A/N: Hey there. I wanted to give you a long chapter to give you a feel of where this story is headed and to give you an idea what my writing style is like. I would really appreciate hearing your thoughts on this story. You can find me on Tumblr as Delirious-Comfort and on Facebook as Delirious Comfort. I own nothing and any and all mistakes are mine. This story is currently being edited by .com
"Where to Ma'am?"
Emma looked down at the piece of paper in her hand as she wobbled on her feet, "Shadow Haven." She smiled at -who she presumed- was the Captain of the 20-foot, center console.
"Are you sure, Ma'am?" he looked at her questioningly. "Shadow Haven is a private island."
Emma frowned and showed him the letter in her hand, "Quite sure. It says so on the paper right there."
He shrugged before handing her back the neatly-folded stationery, "Alright, sit down. Do you need a life vest, or are you planning on staying seated?" He grinned at the shocked look on her face.
"I'll stay seated, thanks."
"Sit tight," he shot her a sleazy wink, "you're in for a bumpy ride."
Emma rolled her eyes as the boat sped away. She swallowed thickly when her stomach churned. "Fuck," she murmured under her breath and gave the man a scolding glare when he grinned.
"So what's a pretty girl like you gonna do on a private island? You don't seem like the adventurous type," he yelled over the roaring engines.
"Obviously you don't know the first thing about me," she shot back. "I need a break, a friend recommended this place and set me up." She grabbed her sunglasses from her backpack, uncomfortable with his insinuation and put them on even though the sun was nowhere to be seen.
"Don't worry," he pointed to a ring on his finger then tilted his head with his battered white cap, "The name's Horace, and I'm happily married…16 years, with three kids," the scruffy man grinned.
Emma smiled thankfully at him before looking out over the water. He hadn't been kidding. For the next three hours the boat crashed on the waves and her thoughts were that 'a bumpy ride' was the understatement of the year. She focused her attention on the open ocean and the horizon as she tried to calm the knot in her stomach. The blonde was no stranger to boats, but the cabin cruisers Emma usually resided on were a world of difference with the center console.
Out of nowhere rain began to fall on her like the never-ending firing of bullets in a war. Grumbling, she moved to sit under the covered area of the boat.
"There'll be a lot more of that where you're going Ma'am," the Captain roared with laughter. "It's hurricane season, I hope you brought a sweater." He motioned for Emma to look behind her and Emma gasped.
Where there had been nothing but ocean, a green covered island now appeared. The boat slowed down and Emma took a sip of water from her bottle before turning to the Captain, "Is this Shadow Haven?"
"It is indeed. How long are you staying?"
"Three weeks."
The old man frowned, "Storm season lasts two months at the least. I won't be able to make my way back up here for at least another six weeks, until it calms down. I love the ocean, but I don't have a death wish. These waters are treacherous."
She looked up and shrugged, "I'm sure something will be arranged. My friend is a meticulous planner, she wouldn't leave me stranded here." Emma's mouth fell wide open as the boat maneuvered into a cove. "Wow, this is beautiful." Where the sea had been rocky, the water here was clear and calm. Everywhere she looked she saw nothing but close covered trees on the hills, engulfed by fog.
The skillful sailor maneuvered the Cabin Cruiser up against the dock before tying the boat down. It lay low in the water and Emma looked at it quizzically. "Is that gonna hold?"
He laughed, "Of course. It may look like shit, but I promise you that everything you will find on this island is immaculately maintained. Besides, this is what adventure looks like, Ma'am."
Emma closed her eyes for a moment as her feet wobbled on the hardboard pier. She was no stranger to the sensation of having to find her land legs after a long boat trip, and she inhaled sharply.
The Captain put Emma's backpack on the dock and untied the boat, "Well, off you go. Have a great adventure." He winked at her as the engines roared.
"WAIT!" Emma yelled, "Where do I go?"
"You're on a dock, lady. If you go straight ahead you walk into the water. So unless you a fancy a swim, I'd turn around and follow the path." He saluted her before speeding off.
"What the actual fuck?" Emma murmured before turning around. She groaned at the weight of her backpack before placing it on her shoulders. As she made her way down the dock, water seeped through the cracks of the wood. She got out the letter that Kathryn had written her and studied it for the millionth time.
