Sunday Snog 243: Mastering Maya (#bdsm #switch #kiss)

Happy Sunday! I’m back with another sexy Sunday Snog, this time from my contemporary BDSM erotic romance Mastering Maya.

Mistress Maya bears the nickname "The Ice Queen". Her precision in administering discipline, her skill in evoking a submissive's devotion, and her unshakable self-control are legendary in the small but active Boston kink community.

From the moment newcomer Dom Shark sees Maya flogging a sub at Club Inferno, he's obsessed with her beauty and power. He'd determined to break through her defenses and bring her the same release she grants to the lucky slaves she tops. When Maya dismisses Shark as young and inexperienced, he offers her a challenge: a night together, during which he'll show her what it means to be mastered. If he fails to bring her to new heights of sensation, he agrees to become her slave.

What begins as a test of wills evolves into something deeper and more intense. As the younger man uses his insight and skill to coax Maya into submission, he comes to understand the wounded spirit hiding behind her mask of control. Can he make Maya trust him enough to surrender? Or will the flawless, untouchable dominatrix take possession of his body as well as his heart?

When you’re done savoring my snog, click over to Victoria’s SundaySnog Central for more delicious kisses!

Maya led the way to her parlour, with her visitor trailing behind. His eyes wandered down her back, over the swell of her buttocks—she felt the weight of his gaze, though he never touched her. Lubrication welled from her pussy and trickled down the insides of her thighs. She wore nothing under the caftan, as he had instructed.

“Stop.” She halted as suddenly as if he’d tugged on a leash. Behind her, he gathered her heavy tresses in one hand, drawing them aside to bare her neck. Chill air touched the normally protected skin, then warmth and wetness. The kiss he planted at her nape sent shivers of pleasure racing to her pussy. His other hand gripped her upper arm—the strength of that grip making her gasp—while he licked along the curve running from her hairline to her shoulder. She closed her eyes, allowing herself to bask in the sensation of liquid heat.

He pushed her loose garment off her shoulder. Was he starting so soon? Then she yelped as he sank his teeth into her deltoid.

“What the fuck?” She whirled to face him. “That hurt!”

“BDSM often involves some pain.” His mildness infuriated her. “But, of course, you know that. You agreed I could do as I wish, didn’t you?”

The bite throbbed in a way that wasn’t entirely unpleasant. Her clit seemed to pulse in time. “Yes, yes. I’m sorry, you startled me.” In her flats, she was six inches shorter than he. She gazed up at his face, trying to read him. The dangerous gleam she saw in his eyes sent new shivers dancing through her.

“And have you changed your mind?”

“Um—uh, no.”

“No…?” He waited, clearly expectant, leaving her momentarily disoriented.

“No, I haven’t changed my mind.” She tried to move into the parlour, but he held her fast.

“No, what?”

“Huh? What?” Light dawned. He was waiting for her to acknowledge his dominance. Could she do it? It had been so very long. She could barely choke out the words.

“No, Sir.”

A torrent of long-denied emotion came rushing back—the delicious helplessness that came with accepting a Master. She fought against the flood, but it was too powerful, too deep. She squeezed her eyes shut to hold back the tears. He mustn’t see—mustn’t know how much that one word had cost her.

He cupped her cheek with his palm. “Are you all right, Maya? Do you want to call this off?”

“No, no, I’m sorry… It’s just…”

He stroked her hair back from her forehead. “It’s okay. I understand, pet.”

Pet? Who did he think he was? He didn’t know her! She tried to focus her anger, to generate some cutting retort, but now his mouth claimed hers, and it was so marvellous she couldn’t muster the energy to fight.

Stephen sealed his firm, mobile lips to hers. His tongue poked and probed, testing her willingness to fulfil her promise of submission. She opened to his determined assault, not because she’d agreed to but because she wanted more of his sweet heat. He tasted like fresh mint, clean and sharp. His aftershave—the same scent she’d noticed in the café—somehow reminded her of summer afternoons, sun-baked grass with a hint of honey.

The kiss deepened. He snaked his arms around her, tight as the bonds he’d promised and impossibly strong. He gripped her ass, digging his fingers through the velvet and forcing her body against his. His cock was a lump of stone pressing into her belly. A hungry gulf ached between her thighs, dripping with need. The satin of his tuxedo jacket was smooth and cool under her palms as she held on to him for dear life.

He wasn’t rough, brutal or even demanding, but the ravishing kiss made his point clear. He was the one in charge.

When he finally released her, Maya found herself panting for breath. He stepped away from her and she almost cried out at the vanishing warmth. Pull yourself together, she scolded herself. Don’t make it so easy for him.

Review Tuesday: Switching Off by Amy Valenti

Switching Off by Amy Valenti

Totally Bound, 2013

Amy Valenti’s story Switching Off was originally published in the Totally Bound Switch anthology, along with my own story Mastering Maya, but it’s also available as a standalone short. The tale takes a somewhat different approach to the anthology theme.

