The Erotic Mind-Control Story Archive

Lana LaSilvas glanced up as I entered the apartment. “Hey,” she waved, lounging on the couch, eating from a pint of ice cream, She was dressed casually for a change in a white blouse, and hip hugger jeans, her long silver hair in a ponytail, and her legs crossed underneath her. “I was wondering where you wandered off to.” She shifted position slightly, a pale bare foot slipping out from underneath her, as she moved to stand up, but I waved her off.

“You’re fine,” I said, walking over to sit down next to her. “A few friends of mine came by while you were sleeping, needing help with something.” I raised an eyebrow as she nodded, resuming her snacking. “I’m glad you managed to find something to eat while I was gone. If you’re still hungry, I can order something for delivery.”

“Hmmm... maybe later. I’m good for now,” she said with a satisfied sigh, lowering the now empty container back to the end table. “Mmmm... goddess, that was so good! I’ve never tasted anything like it before!”

“Ice cream? You’ve never had ice cream before?”

“Yes, I’ve ice cream,” she replied with a smirk, “though in my prior experience there were only three flavors—chocolate, strawberry, and vanilla. Apparently, your people have come up with some improvements.”

I chuckled at that. From the way she’d inhaled my mint chocolate chip ice cream, I’d say she approved. Man... first Mom’s Nornir apprentice Nadira stops by and eats up all my strawberry, then Lana inhales my mint chocolate chip! What was it with girls from alternate dimensions and ice cream, anyway?

We sat there for a moment more, then Lana let out a small sigh. “Lunarius,” she said softly, staring down at her silver painted toes. I blinked, staring, unsure of what she’d said until she finally glanced up at me. “Lunarius,” she repeated. “It’s my middle name. When I was younger, my friends called me ‘Luna’.”

“Oh. That’s... kinda cute, actually,” I said awkwardly, not really sure where this was going.

“I like to read,” she stated, leaning back, propping her feet up on the table. “And not just magical tomes or historical documents or the like. I’m a sucker for a good romance novel. And my favorite color is blue,” she added with a soft smile. “Periwinkle blue. Lyra, an old girlfriend of mine... she had the deepest bluest eyes I’d ever seen. They were so clear, you could stare into them for hours and just get lost in them...”

I nodded again, slowly. “Um, okay. Not that I don’t appreciate you sharing, but you’re kind of starting to freak me out. What’s going on here, Lana? Why are you telling me all this? Are you... are you dying? Did you suddenly discover you have some kind of terminal disease?”

“What? NO! Of course not!” she yelled, glaring at me for a moment, before softening. “Look, James... I just... I took to heart what you said earlier, all right? I’ve been used to doing things a certain way for hundreds of years, with hundreds of students. I always felt it was better to remain a strict authoritative figure, a stern, aloof taskmaster. You share personal things about yourself with friends, not your students. And it’s worked for me for centuries.” She sighed. “But... as we can both agree, you’re not a typical student. Your background, your gender, your knowledge and way of thinking... it’s all very different from what I’m used to. The training we did the other day only reinforced that issue. For me to be effective in teaching you magic, you need to trust me. So... I’ve decided to open up a bit more about myself, to show you that you can trust me.” She gave me wan smile. “I don’t want to give up on you as a student. And I don’t want you to fail.”

“I don’t want that either,” I admitted, leaning back onto the couch. “And, Lana, I have to thank you... and apologize. I’ve been stubborn about all this too.”

She laughed a soft tinkling sound. “Family trait. Guess you really do have LaSilvas blood in your after all.”

I chuckled as well. “Well, I’d say it comes from BOTH of my family trees. Anyway, I was stubborn about not wearing the collar, or trusting that you knew what you were doing. And you were right! I do tend to... overthink things sometimes. I analyze and strategize logically. But as you’ve shown me, magic isn’t really logical and analytical. It’s more art than science. I get it now. And I’m sorry I mistrusted your methods.”

I told her briefly about the run in with Freeze Frame, how the stasis generator had exploded and nearly enveloped the city. “And if it wasn’t for your training, your concepts, I never would have been able to stop it,” I finished. “It was hard... so very very hard. And I know in my gut that it shouldn’t have been. I waste so much power and energy doing just the simplest tasks because I don’t have any control or finesse. I lack precision. But... if you’re still willing to train me, I think I can learn to get the hang of it.”

This time she smiled, a truly genuine smile. “Yes, I am definitely willing. I don’t wish to return home to Sanctuary just yet. It’s been so long since I’ve been out and about in your world, and there’s still a lot more to see and experience. Besides,” she said with a smirk, “I haven’t failed with a single student yet. And I have no wish to break the streak,”

“Great! Then, by all means, let’s continue.” I said with a grin of my own. I pulled her into a hug, then pulled back, slightly embarrassed. “Er, sorry. Got caught up in the moment a bit.”

“Not a problem, James,” she said, still smirking. “So... are you ready to head back to the chamber for another round of intensive training?”

“Actually,” I said, “there’s something else you could do for me. How do you feel about a quick trip?”

“So, where are you heading now?” Parker Albinn asked.

Julie Simmons paused considering. “You know, I think I’ll head back to Teton Springs, and spend some more time with my mom... maybe help her get packed up for her move to Portland.” She smiled a bit. “It’ll be good, really... spending some time together again. My last visit wasn’t exactly the bonding experience I’d hoped it to be.”

Parker glanced sidelong at Venus, who was chatting with Chloe and Rose a few feet away. “Yeah, I can imagine,” he mumbled, shaking his head. “Listen, kid, I just wanted to say that I’m sorry about everything that happened here. And I know Venus is sorry for what she did to you and your family. I’m just glad you were able to forgive her.”

Julie shook her head. “I wouldn’t say that I’ve forgiven her just yet,” she said, turning to stare at the redheaded goddess. “I just said I wasn’t going to kick her ass. She still has a lot to make up for, you know.” She sighed. “But yeah... I get what you’re sayin’. She’s not as evil and unfeeling as I’d thought. And... I doubt we’ll ever be bosom buddies or anything, but I think I’ll forgive her in time. If nothing else, something good actually came out of all this. My mom is going to live closer to me now, and we’ll get to see each other every day.”

“That’s the spirit,” Veronica said, walking past them, grabbing the keys from her purse. “Try and look on the bright side of things.”

