still dark. No light came through the window despite its open curtains. She stretched beneath her blanket, pointing her toes and reaching her hands against the headboard, arching her spine until the cramps hit. Her body snapped into a fetal curl, clutching her pajama top against her lower stomach.

Kelly yawned against the back of her hand as she swung her legs over the bed and into her fluffy white slippers. The lavender pajama top and pants offered warmth, and she enjoyed how the smooth cotton swept against her skin. She stood, pulling on her robe from her chair beside the bed. She tied the sash, using the pressure to grant her comfort, and made her bed.

She grimaced as she bent over her mattress but pushed through. Kelly knocked on Katelyn's door and then opened it to peek inside. Katelyn wasn't there. Panic spiked through her, but when she turned, she saw the TV illuminating the living room. The DVD menu for Fellowship of the Ring played on a loop. She shuffled into the room, spotting Katelyn on the sofa.

The poor girl had fallen asleep watching the movie. She had her left arm in its sling, pink pajama booty shorts, and a too-short spaghetti strap cami for a top. She'd had a blanket, but it fell to the floor during the night. Her right hand was upturned on top of it, her legs akimbo, with her right ankle over the back of the couch. Her head was on one of their throw pillows, with her face turned toward the TV to watch.

Kelly wouldn't have been comfortable sleeping that way, but the ganglier Katelyn seemed comfy. She snored with her mouth open, and Kelly smiled.

She padded silently around their sofa and covered Katelyn with her blanket once more.

Katelyn mumbled something in her sleep, a thank you, and cuddled into her covering as the warmth washed over her. She rolled to her right side, facing the sofa's back.

Kelly glanced toward the kitchen. No home-made smoothie this morning. She couldn't run the food processor or the blender while Katelyn was asleep. Why had she watched the Lord of the Rings? That didn't seem like Katelyn's usual movie. Granted, there were lots of hot guys, but Katelyn had never seemed into elves, dwarves, or high fantasy before.

She shrugged and turned off the TV, leaving the remote within reach of Katelyn on the coffee table. Kelly found Katelyn's almost dead phone on the floor beside her. She plugged it in, charging it for her. With Katelyn taken care of, Kelly got ready for the day.

Katelyn was still asleep when Kelly left the bathroom. The menstrual cramps had settled into a dull roar, but working out today was going to be a bitch. Still, she had to show up. The girls were waiting for her. Hopefully, she could get away with 'coaching' more than 'working' today.

She wore thick black yoga pants to the gym, her black sports bra, and a loose blue sleeveless t-shirt over them that hung to the bottom of her butt. A chipped and fading print of Rosie the Riveter covered her chest. Her "We can do it!" word bubble faded into the V-neck she'd cut and stitched into the collar. Her duffel bag carried her change of clothes and shower supplies, her backpack contained her books and laptop, and her purse had everything else she might need.

She locked the apartment and drove to campus with a podcast playing to keep her company. She switched to earphones when she parked, listened to her "Pump Up" playlist, and strode straight to the athletic center's smoothie bar for breakfast. If she couldn't make one at home, she'd buy one instead.

Standing in line, waiting to order, she felt a tap on her shoulder and turned to see Thalia smiling at her.

"Hey!" Kelly said, pulling out her earphones. "How did the shoot go?"

"It went well." Thalia said. "Very well. We had fun and lots of sex."

Kelly's eyebrows rose. "Oh, well, good for you! I guess."

She hadn't meant for her tone to sound as surprised or disappointed as it did. Rani wouldn't let an opportunity like Thalia pass by unfucked. She'd wondered if Arthur would be interested, but apparently, he had been. Thalia'd slept with him, or him and Rani. Kelly didn't know how to feel about that, but the jealousy she expected didn't rear its head. The initial surprise faded quickly, replaced by curiosity that might erode her disappointment in missing out. The lack of jealousy was interesting, but Rani had been there. She trusted Rani. The chances of either of them losing Arthur to someone else were slim, even someone as hot as Thalia, but both of them? She didn't have to worry. Still, she hadn't hidden the frown on her lightly freckled face.

Thalia frowned. "They said it was okay. That you had rules, but--"

Kelly raised her hand to stop her. "It's okay. You just surprised me. It's early. I haven't even had my energy smoothie yet." She motioned toward the counter.

Thalia nodded, relaxing. Like Kelly, she dressed for the gym, but the sweat stains on her cropped, sleeveless v-neck Pendleton Wolves t-shirt suggested she was finishing rather than starting.

"Good workout?" Kelly asked.

"Yeah." Thalia nodded. "Not as good as last night." She smirked. "Though it was mostly oral sex with the Desi."

"The..." Kelly's confusion returned. She didn't recognize that term and wondered if it was a Greek noun.

"Desi. The Indian woman." Thalia said.

"Oh." Kelly said, laughing at the mistake. Thalia's memory of names was good, but Rani wasn't a common name at the University, so it made sense that she might not remember it correctly. "No, her name's Rani."

Thalia laughed and stretched her neck. "I missed you, though. Maybe next time you, me, and the Desi can have fun and leave the boy at home."

Kelly giggled. She didn't hate the idea, but she wanted Arthur there, too. "Honey, if you saw him in action, you know he's all man."

Thalia rolled her eyes. "He is better than most men, but he is a sex nerd. He makes it boring."

The person in front of Kelly in line glanced behind them, eying Thalia.

"Boring?" Kelly asked. "Just because you don't like men?"

Thalia shrugged.

Kelly raised an eyebrow in inquiry. Sex with Arthur was many things, but never boring.

"Do not misunderstand. He is good. He pounded that Korean schoolgirl so hard she will have trouble walking. But he was not up for what we tried to do and wanted to do research." Thalia rolled her eyes again. "Not sexy."

That didn't sound like Arthur. If Thalia wanted to try something Arthur didn't want, she must have pushed for something in the outer stratosphere of kink.

"What did you want to do that he wanted to research first?" Kelly asked, surprised. Arthur couldn't know everything about every sex act, but he was experienced and knowledgeable. Lori, Kelly's old roommate, put him through the paces of sexual experimentation. Her adventurous nature gave him first-hand experience with most kinks and knowledge of more. What had Thalia wanted that Arthur didn't have experience with?

"We uh..." Thalia glanced around, but it was Kelly's turn to order her smoothie. "Eh, I will let them tell you." She shrugged. "This is not the place. But you and Rani have my number. Call me if you want to play."

Thalia waved goodbye, leaving the line for the locker rooms. Kelly had thought she was getting a recovery drink, but apparently not.

She ordered her strawberry energizer smoothie and drank it on her way to the locker room. She stashed her things, finished her smoothie, tossed the cup, and entered the gym. The early morning crowd was thin, but dedicated. The smell of cleaning supplies, leather, padded mats, rubber weights, and salty sweat mingled together and filled the enclosed space.

Arthur and Brad were walking on the treadmills while Selene showed Mindy yoga poses on the mats. Selene's graceful transitions between the warrior stances to the downward dog and cobra made it a dance. Mindy's transitions were far less smooth, and her balance was much more wobbly, but she was just starting.

Mindy's outfit was modest. A large, tucked-in t-shirt and black yoga pants identical to Kelly's. Judging by how little her chest moved as she almost fell out of position, Kelly could tell she'd doubled her sports bra, wearing two to contain her large breasts.

By comparison, Selene's outfit was obscene. Her sports bra was more like a bralette with thin straps. If she'd had Katelyn's breasts, it would have been fine. Instead, her round c-cups stretched the thin black fabric to its limit, turning it fifty percent sheer. Her breasts nearly fell out every time she lowered herself into Downward Dog. The shorts she'd chosen were barely there, low-waisted black dance shorts with white seams that looked more like briefs, displaying quarter-moon cheeks depending on her pose. Even standing upright, a thin slice of her round bubble butt peeked out from beneath her shorts.

Kelly glanced around. There weren't that many people here yet. Nobody was leering at Selene. She supposed it wasn't that slutty. Sometimes girls wore things like that to the gym with their boyfriends, and Arthur and Brad were nearby, still warming up.

She waved to Arthur, and he waved back, beckoning her to him. Kelly smiled and strode toward him with as sexy a walk as she could muster. She didn't feel sexy today, but judging by the way Arthur's eyes watched her hips, she still had her allure.

"Hey, Mister." Kelly said, stopping at his treadmill and leaning on it. "Did you miss me at the photoshoot?"

Arthur set his feet to either side of the treadmill and bent to kiss her. She kissed him, but the peck didn't last as long as she wanted with the awkward angle. Still, there was at least one comment from the peanut gallery.

"Get a room." Brad hooted from the treadmill beside Arthur's.

Kelly flipped her hair and twisted to glare at him, then curled her finger at Arthur and kissed him again. This time, she grabbed his t-shirt and held him in a proper kiss. Ten long seconds passed before she let him stand straight again, and when he did, the bulge in his gym shorts was more prominent.

"Okay, okay. Geez." Brad said, shaking his head as he looked away.

Arthur's face flushed, but not from exercise.

Kelly's heart flipped. She loved making Arthur blush, even as the heat spread across her own face, reddening the freckled bridge of her cheeks and nose.

"I missed you." Arthur said, answering her question. "Thalia was a good model, though. Rani thinks she has enough pictures for her project."

"Good!" Kelly said, excited. "I'm glad everything worked out. Thalia mentioned you had a lot of fun and sex."

Brad coughed loudly, having been in the middle of sipping water when Kelly said that. He looked at Arthur in shock and alarm. Kelly's smile shifted into a smirk.

"Yeah." Arthur said. "We started with truth or dare after the photo shoot. Things progressed from there. I didn't uh--" He glanced at Brad, who looked away and coughed into his hand to clear his throat. "Thalia and I didn't sleep together, though. She was there for Rani, not me."

Kelly nodded. "That makes sense. She likes the ladies."

"Don't we all?" Arthur asked, laughing when Kelly did. "You gonna warm up?"

"Yes, Sir." Kelly said, finding the treadmill on his other side. She walked as Selene and Mindy came over, joining her after a quick round of hello kisses pressed against cheeks. They got on the treadmills beside Kelly.

"So, as I was saying." Brad said, trying to recapture Arthur's attention. "I miss you, bro. We haven't hung out in forever, and Mark was saying the same. So, guys' night? We'll play video games and have drinks, the usual?"

Arthur blew out a breath through puffed cheeks. "Uh... Sure?" He didn't sound sure. "When?"

"Tonight?" Brad asked.

Kelly, Selene, and Mindy turned to hear Arthur's answer in unison. Brad raised his eyebrows. Arthur glanced their way before responding. Tonight was the harem meeting, and Arthur didn't want to miss the post-meeting hangout for more reasons than Kelly knew. She smiled, but Arthur didn't seem as enthused.

"I can't make tonight work." Arthur said. "I have class tomorrow night. I think Friday is available, but it might be a date night. We're going to the Ren Faire on Saturday, and I have to pack and move during Fall Break."

"Bro. You're too fuckin' busy with girlfriends for friends anymore." Brad said, frowning.

Arthur hung his head and shrugged. "Yeah. Well, between workouts, classes, office work, potentially dancing now, moving, and my love life, my time gets claimed quickly. I'm drowning in calendar notifications."

"Shit, bro." Brad smacked his arm. "Don't overdo it. You should book a session at the health center before you have a panic attack."

Kelly stayed silent. Brad and Arthur discussed mental health quite a bit, but it still surprised her how open they were about it.

"Yeah." Arthur said. "Not a bad idea, but that's just one more calendar notification." He chuckled.

"You can always talk to me if you need to vent." Kelly said, putting her hand on Arthur's arm.

"Or fuck us into oblivion!" Mindy said too loudly in her enthusiasm. She giggled as Kelly glared at her, but she and Selene had a good laugh at Mindy's faux pas.

Arthur chuckled. He patted Kelly's hand, and she released his bicep. "I know. Thanks, darling."

"It's not the same." Brad said, his tone reproving. "Don't get me wrong, I'm here if you need me, too, Bro. For talking, not for... well, obviously. I mean, you know what I mean." He coughed. "But it's no replacement for speaking with a professional."

"I know." Arthur said. "It's been a while since I've gone to a therapy session, but I wouldn't mind fitting one in if I could."

"Well, if we need to postpone guys' night for your mental health, you know Mark and I understand." Brad said. "We're not trying to stress you out. We just want to hang."

"You could always join us!" Selene spoke up, which made Arthur look at her with a wild expression of surprise. She giggled. "At the Ren Faire, I mean. We could invite the Theater Club and their S-O's to join us. We could make it a group date, like homecoming! That was fun!"

Arthur glanced at Kelly, who shrugged. So far, the plans for the Ren Faire included "go to the Ren Faire." They hadn't planned past that. There was no reason they couldn't bring friends. If they wanted privacy, they could always split the group.

"We can do that." Brad said, shrugging. "I mean, I can. I'd have to ask Mark, Maria, Caleb, and Yv--" Brad cut himself off and didn't finish or correct his sentence. Yvonne wasn't a member of the Theater club anymore, but it'd been a habit to include her in the list of its leadership.

"Sounds good." Arthur said. "And you can invite Jen, too."

Brad nodded. "Yeah..."

"How are things with you two?" Arthur asked, checking in.

"No idea! We haven't discussed it, but things went well last weekend, so she might be down." Brad said, looking ahead and stepping up the speed on his treadmill.

Arthur increased speed to match him as if they were running together on the road. The conversation turned sparse as they focused on breathing in time with their efforts.

Kelly walked the girls through their warm-up, increasing speed to get their hearts and arms pumping and their legs working. It wasn't the most comfortable exercise, but it wasn't leg day today.

Regarding exercises, she put Selene and Mindy through the same workout routine they'd done on Monday. The change this time was the weights. They'd gone with comfortable weights to get the form perfected on Monday. Today, Kelly pressed them to up the weights to the max while maintaining the form. If they faltered, she lowered the weights. If they completed a few reps and it looked too easy, she upped the weights until satisfied. She recorded the results and kept them on task despite their mutual distraction when Arthur took off his shirt.

Exhausted, Selene and Mindy had difficulty holding the poses in their stretching cooldown. Kelly appreciated the stretches the most, closing her eyes.

"Shower time?" Selene asked.

"Oh, uh..." Kelly hesitated.

"I can ask Master's permission." Selene said, glancing at Arthur and speaking quietly enough that no one overheard her call him Master instead of Arthur.

"No, it's my period." Kelly said. "I don't think you want to share a shower with me today. You and Mindy can go for it, though."

"Aw, I was looking forward to eating you out again." Mindy said, winking at Kelly.

"Next week." Kelly said, assuring her.

"Are we still okay for tonight?" Selene asked.

"Of course." Kelly said. "I just don't plan on doing as much with Arthur as the rest of you."

Mindy giggled, leaning in to whisper so only Kelly and Selene heard her. "Can you imagine if we synced up, and he had to go a week without sex?"

Kelly laughed.

"Why would he have to go without sex?" Selene asked.

"You'd have sex on your period?" Mindy made a disgusted face. She was kinky and perverted, but even she had her limits.

Selene shrugged. "If Master wanted to."

"You should stop calling him that in public." Kelly said, her tone gentle as she placed her hand on Selene's shoulder. "I don't think he'd appreciate anyone overhearing it."

Selene nodded. "Yes, Mistress."

"And you shouldn't call me that either." Kelly said, glancing around to make sure no one heard.

"Spank me for it later?" Selene asked, looking up at her with as cute an expression as she could muster.

Kelly sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. "Get in the showers." She gestured to the locker room. "I'll see you tonight?"

"Of course." Selene said. She stood and gave Kelly a swift peck on the cheek. They were sweaty messes, but Kelly didn't mind the brush of Selene's soft lips on her cheek. Mindy did the same from the other side, drawing looks their way. Fortunately, Kelly was a pro at ignoring stares, glances, and far worse. There was a distinction between someone's eyes tracking movement in a dull environment and a perv leering at the girls. Mindy and Selene waved to her, and the pair journeyed to the lockers as Kelly approached Arthur and Brad at the free weights.

"Still not finished?" Arthur asked. He deadlifted with more weight than Brad, but Brad added a plate to his bar while he waited for Arthur to finish his set. They swapped places, but Arthur didn't increase or decrease his weight.

"I'm wrapping up." Kelly said, smiling at the sweat glistening on his skin. The beads of sweat reminded her of more intimate instances, and her eyes dipped over the deep lines of his hard body. She licked her lips. "I just wanted to make sure you're coming home after your class tonight? Or are you going grocery shopping again?"

"No, I'll be there right after." Arthur said. "I'll text you as soon as class is over."

"Perfect." Kelly kissed his cheek. "I'll see you tonight, sweetie."

"See you tonight." Arthur said, watching her as she walked away.

She swayed her steps, giving him something to see as her hourglass figure stepped across the gym floor like a model runway.

