"Thank you all for noticing and coming to the circles, I know it is annoying whenever we do this." I smiled to myself, happily proven wrong again. No cult ever apologized for calling the faithful to worship. "We just have a couple of quick announcements, and then everyone can get back to their evening." The speaker paused and pulled a water bottle from his back pocket; he took a sip and replaced it before continuing.

"As promised, we have secured a source of the new male contraceptive pill, they will be available at the coat check in single doses, ten packs, and fifteen packs, please, as with any of these newer products, read the fine print." He said this with a tired tone, like it had been repeated often for other new products. "The new pill needs to be taken once a week, but you have to start with two pills and it's not effective for the first week. And this pill is in no way going to protect you from anything but pregnancy. Condoms are still de rigueur for those of you who are not sure of your status, or are banging those outside the club. So be careful." I wondered a bit about that, I knew I was clean, I hadn't been near anyone without a condom between us in ages and my last test had only been a few months ago, but I was reminded of my last evening with Bettie. I had been so out of my head with lust that I hadn't even thought about it. I made a mental note to ask her about that, and to ask where the coat check was, if knowing your status meant what I thought it did, I was looking forward to my future with unencumbered excitement.

The speaker had paused to allow the brief murmuring to die down, and then he continued. "We have a few more mundane, but equally interesting announcements, Jerry and Lydia will be married in six weeks. They are, at the moment buried in wedding plans and invitations, so they asked us to pass on a few bits of information. They will be having two full ceremonies, one, they regret to say is going to be rather tame and they have asked only those who receive invitations to attend." He paused and a wry grin crept over his face. "Apparently their parents will be there and Jerry especially would like his to survive the day. They will be holding a second wedding ceremony here, the day after, and would like everyone to attend. The ceremony will begin at noon and we will be holding it in the grand hall upstairs. Refreshments will be served at one O'clock, and the reception will be well lit, and hosted in the dungeon. No RSVP is necessary for this because we will be laying in enough for everyone, and anything that does not get eaten will be donated to the meals on wheels people promptly at five in the evening. The bride and groom are registered at Saks, Nordstrom’s, Mr. and Ms. X, and a few other places, you can get the full list at their website, and they have asked that any sex toys of the softer nature be made of silicone, not jelly; as new studies have shown that jelly outgases some pretty nasty stuff." He paused to sip some water and at the same time glanced around, gauging the audience.

"Finally, we have a rather exciting announcement; the rumors all of you have been hearing are true. The castle is a reality. Devon finalized the purchase today and those of you who put in your requests will be receiving calls or email detailing your options. We are still looking for a bit more support staff, housecleaners and assistants to the chef and what not. For those of you who have been hiding under a rock for the last few months let me reiterate the details." This brought on a moment of quiet laughter; I was curious though and hadn't heard anything about this castle, so I listened.

"Devon, and a few of the other members of the club have pooled their resources to purchase a moderately sized castle, and in fact; an island. The island that was chosen is just off the southern coast of France, well, a few miles off in fact, but close enough that it's proven possible to run all the necessities like electricity and communications lines. We are now beginning phase one of the project which will entail an almost complete refit of the structure. While the idea of stone walls and floors, and ceilings for that matter may appeal and sound terribly romantic, the fact of the matter is old stone castles cannot be heated to over a pneumonia inducing chill without deforesting approximately their own square footage in lumber per day, and the walls, well, the walls exhale ground stone dust on a rather amazing scale. The amount of particulates in the air at any given moment is enough to kill an asthmatic or a computer from fifty paces. So the majority of the castle is going to be redone in wood, the interior is anyway. The exterior is going to be repaired and strengthened; wiring will have to be run, as well as modernizing the plumbing. The owners have decided to create on the island a communal living situation. There will be no rent involved for the service staff, maids, cooks, grounds keepers, that crew, but they will be expected to do their jobs. We are attempting to match personalities to the positions as we have here with much of our staff. For other residents there will be some form of rent, but Devon and the powers that be are in the process of finalizing a few other things which, if they are successful may add a level of employment on the island which will negate the need for commuting, and, incidentally learning French if you don't already know it. Any other questions can and will be answered through email and if you don't already have it, the info email address can be requested from the doorman, the clothing check, or any of the wait staff. Thank you all, and now we can all get back to enjoying our evening."