“Honey? Where are you rushing off too?” Parker asked.

“Oh, over to the office of the city’s vaunted Chief Prosecutor,” she said with a definite roll of her eyes. “Your new ‘galpal’ has requested my presence about some legal matter of some kind... something to do with the attack from Sakura and the other ninjas that tried to kill her and Nigel a few weeks back.” She waved a hand dismissively. “I should be back soon. Don’t start anything too steamy until I get back, okay?” she said, blowing him a kiss.

“Heh, no promises, but I’ll try,” he said with a smirk as she departed. Julie tut-tutted softly. “Yeah, yeah,” Parker replied with a grin. “Just because yer still single and haven’t met your special someone yet doesn’t give you the right to roll your eyes. And anyway, considering the way our relationship has been until just recently, I can take all the sickeningly sweet flirty talk I can get!”

“Oh? Flirty talk?” Venus prompted, as she and the others stepped forward. “Did I miss something?”

“Just Mrs. Albinn leaving to go to a meeting,” Jette pointed out. “And in that same vein, I think it’s time for me to leave as well.” She turned back to Parker, shaking his hand. “Thanks again for being so understanding about all this, and letting me stay here last night.”

“Ah, don’t mention, kid,” he said with a shrug. “And really, having you stay over helped me out as well. I noticed a distinct lack of people trying to sneak in to attack my home and go after my daughter after the display you put on here on my front lawn.” He smirked, glancing at the landscape. “And... don’t worry about the mess. It’s nothing a few days of lawn care can’t fix.”

“Yeah, sorry, um, thanks,” Julie said awkwardly, as she turned to leave. Parker sighed softly, nodding to himself. Yeah, she’s a good kid. Very spirited and stubborn, but a good one nonetheless. Jimmy has some really good friends.

“You know, Parker,” Venus said suddenly, drawing his attention once more, “I’ve been thinking,” she said slowly, glancing back to her two thralls, who nodded in encouragement. “I was... well, we talked it over, me and the girls, and...” she sighed deeply, taking a deep breath, “I think maybe your... suggestion... has some merit to it after all. I think... I want to do it.”

“Do... ‘it’?” Parker asked, confused. “Um, we’ve been ‘doing it’ for a few days now... in fact doing it and getting caught by those two was the start of this whole mess, as I recall.”

Venus rolled her eyes. “No, you blockhead... I mean becoming a costumed heroine!” she said with exasperation. “You suggested that I use my goddess born powers for something other than my own selfish whims, that I use them to actually help people the way you and Veronica and the Frasiers do. Well, I thought about it... and considering what happened with Jette, and the way I was able to defuse the situation without turning her into my slave or hurting her in any way... I can kind of see the appeal.”

“Really?” Parker said, suddenly enthusiastic. “And you’re serious about this? It’s not just a joke or something you decided on a whim? You really want to give it a try?” Venus nodded. “Okay... well, yeah, if you’re sure... I would say this is definitely doable! I would have to talk to the Chief of Police to see about getting you a badge, making it official... and I might have to smooth over quite a few ruffled feathers here and there... but if you’re truly serious about this, I’d be glad to support you in this!”

“As would we,” Chloe replied, Rose nodding her agreement.

“Of course,” Parker said, with a wicked smirk, “you’ll still have to be properly trained first. I couldn’t under good conscience let you out on the streets without a firm grasp of the best way to use your powers in a crisis situation.”

“Oh, please,” Venus replied, shaking her head at him. “Of the two of us, I have FAR more experience than you could ever HOPE to possess! I am fully aware of how to use my powers to enthrall people and bend them to my will—”

“Of that, there can be no argument,” Parker remarked drily. “But what do you do when that fails? Your powers have been capped, remember? They’re less effective than they were before. And there ARE those who are immune to your charms, after all. You need to know what to do when you come across a situation where your powers aren’t a help.”

“Listen to him, my Goddess,” Rose said. “It happens more than you’d believe. Being flexible and being able to think fast on your feet can mean the difference between defeating your enemy and being the one defeated.”

“And even then,” Chloe added, “you have to stay determined. Even if the worse happens and you get caught and captured, it’s not always over. Being able to escape from a seemingly impossible situation is the hallmark of a good hero. No one wins every encounter... but the successful heroes are able to overcome adversity and even pluck victory from the jaws of defeat.”

“Okay, fine, you convinced me,” Venus replied with a sigh. “So... I need to train a bit with the experts, is that it? Very well. Do your worst, I can take it. Just know that I am serious about this. And I do not intend to quit.”

Parker nodded. “Glad to hear it. But, um... I have to ask. What changed your mind? What made you decide to do this?”

She closed her eyes. “Back in the glory days of Ancient Greece, there were heroes, ordinary men, who became the stuff of legend. Perseus, Heracles, Odysseus, Jason, and Theseus... remembered throughout time for their acts of bravery. I, too, have a legacy that lingers throughout the ages—that of being a beautiful, vain, selfish and sometimes cruel woman more obsessed with her looks than anything else. And now, just recently, the name Aphrodite has come to have an even worse legacy here in modern times thanks to my actions. I’ve just decided... I want to change that. If ordinary mortals can achieve a kind of immortality for heroic deeds and be thought of in such a way... then why can’t I change for the better?” She shrugged. “I don’t know if I can possibly undo the evil I’ve caused. It might take the rest of this life... maybe several lifetimes. But you, Parker, and you, my girls... you’ve shown me what I can aspire to be. So... I intend to give it my all.” She smiled. “And maybe someday that adorable little girl of yours will have a real reason to look up to me.”

I shuddered slightly as the floor appeared underneath my feet. It was weird, this teleportation thing. It was... unsettling. Made my stomach clench, kind of like flying, only worse—in this case, we hadn’t moved, the world around us had shifted. Lana, I noted, looked none the worse for wear. I wondered idly if it was like being car sick—you were okay as long as you were the one driving the car, but had issues as a passenger.

“We have arrived,” she stated, releasing her grip on my hand. “I trust this is where you wanted to be?”