"Yeah, I don't blame you for turning down guys' night." Brad said. He made himself laugh, and Arthur helped him set the weights down safely.

~~~

Selene led Mindy by the hand to the locker room, and the girls giggled together as they stopped at their lockers and stripped off their sweaty gym clothes.

"Oh, that's better." Mindy said as she took off her second bra.

"I wish I had your tits." Selene said, frowning as she framed her breasts with her hands. She had round, pert breasts, on the slimmer side between a B and a C in their cup shape. Mindy's larger Double-D bust was firm and perky, looking more prominent than ever with her narrow waist and flat stomach.

"I wish I had your curves." Mindy said, patting her squared hips. Mindy's butt was rounder on the bottom, while Selene's peaked in the middle and formed two halves of a perfect bubble. Their hips were also a contrast. Selene had petite crescent hips curving on either side, but Mindy's were straight.

"Your ass is cute! It fits you." Selene protested as they made their way to the showers.

"Eh." Mindy shrugged. "Honestly, I'd rather have your body than mine."

Selene would have given anything for Mindy's curves, and Mindy would make the trade for Selene's. The similarity made them laugh.

"You can have my body whenever you want it." Selene said, drawing them more than one look as they passed three women they didn't know.

Mindy giggled and took Selene's hand, pulling her into an empty shower stall. She closed the curtain behind them, walling them off from the others, and started the water. Steam rose from the stream, and Mindy let her hair down, placing her scrunchie on her wrist.

Selene pinned her braid on her head, tested the water with her hand, and stepped into the stream. She let the water rinse her and turn her pale flesh pink with its heat.

Mindy's darker skin didn't change with the heat, but the faded red stripes across her behind darkened as the steam caressed them.

"You should see Kat's ass." Selene said, touching the side of Mindy's butt gently. "She was a real brat and made Master go hard. She has bruises."

"I'm bruised too, but from the gym, not Saturday night." She winked, and Selene giggled.

"Do you want me to wash you?" Selene asked, holding up a loofah and a bottle of body wash.

"Sure. And I'll do you?" Mindy asked.

Selene nodded and cracked open the bottle. She poured the liquid soap onto the wet loofah and scrunched it in her hands until the suds permeated the curving membranes. Selene pressed the scratchy sphere against Mindy from behind, washing her back. She caressed her with the loofah, blocking the stream of water with her body.

Mindy stood, closing her eyes at the warmth washing over her in the steam. Selene's gentle touch guided her to shift and turn as she needed to wash her. Her other hand swept before the loofah to wet her skin and ready it for the soap.

Selene rubbed Mindy's back as she washed it, rubbing her shoulders, neck, and spine and moving lower. She bent to clean Mindy's butt, caressing her. Mindy's breath hissed, but she didn't protest or stop Selene, even when she lingered.

Selene's touch slid to Mindy's thighs, and she spread her legs so Selene could reach between them. She washed her to her heels, then stood and pressed her front against Mindy's back. She reached under Mindy's arms and scrubbed Mindy's collarbone. Selene's wet lips pressed timid kisses against Mindy's soft flesh. Her damp hand rubbed them away, and the loofah followed, spreading its soap over Mindy's skin. Selene covered Mindy's shoulders, collar, large breasts, and flat stomach with snowy suds. Her brown nipples poked through, standing with rigid yearning at the peak of each breast.

Mindy gasped as Selene's hand slid over her hip bones to the mussy patch of black hair. Her fingernails carved through it, tracing gentle patterns as she soaked the hair before sliding lower, rubbing her way to Mindy's pussy.

"You don't have to." Mindy whispered.

"Do you want me to?" Selene asked.

"Yes." Mindy said without hesitation.

Selene rubbed her fingers along the outside, pressing gentle circles into Mindy with her smooth fingertips.

Mindy reached behind her, her left arm low, to grip Selene's hip and hold her closer. Her right arm reached over her shoulder, and Selene tilted her head to press her lips against Mindy's neck. She wiped the suds there away and kissed and nibbled.

Selene's gentle rubbing grew firmer as Mindy opened to her fingers, and the heat between her legs bloomed against her fingertips. She pulled her hand away, wetting her fingers in her mouth before replacing them and slipping one into Mindy, curling and stroking her without pressing into her hole.

Mindy gulped, suppressing a moan. She turned her head, trying to find Selene. Their parted lips hovered a breath away from one another. Mindy twisted, turning her body so she faced Selene. Selene replaced her hand, fingering Mindy as Mindy closed the distance and kissed Selene. They made out, their tongues dancing. Mindy rinsed her hands in the water behind Selene and reached between Selene's legs.

Mindy rubbed her on the outside, pleasuring her.

Selene gasped as she pulled away. "No, don't!"

Mindy paused, alarmed. "Are you okay? I thought you wanted to--"

"I do." Selene said. "But I wanted to do it for you. I don't have permission to cum."

A wicked grin touched Mindy's lips. Selene saw the question of cruelty play in Mindy's dark eyes. She could enjoy the pleasure of Mindy's fingers but without release? The thought warmed her thighs, and she bit her cheek, which didn't help lower her arousal.

Mindy leaned forward, her lips hovering by Selene's ear to whisper her question. Their bodies pressed together, Selene's breasts crushing Mindy's. "So, no matter what I do, you have to hold back until you have Master's permission?" Mindy asked. "You can keep yourself on edge all day, only able to cum tonight if he gives you permission?"

Selene swallowed and nodded slowly.

Mindy giggled. "That sounds fun. Let me play with you."

Selene took a deep breath but nodded and adjusted her footing.

Mindy's hand dove for her, and Selene returned her enthusiasm with rapid pleasure of her own. Mindy kissed her to keep from moaning.

"Let me know when you're close." She whispered in Selene's ear.

"Okay." Selene said, breathing heavily in the steamy shower air. She had one hand between Mindy's legs and the other on the shower wall. They'd turned in their standing finger-fucking, and Mindy's back pressed against the tiled wall. She lifted her leg, wrapping it over Selene's thigh.

Selene enjoyed greater access to Mindy and did her best to use her fingers. She didn't have Arthur's strength or size, but she knew what she liked and tried to do the same for Mindy.

Meanwhile, Mindy didn't seem to know Selene's preferences but made up for it with enthusiasm. Pleasure threatened to overwhelm Selene's senses, and her body clenched to hold back her impending crescendo. "Okay!" Selene said. "Stop or I'll--"

Mindy stopped, pulling her hand out of Selene and tasting her fingers.

Selene's eyes fluttered. God, that was hot. She kissed Mindy, tasting herself on her tongue. Mindy made out with her, then pushed on her shoulders. Selene slid to her knees and moved her hand so that her fingers stopped playing with Mindy's folds and moved to her hole. She slid a finger into Mindy and pressed her lips to Mindy's lower lips.

Mindy gasped and gripped Selene's scalp with both hands. The shower water sprayed against Selene's back, pelting her with its steamy drops as she licked and slurped at Mindy's clit with enthusiasm. She served Mindy as eagerly as she might serve her master. This was Master's whore, after all. She deserved the attention and pleasure she'd offer Master himself if he were here. She put one hand on Mindy's thigh, bracing herself as she trapped Mindy between her face and the wall.

Mindy's hips bucked as she pushed closer and closer to the edge. She threw her arm over her mouth, notching her lips into the crook of her elbow as if sneezing, but she moaned instead, muffling herself from their surroundings.

Selene's rode out her bucking and held her still as Mindy humped her face with frantic effort before she bent forward and hugged Selene's head to her crotch. Selene sucked in a breath and held it, exhaling as Mindy seized around her, spasmed, and relaxed. She withdrew her fingers from Mindy's still-spasming hole and pushed, trying to pull away.

Mindy released her, slumping against the wall.

Selene licked her fingers.

"Fuck, that was hot." Mindy gasped.

Selene smiled and bowed with her hands and forehead on the floor. "Always happy to serve."

Mindy laughed and offered Selene her hand to stand. Selene took it, slipping her hand into Mindy's. They kissed, though more relaxed than their earlier passionate kisses.

"God, I fucking love this harem." Mindy said.

"And I love fucking this harem." Selene said and returned to washing. "So, what did I miss yesterday?"

"Oh, I have so much to catch you up on." Mindy said and spent the rest of their shower, drying off, and walking to the admin building retelling the story of her and Rani's argument on Monday. She left out the football lie but included their reconciliation, Lynn outing her, talking with her parents, and Deb's help at dinner.

Selene, for her part, knew some of it from talking with Rani yesterday, but the rest was a surprise. She couldn't believe Lynn did that. It worked out for the better, but that bitch hadn't meant it to go that way. She'd tried to ruin Mindy's life. She'd committed a fucking hate crime as far as Selene was concerned. Mindy didn't deserve anyone destroying her life. She was cute as fuck, and super friendly. She'd teased Lynn on Sunday, but Kelly and Selene had outright antagonized her. She'd gone after Mindy because she thought she could do the most damage that way.

Selene's expression remained stern when Mindy kissed her cheek to say goodbye at the admin building. She'd contemplate how to get revenge on Lynn, but she had to run any plan past Master first. He'd forbidden her from going after Lynn, and Mistress was on his side. Tonight's meeting had a new item on the agenda.

She sighed and headed off to the library. Her work didn't start for another few hours, so she might as well do homework. Master would be proud of her.

~~~

Later that morning, after Selene clocked in at work, she received a text. She smiled, knowing Master was probably on his way to or from his morning class and had thought of her.

Master: Hey, what time do you take lunch today?

Slut: When would you like me to take lunch, Master?

Master: Without adjusting your schedule, when would you eat lunch?

Slut: I got scheduled for extra hours at work, so I planned to grab a salad from the cafe and munch through my non-western lit class.

Master: Ok.

Slut: But! I can make an excuse, leave work early, and eat at 12 or 1! Whenever works best for you.

Master: No, it's okay. We'll schedule something for another day.

Slut: Are you sure? I don't mind skipping work or class for you. I'm here and ready, Master. Whenever you need me.

Master: It's ok. I have an errand to run, and you shouldn't skip class or work.

Slut: R u mad at me?

Master: Not even a little. I love you.

Slut: I love u 2.

"Texting at work?" Maria asked, eying the phone in Selene's hands.

Selene winced and put her phone away, slipping it into the pocket of her dress. Yes, her black dress had pockets. The long, flowy skirt reached her ankles. She cinched the flowy material at her waist with a looped brown belt that draped against her thigh. The top buttons opened to reveal her pale skin beneath, and a hip-length brown cardigan sweater covered the short sleeves.

She wore the cardigan open and accentuated her look with black boots. For jewelry, she wore her ever-present brown leather choker, a bangle of beaded bracelets on both wrists, a diamond nose stud, silver eyebrow piercing, long feather earrings, and rings on her fingers. It was one of a few outfits she'd gotten pre-approved by Master to wear whenever.

As for texting, she knew she'd been caught by the smirk on Maria's lips.

"Oh, uh... just Ma--my boyfriend." Selene said, correcting herself. They were alone in the Campus Bookstore, but people came and went depending on their needs. The shelves needed straightening, so they worked in view of the door. There wasn't much to do, but they made a show of it so they didn't have to clean the registers and counters again.

Maria snorted. "You need to watch that."

"Calling him that by accident?" Selene asked. "I'm getting better."

Maria shook her head and pointed to the security camera in the corner that supervised them. "Well, yes, but also no. I meant texting on the clock. Jake's been on a rampage. He fired Carla for texting, and her mom was in the hospital."

"I think he fired Carla because she stopped flirting with him when she got a boyfriend." Selene said, lowering her voice.

She'd never liked Carla, but no one deserved to be fired for something so simple as texting. Texting with a line of customers? Sure, but that never happened mid-semester. Not even their dorm-policy-safe Halloween decorations drew a crowd. It was far more likely Jake tried to progress beyond flirting with the buxom young woman, and she'd shot him down.

"She flirted with him?" Maria asked, surprised. Maria never flirted with Jake, even before she started dating Mark. Jake was the resident neckbeard. A man in his thirties who worked as the bookstore manager. He wasn't particularly in or out of shape, but his sense of style and personal hygiene teetered toward the tragic. He wore a fedora and shaved his neck beard once a week on Sundays, so there was always stubble. Still, she was nice to him. He was an okay guy, just awkward and poorly groomed.

Selene shrugged. "She needed the hours. Jake's always accommodating if you flirt or have--" She gestured to Maria's enormous chest.

Maria rolled her eyes.

"When did that happen, anyway?" Selene asked.

"Junior high." Maria said, chuckling to herself.

Selene joined Maria in her chuckling but shook her head. "Carla being fired, I mean."

"Yesterday. He called her into the office at the end of her shift, and she left crying. He shredded her lanyard." Maria said. She straightened a notebook on the shelf and stepped out of the aisle.

Selene sighed. "That explains the extra hours he asked me to work. Not that he'll give anyone full-time hours. God forbid anyone but him gets health care."

The front of the bookstore was university paraphernalia. The front counter sat on the right of the automatic door entrance. On the left, the clothing racks of various university logo-imprinted and sports-team-printed clothing took up a third of the store.

Then, as if a barrier to the books, there were souvenirs. Cups, mugs, teddy bears, notebooks, pens, sketchbooks, supplies, snacks, popular novels, and more stocked the shelves. The last third of the shop floor was a winding path through aisles of textbooks in neat piles. Customers decimated the quantity, and workers restocked it in waves based on syllabi. "Used" and "New" stickers dotted the books like yellow and orange flowers blooming in the brush.

Behind the textbooks, the final wall held a series of doors. The marked doors led to the office, the breakroom, a changing room, the unisex bathroom, and a storage room that led to the rear loading dock.

Jake typically disappeared into the office at the start of his shift, left his chair to visit the restroom, and sometimes helped at the register if things were busy. Though, if that happened, you heard about it. Jake considered his assisting an imposition and only necessary because of the cashier's incompetence. Unless there was a problem, he kept to himself. Selene assumed he played games on his phone since it never left his hand, making his anti-texting policies hypocritical.

"Yeah." Maria said, agreeing with Selene and expanding on her comments. "He refuses to hire anyone full-time because he'd have to pay benefits. Yet he keeps mumbling about the budget and how we shouldn't need so many employees with so little availability."

"Speaking of availability!" Selene segued. "What are you doing on Saturday?"

Maria looked back and shrugged. "This Saturday? Homework, I guess? Why? What's up?"

"Well, Arthur mentioned it to Brad this morning at the gym, but would you and Mark be interested in joining us at the Ren Faire on Saturday?" Selene asked.

Maria perked up. She'd gone to the Faire before, but not for a while. "I'll ask Mark, but I don't see why not. The only thing on his calendar was scheduling you, Arthur, Mindy, and Rani for D&D."

"Perfect." Selene said, slipping out of the aisle and following Maria to the next one. They straightened the stock as they talked, making everything more presentable. "We should schedule that. It would be fun. Oh, and Brad mentioned a guys' night?"

"Did he?" Maria asked. "Mark hasn't said anything."

"It sounded informal, but I had a thought. What if we got Brad, Mark, and Arthur together, and you, me, and Jen dressed up and did something special for them?" Selene asked.

"Well, that's an easy sell. Jen loves dressing up, and I love going out somewhere fancy." Maria said, smiling at the thought.

Selene realized Maria didn't know what she was talking about. "No, I was thinking more like surprising them by serving them for the night. We'd wear as little as possible or something sexy and treat them. Let them play video games, drink beer, have a guys' night, but we'd be there to..."

"To what? Be ignored?" Maria asked.

"To give them whatever they need." Selene said, smiling. "To play out one of their fantasies for a night."

"By being their servants?" Maria asked. "I know you and Arthur are into that stuff, but Mark and I aren't that kinky, and he's not dominant like Arthur is."

Selene shrugged. No one was like Master. He was special. "It's not about that. It's more to show we love them. Besides, imagine it! They'll be kids at Christmas."

Maria didn't answer right away, imagining the scenario. "You are a bad influence."

"Is that a yes?" Selene asked.

Maria scoffed. "I don't know how you do it. Arthur is one lucky man."

"I'm the lucky one." Selene said.

"Would this be the entire group of you plus us, or..." Maria hadn't said no, but she hadn't agreed either.

"Just you, Mark, Jen, Brad, me, and Arthur." Selene said. "And we can make it a surprise for them. If you're up for it."

"When you say wear something sexy... what do you mean? Lingerie?" Maria asked. "You want me to wear lingerie in front of Arthur?"

"If you're comfortable with it." Selene said. "I'm willing if you and Jen are okay with it, but I'd prefer to wear nothing but my collar and maybe bondage gear. Not that you have to wear that. We could each do our own thing. Whatever we're most comfortable wearing. We just have to let them know we're there to take care of them."

"Every guy's fantasy." Maria said, still laughing at the idea.

"Exactly." Selene said. "Don't you want to make Mark's dreams come true? It'll be fun. Plus, imagine their faces when the three of us step out in sexy outfits, holding trays of snacks, drinks, and video games, each of us there for our man."

Maria hesitated, imagining it. She bit her lip. "What if I don't want Mark seeing you naked?" She asked.

Selene shrugged. "Who cares if he does? If it excites him, you'll be there to relieve him. Seeing me naked isn't a big deal, and it's not like we'll do anything with each other's boyfriends. We're big on consent. So, I'm fine with a no-touch rule. Think of it like going to a strip club together."

"I'm not sure I'd want Mark going to a strip club, either." Maria said, frowning. "Though it's not like he's never seen another naked woman."

Selene shrugged. "Exactly. And besides, it's no different from when those smutty fantasy books put you in the mood, and you take it out on Mark."

Maria blushed at that, not looking at Selene. She considered her points for several silent minutes before speaking again.

"You're such a terrible influence!" She said at last. She exhaled in a gust and lifted her eyes to meet Selene's. "I'll ask Jen. She's adventurous, but I can't promise a yes. She doesn't know Arthur well and might not be comfortable in lingerie or less with you and him."

Arthur and Jen had met but hadn't connected beyond a few conversations. Maria had known Arthur for years and was comfortable changing in front of him backstage, but being naked? Selene wasn't sure if she'd go for it. Selling Maria on doing it for Mark was the easier bid. She could sell Jen on doing it for Brad, too.

"Tell Jen to text me." Selene said. "I'll convince her."

"Okay." Maria said. "I'll tell her. Should I ask her about the Ren Faire, too?"

"Of course!" Selene said. "The Faire is on Saturday. The guys' night can be Friday."

"Ren Faire?" Jake's voice made them both jump. He stood as if he'd just come from the back, having heard Selene's last statement but hopefully missing the rest of their conversation. He wore his half-a-week-old neck beard, a grubby mustache, a black fedora, a University blue polo shirt, black slacks, and old kicks.

"Yeah." Selene said, nodding. "My friends and I are going, so I thought Maria and her boyfriend might want to join us."

"You have a boyfriend?" Jake asked Maria. The surprise in his voice was a mix of insulting and unnerving.

Maria nodded. "Yeah." She glanced at Selene, frowning. "It's still new. He's... okay."

Selene looked confused. Things between Mark and Maria had been bliss by every report. Separating them in the lunch room took Herculean efforts. Was something wrong? Why was she downplaying their relationship? They'd been friends for years and started dating this semester, just like her and Arthur a few weeks later. Did she take Selene's theory about Carla too much to heart? She was still wondering when the bell above the door chimed.

"Holy shit." Jake's eyes widened, and his mouth hung open.

