Harem House Chapter 42 Part 2

Slipping into the Tarzan loincloth was easier than the shoes he’d chosen. The plain brown material of the loincloth was a triangle of fabric in the front and back, attached to briefs, which fastened with a belt. 

The strappy Roman sandals from his centurion costume were simple flats with leather strips that wound around his calves. He tied them, fastening them just below his knees. Moving to tie the second loosened the first enough that he had to retie it, then re-fasten the second, repeating the ritual after a few steps until they felt secure enough that he could move without their sliding down his legs. 

He checked himself in the loincloth. The tapered triangle of material cutting between his thighs in the front and back was nothing more than a belt over his hips. His torso was completely bare, but adding some faux fur to his shoulders and bracers would fix that. He’d do some shopping at the Faire and see what he could find to build a more complete costume.

What he had was a sexy Halloween costume from a posh store in the city, and while the production value was good, the amount of material was minimal. The briefs under the cloth were comfortable, but not very stretchy. A hard-on in this outfit was going to be rough, but luckily, he had a personal sex slave willing and eager to offer him any relief she could, even if they had to run to the car once or twice throughout the day. 

He exited the room and smiled as Kat, Kelly, Katelyn, and Selene took in the sight of him. He ran his hand through his hair and spread his arms wide. “Does it look okay?” 

Kelly nodded. Kat and Katelyn were biting their lips. Selene dropped to her knees and licked her lips. None of them answered him verbally. Their eyes were fixed on his torso, wandering over the sharp lines of his muscles as they outlined his pecs, lats, and abs, which disappeared beneath his belt.

“Fuck,” Katelyn said. “Are they going to let you in? Or is that too adult?” 

“That’s five for the spank jar,” Kelly reminded Katelyn of their deal to limit her cursing, and Katelyn pouted at her. 

“He’s fine,” Kat said, trying to sound unaffected. “Men can show off their legs, and their torsos, and no one cares. I’m more worried about Selene’s costume. That chainmail bikini isn’t very big.” 

“I can bring a backup just in case, but I think it’ll be okay,” Arthur said, lifting the loincloth to show he was covered beneath. 

“That bulge, though,” Katelyn said, smiling as she lifted her eyes to Arthur’s. “Damn.” 

Arthur winked at her, which made her chuckle as she stood. Kelly helped her to her feet and pointed her toward the kitchen table. 

“Breakfast is ready, Master,” Slut said, gesturing to the table where a circle of three plates waited for them. Wheatcakes, spinach omelets, and sausages awaited them.

“Katelyn and I already ate,” Kelly said, by way of explanation. “But we’ll join you at the table.” 

Arthur nodded and took his seat at the table. That left a single chair for Kat or Selene, a problem Selene presented a solution for even as the thought popped into Arthur’s head. 

“Should I sit at the table, Master? Or should I eat as a slave does?” Selene asked. 

Kat rolled her eyes and took her seat beside Arthur. Kelly took the chair opposite him. 

“You mean on the floor?” Arthur asked. 

Selene nodded. “Yes, Master.” 

Arthur considered it, then nodded. He lifted her plate from the table and set it on the floor beside him. Selene crawled over to it, eating with her hands on either side of the plate and flat against the floor. Arthur and Kat used their cutlery, though Kat ate more quickly than Arthur did. 

Katelyn sat between Arthur and Kelly, across from Kat. She picked a piece of egg from Arthur’s plate and ate it, winking at him. She seemed extra flirty and bold this morning, but Arthur didn’t mind it. She was fitting in with Kat and Kelly. 

They sat in peaceful and comfortable silence, without anyone feeling the need to fill the room with unnecessary words. They exchanged smiles while Arthur and Kat ate, enjoying the moment of peace as the world outside the apartment gradually grew lighter. Kelly sipped her coffee, occasionally staring out the window to enjoy the brightening day. 

Selene finished her food first, sitting back on her knees and looking up at Arthur. She crawled forward and rested her chin on his thigh, as if begging for food. He patted her head and called her a good girl. She wiggled her butt as if wagging a tail, and Arthur laughed. 

When he finished eating, Selene took his plate to the sink. Then she took hers and Kat’s. She loaded the dishwasher as Arthur pulled the trunk from his closet and packed a bag. Kelly slipped into the bedroom with him, leaving Katelyn and Kat on the sofa with their phones. 

He packed with Kelly’s help, taking an outfit for tonight, one for tomorrow, and a spare. They added the briefcase, bringing all of Arthur’s collective gear and equipment with them on the trip. 

With a final check of the room to pack his backpack with his chargers, homework he wouldn’t have the chance to do, and his laptop, Kelly closed the door behind her and hugged him from behind. 

Arthur patted her hand, enjoying the hug, but confused as to the cause of the sudden embrace.

“You’re sure you’re okay?” Kelly asked. “This isn’t one of those times you’re pretending you’re okay for our sakes when you really need to break down?” 

Arthur turned in her arms, lifting his so that he could spin around and return the hug. He held her against him, letting her feel his calm and steady heartbeat, even as she elevated it by kissing him. He squeezed her gorgeous hourglass figure in his arms and brushed a strand of her red hair from her face, tucking it behind her ear. 

