Wicked Wednesday’s on the Rack

with Saluki

First things first, if you’re not old enough to buy porn or vote, this post isn’t for you.

Meesh took Wicked Wednesdays on a wicked left turn last week, so I’m gonna jerk the steering wheel way to the right today.  While we work on getting a crop of new authors lined up to share their Wickedness with us, I thought I would talk about a particular section of The Brothel – The Rack.  What kind of stories would one find in this splendid section you ask?  For those of you who know what a rack is and what it’s used for this should be an easy one.  For the rest of you, the rack is used in BDSM play.  In the Brothel, the Rack is your location for BDSM fics.

Before I started reading fan fiction, I had never ventured into the world of BDSM.  Like many readers out there, my first experience came from reading The Submissive by tara sue me.  Although I’m not “into” that world, if you know what I mean, I thoroughly enjoyed the fic.  It was hot, with just the right about of kink to make me fall in love with Domward.  As I learned, there are many interpretations of what goes on in the BD/SM world.  Some fics are written by authors who have done a great deal of research into the world.  Others let what knowledge they have color their imagination and create a world where whips, handcuffs, and racks are all part of a sensual and exhilarating sexual experience.  I have since discovered a world of interesting and well written BDSM fics, I only point out The Submissive because it popped my BDSM cherry.

Now, in all the fics I have read thus far, all of the characters have been human.  This is where we turn the wheel sharply to the right and start talking about books.  Well, a specific series of books, to be exact.  I stumbled on The Marquis de Sade series quite by accident.  One day as I was perusing the shelves at my local used bookstore I ran across an intriguing title, Sips of Blood.  Hmm, I thought to myself, sounds like a book about vampires.  So, I threw it in my basket and carried on my merry way, never the wiser about the dark and violent would I would soon become obsessed with.

I had no idea who the Marquis de Sade was when I opened up Sips of Blood for the first time.  I had no idea he was a real person; I had no idea he basically created BDSM.  So, before I talk about the books, let me give you a little history lesson about Sade.

Sade was born in 1740 in Paris, France.  He was a novelist and philosopher with a taste for…let’s just say non-conventional sex.  He was married, against his wishes, to a middle-class heiress for money.  Marriage did not dissuade Sade from indulging his taste for the “unusual” and he eventually caused a scandal that involved his sister-in-law for which his mother-in-law had him imprisoned.  To stave off boredom, he wrote several sexually graphic novels and plays while imprisoned.  He was freed when the French Revolution ended, after spending fourteen years behind bars.  He was later arrested for publishing erotic novels.  He spent the final twelve years of his life in an insane asylum, where he caused another scandal by directing erotic plays using inmates and professional actors. Sade died in an insane asylum in 1814. His reputation and writings gave rise to the term of sadism.

By now, you probably see where this is going.  Mary Ann Mitchell, the author of the series, plucked Sade out of history and made him a vampire.  As a vampire, Sade has the same taste for decadence and torture that he had as a human, only more pronounced, and what was once a mere desire for blood became a thirst.  As you might imagine, Sade reincarnated himself over the years, living all over the world under different names.  The one thing that doesn’t change was his ability to influence young women and men from all walks of life into his bedroom.  Some he kept alive, to serve as both his blood and sex slaves. However, many more were used and killed, disposed of after they were no longer useful or amusing.

The series starts out with Sade living in America, going by the name of Louis de Sade.  His niece and mother-in-law, both vampires as well, have accompanied him on his travels over the years.  His niece lives with him, but as he and his mother-in-law share a distinctly hate-hate relationship they do not share a common dwelling.  When Sade was in prison in France, Marie starved him of blood and was ready to watch him face the guillotine for the depravities he had committed with prostitutes and other vulnerable women.  Marie was afraid to let him go back to her daughter and grand daughter knowing the horrible things he had done.  However, when Sade offered Marie immortality if she would break him out of prison, she readily agreed.  She made her deal with the devil, but she certainly didn’t have to like it.

Marie uses sex both as a way to fulfill her carnal desires and to get blood without killing. Her victims are willing, paying her for the experience of being her slave for a few hours every week.  Let’s take a peek into Marie’s world, as seen through the eyes of one such willing victim.