In D/s parlance, a “switch” is a person who can assume either a dominant or a submissive role in a BDSM scene, depending on circumstances and the other people involved. In “Switching Off”, however, Ms. Valenti’s heroine Nina is not a Domme in the sexual sense. Instead, she’s a high-powered career woman, used to giving orders and getting her way—and that role is destroying her. She’s tense, irritable, driven and seriously unhappy.

Her good friend Jon is determined to help—by giving Nina the chance to surrender herself to his skilled and caring power. He begins by cutting her loose from her mobile, but soon he has severed the strands of worry and frustration that bind her to her work. He leads her into a new space where she can connect with her body, her needs, and with him, the man who has quietly loved her and sadly watched her work herself to near-collapse.

Nina is rebellious at first, then astonished at how she responds to Jon’s dominance. As he strips away the power she thought defined her identity, she finds much deeper satisfaction in following his orders and focusing on his pleasure. Not that Jon neglects her pleasure, but the essence of submission is service to the Dom, and Ms. Valenti captures this beautifully.

I loved this story. I’ve rarely encountered a BDSM romance that describes so accurately and effectively the paradoxical experience of submission—the simultaneous fear and need, the wonder at what you’re allowing even as you crave more, the mingled pride and shame. With all the erotica and romance I read and review, I’ve come across many portrayals of so-called “subspace”. I will tell you from personal experience that unlike many authors, Ms. Valenti gets it right.

Of course given my own submissive leanings, I found the entire story hugely arousing. Jon is exactly what I’d seek in a dominant. He’s strict with his sub-for-a-weekend, but ultimately focused more on her pleasure and well-being than on his own. He has a sense of humor plus an understanding of Nina’s shock at discovering she likes being topped. And of course (like all romance heroes...) he’s lusciously handsome and physically fit, with awesome sexual stamina.

Hey, we can dream, right?

All in all, this is wonderful introduction to the BDSM romance genre. There’s no abuse here, only respect and caring. The pain is so mingled with pleasure that you will not be able to separate them any more than Nina can.

Highly recommended!

Sunday Snog #162: Mastering Maya

Congratulations to Jen, the winner in last week’s giveaway. I’ll be sending her an autographed print copy of Raw Silk.

For today’s snog, I’m sticking with the BDSM theme. Here’s a kiss from my novella Mastering Maya. 

 

Mistress Maya bears the nickname "The Ice Queen". Her precision in

administering discipline, her skill in evoking a submissive's devotion, and her unshakable self-control are legendary in the small but active Boston kink community.

From the moment newcomer Dom Shark sees Maya flogging a sub at Club Inferno, he's obsessed with her beauty and power. He'd determined to break through her defenses and bring her the same release she grants to the lucky slaves she tops. When Maya dismisses Shark as young and inexperienced, he offers her a challenge: a night together, during which he'll show her what it means to be mastered. If he fails to bring her to new heights of sensation, he agrees to become her slave.

What begins as a test of wills evolves into something deeper and more intense. As the younger man uses his insight and skill to coax Maya into submission, he comes to understand the wounded spirit hiding behind her mask of control. Can he make Maya trust him enough to surrender? Or will the flawless, untouchable dominatrix take possession of his body as well as his heart?

When you’re done with my snog, head over to Victoria’s for more Sunday kisses!

****

She’d expected leather, a motorcycle jacket and chaps, perhaps, or well-worn denim. Instead he wore a tuxedo, which fit his lean, muscular body like it had been custom tailored. His dark hair was slicked back from his brow and there was no sign of the bad-boy stubble he’d been sporting the night they’d met. Despite the cutting autumn wind, he was coatless.

“Mistress Maya.” Her name, her title, in that deep, rough voice, melted her resistance. “May I come in?”

“Please do, Master Shark.” She stood aside so that he could enter, but he paused, drinking her in with his eyes. When he raised his hand to her throat, Maya cringed despite herself. He laid a single chilly finger on the pulse point below her jaw, reading her unwilling excitement in its race. For a dozen breaths, he held her there, transfixed, as warmth seeped from her skin to his. Then he traced a line down her neck to where the caftan revealed her cleavage—but no further. Her nipples peaked into aching knots nevertheless.

“You look lovely, as always.”

“Thank you.” His formality confused her. The emails they’d exchanged since the Friday munch had been casual and arch, filled with sarcasm and double entendres. Stephen had suggested they handle negotiations in advance, in order to avoid breaking the mood of their encounter. Now he knew the few limits she’d been willing to identify—no gags, no choking, no unprotected penetration—and the safe word she’d chosen.

Maya led the way to her parlour, with her visitor trailing behind. His eyes wandered down her back, over the swell of her buttocks—she felt the weight of his gaze, though he never touched her. Lubrication welled from her pussy and trickled down the insides of her thighs. She wore nothing under the caftan, as he had instructed.

