Part 5
Mina
Lena was about to return to Abyss again. Perhaps it was the nagging curiosity, her thirst for more drama, the air surrounding the vampire-like hostess, or maybe it was the persistent pleading from her best friend, Mina. Ever since Lena had mentioned the club’s infamous dance trials, Mina had been insistent on seeing it for herself. At 27 years old, she was enthusiastic about anything BDSM, and always jumped at every opportunity to visit any kinky event. Lena’s memory of her last visit was still fresh - the drama, the duels, the moment her own signature sealed her fate with the club. Her blood still hummed with the intoxicating thrill of it.
Mina.
Lena had known her for years. A best friend, confidante, and devout seeker of all things thrilling. In university, they experimented. If Lena had a dark edge, Mina was practically polished obsidian. Always the one to push boundaries, always the one eager to explore. A curious car, always ready to burn her paws.
"You’re really not going to take me?" Mina had asked just a few days prior, her eyes practically shimmering with mischief. "I’ve heard the rumors for months. You went and didn’t even tell me until now. That’s betrayal, Lena. They say you have worn the heels. Those Heels. I need to see it. I have to."
"I didn’t hide it from you," Lena had replied defensively. "I just… wasn’t sure you were ready."
Mina had scoffed, folding her arms beneath her chest, lips curled into a daring grin. "I was ready before you even knew what it was."
Lena had rolled her eyes. "Mina, this isn’t just some rope demo or public play dungeon. This place is something else. It has teeth. It’s built on consent, yes, but once you say yes, you can’t go back. It’s not a game. Not really."
"I never said I wanted to go there to play," Mina had replied smoothly. "I want to see. Maybe feel, if it calls to me. You already signed, didn’t you?"
Lena hesitated. Mina's smile had widened.
"You did. Holy hell, Lena. What did you sign away?"
"Some things," Lena muttered, avoiding eye contact. "Control. Risk. You wouldn’t understand until you’re there."
"Then take me," Mina had said. Her voice had lowered to something more reverent, more urgent. "Please."
Mina leaned back, exhaling through her nose. She shook her head, not in disbelief, but in sheer processing. Her short black bob swung with the motion, catching the light. "You danced once, and they offered you a contract?"
"After I witnessed a duel," Lena corrected. "Valeria and Alina. It was brutal. Not violent - more like… intense. Controlled. Ritualized."
Mina raised an eyebrow. "Ritualized how?"
Lena looked down at her tea. "There was pain and rubber. Spiky shoes and a lot of sweaty rubber. Ex lovers, estranged. I got to know Valeria briefly before the duel. I don’t know how to explain it. Valeria danced like it was war. Alina… she lost."
A silence stretched between them. Mina was uncharacteristically still.
Then she said, "Alina - the one who lost - what happened to her?"
Lena hesitated. "She was fitted into a chastity belt. Long-term. The terms were part of the wager. She’ll be wearing it for five years."
Mina’s spoon clinked sharply against her cup as her eyes went wide.
"Five years?"
Lena nodded. "Alina escalated the stakes herself. It wasn’t just about who danced better. It was about endurance. About who would own the terms of their denial. Poetic justice, maybe? She fell into her own trap, her own forfeit. And she denied Valeria’s orgasms when they were still together. There is some irony here."
Mina’s eyes glazed over for a second. Then she grinned. "God, that’s terrifying. And weirdly hot."
Lena chuckled. "I knew you’d say that."
Mina leaned in. "So. Tell me about your own dance. Don’t leave out the details."
"It was part of their weekly challenge," Lena said. "The Stilettos of the Languished Arches."
Mina smiled knowingly. "Yeah. I’ve heard. Spiked insoles, right? You danced in those?"
"I did," Lena said. "The insoles are not spiked, but have nodules from with the spikes will jab upwards. I lasted until the end, then collapsed. Evelyn was pleased. I even won money."