“Wanted may be too strong a term,” I said, leading her along the hallways towards my sister’s room. “After my last couple of adventures, I’d actually prefer to avoid hospitals if at all possible.” I paused as we neared a small group of people talking in the common area just across from Katie’s room. “Hey, Mom! Dad! Aunt Eva!” I called out to my folks as they glanced up. “Nigel, Patricia... Constance,” I added with only a slight pause, trying to play it off as natural. She was a nice enough lady from what I knew of her... but the way she was treating Katie made me want to smack her. Her eyes widened, then narrowed slightly, so I presume that little thought came across as a bit less than private.

“Jimmy lad!” my dad said warmly, walking over to hug me, as I hugged my way through the group. “I didnae expect to see ye here lad! I take it everything went okay with yer own emergency back upstate?”

“I managed to bring it to a satisfactory conclusion, yes,” I replied, blushing slightly. I wondered idly if I should mention that I basically used magic to break physics by stopping a burgeoning black hole from destroying the world from the inside. Deciding against it, I gestured to the lovely woman at my side, introducing her as my new teacher. Once we were all well acquainted, I asked the question foremost on my mind. “So, how is she doing?”

“She’s out of danger,” Lacie replied with a small sigh. “The antitoxin Angela, your dad, and Nigel came up with saved her. She did cut it pretty close, mind you... close enough that I was worried I’d have to intervene personally.”

“Considering what happened the last time you did that, I’m glad it didn’t come to it,” Patricia pointed out. Lacie nodded, giving her a grin.

“Same here. Though it would have been worth the sacrifice. I’m just glad your protege was able to make it in time.”

“Protege?” Lana asked, frowning slightly, not quite following the context.

“She means Tawnya,” I supplied. “The Tearbearer that took over Mrs. Grimalde’s role as heroine after she retired. I mentioned her before.” I glanced down the hallway. “Is it okay for us to go in? Or are we all out here for a reason?”

“The lot of us have just come from visiting Katherine, actually,” Nigel replied, glancing sidelong. “Dr. Boardman eventually had to put her foot down and restrict the number of visitors. Albinn and your better half, Ms. McKinley departed shortly before you arrived. Tawnya, Sioban, Angela, and Delores are currently inside with her, though young Katherine was still asleep when we left.”

“Besides which, we do need to leave,” Eugene replied with a sigh. “Nigel and Patty both have separate meetings to rush off to, and I have a... an errand that I need to attend to out of town.” Lacie glanced up at him sharply, but his expression remained unchanged. “Dinnae fausch, lass, I’ll be back home in time for dinner,” he assured her, taking her hand gently.

I frowned slightly at the exchange. Mom seemed concerned about whatever ‘errand’ Dad was setting off to do. Apparently, it wasn’t to drop off a file folder or slid a letter into the mail. I was curious... but at the same time, I didn’t really want to poke my nose into something that might very well turn into an argument. My parents didn’t fight very often. Hell, I can probably recall Dad raising his voice in anger exactly twice in my lifetime. Of course, nothing brought out the tension like their one and only daughter nearly dying.

Yeah... I think I’ll probably mention the whole sucked-inside-a-black-hole thing another time.

“You two go right on in,” Aunt Eva said with a nod, pushing us towards the hallway. “I just felt Katie wake up, and she’ll definitely be glad to see you. Just make sure you don’t get her too excited, okay?”

“Not a problem,” I promised, as Lana and I went to meet my sister. “Incidentally,” I said to Lana just outside the doorway, “I hope teleportation is part of the magic curriculum. It would be very useful to be able to transport myself like this any time Katie needed me instead of having to take a road trip every time I wanted to visit.”

Lana shuddered slightly. “Ugh. Don’t remind me. Stuck in that cramped little vehicle for hours on end? I don’t know how non-mages can stand it.” I chuckled at that as I opened the door. As promised, my baby sister was alive and well, and awake, talking with her redheaded pixie of a girlfriend, Sioban.

“...can’t expect everyone to drop everything on a dime to come babysit me every time I end up in the hospital,” she was saying, facing away from the doorway. “We used to joke about Jimmy earning frequent visitor points at the hospital, but I guess I’m starting to catch up!”

I rolled my eyes, stepping forward as Lana giggled at my expense. “Well, Gee, Sis,” I said deadpan, causing her to whirl around in surprise, “I know how much you like things to be equal between us and all, but you might be going a bit overboard.”

“JIMMY!” she squealed, sitting up to hug me as I reached her bedside.

“In the flesh,” I replied with a grin, greeting the others. Tawnya and I shared a brief hip check, and I kissed Bonnie’s cheek before hugging Angie and Dee Dee, before turning to my very amused partner. “And I brought a visitor with me, our ‘cousin’ from the extra-dimensional homeworld, Sanctuary. Everyone, I’d like you to meet Lana LaSilvas.”

“Charmed,” Lana replied with a subtle licking of her lips, as she shook hands with each girl in turn. I sighed inwardly, already knowing where her mind was going. Not that I could really blame her, though. Nigel Grimalde had surrounded himself with some very exceptional women, who were all as beautiful as they were smart. I’d felt envious of my little sister more than once... but Devon always knew how to bring my gaze back to her only. And she did look adorable in a red wig...

“I’m glad to see you are alive and well, Katherine,” Lana replied, nodding at my sister, “but I must say that having spent some time with your brother, I don’t see the family resemblance. You and he are twins, are you not?”

Really? Gahhh... why did everyone always go there? I glanced at Katie, and she glanced back.

«Yeah, I know, bro» she thought at me with a giggle. «Wanna do the usual?»

«Heh... sure.» I thought back at her. «Works for me.»

After a moment, Katie spoke again. “Yes, believe it or not, we are twins. We used to be identical until about age 6. Long story. But,” she added grinning, “I have heard quite a bit about you, Lana... or do you prefer your middle name ‘Lunarius’?” She blinked, her jaw visibly dropping. “And that your favorite color is periwinkle blue, the same color as a certain former girlfriend’s eyes. And that apparently mint chocolate chip ice cream is your most favorite snack food ever.”

I barely managed to contain my laughter as her eye s bulged, glancing at Katie, to me and then back again. I knew what she was thinking—how the HELL did she find out about all this when she’d only told ME about a few minutes before we’d teleported here. “Okay,” she said, frowning, “how in the world—”

“Twins,” Katie and I said, perfectly synchronized, getting a round of chuckles from the others watching. “It’s kind of our thing.”