“Stop.” She halted as suddenly as if he’d tugged on a leash. Behind her, he gathered her heavy tresses in one hand, drawing them aside to bare her neck. Chill air touched the normally protected skin, then warmth and wetness. The kiss he planted at her nape sent shivers of pleasure racing to her pussy. His other hand gripped her upper arm—the strength of that grip making her gasp—while he licked along the curve running from her hairline to her shoulder. She closed her eyes, allowing herself to bask in the sensation of liquid heat.

He pushed her loose garment off her shoulder. Was he starting so soon? Then she yelped as he sank his teeth into her deltoid.

“What the fuck?” She whirled to face him. “That hurt!”

“BDSM often involves some pain.” His mildness infuriated her. “But, of course, you know that. You agreed I could do as I wish, didn’t you?”

The bite throbbed in a way that wasn’t entirely unpleasant. Her clit seemed to pulse in time. “Yes, yes. I’m sorry, you startled me.” In her flats, she was six inches shorter than he. She gazed up at his face, trying to read him. The dangerous gleam she saw in his eyes sent new shivers dancing through her.

“And have you changed your mind?”

“Um—uh, no.”

“No…?” He waited, clearly expectant, leaving her momentarily disoriented.

“No, I haven’t changed my mind.” She tried to move into the parlour, but he held her fast.

“No, what?”

“Huh? What?” Light dawned. He was waiting for her to acknowledge his dominance. Could she do it? It had been so very long. She could barely choke out the words.

“No, Sir.”

A torrent of long-denied emotion came rushing back—the delicious helplessness that came with accepting a Master. She fought against the flood, but it was too powerful, too deep. She squeezed her eyes shut to hold back the tears. He mustn’t see—mustn’t know how much that one word had cost her.

He cupped her cheek with his palm. “Are you all right, Maya? Do you want to call this off?”

“No, no, I’m sorry… It’s just…”

He stroked her hair back from her forehead. “It’s okay. I understand, pet.”

Pet? Who did he think he was? He didn’t know her! She tried to focus her anger, to generate some cutting retort, but now his mouth claimed hers, and it was so marvellous she couldn’t muster the energy to fight.

Stephen sealed his firm, mobile lips to hers. His tongue poked and probed, testing her willingness to fulfil her promise of submission. She opened to his determined assault, not because she’d agreed to but because she wanted more of his sweet heat. He tasted like fresh mint, clean and sharp. His aftershave—the same scent she’d noticed in the café—somehow reminded her of summer afternoons, sun-baked grass with a hint of honey.

The kiss deepened. He snaked his arms around her, tight as the bonds he’d promised and impossibly strong. He gripped her ass, digging his fingers through the velvet and forcing her body against his. His cock was a lump of stone pressing into her belly. A hungry gulf ached between her thighs, dripping with need. The satin of his tuxedo jacket was smooth and cool under her palms as she held on to him for dear life.

He wasn’t rough, brutal or even demanding, but the ravishing kiss made his point clear. He was the one in charge.

Seasons of the Heart

I grew up in New England, where the march of the seasons more or less demands your attention. The exquisite stillness of a landscape smothered in snow - the tender green tracery of new leaves on skeleton branches – balmy endless twilights, full of the succulent aroma of the neighbor's barbecue and the cries of kids playing ball in the street – achingly blue October skies arching over flame-hued hills – the changing weather and moods of the northeastern US have imprinted my soul.

My stories are often set in New England, and almost always in a particular season. In Almost Home, my heroine and heroes are snowed in together in a rural Massachusetts farmhouse after a record-breaking blizzard. Truce of Trust unfolds at high summer on the glorious rocky coast of Maine. Necessary Madness, set in the gritty industrial city of Worcester, Mass, begins in the bleak chill of November but warms toward the holidays. Mastering Maya unfolds in Boston, a bit earlier in the autumn. And my romantic erotica novel Incognito takes place in late Spring, in one of my favorite places in the world, the historic district of Beacon Hill.

I choose the season, like the setting, to mirror the tone of my tales. Incognito traces the emotional and sexual awakening of a woman scarred by an early betrayal. It makes sense that the events in the novel should take place during May – the “lusty month” according to Rogers and Hammerstein – a month of growing heat, ripe with possibility.

Hence it seemed appropriate to share a snippet of that book here in my post for the Spring Fling Blog Hop. The excerpt below is PG, but I hope it captures a bit of my heroine Miranda's vernal restlessness.

For my hop prize, I'm giving away an autographed print copy of Incognito. plus a bonus print book. Just post a comment below, including your email. Tell me which season is your favorite, and why. I'll randomly draw the name of one commenter on the 25^th of March.

Meanwhile, use the Rafflecopter link below to be eligible for our amazing array of grand prizes:

Kindle Fire (Donated by Blushing Books) 
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You can enter at each blog you visit. The more times you enter, the greater your chances of winning! For a full list of links to participating blogs, go to:

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Incognito by Lisabet Sarai

Blurb 

Shy and serious by day — insatiable by night.

Betrayed and abandoned by her first lover, shy and studious Miranda Cahill freezes in response to any sexual attention from someone she knows and likes.

