The Erotic Mind-Control Story Archive

Light and Shadows 11: Taming the Darkness Within

by J. Darksong & Gbrn32e

Ch.4) Take Back the Moment

Parking in front of the small suburban house, I took a moment to stretch and flex the vertebrae in my neck a bit as I exited Jenny’s driver’s seat. Lana did the same as she slid out of the passenger seat, though I have to admit my silver haired companion cut a more impression figure. Not that I stared... er, for very long. Okay, she was hot. Sue me. Tearing my eyes away from her lovely form, I made my way back to the trunk, popped it, and retrieved a small wrapped present. Lana glanced at me, curious, but said nothing. Moments later, the door to the house opened, and a very familiar brunette figure exited.

“Jimmy? Hey! It IS you!” Regina Baker cried in surprises, walking over to greet me with a hug. “I thought that car looked familiar. I guess you got her back in shape again after the last incident, eh?”

I sighed, groaning inwardly. “Uhhhn... don’t remind me. I swear, I should think about getting a new ride, something that’s NOT getting destroyed every other week. I was actually thinking I might go the same route that my cousins took and try a motorcycle next time.” Speaking of which... “Oh! And where are my manners? Regina, this is Lana LaSilvas, a... family friend?” I half stated, half asked. I really wasn’t quite sure how best to describe her at this point. “Lana, this is Officer Regina Baker, of the Utah State Trooper—”

“Actually, it’s Lieutenant these days,” she stated with a grin. “I was promoted after all the craziness you helped me with the last time you were in town. So, what brings you out this way? You’re a bit far from home, aren’t you?”

“Actually, I was on the way back to Portland from Midas, but I made a slight detour to Provo for a visit. And no, not just to visit you,” I said with a smirk, holding out the gift I’d brought, “though it is reason enough for the trip. Devon’s family lives in Provo as well, and she’s here visiting on her break from school. I stopped by to see her for a bit before heading home.”

“Well, I’m glad I fit into your plans as well,” she said, taking the gift. “Still, you didn’t have to bring me anything,” she said, unwrapping it, then frowning, glancing at the stuffed horse. “Um... really... you shouldn’t have,” she said, trying not to sound confused or put out.

“It’s for your daughter Chloe, silly,” I chuckled, as she laughed as well. “I remembered that she was really into My Little Pony, and that you’d tried to get her all of the main ones, but that she was missing one of the Princesses. So I made a few calls, and, well,” I shrugged. “Now she has a complete set.”

“Oh, Jimmy... thank you!” Regina said, hugging me, tightly. “That was so sweet! It will just make Chloe’s day! I can’t wait to see the look on her face.” She shook her head in disbelief, reading the name on the box. “I can’t believe you found Princess Luna. I’d looked everywhere for her.”

“Yeah, well, I may have had to contact a few people at the Hasbro home office to get it sent out,” I admitted sheepishly, “but I think it was worth the effort. Besides, Luna, princess of the moon, scion of darkness... I can sorta relate.”

“That much is certainly true,” Lana replied with a smirk. “Still, I admit, I am rather impressed with this side of you, James.”

I winced. “Thanks, I think. And it’s ‘Jimmy’. No need to be so formal.” I glanced over at Regina. “So, anyway... the real reason for stopping by was... um... to see how you’re doing. You know... after...”

“After having a scarlet haired witch twist my mind and thoughts into complete obedience to her, and use me as her personal plaything?” she asked archly. Lana glanced up sharply at the mention of a ‘red headed witch’, but I ignored it for now. I’d explain in depth later. “Frankly... I’m doing a lot better than I’d expected. Certainly better off than the others. I haven’t heard from Rose or Chloe in a while... but Hank he... well, he said he needed some space to think about things.” She sighed softly. “ And me? Yeah, I’m still a little pissed at being used that way... and especially being forced to leave my daughter behind with the neighbors.” She sighed again. “Still... despite everything, she DID hold up her end of the bargain. Chloe was safe and protected, and treated like a princess the entire time I was gone.”

I nodded at that. Say what you wanted about Venus Satore, but from everything I’d heard about her, she actually cared a great deal about young children. She tended to think of most adults as little more than pawns, or objects for her amusement, but the goddess apparently had a soft spot for kids.

“And how are you doing... physically?” I asked after a moment, unable to meet her eyes.

