La Chatte Heureuse Pt. 09 Ch. 07-12

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Chapter 9.07 Amber: Afternoon in the Dungeon

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Amber

I'm not sure why Madame Melissa wants us to eat our lunch in the dungeon. There's plenty of free space in the Slave caste dining area. However, one thing I've already learned about Madame Melissa is that there is a purpose to everything she does. The walk down the corridor to the dungeon entrance is a twenty second walk, but I learn a lot about what is going to occur from those few moments.

"May I use the toilet before we begin, Madame?" I ask as we walk past the bathroom facilities.

"No," replies Madame Melissa. "You can use the facilities in the dungeon."

I don't recall seeing washing and toilet facilities in the dungeon, but I wasn't paying any attention to those details last time I was in there. Madame Melissa unlocks the dungeon with her palm print, and we step through the entrance. The air-lock design of the entrance means the dungeon is secure at all times, increasing a slave's feeling of imprisonment. It's all part of the mind games La Chatte Heureuse offers its members to improve the lifestyle experience.

"The toilet is over there," says Madame Melissa, pointing to a narrow alcove in the corner of the dungeon.

The alcove contains a metal bucket with a wooden lid. A ten-litre container of water stands on a low stone shelf nearby. A bottle of sanitizer rests next to it. The last time I used such a crude facility is when I was camping with my parents one summer holiday.

"Is there any toilet paper, Madame?" I ask nervously when I cannot see any.

"No," replies Madame Melissa. "You'll need to use your hands. Just make sure you wash them thoroughly afterwards."

I'm torn between using my safe word to demand use of a proper toilet, or swallow my pride and use the bucket. I look at Madame Melissa for a moment before resigning myself to suffering the humiliation of relieving myself into the bucket. After all, it isn't as though I haven't done it before, albeit I was nine years old at the time.

I place my plate of food on a nearby table and proceed to use the bucket. Madame Melissa waits nearby, but she doesn't embarrass me further by watching. At least the bucket is clean, and somebody has place a chemical solution at the bottom to suppress the odour. I convince myself that this is no worse than our family camping trip in the wilds all those years ago.

When I've finished and cleaned myself up, I return to where Madame Melissa is waiting. She hands me my plate of sandwiches and waits patiently while I devour them.

"Tell me what went through your mind when you realised that I expected you to relieve yourself in the bucket?" asks Madame Melissa.

I confess my initial thought about using my safe word, followed by my decision to swallow my pride and obey.

"Good. Not many women new to the Slave caste would be so compliant. Do you have prior experience at living a submissive lifestyle? Were your parents strict with you when you were growing up?"

"My parents weren't particularly strict, but the group I hung around with at school was very hierarchical. I guess I wasn't pushy enough to join the upper tier, so I often got told what to do."

"Hmmm ... That's consistent with your reaction just now, but not necessarily the reason for choosing to be a Bondage Slave. Now, hand me the leather crop off the table over there."

I look nervously at Madame Melissa, but obey without question. She takes the crop and after a few practise swings, lands a sharp stroke across the right cheek of my arse.

"Tell me why I did that?" asks Madame Melissa in a firm voice.

I push back my urge to utter profanities at the sudden assault on my arse, and look at her in bemusement.

"Think. And think hard, Amber," snaps Madame Melissa. "In ten seconds you'll receive another one ... unless you come up with the right answer."

I'm hopeless at coming up with answers while subjected to a short time limit. I wrack my brain for whatever it is that Madame Melissa means. It doesn't surprise me when time runs out and my other arse cheek gets walloped. I want to resist, but common sense tells me that will only make things worse.

"What did we discuss about etiquette last night, Amber," growls Madame Melissa as another ten seconds starts to run out.

"Madame! I forgot to address you as Madame when I spoke before, Madame."

"Right. Don't forget in future,"

I soon realise that Madame Melissa is simply testing my boundaries. For the next hour or so she moves me from one piece of equipment to another. The dungeon is well equipped with a large selection of bondage toys and devices.

I'm variously bound in chains, rope, and harnesses. I'm fastened to spreader bars and frames as we work our way through the different devices in the dungeon. I'm not certain what Madame Melissa learns from these seemingly random choices of bondage. I eye the plentiful choices of paddles and whips laid out on a nearby table, but so far they remain unused. I also I eye my favourite device, the Sybian, but that sits idle in a corner.

"We'll take a half hour break before we move onto the next phase," says Madame Melissa. "I'm going to lock you in one of the cells while I catch up with some of my other work in the office."

She looks at me as though waiting for me to object, but when I don't, she escorts me into one of the cells. The cell is small, just big enough for a narrow bed with a thin mattress and blanket. There's a chamber pot under the bed, but otherwise the cell is bare.

"Press the red button on the wall if you cannot endure the confinement. Whoever is on duty in the administration office will release the door lock. Don't use the button unnecessarily as the club rules require us to then review your suitability to continue as a Bondage slave."

"I understand, Madame," I reply, reasonably confident that I can manage a half hour of confinement.

Madame Melissa leaves me and the cell door locks behind her. I settle down on the bed to rest and assess my progress so far as a Bondage slave. I've no means if telling the time, and the minutes seem to drag after a while.

My solitude is interrupted when I hear movement in the dungeon. The tiny window in the door only gives me restricted visibility. Although I can hear two ... possibly more ... people moving about, I cannot see them. Since my cell door isn't being unlocked, I presume it's another mistress with a slave. The dungeon is large enough for four or five concurrent mistress-slave sessions, and I was warned that choosing the Bondage slave category didn't give my overseer and me any priority over the use of the dungeon equipment.

Madame Melissa returns a short while later and unlocks my cell door. She guides me to one of the frames we haven't yet used. As I look around I can see another mistress busy tormenting a slave who is fastened to the X-frame I was bound to last night. I don't recognise the mistress, but the slave goes by the pseudonym 'Twenty'.

At first I worry that Twenty is being tortured, but I quickly realise that her moans and struggles against the heavy restraints are as a result of her state of ecstasy. She doesn't seem to be any more confined that I was under Madame Melissa's treatment, and yet Twenty seems to find it uncontrollably arousing. I suddenly realise the strategy in Madame Melissa's earlier routine. Because I didn't experience the same level of eroticism in the bondage as Twenty, Madame Melissa had promptly moved onto something else.

"Simple confinement doesn't arouse you, Amber," says Madame Melissa, effectively confirming my observation of Twenty. "Bondage alone does nothing for you, but that doesn't mean we won't succeed with something else."

"What do you propose, Madame?" I ask.

"Well, we know from last night that you are partial to the Sybian. We also know that when I ran the crop over the erogenous zones of your body, you responded with wantonness."

I look at Madame Melissa with a silent plea to use the Sybian, but I am soon disabused of that hope.

"We need to explore other possibilities before reverting to devices we know that you like," says Madame Melissa. "You'll soon get bored is all you do for two weeks is straddle the Sybian and get your tits and arse flogged."

While I don't mind the risk of boredom if it entails enjoying the Sybian, I begrudgingly agree that perhaps we need to try other things first.

"Amber. For someone who has chosen to spend a fortnight as a Bondage slave, you don't seem to be turned on by bondage," observes Madame Melissa. "We can continue to do what we did earlier, but if the experience isn't arousing you, then we are wasting our time."

"I'm sorry, Madame," I reply, reluctantly conceding the accuracy of her assessment. "Should I request to change to another category?"