“I’m okay,” Arthur said, confident in his answer. “As rough as last night was, I feel so much better on this side of it. I had some time to process last night and on my run this morning. It was wild, but I’m practically giddy that Lynn is moving out. Watching the movie with everyone last night, having a peaceful and relaxing time, and not diving into an orgy or something afterward, was exactly what I needed. Then I got some love and release from Selene and Kat this morning, went for my run, and had breakfast with my beautiful wifey. I’m nowhere near needing to break down. I’m fine.” 

“You’re sure?” Kelly asked, squeezing him. 

“I’m sure,” Arthur assured her. 

“Okay,” Kelly said, taking a deep breath. “I have something to tell you about last night, but I don’t want to ruin your mood or start you off on a bad foot today. Do you want to hear it now, or later?” 

Arthur considered the question. Basically, she was asking about his mental/emotional battery. He had a full charge and was ready to face the day. Would this drain him before the day properly started? Possibly, but he’d rather know and keep everything about last night behind him. 

“Tell me,” Arthur said, bringing Kelly to sit on the edge of the bed with him. 

She sat, turning toward him so her knee pressed against his as she held his hands in hers. “I crossed a line with Lynn last night,” Kelly said, keeping her back rigid and her eyes on Arthur’s. “I got carried away, and I bullied her more than I meant to. At first, I was just giving her a taste of her own medicine, being mean to her because she was mean to you. Then, gradually, I started enjoying it too much. Being a mistress is so intoxicating, the rush of power and control. I don’t know how you manage to keep yourself in check when you have the power to do as you please and have us thank you for it. If I were you and you were me, I’d chain you to this bed and ride you like a horse whenever I got the craving.” 

Arthur swallowed. The mental image stirred his loins, though in practice, he knew that being chained to the bed was not his cup of tea. He was a dominant, and his worry about Kelly telling him that she didn’t want to be a submissive made him remember what they were discussing. Lynn. She’d gone overboard with Lynn the night before.  

“So you enjoy being a mistress?” Arthur asked. 

“Yes, and no,” Kelly said. “Maybe too much. I didn’t like who I was last night, Arthur.” She closed her eyes and took a deep breath to keep herself from shedding any tears and ruining her well-placed makeup. “I let my hatred for Lynn and my anger override my common sense, and I got off on it. I enjoyed it, I don’t even know how to explain it.” 

Arthur squeezed her hands, holding her tightly without hugging her. He knew if he hugged her, she’d cry, and she was currently making a furious effort not to break down. 

“It can be a rush, especially when it’s new,” Arthur said. “I understand the temptation, believe me. When Lori and I first started, I found it so freeing and intoxicating, but I had hang-ups and fears that you don’t, which kept me from going overboard. The last thing I wanted was for her to get hurt, but discovering that I might be a sadistic monster terrified me. Placing my desires over Lori’s safety was a danger I couldn’t indulge. It took me a while to cut loose and learn to trust myself, and Lori, as much as she trusted me.”

Kelly frowned as soon as he mentioned Lori’s name. 

“But that was with someone I loved, not someone I wanted to strangle. Honestly, I’m just glad I was able to pull you off her, and that you didn’t kill her.” Arthur said, bringing them back to the topic at hand. 

“We still went too far. Kat called me out on it, and we argued. Lynn was, well, she enjoys being humiliated. Rani found her journal, and it’s a whole thing. I leaned into it, and I aroused myself and her by going too far in the mistress role. Nothing sexual happened, at least, nothing with direct contact or anything, but I hosed her down with the garden hose, Kat and Katelyn watched, and she tried to kiss me.” 

“She kissed you?” Arthur asked, shocked. 

“No,” Kelly said, shaking her head. “She tried to. I slapped her so hard she spun.” 

“Good,” Arthur said, gritting his teeth for a moment before he sucked in a breath large enough to loosen his jaw. “But you didn’t do anything with her, or force anything, beyond being mean to her? You didn’t do anything sexual with her?” 

“Spraying her down with the hose,” Kelly said. “That’s as far as anything went. I’m not sure what would have happened if she hadn’t broken down and run into the house after that. I—I wanted to do things to her, Arthur. Sexual things, I wanted to humiliate her, break her, and toss her at your feet for you to do whatever you wanted with her.” 

An intriguing prospect, but not one that Arthur would have enjoyed happening last night any more than he enjoyed what had happened. He took a deep breath. 

“Well, I can’t blame you for being attracted to her. Objectively, she’s hot. If she weren’t her, like, if her body were on another person, I’d probably have been tempted, too.” Arthur said. “But to be clear, you didn’t do any of those things you wanted to, right? Beyond the fighting and the spraying?” 

Kelly shook her head no. “No, I swear. You can ask Kat and Katelyn.”   

“I believe you,” Arthur said. He fell silent, contemplating the situation, then shrugged. “Then it’s okay. Things spun out of control, sure, but everything worked out, and we’re on the other side of it now.” 

Kelly held his gaze, her lip quivering. “You forgive me?” 

“For what?” Arthur asked. “You didn’t do anything wrong, other than go farther than you should have in being mean to her. I can’t fault you for that. If it weren’t for my damn freeze response, I’m not sure she would have survived slapping me in the face the way she did.” 

Kelly cupped his face, running her thumb over the spot Lynn struck. “I’m so sorry she hurt you.” 