During the day, she works diligently on her doctoral thesis. At night, though, she finds herself drawn into increasingly extreme sexual encounters with strangers. Her anonymous secret life begins to take over when she discovers that the masked seducer she meets in a sex club and the charismatic young professor courting her are the same man.

 
Excerpt

Miranda felt delightfully free as she strolled down Charles Street, enjoying the afternoon. It was only May, but already the trees were in full leaf, dappling the brick sidewalks with patterns of shadow. Girls passed her in tank tops and shorts, legs and arms bare and already burnished with sun. She felt warm in her long-sleeved pullover and overalls.

She loved this district, with its historic buildings and narrow lanes. Most of the townhouses dated from the middle of the previous century. They offered a delightful jumble of architectural detail; wrought-iron balconies, fanlight transoms, stained glass, mullioned windows, Corinthian columns. Many of the brick-fronted buildings were draped with ivy. Some were traversed by aged trunks as thick as her wrist, twining around doors up to the many-chimneyed roofs. The tall windows offered glimpses of chandeliers, Oriental carpets, Siamese cats, and bookshelves that stretched floor to ceiling.

In Beacon Hill, gas lamps lined all the streets, burning day and night. Her own apartment looked out on a private alley, flanked by ivy-hung brick walls and lit by gas lights. Miranda appreciated the irony of her living in an environment that dated from the same period as her research. Perhaps, she sometimes thought playfully, I had a previous life as a Victorian matron.

Most of Beacon Hill was entirely residential, but Charles Street was lined with shops and cafés. There were many vendors of books and antiquities; Miranda loved to rummage through the crowded, chaotic shops, savouring the atmosphere of the past, although she rarely made a purchase.

She entered one of these places now, a dim, comfortable space half below street level. She had to duck her head as she entered. A silvery bell tinkled to announce her arrival.

The proprietor, an energetic, fussy old man with wire spectacles, knew her by sight. “Hello, hello,” he said as he emerged from a back room. “Can I help you find anything today?”

Miranda smiled. “No, thank you. I’m just browsing at the moment.”

“Well, if I can be of any assistance, just let me know.”

Miranda wandered happily through the shop. It was much larger than it first appeared, with several rooms stretching backward into the building. The front room, near the street, was crowded with furniture of obsolete categories, armoires, commodes, carved dressing tables surmounted by triple mirrors. There were other rooms with porcelain, jewellery, cutlery, iron fittings, tarnished brass. Finally, Miranda found herself in the book room.

Books were piled everywhere, in boxes, on shelves, in pillars that reached up from the middle of the floor. Although most were in English, Miranda noticed volumes in French, Russian, and Arabic. The room was veiled in dust, but Miranda did not mind. She loved the rich smell of the leather bindings, the tarnished gold embossing, the fragile texture of the old paper.

Rummaging through a box of miscellaneous tomes, she made her find. It was a leather-bound diary, about the size of a modern paperback book. There was a brass lock, crusted with verdigris, but it was broken. The leather strap that had sealed the diary shut now flapped about ineffectually.

The paper was wonderful, thick and ivory-toned. Miranda rifled through the heavy pages, which turned lazily under her fingers. She found no sign that the diary had ever been used.

Miranda wondered about the age of the volume. She held it to her nose, smelled oiled leather but no mildew. The cover was plain, save for a manufacturer’s imprint too small for her to read in the dim shop.

She wanted it, suddenly, knew that she had to have it no matter what the cost. She made her way back to the front of the shop, where the proprietor sat behind his desk.

“How much are you asking for this?” she asked, trying to sound offhand.

The little man took the diary and turned it over and over in his hands. “A hundred dollars,” he finally said.

Miranda knew she would pay that, if she had to, but something made her object. “A hundred? That’s outrageous! There’s no text, so it has no historical value.”

The shop owner pursed his lips firmly. “It dates from the eighteen-eighties,” he said. “This is a real antique.”

“The lock is broken,” Miranda insisted. “And corroded. I’ll give you fifty dollars.”

The watery blue eyes behind the wire frames looked at her fixedly. She stared back, unfazed. Finally, he shrugged. “All right, fifty dollars. It has been in my collection for years; it is about time that I got rid of it.”

Miranda felt inordinately pleased with herself as she took her prize back to her apartment.

She put the diary on her bedstand and sat down at her desk, determined to work. She felt somehow uncomfortable returning to the text from A Maid’s Tale, so instead she started reviewing and organising her notes on other manuscripts. For several hours, she doggedly tried to make progress, but her thoughts were scattered.

Heathcliff sat on the corner of her desk as he often did when was working, his owl-like eyes unblinking as he watched her shuffle papers and scribble notations. Normally he didn’t distract her, but now she found his curiosity and intensity unsettling.

Restless, she prowled around the apartment. Dusk was falling. Her senses felt stretched, amplified. She could hear a dog bark half a block away, smell the garlic being fried by her Vietnamese neighbours upstairs. She threw open the window to the alley and leaned out, breathing the soft, fragrant spring air. Spring fever, she thought, but she knew this was a fever of another kind.

