Ties that Bind: Harder to Breathe by Keira Marcos

[keiramarcos]

Ties That Bind
Keira Marcos

Pairing: McShep (many other secondary pairings)
Genre: Romance, BDSM
Rating: NC-17
Warnings: Graphic male/male sex, anal play, BDSM, violence, and exhibitionism . If you don’t like this kind of thing—just don’t read it. Seriously. Evil!Carter. Marine!John. PLEASE READ THE AUTHOR NOTES AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS POST BEFORE CLICKING ON THE STORY LINK.

1. Intimately Bound (22,600 words)
Colonel John Sheppard returns to Earth to debrief and to meet Dr. Rodney McKay.
2. Learning to Belong (33,200 words)
John starts his debrief and Rodney settles into his new role as the collared submissive of a Marine.
3. You Belong To Me (22,500 words)
John and Rodney make time to see both of their families before they leave for Atlantis.
4. Harder to Breathe (44,500 words)
John and Rodney return to the SGC and make ready to go to Atlantis with a few problems along the way.

 

Series Summary: After the death of his submissive, Colonel John Sheppard spent four years alone. Grief and anger pushed him and made him even more ambitious in his career. Taking Dr. Rodney McKay into his life and his bed was supposed to be a political maneuver-- but then he met the man and everything he thought he wanted changed in an instant.

Dr. Rodney McKay has spent a year alone after divorcing his Domme and cutting her collar off in public. He doesn't know if he's ready for a new Dom but he does know he wants Atlantis and Colonel John Sheppard's collar is his path to the city of the Ancients. Then the Marine put his hands on him and Rodney realizes that he's already half way to risking his heart again.

Neither man was prepared for the explosive combination of their sexual dynamic and the intense emotional connection that would burn between them like an inferno.

Author’s Notes

This story was inspired by the works Coming Home and General & Dr. Sheppard by Xanthe.

While this is not a story in the world she created, I did use her BDSM/Dynamic theme with her permission. I want to thank her sincerely for her generosity and her contributions to this fandom and several others that I read. I highly recommend that you read EVERYTHING she’s ever written.

Like the world that Xanthe created-- this series takes place in a world where BDSM relationships are the 'norm' and everyone is pretty much bisexual. There are a LOT of homosexual pairings in this series because it amuses me.


To my readers, I would caution you that this story is VERY different from the work I normally write. I do consider it a romance but it’s pretty hardcore. John is a sadist and he makes no bones about it. This may make some of you very uncomfortable. That being said I did recycle two of my OCs from my WMHB series (Declan Frost and Sean Taylor).

This is a FANTASY and should not be taken as a guide to use for a BDSM lifestyle. It’s also not at all realistic—it’s a fanfic set in the Stargate:Atlantis Fandom. Graphic descriptions of S/M appear in this work and it may squick. I would caution anyone who is interested in masochism or pain play that they educate themselves thoroughly about their body and their individual needs before considering any “play time”. In other words, don’t be stupid.

Additionally, I needed a ‘bad guy’ and I used Sam Carter. Since I normally write her as all sunshine and snark—it was interesting to write her as a real bitch. I’m not a Sam basher by nature—she was just convenient and I didn’t want to invent a new character for the part. Also, I never in my wildest dreams could have considered Jennifer Keller for the part Sam played in this story.

Comments

[djaddict.livejournal.com]

Oh Yes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[londonsabre.livejournal.com]

Thank you SO MUCH!

[rodal81.livejournal.com]

Thank You! Just seeing the update made my day and then I read it and the day got even better.

[djaddict.livejournal.com]

Please tell me there is more!

[keiramarcos]

yeah. there is. about 50,000 more already written

[nighean-isis.livejournal.com]

A couple of weeks ago, I left the following comment on the McKay/Sheppard LJ. I'm not certain you've seen it, and, since I also wanted to say a few more things, I'm copying it here. Hope you don't mind...


I got linked to part one from...somewhere* and quickly devoured it. Ran across part two last night and ended up going to bed at 5:45 AM instead of 4:00 AM, because I had to stay up and finish it. Now here's part three...

THANK YOU! ::happy dance::

This story is fantastic! I loved Xanthe's original stories but the variation of the same basic concept that you've developed is totally valid. You've even managed to make a beloved character a completely believable b*tch without sacrificing character. Add in OCs who aren't ciphers and a working background for our main characters that gives just enough info to be clear in the narrative (time spent at de Sade, La Petite Mort, etc.) but practically begs to be expanded on somewhere else, and you've got a viable AU you can play in for quite some time.

I'm looking forward to the ride. :)


*sorry I can't say how I got to your story the first time - I follow far too many links to keep track. Let's just call it a happy accident.


I'd like to add the following: I've now read the entire series about four times in the last couple of weeks. Every time I fall in love with your version of the SGA characters a little more. Speaking of characters, the pairing of Evan Lorne and Matthew Sheppard (Kavan Smith/Jensen Ackles)? That has to be one of the most delicious pairings I've seen in quite some time. I will never be able to say thank you enough for putting that oh so pretty picture in my head.

I have a good 'ear' for characters, and as I read, I can 'hear' the voices of each character - because, as AU as this AU is, you've remained true to the essence of each canon character and every original character is completely believable.

Last thing: Do you mind terribly if I enthusiastically rec this story to a mailing list I'm on? It's only about 2,000 people, so I'd like to get an ok from you and ask if you want potential readers directed to your LJ or your website?

Thank you so much for writing this amazing story. I'm going to be haunting* your site/LJ to look for updates.

haunting sounds so much better than stalking, don't you think? And season appropriate, no? ;-)

[keiramarcos]

You can rec and stalk me all you want ;-). Send them to my website. I really only use my LJ to provide information on when I update my website.

[that-carlygirl.livejournal.com]

Hey!

Your story has been added to the 'Xanthe's BDSM Master List' here (http://that-carlygirl.livejournal.com/1237.html)

Please let me know if you would like your story to be taken down from this list, or any changes made to the section relevant to you story.

Thanks, that_carlygirl

[keiramarcos]

That's very cool.

Thanks for the add!