“Physically?” she asked, confused for a moment, then blinked. “Oh. You mean from when you shot me,” she said with a smirk.

“Yeah. And, Regina, really, I’m sorry about that,” I began, only to be cut off.

“Jimmy, please. Don’t worry about it. As you can see, I’m okay. No lingering effects. It was a particle gun after all, set to stun.” She shrugged. “If anything I should probably apologize to you, for what we did to you on that rooftop. Frankly, if I’d been in your shoes, and had someone toying around with my emotions that way, I’d probably have chucked them over the side of the roof! But, um, that’s just me...”

I smirked at that. I knew all too well how much of a temper the brunette had. Our very first meeting hadn’t gone very well. Granted, she was a police officer, and I was on the run from the law at the time. Still, it had pretty much taken my saving her daughter from a crazed kidnapper to get back on her good side.

“So,” she asked, after a moment, catching my attention again, “did you ever find out what happened to Godde... to Ms. Satore,” she amended with a slight effort. “She kind of disappeared at the end of the battle.”

“Yeah. Long story short, my mom and the other Nornir took care of it. They basically neutered her, capped her powers so that she can’t spread her control over a large mass of people any more. After that, she just sort of... took off, left town, but I’m not sure exactly where she went.”

Regina stood silently for a long moment, then nodded. “Good. That’s as it should be, I suppose,” she said softly, and, to my thinking, wistfully. “Ah, um, so, Jimmy, would you and.... uh... Lana, was it? Would you like to come inside and rest a bit? Maybe have something to drink?”

“No, no thanks,” I said easily, hugging her again. “This was just a drive-by greeting. We really need to get back on the road. And I still want to pop in to say ‘Hi’ to Devon before I head out. But, um, Lana? Do you want something to drink before we leave?”

The silver haired magus shook her head. “No thank you, I’m fine. I just needed to stretch my legs, that’s all,” she said, lifting her arms above her head, stretching again. And again, I couldn’t help but look. I noted also, curiously, that Regina stared a bit longer than necessary as well. “Now then, James,” she said curtly, walking back to the car, “shall we be off?”

“Yes, yes,” I mumbled softly, causing Regina to giggle, “and for the tenth time, it’s Jimmy...”

* * *

“All right,” Diane said into her cell phone, nodding. “Thanks, Rick. I appreciate the info.” Hanging up, she turned to her friends. “Okay, everyone. I just got confirmation from a source of mine in Iconix Industries’ R&D. About six days ago, their prototype stasis field generator was stolen from their supposedly secure Portland lab facility. Two weeks before, one of their lab techs, a man named Grady Mullins, was fired, dismissed for negligence resulting in an accident costing several thousand dollars worth of damage to equipment and putting three employees in the hospital.”

Amanda harrumphed, rolling her eyes. “Yeah, and I bet that’s a complete and total coincidence. So, I take it he’s our main suspect in the robbery then?”

Diamond nodded. “Here’s what we have on him,” she stated, activated the wall monitor, bringing up the file on the supposed suspect. “We have a last known residence for him, but considering that he hasn’t been caught or arrested yet, I rather doubt he’s stupid enough to be staying there. Still, it’s a good starting point. Even if he’s not there, he may have left a clue on where he’s hiding out.”

“In other words,” Pearl stated, “to find him we will have to, ‘beat the bushes’, as they say.”

“Precisely. Also, I think a few of us should go to Iconix Industries, and speak to their people directly, see if there is anything else they might have on our suspect, something personal that wasn’t in the official file.”

Sapphire raised her hand, shaking his wildly. Diane sighed softly. “Sapphire, you don’t have to raise your hand to speak up,” she reminded their youngest member. “You’re a full member, you can simply speak your mind.”

“Oh, yeah, sorry,” she said sheepishly. “Force of habit, I guess. So, um... I’m down for pretty much any assignment you put me on, but, um, I couldn’t help but notice we’re a Gem short. Is Jette sitting this one out?”

Pearl and Diamond glanced at one another. “Yes,” Diamond said after a brief pause. “Julie has decided to take some... personal time off. I think we all know the stress she’s been under the past several days. She felt it would be best if she took a few days to herself to work out her issues, and I agreed.” Sapphire’s eyes widened, and she groaned softly, but Pearl shook her head.

“And before you ask, Sapphire, it wasn’t because of the altercation yesterday in training. She very specifically said to mention if you asked that it wasn’t your fault she was taking off.”

