The Erotic Mind-Control Story Archive

When adventurers learn of guides’ talents, they are awed. They huddle and whisper in their conclaves:

“Guides have ... powers... beyond comprehension”.

“They see through illusions. One of them saved me. I saw opportunity, but she recognized the chimera and pulled me free.”

“Yes, master illusionists they are. Did you know they can set traps?”

“Shhhh.. this is never to be spoken of on the outside. Guides mean well when they wish to catch predators, but trap-setting is dangerous.”

“It is. My advice would be this: choose your guide carefully and watch your step. There are entanglements everywhere.”

The heavy oak door reverberated. Eric had already tried the doorbell, but waking the slumbering occupant was proving to be difficult. As he gave the door a brief respite, he glanced back at the yellow Corvette parked out front, to make sure he was not mistaken. No, the man he sought audience with was here, and he was not going to give up. It was Saturday morning, and Eric had nowhere else to be that day. He gave the doorbell another go, setting off frenzied chimes inside. Even before the tones faded, he started to raise his arm again, but stopped himself as muffled footsteps approached the door. Chains rattled, knobs turned, and the door swung open, revealing the man he had to speak to: Max Bernardo. Self-proclaimed “Master of Seduction” and “Hypnotist Extraordinaire”.

However, that morning Max looked anything but extraordinary, and instead resembled a hibernating bear woken too early. His grizzled two-day-old stubble looked tough enough to sand wood. His lips twitched irritably underneath a thick mustache. Heavy bags dangled under his brown eyes, which were staring intently at the boy standing before him. His face scrunched up, accentuating grooves in his temple and cheeks.

“What do you want?", Max demanded. Faced with this beast of a man, Eric was suddenly unsure of himself. Max’s irritation grew. “Well? Are you just going to stand there? Say something!” Eric suddenly managed to get his voice back.

“Mr. Bernardo? I.. I’m Eric. I-I- I need to speak with you about hypnosis.”

“Not here, not now. I’m busy.” Max swiped a business card from a stand next to the door and slapped it into Eric’s hand. He had brushed off many a businessman in similar fashion before. But as he began to close the door, Eric jammed his leg through the opening. Max’s eyes flashed darkly, and he plowed his barrel-chested mass forward into Eric, knocking him off balance, and back a few feet. Max’s fists clenched, and Eric knew he was in trouble, but impulsive thoughts compelled him.

“I’m s-sorry. I don’t know why I did that. I.. I need your help. W—with women.” Max halted his advance. Uneasy moments of silence followed, before Eric continued. “I want to s-seduce them, but don’t know what to say. C-c-ould you help? Nothing is w-working for me.”

Max relaxed a little, and his expression switched from anger to irritated amusement. With arrogance oozing from his baritone voice, he asked, “What was your name again?”

“Er-Eric.”

“Eric, how old are you? Nineteen? Twenty?”

“Tw-Twenty two.”

“When I was your age, I did not ask such questions. Women melted in my presence. What’s with this-this-this stuttering? Nobody is going to respond to that.” Max’s eyes mocked him. “Don’t waste my time.”

“I-I want to learn. Please. I just need—" Eric’s thoughts were arrested mid-sentence by the sight of a black-eyed beauty at the base of Max’s spiral staircase. She wore a satin red bra, and a red lacy thong to match. Her curves perfectly offset Max’s brutishness, as she sallied up to his side, one hand lazily caressing his neck.

“Coming back to bed, Max? I miss you,” she whispered. She kissed Max on the cheek, then looked at Eric. He averted his gaze from her inquisitive stare.

“In a moment, Marisa.". He waggled a finger at Eric. “You see now, I’m have better things to do than to give you private lessons. Go home and read one of my books, but NEVER come here again.” Max slammed the door, then walked to a nearby window, and watched Eric depart. From his perspective, the boy’s posture was as bad as his voice, shoulders slumped dejectedly, head lowered. “No help for him,” he said, as he shook his head.

He turned, as Marisa started rubbing herself against his hand. He slid two fingers beneath tight fabric and began massaging her precious mons and lips, even as her hand slid down his boxers. As soon as she reached far enough to give him a good squeeze, he lost self-control and gripped her tightly, and walked her over to the far wall. Lifting one of her legs, he pressed his body against her lithe form and nibbled at her neck, softly at first, then with increased voracity. He pulled down his boxers as she removed her thong, and entered her. Soft moans grew louder., and then into cries of ecstasy as her back hammered the wall, as he drilled faster... harder. The heat built, until he came, plunging so deeply into her. Marisa had no idea what was coming next, though. A snap of his fingers caused her to drop limp in his arms, and he slid out of her.

