The Erotic Mind-Control Story Archive

Light and Shadows 8: Bright Pain

by J. Darksong & Baltimore Rogers

Ch. 8) Cold On The Inside

I was ecstatic! Against all odds, against every expectation, I’d convinced my mom and dad to let me submit to Mr. Grimalde! It was so surreal... if anything, Mom seemed more hesitant that Dad, as if he’d actually taken the time to consider all the options, weigh the pros and cons, and make his decision before I even approached him! Which was crazy... how would he even know? Aunt Eva assured me that she hadn’t tipped him off, and I believed her.

Still... this WAS my dad we were talking about. I swear, he’s so good, the CIA gets their information from him!

At any rate, I was in the clear! I’d talked to everyone on Nigel’s list... well, everyone except Sioban. And I already KNEW what she would say. I’d save the best for last, and as I flew back towards the Prentiss Mansion, I could barely hold in the urge to laugh. I couldn’t wait to surprise her with the good news—

Whoa! Speak of the devil... er, angel... as I drew near the mansion I saw her lovely winged form coming up to meet me. “Ivory!” I called out to her, just remembering to keep it professional for the moment, since we were both in costume. Not as if anyone was around, fifteen hundred feet in the air to overhear us of anything, but it was a general rule and common sense, like not drinking milk straight from the jug. I called to her again, and she waved, circling, gesturing for me to follow her back down. I shrugged, and followed suit, slightly concerned. I’d half expected her to tackle me in mid-air and greet me with a kiss, or a hug... but again, we were in costume, after all. Landing a few seconds later, I walked over to her. “Ivory! Perfect timing, I was just coming back to talk to you—”

SLAP!

I gaped, stunned, my cheek stinging. Sioban... just slapped me! Hard! It wasn’t a nice, playful slap, or even a ‘you know what you did’ kind of slap. The force had literally spun me around! This was a ‘I’m barely holding back the urge to kill you’ kind of slap. But... what did I do?

“Si...Sioban?” I said hesitantly, turning back to face her, only to gape again, in surprise. Tears were streaming down her cheeks, and her face was red, flushed, from crying or anger, or perhaps both. She stared at me, hands clenched into fists as if she wanted to strangle me, but her lip was trembling, signaling that she was one step from bursting into sobs. “Sioban, sweetie... what is it? What did I do?”

“What did you do?” she hissed back at me. Okay... Anger. Yes, definitely tipped the balance with that apparently stupid question. “Are you... do you have ANY idea... when I woke up you were GONE!” she yelled, actually trembling. “I looked EVERYWHERE for you! If I hadn’t run into Connie, who told me what you were up to—“

“Ohhh... crap. Oh... I’m sorry,” I said sheepishly. No wonder she was pissed. I’d gone behind her back to talk to Nigel on my own. “I wanted it to be a surprise. I know, I know—I should have talked it over with you first, got your and Tawnya’s input, but I was afraid you’d try and talk me out of it. And anyway, it worked! I went to everyone on Mr. Grimalde’s list, and convinced them that joining the harem was the best thing for me right now.”

“Joining the harem?” Sioban replied back, shaking her head. She was still livid, still shaking. “You don’t get it, do you? This isn’t about your FUCKING conversation with Nigel! Katie... when I woke up you were gone! GONE! I couldn’t find you in the house, and none of the staff knew where you were!“

I nodded, swallowing. She was building up to something but I still didn’t understand what. “Um... yeah... but I was just over talking to your boss. It was no big deal—”

“It was a HUGE FUCKING DEAL!” my scarlet-tressed angel screamed back at me. “Katie... you... you... inconsiderate, narcissistic, SELFISH... dumbass—I THOUGHT YOU WERE DEAD!!!”

Oh. OHHH! Oh fuck me! “Oh, oh, Goddess Bless! Oh, Bonnie, no, please, I’m sorry, I’m so sorry!” I said quickly, pulling her into a hug. She finally let go, letting out her frustration and hurt, clenching me back as she sobbed in my arms. I admit, I sobbed right back with her. I was such a damned fool! Of COURSE she thought I was dead, after everything that had happened this week, presuming I’d snuck away somewhere quiet to kill myself... especially after catching me previously about to slit my wrists in Tawnya’s bedroom. “Bon-bon, I’m so sorry... I didn’t think... I should have written you a note or something... let you know... so sorry, baby...“

“No, jerkwad, you should have taken me WITH you,” she said. Following it up with something mumbled that sounded like, ‘would have saved you a lot of trouble.’ I wondered what she meant by that? Or maybe I heard her wrong.

Finally, we pulled apart, reluctantly, and I leant forward to kiss her tears. “I swear, Sioban, I’ll NEVER do anything like that again. And... I’m done with trying to hurt or kill myself. Before, I thought I was alone, that I had nothing to live for, and no one left that cared about me. But I get it now. I have a reason. You and T helped me find it.” I sighed softly. “I guess the surprise is out of the bag now, but that was what I was coming to tell you. Nigel agreed that if I talked it over with all the important people in my life first, he would agree to accept me, to let me undergo his programming and become your new slave sister! And I did it... I’ve talked it over with everyone, and believe it or not, I got them all to agree. You were the last one on the list.” I smiled, kissing her gently. “C’mon. Let’s go tell our Master the good news.”

“Katie, wait a minute,” Sioban said, pulling away from me. “You’re not done yet. You haven’t convinced ME at all.” I stared at her a moment, not comprehending. “Katie,” she said plainly, “I don’t want you to undergo the procedure. I don’t WANT you as a member of Nigel’s harem. I don’t want you to be Nigel’s slave!”