"That's up to you," replies Madame Melissa. "We haven't exhausted every possibility, but I don't think you have a fetish for being bound or shackled. Spending a fortnight in bondage doesn't seen to be what you are really looking for. However, we can explore alternatives. The idea of the Bondage Slave category is to provide you with a more intense experience than you would have as a Field or House slave. We don't have many members who choose the Bondage Slave category when they visit, and admittedly they normally have a fetish for bondage, but that doesn't need to be an essential requirement."

"So what are you proposing, Madame?"

"La Chatte Heureuse has developed a method of assessing the compatibility of mistresses and slaves. It's not foolproof, but it generally works. Slave caste members encounter different experiences while they are on the island and to some extent those can be customised to suit the member's preferences. The club's evaluation records each Slave caste member's liking or tolerance for experiences that involve sex, bondage, punishment, humiliation, or servitude ... or a combination of those. There's a more detailed assessment that we call a Flower Test. However, only a few members match one of four special 'flower' categories, and I'm fairly certain that you don't fit into one of those."

"So, have I failed on the bondage evaluation, Madame?" I say.

"There's no pass or fail. The assessment simply records your preferences so that the club can provide you an experience suited to your wants and needs. The assessment made when you transferred to the Slave caste needs to be adjusted.

"Um ... I might have answered some of those questions untruthfully, Madame," I confess. "I'm sorry. I now realise how that has affected your treatment of me so far."

"Yes. I suspected as much after our session earlier this afternoon. That's why I went to double check your current assessment," replies Madame Melissa. "No matter. It can easily be corrected. Based on what I've observed since your arrival, we can currently rate your liking for sex as neutral or high, and low for bondage. We still need to reassess your tolerance for punishment, humiliation and servitude. I propose we spend the rest of this afternoon evaluating your tolerance for those."

We leave the dungeon and move out of the Tower. I'm surprised by the sequence of tasks that Madame Melissa sets for me. She takes me to a well hidden place at the back of the complex that I never knew existed. The service area is located in a discreet area beyond the administration building. It houses facilities for water purification as well as for disposal of waste of all kinds. It has a unique odour of its own.

At first I baulk at being given the task of sorting rubbish into items that can be incinerated, and those that need compacting before being ferried off-site. Apparently the club cannot simply dump its waste in the lake ... something that is obvious had I previously bothered to give it any thought. The ninety minutes of work is hard, dirty and smelly, but I carry it out without complaint. That earns me a provisional 'high' rating for servitude.

Finally Madame Melissa returns me to the Tower, where she releases me for a few hours of free personal time.

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Chapter 9.08: Pearl: Four Hour Hire

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Pearl

I silently berate myself for walking into Madame Claire without thinking of the risk of being 'hired'. Opal and I are due to report for club work this afternoon, and being diverted to prepare lunch for Madame Claire and her three friends won't leave Opal and me much time to be ready by two o'clock.

"Opal and I are scheduled to work this afternoon, Madame," I say. "We need to report to the Common Room by two o'clock."

"Okay," replies Madame Claire. "I'll let Nicole or Rebecca know that you'll be late."

"Um ... We should be finished before then, Madame," says Opal. "You can only hire us for one hour."

"Don't argue with me, Slave Opal. Yes, each of us can only hire you for one hour ... but there are four of us, so once my hire of Pearl finishes, Madame Elspeth can hire her. Similarly, when you hour serving Madame Nora is finished, then Madame Kane will hire you. That's four hours that you and Pearl are ours."

I look at Opal in shock. I hadn't considered the prospect of being hired for more than an hour, but I cannot fault the logic of what Madame Claire says. Quite what they intend to do with us is a big unknown that none of the four mistresses is ready to divulge.

The six of us return to the Tower, and go up to Madame Claire's suite on level 3. Opal and I are promptly given the task of preparing lunch for the four mistresses. Unlike the Slave caste kitchen on level 1, there's no central kitchen for the Mistress caste suites on the upper levels. Consequently the kitchen in each suite is larger than in the suites elsewhere in the complex. Fortunately the ingredients we need are already available, suggesting Madame Claire had anticipated hosting lunch for her friends.

"What are we going to do about our afternoon work duties?" Opal asks me as we work in the kitchen.

"Tessa or one of the staff mistresses will reschedule the work roster," I reply. "We'll probably have to make up time on another day."

It takes us about fifteen minutes to prepare the light lunch. Opal and I sneak some food while we prepare the meals for the mistresses. Nothing was said about us feeding ourselves, so we take it upon ourselves to look after our own lunch. When we serve the meals, it becomes obvious that we made the right choice.

Opal and I are ordered to stand by the wall while the mistresses eat at the table. Periodically we are summoned to fill glasses or remove plates. Once the meal is finished, we are instructed to tidy up and place the dirty crockery in the suite's dishwasher.

So far we have only been hired for a little less than an hour. If we were released now, we could still make it in time for our afternoon club work. However, the four mistresses clearly have no intention of releasing us yet.

"Play time, ladies," chortles Madame Claire to the other mistresses.

The look of excitement on the faces of the four mistresses prompts me to recall a comment Amber made about her being hired by Madame Lucy last night. She described the experience as like watching overgrown teenagers behaving badly. This afternoon has the hallmarks of a similar bout of youthful exuberance from women no longer in their youth.

"Teams or solo?" asks Madame Nora.

"Teams, I think," replies Madame Claire. "You, me and Pearl, against Kane, Elspeth and Opal."

I've no idea what is about to happen, but the mistresses have clearly done this before. Madame Claire goes to fetch something from the bedroom, while the other three mistresses start clearing an area in the centre of the room.

"Don't just stand there, Slaves," snaps Madame Kane. "Help move the furniture to the sides of the room."

Without understanding why, Opal and I help move the heavier furniture. By the time the centre of the room is clear, Madame Claire has returned with a box of various bondage toys and equipment.

"Let's play Turtles!" cries Madame Elspeth.

Neither Opal nor I have any idea what that entails, but the other three mistresses readily agree. We find out the rules soon enough ... or at least, most of the rules.

To explain: Opal and I have our limbs bound so that each wrist is taped as tightly as possible to our respective upper arm, and each ankle to our thigh. Our only means of movement is to crawl using our elbows and knees for support, or flop along the floor like a turtle ... hence the game's name. Each pair of mistresses then places small items to be gathered around the room by the opposing team's slave.

After a few disputes about out-of-reach placements, the mistresses are ready to begin the game. Opal and I are hauled into position and two towels placed on the floor behind us. We are told to fetch the team's designated items and place them on our team's towel. The team with the most items collected within the time limit are the winners.

There are two additional rules that we only learn after the game starts. Firstly, accidentally retrieving an item placed by our own team counts against our team. Since none of the items are marked by team, Everyone must remember who placed which item where. I certainly wasn't paying much attention to that, so I'm reliant on Madame Nora and Madame Claire to guide me. The second unspoken rule, is that the mistresses can do everything in their power to sabotage a slave's efforts short of physically touching her. Obstacles appearing in our path, or lashes from a whip are all perfectly acceptable ploys.

I soon discover that even when I manoeuvre to an object, transporting in back to the towel is far from easy. Some items can be carried between my teeth, but others are not so easy. It doesn't help that the advice I receive from my team-mates is often contradictory. My only consolation is that Opal seems to be experiencing the same problems.

The game last fifteen minutes, by which time Opal and I are exhausted, not to mention sore in several places. The result of the game is contentious. Opal succeeded in gathering one more item than me. However, a dispute breaks out between the four mistresses over who placed one of Opal's retrieved objects, and therefore which team gains the point for its retrieval. In the end, a draw is declared, which only prompts for calls for a rematch. Fortunately Madame Claire realises that neither Opal nor I have the energy for another round.

