Burned (Purgatory Club BDSM Erotic)

Burned

Eliza Gayle

Burned

Copyright © January 2012 by Eliza Gayle

Edited by Christie Von Ditter

Formatting by BookRhythm

Cover Art: Mina Carter

All rights reserved. This copy is intended for the purchaser of this e-book ONLY. No part of this e-book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without prior written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author's rights. Purchase only authorized editions.

Gypsy Ink Books

www.gypsyinkbooks.wordpress.com

This e-book is a work of fiction. While reference might be made to actual historical events or existing locations, the names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Dedication

To my family and friends who brighten my day with a few words of encouragement or the forgiveness they offer when I spend my days and nights tucked in my writing cave working on the stories I love.

Acknowledgments

You probably don't need me to tell you that BDSM fire play can be dangerous. However, even after extensive research, observations and direct information, mistakes do happen. This is a work of fiction and should be treated as such. Any mistakes in regards to the safety of fire play are my own. Before engaging in edge play such as fire, please consult a professional. Fire, when done right, is a wonder to behold.

Thanks to Selena Blake for her considerable time in discussing the direction of this story. While much of her wisdom couldn't be applied to this endeavor, I learned a lot from her and have some wonderful insight to use in future projects.

To my assistant Christie, who is in the process of swooping in and saving my life, thank you so much for all your help thus far.

Chapter One

“
Hey, Ruby, how’s it going?”

She glanced up at Lance, her coworker just long enough to give him a dark look before she threw her purse behind the bar and shoved onto a barstool. Being late drove her nuts and no matter how casual the job it never left a good impression. She’d been hoping for a few minutes of quiet to pull her thoughts together before the club opened.

“
That bad, huh?”

“
You have no idea.” It had been the kind of day that made her want to go back home and crawl under the covers, and instead she was here in Purgatory preparing for a long night of tending bar. First, the fire she’d been assigned to inspect that morning had torn through her like a white-hot poker lance, reminding her far too much of the past. The damage it had caused left a devastated family in its wake and the investigation was panning out to be one hell of a challenge for her to figure out. Her stomach rolled.

“
You see the schedule for tonight yet?”

“
Yeah, I saw it a few days ago on my last shift.” She needed to find some headache medicine.

Lance shook his head and slid a sheet of paper in her direction down the smooth wood top of the bar. “There’s been a few changes in the entertainment since then.”

“
Whatever, I still have a busy night ahead of me and I’m not here for the entertainment.” Purgatory was a strange cross between a goth nightclub and a fetish studio where club goers indulged in some elementary BDSM play or spent their night on the dance floor with some intense techno tunes. To keep things hopping there were also stage performances every hour on the hour. “As long as the tips are good I’ll be happy.” She didn’t have time to focus on anything but her job for the next several hours.

“
You might want to take a look.”

Ruby stilled at the warning tone of his voice and turned to look at her assistant for the night. Her gut twisted at the carefully schooled features of his face. “Why do I have a sudden feeling you’re trying to tell me something I’m not going to like?”

Lance shrugged and walked away from the bar. “Let me know when you’ve cooled off and I’ll come back.”

Ruby rolled her eyes and plucked the paper from the bar. Lance was so dramatic. After the day she’d had, how bad could it be? She’d been working here for over a year now and this wasn’t exactly her first charity event. These nights typically included everything but the kitchen sink and they’d all been well prepared for it. Gabe had explained more than once that by offering so many options he’d draw twice the number of people than a regular night, and so far he’d not disappointed her.

His predictions were always spot on.

She skimmed the schedule, not seeing anything out of the ordinary until she got to the bottom. There, in bold red pencil, someone had scribbled the name
Zane
.

She felt the blood drain from her face and her head spun. She couldn’t tear herself from the word and her brain repeated his name over and over. Unbidden images of strong muscles and knowing eyes filled her head. Lips made for pleasuring and a too confident smile every time he looked at her, as if he saw deep inside her to secrets she didn’t even know she harbored. Of all the damn people in this town, why him? No, there had to be a mistake. Gabe had told her personally Zane would not be attending tonight’s event when she’d agreed to take the head bartending position.

“
What kind of bullshit is this?” She spun on the stool and found an empty room. The cowards had dropped a bomb on her and ran. Neither Lance nor Gabe were anywhere in sight.

“
I’m leaving, you hear me? You promised and I trusted you,” she shouted to the empty room.