Mina’s smile faded into something more thoughtful. "Evelyn. That’s the host, right? The Mistress?"
Lena nodded. "She watched the whole thing. Didn’t say much at the time. But her eyes…" She trailed off, unsure how to describe the way Evelyn saw her.
Mina was quiet again, clearly processing, her finger tracing the rim of her cup. "You said they offered you a contract after witnessing that dance duel. So they’re always watching. Even when you’re not on stage."
"Yes. She had her eyes on me. Even before that."
Mina let out a long breath. "I want to come."
Lena blinked. "What?"
"I want to see it," Mina said, her eyes bright. "The club. The duels. You. I want to be there next time you go. I want to feel it for myself. You’ve lit something up in me, Lena."
Lena studied her. Mina was curious by nature, always had been. Adventurous. But this wasn’t idle interest. This was hunger.
"You’re not scared?" Lena asked.
"I’m terrified," Mina said, grinning. "But I can’t stop thinking about it. You looked so calm describing it, but I can see it changed you. You’re sharper. Heavier. Like something’s been unlocked."
Lena didn’t know what to say to that.
"Besides," Mina added, voice dipping lower, "we’ve danced before. Back in University. In other ways."
Lena smiled. "We have."
Their hands stayed together, a quiet pact sealed between them, not with blood, but with breath. They’d argued. They’d laughed. They’d joked about the heels, about the outfits, about being called up to perform. But in the end, Lena had relented. She knew Mina - knew that if she didn’t bring her tonight, Mina would show up on her own soon enough.
"Yelena," Mina said, using her full name with a knowing smirk, "you don’t get to act like some stoic veteran. You were hooked the moment you saw that Evelyn, weren’t you?"
"It wasn’t Evelyn." Lena said softly. "In fact, she is creepy, cold. Seductive. But something is off. Like a vampire. They say she drains people, sexually, painfully. No, it was the rules. The duel. The forfeits. The structure. The transformation. You watch someone go from confident to crumbling and then rebuilding. There’s something almost… sacred about it."
Mina’s eyes twinkled. "Sounds like someone found her religion."
"It’s not that," Lena said quickly. "It’s just… I thought I understood control and discipline. But Abyss…" She exhaled. "It reshapes you. Even when you’re just watching."
Mina reached for Lena’s hand, squeezing it. "Then let me watch too. And if I get picked, I’ll dance. Hell, I’ll crawl if I have to. You know I never back out of a dare."
"This isn’t a dare, Mina," Lena said. "It’s a declaration. You step in there, you’re announcing to the whole room who you are. And they will test it."
"Let them. You have to take me," Mina had said, her eyes gleaming with excitement. "I’ve heard the rumors in the scene, but I need to see it with my own eyes. Even if I’m chosen, you know I never say no to a bit of pain games", winking at Lena.
"Then dress kinky, in latex, my dear Cosmina. Otherwise, you can bet, you will be dancing on stage. But even in proper dress code, I’ve the feeling, Evelyn has set her eyes on me. And on you when you come with me."
"Don’t call me that. You know I hate that name, Yelena."
"Touché, sorry Mina. But you started. But understand that this will be pain you can’t run away from, with the eyes of the crowd on you on stage. You dance. You just dance in those heels or that spiky dress!"
Mina reached across the table, fingers brushing Lena’s. "So take me with you. Let me see what it’s really like. I want to understand."
Lena turned her hand over, curling her fingers around Mina’s. "Alright. Next weekend. But only as a guest. Watching. I will protect you."
"Of course," Mina said. "For now. But don’t be my babysitter."
Lena had tried to dissuade her, sharing just enough about her own kinky experiences to highlight the danger, but Mina was undeterred. Now, as they stood before the imposing steel doors of Abyss, Lena felt a deep unease settle in her stomach.
"Are you sure about this?" Lena asked, giving Mina one last chance to back out.