Dear Emma. I hope you had a good flight. I have arranged for someone to take you from the airport to the island where you'll be staying. I will text you the details when you land on where to find him. I've made arrangements for you to stay in a hotel on an island called 'Shadow Haven'. I think you'll find it quite lovely. The owner of the hotel is Regina Mills, she will show you around the island and will settle you in nicely, I assume. Thank you for all the hard work that you do and thank you again for letting me arrange this for you, I know you've put a lot of faith in me and I promise not to let you down. Have a lovely stay my friend and give my regards to Regina. She is a friend of mine, be sure to mention me! Love, Kathryn.
Emma stowed away the letter in her pocket as she stepped of the dock onto a paved road. When Kathryn had told her she knew of the perfect place for Emma to get someday rest, she hadn't mentioned that the island she would be staying at was a private island and Emma wondered how that worked. Why in the world would a private island have a hotel? Didn't that defeat the purpose of private?
"You're on an adventure, stop thinking..." Emma mumbled to herself as she made her way up the path. The island was absolutely stunning and Emma had to give her friend some credit for finding it. She followed the path for another ten minutes, enjoying the peace and quiet when she laid eyes on the hotel. Emma didn't quite know what to expect but this definitely wasn't it. She associated the word hotel with luxurious, tall buildings. Yet, what she saw in front of her was, at best, an over-sized cabin. It looked spacious enough to house several guests and Emma whined at the thought of the place crawling with people. She tried to look through the windows and frowned when she didn't see a single person. The place looked completely abandoned and an eerie feeling crept over her. "Fucking Kathryn and her wonderful ideas!" she hissed under her breath as she made her way to what she presumed was the front door.
She frowned when the door wouldn't budge and knocked three times instead. There was no bell in sight and Emma grew more frustrated as minutes passed and there was no answer. She looked around and the knot in her stomach grew tighter when she noticed the fog surrounding the trees. "OK, I've landed in some kind of horror movie and I'm fast asleep…Wake the fuck up," she murmured as she let her backpack slide of her shoulders. She stretched her back before whipping out her cellphone from her pocket, "Of course there's no service on an island in the middle of fucking nowhere." Emma growled.
"Who the hell are you?"
Emma snapped her head around at the sound of a voice coming from behind her. "Oh, thank god. You must be Mrs. Mills, I'm Emma Swan." She stretched out her hand to the brunette and offered her widest smile.
"I have never heard of you and I do not recall having a session, who sent you?" The brunette barked at Emma.
Emma's smile faltered as let her hand drop, clearly the woman wasn't going to take it. "Ehm, Kathryn arranged the hotel for me," Emma said with an uncertainty in her voice. "She said to give you her regards."
"Kathryn sent you? This is a private island. I have no idea what hotel you are speaking of, but I guarantee that there is no such thing here. How did you get here?"
Emma felt a panic seep through her body and pulled the letter from her pocket and handed it to the brunette. "I was brought here by boat," Emma whispered as Regina's eyes scanned over the letter.
"Excuse me for a minute, you can wait here," Regina scowled furiously at Emma before entering the cabin and slamming the door shut behind her.
"Sure," Emma yelled after her, before muttering a soft 'bitch'. She had no idea what the woman had meant by 'session' but she felt herself getting more angry by the minute as she massaged her temples cursing the onsetting headache. This definitely wasn't the relaxing holiday she had been looking forward to for weeks. Emma stood by the door for another fifteen minutes before the door opened again and the brunette leaned into the door frame.
"Right. Do you have any idea who I am?"
Emma huffed when she saw Regina's eyes travel over her body before arching an eyebrow, clearly expecting an answer. "Regina Mills, owner of the hotel?" Emma offered with a tiny smile that even she didn't believe in.
"My name is indeed Regina Mills, but as I said before there is no hotel. This is a private island. I own it." Regina said matter-of-factly.
"You own an island? Like, this is your property?" Emma's eyes grew wide, "Holy shit."
"Please watch your language around me Miss Swan. I just spoke to Kathryn. I am reconsidering my friendship with the woman at the moment. She has put me in quite an awkward position and I am not sure how to explain it to you." Regina said as she waved her arms around as she gestured to Emma.
"Well, if you would stop being a bitch and would just explain to me what the hell is going on I would really appreciate it," Emma fumed.