“That’s not your fault. That’s on her. Her actions are entirely her own.” Arthur said. “And they had nothing to do with you, even if you disagree with me.” 

Kelly hugged him, holding him close. “I’m just so glad you’re okay.” 

“I’m okay,” Arthur said, hugging her in return. He squeezed her, and she pulled away, wiping her eyes as she straightened her spine. 

“I’m not sure I can be a domme anymore,” Kelly said, sniffling. “I don’t trust myself not to get carried away.” 

“Okay,” Arthur said, squeezing her in his arms. “If you want to take a break, or never do it again, or even drop kink from our relationship altogether, that’s okay. Whatever makes you happiest.” 

Kelly broke down, crying and holding onto Arthur as if he were a life preserver in a stormy sea. He held her, letting her cry, which didn’t last particularly long. It hadn’t been long since her last cry, and she didn’t have enough tears to keep the stream flowing. She exhaled a ragged breath toward the end and wiped her eyes to check her mascara, which had run. 

“Thank you,” Kelly said. “I don’t want to drop our kink. I enjoy it, I love submitting to you, and I enjoy dominating others, but I don’t know if I trust myself to dominate anyone right now. I’m disgusted with myself over last night.” 

“It’s okay,” Arthur said, rubbing her back with the flat of his palm in a soothing arc of reassurance. “You’re not disgusting, and it’s perfectly normal to get worked up. I mean, as crazy as everything was last night, you topless in those shorts fighting someone that hot in that skimpy a swimsuit? If I blur out her face, that’s fantasy fodder for life.” 

Kelly chuckled, shaking her head as she patted his chest. “I’m such a mess.” 

“A gorgeous, hot, sexy mess,” Arthur said, kissing her cheek. 

“How you can find me sexy with my tears washing my makeup away, I’ll never know,” Kelly said, standing so she could turn her back to him and wipe her face with a tissue. 

“You’re plenty sexy without your makeup,” Arthur said. 

Kelly scoffed. “Please, with these freckles?” 

“How dare you!” Arthur said, standing as if offended. “I adore your freckles. They’re so cute I can hardly stand it.” 

Kelly laughed, ignoring his assertion. 

“Would throwing you onto the mattress and ruining your makeup even more convince you?” Arthur asked, smiling as he watched her green eyes. 

She grinned and glanced behind her at the closed door. Rani and Mindy would be here any minute, not to mention Mark, Maria, Brad, and Jen. “Later. We don’t have time, Mister.” 

Arthur shrugged and patted her on the butt. “And if I pull the dom card and tell you to get on your knees?” 

Kelly raised an eyebrow, but her blush answered for her before she stepped back and lowered herself to her knees, staring into Arthur’s eyes as she did it. 

“Mm,” Arthur grunted as he experienced how tight the briefs under the loincloth could become. “Fuck, I shouldn’t have teased you.” 

Kelly pouted. “You don’t want me to take care of my Hubby before we go?” 

“I want to, but you’re right, we don’t have time,” Arthur said. 

“Would these help?” Kelly asked, pulling her sleeves to lower her dress to her waist. She unhooked her bra before Arthur could answer. 

He closed his eyes, lifted his chin, took a deep breath, and yielded to temptation. He shoved his belt down, taking the loincloth with it, and sprang free. Kelly took him in hand, pumping him toward her face with her mouth open, waiting for his seed. The method threatened to ruin her makeup in a different way, but she looked absolutely gorgeous beneath her mascara tears, staring up at him with her emerald eyes never leaving his. Her breath warmed the tip of his cock as she pumped him, and she tightened her grip as she started using both hands. 

“Cum on me, Hubby,” Kelly said, whispering to his dick. “Claim me. Make me yours.” 

Arthur wanted to be quick, but he’d already cum once this morning, so he let Kelly work his shaft until her efforts started to produce diminishing returns. He offered her his hand, and she took it, confused as he lifted her to his feet. Then he roughly pushed her toward the bed. He gestured for her to lie down, and she laid on her back, letting her head hang off the edge of the bed. She stuck her tongue out, welcoming his cock as he entered her, and pushed directly into her aligned throat. 

The bulge in her throat was the hottest thing he’d ever seen. She took his hand and brought it to her neck, letting him choke her, and he felt the effect of his grip on his dick as he pumped his hips and fucked her face. Kelly slobbered all over him, gagging, glugging, and swallowing whatever she could. Her breaths came in quick beats timed with athletic precision. She braced her hands against his firm thighs and moaned, letting her vocal chords vibrate against him. 

Between the sight of her bouncing bell-shaped breasts, her throat, his grip, her moans, the surreal experience, and the desire for this to be quick, he knew he couldn’t last long. He made no effort to hold himself back and found himself leaning forward as he bent over her and held her head while he fucked her throat in rapid, hard strikes until a particularly tight swallow milked his orgasm from him. 

Arthur grunted, stiffening his legs as he pumped into her throat. He took a step back, letting her breathe and swallow as he filled her mouth. He stepped back again, pulling out from her lips, and a final unexpected jet of cum arched over her and landed on the base of her neck. She coughed as she laughed, wiping at the spot with two fingers, which only spread it across her bare collarbone. 

Her makeup was indeed ruined, with lines of makeup trailing either side of her face in both directions, since her face had been upside down. 

Arthur checked on her. “You’re okay?” 