Finally, she gave in, picked up the card she had found in the raincoat, and dialled the number. She held her breath while the line rang once, twice, three times. She was about to put down the receiver, almost with a sense of relief, when the line was picked up.

It was a recorded message, a melodious, controlled female voice. “Welcome to the Fantasy Factory, where you can build adventures from your dreams. We offer an exciting, safe environment where adults can explore, and fulfil, their fantasies.” Miranda listened, learned that Wednesdays were fetish nights, Fridays for couples only, Saturdays and Sundays open to all. She noted the address, in an industrial area on the fringes of the city, then hung up. She was breathing heavily.

Almost as if she were sleepwalking, she drifted into Lucy’s room, and opened her closet.

****

Don't forget to leave a comment to be eligible for my prize! And do visit all the other great blogs participating in the hop!

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Sunday Snog #117: Mastering Maya

Sunday again, so I'm here, as reliable as the trains in Japan...

Today I've got a snog from my BDSM erotic romance Mastering Maya. It's a quick one, but I promise you the lead in is worth it.

After you've read my excerpt, head back to Victoria's place for lots more sexy kisses.
 

-->

At the first utterance of her safe word, Stephen pulled his hand from her sex. Maya burst into sobs at the loss. He knelt beside the chaise. 

 

“Maya, pet, what’s wrong?” The tear-drenched blindfold tangled in her hair as he tore it off. She blinked at the sudden brightness. Even with her blurred vision, his concern was obvious.

“I’m so sorry… I couldn’t…” Maya buried her face in the cushions.

“It’s okay, Maya.” He ran his fingers through her hair, massaging her scalp. “That’s what safe words are for. When it’s too much. When you can’t bear it. What I don’t get is why you happily submit to the hardest caning I can manage, then safe word just when you’re about to come.”

“It—it isn’t you. You’re great. You were right. I enjoyed giving myself to you, much as I hated the notion at first. But this is something from a long time ago…”

“Tell me,” Stephen ordered, as he set about loosening her bonds. “I want to know.”

“You were right. I used to be a sub—when I was in law school. My professor initiated me, showed me what it meant to surrender. I loved every minute of it, even the pain and the fear…” Maya sniffed, trying to stop the flood of tears. Stephen helped her to a sitting position on the chaise, then settled beside her at a respectful distance. He’d removed the tuxedo jacket and pleated dress shirt. Celtic knots twined across his bare chest, from one shoulder to the other. She wondered what she could do to make him move closer.

“Roger and I were together for nearly two years. Our games became more and more extreme. But he—he thought he knew what I needed better than I did myself. I’d told him I had a fantasy of being gang-raped. He arranged a scene, in some derelict warehouse, inviting some of his friends to come and abuse me. I was fine when they roped me up and suspended me from the beams—it was a thrill—but when those other guys, those strangers, started to paw me—when I saw their swollen cocks and their leers and realised what I was in for—I chickened out.” Maya shuddered at the memory.

“You used your safe word. That’s not ‘chickening out’.”

“Anyway…” Another rush of tears prevented her from continuing.

“Roger didn’t stop it, right?” Maya was glad the fury in Stephen’s face wasn’t directed at her.

“Right. They went on with the scene, while I screamed and tried to fight them off. They fucked me, every hole, just the way I’d imagined. I hated every minute of it.”

“But you came anyway.”

“Once. Roger made me. One guy was in my ass, another in my mouth, and Roger started playing with my cunt. He knew me so well… He told me that, if I was really his slave, I’d come, and I did…”

“Bastard. Now I understand.” Stephen crossed the room to pick up her robe. “Here.” She took the caftan, but made no move to put it on. “I’m really sorry. I should have known better, that you had good reasons for being the way you are.”

“You mean, being the Ice Queen?” Maya’s giggle hiccupped into a sob. “Yeah, I swore that nobody would ever make me do anything, ever again. Including come.” She leaned against the back of the chaise, arching her back a bit to display her breasts. Her coffee-coloured nipples hardened under his scrutiny. “Stupid, huh? Punishing myself when I should have been punishing him.”

“I apologise, Maya. I’m an arrogant ass, just like you said.” Stephen gathered his discarded finery and began to don his shirt.

“No.” The authority in Maya’s voice was unmistakeable. “Don’t go. We have a bargain, after all…”

“Forget about that. I really don’t want to hurt you any more than I already have.”

“But I liked it when you hurt me.” She favoured him with a grin. “I’m sure you realised that.”

“That’s not what I mean, and you know it, Maya!” Stephen objected. However, he’d paused in his process of dressing.

She rose from the chaise to capture him in her arms, crushing her breasts against his naked chest. “I think you were right about me. I need the kind of surrender you were offering. I want that.”

“Are you sure, Maya?” His cock thickened inside his fancy trousers—she could feel the delicious bulk against her pubis. She cupped him through the satin and was rewarded by his shudder of pleasure.