Selene followed his starry-eyed gaze to the door, expecting to see a movie star, judging by how he reacted. Her guess was close enough. The hottest woman stood in the doorway, looking around like a lost puppy. Selene's reaction was the opposite of Jake's. Her jaw set as she grit her teeth and her eyes narrowed.

"Hello?" Lynn called out as she stepped forward into the shop and looked around. "Can someone help me?"

Jake left Maria and Selene standing in the dust, rushing forward and nearly knocking over a shelf to get to her. His abrupt departure and eagerness to help a customer stunned them both into stillness.

Lynn's evaluating eyes turned at the noise, swept past Jake, and stopped when she spotted Selene. She smiled, which only faltered when Jake entered her space, stepping close enough for her nostrils to flare in annoyance at his pungent cologne. He believed deodorant was a scam and disguised his lack of it with cologne. Cheap cologne since he used so much of it.

"I can help you!" Jake said. "What can I get for you today, Miss..."

"Lynn." Her eyes dipped to the lanyard on Jake's stomach with a picture that made him look even worse than his hat. She put her manicured hand on his chest, keeping him at arm's length since he seemed keen on invading her personal space. "It's nice to meet you... Jacob."

"A female as pretty as you? You can call me Jake." Jake said.

Selene and Maria watched from their place in the aisleway. "What a cute couple." Selene whispered to Maria with sarcasm as thick as cream.

"Isn't that--?" Maria asked, and Selene nodded. Maria had seen Lynn at the football game last weekend.

Selene's mind sped through her options. Running and drop-kicking Lynn would get her arrested. Clawing her eyes out was a no-go. She didn't have the right accessories. Punching her with the rings on? It'd hurt both of them.

No. Arthur told her to live and let live. To avoid Lynn. She'd promised Kelly, too, but that was before Lynn outed Mindy. It might have worked out okay in the end, but Selene would rather shred her collar than let Lynn get away with that. And besides, Lynn had come here looking for her.

What else could she do to Lynn that might make her leave? Throat punch? It'd hurt worse than a boob punch, but her breasts were the bigger target.

"You okay?" Maria asked.

Selene shook her head.

Maria looked between her and Lynn and took Selene's hand. "Come on. We're going on break."

Lynn watched them turn away and glanced at the racks of clothing. Jake stared at her, and his heartbeat increased beneath her palm. She took her hand away, and he stepped closer. She left him for the clothing racks, putting a rack's worth of distance between them by graceful maneuvering.

"Are there any women working here? And do you have a changing room? I wanted to buy school swag, but I need to try it on since my chest is hard to fit, and I need a woman's opinion." Lynn said, adjusting her purse strap and jostling her breasts.

Selene scoffed as she and Maria walked away. It was like watching a snake cuddle a mouse. Poor Jake mistook the attention for pleasure rather than the warning it was. He wouldn't realize anything was wrong until it was too late. God, she hated Lynn. Jake wouldn't win Person of the Year, but Lynn was worse. She shook her head, turned her back on them, and followed Maria toward the break room.

"Yes, of course." Jake said, raising his voice. "Girls! Selene!"

Maria and Selene stopped and looked at each other. "I've got this." Maria said, putting her hand on Selene's arm. "You go on break."

Selene disappeared into the office as Maria approached Lynn and Jake. She watched on the monitors as Lynn pointed to the office, and Maria shook her head, wringing her hands. Maria gestured and said something, to which Lynn nodded and gestured at the clothing racks.

Lynn's current outfit was a killer ensemble of a white dress and jewelry. The dress looked like a men's button-down shirt, but strings on the side scrunched the fabric on each curvy hip, barely covering her ass. The front parted in an upside-down V, with its tip coming together just below her crotch. Every movement she made presented the danger of exposing her underwear to the world, but she never did. She'd mastered how to walk and move to tease without ever exposing herself.

A gold cross necklace drew attention to the top of her breasts. The V-cut neckline with its lapels framed a deep valley of cleavage between two voluptuous breasts that hung high on her chest and stretched the fabric to the breaking point. Her flat stomach, tiny waist, and curvaceous hips added heat to the fire. The long sleeves covered her arms, ending in gold cuff-linked cuffs high on each wrist. She hugged her sparkling black and gold designer purse and pointed toward the changing room as Maria grabbed pajama sets from the racks and shelves.

Jake nodded, leading the way and peering into the room until the door drifted closed. He beelined to the office faster than Selene had ever seen him walk.

"What are you doing here?" Jake snapped. He sounded pissed off, but Selene and the others had been in here plenty of times. The safe was closed, and the computer was locked. The only risk to her being in here was that she wasn't out there working. "Get out."

"I know that girl." Selene said. "I wanted to watch her on the cameras to make sure she didn't steal anything."

Jake rolled his eyes. "Her Louboutin heels cost more than the most expensive item in stock. And that includes the textbooks. Now get out."

Selene rolled her eyes and left. She found Maria rolling her eyes and putting clothes back on the racks.

"I'm going to hide in the break room." Selene said.

Maria nodded. "Good choice."

Selene vanished into the breakroom. She put her boots on the table and reclined in her chair, pulling her phone out again. She texted the harem chat. Arthur might see it and come to her rescue, but he'd have no signal in the office. Maybe the others could help. Either way, she wanted everyone to know what was happening.

Slut: Lynn is here, in the bookstore where I work.

Wifey: Can you leave?

Slut: I'm hiding, but if she's still here in fifteen minutes, I'll have to deal with her or quit.

Queenie: Want me to pull the fire alarm?

Wifey: Don't do that!

Queenie: Is there a sprinkler system? It would ruin her makeup and, knowing her, whatever designer shit she's wearing.

Whore: Should I run over to say thank you? I can skip class.

Queenie: Fuck that. You're not thanking her for what she did.

Wifey: What'd she do?

Slut: She outed Mindy to her parents.

Wifey:?!?!?!? When the fuck did that happen? Why didn't you mention anything this morning?

Whore: Yesterday. But it's okay! It worked out in the end. Kinda. My parents are OK with me being bi. My umma's bi!

Kelly sent a hug reaction emoji to Mindy's message, and the rest of the girls added theirs.

Brat: Is avoiding Lynn still the order from on high?

Wifey: Unless anyone heard from Arthur otherwise? @Master?

Whore: He's at work, there's no signal.

Slut: He just texted me not long ago.

Whore: He had a class. I could poke my head in and suggest a storage closet run.

Queenie: Get it, get it.

Whore: He wouldn't let me join. He's worried about T&S whistleblowing on us.

Wifey: Great, another thing to worry about.

Slut: I'm not worried about Lynn. I just want to slash her tires.

Queenie: Don't get caught on camera.

Wifey: No, don't do it at all. We've talked about this.

Selene sent a frown emoji.

Slut: Fine.

Slut: I mean, yes, Mistress.

Slut: In other news, we're still good for tonight, right? I want to pass things by the group about Friday night and Saturday.

Wifey: What's Friday night?

Slut: You remember Brad asking Master for a guys' night? I thought we could give him a night off to hang with the guys.

Queenie: That's sweet.

Brat: Yeah. I love it. It gives us a night off for homework. I know Selene and I can use one.

Slut: I was thinking I might use the time to plan a surprise for him.

Whore: lol, and there it is.

Wifey: I'm fine with it.

Queenie: Me too.

Whore: Me 3!

Brat: Fine. I have homework to do anyway on Friday.

Queenie: I have homework projects to finish before losing the weekend to crazy medieval sexy times. Homework-based girls' night?

"What are you doing in here?" Jake's voice caused Selene to look up from her phone. He stood in the doorway, arms crossed like he'd caught her stealing time.

"I'm on break." Selene said.

"There's a customer asking for you." Jake said, pointing with a thumb over her shoulder. "She said you helped her last time she was here?"

"That's a lie." Selene said. "Tell her I went home."

"That's a lie." Jake said, confused. "What's the goss?"

"She's a bully who hates my boyfriend. I don't want to talk to her." Selene said.

"You have a boyfriend again?" Jake asked. "When did that happen?"

"A few weeks ago." Selene said, glancing at Jake. His eyes were in a weird location, looking down but not at the floor or her face. She realized his view gave him a scandalous sight of the back of her legs up her skirt, with her butt in the chair and her heels on the table. He'd said nothing about her near-exposure, but his eyes were poking the line between her legs. The crevice began at her crossed ankles and lasted until it disappeared between her thighs and the chair. She picked her feet off the table and placed them on the floor, letting the dress cover her. He'd seen nothing sexual, but he'd gotten a good look at her thighs.

Jake frowned, looked at the floor, then lifted his eyes to her without shame as if he'd been looking at the floor the whole time. "How come you haven't mentioned a boyfriend before?"

Confused why he was asking, Selene stared at him. The red blush on the edge of his features faded.

She shrugged. "We don't talk much? I wasn't hiding him from anyone."

Jake frowned. "Whatever, get out there and help that customer." He said. "She's been adamant about talking with you."

"She can fuck off." Selene said, shrugging. "I'm on break."

"You shouldn't use such disrespectful language to me or the customers. Get out there." Jake said. "That's an order." He straightened his shoulders, like that might help him appear taller and more intimidating to the half-his-weight ballerina.

Yes, he was her boss, but Jake wasn't her master. Only Arthur got to order her around like she was a lesser creature. When Arthur gave her an order, it was sexy and made her want to fuck. When Jake did it? He could fuck off.

"I'm on break." Selene repeated herself and pointed at the clock.

"Seriously?" Jake asked. "You've had a terrible attitude recently. I just caught you texting, and you're refusing to do your job?"

"Caught me texting?" Selene asked. "I'm on break! I'm allowed to text on my break!"

"Were you texting your boyfriend?" Jake asked.

"My girlfriends." Selene said. "We're poly. Not that it matters."

"Oh. Really?" Jake asked, evaluating her expression and determining if it was true. "That's cool. I'm poly, too. I believe love is--"

"Can I go back to my break?" Selene asked, cutting him off before he could mansplain polyamory to her.

Jake scowled at her. "Get out there." He said, repeating himself.

"Why?" Selene asked. "Why is it so important to you that I talk to that bitch?"

"She said she wanted your opinion, in particular on her swimsuit choices." Jake said. "She won't try them on without you there to give your honest opinion."

"What the fuck?" Selene asked. "Why?"

Jake shrugged. "She thinks Maria's being a kiss ass, and you'll tell her the truth."

"Bullshit." Selene said. "We only carry two swimsuits, anyway. It's not like we keep an enormous selection. She's acting like this is a designer store. It's a campus bookstore. It's all the same in style A or style B. That's it."

"A campus bookstore where you work. You should show gratitude for your job. The job I gave you. I let you get away with a lot because I have a soft spot for the females." Jake said. "Now it's time to listen to me as your supervisor and do what you're told."

Selene glared at Jake. Her rebel energy spiked high. She had half a mind to punch him in the throat, rings and all. The temptation to quit raged within her, but she needed the job. Without this minimum wage income, she couldn't pitch in her part of the rent. She'd miss out on moving into the house and have to move into the dorms as everyone else moved off campus. Or worse, she'd have to ask her mother for money, and maternal support came with more strings attached than a shibari session. She needed a new job. Something that paid better and didn't make her miserable or disgusted. Fuck this asshole. She'd get one, and her resignation would be legendary.

She stood, stashed her phone in her pocket, and marched past him.

"Good girl." Jake said, falling in step behind her.

Selene froze mid-step and spun toward Jake with wild eyes. Her expression made him shift away from her mid-step, stepping back. "What?" She asked.

"Nothing." Jake said. She spotted the realization of his fuck up in his eyes.

"What did you just say to me?" She asked again.

"I didn't say anything." He held his hands up in surrender as if to show they weren't anywhere near her.

She pointed her finger at him and glared. "I heard what you said. How dare you sully that phrase to me. If you ever say any sexual harassment shit again, I will garotte your fuckin' balls off with the wire from the brim of your fuckin' fedora."

The specificity of the threat unnerved Jake, but beyond that, it was a gamble. Jake's position was precarious. He'd gotten caught looking up her skirt and called her a good girl. He'd been firing people and needed her to fill her shifts, or he'd have to do some actual work until he could hire more. More than that, he might never see Lynn in a bikini if Selene left. Worse, the way he looked at her now? Her threat had turned him on, and he liked it when she yelled at him. Selene didn't have words to describe how gross that made her feel, so she ignored it.

"Understand?" Selene asked.

Standing not far away, Maria appeared with a bundle of clothes in her hands. She handed them to Selene, who turned into them and took them in her arms. "Put these away." Maria whispered while Jake tried to stammer out a response.

His face turned red with rage. Maria gestured toward the office, and he took her advice and went in without speaking. He stomped the final few steps and slammed the door behind him.

Lynn emerged from the changing room, dressed in a school football jersey and nothing else. The top wasn't a dress, but she wore it as one. It hung high on her thighs and was loose around her middle despite being designed for women. She gave it more shape by putting a hand high on her hip.

"Oh, there you are! Selene, what do you think?" She turned, showing off the jersey and how it barely reached the top of her legs. "Will Arty like it? I like how it hugs my curves, and I know he likes women with a bit more oomph." She stared at Selene when she said it.

Maria's eyes snapped open. She half-expected Selene to throw the clothes in her arms at the woman, but nothing happened. Selene glared at Lynn as if staring her down.

"Are you mad at me for something?" Lynn asked, feigning innocence. "Is everything okay with your little harem?"

Selene laughed. It wasn't her usual laugh, but it sounded genuine. So that was why Lynn was here. She was checking in on her nuclear strike from yesterday since there was no noise on social media. Lynn wasn't here to torment Selene. That was just a bonus for her. No, she'd come to discover exactly what had happened in the fallout, and found a way to mess with Selene in the process.

"Oh, are you worried that outing Mindy to her parents caused problems?" Selene asked.

Lynn's charming smile turned devious. Recognition of evil dawned on Maria's face, and her disgusted expression turned toward Lynn with all the enmity she deserved.

"What are you talking about?" Lynn asked, as if ignorant.

"Don't worry." Selene said. "Everything's fine. Mindy wanted me to pass along a thank you, actually. Turns out it brought her and her parents closer together. So thank you for trying to get Mindy kicked out of the house, school, or whatever you were trying to do."

"I wasn't--" Lynn had a prepared lie ready on her lips, but Selene didn't give her the chance to say it.

"Arthur warned us to stay away from you." Selene interrupted her.

"Because he doesn't want me to--" Lynn said, but Selene didn't let her finish.

"Because he doesn't want ME to hurt YOU." Selene said. "But you should know something about me if you're going to keep trying these stunts."

"And what's that?" Lynn asked. "I already know a lot about you."

Selene smiled, ignoring Lynn's insinuation. "Every now and again, I enjoy a bit of disobedience." She glared Lynn down. "It gives Arthur an excuse to punish me, lets him blow off steam, and makes the sex amazing."

Lynn frowned. Her eyes hardened as she glared back at Selene, but her wet, parted lips didn't appear angry. She looked aroused as if she'd imagined Arthur in that exact scenario. A scenario Selene had no intention of ever letting her experience first-hand.

"He'll show me a great time if I disobey enough." Selene passed the pile of clothes back to Maria, who took them robotically. "The kind you'll never, ever enjoy. Even if you were the last woman on Earth, he'd rather fuck a cactus than use your mouth for the toilet it is."

"What the fuck?" Maria whispered to Selene.

"Slut." Lynn spat.

"Cunt." Selene spat back.

"Is there a problem here?" Jake asked, appearing from the office to find Selene and Lynn's faces mere inches from each other.

Lynn smiled. Selene saw confidence in her eyes. Whatever tenuous sway Selene had over Jake? Lynn had more. She held Selene's job in her teeth, a morsel she might drop or chomp. Chomping wasn't her style, though. No, she had leverage now, but she would make Selene sweat until she decided to use it. No doubt there'd be some form of coercion coming Selene's way. Do this, or lose your job. That was Lynn's M. O.

Selene, Maria, and Lynn glanced between each other, each confirming that fact with their eyes, but Selene's eyes weren't frantic or desperate. They were determined.

Lynn's phone buzzed in her purse. She held up her finger at Jake and reached into her designer bag as he admired how the jersey exposed her bent leg. She withdrew her phone and stepped away from Selene. "Hey! Auntie Deb!" Lynn said, her voice sweet as sin as she stared at Selene with malice. "What's up?"

"What?" Lynn asked, her smile fading. "Oh my god, I didn't mean to! I totally thought--" She stopped, the voice on the other end cutting her off.

Selene glanced at her phone. It was lunchtime. Auntie Deb was on her lunch break and taking care of business.

"I must have misunderstood. I swear, I thought Mindy was out and proud the way she and Rani were--" Lynn rambled on, her malicious expression shifting into a frown.

"Well, yeah, you gave me the key, so--" Lynn's frown deepened. "Auntie Deb--" Her protest died on her lips as Deb continued speaking.

Selene's smile widened as Deb tore Lynn a new one. She expected Lynn to fight and argue, but she seemed to realize that tactic wouldn't work while Deb was angry. Instead of rising to the argument, Lynn gave ground, conceding.

"Okay." Lynn said. "No, I understand. That's okay." She nodded as if Deb were there. "Can I apologize? Should I take Mindy out to dinner? Do you think she'd enjoy that? I could explain and try to mend things?"

Selene's smile faltered. Even in failure, Lynn was adapting her plans and working out new ways to terrorize them.

"Oh, we could make a girls' night of it!" Lynn said. "You, me, and Mindy. I can apologize properly. We'll go to Frenchy's, my treat. She's probably never been somewhere so fancy before." Lynn giggled, but her laugh died almost immediately. "What do you mean? I have money."

Selene raised an eyebrow. What did Lynn do for work? How did she afford sports cars, fashionable clothes, and designer handbags? Selene assumed it was a trust fund. That made the most sense. Her parents financed her, right?

"My mom didn't say anything about that to me." Lynn said. "Are you sure?"

Selene's smile returned. She made out the words 'restricted allowance' from Deb's side of the conversation.

"Well... I'll think of something. A girls' night in the in-law suite, then. I'll invite the whole house, minus Arty, obviously. I can cook those pies you taught me to make, and we can talk over wine if they're willing to listen." Lynn said. "I'll try, Auntie Deb, I promise. I want you there too, obviously, I miss our coffee dates."

