Chapter 1-
Chrome Bitch

Author's Note:
The Twilight Series, and all related characters, do not belong to me.

Author's Note 2:
There are serious elements of bdsm activity in this story. If you're not into it, please don't read any further. Also, if you are interested… please be safe. Do not try anything in this story unless you are willing to accept the potential consequences. Always remember, Safe, Sane and Consensual.

Author's Note 3:
Some parts are the same, some parts are different. Switches and Subs is re-vamped, edited, and ready to be re-read. Or read. It took a while, but I've been making my way through, chapter to chapter.

Playlist
Bleed Like Me- Garbage
Chrome Bitch- Zeromancer
Claim Me- Dismantled
Love As Blood-Icon of Coil
Devilicious- Angelspit

Bella's Point of View

"Rose! If you pull any harder, I won't be able to breathe!"

"If you stand up straight, that won't be a problem." She finished lacing my corset. "You want to look like a sophisticated, experienced submissive, isn't that what you said?"

"What I said was, I don't want to look inexperienced, especially when there will be hardcore bdsm, um, players there."

"Practitioners," Rosalie lightly corrected. "You've been with me for five years. What don't you know? Besides, I've vouched for you already."

"Where is this s/m party? We're really dressing up. It feels like a formal event."

"A friend, Leah, is hosting a play party that only happens once a year. A lot of passionate-about-s/m people will be there. People with experience, like you've been wanting to find."

Once she realized I had an interest, Rose had gradually brought me into the realms of bondage, domination, and sadomasochism. I could see the edges of her stylish black trench coat, the pale blonde of her long hair around my shoulders, and her electrically blue eyes looking at me over my head. Her tan, toned legs were covered in black stockings. When she moved to my left side, I saw black and red garters holding them up. Her stiletto heels looked dangerously sharp. She was in full Dominatrix-attire.

We had been dorm-mates in college. When I dropped out, unable to live in the dorms anymore, Rose moved with me. We found a comfortable two-bedroom apartment and split costs for everything. While we didn't live in the poshest area of Manhattan, we weren't anywhere it wasn't safe to be. Safe by New York standards, something that Forks, WA hadn't entirely prepared me for.

"Who else is coming? Anyone I know?"

"You worry too much, Bella. Don't be nervous about tonight."

"What if I trip, or fall, or offend someone?"

"You won't. You'll stand up for yourself if anyone gets pushy. Plus, I know you'll take an opportunity if it finds you."

Rose had used black eye shadow with a touch of red over her eyes. I couldn't wear stark black over and around my eyes, not without looking like a raccoon. "You're going dramatic, what kind of eye-shadow's good?"

"How about gray that fades to black, with light mascara? Red lipstick? Crimson, if you're feeling daring."

"Awesome."

We were color coordinating. Rosalie insisted upon it whenever we went somewhere that was new for me. I wasn't her submissive, but no one there would know that. She had me wear a collar necklace, but only so I'd have an excuse if a Dom drew me into unwanted conversation. I had a choice of four, two of them heavier than the other two. The leather ones were black. I skipped those, my outfit already dark.

"This one." I chose the lighter collar made of chains, the loops brushing against the base of my throat when I buckled it around my neck.

"You look incredible. We're ready."

Walking out to the car was a little tricky. I breathed a sigh of relief once I was safely seated in the passenger seat.

"Remember how you asked if anyone you knew would be there?"

"Yes..."

"You don't know them, exactly, but you know of them."

"Them, who?"

"Jasper Whitlock and Edward Cullen will be at Leah's tonight."

I immediately recognized their names. A lot of the literature I read on bondage, domination, and sadomasochism had been written by them. "You couldn't have told me that inside?"

"Nope." She breezed through a yellow light. "I knew you'd find a reason not to go."

The two men lived together, I remembered their Bio sections. Edward hailed from Washington, same as I did. Jasper had done a lot of traveling. From Texas to California, he lived a few other places out West, briefly, before moving to New York.

"Just because they're there doesn't mean we'll- Rose, you aren't going to 'make' them notice us, are you?"

"Nope. Jasper texted me earlier. He'll be looking out for us. We won't miss them."