* * *

Tawyna Parkinson, Ebony Angel, flew across the sky as fast as her wings would carry her, cursing constantly under her breath. The in-depth interrogation she’d had with the villainess calling herself Ms. Machina had turned up a few vitally important items, things that she needed to report back to her partner and their Master, pronto. Unfortunately, her communicator and her smart phone had been fried during her scuffle with the killer robots, and of all the electronic gadgets Robotica had installed, a cell phone was not one of them. She doesn’t like them. Who would have thought that a living technological wonder could be such a Luddite? Streaking across the sky, scanning ahead, she again cursed herself for not thinking to putting her OWN cell phone somewhere safe when the sparks started flying.

Gah! And it’s not as if I have any pockets on this blasted excuse for a costume anyway! she fumed silently, arching her back and flaring her wings out to gain some more altitude. She had stuffed the phone in its usual hiding place inside her bra, but had been too embarrassed to reach in and pull it out after the action started. Seriously! Bonnie and I have GOT to sit down with Nigel some time after all this is over and talk about a new costume design... preferably something that doesn’t get ripped to shreds every time I get into a fight! Heh... I’m almost convinced that was at least part of the idea he had when he designed them... how they would look all ripped and torn! She smiled slightly at the thought of Nigel’s gaze running over her body, the parts showing and the parts concealed, barely restraining a moan of pleasure.

Shit. No “almost” about it. He likes his harem girls in pretty lingerie. If it’s torn and burned and filthy, all the better. Dirty fuckin’ old man... Mmmm... I wish he was fuckin’ me right now! No... dammit! Focus! I have to get there as soon as possible! If that crackpot was right about her brother, then I don’t have any time to waste!

Larissa had painted a very disturbing picture. Her brother, Laraby Fredrickson, known to be on the lam, but thought to be a helpless blind cripple, was actually nothing of the sort! Moaning with organic pleasure and smiling from ear to ear, Ms. Machina had recounted—in lurid detail—how she had not only aided in his escape, but had equipped the mercenary assassin with a high tech replacement for the arm Luminaire had burned off. Even more disturbing was the news that he was no longer truly “blind”, that his own unique targeting powers had compensated for his blindness by giving him a new kind of radar-like precision blindsense. Not only was the man free to come and go as he pleased, he was once again a serious threat, fully ‘armed’ and extremely dangerous.

And the guy had a serious sociopathic hard-on for Katie even before she bested him and put him in the hospital. It’s only a matter of time before he comes after her again. And with her staying with us in the mansion, everyone will be in the crosshairs if that maniac shows up and starts shooting. I’ve got to get back and warn everyone. I just hope I make it in time...

* * *

“What?” I asked, not sure I’d heard her correctly. “You don’t want me to be a part of your harem anymore? B... but... why?” I couldn’t believe it. She... didn’t want me? I mean, I knew I fucked up earlier. but... “Sioban, please! I’m sorry about before, okay? I know I screwed up royally by not telling you I was leaving,” tears falling now, “but I swear I can do better! Please, Sioban... just let me make it up to you! I NEED you to be okay with this! I need you!” She blinked, as if surprised by that last part. “Please! I’ll... I’ll do anything you want! Just... just... please don’t throw me out! “

Sioban swallowed, trying to remember her resolve. She had that look on her face again. The one that kinda scared me—pity and yearning and fear and lust and something else. Love? Romance? No way! She was so much older than me. And me? I was just a stupid messed-up kid to her. No, we were just friends. I mean, friend with benefits, of course... major benefits... executive class benefits with stock options and golden parachutes and shit. But she couldn’t be falling in love with me, could she? Not logical, sensible Sioban. She’d never fall for a messed up... mess... like me. Would she? Nah, that’s just wishful thinking, Katie. Stop it!

Sure enough, I heard her mutter to herself, “Stay strong, Bonnie. It’s for your own good. It’s for HER own good.”

“Katie,” she said, reaching up to caress my cheek lightly, drawing my complete attention, “I know why you want to do this. I know that you’re feeling scared and isolated and... displaced. I get that. I understand. But... this isn’t the answer—”

“It IS!” I insisted, sobbing now, starting to shake. Sioban... was rejecting me. My world... it felt like it was all falling apart again, crashing down around me. “T-tawnya t-told me... abou-bout how it w-was... for you t-t-two...” I said, starting to hyperventilate. I was having another panic attack. “She said... it w-was... the b-best... thing... that ever h-appen-ed to h-h-her! It g-gave her pur-pppose... made h-her h-happy!”

Before I knew it I was in her arms, held tightly, cuddled close and nestled between her breasts. “Shhh... it’s okay, baby. Please... just calm down. I’m not rejecting you. I swear. And I’m not pushing you away.” She sighed softly, closing her eyes. “Look. T-Baby told you the truth... about her. Being Nigel’s slave... being a part of their family... it was like a dream come true for her. And yes, it was the best thing to ever happen to me too... for a bunch of different reasons. But as good as it was, it also had its bad side. Katie... I was taken against my will. I was tricked and enslaved, and turned into an obedient puppet with no will of my own, subject to another person’s whimsy! Nigel was a good and wise master, but I never wanted or needed a ‘master’ at all! "