When Marisa awoke next, she was sitting upright on a sidewalk in the dress she wore the previous night, her arms wrapped around her bare legs, rocking forward and back, not knowing why she was crying, as a stranger asked her, “Are you ok?”

A half-memory disintegrated. She opened her mouth, but froze. There were no words, no images, nothing, other than a programmed response, “I had too much to drink last night.” She wiped her tears, then stood up and put on her heels. Picking up her purse, the weight dragged on her. Her mouth was dry, her legs felt rubbery, and she walked unsteadily down the street towards her car.

“I must have been drunk last night,” Marisa thought. The neighborhood seemed so unfamiliar now. “How did I get here?” Her sweaty forehead was cradled in the palm of her left hand, as she fumbled with the keys. “Why am I crying?”, she wondered.

The stranger shook her head as Marisa walked away. Had she been facing Max’s house, she might have seen him standing in the window. He turned his back as Marisa drove off, hiding his smug smile from the world, and walked into the kitchen to make breakfast. Another day, another conquest. In his fifty years of bachelorhood, Max had never doubted himself; his instinct to dominate was ingrained. Each tryst started so innocently and consensually, and women loved it.. at least until Max decided he had enough of them. Most left him with no awareness of anything except an empty feeling in their hearts. Hypnosis gave Max just the kind of control he craved.

However, Max did not know that dominance can be delicate, prone to cracking under duress. Always focused so intently on his next sexual conquest, he never saw the trap closing. Soon he would find himself staring helplessly into the eyes of a powerful woman, someone willful enough to face him down and end his predatory ways.

A week later, Max sat at his computer, managing his business. On the surface, Max had used the same tiresome formula as others. Spam emails routed through overseas servers enticed:

“DEVELOP YOUR HYPNO-EYES, DRAW WOMEN TO YOUR SIDE ”

“HYPNOTICALLY SEDUCE HOTTIES—MAX BERNADO SHOWS YOU HOW”

“MAX-IMIZE YOUR SEXUAL PLEASURE THROUGH HYPNOSIS”

These generated hundreds of thousands of website hits a month. Visitors bought DVDs, books, and signed up for his monthly newsletter. The business brought in a lot of money, and he had the car, house, and wardrobe to prove it. But now he was driven more than anything else by a need for domination . A few years earlier, he started giving seminars, and he then had a taste of power greater than anything he felt before. Max had changed men’s ways of thinking about women in so many ways, and his students became devotees to Max’s charismatic ideas.

Now his local temple was overflowing, and Max was ready to branch out. For a grand a head, thousands of men would soon enter his seminars nationwide to have their minds whitewashed, and splashed with new grand visions. Max dreamt of a world where clock hands spun backwards and women would once again stand in their proper place, beneath men.

His business plan was nearly complete. On this night he was deciding who would run the new seminar centers. He looked over his list and checked it thrice. A couple of hours later, Hypno-Satan tweaked his dark mustache in satisfaction, and decided to take a break.

When he logged into his online account, he found a disturbing email just sent to him from Winston, a trusted minion who lived on the other side of town.

I just got back from the bar scene. A young punk is making a mockery of you tonight. I followed him from one place to the next, and each time it gets worse. He’s mistiming the delivery, fumbling his words, and DRIVING OFF the women. They’re laughing at him. Worse of all, he’s carrying a copy of The Art of Hypno-Seduction for all to see. Other followers saw him too, and they’re worried. I almost confronted him, but wanted to check with you first. Is he a new student on field assignment?

Max picked up an original of his book and winced: his picture figured prominently on the front cover, him dressed in a black suit, dangling a gold watch nonchalantly in the face of a woman collapsed in his arms. Max started punching numbers into the phone.

“Hello, Winston? Tell me about this guy...” The more he listened, the more incensed he grew, for the description matched a certain boy: Eric. He asked about his last known whereabouts, jotted some notes, then tore a page out of his ledger before hanging up. Max quickly changed into his on-the-job attire—a black silk shirt, sport coat, tailored slacks, and spiffy polished black shoes. Even while on the chase, he had an image to maintain. He paused to admire himself in the hallway mirror before locking up.

Tires squealed as Max peeled his Corvette out of the driveway on an intercept course. Eric had been hitting bars off of I-70, working his way east, away from town. That far out, there wouldn’t be many bars, and Max was sure to find him if he could close the distance in time.

“When I catch up to you, Eric, you’’ll regret it!", he bellowed as he turned the steering wheel sharply. Tires slid off the road and into the shoulder before gaining traction, spitting stray gravel. Pistons revved up and internal fires burned hot, as his car shot up the on-ramp. Within seconds, everything became a blur, his dashboard needles pressed deep into the red.

It wasn’t long before Max reached the bar where Eric had last been seen. He pulled into the parking lot and slowly scanned the vehicles. Eric’s car was nowhere to be found, but Max felt a need to enter the bar. He wanted to get a sense of what had transpired.