Lynn smiled again. "I know. I'd love to do one as soon as you're around. I could really use your advice, Auntie Deb. I don't know what I'm going to do about this crush."

"I know." Lynn said. "I know he's taken. I just--I wish I hadn't gotten off on such a bad start with his girlfriends."

She sniffled. Selene didn't know how she made it sound like she was holding back tears without a single tear in her eye. She'd be a great voice actress.

"I'm partially to blame, obviously. I don't like them, and they don't like me, but I think they're just jealous of the connection Arty and I have." Lynn said, her tone still sad but her arrogant expression returning.

Selene narrowed her eyes at Lynn.

"I know." Lynn said, smiling. "Don't worry. I'm giving him his space just like you asked, but I can't help it if he comes to me. We're special to each other, you know that. Being each other's firsts and all."

Selene's eyes jerked open as everything else stopped.

Maria squeaked and carried the clothes she was holding into the aisle, disappearing from any crossfire.

"Oh, did he never tell you that?" Lynn asked. "Yeah, Senior year. Do you remember spring break? It was right before he got into that fight."

Selene curled her fingers, giving her hands the appearance of claws. She hadn't heard this story and didn't know what Lynn was referencing. But it couldn't be true. She could claim an expired friendship with Master if she wanted. They'd known each other all their lives. But to lay any kind of sexual claim on him? No. Absolutely not. He wasn't hers. He was Selene's and the harem's. And Lynn? Lynn was an outsider, an enemy.

Maria grabbed Selene's wrist and pulled her away, leaving Lynn speaking into the phone with a confused Jake, still waiting for her to talk to him.

"I don't know why he told you it was Lori." Lynn said. "He was embarrassed. You know how guys are their first time. It might not have been impressive, but it was special." Lynn turned her gaze to Jake and tilted her head as if she was considering how he'd compare and whether she might give him the chance to try. "But that's ancient history." She said. "Don't worry. I'll apologize to Mindy. First chance I get, we'll set up that girl's night. Sorry again, Auntie Deb. Okay. Okay. Love you! Kisses!"

Lynn ended the call and shoved the phone into her purse. She smiled at Jake, her angelic beauty hiding her devilish bite. "I'll change out of this." She said, gesturing to the room behind her. She backed into the changing room, and Jake dashed to his office.

Maria rubbed Selene's arms like she was at risk of hypothermia, trying to soothe and calm her friend. Selene glowered at the changing room door.

"You look like you're about to murder her." Maria said. "Calm down. You can't do anything. You'll lose your job, or get arrested, or..."

"I know." Selene ground out the words between her teeth. "But God, I want to rip out her throat with my teeth."

"I get it. She seems like... a lot." Maria said, glancing at the closet. "But you can't. Get out of here. Hide in the storage room, or leave. I'll cover for you with Jake."

Selene sighed. Leaving would probably get her fired after mouthing off to Jake. She might get in trouble for hiding, but he'd interrupted her break. She could always claim she was returning to it.

She hid in the storage room. The cold smell of concrete and the woody pulp of cardboard kept her company. Breathing and stretching into yoga calmed her, slowing her heart rate from a hummingbird's to a human's. She raised her gaze from her prayer pose when the door creaked open.

"Girl, your life is a soap opera." Maria said, shaking her head as she entered. "What the fuck was that?"

"Long story." Selene said. "The highlights: Lynn and Arthur used to be friends growing up. She's a bitch and turned on him in high school. Now, she's coming here next semester to make his life hell. She's living in the in-law suite of the house we're moving into, but we're trying to prevent that."

"And we hate her?" Maria asked.

"Oh, we hate her." Selene nodded. "She is the worst human being on this planet, and I'm including politicians and people who play games on their phones at the movie theater."

"Oh good." Maria sighed, relaxing. "I'm a fantastic actress, but even I couldn't pretend to like that bitch for one more minute."

Selene laughed. "Did she buy anything?"

Maria shrugged. "One pajama set."

Selene rolled her eyes. She wondered what a 'restricted allowance' was for Lynn. It still probably dwarfed the money Selene made working here.

"I'll be putting clothes back on the racks for an hour." Maria groaned, leading the way out of the storage closet.

"I'll help." Selene said. "Thanks for saving my job."

Maria threw her arm around Selene's shoulders, and they returned to work. Despite her expectations of another confrontation, Jake remained in the office for the rest of Selene's shift. Whatever he was doing in there, he didn't want to be disturbed.

After work, Non-Western Lit with Kat was downright fun. Selene hadn't finished the reading, but Arrow of God had an inevitability to its conclusion. Did it matter if Kat told her the ending versus reading it for herself? There were better ways to spend her time.

The class was discussion-based, which Selene considered lazy on the professor's part, but she went with it. She and Kat tried to take an elective together for fun every semester. This semester, Kat's preference had won out.

Foundations of Educational Media followed, but Kat had Lit Comp III, so they split up for their classes and reunited afterward. The plan was simple: go to Arthur's apartment and wait for everyone.