“More than okay,” Kelly said, smiling. “That was great. I needed that.” 

“But you didn’t cum or anything, did you?” Arthur asked. 

Kelly raised an eyebrow. “I didn’t need an orgasm, Mister. I needed to feel wanted and connected to you. That was one hell of a connection.”

Arthur grinned, offering her a hand to help her up. She took it and stood from the bed with his help. He hugged her, embracing her as she rested her head against his shoulder and kissed his collarbone. 

“I’m glad you’re okay,” Kelly said, squeezing him. “And we’re okay?” 

“We’re more than okay,” Arthur assured her. 

Kelly kissed him. “You’ll let me know if that changes?” 

Arthur nodded. “I don’t hide anything from you. Couldn’t if I tried.” 

Kelly chuckled. “You got that right.” She stepped away, looking for her purse, which was in the living room. Arthur offered her a tissue from the nightstand, and she took it, using it to wipe away the tears and cum. “Especially in that outfit.” She gestured to it as Arthur pulled it back into place. 

Arthur chuckled. “Just wait. You’ll be wearing even less tonight.” 

Kelly chuckled. “We’d better get back out there before the others start to worry.” 

“Pretty sure they heard us,” Arthur said. 

“You can’t prove that!” Mindy called from the other room, making Arthur and Kelly break into laughter as they opened the door.

~~~

Katelyn and Kat gave them knowing smiles from the sofa as Arthur and Kelly stepped into the room. Selene knelt in the room’s center by the luggage, withdrawing a chastity belt from the trunk. Rani and Mindy had arrived during their one-on-one time and waited patiently for them to finish. Or not so patiently, as Mindy stood by the bedroom door, clearly having listened more intently than the others. 

It was good to have the harem together again, and in a much more peaceful setting than last night. 

“Queenie has brought quite the surprise,” Kat said, gesturing toward the window. “If we can afford it.” 

“Oh, it’s covered,” Rani said. “We don’t even need to chip in for gas, and I’m covering the tip.”  

Rani sat on the coffee table with her legs crossed. She held a coffee in each hand and offered one to Kelly, who took it. Kat, Katelyn, Selene, and Mindy already had theirs. 

“We got you tea, Boss,” Mindy said to Arthur. 

“Is this the surprise?” Arthur asked as Mindy handed him a to-go cup of tea from Starbucks. 

“No.” Rani gestured to the window behind her with her thumb. “Fair warning, I know it’s a lot, but to be fair, I thought of it on Wednesday and wasn’t sure if I could pull it together in time. That’s why I didn’t say anything. I didn’t want to disappoint anyone if it didn’t work out. Also, Mindy mentioned you aren’t into surprises, and I probably should have told you about this, so feel free to spank me for it later.” 

Arthur raised an eyebrow. He crossed the room and peered out the window as the others gestured for him to do so and looked down into the parking lot. 

A large black bus sat in the lot between the rows of cars, blocking the space between his and Selene’s building. The outside had the build of a greyhound-sized bus that bulged after the driver’s section. The horizontal monolith looked shiny and new compared to the cars beside it. The windows were tinted black, so the whole thing looked like one long bulging black rectangle that gleamed beneath the parking lot lamps like a shiny present. 

“You got a bus?” Arthur asked, confused. 

“A top-of-the-line executive-suite-level party bus,” Rani said, correcting him with a smile. “It’s ours for the weekend, so we can ride in style!” 

Arthur looked at the others, then at Rani. “How?” He knew she had money, but he didn’t think she had that much. He whispered his next question, “How much was it?”  

“Free,” Rani said, patting his butt. “Well, not really. It was a few hundred hours of labor on my part. My uncle owns the company, and he owes me for tutoring my cousins, so, surprise! It’s like a stretch limo, but roomy, and comes with a driver and everything, so we can all ride together! Her name’s Manasa, and she’s pretty cute if you want to add a second Indian woman to your harem, my King.” 

Arthur raised both eyebrows, but Rani laughed at him and kissed his cheek to knock away the surprise. “The back is totally separate from the driver’s cab, so we can party! We deserve it!” 

Arthur was still too stunned to respond. He assumed Rani was only half-joking about playing with Manasa. He was definitely against the idea of adding another girlfriend to the harem, but a one-night-stand situation might not be terrible. They’d have to see how the weekend went. 

The others watched him, as if waiting for him to approve or reject the fantastic gift of the bus. Kelly appeared just as surprised as Arthur was, and nearly spat out her coffee when she saw the bus. Katelyn, Kat, Selene, and Mindy had time to adjust and react. Kat’s annoyance faded in time. Katelyn looked eager and excited. Selene’s passive expression meant she’d go along with whatever her master decided. Mindy was bouncing up and down, clapping and dancing in her excitement. Rani’s self-satisfied smile didn’t leave room for worry; she was as confident and charming as ever. 

“I’ve never been in a party bus before,” Arthur admitted, as if it were the only thing he could think to say. “I still don’t like surprises, but… fuck it. That looks awesome. Let’s go party.” 

“Woo!” Mindy and Rani lifted their coffees in a toast as the girls gathered their things. 

Rani and Mindy hugged Arthur in turns as the room broke into action. 