Sioban bristled slightly as she continued. “As much as I loved Nigel, as much as I still love and care for him, as much as I consider him STILL to be my... my mentor, a very deep part of me resents that I was never given a choice. Nigel and Patricia basically abducted and brainwashed me into compliance. Look, I have to admit that the end DID justify the means. And Nigel always made sure that my time with him and the others was absolutely wonderful. Still, it irks me to know how easily my free will was stolen from me.“

Sioban paused for a moment, considering, searching for the words. I couldn’t help but feel that she was holding something back. “Katie,” she continued after a moment, “I enjoyed my life as Nigel’s slave. I truly did. He’s a good man. But... he’s not perfect. He has his faults. And you have no idea how powerful his control over you will be... how a frown and a harsh word could destroy your entire world! And his orders would be absolute. If he ordered you to cut all ties with your family and friends you would do it without hesitation, without even thinking about it. You wouldn’t be able to even think of disobeying. You’d just accept anything he told you to do.“

“I know,” I sniffed, clinging helplessly to her. It was kind of strange... she was actually an inch or two smaller than me, yet she felt so big, so strong, so powerful that I felt like a tiny little girl in her arms. “I know... about all that. But I don’t care. Don’t you see, S’ban? It’s worth it if I can be with you. And... and Tawnya,” I added, blushing hotly. Dammit, every time I opened my mouth it sounded like I was coming on to her! “Both of you, I mean. And Constance, too,” I added softly. “And... Patty, and Angela... and Delores... all of you! I don’t really care what I have to give up. I don’t have much to lose anyway... and what I gain more than makes up for it.“

Sioban sighed softly. But there was this distance again. That calculation of what to say. What’s she holding back?

“And... what if he told you that you couldn’t be with Tawnya or me anymore?” she asked.

I froze, stiffening in her arms. “B... but he wouldn’t do that?” I protested, pulling back to look her in the eye. Her face was blank and emotionless, without a trace of humor or joviality. “He loves you! You said it yourself, he’s not cruel. He’s a good man! Even when our families were still at odds, he let you and T hang out with me. Why would he separate us now?”

“Because he can,” Sioban replied simply with a shrug. “I’m not saying that he would. Or that he plans to. And yes, Nigel is one of the finest men I have even known... even accounting for the bias of sharing his bed. But he also has a temper... and he tends to be very strict about certain things. If he DID decide to punish you for something, he could very well decide that you were not allowed to be with me... or... o-o-or anyone else. Or something worse.”

The redhead stopped, considering again what she was saying. She shook her head. There it was again!

“Listen,” she said gently, hugging me again. “I’m painting a grim picture here on purpose to try and give you perspective. You’re asking to undergo the process to suppress the fear and pain and loneliness you have, that feels like it’s going to swallow you whole. But that process, that brainwashing doesn’t solve the problem, it just covers it up like a band-aid over a gunshot wound.”

She took my hand in her own. “Katie, I really believe you are strong enough to deal with this on your own, without a crutch. When Silver Girl freed us from our Mas... from Nigel’s control, my first reaction was relief... then bittersweet sadness. A part of me wanted it back, the safe warm feeling of just submitting, of only having to worry about following orders and letting Nigel make all the big decisions. Hell, Tawnya flat out demanded it! But Nigel freed us all for a reason. What he’d done to us... it made us all less than ourselves... it repressed us, it held us back. The only real way to grow is to stand on your own, to face your problems head on and deal with them.“

I nodded softly, still sniffling. “Soo... you saying I have to deal with all of this by myself, then?”

“No baby, not at all,” she replied with a small smile. “Dealing with your issues yourself doesn’t mean dealing with things BY yourself. I, ah, we... we’ll be here for you in any way and every way you need us to be. And if you ever need a shoulder to cry on, or someone to talk to, or to hold your hand, I’m here. But you can’t hide from the pain, sweetie. That only makes it worse.” She sighed softly. “Jessica is dead. She died. Your girlfriend died, and there was nothing you, or anyone else, could have done to stop it from happening. All you can do is accept it and go on with your life.“

Jessica was dead... dead and gone. She wasn’t coming back. And... it was my fault. My fault. But... I needed to get past that. I couldn’t make amends if I just gave up. Jessica wouldn’t be happy... would probably scold me something fierce if she knew how I’d been acting. Sioban was right. I needed to learn to stand up on my own two legs.

“You’re right,” I said wiping my tear stained face. “You’re right. Sorry for being such a drag lately. I’ll.. try and do better.”

“I know you will,” Sioban said, giving me a real smile this time. “And I’ll be, ah, we’ll be r-right there with you. We’ll help.” I glanced at her face, her very lovely face, so young, so sweet, so... beautiful. She was years older than me, years wiser as well, even though standing side by side we looked like sisters.

Sisters. I smiled a bit at that. I’d always wanted a sister. Don’t get me wrong. I loved having a twin brother, but having a fellow woman to connect with, to talk to and share with... there was more than one reason why I was so jealous of Sylvia and Aur—er, Yancy.

Hmm... speaking of the LaSilvas sisters... I wonder if thinking of Bon-bon as my sister is what was giving me such a warm, tingly feeling down below? Especially how their side of the family treated ‘familiar relations’. Heh... I’m apparently more screwed up in the head than even I thought. But... Maybe not. There it was again. That look.

Suddenly, I was afraid all over again.

“Bonnie... There’s something else. There’s something you’re not telling me. Please don’t hold out on me! I... I can...” Now I was crying again. “I can take it. The bad news. O-o-or... whatever it is. Please don’t hide from me!”