“Huh. Great. So we’re going after a brand new villain armed with some kind of high tech time stopping device without our heaviest hitter?” Ruby grumbled aloud. “Any chance Darklight might be back in town? His strength and weird shadow powers might help, not to mention his dad’s scientific background.”

“I haven’t been able to reach him,” Emerald replied with a shrug. “I do know he’s dealing with some drama of his own back home, something about his sister... but I didn’t get the specifics. Besides, we’ve really been leaning on him a lot lately,” she pointed out, “but we were protecting this city long before he showed up. We’re the Beautiful Gems, people. No matter what we’re up against, we can get the job done.”

“Well said, Em,” Diamond replied with a smile. “Well said. This ‘Freeze Frame’ character stole experimental technology, then used it to rob a bank in broad daylight. He froze bank personnel and police alike for several hours, yet he only took off with a few thousand in cash instead of cleaning out the entire vault. That tells me that the bank job was just a test... and that our guy obviously has something much bigger planned.”

“And that means we can’t afford to wait,” Amber summed up, nodding. “Okay, Gems, it’s time to hit the streets. Let’s find this psycho before he strikes again!”

* * *

I sneezed briefly as we pulled up to Devon’s parents’ house. Knowing the old saying, I wondered idly if someone was talking about me somewhere. “Okay, last stop before we hit the highway again,” I said briskly. “My girlfriend Devon wanted to meet you face to face before we left,” I explained to Lana, as I parked, stepping out. “Plus, well, it’s been a few days since we’ve seen each other, and I really do miss her like crazz-mmmmpph!”

My words were cut off as a pair of familiar and supple lips pressed warmly against my own, a deft tongue entering my open mouth, stealing my breath even as I gasped in surprise. My aforementioned girlfriend pressed her warm softly curved body against mine, and I swear I could feel her heat radiating like a furnace through my clothes. “Hi, baby,” she whispered softly as she broke the kiss. “I’ve missed you.”

“Um...y-yeah, Dev,” I said, blushing heatedly, knowing we had an audience. “I missed you, too.” Clearing my throat, I took a step back, and turned to my very bemused looking guest. “Ahem. So, if it wasn’t already obvious, Lana, this is my girlfriend, Devon McKinley.”

“Devon Liara McKinley, daughter of Dana McKinley, of the bloodline of Skuld,” my love said formally, taking Lana’s hand, bowing slightly and kissing the back of it. “And you would be Lana LaSilvas, from the bloodline of Pallas Athena,” she said, grinning at the look of surprise on Lana’s face. “It is truly a pleasure to meet you.”

“N-no,” Lana replied, blushing heatedly, actually tittering shyly. “Truly... the pleasure is mine!” Taking a moment to compose herself, she took a breath. “So... you said you are of the bloodline of Skuld, as in the youngest of the Fates?”

Devon nodded. “Yes. We’re known by different names by different pantheons, but yes, I am one of the Three Sisters.” She took a step back, and gestured to her house. “So, would you both care to come in? My dad is currently out of town—working, as usual—but mom, Dee, and David are home. You can meet them.” She glanced at me sidelong. “Just, um, so you know... you may have to be really nice to win mom over.”

I groaned, rolling my eyes. “Let me guess... you forgot to change your ring tone, didn’t you?” She blushed deeply, biting her lip, while Lana merely chuckled as the three of us went into the house.

* * *

“Here, my dear, allow me,” Darryl Jeffreys said with a grin, as he moved quickly to the passenger side of the car, opening the door for his traveling companion. Sliding deftly out of the car, she giggled, blushing slightly.

“You know, sweetie, you do that for a living,” Karen Summer chided him gently. “It’s not necessary to do it for me. I’m a big girl. I can open my own car doors.”

“Sorry, baby,” Darryl replied, sounding not the least bit sorry, “but that’s not an option. My momma raised me to be a gentleman, and a gentleman opens the door for a lady.”

Karen laughed as that, she she made her way with him to the door of the small house they shared. “Far be it for me to naysay your mother,” she replied with a grin, “but I’m no lady. And, well,” she added, eyelids dropping to half-slits, “you’re not always a gentleman... at least not in the bedroom.” Now it was Darryl’s turn to blush.

“Er, yeah, so, um... “ he said after a moment, “how are you feeling about things? You know, since the, ah, incident?”