Kat, Kelly, Rani, and Mindy took the luggage to the bus while Arthur prepared Selene. She was the only one still naked. The others still had their clothes on and would likely change into their costumes on the bus. Kat had brought her luggage for the overnight stay at the hotel, along with an extra outfit for today, in case Arthur wanted Selene to wear it. 

First, Arthur took her aside, lubed a sizeable butt plug, and had Selene bend over the sofa where Katelyn sat, watching as Arthur worked the plug into Selene’s asshole. Selene groaned with the effort, closed her eyes as it slid home, breathed deeply, and straightened slowly. 

She took the display position on Arthur’s command and spread her legs. Arthur cleaned the chastity belt and set it around her, tightening it to as comfortable a position as possible on her slender frame. She and Lori had very different builds, and if he were honest, he’d prefer to buy her one for herself, but this would do for now. It was better that it was looser than too tight. It still functioned, blocking her access to her pussy and clit with a padlock and key, which Arthur kept on a necklace. The hole in the back lined up, more or less, with the butt plug, and the grate in the front let her pussy breathe. Still, it was loose enough to knock around on its smallest possible setting. 

Arthur then picked through the clothes Kat brought her and shook his head. He entered his room and returned a moment later with a flannel shirt. Selene raised her eyebrows questioningly, but slid into it as Arthur draped it over her. He rolled the sleeves to her elbows, left the top buttons undone, and buttoned the rest. Then he took a narrow belt from her suitcase and cinched it at her waist. 

The result was a red and black flannel workshirt dress that ended at the upper half of her thighs, showing plenty of leg and threatening to show more with the slit at the bottom of the buttons. The first fastened button was directly between her breasts. The warm, soft fabric threatened to spill over her shoulder and expose her naked breast, but held its place as she twisted to test it. 

Arthur tugged the shirt and made a few adjustments, but stepped back to admire his work with a nod. “That’s your clothing for today, Slut, whenever you’re not naked or in costume.” 

Selene knelt and bowed her head. “Yes, Master. Thank you,” She hugged herself, enjoying the smell of his shirt, with a look of bliss on her face as she sniffed the collar. 

“Aw,” Katelyn whined from the sofa where she watched. “What if I want a shirt?” 

“Be a good girl today, and maybe I’ll give you one,” Arthur said, smiling. 

“Yes, Sir.” Katelyn smiled back at him, shaking her head as she stood and stretched. One arm still in its sling, the other reaching for the ceiling, showing off her belly button before she fixed her shirt. “Can I take anything down with me?” 

“No, I’ve got the rest, I think,” Arthur said, looking to see what remained. Selene’s luggage and Arthur’s backpack were the only pieces that the others left. Selene picked up her luggage, but Arthur took it from her. “Put your shoes on,” He told Selene as Katelyn left. 

Selene slipped into the shoes she had planned to wear with her costume: a pair of silver, slipper-like flats. 

Arthur stood by the door and patted his thigh, as if checking his pockets, only to realize he didn’t have any. His palm struck his bare thigh, and he closed his eyes and huffed in realization. Loincloths were notorious for their lack of pockets. “Shoot, my phone, wallet, and keys.” He said to Selene. “They’re in the bedroom. Can you carry them for me in your purse?” 

Selene nodded. “Of course, Master,” She trotted, moving only a step before the plug constrained her to slow and walk more briskly with less bouncing. She returned with his phone, keys, and wallet in hand, placing them into her purse and zipping it closed as she slung the bag over her shoulder.  

“Okay,” Arthur said, doing one last sweep of the apartment for anything anyone might have left behind. Finding nothing, he stopped at the fridge and grabbed a case of the water bottles he stored on the bottom shelf. He put Selene’s luggage on top of that and lifted both with his backpack over his shoulders. 

Selene shut off the lights and closed and locked the door behind them, verifying the lock with a push and tug on the door. Returning his keys to her purse, Selene let Arthur descend first and followed a pace behind him with her hands folded behind her back.   

“Master,” Selene asked as they walked. “Are we still planning to stop and buy a collar for me at the store?” 

Arthur nodded. “It should be on the way, though I’ve no idea where the bus will park.” 

He genuinely didn’t know where it would fit, but it should be a quick jaunt into the store, even if the bus had to idle by the sidewalk for a few minutes. Selene didn’t seem to care, but smiled as they reached the ground floor and she slid past Arthur to open the door for him. 

With his arms full, he couldn’t have opened the door anyway. The bus had one of its underpanels open, and a thirty-something-year-old Indian woman in a chauffeur's uniform looked at Arthur. She stared, her eyes roaming his body as if she’d never seen so much muscle with such tall, handsome features before. Arthur realized it was probably awkward since everyone else was still wearing regular clothes. 

“Can I just slide these in?” Arthur asked, chilly in his loincloth, but confident with Selene behind him. He was obviously in a costume for a reason, even if no one else was, and the bus driver had to know their destination. 

Manasa nodded. 

Arthur set the water bottles on the ground, then put the suitcase into the hold. Manasa seemed to snap to life as he lifted the water bottles again, and she adjusted the suitcase. Selene giggled from somewhere behind him. 

“Can we take these on the bus?” He asked, hoisting the water bottles onto his shoulder like Atlas. 