We had a bit of small talk after that. When Katie pressed, I broke down and told them about the incident with Freeze Frame, and what I’d been doing when I felt her almost die. I told them just what I’d managed to do in Portland, and evidently impressed the hell out of Angela and Sioban. They started pelting me with rapid fire questions about what I’d experienced, which of course lead to a discussion of Penrose-Hawking theorems, of how I avoided becoming ‘spaghetti’, my assertion that the tech that created it was a cheap rip off of the Portal gun from the game of the same name, anyway—which THEN caused a lively discussion of whether it was possible to have opened a breach into the past, via closed timeline causality, at which point most of the other girls’ eyes glazed over, until finally, Delores put her foot down, declaring that Katie needed her rest.

“Get to feeling better soon, Sis,” I told Katie, giving her a kiss. “And remember, I’m here if you need me.”

As we turned to leave, Tawnya came up to me, shaking her head ruefully. “Damn. I thought I was pretty science savvy, but you guys lost me about halfway through, especially the part about timeline causality. But I did get the Portal reference.” She grinned. “Seriously. Is there anything you DON’T know, J?”

I chuckled, giving her a hug. “Oh yeah, T. Lots and lots. Next time I’m in town, we’ll play Trivial Pursuit, and you’ll see just how much I don’t know. ’Til then, take care of my baby sister, ’kay?”

She glanced back at Sioban and Katie, talking to each other in low voices. “Well, of course, I’ll look after her, but I’d say she’s already in good hands.”

But I shook my head. “No, T. She needs both of you looking after her. Trust me on this. I feel what she feels... and she wants you by her side just as deeply as Bonnie.” Tawnya blinked at that, then shook her head.

“Heh. Year right. I think you’re exaggerating a bit. Katie and I... we’re close friends. With benefits. But she and Bonnie... they’re something special.”

I leaned forward, kissing her forehead. “Yer pretty damn special yerself, kid!” I told her, giving her another hip check before heading outside.

“Mmm... that was quite enjoyable,” Lana told me as we met back at the common area. “Well, except for the part where you went into total nerd science mode,” she added with a smirk. “Seriously, you have a very nice family. And very cute friends.” She sighed wistfully, glancing back at the door. “Very cute.”

“Well, sorry, you can forget my sister, and the others,” I told her cheerfully, “they’re taken. But don’t worry. Between River City, Portland, and Midas, I’m sure we’ll find lots of attractive sexy unattached women for you to hook up with now and again. For now, let’s head back home. I need to catch up with Devon and see what’s going on with her.”

Grady Mullins paced back and forth in his jail cell, grinding his teeth as he walked. He’d been beaten. Defeated. As incredibly impossible as it seemed. His master plan dashed to bits from the interference of a bunch of color-coordinated teeny boppers and a walking inkblot! And now he was locked up in jail, awaiting trial before being sent to prison.

Grrrr! This... fucking... sucks! he fumed, stomping back and forth. I’m a goddamn genius! I’m smarter than the whole lot of them put together! My plan was flawless... my suit was perfect. So... how the hell did I lose? He scowled, walking back over to his cot, dropping down to rest. Thinking back, the last thing he remembered was talking to that darkness oozing clown, Darklight, then an electric show running up and down his spine, followed by a bright flash of light. The next thing he’d known, he was waking up in the back of a police wagon without his suit, wearing handcuffs.

That guy... he was going on and on about some kind of flaw to my design, he mused, scowling. But that’s crazy. My calculations were perfect. If my design had been off, the feedback would have caused an implosion that would have destroyed the entire city! But we’re all still alive and fine. His expression hardened. No. My design was fine. It was that Darklight guy. He must have sabotaged my suit somehow, caused it to short out on me. Well... fine. This isn’t over. Not by a long shot. This is just a temporary setback!

“Hey! Smart guy!” the guard outside the cell called. “Phone call. Looks like your lawyer finally decided you were worth a damn.” Grunting, he unlocked the cell, gesturing forward. “I hope you know this counts as your one phone call, Mullins.”

“Huh? Phone call? Lawyer?” Grady mused aloud. “I didn’t contact any lawyer.”

The guard shrugged. “No problem then. I’ll tell them you’re not interested and prefer to deal with the courts on your own.” He moved to close and relock the cell door.

“Wait!” Mullins called out, moving to the open doorway. “On second thought, I think I would like to consult with my lawyer about things, you know... just to make sure we’re both on the same page.”

The guard rolled his eyes, leading him down to the call room, gesturing to the phone. “Make it quick, Mullins,” he grunted, taking his place just outside the door, giving the convict a moment of privacy.

“Yeah, yeah,” Mullins grumbled, “like I’m so anxious to go back to that dingy little cell.” Picking up the receiver, he answered. “This is Grady Mullins. Who is this?”

“I’m a friend of your former employer, Roland Jensen,” a deep baritone voice spoke, causing Mullins to scowl. “And no, I’m not actually a lawyer. I did have a message from him, however, one that he wished for me to relay: ‘No one steals from me, Mullins. No one. For a smart man, you were dumb enough to forget that. Maybe you’ll be a bit smarter in your next life’.”

Grady Mullins blinked, eyes wide and glassy as the phone clicked. A moment later, the receiver slipped from his lifeless hands as he fell to the floor, dead, a small hole in the center of his forehead... perfectly matching the bullet hole coming from the front end of the telephone...

“It’s done,” Laraby Jacobsen said into his headset receiver, sitting up from his crouching position a half mile from the Portland City jail, beginning to disassemble his rifle. “And I gave him your message, word for word.”

“Good,” Roland Jensen replied with a satisfied nod. “Better late than never, I suppose. Not exactly what I’d call the best use of funds, however. I would have preferred Mullins be silenced BEFORE nearly blowing me up and destroying my company!”

“Well, if you’d provided me the information I’d requested at the beginning of this endeavor, it wouldn’t have gone this far,” Sureshot replied calmly. “But alas, it is what it is. We make do. We adapt. Besides, your precious company didn’t go boom, did it?”

“Hmph. No thanks to you,” Roland grumbled. “It was that hero team, the Beautiful Gems, that brought him down and saved my company, not you.”

Laraby chuckled. “Oh? And who do you think invited them to your little crisis in the first place?”

Roland blinked. “What? You mean...”

