FRIDAY ^#22

Public Flogging

Of all the exotic events Raven hosts, her annual Winter Solstice Sex Party has earned a reputation as the best party of the year in the poly community.

When Raven’s living room is filled with people cuddling and conversing on floor cushions, Nick gathers everyone’s attention in front of the large bay window so he can co-officiate the opening ceremony with Raven.

“Special thanks to everyone who dressed for the occasion!” Raven says, flaunting a skintight PVC nun’s habit with a plunging neckline that shows her cleavage. “You can call me Mother Superior and this is my cohost, Father Nicholai.”

Nick is dressed as a priest, complete with a clerical collar. He says, “Come to me if you want to confess your sins tonight.” He dramatically dips Raven and kisses her square on the mouth. The crowd hollers.

She makes a show of wiping her lipstick off his face, then straightens her skirt before continuing. “Since the cast from the sexy storytelling showcase is here, tonight’s solstice play party doubles as a cast party! Special thanks to our team of naked butlers who will be serving finger foods and other sweet niblets.”

Violet stands between two naked men wearing only bow ties and cuffs. She twirls to show off her see-through French maid costume. Her bare ass is framed by lace apron strings and white garter belts.

Nick distributes tea lights to the crowd, while Raven lifts a candelabra and says, “Solstice is a dark but potent time to set intentions for next year. Let’s be impeccable with the seeds we plant tonight.”

After a group prayer, everyone lights their own candle and makes a private wish before arranging them on the altar against the window sill.

Nick sits before the candlelit crowd to review the social agreements that give structure to the self-directed play party. After the guidelines are in place, the room is permeated with a sense of connection and permission that only comes from a shared understanding of consent.

Raven sinks into an overstuffed chair in the corner to admire what she’s cocreated. The nearly naked butlers circulate with delightful desserts and nonalcoholic beverages, as layers of bright Christmas costumes are slowly stripped off.

Raven’s attention wanders toward Damien and the new girl, Autumn. Currently, she’s lying at Damien’s side engaging in what looks like deep conversation. Her elfin appearance is so convincing she might have been born inside a tree hollow overgrown by mushrooms. Raven’s touched to see Damien enjoying himself in this social setting, but has mixed feelings about how cozy he seems with Autumn. Violet describes their connection as “fun and easy.” But what that translates to in Raven’s head is, She’s young and carefree compared to how much drama it is to be with you. Still, Raven is happy to see Damien shine and knows (in theory) how valuable it is for Damien and Violet to have a variety of poly experiences, beyond what she can offer. She accepts that if she wants their nonconventional arrangement to be sustainable, she is going to have to learn to share.

Raven’s ruminations are interrupted when Violet playfully lands in her lap with a chocolate-covered berry poised in her lips. Raven’s tongue squishes the red juice into Violet’s mouth, and the rest of the party dissolves. Violet says she likes the feel of Raven’s vinyl costume against her bare skin. Raven cups her bouncy breasts and draws her in for another passionate kiss, breaking away only to say, “I’ve decided I want to flog you tonight.”

“Here? In front of everyone?”

“Why not? I can’t keep my little bitch all to myself forever.”

“Oh dear!” Violet plays coy.

“Of course, since Damien’s here, we’ll have to check in with him first.” Raven grabs Violet by the wrist and marches her through the crowded room to where Damien is lip-locked with Autumn. Raven crouches nearby to catch his eye, then interrupts them with, “I would like to request permission to do a public scene with your woman.”

He smiles warmly at Raven. “How considerate of you to ask.”

Autumn looks embarrassed at first, but with a smile says, “Great event, Raven!”

“Thank you. I’m glad you could make it.” Raven offers a quick kiss to Autumn’s cheek.

“It’s Friday,” he says. “So technically, she’s all yours tonight.”

Raven squints her eyes and scans Damien’s freckled face to see if there’s anything more to his statement. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“I’m just pointing out that you’ve routinely carved this night out to be exclusive.” Damien smirks, and his tone is mocking. “And if you have a sudden urge to include everyone, that’s your prerogative.”

“Sarcasm doesn’t suit you. If you have a problem, just come out and say it.”

“I don’t have a problem. I think it’s healthy to integrate your private perversions into the larger ecosystem.”