That wasn't what I had meant, but... "You know them? Personally?"

"Yup, from way back."

"Why haven't I met them yet?"

"They've been busy. You stopped going out with me for a while."

"You should have told me. I could have brushed up on some bdsm-"

"Read everything about them you could find, you mean? That's no fun. I want you to meet them first, before you read and re-read their books."

"Everyone at this party is going to know them. Fill me in a little."

"They're both switches. They live in Manhattan, though they were in Brooklyn for a long time before the move. Jasper's a Texan, like me, and Edward's-"

"They're switches. They're both Dominant and submissive?" I asked. "That's what being a switch means, right?"

"Yes. They can take both roles instead of staying within the 'Dominant only' and 'purely submissive' roles. For example, Jasper could be Dominant one night, Edward submissive. Then they could change it around the next night and have Edward be the Dom and Jasper the sub."

I loved going different places with Rose, but each time we left I felt a little more unsatisfied. Each time I had hoped to find a Dominant, I ended up disappointed. After a lot of disappointment, I changed my tactics. I took a step back, enjoyed the atmosphere and saw first-hand what I might one day experience. Until then, I was content to wait. I didn't want to settle for someone that didn't feel right.

Rosalie pulled into a wrap-around driveway. My eyebrow rose when I saw the black iron fence around their property. The balcony was supported by three large pillars, their lawn fastidiously manicured, the hedges, flowers, and statues along the walkway perfectly placed.

She saw my surprise. "Her parents are what you'd call 'old money.' They're in Europe for the next two months."

"They have great taste," I said lightly. "The architecture is-"

Rose rolled her eyes. "They'd like you."

"How many people live here?" I saw five rooms from where we stood in the main entry-room.

"Three. Leah, and her parents."

The kitchen had a lounge attached, though the living room was directly in front of me. To my right, through an archway wall, I could see a speaker system and a rented bar. Two small couches in the study had been stacked, one on top of the other, in the corner of the room. There were two spanking benches in the middle, a plastic tarp spread out to cover the white-carpeted floor.

To my left, a large dining room table had been pushed up against a wall. Two bondage tables, leather restraints at the top and bottom, filled the space, with three X beams secured against the other three walls.

"What's that?" I asked Rose. It looked like a large brown cushion, shaped in a half-circle, the flat side resting against the floor. It's rounded side fitted with a narrow, flesh-colored, rectangular strip down the middle. I looked closer and saw buckles on the side, for restraining a submissive's legs, more toward the back, perhaps for restraining their wrists?

"A Sybian."

"Say that again?"

"A Sybian, modified to restrain a submissive on top of it. There's usually a g-spot attachment. If you sit down on it, the raised part toward the front vibrates against your clit. It's supposed to deliver blackout-good orgasms."

"Where did all of this stuff come from?"

"People brought it with them, or dropped by to set up last night."

I counted twenty Dominants, their submissives or slaves standing, sitting, kneeling, or on top of them. More people arrived as Rose and I left our coats in a walk-in closet near the bathroom.

"Downstairs is where we want to be."

"I hear music and... people playing?" I asked.

"Porn playing, probably in the entertainment room. It's bigger than the living room."

"Great, I'll meet you here. You can have-at those stairs in heels."

"They're just stairs. Think how much easier normal heels will be to walk in."

An entertainment room, indeed. A laptop was connected to a huge plasma television. Bondage porn was playing, three submissives writhing against vibrators, all of them bound to bondage tables like the one I'd seen upstairs.

"Rosalie?"

"Leah!" Rose smiled brightly at a woman I knew was a Dominatrix. From her clothes, for one, intimidating in stiff black leather, thigh-high boots with lethal heels. She was tan, her hair a shiny blue-black, eyes pale green with dark flecks of brown. They glittered with dominance, icy as Rose's could be.

"Well? What are the updates?" The cold glint in her gaze thawed, anticipation having them burn. "Are they coming?"

"They'll be here. They're about fifteen minutes out." Rose put her arm around my shoulder. "This is Isabella, a really good-"

"Hi," I said, accidentally interrupting her. "Er, nice to meet you..."