“Absolutely. Come upstairs to my bedroom. I have a fabulous, antique four-poster bed. And, you know, nobody has ever been tied to it. Seems like a real shame, to me.”

She raised her face just as his mouth descended on hers. The kiss was both a challenge and a promise.

Want to win a Kindle packed with fifty books?

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Total-E-Bound is doing a marketing survey to find out what you want.

It takes ten to fifteen minutes to complete (and it's quite fun - or at least I enjoyed it!)  Everyone who completes the survey has the option of providing an email and being entered into a drawing for a brand new Kindle, packed with fifty books from Total-E-Bound.

Interested? Go to:

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Furthermore, to sweeten the pot - if you fill out the survey and then come here and leave a comment telling me you did so, I'll enter you in a drawing for a copy of my most recent TEB release, Mastering Maya.  I'll draw the winner on Friday. Be sure to tell me when you filled out the survey (date and time), and include an email address in your comment.

We want to hear from you!

Mastering Maya Now Available!

My BDSM novella Mastering Maya is now available as a special VIP pre-release at Total-E-Bound! Click here to receive an exclusive 10% discount on this new ebook title.

Blurb

Behind the mask of control hides a spirit aching to surrender.

Mistress Maya bears the nickname 'The Ice Queen'. Her precision in administering discipline, her skill in evoking a submissive's devotion, and her unshakable self-control are legendary in the small but active Boston kink community.

From the moment newcomer Master Shark sees Maya flogging a sub at Club Inferno, he's obsessed with her beauty and power. He'd determined to break through her defenses and bring her the same release she grants to the lucky slaves she tops. When Maya dismisses Shark as young and inexperienced, he offers her a challenge: a night together, during which he'll show her what it means to be mastered. If he fails to bring her to new heights of sensation, he agrees to become her slave.

What begins as a test of wills evolves into something deeper and more intense. As the younger man uses his insight and skill to coax Maya into submission, he comes to understand the wounded spirit hiding behind her mask of control. Can he make Maya trust him enough to surrender? Or will the flawless, untouchable dominatrix take possession of his body as well as his heart?

New excerpt!

“Maya! I’m glad you’re still here. I want to introduce you to my old friend Shark. He’s just arrived in Boston.”

Tom’s booming voice matched his burly form. He dwarfed the wiry young stranger.

Calm. Calm. She flashed back to the pinnacles of ice for an instant. Then she accepted the new Dom’s outstretched hand. “Master Shark?” Her eyebrows arched and she allowed a hint of laughter into her voice.

“A pleasure. Welcome to Club Inferno.”

“Please, call me Stephen.” He kept hold of her hand several seconds longer than protocol demanded. She noted that he stood only a few inches taller than she, that he smelled of female musk and cured leather, and that he was somewhat older than she’d guessed from a distance—closer to thirty than twenty. “I’m only Shark to my subs.”

“I can see how you earned the name.” Maya gestured toward the schoolroom door, where clots of Doms and subs were now emerging. “You’re as voracious and implacable as your namesake.” Her hand still tingled from his grip. She ignored the sensation.

“I’ll take that as a compliment.” The stranger chuckled. “You’re no fount of mercy yourself—if I may say so.” He raked her with his eyes, deliberately assessing her physical charms. Maya kept her face impassive, even as her pussy moistened. “Your caning—well, it was magnificent!”

Genuine admiration rang in his voice, though his bold stare suggested there were limits to his respect.

“Long years of training, Master Shark—as well as skilled teachers.” She skewered him with what she hoped was an intimidating look. “And who taught you, young man?” The emphasis on ‘young’ was subtle but unmistakeable. “Where are you from?”

“San Francisco. I studied with Mistress Sylvia and Master Blade.”

“Ah, I know them well.” That partially explained his expertise. Sylvia and Blade both enjoyed stellar reputations in the kink community. “Though I haven’t played on the West Coast for many years.”

“I’m sure I would have noticed you if you had.” He looked as though he wanted to say more, but Maya cut him short.

“Nice to meet you, Stephen. But I’ve got to get home.”

“I’ll come with you.”

The suggestion was so unexpected that Maya, at first, barely noticed its rudeness.

“What? What do you mean?” Even she recognised the shock in her voice.

“I’d really like to get to know you better. You fascinate me.”

His frankness unnerved her. “Sorry, but I never take anyone home with me.” Maya tilted her head in Tom’s direction. “I’m surprised Master Thomas didn’t tell you.”

“Oh, I did!” Her long-time associate grinned at his companion. “He’s just the stubborn type. Won’t take no for an answer.”

“Not a desirable trait in a dominant,” Maya observed, covering her discomfort with disapproval. “When a bottom says no, that means no.” She shook her head, edging away from the pair. “But, then, you’re still young and inexperienced.”

Shark’s arm shot out. He seized her wrist, preventing her from leaving. “I’m not that young.” The dark edge in his voice sent a scary thrill straight to her sex. “I just know what I want. And I’m used to getting it.”