Now Sioban’s eyes brimmed with tears. “Oh Katie. I can’t. I just can’t. You’re not... you can’t... Jess isn’t even in her grave yet! YOU’RE NOT READY! You’re not ready to deal with my stupid shit and yours too!”

I opened my mouth to protest, but never got the words out.

“IVORY!! LUMY!!” came the cry from up above us.

I glanced up to see a rather tired, worn, and battered Ebony Angel descending in a flat out nose dive. I gasped in shock, jerking back in surprise, then moved, preparing to catch the falling girl rocketing towards me. At the last second, however, she flared and spread her wings, decelerating, and landing nimbly on her feet accompanied by a blast of wind. As graceful as the dive and landing were, the dark-skinned Angel managed only a single step before collapsing. Sioban caught her partner before she fell, and the two of us helped her into the mansion.

My own issues could definitely wait. I caught Bonnie’s eye and gave her a look that said we weren’t done yet. She nodded back and turned to her partner.

“Tawyna, what is it? What’s wrong?” Sioban asked, worry marring her lovely face. “You should still be patrolling the west side of the city. What’s happened?”

“Trouble...” she panted in response, trying to catch her breath. “Big... trouble... Fred... rick... son...”

“Wait... Laraby Fredrickson?!?” I blurted out, gently moving Sioban aside to stare directly in Tawnya’s face. “You mean Sureshot? What about him?”

Taking a deep breath, she took a moment to steady herself after her breakneck flight. “Yeah... him. I ran into the guy’s sister, a robotics nut calling herself Ms. Machina... long story. Suffice it to say I ‘convinced’ her to give me the rundown. Sureshot escaped from police custody. He’s loose... and he’s coming after you, Katie. He’s dead set on getting his revenge. And Katie... He’s dangerous.”

* * *

Huh. Looks like the snake lady was correct after all, Sureshot thought to himself, squatting in his perch, calmly assembling his rifle. If I kept track of the little angel girls, eventually both of my targets would end up together. It’s strange... I can tell both of my targets are there, inside the building, even from this distance. I can’t see them yet... but I can feel them. He slid the cartridge deep into the assembled rifle, then slid the bold home, locking it in place. With his main gun fully assembled, he finally stood up from his hiding spot, allowing the electronic sensors to sweep over him, alerting his prey to his presence.

Too far away to hear the alarms, he could see the signal being transmitted, the pulses flowing through the electrical grid like a great shining beacon. He chuckled softly, drawing the twin silenced Beretta from his shoulder holsters, and took careful aim. Standing at the very edge of the mansion’s property line, he knew it would take several seconds before the guards reached his position, but he wanted to be ready to greet them formally.

I think I’ll be kind and merely wound them, he thought charitably, as the first group of armed men approached. To be fair, Grimalde is my target. The ‘hired hands’ aren’t really worth the bother, and killing them lacks challenge.

“Excuse me sir,” the first sentry said, approaching. “This is private property. I’m going to have you ask you to lee—aauurk!!!”

“Hey! What the—aaaarrrgghh!!”

“Christ! Everyone! Open fi—uuhhnnnn!”

Sureshot blew lightly along the barrel of his gun before spinning it around his finger and sliding it back into its holster, then turned to stare straight into the camera, hidden along the edge of the fence. “Nigel Grimalde,” he said aloud, “I was told you had a top notch security force guarding you. So far, I’m not impressed. I was hoping this would be more entertaining, but so far I am quite bored. And I hate being bored. I hope the rest of your people can do better.” Walking a few steps away, he turned and fired, shooting out the camera.

That ought to get his attention, Laraby thought with a sadistic grin, prepping his rifle. If the rumors about this guy are true, he’ll likely take my little insult personally, and throw everything but the kitchen sink at me. That should definitely make this more interesting... and with a little luck, it should draw him out. All I need is for that groundhog to poke his head up out of his hole... so I can blow it off!

* * *

The alarms going off came as something of a surprise, but in retrospect, considering Tawnya’s news, I guess I should have expected it. The three of us literally flew to Nigel’s office, bursting through the door, desperate to know what was happening, yet dreading it all the while. Nigel was at his desk, with Constance at his side, barking orders over the intercom system. “...don’t care, I want him stopped, now! Get the snipers up on the roof, ASAP! This bastard just took down three of the gate guards in three seconds, without batting an eye! I don’t want him stepping ONE FOOT onto this property!” Turning to face us again, he sighed softly. “Ladies, perfect timing. It seems we have an unauthorized visitor at the East Gate, and he seems to be the violent type. I might need your expertise if the guards prove ineffective.“

“Sir, um, Mr. Grimalde, Sir,” I said hesitantly, my stomach tying itself in knots, “I think this is all my fault.”

“Oh?” Nigel replied, an eyebrow raised. “Perhaps I missed something then.” Tapping a button, revealing a video display, Laraby Fredrickson’s face exploded into view. “Did you invite this man here and forget to mention it earlier?”

“Invite? No, Master,” Tawnya said grimly, “but he is here for Katie. That’s Sureshot, the assassin Duncan Frasier hired to kill her all those weeks ago. She managed to beat him, put him in the hospital, but he escaped custody and now he’s here for revenge. We have to do something to protect her!”

“So, that’s Sureshot,” Nigel mused for a moment. “I’m familiar with the name. In the criminal underworld he’s infamous for never failing to complete a contract, as well as never missing his target.” He shook his head. “If that’s true, then it’s little wonder he’s come here after Katherine—not only did he fail to kill her as promised, she’s the first target he’s ever missed.”