"You dare to-"

Rosalie quickly put her hand on Leah's wrist. "She doesn't submit for women."

"Ah. Well, then. It's nice to meet you, too." She studied me, smiling as she half-nodded.

"What were you about to do, just now?" I asked.

"Yes, what were you about to do?" Rose glanced at the collar around my neck.

"I wanted to see your eyes better."

"... Why?"

"I see sweet submission," Leah said, looking to Rosalie. "She's very good as a submissive, isn't she."

"That's a question for Bella."

"Am I right?"

"I'm not comfortable answering that. That's for my future Dominant to decide."

"Nice answer. You don't need Rose to vouch for you. You're welcome to my parties any time."

Rosalie smiled. "High compliments."

"If you catch Edward and Jasper before I do, show them to the biggest guest room? I have it set aside just for them."

"They'll definitely appreciate it."

"I've never heard of Jasper doing an easy pain session."

"See you upstairs, babe." Rose turned to me, "Now we're done down here."

The walk upstairs was a lot easier.

"- happy to be your submissive, Sir," I heard someone say.

I turned in time to see a pretty female submissive kneel after her Dominant sat down. She rested her head on his thigh, looking comfortable as she knelt next to him. He seemed pleased by her affection, the respect she showed, and I saw genuine affection in the way he stroked her hair.

Someone handed me a business card. A sex toy site, marketing Sybians. Arousal pulsed through my body as I watched a male Dominant restrain his female submissive to the Sybian. A pleasure session, I suddenly felt over-heated.

"Do you like your new toy?"

"Yes, Sir. Thank you so much-!"

"Kneel down," he told her. "I want to see you come."

The device made a loud humming sound after the Dom turned it on. I watched the raised part toward the front flutter against the wide plastic strip. I wasn't the only one who watched his submissive lower herself down onto the toy. Her hips jerked upwards soon as she made contact. She gasped when her Dominant pushed down on her shoulders. He didn't let her move away, pulling her wrists behind her back when she struggled. It wasn't long until her head fell back against his stomach.

"Let me come, Sir?"

"What?" he asked sharply. "You can ask better than that."

He pulled her backwards and up so she couldn't come. She stayed that way, kneeling high on her knees as her Dominant knelt down next to her. Her eyes closed when he reached down between her legs. I nearly moaned aloud when he pulled the hood of her clit back. He pressed a button on the side and the toy buzzed more loudly, the front part fluttering wildly.

"Please let me come, Sir? Please, please-" She shrieked a little, having him hold her down against the Sybian. "Please, please, I can't-"

"Come, sexy." I stopped watching as she rocked her hips back and forth, moaning an orgasm that definitely hadn't been faked.

Another couple caught my attention, a pretty, blonde submissive, hanging on a tall man's arm. He looked at her, one of his dark eyebrows raised, his hazel eyes darkening as I watched. His submissive didn't seem to notice his displeasure with her pulling at him.

"- please, Master? After that drink, that scene... let me come now?"

"I left that decision with you. You decided to have it," I heard power in her Master's tone. "You'll wait until we get home."

"I didn't know, Master-"

"I told you about them." I tried not to smile when she groaned. "Now you'll wait until tomorrow morning."

The Master-slave relationship, I remembered, where submission was offered 24/7. He had control over when she came, probably how she would come. They lived together, his dominance strong enough for her to be submissive all the time. I had seen the collar around her neck, symbolizing his ownership over her body, over her.

A flash of white-blonde caught my attention. Rosalie was looking for me. Then I saw why she was looking for me. She was with two men... Two very handsome, very Dominant men. I recognized Edward immediately by his copper-bronze hair, the vivid ocean-green of his eyes. Jasper was just as tall, though not so broad-shouldered. Both men were strong, toned, with long arms and legs. Jasper was tanner, and I remembered that he had grown up on a ranch. They exuded power and control, the masculine take-charge energy that I'd been searching for. My knees felt weak and I couldn't make myself move.

Rosalie went over to the bar with them. I watched her point to the living room and gesture sideways with her thumb. As I got closer, I could see there was a room hidden behind two sliding wooden doors. One of their guest bedrooms, I assumed, though I didn't know where the bed had gone.

