Dane had drifted so far into her own inner world, that, at first, she did not recognize the odd sensation on her thigh. When the second blow, harder than the first, landed across her buttock, her head snapped up in response. She forced herself not to tense her back muscles, knowing from experience it would make the cutting strokes more painful. She tried to focus on the way her skin felt after the blow had landed and the immediate flash of pain had passed. There was a tingling heat left behind which felt like a bright, raw light. Soon she lost count of the strokes falling more rapidly and harder across her upper back and shoulders. Her mind, divorced from ordinary sensation, became suffused with the cumulative agony of the blows, releasing her deeply buried fears and terrors. As she opened herself to the physical pain, it seared through her mind with a cleansing flame, exorcising her demons. She held onto consciousness by a thread, dimly aware that the woman out there would not stop until bidden. Only someone as experienced as Dane would dare to go so far, or to ask so much of her body. She pushed herself, taking more than she ever had before, until at last her mind began to close, finally purged. Only then did she utter a single word, agreed upon by both of them long ago.

Hearing that word, barely audible, Dane’s voice was so hoarse, the woman wielding the torturous whip pulled herself up short. She shook her head, realizing she had been delivering her blows in a near frenzy. She was amazed for a moment to realize how nearly out of control she had become. She gazed at Dane’s figure, slumped within the confines of her restraints, and felt a begrudging respect for her. It was only her own practiced discipline which had guided her during the last few minutes, and her considerable skill with the cat that had prevented the whip from flaying Dane’s back open. Still, she knew that the deeper, delicate blood vessels had broken open. Dane’s back was a mass of welts, already beginning to darken from the blood pooling in the wounded tissue beneath the skin. Dane had been silent throughout, as she always was, and her master for the moment could not help but admire her.

Her head clear once more, the woman dropped the whip and strode quickly across the room. She released her restraints and laid Dane not ungently on the floor. She checked Dane’s pulse, finding it steady and strong, and removed the hood. She left Dane there to find her own way out whenever she regained consciousness.

The highway flashed beneath Kyle’s headlights as the bike raced into the darkness. She drove the treacherous, twisting road by second nature, fleeing from her uncertainty without thought to her destination. When she pulled off the road, gravel flew behind her rear tire and the bike only stayed upright as a result of its own momentum. There were cars lining both sides of the long drive and lights blazing everywhere in the elegant house on the hilltop. She ground the bike to a halt, taking a long breath. She avoided the brightly-lit front door and went around to the rear, seeking the relative comfort of the shadows there.

It wasn’t until she had mounted the steps to the deck that she saw the figures embracing in the semi-darkness. A woman pulled away from her partner at the sound of Kyle’s step.

“Jesus, Kyle! Is that you?” Nancy cried.

Kyle halted quickly. “Yes. I’m sorry.”

Nancy pushed the young man with her toward the house. “Go inside,” she whispered. She took Kyle’s arm and pulled her across the deck, away from the crowds just inside. “What are you doing here?”

Kyle slumped against the railing. “I don’t know.”

Nancy took her friend’s arm. “Never mind. Are you all right? What happened?”

Kyle laughed without humor. “Nance, I don’t know. Everything is crazy. Is there anything to drink?”

Nancy searched Kyle’s face with concern. “Of course. Come inside.”

“No,” Kyle said quickly. “I didn’t mean to crash your party.”

“Don’t be stupid,” Nancy said in exasperation. “It’s a bore, anyway.”

Kyle laughed again, this time meaning it. “I could tell.”

“Oh, him. Just a diversion. Roger is deep in some heavy conversation somewhere. Sit down. I’ll be right back.”

Kyle sighed and lowered herself gratefully into one of the deck chairs. The moon was out, and the surf pounded somewhere far below. She closed her eyes, not wanting to think about anything.

“Here,” Nancy said, settling herself at the foot of Kyle’s chair. “Drink.”

Kyle reached for the glass and smiled at Nancy. “Thanks.”

They sat close together for a while in the moonlight. Finally, Nancy placed her hand on Kyle’s arm.

“So, what happened? Did your discussion group turn into a free-for-all?”

Kyle smiled. “No. It was fine. I went to the bar afterwards and there it turned into—I’m not sure what. Dane was there, and she seemed fine when we were dancing! But then Brad turned up and everyone got uptight. And then Dane stormed off, and Brad came onto me, and…” her voice trailed off.

“My, my. Sounds like fun,” Nancy said with the merest trace of envy. “Who’s Dane? And who is Brad? I thought you’d quit men.”

Kyle laughed, drinking deeply of her wine. “Dane is the woman I told you about—the one I met last month. And Brad is a woman, too.”

Nancy leaned back against Kyle’s knee and sighed. “Clearly, I missed the real party. So why did you dash madly out here?”

“Because everything went to hell. Something was going on and I didn’t know what. Dane turned into ice as soon as Brad showed up, and Brad was—”

“What?”

“Insistent.”

“And you weren’t interested,” Nancy finished for her. “Was she crude and unattractive, or what?”

“Oh, not at all. She’s attractive. It was more than just the way she looked—which was great. She was so damned confidant. The way she came on to me—like how could anyone resist? She got my attention.”

Nancy looked intrigued. “She was really that good, huh?”

Kyle sighed, “Yeah.”

“So, why are you here, instead of somewhere with her? You’re not getting all moral, are you? After all, you never minded one-nighter’s before.”

Kyle thought about it for the first time, acknowledging her attraction to Brad.