“So, he’s not going to simply walk away from this with a stern talking to,” Sioban replied with a sigh. “Then we’ll have to face him. The guards won’t be able to stop him, Nigel. He might not be super strong or agile, but he IS a metahuman. You don’t earn a reputation like his if anyone with a gun can take you out so easily.”

I nodded, frowning, listening to them discuss what to do, back and forth, when a strange itchy feeling swept over me. It was strangely disconcerting... like ants crawling all over me, but it only lasted for a moment. It felt... familiar though... like I’d felt that same sensation before. And then, in a sudden epiphany, I realized EXACTLY where I’d felt that feeling before. “GET DOWN!” I yelled, diving to tackle Nigel, pulling him down behind his desk just as two loud bangs rang out. Screams rang out, and wood splinters and plaster rained down lightly over us, as a pair of bullet holes appeared in the wall above us.

“Nigel!” Patricia Grimalde screamed, bursting into the room a moment later. “Are you all right? What’s going on? What was that?”

“Patricia!! Stay back!” Nigel yelled, sliding out from underneath me. “Keep your head down! We’re under attack!”

“Are those bullet holes in the wall?!?” Patty yelled, starting to enter the room, but Nigel warned her off again.

“Patricia! I want you to go upstairs and stay with the children,” he ordered. “Take them to the Panic Room and keep them safe. We’ll handle this situation; you handle the kids.”

“He’s right, Ma’am,” I said, regaining my feet. “This is my problem. I don’t want anyone else getting hurt because of me. I’ll go out and deal with him myself!”

“And we’ll back you up,” Tawnya added, slamming her fist into her palm.

I sighed softly. “No... you won’t.”

“HEY!!” Sioban yelled, suddenly finding Tawnya and herself confined, clad tightly in a cocoon of light. “Katie? What do you think you’re doing? Let us go!”

“I can’t. I won’t.” I replied, stepping past them, past Patricia, and Connie, heading to the hallway and the front door. “ALL of you... this is my fault! I brought this danger to your front door, and I’ll be damned if I let anyone else pay for my mistakes. Tawyna, Sioban... I’m sorry. But if anything happened to you...” I shook my head. “Mr. Grimalde, tell your people to stay back. I’ll try and draw him off. It’s me he’s after anyway.” I turned and departed, streaking towards the front door.

“Are you sure about that, Katherine?” Nigel asked, archly, glancing up at the wall. “Those shots seemed rather like they were meant specifically for me...”

* * *

“Frederickson!” I yelled out loud, landing on the front yard, powered up, and glowing with light. “I’m right here! It’s me you want! Just leave everyone else alone and face me, one-on-one!”

A shot rang out, and I winced, the ground at my feet exploded in a shower of dust and debris. “Ah. So you decided to stop hiding, hmm?” Sureshot replied, stepping out from behind a large oak tree. “Still playing at being the heroine. Probably think you have nothing to fear from me, eh?” He pulled a pair of pistols from his shoulder holsters, firing at me, and again I winced. Both shots, however, went wide, one hitting the ground several feet to my right, the other scoring a hit on one of the marble pillars in front of the house. He sighed softly, glancing down at his guns. “And, it would seem that you’re correct.”

“Let’s take this somewhere else,” I said, lifting off from the ground. “Whatever problems you have with me have nothing to do with my friends. I don’t want anyone else catching any stray bullets meant for me.”

“Oh... but I’m afraid I’m not done here just yet,” he said suddenly, raising his gun once more, taking aim. He fired once more... and a sudden pain erupted in my left shoulder, as well as a splash and splatter of blood. I cried out in alarm, tumbling back to the ground, jarring my shoulder even more, and my vision dimmed. “You see, Luminaire,” Sureshot taunted, walking over to stand above me, “I learned a few new tricks since our last encounter. I’ve been ‘upgraded’, so to speak... with a new hand and new ‘eyes’. I can see things I never saw before... like that shifting, flowing aura surrounding you. It may be formidable, but it’s nothing I can’t bypass with a little concentration.”

“Damn you!” I cried, letting loose with a blinding glare, pushing myself up to my knees, preparing to run while he was distracted—only to be rudely kicked back onto the ground, his heel pressing down hard on my wounded shoulder.

“Was that one of your little flashbang flares?” he asked, amused. “Trying to blind a blind man? You’re either very desperate or a complete and total fool...” He fired again, and I screamed, my other shoulder perforated from point blank range.

The pain... goddess bless, the pain... it was unbearable! You know how some people in the movies get shot, and keep standing, wincing and making some kind of last minute attack on the villain? Bullshit!! In real life, most of the time it was pain from the gunshot putting the victim into shock that killed them, rather than the damage from the wound itself. I was pretty sure I was about to be one of them as well; he hadn’t hit any vital areas yet or nicked an artery with either shot, but I felt like I was about to pass out and never wake up.

“You see? You can be hurt, little girl,” he said grimly, pointing his gun at my head now. “When all is said and done, you’re human just like the rest of us.“

“Yeah, big talk coming from an inhuman monster like you, Fredrickson!” Ebony Angel shouted, firing down on him from above, causing Sureshot to jerk back away from me. She fired from her hand blaster again, and he back flipped away, showing some agility as he dodged, landing easily back on his feet. “Picking on little girls? And here I thought you were supposed to be some big shot macho hit man!” she growled, hovering a bit above me as her partner Ivory Angel dropped down to tend to me.

“Oh goddess... Luminaire!” Ivory cried, gently lifting me up into her arms. “Talk to me, baby. Are you okay? C’mon... say something!”