“Give me a taste of the whip, but don’t leave me here alone,” he shouted.

Silence.

He pulled on the chains.  He attempted to slip his hands and feet out of the manacles.  Useless effort.

What was the time?  He had to get home to his family by nine.  He was expected to have dinner with his wife and teenage children.

“Maitresse.”

He was disoriented. Did he face the door?  Was he even in the dungeon or in the midst of a nightmare?

Silence. Stillness.

His skin tingled. Prickly nerves searching, desiring the touch of leather, the kiss of pain.

Silence.

His arms and legs spasmed, jerked in the enforced tension of the confinement.

“Maitresse!”

Quiet.  His fingers touched the palms of his hands, grabbing for something solid.  He threw his back against the wall.  He was sobbing.  His right foot slipped in sweat, but he couldn’t fall, he couldn’t move; fixed to the darkness of his world.

He breathed furiously fast.  Too shallow.  Not enough time to take in air.  Not enough oxygen to feed his lungs.

A smell.  A sound.  The crackling of burning paper; the ash of paper.  Something more.  Cloth.  His clothes! No, no, she wouldn’t do that.  The ripping of cloth to fuel the flames.

“Maitresse!”

A rod fell to the floor.  Metal, heavy.

Oh my God! Don’t brand me, please.

They had discussed branding.  Ornate letters marking him as hers.  She had shown him the branding iron. It had looked used.

Heat singed the hair on his chest but never touched the felsh.  The odor of burnt hair, his hair.

Then the heat was gone.

Where would she chose to brand him?  He heard the rattle of metal against metal.  The iron being reheated.

A hiss and a spit.

A gloved hand touched his cock.  The sting of alcohol from damp cotton.

“No,” he screamed.

The release of the whip bit his flesh.

“More!” (Sips of Blood p 59-60 )

And what of de Sade?

“Speak to me Madeline, ma fille,” he said, reaching for her lips.  The pad of his left thumb skimmed her full mouth until she spread her lips and sucked in the sweetness and sourness of his flesh.  He leaned sideways in order to stay inside one of the other girls while touching Madeline’s bloody wrist with his tongue.  He carried away a few drops on his tongue and placed them inside Madeline’s mouth.

She closed her eyes and swept her tongue over his, transferring blood.

“Douleur et sang are on in my world, Madeline.  Are you capable of caressing them both?” he asked her.

He yanked the wire tighter around her writs and watched as her skin gave way to the pressure.  She gasped and winced.  He continued to lap at her wounds. (Cathedral of Vampires p 53-54)

The BDSM in this book is raw and carnal.  There are no touching moments after the characters transition out of their Dom/Sub roles.  The Doms are forever Doms, and the subs; well, if they are lucky they live. However, their lives will forever be scarred by their experiences.   This series is definitely not for the squemish, but I have found it fascinating so far.  The way the author has woven history, vampires, and the BDSM culture together drew me in from the first book. Now, I’m on the fourth and still just as fascinated.

What does all this have to do with fan fiction?  Well, not much really.  The BDSM in fan fiction (at least what I have read) is a far cry from the depravity and violence that is created in the Marquis de Sade series.  However, there are many great stories out there if you want to test the waters and venture into this world.  And, if there are any good vamp BDSM fics out there, this is the place to rec them!  And, if you want to read a well-written series, with a unique take on the vampire culture, and more than a touch of blood, violence, and sex, I highly suggest you check out this series.  Just a warning, the books are out of print, so you will need to find them online.  I was able to find the rest of the series on Amazon.com.

What do you think?  Do BDSM fics hold any interest for you?  Are there good stories or books out there you would like to rec?  Do you write BDSM?  If so, we invite you to post in The Brothel.  There is a rack waiting for you there…

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1 Comment

  1. Very informative and interesting WW submission BB!

    The Marquis de Sade was quite twisted, and if you are fascinated by the man behind the phrase “Sadism” I urge you to check out “Quills.”

    I’m not very well read when it comes to BDSM fics but I would highly suggest “Finding Bella” by ekimmuh for anyone is hesitant about going there, since it (so far) is more an emotional story than about the actual acts of BDSM.

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