"And a White Lady, for my friend," Rose said, seeing me from the rented bar.

"Yup," I said to the bartender, "that's me."

She put her arm around my shoulders. "Drink up, babe. I'd like to introduce you to Edward Cullen and Jasper Whitlock."

"Hello," I nodded politely.

"Pleasure," Jasper said, warmly shaking my hand.

"Nice to meet you..." Edward looked at the collar around my neck, then back to Rosalie. "You're planning a dungeon, you said?"

"I can help you put that together," Jasper offered. "What're you going to need? A coupla pieces of plywood, sanded down, and you've got an easy bondage table-"

I turned my attention back to the-

"Hi there," Edward surprised me.

"Hi?"

"They'll be talking dimensions for a while. I didn't get your name."

"Bella. Isabella Swan."

"Nice to officially meet you, Bella."

"Likewise, Mr. er, Edward Cullen." He was a best-selling author, looking at Me with sex-eyes? I smiled when he took my hand. It wasn't a handshake, or romantic, just very... polite. He clasped the end of my fingers in his hand. I had the sudden urge to curtsy.

"Are you Rosalie's submissive?"

"No, I'm her friend."

"Do you have a Top, Dom, or Master?"

"No..."

He smiled slowly. "Do you want one?"

"I don't want a Top." I wanted a relationship that offered... more. "Do you mean a Dominant, or a Master?"

"You tell me."

The way he smiled, seductive and knowing, made a rush of submission wash over me. "I've been searching for a Dominant."

"Kneel for me." His breath was warm on my shoulder. He smelled like leather, soap, intoxicatingly good cologne.

"Um," I gulped down some of the drink and tried not to wince at the sharp taste.

"You want to, I can see it," he paused meaningfully. "Kneel for me. That's how I know I'm compatible with a submissive, through the way they kneel the first time."

"I… can't. I'm sorry." I was mortified until I saw the respect in his eyes. Apologizing didn't seem so idiotic anymore. "I can't yet. After we talk-?"

"How long have you been interested in bdsm?" he asked.

"Years. I've only recently started searching for a Dominant, but I-"

"Started searching?" He stood taller and immediately moved back. "What does that mean?"

"Will you keep a secret?"

"Sure."

"I've never actually submitted to anyone before."

"She likes drawing envy," he said finally.

"Beg pardon?"

"You're wearing one of Rosalie's collars." I went still when I felt him absently stroke the back of my neck. "It looks really good on you."

"Thanks, but-"

"Did you just-?" I froze, half-turned so I could see Jasper. Chills ran over my skin when I heard the sharp, cutting tone, "You know the rules. What was that?"

"What was... what?"

"Bad answer."

I didn't have time to react. Jasper grabbed Edward's arm and twisted it behind his back. I took a step forward, thinking a fight was about to break out between them. But I was rooted in place when Jasper glanced at me. His eyes were more gray than green, full of irritation. What had happened? He took out a thin black cord from his back pocket. Edward stared at the ground with his back straight, both of his legs were closed and together. He didn't move as Jasper tied it around his neck. Not too tight, but not loose either, it seemed to be the equivalent of a collar.

"Position three."

Edward immediately complied. He twisted his arms up in a rectangle at the lower part of his back. His middle fingers touched his elbows, I could see the strain it put on his shoulders and chest. People were staring as Jasper uncoiled a long, thin whip from inside a black duffel bag. Thin and sleek, nearly four feet long, it was impressively frightening, but not... lethal. Or so I hoped.

"What just happened?" I asked Rose. "We were only talking."

"I told you in the car, remember? To touch you without my permission is very bad manners. He did, therefore-"

"There's no sign that says, 'Don't touch without Rose's permission.' What if Edward didn't know?"

"He knew. Trust me when I say that."

Everyone gave Jasper a wide berth of space once they saw the whip. He checked to be sure no one was in his way before beginning. Then he gave the single-tail a full workout. Backwards, forwards, he made it crack once or twice for dramatic effect. He was putting on a show, I saw several people watching him with open awe. I jumped at each sharp sound he called from the end. Not Edward. There was nothing but trust in his eyes. He hadn't so much as moved. Like a statue he stood, his head still up.