"I think it's time that our two slaves demonstrated their skill at cunnilingus," says Madame Claire.

"On each other?" asks Madame Elspeth.

"Good Heavens, no!," laughs Madame Claire. "They are here to serve our desires, not to enjoy themselves."

"Hmm. Do you mind if I sample Opal's delicious nectar," ask Madame Nora of the other mistresses.

Opal and I are freed from our restraints and instructed to strip naked. I look toward Opal wondering if she is okay. Between Amber, Opal and me, Opal was the most hesitant to switch to the Slave caste and come here for a fortnight. That's despite her being the one to point out that the resort offers more for mistresses and slaves to do. However, so far she seems to be coping ... even enjoying herself. She doesn't baulk at undressing in front of four mistresses who look ready to ravish her ... and me, for that matter.

Moments later my mouth is clamped round Madame Claire's shaved cunt, and my tongue is busy teasing her clit. While I've performed cunnilingus before, I don't regard myself as proficient at reading the success or otherwise of what I'm doing. However, Mistress Claire's moans, and the not-so-gentle grasp on the back of my head, indicates I'm doing something right. I soon detect fresh moisture that doesn't taste like my saliva.

I only get brief glances of Madame Elspeth and Opal. Whereas Madame Claire is standing, and I'm kneeling before her, the other three are in a horizontal position, with Opal buried between Madame Elspeth's thighs, and Madame Nora busy working on Opal's cunt. I've no idea what Madame Kane is doing until I feel a sharp stinging pain across my exposed arse.

"Concentrate on your task, Slave Pearl," snaps Madame Kane.

I dutifully obey.

Only after both Opal and I have each performed cunnilingus on all four mistresses are we granted a reprieve. Opal was at least rewarded with an orgasm of her own thanks to Madame Nora's attentions. As for me, I quickly became aroused, but I never achieved an orgasm. The only lingering effect was a sore tongue and a residual taste in my mouth from the several orgasms I drew from one or other of the mistresses.

We lose track of time, and it's only when Madame Claire calls for a halt in the sexual frolics, that I realise our four hour hire is nearing an end. Madame Claire orders Opal and me to prepare afternoon tea before we depart. We serve the drinks to the four mistresses and we are then instructed to leave.

Opal and I quickly dress and leave the suite. There are no farewells, or thanks, from any of the mistresses, who now seem lost in their own private conversation as though Opal and I don't exist.

"What do we do now?" asks Opal once she and I are back at the entrance level to the Tower.

"I suppose we had better report to the Administration office and see what is to happen about our scheduled afternoon work shift. We're two and a half hours late, so I guess we'll be in trouble."

Opal and I make our way across to the administration office in E1. Madame Nicole is on duty, and I breathe a sigh of relief when she doesn't seem annoyed at our late arrival for duty.

"You aren't the first slaves to be diverted for an impromptu hire, although normally they aren't as long as four hours," says Madame Nicole. "I know it's inconvenient, and usually we simply reschedule your work duty for another day. However, with the building work in E4 starting tomorrow, there are more than the usual number of tasks to be done today. Report to Madame Rebecca and she'll assign you some work. She'll determine how many hours you'll need to make up another day. She'll be supervising in E4 or nearby."

Although I would prefer to take a much needed break, Opal and I do as we are instructed. We find harried looking Madame Rebecca outside E4. While she is annoyed at our late arrival for work, her anger is directed at the mistresses for hiring us.

"Madame Kirsty will be arriving with the launch and this afternoon's arrivals in about fifteen minutes," says Madame Rebecca. "I want you to go down to the jetty and help unload the launch and bring the member's luggage up to reception. If Kirsty has transported more of the contractor's supplies on this trip, then you are to return and help bring those supplies up to E4. Do either of you know how to drive the tractor?"

"I've never driven a vehicle like that, but I'm willing to try, Madame," I say.

"Hmm. If we didn't have so many last minute tasks to complete, I'd assign someone with experience at driving the tractor to the task," replies Madame Rebecca. "Unfortunately there isn't enough time to do that before the launch arrives. Go to the shed and see if you can manage the tractor. Make sure you feel confident you can handle it ... the last thing we need is for you to drive the tractor and trailer into the lake. If you aren't confident, then carry the luggage by hand. The contractor's supplies can wait at the jetty until later."

Opal and I comply with Madame Rebecca's instructions. We find the tractor and trailer parked outside the shed and ready to use. I start the motor and familiarise myself with the controls. They are fairly basic, so I soon feel confident I can at least move and steer it. Opal opts for jogging alongside me as I drive the tractor down to the jetty.

I swing the tractor in a semi-circle to face in the return direction. An experienced driver would reverse the trailer nearer to the jetty, but I'm mindful of Madame Rebecca's warning about not driving into the lake. We settle for manually carrying the luggage to where I've parked the trailer. We wait for the launch to arrive.

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Chapter 9.09: Melissa: New Arrivals

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Melissa

Amber and I are returning from the service area when we notice Pearl and Opal heading towards the jetty with the tractor and trailer. Pearl is driving the tractor, and I notice that she is uncertain of the controls. She parks the tractor and trailer about twenty metres from the jetty, but she doesn't back the trailer closer to where the launch docks. Kirsty will not like that.

"Come on Amber. We had better go and rescue your friends before Madame Kirsty berates them for not parking the trailer close enough to the launch."

We walk down to the jetty just as the launch comes into view around the headland. While I would have preferred that there were no member arrivals this afternoon, Kirsty assured me that she could transport the arriving members and their luggage as well as the last batch of the contractor's supplies stored in the shed near the dam. I sit on the tractor and reverse the trailer to its usual place to handle arrivals. It's a task I done many times when I was a member of the Slave caste, so my reversing make the task look a lot easier than it is in reality.

Kirsty seems relieved to see me as the launch pulls alongside the jetty.

"Did you get my message?" she calls to me.

"No," I reply, realising that nobody in the Administration office knows where I've been for the last hour or two.

While those of the Slave caste have small devices attached to their necklaces to enable Administration to locate their whereabouts, I no longer carry the device now that I've switched to the Mistress caste. Consequently, any urgent message would require someone to try and find me. Searching the service area at the back of the buildings wouldn't have been an obvious place to look. Tracking Amber's device might have helped track me, but it relies on someone in the office having time to do so. With a lot of staff on leave at the moment, the Administration office is working with fewer people than usual.

"Sorry, but I forgot to tell the office where I was after we left the dungeon."

"You had better come aboard then," replies Kirsty, as the four arriving mistresses disembark and Amber, Pearl and Opal load their luggage onto the trailer.

"Amber. You wait there for me," I say as I follow Kirsty into the main cabin of the launch. "Pearl and Opal, you are to take the luggage up to reception. Return here afterwards."

I'm surprised to find two women sat on one of the benches looking uncertain about their welcome.

"Two of the contractors due tomorrow persuaded April to allow them to come on this afternoon's bus from Cordwell," says Kirsty.

"Did April explain why she agreed to allow that?"

"Not to me. April wasn't in the office when I arrived. I radioed Chloe, and she said I was to bring them. I left a message for you to warn you, but you clearly haven't received it."

I turn toward the two women, both of whom look nervous as though they are having second thoughts about coming to the island today.

"I'm Melissa," I say. "I'm in charge of liaising with those working on the construction work. I haven't received any information about why you are here today, so please explain to me what is going on."

