Page 2 of Speechless
Every few months Element held a masquerade. Just one of the many rotating themes of the events they hosted. It felt like the perfect time to come as a reporter because I wasn’t at risk of revealing people’s identities.
“You ready?” Isolde looked at me like she could see my heart pounding in my chest. I wasn’t sure if the jittery nerves clinging to me were excitement, terror, or both. Probably both.
Definitely both.
I grabbed the small notepad and pen I could fit in the pocket of the dress and shut the locker. “I am ready.”
Cade waited just inside the club for us. He wore a crisp black dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up and matching black pants. The whole effect made the dark mask he wore seem just sinister enough. He also wore a dark metal armband. They told me it was for members who had been fully vetted and also volunteered as staff occasionally. Basically, one of the people who could be trusted. Also, someone who held power here.
“The main bar is over there,” he said, pointing across the room. “That’s where you’ll meet Amber.”
“Got it.”
“Have fun,” he said, “as long as you don’t come to the throne room, you’ll be fine.”
My eyebrows rose. “The throne room?”
Cade smirked and took Isolde’s hand. “That’s right. This captive princess needs to spend some time in chains and on her knees.”
My friend flushed crimson, but he was already pulling her through the club. “See you later!”
They were swallowed up by the crowd so quickly I couldn’t even toss something snarky back at Cade for stealing her from me.
I shivered, realizing I was on my own now. The entire club was filled with masked people, and I could already see areas where people played andmore. After one deep breath, I headed toward the bar. The sooner I met Amber, the sooner I could dive in and explore everything that was Element.
Slow, pounding music vibrated through me as I crossed the dance floor, weaving through people dancing in all states of undress, and it was still early in the evening. Theenergyin this place was addicting already. Sensual and vibrant. I could get lost on this dance floor and be happy. Some of the looks I got told me I wouldn’t have any problems finding a dance partner either.
Pushing through the crowd to the bar, I leaned forward. “Hi. My name is Trinity Crawford. I’m supposed to meet Mistress Amber?”
The bartender, who wore nothing but leather shorts and a leather vest, nodded to the end of the bar, where a woman sat with a drink. Perfect.
I approached slowly. Her golden hair nearly glowed in the low lights of the club, done in classic curls. A killer red lip, heels that would break my ankles, and a corset made her look every bit the Mistress she was meant to be. She also had a shining armband—though hers was gold—and a small earpiece you would only notice if you were looking for it. “Amber?”
She looked up and smiled, taking me in. “You must be Trinity.”
“That’s me.”
“Welcome to Element. I hope you’re liking it so far.”
“For the five minutes I’ve been here, yes.”
Her laugh was lower than I expected. Sultry. She would be an absolutely perfect central character for this piece. “Ready for a tour?”
“Absolutely.”
The first three floors of the club were open, revealing balconies above the dance floor. Scene areas ringed the room and were visible at various points on those same balconies. Already there was a woman strapped to a giant X I knew was called a St. Andrew’s cross. A male Omega had his Alpha bound and gagged, and from what I could see through the crowd, there was a riding crop involved. A woman sat on a throne with a man on his knees in front of her, begging.
“There are semi-private theme rooms on the first three floors as well. They can be reserved, or first come, first serve. Some don’t mind if others share the space with them, while some want privacy.”
“Are they monitored?”
Amber nodded. “All rooms are monitored by our staff, and the members who volunteer their time to help. Everyone who monitors has been fully vetted and background-checked. No room in the publicly accessible spaces is ever left unattended for more than five minutes at a time.”
I wrote that little detail down, following her as she led to the wide staircase that curled around the edge of one wall.
“The top two floors are reserved for the higher levels of Element’s membership. Meaning, they go through extremely rigorous background checks, take classes on technique and consent taught by contracted third parties, and sign very detailed liability waivers before they are ever allowed to use the truly private spaces. There are still monitors placed on those floors in case anyone needs assistance.”
That was nice. It was clear from everything I’d signed that they took the safety of the people in their club with the utmost seriousness.