My body reacted, flinching backwards, though the whip's end wasn't heading in my direction. It flew outward, straight toward Edward. I covered my mouth, already wincing. He didn't move when it wrapped around his neck. Jasper took a few steps forward to release some of the pressure. He wrapped the loose part around his hand, bringing him closer. Instead of removing it like I thought he would, Jasper roughly wrapped the whip around Edward's neck and pulled it tight like a noose. Edward relaxed.

"Down," Jasper growled.

Edward gracefully dropped to his knees, facing us. The whip was still around his throat, the muscles in his chest and back taut as he strained upward to keep from strangling. His knees barely touched the floor. He had tilted his head up and back, his eyes closed to show that he was completely relaxed. Seeing the trust between them almost had me groan aloud. I saw Jasper smile, though he had Edward hold the position until his face had flushed red. He released the pressure, his whip coiled at his right hip.

"Position two."

Edward slumped down onto his knees for a moment. Jasper waited as he breathed deep, then knelt higher. His arms must have been stiff, but he didn't wince as he raised them and laced his fingers behind his neck. Jasper left the whip where it was. Moving back to the table, he grabbed two floggers, one with knots, one without. He dropped the more severe of the two but kept the other in his hand.

"That one's braided nylon," Rosalie informed me. "The second is nylon, too, unbraided. He's not doing a full demonstration. Edward can take more pain than that. They're not heavy enough for a real session."

"You've, uh, 'worked' with him before?"

"Indulged in a little pain play, you mean?"

"Pain play. Got it," I nodded. "Thanks."

"Only a few times," she continued her original thought.

Jasper was done testing the flogger, it was easy to be distracted. I was more than wet watching his expert handling of the equipment. His undershirt was black, it showed his toned upper body to perfection. He had three tattoos that I could see. One on his hipbone, another on his stomach, and one high up on his arm. He put a hand on Edward's side. If I hadn't been watching him so closely, I wouldn't have seen him nod, yes, in reply. Jasper flicked the flogger's tails against Edward's shoulders. He worked his way down making figure-eights with the tails, so they hit twice instead of just once.

Edward stared at me before his fluttered shut and a shudder ran across his chest. It continued down his shoulders, his arms trembled for a moment. He exhaled and inhaled slowly, opened heavy-lidded eyes, I nearly moaned aloud. There was no doubt in my mind, he was really enjoying what Jasper was doing to him.

"… except when he chooses to be incredibly naughty."

"Naughty, Rose?"

"I'm getting into it," she smirked. "And yes, he broke position to communicate with you. Jasper noticed, he knows Edward."

"I got him into trouble again?"

"Any consequences are results of his actions. He knew better."

Jasper threw the flogger aside and made Edward crawl across the floor. It was punishment, judging from how stony-eyed he was, but Edward made it seem graceful, nonetheless. They stopped at a closed door. It opened to another cleared room.

"Stand up and walk inside," Jasper said. "Stand against the wall. Put your wrists where the restraints are."

Jasper positioned Edward so that he was kneeling vertically, facing forward. Two leather wrist restraints were secured mid-level on the wooden wall, two at the bottom. Jasper secured his arms and legs in place. I marveled at how broad Edward's shoulders were. He was strong, toned, agile, and he had a really high threshold for pain. I shivered, wanting to know what he'd be like in bed.

"You're distracted," Jasper said.

Edward went motionless again, it didn't look like he was breathing.

"Speak."

"I'm fine. Thank you for asking-"

"Disrespectful..." Jasper growled a few words under his breath. "You ready for this? Talk to me."

"Yes, I-" he half-groaned, suddenly looking apologetic.

"Yeah," Jasper growled. "Bad fuckin' manners tonight. Still on purpose? You don't manipulate me into doing what you want. I shouldn't have to tell you that." He used the side of his leg to press Edward up hard against the wall.

"I'm sorry, Sir."

"Finally! ... You get to the count of three." He shifted his leg and watched critically. "You will not move from this position."

"Yes, Sir."

"The only thing I want to hear you say is your safeword. Use it if you need to."

"I understand, Sir."