"Do refrain from insulting me, Miss Swan. I assure you it is in your best interest to treat me with respect. Kathryn told me she arranged a holiday for you. I am afraid she has left out some details. For starters, as you are aware, this island is private and you are officially trespassing. I have called the authorities, but as it is hurricane season they cannot fly in a plane to come and collect you."
"The authorities? What the hell lady!" Emma screamed. "I don't know what's going on but if this is some elaborated prank of Kathryn's I'm telling you right now I'm not enjoying it."
"Calm down Miss Swan. I am not pranking you, nor is Kathryn. There are two ways to get to my island. One, as you have experienced yourself, is by boat and the other way is by plane. The latter being my preferred mode of transportation. We are currently in a hurricane season, which lasts for about two months. Today is a relatively calm day, but planes are forbidden from flying unless there is an emergency and they clearly disagree with me on what an emergency entails." Regina straightened her back before she continued, "Most of the boat companies refuse to make their way over here due to the six hour return trip."
"Fucking shit," Emma murmured as she burrowed her hands in her hair. She was on the verge of tears.
"Kathryn informed me of her holiday plans for you and while I cannot say I agree with her methods, it seems as if I have no other choice but to offer you a place to stay until we can sort out an arrangement to get you back to the city." Regina offered Emma a smile that was clearly faked. "Do you have any questions?"
"Do I have questions?" Emma spat out. "What the hell do you think? Kathryn booked me a holiday at an hotel and here I am with you. I have no idea what she was thinking but I don't appreciate it. I thought she was my friend and if this is her idea of sending me on an adventure I feel the need to tell you it fucking sucks."
"I will not ask you again to watch your language Miss Swan. You are a guest at my house and I expect you to behave accordingly," Regina growled. "If you would be so kind to collect your things I will assign you one of my guest rooms and we can talk about it further."
"Fine," Emma barked as tears spilled from her eyes. She strapped on her backpack and followed Regina into the cabin. Her eyes bulged at the enormous space and the luxuriousness of it all. Clearly Regina was made of money, and it showed as she followed Regina through the house and into one of the guest rooms.
"This is one of six guest rooms," Regina said as she showed Emma around the room. "That door leads to the bathroom," she gestured before looking at Emma again. "If you want to freshen up, I can come back at a later time."
"Thanks, but no thanks. I appreciate that you are offering me a place to stay, but I am still utterly confused as to what's going on," Emma said as she tried to remain calm.
"What is it that you do for a living, Miss Swan?" Regina asked as she sat down on the couch that stood by the window and crossed her legs.
"I hardly see why that matters," Emma shot back.
"Indulge me."
Emma rolled her eyes and sat down on the edge of the bed. She swallowed thickly at how comfortable even sitting on the bed was as she let her eyes scan the room. Regina certainly had style and while the room was gorgeous, it made Emma feel slightly uncomfortable. The single painting on the wall alone reeked of money. The blonde had no idea who painted it or what it was called and she felt a sudden sense of inadequacy..
"Miss Swan, I do not like to repeat myself," Regina said with a force in her voice that startled Emma.
"I work for Kathryn's agency. I mostly do PR work for her clients."
Regina nodded, "I assume that you are aware that Kathryn's agency is one of the best in the country and as such her clientèle is incredible diverse. I am sure you already know this, but Kathryn's clientèle varies from actors to high ranking government employees. And, how shall I put this delicately..." Regina's voice trailed off as she folded her hands in her lap. "Are you familiar with the more esoteric aims of Kathryn's agency?"
"If I knew what esoteric meant, I'm sure I could answer that," Emma murmured.
Regina laughed shortly, "Private; secret; confidential. Simply put, Kathryn's clients have needs and desires that they desperately want to keep hidden from the general public."
Emma sighed, "I am well aware of that. I do PR. I have to twist many stories."
Regina nodded again, "I am sure you do. How long have you worked for Kathryn now?"
"Almost a year," Emma responded, not quite sure why it mattered or why they were having this conversation in the first place.
"Would I be wrong in assuming that it is Kathryn who is paying for your trip?" Regina asked.
Emma's cheeks flushed a crimson red as she nodded.
"I have known Kathryn for over two decades now. She likes to reward her employees. If she pays for your vacation it means she is pleased with your work efforts and you do a good job. You should be proud of that. You are not the first person that has been sent here, but you are the first person that does not know the intimate details of my business relationship with Kathryn."