Kat drove them and hiked the steps as quietly as possible to the third floor. Selene giggled at Kat's blatant attempt to avoid the neighbors she'd angered last week.

~~~

Kelly and Katelyn carpooled to the harem meeting with Kelly driving her SUV. The drive from their apartment wasn't far, but Katelyn was quieter than usual. She was nervous. Kelly recognized the signs and did her best to soothe them by holding Katelyn's hand when she could.

"Don't worry." Kelly said. "We like you."

"Has me telling you not to worry about anything ever worked?" Katelyn asked.

Kelly laughed. It hadn't, but being on the other end was a novel experience. She released Katelyn's hand as she pulled into the complex and parked.

"Do you want to wait in the car?" Kelly asked.

Katelyn looked at Kelly. She tried to appear calm, but Kelly had noticed the nervous hair-twirling and lip-biting for the entire drive. To mention nothing of the occasional squeeze of her hand.

"Well... I don't know." Katelyn said. "Is it less awkward if I'm down here? They have to vote on my joining, and it has to be unanimous, right? Do you want to vote first? What if someone says no? I drive home?"

"No one's going to say no." Kelly said. She patted Katelyn's thigh. "And you're not driving my baby. Your inclusion is a given, I think. Mindy and Rani even got a costume for you."

"Really?" Katelyn asked.

"Yeah, we were going to do something Saturday night at the hotel, but Arthur got impatient." Kelly said. "So, we're doing it tonight instead."

"What size did they get me?" Katelyn asked, distracted by the idea. "Do they even make that costume in my size?" Compared to Kelly, the boxing babe with her hourglass figure, she was a stick of a person. "If the top is too big--"

"We'll find out." Kelly said. "Here, let me text the girls-only chat." She pulled out her phone and sent the text. Her phone dinged a second later, and she laughed. "Rani says if you don't come upstairs, she's making you wear a cat costume instead, and it's just a tail and face paint."

Katelyn raised an eyebrow. "How would that even work? It comes with a belt?"

Kelly's phone dinged again. "Oh look, she sent a picture."

She showed Katelyn the picture of Selene holding a pink butt plug tail and laughed as Katelyn blushed.

"Come on." Kelly said, leaving the car. Katelyn clenched as she descended from Kelly's SUV and walked stiffly into the apartment building. Kelly chuckled until they reached the top of the stairs.

"We're ordering from the pizza place down the street." Rani said, passing a phone into Kelly's hands as soon as they entered. "Put your order in."

"Oh." Kelly said, surprised. "Okay..." She glanced at the menu. Last time, they'd eaten before arriving, but they were meeting earlier tonight. She hadn't expected pizza, though. Most of the girls had ordered sandwiches. Nothing on the menu seemed healthy, but the turkey club wasn't too bad. She added bacon and passed the phone to Katelyn, who spent more time perusing it. Then she gave the phone back to Rani.

"Is Venmo okay?" Kelly asked.

Rani shrugged. "Sure, but no rush." She checked the order.

Arthur's apartment had three seats on the sofa, four chairs from the kitchen, and a desk chair in the second bedroom. Selene had pulled the desk chair out and set it at the head of the coffee table. Three kitchen chairs sat opposite the sofa. The apartment was clean, which always surprised her even though she knew Arthur. The Spirit of Halloween bags stood on the floor in the extra room.

Rani lounged in the sofa's corner closest to the door. Mindy cuddled against her in the middle. Kat sat across from them in a kitchen chair. Katelyn took the kitchen chair beside Kat.

Selene patted the back of the office chair. "Sit here, Mistress."

Kelly laughed and sat, putting her oversized purse on the floor beside her.

"We're all here!" Selene squealed, excited as she hugged Katelyn. "Welcome to the club!"

"A less exclusive club every day." Kat said, laughing when Katelyn and Selene stuck their tongues out at her. "But welcome, hot stuff."

Rani tapped her forehead, then pointed at Kat. "I'm rubbing off on you."

"I'm still not bi." Kat said.

Mindy giggled. "I am! And I'm out now! Out and proud! My parents know! I can shout it from the rooftops if I want!"

Kelly smiled. She knew that feeling. Her sexuality hadn't always been so inclusive, but she remembered coming out in high school. Her peers? Supportive. Her brothers? Three rocks she could shelter behind to weather any storm. Her parents? Well, they weren't Mindy's parents. Her father wasn't even in the country, and her mother had always neglected her children in favor of work. At least her college friends, primarily Lori, supported her when she came out as bisexual and not strictly lesbian.

"Kels, are you okay?" Katelyn squatted in front of Kelly, moving eye to eye with the sitting woman.

"I'm okay." Kelly said, smiling and taking a deep breath. She hadn't realized the face she'd made had drawn any attention. The moisture in the corners of her eyes threatened to spill over, but she didn't let it. "Just emotional today."

"Everything seems so intense when I'm on my monthly." Mindy said, nodding as though she were wise.

"Ugh, yeah. I get super horny on mine." Rani shrugged, ordering their dinner.

"Gross." Kat shook her head, bouncing her curls back and forth.

"Oh, come off it, blondie." Rani said. "It's not my fault the hormones ramp up to a hair trigger when the bleeding starts. I just want to hump everything, but also kinda don't want anybody to touch me."

"Do the rest of you get horny?" Mindy asked.

"No." Kat said, shaking her head. "When mine hits, I want to crawl into a hole and die. I hide in my room as much as possible with a heating pad, dim the lights, and listen to audiobooks."

"So, a normal pre-harem weekend for you, then." Selene said, teasing her sister.

"Shut up." Kat said. "Little miss, it's-not-that-bad."

"It's not that bad." Selene said.

"Yours isn't that bad!" Kat said, for what was obviously not the first time. "You got lucky."

"Mine's not terrible either." Katelyn said, raising her hand.

"I get cramps sometimes." Mindy said, shrugging. "Not every time, though."

"Wait, am I seriously the only one that gets horny?" Rani asked.

"She's always horny." Kat thumbed toward Selene. "So, how would we tell?"

Kelly smiled, amused at the banter. It was amazing the difference a week made. She remembered worrying whether finding them in his apartment would upset Arthur at the last meeting. After everything they'd done, though, she felt much more comfortable. The calendar moved slowly, but so much happened it was difficult to keep track. That was the chaos of six or seven lives coming together.

Perhaps that was part of college. So much could happen in a day, and time seemed to stand still. Kelly wondered if life would always be like that. Either way, she took her time to enjoy the moment, observing the others as they playfully argued.

However, it was best to get this meeting started. Rani started the meeting last time, but Kelly felt it was her responsibility. She was the mistress of the harem. The team captain. Her job was to lead them when the coach wasn't around. He should sit in this chair, but he wasn't due for another few hours.

"So, should I bring this harem meeting to order?" Kelly asked no one in particular as the girls' chatter continued.

"You need a gavel." Katelyn said, re-taking the chair beside Kat.

"Oh, Selene, grab the wooden dildo out of the duffle bag." Rani gestured behind Kelly, where the duffel bag rested against the wall where Kat's collar hung on its hook. "And should we collar up? Or put on the costumes?"

"Costumes after dinner." Kelly said. "But let's wear the collars. They make everything more official." She said, reaching into her purse.

Selene retrieved the large wooden dildo and set it on the coffee table before Kelly. She passed Kat her collar from its hook by the door.

Rani wore a gold chain looped through a large ring at one end with a smaller ring between her breasts. The slightest tug tightened the chain around her throat.

Mindy reached behind her neck to fasten her narrow rubber choker with the word 'WHORE' in rhinestones. She adjusted its placement on her neck so her harem name faced forward.

Kat put on her pink BDSM collar with its cushioned fit. Selene's brown leather choker was ever-present.

Kelly pulled her three-strand pearl necklace from her purse. The fake pearl beads decorated her neck in the choker. She smiled as she looked around the room, watching the girls adjust their outfits and collars.

Mindy's gray sweater dress, sheer black stockings, and high heels looked business chic. Rani's sweatpants and hoodie weren't sexy, but she appeared as comfortable as Kelly wanted to be herself. Kelly had worn a knee-length dress and cardigan, with shapewear helping compress what needed pressure. Selene was naked, which hadn't even struck Kelly as odd. She chuckled. As if in direct contrast to her sister, Kat wore a pair of gray slacks with a matching blazer over a pink blouse.

Katelyn's sneakers tapped a long stretch away from her white short shorts. Her pink tank top showed skin, but her sling and long black jacket covered her. She slipped from the jacket, letting it fall against the chair. Her throat was bare, without a collar. She looked down after glancing at everyone else's.

"Don't worry." Selene said. "Master has one for you, even if it's just for tonight. He'll get you a permanent one soon."

Katelyn smiled somewhat awkwardly, but Kelly could tell she appreciated the encouragement.

"Okay, so--" Kelly reached for the wooden dildo and paused. "You've washed this, right?"

Rani laughed. "Of course. I might not be a laundress, but I don't put anything dirty anywhere near my puss."

Kat snickered.

"I'm dirty." Mindy said. "I go near your puss all the time."

"Har, har." Rani said, not laughing but kissing Mindy.

"Okay." Kelly held the wooden dildo by the shaft and clacked the wooden balls against the coffee table. The wood-on-wood clap gathered everyone's attention.

"Holy shit, it's really wood?" Katelyn asked, shocked when everyone else fell silent at the sound. "I thought it just looked like wood."

"No, it's wood. One-hundred percent Morning Wood." Rani said, giggling as Mindy and the others broke out into laughter. "Shined, polished, and waxed."

Kelly chuckled as she clacked it on the table again. "Okay. Order! Order! I hereby call this meeting of the harem to order! Whore, you're ready to take notes?"

Mindy sat straight and held up her notebook and pen, putting both into her lap.

"What's our agenda tonight?" Rani asked.

Kelly gestured to Katelyn. "First things first. We have a new sister to discuss."

"Should she be here for this?" Kat asked, pointing at Katelyn sitting beside her.

"You're the one who invited me on Saturday!" Katelyn said.

"I know!" Kat defended herself. "I didn't mean here tonight. I mean, for this part. When we talk about you."

"Always better to talk to someone's face instead of behind their back." Rani said. "But if you'd rather not hear what we have to say, we can put you in noise-canceling headphones and a blindfold and lock you in the extra bedroom." She gestured to the second door behind Kelly. "Might be fun to tie you up and leave you for Arthur like a present."

Selene nodded her approval at the idea.

Katelyn looked at Kelly. "Which would you prefer?"

"Does anyone intend to object to Katelyn joining?" Kelly asked.

The girls looked at each other, everyone checking for a raised hand. No one raised their hands. A few shrugs, a few non-committal noises of agreement.

"But it'd be easier for someone to say no if Katelyn wasn't sitting there making pitiful puppy eyes at everyone. Like, if Kat wanted to say no, there'd be too much pressure with Katelyn sitting right there. She'd be risking her closest friend, besides us. She should go in the other room while we discuss." Rani pointed at Katelyn's face.

Katelyn's saucer-sized eyes were pleading. She pursed her lip in a proper pout.

"See? She's too adorable." Rani said.

Katelyn laughed, stood, and walked into the second bedroom. "Better?" She asked, calling through the doorway.

"Can you shut the door?" Rani called.

Katelyn shut the door behind her.

"Thank you, sweetie!" Kelly said as the door shut.

"Okay. Any objections to Katelyn joining the harem?" Kat asked. "Rani?"

"Of course not. She's cute." Rani said. "Not sure where she falls in the sexuality spectrum, but she was open to trying things Saturday. You care about her. Kat gets along with her, which is a rarity we shouldn't let escape." She winked at Kat, who stuck her tongue out. "And Arthur likes her."

"I like her okay. She had my back at brunch." Mindy said. "She's not my type, but she's cute! She can take the cute title, and I'll graduate to sexy."

"You are sexy." Rani said, patting Mindy's leg. "But cute, too. Don't fight it, babe."

"I love her, obviously." Kat said, which made Rani gasp and 'clutch her pearls, ' which was her collar's hanging o-ring. "Not that way. I love her like a sister. Like you guys." She gestured.

Rani clutched Mindy's arm. "Oh my god, you guys. Kat loves us."

"Oh, shut up." Kat said. She rolled her eyes, sat back, crossed her arms, and crossed her legs.

"We love you too, Brat." Rani winked at her.

Selene scooted over, taking Katelyn's abandoned seat, and patted Kat's knee.

"I can't wait to watch Master fuck her again." Selene said. "What about you?" She asked Kelly.

"I have no objections." Kelly said. The eyes of the harem hung on her. "Katelyn can be a lot, but she needs this sisterhood, and Arthur will be good for her. We all will be."

"I agree." Selene said.

"Though, Babygirl overlaps with Brat territory." Rani said, gesturing toward Kat. "The pink, the cute--"

"But without the attitude." Kat finished her sentence. "Katelyn's a doormat, like Selene. No offense."

"None taken." Selene said. "Master can step on me whenever he wants."

Rani chuckled.

"So we're good to welcome her into the sisterhood?" Kelly asked. "Can we add her to the chats?"

"Sure! What's her official harem name?" Selene asked.

"She gets to choose it like we did." Kelly said. "That's between her and Arthur. Let's do an official vote. Do you want a secret ballot? Or should we just raise our hands?"

"You decide, Mistress." Selene said. The others shrugged or nodded in agreement.

"Okay, a show of hands." Kelly said in a desire to keep things simple. "Remember, it has to be unanimous. Everyone in favor of adding Katelyn to the harem?"

Everyone raised their hands.

"All opposed?" Kelly asked, and everyone lowered their hands. Rani put her arm around Mindy as her hand dropped. The others kept their hands in their laps. "Great! Katelyn is officially part of the harem."

"Pending Arthur's confirmation?" Rani asked.

"Arthur approved her already." Kelly said. "From what Katelyn told me of their lunch date yesterday."

"Can we call him Master while we're in the meeting?" Selene asked. "And use our harem names? It's more..."

"Deviant?" Kat asked.

"I was going to say respectful." Selene said. "It helps put me in the right frame of mind. But both work."

"I don't mind." Mindy said, giggling. "It turns me on to call him boss."

"We can try." Kelly said, her voice somewhat more stern than before. "But you can't force that on people, Selene."

"Yes, Mistress." Selene said, bowing her head.

"Now go tell Katelyn the good news!" Kelly said, gesturing to the second bedroom door.

Selene trotted over to the door and knocked before opening it. The Spirit of Halloween bags sat in there, but she suspected Katelyn had been listening at the door. Instead, she was perusing what remained of the titles on the bookshelves. Arthur's collection appeared to interest her.

"One of us! One of us!" Rani started the chant, and the others joined in, clapping along with the chant as Selene led Katelyn by the hand to the chairs. Katelyn curtseyed before she sat, and the beat of the chant turned to applause.

"Welcome to the harem, officially." Kelly said, smiling at her roommate and blowing her a kiss. "Master will affirm it when he gets here."

"We should present her to him. Bound and waiting for her collar." Selene said.

Katelyn chuckled. "Sounds hot, but I'm not sure how much tying I can take with this sling."

"We'll see." Kelly said. She stood, stepped in front of Katelyn, and kissed her forehead. "Welcome."

Katelyn blushed. "Thank you, Mistress."

Kelly blushed and retook her seat.

Selene slid from her seat and knelt before Katelyn. "Welcome to the harem." She said. Katelyn patted her on the head, and Selene retook her seat between Katelyn and Kelly.

"I'm not getting up." Rani declared. "But welcome to the harem."

"Yeah! Welcome!" Mindy said.

Kat reached over and squeezed Katelyn's hand. Katelyn returned the squeeze.

"Our newest dickster!" Mindy clapped.

"Dickster?" Katelyn asked.

"Dick sister." Rani explained. "Cause we share a dick."

"Oh." Katelyn laughed. "You mean tunnel sisters?"

"Gross." Kelly shook her head. "Sharing is weird enough when you think about it. We don't need vulgar terms thrown around."

"Wouldn't tunnel sisters be if you shared a tunnel?" Selene asked. "Like, Rani and I have both had sex with Mindy, so we're tunnel sisters?"

"That's not how it's used." Katelyn said, shaking her head. "I don't make the rules."

"Master does." Selene said, smiling. "I'll ask him."

"I prefer dicksters." Mindy said, pouting. "Can we vote on this?"

The girls laughed.

"Or, we can move on to the next agenda item." Kelly said, clacking the wooden dildo against the coffee table again.

"Can we discuss Lynn?" Kat asked, raising her hand. "We need to do something about her."

"Yeah, she showed up at the bookstore?" Kelly asked, turning toward Selene.

"Can we hold that conversation until Arthur is here?" Rani asked. "He had something he wanted to say about her. He should be part of that conversation."

Kelly nodded. Rani was right. Whatever Arthur had to say deserved to be heard. Though she wondered what it was. Was he finally going to confide in them about her tormenting him in high school and give them the details? She had details she could share, but it was his place more than hers.

"Yeah, we can wait for Arthur. You're right. He needs to be part of that." Kelly agreed. "In that case, the next discussion is the Renaissance Faire this weekend."

"Ooo." Katelyn said. "I have the perfect costume for that."

"Oh yeah?" Rani asked. "What's your costume?"

"Well, it's this flower-shaped pink mini-dress with fairy wings. Kind of Tinkerbell-ish." Katelyn said.

"Sounds cute." Mindy said. "The dress I ordered for it came in today. I'm going as a sexy medieval witch."

"I'm going as a djinn." Rani said. "My outfit is jewelry, veils, and a bikini. Or body tape instead. I have to check their dress code."

"It's beach rules, but I'd suggest shorts and a bikini top instead of tape." Kelly said. "Sexy is okay, but there are kids there. If the costumes are too inappropriate, they might ask us to leave without a refund."

"I'm wearing my chainmail bikini and elf ears." Selene said, posing as if she were wearing it. "It has cloth on the inside, so it's not obscene or anything, but it shows skin."

"You might want to add something else to it." Kelly warned her. "Maybe silks or something?"

"I have some you can use." Rani said.

"Thanks." Selene bowed her head toward Rani.

"I have a pirate-ish outfit and a corset. I need a tricorn hat, but I can get one at the Faire." Kelly said. "They have a lot of shops at the Faire, apparently, so I might pick up more costume pieces as we go. But I might go without the green orc body paint we discussed. I watched some tutorials, and it's involved."

"Well, my outfit is the least sexy." Kat said with a sigh. "It's just an Elizabethan costume dress, with a hoop skirt and everything. It's pretty! But it covers everything. I was going to add vampire teeth to go as a vampire."

"Trade the skirt for your bloomers, and now we're talking." Rani said.

"That could work." Selene said, nodding.

"We'll see." Kat said, shrugging. "What time are we leaving?"

Kelly activated her phone and turned to the website she had on one of her tabs. "Well, the gates open at nine-thirty, but they have a pre-show at nine-ten. Everyone on the website says to arrive early. If we leave at six, we should be set."

"Six AM?" Kat asked. "As in, in the morning?"

"It's over two hours away. So, we should meet here at five-thirty if we're going to carpool." Kelly said.

"If we leave at six, that gets us there an hour before the pre-gate show." Rani said.

"That's assuming no traffic. We'll hit traffic, especially as we get closer to the Faire, we'll stop for coffee, and we'll have costume stuff to fix and put on, right? So we'll need the extra time." Kelly said, making a clear argument for leaving early that made the others realize she'd thought about this. Rising early didn't bother her, but she'd expected pushback from Kat and Rani, both of whom seemed allergic to the early hours.

"If we have extra time, that's more time for fooling around with Master in the parking lot." Selene suggested. "It's win-win."

Kat rolled her eyes. "Leave it to Slut to find that silver lining to an early morning wake-up."

"We can stop for coffee." Kelly assured everyone. "If we make good time, we'll be there for the pre-gate show. If we don't, we still won't be the last ones there."

"When will we be home?" Kat asked. "I'm assuming it'll be a late night?"

"Well, the jousting tournament and Faire end at five-thirty." Kelly said. "But, there's an after-dark, adults only, segment that starts at five-thirty, so we might return well after midnight."

"Are we staying for that?" Kat asked.

"I'd like to!" Selene said. "They have a wet chemise contest and a kilt contest for the men. I wasn't able to go before, but it sounds fun!"

"I'm in." Rani said, raising her hand and snapping like she was dancing. "Who doesn't love to party with hot, wet women and hot guys in kilts?"

Mindy shrugged. "Will they let me in?"

"Girl, I got you." Rani said. "We'll get you a fake ID. I know a guy."

"Are we okay with that?" Kat asked, pointing at Rani. "That's illegal."

"I won't drink if that's an issue." Mindy said, promising. "But I want to have fun with you guys, not wait in the car."

"Speaking of cars, who's driving?" Katelyn asked. "I doubt there's a car that can fit all of us."

"I wish there was." Kelly said. "But I don't mind driving. I figured my SUV is the most comfortable, and Master can take the others."

"Master shouldn't drive." Selene said. "He should sit in the backseat with us."

"Not fair." Kelly pouted. "If anything, you should drive, and he should sit in the backseat with me." She meant it playfully, but she could only imagine how horny she'd be if she had to watch him fuck everyone but her over a two-hour drive. Not that she wanted to fuck, but there were other ways to reach a big O.

"Of course, Mistress." Selene said, taking her word for an order.

"We could always rent a car." Rani said, shrugging. "Or, with our numbers, a bus?"

"Could we get a bus?" Selene asked. "That sounds expensive."

"It's not that bad." Rani said. "They charge by the hour, though, which adds up."

"We'd have to be twenty-five to rent a car." Kelly said.

"Really?" Mindy asked.

Kelly nodded. "It's an insurance thing, I guess, but yeah. You have to be twenty-five. Even additional drivers have to be twenty-five, so we can't beg Deb to rent it in her name and let us drive it. She'd have to drive it."

"That won't work, then." Mindy said, pouting. "I love Deb, but we don't need a chaperone."

"Let me see what I can do. I've been looking at buying a car, and my dad promised to help when I did. I can convince him a passenger van is the way to go." Rani said, shrugging.

"Or a Greyhound bus." Mindy said, squeezing Rani closer as she giggled at her teasing.

"How many are going?" Kelly asked, looking at Selene. "Have you heard from Brad about the theater club joining us?"

"Wait, what?" Rani asked. "I thought it was just us."

"I'm sorry." Selene said, bowing toward Rani. "I got excited this morning and invited Brad and the theater club while we were at the gym. He was complaining about not getting to hang out with Master because we're taking up his time, so I... I opened my big fat mouth."

"Which is fine." Kelly said, intervening. "It's good for Arthur to have friends who aren't trying to fuck him. There will be other people there anyway. It's a public space. The more the merrier, right?"

"That's true." Rani said. "Who else is coming? I wasn't planning on seeing anyone from school there."

"It's not confirmed yet, but I invited Brad, Jen, Mark, Maria, Caleb, and Logan." Selene answered. "But they don't have to carpool with us."

"Not unless they want to watch you suck Master's cock in the back seat." Kat rolled her eyes.

Selene blushed but accepted the idea. "I wouldn't mind if they did."

"So, everyone in the theater club except Yvonne, then?" Rani asked after tallying the names.

"She quit the theater club." Selene said as if that should explain her lack of invitation more than her antagonism.

"I know." Rani said. "I just thought it might be an olive branch. Or what if she reaches out and tries to repair things before then?"

"She won't." Selene said, sitting back and crossing her legs. "She's a total bitch."

"Okay." Rani raised her hands in surrender.

A knock at the door made them jump. Mindy sprang up from the sofa to check the peephole.

"If that's Yvonne, I'm quitting school to become a witch." Rani said, turning her head to watch Mindy's butt in her tight skirt stride past her.

"Dinner's here!" Mindy called out.

Selene, the only one naked, hid behind the door. Mindy opened it, and Rani, Kat, and Kelly helped bucket-line the food to the coffee table. The delivery guy, for his part, was far too friendly. Perhaps it was Mindy's 'Whore' collar catching the hallway light.

"So, what is this, a book club or something?" He asked Mindy as he handed over the last of the food. His eyes fell on the wooden dildo. "Or are you lovely ladies having a sex toy party?" He asked. "Are you old enough for that?" He asked Mindy, trying to flirt. She was, despite her sexy business casual outfit, the youngest of the group.

"We're a harem." Mindy answered as if it were the most normal thing in the world.

"What?" The guy asked, surprised and assuming he'd misheard.

"We're a harem. Our boyfriend is in class right now, so we're waiting for him to come home so we can fuck." Mindy said, giggling. "Have a good night!" She closed the door before the delivery guy could respond.

Rani laughed. "That was cruel. Now the poor guy has to walk three flights of stairs with a boner."

Mindy giggled. "Trust me, as a fellow delivery person, he's seen worse."

Dinner disrupted the meeting as containers passed from hand to hand, and most people ate on their laps. Those who needed plates took them from the cabinets, and Selene fetched everyone water from the fridge and glasses for the soda Rani ordered. Mountain Dew wouldn't have been Kelly's first choice, but she avoided soda as a regular rule.

They chatted as they ate, catching each other up on their week. Kat recounted Monday night, Selene retold her morning, but Rani and Mindy dominated the storytelling. By the time they'd finished, they caught everyone up on the drama of the last two days. Kat, Beth, and Arthur had their fun. Selene had an eventful theater club meeting. Rani met Yvonne. Kat, Beth, and Arthur met Lynn in the morning. Lynn outed Mindy to her parents. Deb came to Mindy's rescue. Rani, Arthur, and Thalia completed the photoshoot and flirted with race play. The details and how Mindy told the story made Kelly nervous as it progressed, even though she knew the outcome from their earlier chat.

Mindy's mom was bi, too. She understood her daughter's sexuality, and although she didn't approve of promiscuity, she still accepted and loved her daughter. Kelly wondered what that was like and found herself distracted as Mindy told the story of her parents and Arthur's parents having dinner.

"Arthur's mom is goals." Rani said, eating her last French fry. "And she keeps it tight."

Mindy giggled.

"But there's a chance your parents won't let you move in?" Kat asked, concern evident in her voice.

"I'm moving in." Mindy said. Her determination was steadfast. "It's up to them whether they disown me over it."

"Strong stance." Rani said, hugging Mindy to her. "Love it."

"But if they disown you, can you afford the rent?" Kat asked.

"It'd be tight." Mindy admitted. "But I have my office job, and I'd have a semester before my meal plan runs out." She said, shrugging. "I'll figure it out."

"Okay." Kat said, surrendering before she entered the bathroom and closed the door.

"Should we get a hotel for the Ren Faire?" Selene asked, drawing the conversation back to the meeting once the food was gone. "We can't let Master pay for it alone this time, and if he suggests it while we're there, he'll end up covering the cost again. You know how he is."

Kelly nodded. "That's a fair point." She pulled up her phone. "Looks like there are hotels nearby, but we'd have to get multiple rooms. There's a campground, though. We could take tents and go camping!"

"I'm not going anywhere without running water!" Kat called through the door from the bathroom, flushing as if to demonstrate her point.

"Camping would be cheaper than a hotel, right?" Mindy asked.

"Definitely." Katelyn said. "And more privacy, depending on how far from other people we camp."

"We're sleeping in the same room anyway." Rani said, shrugging. "But yeah, seven-person occupancy is pushing it for most hotels, but camping isn't my style either. What if we Airbnb a house? We could spend the entire weekend out there, depending on everyone's fall break plans."

Kelly and Katelyn glanced at each other. "Well, we were going to her family's cabin." Kelly said, gesturing to Katelyn.

"We'd invite everyone, but it's not that big a cabin. It'd be cramped." Katelyn said.

"Master plans to move into the house over fall break, anyway." Selene said. "And Kat and I are packing up our stuff, too."

Kat returned from the bathroom after washing her hands. "What are we doing?"

"Packing our stuff to move over fall break?" Selene asked.

"Nope." Kat shook her head. "Master has to do that, remember? He lost the bet."

"But--" Selene's protest ended as Kat tugged her braid as she walked behind her to her seat. "Ow!"

"You love it." Kat said, sitting. "He lost the bet. He packs and moves our stuff. And you're not letting him get out of it by playing the slave card and doing the manual labor for him. That was the deal."

Selene rolled her eyes. "Fine."

"Well, I just had homework on my schedule." Rani said.

"Same." Mindy nodded. "So we can help Master pack your things."

Rani looked at Mindy, glaring at her for the audacity of volunteerism. "Not what I was going to suggest." She chuckled.

"Aw, come on, it'll be fun!" Mindy said, patting Rani's thigh. "Besides, then we get to go through their stuff."

Rani glanced at Kat. "Ooo, okay, now I'm interested."

"No." Kat said in warning. She wagged her finger at Rani. "No, you're not going through my stuff."

"Oh, I'm going through your stuff." Rani said. "I'm gonna find your most embarrassing secrets and whisper them to Master so he can punish you for them like the brat you are. I bet you have a diary, right? I'll find it."

Kat said nothing to that. She folded her arms and huffed.

"Okay, order." Kelly said, clacking her wooden dildo gavel against the coffee table as she looked up from her phone. "Hotel for Ren Faire, Saturday night, two connected rooms, so four queen-sized beds total, breaks down to fifty bucks a person. We'd have to share beds, obviously."

"Who gets Master's bed?" Selene asked.

"She does." Rani said, pointing at Kelly. "She's Mistress."

"I was going to say we should draw straws." Kelly said.

"Or we could play for it?" Katelyn suggested. "I wouldn't mind sleeping in his arms for a night."

"What would we play?" Kat asked, curious.

"They have games at the Faire!" Selene said. "Axe throwing, archery, and all kinds of things. We could make a whole tournament out of it."

"A tournament at the Ren Faire sounds on theme." Rani said. "I'm down."

"I'm in!" Mindy said, pointing and sweeping her arm across everyone. "You're going down!"

"I'll go down on you if you want." Selene winked at her and she and Mindy giggled.

"I'm at a handicap there." Katelyn said, gesturing to her arm in its sling. "But... I might beat someone at axe or knife throwing."

"You can choose your games." Kelly said, asserting her authority in the matter. "For the rest of us, it should be random."

"Okay." Everyone more or less agreed, and Mindy jotted it in her notes.

"I'll send you the hotel info so you can forward it to Brad and company if they want to book rooms." Kelly said to Selene.

"Should we book the hotel for Friday night, too?" Katelyn asked.

"Oh, so, Friday night." Selene said. "You weren't in the chat, but we're letting Master have a guys' night with Mark and Brad, his friends." Selene said. "And I had a question for the group. Is it okay if I convince Maria and Jen to join me in giving them a surprise? We'd dress slutty and play waitresses for the guys."

"Oh." Katelyn said. "Okay. That sounds hot."

"That does sound pretty hot." Kelly agreed. She'd had similar fantasies before and wouldn't mind doing that with Arthur. "Do you want all of us?"

"Well, with Brad and Mark there, it might be more comfortable if it was just me. They've seen me in my sports bras and stuff before, backstage." Selene said.

"Oh, that's a good point." Kelly said, tapping her finger against her chin. "I don't think I'm comfortable getting naked in front of anyone but you gals and Master."

"Same." Kat said, pointing at Kelly.

"I'd be comfortable, but I really need the night for homework." Rani said, frowning.

"Would you be okay if this counted as your one-on-one date night with Master if it's just you, him, and your friends?" Kelly asked.

Selene nodded. "Absolutely."

"Okay." Kelly agreed. "Show of hands, everyone in favor?"

Mindy hesitated, but everyone else raised their hands, so she did, too.

Selene smiled. "Thanks! I can't wait."

"You're really okay with Maria, Mark, Brad, and Jen seeing you in full slave mode?" Kat asked, glancing at her sister.

"Sure." Selene said, nodding. "It's not like I'd be humiliated in front of the entire school. They're our friends, and they know we're kinky."

"What if things get steamy or if Arthur orders you to suck him off while they play video games?" Mindy asked.

"I'm hoping for it." Selene said. "That'd be hot as fuck, showing them that side of me, teasing them. Maria and Jen can take care of Mark and Brad, and I'd be there for Master."

"Are you recruiting them?" Rani asked.

"No, not at all. I'm not interested in Mark or Brad, and I don't think either would be okay with Arthur doing anything with Maria or Jen." Selene said. "My plan is for us to stick to our partners but in the same room."

"What if Arthur offers you to one of them?" Katelyn asked. "Is that a thing?"

"He wouldn't." Selene said. "That was on my checklist. He knows my limits. He's the only one I'll submit to." She glanced at Kelly. "Well, the only man. And safe words still apply. I trust them. If any of us are uncomfortable, we'll stop everything, no hard feelings."

The girls nodded.

"And is Arthur okay with this?" Kat asked.

"I want it to be a surprise!" Selene said. "Imagine the look on their faces when the three of us girls step out in collars, cuffs, and lingerie to serve them dinner, beer, or whatever?"

There were several awkward glances between the girls. Kat didn't look thrilled with the idea. Kelly, Katelyn, and Rani looked apprehensive but decided not to say anything. Mindy beamed, her enthusiasm as bright as Selene's.

"Okay, well, have fun with that." Kelly said, moving on.

Kelly liked the idea but wasn't comfortable doing that with others. Selene was braver with her submission than Kelly. Kelly and Brad knew each other from the gym. They respected each other. She wouldn't have been able to face him without embarrassment if he'd seen her at the hotel. That wasn't a side of herself she was prepared to share with Brad or those outside the harem. She'd dressed like a Domme, spanking the others and serving Arthur at his every sexual whim. Or dressed as a maid, lifting her skirt for Arthur to eat her out while she rode the dryer downstairs. That side of her was only for Arthur and the girls. The people she loved and trusted.

She supposed it was like the arousing reminders that flashed through her when she saw the girls. Occasionally, there'd be a glance, a sigh, or a movement that reminded her of last weekend and their sexual escapades. Her cheeks would blush, and her system would warm up, anticipating foreplay or something greater. Maybe that was what Selene was after. It would make the theater club meetings more interesting.

"No Caleb or Logan at this guys' night?" Rani asked.

"They have their band." Selene said. "They always have gigs on Fridays, sometimes Saturdays. So he and Logan might not make it to the Faire either."

"Gotcha." Rani nodded.

"Next item on the agenda..." Kelly said, glancing at her phone. "Are everyone's Halloween plans still the same?"

Everyone nodded.

"Okay, then we should prepare for Arthur's arrival. Selene, do you still want to braid everyone's hair?" Kelly asked.

"Well, I can't do everyone's." Selene said, counting heads in the room and dividing their remaining time.

"Mindy and I can do each other." Rani said, intending the innuendo that made Mindy giggle.

"My hair's too short to braid." Kat said.

"And I can braid you and Babygirl." Selene said, moving behind Kelly as she spoke to get started. Kelly passed her a hairbrush from her purse and sat straight but away from the back of the chair to let Selene brush out her hair.

"Is that my harem name?" Katelyn asked. "Because I used it last weekend?"

"If you want." Kat said. "If you want something else, I'm sure Master will oblige."

"I don't know." Katelyn said. "I enjoyed calling him Daddy, don't get me wrong, but I enjoyed pretending to be his pet, too. Would Pet be a good nickname? Or Princess? That might cover both. But what if I want to try a bunch of different things or names? Is that okay? I'm still... I'm new to this. Sean wasn't that adventurous."

"Sure." Rani said, brushing Mindy's hair. "It's up to you and what you enjoy being called."

"I don't enjoy being called a brat." Kat said, interjecting by raising her hand.

"You love it when Master calls you a brat and tells you to be a good girl." Selene argued.

Kat squirmed in her chair. "Okay... maybe."

The girls laughed and continued braiding each other's hair. They wanted matching hairstyles for their matching costumes later. Kat pitched in, helping braid Katelyn's while Selene braided Kelly's.