Violet chimes in, “She wants to give me a public flogging! I want you two to be there.”

Raven double-checks with Damien, “Are you sure you’re comfortable with this?”

“Wouldn’t miss it for the world,” he says. Raven takes both of Violet’s wrists in one hand and leads her toward the entrance.

Autumn follows them to the foyer, calling, “I want a front-row seat!” She sits close to Raven’s feet.

Raven pivots Violet’s face toward the wall with arms apart over her head. Raven spreads Violet’s fingers like a starfish, then lightly kicks the inside of her feet to guide them apart. She pulls on Violet’s hips and commands, “Ass out.” Her bare buttocks are displayed for the audience to admire. There are over thirty guests in the entrance area alone. Raven unclips the vinyl flog from the belt on her nun habit and warms Violet with a gentle dusting motion. She leans in toward the back of Violet’s hair and whispers, “Mother Superior thinks you’ve been disobedient in your duties as maidservant.”

She steps back and swats Violet a dozen times. She looks around and meets Autumn’s wide eyes. Raven uses her chin to point toward the overstuffed chair and tells her, “Scoot back. I’m going to need more clearance for my back swing.”

“Of course,” Autumn says, and she slinks her elfin body into Damien’s lap without taking her eyes off Violet for a second. Raven picks up the pace. Violet starts to moan and undulate her hips.

“You like that?”

Raven continues administering a steady flogging to Violet’s quivering thighs.

“More please.”

Raven reaches between Violet’s legs, feeling the dampness of her vulva, then swats her hard a few times between the thighs. She uses her peripheral vision to locate Nick. She squeezes Violet’s lower lips together while leaning to whisper in Nick’s ear. He dashes to retrieve her other flogger. Before returning her attention to Violet, she notices Damien is watching with a slack jaw.

Raven resumes slapping Violet’s rear until it is good and red. When Nick produces an identical flogger, she starts in with an overhanded double-dutch motion, lashing Violet’s backside with both floggers simultaneously. The moment Raven breaks a sweat, she decides it’s time to check in with her maidservant. “Remember, you can always use your colors.”

Violet turns her flushed face toward Raven and calls, “Green.”

Raven squeezes Violet’s left tit and says, “You asked for it.” Stepping back to use her full force, Raven lands a series of steady hard blows on Violet’s left and right flanks. Each swing lands with a dull thud. Violet starts to giggle and cry out, but Raven doesn’t slow. She builds, faster and harder, until Violet’s laugh turns into a whimper.

Raven leans in for the final time. “Grab your ankles,” Raven commands.

“But I’m not wearing panties,” Violet exclaims.

“Do it,” Raven says, and swats her ass.

Violet bends over, exposing her sex to the room. Autumn gasps.

Raven delivers her final flourish on a concentrated area. Each hit produces a high-pitched squeal from her target. After about a dozen squeals, she throws the floggers to the floor and embraces her bitch. Violet turns, her eyes glowing, as Raven holds her tight against the entrance wall.

The applause sounds like distant rain. Eventually Nick slips into their little bubble to offer a glass of water, and says, “You warmed up the whole room.”

Raven asks, “And how was it for you?”

“So good,” Violet says between sips. “Did Damien see us?”

“I’m pretty sure everyone saw us,” Raven says with a smile. “What do you need for aftercare?”

“I’m good, I just want to know how Damien is.”

Raven leads Violet to Damien who is cuddling with Autumn in a vast horizontal puppy pile. Nick is lying nearby, limbs intertwined with Jess, Sebastian, and other lovers.

Autumn stammers, “Damien was just helping me understand it all.”

“What’s to understand?” Violet asks, kissing Damien as she pulls Raven down to join the sea of bodies.

Autumn continues, “It looked like it hurt, but you sounded like you were having fun.”

Raven reaches across to touch Autumn’s bare shoulder as she asks, “What did your body feel when you were watching?”

“Confused,” Autumn admits, looking visibly turned on. “I’m curious how it felt for you, Violet?”

“I felt intimate with everyone watching. Especially you, Damien. I’m happy you were there.”

“Me too, little one.” He caresses her face.