When Max walked through the door, at first it appeared to be just a typical Saturday night meat market scene. Women clustered in groups to protect themselves from the slick-haired sharks who were sizing them up for a late night snack. Of course, despite appearances, these women were hardly innocent; they knew the rules of the game. Then it happened. Max sensed that shift in attention, as women began to notice him. He smiled, for he knew he had a way about him, a confidence that no woman could ignore for long. And if he pulled out his gold watch and started plying their minds with his Latin smoothness... well, there could be no resistance.

However, tonight would be different. Indeed, all of the women were watching Max, but their histrionics began to tear at him. One blond pointed at him, giggling. A man pretended to hypnotize his girl by waving his hand dramatically back and forth across her visage; they both quickly doubled over with laughter. A woman taunted him: “Hypnotize me first, baby!". A second woman, obviously her girlfriend, pretended to engage in a catfight with her. “No, he’s HOT and all mine!” “Wait.. maybe.. maybe he can put us both under!” Seeing that they had his attention, they both dropped to their knees, in patronizing glee: “TAKE US, PUH-LEASE!”

Max had heard and seen enough. He slammed the bar’s door, sealing the laughter inside, yet it echoed still in his mind. Both of his fists were clenched tight as he walked to his car. Once again, his Corvette’s engine roared.

He drove several miles down the freeway before reaching the next bar. Again, Eric’s car was not to be seen. Max swallowed his pride, went inside for a look, and once again faced humiliation. This time the crowd dissolved into laughter all at once. He tried to ignore them, but failed miserably. His jaw shook and his face reddened as he asked a pointed question. The amused bartender provided the answer he needed:

“Oh yes, he was here, ohh...thirty minutes ago. Funny kid, swinging that watch. Say, you’re Max Bernardo, aren’t you? You teaching him? That hypnosis stuff is real funny!”

“NO!” was Max’s curt response. And with that, he departed to continue his hunt. With each bar he walked into, his composure was rocked by Eric’s humiliating wake. He was getting close, yet Max was dumbfounded at how far he was from the city now. He thought Eric would have already admitted defeat; Max was now feeling under pressure, struggling to keep up the chase. “When is this kid going to quit?", he grumbled. His shoulders were tense, and riding high.

As white lines zipped by, he began to imagine what he would do when he caught Eric. I’ll confront him and knock him over the bar top, like in a spaghetti western. No, the boy would preempt him with a stuttered apology, making the women sympathetic to his cause.

Maybe I’ll lure Eric outside and corner him. Yeah...

Suddenly, the tires on the right side made a thumping noise. Startled, Max swerved back into his lane. His heart beat faster and he shook his head as he realized he had started to drift off to sleep. A glance at the dashboard clock and a yawn confirmed it was late: 1 AM. A few miles down the road, a freeway exit came up, and he took it, intending to give up and turn around. But when he reached the base of the hill, he saw a sign on the far opposite side of the road: “Tavern: 1 Mile Ahead”.

He thought the odds of finding Eric there would be low—surely he had missed exits while nightdreaming. But Max could not give this last chance up. “One more mile. And then it’s over.” Coming around a bend, he saw the Crossroads Tavern, and its companion next door, Luscious Ladies Lingerie. Despite his simmering anger, he managed a smile when he saw the lingerie sign out front. It had huge red lettering, and lurid animations that shone suggestively off the hood of his car. He would have continued to admire it, except he then saw what he had been looking for all along. He blinked, and looked again; there was Eric’s car, illuminated by his headlights. Max bared his teeth, and slapped his own leg.

“You son of a bitch. Time to pay!” He parked, then strode boldly towards the entrance. There were only a few other cars in the parking lot, which meant there would not be many witnesses to the beating. “Too easy”, he thought.

He heard the sounds of country twang as he opened the door. A lone bartender cleaning glasses with a yellow cloth looked up at Max, but he was already turning, as he heard a familiar voice coming from the far corner. Max faced his prey.. and stopped. Eric was indeed sitting there, but Max’s attention was quickly drawn to the beautiful woman sitting across from Eric. She had striking features and long, smooth legs. She reached across the table, and started caressing the boy’s hands as they looked into each others eyes.

Realizing that he was standing agape and likely to draw attention to himself, Max turned around, hung up his sport’s coat, and slowly walked up to the bar. He wanted to observe and size up the situation. He ordered a margarita on the rocks, then continued his curious surveillance. Posturing, eye contact, the way she moved suggested that there was rapport between the two. An excellent sign, prerequisite to the seduction, if it had not already happened. He mused to himself. Maybe the boy actually learned something.

“There you go. Your margarita.”