Karen sighed softly. The ‘Incident’ was a topic of public debate these days. The majority of people weren’t even familiar with what actually happened, going off hearsay and rumor. Karen, however, was one of the few that Katie Frasier, er, Supernova, had enslaved firsthand, conscripted to serve as part of her personal elite guard. “I’m handling it okay, I guess,” she said with a shrug. “About as well as most everyone else involved. And well... it’s not the first time someone took control of my mind and used me at their puppet.“

Darryl nodded, pausing at the door, key in hand. “Yeah. But still... you haven’t been out as Ultra Girl since all that went down,” he pointed out. “I was just, well... worried, I guess. That being used like that made you feel... unsure about continuing on as a heroine.”

Karen smiled, shaking her head. “No, no, it’s not that at all. I’ve just been focused on... other things lately,” she said, coming up behind him, pressing into him from behind. “Looking after Justine and Robbie with you all this time while the Grimaldes were out of the country... bonding with them...” She shrugged. “Maybe it’s just my biological clock ticking away, but it, well, it just makes a girl start to reevaluate her life a bit, yanno? I honestly never thought about having kids or starting a family of my own... but after hanging around those two crazy kids of Nigel’s? I don’t know... maybe?” She shook her head lightly. “Sorry, this isn’t really the kind of thing you should just drop on your boyfriend after only dating for three months, huh?”

“Oh, I don’t know,” Darryl replied, again, with an enigmatic smile. “It is a legitimate topic for a couple to talk about. And Karen, I am very serious about you. About us,” he said, unlocking the door, opening it then stepping aside to allow her to enter, “so I’d definitely like to continue this conversation again sometime in the future.”

Stepping inside, Karen paused for a moment, staring in shock. “What... what the heck is all this?” she asked, wide eyes as she entered the foyer, finding the lights off, replaced with several small candles illuminating the rose petal covered hallway. Staring in wonder, she made her way slowly down the hallway, glancing back at her silently grinning companion as the stereo switched on, and soft romantic music began playing. “Darryl, sweetheart, seriously! What... how... when did you do all this?” she asked, curiously. “We’ve been together all day long, since we dropped off Justine at her friend’s house this afternoon!”

“Oh, I have my ways,” the dark skinned chauffeur replied mysteriously. “Don’t stop now, you haven’t even seen the best part yet.” He gently pushed her forward, guiding her on into the bedroom. Karen’s eyes widened even more, and her mouth dropped open. The entire room was surrounded in candles and flowers, the rose petals leading directly to the bed, likewise covered in petals, with a large stuffed bear in its center, holding a small box and a pair of helium filled balloons.

“Ohhhhh! This is just soooo adorable,” Karen gushed, taking in every inch of the scene before her. “And that bear! I guess the present is for me as well?” Darryl nodded, taking a step or two back as Karen stepped forward. Taking the small box, she quickly unwrapped it and opened it. She frowned slightly, taking out a small slip of paper. From the size and type of the box, she’d been expecting jewelry, a bracelet or necklace, maybe a broach. Unfolding the paper, she read it aloud: “‘Look behind you.’ Huh? Look behind me?” she asked, confused. “I don’t get it,” she said, turning around. “Darryl, what’s this supposed to—gasp” she gasped in shock, the box and paper tumbling from her hands as she stared in total disbelief.

At Darryl.

Behind her.

Kneeling on one knee.

“Da... Darryl,” Karen breathed, feeling the strength leave her legs. “No... you... you can’t be serious...”

“Karen, baby,” he said gently opening the small box in his hands, revealing the engagement ring, I’ve never been more serious about anything in my life. I love you. And I want to spend the rest of my life with you... if you’ll have me, that is.”

Totally overwhelmed, Karen sank to her knees as well, landing just in front of him. “But... but... I’m so... I mean... Darryl, I’m fifteen years older than you are,” she said desperately. “There’s no way this could work! I’m... too old for a young handsome man like you, so full of life and promise, with your whole life ahead of you...”

Darryl simply stared at Karen until she ran silent. “Karen,” he said, inching towards her until they were face to face again, “I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again—I don’t care about your age. Nigel Grimalde is fifteen years older than his wife Patricia, and yet their marriage is one of the strongest that I’ve ever witnessed. Don’t you agree?”