"Which are?"
"Lets say I am in the entertainment business," Regina waved a hand around, "I cater to an exclusively female clientele."
"So what, you're like some high-end call girl?"
Regina scoffed, "Hardly, Miss Swan. Look around you, does it look like I spread my legs for a few bucks?"
Emma shrugged, "Nothing wrong with people that do."
"Agreed. However, when Kathryn's clients come to me, they have a desire to be dominated."
Emma's jaw dropped, "You're a dominatrix?"
"If that is how you wish to label it. As you may understand, in this society, a need to be dominated is something that is still frowned upon. My clients have a need for privacy," Regina spread her arms, "and that is exactly what Shadow Haven provides for them. They are flown in, we have a session that can vary from hours to days and they fly back to their day-to-day lives."
Emma gulped. She knew this sort of practice happened, she wasn't dumb, but to actually hear it from the horses mouth was quite different. "Well, I'm not one to judge. Kathryn has a successful agency and if this arrangement works for her clients, then that's great. I still don't get why I'm here though."
Regina offered her a short, but gentle smile as her lips curled up, "That is the million dollar question, isn't it? Kathryn informed me that you could use a break and she thought this would be a good place for you. As I have said before, I do not appreciate how she handled the situation, but as she is a good friend of mine, I will adjust accordingly."
"Your idea of adjusting accordingly is to call the authorities and tell them I am trespassing?" Emma frowned.
"I may have exaggerated a little bit. I did not call the authorities. I did however place a call to see if someone could come and collect you, but alas, it seems impossible for the time being. Fear not, I am a good hostess. You are welcome to stay until you can be flown out of here."
"I still feel like this is some big prank," Emma said softly.
"I understand the confusion. It is a lot to take in. If you wish to contact Kathryn you may use my phone, your cellphone probably will not work here, I take the utmost care to ensure this island stays private."
Emma sighed as she let herself fall down on the bed, "Okay, so to sum it up. Kathryn sends me on a holiday but omits all the important details. You had no idea I was coming, but you're letting me stay until I can get out of here, neither of us knows when that is and this is not a prank."
"That would be correct Miss Swan," Regina's voice was calm and collected.
Emma slammed her fists down on the bed, "Do you not see how completely ridiculous this is? Who the hell sends their employee, their friend on a holiday to the middle of nowhere and thinks that's a good idea? What if you wouldn't have let me stay? Was I suppose to swim back? This is not cool. I want to talk to Kathryn."
"Of course, follow me," Regina said with a nod as she stood up and directed Emma to her office and handed her the phone.
"What's this? Some kind of satellite phone?"
"You may want to hold off on the questions and give Kathryn a call while you still can, Miss Swan."
"Jesus, fine." Emma dialed Kathryn's number and turned her back to Regina as it rang.
"Regina, dear, calling back so soon?"
Emma rolled her eyes at Kathryn's seductive tone. "Yeah, it's not Regina. It's Emma. What the fuck are you playing at Kathryn?" Emma hissed.
"Oh dear. Someone has a bit of a temper. I assume you're a bit mad at me?"
"That would be the understatement of the year. What the hell Kathryn?"
"Is your accommodation not up to your standards, Em?"
"Shut up and tell me what's going on. You book me a vacation and you tell me to go relax and so far I am anything but relaxed."
"You should let Regina take care of that. She's excellent at getting people to relax."
Emma's cheeks flushed, "I'm not in the business of being dominated, thank you very much. She can't wait to get me out of here. So whatever you had planned, it's not working out. I am so pissed at you."
"Let me talk to Regina."
"No. You have to fix this, you were supposed to be my friend and you fucked me over, what the hell did I do to you?" Emma spat out as her frustration grew.
"Emma. Hand Regina the phone. I promise it will all work out. I am your friend and you will get your holiday. Just let me talk to Regina."
"Fine," Emma murmured before handing Regina the phone and crossed her arms. She hated not being able to tell what Kathryn was saying and she couldn't get any grasp on the conversation from the few words that Regina muttered.
"Hold on, Kathryn," Regina said as she covered the phone with her hand. "Miss Swan, why don't you go freshen up a bit and I will sort this out with Kathryn. I understand your frustration but I promise we will work something out."