As Max continued his surveillance in-between sweet sips, he began to notice peculiarities. Eric was mimicking the woman’s movements continually, following her, and she now was doing all of the talking. ALL of it. Something about her tickled his memory, but he couldn’t quite put his finger on it.

“Pretty, isn’t she?", asked the bartender. Max’s hand twitched, knocking the drink off its coaster.

“Shit.” Max scooted back and narrowly avoided getting his silk shirt wet.

“Sorry, didn’t mean to startle you there. If it makes you feel better, you aren’t the first patron to trip over themselves while watching Kylie.” The bartender was already wiping the mess clear with a towel, but was looking at him, grinning. Max was none too pleased that a common bartender had picked up on his clandestine activities.

“Kylie. Hmmm, very pretty. Is she a regular?” Max scooted his stool closer to the bar, and fingered his mustache.

“Yes, but I have to rely mostly on stories people tell, since I’ve been here less than a month. I’m John, the new owner.” He extended his hand to Max, who gave it a momentary yet painful squeeze before turning his back again.

The bartender watched Max warily now. “Are you from the city?”

“Yes. Road trip.” Max’s eyes were absolutely locked on Kylie now. She had one bare leg extended, her knee-length skirt inching ever higher on her leg before a dangling shoe dropped to the floor. She drew herself closer, and her foot started treating Eric to a sensual massage. Max felt his own pants growing a little cramped for space.

If John had noticed the action in the far corner, he expressed no surprise. “The boy there told me he’s from the city too. You know him?” Max did not hear him. The woman was scooting her chair next to Eric’s, sliding her hand down his chest until it it slipped into his pants. Eric’s head slumped on his shoulders, eyes closed and a hint of a smile on his face.

John again asked, “Do you know that boy?”

The question started Max, breaking his concentration, but he quickly regained his composure. “Uh, no,” he said. He muttered under his breath, “son of a bitch!". The woman had just tilted her head, and was looking straight at Max. There was no doubt she had seen him watching. Max instinctively reached for the cold beverage that should have been there, but groped at empty space. He turned back to the bar, and cursed himself. I’m being careless! With few options available to him, he ordered another margarita, and began to alternate between breathing and gulping it down. When that drink was gone, he ordered a third. He checked his watch: 1:45 AM. A martini came next, which went down smoothly. His head was already beginning to buzz fiercely. His second martini had just arrived when he heard chairs scraping the wood floor. Max kept his head down and listened as footsteps approached.

A melodic voice called out, “Good night, John!” The owner looked up from his newspaper and smiled.

“Evening, Kylie! Are you taking this boy somewhere special tonight?”

“Mmm... we’re going to do a little late night shopping.” She was standing right over Max’s shoulder; he softly sipped at his martini, but otherwise didn’t so much as blink.

John laughed out loud. “I’m sure the Luscious Ladies will provide you two some excellent lingerie, even at this hour. Better hurry. Crossroads closes in a few minutes. Have a good evening, son. You’re in good hands.” The tavern owner’s good-natured wink added a nice touch.

“Lingerie?", Eric asked in a wondering tone. At that, Max managed to smile. The boy was so naive.

Her whispers were intended for Eric, but one word just managed to reach Max’s ear. “Crotchless”. His hand twitched again, knocking over what remained of his martini.

She giggled. “Oopsie daisy. Looks like that guy is going to close you out tonight, John.”

Max sunk his head further down, staring at his hands, which were wringing each other on the edge of the bar. His face was turning red. Alcohol began to drip onto the front of his pants, but Max did not dare stand up, lest he unintentionally salute someone.

John was already on the job, towel in hand. “Don’t worry. I’ll call him a cab and make sure he gets home safely.”

“Bye!” Kylie and Eric’s footsteps grew more distant. The tavern tavern door opened and closed, and a gust of cool air swirled in. Moments later, Max stood up.

“Let me call you that cab. You’re in no shape for driving.” John reached out to grab his arm, but Max shook free, and dropped a Benjamin on the bar top.

“Here, for your trouble. Don’t need a cab.” He glared at John, pulled his coat free from the rack, then departed.

John frowned, and decided to make a phone call.

“Luscious Ladies Lingerie. This is Danielle. How may I help you?”

“Danielle, this is John. We have a problem. Kylie just left with a young boy. Hold on.. no, he’s not the problem... No, she isn’t drunk. But this older gentleman just left, and...”

“Don’t worry, John. I’ll get this situation under control. Good night. <click>”

Immediately, all John’s concerns faded; her soothing voice always had that effect on him. He continued to clean up, whistling cheerfully. As he departed the Crossroads, the only thing running through his mind was anticipation of pleasant silken dreams that were waiting for him...