~~~

Arthur stepped out of his evening class after the professor dismissed everyone. The flood of students created a current that flowed toward the parking lot and dispersed after the exit as they drifted to their individual cars. He shot the harem chat a quick text to let them know he was on his way.

Arthur slowed his approach as he reached the edge of the lot where he'd parked. He put his phone away, but left his hand on it just in case. Someone was standing there, leaning against his car.

Arthur glanced behind him, but the others here were already far away. They'd hear him if he shouted, but that was no guarantee they'd come. An emergency campus security pole stood not far away. The university installed them to summon campus security and keep people safe, but response time varied.

He checked his phone but had no new messages. The girls were waiting for him to return. It wasn't Sanjay, or Jace, or even a male figure. A busty feminine figure waited for him in the poorly lit spot. Her face hid in shadow, and her baggy clothes obscured much of her figure beyond the general outline.

His heart pounded in his chest. Lynn had gone to the bookstore earlier. Had she hung around to bother him? The figure seemed similar, but Lynn didn't wear baggy clothes. She showed her body off with every chance she got. Should he even go to his car? Was there someone he could call? He might have gone to Mindy's or Rani's dorm if they hadn't been at his apartment.

He hesitated and peered through the shadows to see who it was. The figure noticed him and stood upright, lifting their butt off his car door and looking up at him.

"Yvonne?" Arthur asked, surprised. He recognized the Beauty and the Beast hoodie before her face. The hoodie displayed a white silhouette of Beast's head and claw, holding a red rose over her breasts and stomach with her hands in the hoodie pockets.

Yvonne smiled weakly at him, withdrew her hands from her hoodie, and waved awkwardly before gripping her hand like she was trying to wring courage out of her fingers. "Hey, Arthur. Can we talk?"

"Uh..." Arthur glanced behind him again. Cars were starting and pulling away. "I'm sorry. I have people waiting for me."

"Oh." Yvonne shrank. "Right. Of course."

"Tomorrow." Arthur said, trying to think of somewhere they could talk that wouldn't be them alone. "How about lunch in the cafe?" He asked. "We'll get a table and chat. I wanted to discuss your leaving the Theater Club."

"You did?" Yvonne asked. Surprise rang clear in her voice. "With everything else I did, that's what you're worried about?"

"Yeah." Arthur said, still standing at least three paces away from her. "I still can't believe you quit. I was going to try to convince you to come back."

"You want me to come back?" Yvonne asked, still surprised. More surprising was the vibrato of emotion in her voice, thickening her words as she spoke them.

"I know how much the club means to you and how hard you work." Arthur said. "It shocked me when Selene told me you quit."

Shocked was an understatement, and for more than her quitting. Her trying to force him out of the club had surprised him, too. The source of her enmity remained a mystery since Selene explained that what she'd seen was consensual.

If Yvonne thought he shoved Selene in his trunk non-consensually, it made sense she'd be upset. Even then, shouldn't she have called the police and not jumped to spreading rumors that he was a sexual deviant? Why had no one asked him about the rumors?

So far, no one had confronted him about it. People acted weird about his polyamorous relationships, but no one had accused him of anything despite whatever rumors Yvonne spread. Though, to be fair, he hadn't been socializing as much as he used to when he and Lori were dating. Still, he had questions. Like why Yvonne had quit over everyone refusing to throw him out on baseless accusations.

"Yeah... well... they didn't give me much choice." Yvonne said, her tone turning bitter.

"We'll talk about it tomorrow." Arthur said, not wanting to get into an argument while they were alone in the middle of the parking lot. Something about Yvonne made him not want to be alone with her.

"Are you sure you wouldn't prefer to throw me in the trunk and have your way with me?" Yvonne asked. "Dominate me like some dark prince, make me one of your sluts, and order me to get back to work at the Theater club?"

Arthur stepped back, increasing the distance between them with a look of horror on his face.

Yvonne sniffled, wiping her nose as she cried. "I'm sorry. I meant that as a joke, I swear. I didn't mean to disgust you with the idea." The girl before him crumpled into herself, holding her sleeves over her face as she stood and wept.

Arthur swallowed. His instinct was to comfort her, but she'd spread rumors about him, damaged his reputation, and bullied him like... ah. That was why Yvonne made him uneasy. She reminded him too much of Lynn. But unlike Lynn, Yvonne and he still had some friendship. Or at least, they had, until Arthur started dating Selene and the others, and Yvonne flipped on him.

Was she jealous? No, that couldn't be right. Arthur couldn't presume any romantic interest. They'd played opposite each other and kissed on stage, but he knew better than to confuse the characters with the actors. She was pretty and attractive, but any chemistry or romantic sparks had been in the script. Still, his reaction must have come across as harsh. No one preferred to think of themselves as disgusting.

"You don't disgust me." Arthur said. "But I don't want you to accuse me of anything like you have been. It's best if we keep our interactions in public places. I am really uncomfortable right now and want to get home."

"I make you uncomfortable?" Yvonne asked.

"Yes." Arthur answered honestly.

"You should be the one making me uncomfortable." Yvonne said, wiping her face with her sleeve. "You're a guy. A hot, strong, muscular guy. You could take me like you took that slutbag, Selene. Right now, you could force yourself on me and do whatever you wanted if you wanted me, but you don't, do you? You think I'm disgusting."

"I don't think you're disgusting, Yvonne. But I'd never take anyone like that outside of my girlfriend asking me to play out her fantasy with her. If you think I'm someone who would do that because I can't control myself, you don't know me at all." Arthur said.

"I saw you!" Yvonne protested. "You let passion take over, manhandled Selene and put her in your trunk. You were so rough with her, like your lust for her finally made you lose control."

"Because that's what she wanted." Arthur said. "I prefer having control during sex over myself and my partners. That much is true. I won't apologize for preferring to be dominant with my partners. It's honestly the only way I feel safe enough to have sex. And we always have a safeword in place, so there are no misunderstandings, accusations, or problems. But I've never forced that dynamic, or myself, on anyone. I never will."

Confusion colored Yvonne's eyes as she studied his face. "The only way you feel safe?"

Arthur didn't answer. He stared her down, refusing to elaborate. She, meanwhile, let her gaze wander from his eyes to his body, resting on his lips.

"God, you're too fuckin' perfect, and you don't even know it." Yvonne mumbled to herself so that Arthur barely caught what she'd said.

"What?" Arthur asked, not believing his ears.

"Just... Ugh. Fine. Lunch. Tomorrow. Okay. In the cafe, but just you and me, right? No Selene? No Rani?" Yvonne asked.

"Sure." Arthur agreed, confused about how Rani entered the equation.

She stepped away from his car and returned her hands to the pocket of her hoodie. "I'll see you then. Go have fun with whoever is waiting for you. And... in the meantime... I'm sorry. For everything."

Arthur watched her walk away, keeping his eyes on her shoulders as they slumped and her head bowed in defeat. She was upset and off balance. Sad enough that Arthur couldn't help his impulse to help. To do or say something that might lift her spirits.

"Hey, Yvonne?" He called out. She stopped and looked behind her. "Do you have someone to talk to, or... something?"

"Caleb isn't answering my calls." Yvonne said, shrugging as if it were no big deal that her best friend had cut contact. "I left pretty nasty voicemails after the theater club meeting and... I made things worse. He blocked me."

"I'm sure he's just giving you time to cool off." Arthur said. "Give him space, and the two of you will be back to usual in no time."

"Sure." Yvonne said, not arguing, but there was no hope or belief in her words.

"Have some hot cocoa, and listen to a soundtrack." Arthur said. "That always helps me feel better when I'm down."

She gave him a thumbs-up and turned her back toward him. She left the parking lot behind her as she returned to the dorm.

Arthur climbed into his car and let loose a ragged exhale of exhausted energy with his hands on the wheel. His pulse was racing through the suburban streets toward his apartment. He had to distract himself and lift his mood before he saw the girls.

He listened to the Broadway soundtrack of Beauty and the Beast on his drive back to his apartment. Beast would have been his preference for roles, but he had to admit he enjoyed singing along with Gaston's numbers. Villains always had the better songs. Plus, the mob song at the end was a favorite. He hadn't made it anywhere near that by the time he pulled into his apartment complex.

He parked next to Kelly's SUV and texted before heading upstairs.

Master: I'm here! On my way up!

Slut: We're ready for you!

Arthur stopped to get his mail and shoved the bills into his backpack. He stopped when he noticed someone watching him. A college-aged girl had ascended to the landing from one of the sub-level apartments. She stared at him and kept staring.

"Uh... can I help you?" Arthur asked.

She shook her head, still staring at him.

She looked familiar, but Arthur had difficulty placing her face. He didn't recognize her from campus. Her long, auburn hair covered half her face. Her sweater and jeans combo gave him no information about her figure other than her average bust. Still, he was confident he'd seen her before. Then it clicked. "Oh, you're the girl from the laundry room, right?" He asked. "Sorry about that, my girlfriend and I--"

"No, I'm sorry for walking in on you like that." She said. "I uh... I was just surprised."

"Well, don't worry, we learned our lesson. We won't be doing that again." Arthur said.

"Oh? Did you not like going down on her?" She asked.

Arthur laughed, which made the girl blush. "No, I meant in the laundry room." He said, still laughing.

She laughed back, laughing at herself. "Right. Right. Makes sense. Sorry."

"No worries." Arthur said, nodding. "Have a good night."

"You too!" She called as Arthur started his trek to ascend the stairs.

He assumed he would, but he had a tough conversation ahead. Time was up. He'd told Rani he'd tell the others about Lynn at the harem meeting. Could he push that conversation to tomorrow? It seemed a pity to do the emotional labor of telling them about Lynn this late at night. Did he have the energy for it? Did they have the energy to listen? Maybe waiting for another time was the right call.

No. He owed them the truth, and there would never be a perfect time. Besides, Rani wouldn't let him get away with pushing it off again. She could be bossy for someone who called him her king and pretended to be his concubine.

Arthur stopped at the landing, making noise as he put his key into the lock and unlocked his door. The door swung open to reveal an empty apartment. Well, empty besides discarded purses and bags around the coffee table. The left half of his living room was a mess. The right half was empty. Between them, his empty office chair faced the front door smack dab in the middle of the rectangular room. He locked the door behind him and set his backpack on the floor against the sofa.

"Master?" Selene called from the second bedroom behind its closed door.

"Yeah?" Arthur called.

"Have a seat in your chair." Selene said through the door.

Arthur sat in his chair and turned it toward the bedroom door. He took a moment, straightening his spine and transforming into Dom mode. Getting into character was easy, even if he was low on energy tonight. "Okay!" He called.

Kelly stepped out first, and Arthur's breath caught in his chest. She wore a replica of Princess Leia's slave bikini, minus the golden collar and chain, but with black leather bondage cuffs on her wrists and ankles. Her personal collar clasped her neck instead, with its three-strand pearl choker. She'd twisted her shiny red hair into the high single braid from the movie. She looked terrific, even if her braid wasn't long enough to reach far past her shoulders.

The golden bra wrapped around green velvet cups small enough that her freckled breasts spilled over the edges. Arthur licked his lips as she walked forward. The long violet two-panel skirt was narrow in front and back, designed to tease as it slid between her bared thighs. The matching booty shorts beneath the gold bikini plates didn't detract from the sex appeal. It gave the panel skirt the appearance of wrapping around her before falling to her ankle cuffs, which topped her bare feet. She walked silkily toward him, pulling on a thin golden chain that stretched behind her from her wrist cuff.

The thin golden chain connected to a familiar golden collar, and Rani stepped from the bedroom wearing the same costume. It fit her differently and showed more skin around her hips and behind because she didn't wear the shorts. Her hips spilled out of the bikini, and the rear panel only covered half her ass where the cheeks met. The lines of her hips curved between the open ovals on the side of her bikini bottoms and made Arthur stiffen in his slacks. The top had a gap between its hard plastic mold and her athletic c-cup breasts, but that only made for more of a show.

Her dark brown complexion didn't contrast with the dark green or purple colors as sharply as Kelly's pale, freckled skin, but the gold looked brilliant on her. Her thick midnight black hair held the braid well, and her honey-brown eyes dipped to Arthur's crotch as she swayed her ample hips with every step. She, too, wore the wrist and ankle cuffs, which connected to a thin gold chain that tied to Mindy's costume collar above her 'whore' collar.

Mindy wore the same costume, her breasts far too big for the bikini top and consequently showing under boob. She must have been uncomfortable since the top had little give. Her panel skirt came to the top of her ankle cuffs, and she also had ditched the shorts. She smiled as she trotted forward, bouncing her breasts for Arthur's benefit. She clung to Rani's backside when she caught up, placing one hand on her shoulder and the other on Rani's stomach, between her pierced navel and the top. The gold jewelry Rani wore matched the bikini.

Kelly stood before Arthur, sinking to her knees between his legs. Rani knelt on his right. Mindy separated from her and knelt on his left. Selene and Kat followed behind them, each wearing the same costume without the shorts. Both looked stunning.

Selene, holding her own leash, danced forward as though she were performing a belly dance. She rolled her semi-muscular stomach and hips with every step, her hands writhing above her head as if in the throes of passion. Arthur wasn't sure he could get more erect. Yet his dick strained to grow further every time the lines of her body curved in her dance. She knelt in Nadu beside Mindy and dropped her gaze.

Kat made a less impressive entrance than her sister. Still, her soft curves and brief, nervous smile when she met Arthur's eyes made his eyes linger on her. He nodded his encouragement to her, and she bit her lip. She knelt in Nadu across from Selene, glaring at her. "Show off." She muttered under her breath. Rani nudged Kat beside her, and she fell silent. Rani and Mindy took up the Nadu pose as well.

