The Light Under Dark (Book #1 Masters of the Dark Series)

THE PUNISHMENT

Tana was lost in the whirlpool of her thoughts as Doll painted her toenails. Julien had locked them in the dungeon so that they could continue practicing before filming the scene. She let out a sigh and dared to look at the accumulated points on the small screen of the electronic band on her wrist. Tana didn't really understand the value behind the numbers, but she deduced that it was a huge amount and could be worth a lot. Five days had passed since Doll agreed to help her escape from the mansion, if everything went according to plan Tana would be leaving here in forty-eight hours maximum. But not everything was about planning the perfect escape. Oh no, for there were also rehearsals, filming, scolding, corrections, shouting and some photo sessions for the propaganda of the film. It was tedious not knowing what was happening beyond the walls of this huge mansion. Doll said that the escape would actually be complicated but not impossible, it all depended on how entertaining she could keep Julien and that Mistress Carol did not show up here but from what Doll commented two nights ago, Mistress Carol was busy attending other business with Richard.

"Are they a couple?" Tana blurted out forgetting where she was.

Doll glanced up at her and frowned, "Who?"

"Richard and Mistress Carol."

Doll's lips pursed at the thought as if the question had never crossed her mind. "I honestly have no idea. I've never seen them kiss or hold hands or have sex."

"I was surprised when Richard had some of you at the pool that day, though." Doll blushed and tore her sweet gaze from Tana's face. Tana couldn't help but giggle when she saw the reaction of the little submissive at her feet. Doll gave Tana feelings that she never thought she had. "Come on," Tana teased as she lifted Doll's chin with her big toe. "I saw you. You were enjoying yourself so much. I even caught a smirk from you."

Doll gasped. The funny thing was she hadn't bothered in denying anything.

"Did you?" Tana asked almost breathless now.

"Maybe." Doll smiled crookedly, an evil glint in her eyes. "Wouldn't you like to know, mam?"

"Oh, we're practicing now?"

"We are supposed to be doing that, but we've only been playing with the nail polish. If Julien comes down here and sees that we've been slacking he will hang us both by the hair."

"Would he really do that?"

Doll laughed as she started to stand up and shrug her silky robe off her body. "Most likely. I suggest we just get on with it and..."

The heavy door of the dungeon bounced against the wall so hard that it caused a thunderous noise in the room. Tana immediately got up from the leather chair and turned in time to see a very angry Julien come down the three steps of the slope. "Do you think this is a game?" He glowered at Tana; she couldn't help but cower a little. The shaking that took over her entire bulk almost cause her to bite on her tongue. "I put you two in here to practice not to play house! This isn't the beauty salon. If I want my slave to paint someone's nails, I'll have her do it with her tongue."

"We were about to..." However, Tana was unable to finish that sentence for Julien landed a hard smack across her left cheek that had her ears ringing long enough to believe she had gone deaf. Doll approached Tana to check her face, but Julien took her arm roughly and dragged her to the other end of the dungeon. Julien forced her to climb onto the wooden bench and face the wall while he extended her arms over her head to shackle them. "What are you doing?!" She shrieked as she stumbled towards them, but Julien merely grilled her with his venomous eyes. "Why treat her this way? She hasn't done anything wrong."

"Did I give you permission to speak?" And from the way he raised his brow she could tell he was genuinely waiting for a response.

"No..."

"Excellent. Now pay attention, cheap bitch. One of the two should be punished for not obeying when I told you to rehearse. It can be you or it can be Doll who pays the price for the ineptitude of both." but then a macabre smile formed on the shape of his lips. "But I much rather have you punish her for I love to see the welts on her skin, her screams and whimpers are music to my ears and also..." he chuckled as he smacked Doll's bottom with the back of his hand jolting her against the wall. "You have to practice with the tools anyway." Was he insane? She much rather take the beating than rain it down on this poor girl. "However, I must warn you that if the punishment doesn't please me Madox will pay for this."

"Please don't!" He slapped her once more but not as harshly.

"Then put on a great show."

Tana had no problem getting into character but what really made her nauseous was having to hurt Doll so that Madox couldn't hurt her instead. Tana supposed that punishing Doll was the least of all evils. Julien leaned against the wall right next to Doll's trembling body, the damned instructing Tana during the process. She realized that Julien enjoyed seeing Doll consumed by the desire to come and whenever she was about to have an orgasm Tana had to deny it to her. Tana spent a good time placing long, thin needles on Doll's back, without realizing she had created a pattern ... a star. Julien ran his fingers over the needles causing Doll a heartrending cry. It took her time to realize that this submissive loved to submit to this type of treatment. So, inspiration struck her. "Aren't you ashamed to be enjoying yourself? Should we also add this to your list of transgressions, pet?"

Doll mewled and twisted in her bonds sticking her butt out, Julien immediately spanked her. "I am so sorry, mam." Bull. This girl was not sorry at all, she was more than happy to be used like a toy.

"It will cost you greatly." Tana warned as Julien handed her a leather flog from a nearby rack. "Count with me, if mess up you will start all over again. You're getting twenty strikes." Tana took a deep breath and delivered the first blow. "One!" Doll screamed and Tana continued to whip her with the flog. It was fascinating to see how each leather strand bit and left a mark on the delicate skin of this girl. Doll's skin turned pink, then the color deepened to a deep red that seemed to glow in front of Tana's eyes. Doll messed up a few times and Julien ordered her to start from the beginning. Just when Tana was about to spank her again, Julien stopped her by holding her arm. His eyes hard on her. "What?" Tana snapped. She was genuinely enjoying herself and that feeling stroke her with such a force that she felt a pang of shame squeezing her heart so tight she could barely breathe.

"She's had enough. Back off, now."

She watched as Julien removed the needles from Doll's back with great care, he asked her from time to time if she was okay, if her back hurt, how were her arms and wrists and she always replied "I'm good, Master." to reassure him. Doll fell into Julien's arms once he removed the shackles from her wrists with a sigh. She felt a jealousy rush, so consuming she wanted to punch this man so hard his nose would smash into his skull. What's wrong with me? And as Julien carried Doll out of the Dungeon Tara was left behind, alone and confused.