Karen blinked at that. She hadn’t really considered Nigel and Patty, and their unusual, open ended marriage, with the mind control and their multiple sexual partners. Nevertheless, they were the epitome of a blissfully happy union. And despite his advanced age, rumors among the staff said that the billionaire’s sexual virility and prowess was legendary. Well, sex with Darryl is definitely not an issue, she thought to herself. The man is a virtual god in the sack! He plays my body like a finely tuned instrument!

“Or... is it that you think I’m rushing things?” he continued, recapturing her attention. “We’ve been together for three months now. Maybe that’s not a lot of time to get to know someone. I can understand if you have some doubts about me. I know right now there’s not that much to me... a chauffeur and bodyguard for some rich billionaire. But that’s not all I’m about. I’m also fast tracking on the executive program for GrimTech Industries. I’ll absolutely be able to support us, and provide a comfortable life for us.”

Karen shook her head. “That’s not a concern,” she told him. “I don’t care about your money. And it doesn’t matter to me what kind of job you have—I’d still love you whether you were a high powered lawyer or a ditch digger. I’m just... what if you wake up one day five years from now... or ten years from now... and suddenly realize that this was all a terrible mistake?” She shuddered. “I’m terrified that someday I’ll wake up and you’ll be gone.. that you’ll realize that you’re stuck with an old wrinkled up hag... and fall out of love with me—”

“That WON’T happen!” Darryl said fiercely, so intensely, that Karen drew silent. “Three months...” he said softly, glancing away. “Three months... and after all this time you still don’t know me any better than that? Do you really think I’m so... shallow?” He sighed heavily, looking down at his hands, and the gold band he still clutched. “Maybe it was too soon after all—”

“NO!” Karen shouted suddenly, surging forward, taking him by the face, kissing him hard, deep, and passionate. “No! Please! It’s not you that’s the problem! You’re wonderful! Amazing! The problem’s me. I love you, Darryl... and I... I know you love me... but I can’t help but be scared... of the future. I just...” she broke off, tears running down her cheeks. “I’m just... I can’t wrap my brain around the idea that you could actually love an old fossil like me...”

Darryl’s eyes narrowed for a moment, then he nodded. “I see. I kind of thought that was the problem,” he said softly, drawing back from her a bit. “It’s a common enough problem,” he said conversationally, a moment later, surprising her by grabbing her ankles and pulling sharply, sending her onto her back. “The heart knows what it wants,” he continued, idly removing her black satin pumps, one by one, tossing them aside, “but the head gets into the way. Luckily,” he said, giving her a devious smile as he began running his fingers lightly along the bottoms of her hose covered feet, “we know how to take your head out of the equation.”

“Gaaaahhh! No.. no no no no... eeeh... eeeheheeheheheee, Daarrryll, noooo, pleeeeehehheheseee!” she tittered in laughter, shaking in place even as her arousal skyrocketed. She was stunned by this sudden reversal. Of course, she’d revealed her secret weakness, her fetish, to Darryl long ago, back when they’d first started dating. And they’d enjoyed very much learning and exploring the specifics of her implanted ‘fascination’ to their mutual satisfaction. But this was the first time Darryl had ever used it to usurp her control this way. And yet... far from being concerned, she actually found herself relishing the sensation. She knew to her very core that she was safe, that Darryl would never use her weakness to hurt her. So rather than fight, she found herself submitting to his ministrations and his will.

“Good, now that I have your attention,” Darryl stated cheekily, shifting from tickling to a more sedate massaging, “we can have a serious discussion. Karen, baby, I’m sorry. I can see now that this is all my fault.” Karen, still giggling slightly, gasped, looking up sharply at that. She opened her mouth to protest, only to moan deeply, eyes crossing in pleasure, as Darryl stroked a particularly sensitive spot along her arch. “Yes, it is my fault,” he insisted, pulling and tugging firmly at the toes of her stockings, stretching and ripping the fabric, exposing her soft bare peds. And when he leant forward and kissed her scarlet tipped toes one by one, Karen lost it completely, shuddering in a powerful mind bending orgasm.

“See, the problem is that all this time, I have been telling you how much I love you,” he continued on gently, letting her legs drop down gently into his lap, keeping one hand soft kneading and rubbing her hypersensitive feet, while the other worked its way slowly up underneath her skirt, fingers sliding against the copious amounts of slickness leaking down her thighs. “And telling you is all well and good,” he informed her as his questing fingers found her silk covered mound, sending another shudder through the blonde heroine’s body. “But, well, to really drive the point home,” he said with a smirk, parting the fabric, “I suppose I should show you how much I love you instead.”