Manasa withdrew from the luggage compartment and stared at him again. To her credit, her eyes remained above his waistline until he turned around. The briefs beneath the loincloth meant he wasn’t in danger of flashing anyone, but the scanty bit of coverage showed off every hour in the gym in delicious detail. The material displayed the sides of his legs from his belt to his sandals, and the front and back teased the shape and firmness of his ass and other features. 

“Okay,” Arthur said. “We’re the last ones from upstairs. We’re just waiting on a few others to meet us here.” 

“Mark, Maria, Brad, and Jen are already here,” Rani said, appearing from around the corner. “They’re all aboard, we’re just waiting on you. You ready?” 

“Yep!” Arthur said, smiling as he followed her. 

Manasa’s eyes dipped behind him as she closed the luggage bay, and she shook her head as if trying to shake her thoughts loose. 

Selene smiled, following Arthur as he followed Rani. The door to the bus was on the other side. The stairs led to a narrow walk that split between the driver’s cab on the right and the passenger section on the left. The door to the driver’s cab was closed, and Arthur followed Rani to the left, through a curtain, and into a large, open room with seats facing the internal aisle. 

Blinds and curtains on the outside windows sealed off the outside world. LED lighting illuminated the interior in color-changing waves of light. The smooth faux-wood floor felt like a stage surrounded by plush black leather seating. Two rows of two-seater couches, loveseats, faced each other, one on each side. Armrests with two cupholders each separated each two-person bench, many of which held coffees. Toward the back, a stripper pole in the center of the aisle braced the floor and ceiling, shiny and chrome. 

On the right, in the middle, a round bar stocked with beer sat waiting. At the back of the bus, on the left, a bathroom door sealed off a closet-sized restroom. Behind him on the left, there hung a karaoke station on the wall by the door. Behind him on the right, a large TV screen hung, waiting to be used. Speakers throughout the bus suggested the music could be loud, and the lights were fun, providing a definite party atmosphere.

The aisle between the seats was wide enough for one person to walk comfortably at a time. Otherwise, it had surprisingly ample leg room.  

“Wow, this is a lot nicer than I thought it would be,” Arthur admitted as he set the case of water bottles by the karaoke station. 

“I know, right?” Mark said from a seat halfway down the left bench. He waved hello to Arthur. If he was surprised at Arthur’s costume, he didn’t show it. His costume was much more modest. A baggy white peasant shirt, a brown vest, matching pants, and leather pirate boots. He looked like a pirate without a hat, sword, or pistol.  

“The executive life, baby!” Rani said, raising her hands as she danced her way through the aisle. “Only the best for my man, and my women, and Kat.” 

Kat rolled her eyes. 

“And we don’t have to pay for gas or anything?” Maria asked, still unsure. Her costume matched Mark's. She wore a thin, white cotton dress, fastened with a broad, brown leather belt that cinched her waist and acted as an underbust corset. Her breasts spilled over it, and the neckline of her dress had loose, untied strings that let the V of her neckline descend to the top of her belt.

“Not a cent, we’re all set,” Rani said, nodding. “It’s still cheaper than my uncle paying me for tutoring my cousins.” She chuckled and took her coffee from the armrest as she sat beside Mindy and kissed her. 

“Wait…” Arthur hesitated as he scanned the faces in the bus. Brad, Jen, Mark, Maria, Katelyn, Kat, Mindy, Rani, himself, and Selene were present and accounted for, but “Where’s Kelly?” 

“Bathroom,” Rani answered. “She had to fix her makeup.” 

Arthur nodded. 

“She was a sight,” Brad said, not gossiping, but sounding nervous. “Everything okay? Did we miss more drama?” 

“No new drama,” Arthur assured him. “We just went over what happened last night, and there were some tears, and some uh, well, yeah, some tears, that’s all.” 

“And from the sound of it, a lot of throat-fucking,” Rani said, toasting Arthur with her coffee. 

Brad’s face went pale, and Arthur squeezed his forehead. 

“What?” Rani asked. “They can watch you spank and fuck the shit out of Selene, but can’t handle the idea of you face-fucking Kelly?” 

Brad swallowed, hiding his face to try to keep his blush under control. Jen, sitting beside him and cuddling him, looked confused. “No, it’s fine,” Brad said. “I just wasn’t prepared for the mental image. My fault. I guess I'd better get used to that kind of thing.”

“Fuck yeah, you should,” Rani said. “Hell, you’ll be lucky if we make it twenty minutes before one of us is fucking or sucking him on the way there.” 

Arthur took a deep breath. “Don’t worry, Kelly’s not an exhibitionist like Selene is. Not everyone enjoys an audience.” 

“Some of us prefer our alone time,” Kat said, giving Rani a significant look. 

Rani shrugged. “What? Mark, Maria, Brad, and Jen are cool; we can cut loose in front of them. Be ourselves. Right?” 

“Not everyone’s an exhibitionist, Rani,” Kat said, annoyed. 

Rani raised her hands in surrender. “I know, but that doesn’t mean we have to play pretend in front of them either. If any of my girlfriends, or my boyfriend, want to eat me out while we’re on the road, or ride my face,” she gave Arthur a wink, before turning her attention to Mark, Maria, Brad, and Jen, “you’re welcome to watch.” 

“Uh, thanks?” Brad said, speaking for the group. 

