She walked down the hall to the last door on the right and the library.

It was a large comfortable room, its walls lined with books. On one side was a movable ladder, allowing access to volumes on the higher shelves. Several chairs were positioned around the room, and she saw a man sitting in a corner, reading from a leather-bound book. He looked up as he heard her enter the room. He stood as she entered. "Welcome to London, " he said. "Thank you, " she replied.

He was fairly tall with brown hair. He wore a black blazer and turtleneck sweater, charcoal slacks and black loafers. "Please sit down, " he said, gesturing to an adjacent chair, and sitting when she was settled in it.

"You have a beautiful apartment, " she commented.

"Actually, it belongs to a friend of mine who's at a conference in Zurich. Since no one was here, except for Margaret, whom you've already met, he offered it to me while he's gone." She realized, as he spoke, that his accent was American, not English. "I'm sure you have a lot of questions, " he said. "Oh, " he interrupted himself, "I forgot to introduce myself.

I'm Chris." He stood and shook her hand. "After all that email we've exchanged over the past couple of years, I'm glad to meet you face to face.

" Dee was at first stunned by the revelation. But then she realized that the fact made as much sense as anything else that had happened. Just another surprise in a surprise filled journey.

"I want to make sure you're clear on the ground rules for what we're about to do, " he said, speaking softly. "But first, there's some basic information I need to get from you." "Yes, " she said, ready to reply.

"This will be a learning process. For both of us.

And I need to know how much experience you've had with Ds. Real time and cyber. There's no point in repeating something you already know well. The intent is to expand our experiences.

" Dee looked down at her hands, which were folded in her lap at this point. She realized the importance of what Chris was saying, what he was intimating to her, of how important it was that she be totally honest with him about her experience. Keeping her eyes on her hands, she took a deep breath and began. "Well, most of my experience is really quite limited. I have had some experience with being dominated sexually, mostly by being tied during sex and being aroused to such a point that I was almost begging for release and some roleplay in which I took the more submissive position, although I have also switched. I have done some cyber with individuals, which can be attributed to Ds, but usually I am left feeling that this was not enough nor was it what I was looking for in a Ds setting. It seems that most people confuse Ds with sadomasochism or bondage and domination. I do know that there is a difference between these and would much rather be involved with Ds than having pain being involved with pleasure. Although I will also admit, " Dee paused taking a deep breath, "I do like to be spanked occasionally, as I do find this rather stimulating. But other forms of pain andor humiliation do not excite me in any way. At least not in the way past partners and I have played together so far." She looked up, as she paused for a second, seeing that Chris was listening intently to what she was saying. She felt a little bit more at ease now, having gotten this far in imparting this information to him, and knowing that he was absorbing everything that she was telling him.

"I have also noticed that my need for Ds sometimes goes beyond a sexual setting, " she continued. "It goes also into both my personal and professional relationships. I have found that I tend to prefer settings where there are clear limitations, boundaries, deadlines. I like someone else to be in charge, prefer it actually, where I can provide more of a service, a kind of behind the scenes support. I have been in a position before where I was in a more managerial positions, and while I was quite capable of doing this job, I did not like it as much as I thought that I would.

I much prefer a position that is a support position, someone who can provide things, opinions, services, without having the same responsibilities that a mangersupervisor does.

"This Ds desire even extends into my personal relationships with just friends. I'm more comfortable with knowing what will be happening or where there is a general consensus as to what will happen. Although I do have a dominant personality on occasion and let this show." Again, she paused, realizing that she must clear something up. "Not that I don't take charge on occasion or offer my opinion on something, I do that all the time.

I'm very opinionated and believe strongly in certain things.

And I do have to have my way on occasion and do not like to be contradicted, unless I am wrong, and even then, I like to have proof that I'm wrong." She stopped for a second, smiling at what she had just said.

She knew that she was imparting a lot to him, but also knew that this was very important to their relationship. "I have also read several books and articles regarding Ds and masochism, including the Anne Rice as Ann Roquelaire volumes, including the Beauty series and Exit to Eden, as well as other forms of literary erotica that involve some form of sexual domination.

I have also recently been reading an information pack on Ds and BD and masochism, and this is another reason why I am very aware that I prefer Ds to masochism. I do not feel a need to involve pain and humiliation into any setting involving sex, sexual situations or confusing pain and humiliation with love or sex. This does not appeal to me at all. I do realize that there are corrective procedures involved in Ds and this is a very important part of the relationship, but this, if I am correct, is done with an intent to correct a wrong or bad behavior rather than intending to cause sexual arousal.

"I am also aware of what the Domsub and the Masterslave relationship definitions are.

The Masterslave relationship is built around one person submitting entirely to the other for the Master's pleasure. The slave is dependent on the Master for most if not everything involved in life. The slave is to serve the Master's every desire, sexual or otherwise.

The Master is then to provide ot the slave a safe home and is more like a pet or possession, than a friend, equal or even lover. The Domsub relationship has many of these same points, but this relationship is more about the sexual domination, rather than a complete domination of the sub. The sub still provides the Dom pleasure and anticipates his needs, desires, wishes and wants to make sure that these are provided to him. But the sub is also more of an equal, a friend, a lover, rather than a possession. After reading and talking with people about this, I know that this is what I want out of such a relationship. I want the Domsub, not the Masterslave, relationship, as I do not want to lose my identity nor the ability to voice my own wishes, desires, and opinions.

I want to be an active participant in any relationship that I have, even in a Ds setting." She stopped now, having told him everything that she thought he wanted to know and that she felt about this. She sat back in her chair, watching his face, wondering if she had told him enough or even if she had told him too much. She knew that she had been totally honest with him, and even more, honest with herself. She now waited for him to speak. He listened carefully to everything she said, realizing that she was sharing important and very personal insights into herself.

He watched her intently, fingers interlocked, the index fingers pressed against his lips. When she finished, he said, his hands now in his lap, "I agree with everything you have said. I have no interest in bondage and discipline. Inflicting pain does not provide me with pleasure.

Quite the opposite." He paused for a moment, "However, there are some techniques used in BD than can be adapted for Ds pleasure." "I agree, " she said. "The goal is pleasure, enhanced by the unique relationship that comes through the roles established in Ds. It is the responsibility of the sub to serve the desires of the Dom. In the process, the Dom provides very special forms of pleasure to the sub. Doing so is a statement of the power of the Dom has over the sub, and an affirmation that the Dom has important responsibilities to the sub." He smiled. "With the basic framework defined, it's time for you to decide if you truly want to proceed. If you do, acknowledge it by saying, "Yes, Sir.

" If not, touch the pendant and return to the place from which you have come.

" Dee arose from the chair. She had several thoughts racing through her mind.

She walked over to a shelf of books, not seeing the title on the spines, the age of the books, or the subject matter.

She thought about her experiences, her fantasies, everything she knew about Ds and the things that she didn't. Was her desire for more knowledge, her desire for this experience, what she really wanted? Was she truly ready to experience all that this entailed? She had thought about this for so long, yet here was the opportunity. Was she hesitating now that it was presented to her and why?? The pendant around her neck seemed to hang heavy, reminding her of her choice. She touched the pendant, then let her hand drop to her side. Without turning around, she said, "Yes, Sir." Chapter Five..ing soon