Mina nodded, her grin unwavering. "Absolutely. Already after you told me about the heels you had me. After you told me about the chastity duel between the women, you’d need to chain me to the bed to hold me back. You already signed your membership. I have to see it. Let’s go."
The bouncer at the door nodded in silent recognition of Lena and then gave Mina a slow, appraising glance. Not leering, just assessing - the way all staff in Abyss did, as if checking for invisible marks of potential. Inside the coatroom, they stripped down to their sleek black latex catsuits. The material clung to every curve, every line of their bodies. For Lena, it was almost familiar now. For Mina, it was new - but she wore it like she’d been born in it.
"You look like you belong here already," Lena murmured.
"I do belong here," Mina replied. "I just needed an invite."
The pulse of the music wrapped around them, vibrating through the marble floor, the scent of latex, sweat, and anticipation heavy in the air. As they made their way through the patrons, Lena couldn’t help but feel the familiar thrum in her veins. This was her world now. And tonight, she was sharing it.
"Come on," she said, guiding Mina by the wrist. "Let’s find the stage. There’s always something happening."
"I hope someone gets their soles spiked tonight," Mina whispered conspiratorially.
"Don’t tempt Evelyn," Lena replied. "She loves volunteers."
The familiar pulse of the music was enveloping them. The atmosphere was as electric as ever, the crowd moving like one living organism to the relentless beat. The air was heavy with the aromas of sweat and rubber. Lena led Mina through the patrons, her eyes scanning for the stage and the ever-watchful Evelyn.
It didn’t take long. Evelyn stood at the edge of the stage, her dark gaze locked onto Lena the moment they entered. She beckoned them with a curl of her finger, a predatory smile spreading across her crimson lips.
"Welcome back, Lena," Evelyn purred as they approached. "And I see you’ve brought a friend."
"This is my friend Mina," Lena said, her tone guarded. "She wanted to see the club."
Evelyn’s eyes flicked to Mina, sizing her up with a look that sent a shiver down Lena’s spine. "A pleasure," Evelyn said smoothly. "It’s always delightful to welcome new faces."
Mina, oblivious to the tension, smiled brightly. "Mistress Evelyn, I’ve heard so much about this place. I couldn’t resist."
Evelyn chuckled, her eyes never leaving Lena. "Indeed. And you, Lena, returning so soon yet again. I must say, I’m impressed by your persistence. More games to watch?"
Lena narrowed her eyes. "I hope to just watch. But you kept choosing me the last times."
Evelyn’s smile faltered, replaced by something darker, more intense. She stepped closer, her voice dropping to a low, conspiratorial whisper. "You intrigue us, Lena. Your youth, your strength - it’s captivating. We envy it."
Lena blinked, caught off guard by the admission. "Envy? What are you talking about?"
Evelyn’s eyes glittered with a mix of bitterness and longing. "I’ve lived through more nights than you can imagine. Each dance, each trial, feeds this place, feeds me, feeds my hunger, keeps Abyss alive - and me along with it. But time has a way of taking its toll, even on those of us who linger. Watching you… it reminds me of what I once was." Mysteriously, she added "Maybe we have open business from a previous life. I see you, I sense you."
Before Lena could respond, the music shifted, signaling the start of the night’s main event. The crowd hushed, turning their attention to the stage as Evelyn raised her arms.
"Tonight," she announced, her voice echoing through the club, "we present tonights challenge - the Boots of the Languished Sole!"
She leaned in to Lena and whispered into her ear, so her words were only shared with her. "I don’t keep choosing you. You don’t even come every weekend. But from now on, you may be chosen, rubber kitten. Only the gods of pain will know?"
Two attendants emerged, dressed themselves in full black catsuits complete with gloves and full hoods, carrying a pair of tall, black boots. They gleamed under the lights, the same dull knobs lining the insoles, hiding the torturous spikes beneath. The crowd murmured with excitement and apprehension.
"But who will wear them?" Evelyn continued, her smile returning. "Tonight, we leave the choice to you."
