Page 63 of Dragon's Surprise

“Like this?”

Much softer fingers touched his wrist, and a tingle danced across Adar’s skin. Delton’s grip was gentle, almost tender, as he put the strap around Adar’s wrist and secured it.

“Perfect. Always give it a good yank to test.”

“Got it.”

“Next step is the warming-up phase. You can’t skip this, or the pain will become too much. You have to ease him into it. I like using a soft flogger like this one.” Isam swooshed it through the air, and Adar’s stomach coiled, bracing himself for the pain that never came. “It’s also a great flogger to practice with. Even when using your full strength, you can’t go too far with it. Not unless you hit in the wrong areas.”

“Not too low on the legs, right?” Delton asked.

“Correct. I avoid anything above his shoulder blades, mostly for practical reasons since it can bother him with his work. The meaty part of his thighs is still fine, but don’t go lower than here.” Isam used the flogger to draw a line across the back of Adar’s thighs. “You can use the most force on his ass. He likes that.” Isam chuckled dryly. “Don’t ask me why.”

Was it weird that they were talking about Adar as if he wasn’t there? A little, but it felt good as well, or maybe that was because of the obvious care in Isam’s words and Delton’s serious attitude. They were both doing their best to take care of Adar. How could that not feel good?

Isam went over a few more instructions, including safewords, then put a hand on Adar’s shoulder. “We’re about to get started. You good?”

Adar swallowed. “Yeah.”

“Let’s start with the warm-up. I take about five minutes and use increasing force without going full out,” Isam said to Delton.

Adar closed his eyes. He’d never been readier for a session than he was now. The first impact was more of a caress than a hit, and he arched his back, seeking more. He didn’t have to wait long. Isam had always been efficient, and the built-up was perfect. Within a minute, Adar’s body was heating up, the familiar confusion flowing through him. Was it pleasure or pain? Did he want to embrace or avoid it? Seek it or pull away?

He had nowhere to go, but the choice was still his. One word from him and everything would stop. Casual as they might’ve been, they’d always insisted on using red as a safeword.

But safewording wasn’t even on his mind as Isam laid a tight pattern of hits across Adar’s backside, methodical and steady. Isam hadn’t lost his touch since he’d last done this, and all Adar wanted was more. The sting on his back and ass was a mere appetizer of what was to come.

“How do you know when he’s ready for more?” Delton asked.

“When he stops fighting it. The first two minutes are a mental battle. He wants it, but his body is telling him it should stop. You need to give him time to win that argument and surrender. When you see his body go slack, he’s ready for the next phase.”

“Like now.”

“Yup.” Isam stopped, and Adar blew out a shaky breath. He hated this moment, when his body was still feeling the pain and he knew things were about to get worse before they would get better. “Time to switch to the real thing. For today, I thought we could use a paddle since it’s easy to use and you don’t need a lot of physical strength to create enough impact. Your target area is much smaller here, by the way. Just his ass and upper thighs.”

Isam swung the paddle, and it landed on Adar’s right ass cheek. The second hit came immediately after, and tears formed in Adar’s eyes. Isam hadn’t been wrong. The paddle packed a punch, thwacking Adar’s flesh with a dull thud.

“Here, give it a try,” Isam said.

Delton inhaled sharply, and Adar held his breath. Would the beta back out? Reconsider now that he actually had to do it? But a swoosh followed, and his left ass cheek absorbed the impact. Adar gritted his teeth. Fuck, that stung.

“Perfect. Keep going.”

Delton didn’t need much encouragement. He hit again and again, setting up a steady rhythm. He wasn’t quite as strong as Isam, but it didn’t matter. The wooden paddle did its work, and Adar’s body tingled with the impact of every slap.

Heat bloomed in his ass, spreading out to his legs, his torso, his whole body. He withdrew into his mind, like he always did, to that safe place where pain became pleasure, where everything faded and he couldn’t think about anything. All he could do was feel and focus on breathing through the pain, on processing the sensations in his body.

Tears dripped down his cheeks and nose, mingling with snot, but he didn’t care. Fuck, he’d needed this. Nothing else mattered. Nothing else existed. Just the pain. And when his brain responded to it by flooding his body with dopamine and adrenaline, he floated, then flew.

He vaguely registered Isam giving more instructions, and at some point, the hits stopped, though his ass still hurt like a mother, demanding all of Adar’s attention. He couldn’t spare a thought for anything else, not until much later, when the smell of cucumber hit his nose, and someone was rubbing cool lotion on his ass.

Aftercare. He’d made it through, then.

“Aftercare is important.” Isam’s voice came as if through a thick mist in a forest. “Adar will try to fight you on this and insist he doesn’t need it, but he does. He just doesn’t want to need it. The man doesn’t like to admit his weaknesses.”

Delton chuckled. “Forced aftercare, noted. How long?”

“About fifteen minutes from when he stops fightin’ it. What can I say? He’s stubborn as a mule.”