“Ooooohhhgaaaaawwdddd, nnnnhhhhnnnn Daaaarrryllplleeeaaassseee,” she moaned, eyes closed tightly, head lolling back and forth. She was so hot right now, so turned on, that she knew just a few touches in the right spots would have her cumming her freaking brains out. She also felt so weak... so utterly pliant and docile, and submissive. Years ago, the mad professor Dr. Mania had cemented the connection between submission and her foot fetish, leaving her utterly helpless if you knew her weakness. And that very weakness, that sense of helpless surrender, was like gasoline poured onto the flame of her lust.

“Shhh,” Darryl shushed her gently, teasing her just a bit as her hips began lurching forward, trying to hump against his hand. “It’s okay, baby. I know just what you like... just what you need.” Karen’s eyes, clenched tightly from the overstimulation, burst open again, nearly bulging, as she felt Darryl’s warm breath tickling her nethers, her loving man going down on her, his fingers replaced by his clever mouth and tongue. “And I also know how you need it,” he added, circling and licking all around, taking his time, carefully avoiding her throbbing needy button, open and exposed, and desperate for stimulation. He frowned slightly as she lurched, her superhuman strength threatening to buck him off and send him flying.

“Karen! Be still,” he snapped, sounding worlds different from the usual easy going tone he normally used. Karen let out a small gasp as she obeyed instantly, going still, despite every cell in her body demanding that she move, rub, grind, do ANYTHING to push her over the edge once again. “Good girl,” Darryl replied, rewarding her with a single slow lick against her clitty, feeling her shudder again against him as she struggled in vain to obey his command. A loud cry escaped her lips as she came, hard, bare slick toes curling into tight little fists... yet Darryl continued on, not stopping the sensation, playing with her sensitive nub, sucking on it, before piercing her still spasming cunt with his tongue.

Orgasm after orgasm ran through the hypersensitive, hypersexed blonde. Her vision had faded out, going completely white, as time ceased to have any meaning, seeming to jump ahead in random jerky stages... her cumming from the sensation of his hands and mouth teasing and tormenting her nipples... her cumming once again to the feeling of him sucking on her toes... cumming yet again as he fucked her good and proper, her ankles dangling from his shoulders... and again... and again... the various position changes giving her the only breaks from the constant stream of pleasure.

Despite her superhuman endurance, Karen was nearly insensate when at last she felt herself lifted, placed gently on their bed, giggling slightly at the ticklish feel of the rose petals against her bare skin. When she felt Darryl’s body move in behind hers, she sighed, melting against him, flesh against flesh.And when his arms moved around to hold her. she sighed again, feeling safe and content.

“So, baby,” Darryl said, drawing her back to the here and now, “how are you feeling now? Not like some horrible, old, not-sexy love goddess, I trust?”

“Mmmm, no,” Karen cooed softly, snuggling her lover. “Just the opposite, Oooh, god, Darryl, sweetie...”

“And if I told you now that I love you, that I think you’re the most beautiful, attractive sexy woman I’ve ever known, would you believe me?”

Karen ran her toes idly along Darryl’s calf. “Love, after this just now, I’d believe anything you tell me.” She pressed in against him, taking in his scent, his smell. “Darryl... you broke me,” she said after a moment. “I can’t... deny you, anymore.”

Darryl frowned slightly, rolling over to look her in the face. “I don’t understand. What do you mean?”

“You have me, Darryl. All of me.” She closed her eyes, and smiled. For the first time in a long time, she felt total serenity. “I love you with all of my heart and soul. And I want to marry you. I just have one stipulation... no,” She bit her lip. “More like a... request?” Darryl looked at her, curious. “I want... to be your slave.”

“You want WHAT?” Darryl asked, sitting up suddenly.

“Your slave.” she replied, opening her eyes again. “I promise to be everything you want, everything you need. to do anything and everything you ask of me. I promise to serve you in any way you desire. All I ask is that you be my master... that you show the same strength and conviction and kindness you showed me tonight. I wasn’t able to move forward... to get past my own insecurities. But you pushed me past it. Gently, but firmly. And... that’s what I need. A strong, firm, but kind hand to guide me.”

Darryl shook his head. “Karen, baby... that’s not what I was after. When I asked you to marry me, I was asking for you to spend your life with me as equals.”