Emma threw her hands up in the air before stalking off to her own room. She threw the contents of her backpack on the bed as tears spilled from her eyes, as she took deep breaths trying to calm herself down. She decided a shower was in order to help her calm down and sort her thoughts a bit. Her entire body felt tense and it wasn't until the warm spray engulfed her body that she felt herself relax a little. She desperately tried to make sense of the situation she found herself in but she came up empty each time. "At least the shower was decent," Emma murmured to herself as she toweled herself dry.
She let her eyes wander through the bathroom and she shuddered at the thought of the previous guests that had stayed in this room. Emma honestly wasn't someone to judge a person for their likes, but the idea that Regina was some kind of hardcore dominatrix left her feeling unsettled. She brushed her hair and put on a clean outfit before taking off to find Regina and to get to the bottom of this.
Emma found Regina sitting in the living room in much the same fashion as she had in Emma's room.
"Are you feeling better, Miss Swan?" Regina asked as she arched an eyebrow.
"Physically, yes. Mentally, not so much no," Emma said. "Can I sit down or do I need your permission for that?"
Regina let out a small laugh, "You may sit. I am not here to dominate you Miss Swan. You are free to do as you wish. Would you like to know the details of my conversation with our friend Kathryn?"
Emma nodded as she sat down in a chair opposite of Regina. She wanted to mimic Regina's pose to show her she wasn't afraid of her, but truth be told she was utterly scared and uncomfortable.
"Normally during hurricane season I leave the island. It so happens that this time I chose to stay. Kathryn has royally compensated me for your company. You are welcome to stay here for the next few weeks. Kathryn seems to be under the impression that we would get along and that we both could use a friend. She cooked up this little plan and while I cannot say I agree with her methods, she had our best interests in mind."
"The Captain said that the hurricane season lasts for two months. You said yourself that planes refuse to fly out here. How long am I staying exactly?"
"I am not sure. If you are dead set on leaving I can probably bribe some private contractor to come and get you. But you should know that the weather here can turn in a second and I cannot guarantee your safety if you decide to leave."
Emma sighed, "I have no money to hire a private contractor. Unless Kathryn will pay for that as well. On top of that I do value my life. This whole situation is still awkward to me, you know? I mean, do you even have enough food for two people?"
Regina laughed, "Do not worry about that. If Kathryn would have sent half of her office here I would have enough resources to provide for all of them."
"How does that even work? This place is in the middle of nowhere, yet you have electricity. I'm not dumb or anything, but how does all that work?"
"There's a generator on the island and a 80.000 liter diesel tank. I inherited this island from my grandparents and while I completely understand your confusion, I guarantee that you will have every luxury you can think of. I have an indoor swimming pool, there is plenty of food and electricity for a small army."
"You have a swimming pool on an island. An island that is surrounded by water?" Emma's jaw dropped.
"Trust me Miss Swan, when the weather turns and the hurricanes hit you do not want to be out on the open water. The indoor swimming pool; however, is heaven sent on those days." Regina said with a small smile.
"And you're okay with me staying here? You don't even know me ... For all you know I'm a serial killer. For all I know you're a serial killer..." Emma coughed as she could hear how ridiculous she sounded.
"I trust Kathryn. She would not sent a dangerous person my way. I promise you I am not a serial killer and I will return you home safely when the time is right. So yes, I am okay with you staying here Miss Swan. The question is, are you?"
Emma was silent for a long time. Truth be told, she had no idea if she wanted to stay here. She desperately wanted the break, but didn't want to spend her time with some stranger who had been hostile from the moment she had laid eyes on her. Hostility that had been replaced by semi-friendliness as soon as money had been added into the equation, and Emma wasn't sure how she felt about that.
"I don't know," Emma finally said.
"Give it one week, Miss Swan. If you are not enjoying yourself here on Shadow Haven at the end of that time, we will look into the possibilities of returning you home," Regina offered as she stood up from her spot on the couch and made her way over to Emma. She held out her hand to the younger woman when she reluctantly gave the gorgeous brunette a nod, "It is nice to meet you Miss Swan. My name is Regina Mills. Welcome to Shadow Haven, I do hope you will enjoy your time here."
Emma swallowed thickly as she took Regina's hand. "Thank you," was all she managed to murmur as Regina's thumb caressed the soft spot above Emma's thumb for the briefest of moments before dropping her hand.