“How... did you... get free?” I asked weakly, trying to remember to breathe despite the pain in my chest.

“Our gauntlet blasters,” she said stiffly. “The latest innovation from Frasier Industries. They generate energy blasts at the same energy frequency as your mom’s Omega Blasts, which neutralize pretty much any kind energy source.... including yours. They were a gift from your Dad.”

She sighed softly, laying me down gently, to move in front of me. “When I said you need to learn to stand on your own two feet, this wasn’t what I meant... but we can talk about that later,” she growled, giving her anger show fully, “AFTER I rip this guy’s head off and shove it up his ass!”

I watched them battle Sureshot, two winged angels fighting a true devil armed with his own artillery, diving and swooping, performing an aerial ballet that I couldn’t even find the words to describe. They were amazing: beautiful and terrible, graceful and deadly, magical beyond words, and real as a fist to the face. Sioban once told me that they called the magical gems that gave them their powers the Tears of the Valkyrie. I could understand that. Watching them go, seeing them fight for me like this, fierce Valkyries were exactly what they brought to mind.

“Ka... uh, Luminaire? Are you okay?”

I blinked in surprise at a soft gentle touch on my shoulder. Constance. With an effort, she slipped an arm around underneath my arms and around my waist, lifting me up. “Connie... no,” I protested weakly. “Forget about me.... you should be with your boss... with Nigel. I’m okay... really.”

“No, you’re not,” she insisted, helping to my feet, helping me walk slowly back towards the mansion. “And don’t worry about Mr. Grimalde. Darryl is with him, and Patricia and Angela are in the Panic Room with the kids, surrounded by the rest of our security. Everyone’s safe and taken care of... except you. Now stop fighting me and let me help you!”

I sighed softly, as I felt her enter my mind, damping down my pain receptors a bit, easing my torment. “Thanks Connie... I owe you one,” I said sincerely.

“Well, you should talk to my boss when this is over,” she said with a grin, “about the type of ‘gratuity’ I usually charge for these sorts of favors.” I laughed at that, having heard a bit about Connie’s payment plan from Tawyna earlier. I sighed softly, thoughtfully. Things were a bit rough, but not as hopeless as I’d thought it was earlier. I was out of the fight, but Bon-bon and T-baby were more than enough to handle that crazed gunman—

“AAAHHHHHH!!” Tawnya’s cry of agony and pain shattered THAT little fantasy. I turned, pulling away from Connie, to see my beautiful dark skinned angel crash down to earth again, landing hard against the unforgiving ground.

“EBONY!!” Sioban yelled, swooping down after her, only to catch a bullet as well, the force of it spinning her in the air, sending her crashing down next to her partner.

“Two shots, two birds,” Sureshot quipped, stepping out into the open once more, rifle in hand. “I must be slipping.”

“Damn you!” I yelled, turning up the heat, firing my brightest, hottest beam at Fredrickson, no longer caring whether he survived the blast or not. I poured my all into it... well, all that I had left after everything I’d endured today, including being shot twice. Out of juice, I collapsed back to my knees, winded, breathless... and sat up in dread as the smoke and dust cleared revealing Sureshot, still standing, still whole.

“Sorry to disappoint you,” he said, taking aim with his rifle, firing, and hitting Constance beside me, sending her to the ground. He then fired six more times in rapid succession, and six more voices cried out in pain from above and behind me. Nigel’s sniper team. “I did mention that I’d been upgraded before,” he said, walking towards me once more. “My sister was smart enough to build my new arm out of a heat resistant polymer, based on the heat shields they used for the space shuttle. You can’t blind me, and you can’t incinerate me. Face it kid... you’re beaten.” He stopped a few feet away and took aim once more... but not at me. “I could simply kill you right here and now,” he said casually, firing a shot at the mansion, towards the center of Nigel’s office, “but that would be too easy. So... I think I’ll kill all of your little friends, one by one, while you sit there helplessly and watch.” He grinned. “You made me suffer, girl. So now, I want you to suffer.”

I shook my head in denial. It was happening again. Sioban. Tawyna. Constance. Nigel. Patty. Angela. Those poor little kids. They were going to die... all because of me! Just like Jessica. Just like Jess. And I... I was too weak to stop it... too weak to do anything but sit here like a helpless infant and watch!

It’s not fair!

Weakling!

I blinked, frowning. That voice... I’d heard it before... somewhere.

Stupid, pitiful, weak little bitch! it yelled again, echoing inside my head, slowing growing in intensity. I closed my eyes, hands to the side of my head, trying to drown out the cruel mocking tone... but it only seemed to get louder, harsher, more insistent... drowning out everything and everyone else—

* * *

Where am I?

I was... floating? Somewhere very white, and indistinct, like being inside a cloud. But... wasn’t I just at the Prentiss Mansion a second ago?

“You really ARE an idiot, you know that?” the voice spoke out, taunting me again, only now it was coming from in front of me, just ahead of me. “This is inside your head, dumbass! In your mind! God... I am SO fucking suck of all your whining, all your petulant ‘poor poor me’ bullshit! You’re a goddamn superhero, bitch! You were trained for this kind of shit, trained how to fight, how to THINK, how to protect the people closest to you. And instead, here you sit, crying like a fucking BABY, with the villain who KILLED THE LOVE OF YOUR LIFE, is standing just a few feet away from you, about to murder your closest and dearest friends!”