“I know,” Karen said easily. “And that’s what I want as well. But what I need is a Master.” She caressed his face lightly. “Sweetheart, you live in a very unique household. Your boss Nigel, the man you so openly admire, is the master of his own harem. His wife Patty is one of the most outspoken and independent women I’ve ever known. At her job, the woman is a demon... but at home, in private, she’s a gentle submissive soul that wishes only to serve her husband-Master and make him happy. And that, my love, is what I want with you. I can handle being Ultra Girl, going out and fighting criminals and supervillains... but at the end of the day, being able to submit to you, to give myself to you completely without holding anything back, and knowing without a doubt that I’ll be loved and cherished and accepted... that is what I need. Please, Darryl?”

Darryl sighed inwardly. Damn. Well... this was unexpected. I always used to envy Mr. Grimalde for the women that loved and served him so completely... from Delores, all the way down the line to Tawnya. I used to dream about being in his shoes... of finding someone, just one girl, who would love me as deeply as all of them love him. Heh... guess the old saying about being careful for what you wish for is true. Looks like I’m getting to experience a taste of that lifestyle after all.

Saying nothing, he stood up from the bed, and walked back over to the pile of scattered clothes lying on the floor, and knelt down by his pants, retrieving the ring. “Karen, come here,” he said simply. Instantly, Karen got up and walked over to him, looking up expectantly. “Kneel.” She knelt, lip quivering slightly in anticipation. Sighing softly, he took her hand, and placed the ring onto her ring finger. “Traditionally speaking, a collar would be more appropriate here, but I meant what I said about wanting you as my wife first, and a slave second. Do you agree?”

Eyes wet, Karen nodded in response. “Yes, Master... I do,” she said, staring for a moment at the gold band on her finger. “But, until we’re actually married, and I can perform my wifely duties,” she said with a smile, sliding forward, taking his cock gently in her hands, stroking it lovingly, licking her lips, “maybe I should do my slave duties instead...”

* * *

“Is this the place?” Amber asked.

Ruby nodded, glancing briefly at the display on her tablet. “Looks like. The last known address of one Grady Mullins.” She wrinkled her nose a bit. “Not exactly living it up in the lap of luxury, is he?”

Sapphire shrugged. “Hey, not everyone was born into a family with a silver spoon on their mouth, yanno?”

Amber sighed, rolling her eyes. “True. But the man worked for fifteen years as a technician for Iconix. Maybe not enough to become a billionaire or anything, but surely enough to afford to live out of the stix. No... this has all the earmarks of a trap. Everyone be on your guard.”

“Roger that,” Sapphire replied, closing her eyes and holding out her hands, palms outward. After a second or two, the air in front of her shimmered slightly, as she let out a pulse of subsonic energy. “Huh... place is definitely deserted,” she announced a moment later. “I pulsed the entire house, and I didn’t feel anything alive in there... well, um, other than a few rats, that is.”

“Wait! Wait a second... did you say rats?!?” Ruby yelled, going pale.

“She was kidding,” Amber said, turning to glare at the youngest of the Gems. “Isn’t that right, Sapphire?”

“Um... y-yeah... kidding,” the blue haired heroine replied with a nervous chuckle. “Kidding.” She sighed as the other two girls walked past her, heading towards the house. “Huh... not really, though,” she murmured, falling in step behind them. “Not my fault Mandy has a thing about rats...” Still, all things considered, she probably shouldn’t have mentioned it out loud. Ruby was a bit of a hothead anyway... and if she thought she heard rats scurrying underneath the floors or in the walls, she might freak out and burn down the whole house with them inside.

Heh. Maybe I should have gone with Emerald and her group to talk to the Iconix bigwigs, she mused as she stepped inside the small little shack house.

The inside of the house wasn’t much better off than the outside. The house was all wood, with creaking uneven hardwood floors, and wooden walls, some with water spots and paint peeling from them. The living room-slash-den was mostly empty space, with an old half-rotted couch in the corner, covered in spiderwebs. Most of the room itself was decorated with cobwebs, as if the only residents for the past several years were the spiders themselves. There was even a fine layer of dust on the floor and walls, a sure sign that no one had been in this house for weeks, if not months.

“Huh. Well, gals, I’m beginning to think maybe this was all just a wild goose chase,” Amber replied, shaking her head.

