Five minutes later the band concluded it's rendition of the piece. As the last vestiges of the music died away, I bowed to my dance partner, as she returned the gesture. Making our way back to our table, the crowd signaled their approval by their applause.

Holding out the chair for Mistress, my final act of chivalry was to lean over, and kiss the back of her hand. “Well now little man, I am deeply impressed, where in the hell did you learn to dance like that!”

“Mistress, my mother was a dance instructor in her youth. So for most of my life she had given me a dance lesson once a week ever since I could walk. For the most part I didn't see any point in it until I was older, I just did it because she gave me little choice in the matter. It wasn't until later in life that I began to truly appreciate what she did for me.

“Well my little man, each day you manage to surprise me more, and more. I'm beginning to wonder where that meek, insecure young man I met not so long ago went. I see in front of me a person who has kept themselves hidden for so long that he forgot who he truly is. My little man, and Jill, if you have not figured it out yet my role as a Dom is not to be cruel, or a bully. My role is to be the most supportive person you will ever meet, it is to challenge, and bring out the best in you, not just in the bedroom, but throughout your life.”

As Mistresses words began to sink into my thick skull, I found myself lost in contemplation. Sitting back in my chair, I began to look around taking in the club, and its patrons. All that was here, was here because of Mistresses will, she was the driving force in creating this place, as well as being the benefactor for all those she employed. If I had to come up with a single word that would describe her, that word would be a “Mensch”. While that word is most often associated with those of the male persuasion, it is nonetheless applicable to Mistress.

In the midst of my contemplation the band took a break, while the singer stepped off the platform and made a bee line towards our table. She was a beautiful young black girl, maybe in her mid twenty's. My guess was that she stood around five foot tall, and at best no more than one hundred pounds. She was wearing a rather slinky silk dress that was nothing more than a second skin. It was quite obvious that she had nothing on underneath her dress, since you could see the outline of every inch of her body, from the curves of her breasts, to the triangle that framed her most private treasures.

As she came around the back of the table she knelt alongside Mistresses chair, her head down, and her hands upon her lap. Looking down, Mistress patted her head while telling her that she was such a good girl. When the girl looked up at Mistress there was a smile upon her face a mile wide.

With a single motion of her hand, the manager brought over a chair, placing it alongside Mistresses. Another gesture, and the girl arose, and sat in the proffered chair.

“Little man, Jill I want to introduce you to Linda. I first encountered Linda while waiting for a train in the subway station. She was singing for pocket change, and looking like a rather shabby tomboy, in jeans that had more holes than the potholes in a NYC roadway. What caught my attention was the song she was singing. The first song she had sung was “Sempre Libera” from “La Traviatta”, followed by “Habenara” from Bizet's opera “Carmen”. I was amazed that such power was emanating from such a tiny girl.

I skipped getting on my train to speak to this remarkable young lady. Twenty minutes later found us sitting in a restaurant while she poured out her story. “Linda why don't you pick up the story from here.”

Sitting back in our chairs Jill, and I settled in to hear Linda's tale.
“Mistress, I'm a bit reluctant to open up to strangers, however if you say I must, I will abide by your wishes”

“Linda, I won't force you, however I can vouch for both of my subs, and I trust that nothing you say will go any further than this table.”

“Mistress, I trust your judgment. Well where should I begin, let's see, I grew up in Kansas city, Kansas. I was the sixth of seven children, growing up in the projects. Every day was a struggle for survival, if I wasn't delivering papers from my bicycle, I was dodging school so that I could find work to help my folks pay the rent. On top of that, I did my best to avoid the attention from any of the street gangs that were so present in our area.

When I was fifteen, I went to a party at one of my school friends place. I was young, and not smart enough to not accept a drink from someone I didn't know. Maybe twenty minutes later whatever they put in my drink took hold.

I wasn't out cold, however I had no will of my own. I was led to a bedroom where four collage guys spent the rest of the night raping me. They used me like a cheap blowup sex toy, degrading, and debasing me until early the next morning. The things they did to me should not have been done to a dog. It was by pure luck that I didn't end up pregnant, or catching an STD.

When I was let go the next morning, I was warned that if I told anybody what happened they would kill my family while I watched followed by them killing me. Two days later I left a note for my folks that I was going away to find work, and that I would write them as soon as I got settled.

Three days later I arrived here, and found that finding a job was nearly impossible if you didn't have at least a high school diploma. One day I was going to hop a train for downtown when I heard a violinist playing for pocket change in the subway. I knew the song he was playing, and just kind of inserted myself into his rendition. When he heard my voice, we began a conversation.

Taking me out for lunch we sat and talked for a couple of hours. Followed by him introducing me to the band that he regularly played with. From that day onward, I sang in the subway tunnels. I had managed to turn my friends meager tips into rather lucrative earnings.

The day I met Mistress, was the day my life changed forever. After we talked Mistress took me under her wing. The next day I found myself enrolled in a school that was dedicated to the performing arts. It was there that I discovered, and fell in love with Opera, and the stories they told through song, and music. When Mistress told me that all my tuition was covered from there on out, I worked my ass off so that Mistress would be proud of me.