"Would you like a tour of the island, Miss Swan?" Regina asked with a smile that seemed genuine this time and Emma nodded as she followed Regina outside.
Emma stopped dead in her tracks when she saw the Jeep. "You have a car. You live on an island and you have a car. How the hell did you get that in the middle of the ocean and why do you need a vehicle on an island?" Emma exclaimed.
"I told you, this island has everything it needs and the Jeep comes in handy. Get in Miss Swan," Regina grinned as she opened the door of the driver's seat and got in. Emma was absolutely flabbergasted as Regina drove off.
"My grandparents bought the island when I was a little girl. As you can imagine my family has a lot of money and they are not afraid to spend it. I am not saying that to show off, I just know it can be quite a lot to take in."
"No shit," Emma murmured.
"There is a short landing strip for the plane that brings my clients here," Regina said as she pointed it out to Emma. "Generally my clients prefer to fly in by plane, we tried the boat route for awhile, but many of them get seasick," Regina chuckled. "The island is mostly maintained by me, but sometimes after a hurricane I will get help from the outside, as hurricane season can be brutal."
"So eh, are there like wild animals here?"
"No. Not as far as I am aware. Although my grandparents did once have a pig that escaped but I imagine it either drowned or died from starvation. Honestly nobody knows, it may still roam the island."
Emma chuckled at that as she took in the scenery. Shadow Haven was absolutely gorgeous and she was enjoying the details that Regina pointed out to her. "This place is enormous," Emma said, her voice filled with wonder.
"It is. It takes about an hour with the Jeep to go around the island. If you wish to explore it on foot you are more than welcome to, but I do suggest you let me know when you do. If the weather turns when you are out on a stroll, I would like to know where you are headed. The wind is treacherous around here and it would be easy for you to get hurt and I would rather keep you safe."
"I appreciate that," Emma said with a smile. Her jaw dropped as Regina pulled into a small cove and stopped the car, "Wow."
"It is quite lovely. This is my favorite part of the island. I am sure it must sound strange but I enjoy the peace and solitude when I come here. It is the perfect place to clear your thoughts and reflect on life," Regina remarked softly.
"Yeah, I imagine so. This is really pretty. Do you get lonely here? I mean, it's so big and you're alone here, I would be scared to death," Emma asked as she looked at Regina. She herself when her eyes dropped to Regina's lips, they were quite luscious and intoxicating and Emma could see the appeal in Kathryn's clients choice to be dominated by Regina.
"Not really. I practically grew up here. I know every nook and cranny. We have never had unwanted visitors here, that is until you showed up," Regina's lips curled up as she winked. "I guess I like the solitude. Besides, with all the clients flying in and out, I am never alone for long unless I chose to be."
"I know it's none of my business, but this whole business thing you've got going on, it's almost surreal. I've never heard of anything like it, isn't it dangerous to let people come to your house?"
Regina laughed softly and she unbuckled her seat belt and motioned for Emma to follow her. They sat down near the edge of the water and Emma wondered if she had been to inquisitive when Regina didn't speak for the longest time. She looked up in surprise when Regina spoke.
"Just because you have not heard about it, does not mean it does not happen. There are tons of people like me out there in the world, but it stays private." Regina gestured around her, "I feel safe here and so do my clients. They are thoroughly screened and they sign a contract. It would only hurt themselves if the information got out that this place is more than just a home. I used to have male clients as well, there is more money to be made with them, but I had a bad experience and that's when I switched to females only."
"What happened?"
Regina smiled, "Kathryn told me that you are a curious one, Miss Swan. One of my clients fell for me and could not deal with the fact that I had other clients. He demanded that I start a relationship with him. I refused. My relationships with my clients are purely professional. I accept that some of them harbor some feelings, but they know that for me this is strictly business. Some of them get jealous, which can be a fun aspect to use in a play session, but if their feelings get out of control I end all contact with them."
Emma pulled her knees up to her chest and rested her head on her arms, "So you've never fallen for a client?"
Regina chuckled, "Never. I have my favorites of course and I have clients that I cannot stand. Luckily the good ones outweigh the bad ones."