Rani gave him a thumbs up, and Arthur shook his head as he took a seat on the empty bench. He patted the seat for Selene to sit next to him, and she sat carefully, crossing her legs as they sat across from Brad and Jen. The shirt she wore as a dress rose and fell open, revealing her thighs.  

“Your costume looks awesome, by the way,” Arthur said to Brad, nodding. 

Brad smiled. “Thanks, it’s a Renaissance version of Nightwing.”He wore a dark blue pirate coat with silver-threaded loops and buttons on either side. Beneath it, a pair of black leather boots, black trousers, and a poofy black shirt fastened with lace at the top. Topping it off, a blue domino mask covered his face, and a black tri-corn hat with a blue feather covered his head. 

“Cool, so that would make you… Batgirl?” Arthur asked. 

“You’re bad at this,” Rani said, whispering so loudly that the entire bus heard her and laughed at Arthur’s expense. 

He chuckled with them, shaking his head. 

Jen smiled. “I’m a Renaissance version of Huntress.” She moved her dark purple cape aside to show the purple leotard beneath a black corset. The leotard matched her purple domino mask, while her corset complemented her tall, thigh-high black boots and gloves. 

“Oh,” Arthur said, nodding. “Cool, well, they look great.” 

“Thanks,” Jen said, replacing the cape to cover her bare thighs. “Someone told me everyone would be in costume, but…” 

“Oh, we’ll change into ours.” Rani said, “I think Kelly is changing into hers now.” 

As if on cue, Kelly stepped out of the bathroom in her costume. The tall boots were knee-length, and the heels looked uncomfortable, but Kelly walked in them like a runway model. She smiled to see Arthur and blushed slightly as all eyes fell on her. 

Her ruffled purple skirt was asymmetrical, short in the front and long in the back, sweeping behind her. Its frilly hem crossed midway along her thighs, then dipped behind her calves in the back. Her top was a white peasant top, its frilly elastic sweeping low across her breasts and clinging to the small, puffy sleeves. The off-the-shoulder neckline showcased more freckles than she typically allowed others to see, but it looked amazing on her. A small corset acted as her bra, puffing her breasts into two gorgeous mounds that looked as soft as pillows. 

She’d fixed her hair, and it fell behind her shoulders in cascading waves of lovely red. She’d fixed her makeup too, and her eyeshadow matched her skirt now, sharpening her green eyes into an expression that drove Arthur speechless. 

“Wow,” Mindy said, her mouth hanging open. “Mistress, you’re so pretty!” 

Kelly smiled, blushing slightly. “Thanks, but it’s just Kelly for today. Or Wifey.” She glanced at Arthur. 

Mindy looked confused, but accepted the correction without comment. She looked at Rani, who shrugged and snapped a picture with a camera that looked more expensive than the laptop she’d also taken out of her backpack. Kelly posed for the second one, smiling at the impromptu photoshoot and proving just how stunning she could be as the lights around them changed color. 

It wasn’t until someone cleared their throat at the entrance to the bus that everyone came out of the stupor. Arthur and the others turned to see the source of the noise and saw Manasa standing there. The thirty-something-year-old woman waved. “If I could have everyone’s attention, please?” 

She had it, but a few of them shifted in their seats, or in Rani’s case, turned around and sat to face her. 

“I need to go over the rules of the bus before we get moving,” She said. “For those who don’t know, my name is Manasa, and I’ll be your driver this weekend! I’m here to facilitate your travel and to ensure everyone has a fun and safe time aboard the bus. As you can see, we have various amenities for you to choose from, including karaoke,” she gestured to the karaoke machine, “a variety of movies and video games,” she gestured to the TV, “a bar, and more.” She didn’t gesture to the stripper pole. 

Manasa took a deep breath. “The first rule is to respect your driver, aka me. I reserve the right to remove anyone who doesn’t follow the rules from the bus, so please keep that in mind if you’re considering breaking them. Secondly, although there are no cameras back here, we do keep track of the bar inventory, and we strictly prohibit underage drinking of any kind. So I’ll need to see IDs before giving you the access code to the bar.” 

Several of them pulled out their wallets. It was early, and no one anticipated drinking on the journey to the Faire, but if they had the bus for the entire weekend, they might eventually dip into the bar. 

“The third rule is no smoking. This includes cigarettes, cigars, vapes, pens, and any other devices. If someone in your group needs to smoke, page me on the intercom to stop so they can do so outside the bus at a safe rest stop. In fact, if anyone needs to stop, for any reason, or if anything goes wrong back here, page me immediately using this intercom.” She showed the small panel on the wall. 

The group looked at each other. Arthur wasn’t a smoker, nor were any of his girlfriends, though Rani had mentioned weed before. She nodded along, giving Manasa an encouraging smile. 

“Please do not hang from the ceiling or lighting fixtures. You can move around while the bus is in motion, but you do so at your own risk. I recommend waiting until we’re on the highway, as there will be several stops and starts in the more residential areas. Speaking of residential areas, please be mindful of the music volume; it’s pretty early, and I doubt anyone living nearby wants to wake up to us driving past their house.” 

That seemed reasonable. 