"I'm Valerie and this is Jean," says the older of the two twenty-something women. "We're temporary employees of the company you've contracted to do the work on the island. We had to make our own way to Cordwell, and the only transport we could arrange meant arriving today. We don't have the money for overnight accommodation in Cordwell, so we threw ourselves at the mercy of the lady in your office in Cordwell. She allowed us to come here this afternoon."

I reach for my tablet computer that I've started carrying around with me now that the construction work is about to start. I check the list of the contractor's employees scheduled to work on the island, and I locate Valerie's and Jean's names on the list. I don't bother asking Kirsty if she checked their identification since that is standard practise for all arrivals.

"Okay," I say. "But before you disembark, I presume you know what type of resort is on this island?"

"A women only private club," replies Jean.

"Yes. But your early arrival means we haven't had time to put in place the protocols club members will adopt while you are working here. You will need to accept us as you find us, so if you are easily shocked, you had best stay in your rooms tonight."

"What do you mean?" asks Valerie.

I don't answer immediately. Instead I briefly leave the cabin.

"Amber, come aboard for a moment." I call.

Amber complies and enters the cabin already suspecting that something unusual is happening.

"The women you will see on the island will either be dressed like me, or like Amber here," I say to Valerie and Jean. "From tomorrow onwards, those dressed like Amber will be wearing overalls in your presence, but we don't have time to distribute the overalls today. If that offends you, then, as I said, you should remain in your rooms until the rest of your group arrive tomorrow."

"Okay," replies Valerie. "I'm broad minded enough to tolerate the sight of naked tits."

Jean nods in agreement, although I detect her reaction to Amber's exposed tits is far more than simple tolerance. If I had time to explore Jean's reaction further, I might find that she's aroused at the thought of La Chatte Heureuse's lifestyle. However, I won't push the thought any further. Valerie said the pair of them couldn't afford a motel, so they are clearly not well off. La Chatte Heureuse's club fees aren't cheap, even for those in the Ladies caste.

"I'll take Valerie and Jean up to reception and get them organised with rooms," I say to Kirsty. "Amber can help unload the cargo and she can join Pearl and Opal for the rest of their work shift."

Valerie and Jean grab their belongings and follow me up the driveway towards the administration building. Fortunately the accommodation in building E2 is already prepared for tomorrow's arrivals, so it's only a matter of assigning them rooms and registering their palm prints to operate the appropriate locks. Nicole is on duty in reception having completed registering the four Mistress caste members who have just arrived.

"You have access to buildings E1, E2, E3 and E4, but none of the other buildings," says Nicole. "If you need access to another building, then see whoever is on duty here at reception and they'll help you. Any other problems are best referred to Melissa here."

I show Valerie and Jean to their assigned rooms, and give them a quick tour of the facilities in E2. I check that the larder and fridge have been fully stocked.

"Are we allowed to walk around outside?" asks Valerie.

"Yes," I reply. "But please don't try to enter any of the other buildings and remember what I told you about the club's normal dress code."

"So is the club's lifestyle a sort of mistress and slave role-play?" asks Jean, continuing her earlier interest in the club.

"There's more to it than that, but essentially that's what the club offers. We officially call the groups Black cats and White cats, but you may hear members referring the groups as Mistresses and Slaves."

"Is that why your necklace has your name spelt in black letters, while Amber's name was in white lettering?" asks Jean.

"Yes. It is," I reply, mildly surprised that Jean managed to tear her attention away from Amber's tits long enough to notice the colour of the letters on her necklace.

Having satisfied the two contractors curiosity for now, I leave the them to settle into their rooms. I promise to look in on them later.

Chloe intercepts me when I reach the administration building.

"We need to talk," Chloe says to me.

"Yes. We do." I reply as we go through to Chloe's office.

We briefly kiss before we settle down for a discussion. Anything more intimate will need to wait until later.

"Firstly, nobody could find you to let you know about the two contractors arriving this afternoon," begins Chloe. "You must let the office know where to find you, particularly with the work on E4 about to begin."

"You knew I was overseeing Amber," I retort, irritated that I'm being blamed for 'vanishing'. You only had to use the locator on her necklace to find her, and that would have told you were I was."

"We did," says Chloe. "It revealed that Amber was in the service area. We assumed her locator had somehow detached itself from her necklace and ended up in the trash. It isn't the first time that's happened."

"Had you checked you would have discovered that the service area was precisely where we were," I reply.

"But why?"

"That's what I wanted to talk to you about. Amber's preferences profile is incorrect," I say. "She admitted that she gave false answers to the questionnaire when she switched castes. Apparently she, Pearl and Opal had a dare, and she wanted to ensure her transfer request was accepted."

"But we only refuse requests when the member has transferred castes within the preceding six months, and even then we make exceptions."

"Yes, but Amber didn't know that."

"So what were you doing in the service area?" asks Chloe.

"Doing a rough and ready reassessment of her preferences profile. I'd assess her as neutral or high for sex; low for bondage; probably neutral for punishment and humiliation; and she's high for servitude. That's quite different from what her profile said before."

"Hmm. Well I can ask Rebecca to complete a full reassessment of Amber's preferences. It means you aren't likely to be the most compatible match for Amber, so I'll ask Rebecca to see if one of the visiting mistresses is a better match."

"Yes, okay. That would ease my workload over the next fortnight. I'll continue as Amber's overseer until Rebecca can locate someone better suited to match Amber's profile. Amber seems more adaptable than most, and so far she has responded well to my treatment of her."

"That probably has a lot to do with your own experience in the Slave caste," says Chloe. "It's one of your enduring strengths."

"Hmm. I don't know about that, but thanks for the vote of confidence. Now, what else is happening around the place?"

Chloe and I go through the preparations for the scheduled arrival of the remaining eight contractors tomorrow, and the construction work in the weeks ahead. We seem to be well placed ... apart from the general shortage of staff on the island due to the backlog of leave being taken between now and the Christmas surge in visitors.

"I think we need to get you into a new outfit of your own," says Chloe. "You were right when you said that dress is a bit large on you. Let's see what's in the store room. If necessary, we'll order something online for you."

We go to the store room upstairs. There are two racks of clothing for new staff members. These days the choice is between Slave caste and Mistress caste clothing, since staff are no longer placed in the Lady caste when they start. There are only four sets of leather clothing in my size, and two of those suffer from the same issues as the dress I'm currently wearing. I've always classified my tits and arse as 'average size', but perhaps that's being a bit generous.

Just as I'm about to give up in despair, Chloe locates a box of clothing that one of our members had donated just before the club was forced to close for several weeks earlier in the year. The change in club ownership caused a brief period of chaos, including the temporary closure of the resort. This box of clothing must have sat here forgotten since then.

"These are clothes designed and donated by Faye," says Chloe.

I'm familiar with the rivalry between Faye and Bernice for the unofficial title of 'Queen Bee' among the club's mistresses. Natasha could also compete for the title, but she shows little inclination to bother with all the politics involved. I examine the selection of leather gear in the box. I'm impressed by the quality of the clothes, although anything Faye has designed and made will be high quality. As luck would have it, the one piece that really attracts my eye happens to be in my size ... or at least, it can be easily adjusted to fit me.

While most mistresses wear black leather outfits, this one is in a deep maroon. It's a combination of soft and hard leather, enabling me to wear it without the outfit losing its shape. The soft leather helps avoiding undue chaffing. It'll still need to be worn for a while before the leather moulds to my body, but that's something I'm willing to endure.

I change into my new outfit and Chloe and I prepare to join the other staff for our evening meal.

