What To Read After FSOG: The Gemstone Collection Part Two (146 page)

She stared at him, still in shock. He continued on, choosing to be oblivious of her pain. “Mr. Wallace, on the other hand, can provide you with a variety of experiences. He seems to have an innate talent, one that cannot be taught. I feel he has the capability to stretch you, and that is an important consideration.”

He put the pen down and gazed at her. “The choice is up to you. You can partner with a man you obviously have a connection with or a Dom who has the same desire to grow. Trust that instinct of yours, Miss Bennett. You cannot make a wrong choice if you do.”

How could he deny his feelings for her? Brie wondered if there was something she could do at the ceremony, but he interrupted her thoughts. “If someone were foolish enough to present me with a collar, I would be forced to reject it.”

She stared at him in misery.

“It is important to concentrate on the viable options afforded you, Miss Bennett. Don’t allow anything to distract you from that decision.”

“But Sir, I…”

He held up his hand to silence her declaration of love and then pointed to the collar around her neck. “It is no longer needed. Come.” He gestured to the floor at his feet.

Her body was leaden as she got up from the chair and bowed before him. She closed her eyes as he unfastened the collar. She felt a chill as the warmth of the leather was replaced by the coolness of the air and a sob escaped her lips.

He placed it on his desk and said quietly, “You may leave. You have much to consider tonight. I will explain to the others that you were unexpectedly called away.”

She stood up unsteadily.

“Miss Bennett, this is for the best.”

Somehow, Brie made it out of his office, but she stumbled in her six-inch heels. She angrily ripped them off her feet, throwing them across the hall with a growl. Then the tears came. She pressed her face against the wall, sobbing uncontrollably.

She heard him clear his throat several times and held her breath, staring at the open door, hoping he would come for her. When that did not happen, she slowly picked up her shoes and walked to the classroom to retrieve her coat and purse. In a trance, she left the Center and headed home.

When Brie made it to her apartment, she walked inside without turning the lights on. She collapsed on the bed with her hands covering her ears in a feeble attempt to shut out the world.

She woke up the next morning to bright sunlight and a feeling of hope. Then she remembered the night before and her joy faltered. She focused on the wax mold Tono had created of her. Despite the fact Sir could never be hers, Brie did have two men she cared for.

There was no doubt she loved Tono. Just thinking about him gave her pleasant shivers. A relationship with Tono would be full of amazing sex, delicious bondage, and maybe even a side career in Kinbaku. He respected and loved her, and she him. Truly, in every way he was a perfect choice.

Then there was Faelan. She laughed when she thought of Blue Eyes. He was young like she was, as well as determined and innately talented. He had an adventurous spirit and the wildness to challenge Brie beyond her comfort level. That excited her. His dangerous component and the animal chemistry they shared made him a viable option. They could learn and grow as one, doing God only knew what to each other. A match made in heaven.

Brie sighed. Unfortunately, both Doms also had their drawbacks.

Tono was a Kinbaku master. That meant his expertise was limited. Not only that, but he had a kind soul. She couldn’t see him picking up a cane and giving her convincing whacks with it. What if there came a time she needed that?

Faelan, on the other hand, was young, and as inexperienced as she was. Brie hadn’t decided yet if she loved him. It could be a case of animal magnetism and nothing more. Plus, she didn’t like the fact all the submissives at the Center wanted the new Dom. Brie desired an exclusive relationship—no harems allowed.

At least she still had the interviews. She felt certain comparing the two side by side would help her make a definitive decision.

Brie spent the day preparing her body for the graduation ceremony. She went to a salon and got her hair and nails done professionally. She handed the hairdresser a beautiful comb she had picked out especially for the evening. It was a silver and gold abstract representation of a wolf; a symbol of Faelan.

When she got back to her apartment she began to dress in an outfit she’d assembled specifically to attract her Master. Brie held up the scarlet corset covered in black lace. It had cost her more than a hundred dollars, but was definitely worth it. Once she’d put it on, the enchanting corset showed off her shapely figure, but didn’t cut into her skin when the laces were pulled tight. She slipped on her expensive hose and attached them to her lacy garter belt. The hose were a sheer black material that shimmered in the light. Her skirt came next. It was a black lace micro number that swished against her butt cheeks when she walked. She had also chosen a golden chain that hung around her hips seductively.

Brie twirled in front of the mirror. Nothing said sex and class like the color black, but it was the scarlet of her corset that made her deliciously alluring.
Oh, yeah! Come to me, Master…

A few minutes before she left, Brie put on her shoes. She’d gone with the traditional six-inch height, but these shoes were stunning. They were all black except for the heels, which were ornately decorated with metallic gold. Totally hot!

There was only one more piece needed to complete her look. Brie carefully slipped the bracelet onto her forearm. The gold dragon wound around her arm seductively and gave her a slave girl image she liked. Naturally, the dragon was her symbol for Tono.

Neither Dom would suspect she held a piece of each of them for luck. She glanced in the mirror one more time…
Perfect
.

T
he school parking lot was jam-packed when she pulled up. Apparently, tons of people from the D/s community had come to celebrate the latest graduates. Brie suddenly felt shy and snuck around the back.