“But... I’ve been shot,” I said, crying now, her words striking too strong a chord. “I can’t stop him! I tried! I did! But I can’t beat him!”

“Bullshit!” the voice snarled, stepping closer, her form visible, but still vague and indistinct. “You have more power in your goddamn little PINKY that most other Supers have in their entire being! You’re just too weak to use it... too fucking weak to do what NEEDS to be done!” She stepped forward, finally, into the light, as the shifting white fog faded, revealing her clearly.

“Wh... who are you?” I asked, dreading, yet somehow knowing, the answer.

“I’m YOU, dipshit!” was her reply, as my doppelganger walked up to glare at me. Talk about through a mirror darkly! She was my mirror image, with my face, my body, my everything. The only differences were her hair, a thick black glossy mane with very familiar bright silver, blonde, and purple highlights... and her eyes, which were a steely grey with flecks of black and purple shining in them. Purple... silver... and black... the sight of which stirred another memory from deep inside my mind:

A silhouette rose from the carpet, staring down into the flames as its back faced the confused sisters. Black melted away from the silhouette, revealing a remarkably familiar face as she spun on the heels of her bare feet.

“A lovely shared mindscape you two formed. It’s mine now, but I wanted us all to meet here before everything ended.” The woman grinned with her dark black lips, pure black eyes seeming infinitely deep and infinitely wet. She wore a black dress as wet as her eyes that ended an inch over her ankles, a diamond of bare flesh revealed stretching from just under her cleavage to just below her waist...

A name came with the memory and vision. “Singularity,” I breathed in disbelief. The woman before me merely chuckled.

“Well, actually, yes and no. ‘Singularity’ was dear Sylvia’s ink stained shadow, the ‘quill-spawned’ combination of her mind’s darkest wants, needs and desires. When we had that little mind-meld with Cousin Nebby a few months ago, just a little of that inner darkness bled over into us. And like Singularity, I merged with your psyche, with the repressed, sleeping part of you, the inner darkness that you keep buried so deep down inside you. And I’ve been content all these weeks to simply sit by and watch, to let you live your life as you saw fit, happy enough to let you stumble your way through.” Her eyes narrowed. “That is, until now.

“I’m not going to sit by and watch as this bastard kills our closest friends again! I refuse to sit idly by and watch! We have power, goddammit,” she growled, black ink dripping off of her, sizzling like acid, revealing a glowing purple and yellow light buried underneath, “and I sure as hell intend to use it!” She gestured to herself, to her costume, and it changed, the ink reforming into a tight fighting black and pink leotard and cape.

“Singularity? No... not me. She was a black hole... a gravity well with no light, no heat, hiding like a coward in some far off Nebula. MY star is burning brightly, brighter than the sun, so hot that when I finally go I will take everyone and everything with me! Call me... Supernova!”

* * *

I gasped, opening my eyes.

“Interesting,” Sureshot said with a scowl. “As incredible as it seems, I actually missed Grimalde again. My shot was dead on, but someone interfered at the last second, taking the hit for him.” He shook his head. “You have to admire that kind of loyalty. Well... you can admire it. Personally, to me it just another annoyance. Maybe I should aim for one of the smaller targets up on the upper floors inside that useless metal box... see if THAT draws him out—“

“I don’t think so,” I murmured softly, pushing myself back to my feet. Constance was out cold—the wound she’d taken had put her out of commission. Without her in my head dampening my pain, it had returned with a vengeance. And yet... strangely, I welcomed it. Pain was good. Pain let you know you were alive. And as long as I was still alive, I wasn’t about to quit fighting. Laraby turned to face me again, scowling, no doubt thinking me down for the count.

“Lie back down and wait your turn,” he barked with a sneer, slamming the butt of his rifle against my forehead. “I’ll deal with you in a minute, after I’ve taken care of your friends.” His sneer faded, however, as I stood back up again, glaring back at him. “I said, stay down!” he yelled, swinging the makeshift club again, only to wince as I grabbed it, holding on firmly. “LET GO, you stupid BITCH!” he growled, pulling, trying to yank it from my grasp, in vain, my grip fully established. With a gentle heave, I pulled the weapon free. Then, holding it before him, I melted it into a puddle of molten liquid in my bare hands.

“FUCK!” he yelled, jerking back again, furious. “Still got some fight left in you, huh? Well, if you want to die first,” he added, drawing his pistols again, “then far be it for me to disappoint you!” He fired again, as I brought my hand up. The shots struck true as always... alas, this time, I was NOT the intended target. Sureshot let out a howl of pain and outrage as his own bullets struck him from behind, ripping a hole in his left shoulder and upper right thigh. “Fuck!” he yelled again, falling down to one knee, still clutching his guns.

“What the... " he gasped suddenly in shock, staring at me with wide sightless eyes. “How... is this even possible?” To his vision, the lines of connection, his targeting sense, had suddenly gone crazy! Every single possible line leading to me had been blunted, twisted, and stretched, turned back at him! It was as if a miniature wormhole had opened up surrounding me, twisted the laws of physics into something... unimaginable.

“Oh God, NO! NO! I figured out your little deflection aura! I had you BEAT! You can’t do this to me AGAIN!” He growled in frustration, focusing, concentration, all to no avail. “You’re changing it, warping... fucking reality ITSELF! You’re not fucking HUMAN! How the FUCK are you doing this?!?”