“Yes. I arranged for them to intervene. I called in an anonymous tip to the police, informing them that you’d been taken hostage at your company by the infamous Freeze Frame, currently at large. And, as anticipated, the costumed heroines joined the party. You’re welcome, by the way,” he added in the midst of Roland’s stunned silence. “Consider it a bonus, a ‘perk’ of the service. After all, I don’t collect my bounty if the person who hired me dies before issuing my paycheck.”

“Yes, well, under the circumstances, I’d say you earned your million dollars,” Roland sighed, tapping away at his computer. “There. I just transferred the funds into the account you specified.”

Sureshot’s phone pinged, signaling the receipt. “That’s confirmed. Well, Mr. Jensen, it was a pleasure doing business with you. If you ever have need of my services again, feel free to contact me again through the usual means, though I trust you’ll be a bit more clear on the rules next time.”

Roland nodded. “Yes, yes, I got it. I guess it’s true about you getting what you pay for. I guess I’m just lucky no one hired you to take me out.” When Laraby didn’t reply, he started to sweat slightly. “Um… you… you don’t have a contract on me, do you?” he asked, suddenly concerned.

“Oh, not at this time, no,” Sureshot replied with a chuckle. “I wouldn’t have worked for you if I was targeting you. Conflict of interests. Besides, I pride myself on the way I treat my customers, trying my best to accommodate their needs.”

“And… if someone were to put out a contract on me?” Rolland pressed.

“Then you would be well advised to keep your will up to date and in order,” Laraby replied deadpan. “As a previous customer in good standing, I would, as a courtesy, send you a notice, allowing you to attempt to outbid the one issuing the contract. Several of my other previous clients have a similar setup in their file. Be advised, Rolland… I am above all else a businessman, and if you are unable to meet my price, then rest assured, I would act accordingly.”

Roland Jensen nodded slowly, silently wondering if he needed to update his offshore accounts. “Well, um… thank you for your honesty, I suppose.”

“Honest, but not kind,” Laraby replied with a smirk. “Oh, and you can delete this phone number. This is a burner phone, and won’t be active again at the end of this conversation. Goodbye, Mr. Jensen.” With that, the mercenary killer for hire tossed the cell into the river, closed and locked his rifle case, and, lowering his sunglasses, made his way back down towards his car.

I sat calmly on the bed, my expression serene, despite the fact that my heart was beating like a damn kettle drum. We were finally back home again, and as promised, Devon was ‘entertaining me’ with the items she’d picked up while visiting her family in Provo. She was dressed just as she’d been in the vision she’d shared earlier, in sheer pink silk, with golden bracelets and bangles. Her long black hair was straightened and held in a ponytail. Her navel was bare, and she’d inserted a shiny red jewel in its center. Her fingernails and toenails were painted a bright scarlet red. And her beautiful face as made up and rouged, giving her an exotic look that brought the whole Arabian Nights into focus.

“And now,” she said formally, “I present, for my Master’s enjoyment, a traditional dance of submission, of the slave girl to her Master, in hopes that it will please you.” She held up the remote to the stereo system in her slim lovely hand, awaiting my approval. And swallowing in anticipation, I nodded, signaling my approval.

And she began to dance. And Goddess Bless, how she danced! Every movement was a thing of beauty, every look, every gesture, every twist and turn, all designed to entice and excite. It had been one of the most erotic scenes I’d ever witness, sharing the momentary vision with Devon back at her home. But seeing it and experiencing it first hand blew it away by a mile. As the song reached a fever pitch, my lover turned up the heat by ripping away one of her veils, tossing the fabric into the air to flutter down at her feet, during every spin. Every whirl revealed a bit more skin, a hint of breast here, a flash of thigh there. As the song reached its climax, I was hard pressed not to reach my own. And when she finished, dropping into a kneeling bow before me, naked save for her bangles and a single strip of silk at her crotch, I slid down from the bed, lifted her to me, kissed her savagely and all but flung her back up to the bed.

Devon squealed in anticipation as I pinned her to the bed, sitting astride her. I noted idly, amidst my madness, that the silk I ripped away from her open and vulnerable pussy was utterly DRENCHED with her arousal, that the wide eyes staring up at me were just as lust crazed as my own. “Jimmy... Master...” she panted, struggling to thrust her hips up to meet my own even as I held her still. “Please... goddess bless... please, take me... take me now!!”

“Your wish is my command,” I growled, grinning like a lunatic as I obliged, sliding home deep within her. A few fast frenzied strokes in and my sweet dear love slave arched into me, cumming then, clenching me so tightly it forced me to freeze in place, pushing my own need back to keep from cumming along with her, wanting to prolong the experience. Ah, but my girl was having none of it, digging her nails into my back, wrapping her legs around my waist, and bucking like a goddamn bronco to push me past my limits.

“Goddess... Jimmy... cum... fuck... Master... cum in me...” she managed, head whipping back and forth wildly. “Don’t hold back... cum... fill me... use me... anyway you want... please... just go ahead... cummaaahahhhhhhoohhhmyfuuuckinggaawddesssyyyYYYEESSS!!” she wailed as my control shattered and I let loose, joining with her in pleasure.

And it was... Nirvana. It was like the stars in the sky had aligned just for us. In the midst of that most glorious release, I felt Katie through our bond, reaching her own sexual peak. She and her beloved Mistress were deep in the midst of pleasure, a flood of images, sensations, and feelings flooding into me... and out of me into her. We both gasped at the same time, suddenly aware of the other, not sure how or why, but more than content with the feeling.

Devon collapsed bonelessly atop her lover, still reeling from her own experience. As fantastic as it had felt for the twins, her experience was even more rewarding. Somehow, her bond as Skuld had allowed her to link momentarily with her Tearbearer daughter, feeling and sharing with Sioban as vividly as Katie had with Jimmy. For a moment, it was as if she were in both places at once, with her beloved Jimmy, luxuriating in the sensation of him inside her... at the same time, she felt Katie’s supple luscious breasts pressed against her own, felt her heated wetness against her own, the taste of her lingering on her tongue in lips...