“
Aren’t you being a little melodramatic?” Gabe’s voice boomed over the sound system. “He’s just a man, after all, and since you refuse to tell me what happened to cause this hatred, what am I supposed to do? We had two acts cancel at the last minute and his group was the only replacement I could find that was worth a damn.”

“
He’s the most arrogant bastard in this town. God’s gift to Domhood, my ass.”

“
Careful, Ruby, I’m beginning to think getting the two of you together might not be such a bad idea,” Gabe mocked.

She clenched her jaw and ground her teeth. The sudden urge to break something flooded through her. Why did the mere mention of his name set her off? Because his cocksure attitude grated on her nerves, but the voice and body got her panties wet every damn time he was near.

She sighed. “It would serve you right if I left now.”

“
You won’t leave me in the lurch. It’s not in your nature.”

Ruby propped her elbows on the bar and dropped her head into her hands. She didn’t know whether to tug her hair in frustration or run from the building. Without warning, her thoughts wandered to the first time she’d met Zane. She’d happened across his fire demonstration at a private after hours club by chance and she’d been immediately drawn to his flame. For as long as she could remember the beauty of the myriad colors and the radiating heat had mesmerized her. But Zane… She’d never met someone so in tune with the fire with every look—every move. With every passing minute she’d found herself moving closer until she’d ended up a few feet in front of the most incredible man she’d laid eyes on. The beat of the music matched the rhythm of the fire and the movements of his body. He’d led her onto the stage and proceeded to use her to explore the different implements of pleasure that could be utilized with fire. By the time he got to the bullwhip her mind had been driven into a frenzy, her panties were soaked and the fact she’d needed him to fuck her had become a foregone conclusion.

Ruby bit down on her lip at the memory as she fought to control the shiver working through her. Her heart raced and her breathing grew labored. As much as she wanted to forget the affect he’d had on her, thoughts of him always did this to her. And was exactly why she did not come to the club any night Zane performed or demonstrated.

She’d have to find a way to avoid him, that’s all. As long as he kept his distance she’d be fine. She’d get through the night with her self-respect still intact and her skirt firmly in place.

She could do this. With bills looming she really needed the money a night like this would earn. She stood and turned to face the DJ booth above the stage. “You keep him away from me, you hear? If you don’t then I won’t be responsible for what happens.”

“
Sure thing, Ruby, whatever you want. Consider it done.” Gabe laughed.

Instead of reassuring, the sound seemed sinister, even foreboding. Nothing like a bad feeling to start off one of the biggest nights of the year. She scooted around the end of the bar and began rummaging through supplies. She needed to have everything in place before the event started. If Gabe’s predictions were correct they’d have a record-breaking crowd tonight. Maybe keeping busy would keep her mind off the man she’d hoped to never lay eyes on again.

Her boss had asked her more than once what her issue with Zane was all about, but how could she explain something she didn’t understand herself? Every time she heard his voice stroke her skin her insides melted. The hard lines of his face coupled with the aura surrounding him scared the shit out of her. No, the fact she wanted to obey when he spoke frightened her more.

He thought he was a gift to submissives everywhere, and on some level he wasn’t wrong. Women flocked to him, eager to be his next conquest. His reputation preceded him, and no one questioned anything he did. Self-confidence was one thing, but what Zane possessed spoke volumes. He vibrated with an innate power that had a profound effect on everyone he came in contact with. To her it flashed like a neon sign warning her to stay the hell away.

She didn’t consider herself submissive, nor did domination appeal to her. Most of the activities here in Purgatory did little to excite her…except one. From as far back as she could remember she’d been hyper focused on heat and fire. There was a certain wonder that fascinated her. How could something that caused so much destruction and harm also be one of the most beautiful things she’d ever seen? Her curiosity to learn every aspect of why and how it worked led her to volunteer as a fireman way back when, but her propensity to want to play and explore kind of conflicted with the primary goals of a firefighter. She sat back on her haunches and let more memories take her away.

The blistering heat and flames taller than herself should have sent her scurrying from the building, or at the very least served as a warning that the fire was out of control. Instead she stood her ground and watched it burn, allowing the calming effect to steal over her. She wanted to reach out and touch it, understand it. The danger meant nothing, only the desire to be close and feel its heat penetrating her suit.

When her partner and boyfriend at the time had drug her from the burning building she’d discovered the eroticism of her obsession. He’d fucked her that night while memories of searing heat and bright orange and yellow flames flitted through her mind. She’d fractured into a release that both frightened and entranced her. The boyfriend had dumped her and insisted she needed therapy, and she’d agreed. How could this fascination be normal?