“How am I doing this?” I asked blithely. “You know... I don’t actually know,” I said calmly, reaching out to take the guns from his unresisting hands. “I’m really just working on instinct right now. I can only imagine what you’re, ah, ‘seeing’.” The pistols, too, melted into slag at my touch. “But I do know this,” I added, as he swung at me with his metal arm, trying to punch my head clear of my body, “you’ll never be a threat to me or my friends anymore. Never again!” I caught the blow, focusing my gaze on it, focusing in its inner workings, on the tiny circuits and gizmos inside. With a simple twist, the artificial limb pulled free, disassembling itself, falling to the ground in a brief shower of parts and components.

“Gaahhhh!!” Sureshot yelled, stumbling back, his wounded leg giving out on him causing him to fall flat on his back. He groaned in pain, staring up to me in a bit of role reversal, as I stood over him, looking down at him dispassionately. “You... fucking bitch!” he growled. “This isn’t the end of this, you hear me! I’ll get you for this, no matter what it takes... no matter how long it takes! I’ll kill you for this!”

“No, I don’t believe you will,” I said softly, gesturing with my hands. A small pale orb of light began to form... not my usual bright yellow-white light, but a dark, dim, brackish, pale light, with lines of red and black streaking through it. I wasn’t exactly sure what I was creating, but from the pale faced reaction of my opponent, I could tell I was on the right track. “In fact, Laraby,” I said, as the orb grew larger and larger, hovering just above his battered and bloody form, “I don’t think you’ll be bothering anyone ever again!“

“Luminaire! Stop!”

I paused, glancing to the side, the ball of death light hovering just at my fingertips. “Don’t do it,” Tawyna panted, wincing, as she and Sioban came up next to me, both looking a bit worse for wear. I let out a small sigh of relief—I had not been sure the bastard hadn’t killed them when he’d shot them both out of the sky. Apparently neither had been kill shots, however, and the magic that gave them their powers was slowly but surely healing them. “Don’t kill him. You’ve already stopped him, wounded him, and taken away his weapons. He’s done. It’s over!”

“No, it’s not over,” I replied with a shake of my head. “It’ll never be over. He just practically declared as much. It won’t be over until either he or I are dead... and all things considered, I’d rather it be him!”

“Katie, please!” Sioban called out, just before I released. “Don’t. This isn’t you. You’re NOT a murderer! Let’s just call the police and let them handle it from here on out.”

“Are you INSANE?” I yelled back at her. “This maniac just tried to KILL YOU! And everyone you care about! He shot Connie... and Darryl... and he was about to shoot Patty, Angie and the kids! He’s NOT a man... he’s a monster! A ruthless inhuman beast, and he needs to be put down!” I shook my head. “If he were here, Nigel would agree with me!”

“I AM here, Katherine,” Nigel stated, coming up from the house, with several armed guards and a young brown haired woman that I recognized as the doctor who treated me earlier, who knelt down and began tending to Constance. “And you’re right. That... THING cowering on the ground before you is a monster... and he does deserve to be put down for good.” In a move of surprising empathy and kindness, he laid a hand gently on my shoulder. “But not like this. And not by you, Katherine. Sioban is right—you’re not a killer. You’re a heroine. You save lives, you don’t take them. Remember... you’re ‘The Light of Justice’... You’re a paragon, a white knight, an example of good the rest of us strive so hard to imitate. So please... don’t do this. Let the authorities deal with this... this scum.“

I shook my head, not believing what I was hearing, especially from him, the man known as Blackfinger, one of the cruelest, most unforgiving kingpins in the criminal underworld. “He needs to pay,” I insisted. “If I let this go, he’ll just escape again, and come after us all over again... and the next time he might not start out shooting to wound or injure! Nigel... Sir... he was aiming for your KIDS! He fucking BRAGGED about it, saying that maybe THAT would get you to poke your head out where he could snipe at you!” Nigel went pale, but said nothing, his jaw clenched tightly. “Surely you can’t tell me you don’t want to rip this guy apart with your bare hands?”

“I do, Katherine,” he said in a low voice that literally raised the hairs on the back of my neck. “Believe me, you have NO IDEA how much I’d love to do just that...” He closed his eyes taking a steadying breath. “I’ve been the man who could actually do that for most of my life. I love being the winner, the champion of vengeance, the killer instinct made flesh. It feels so good. Until later. When you are alone with yourself. When you have to find a way to live with the things you’ve done.”

He shuddered and then looked away from me. “I’m not your role model child. You’re mine. You are a sweet, innocent girl... a veritable child of the light. Killing a man, even one as despicable is him, darkens your soul. Once you cross that line, you can never come back from it. It kills a part of you. The warmth inside you goes cold. Not all at once, mind, and not completely... but it does change you. So... call me selfish if you want, but I don’t want you staining your hands with his blood.”

“Please, Katie,” Sioban begged again, staring at me with hope. “Don’t do it.”

Closing my eyes, I willed away the death light I’d created... shrinking it down into a tiny single drop of black, and flicked it idly at the man, striking him between the eyes. Sureshot gasped, eyes wide, shuddering brutally for several seconds before sighing, eyes rolling up into his head.

“K-katie?” Tawyna asked, concern written in her face. “What did you do to him? You didn’t...”

“Kill him? No,” I said tiredly, the adrenaline fading, leaving me exhausted and acutely aware of my injuries. “I just... did a little... ‘mental editing’... erasing details about us... to make sure he won’t remember... won’t be a threat to us... again after this.” Or possibly gave him a stroke, not that THAT would be such a tragedy either. “At any rate... I’m pretty much done here...” I said, as my own legs gave out, and I felt into Tawnya’s strong, powerful, and loving arms...