Emma glanced sideways at the brunette as she took in her features. Regina looked like she was always in control, no matter what the situation. Obviously it suited her profession, but she wondered what lay beneath the layer of professionalism. She focused her attention on the water again and threw a pebble in the water as she watched it ripple. The motion calmed her and she tried to think of the best way to casually ask Regina what it was that she did with her clients. "So eh, this whole dominating thing, how does it work? I mean, I know what it means and stuff, but I take it it's a world of difference from the porn version of BDSM?"
Regina laughed loudly at that, "You regularly watch BDSM porn, Miss Swan? I never would have guessed."
"I don't," Emma murmured, "I'm just wondering."
"It differs per client. The male clients that I used to work with were often into hardcore domination. The higher up they were in power, the more they were looking for a situation in which they had no control at all. That's a bit of generalization though. Most of my female clients enjoy the simpler things like bondage or worshiping. Some just want to feel loved and wanted."
"Do you love them?"
"No. It's work for me," she looked at Emma as her voice dropped lower, "I am very good at my job though. If they want to feel loved, I make them feel loved, to a certain degree that is."
"So they pay you to feel loved? Wouldn't it be easier to just find a partner who would actually love them?"
"Perhaps," Regina drawled. "But they are not just looking for love. Some want to be tied up, gagged and whipped. Others want to worship leather or latex boots. Others just want to forget and I am good at making people forget," Regina cackled when she noticed Emma's grimace.
"I don't understand why people would pay tons of money to be flown into a private island just to worship your boots! That makes no sense whatsoever!"
Regina got up on her feet and offered Emma her hand before pulling Emma up to her feet. "Close your eyes."
"W-what? Why?"
"Indulge me."
Emma huffed, "I don't even know you."
"I know. Which is exactly why I want to show you something. So, put some faith in me, close your eyes."
Emma rolled her eyes before closing them. She swallowed thickly when she felt the warmth of Regina's body near her.
"The thing is, Miss Swan," Regina huskily whispered, "worshiping my boots is only part of what attracts people to me. Imagine yourself in a demanding job. Perhaps you are an actor or a senator," Regina grinned. "Or maybe you're just a hardworking PR employee."
Emma scoffed, "I'm not-"
"Ssh," Regina hummed, "I did not tell you to speak. You asked a legitimate question and I am answering it."
Emma swallowed thickly and wondered what the hell she had gotten herself into.
"So, for argument's sake, let's pretend you are an A-list actress. You're a movie star and people worship the very ground you walk on. You enjoy it, to a certain degree, you do the job that you love, but when the job is done you just want to be you again. But it's hard to get out of that mindset because everywhere you turn people look up to you. You get followed by the paparazzi who just want that one shot of you that will make them rich. It's hard to get away from that lifestyle. Perhaps you have secret desires. Perhaps for a fleeting moment you want someone to take away all control from you, so that just for a moment, you can be the girl that no one knows. The person that no one will judge, so you talk to Kathryn. She is your agent after all, she knows everything about you. Kathryn makes the arrangements and before you know what's happening you meet me."
"If you meet all your clients the way you met me, they must be in for a hell of a trip," Emma murmured.
Regina laughed, "I will not indulge you with a response. So here you are, an A-list actress and here I am, Regina Mills and I do not give a flying fuck what your status is in the real world. Because when you are at my house, I am in charge. So we talk. You tell me what you crave and if I think you deserve it, I will give it to you. It's a cat and mouse game. I pull you in, draw you close and when you are ready to submit to me, I start the game all over until you cannot take it anymore. I attack your senses until you cry out and I revel in the feeling of making someone feel utterly vulnerable. I love to peel away all the protective layers until there is nothing but bare skin, nowhere left to hide."
Emma gulped when a hand burrowed itself into her hair, "The thing is, Miss Swan, I am intoxicating. I will peel at you until there is nowhere to hide. I can seduce you with nothing but my voice and I can hurt you with nothing but a scolding glare when you do not do exactly as I say. Disappointing me is something you really do not want to be doing. Do you want to hear something funny?"
"S-sure," Emma stammered.
Regina moved in closer to Emma and brushed her mouth against Emma's ear, "I have no idea what your sexual orientation is. I have no idea what you like, need or desire. But I know without a doubt, that if my hand would disappear under the waistband of your pants and inside your panties, I would find nothing but wetness, because I am just that good at what I do." Regina laughed when Emma's eyes snapped open and a flush crept up the blonde's neck. "Ready for the rest of your tour, Miss Swan?"