“I feel like an alien in a whole new dimension,” Autumn says with eager innocence.

Smirking, Raven says, “Maybe you should ask Damien to do a scene with you. Violet tells me he’s become quite the dom, and I know how much he loves giving women first-time experiences.”

“I would love that!” Autumn swoons.

Damien looks up from his world of thoughts and says, “Thank you, Raven.”

Raven lifts her head to scan the room, and although everyone seems to be enjoying themselves, she feels guilty for favoring Violet.

“What is it?” Damien asks.

“I’m feeling obliged to flutter around and sprinkle my attention on other lovers,” Raven admits.

“You can start with me,” he says, pulling her in closer. Violet rolls over toward Autumn, swapping places to allow Damien to lie face to face, belly to belly with Raven. Damien props his head on his elbow so that they are gazing into each other’s eyes. There’s something about the way Damien fixes his hazel eyes on her, or anyone, that renders all other concerns meaningless.

After a disorienting squeeze, Raven finally asks, “So how was it for you?”

“It was surprisingly sexy to watch,” Damien sighs. “Outside this context, I can’t imagine being comfortable witnessing an arcane torture apparatus like that being used on another human being. But I trust your ability to curate a mature audience who understands it’s an empowering reenactment of involuntary servitude.”

“Do you feel I’ve been overly punitive?” Raven asks, playfully testing Damien.

“Punitive? No.”

Raven sighs. Damien sighs deeper. Then she brushes the red hair off his brow. Sensing something wrong she asks, “Is there something bothering you?”

“I’m concerned about you two becoming overly dyadic. You’ve seemed to dive so deep into your own universe on Fridays.”

“That’s the magic of tonight’s ritual!” Raven sits up and begins massaging Damien. “It actually felt a little like ‘coming out,’ or a public love declaration. I don’t want to hide our D/s dynamic. Not that I have been actively hiding anything, but you’re right, there has been something private about our play-dates.”

“It seems so out of character for you. I’m remembering one of your teachings about how maintaining multiple relationships is like tending to a permaculture garden.” Raven laughs as Damien teases, “I imagine you like a gardener, tending to your various relationships as if they were plant people; trimming and training them to share your sunshine.”

“Yes,” Raven replies, “which is exactly why I feel the need to schedule the regular dates. It’s like setting up an automatic watering system.”

“I respect your schedule—the more complex the system the more structure is necessary. But ever since we’ve been seeing Autumn, I began to appreciate the importance of inclusion of other lovers.”

Raven’s hands freeze on Damien’s chest when she realizes he’s expressing his tender truth. She responds, “I would want to include you, of course, I just don’t know how that would look, given our history.”

“When either Violet and I go on a date with Autumn, we have an open door policy. Even though we mostly go on separate dates, Violet can always join in at any time, and vice versa. We don’t necessarily take advantage of that invitation, but there is a strong sense of inclusion between the three of us. Whereas, you and Violet seem to have a private affair on Fridays, and I don’t always felt welcomed.”

Raven feels nauseous at the thought of being compared to Autumn, and even worse for hurting Damien. “I didn’t know you felt that way.”

Damien softens. “I recognize that in the beginning, I was the one that pulled back from engaging with you—I didn’t want to risk making Violet jealous again, and then I started making sacrifices to give you two space. But it’s been harder than I expected, and things are shifting now.”

Raven nuzzles Damien’s face and in a low tone says, “I am so sorry. Is there anything I can do?”

“Let me think about it and get back to you. I don’t want to pull you into heavy processing, this is a party!” Damien leans in as if to kiss Raven, but she dodges him and buries her face in his neck.

In a playful tone, Raven says, “And don’t forget, you’re here on a date!”

Damien looks into Raven’s face and smiles. “I appreciate Autumn for many reasons, and one of them is that she has helped me see what a gift you are in my life. It’s increasingly obvious how deeply all our relationships affect each other.”

Raven smiles back. “I guess I ought to spend some time getting to know her then. Tell me, what do you see in her?”

“She’s actually a lot like you. She’s creative, poetic, and mystical…”

“And a good decade younger.”

“Don’t be ageist! I think you two have something to learn from each other.”

“That’s what you said about Violet. But I must admit—you have wonderful taste in women!”