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Chapter 9.10 Amber: The New Assistant

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Amber

Transporting the boxes and coils of wire from the launch to the temporary storeroom takes Pearl, Opal and me the rest of the afternoon work shift. Admittedly we weren't exactly rushing, and Madame Rebecca was too busy elsewhere to do more than make a brief check on our progress.

Madame Melissa doesn't make a reappearance before the evening meal, so I take it to mean that I may join the others of the Slave caste for tonight's meal. I feel a bit guilty for lying on the questionnaire to assess my preferences profile. That has clearly caused a false start to my fortnight as a Bondage slave. To give Madame Melissa her due, she didn't have a meltdown when she discovered my deception. I don't claim to understand her actions that followed, but she clearly knew what she was trying to achieve. Whether she was successful isn't entirely clear at the moment.

Pearl and Opal are busy telling me about their game of Turtles, which sounds like a lot of fun ... if you are a mistress. My own thoughts drift toward the younger of the two women I met on the boat. There was a spark of interest in her eyes that I'd like to explore further if the opportunity arises. Unfortunately that doesn't seem likely at the moment.

After the evening meal I join Pearl and Opal and we discuss what to do. There rarely a shortage of evening activities, ranging from exercising in the gym, to the occasional open invitation sex party in E5. Also hanging around the entrance level to the Tower is a recommended location if you want to get hired by a mistress for some serious dominant-submissive play. Unfortunately, as I discovered yesterday evening, it's potluck as to which mistress hires you, and what 'duties' that hire entails.

"Slave Amber!" comes a voice from across the room. I turn to see Madame Rebecca storming towards me. Pearl and Opal are momentarily torn between preparing to defend me, and beating a hasty retreat. They opt to abandon me to my fate ... perhaps wisely in the circumstances. I've only myself to blame for Madame Rebecca's wrath.

"Come with me, Amber," says Madame Rebecca.

I initially expect a short trip to the dungeon and some form of corporal punishment. Instead Madame Rebecca escorts me to the administration building and into a quiet room with easy chairs and a small table.

"Sit," commands Madame Rebecca. I don't dare disobey.

"I'm sorry about lying on my preferences questionnaire, Madame," I say quickly, before Madame Rebecca can launch into a tirade.

"Hmm. You preferences profile is easily corrected and Madame Melissa has made good progress with that already. The only loser from your untruths is you ... well, apart from wasting Madame Melissa's precious time. She'll be joining us shortly, but I wanted a word with you first."

"About what, Madame?"

"You have selected to be here as a Bondage slave. However, by all accounts, you are not into bondage. I have a proposal for you to consider before Madame Melissa arrives. Your revised preferences profile means you and Madame Melissa aren't the best pairing of mistress and slave the club can currently offer. I can approach a mistress who is more compatible to your actual preferences, and it is likely she will agree to be your overseer.

"Madame Melissa has a lot of work ahead of her once the contractors arrive tomorrow. While finding you a different overseer will help relieve Madame Melissa's workload, there is another option. The other staff mistresses and I believe that she would benefit from a personal assistant to help her for the immediate future. There's nobody on the staff available, so I am asking you if you are prepared to be that assistant."

"Um. What exactly would that involve, Madame? And what do you wish me to do now?"

"I've no idea what work Madame Melissa will assign to you. You're here as a member of the Slave caste, and slaves don't get to pick and choose the work they are given. If you agree to my proposal then you only need to ask Madame Melissa to remain as your overseer and offer your services as her personal assistant for the remainder of your stay."

Madame Melissa joins us a few minutes later. She is remarkably unruffled by all the hectic activity of today. She's wearing a new outfit that makes her look both sexy and powerful. Her posture is unreservedly one of a dominatrix, and I find it hard to believe that until recently she was a member of the Slave caste like me. I could never mirror her current posture and attitude with the same confidence.

"Have you come to a decision about a new overseer for Amber?" asks Madame Melissa of Madame Rebecca.

"I have just been discussing options with Slave Amber," replies Madame Rebecca. "I believe she is ready to decide."

Both mistresses look at me for an answer. I take a deep breath before answering. I just hope I'm making the right decision.

"I would like it if you will agree to continue as my overseer, Madame Melissa. Madame Rebecca has explained that you have a busy workload liaising with the contractors, and I wish to offer my services as your assistant for the next fortnight. I'm prepared to work whatever hours you require of me."

Madame Melissa looks stunned for a moment and she immediately sees Madame Rebecca's hand at work in this proposal. Clearly I wouldn't have known of Madame Melissa's upcoming workload unless somebody on the staff had told me.

"That's going to be a lot of work, Amber," says Madame Melissa. "It would mean that your stay here is little more than a working holiday."

"Ah! But she'll still get some free time to enjoy the facilities," interrupts Madame Rebecca in case I was wavering in my decision.

"Hmm. Yes," replies Madame Melissa. "The standard two hour minimum of free time each day. And Amber will still need to take her turn at cooking and cleaning on level 1 of the Tower."

"Of course," replies Madame Rebecca as though she's haggling over the sale of a slave with a prospective purchaser. The realisation that I am effectively being bartered does strange things to my insides.

"Very well," agrees Madame Melissa. "Let's see how it goes for a few days. You do realise that you'll need to wear one of those unflattering orange overalls while you are working."

I haven't seen the overalls Madame Melissa describes, but I've heard talk about them. They're normally worn by those of the Slave caste on the rare occasions that men are present on the island. Apparently the same arrangement has been made for the contractors, even though they are all women. Perhaps my sudden cringe at mention of the overalls prompts Madame Rebecca to fetch a pair of the overalls.

"Try it on," says Madame Rebecca. "You may as well have your own personal pair if you are going to be wearing them all day."

I slide the overalls on over my outfit. It makes me look like a convict. I soon see what Madame Melissa means about the look being unflattering. However, they are comfortable, and the lining inside the chest section softens any chaffing of my nipples. The sleeveless top isn't ideal for outdoor work at this time of year, but I trust Madame Melissa not to let me freeze to death.

"Last chance to change your mind, Slave Amber," says Madame Melissa.

"I'll stick with my decision, if that's okay with you Madame Melissa," I reply.

"Very well. Take the overalls with you and keep them in your locker. Report for duty in the Common Room at nine o'clock tomorrow morning. Now go and enjoy your evening. I cannot promise that you'll have the energy to do so after today."

I return to the Tower to search for Pearl and Opal. Neither are on level 1, although I cannot access the dungeon should they be in there. I ask the group cleaning up the remnants of the evening meal whether they know where Pearl and Opal went, but none of those working saw them leave. I could go across to E5 and see if I can find them there, but I'm hesitant to invite myself into a party alone.

Instead I decide to take an evening stroll around the complex. There's a risk I'll get commandeered by a mistress on the prowl, but that's part of the thrill of being on the island. Realistically, at this time of year, the chances of meeting a mistress wandering around the grounds at night is virtually nil.

While the mistresses are confining their evening activities to the warmth of their suites or the facilities in E5, the same cannot be said for the two contractors who arrived on the island this afternoon. My stroll along the main drive toward the jetty is interrupted by Valerie and Jean walking in the opposite direction. Whereas I'm walking around semi-naked, they are well wrapped for the cool evening air.

"You must be cold like that," observes Jean.

"Yeah. Well, you get used to it," I say with a hint of bravado.

In truth, my experience at walking around with my tits exposed is minimal. I only arrived on the island yesterday, although so much has happened that it feels like days.