The moment, however, did finally pass, and I rolled to the side, groaning softly as I slid out of Dev, who immediately curled up next to me. “Oh, man,” I murmured softly, leaning forward to kiss her lightly. “That was... beyond words.” I sighed softly, feeling utterly content, simply enjoying the moment. “Seriously. I don’t know if it was the dancing... or just from missing you after being apart for so long... but I could swear Heaven and Earth moved for us just now.”

“Yeah, I felt it too,” Devon said softly, laying her head on my chest. She opened her mouth for a moment, as if there was more she wanted to add, but simply sighed. “It was... magical,” she said after a moment, and I agreed. I couldn’t have put it better myself.

As much as I would have wanted to spend the rest of the night just like that, the two of us simply touching skin to skin, eventually, bodily functions would not be denied. I grumbled half-heartedly as Devon slid out of my grasp, sprinting off to the bathroom to answer a call of nature until my own stomach let out a loud gurgle. “Dev, I’m running to the kitchen,” I called after her, slipping on a bathrobe, mindful of our houseguest. “Do you want anything?”

“I’ll join you in a sec,” she replied. “For now, just fix me a Diet Coke, please.”

Nodding, I made my way out of the bedroom, nearly colliding with the aforementioned house guest. “Oops... sorry, Lana,” I said, catching her arm to prevent her from falling. “Everything okay? I didn’t expect you to still be awake at this time of night?”

The silver haired mage raised an eyebrow. “Oh? I could ask YOU the same question, James,” she said knowingly, “but then again, I don’t really have to guess, do I?”

I blinked, going nearly crimson in my cheeks. “So, you, uh... heard all that?” I asked weakly.

“Well, it wasn’t exactly a blow for blow commentary,” she said with a smirk, “but a bit of the conversation DID manage to leak through. The Mediterranean dance music was a dead give away, by the way.” She laughed softly, shaking her head. “And, James, dear, far be it for ME to critique your technique... but I couldn’t help but notice that the session seemed a bit.. short?”

“Oh, no, it was just right,” Devon replied, coming up from behind, wrapping an arm around my waist. “Trust me on this. Any more, and I’d have been bedridden for a week!” She gave Lana a conspiratorial wink. “Not that I’m complaining, of course. The price of admission is definitely worth the ride if you know what I mean.”

“Heh. If you say so,” Lana replied with a shrug. “Different strokes for different folks, as the saying goes.” She held up the small pint of Ben & Jerry’s. “Well, I have what I came out here for, so I will bid you both good night.”

“Lana, wait,” I called after her, making her turn back. I sighed softly, lowering my head for a moment before looking her in the eye. “I just wanted to tell you... I’ve decided.”

“Decided?”

“To go through with it,” I said with a sigh. “Your training, I mean. And by that, I mean your training, your way. I’ll wear the collar.”

“Really?” she remarked, surprised. “Well... that’s good. Great, actually! We’ll be able to proceed much faster with it in place. But tell me, what brought this on? You were pretty adamant earlier about not wearing it.”

I glanced at Devon, who squeezed my hand in encouragement. “Yeah, well... the last person to put a literal collar around my neck wasn’t exactly the nicest person. She was sadistic and cruel, and her only goal was to push me to my limits until I finally broke.” I shuddered slightly. “And she came pretty damn close. And frankly, the idea of letting anyone else have that level of control over me scares me. But... I’ve gotten to know you pretty well these past few days. And I’ve come to trust you a lot more than before.” I grinned. “It helped that you were willing to bend a bit to my way of thinking and share a bit about yourself.”

“Well, I’m not too old and stuck in my ways to bend to my student’s needs,” she said diplomatically.

“Yeah, and that goes a long way to convincing me of the kind of woman you are.” My grin turned wry. “Well, besides being a horny lecher that lights up at the sight of any cute girl that walks by.”

Her smile turned into a scowl. “Hmph. You’re one to talk, considering how friendly YOU were with your friends at the hospital that day. Particularly the redhead and that dark skinned beauty...”

“Ahem… Anyway,” I said changing the subject, “My point is that I see you as a friend now. And I’m willing to put my trust in you.” I sighed softly. “I actually owe you one. Those few but vital lessons on magic you gave me are what allowed me to save the city. But, really... it was a lot harder than it should have been. I came really close to blowing it, and destroying everyone in the process. And it would have been so much easier if I’d had a better handle on how to use my powers.” I turned to look at her again. “That said... the only reason I changed my mind is that I know I can trust you now. Even if you are a bit harsh at times, I know deep down that you’re a good person. So yeah... I can surrender to your... ‘taming’.”

“I see,” Lana said softly, visibly moved by the admission. “And you?” she asked Devon who stood just a few feet away. “You’re okay with this?”

Devon shrugged. “It’s what Jimmy wants. And it will help him master his shadow magic faster. So yeah... as long as you don’t abuse your authority, I have no issues with it.” She smirked. “But, well, while you DO have charge of him, ask him to massage your back and shoulders sometimes. Oh, and you should definitely get him to give you foot rubs,” she added with a giggle.

“Devon! Hey!” I protested.

“I mean it. The man has magic fingers,” she said with a sigh.

Lana giggled as well. “I’ll keep that under advisement. At any rate, we can talk more about this in the morning. Good night all,” she said with a smile as she reentered her bedroom.

“Good night,” I said softly, as she departed. Turning back to Devon, I found her waiting patiently, encouragement in her expression. Of all the world, she, and perhaps Katie, alone knew how big a step this was for me. I took her hand and kissed it gently, then the two of us went to the kitchen. I was looking forward to filling my stomach so that we could return to feeding our more carnal hunger...

Parker and Veronica glanced up at the sound of footsteps approaching. “Good, you came,” Parker said with a soft sigh as Nigel, Angela, and Patricia approached them at the park bench that he’d where he’d asked them to meet.

“Truth be told, I almost didn’t,” Nigel replied with a scowl. “You costume wearing do-gooders might go in for all this cloak and dagger crap, but nice upstanding citizens like myself find it bothersome.”

Parker raised an eyebrow. “Nice upstanding citizen? C’mon... now you’re purposely baiting me.” He sighed. “Levity aside, I am glad that you decided to come out and meet me here. All three of you. I really appreciate this.” He paused, glancing around. “Silly question, I know, but can I assume you took your ‘usual’ methods of protection for being out and about in the open this way?”

