A series of bizarre, ritualistic murders of prominent women leads homicide detective Catherine Palmer (Ellen Barkin) into the underground world of S&M. There she encounters the mysterious and alluring Vickie Kittrie (Peta Wilson), who reveals that each victim belonged to a secret society of powerful, sexually experimental women. In order to get to the killer, Catherine must place her trust and life in Vickie's hands, as she guides her into a dark landscape where the boundaries between sensuality and violence blur.