The room erupted into a tumult of voices; everyone was talking about the island. The few voices I could clearly distinguish were saying that no one had believed it would come together, but that they were all severely pleased that it had. Bettie tugged my leash rather unceremoniously and muttered a quick "Up!” I stood and we were off, she pulled me through the crowds, although I was at a loss to figure out how she had chosen a direction. Soon though, we came to a wall, and from there Bettie pressed through a semi-concealed door that had no doorknob, and was painted the same black as the walls, but swung open easily at her touch. We slipped through the door and I immediately tripped over a pile of furs on the floor. Bettie tried to catch me, but I was already tangled and we fell together.

The soft layer of blankets and furs and pillows caught our fall and we ended up entangled, with Bettie leaning over me. Her lips were mere inches from mine and for a moment I was sure she would kiss me, but instead she gave my crotch a tender caress that set my blood pounding and leapt to her feet. I rolled to my side and started to kneel, but Bettie reached down and pulled me to my feet. I risked a glance around us as I rose and saw we were in a sort of antechamber, enough light filtered in that I could see the small, almost closet like space was bounded on one side by the door we had entered by, and on the other by a hall that took an abrupt right turn. Bettie turned my head so I was looking deep into her eyes. "Are you ok?"

I nodded, wondering about her sudden concern; the fall hadn't been that bad.

"No, sweet Xeno, are you really OK, are you in there? Or are you in sub-space?"

I understood suddenly. She wanted- no, the urgency in her voice said she needed to know if I was working under my own power, or if I still needed her control to remember to breath. I started to nod, and then paused. I questioned myself and found that I had indeed come out of that soft fuzzy place she had led me to. I felt a sense of loss and at the same time a sense of having regained my own autonomy. I needed to be in control, I knew that about myself, but it had been so comforting, just for the day, to let go and release my own desires. I had, for a few hours, understood, truly understood what it was going to be like for my slave, or slaves for that matter. I lifted my eyes and locked gazes with Bettie. "I'm better than OK Bettie, I'm fabulous. How about next time you wear the collar and I hold the leash." It was a statement, not a request, and I saw her blush. I looked down boldly and saw her nipples harden through her shirt and I was tempted to pull her to me for that kiss; but I knew she had dragged us here for some reason.

"But not just yet." I finished. "Why did we come running here so quickly?"

Bettie straightened and I saw her collect her thoughts. I was riding a high of self-confidence and self awareness, and my senses were on overdrive. I saw the pulse slow in her neck as she caught the reins of her own raging arousal. I saw the flush that had crept up between her breasts recede beneath the line of her shirt, and I watched with a quiet pleasure as her nipples continued to point my way as though in silent protest of our interrupted moment.

"We came here because this is where we all agreed to meet on the night the castle came through. We have plans to make and not a minute to lose."

"Hunh?" I was baffled again. I had thought the whole thing, while fabulously extravagant for a night club, sounded pretty straightforward for the private club, of which I was quickly becoming enamored. My bubble of energy deflated a bit in the face of my confusion. "The announcement seemed so straight forward, why all the intrigue?"

Bettie grabbed my hand and led me down the hall, explaining as we went. "The problem is, every time anything shifts in the structure of the club, there are certain elements that see the move as an opportunity to claim power. Not that they are wrong, and not to say that they don’t have something to offer. But the majority of them don't have the wisdom to be, well," She paused and lit us both cigarettes. "Quite honestly, they don't have the wisdom to be leaders yet. They see the opportunity as one in which they can wrest unofficial power from the current group that holds that power. In this case, it's us."