At that moment, however, Max was hellbent on exacting revenge but having little success. He had waited in the shadows for the couple to emerge, but his patience was running out. Green luminescence shone from his wrist: 2:15 AM. “Something’s not right,” he mumbled. He crept up to the store and peered through the window. It was a cool mid-October evening, and his moist breath fogged the glass ever so slightly. Through the mist, he saw a checkout register on one side. Down the aisle, Kylie was alone, framing her enticing figure with various satiny garments. Alcohol was surging through his system, but even through his mental haze, he felt intense arousal. Impulsively, he went in for a closer look.

Once inside, Max saw Eric standing motionless, staring at the products before him, apparently oblivious to Max’s presence. Max could have dragged the boy out right then, but a sexy voice called to him. Crotchless. Max couldn’t resist taking another peek at the woman first. As he tiptoed, her cooing started.

“Oh, these look nice. Mmmm.. " Max peeked around the corner. The woman was holding up crotchless red satin panties, a matching lacy garterbelt, and black stockings. His breath caught, and she must have heard him, because her head turned slowly in his direction. When her eyes locked with his, Max raised himself up.

“Pardon, Miss... ”

“Kylie. You almost startled me there.” Her face blushed slightly, as she playfully cupped a hand up to her mouth. Her smile kept Max off-balance. The alcohol wasn’t helping, as his body started listing to one side.

“Oh my, you’re that naughty man from the tavern. You were watching me earlier, weren’t you?” Max nodded feebly, knowing he couldn’t lie his way out of this one.

“What do you think of my legs? Wouldn’t these look nice on them?” Her hips made a quarter turn, as she lifted her skirt and bared the outside of her thigh so she could hold the stocking up to it. He took a step forward.

“I think they are... amazing. By the way, I’m Max.”

“Max. Such a powerful name.” She smiled back, and his heart skipped a beat as she stepped forward and gently held his hand with soft, delicate fingertips. Her beautiful blue eyes held him motionless and a bit dazed, until she spoke again.

“I’m not going home with him tonight.”

“Who?” Max feigned ignorance, barely managing to suppress a smile.

She lowered her voice to a whisper. “You know.. the boy standing a few aisles over. I thought he was cute, but he’s creeping me out, silently staring at the merchandise like that. But I’m still feeling a little... adventurous. How about you?” She cradled her arm behind Max’s head, draping satin, nylon and even smoother skin against his neck. Her eyes were still trained on his, as she placed her other hand upon the front of his silk shirt.

“You look so tired. Ready to bed me?” Words failed Max. This beautiful creature was offering herself so freely, and nothing further was required from him: no swinging watches, no bravado. He did want her so badly. He nodded as her hand started tracing circles on the side of his face. “Mmm... I thought so, you naughty woozy man, looking into my eyes, feeling my legs... " She placed his right hand against the slope of her milky thigh, and slowly guided it up just a few inches, just under the lip of her skirt, towards a magical place. She giggled softly as she held his hand firmly against her flesh.

“You’ve had so much to drink, and I think ... I could be a naughty girl and strip for you, but only if you promise not to drink any more tonight.” Her fingers continued tracing his face, as her voice dropped even lower, softer, delivering words meant only for him. Her eyes were so beautiful, little blue circlets.. “If you were half as drunk as you feel right now, I could push you over onto the bed. Mmmm.. and I love a push over.” Her whispers continued to tease, drawing him further into a hypnotic embrace.

“Mmmm.. feeling drunk yet, Max?”

Max blinked, and wondered what just happened to him. He thought she had asked him a question, but wasn’t sure what it was. He looked at her, and spoke louder than he intended. “Youuu know, I... can’t keep my eyessss off youuu..” He did not feel like himself anymore. His limbs felt heavy.

Kylie laughed. “Naughty man. It’ll be our secret, Max! Oh, could you hold these for me?” Without a moment’s hesitation, he held out his arms, and she deposited lingerie in them.

“I almost forgot the edibles. They’re on the other side, I think... Funny, I bought some here last week and should know better!” She giggled again, then started to tiptoe around the corner of the aisle. Before disappearing from view, she held one finger up to her lips. “Shhhh! Don’t tell the boy where to find me!”

“I won’t,” Max whispered. He smiled as she blew a kiss.

The waiting began. One minute, then another. He thought he would check on her, but music started playing behind a nearby service door. He shuffled closer with a drunken gait and pushed the door slightly ajar.

In the middle of the floor, a tall woman danced to upbeat music from another time, her long black hair swaying gently as she tapped out the beats. Her back was to him at first, but her dance spun her back around to face him. She smiled and never missed a step. One leg kicked up into the air, then back, and then up again. She appeared to be really enjoying herself, and totally caught up in the rhythm. Without realizing it, Max had gotten caught up in the dance as well, and tapped a foot in sync with the beat. When the song ended, the woman walked over to an old-style turntable and lifted the needle off the platter. She took a good look at Max, and started laughing.