“Maybe I would have, if it hadn’t been for seeing Dane first. I felt like I never got a chance to really connect with her; and then Brad showed up, and everything changed. Dane acted like I just automatically wanted Brad, just because Brad wanted me.” She was suddenly angry. “Like I couldn’t choose for myself. The two of them acted like I was some prize to be taken by the strongest.” She drained her glass and refilled it from the bottle Nancy had placed beside them. “Fuck them!”

Nancy smiled, relieved to see Kyle getting her spirit back. “Oh well. Who needs any of them anyway? Men or women—it’s all the same. One pain in the ass after another.”

Kyle realized for the first time that Nancy wasn’t having a very good time that evening either. “Things aren’t going so well for you either, I guess,” she said sympathetically.

Nancy laughed bitterly. “Oh, you know. Typical party. The men are all getting quietly drunk and eyeing every female in sight. And the wives are sitting off by themselves bitching about their husbands.”

“Why do you bother with it then?” Kyle asked seriously. She knew Nancy could change things if she wanted to. She had everything going for her—looks, brains and a strong will. She didn’t understand why Nancy continued in a life she obviously didn’t find fulfilling.

“Oh, it has its rewards,” Nancy replied in a light tone.

“Sure,” Kyle responded, “that’s why you were out here with some—what was he, a med student?”

“Busboy,” Nancy answered. “And don’t go getting so high and mighty with me, Kyle Clark. You’re not all that much different from me. We’re both casting about in the dark.”

Kyle was surprised at Nancy’s brief flare of seriousness, and nodded. “You’re right,” she sighed. “Great partners, aren’t we?”

“We might be,” Nancy said quietly. Why haven’t you ever tried, Kyle?

Kyle was about to respond when a male voice penetrated the darkness.

“Nancy? What are you doing out here?”

Kyle looked up at the solid male form beside her chair.

“Hi, Roger. Sorry, I dragged Nancy out here to keep me company.”

“Kyle!” Roger said in surprise. “I’m glad you could make it. Nancy said you were tied up.”

Nancy laughed, slightly drunk, “No such luck.”

Kyle covered quickly. “No, I just had to be somewhere else earlier. How are you?”

“Fine, fine,” he said heartily. “Great party, isn’t it, sweetheart?” He looked at Nancy uncertainly.

“Oh, yes, great,” she replied. She stood up and smoothed the soft material of her clinging dress down over her thighs. “I guess I should go check on our guests.” She looked pointedly at Kyle. “You will come in, won’t you?”

“I’m not really dressed for it, Nance,” Kyle said.

“Oh, bullshit. You look great.”

“Okay. In a minute.”

Roger sat down as Nancy entered the house.

“How have you been, Kyle?”

Kyle looked at him fondly. “I’m fine, Roger. The shop is busy.”

“I figured. Nancy spends a lot more time there lately.”

Kyle wanted to avoid talking about Nancy with Roger. She had never wanted to be in the middle of her friend’s relationship, no matter what she thought of it.

“I guess you’ve been busy, too,” she said noncommittally.

He nodded and stood up. “Well, you know how it is. Why don’t you come in?”

Kyle pulled herself up out of the chair, feeling the soothing effects of the alcohol at last.

“I guess I might as well.”

CHAPTER EIGHT

ANNE TURNED AT the sound of the key in the side door. She stared at Dane’s drawn face and the dark circles under her eyes, instantly concerned.

“Hi,” she said. “I didn’t expect you today. Things are really quiet. Why don’t you take the day off?”

Dane walked toward the rear door to the kennels. “There are some things I want to check,” she said tersely.

Caroline looked up as Dane entered. She had been cleaning out one of the runs and was just getting ready to bring out one of the young bitches they were planning to show in the late spring.

“Hi,” she said tentatively.

Dane walked over and pulled a heavy jacket down from a hook by the door. “Hi,” she said, knowing it sounded abrupt. She did not need them fussing at her today!

“Dane—” Caroline began.

“Later, okay? I want to work out with Troy.”

Caroline watched her friend in silence as she led a beautiful two-year-old dog into the large training run behind the building. She followed Dane out and sat down on the rear step to watch. She loved to watch Dane train the dogs in protection. Dane was one of the few recognized authorities in the country certified to train animals in the difficult skills necessary for the dogs to compete for a Schutzhund degree. It was an art that few Americans really understood, and Dane was an expert at it.

Dane took the dog, a heavy, well-muscled animal, through some preliminary exercises first. He followed her every move, his calm dark eyes fixed on her face. She had been working with him for some time, and he had already distinguished himself by earning the Schutzhund I degree. He was by nature a well-controlled animal and had acquired an even deeper level of self-assurance through Dane’s careful training. Caroline watched them moving together, Dane signaling her desires by silent hand commands. Caroline appreciated once again her partner’s skills. For some reason, though, Dane seemed more tense than usual. When she signaled Troy to attack, she staggered slightly as he propelled himself at her heavily protected sleeve. Caroline could see the sweat on Dane’s face as Troy pulled with his considerable weight against her. They continued in their physical combat until Dane commanded him to release. He did so immediately, watching Dane expectantly. She went down on one knee and hugged him, running her hands over his sleek back.

“Good boy, Troy, good boy,” she said breathlessly. “That’s a good boy.”

She took him back inside with Caroline close behind. Dane eased the jacket off slowly and dropped it on a chair. She leaned back against the counter, trying to catch her breath. Her back hurt everywhere that her damp shirt touched, and there was a sharp, stabbing pain each time she took a deep breath.

“Looks like Troy wore you out,” Caroline observed, acutely aware of Dane’s exhaustion. She couldn’t hide her concern. The dogs never tired her like this! “You okay?”

“Fine, said Dane, regaining her composure. She continued to lean on the counter, and hoped that Caroline couldn’t see her legs shaking.