I blew smoke rings into the shadows and waited for more, but a moment later we rounded a corner in the dark hall and I winced as my eyes adjusted to the sudden light. Bettie had pulled back a hanging curtain in the wall of the tunnel as she spoke and thrust us both into the room. As my eyes adjusted to the light I was able to make out the details. Hundreds of small candles and oil lamps lit a medium sized room. The walls and floor were covered in furs, faux furs, pillows, blankets, bean bags and along one wall, futon mattresses. Many of the mattresses and bean bags had been dragged into a circle around a single table; the only hard surface in the room. Smoke and steam mingled from cigarettes and coffee arranged on the table. I looked and saw that this must have been the 'us' to whom Bettie had referred. I saw R.G., Rose, Raven, Francis, a few I didn't recognize, and to my surprise, Devon. When we arrived they all looked up and scooted over to make room.

We sat down at the table and Rose passed me a cup of coffee. When I reached for the coffee, for just the briefest moment, our fingers touched and Rose met my eyes. She was searching my eyes for something, I wasn't sure what; but she must have found it for she turned the touch into a caress and lowered her eyes carefully before letting go of the cup. I pondered her actions while everyone got settled again but I hadn't come to any conclusions before Devon began to speak.

"OK, you all know I'm not technically here. So let's make this fast and then we can get back to having fun. I know everyone is nervous about the shift in dynamic in the club, and I know the others are going to try and use this to make a power play. I can't be seen to play favorites because that would lead to a lot more politics than any of us want to deal with. Now, one of my partners has brought it to my attention that no matter what we do, if everyone in this room moves to the island, or if everyone stays here, the other geographic location will be ripe for a new ruling underclass, and the new generation will see that and try to use it to their advantage. While I still think we need more leaders in the club, I don't think enough of them have shown the wisdom and caring and staying power that would be necessary to let me trust them in this kind of situation. So, we need to manage this move very carefully."

"A couple of you have suggested moving the club, in it's entirety to the island and any who don't follow can either get there later on their own or be cut free. I'm inclined to lean that way myself. I'm not running this club to make money, obviously. I'm running it to have as many yummy people around me as possible, and this is a perfect opportunity to cut a lot of the less well groomed off." He paused and took a long drag from his cigarette. "However, I don't think it would work to just cut the club free without any closing down process. First off we have a lot of stragglers who need a little time to clean up their affairs before they move. We have a few others who are only occasional members and they will need to be told. All in all, while the easiest solution would be to cut and run, I don't want to leave anyone who belongs with us behind."

Bettie cleared her throat and Devon looked to see what she wanted to say. "So we are going to close up the club here after all? I had thought we'd decided to keep it open and just run it as a private club for everyone still here."

“No, after a lot of consideration, we have decided that the danger of leaving the club open was too great. We know the police have been poking around just looking for a reason to shut the club down, and we know they have been getting closer and closer to finding one. I wouldn't put it passed them to start manufacturing reasons before too long. R.G. has a bit more information about that as I understand things."

R.G. looked up and sighed heavily. "Yeah, sadly, I do. Most of you know about my dream date of the last few days. As it turns out, she's a vice detective investigating us for underage sex and overall drugs. Apparently the police think there is a major drug cartel operating in here." He lightened. "On another hand, I still have a date with her tonight! So maybe I can change her mind about us."

"It's your funeral R.G." Bettie laughed and refilled her coffee.

Devon leaned forward and began speaking in low tones. "Now you all know where things stand, and R.G.'s efforts not withstanding, we can't trust our luck to hold out." Devon sighed. "We are going to cut our losses and run, but there will need to be some mop up, and for the moment there just isn't housing available to take everyone who wants to come yet. The castle will hold about fifty people including servants, and that's assuming double ups in some of the rooms. We are drawing up plans for a second larger more modern structure to stand about a mile from the castle, but even with our architects and designers working together full out it's going to take about a year before it's livable. The castle is technically inhabitable right now, but no one with asthma or bad allergies can set foot in it without keeling over on the spot, and that work is still going to take a few months. We actually have a tent city set up just outside the castle walls to accommodate everyone who's working right now."