Jasper stepped back and uncurled the whip. Running the leather across his hand, I knew I wouldn't be able to handle half of what Edward had gone through already. Part of me desperately wanted to be the one kneeling. I wanted to be tested, to reach the edge of human tolerance, and then go another few inches to prove I could. Though maybe not with such a severe whip. I smiled, watching them. At first...

"One," Jasper made the end crack.

Edward was breathing harder, the muscles in his back were sharply defined as he tensed his body.

"Two." Louder than before, the sound made me jump.

He was trembling slightly. Still not moving his hips or straining against the restraints, he inhaled through his nose and exhaled very slowly.

"Three."

His entire body relaxed in one quick motion. I watched the rest of his muscles loosen slowly as he accepted what was about to happen. Jasper threw the whip forward and expertly flicked his wrist so only the very end hit Edward's shoulder. He carried the motion through and curled the whip around in a small arc. Another blow to the opposite side, nearly symmetrical to the first. People noticed, whispering broke out. Dark red marks were already showing on his skin, something I hadn't seen happen before. It usually took longer for the light pink color to rise. Jasper left a trail of them down Edward's outer back.

He only groaned once, low and vicious. His eyes opened to reveal a pale blue-green color that left me breathless. I saw arousal, ecstasy, and I got a feeling of pleasure that made my nerves scream, 'Yes!' Several submissives were reprimanded as they shifted on the floor, wherever they were bound. Jasper's shoulder-length brown hair was damp around his forehead and temples by the time I saw Edward show signs of being in pain. The whip had left long, thin, red marks all along his back and sides. He winced after a third line criss-crossed them.

"What- did- I- tell you?" Each word was emphasized with increasingly faster hits. They landed and left small welts across the upper part of Edward's back. I saw him hiss, his shoulders twitched.

I had moved without realizing it. In order to see Edward's face, I'd stepped into the light. I was still far from the crowd gathered behind them, near enough to the shadows so that I was comfortable. Edward met my eyes briefly, his head was turned in my direction. Lust, need, desire, frustration- I had to bite my lip and look away. Too intense, when it mirrored what I felt so well.

Jasper was winding down, I could feel it. He ended by curling the tail in a wide arc around his head. At the last possible moment he cracked the whip one final time. I felt the vibration resonate deep inside of me. He had been holding back, a lot. The sound had been louder and more vicious than any he'd created before. Jasper looped the tail in the air around his head, manipulating the whip so it slowly lost speed. When it was down to non-lethal mode, he caught the end in his other hand and walked back over to Edward.

"You did well," Jas said.

"Thank you, Sir." I could see his growing frustration. He didn't appear to be anything but submissive, but... I knew that he wasn't satisfied. Far from it.

Jasper held a key up so Edward could see it.

"You have half an hour to free yourself. If you've succeeded by then you'll get your reward. If not…" Jasper trailed off meaningfully. Touching the whip he'd curled up at his side, the consequences were clear for everyone watching.

He checked the restraints and whispered to Edward. The two spoke quietly, Jasper nodded as he stepped back. The keys rested on Edward's arm. No one moved though the demonstration seemed to be over. I was curious; how was he supposed to free himself? No one interfered when it came to a session between a Dominant and their submissive.

Edward wrapped his lips around the key ring and bit down around it. By pressing his upper body against the wall and leaning his body hard to the right, he stretched, raised his chin, and snagged the ring with two of his fingers. Jasper hadn't tied his arms out straight as some other Dom's had. They were secured in a surrendering gesture. Bent at the elbows, forming a ninety-degree, Edward didn't need to stretch far. He closed his eyes and concentrated... one of the manacles open.

I had taken glances at Jasper from time to time. Every time I did he looked a little more aroused. Proud, too, and arrogantly smug. He caught me the next time I looked his direction. His eyes met mine, he flicked them forward then back to me. I turned around without needing him to say anything.

"Why isn't he undoing his other wrist?"

"It's higher than his right wrist was."

"He can't reach it?"

"He was supposed to fail," Rosalie whispered to me.

"Why?"

"Learning to be humble? I don't know. He didn't address Jasper properly. He did it once to make a point, the second and third time he forgot. Then he remembered, which was pretty funny. Edward doesn't forget things like that."