“Looks like you found some really sexy gifts there! For your lady, or is this when you normally do covert shopping?” She winked, and he didn’t know what to say. “Sorry, that was a terrible little inside joke. Ready to check out?”

He tried to act suave, but was having difficulties. “Theeesh are for a particularrr pretty laaady outside thiish door.” The woman gave him a quizzical look, so he started to describe her. She interrupted him, and laughed again.

“Oh, that would be Kylie. Lucky man! You said she was over in the edibles section? Perhaps I should check to see if she needs assistance. She’ll buy me out of inventory one of these days...” She walked up to where Max stood, but he was not moving out of the way. He looked at her in a half-stupor, grinning mischievously.

“Youuu are a beautfull dancerr. Pretty blue eyess.”

“Thank you.. do you have a name? Mmmm?” Her thin, dark eyebrow arched.

“Max. My nammm iss Max.”

“Good to meet you, Max. Looks like you had some fun at the tavern tonight. Why don’t I put on a pot of coffee for you and give you a chance to sober up a bit? Kylie is a patient girl. I’ll let her know you need a little more time.”

“I don’t knoow whyy I pheelll thiisssh way. I only haaad a feww drinksss.” Just then a stocking fell out of his grasp.

The woman stooped to pick up the stocking, giving Max a view of her curvaceous backside. His eyes wandered lecherously for a moment before she stood back up.

“There are safer places for delicates. I’ll take these off your hands”. She took the remaining items and put them on top of a cabinet. “Have yourself a seat.” He stumbled over to a chair in front of an oak desk and slumped into it. She started up a pot of coffee, then excused herself. When she returned a few minutes later, she found Max standing again, examining the turntable.

“Beautiful, isn’t it?", she asked. “I bought it on eBay, and it just arrived last week.” Max did not respond in kind, as he was intently examining the platter, the heavy arm, and the needle which gleamed coldly under fluorescent lights. She started pouring a cub of joe.

“It’s a Victrola, from the 1920’s. Fascinating era. Max, would you like cream or sugar in your coffee?”

“No thankkss. Black.”

“Good choice. I’ll think I’ll have some too. No point in trying to sweeten the pot at this hour, when you’ll start to wake up a little anyway, like you are now. Here ya go.” She handed him the cup, and he took a sip. Surprisingly, he already felt more alert.

“What wass that dannce?”

She laughed. “Oh, that was my poor attempt at doing the Charleston. I’m going to need lessons. Still, I always enjoy the thrill of a dance. Sometimes I can go for hours, and lose myself in a trance.” Max perked up at that. A prudent yet distant voice in his mind told him to shut up, but he ignored it.

“Funnny you should ssay that.”

“Why is that funny, Max? Hmm.. you ARE waking up nicely now, so go ahead.. you were saying?.” She took a sip from her coffee, and then looked intently into his eyes.

The fog began lifting from Max’s mind, and his surefire confidence was returning. His speech was also not slurring as it had before, but he was scarcely aware that he ever had slurred at all.. His ignorant bluster continued: “I know some things about trance.”

“Are you a hypnotist, Max? Or are you just trying to seduce me?” She winked as she put her cup back on the table.

The big devil winked back. “Only if you want me to. But... I don’t know your name.” The confidence was definitely back, and he was into his groove.

“I’m Danielle. Welcome to my store, Max. First timer, if I’m not mistaken.”

“How would you know? I’m very experienced at handling lingerie.” He smiled.

“I’m sure you are, but I know all of my customers, and never forget a face.” To Max, her body language seemed to be giving off mixed signals. There were two ways to interpret them, but he had no time to reflect. She sat herself down on the edge of the desk in front of him, crossed one leg over the other, and dangled a high heel precariously. A stolen glance at her toes revealed bright red nail polish that bedazzled. Desire lit within him as he took in her softly shining legs and curves. There was a mature ripeness about this woman’s body, and he wanted it underneath him within the hour. With Kylie now a distant, faded memory, he overrode his first instinct and went for the score.

“Would you like to try, Danielle?”

“Hypnosis? Me? Do you think I could?”

“Most women respond very well. And I have a way about me.” He gently raised both his hands, shook them out, and waved them in playful and pseudo-mystical fashion. Danielle laughed, but then her face took on a half-serious expression.

“How can I trust you? What if you are here to rob the store and have your way with me?”

“All myths. I can’t make you do anything that goes against your beliefs.” Max looked at her innocently as he cackled inside.

She smiled warmly. “Well, I have always wanted to try, and you don’t look like a predator. I’ll do it, but only under one condition.”

“What’s that?”

“There’s a soft, jazzy number I’d like to put on the turntable. It’s only a few minutes long, but it’ll help me relax.”