The crowd erupted into cheers and shouts, each person pointing and calling out names. Lena’s heart sank as she realized what was happening. She grabbed Mina’s arm, her voice urgent. "We need to hide - now. To the bar. Get off of the dance floor."
But it was too late. The spotlight swept across the crowd, following pointed fingers of the crowd as the two women moved away from Evelyn, finally settling on Mina. The cheers intensified, and Mina’s face lit up with a mixture of surprise and excitement.
"It’s me!" she gasped, her face surprised in its expression.
Lena shook her head, panic rising, her being concerned for her friend. "Mina, you don’t understand. She plays with us! She wants you in pain for her enjoyment."
Mina shrugged off Lena’s warning, stepping forward eagerly. "Come on, Lena, don’t overreact. I’ll be fine. I’m a great dancer. And that’s why we came here anyway, isn’t it?"
Evelyn watched with a satisfied smirk as Mina ascended the stage. She leaned towards her and whispered. "Your wish to see some soles getting spiked may be granted. It just may be your own two soles." Mina’s mouth opened in a silent gasp. How could she possibly have heard her comment? The attendants guided her to a chair, slipping her boots and socks off of her feet. They were quickly replaced by the Boots of the Languished Soles. They fit snugly, locking into place with that same ominous click Lena remembered all too well.
"The rules are simple," Evelyn explained, her gaze fixed on Mina. "Dance with enthusiasm, stay in sync with the music, and the boots will remain kind. But falter, and they will remind you of the cost."
Mina nodded, undeterred. The music began, a lively, infectious beat that had the crowd moving instantly. Mina took to the challenge with gusto, her body flowing with the rhythm, her movements confident and graceful.
At first, it seemed Mina would breeze through the trial. Her natural talent for dance shone through, each step perfectly in time with the music. But as the tempo increased, so did the demands on her stamina and focus.
The first misstep came with a sudden sharp gasp. Mina faltered, and the spikes within the boots responded, sending a jolt of pain through her feet. She recovered quickly, but the brief lapse was enough to rattle her.
Lena watched helplessly from the crowd, her heart pounding. She could see the strain on Mina’s face as the music pushed her harder. Each misstep brought another painful jab upwards into her unprotected soles, lower calves and tops of her feet, the spikes relentless in their punishment.
The crowd cheered, oblivious to Mina’s growing struggle. Evelyn circled the stage like a shark, her eyes gleaming with satisfaction.
"Keep dancing, Mina," she taunted. "The boots demand it."
Mina gritted her teeth, determination etched on her face. She fought to keep up with the relentless beat, her body moving out of sheer willpower. But the spikes were merciless, exploiting every slip, every stumble.
Finally, the music slowed, signaling the end. Mina collapsed to her knees, gasping for breath, the boots releasing their grip as the last note faded. The crowd erupted into applause, some cheering her perseverance, others reveling in her suffering.
Evelyn approached, helping Mina to her feet. "Well done, my dear," she said with a mocking smile. "You’ve survived the dance."
Mina accepted the cash prize of a thousand Lei with trembling hands, her earlier excitement replaced by a weary, haunted look. Lena rushed to her side, supporting her as they made their way off the stage.
"Are you okay?" Lena asked, her voice filled with concern.
Mina nodded weakly, her eyes distant. "I didn’t think… it would be like that. This is intense."
Lena tightened her grip on Mina, guiding her friend towards the exit. "Now you know," she said softly. "Let’s get you out of here."
As they stepped into the cool night air, Lena glanced back at the steel doors of Club Abyss. Evelyn’s words echoed in her mind, a chilling reminder of the club’s dark allure.
"You’re done with this place," Lena said firmly, wanting to protect her friend. "I’m sorry for bringing you here."
Mina nodded silently, and they walked away, leaving the shadows of Abyss behind. But Lena knew the club’s hold was not so easily broken. The Boots of the Languished Sole had intrigued another victim, and the dance would continue, as it always did.