She walked through the empty hallways until she saw Lea. Then she made a beeline towards her, hugging Lea from behind. “Can you believe it, girl?
We
are graduates!”

“I know!” Lea grinned, turning around to look at her. “To think of all that we’ve been through to get to this point. And did you see how many Dominants came to check us out?”

“Oh… Is that why so many people are here tonight?”

“Ms. Clark said that half the people are old alumni and the other half are Doms looking for a partner.”

“I guess you’re going to have fun tonight!”

Lea turned her around several times, looking her up and down. “Wow, Brie. You look incredible.”

“So do you, Lea,” she said, complimenting Lea’s purple, fairy-like outfit with a wide scoop neck that showed off her ample bosom.

“No, seriously, Brie… You look stunning.”

She shrugged. “How else should I look for my Master?”

“Have you decided then?” Lea asked in a low whisper.

Brie shook her head. “Not yet, although I am definitely leaning in one direction.”

“I bet I know who it is!” Lea answered, giving Brie a tight squeeze.

Brie was about to ask Lea which one she thought when Mary came up, looking drop-dead gorgeous in a latex catsuit. The woman had the right body to fill out every naughty curve. “Still planning to ruin your fun, huh?”

“If you are asking if I still plan to get collared tonight, the answer is yes.”

Mary’s smile turned into an ugly frown. “Well, I always knew you were an idiot. Now the whole D/s community will know it as well. Me? I plan to shop around. I’ve heard there are a few foreigners lurking about tonight. I plan to get me a little of that action.” She slapped Brie’s face playfully. “So should you.”

Three of the trainers came to the back area to talk to the graduates. Each had been assigned a specific girl to watch over for the evening. Luckily for Brie, Marquis Gray was her escort. She was surprised to see a submissive standing beside him. She was an older woman with long, black hair and pale blue eyes. Marquis introduced her to Brie. “Miss Bennett, this is my submissive, Celestia.”

So, Marquis Gray was never an option. How conceited am I?

Brie took the woman’s hand in hers. “It is a pleasure to meet you, Celestia.” She wanted to add, “You lucky sub, you!” but just smiled and squeezed Celestia’s hand lightly.

Marquis informed Brie, “Tonight you will be spending time with the D/s community at large. Feel free to speak with whomever you want. People are here to celebrate your accomplishment as well as to meet you in person. You have thirty minutes before I ask who you want to meet with first.”

“Thank you, Marquis Gray.”

“Headmaster Davis will announce each of the graduates in turn, starting with you. Stand beside him and then move to the left when he calls the next name. Once all three of you have been introduced, you will be free to socialize.”

Brie waited for her name and entered the large commons on cue. She was stunned at the number of people crowding the elaborately decorated room. The commons looked grand and elegant. Leave it to the Submissive Training Center to send their subs out in style.

She stood next to Sir. It wasn’t as hard being near him as it had been in the past. Knowing he could never be hers had tempered her feelings somehow. She smiled serenely as he announced her name to the community and added, “As many of you know, this class of submissives graduated with the highest overall scores in our school’s distinguished history. Miss Bennett was head of her class.” There was a polite round of applause.

When it died down, Sir took her hand and shook it twice, saying, “Well done, Miss Bennett.” His expression was one of pride but no intimacy. He let go and then announced Lea’s name.

Brie moved to the left, where Mr. Gallant handed her a plaque and shook her hand warmly. “Well done, Miss Bennett. We are all proud of your unrivaled success.”

She bowed and whispered, “I couldn’t have done it without you, Teacher.”

He blessed her with a proud smile and then readied himself to hand Lea her plaque. Brie stood there, discreetly looking over the crowd. She saw Tono standing alone, looking devastatingly handsome in his dark suit. His midnight hair covered his left eye in a devilishly flirtatious fashion. Any reservations she’d felt about him disappeared when he smiled.

After the short ceremony had ended, the two of them walked towards each other as if drawn together by a magnet. His hand caressed her cheek as he leaned in and murmured, “You are stunning, toriko.”

She pressed her face into his hand, looking deep into his brown eyes. “You take my breath away, Tono.”

“Exactly the response I was looking for, little slave. Will you dance with me?”

It was strange to have this new dynamic between them. They were not playing a scene and this was not a training session.

She took his hand and he led her out to the middle of the floor, placing one hand behind her back while grasping her right hand with the other. He guided her around the dance floor in a fluid motion. Brie was pleasantly surprised she could stay in step with him simply by looking into his magnetic eyes.

“I have a surprise for you.”

She grinned. “Oh, what? I love surprises!”

He nodded to a small man standing off to the side. A man who was watching them with scary intensity. “My father has come from the homeland to meet you.”

Brie hadn’t made her final decision yet and stammered, “Tono, I am not a hundred percent sure I can make a decision tonight.”

He chuckled lightly. “It’s okay. My father insisted on being present at your graduation. I have spoken so much about you that he wanted to see your rare beauty for himself.”

She sighed as she looked at the unsmiling man.

Tono lifted her chin to bring her back into connection with him, before twirling her around and lightly catching her in his arms. She let the crowd fall away as Tono swept her into his rhythm. “I will be asked to meet with you tonight,” he stated, rather than asked.

Brie pressed her cheek against his chest. “Of course, Tono.”