OK, I could go on, and on, however I have taken to much of your time, and the band is about to come off their break, so it's back to earning my keep, so to speak.”

With that Linda asked Mistresses permission to leave, and return to the stage. With a kiss on the cheek from Mistress, Linda returned to the stage.

Looking over at Mistress, I saw a glint in her eyes that told me how proud she was of all that Linda had accomplished, as well as how far she had come, and survived. Turning my eyes towards Jill, I saw that she had tears running down her cheeks.

Turning her eyes towards Jill Mistress asked her. “Little one, what has you so upset that you allow tears to mar this occasion?”

“Mistress, these are not tears based upon hurt, they are tears of joy for that young lady, and the journey she is on. Yes I was deeply upset by her story of abuse, yet seeing how she has grown under your tutelage, and care caused me to shed these tears of joy.

In all honesty I have never met someone who cares for others the way you do. It seems to me that those whose life you touch all tend to come out better people than when you found them.

On top of that, I am filled with self doubt. Frankly there is nothing special about me, and there is nothing in me worth all the effort you are putting into me.”

It was Mistresses turn to display a saddened look upon her face. Motioning Jill to rise, and come over to where she sat, indicating that she was to kneel at her side, Jill looked around the room before she knelt. This was the first time Jill was on display as a sub in public, and as such was concerned about what people might think.

However with a stern look from Mistress Jill knelt along side Mistresses chair. Mistress turned towards Jill, and gave her a very light slap on her right cheek. Actually it wasn't even much of a slap, it was more like a tap. That being said it did manage to get Jill's attention.

“Little one, I am only going to say this once, and it had better sink in to that pretty little head of yours. I do not waste my time with people I feel have nothing to give this world. On top of that, I consider myself a very good judge of character. If I chose to involve myself in the lives of another it's because I see something in them, even if they themselves don't see what I see. Now if I ever hear from you any self doubt about your worthiness, I will kick you in the ass until you can't see straight, or sit down for at least a week, do I make myself clear!”

“Yes Mistress.” Was Jill's only possible reply.

Crooking her finger, Mistress had Jill lean forward as she delivered a soul searing kiss to Jill that left Jill panting with desire.

Sending her back to her seat, Mistress beckoned the club manager to attend her. Leaning over the manager listened to Mistress for a moment, and then stepped back into the background. When the band had finished their last number, the manager walked over to Linda, and whispered into her ear. As he walked away, Linda looked over at our table with a sly smile, and a nod of her head.

As our dinner wound down, it dawned on me that the three of us had downed two bottles of wine, and while we were not drunk, neither Jill or I were feeling any pain. Rising from our seats we were led to an elevator door that for all appearances was a large mural on the wall. When the mural parted to reveal the elevator, Jill, and I were stunned that it was so cleverly disguised, that it was indistinguishable from the wall it adorned.

Upon entering Mistress produced a key card which she inserted into a slot that was well hidden on the control panel. When at last the doors opened, I was stunned to see an entire club within a club. The interior was paneled with magnificent dark oak, with walnut trim. The first thing we encountered was a bar area, where about thirty people milled around.

Within seconds Mistresses presence was discovered, and a handful of people left whatever they were doing, and walked over towards our little party. Half a dozen people offered Mistress their hand, some for a handshake, and others to offer a kiss to the back of her hand in a time honored tradition, all of which Mistress accepted with grace.

Moments later Mistress spoke up asking everyone present to attend her. The room fell silent while everyone encircled the three of us, keeping a distance of about fifteen feet in a semi-circle.

“Good evening ladies, and gentleman, my most fervent apologies for being absent from this group of fabulous people, and friends. I am here this evening to introduce my two friends. My friends allow me to introduce you to Thomas, and Jill. Will the two of you please step into the center of the room.”

Neither Jill or I had any idea of what was going on. Once in the center of the room, all those present stepped up to the two of us. Hands were held out for me to shake, while Jill received both handshakes, as well as kisses on the cheek from the ladies.

The next words from Mistress froze both of us in our tracks. “Little one, and my little man, would you both please disrobe, and hand your clothing to the man on your right.”

Speaking up Jill turned to look at Mistress. “Mistress you can't be serious, you want us to be naked in front of all these people. I'm not going to do that, I don't know any of these people...” that was all Jill was able to say before Mistress pulled up a chair, while yanking Jill across her lap. Followed by Mistress yanking up Jill's dress exposing her naked bottom to the crowd.

Jill began squirming around trying to find a way to escape this humiliation. There was however, no escape, as Mistresses hand came down only to land squarely against Jill's left cheek, followed by the right cheek.

Somewhere around hit twenty five the tears began rolling down Jill's face, and her sobs could be heard throughout the room. When at last Mistress lifted Jill from her lap, she held her in a very parental like hug as she soothed her tears.

Lifting her to her feet, Mistress once again repeated her order for us to remove our clothes. This time there was no back talk from either of us. Our clothes were handed off to the people on either side of us.

Suddenly something happened to Jill's demeanor. No longer was she shy, or embarrassed, Jill not only stood there for all to see, she began to embrace her nakedness, while moving around as if to accentuate her status as the naked person in the room, where all others around her were dressed in their finery, showing off her body to all that were there to witness her transformation.