Maya pulled herself to her full height. “Arrogance is an even worse liability.” She laced her voice with scorn, staring pointedly at the hand restraining her. Shark released his grip, looking somewhat chastened.

“Sorry—ma’am.”

Her eyes narrowed. Was the little popinjay mocking her?

“Really, I apologise. I was totally out of line.”

“You were. I don’t know how things are in San Francisco, but here in the northeast we take SSC—Safe, Sane and Consensual—pretty seriously. And I definitely did not consent to you grabbing me.”

Even though you liked it, the imp in her head taunted. She couldn’t deny it. But she certainly wasn’t about to admit that to this cocky stranger.

“I know, I know. You’re right. Will you forgive me?” The hardness had vanished from his speech and his manner. He appeared as eager and harmless as a puppy.

“I don’t know.” She took another step backward, deeply confused by her mixed reactions. “Perhaps I should make you kneel and kiss my feet,” she added, thinking to inject some humour into the situation.

“Whatever it takes…” Stephen began to comply. Tom hauled him back to his feet.

“She’s just kidding.”

“Really? Because I wasn’t…”

“I was teasing you, Master Shark.  I accept your apology. But I do hope you’ll work on your manners, if you’re going to be hanging around the Inferno.”

“Yes, Mistress Maya. I expect I’ll be around quite a lot.”

As she bid them goodnight, she wondered whether that was a threat or a promise.

***

Interested? Get your copy today and read this tale of love, trust, pleasure and pain before anyone else!

Double Header!

I don't know how I pulled this off, but I've got two releases today!

First of all, the Switch anthology is available today for VIP release from Total-E-Bound. This fantastic anthology includes my novella Mastering Maya as well as steamy kink from Desiree Holt, Amy Valenti, Elizabeth Coldwell, Lauren Gallagher and Wendi Zwaduk.

 

Click here to buy it at a special VIP discount price! For a quick excerpt, check my post yesterday.

And to celebrate the release of Switch, Total-E-Bound has a fabulous promotion. This week only, you can get any BDSM title for 25% off! For details, visit the TEB site. 

Meanwhile, starting today, my M/M science fiction romance Quarantine is available in print. Just click  here. Furthermore, if you buy the book and email me your address, I'll send you a personalized inscription and autograph that you can paste into your copy.

Of course, I'll also be giving you chances to win both books in the very near future. Stay tuned for more info in the next few days!

Sunday Snog: Mastering Maya

I've got a special snog for you today, from my brand new BDSM novella Mastering Maya. The story will be released as part of the Switch anthology tomorrow, but you don't have to wait to read a bit of this emotionally intense tale.

Behind the mask of control hides a spirit aching to surrender.

Mistress Maya bears the nickname 'The Ice Queen'. Her precision in administering discipline, her skill in evoking a submissive's devotion, and her unshakable self-control are legendary in the small but active Boston kink community.

From the moment newcomer Master Shark sees Maya flogging a sub at Club Inferno, he's obsessed with her beauty and power. He'd determined to break through her defenses and bring her the same release she grants to the lucky slaves she tops. When Maya dismisses Shark as young and inexperienced, he offers her a challenge: a night together, during which he'll show her what it means to be mastered. If he fails to bring her to new heights of sensation, he agrees to become her slave

What begins as a test of wills evolves into something deeper and more intense. As the younger man uses his insight and skill to coax Maya into submission, he comes to understand the wounded spirit hiding behind her mask of control. Can he make Maya trust him enough to surrender? Or will the flawless, untouchable dominatrix take possession of his body as well as his heart?

Don't forget to visit Victoria Blisse at Snog Central for lots more juicy oral action!

*** 

Maya led the way to her parlour, with her visitor trailing behind. His eyes wandered down her back, over the swell of her buttocks—she felt the weight of his gaze, though he never touched her. Lubrication welled from her pussy and trickled down the insides of her thighs. She wore nothing under the caftan, as he had instructed.

“Stop.” She halted as suddenly as if he’d tugged on a leash. Behind her, he gathered her heavy tresses in one hand, drawing them aside to bare her neck. Chill air touched the normally protected skin, then warmth and wetness. The kiss he planted at her nape sent shivers of pleasure racing to her pussy. His other hand gripped her upper arm—the strength of that grip making her gasp—while he licked along the curve running from her hairline to her shoulder. She closed her eyes, allowing herself to bask in the sensation of liquid heat.

He pushed her loose garment off her shoulder. Was he starting so soon? Then she yelped as he sank his teeth into her deltoid.

“What the fuck?” She whirled to face him. “That hurt!”

“BDSM often involves some pain.” His mildness infuriated her. “But, of course, you know that. You agreed I could do as I wish, didn’t you?”

The bite throbbed in a way that wasn’t entirely unpleasant. Her clit seemed to pulse in time. “Yes, yes. I’m sorry, you startled me.” In her flats, she was six inches shorter than he. She gazed up at his face, trying to read him. The dangerous gleam she saw in his eyes sent new shivers dancing through her.