"Do you know how we can contact Melissa?" asks Valerie.

"I'm not sure where she'll be at the moment, but if you ask at the reception desk they should be able to find her. Is there anything I can help you with?"

"Perhaps. Do you know of any entertainment around here that we can access? There's no television or wi-fi access in the rooms."

"Ah! There's no access to television anywhere on the island, and the only wi-fi access in limited to the administration building. You'll need to talk to reception about gaining access. Did you bring any books or games?"

"No," laughs Jean. "That wasn't something we thought about. I'm guessing that those arriving tomorrow will be equally unprepared. I'm not sure four weeks of no entertainment is going to go down well."

I decide that this is perhaps something Madame Melissa needs to be aware of tonight in case there's some means of resolving the issue before it becomes a major problem. I encourage Valerie and Jean to join me in a trip to reception to find Madame Melissa.

The administration office is empty at this time of night. However, the door sensors detect our arrival in reception and Madame Chloe comes down from upstairs to investigate. I'm both surprised and nervous that the resort's on-site manager is attending to such duties.

"Sorry to intrude on your evening, Madame Chloe," I say. "Is Madame Melissa available? There's an issue I'm not sure she has considered that might want resolving before tomorrow's arrivals get here."

"Hmm. That sounds dramatic," replies Madame Chloe. "I believe Melissa is in the E5 gymnasium at the moment. I wouldn't disturb her unless is really urgent. What's the problem?"

I let Valerie and Jean explain their issue, and Madame Chloe nods in understanding.

"I believe we mentioned the absence of television and wi-fi coverage on the island when we negotiated the contract. However, I doubt your boss thought it was a high priority issue, and she obviously overlooked telling you. I'll check with Melissa when she's finished in E5. I'm not sure how we resolve it short of getting Kirsty to check with the new arrivals in Cordwell tomorrow. I suppose a quick shopping stop wouldn't delay things too much."

"Are there any books or games Valerie and Jean can borrow in the meantime, Madame?"

"Not really. Brooke has a couple of raunchy magazines tucked in the bottom of her desk drawer for when things are quiet. She's away on leave, so I suppose you can borrow those as long as you return them in good condition."

Jean looks embarrassed at the prospect of reading a raunchy magazine, but Valerie is more enthusiastic. Madame Chloe fetches the magazines, and Valerie accepts both of them. Jean settles for reading a printed copy of a La Chatte Heureuse handbook. It's not the most riveting of bedtime reads, but I suppose it's better than lying on your bed staring at the ceiling.

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Chapter 9.11 Pearl: Private Games

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Pearl

I feel a twinge of guilt at abandoning Amber to Madame Rebecca's wrath, but I'm not sure what Opal or I could have done to help her in the circumstances. While we've known each other for some time through the club's social media, this visit is the first time we physically met. Consequently, I'm unsure how well we really know each other. Besides, I warned Amber against falsifying her answers to the questionnaire when we agreed to switch castes.

While my friendship with Amber is cautious and unclear, I'm far more certain about my developing relationship with Opal. On paper, Opal and I have little in common; she's a florist from a rural town, and I'm a trainee accountant from an industrial city. She likes dancing, and paints for a hobby, whereas I've two left feet when it comes to dancing, and I cannot claim to ever have had a hobby that has lasted more than a few weeks.

My mental impression of Opal, gained during our on-line chats, is not entirely off the mark. Outwardly she is quiet and shy. However, I've discovered that once you penetrate her outer shell, she's down for pretty much anything. Opal's enthusiastic adoption of our Slave caste lifestyle wasn't something that could have been easily predicted beforehand.

"What are you thinking about?" asks Opal as we walk between the Tower and E5 to see what entertainment is on offer.

"A twinge of guilt about abandoning Amber," I reply.

"She made her own mess, so I suppose she'll now be made to lie in it," says Opal with a shrug.

"That's a bit harsh," I reply. "I don't think I would leave you in that situation."

"Nor I you," smiles Opal. "I like you ... a lot. I'm not so sure how I feel about Amber. She pushed us into changing castes, but I think she's the least submissive of the three of us. This is all a thrill seeking adventure to her. To me its about developing a lifestyle I like."

I don't reply immediately, absorbing what Opal says. It's true that my feelings toward Opal are much stronger than toward Amber. I wouldn't categorise our visit here as a 'thrill seeking adventure', but I understand how Amber's actions can be regarded as such. Clearly Opal is looking for something more out of this visit, and her comment makes me realise that is what I want as well.

We enter E5. The gymnasium is down a corridor straight ahead, and it sounds as though one or more people are using the gym at the moment. The private entertainment rooms are to our left and right, and on the floor above. I check the board by the entrance door that indicates which rooms are in use or are booked for later. I look for a little star symbol on the board next to the room name that indicates an open invitation to join whatever is going on in there. Only two rooms are in use, and both are private invitation-only sessions.

"It looks like we are going to need to make our own entertainment tonight," I say to Opal. "Unless you want to go back to the Tower and see if there any mistresses looking for some fun."

"I think we deserve some fun time together without performing like circus animals for some mistress."

"Okay. I'm down for that," I reply. "There are several E5 rooms free, but I'm not sure what facilities are available in each one."

"The upstairs rooms are larger. They're designed for larger parties like the one we attended last night. The downstairs rooms are more suited for couples or threesomes, so I suggest we use one of those."

Opal is the only one of us to have visited the island before this trip, so I rely on her patchy knowledge about the facilities in each room. Last time she was here, she was a member of the Ladies caste ... a Blue cat ... so her access was limited to those rooms designated as being available to Blue cats. Most of the facilities in E5, particularly the special themed rooms, are only available to mistresses and slaves.

"It's going to be potluck as to the facilities available in the room we choose," says Opal. "Unless you want to find someone to ask."

"I'm in favour of taking potluck," I reply, not wanting to risk anything that might sabotage a chance for an private session with Opal.

"Okay," says Opal. "Let's try E5C over here."

Booking a room is relatively straight forward; place your palm on the palm-pad by the occupancy board, and select the room and start time of the booking. All bookings end at lock up time, although mistresses can extend the booking all night if they wish. The board now displays room E5C as in use for a private session until lock up time at nine o'clock.

Opal opens the door to E5C using her palm print to release the door lock. Normally a mistress would be needed to unlock the door, but with so few members currently on the island, the rule has been relaxed to allow us to enter the room unescorted.

The room contains a king sized double bed, the usual motel style facilities, and a few extras. Firstly there's an abundance of mirrors, including a large one on the ceiling over the bed. In the corner of the room is a vertical metal pole, presumably to enable someone to perform a pole dance. The bedside drawers contain a variety of sex toys, all hygienically wrapped in sealed plastic. The bed-frame has a series of stout eyelets for attaching chains and ropes. Under the bed is a box with a selection of suitable cuffs, chains and ropes. There's a CD player and a small selection of CDs, but in common with the rest of the resort's facilities, no television.

My imagination runs wild at the sight of all this stuff. Opal is clearly having similar thoughts. She's the first to go through the selection of toys at our disposal. Previously I had labelled Opal as the timid one among us, but I now realise how much of a mistake that was.

"Undress and lie on the bed, Pearl," says Opal in a tone that is partly seduction, and partly an order.

I comply for no other reason than I'm curious about Opal's intentions. Minutes later I'm spread-eagled on the bed with my wrists and ankles shackled to the corners of the bed.

"What do you intend to do now, Opal?" I ask.

"I'm going to entertain you before eating that delicious pussy of yours."