“Hey, fearless leader, I wouldn’t jump to any conclusions just yet,” Ruby called from further down the hall.

“Did you find something?” Amber asked, as she and Sapphire headed back to join her.

“You could say that,” Ruby replied with a smirk, gesturing to the inside of the bedroom. Inside, they did indeed find signs of recent habitation there. Unlike the rest of the house, the bedroom was relatively clean and dust free, more resembling a workshop than actual living quarters. Several flatscreen monitors lined the walls, with thick branching cables running all throughout the room into several desktop computers, which were in turn, linked together. Several small piles of electronic components lay scattered about in neat piles all about the room, and a large cardboard roll lay on a small table in the center, with several smaller schematic drawings taped down to the surface.

“So, it’s not where he lives, it’s where he works,” Sapphire replied, answering the unspoken question. “This is his workshop, where he makes adjustments to his stasis whatchamacallit thingie...”

Amber nodded grimly. “It makes sense. He wouldn’t want to tinker with some experimental weapon where he actually lives, after all, just in case something went wrong. And this place... in this neighborhood? It’s the last place you’d expect to find a lab for working on something high tech. Heck, if the police even checked this place at all, they probably took one look at the living room and turned back around.”

“Very true!” an unfamiliar male voice suddenly stated, causing the girls to whirl around in surprise. One by one, the monitors all switched on, showing the smugly grinning face of their target, Grady Mullins. “Well, well, well, what do we have here?” he asked in mock surprise. “Three smokin’ hot foxes roaming around inside my hen house! My, my, my... that will never do. Never, never do...”

“Shit, we’ve been made!” Ruby growled, glancing around. “How did he know?”

“Motion sensors at the doorways,” Sapphire pointed out, grimacing at the small red lights lined up along the doorframe. “Dammit... didn’t even notice them until now!”

“Oh, but you also didn’t notice the motion sensors planted at the front door, the hallway, and all the other entrances and exits, or on the front lawn, either,” Grady pointed out, chuckling. “This entire house has been wired. I knew you were here before you even stepped inside.”

“Fine. You got us,” Amber stated calmly, crossing her arms at her chest. “You know we’re here. And I’m guessing by your smug attitude that you’re nowhere near this place yourself, watching all this from a remote location. But that doesn’t really matter, does it?” she said with a smirk of her own. “Because we’ve found you as well, Grady Mullins! Until now, you were just the most likely suspect... but all this?” she gestured around the room. “This proves you were the one who stole that prototype and robbed that bank!”

“Brava,” Mullins replied, clapping loudly. “Brava. Excellent detective work. I congratulate you. Yes, I am the one you were looking for. And, of course, those blueprints left on the table there would confirm it as well, would be the final nail in the coffin, so to speak.” He sighed heavily, and shook his head. “Such a brave team of valiant and resourceful heroines... I’m sure that, given enough time, you’d even be able to track me down to where my true headquarters is actually located.” Suddenly, a devious grin broke out on his face, as he held up a small remote control.

“Unfortunately for you, ladies, you won’t live long enough to act on what you’ve learned here today.”

“Amber...” Ruby said in warning, going pale.

“Ah, you guessed it!” Mullins replied, still grinning. “Explosives. That house isn’t just wired for surveillance, it’s wired to blow! A few blocks of Semtex in a few appropriate places... just enough to completely destroy any evidence I left behind that might be used against me... as well as any would-be do-gooders who would seek to exploit that evidence!” Laughing maniacally, he pressed the button...

A loud explosion sounded from several blocks away, causing the windows of Grady Mullins’ penthouse suite to shudder slightly. Glancing down across the city from on high, he chuckled loudly at the sight of the large flaming wreck that once served as his home. His past. Sighing softly, he switched off his comm unit, which relayed only static anyway with the transmission site destroyed.

Well... that wasn’t as hard as I’d thought it would be, he mused. I just took out three heroines... just killed three young women. He took a moment to reflect. Huh, I always thought I’d feel something... some kind of regret... or sadness, or shame. But I don’t really feel much of anything... except excitement. His grin returned.

This is it. There’s no going back now. Those three spandex girls aren’t the only ones that just died. Grady Mullins is now dead as well, now... there’s only the supervillain Freeze Frame. And it’s time to put my plan into action... and take my revenge on all the fuckers that have pissed on me all these years! Heh heh heh... It’s time to make them all pay!