“And have you changed your mind?”

“Um—uh, no.”

“No…?” He waited, clearly expectant, leaving her momentarily disoriented.

“No, I haven’t changed my mind.” She tried to move into the parlour, but he held her fast.

“No, what?”

“Huh? What?” Light dawned. He was waiting for her to acknowledge his dominance. Could she do it? It had been so very long. She could barely choke out the words.

“No, Sir.”

A torrent of long-denied emotion came rushing back—the delicious helplessness that came with accepting a Master. She fought against the flood, but it was too powerful, too deep. She squeezed her eyes shut to hold back the tears. He mustn’t see—mustn’t know how much that one word had cost her.

He cupped her cheek with his palm. “Are you all right, Maya? Do you want to call this off?”

“No, no, I’m sorry… It’s just…”

He stroked her hair back from her forehead. “It’s okay. I understand, pet.”

Pet? Who did he think he was? He didn’t know her! She tried to focus her anger, to generate some cutting retort, but now his mouth claimed hers, and it was so marvellous she couldn’t muster the energy to fight.

Stephen sealed his firm, mobile lips to hers. His tongue poked and probed, testing her willingness to fulfil her promise of submission. She opened to his determined assault, not because she’d agreed to but because she wanted more of his sweet heat. He tasted like fresh mint, clean and sharp. His aftershave—the same scent she’d noticed in the café—somehow reminded her of summer afternoons, sun-baked grass with a hint of honey.

The kiss deepened. He snaked his arms around her, tight as the bonds he’d promised and impossibly strong. He gripped her ass, digging his fingers through the velvet and forcing her body against his. His cock was a lump of stone pressing into her belly. A hungry gulf ached between her thighs, dripping with need. The satin of his tuxedo jacket was smooth and cool under her palms as she held on to him for dear life.

He wasn’t rough, brutal or even demanding, but the ravishing kiss made his point clear. He was the one in charge.

When he finally released her, Maya found herself panting for breath. He stepped away from her and she almost cried out at the vanishing warmth. Pull yourself together, she scolded herself. Don’t make it so easy for him.

New Release Schedule (It's Complicated!)

Greetings, Readers,

I realized that I haven't yet shared anything about my upcoming BDSM novella Mastering Maya, which will be included in the Switch anthology from Total-E-Bound. The thing is - there's more than just one release date.

Some of you may be aware that in the past, Total-E-Bound made its books available exclusively on the TEB site for the first three months. The objective was to maximize author royalties; in general, authors make more from books bought directly from their publishers, because all the third party sites like Amazon or ARE take a cut before royalties are calculated.

However, results from a recent author survey conducted by the TEB management (and how's that for a great publisher - they actually ask their authors for feedback!) suggested that authors wanted books to appear on third-party sites right away, because that's where the bulk of the readers are.

So, TEB has instituted a new release policy that's a win-win proposition for everyone involved. Every book now had three important dates:

Pre-order date - about six weeks prior to general release, readers can order an upcoming book at a substantial discount. As soon at the book is available, they'll be notified to come and download it.

Pre-release date - about three weeks later, ebooks will be available to buy on the TEB site only. Once again, readers will get a discount (though less than if they pre-order).

General release date - book will be available at all outlets. Buyers from TEB will not longer receive a discount.

Thus, loyal and/or impatient readers can get books from their favorite authors faster, and cheaper!

Anyway, the Switch anthology - which also includes fabulous stories from Desiree Holt, Elizabeth Coldwell, Wendi Zwaduk, Amy Valenti, and Lauren Gallagher - will have release dates as follows:

Pre-order - 27th of August

Pre-release - 10th of September

General release - 8th of October

Meanwhile, Mastering Maya will be available as a stand-alone title on pre-order on the 8th, also.

Totally confused? Just shoot me an email if you want clarification. And don't worry, if you're on my announcements Yahoo group, Lisabet's List, I'll remind you as the dates arrive.

I haven't even told you what the book is about, have I? Here's the blurb:

Behind the mask of control hides a spirit aching to surrender.

Mistress Maya bears the nickname "The Ice Queen". Her precision in administering discipline, her skill in evoking a submissive's devotion, and her unshakable self-control are legendary in the small but active Boston kink community.

From the moment newcomer Dom Shark sees Maya flogging a sub at Club Inferno, he's obsessed with her beauty and power. He'd determined to break through her defenses and bring her the same release she grants to the lucky slaves she tops. When Maya dismisses Shark as young and inexperienced, he offers her a challenge: a night together, during which he'll show her what it means to be mastered. If he fails to bring her to new heights of sensation, he agrees to become her slave.

What begins as a test of wills evolves into something deeper and more intense. As the younger man uses his insight and skill to coax Maya into submission, he comes to understand the wounded spirit hiding behind her mask of control. Can he make Maya trust him enough to surrender? Or will the flawless, untouchable dominatrix take possession of his body as well as his heart?

Want to read an excerpt? Just click here...