I belatedly realise that the bed mattress can be angled so as to raise my upper body at a thirty degree angle. It's high enough for me to see the rest of the room without needing to crane my neck. I soon discover that while the mattress can be angled, the bed-frame is fixed, pulling the chains holding my wrists and ankles tight. What was initially a comfortable stretch now becomes borderline painful.

"You've done this before," I say, realising why Opal had initially left some play in the chains holding my arms and legs.

"I visited one of these rooms during my last visit. I can't remember which one it was, but it had similar facilities to this room."

"So now what?" I ask.

"Just watch," smiles Opal as she selects a CD and inserts it into the player.

What follows is a strip tease and pole dance worthy of a professional dancer. I was already starting to become aroused before Opal started her routine, but now I'm in desperate need of relief. With my hands and feet rendered useless, and no means of gaining pressure on my clit, I can only crave for pleasure. I've never been able to mentally arouse myself to the point of an orgasm, but tonight I'm coming closer to the tipping point than I've achieved before.

I look at Opal as she performs her routine. The look in her eyes betrays her highly aroused state. Of course she's in a position to do something about that, whereas I'm not. She's naked by the time she finishes her dance, and I think we are both ready for some serious sex. She comes over to the bed and restores the horizontal position of the mattress. This immediately relieves the strain on my limbs, much to my relief.

Opal gets onto the bed and straddles my body so that we can tongue each other's clit. Without a word being spoken, we start to drive each other into one orgasm after another. Opal keeps me bound throughout the whole episode, which only fuels my desire all the more. The sound of the lock-up ten-minute warning bell brings our game to a halt. We share a quick shower in the room before hastily returning to our dormitory.

The next morning both Opal and I report to the Common Room for our morning work duty. The preparations for the arrival of the building contractors are complete, so our assigned tasks are directed toward routine cleaning and maintenance. Opal and I are assigned to different work groups, and her group is sent off to the upper levels of the Tower to service the Black cat accommodation. My group is given the task of cleaning up in E5.

Only three rooms in E5 were used last night, so the task isn't too onerous. Slave Hazel and I start by cleaning E5C that Opal and I used last night. I feel slightly guilty at the mess we left, but Hazel doesn't seem surprised at the scattered used toys and the chains still left in place.

"I'll clean the bathroom, if you replace the used toys and change the bedding," says Hazel, who has clearly done this task before.

I set about cleaning up last night's mess. I neatly loop the chains and place them back in the under-bed box. I sort the disposable sex toys from those that can be cleaned and reused, dumping the waste into a large plastic bag. Hazel shows me where the store cupboard is located to restock the room's supply of sex toys.

After fifteen minutes of cleaning, we both agree that this room is ready for its next visitors. We move upstairs to the next room in need of cleaning. If I thought Opal and I had left a mess, then E5G is a bomb site. The room is set up as a play dungeon. The equipment is lightweight and most of it is portable. Nevertheless the room provides ample options for some serious BDSM games. The scattering of whips left on the floor and the dangling head-stocks and spreader bar suggest that there was some heavy action going on in here last night.

"Do you think whoever was the victim in here last night is alright?" I ask Hazel.

"Yeah. That was Mistress Kane and Xara. I saw them both earlier this morning. Xara was a bit sore, but didn't seem too worse for wear. She's a pain junkie, so she endures a lot more than you or I could probably manage."

"I didn't realise things could get so heavy here," I say. "I thought it was all play acting."

"For most of us, being here is simply a role playing game. However, there are both mistresses and slaves who have deeper fetishes. That's why it's important to use your safe word if you feel you are being drawn in too far. Even the harshest of mistresses will respect your use of a safe word, so don't be afraid to use it."

"I was with Madame Kane yesterday. She didn't show any sign of being so harsh."

"Hah! Well her club name should have given you a clue. Madame Kane isn't abusive; she simply likes to play rough given the opportunity. She's always on the lookout for fresh victims, but she won't deliberately overstep anyone's boundaries."

Hazel and I complete our work and wait patiently for one of the staff to come and sign-off our work as satisfactorily completed. Slave Tessa has that duty today, and she comes as soon as the rest of our work party finish cleaning the gymnasium.

With just over an hour left until the end of our four hour work shift, we return to the Common Room to await further instructions. Someone has placed three boxes containing bright orange overalls on the table. Madame Melissa enters a few minutes later, with Amber following close behind. I'm surprised to see Amber wearing a pair of orange overalls.

"Good, there are some of you who have finished your initial tasks already. Hazel and Pearl; find a pair of orange overalls in your size and come with Amber and me. The rest of you wait for Madame Rebecca. She'll be here in a few minutes."

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Chapter 9.12: Melissa: The Contractors Arrive

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Melissa

I'm waiting at the jetty with Amber, Pearl and Hazel when Kirsty draws the launch alongside. The expected eight contractors disembark, and the three slaves help load the contractors' belongings onto the trailer. I greet the new arrivals and walk beside their lead supervisor, Raewyn, as we walk toward reception.

The manager whom April, Chloe and I have been dealing with won't be arriving on the island for another week or so. This group will simply be removing the old cables and pipes, and generally preparing the fabric of the building for the new work.

Helen is on duty at reception. She quickly allocates rooms in E2 to the new arrivals, and arranges the necessary access to the east block buildings. I instruct Amber to organise Pearl and Hazel to collect the various items of equipment that arrived on the launch with the contractors.

Valerie and Jean undertake to show the new arrivals around their accommodation, while I take Raewyn for a preliminary look at the work required in E4. I don't expect for one minute that the detailed project plan for the scheduled four weeks of work will be followed to the letter. It's impossible to predict everything the contractors will face once they begin work. However Raewyn doesn't identify any unexpected issues as I show her around E4. Refurbishing the dungeon in E4 is likely to be the hardest piece of the work. Not only is moving to and from the basement with building supplies going to be tricky, but several important pieces of the new dungeon infrastructure have still to be delivered.

I leave the contractors to settle in and organise their own work schedule. Amber releases Pearl and Hazel from work duty once the newly arrived equipment is placed in the temporary store. Amber returns to my side for further orders. So far she's been an enthusiastic helper. It remains to be seen how long that lasts.

The afternoon is relatively quiet. The usual work parties doing the cleaning and restocking of supplies around the resort are the only Slave caste members actively working. The majority of members are amusing themselves in the usual fashion. The weather is cool and overcast, so only a few members venture outside.

I spend most of the afternoon chasing up delivery of the components for the E4 refurbishment that have still to arrive. I send Amber with Kirsty to reposition the barge, and to check the shed near the dam we've been using as a temporary store. Everything should have been ferried to the island by now, but I want Amber and Kirsty to check. As work progresses, we'll be ferrying the larger items of building waste to the store, for later collection and disposal. It wouldn't look good if newly delivered items became swept up with the waste.

We finish work shortly before six o'clock. So far everything is on track. I discharge Amber from further work duty today, and I join the other staff for an evening meal.

The next morning I enter the temporary office I've set up in a little used interview room in the administration area of E1. For the duration of the refurbishment work, this will be my base. Chloe and Nicole join me almost immediately. Chloe leans over the table where the E4 refurbishment schedule is spread out like a battle map. Nicole stands beside her, arms folded, expression calm but alert.

"Morning, Melissa," Nicole says. "I see the contractors have started work in earnest."

I nod, taking my seat. "Yes. Valerie and Jean arriving a day early has been a blessing in disguise. It has enabled the contractors to start work in E4 first thing this morning."

