OK, you asked! People are always asking me about myself, and for some
unknown reason, seem to be a bit surprised to find out I'm a "real person". Yes, folks, I'm real. Real weird, real goofy, real opinionated, and real dedicated to the BDSM scene in Texas.
I was born and raised in Las Vegas, and spent most of my teen years in
foster homes. I won't bore you here with the sad details, suffice it to say,
I am an abuse survivor. I did horribly in school because of switching schools a lot and because of undiagnosed Attention Deficit Disorder and a very high IQ which made school boring and very difficult for me. In college (2 years or so) I had a 4.0 GPA. Imagine that! Tits and brains!
In Las Vegas, I tried numerous "vanilla" businesses, and worked
"professionally" in-between businesses. A lawn service, a furniture store, and finally a stained glass/sandblasting studio. That one was my favorite, and I now still have a home studio. I started dancing to support the studio in Vegas, and found that I loved the erotic energy of it but didn't like to just go out on stage and do nothing but 'show my parts'. I knew there had to be something more, so I started doing acts based around S/M, incorporating them into the dancing. Always armed with my trusty flogger (I still have that poor thing), I was the resident "Leather Queen" of the club. I always tried to be classy and unique, and I think it showed!
While in Vegas, I was a "Pro" (nice name for "Working Girl", but NEVER
worked the streets!) from about the age of 16, with my first S/M experience around a year after I started "working". I was hooked! I tried to focus my "business" toward the Pro Domme side at about age 20, and got a lot of "job satisfaction" from it, but it was still lacking the magic of more "personal" encounters. Money just seemed to put a twist on things that I did not care for. This is the reason that all over my site, I have notes saying that I don't do sessions. If someone is paying me to dominate them, they are not freely giving me the gift of their submission, so I'll just get to know potential play partners -at my pace- instead.
Always the rebel, always questioning why, I had decided I was not "normal" and became Pagan at 16, tried a short period of being gay around 20, and have been involved in BDSM in one form or another from about age 17 on. My mother is now gay, so I have been extremely aware and sympathetic to any alternative lifestyle for more years than I care to admit.
After three unsuccessful marriages (the shortest one was very abusive-NOT for me!!!), I moved to San Antonio with my then current husband in 1991 to "slow my life down a bit". What an understatement! It slowed down all right! I was shocked at the closed-mindedness I found here, but did finally manage to find a coven, which I was a member of for about 3 years. Before moving to San Antonio, I had decided to give up being a Pro Domme, and focus on the more personal aspect of S/M. I danced in various clubs here and finally retired from dancing due to a knee injury in 1995, after my husband and I met next husband Joe and wife Terri and started a polyamourous relationship (yeah, I know, it was confusing for all of us!). I was involved in this very intense, 4 person, polyamorous marriage for 2 years, and finally struck off on my own in 1997 right after the original husband struck off on his own. During this period, "The Spouses" (would plural be "Spice"?) were very supportive of my exploration of the beauties of BDSM, so Joe and I started a 24/7 D/s relationship which was very intense. Through this exploration, we found GWNN, SAS/M,
and Temple of Flesh.
I became heavily involved with Steve and Temple of Flesh while still in the poly relationship, and the more I became involved, the more I knew I could not live any other lifestyle than BDSM. I started acting in the shows, learned how to blow fire (SERIOUS edge play!!), and also became a very active member of SAS/M, later becoming a board member, and eventually Chairperson.
I also still do stained glass, glass fusing, lapidary, bead and jewelry
making, and sandblasting in my "castle" studio, although I do it only for my own pleasure, creating and selling the occasional piece if I feel like it and as time allows. As if all this weren't enough, I have 3 "kids" a Yorkie, a Chihuahua and a great Dane. I may be Princess, but the Yorkie is Queen, and the Dane is the "court jester". These are the ONLY kids I have. Don't get me wrong, I love kids! Especially marinated with a bit of bar-b-que sauce and cooked just right (lucky I never had any!). Seriously, I'm allergic to kids and cooking. They both give me hives!
I occasionally play with outside people but am with Steve (a Top) on pretty much a full time basis and living together. When, on the rare occasion I play with outside partners, I usually Top, only bottoming for Steve because don't believe in limiting myself to one role. I find the act of switching occasionally keeps me in touch with the mindset of both sides. I have no interest whatsoever in doing anything along the "pro" lines (so please don't ask), and play ONLY for my own enjoyment. I have subbed to VERY FEW people, and if you ever see me in that role with anyone other than my Hubby Joe or Boyfriend Steve, you know they are special! I don't care for "casual play" but prefer a connection to the people I play with. I'm rebellious, spiritual, outspoken, honest to a fault, opinionated, a bitch, sadistic, and I love it!
The realization of the difficulties of alternative lifestyles led me to
start thinking about Dark Fire. Between Steve, Hubby Joe, SAS/M and Dark
Fire, I manage to keep pretty busy and fully immersed in this glorious lifestyle, and cannot ever imagine ever doing anything else. This whole website represents me. Dark Fire, the business represents me. Everything that Dark Fire Gallery has become is a reflection of the person behind it. Try finding THAT with some super duper adult toy store conglomerate with a big name. The Dark Fire name and meaning behind the name are pretty obvious to people in alternative lifestyles and to me. If you have to ask...
The exploration that led me here, the lessons learned on both sides of the whip, the personal journey and discovery of myself and others around me, most importantly, coming to terms with who I am inside and the realization that as long as nobody gets hurt in a non-consensual fashion-these are the things that make up my personal Dark Fire. I have a few poetry writings on this very personal side of me-if you are interested click here. I believe that everybody has one of these dark flames inside, and like to think that in some small way, I can help people to explore and celebrate it in a healthy manner.
Dark Fire Gallery has been an exercise in frustration and patience. I had searched over for 2 years to find a landlord open-minded enough to rent to me, and had three failed attempts at buying a retail space. Out of frustration I decided to do a catalogue site and rent an office/warehouse. I have over 2000 pervy items stuffed into a tiny showroom, but nothing pornographic, tasteless, or illegal (keep it classy, like the owner!). Eventually I hope to find the perfect space with a larger showroom where I can also offer clothing and furniture, but in the meantime, I know there are people out there who are desperately seeking these great items to enhance their lives, and I am continually trying my best to present them to you at reasonable prices. The store hours are Wednesdays only from 2PM to 7PM, or by appointment for couples and women (sorry, single guys) to ensure classy, discreet shopping comfort.
I don't believe in gouging people (without some negotiation first, of course!). Most of the scene people here have to travel all the way to Austin, Houston or Dallas only to find overpriced toys marked up 3-4 times, and I hope to help alleviate that situation. I'm not competitive (I buy from them, too! Support perversity, wherever it is!) and I don't have hidden hopes of getting rich from this lifestyle, but I do want to help others find even a little part of the joy which I have found in BDSM.
Safe, Sane and Consensual