"Some of you have expressed interest in going over immediately, which can be arranged, but be forewarned; the work is hard right now, and if you don't know carpentry, you'll probably get stuck with a pocket full of nails and a line of dots to nail them through. The accommodations aren't that great now, and they certainly aren't going to be the Ritz for another few months at best; however the more people who are willing to head over and help out, the sooner it will be done." Devon paused again, this time I suddenly felt the spotlight fall on me. He and everyone else in the room were giving me an appraising look.

I tried my patented ice breaker. "Ummm." At least they had the decency to laugh.

"Xeno, your situation is a tough one, we had initially put a damper on any and all new members until we were moved and could decide on some new method of checking them out, but Dream had had you in mind nearly since her first day here and has been slowly making her argument. We are, of course, a lot more careful about letting someone recommend past lovers, because of numerous issues, but in her favor, she followed the rules and was very careful about laying her case. As it stands, you are passing with flying colors. Everyone you have met seems to like you, you haven't upset anyone yet, and apparently you put on a damn good show. You have a few days to go, but I think you will do just fine. You will however need to make your decisions faster than perhaps is fair to ask of you." He trailed off and my mind raced.

I had in front of me the chance of a lifetime, adventure, a castle, an amazing group of people that was currently being refined to just the coolest and most interesting if I understood everything correctly. On another hand I had a life here, didn't I? My mind slowed as I tried to find a mental checklist of the things keeping me here, but Devon interrupted my train of thought.

"Don't stress about it right now, you have time to think on the move. At least a few months anyway. I know it may be a big decision for you, and I know you haven't been given nearly as much time as most of the crew here, but I think you'll find you are up to the pressure." He turned back to the room in general.

"I think that handles the details, you all know who to talk to and who to leave in the dark, and that can certainly be left to tomorrow. We've all had too much stress tonight and I for one am looking forward to a hot tub and some company." He turned and lifted a tapestry from the wall. By the dim light of the candles, I could just see a door under the tapestry. Devon slipped through and was gone.

The tone of the room changed almost immediately, a few people I didn't recognize got up and left. R.G. was instantly swamped with questions and I tried to listen in. He was responding to someone I hadn't heard when I worked my way around to his side. "Yeah, I asked Devon to check her background; I thought that if Dream had been able to get in a last minute member, maybe I could too. Oh hi Xeno, how do you like the club now that you've been plunged into our intrigues along with our sex?"

I stammered out a reply to the effect that I liked it and asked what he'd meant by "check her background". I found out my own background had been thoroughly prodded until they were sure I wasn't some law enforcement agent or random psycho. I also found out they'd hacked the planned parenthood records for my last VD test of about four months ago and somehow discovered that the only sex I'd had since then had been protected and not a whole lot of it at that. I was amazed and not a little paranoid at the extent to which my private life had been exposed.

R.G. laughed and reminded me of the fun Bettie and I had had earlier that night. "You don't think you’d have been able to ride bareback as it were if you weren't clean; do you? Bettie is actually allergic to latex and-" Bettie cut him off.

"And I hate condoms with a passion. So, I take care of the birth control, and my lovers and I both take care of our bodies."

"But what if your lovers don't take as much care as you do?" I had to ask.

"Then they aren't my lovers Xeno." She purred, but there was the glint of steel beneath her voice. "And before you ask, yes I trust them to tell the truth. We all get tested regularly here, or at least the ones who care do, and the results are publicly available. We have a small lab suitable for running the blood work and diagnosing little stuff like yeast, and bladder infections, so there is no excuse not to stay regularly tested. And as far as the trust issue goes, this whole lifestyle is about trust. If you can't trust your top to pay attention to your needs, or your bottom to know their limits, then it just devolves into a bunch of half-wits playing at roman emperors and before long the game is up and half of them are dead or mutilated by disease, and the other half are in jail for carelessly sleeping with their next door neighbor in the local movie theater. Without some form of organization, all you have is a bunch of people, a bunch of booze, and a bunch of problems. With a few minutes of planning everyday, and a few minutes of preparation every night, you have the coolest, safest, most interesting and longest lasting event and community of our sort to grace the planet since the hellfire club, and frankly, they were a bunch of rank amateurs."