Housing the contractors in E2 means they are close enough to E4 that they can move between the two buildings without crossing paths with too many club members. That was the idea, anyway.

Nicole taps the schedule. "We need to talk about movement between the jetty and E4. Your plan shows that additional supplies will be coming in twice a week. And waste material going in the other direction. The contractors will need access to the launch for that to happen."

"Yes, I know. I've discussed it with Kirsty, and she has approved the launch schedule. However, moving the barge is dependent on the weather, and there's not a lot of slack time should there be any delays."

"And we need to keep club members out of their way," Chloe adds.

I let out a slow sigh. This is the part that worries me. The Tower is nearly full ... twenty? six Slave caste members, and nineteen mistresses, all living vertically in a relatively small space. They're curious, restless, and easily drawn to anything that looks like unusual activity.

"We'll need an agreed route from the jetty to E4 when the contractors are moving things," I say. "One that keeps club members safely out of the way."

There are two possible routes between the jetty and the east block buildings. The main driveway is the shortest, and the one normally used. The other route meanders through the gardens.

Nicole nods. "Perhaps Amber can supervise movements on delivery days and direct members along the garden paths."

"And what about passengers on the launch?" Chloe asks. "Contractors will be coming and going throughout the four weeks. Some will rotate out. Some will arrive mid? project."

"There's no reason why the contractors cannot travel with the departing and arriving members. Members will be wearing normal clothes. However, we'll need to keep an eye on numbers so we don't overload the launch. It shouldn't be a problem at this time of year, but weekend arrivals and departures will need monitoring. I'll ask Raewyn to provide a list of scheduled contractor arrivals and departures so we can ensure it all works."

We move through the rest of the logistics: noise management, safety barriers, temporary lighting, emergency access routes. Chloe takes notes, occasionally glancing at me with that quiet pride she tries not to show too openly. Nicole remains steady, offering guidance, but letting me lead.

When we finish, Nicole gathers the papers. "I'll brief Rebecca, Helen and Tessa."

Chloe nods and turns to me. "Jean asked if she could meet you again. She seems eager to learn more about the resort."

I smile. "Amber's influence, probably."

Chloe raises an eyebrow. "Amber?"

"Amber is assisting me," I explain. "She's very capable. Jean seems to like her."

Chloe considers this. "Good. The contractors will work better if they feel connected to the resort."

We stand, and Chloe squeezes my hand lightly ... a gesture hidden from Nicole's view, although she is one of the few members of staff aware of our relationship.

"You're ready for this," Chloe whispers.

I hope she's right.

As we leave the office, I glance toward E4. The scaffolding is already rising. The contractors are moving like a coordinated team, moving equipment, marking walls, measuring distances.

The project has begun. And I'm responsible for all of it.

The sun is low in the sky when Chloe and I slip into her office at the end of a hectic day. I'm really glad that I've had Amber to help me, and she fully deserves her evening of relative freedom.

Chloe closes the door behind us. "Finally," she says softly. "A moment alone."

I lean against the wall, letting the tension in my shoulders ease. "It's been non-stop."

She steps closer, brushing her fingers against mine. "You're doing well."

I laugh quietly. "I'm doing my best. I'm still not sure I'm Mistress caste material."

"You are," she says. "You are leading, and that's not very different from being a dominatrix."

Her confidence in me is something I'm still learning to accept. I've spent years watching other people lead ... Chloe while we were at school together, and more recently Nicole, Rebecca, and Bernice ... and even Natasha in her own unpredictable way. Now it's my turn, and the weight of it feels both exhilarating and terrifying.

Chloe sits on the bench beneath the window. "We should talk about our plans for the wedding."

My heart lifts. "Yes. We should."

"We'll need to keep it quiet until after Bernice's November event," she says. "Nicole will support us, but she'll want the timing to be perfect."

I sit beside her. "I know. And I want it to be right. For both of us."

She smiles, soft and warm. "Now you're officially a Black cat, everything changes. Your responsibilities. Your authority. Your visibility."

"I know."

"And I want to make sure we're ready. Not just for the wedding. For taking over ownership of the resort."

I take her hand. "I feel ready ... do you?"

She looks at me, searching my face. "Yes. Are you sure? It's going to be a big step for both of us."

"Yes," I say. "Today proved it. Nicole trusts me. Rebecca respects me. The contractors listen. Amber follows my lead. And you ... you're beside me in all of it."

Her eyes soften. "I always will be."

We sit in silence for a moment, listening to the faint sounds of the other staff upstairs preparing for the evening meal.

Chloe leans her head on my shoulder. "When we take full control, I want us to do it together. Not just as partners. As equals."

"We will," I say. "We already are."

She exhales, relieved. "Good."

I kiss her forehead. "We'll announce the wedding after Bernice's event in November. Then we'll begin the transition."

Chloe smiles. "The future owners of Greenway House Partnership."

"Yes," I whisper. "That's us."

Twelve days later

The Tower feels strangely quiet this morning. Not empty ... just softer. The two Slave caste dormitories are buzzing with packing, chatter, and the rustle of bags, but the energy is different. It's departure energy. The kind that comes with mixed emotions.

Nine members of the Slave caste are departing today, along with seven mistresses. A similar number will be arriving later, so the Tower will be nearly full again tonight. With the scheduled departures and arrivals of contractors, Kirsty is having to make both a morning and afternoon round trip to and from Cordwell. That's unusual at this time of year but not impossible. Fortunately the weather is fine, so there shouldn't be any delays.

Amber spots me first. "Madame Melissa!" She waves, bright as ever. Pearl stands beside her, composed, while Opal clutches her tote bag like it's a lifeline. All three are now dressed in their normal clothes. They look very different.

I smile. "Ready to head home?"

Amber nods. "Kind of, Madame. It's been an intense experience."

Pearl adds, "And educational."

Opal whispers, "I'm exhausted."

I laugh softly. "You've all done well. Better than you think."

Amber steps forward. "Thank you for letting me assist you, Madame. I learned so much."

"You were a huge help," I say. "And Jean appreciated your company."

Amber blushes. "She's nice."

Pearl gives me a small, respectful nod. "Thank you for everything, Madame. You're an incredible mistress."

Her words warm me more than I expect. "Thank you, Pearl."

Opal hugs me suddenly ... a soft, trembling gesture. "Good luck with the refurbishment, Madame."

I hug her back. "Thank you."

As they head toward the jetty and the waiting launch, Chloe joins me. "You've gained three admirers," she says.

I shrug. "They're good people."

Before we can turn away, Jean approaches ... hands in her pockets and a determined expression.

"Melissa," she says. "Can I talk to you?"

Chloe and I exchange a glance. "Of course," I say. "Is there a problem in E4?"

Jean takes a breath. "No. Everything is okay with the refurbishment. I wanted to talk to you about staying on ... after the refurbishment. I want a permanent job here. Maintenance staff. Full? time. Vicky said you were looking for an experienced electrician. I'm fully qualified."

I blink. "You're sure?"

"Yes," she says. "I like the island. I like the work. And I ... I want to be part of this place."

Chloe smiles. "You'd be an asset."

Jean looks at me, hopeful. "Will you consider it?"

I nod slowly. "Yes. I will. I'll give you an application form to complete. You understand that we'll need to do a full check on your background?"

Her face lights up. "That's no problem. Thank you."

As she walks away, Chloe slips her hand into mine.

"We're building our team," she says.

I watch Jean disappear into E2, where the contractors are taking a short break in their morning's work.

"Yes," I say quietly. "We are."

And for the first time, the future feels not just possible, but close.

[end of part 9]