Nigel grinned. “Parker, you know me too well. Yes, I took a few precautions, just in case something undesirable should happen. Of course, agreeing to meet in this park with a bunch of children at play does ease my anxiety slightly.”

“Yeah, we’re counting on it,” Roni muttered softly, shaking her head.

“Excuse me?” Patricia asked, frowning now.

“Never mind,” Parker said, waving a hand dismissively. “Before we begin, I have to ask you all to do something that might be a bit hard for you. I need you three to stay calm and not overreact, okay? I promise you, this is not a setup. You’re not in any danger. Everything is perfectly fine—”

“You know, the fact that you’re starting off by saying that makes me worry that everything isn’t fine,” Angela pointed out, crossing her arms.

“Look, I just want you all to not panic or jump to any conclusions, okay?” Parker said tersely. “Your first reaction will probably be exactly what mine was at first... but I’m asking you... no. I’m BEGGING you, just stay calm and let us talk. Okay?”

Nigel’s scowl deepened. He started at Parker Albinn for a long moment, saying nothing, as if debating whether or not to simply walk away now and be done with it all. “Very well,” he said finally, nodding to Patricia and Angela in turn at his side. “I suppose after everything I do owe you a favor or two. But let’s get this over with, shall we? I do have a multimillion dollar corporation to run after all.” He smirked. “If nothing else, hearing you actually beg me for something made this trip worthwhile.”

Rather than banter back, Parker looked to Veronica who merely nodded. “So, I believe by now you all probably know about the... difficulties, we’ve been having with the Hand, that ninja clan militant arm of the Yakuza. They’ve been targeting Roni for years now, and lately, they’ve even set their sights on our daughter Lucy as well.”

“Yeah, I know,” Patricia said, scowling. “Shameful. Going after a child? For a bunch of so-called Yakuza, those bastards don’t even have a concept of the word ‘honor’!”

“No argument there,” Roni agreed. “But that’s what worries me. Oyabun-sama was always obsessed about honor... or at least his warped twisted version of it. Granted, I haven’t exactly made myself easy to track over the past decades, but if he truly wished for my head, he would have struck at me years ago. Something must have happened recently to spur him on... and whomever he’s tasked with taking me down apparently isn’t squeamish about using an innocent girl as a pawn to draw me out.”

“My thoughts exactly, darling,” Venus Satore said breezily, stepping into view. “Greetings all. Is this a private conversation, or can anyone jump in?”

“SATORE!” Nigel yelled, immediately pushing Angela and Patricia behind him. “Albinn, you fucking bastard!” His hand went immediately to his pocket, but Parker again held up a hand, stepping between him and Venus.

“Hold it! Calm down! Relax everyone, relax!” he said desperately, noting with dread the telltale swarm of little red dots sweeping over everyone. “Everyone just take a breath, okay? This was the part I warned you about... not to overreact.” He paused, glancing at everyone in turn. “Nigel... I swear to you on the life of my daughter, who you KNOW I love more than life itself, this is not a setup! Now... I need you to take your finger off whatever panic button you’re clenching and let your people know the situation is fine.”

“Fine?!?” Angela said, clutching Nigel’s arm like a life preserver. “You call this FINE? That’s Venus FUCKING Satore standing right there! Have you forgotten what she did to us? The hell she put us all through?” She blinked, eyes narrowing. “Oh god... oh fuck. She got to you again, didn’t she?” Angela whispered, taking a step back. “That’s why you’re acting so calm about all this!”

“I can absolutely confirm that’s NOT the case here,” a voice spoke as a brief flash of light momentarily lit the area. “Sorry for the sudden intrusion,” Devon said, walking over to stand beside Parker. “Mr. Albinn asked me to look ahead and stop by if it seemed things might be going a bit awry.” She glanced at Venus and nodded, turning back to the others. “I know how upsetting this situation is for you all. There are a lot of bad feelings on both sides that need to be dealt with. But I can tell you all, honestly, that Parker and Veronica have not been enslaved by Venus Satore. Their minds and wills are their own. Furthermore, my fellow Nornir and I have made it impossible for Venus to once again enthrall or enslave you and your friends.”

“What? Are you saying you took away her powers completely?” Patty demanded.

“Not completely, no,” Devon admitted. “She can still entrance those around her at will. But the effect is now temporary at best, wearing off in a few hours. And she can only have two people as her committed thralls at a time. If she attempts to take a third, the effect breaks on the first one.”

“Meaning that if I HAD enslaved Parker and Veronica,” Satore replied in a bored tone, “trying to ensnare any of you would free them instantly. At which point they would likely proceed to kick my ass. Meaning it’s not in my vested interests to do so. Besides which, for the record, I already have two obedient thralls of my own waiting back home for me—thralls that submitted to me voluntarily.”

“Yes, of course!” Nigel replied heatedly. “And I’m SURE we can trust your word on the matter, can’t we?” He grunted, anger and frustration evident. “I have to give you credit, though. If you wanted to set a trap and convince us that you WEREN’T in control of Albinn’s little group, you picked the perfect way to do so. Having young Ms. McKinley here to give credence to it was a nice touch as well. But the bottom line is that I have no reason whatsoever to trust anything any of you say! Satore herself admitted the last time we spoke that she had a personal vendetta against me... and that she wanted me to suffer, to feel the same pain and anguish that her mother had! You expect me to believe this ISN’T all a part of that?”

“No! That’s NOT what’s happening here, dammit!” Parker stated both hands up. “Patty, tell them! You know Venus isn’t like that anymore! I told you about how she saved Lucy’s life before, right?”

“Maybe,” Patty said dubiously, shaking her head, “but that was before you brought that WITCH here in person! Parker... you KNOW what she did! How in the HELL could you possibly expect us to stand here after everything she’s done?”

“BECAUSE!” Parker yelled, his frustration showing finally. “Because... because everyone deserves a fucking second chance. Even her,” he said gently, gesturing behind him. “I mean look at us! Nigel, you’re no angel! Angela, you’re no saint either! Roni’s an ex-ninja assassin... and I’ve done more than my share of things I’m not proud of. Hell, Katie took over the whole damn city... turned ME into one of her enforcers. But I don’t hold it against her any more than the rest of you!”

Nigel shook his head. “So was this all we were brought out here for, then?” he asked, angrily. “To be asked to forgive this... this...”