I was silent while I digested this, it all made sense, and every time someone said these things I felt like I was hearing the same phrases again, in just slightly different order. Of course every time I heard it, I also heard something new. And I was willing to do anything to keep Bettie talking. Her voice poured through me like honey and I still had the warm glow of the look in her eyes warming me. "So what is the other group everyone is talking about? I mean they made the announcement to the whole club, how are you going to keep them from finding the new location? I'm guessing they are the ones who don't plan or pay enough attention, but still, is that enough reason to just wholeheartedly get rid of them?" I was all questions, and I figured now was the time to ask them. My probationary period was still ongoing, but I felt like I had been given the go ahead anyway and was now more of a member than most people would have been at this stage.

"Actually, it would be nearly impossible for them to find the new place without a guide, Devon has been pretty careful about that. There are no public records of him or anyone from the group purchasing the island, it's all done through a dummy corporation, so it looks just like any other land purchase; and those happen all the time. Also, it is an island, so we will actually have pretty solid control of who comes on."

"And who gets off! Bwa-ha-ha!" Francis' campy diabolical laughter rolled through the room. "Welcome to the inner circle Xeno. You are progressing quickly through the rank and file, but take care it doesn't go to your head, or you'll just become another file. Or, conversely, you could just become rank." Francis waved a hand theatrically in front of his nose and then cart wheeled over a pile of cushions and, incidentally Rose, who was sitting near us and watching me interrogate anyone who would sit still long enough. Francis went into a jittering series of acrobatics that landed him, finally, next to Raven who turned and fell into conversation with Francis immediately. Their hushed voices didn't carry, but I could tell they didn't roll in Francis' usual lilting sing-song. I looked for Bettie and found her gone from my side. For a second I panicked until I remembered her admonition not to lay claim to someone who hadn't actually pledged themselves. It was a whole new world in here, dating had taken on meanings both more complex and more simple. I remembered too that I had been returned to my own recognizance and looked around for something to do. Rose still sat, or knelt actually next to me, almost as though she was waiting for something. I crossed my legs and sank to the cushions facing her.

"So what do you make of all this?" I waved my hands to indicate the group, the state of affairs, and possible the world in general. Rose inhaled, but before she answered she paused. I could see she was carefully formulating her answer, so I took the opportunity to look around. Or at least that was where my intent started. I looked through the shadows to the room, and was glancing behind Rose when my attention was drawn to the woman herself. I had somehow always glanced passed or over Rose, and now that I was looking directly at her, I couldn't believe my blindness. She was beautiful. Pure and simple, she had an innocence about her that drew me and made me want to protect her, and at the same time there was an obvious strength that said it was not necessary. She was dressed simply, and she took my breath away. A simple white slip hung on spaghetti straps from her shoulders to mid thigh. The gleam of the silk complimented her skin and the delicate stitching made sure the slip hugged her body from thigh to nipple and back again. She was breathtaking and I hadn't even noticed. I continued to look while she sat silently and I realized she was wearing a matching white leather collar with a single empty ring at the hollow of her neck. My eyes ran the lithe length of her arms and legs and found matching restraints at her wrists and ankles.

Thoughts, emotions and hormones collided in my brain as my eyes raced back to her face. I wondered if she was taken and I was breaking the rules by talking to her without her master's permission. She had just become the center of every sexual need and desire I had. She was scared. I stopped thinking dead when I looked in her eyes and realized just how scared she was. I let my worries about the rules fade for the moment and leaned forward to touch her hand. "What is it Rose? What is it? I can listen." I made my voice soft and gentle, my touch gentler still and I let my fingers caress only the top of her hand.

"She'll find us, I know she will." Rose's voice was barely a whisper. Her throat was choked with emotion. "She already got Dream and a few others. She-she'll find the island and get the rest of us, no matter how far we run!"