"Well? What happened?" Jasper, thankfully, interrupted my thoughts. He was back at the wall. Staring down at Edward, he moved behind him and ran his hands down Edward's arms. "Have you learned your lesson? Talk to me."

"Yes, Sir." No hesitation that time, he said the words firmly and clearly.

"Who's in charge, Edward?"

"You, Sir."

"What will you not do in the future?"

"Allow my want's to replace what you know I need. I'll communicate with you instead of trying to influence you in other ways. I won't forget to address you in the way you deserve, Sir."

"And that concludes our demonstration," Jasper said to the crowd. "If you don't know what 'aftercare' means, stick around and watch us wind down."

A few people remained to talk amongst themselves. The two remaining locks were undone. Edward stretched backwards. The muscles in his stomach pulled taut, his hipbones were defined in sharp relief. He was definitely still excited from what had happened, but he didn't seem bothered by it. He sat back and uncurled his legs. A shudder, two, ran down his spine.

Jasper started rubbing Edward's shoulders. "Aftercare," he said to no one in particular. "Anyone still here is curious about what it involves. It's simple. Aftercare means, be there for your submissive when you're done with a pain session. Or any session. Don't throw the first-aid kit at them as you make for the door."

"Mmm," Edward smiled at something Jasper said. "But go, seriously. I'm going to stay here for five more minutes and then I'll get myself another drink."

"Did someone say drinks?" Rose asked. I blinked, not realizing that she had left. I'd lost time, staring at the broad expanse of Edward's shoulders and back.

"Bella?" Jasper called. "Want to join us? We've got plenty."

"At least for round one," Rose added. "I'm off to wander, after."

"Thanks," I took one of the shots from a tray in front of them. "Salud."

"Round two?" Edward carefully pushed a small glass in my direction.

"Not for me. Later, guys." And then Rosalie was gone, headed back downstairs.

"Ready?" Jasper asked, including me.

I picked it up and took a deep breath. They both downed theirs, I let the liquor flow over my tongue. It was sour like lemons, then sweet. The air I breathed in was cold, but I liked the lemonade taste that lingered on my tongue.

"I need a smoke," Jasper said, doing another shot. "And a beer. Come find me when you want to head out, E?"

"Sure thing," Edward replied.

Silence fell, growing awkward.

"Do you want to be alone after your pain session?" I asked.

"Only if you're leaving." He smiled, looking down at the empty shot glasses around us.

It was hot in the room, heat was rising from his skin. His arm was resting close to mine. If I moved a few inches to the right I'd be touching him. His eyebrow had twitched when he finished his sentence. It seemed to dare me. Reach out, make contact…

"I really liked watching the demonstration."

"What did you like about it?"

"Everything. The way you were able to submit for him, the pain Jasper inflicted."

"You like watching pain be inflicted?"

"Want to experience it, you mean?" I laughed nervously. "I really do."

"What else?"

"I like how you both communicate. You read one another well. I want to find a Dominant who will be that attentive, for me."

"I submit for him, but I'm not always submissive to him. We're switches. I'm only submissive to him tonight, until we leave."

"You guys aren't, er... together?" I felt waves of submission wash over me. His dominance levels made me want to kneel for him, as he'd asked me to.

"We're just friends, roommates." He paused, grinning as he looked from my mouth to my neck. "We should be leaving soon."

Author's End Note:
Thank you for reading! Reviews are always appreciated, =)

Author's End Note 2:
If you've been liking Switches and Subs, come see my Original Fiction ebook: 'Subfrenzy,' published on Amazon.

It's a passionate, realistic bdsm-romance, written in 1st person from a submissive's POV.
Come and meet Quinn and Clara, a Dom/sub couple who practice safe, sexy bdsm.
(And help make an indie author's holiday wishes come true?)
Subfrenzy- by Kimberlee Jane : 30% free on Amazon – 40% free on Goodreads

goo gl/jaHHZ1- the space after goo is a dot, the only one.
(I love that the link reads 'Jazzy.' Perfect for FF, =D!)

Happy holidays, everyone!