Master Donovan's Lessons

The Threshold

Linea glanced back at the dark sedan and driver who delivered her to her chosen fate. Just fifteen feet between her and her last opportunity to run.

No. She wasn't a coward. She asked to be here. Master Donovan only accepted her. He didn't choose, nor even ask her to train to be another man's slave.

With one grand action, she inhaled a deep breath while pressing the doorbell of the massive colonial style home surrounded by summer flowers and manicured shrubs. The door opened, but she saw no one. She stepped inside only seeing Master Donovan after she fully walked into the foyer. The brightness of the sun shrouded his formable figure in darkness. A deep voice startled her.

"Hello Linea. I trust your journey was comfortable?"

"Yes, sir. It was very nice," she replied.

He held out his hand signaling to her to give him her distressed brown leather backpack filled with the few items she was allowed to bring. When she handed over the remains of her life, his fingers brushed hers filling her with a shock of heat.

Earlier in the week, she’d quit her job at the pet store, sublet her apartment and added Jill to her bank account just in case something should happen to her. Which it wouldn't, but she wanted to be safe just in case. She promised Jill again she would text her every day she was allowed use of her phone.

She followed him down a long hallway until he stopped at an open door. "You'll stay in this room." He entered the room, setting the back pack on the queen-sized bed with a blue and white striped comforter on top and adorned with sea motif pillows on top. The room was inviting, and now Linea would slide under the comforter after the sweet torture from Master Donovan.

"We'll have dinner, and then we can talk about your training. When we begin dinner tonight you'll have complete freedom to ask questions and talk about anything you want. Tomorrow we begin for real." Master Donovan directed his arm to urge Linea from the room. When she brushed past him, the scent of sun and sand tickled her nose, enticing her to stay exactly where she stood inches away from that chest that seemed trying to escape the black tee shirt stretched to capacity.

"Linea?"

Startled from her thoughts she jumped. "Yes, Sir. I, I'm. Yes. Dinner." She hurried just ahead of him, but something caught her attention.

"Oh my God," she squealed with delight before darting to the living room in front of a five-foot tall burnished iron cage. "You have a bird! Oh he's beautiful," she said, putting her face directly in front of the African Grey parrot who stared with one eye aimed at her.

"What's his name? Or her name. Is it a boy or girl?"

Master Donovan joined her. "I don't know if he is a he or she, but his name is Hector."

"He's so beautiful. Hi Hector. How are you?" She turned to him. "Not many people have birds. How long have you had him?"

Stuffing his hands in his pockets, Master Donovan said. "About a year. My sister found him in an old dirty antique store. The owners were mean to him so she bought him, but her daughter was allergic so she asked me to take him. He doesn't like me much. I don't think. Or maybe it's just that men abused him." He stiffened. "Linea. dinner." He turned to walk to the dining room.

"Oh yes. Bye Hector." She followed him, sitting where he directed her. "Hector is so awesome. I love animals, especially parrots. They are amazing creatures. It's horrible that someone abused him. They should be punished right back."

When Linea finally noticed Master Donovan's eyes boring into her, she stopped talking.

"I'm sorry," she said her eyes directed down at the plate of quiche and fruit before her.

"Linea, when I said this was a free evening, I meant once we arrived at the dinner table. Not for you to go rambling on about my bird. This is a behavior we'll have to correct. You have to learn to follow directions."

He took a bite of the quiche, motioning for her to begin eating.

"Hector is cool. Does he talk?"

"Linea!" he barked. "Stop talking about that goddamned bird!"

She flushed with embarrassment.

"Now," Master Donovan continued. "Tomorrow morning we begin. The next seven days I will be with you 24 hours a day. After that, I will return to work during the day. The next seven days will be very intense. You will be learning constantly and constantly put to the test. Your body and mind will suffer. You will learn protocol and how to endure, but through that endurance you will experience an intense amount of pleasure that only a master can give you."

"And yes, Hector talks, incessantly at times."

His mouth was beautiful. She became anxious for the moment when his mouth invaded her core.

"With the exceptions of free days, you will be collared at all times. My whims will become your duties, and if you cannot fulfill your duties or if you break a rule, you will be disciplined. A good slave understands, accepts her discipline and becomes better for it. I will not lie to you. It hurts."

"I understand, Sir. I will try to please you in all things."

"Good." His smile was so genuine she wondered if he truly was as tough as he seemed in the office.

"Do you have any questions, Linea?"

"What can Hector say?"

Hector's life would never be the same.