“Person,” Satore replied stoically. “I believe the term you’re looking for is ‘person’.”

“You’re not helping!” Parker growled, turning to glare at Venus. “Do me a favor and just shut up. Please,” he added after a momentary pause. Sighing, rolling her eyes, Venus stood back, waiting. “This isn’t about forgiveness, okay? Not yet anyway. This is about acceptance. And full disclosure. I could have kept this from you all... hell, with the way you reacted, I probably should have kept this from you. But I wanted you to know. Because I need you to trust me. And... because I need your help.”

“Trust? Help?” Nigel repeated, laughing drily. “You’ve gone completely out of your mind. Why in the world would I give you either?”

“Because you owe him,” Devon said, surprising them all by speaking up. “Parker Albinn saved you and your family’s lives, more than once as I recall. And he needs your help, not for his own sake, but for his daughter’s.” She sighed softly. “I’m not picking sides here. I’m just stating the facts. I can’t say that I’m personally a fan of Ms. Satore, either,” she added with a slight smirk. “All I can add is that people can change. It’s not easy to admit one’s mistakes... even more so for a goddess,” she said, glancing pointedly at Angela and Patricia, “but everyone deserves the chance to make amends.” With that, she vanished in another flash of light.

Everyone stood silently for a moment. “Look,” Venus said, stepping forward. “I’m not asking you to forgive me. I was an inhuman unfeeling devil. I was full of anger and pain and rage, and I freely admit that I took it out on you. Especially you, Patty... Patricia,” she corrected herself. “And Nigel,” she said, facing him, “I nursed a grudge against you for what happened to my mom even though there was no way you could have known what would happen. This curse the Nornir placed on me—forcing me to relive the worst moments of everyone I ever enthralled at night in my dreams one by one—I hate it. I hate it to the core of my being. Fate has been flinging me around like a damned rag doll, and I hate not having control of my life. But I also have to say that it was a blessing in disguise. It’s made me take a long hard look at myself, at my life, and everything I’ve stood for. And whether or not you believe me, I am sorry for what I did to you. And... from now on, I’m going to try to do better.”

Parker placed a hand on her shoulder, and she nodded, a sad smile creasing her lips. “Nigel... these attacks against my daughter are going to continue until we do something about it. Just last night two of them tried to sneak into Lucy’s bedroom. Fortunately, she was sleeping over at your place, and we managed to deal with the would-be kidnappers. But the Hand won’t stop there. They’ll keep coming after her until they eventually find a way to snatch her. That’s why we have to take the fight to them.”

“You’re talking about going up against the Yakuza?” Nigel asked, in surprise. “That’s insane! They’re too well connected, too extensive, for anyone to take down.”

“Yes, they are,” Venus replied with a nod. “But it’s not the Yakuza itself that’s the issue here. The Yakuza is an organization, like a corporation. The Hand would be like, well... the hand,” she said with a smirk. We’re not trying to kill the entire body, just damage the hand enough that it will no longer be a threat. And I know all about the head of the Clan. I... helped set him up as the leader in a former life.”

“The plan is for Venus and me to travel to Japan, alone, and infiltrate the organization,” Veronica stated. “With our knowledge of the area and our specific powers, we should be able to gain access to Oyabun-sama himself.” She drew a dagger from her belt and threw it down in the dirt. “Cut off the head, and the snake dies.”

“Veronica, you’re talking about going back to Japan!” Patty pointed out. “Did you forget that just a few days ago I had to fight like crazy to keep you from being hauled back there to face murder charges? Now you’re planning to go back there voluntarily?”

“That’s why we need your help,” Parker replied in a weary voice. “We need a way for them to enter the county past customs without raising any red flags. Once they’re in, they can do what they do best—blend in, hide in the shadows, and when the time’s right, strike.” He shook his head. “I wish I could go with them... hell, I wish I could just bomb the whole goddamn island and be done with it... but this is the only way it works. If that Oyabun guy had the slightest idea that they were after him, he’d go to ground and they would never find him.”

“And you’re good with this?” Angela asked him pointedly. “You’re okay with trusting Venus Satore alone with your wife together in another country going up against the goddamn Yakuza all by themselves?”

“Am I good with it? Hell no,” he said pointedly. “It’s probably the single worst plan I’ve ever heard of in my entire life... and I helped them plan it out. But... it’s the best we’ve got.And if you’re asking if I trust Venus and Veronica alone together... the answer is yes. I’ve come to terms with what happened in the past. As bad as it was at the time... it’s lead us to this point, after all. I have Veronica... and you and Patty have Nigel. And none of that would have happened if not for her.”

“Very well,” Nigel said with a simple nod, turning to leave. “I’ll make some calls. I still have a few friends in low places that can be counted on to be efficient as well as discrete. But Albinn,” he said, glancing back. “After this, we’re even. Capiche?”

“No, Nigel.” Parker walked over to the man and looked him dead in the eye. “You do this for me... and I owe you. Big time.”

Nigel sighed softly, turning to walk away, only to pause one last time. “Satore,” he said, brusquely, causing her to look up. “It seems you’re not the only person that Fate’s had a hand in guiding. As a matter of fact, I was going through some old files earlier, and happened across the file on that incident from years ago.” A moment later, Darryl and Karen walked forward, carrying a small manilla folder, handing it over. “It’s pretty dry, not an interesting read,” he said casually, holding it out as she approached, “but I think perhaps one or two of the surveillance photos might be of interest.” Frowning, Venus opened the folder, only to gape in stunned shock at the picture of the auburn haired woman dressed in black.

“Oh... Goddess bless,” she said softly, holding the folder to her chest, as the tears started to fall. “It’s... her... mom. It’s my mom,” she repeated, as Parker and Roni pulled her into a hug. “After the fire... I had nothing of her... nothing...”

“I figured,” Nigel replied, nodding, standing there awkwardly for a moment. “Um... yes... well... I guess I’d better get back to the office. Lots of calls to make, you know,” he replied, as Angie and Patty pulling him into a deep hug as well, before stepping in line behind him. He sighed inwardly, as they all made their way back to his waiting car.

Damn. I actually made the woman sob like a baby. Hanging around Frasier and his friends are rubbing off on me more than I thought. Ah well... I’ve done my good deed for the day. I just hope some of that good karma comes back to me again someday...