“Sure. Whatever makes you feel most comfortable.”

She put away the previous album, and sifted through another stack. “Ah, here we are.” She turned on the turntable, then asked, “So how will this begin?”

“Simple. I’ll have you gaze into my eyes as the music relaxes you. After your song ends, I’ll start speaking, and you’ll listen and slip smoothly into trance, just like THAT.” He snapped his fingers. “It’’ll be so easy for you to go under, and very pleasant. I promise.”

“I hope so.” She turned her head one way, then the other, taking out a pair of diamond earrings, which she placed on the far corner of the desk. She put the needle on the record, sat directly across from Max and started staring into his eyes as sultry jazz purred, beats softly complementing the instrumentals.

Max’s thoughts immediately became dreamy as he stared back at Danielle. Not a bad choice for relaxation after all. Her eyes were the same beautiful color as... Did I meet another girl this evening? The thought was fleeting. As the song continued, his mind started to completely blank out. When the song ended and only the steady patter of a skipping needle remained, Danielle and Max continued staring into each others’ eyes. Danielle acted first, snapping her fingers.

“SLEEP!” Max’s eyes shut, and his body sank in the chair. His face took on a waxen appearance. Danielle shut off the turntable, then once again shifted her head to either side. She held two earplugs, and deposited them back into the desk drawer as she mused softly, “That was just too easy.” The diamond earrings went back in, and she returned to Max’s side.

“You can shut your mind off completely, or just sit there and listen to my soothing voice, which relaxes you all the way down now. Nothing can disturb you. You will sink deeper, regardless of what I say or whatever else you may hear. Respond to my commands more with every moment that passes.” She looked up towards the service door, where Eric stood entranced, his head slumped and his body beginning to wobble unsteadily.

“Well, another admirer. Let’s get you into a comfortable chair.” She walked over to Eric and whispered in his ear. His head lifted and his eyes opened, yet they were glassy. He walked over and stood next to Max, not moving again until she had positioned a second chair. He sat down, and continued to stare blankly. She turned on the desk lamp, then put two crystal shot glasses down and pulled out a bottle of gin. After she poured the shots, she reached over and gently tapped Eric’s wrist.

“Where am I?” he said drowsily.

“You are in the back of Luscious Ladies Lingerie. I’m Danielle, the owner. Let’s drink to the evening.” She tipped her shot glass, first to Eric, then to Max, then slammed it down.

Eric was puzzled, looked next to him, and nearly jumped out of his chair. Danielle grabbed his forearm.

“Shhhh! Don’t disturb Max. He’s deep asleep right now, and he will stay that way for the rest of the evening. He’s such a drunkard. Now it’s time for us to drink up. You’re old enough, aren’t you?” She wasn’t quite sure; he looked awfully young.

“Uh.. yeah. Why are we drinking again?”

“To celebrate your first visit to my store. Isn’t that a good enough reason?”

“Sure, " he hesitantly answered. He gingerly tipped back the shot glass, and started coughing.

“Careful now. It’s a good thing Max is continuing to sleep deeper.” Eric looked at Max again, and the older man seemed to relax even more, barely staying in his chair.

“Don’t worry. I’ve contacted someone to take him where he needs to go. He won’t get behind the wheel again until tomorrow morning.” She reached into her desk, and pulled out a set of keys which she had slipped off of Max. The key chain had overlapping flags, one red and one checkered black and white.

“He drives a ‘Vette?” Eric asked, feigning surprise. He gave another cough, this time a little faked.

“Unusual isn’t it? I’ve never known an older man to wear silk shirts, gold chains, and drive a ‘Vette to impress the ladies.” The sarcasm was not lost. Eric laughed as she poured another round.

“Did you like the song before you fell asleep?”

He swallowed the second shot and wiped his mouth with his sleeve. “Hmm?”

“The turntable. The jazz.” She led with her eyes, then gestured at it.

“Uh, yeah. My dad used to have a turntable laying around. But not like that.”

“No, they never did make them like the old Victrolas.” She looked at Eric’s shirt pocket, where white ear buds were just peeking out. “You know, the turntable has had a lasting effect on your music.”

“Really?” Eric pulled out his MP3 player and held it out for her. She took it gently from him, and sighed.

“Amazing technology. I’ve considered buying one, but I guess I’m still hung up studying the past... Oh, I’m sorry, I didn’t ask your name.”

“I’m Eric.”

“Well met, Eric. Would you like to get a close look at the turntable?”

“Sure.” He scooted his chair back, and walked over as she carefully took the album off the platter.

“The albums your father played were probably 45’s or 33’s. This only holds a single song per side, rotating 78 times a minute. Sometimes I get dizzy watching it go.”