"And we have one more, Master." Kelly said, rising to her knees, leaning over him, and whispering in his ear. "Shall I fetch the new girl in your harem?"

Arthur cleared his throat, straightening and adjusting to his surprise. His wide eyes searched out the girls before him, admiring the view from above. Kat's crescent hips looked delicious in her bikini. The fabric panel had fallen aside, showing her pussy, while the rest had dropped between their legs in the Nadu pose.

He was silent for too long, then laughed at having forgotten to answer. To be fair, he defied anyone to think of anything when presented with a harem of slave princesses as hot as his girlfriends kneeling in submission.

"Yes." Arthur said, his voice more confident and stern than he expected. "Present her to me."

Kelly kissed his cheek and stood. She disconnected from Rani's leash and put it in Arthur's hand. Then she walked over the crisscrossing chain leashes to the bedroom. Her high peach-shaped ass looked amazing as the thin velvet poured over it. She disappeared into the room and emerged with another leash in hand. This gold chain attached to a gold, velcroed costume collar, and Katelyn's long-legged figure emerged behind her.

Katelyn wasn't wearing her sling, which didn't seem to bother her so long as she kept her arm by her side. She looked down at the floor, embarrassed, and tried to fix the panel as it attempted to disappear between her legs. It gave her a camel toe, suggesting she wasn't wearing anything under the costume.

Her bikini top left space between her two small, puffy breasts and the molded cups. Her breasts were the smallest of the group, and she was the tallest. The long panels didn't reach as far on her legs as the others, ending in the bottom third of her slender calves. She glanced at Arthur and knelt with her legs closed at the head of the aisle the girls formed opposite him. Kelly stood behind her and lifted Katelyn's eyes to Arthur by moving her head with her braid.

"You wish to join Master's harem?" Kelly asked, looking down at Katelyn.

"Yes." Katelyn said after clearing her throat.

Kelly shook Katelyn's braid. "You will refer to me as Mistress."

"Yes, Mistress." Katelyn corrected herself. She swallowed her fear, speaking clearly despite her embarrassment as Arthur's eyes raked over her body.

"Will you obey him in whatever he orders you to do?" Kelly asked.

"Yes, Mistress." Katelyn said.

"You want to be his slave, his girlfriend, and his plaything in equal measure to the rest of us?" Kelly asked.

"Yes, Mistress." Katelyn said.

"Tell him." Kelly said and released her braid.

Arthur wondered if they'd rehearsed this after their meeting. Perhaps Kelly had fed Katelyn her lines while they were doing their hair? Whatever planning they'd done, he appreciated it. They only had to look at his lap to see how much. That was where Katelyn fixed her gaze.

"I want to be your slave, Master. Your pet." Katelyn said. "I enjoyed playing with you, getting to know you, and I want to be your girlfriend, like the others. I know you're safe and will look out for me. You'll care for me as your pet. I will please you in return, and you can play with me whenever you want, Daddy."

"Have each of you agreed to welcome a new sister into your harem?" Arthur asked, looking at Kelly but asking everyone.

"Yes, my King." Rani said.

"Yes, Boss." Mindy chimed in.

"Yes, Sir." Kat said though she glanced at Katelyn when she said it instead of Arthur.

"Yes, Master." Selene said.

"Yes, Dear." Kelly said. "We've agreed to welcome her into our family."

Arthur smiled at Kelly. She was right to call them a family. They were each other's found family. The reminder of that helped erase the anxiety he'd carried with him through the door.

He didn't need to be nervous about opening up to them, worry that he'd burden them, kill the mood, or that they'd look at him differently. They'd want him to share as much as he'd want them to share with him. He had to love and trust them, just as they loved and trusted him. He nearly teared up at the thought but swallowed his emotion and resumed his role for this little presentation scene.

Arthur lowered his eyes from Kelly to Katelyn, enjoying the view of Kelly's body as he did so. Her bikini framed her abs, breasts, and hips so perfectly that she was his new mental image for this costume. No offense to the original.

Katelyn's body wasn't as sexy by comparison, but she was cute, skinny, and fragile in a way that made him want to hold and protect her. She wanted to join them and try new adventures in the bedroom. He could guide her through that and keep her safe.

He smiled at her. She blushed and lowered her eyes to the floor between his feet.

"Have you chosen a name?" Arthur asked Katelyn. "Do you want me to find you a collar that says Babygirl?"

"If it pleases you, Master, I think, for now, I'd like you to call me Pet and make me wear the collar from last weekend. The bow was pretty." Katelyn answered.

Arthur remembered the collar. Its pink bow and silver bell were a Mindy and Rani purchase from the pet store. "Is that okay with you, Rani and Mindy? I have the collar in my room, but I didn't buy it."

"It was a gift, Master. It's yours to give." Rani said. "As are the leashes."

Mindy nodded. "Yes, Boss. It's a cute collar for a cute pet."

Arthur nodded to each. "Thank you, Concubine and Whore." He stood, and Kelly held out her hand to stop him. He stopped. She came around to him and took Rani's leash from him. He nodded to her and went into his bedroom. It didn't take him long to emerge with the collar, but he didn't retake his place in the chair. Instead, he stood behind Katelyn.

"Lift your braid with your right hand only." Arthur instructed, knowing her left was the one she'd injured.

Katelyn lifted her slave Leia braid out of the way and tilted her head to give him easier access. He wrapped the collar around her throat, tested its fit, and clicked it closed. "I hereby declare you, my Pet." Arthur said. He took her right hand and her leash from Kelly. He helped her stand, embraced her, and then kissed her as she put her hands against his chest.

She kissed him back, her eyes watering as he broke the kiss. Alarm flared in Arthur's heart, worried that the embrace had hurt her arm.

"Yellow light. Are you okay?" He asked.

"Yeah, that was just... more emotional than I thought it'd be." Katelyn wiped her eyes. "The formality was weird but kinda nice." She said, trying to explain it. "It's like a blanket. And the hug... I don't know. It was nice, warm, sexy, and safe all at once."

"I know the feeling." Arthur said. "We'll review your list of interests and limits before we get too involved, but for tonight, just follow everyone's lead and have a good time, okay? Let me know if we broach anything you don't want, and use your safewords to stop or slow down if you need them."

"Of course, Daddy." Katelyn said and kissed his cheek. "How do I get us started again?"

"Just say Green light." Arthur said, chuckling.

"Okay." Katelyn said. "Green light?"

Kelly smacked her on the ass hard. Katelyn jumped, and Arthur closed his arms around her, holding her. One foot hovered an inch off the ground. The other popped up, trying to protect her backside but falling short.

"You will refer to Master with respect." Kelly said. "It doesn't matter what title you call him by if you and he agree on it, but something respectful while we're playing. So, if he asks you a question, you will answer it with that term of endearment. It's never 'okay' or 'yes' but 'yes, sir' to you."

"Sorry!" Katelyn said. "I meant: Yes, Sir!"

Arthur chuckled and set her down. "Now kneel and take the Nadu position with the others."

"Yes, Sir." Katelyn said, dropping to her knees and looking at the floor.

"Undress me." Arthur said to Kelly.

"Yes, Sir." Kelly said. She tied Rani's leash to the arm of Arthur's chair. Then she took Katelyn's leash from him and gave it to Selene.

Arthur opened his arms, and Kelly stepped behind him, removing his suit jacket. She hung it on a hanger and returned it to the bedroom. Then she unbuttoned his shirt, standing before him with one leg bent, sliding out from behind the fabric panel to show off her inner thigh.

Arthur appreciated the view of her abs and restrained breasts as she took off his shirt and then dropped his pants and boxers. He sighed in relief as he stepped out of them and returned to his chair. Kelly put his clothes in the hamper, his phone in the charger, and his pocket contents on his dresser.

When she returned, she stood behind Katelyn, her legs spread.

"Why are you the only one with shorts under the costume?" Arthur asked, distracted by them. "Are you not comfortable without them?"

"It's my period, Master." Kelly said, blushing as she looked down.

Arthur didn't react, but he nodded, accepting her answer. "Whatever makes you comfortable." He said.

"Thank you, Sir." Kelly said, smiling.

"Now, before we get to playing..." Arthur said, licking his lips at the sight of them. "There's... something I wanted to bring up to the group." He had to tell them his history with Lynn, or he'd chicken out. Was this the right time? No. Not at all.

Their eyes lifted to him, looking at him expectantly. Their faces looked up at him from kneeling on the floor, and as he made eye contact with Selene, her curious expression only grew.

"Okay..." He said, bracing himself and kicking himself for ruining this moment. He couldn't bring himself to do it. They'd worked hard, they'd waited for him, and now they wanted to have fun. How could anyone expect him to ruin their plans for an emotional conversation only he and Rani saw coming?

"If it pleases you, Master." Selene said, speaking up when Arthur didn't, which caused Rani to frown. "We have another item of business that requires your participation."

"What is it, Slut?" Arthur asked, relieved at the interruption. His shoulders relaxed, and he nodded his chin toward her in silent permission to speak her mind.

"I earned a punishment from Mistress on Sunday." Selene said. "For almost going against your word and planning to break into Lynn's apartment at the house. I didn't do it." She said quickly at Arthur's alarm. "But only because Mistress stopped me. I offered for her to spank me, but she believed that was your job or to be done under your supervision."

Arthur looked at Kelly for confirmation, and she nodded. Arthur sighed. "What punishment would you recommend, Darling?"

Kelly swallowed. "Whatever pleases you, Sir. She promised you she'd leave Lynn alone and was planning to break her promise if I hadn't stopped her."

"Mistress stopped me because she pointed out that I also didn't listen to her at the hotel when I should have." Selene said. "And I was a very disobedient slave, Master."

"Well, I'm sure I've punished you since then for that, but not for Sunday's disrespect toward your Mistress." Arthur said, stroking his chin. "Regarding Lynn..." Arthur did not look at Rani as his fist flattened against his leg. "Did anything happen when she showed up at the Bookstore?" Arthur asked.

"Not really. I can fill you in on that later." Selene said. "This is for what happened Sunday when I nearly disobeyed Mistress a second time."

"I was there too, Master." Katelyn said, speaking up. "I feel partially responsible."

"Are you volunteering for punishment?" Arthur asked, looking at Katelyn in surprise. She hadn't enjoyed the spanking aspects, so it surprised him she was volunteering herself for one.

"No?" Katelyn asked. "I don't want punishment, but I'd feel guilty if I didn't say something." She bowed her head, letting her braid sweep over her right shoulder and fall forward toward the ground.

"Okay." Arthur said, understanding that. He needed a soft punishment for Katelyn and a harsher one for Selene. A punishment Kelly could inflict under his supervision. However, with Selene, any punishment he gave her was something she'd enjoy. "Pet, your punishment will be corner time."

"Corner time?" Katelyn asked, confused. She lifted her head and looked at the corner between the bathroom and bedroom.

"You're going to stand in the corner, facing it, unable to watch while we punish Slut." Arthur said. He pointed to that same corner as he spoke.

"Oh." Katelyn said, confused. "That doesn't sound too bad."

"You mean, thank you for your mercy, Master." Kelly said, prodding Katelyn's naked thigh with her foot.

"Right!" Katelyn said, nodding. "Yes, thank you for your mercy, Master." She bowed toward him, and Arthur patted her head.

Arthur smiled at Kelly. "Wifey, lead Pet to the corner and put her on the one-bar prison with a vibrator, not a dildo. She can leave the corner after I say so."

Kelly nodded, and Katelyn looked back and forth between them for confirmation.

"Oh, and Pet? You do not have permission to cum." Arthur said. "If you cum without permission or step away from the corner, I'll spank you with a paddle in front of everyone until your ass matches Brat's."

Katelyn gulped. He assumed she'd seen Kat's bruised behind while they'd changed into their costumes. He wondered how she might explain her marks to her volleyball team. Kat and Mindy both had spanking marks on their behinds, now that he thought about it. Selene might, too, after tonight.

"Slut, your mistress will administer your punishment for my amusement and your penance." Arthur said.

"Yes, Master." Selene said, prostrating herself on the floor toward him.

Kelly set up the one-bar prison in the corner between the door to Arthur's bedroom and the bathroom door. She moved Katelyn to it, spread her legs as Katelyn stood, and raised the vibrator until it nestled against Katelyn's pussy. Katelyn licked her lips but didn't step away. The lubed silicon hadn't parted her lips yet but pressed where the stimulation to her clit would be unbearable if Kelly turned up the intensity.

Kelly took the vibrator remote and placed it in Arthur's hand. Then she returned to the head of the column and took Selene's leash.

"Slut, stand, spread eagle, in the center of the room, your back toward me." Arthur said. "Whore and Concubine, each of you hold on to her by the wrist. Connect your wrist cuff to hers. Wifey, fetch the flogger. You're going to remove Slut's top and flog her until I say otherwise."

Kelly untied Selene's top, removed her bra, and disappeared into the bedroom again. She emerged with the leather flogger, holding its rigid handle in one hand and the soft leather strips in the other. She stood between Arthur and Selene, off to the side, and gave a few practice swings before she brushed it against Selene's back. The whoosh of the straps flying made Selene bite her lip in anticipation. Rani looked nervous, but Mindy looked jealous.

"What should I do, Master?" Kat asked, now the only one still kneeling.

"Isn't it obvious?" Arthur asked and pointed to his dick. "You're going to be a good girl and suck my dick while I watch your sister's punishment. So crawl over here, take off your top, and get to work, Brat. Use those sexy breasts of yours and that gorgeous mouth to get me off."

Kat flustered at the compliment, but said nothing in response and didn't protest. She took her top off first, then crawled over. Her round breasts hung and swung as she crawled, and Arthur enjoyed the show.

"Wifey, take off Whore and Concubine's tops, too." Arthur said. "And yours." He added, which made Kelly smile.

Kelly did as he ordered. Soon, he had four girls in topless slave Leia outfits before him. One knelt between his feet with her mouth open, waiting for his cock. Three stood together mere steps away. One walked between them. The fifth, in full costume, stood with her back to them, facing the corner.

"Pet, lift the back of your skirt and drape it over your arm." Arthur said.

Katelyn swept her right hand behind her, scooping her skirt out of the way. Her pert cheeks were small but shapely on her backside, topping her long, gorgeous legs.

"Perfect." Arthur said, admiring the frame Mindy and Rani created on either side of Selene.

Mindy stood facing Arthur, and Rani did the same. Each of them held Selene's hand with one of theirs and her wrist with the other, lifting their arms to expose their breasts to Arthur's view. Their wrist cuffs connected to Selene's by clips.

Selene's outstretched arms were level with her shoulders. Her blonde braid, longer than the others, swept forward over her shoulder. Her back presented a swath of fair, pale skin. Her bubble butt remained hidden by the rear panel of her skirt, but her legs, hips, and the narrow fabric exposed the outer slice of cheeks on each side. He had a spreader bar for her feet, but it wasn't yet necessary.

"Hands behind your back, Brat." Arthur said, and Kat frowned at him but obeyed. He gestured to Kelly, and she clipped Kat's cuffs together, trapping her arms behind her. She didn't protest.

Arthur took Kat's leash and scooted his chair forward, bringing the soft tip of his rigid penis to within a breath of her lips. He pulled her toward him by her leash, and Kat licked her lips and moved her head forward.

She kissed the tip of his dick softly with her plump lips, then repeated the kiss, moving her lips along the underside of his shaft from tip to balls. She licked his balls, letting his cock cover her face and rub against her until it was even harder. Then she shifted out from under it and kissed the side, worshiping him with her lips and tongue.

Arthur looked at Kelly, who was watching Kat with interest. "You may punish Slut whenever you're ready. Remember, upper back, ass, and thighs only. Avoid the kidneys at all costs. Start slow and let it build. You can always go harder but can't take a stroke back once you've landed it. Every blow is permanent, just like every word. Every promise."

Selene gulped as the weight of his words settled over her and Kelly. Selene had broken her promises or tried to, and she'd accept this as her punishment if he accepted it as her atonement.

"Yes, Master." Kelly said, nodding as she warmed up her swinging arm. Her anxious eyes turned toward Selene and mapped her backside, judging where to land the first few blows.

Arthur studied the remote in his hand. There was a continuous button on this one, which lasted as long as he pressed it. He smiled and waited.

Kelly swung back with the flogger and landed a soft blow against Selene's upper back. Arthur pressed the button in time with her efforts. When the flogger landed against Selene's back, the vibrator against Katelyn came to life and died like a strike of her own.

Katelyn gasped but didn't complain.

Arthur glanced between his legs at Kat, and his expression told her everything she needed to know. If she didn't stop messing around and start sucking his cock in earnest, she'd earn a punishment of her own. She took him into her mouth and started bobbing on his cock as he leaned back and watched Kelly flog Selene.

"Good girl." Arthur whispered, stroking her curls as goosebumps formed on Kat's bared back.

Every strike, no matter how soft at first, jostled Selene. The strikes shook through her, and the vibrations moved her arms, which she braced against Rani and Mindy's; ripples traveled along their arms to their breasts, which jiggled with every strike. Their wide-leg stances let the panel skirts fall between their thighs and dance with every blow.

Kelly flogged Selene, and Arthur watched the strikes grow hard enough to leave red marks on Selene's pale back. The sound grew from a soft -thwump- to a harsher -thwack- and Selene's jostling grew as her breathing quickened, but Rani and Mindy held her in place.

Selene alternated between "I'm sorry, Master." and "I'm sorry, Mistress." with every blow.

In time with the strikes, which often came at irregular intervals, Arthur activated Katelyn's vibrator. It might have been a reward to some, but the sudden, intense, and irregular stimulation was jarring. She gasped and jolted with every buzz. She had no warning, either, with her back to the scene. He tormented her with the delightful torture of sudden, intense pleasure.

Arthur hoped she'd turn her head to peek, but she proved a good girl and faced the corner without turning. Not that she could turn more than her head. The vibrator pressed against her from below, and even if she moved to her tiptoes, she couldn't escape it. She'd have to step back, and leaving the corner would earn her a harsher punishment.

Kelly's breasts swung with her arm. She held them, supporting them with her other forearm occasionally. She tried not to, but the pain on her face presented itself a few times, and Arthur almost felt bad for having her undress. Lori's breasts had always gotten sore during her period, which sucked. It turned a go-to erogenous zone into a no-go for days at a time. Everyone was different, but it wouldn't surprise him if Lori and Kelly had that in common.