“Please do your best to keep the bus clean. There’s a trash can located toward the back of the bus for disposing of any wrappers. Any damages or additional stain cleaning will result in a fine. Also, and this is honestly the rule I enforce the most: absolutely no confetti or glitter in the bus. Ever. Under any circumstances.” 

Manasa’s expression indicated a hatred for the materials that reminded Arthur of Selene’s furious battle cry last night. He nodded, as did the others. 

“What about um…” Katelyn spoke up, raising her hand. “Like, body glitter? If it’s in our makeup, is that okay?” 

Manasa glared at her. 

“I’ll just, uh, wait to put it on, I guess,” Katelyn said, shrinking slightly. 

Manasa continued. “Final rule is no weapons, and no illegal substances in the bus. If you have prop weapons, given our destination, you can store them in the luggage bay below. Any questions?” 

Maria raised her hand. “Is the beer extra? I mean, it’s early, but like, if we have some later, is it super expensive?” 

“The beer, champagne, and everything else are included,” Rani said, answering for Manasa. “Don’t worry.” 

Maria looked satisfied at that. 

“Any other questions?” Manasa asked. 

Arthur raised his hand. “Would it be okay if we made a quick stop on the way to the Faire?” There’s something I wanted to pick up for Selene.” 

Selene lifted her hand to greet Manasa. 

“Can you give me the address?” Manasa asked. 

Arthur reached for his thigh, then remembered his phone was in Selene’s purse. She handed it to him, and he searched for the store’s street address, only to find his expression falling. 

“What’s the matter, Master?” Selene asked. Her eyes never left his face. Arthur glanced at Manasa, but if she had any reaction to Selene’s calling him ‘Master’, she didn’t show it. 

Arthur swallowed and looked at Selene, bracing himself. “The store’s closed. They don’t open until noon. I’m sorry. I thought they were twenty-four hours.” 

“Oh,” Selene said, crestfallen. 

“You can probably find something at the faire itself,” Kat said, speaking up quickly as she reached over the armrest and put her hand on Selene’s back. “Right?” She looked significantly at Arthur. 

“Actually, that’s not a bad idea,” Arthur said. “They have leather workers and everything, which means we probably have our pick of materials, and maybe we can even get it engraved.” 

Selene lifted her eyes to his, shifting at the excitement in his voice. “You want to engrave it?” She asked. 

“Yeah,” Arthur said, nodding. “I have an idea for a Tengwar script engraving that’d look gorgeous, and be something special between the two of us.” 

“YES,” Selene said, nodding. “Let’s do that.” 

Arthur put his phone in the cupholder beside him and nodded. “Never mind,” He said to Manasa. “We’re good.” 

Manasa paused to see if anyone else had a question, but when no one did, she clapped her hands together. “Okay!” She said. “We’ll be starting our journey shortly. Everyone is here and accounted for, Miss Shah?” 

Rani did a quick headcount. The first few seats in the bus were empty. Mark and Maria shared a bench beside Brad and Jen. Kat and Katelyn sat across from Mark and Maria, Arthur and Selene sat across from Brad and Jen. Mindy and Rani sat on Arthur’s other side, leaving Kelly her choice of seats. She sat on the other side of Jen, across from Rani and Mindy. 

“Are Caleb and Logan coming?” Brad asked Arthur. 

“They’re driving separately,” Arthur said. “Caleb texted this morning, he, Yvonne, and Logan are going to drive to the Faire on their own.” 

“Yvonne’s coming?” Maria groaned. “Ugh.” 

Mark squeezed her hand. 

“We’re all here, and ready when you are, Manasa,” Rani said. “And you can call me Rani.” 

Manasa nodded, looking nervously toward Rani with a bow of her head. “Thank you. We’ll be on the road soon, then. I hope you all have fun and enjoy the ride!” She backed out of the space, entering the cab beyond the curtain and the door. 

“She seems nice,” Mark said. “Is she your cousin or something?” 

Rani shifted in her seat, raising an eyebrow at Mark. 

“You said your uncle owns the company. I was just wondering if it was like a family business.” He explained quickly. 

Rani’s stiff expression cracked into a smile. It was easy to make Mark nervous. “No relation,” She said. “She just works for the company. She probably reports to one of my older cousins, though.”

“Must be nice to have a rich uncle,” Maria said, admiring the interior and the high-quality tech. 

Rani shrugged. “Honestly, he’s not my wealthiest relative, but he was the one who owed me the most. Tutoring my younger cousins wasn’t that bad, but he always said I only ever had to ask, so I asked. Still, she had to drive for a long time to get here, so it was nice of him to send her.” 

“What did you tell him?” Maria asked. 

“The truth,” Rani shrugged. “A bunch of friends and I were kicking off fall break by taking a trip to the Ren Faire, and I wanted us to go in style, so could I please pick a bus?” 

“And you picked one with a stripper pole?” Brad asked, glancing at the gleaming chrome as the engine rumbled to life. 

“Well, between Arthur and Selene, I figure someone will dance on it by the time we arrive.” She winked at Brad. “Or maybe we’ll just tie someone to it and play with them for a while.” She nudged Mindy, who giggled. 

Brad shifted uncomfortably, using his jacket to cover his lap.

Rani laughed and reached over Mindy to grasp Arthur’s forearm. “What do you think, my King? Did your Queen of the Concubines do well?” 

“You did very well, Queenie,” Arthur said, leaning toward her. She closed the distance, leaning across Mindy’s lap as Arthur met her over the armrest and kissed her. 

She smiled as she pulled away. “I’m going to change into my costume,” she said as the bus began to move. “We’re on our way!”