She had Eric’s total attention. He was a curious boy. “So how did this affect my music?”

“Glad you ask. Back in the 1920’s, turntables like this were all they had to play recorded music.. Musicians kept the songs short to make them fit on a 78. That only gave them three or four minutes to work with. Fortunately, that’s plenty of time for me to do what I do best.”

Eric was suddenly confused. “Do what?”

“Simple, Eric. I take control.” SNAP! He started to fall forward, but she held him up, first with her body, then with a spoken command. A second command shut Eric’s thoughts down so he would not remember. She whispered to Max, then resumed her seat in front of him, as Eric stood senseless off to the side. As she snapped her fingers again, Max awoke to find himself numb and dazed.

“What.. !” Max tried in vain to move his arms and legs. “What’s wrong with me?” Panic was in his voice.

“When I find out, I’ll let you know. Any other questions?”

“You drugged my coffee!”

“Oh yes, I keep chemical agents on hand so that I can turn people into talking mannequins. Shhh, don’t tell my competitors. They would be so jealous. No, guess again. You can’t move anything but your mouth? I wonder.. how could that happen?”

“YOU hypnotized ME?!” Max’s stare was incredulous.

Danielle cupped her hands under her chin and smiled as a wave of euphoria swept over her. It wasn’t just her taking satisfaction in the moment. The gin was beginning to kick in. She decided to take another shot before answering him.

“Surprise!” she said, as she slammed the empty shot glass back on the desk. “The predator becomes the prey. Do you know him?” She gestured towards Eric.

Fearful of where she was going with the questioning, he lied. “No, I’ve never seen him.”

“Liar. I talked with Kylie. You were pursuing them. I don’t care if you were after him, chasing her, or both. You are in serious trouble now.” She gave him such a look; if Max had not been numb all over, he would have felt his testicles shrink back inside himself in fear. He began to sweat.

“Oh yes, I’ve caught you, and I’m not letting you go just yet.” She poured a final drink for herself, just as the door swung open, and two ladies entered.

“Ah, our designated drivers have arrived. Max, I’ve enjoyed this, but I’ve got a boy to attend to.” Before Max could respond, she snapped again. His body went so limp, he fell out of the chair and lay motionless on the concrete floor.

After Danielle slammed the final shot down, she burst out laughing, pumped one fist in the air, and unsteadily walked up to Eric. As she snapped him out of trance, they looked like two drunks supporting each other.

The red-haired woman standing next to Kylie shook her head, and spoke up first.“Danielle, I don’t think this is a good idea. You’re drunk.”

“Well, so is he.” She snapped her fingers again, and any steadiness that had returned to Eric’s legs disappeared just as quickly. His eyes rolled up in his head. She laughed again, as they wobbled closer to the door. She was beginning to have trouble supporting all of his weight. “Ok, not that drunk. That’s better.”

Her sister was not so pleased with this turn of events. Kylie had her arms crossed, and was glaring. “YOU get Eric? After all I’ve done?”

“I need a little innocent fun too.” Kylie pouted but stood aside to let them pass.

Danielle spoke to the redhead. “Michelle, don’t let Max out of trance until you are done. I have a feeling he’s hiding something. Find out what it is, and don’t let him remember me. I might need that advantage someday.” Michelle nodded, then looked over at the table.

“Whose MP3 player is that?”

Danielle wanted to turn around, but couldn’t, as she was locked in an unsteady embrace with Eric. “Oh darn. Michelle, can you grab that and put it in Eric’s pocket? Thanks.” Someone started making puppy eyes, and Danielle sighed.

“Ok, we’ll share this one.” Kylie’s squeal of delight brought Eric halfway out of trance, yet a hypnotic influence still washed over him. He felt helpless, relaxed and comfortable, and was starting to like the feeling. Two women carried him along. Perfume, blue eyes and black hair seduced him from the left. Soft curves and smiles seduced from the right.

As they walked him out of the store, they both whispered in his ears, and his awareness faded. The rest of the evening would play through his mind later like an old movie hastily edited, and full of holes. He forgot the car ride, but remembered being led through a hotel lobby and whisked up to a suite. He faded again, and was treated to a lingerie fashion show that he would never forget. The next morning as the sun rose, he awoke in his car in front of of his dorm.

As he took a hot shower, one memory in particular caused him to start stroking to relieve sexual tension: that of him laying in bed, one woman sliding against his body on top while the other caressed his mind. However, as Eric turned off the shower, other memories that held a darker meaning came to him. One was the beginning of a song that pulled at him as a turntable spun. The other was seeing Max asleep next to him in a room. It was unbelievable, yet he was sure it had happened. His curiosity would grow, and eventually he would seek the truth. The ladies thought Eric had been freed from his entanglements, but their paths would cross again...