Between his thighs, Kat bobbed her head, going deeper with every bob until he pressed against the entrance to her throat. Her leash had gone slack against him, and he tightened his grip so she couldn't back more than halfway off him. Instead, she pushed forward. She deep-throated but didn't plunge to take him all the way. Instead, she drifted back and forth at a steady base and increased her suction, pumping him with her mouth wrapped around the lower half of his cock.

Arthur wanted to fuck at least one of them tonight. It was a weeknight. He couldn't pleasure them all, but they were doing this for him. The slave costumes were for his benefit, and their effort on his behalf touched his heart. He put a lot of effort into planning a session for them, so he enjoyed the reverse, too. They'd planned this for his enjoyment, and he was thoroughly enjoying every moment. He preferred planning ahead, but he'd planned enough for improv, which was going well. Who knew stage improv and sexual domination had so much overlap?

He wasn't the only one enjoying himself. Katelyn was having fun. Kat was pleasuring herself with her hand. Kelly seemed to enjoy her new sport. Even Selene was blushing in places the flogger hadn't touched. Mindy and Rani weren't getting any stimulation, but they enjoyed themselves. They were getting handsy with her breasts and pussy as Kelly worked her back. One hand held Selene's, cuffed to her; the other played.

Now he had to decide who to fuck. He'd spent last night with Mindy and Rani, so tonight should be someone else's turn. That was fair, right? Kelly was the ringleader, but out of commission, he assumed. They hadn't discussed period sex before. Selene was being punished, so she should be one of the last considered. So that left Kat, whom he'd taken Monday night, or Katelyn, the newbie.

It should be Katelyn, but he missed Selene and Kelly, too.

He closed his eyes and blinked to appreciate the scene. They were doing this for him. They wanted to pleasure him as much as he wanted to please them, and they worshipped him. Kat was worshipping his cock, begging him to cum with her tongue in silent prayer. Her hair wasn't in a braid like the others, but her curls bounced as she quickened her pace. His balls tightened as she played with them, and he was close.

"Harder." Arthur said, his tone firm.

Kelly glanced at him to check, and he nodded. She struck harder, causing Selene to cry out under the flogger.

"Again." Arthur said, his muscles straining to suspend his release.

Kelly struck Selene's back with the flogger. The -thwack- of leather across her skin added to the flushing red color that now painted her upper back in strips of impact.

"Again." Arthur said, and Kelly obliged. "Keep going." He said to Kelly, who obeyed. She looked worried, but Arthur didn't intend for her to continue for long.

"Slut, will you break your promise to me again?" Arthur asked.

"No, Master!" Selene cried. Tears had ruined her makeup in stops and starts; now, they fell freely.

-THWACK-

"Will you obey me?" Arthur asked.

-THWACK-

"Yes, Master!" Selene staggered at the blow, but Rani and Mindy pushed her back in place. "I'm your obedient slut!"

-THWACK-

"Are you going to obey your mistress when she reinforces my rules?" Arthur asked.

-THWACK-

"Yes, Master!" Selene cried. "Please, Mistress! I'm sorry! I'm sorry I disobeyed you! It won't happen again!"

-THWACK-

Arthur flexed inside Kat's mouth and grabbed her head, holding her still and at the base as he spasmed inside her. She almost choked but didn't grunt or signal, turning her surprise into a gulp as she swallowed his release. She swallowed each blast as he came. Then he released her, his eyes never leaving the sight of topless Kelly flogging Selene, all dressed in their princess slave outfits. Arthur hoped these became regular costume pieces.

"You can stop now, Wifey." Arthur said, and Kelly stopped mid-swing, redirecting the force of the blow so the leather flogging straps snapped against empty air. Selene didn't flinch but relaxed when the impact never came. "Good girl."

Kelly seemed unsure whether he was talking to her or Selene, but she took it as her and bowed to him. "Thank you, Sir."

"Unbind her, strip her, and bring her to me." Arthur said. Kelly set the flogger down to do so.

Arthur stroked Kat's face, petting her. "Good girl, Brat. Did you swallow everything?"

Kat rolled her eyes but opened her mouth wide to show him it was empty. Nothing had fallen either, though her chest glistened with saliva that fell during the blow job.

"Good girl." Arthur said and stroked under her chin. "I appreciate you being so obedient tonight."

Kat failed to hide the small, appreciative smile that tugged at her lips. "Thank you, Sir."

"Now, I want you to help Pet out of her corner time." He said, gesturing to Katelyn.

Kat nodded and rocked back to her feet. She turned, presenting her bound hands to Arthur. He unclipped them and watched her cheeks slip in and out of the panel skirt as she walked. His erection hadn't fully faded, and its slow withdrawal stopped as he watched her ass.

Kelly unhooked Selene from Mindy and Rani and brought her to stand before Arthur. She held Slut by her leash and stood beside her.

"Nadu." Arthur said, pointing to the floor.

Selene knelt before him, taking up the perfect Nadu pose between his feet. She winced as she pulled her shoulders back.

"How do you feel?" He asked, bringing his eyes to hers despite the attention her breasts deserved.

"Thankful, Master." Selene said. "Thank you for punishing this slave and using my punishment to secure your release. I hope my sister enjoyed her treat."

"I did." Kat said, rubbing it in as she helped Katelyn off the one-bar prison. "I'd say sorry I didn't save you any, but I'm not."

Arthur almost laughed at the face Selene made at Kat's back. He thought it was best to redirect Selene's attention. "You should thank your Mistress." He said, gesturing to Kelly.

Selene nodded. "Thank you, Mistress."

Kelly looked at Arthur, then at Selene after he nodded. "You're welcome, Slut. I hope you'll listen next time I tell you not to do something."

"Yes, Mistress." Selene said.

"Good luck." Kat said, her tone teasing. "I've been trying to get her to listen to me for years."

"Have you tried flogging her?" Arthur asked.

Kat laughed. "No. You're right. I bet that gives you an edge I've lacked all these years."

Kelly laughed, her melodic laughter lifting Arthur's spirits even more.

"There are lotions in the red bag in the trunk." Arthur said, gesturing to the bedroom. "Slut, I want you to lie face down. Concubine and Whore, you're going to apply them. Then, Slut, you're going to thank your Mistress. Make her cum."

"Oh, uh..." Kelly shook her head and signed 'no' across her throat. "No. She can't go down on me tonight. I'm uh..."

"Oh, right." Arthur said, nodding. "Of course. Then she'll serve you however you wish for the rest of the night. Perhaps a vibrator?"

"Hmm..." Kelly said, surveying the girls. "Would it be okay if I pleasured Whore, had Slut pleasure our Concubine, and left Pet and Brat with you, Master?"

"Of course." Arthur said and sat back in his chair. "I have one more in me tonight, and I plan to cum in my new slave."

Katelyn stepped forward at that, dripping with desire from her time aboard the vibrator that pleasured her with every strike Kelly landed across Selene's back. Her pale pink, puffy nipples were hard, and she'd dropped her top as soon as she'd stepped away from the corner with Kat's help.

Kelly disappeared into the bedroom and emerged with the bag of lotions. Selene laid face down, her arms under her head, and her face turned to see Arthur. Mindy crouched beside her and pushed her braid out of the way. She and Rani applied the lotions in gentle, circling strokes. Kelly supervised.

"What should I do, Sir?" Kat asked.

Arthur stood and lowered himself to the floor, laying with his head toward Selene. He gestured for Katelyn to step over him, and she did. The panels of her skirt swept his abs.

She gazed at him with hunger in her eyes and licked her lips.

"Help Pet." Arthur said, gesturing. "We know what happened last time you rode a bull, but would you like to take another ride?"

Kat and Katelyn laughed. Kat stepped behind the skinny girl and lowered herself to straddle Arthur's calves, sitting behind Katelyn. She kept her hands raised, gesturing for Katelyn to join her.

Katelyn got the hint and lowered herself onto Arthur's standing cock. The squat wasn't her best, but she moved into a catcher's squat with his cock below her and her back pressing against Kat's front for support.

Kat stood on her knees and reached over Katelyn to stroke Arthur to full hardness. She stabilized Katelyn, and Katelyn did the rest. She lowered herself against Arthur and hesitated. He locked eyes with her and nodded. She parted for him, slipping onto him and gasping as he forced her narrow tunnel wider with the girth of his cock.

"Holy fuck, you feel good." Katelyn gasped. "Oh, shit." She stammered, trying to bounce but not moving much.

"Language!" Kelly said, not looking away from Selene.

"I've got you." Kat said, holding her steady with her arms around her from behind. "You can lean back."

Katelyn steadied and experimentally lifted and lowered herself on him. She didn't take his entire length, but she took a quarter of his cock inside and bounced lower every few strokes. She gasped and seized when he struck deep but opened her mouth in pleasure and let her tongue hang out of it.

Arthur wondered if she'd seen the ahegao face in porn or hentai and thought he might enjoy it or if she did it for herself. Either way, she seemed to enjoy herself. He glanced above to see Rani had shifted, no longer crouched near him.

Rani laid on the floor with her head and shoulders against the wall. She spread her legs and shifted her skirt panel aside. Selene laid face down in her muff, eating her out, lapping at her pussy as Rani clutched her head and held her there.

Mindy sprawled on her back, using Selene's ass as a pillow, facing Kelly. Kelly knelt over her, groping her breast with one hand and playing with a dildo in her other to drive those high-pitched chirping gasps from Mindy with every thrust.

"Slow down." Kat warned Katelyn. "If you break his dick, Kelly will do worse than flog you."

Katelyn slowed her squats and moved to her knees, trying to push more of Arthur into herself. Arthur gripped the carpet, raking his nails through the soft tufts. It wasn't as lush as the carpet at the house, but it was better than a hardwood floor.

Katelyn moaned, breathy and high. She rolled her upper half, trying to repeat the belly dance move Selene had done earlier with much less success. She lifted her arms and made a noise like she was in pain. A sharp cry.

"Are you okay?" Arthur asked, moving his hands to hold her by her tiny waist. "Red light!"

Everyone slowed and went still, turning to see what happened.

"I'm okay!" Katelyn assured him. "I'm just getting tired. And I moved my arm too much. The shoulder is still really sore."

"Get the sling." Arthur said to Kat. She rose and ran for the second bedroom.

"Is she okay?" Kelly asked.

Katelyn gave her a thumbs-up. "I'm okay! Green light! Go back to what you were doing!"

Kelly looked at Arthur, who couldn't quite see her from above. He mirrored Katelyn's thumbs-up, and that was enough. Rani, Selene, Mindy, and Kelly returned to their lovemaking, while Kat returned with the sling and helped Katelyn put it on.

"Sorry." Katelyn said. "Master."

"It's okay." Arthur said. He stroked her cheek and dragged his hands along her stomach, which made her giggle and twitch. She lifted off him and moved to retake him, but he stopped her.

"Are you mad at me?" Katelyn asked, surprised.

"No, Pet." Arthur said, cupping her cheek in his palm. "I just want to change position." He stood with help from Katelyn and Kat moving around him, and brought them to the kitchen table. It wasn't the perfect height for what he wanted, but it would do. He picked Katelyn up, making her squeal in delight, planted her ass on the table, and pushed her back.

She laid against the top of the table, her legs hanging off the edge.

Arthur lifted her panel skirt aside, draping it over the outside of her thigh and baring her naked, hairless pussy to his gentle, stroking fingers.

Kat stood beside him and wrapped her arm around him. Katelyn spread her legs below him. Kat stroked him and guided him into Katelyn. Katelyn's face fluttered with ecstasy.

Arthur started slow, then quickened his pace until he leveled out. He fucked Katelyn with steady pumps. She moaned her pleasure, caressing his legs with hers.

Kat kept her arm around Arthur's waist, her other hand flat against his chest, her breasts and body pressed against his side. She alternated between looking up at Arthur or down at Katelyn.

Arthur looked at Kat, met her gaze, and kissed her. He scooped her up with one arm and brought her lips to his.

Kat giggled and made out with him, increasing her fervor as he fucked Katelyn.

Arthur clamped his free hand over her exposed clit as he drilled into her and circled it with his thumb, toying with her while he fucked her. Katelyn's legs shook and bent, drawing up to her chest as she tried to hold back her release. She hooked her fingers through the rings in her ankle cuffs, holding her arms straight and her legs folded, opening herself on the table.

"Cum for me, Pet." Arthur whispered.

Katelyn shook her head, straining the muscles in her legs and torso as Arthur pounded her. Kat kissed his neck, and Arthur growled as he clenched his muscles to hold back his release.

Arthur smacked Katelyn's clit with his fingertips as if to spank her for trying to deny herself. She flushed at the sudden impact, bucked against it, and came as Arthur's fingers rolled her clit in tiny circles. Her pussy seized his cock inside her and ground him to a halt. Arthur's stroking stilled as he couldn't push himself any further, nor could he withdraw. Instead, he exploded, filling her with a surprising amount of cum for a second load.

"Fuck, that's hot." Kat murmured, watching Arthur's expression of bliss and relief after he came. "That soft smile you get when you're satisfied." She stroked the small of his back, where his muscles softened beneath her touch.

Arthur kissed her as his muscles unclenched. Relaxation swept over him, and he might have staggered if Kat hadn't embraced him. She returned his kiss with a hungry fervor, stirring him, and his relaxation pooled into peace. He squeezed her in his arm. "Good girl."

He pulled out of Katelyn, his glistening cock dripping with a mixture of her juices and his cum. He glanced at Kat. "You want to clean it up?"

Kat scrunched her nose and made a face of distaste. "Gross. Absolutely not."

Arthur weighed that response. Kat could be tricky sometimes, protesting the very thing she wanted. Begging him to not do something was her tell for not wanting it. Challenging him to do it despite her "lack" of desire was her green flag. Or, she could always safeword out. "Do you want me to make you?"

"Just try it." Kat said, glaring at him. Her gaze turned defiant, and she had her arms crossed before moving one hand to her hip.

Oh, okay. She wanted him to make her do it. Kat couldn't admit to him, the others, or herself that she wanted to submit to him. She had to hide behind that facade of a bratty submissive who needed a strong dom to overcome her.

"On your knees, Brat, or I'll have Mistress use that flogger on your behind." Arthur said. His voice turned dark as he said it.

"You wouldn't." Kat hissed, leaning back without taking a step to retreat.

Arthur didn't bother convincing her. "On. Your. Knees." His hand lashed like a snake, and Arthur grabbed her hair from behind. He pulled it, tilting her head back as she cried out, bent backward, and slowly lowered herself. Arthur guided her descent to her knees. Once she was low enough, he turned, placing his cock before her face.

She parted her lips, her hot breath stirring his cock. Her tongue slid forward and licked his dick, scraping it clean. She started tentatively at first, acting like she hated the taste, but grew in enthusiasm after every lick. Selene watched them between Rani's legs, resting her head on Rani's pubes. Rani had enjoyed her orgasm, but Selene was trapped under Mindy, so Rani wasn't going anywhere.

Mindy moaned her release as Kelly increased the vibrator's intensity to its upper limit. She held Mindy still, but the younger woman thrashed beneath her and then curled into a tight ball. Kelly had a satisfied smile as she withdrew the vibrator, and Mindy slumped against Selene, using the back of her thighs for armrests and her butt as a pillow.

Katelyn blinked her eyes open on the table, meeting Arthur's gaze. He patted her thigh, and she smiled at him. "You okay?" She asked.

"Yeah." Arthur said, amused that she asked him. "You?"

She gave him a thumbs-up and closed her eyes again, taking a deep breath as she relaxed. Her legs hung over the edge of the table, dangling past Kat's face as she sucked Arthur's cock clean.

"Good girl." Arthur said, patting Kat's head.

"Okay." Rani breathed from her spot on the floor. She patted Selene's head and slid out from under her, fixing her skirt panels as she stood.

"You look amazing in those costumes." Arthur said.

"Thank you, my King." Rani said. "We wanted to show them off Saturday, but somebody got tired of our fashion show."

"Well, I can't be right all the time." Arthur said, helping Kat to her feet. He helped Katelyn sit up and then slide to her feet from the table. Kat took one arm, Katelyn took the other, and they walked to join the others. Kelly helped Mindy to her feet, and Selene rose with help from Rani.

With the spell broken, it was time for aftercare.

The cleanup didn't take long. Arthur hugged and kissed each of his girls, then passed the water bottles around. He checked Selene's back and held her hand as she cuddled against him on the sofa. She cuddled into his side, holding him close as he rested his arm over her shoulders. One of her breasts rested in his palm nicely. Kelly sat on his other side, his other arm over her as she leaned against him. Her breast overflowed his palm.

The girls took up the kitchen chairs again, circling them around the coffee table. Rani took the office chair, as was her unchallenged right. Mindy, Katelyn, and Kat sat in the kitchen chairs across from the sofa. Arthur swept them with his eyes, enjoying the bared breasts and the narrow panel skirts between their naked thighs.

Arthur yawned, resting his head against the back of the sofa. Sleep felt so near and yet so far. He relaxed physically, but his mind raced with anxiety, trying to outpace the knowledge of what he had to discuss with them. Arthur didn't want to think of Lynn or rehash the past. He wanted to enjoy himself tonight.

"Back to business?" Katelyn asked.

Rani clacked the wooden dildo against the coffee table for order, making the girls giggle. She sat in the chair like a business executive, though her gold bikini, purple skirt, bare breasts, nipple piercings, and jewelry undermined her professionalism.

Mindy picked her notebook off the coffee table and clicked her pen. She, too, seemed ready for business and sat straight with her legs together to form the lap for her writing.

Still, Arthur appreciated the lean-over to retrieve her things. His eyes followed the way her breasts swung with the movement.

"I don't have my phone." Kelly pointed to it on the coffee table, but Rani waved the notion away.

"Master's here. He can set the agenda." Rani said, sitting back in her chair like a queen. "He had something he wanted to discuss... right, my King?"

All eyes turned toward Arthur. He took a deep breath. There was no escaping the inevitable. The time had come to tell them the entire story, or as much as he could bear tonight.